Finally updating this story after a week! Sorry for making everyone wait so long for this update, and I will try to update faster next time. Note: This hasn't been proofread so please ignore spelling and grammar mistakes. Enjoy!
Chapter 12
The Next Evening
She stood on her balcony looking out waiting for him. It had been hours since he had left and there was still no sign of him. She was getting worried and there was nothing she could do. Why did this have to happen? Whenever their relationship moved one small step forward, it took 2 giant leaps back. She remembered yesterday she sat here and he was right across from her and he behaved normally. And now everything was a mess again...
In the Afternoon
Ishita brought a tray with cups of tea for the 3 Bhalla brothers. The awkwardness was visible present in the room. Mihika & Mihir along with Ishita, Raman and Romi were hoping they would succeed in being able to convince Amma & Appa. Mihir and Mihika managed to convince Raman they were totally ready to get married and he had come to talk to Amma & Appa to convince them for this proposal. As Mihika told her parents in the morning that she would introduce them to the guy she wanted to marry and his family, her parents were elated and had been preparing for this meeting since the morning. As expected their moods were dampened as Raman was the person they opened the door to and had to welcome inside.
Amma had immediately refused the alliance as she saw Raman, but Appa asked her to be patient and listen to what they had to say. As Mihir and Mihika told them about how long they have been together despite the past, how much they loved each other, Appa started to become more positive about the relationship while Amma was also starting to soften up. And then came the statement which everyone was expecting...
"Mr. Bhalla, how can I believe your brother won't cheat on my daughter?" Amma asked
At the moment Ishita had come to him with the tray, he shook his head refusing to have anything. She handed him a glass of water and gave him an assuring smile and mouthed...
"It'll be okay."
He smiled back at her. He had been cordial ever since the interaction they had yesterday. He felt better about Ruhi's absence because of her and found it in himself to act properly around her... well at least not behave rudely. He looked away from her and turned his attention back to the question he was asked. He took a deep breath before speaking and hoped for the best since this time it was his brother's future and love at stake.
"Amma, he is someone who is completely trust worthy and it's been 3 years since they have been seeing each other. If Mihika trusts him and he has been completely faithful this whole time, I can guarantee you he will continue the same way."
"You're the older brother, you do influence your brother and he looks up to you. Don't you think he will end up in your footsteps and cheat on my Mihika since you have raised him?"
He wanted to yell and scream that he hadn't cheated, he was not unfaithful, and that he was someone who loved Ishita more than anyone in this world. But he had to stay quiet, otherwise it would make things worse, he kept in his anger and pain and spoke up.
"Please don't punish my brother for my past. Whatever happened in my life, my past isn't his fault, and he doesn't deserve all this. He truly loves your daughter and she loves him as well. Don't keep them separated for something that they had no control over. As far as the question of me raising him is concerned, I have always taught both Romi & Mihir to respect women. I know Mihir and he is someone who will never be unfaithful to anyone."
"I love Mihika more than anything aunty, I will never look at anyone but her!" Mihir chimed in.
Her Amma looked at her father and he was smiling and positive about the whole thing, but she wasn't. She looked at Raman with visible anger. There was a time where he was a son to her, when she used to scold her daughter for him and now she couldn't trust his words one bit. But Mihika loved Mihir and he loved her back. They both wanted to be with each other and Raman had a point; they shouldn't be separated because of other people's deeds. So she decided on something, she looked around the room to everyone waiting for her answer, and she asked Raman to come with her to the side room so she could talk to him alone.
"Raman, I want this marriage to work out."
"So do I Amma."
"Then agree to one condition of mine and I will happily agree to it."
"What type of condition?"
"Mihir and Mihika have already talked to you and decided they will live in a separate house that will be in the neighbourhood close to your house right?" He nodded as he wondered where this was going and she continued...
"I want you to cut all ties with Mihir and Mihika. I want you to stay away from the two and not to talk to him!"
Raman was shocked. Just shocked. She was asking him to stay away from Mihir forever...he wanted to say no right away, but then he remembered. The words Mihir & Mihika had said at the cafe, the words Mihir had said to him in frustration. Was he more valuable to Mihir or Mihika? He thought for a moment what will make him happier. And so...
"I promise you, after they get married, I will stay away from Mihir and will never interfere in their lives. They will never hear from me & soon Mihir will forget about me. But I also have a condition." He said on the verge of crying.
"What?"
"My daughter will still meet him and Mihika, I won't keep her away from her aunt and uncle."
"That's fine as long as Mihir doesn't meet you."
"AMMA! RAMAN!" they heard a voice boom from the door. Ishita stood at the door upset at the two of them.
"What do you think you are doing?" she asked her mother as she walked in.
"Ishu, it's for Mihika."
"Amma you can't do this, it's not fair!"
"Mrs. Khanna please don't say anything. Let this happen." Raman interrupted.
"Raman why are you doing this?" she was exasperated at what he was about to do.
"For Mihir. My brother never asked for anything from me. Today he only asked me to get him married to the woman he loves and if this is what I need to do for that to happen, then I will do it! If my staying away from him gets him Mihika, then I will stay away. He will forget about me if he has his love around him." he said as he teared up.
"Raman, no you can't!" she cried at what he was about to do to himself and Mihir.
"I can and I will."
"What will happen when Mihir finds out?! He will hate us Amma and you as well Raman!"
"We will never let him know and if he does find out, we can deal with that then." Raman answered.
"Raman you are being impulsive! Don't make a mistake like many of us have in the past! Think before you make a decision."
"You tell me then, what else can I do to make this relationship work? Mihika and Amma cannot stand me, it's so obvious. If I stay away, then it will make everyone happy."
"No it won't! No one will be happy!" she tried to protest.
But no one listened. Raman and Amma walked out and they all agreed for this wedding. Mihika and Mihir hugged each other out of excitement while Romi also celebrated by feasting on the food placed in front of him. Appa and Raman talked about all the preparations they need to do and everything that needed to be done. Raman shook Appa's with a smile on his face, a smile that was there for pretence and she knew it very well. He finished up talking to her father and left their house as soon as he could secretly crying as he left. As the Bhallas left and everyone got busy in their own thing, Ishita found a moment alone with her dad and told him everything she had heard...
"Ishu if he has agreed then why should we have a problem?" her father asked when she finished telling everything.
She really didn't know this man in front of her. She felt like she had lost her Amma and Appa the very day she lost Raman. Amma always was an orthodox person, but her Appa always supported their decision and thought the best for them. The day she had been forced to get engaged with Ashok left her in disbelief that her dad wouldn't stand up for her. It took her years to forget what their decision had cost her, but now she remembered each moment as her parents were once again doing something which would lead to more problems and now she was mad. Really mad and...
"Appa you couldn't do anything for me 6 years back, at least you could stand up to Amma now. Now Raman and his family has to pay for this. Is it fair to have the brothers separated?"
"Ishu...your Amma has taken this decision after thinking it through. She must be doing it for Mihika's good." Her father tried to defend her mother.
"Appa is right Akka, Amma must have thought of something before doing this." Mihika also agreed with her parents.
"I am not letting this happen! Not at all!"
She said as she stormed into her room and burst out crying. What just happened and why? He was being punished for something he didn't do once again. Because of her lack of trust, he was facing problems again. She sat there crying for a while just regretting her every choice that day. She calmed down after a while and rationally tried to talk with her parents telling them this was not right. But all in vain. She went to balcony later on only to see Raman rushing out into his car and driving away. The speed he was driving worried her immensely.
Present Time
A light turned on in the room and brought her out her thoughts. It was Mihika who came in with dinner for her and left without a word upset with her sister for not supporting them in the decision. Her whole family was adamant on their decision and paid no heed to her. And Raman, only God knew where he was and what state he was in. With Ruhi leaving and this condition Amma put forth, she only prayed for him to come home okay trying to remove bad thoughts from her head. She looked across and saw Romi with Mihir in Raman's room balcony looking out for him as well. Mihir took his car and left to search for him and she saw Romi calling someone trying to figure out where he could possibly be. And that's when he came.
His car door opened up to a completely drunk Raman with a bottle in his hand. He could hardly stand on his own two feet. She ran down as she saw him fall down. Romi also rushed to help him, he brushed him away. As she came, he stood up and started to walk completely unbalanced and fell towards her. As she grabbed him, he pulled away from her mumbling words at them no one could understand. She held his arms tighter and said in an authorizing loud tone...
"Raman! Listen to me!"
He pouted and calmed down trying to stand still and keep his eyes open. His brother looked at the two shocked. She wanted to break down into tears looking at his state, but controlled herself. She looked at him with a serious look and ordered him...
"Come upstairs with me..."
He walked with her stumbling, but she was there to hold onto him and not let him fall. She dragged him into his house and placed him onto the couch. She heard him say Mihir's name and that was it. She felt so responsible for everything that was happening. She started to sob kneeling down by where he was laying.
"Raman I am so sorry for what Amma did."
He looked at her and got up slowly, at first he looked confused and as he came closer...
"Nope, no sorry! And hey, what is this? (Pointing to her tears) I don't like this" he said as he wiped them off with his index finger.
"Raman why are-"
"I know you want to know why I drink so much. And before you start lecturing me, let me tell you something. I drink because before I had people to share my pain with. I had my family, my friends, and I had you. But now I have no one. I am all alone. At this time only this bottle helps. It makes me forget all my problems for one whole night, so I can sleep peacefully." He said with slurred speech.
"Can I ask you something? You tell me, am I such a horrible person? Do I deserve this? Do you think my life should be like this?" he cried in between his words.
"Absolutely not. Someone like you deserves all the love they can get. "
"Then why does everyone I love leave me? First mom & dad, I was only 19 when they left me with Mihir and Romi. Then you, the girl I truly loved left me to marry that creep and now Mihir needs to leave for Mihika. Soon Romi and Ruhi will leave too, and then I will be all by myself. No one will be there, no one will love me or care for me. No one will need me. No one at all." He whispered and mumbled the last few words.
"No Raman, I will be there always, and I will always need you like I need you now. I won't ever leave you again. Never. I promise."
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That was all for now! This update felt a bit disjointed to me, but would like to hear what you thought of it! So please like and leave your feedback in the comments below! Thank you!
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