Ishra FF ||A Contract Of Love|| Prologue ~ Chapter 24B - Page 63

Originally posted by: shinseen

Beautiful update

Originally posted by: vidya_prasad

lovely update Prabh

Eager to catch up the next part

continue soon

Originally posted by: GloryBeckons

nice one again... but curiousity took me to when they will consummatre or will know that they care for each other...

Originally posted by: janani_divan

Wow brilliant update prabh:-)

it is so realistic...ishita ;-(;-(i really sorry for her status,she has to face many situations from society who knows about shagun and raman relationship.
she should accept everything in this marriage..she already accept it.
But she is in insecure state..its common ,wife cannot bare another women relationship with her husband..either it is past or present or future.
Lovely to hear bala and vandita are their neighbours.

i missed ruhi in this update..thanks for pm:-)

Note: Not proofread again😆

After they talked about settling into the house and finished their lunch which to her surprise tasted good, he got on the phone with his manager and his lawyer trying to get started on the legal issues they faced and see how bad the damage was. She saw him getting tensed again and she knew things were tough for him right now. Not only was this extra stress and a loss professionally, that building had emotional value to him and all this was just making him stress out. She couldn't even imagine how hard it must be for him to think with a cool and practical mind when he must be feeling so many emotions due to his father's connection to the building. He got off the phone rushing to their room to start rummaging through his laptop bag for some papers. She followed him and help him find the file in needed from the huge pile he had quietly. She saw lines of worry of his forehead and his eyes seemed watery as well making her upset as well...

"You alright? She asked him gently.

"Yea, but I have to go meet the manager, so will you be okay with Ruhi alone for an hour?" he asked quietly and with a tinge of sadness in his voice.

"Sure we will be fine."

"Will you be able handle everything?"

"I will and I have your number is there is a problem. But right now you need to solve this matter and get some peace for yourself." She smiled faintly at him as he held back tears which he knew she had already seen.

"Thank you! I will be back soon and I will call you in between as well."

"We'll be right here!"

He kissed Ruhi goodbye and left still hesitating to leave them alone when she assured him with her eyes and he left the place with a smile.

~~~~~

He was driving to the temporary office they had set up. As he drove he thought about Ishita. She was so understanding and sensible yet childish at the same time. The way she had understood Vandita and Bala's reaction and understood their point of view, but the next moment she was smiling and joking around with him as if nothing happened. And now she had managed to understand him and how badly he wanted to finish off this matter since it affected him so much. She let him be alone while still standing behind him and supporting him. She was seriously one of a kind.

"I am so lucky to have her." He said aloud thinking about how many times she had helped him without asking for anything in return.

He smiled widely as he thought of the time they spent together. Whether it was the first time he saw her to when she had proposed the marriage idea to the times she had come to his house and spent time with him and Ruhi like a family to getting married to her and trying to adjust to each other, all these moments had given him a happiness he couldn't describe.

And whenever she cried or was sad, it hurt him. Be it when she broke down in his arms at the mall or when she told him how her ex hurt her or just now when he saw her expressions as she heard Vandita's words. He wanted to stop people from hurting her, he wanted to shield her from any hurt or pain coming her way, and he wanted to only see that adorable smile of hers. He came back to reality as he heard a loud honk behind him and realize the signal had turned green. His vision was blurred and he realized he had small tears in his eyes and that just simply thinking about her sadness made him upset.

She really did affect him only he just didn't realize that and thought it was just care for a friend...

~~~~~~

When will he come back, it's been almost 2 hours? She thought as she sat down bored at home as she patted the peaceful sleeping Ruhi in her lap. He had called her an hour ago saying it would take him longer, so she took advantage of his absence and cleaned up the kitchen and bedroom to how she liked it. Now it started to feel like her room despite the loud furniture and decorations. Now she had nothing to do, but sit here waiting for him to come back. As she waited bored for Raman to come home and was looking back and forth between the clock and window, she saw Shravan and Vandita walking in the alley below. As she saw them, her thoughts went back to her words this morning and Raman's word along with Ruhi's actions in Delhi.

No matter what, she couldn't deny their marriage wasn't normal and it surely wasn't going to be an easy one which she had concluded way back. But now when these things were coming in front of her, she didn't know what to do. Were these things even in her control? How could she make sure her daughter would accept her baby? And how could she tell the world that she never intended to take the spot of his first wife, instead she wanted to make her little space as a friend and a mother for Ruhi? All she wanted was a father for her baby and she had gotten a friend for herself in the process. But she couldn't tell the world this, for the world would just stop talking about their marriage, but then talk about her child. Either way she wouldn't be at peace and it was just like choosing between two evils.

While these thoughts were in her head, Ruhi stirred in her sleep and caught Ishita's finger making her smile through the tears that formed in her eyes. Just then her phone notified her of a message. She reached over to the phone with her free hand and like she had expected, it was Raman.

"Hey! Sorry, still caught up here, will take a while longer😔!"

"It's alright and I am richer again.😉😆"

"No you're not! I texted a sorry, didn't say it😉!"

"Very smart!👏"

"I am Raman Bhalla after all😃!"

"So what? I am Ishita Bhalla, I will get you back😉."

"We'll see about that😛."

"Now go finish off your work. The faster it's over, the faster you'll come home👍🏼."

"Good point! Bye!"

"Bye from me and Ruhi!"

She smiled at his messages and the timing of his actions as well as Ruhi's. She thought for a moment if she really needed to care about people's opinion when she had Ruhi's love and Raman's support with her. With them, she never felt alone and Raman had whole heartedly accepted her baby. Did she really need any more than this? She put her phone away and adjusted herself on the bed with Ruhi resting on her chest and drifted off to sleep with Raman's thoughts in her head as she tried to clear her confusion...

~~~~~~

He walked into the room about an hour later at 6 and found her sleeping with a relaxing Ruhi on her chest. He didn't know what happened to him, but seeing such a sight in front of him he pulled out his phone and clicked a picture of his sleeping beauties. He went back outside picking up his laptop letting the two sleep. He sat down engrossing himself in his work until he heard Ruhi's cries in the room. He walked over and found them both awake and she looked at him happily to see him home.

"Raman! When did you come?"

"Just a while back, when you two were sleeping."

"Oh...so how did everything go?"

"There is a problem with the insurance company, you know no company goes down without a fight. Just wasting their time and ours. And then we've started working on the budgeting and planning for the reconstruction."

"Don't rush things because of anyone or anything, just do everything properly." She told him indicating she knew he wasn't paying full attention to work because she knew he wanted her and Ruhi to be back in Delhi as soon as possible. He nodded telling her he got her message.

"So how was your day?"

"Nothing interesting, just sat around all day being bored."

"Don't lie! I know you won't sit and rest, so tell me what you did."

She handed Ruhi to him and told him everything he did after he finished ordering Chinese takeout which she asked for. They sat the table eating as he told her about the neighbourhood and asked her to come with him one a walk one day to get to know the place. They also talked about the process the construction of the building again and how long it would take. As they chatted eating their dinner, Ruhi sat in Raman's lap fascinated by the noodles in his plate. When he was talking to Ishita about going to the grocery store before he left for work, Ruhi reached for his plate knocking it down on him and herself as the plate shattered when it reached the floor.

"Ru!" Raman said frustrated. Seeing her dad's face and the food all over her, she started to cry looking over at Ishita. She came over going around the table the other way and picked up Ruhi calming her down as Raman shook the food off himself and started to clean up the mess. She took Ruhi inside after he told her he would handle the kitchen. She changed Ruhi into her PJs and walked out to find him disposing off the broken dish.

He told her to walk carefully by the table in case he missed a spot and walked over to them to pick up Ruhi. As he opened his arms, Ruhi looked away and started to play with Ishita's manglasutra as if ignoring him making him upset.

"Ruhi, Papa's sorry baby!"

She looked at him and turned away again leaving him disappointed again.

"So you're not talking to me now?"

Ishita looked Raman who sadly gave up on pacifying his little drama queen and went into the room to change.

"Ruhi, Papa is sad now, what should we do?" Ishita whispered in the child's ear making Ruhi look up at Raman.

She squealed loudly trying to get his attention and when he turned around on Ishita's call, Ruhi reached over to him almost leaping into his arms. His eyes filled up as today was the first time he had ever made Ruhi upset and his daughter touched his eye making him wipe them off. She cocooned herself on his shoulder and clutched onto his shirt as the trio walked into the room.

Once they reached the room, Ishita and Raman realized they only had one blanket, so they had to share. They both decided to have Ruhi in the middle as they shared the blanket making it comfortable enough for everyone. And the three dozed off in no time.

~~~~~~

"Raman get up! We have to go to the store before you leave for work!" she tried to wake him up as he had told her to be ready on time and she had done so, but here he was still sleeping.

"Ishita please! Let me sleep!" he refused like a child. Since he had never behaved this way, she was worried if he was okay after everything that happened yesterday.

"What happened to you, are you feeling okay?" she asked concerned if he was sick.

"I'm fine, just tired."

"Then I will go myself, you sleep." She said wanting him to get his sleep.

"No! I'm up!" He got up slowly as he didn't want her to be wandering the city alone.

He got ready and was greeted on the table by Ishita who told him they had planned for dinner last night, but not for breakfast. They both laughed at their silliness and how it didn't cross either of their minds. So they had tea for breakfast and Ishita had found a pack of cookies to go with it yesterday when she organized the kitchen. And after breakfast they headed out to the store...

~~~~~~

He got a basket for them that he held with one hand as he held Ruhi in the other arm. She looked at his struggle and stepped over to help, but stepped back to see if he would ever ask her to help him. They walked through a couple of aisles and he was finding it more and more difficult to handle everything, but didn't say a word to her. Her thoughts from yesterday were coming back to her, what if she was worth what he and Ruhi were worth for her. Is that why he never bothers to share his problems and worries with me, has he not accepted me? Her thoughts trailed off from Raman to Ruhi and when he called her name, she blasted him...

"Raman will you ever let me help you? Will you ever tell me any of your problems? You have been struggling for this whole time and still haven't asked me to help or anything!" she questioned him in a low firm voice considering they were in public, but he sensed the sadness in her voice. Here he was, trying to stop her from becoming sad and he hurt her himself.

"Ishita...I didn't mean to hurt you. It was just-"

She realized what she had just said as she saw his shocked face. She felt like it looked like she overreacted in the small matter since he wouldn't know what was going on in her head since yesterday. How could she expect him to understand her situation when she lashed out on him without telling him what her problem was?

"I'm sorry, really sorry I think I overreacted. I don't know..." she looked him apologetically.

He felt as if her words before had another meaning to them. What could have hurt her so much that she reacted like this? He thought back to everything that happened today and then it hit him. Everything that happened today was bound to make her react like this, she was at her vulnerable best with his sentence about Ruhi not wanting to share her parent and then Vandita and Bala's words today. He had to do something about this, but what? He told himself he needed to fix this problem soon and get rid of her insecurities, but for now he needed her to know he wasn't mad or upset at her words.

"It's okay, but now you're paying for the grocery." He told her getting a confused look from her and he continued...

"You just said sorry twice. Just beat my record right there!"

She bit her tongue and smiled knowing he wasn't upset with her, instead he was joking around and so she also lightened up her mood...

"Well that only applies to you! Not me!"

"Sure, whatever you say...now let's go. And hold Ruhi as well, we don't want her getting hurt now."

They walked around the store as he followed her while she picked up whatever she liked since he let her have her own way deciding their meals. He only reminded to pick up baby food for Ruhi and some milk formula. When they reached the section for babies, they spent 10 minutes debating on what type of food and formula was better for Ruhi. Finally they chose something they both could agree on and by that time Ruhi was done with her parent's argument and started crying. They both rushed to stop her and it caused Raman's hand to be on top of Ishita's. He didn't noticed at first and neither did she, but when he saw he took his hand back reluctantly and she then realized what had happened. They both looked away from each other and continued walking on around the store. As they almost finished their grocery shopping, Raman and Ruhi both spotted a rack of chips and Ruhi slapped her hand together and Raman picked up a bag placing it in the basket. Ishita saw it when she noticed Ruhi cooing at him and took the bag out and put it back on the rack. Almost offended by her actions since his love for junk food was unconditional...

"What are you doing?!" he asked shocked at her behaviour.

"Putting away unnecessary junk food."

"It's just one bag!" he protested

"No!" she replied sternly.

"Ishita please let me have them!"

"Raman I said no! You're such a child!"

"Really? Says the person who has put up a "sorry" jar at home." He said putting up air quotations.

"It was needed, but this junk food is not!"

"What is one bag of chips going to do to you?!"

"Raman! You don't understand!"

"What don't I understand?!"

"I am trying to eat healthy and you're not helping right now. I can't afford to get any fatter than I will anyways."

"So who cares?!"

"Raman! You tell me then, who likes a fat woman? I am going to look disgusting and ugly by the time I have this baby."

"You're going to look perfectly fine! And I don't know about others, but I like a woman who has her curves. So don't worry about getting fat. And as far as the baby is concerned, mark my words you're going to look lovely with a baby bump."

"Whatever!" She said looking down as she turned a light shade of pink.

Suddenly an elder couple walked up to them to grab a box from the aisle they stood on front of and as they the old man picked up his things, he turned to Ishita...

"He's right young lady! I've told my wife that same sentence 3 times in my life. And trust me, she did look wonderful each time."

Both Ishita and Raman looked away from the man at each other. Raman bit his lip trying to hide his smile and Ishita turned as red as the packet of his ketchup chips hearing the man's comment. His wife joined him in the conversation, more of a blushing session for them, and added her two bits into it...

"He's right beta, you're so pretty and trust me you will glow despite adding on weight."

"Thank you aunty!"

The couple walked away picking up their food leaving the young couple alone. Finally when Raman saw the couple far away, he turned to the pink Ishita...

"Arre! Aunty gets a thank you and I get a whatever!"

"Raman..." she whined with a pout making him laugh before he turned serious.

"What Raman? Let's go now and we are buying the chips, I have already decided."

"Then why one bag, get two?" she asked picking up another bag making Raman smile and Ruhi squeal clapping her hands together.

"You're the best!"

"I know." She giggled before continuing down the aisle and he gave a hi-5 to their smiling daughter on finally getting his treat and shook his head at her mother who just gave him more and more reasons to smile every day...

__________________________________________________________________

Precap: Ishita's worries continue and IshRa talk...

Chapter 19- Page 96