Tribulations of Love- 02/08/2015 NEW Chapter 21 page 25 - Page 8

"Sometimes following your heart means losing your mind."

Ishita and Raman went straight to the Iyers after the court marriage. Madhu Iyer had insisted that they had dinner at her place before they leave for their house and Raman, like a true and respectful son-in-law, had readily accepted, participating fully in every ritual and tradition imposed on him.

Mihika made him gulped glasses and glasses of rassam and still he didn't refuse Ishita's Amma when she insisted that he ate some more idlis and sambar when he was clearly full and his intestines were ready to explode. Ishita had looked on with a loving smile as her grumpy husband obliged and fell in love with him for the nth time when he put on the traditional veshti to please her father who bought it for him.

He was walking around in that silk off-white Tamil attire to greet some of the relatives that had come to check on the Iyers' Punjabi son-in-law. He had folded his hands and muttered a small 'vannakam' to the ladies and had floored them with his charm. His amazing sense of humour had been a hit instantly among the men and Ishita looked on with a smug look on her face.

"Akka, stop staring and close your mouth," Mihika whispered behind her with Vandu giggling, uncontrollably, her pregnancy making her behaving like a teenager at times these days. Ishita blushed profusely and turned around.

"Ishu! I used to think that there was nobody like my Bala when dressed traditionally but I must say that Raman is carrying this veshti with so much grace and class despite...err... his height," Vandu teased her little sister.

"Oh please! Raman is not short ok! He is just the right height for me," came the prompt reply which the two sisters were expecting.

"Yes he is perfect for you and you two look so good together," Vandu finally confessed as she hugged her sister and wished her all the happiness in the world.

The rituals completed, Raman and Ishita finally headed to their home where Toshi Bhalla was eagerly waiting for them with her welcoming plate for the aarti and ghar pravesh ceremony.

"Let me welcome my bahu and do her pooja first before I hand over my son and home to her," she exclaimed. Ishita smiled and turned her face to look at Raman, who looked straight in front of him, not in the least bothered about her and looking really irked now. What a drama king he was, Ishita thought. Minutes earlier he was in so good disposition and look at him now, with that Raavan face and flared nostrils! She rolled her eyes before shifting her attention to the ritual, smiling lovingly at her new family members.

"Now Bhai you have to pick up Ishita and take her inside. That's the tradition in this house, hain na maa?" Simmi exclaimed as soon as the welcoming aarti was over. Ishita had no time to react and gasped as Raman scooped her in his arms, heading directly to his bedroom, warning the ladies behind him in case they were planning to stick to him.

"I am tired so please no more celebrations and Simmi, stop whining, you will get your money tomorrow morning, don't bother to come along to start your nautanki, in the name of another ritual. You are not blocking me at the door!"

Ishita could hear Simmi saying "spoil sport"and the others laughing behind. That man was impossibly shameless. He climbed the stairs, walked in their bedroom and dropped her unceremoniously on the bed.

"God! Lose some weight woman. How fat and heavy you are!" He exclaimed with a grimace, rubbing his back as he turned away to slam the door,.

"You horrid groom!" Ishita gasped as she walked to him, ready to confront him for his callous behavior downstairs and with her. Ignoring her, he tossed her arm aside and walked to his wardrobe, grabbed his white pajama and a towel and disappeared in the bathroom. Ishita could hear the sound of running water and stood in the middle of the room with a disbelief look on her face. Was he that mad with her? She sat on the bed and waited nervously for him to come out, which he did minutes later.

"Wait!" Her voice sounded desperate despite her trying to calm herself down. He halted, straightening his shoulders. Where was he going leaving her in the room, she wanted to ask...

"Have I done something to upset you Raman?" She asked with her usual sweet and soothing voice.

Raman whirled on her, his face very taunt."Upset me? Well yes. Do you know why? Because you forced me into this marriage!"

He stormed out of the room leaving Ishita completely flummoxed and lost. And it was the first time that Ishita found herself doubting herself. Was it really a good idea having his back against the wall? Was it a wrong move? Would if have been better to sort out their issues first...

Ishita knew he was upset with her about the Shagun fiasco but she equally knew, well she thought...he didn't mean about the canceling of their marriage. He was only angry at that time and the world knew that an angry Raman Kumar Bhalla would break all hell loose. But now after they are married, having him turning so cold towards her and seeing his indifference and his razor-blade tongue back to slash her, she was disoriented. It seemed to her that they were back to square one and she sincerely didn't want that. She sat heavily on the bed and waited...her head on the bed rest...till her eyelids closed, tiredness getting the better of her and pulling her to sleep.

Raman needed to get away from her as soon as possible. Sitting on the terrace, the cool breeze calming his nerves, he sat, his thoughts occupied by her only. It would not be easy to maintain that grumpy and annoyed face in front of her. She was too sweet, loving and caring but he had promised himself not to make things easy for her because more than angry, he was hurt that she had chose to give more importance to Shagun's words against his. After his disastrous marriage, he had vowed not to marry...until he met her. She had made him dream again of a family life...with her and their loving daughter but things were not that simple. He loved her and she had given him so much in return but...sadly they still had trust issues. She was quick to blame and judge him when the shadows of his past would resurface and more importantly Raman could see how affected she was by his heavy and complicated past, how hurt and sad she would turn when that part of his life would come in between them and then there was Shagun...she was back in town and Raman knew what to expect from a manipulative and selfish woman like her... No wonder the minute that woman had met Ishita, things went chaotic, shaking the foundation of their relationship and Raman, realizing how fragile it their bond was, was ready to call off the marriage but...

Raman shook his head. They were now married but if they wanted it to work out, she would have to accept him as he was, to deal with his past and trust him. If she was stubborn and rebellious and refused to accept his decision and succeeded to drag him to court, he was no less. He would not give everything to her on a plate now. She would now realize how difficult it would be RKB's wife, he smirked but then...his lips curled up to something smoother...a small soft smile.

He was also confident that she would come out of this test with flying colours...she was after all his Jhansi ki Rani and she was not afraid of challenges. On the contrary, it was a greater challenge for him. He would have all the pain in the world to keep his hands off her and feigned indifference when all he wanted was, pulled her to him, devoured her lips, claimed her and made love to her, stamping her as his. He wondered how long he would be able to bear the torture of having her in the same bedroom and not touching her at all. Her Murugan that she called for help regularly better help him too!

With that thought, he tiptoed in the living room and threw himself on the sofa to surrender in the arms of Morpheus for the time being.

The next morning Ishita woke up to find the room empty. Raman had not joined her at night and it hurt her right there, in the left side of her chest. Was he that much upset that he had lthe heart to leave her alone on their first night?

He was hurting her deliberately and Ishita went all morose. She had no news of him since last night. She had called on his his phone, only to find it ringing on the sideboard in the bedroom. He was being mean and ruthless and she was getting angry now, the urge to run outside, look for him and slap him hard on the face for behaving like a brat was building up inside her.

There was only one way to calm herself and Ishita turned around...to attack the closet.

"What's going on here?" His voice stopped Ishita from what she was doing. He was standing at the door, his hands in his pockets and was looking at her with an inscrutable expression.

So that's how he was going to behave with her! He would annoy her, provoke and anger and would derive pleasure out of it! What a vindictive man he was! Ishita yelled inwardly. Fine! Two can play this game. The more he would start his mean moves, the more she would put forward her sexy and bold ones to woo him back. She too would see for how long, he would stay away from her.

"What if I say yes?" She asked provocatively.

Their eyes clashed and Ishita's heart skipped a beat when she saw the raw desire in his hooded eyes but just seconds later, they were gone, leaving place to a stony stare which immediately left her face to scan the room. He moved towards the bed and stood rooted on the spot.

"Are you out of your mind? What are you doing to my closet?" He roared with disgust. That "Paagal Aurat" had turned his room upside down and the closet was wide open with his clothes scattered everywhere.

"Well can't you see what I am doing?" She replied back, walking past him and glancing over her shoulders as she removed one of his expensive suits from the closet and dumped it unceremoniously in the bed. "I am making space for my clothes."

"What do you think? I have buttons in place of eyes. I can see that." He yelled back.

"Then why are you asking such silly questions. Biwi houn aap ki! Obviously I will put my clothes in the closet. And yes...Raman...to get more space, I am thinking to ..."

Ishita felt her arm being yanked from behind and she came colliding against his chest.

"You are thinking? Listen Madrassan! No need to exert too much pressure on that pea size brain. You want space! I will tell you how. Move aside! Give ME space first."

Ishita watched him, her eyes wide with disbelief, as he threw her suitcase on the bed.

"Woh tumhare sade hue kapde, nikalo, thusso iss bag mein and put that in a corner. You will get all the space you need." He barked as he crushed her suits and sarees and stuffed them in her suitcase himself and pushed them back under the bed. Ishita looked on horrified.

"Murugan! I got married to a brute! A Raavan!"

"Oh yeah! Pyaar ka bhoot sar se utad gaya?This is how it will be living with Raman Kumar Bhalla. Samjhi?" He stormed out of the room and Ishita could hear him yelling at the top of his throat, the roof threatening to drop on her head."Neelu will I get some tea or is it too much to ask in this house?"

"Holy cow! Kitna shor karta hain yeh aadmi!" Ishita exclaimed, rolling her eyes as she walked out to save the poor Neelu from the wrath of Raman Kumar Bhalla.

To be continued...