Can't say how proud and happy I truly feel after having done this chapter on time. Okay, now no juta-chappals for the update.
Chapter 53
The morning bathed in the sunshine of the valiantly rising sun across the eastern sky and the warm breeze blew lazily over the trees, rusting their leaves listlessly and making hushing sounds among them. The last night's rain had subsided and only here and there little bedraggled puddles were left as a product. The wisps of the trees dripped idly with the remnants of the rainwater that one night before encompassed the town tremendously. At the sensation of warmth of the rays of the morning sun, Ishani stirred in her sleep, stretching up her arms. Thankfully there was no alarm clock chiming in today and she could sleep as long as she wanted to. Last night she had slept deeply and unmoved in her dreams, for there only seemed to be her and a pleasant feeling of wholeness. The sunrays penetrated her room and prickled her closed eyes. "It's not too early now," she whispered to herself but sleep now would not come over her. Ishani sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning heavily and it was not long when she realized her room had taken a completely different shape and it by no means looked like her old house that she had been in for over a year. It couldn't be any magic that she had landed in a different world altogether. It wouldn't be a surprise if she found herself now being persuaded by something extremely unexpected. Her heart gave a fierce leap as soon as she realized she was not in her own clothes. She timidly looked down beneath the green sheet that covered her body and concluded she wore a white sweatshirt and a black pair of jeans and she remembered herself owning neither for they were not women's wear. She huddled closer on the bed as her quivering lips shouted the first name they could form. "Ranveer! Are you there?"
In a few moments, Ishani heard a soft knock on the door as an old woman in her late 50s entered into the room. She wore a large working gown and her hairs were secured in a bun while a pair of spectacles adorned her dark and compassionate eyes. "Ah, you're awake!" the woman said, her lips curving in a kind smile. "I'm Emily and have been assigned to look after you. I hope you are feeling better now."
"W-where am I?" Ishani asked, still quivering, though she somewhere knew the answer.
"This is RV Mansion, and it's Ranveer's room. You don't remember anything?" the woman answered softly.
Ishani shook her head. "Ranveer brought me here?"
"Yes, he did," the woman said, smiling.
"But I don't remember anything... where is he now?"
"I assume he is somewhere for a morning walk and will soon be returning. I haven't seen him since he left the room."
Ishani finally asked the question she was dying to know about. "M-my cloths... I'm--they are not here. And who changed them? I couldn't have done it on my own, to be sure?" Ishani gulped.
"Oh, it was you," the woman answered. "I have never seen as energetic as you when drunk."
"I? But I was drunk--"
"Yes, you were but as soon as you came into the house you told Ranveer you wanted to change into something else, and that's how you came to wear his cloths."
"I hope I wasn't embarrassing last night," Ishani muttered to herself.
"Not at all," the woman said. "In fact, I haven't seen anyone more adorable than you, when drunk."
"Did- did I do something...?"
Ishani could see the woman was having hard time controlling her laughter as she covered her mouth with her hands and smiled in silence. "Nothing wrong, sweetheart." She chuckled.
"Are you sure?" Ishani asked, unsure if the question really made any sense.
"Well, he really went quite at length for you," the lady said, and pulled out the drawer from the nearby table, and picked up an old copy of The Hobbit from it. "You made him read all your favorite parts and..." she said, handing Ishani the book, but was cut short by her immediately.
"And he read that?" Ishani frowned.
"Of course he did!"
"Oh, no. That was so stupid of me to do that!" Ishani repented. Reading the books from Ranveer was her favorite pastime at night when they were kids; though before he could finish the destined chapters, Ishani would already have fallen asleep. The next days afterwards used to be for her own scolding from him and she would get away, saying, "You read so nice that it works as a lullaby for me and I sleep sooner than I'm supposed to." Ranveer would simply smile at her and not say anything more. But it was different now.
"That was cute." Ishani's thoughts were interrupted by Emily.
"Sorry?"
"What you did."
"What did I do?"
"Nothing much. You just wanted him to read in some old style like he used to."
Ishani, embarrassed, hid her face in her palms. She always loved when Ranveer read her something in the tone of the text, but she made him do that again? She did not want to, but a small smile erupted on her lips at the remembrance of the old times when Ranveer so easily mimicked the voices of the characters of the books and she could not stop laughing. She always loved how he adapted the vicious but comical features of Smaug, the dragon, and his first encounter with Bilbo.
"He did all that?" Ishani wondered while Emily smiled in affirmative.
"Was he mad at me for all this? Angry?"
"I have been working here since last one year and I haven't seen him happier before," Emily answered earnestly.
Ishani smiled nervously as she saw the old woman leave the room. Ishani was alone now and her thoughts only wandered back to the last night. Her painful encounter with Ranveer. She looked about the room and it hadn't changed too much since her last visit in his house. However happy she felt, Ishani could not keep the feeling of slight embarrassment aside for making Ranveer do all that she did in her stupidity. She shook her head as she could imagine Ranveer and his reluctance for the things he always considered were "too childish" and that was the precise thing she had made him do.
Ishani took bath and changed into a light blue denim shirt and white jeans. The outfit hanged loosely about her body but it felt right and she proudly descended the stairs. Her eyes fell on Ranveer who, she believed, had just returned from his morning walk. Ishani glanced at her watch. 7.30, it said. She awkwardly came down and smiled as she saw Ranveer looking at her.
"How are you feeling now?" he said. His voice was normal and he did not look like he was mad at her.
"I'm fine," she said slowly, not looking at him. "How are you?"
"I'm good."
There was a long silence and Ishani could hear the sounds coming from the kitchen as servants worked for the breakfast. After a while she saw Ranveer walking towards his room and she herself made her way to the couch in the hall, and took to reading one of the latest editions of TIME Magazine. 20 minutes later Ranveer returned back and smiled at Ishani. Ishani returned the smile as Ranveer sat beside her.
"It'll be better if you take this day off," Ranveer said.
Ishani nodded. "I'm thinking the same."
"Don't worry about the meetings. I'm sure Mr. Khanna will look after everything well."
"He definitely will. Aren't you too early for the office today?" Ishani asked.
"Not really. But today there is a meeting in an hour and I have to be there on time."
"You'll be the only one on time," Ishani chuckled. No matter how much others tried, they could never keep themselves from becoming the slave of time and thus resulting getting delayed according to him. Ranveer smiled at her while Ishani blushed.
"That is true," he said.
"I can't see Kaka and Kaki anywhere. Where are they?"
"They have been to India since last 4 days, but will be returning by the midweek."
"And you've been alone for that long?" Ishani answered in surprise.
"There is no other option, is it?" Ranveer said.
"Don't you feel weird?"
"About what?"
"About being alone like this for so long."
"I'm used to this." Ranveer smiled. Ishani, not knowing why, felt a pang of guilt hitting her once again as she felt lump rising in her throat. She didn't want this conversation to end. She wanted to see him talking to her. She wanted to hear his voice as much as she could and she wanted to be with him as long as possible. The workers arranged the breakfast on the table but Ranveer denied, saying, he needed to leave early and none of Ishani's words of him having finished his breakfast would have any effect on him. He was too stubborn to listen to others when he'd decided something in his mind.
"Well, I'm leaving now," Ranveer said, taking a final look at Ishani.
"When will you come back?" Ishani asked him, and felt surprised at the question herself.
"I'm not sure, but it could be quite late."
Ishani nodded and saw Ranveer leave. She ran to the door and saw Ranveer's car vanishing into the mist of the morning sun. For a change, Ishani realized, Ranveer himself did not drive the car, rather there was a driver today.
"That's such a pleasantly novel thing," Ishani whispered to herself and returned back.
"I think you should have your breakfast. Ranveer never stops throwing his tantrums, and you'd starve really bad if you wait for him like that," Emily said as Ishani came to the breakfast table. Ishani realized Ranveer would never want anyone as old as Emily to address him as sir' and probably that was the reason she called him by his name.
"No, thank you. But I don't really want to take anything right now."
"But Ranveer has asked me to make sure to give you your breakfast on time. It will help you recover your strength."
"He did? In that case, he himself should have followed his own advice." Ishani said the last sentence to herself, and frowned. He could never change.
"Come, come." Emily dragged Ishani to the table and served her with fried mushrooms, pancakes and juice of fresh apples.
"This is too much, Emily," Ishani squeaked but the old lady only laughed in response.
"I hope you don't want us getting fired, do you?" she said after a while, as she placed the things togehter.
"Of course not!" Ishani said. "But you have to understand..."
"No buts, Miss Ishani, it's an order from someone none of us will dare go against."
Ishani gave out an exasperated sigh. She was never a foodie and would suffice even in the little she could get; but what did this Ranveer really think of himself? Was he taking any revenge from her for the previous night? Only if he were here, things wouldn't be so messy. Ishani sighed. "Alright," she said. "I'm sorry. I'll just eat whatever I can."
"That's good. And I will have to leave now. Today is the parents-teacher conference at my grandson's school and I should be going there now," Emily said and left. Within next few minutes, the entire house was devoid of the presence of any living being save her own presence. The workers had left, given there was no one in the house today and they would return back when their call comes. Ishani turned to her--Ranveer's room, not knowing if she should go there or not. But she wouldn't really like to be anywhere else but close to him by any means.
She had never felt so relaxed in her own house before and today it felt like... having come back home.
"But we cannot keep him locked up, sir. It's not what the law says," the officer told Ranveer, while Chirag stood next to the cop, wavering as Ranveer eyed him ferociously. "Miss Ishani Parekh signed the papers of his bail yesterday and since she has no problem in letting him go, I'm very much afraid you cannot do anything unless you're breaking the law."
Chirag coughed as though trying to grab Ranveer's attention to his successful adventure out of the jail and his wandering eyes showed he was enjoying Ranveer's supposed failure very much.
Ranveer glared at Chirag but felt helpless.
"Alright, sir," Chirag said as he extended his hand to the officer, "I'm about to leave and it's going to be our first and last meeting."
The inspector only nodded his head while Chirag took to the exit and before disappearing in the white shadow out of the police station, he winked at Ranveer and waved his hand in a goodbye and his lips made a non-verbal "Good bye."
Ishani did this and Ranveer had no further reasons to argue over the matter.
The night fell slowly over the planes of the town, enveloping it in a weary shadow of delicate felicity as silvery moon rose beyond the trees. Ranveer stepped out of the car and made his way to the house and the driver drove to park it in the garage. The day was not very pleasant for Ranveer, for today two of the most important deals had slipped out of his hands right when he had the opportunity to make things better. That, however, could not be considered a big deal, but it was Ishani who would not leave his thoughts no matter how much he tried. She had occupied his mind like warmth gripping over summer ever since he had left in the morning.
Ranveer slowly walked in, his heart beating irregularly, for an unknown fear now crawled in his heart but it disappeared as soon as it had come. As he entered the house, he felt his heart skip unsteadily in his chest. Ishani sat there on a chair on the dining table, head bent on the table and resting calmly on her arms. He could not acknowledge but a relieved sigh left his lips as he advanced further towards her. Ishani did not yet discover his presence. Ranveer stood by her side, and a tired smile formed on his lips, and in a moment weariness was replaced by curiosity. She still wore the loosely hanging cloths she had in the morning, but she looked exceptionally beautiful.
Unknowingly, his fingers traced across her face, as he knelt before her, and pushed aside the strands of hair that teased her cheeks. At his touch, Ishani opened her eyes, slightly alarmed, but at his sight, her face relaxed in a pretty smile.
"You're back," she said, opening her eyes languidly. "When did you come?"
"Just now," Ranveer said slowly.
"Oh, I'm sure you haven't had dinner. Come."
Ranveer followed Ishani. There was no one else in the house and their voices echoed, reflecting the solitude of the place.
"I hope you don't mind me staying here for today," Ishani said as she arranged the plates for dinner. "I couldn't leave."
"It's completely alright," Ranveer assured her. Ishani looked at him as if expecting him to say more but he didn't. Ishani busied herself in the preparation again.
"I'm sure you haven't had dinner as well?" Ranveer said. Ishani shook her head.
"I don't feel like..."
"I don't want to hear these excuses," Ranveer said and brought her back to the dining table. He refused to listen to Ishani's pleas and continued, "You look so thin and weak. I don't want you to disappear of weakness, if you know what I mean."
"You're not my mommy. Stop behaving like her," Ishani growled.
"Oh, really? You should call up Falguni Maa'. She'll have the best treatments for you." Ranveer laughed.
Ishani squinted her eyes at him, but subsided immediately. "It's not funny," she said and fell silent.
They ate in silence, avoiding each other's eyes and not saying anything. Often an awkward smile would be passed from one side and be returned from another but no verbal contact was made. Ishani often looked at Ranveer guiltily when he was not looking at her and withdrew her gaze away from his otherwise. In this dead silence, it was still impossible for her to look into his eyes.
Ishani walked to and fro with a tender pace in her room- one that Ranveer settled for her at her insistence and she took again the one she had stayed the last time in. It had everything except sleep that she dearly needed now. She came outside the room, dim silver lights illuminating her path occasionally, and walked upto the porch on that jutted out of the floor next to her room, leading to a pleasant destination. The place shimmered in the vibrant glow of the full moon. Unexpectedly, her feet led her there, her eyes devouring the beauty that lay before her: a large lake stretched out wildly as far as her eyes could explore in the darkened night. On its surface, the moon shone glamorously and stars reflected their faint shadow littering above it gracefully. Ishani smiled and moved towards the railing that secured the border of the porch. But before she could take a look around, her eyes fell on Ranveer whose unblinking eyes stared out into nothingness in front of him.
"I thought you would be asleep by now," Ishani said, as she came close and took a seat beside Ranveer. He stirred slowly and smiled at her.
"I couldn't sleep," he said.
"How? You didn't even get to sleep the night as well..."
Ranveer looked at Ishani uneasily and smiled. "Yeah."
"I'm sorry," Ishani said suddenly.
"What for?"
"For annoying you the whole night yesterday."
"You can never annoy me," Ranveer said and Ishani looked at the reflection of the moon below in the simmering lake.
"I love it," she said. "I love everything about this house, Ranveer. And I can't express how happy I am for you. You achieved everything on your own. When the whole market was drowning in dirt, you showed them anything is possible if you have the will to do so."
"It was more of your dream than mine," Ranveer answered, reminiscing how Ishani always believed in him to be a big man.
She looked at him, and heart beat differently for a few seconds. She needed to tell him the truth.
"Ranveer."
"Hmm."
"I want to tell you something."
"I think I know that already."
"I expected so, but you're not mad at me for that either?"
"I don't think so."
"Why?"
"I cannot answer that." Ranveer lay down on the marbled floor, back of his head resting on his palms as he looked at her intently as if expecting her to say something.
"He put this condition before me to tell the truth. Had it not happened, I'd never have known anything."
Ranveer now looked at the brightest constellation in front of him that shone the fiercely in that hour, and sniffed the pungent smell coming from the garden. To Ishani, it felt exceptionally peaceful. He felt peaceful.
"I never expected him to do anything better," Ranveer said, his eyes still fixed on the stars. "Anyway, why are you not asleep? It's quite late now."
"I have slept enough today," Ishani said.
"Don't lie!"
"Come on, Ranveer! Everything you want me to do applies equally on you as well."
"No, it doesn't."
"Of course it does! Just because you don't admit it, wouldn't mean it's different for us."
Ranveer chuckled under his breath and Ishani glared at him, but her glare vanished as she saw him smiling at her. Slowly, he closed his eyes and Ishani could feel he now drifted into a peaceful sleep and she could not dare wake him again.
She, smiling, stared at him and couldn't understand why or how, but her eyes glided down to his lips and an overwhelming desire to kiss him again brimmed in her heart; and for a moment everything around her blurred down to a shadow and all she could feel was Ranveer before her. She lay down beside him and smiled. Ranveer in his sleep stirred and turned his face towards her. It was too unexpected for him to sleep so early. But she loved seeing him. She could feel his warm breath falling on her lips and her heart desired to move closer but this time she pulled back, slightly sweating, and her breath getting unsteady. A spell that had suddenly overtaken her senses was suddenly broken. No, she couldn't do that! She couldn't look at him again. No. Next time she would probably end up kissing him if he smiled at her like that once again.
Cricket
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Hindi TV Shows
