Ishra were sitting and crying, both were crying noone was consoling the other.
After a long, Raman wiped his tears and said -i think mujhe ab jaana chahiye, apne dukh se tumhe dukhi nahi karna chahta. Saying so he got up to go when she hold his hand and said -please raman, please yeh zidd chod do.
Raman -zidd nahi hai ishita, mohabbat hai meri. Agar zidd hoti toh shayad baahon mein hoti. He said and went out while ishita was just looking at his retreating figure.
Don't know till how long she stood there looking at nowhere when she heard ruhi's cry. She turn and went to check Ruhi. Ruhi was wet her clothes and was crying. Ishita picked her in her arms and rocked it. She changed her clothes as she stopped crying. She fed Ruhi as the little girl slept again like her sleep is still not sufficient.
Ishita was sitting in the bed taking Ruhi in her arms and finally laid beside her feeling tired. Soon both slept and Ishita's eyes open with the door bell. She went and opened the door only to see a lady standing there.
She looked at ishita with confusing eyes and said -tum kaun ho, Raman sahab ke ghar mein kya kar rahi ho??
Ishita realised she is the maid. She told her about herself being Raman's friend and the maid went doing the work and making lunch for them.
Ishita check on Ruhi and went to freshen up. It took her more then an hour to take bath and wash the clothes.
After completing her work, ishita came out of the washroom and was going to check Ruhi but stopped seeing raman with Ruhi.
Raman removed her nappy and was talking to Ruhi cleaning her-kya hua, mera chotu baby gandu gandu ho gaya. Babu ko susu ho gayi, mumma nahi hai, Kahan gayi mumma, chotu rooh ko chod kar kahan chali gayi mumma. He was saying while Ruhi was also listening to him like she is understanding everything .
Ishita smiled seeing ruman together and said -kitne achche lagte hai dono saath mein,raman Ek dum Ek perfect papa hai, kaash sach mein woh meri bachchi ke papa hote. Kaash woh mere pati hote. She said looking at them with hopeful eyes. She was seeing a dream which she is not even allowed to dream.
She was lost in her thoughts when she heard him saying -yeh kya hai chotu, isse kaise pehnaya jaata hai, I don't know. Ab kaise pehnaun.he said taking the nappy making a baby face like ruhi, making ishita and Ruhi smile widely.
Raman -arey mera bina dantuli wala bachcha, hasta hai, hasta hai papa par, he said in a go and realised what he said. He left the cloth in his hand and turn to go only to see ishita standing there.
Raman -woh main, woh actually, he was fumbling with words when ishita said -wapas aa gaye, koi kaam tha kya?? She asked enacting like she didn't listen anything.
Raman sighed in relief and said -woh mujhe tumhara passport chahiye tha, aur visa, he was saying when ishita said -i don't have any.
Raman -passport nahi hai, then how will u go to London.
Ishita -kuch kar do naa, koi jugaad lagaa do.
Raman -ok, apne husband se baat karo. May be he can help u in this.
Ishita look down and said -i don't have his number.
Raman look at her all amazed and said -u don't have ur husband's number.
Ishita nodded in no.
Raman hold her hand and said making her sit -listen ishita, Maine tumse kuch nahi pucha, Socha tum khud bataogi when u will be fine, but now I really want to know ki kya ho raha hai tumhari zindagi mein, aur kya hua hai. Now I want to know, why u were on road in that condition with little Ruhi, all drained out. Please tell me what happened with u, why u r not with ur husband and most importantly why u donf have even his number. He asked making her eyes moist.
Raman slide close to her and said -sorry,if I hurt u. I really don't want to hurt u but I want to know.
Ishita -i too want to tell u everything, kyunki bas tumhi ho jisse main apna saara gham baant sakti hoon, coz I know u will not misunderstand me. She said looking at Raman.
Raman -yes, u can trust me. Now tell me, he was saying when they heard Ruhi's cry. She was crying looking at Ishra opening her arms.
Raman smiled looking at Ruhi and said -tum pehle Ruhi ko dekho lo, phir baat karte hai.
Ishita nodded and went to Ruhi, she made her wear her nappy and picked her in her arms.
Raman -why don't u use diaper, why u r using this??
Ishita -she is too small, rashes padh jayenge.
Raman -oh ok, tum isse sula lo, then we will talk. I am waiting outside, saying so he went out leaving Ishru.
After about fifteen minutes, ishita came out and saw raman was making coffee.
Ishita -mujhe keh diya hota, I would have made it.
Raman forwarded her the coffee mug and said -its OK, Ruhi so gayi.
Ishita nodded in yes.
Raman -chalo tab, let's talk.
Ishita nodded and both settled on the couch.
Ishita -one and half year ago, when u were in London, I was happy in my life, was doing a job and waiting for u to return home. Tum toh jaante hi the appa ko hamari friendship kotni buri lagti thi, just because u were a non tamilian and somewhere he knew that we r together. That's why I couldn't contact u very promptly but still waiting for u as somewhere I knew that I belongs to u. She said looking at him making him look at her.
Ishita -haan raman, main tumhara intezaar kar rahi thi, mujhe pata tha appa nahi maanenge but I was ready to rebel. But then something happened which turned out life upside down. U know akka married a non tamilian boy that too after running away from house. Uss din raat ko hum sab dinner kar rahe the when door bell rang.i went to open the door and got shocked seeing vandu akka standing with a small boy in her arms. I was shocked seeing her like that, jaise tumhe main mili thi ekdum waise hi akka aayi thi. Pata chale jeeju ne unhe ghar se nikaal diya tha, bahut peette the, appa was very angry but beti thi, kab tak gussa rehte. Akka start living with us, Unka divorce case chalne lag gaya aur appa started searching alliance for me. Main mana kiya, ek baar do baar hazaar baar. I even tried to contact u ki tum wapas aa jao, appa ko samjhao that u r not like my jeeju but tumse contact hi nahi ho paaya, shayad tumhe training ke liye Kahin bheja gaya tha. I was keep on denying and finally appa fainted. He got massive heart attack, amma started blaming us, pehle akka then me, that we don't think about appa and we will take him to death. Main kya karti, I was stuck. Haan pyaar karti thi tumse,i wanted a life with u but appa ki jaan le kar nahi.toh jab appa thik hue and asked about milind's alliance, I had to say yes.main majboot thi raman, appa ki jaan ki keemat par apni khushiyan nahi chunn sakti thi, I was stuck. I am sorry, I know u felt betrayed but I never wanted to betray u Raman, main bhi pyaar karti thi tumse,bahut.she said crying making him hug her. He hugged her tight and start consoling her while she hugged him tight and said -i am sorry raman, I am really sorry. Main nahi chahti thi aisa Karna but main rok bhi nahi paayi.
Raman consoled her and said -phir kya hua??
Ishita broke the hug and start narrating again-milind was a NRI. Sirf shaadi karne ke liye India aaye the, we got married in jiffy. Sab khush the siva mere but no-one had any problem with it. Mujhe bandh diya gaya Ek ajnabi ke saath and majboot kar diya gaya apna pehla pyaar bhoolane ke liye. She said looking at Raman, their eyes were moist and locked into each other. They were just looking at each other, ishita took her hand to his face and caressed his face. He closed her eyes feeling her touch.
Ishita -main tumhe abhi keh nahi paayi raman, aur aaj toh shayad haq bhi nahi kehne ka but I want to say this, I love u raman. I love u, I always do.
Raman opened his eyes hearing this and she nodded and said -haan yahin ek sach hai meri zindagi ka, ki main tumse bahut pyaar kiya hai, aur sirf Ek hi takleef, ki tumhari ho naa saki. Sach kaha tha tumne, mohabbat hai iss liye dul mein hai, zidd hoti toh shayad aaj hum saath hote. Hamari kahani iss tarah yun adhuri nahi reh jaati, hum iss tarah adhure nahi reh jaate. She said and cried bitterly, he too cried on his helplessness.
Ishita was crying hiding her face in her palm and Raman pulled her to him. They hugged each other tight and cried bitterly.
Paas aaye..
Dooriyaan phir bhi kam naa hui
Ek adhuri si hamari kahani rahi
Aasmaan ko zameen, ye zaroori nahi
Jaa mile.. jaa mile..
Ishq saccha wahi
Jisko milti nahi manzilein.. manzilein..
Udne Ki Aasha
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