Ishra FF: Dil Ki Chaahat Last part pg84 dt.19.9.19 UPDATED - Page 12

chapter 11 continued

Raman lifted his hand to ring the bell.

" maami and maama have gone to Agra."ishita opened her purse to take out the key.
" good. So finally your maama has decided to get your maami admitted to the mental asylum."
she shook her head. " very funny. They have gone to attend maami's nephew's marriage..they will be back today by ten." Raman took the key from ishita who was struggling to open the door with her left hand.
Switching on the lights he helped her in.
" where's your room?"
" it's alright raman , I'll manage."

Raman folded his arms before his chest and moved back. " okay."
she had barely taken a step forward when she stumbled and winced. She turned to look at raman who had * I knew it* expression on his face.Though he would have preferred to pick her up and carry her to her room but again he knew she wouldn't agree.
she pointed toward a room on the left. he came forward, held her securely and gave her his hand to support. He lowered her to the bed and adjusted the pillow behind her back. Then lifted her legs to place them on the bed.
" raman please don't touch my feet." Raman turned his neck and stared at her compelling her to shut her mouth. He left the room only to return with two cushions from the sitting room. Raising her right leg he placed the cushions under her swollen ankle. He twisted his face seeing how badly she had injured her ankle.The sight of her accident flashed before his eyes and he shuddered.
she noticed her grim face and felt guilty. "I'm sorry...I ruined our whole evening." They had planned to go out for a movie but landed up in a hospital all because of her.
he glanced at her . " I won't disagree with you because the way you were crossing the road it was absolutely insane. What was going on in your mind?" She averted her gaze to avoid answering him.
raman shook his head on seeing her go silent. He went to the bathroom, took a hand towel and wordlessly left the room. Opening the fridge he took out an ice tray and emptied its contents on the towel.
When he came back to the room he found her leaning her head back on the pillow with her eyes shut. He smiled at the sight of her. She looked angelic and so much at peace but would her peace last long? He had a news to break but didn't know how..He just hoped she would understand.
Exhaling deeply he moved to her bed, sat down and placed the towel containing ice cubes on her swollen ankle. As expected she jumped but raman held her leg.
" relax ...this will bring down the swelling."

She glanced at his back with affection...Though he seldom used the words * I love you* but all his gestures showed how much he loved her. She was really fortunate to have him in her life.
When he turned around he saw her eyes damp and he instantly went to her.
" what happened ishita..is it hurting? Oh it must be.."

She shook her head and opened her mouth to tell him what she was feeling but he didn't let her.
" You should take your painkillers but before that you need to eat...give me five minutes." Raman got up and went out.
" but raman .." it was too late he was gone. She didn't like the fact that he was troubling himself so much for her. It was not needed she could have the medicines with just water.
" raman ." She called out.
" coming."
Within minutes he was back with a plate of tomato sandwiches. She glanced at the plate and then at him. Raman scratched the back of his neck. " sorry but you can't expect more from a bachelor who lives alone...its either Maggie or sandwiches." She wasn't complaining she was just touched by his concern.
He brought the sandwich close to her mouth. She raised her left hand to hold the sandwich. She could eat on her own, his feeding her would only make her teary. After her parents demise, nobody had ever taken care of her and today all this was just too overwhelming for her.
raman brushed the lone tear threatening to drop from eye. She was too emotional. Such a small thing was filling up her eyes.
" how's it?"
" nice."
raman smiled and wiped the butter from the corner of her lips with his thumb before licking it. This unexpected intimacy surprised ishita and she lowered her head however she couldn't stop herself from blushing.
As she ate silently, raman allowed his eyes to run around her room. It was a small room with pink walls, not much furniture just a cupboard, study table with chair and a single bed on which they were sitting. He noticed his sculpture sitting on her table. He had heard she'd won the third prize but he never congratulated her on her success. And now it was too late. The sculpture somewhat made him feel ashamed of his past behavior so he averted his gaze.
He touched the stars hanging on her bed and smiled.
" these stars remind me off my parents." Raman nodded hearing that. However when he carefully looked at her bedsheet, he furrowed his brows. " you still like Donald duck and Mickey mouse?"
she pressed her lips and nodded. Okay, now she was a grown up girl but still she loved these cartoon characters.
raman couldn't stop laughing.

" raman .." it wasn't funny..or perhaps it was but still..
" sorry ..sorry .I'll get some water so that you can have those painkillers." Raman poured a glass of water and looked around. He had to admit the whole house including the kitchen was so clean and tidy. Unlike his hostel room that was an absolute mess, thanks to him. But this small flat was tastefully decorated with diyas near the windows and rangoli outside the Puja room. Looking at the house one could say that Diwali was round the corner.
While keeping the bottle back in the fridge raman spotted something...something he really liked. * jalebis* he took a bite ..hmm divine.
He handed her the glass and took out the tablets. With the jalebi hanging from his mouth now he looked funny and it was her turn to laugh at him and raman didn't mind at all.
Seeing the tablets ishita made a face. He was relishing sweet jalebi and she was having bitter medicines...this was so unfair.
" c'mon ..hurry."
Reluctantly she swallowed the tablets down her throat.
" chee..these are so bitter." She whined like a child. Raman rolled his eyes and put the last piece of jalebi in his hand, in her mouth. "better?"
she slowly chewed and nodded.
" but I have to say, these jalebis are too delicious ..I just couldn't resist them." He held her hand and added." you have magic in your hands." She smiled and pressed their entwined hands.
" it's ma's recipe." There were specs of sadness in her eyes.
" do you still get those nightmares?" Her past was painful and he wished she'd come out of it soon .
“lately I'm sleeping peacefully." That relived him and brought a smile on his face. He wriggled his brows. " now what do you see?"

She dropped her lashes as she thought about her dreams. A sense of calmness and happiness filled her heart.
" I see you and I together..I see you as a successful business man and myself looking after our house...i see ourselves having a family...basically I dream of a very happy life together."

She knitted her brows together when she saw him looking down at their hands. He was quiet.
" raman , I'm not pushing you for anything.I know you wish to reach somewhere before you can commit and I'm prepared to give you that time. Don't stress yourself , I'm willing to wait." She was just letting him know that today because of him and his love, she had dared to dream about a future that was beautiful and free from the clutches of her traumatic past. His love was her strength...that was it. She in no way intended to pressurize him to take their relationship forward. She was in no hurry.
raman took a deep breath before parting his lips. His face was still serious and somewhere it frightened her .
" I need to tell you something." His tone added to her uneasiness. It would be something unpleasant her heart told her. She blinked her eyes expecting him to continue.
" my company is quite happy with my work." Oh, that's a good thing so why was he looking worried?
" and they have transferred me to their Mumbai branch as a member of their financial team."

She didn't know how to react. A part of her was proud of his success...but.
" so I have to leave."
ishita gulped the knot formed inside her throat." how long will you be away?"
" six months."
That was a long time. What would she do without him? She had just begun to come out of her past..accept a beautiful present and dream about their life ahead and this sudden unexpected news jolted her. She felt emptiness within her... the fear of losing him began to dampen her otherwise pleasant spirits. How would she deal with this, she had no idea.
raman peered at her. She had gone all quiet. He knew six months was not a short period and it would be difficult for her but shouldn't she see the brighter side...He was progressing in his career...He was taking some firm and important steps toward his goals...shouldn't that make her happy?
" ishita, this career move will take me places...the company is shouldering me with a huge responsibility...after so long someone has trusted my abilities..I can't let this opportunity go by."

Her head immediately shot up. " no raman , I don't want you to miss this chance..just that I wasn't prepared for it."His words made her feel guilty, she was only thinking about herself and forgot that she'd promised to support him. She had vowed to love him with his dreams then why was she being disappointed? If his love could be his strength and drag her out of her darkness then couldn't her love lighten his new path? She pushed back her tears and stretched her lips in a smile.
" I'm sorry, for a minute I got selfish..but now I realize how important this is for you and us...trust me, I'm very proud of you..and as always I'm with you." She pressed his hand to assure him.
" thanks ishita for being so understanding.I admit six months sounds pretty long but if we think practically then I guess it won't be that tough." She nodded in agreement. Yes she needed to be strong for both of them. And she would be.After all she had complete trust in him and their love. When they would be spending the rest of their lives together then these few months of being away from each other wouldn't change anything.
" I agree raman ..during this time you can concentrate on your work and I on my studies."

he grinned. " absolutely..that's the spirit."

He snapped his fingers. " these six months will get over like this. Trust me." It was this trust that was keeping her going.
" and I'll be just a phone call away..though you won't be able to see me.."
" I can see you anytime I wish to."

Raman drew his brows together in confusion. "how?"
She smiled and pointed to his sculpture on her table. " you have no idea how much he knows about me. In fact much more than you."
" are you trying to make me jealous of myself?"

ishita giggled and shook her head. " no I'm just saying that you're with me always..so I'll miss you less."
" really? But what makes you think that you're not with me..always?" Now she frowned at him. What did he mean?
his eyes danced in amusement as he slowly took out her earring from his pocket and dangled before her. Her eyes turned wide and her little mouth formed a perfect O in surprise.
" this was with you?" She tried to grab from his hand but he moved it back.

" nope. This stays with me." And he dropped the earring back in his pocket. ishita tilted her head and smiled. It felt nice to know that something close to her once was now close to him.
" you'll be here for Diwali?" She wanted him to spend this Diwali with her, also she was thinking of introducing him to her uncle.
raman slowly shook his head. " I'll have to join from Monday." She wasn't expecting him to leave on such a short notice. Unwilling her eyes moistened again. " so this is our last..."
he didn't let her finish and pulled her in his embrace. He held her firm and close, not allowing her to break down. He slowly rubbed her back.
" sshh..I want to see a smile on your face and not tears in your eyes when I leave."
ishita pressed her trembling lips and shut her eyes, trying to block her tears. She let herself cherish his warmth and this closeness as long as she could. This moment was special and it's memory would help her survive the upcoming six long months.
A while later raman moved back.
* snap* something broke. They both looked down.It was the chain that raman had gifted her. It got stuck on his button and when he pulled back it broke.
ishita panicked on seeing the chain. It couldn't be mended.
" raman this.."
he held her face in his hands. " ishita,relax...it was just a chain. It was delicate and it broke. There's nothing to worry." He pressed his lips to her forehead and kissed her fears away.

* sometimes you have to let go to see if there was anything worth holding on to*