Thank u so much for the lovely response.
Part-10
Mihir and Raghu uncle were all ready to welcome Ishita with her favorite dishes and her room got cleaned, both were eagerly waiting when they heard the doorbell. Both opened the door happily and Raman entered carrying Ishita in his arms,
Raghu uncle – Raman, what happened? Didn’t she recover yet?
I – Now answer him.
R (putting her down) – Actually uncle, your daughter is a big box of problems na. She had done a PHD in creating problems for herself. Jhansi ki Ranil you know.
Both smiled while Ishita glared at them.
R – See uncle. I think one day she will kill me with her looks only.
Mihir gave her a flower bouquet to welcome her back to the house all fit and fine (their flat only). She smiled and hugged both. She was very happy getting so much attention from both while Raman was looking at her smiling from a distance. She was served with idli made by Raghu uncle making her happier. Mihir called Raman also who sat beside her but denied.
I (feeding him idli) – Jyada bhav khane ki jarurat nhi hai, this is the best idli you will get in the whole world.
Mihir, Raghu uncle and Raman looked at her and then at each other while she was busy enjoying the home made food freely without any restrictions. After having lunch, Raman was instructing trio about her changed medicines, how to take care of her diet, taking proper rest, etc while she looked at him and said,
I – Why are you giving a long lecture? We are getting bored. After sometime, you will start telling me it’s time for medicines, it’s time for rest, then you will trouble the maid to decide what to make or not…. When you are going to do everything then what’s the need to tell all this to us.
She said and got busy in her mobile phone while they looked at each other and then Raman said keeping the medicines in the box.
R – Don’t worry. I’ll not trouble you anymore as I’m going….
I (still busy on mobile) – Where are you going? Office hi na…..
R (getting up) – I’m going back to my home…. Now you are absolutely fit and fine.. Ha thodi bhot weakness hai. It will heal soon. So I thought it’s time to go back…. I’m keeping your medicines in your room.
He went to her room while her smile faded away and she realized the meaning of his words. Mihir and Raghu uncle tried to read her expressions. She composed herself and went to her room with a slight smile to take rest like she doesn’t get affected. She entered her room while Raman was coming out. Both looked at each other for a few seconds. He looked away and told her where everything is kept in her room as per her ease and told her to call him anytime if she will not get anything. He left, leaving confused Ishita with a strange feeling. After sometime, Raman was ready with his luggage and bidding them bye. At last, he met Ishita and she gave him a small gift to which he asked what it was. She said that whatever he did for her in the last one year, she didn’t thank him, she didn’t want to make the value of his help lessened by mere thanks so it’s a small gift for him from his friend. He accepted and left telling her to take care of herself. Rest of the day, Ishita was missing him badly as she got habituated to him, his instructions and his scolding. On the other hand, Raman was also missing her but he called her only once at night while earlier she used to get his numerous calls from the office.
It had been 4 months of that incident. Ishita was getting the treatment while everyone was praying for her wellbeing. Initially, Raman was blaming himself for her condition and cried a lot but then his parents made him understand that he should restrain himself and his emotions and handle the situation maturely. He was praying for her daily, was running here and there to do everything needed for her treatment, he was handling business also along with it. He used to spend his nights in hospital, morning he used to go to home just to freshen up and then again back to hospital, was keeping a track of her health, later in afternoon he used to go to office for meetings or other outside works and then again back to hospital. He used to do office work during hospital stay and slept for a very few hours. Initially, Mihir and Raghu uncle tried to make him understand that he should not exert himself like that but he had his full family’s support and Adhiraj came up and made them understood that they shouldn’t stop him but boost his morale, they can take care of him and let him to take care of Ishita and rest. One or other family member was there with him to take care of Ishita, especially Mrs Bhalla and Simmi as a female attendant. After three days of accident, she got conscious but was very weak and couldn’t move or speak anything due to pain in her whole body. After that, she started recovering slowly. Raman continued with his routine but he used to come in front of her very less but she could clearly observe that he was always around and doing everything. One evening, he came back from the office and thought to check on her but found her ward empty. He heard some sounds from the washroom so got relaxed but then wondered where Simmi and Adhiraj were. He went out for a few seconds to check but he couldn’t see them and he didn’t want to leave Ishita alone so he was going back when he heard her screaming. He immediately went inside only to see her on the floor crying in pain. He picked her and took her to bed. He called for the staff and tried to console her. Doctor came and checked her wound. She told how she was coming back but couldn’t walk and her leg got twisted. Simmi and Adhiraj too came after sometime, Doctor went after cleaning and dressing her wound which was bleeding while Raman glared at both of them for carelessness but Ishita said that she only sent them for tea. He couldn’t control and scolded her while she couldn’t take it as she was not habitual to that much care after her mother’s death plus she likes to take care of herself on her own but since last few days, everyone was roaming around her for doing everything and somewhere it was suffocating her, she liked their care but didn’t want to get habitual to it. She shouted at him to leave her alone and she can take care of herself, making him hurt. He went out without saying anything followed by Simmi to console him while Adhiraj scolded her for behaving like that with the person who was just concerned for her so much, how he blames himself for her condition, was doing and taking care of everything so perfectly making her realize her mistake. She thought to apologize to him as she had seen herself that he had done so much for her and he scolded her just out of concern but he didn’t come to her room after that. She waited for a long time but he didn’t come. At last, when Mrs Bhalla came with her dinner and started feeding her, she thought something and denied to eat oatmeal as it’s tasteless. Mrs Bhalla tried to feed her by persuading her, she tried to cajole her by saying sweet words to her like a kid which Ishita was enjoying but controlled on her emotions and persisted in her denial. When she couldn’t persuade her more, she went to Raman and told the same. He was surprised as she never did any tantrums over it till now but told her to ask her what she wants. Mrs Bhalla did the same to which Ishita got sad as she thought he would come. Ishita denied to eat anything and finally Raman had to come inside. He asked her what she wanted, not looking at her making her more guilt while she apologized.
I - Apology..
R - What?
I - Mujhe sorry bolna nhi aata.. Aaj tak kisi se kehne ki jarurat hi nhi padi. So… (he was listening to her keenly hearing the apology word).... Sorry.
She said looking at him but he couldn’t even hear it clearly as it was merely a whisper making him wonder. He was looking at her making a weird face while she couldn’t meet his eyes so looked away. After some time when he didn’t say anything,
I - If you want to say something, you can say. Stop looking at me like this.
Raman smiled inwardly and came to her. She thought that he would make fun of her. He was about to say something but then thinking something, he changed his mind and said,
R - It’s ok.
Ishita looked at him while he said,
R - It’s ok. Actually, I should be sorry as I overreacted…
I - No please. It was only my mistake, you were just concerned so….
Both became silent for a few seconds not knowing what to say as it was the first time they were talking calmly like this. Raman said to remove the awkwardness,
R - By the way, I must say. I had heard a lot of apologies and even I apologized a lot of time but this apology was totally different. We can learn it from you, in fact we should..
He said and looked at her who looked angry, making him scared but then she smiled and hit him lightly.
I - I apologized and you are making fun of me.
R - No, I was serious. (she gave him a stern look) Ok, on serious note, khana dhanda ho rha hai, kha lo, main maa ko bhejta hu..
I - Not bhejta hu, you should say…. laata hu.
She said not looking at him while he looked at her surprisingly and went out smiling seeing a new change in her. He was feeling strange and hugged Mrs bhalla happily telling her everything. She got happy and prayed for their happiness, together or separately. They went inside and Mrs bhalla was feeding her when she asked them to join her for dinner. Then they had food together. Since then Ishita started acknowledging their help, concern, love and care, she started behaving nicely with Bhallas while Bhallas were happy to see this change in her. Now Raman didn’t need to hide from her as she herself told him to stop doing anything secretly. Ishra started spending more time together. She started getting bored and told the same to all. Mihir brought the novels she used to read but she didn’t feel like reading it in the hospital for the whole time. In the evening, Rinki and Romi used to come and talk about their college happenings but what about rest of the time. Raman brought different games like ludo, puzzle, etc for her to which first she said that it’s for kids but when they started playing those games along with some different interesting rules from their childhood with punjabi tadka, she felt an urge and started playing with them. Bhallas were happy to see her enjoying it happily. At night, Raman used to tell her the stories to which she used to try her best to listen to him but in between she used to laugh on his way to tell the stories but he never complained or got angry as he was happy if it used to bring a beautiful smile over her face. Ishra became friends. She also got discharged after a few weeks. She had an injury on her leg and head at that time. She was doing well but she was weak plus careless. After coming back home, she never listened to Raghu uncle who used to be with her mostly. One day, he had to attend a video conference and instructed her to take rest and ask the maid whatever she would want. She got the chance and sent the maid to bring juice for her, she entered the kitchen to make tasty fritters on her own. She was weak and exerted herself more. She couldn’t stand the hot flame for much time and started feeling dizziness but ignored it initially. After some time, she was putting the paste in the oil when she felt acute pain in her head, some of the hot oil spilled on her hand and she fainted screaming. Raghu uncle came out hearing it and got shocked seeing her like that. After a few hours, when she gained consciousness, she was in hospital and Raman, Mihir, Mrs Bhalla and Raghu uncle were staring at her angrily. She tried to apologize to them but they were very angry with her. Then Raman decided to shift to their flat, Mrs Bhalla offered but they denied saying she was needed at Bhalla house more. Raman and Mihir plan their schedule like one of them would be with her always. They also allowed her to do some office work from home so that she would not be free to think of such stunts. Raman and mihir were very strict to her. Despite all this, she was Ishita Iyer who was eager to prove to them that she is getting fine and can do her work on her own. In this process, she got her injured leg hurt again, making everyone super angry at her. Raghu uncle scolded her and didn’t talk to her for two days making her realise that she was raising their difficulties instead of making them free of worries by doing all these. Finally she stopped thinking that their lives stopped because of her and stopped her trials. She did as per their instructions and even started troubling them for everything which she wanted, especially Raman. So she took almost 4 months in getting completely fit and fine and healthy. The only good thing happened in this whole time period is that Ishita’s relationship with Bhallas improved, Ishra bond grew so much that she got habitual to him and Raman was also turned into a completely responsible, matured and hard working person.
Here I’m ending this part.
Precap - Ishra….
9