It truly was homecoming for Mani a.k.a Abhimanyu Raghav at the Iyer home. He was warmly hugged by everyone present and the cynosure of their eyes, and of all the neighbours of the Akash Ganga Housing Society that were invited for Golu at the Iyer residence. None of this irritated Raman as much as Ishita fawning over him and Ruhi walking around with a tray of sweets stopping near Abhi uncle' and talking to him sweetly! Raman for the first time regretted that his little girl was so much like Ishu. He would have gladly grabbed the two of them by their wrists and would have taken them far away from Abhi's sight. Raman was insanely jealous but in his mind Abhi did not deserve to be in the same planet as his daughter and wife.
Ruhi chalo beta ghar chalke dadi se baat karte hai' he said trying to sound very unaffected expecting his darling daughter to grab her Ishima too. Haan papa' agreed Ruhi and changed her mind about calling Ishima out when she saw her mother chatting with Abhi uncle laughing at something he said. At the other end of the room Romi followed his brothers eyes and chuckled at the jealous rage in them and nudged Mihir's attention to it. Ishu was staring at Raman's reflection from the window glass and she thought he was " delectable". She smiled to herself decided to bug him a little more waved out to them from across the room and continued to chat with Mani! An exasperated Raman walked away in a huff.
Minutes later she tiptoed into their bedroom and watched Ruhi perched on Raman's lap skyping with Toshiji. She reached the chair and put her head next to Raman's to look into the laptop's camera and wished mummyji a happy navarthri. Toshiji was emotional seeing the 3 of them like that - together and Raman's cheer when his wife came in and stood next to them. "puttar Ishita ka kyal rakhna bhoj uspe baad gayi hai" she said after Ishu left to prepare for the next day.
The Bhalla family had a guests - Abhi and the Iyers at the morning pooja the next day. Ishita fell on the floor when they were still singing the bhajan Raman picked her up and was wrecked seeing her bloodied nose.
The hours that followed stunned him into silence. He realized a number of things that night as his wife lay unconscious in the hospital bed. He was surprised at the raw pain he felt looking at his wife lying still on the bed. He had not felt that kind of loss in a long time. He felt completely inadequate that he knew so little of her medical history or her emotions. He felt awful that Mani saved the day for them. But right now he was still coming to terms with how much he had come to depend on her and regretted how his taunts had camouflaged his growing affection for his wife.
Raman was no man's idiot. He never repeated mistakes. He packed his family off and waited impatiently for her to wake up. He caught a few winks sitting next her holding her hand incase she woke up when he was napping.
Raman' she said that sounded like music to his ears. He stirred from his sleep, sat next to his wife and give a gentle hug. I am so glad to hear you Ishita..I missed you so much' he said with downcast eyes. " meri maunvrat pasand nahi aya kya' she jabbed his chest with her forefinger. nahi yaar itna sannata accha nahi lagta..meri bus chale toh main tumhe jaise uthake aya tha inhi haaton se abhi mere ghar lekhe jaaoonga'.
ACCHA ji' she smiled. kya karoge le jaake...aur taane maroge... behosh ho ke, gir jaane ke liye' right she pouted. Nahi Ishita kabhi nahi ...ab kabhi tumhara Mazak nahi oddaunga' he said sadly. OH no! aap serious acche nahi lagte ho! AAP na Ravan kumar hee ache lagte ho' she said good naturedly as she went into her husband's outstretched arms to hug him and lay her head on his chest.
I have a lot to learn about you Ishita' he said as he stroking her back WOW behosh hoke gir jaane ka itna fayda - Rakshas kumar Charmer kumar ban gaya. I wish I had known this earlier.' She said looking into his eyes and smiling at him. Pagal' he replied setting her aside on the bed and running his hand on her chin. you also have a lot to learn about yourself my dear !' he smiled at her - noticing the colour rising on her face and her racing heart. Mani doesn't do that to her he told himself cheerfully and I shall make you smile' he said flicking her nose like he did when he came home drunk with the boy band not so long ago!
Shiv Shakti
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