Love of her life - Raman Kumar Bhalla;28/11 Epilogue,pg8 - Page 2

Part 2

Shagun turned up from nowhere ahead of Mihir and  rushed to bang the door down.

Raman and Ishita walked down the hallway hand in hand a little concerned.

The sight that they saw  made them all freeze.

Ishita gripped Raman with fear. Mihir raged towards the bed.  Raman gently pushed Ishita to go to Mihika when he realized that Mihir was heading to Ashok to grab him.

Ishita gathered her sleepy looking sister in the comforter. Picking up the clothes that were strewn and took her away.

Shagun was a raging bull. Turned her wrath on everyone in the room - Ishita for conniving with the press and ruining her life. Mihika for sleeping with her Ashok.  And Ashok  and his teammates rejoicing silently at the chaos.

It was time to man up and no one did that better than Raman as he saw the only two women he cared for emerge from the restroom completely shaken.

He screamed to stop the gibberish that Shagun was spewing. Tried to din sense into her after  Mihir left to chase the media out. Mani too walked back in with a kit in hand. He walked to Ishita and Mihika got them to sit while Mihika sobbed unrestrained on her sister's shoulder. He pulled Mihika's hand from under her dupatta while Ishita nodded gently at them. He ripped open his syringe and drew out blood.

Raman noticed the shock on the 3 cheap stakes as they watched Abhimanyu Raghav at work. He was Ishu's college mate and obviously knew what had to be done.

Shagun was angry more than heart broken. Raman was trying hard to make her see sense for Adi's sake asking her to get real see the mean man that Ashok was for herself!

Shagun was long gone. She was furious her wedding was stalled. She in her carefully put together beautiful lehenga will be in the news for all the wrong reasons. Mihika would be in the headlines too and that was unbearable.

Raman and Ishita were all that were left to pick up the pieces after the crowd went their way.  Raman chided Mihika for taking them on with no help. He was sure that Mihir would understand but insisted she fight for herself ,face up, and get back to the family.

After gut wrenching tears of the seniors and Mihika was put to sleep with Vandu mothering her.  Mihir, Raman, Ishita , Mani and Simmi sat in companiable silence trying to make sense out of all this.

" Mihika na ..she'll  get out of this" Ishita said taking Raman's outstretched hand as she sat next to him.

"ofcourse she will.. tum jo ho...haam sab bhi hai...wo humari ghar ki beti hai Ishita. Jaise Simmi waise hee wo bhi" he said hugging her to his side and wiping her tear streaked face and her trembling lips. His hand on her shoulder and the warmth of his torso was most comforting. They were back in the bubble the rest of the world had faded away as they continued to read each others eyes.

" I'm quite sure the blood results will show why she must not be blamed for this nonsense. She was clearly put to sleep." Abhi said especially to  Mihir and that drew Raman's attention.

He bit his tongue to hold himself back "Ishita yaar chai pila do.." disentangling her as he got up to walk to Mihir. Simmi followed Ishita to the kitchen. Mihir was now flanked by Mani and Raman drawing strength.

"Raman do you want me to handle this press thingy??" Abhimanyu Raghav thought aloud.

" how sure are you of the blood test going Mihika's way?" Raman asked.

" Absolutely sure...I just can't tell what it was..but she did not know what was happening to her!" Mani spoke ensuring the ladies were out of ear shot!

 "Ro mat Mihir" Raman said hugging a shaking Mihir.

 Ishita and Simmi walked in holding the cups.

 " Let's talk this out...and  I want finish them off!" Raman said looking over Mihir's shoulder at Abhi.

Mihir he said "When it comes to romantic love don't look at what your partner says look at what they do! No one can know that better than me Mihir.Your sister has taught me that!

You and I Mihir have the best girls one can ever get. Be Mihika's strength help her get over this. She underestimated those rats but that is because she was desperate to make you happy and protect you from being hurt ." Raman finished looking at Ishita.

When they were finally alone in their room Ishita was on his bed and in deep thought!

"Raman, did you mean it ..." she said leaning on his shoulder when he sat next to her.

" mean what ??" he said hugging her to his side.

" that Shagun was Mihir's sister..'

"Ishita tum to  janti ho na...iss mey nayi kya hai..."

"aapne ex-wife nahi kha na.. isliye" she said kissing his throat and feeling his chuckle under her lips.

" Ishita  there is no woman I look at and think of other than you now.."

" I know " she said holding his fingers and matching their fingertips finger for finger..

" HOW ...do you know that?" he asked with a smile watching her play with his fingers. She had graduated from kurthi ends and sari pallus thankfully!

"When it comes to romantic love I don't look at what my partner says I look at what he does!"  she said with a flushed face.

" Accha... I can show you a lot more..." he said as her flipped her on the bed and nuzzled her neck.

"Raman I love you"

" I love you too"

She reached up to kiss him on his lips. Neither were prepared for what followed.

Ishita was in raptures, Raman was an experienced man he did not realize what made them man and wife could be so moving.

They fitted into each other perfectly. He was playing with the bangles on  delicate her wrist. " Ishita  humne bohot time waste kar di yaar" he said with regret.

"I did not think our first time would be like this".

I have been wanting to be yours for a long time now...what you did for Mihika today and for me after that bachelor's party ..." She said crying.

"Ab please mat ro yaar"

" I don't know about you ishita but this moment will never leave me"  he gathered her and kissed her head and looked into her eyes.

" I won't either" she said " I will keep you in a place where nothing can hurt you ever" as she engulfed him her arms one more time kissed his head locking her chin over his head.