CHAPTER ELEVEN
Raman could see she was getting emotional and if history had taught him anything, she had a habit of putting up these walls and would zone out like she just stepped into another world so he thought it best to leave that conversation there for now.
'So looks like your parents have retired huh.'' He said
'Yeah I still can't believe it has been 14 years.'' She answered smilingly as she joined him on the bench. He suddenly went quiet and she wasn't sure why he got serious all of a sudden.
'You wanted to talk to me about something.'' She finally broke the silence
'I just wanted... I mean...'' Raman tried to talk but he was stuttering
' Okay is everything alright. You're starting to scare me.'' She said
'Okay am just going to put it out there. Do you now want a divorce?'' he asked looking down and holding his breath praying to God she didn't see how difficult this was for him
'Do you want to divorce me?'' she asked
'No I just saying that with your parents being okay now. Maybe you wanted out because the 1.5 Million remaining was intended to help them. Now that they do not seem to need it, I just thought that you may want that.'' He said in one breath
'Forget the 1.5 Million for a second. I am asking do you want a divorce?'' she said as she knelt down in front of him forcing him to look at her.
' Honestly no.'' he answered
'Are you sure?'' she asked
'Yeah I am. I am not ready to let you go yet.'' He answered.
Ishita looked at him as she tried to take in what he had just said when she suddenly heard him say
'For Ruhi's sake.'' He added trying to back track.
Sometimes even Raman could not explain the things he said when he was with her. It was like every time she looked at him and he looked in her eyes, she had this ability to just break down all these walls he had put up and all his emotions were laid bare. He was always fidgeting trying to back track from something stupid he had said.
She smilingly looked at him and said
'Well Mr. Raman Kumar Bhalla one would think by now you have learnt this about me. I never break my promises and I promised I will stay married to you for three year. It hasn't been three years yet has it?'' she asked as he shook his head side to side indication no
'Then why would you think I want a divorce'' she asked playfully
'Are you sure.'' He asked
She looked at him and nodded in the affirmative and she could see he was getting a little emotional although he was doing everything in his power to hide it. She could see a smile creep up on his face and she couldn't help but feel warm inside.
'You look nice when you smile I wonder why you do not do it more often.'' She suddenly said
'What?'' he asked
'Nothing'' She answered as if surprised she had said that out loud.
'I know that was a compliment and I will take it thank you.'' He said smiling at her before he suddenly asked her
'So tell me what is the story with you and Tushar?'' he asked
'Where did that come from? It seems like a very random question.'' She added
'Well it is not that random besides I can tell from the way you talked to him that you really do not like him.'' He added
'Well we dated for under a year, were engaged to be married but he had other ideas so it never happened.'' She answered
'Woah wait a minute, you have ever been engaged? How come I didn't know about this? I mean I knew you two dated but I didn't know you were engaged.'' He answered a bit surprised
'Aren't you the one with the private detective? You need to fire him if he didn't know that. It was more than just an engagement, he actually left me on the altar.'' She answered
Raman looked at her and couldn't believe how she was talking about all this with so much ease and no hesitation. He couldn't help but feel sorry for her because every time they talked about their past she always had something bad to say. He couldn't help but feel that the man who left her standing there must have been a complete idiot.
'You do not have to feel sorry for me. It was for the better because he wasn't a very good man. Turns out fate had other plans for me any way. I was meant to be the mother of these two amazing children.'' She answered with a smile on her face.
Raman could see it was a front but she was hurt and it was very visible on her face no matter how hard she tried hiding it.
'Did you love him?'' he suddenly asked
'To be honest I do not know. I think what hurt the most was what my father had to go through after everything because he stole from us. So love I don't think so. I mean it felt nice to have the illusion that someone else cared and loved me but sooner than later that bubble was bound to burst. I was just unlucky that it happened on the night I was meant to get married.'' She answered
'Illusion, what do you mean?'' he asked
'He never really cared about me. I mean I do not think so. May be it is me who doesn't understand what love is or what it should be but being with him had become a job. You know. You had to care about him, his needs, his concerns, his dreams, his desires and I was okay with doing all that because I was convinced that at least I will get to be called married and also my sister will stop blaming herself for the way I am. But when he did what he did on the night of our wedding day, I just ... I don't know'' Said Ishita
'Why would you say you never wanted you sister to blame herself for the way you are?'' he asked
'Raman, that is a part of my life I hope to God you never find out about.'' She answered as her demeanor changed
'Why not?'' he asked
'Because you will begin to see me differently and I do not want that lets change the topic I do not want to talk about that'' She replied as she tried to hide the tears in her eyes
'Sorry I didn't mean to intrude it's just that...'' But before he could finish she said
'No it is okay, it is your right I am your wife after all. It is just that its one of those things I do not want to ever talk about. I will tell you about it someday just not today'' She answered
Raman looked at her and felt like hugging her just so he would take all her pain away. It seemed like she had known so much pain and suffering and it just broke his heart. He looked at her and promised himself he would do everything in his power to make sure she never knows any pain in the next 2 and half years of their lives. He wished things were a little different and they had met under different circumstances but fate had other plans for them both. He didn't really want to be married and with the way she referred to the contract all the time neither did she but like she was trying to be a good wife and mother so will he.
There was a silence between them as he watched her slowly drift away and he tried to change the topic
'Wait you do the exact things for me like Tushar, does that mean you think it is a job as well'' he asked teasingly as he tried to lighten the moment
'Well with you, I do not do it because I have to. I do it because I want to that's the difference.'' She answered
Raman looked at her as she smiled at him and couldn't help but feel warm inside. Ishita was one of those strange people who didn't sometimes really know how to be subtle and through that she would sometimes say things without a filter not understanding the implications of saying them.
'Oh really! If I didn't know better I would think you like me a lot.'' He said teasingly
'Yeah dream on.'' She answered laughingly
'Is that so.'' he asked
'Yes it is although I can't say the same for you.'' She laughingly said
'What do you mean?'' he smilingly asked
'I think you like me a lot.'' She said
'And what would make you think that?'' he asked
'it's the little things, you stare when you think am not looking and also your always complimenting me although it is always hidden under taunts.'' She replied smilingly
'What ... I don't know what you're talking about plus I do not stare.'' He replied as he tried to hide the smile on his face
'Sometimes you don't even know when you're doing it kinda like now actually'' She replied still laughing at him
'Yeah whatever everything you are talking about is in your head.'' He replied as he started to laugh as well
'Okay let us agree to disagree for now.'' She finally said
'Giving up so easily.'' He replied
Ishita knew in this argument she was never going to win so she just decided to concede although she really did enjoy teasing him. She looked at him as he threw his back laughing at the fact that she had easily conceded but little did he know that all she wanted was to see that smile on his face and keep his mind off his daughter who was taking part in the circle of truth exercise.
'Hey can I show you something?'' she suddenly said
'Sure what is it'' he asked
'You are going to have to come with me.'' She replied
She took his hand and walked with him further into the garden walking him into this canopy that has beautiful tulips around it. She then excitedly took a couple of flowers and they continued a head.
Raman just followed suit curious to know where she was actually taking him. When they got to the end of the garden there was this beautiful bed of red roses. He then watched as she slowly bent down and cleaned the engraved stone that lay just beneath the bed of roses. On the stone it read
'In Memory of the most amazing woman in earth
Ms. Anjali Raizada
Always loved always cherished
Never to be forgotten''
She slowly took his hand and asked him to sit beside her when she finally turned and told him
'I wanted to do something for my mother and so I thought I would make this for her.'' She said with tears in her eyes. Raman slowly held her hand tighter as she continued to talk
'She loved red roses, they were her favorite and since she isn't here with me I figured she will live through these. Whenever I feel completely happy and content in my life I always come here and tell her about it. Of course I haven't been here in a while but still I figured since you're here I do not have to say anything I will just show her the reason for my happiness. I haven't had too many of those until we met'' She said
Ishita watched as Raman just looked at her and figured he probably must think she is crazy.
'It is a stupid thing I know but it is completely comforting.'' She added
'No it is okay I completely understand.'' He said
'Then why are you looking at me like that?'' she asked
'You are really happy with me?'' he nervously asked
'Yeah I thought by now you would have figured it out.'' She added as she slowly winked at him
He chuckled at the way she always winked at him when she was flirting and he would find the whole thing so damn sexy every time. He slowly took the flowers she had in her hands and placed them where the stone was and then said
'Hey there Mrs. Anjali, My name is Raman and I am married to your daughter. She is crazy and a bit too much sometimes but marrying her so far has been the best thing I ever did. You have an amazing daughter and she turned out pretty good.'' He said as he turned around to look at her
'You do not have to say that.'' She replied thinking he was just being nice.
'Ishita I am not just saying that and I won't back track this time. I mean every word of it.'' He said looking into her eyes
Ishita looked at him with tears in her eyes and couldn't believe this is the same man she had met almost a year ago. Under that short temper and big ego was a very kind caring man and she couldn't understand how on earth Shagun just let him go. With tears in her eyes she looked at him and said
'you're a good man Raman Kumar Bhalla''
Raman put his hand on his mouth and said
'Shhhsss tell anyone about this I will deny it.'' He said with a smile on his face
'Don't worry your secret is safe with me.'' She answered
They knelt down there for a while and decided to go back to the bench where they were sitting. Then abruptly he asked
'Tell me something about you that no one know not even Mihika.''
'That was kind of a random thing to say.'' she answered quite surprised
'Well then I can know you trust me.'' He answered
'I already do trust you rather it is you who doesn't trust me'' she answered
'Okay fine I will tell you something after you have told me yours.'' He answered
'Fine let me think. Uhhh I am a daughter or a very wealthy man'' She said
'REALLY'' He asked surprised
'Yeah his family didn't really like my mom so they got him married to another woman. When she told him about me he told her she had to get rid of me because he was not going to go against his family.'' She replied a bit teary again
'Do you know who he is?'' he asked
'Of course but I do not want to know anything about him because for me he is dead.'' She answered before taking a deep breath and saying
'Wow I can't believe I just told you that. I have never told anyone that.''
' Don't you ever wonder about him.'' He asked
'No not really. He made his choice about me and I made mine about him. It was his loss.'' She said
'You can say that again. You are unbelievable you know that.'' He said
'Why is that'' she asked
'I can tell with the way you talk about your past that you have known so much pain. Another person would be filled with so much venom but you, your just a bundle of chirpiness.'' He replied as he playfully pulled her cheek like a kid
'Don't do that.'' She said slowly slapping his hand away from her cheek as he added
'Plus you really haven't known they angry me yet.'' She replied as she threw her head back laughing.
Raman listened to her laugh and she had never looked more beautiful like she did in that moment. They sound of her laugh was like a melody being played on a Cello and he would seriously just listen to her laugh all day. He just wanted to keep her happy always and never see he fall apart ever gain.
Like his body was speaking a language of his own, he slowly held her face putting the hair that was falling in her face behind her ear. With his thumb he slowly touched her lips and like as if he was possessed, he slowly brought his face closer to hers placing his lips on hers. It felt magical and unbelievably right, he slowly sucked on her lower lip before he realized that she wasn't kissing him back.
He jerked up and hurriedly stepped back looking at her while she had an expression on her face that to be honest really didn't give away a lot. She looked scared and surprised but at the same time it was like she was smiling, he couldn't bet on it though because he wasn't exactly sure.
'I am so sorry about that I swear I do not know what just came over me.'' He said
He looked at Ishita as she slowly came forward to where he was standing and tried to touch his face but instead he stepped back saying
'What are you doing''
'Just stand still will you'' she whispered
She come forward again to where he was standing and slowly put her hand on his cheek feeling his stubble beard as she slowly extended her hand slowly running it through his hair. She looked into his eyes and then at his lips and kissed him.
Raman couldn't quite understand what the hell was happening or why it was happening. Her lips were warm and smooth as they brushed against his own making him feel like this was a kiss that was ever so sweet. He loosened up slowly placing his hand on her waist
Ishita stiffened when his hands planted themselves on her waist but his light heartwarming chuckle managed to loosen her up again. He slowly moved his right hand to the nape of her neck as he completely gave in and seized her lips making this the most powerful and most passionate kiss she had ever experienced. It felt magical as she finally completely gave in parting her lips and letting his tongue slowly explore her mouth as she did his.
They remained there in each other's embrace their lips testing and exploring their feelings from a kiss so long overdue and so lingering creating a fire longing that only two people so into each other can light up. They were so lost in each other that they didn't hear that there was a person who was calling them.
Ishita finally pulled away as she had heard there was someone calling her name. She looked back at the direction where the entrance of the garden was and then back at him when she saw the disapproving look in his eyes as if he didn't want to stop. She chuckled as she pointed at his entrance and told him
'Baba jay is the man who takes care of all this when we are not around and he has been calling me for the last couple of minutes. I think we need to leave.''
Raman looked at her and smiled knowing full well that whatever had just happened a few seconds ago was not meant to happen even though it felt unbelievably amazing and enchanting, it wasn't supposed to happen or was it.
'Right I think it is wise we should leave.'' He said as they turned and walked away not talking about what just happened and maybe realizing Mumbai may have brought emotions each of them wasn't sure they were ready to admit.
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