This OS is a little scattered. Not sure what I was trying to do but it came out a little different. Hope you like it.
Oh thanks to Pallavi as always for managing this whole project and dealing with annoyingly late writers like myself!
It was a Tuesday and the airport was deserted on this rainy spring day in New York. Waiting for his 10pm direct flight to Delhi, Raman was as per usual dressed immaculately in a suit. It wouldn't make the journey very comfortable but he was flying business class and so had to dress the part. The tediousness of getting through U.S. security had made it necessary to checkin quite early so Raman was grabbing dinner at a terminal restaurant in a somewhat leisurely manner. Though not usually into people-watching, he found this to be the one time it was relaxing. Mostly because he didn't have anything else to do. There was no work and everyone back home would still be asleep so he couldn't even bother them.
As he ate, he observed his fellow travelers waiting near the gate as the restaurant was right across. There were several families with young children who were thankfully drowsy enough at this hour not to cause any havoc. Two young guys about Romi's age who looked possibly like fraternal twins, dressed somewhat similarly on top of it, were glued to their phones. Elsewhere a squabbling married couple had been arguing in Punjabi for the last quarter hour. The wife was now complaining that the husband had been working the whole trip and the husband in question continued to stare unapologetically at his laptop. Raman smiled, thinking of his own squabbling partner.
He'd missed her a great deal. It was ten torturous days made especially worse because of the key moment during which they'd parted. He'd spoken to her in some form or another everyday and every day he'd tried to get her to confess. She had kind of done it on one of the calls using Ruhi's words as an excuse but that's not what he was looking for. In fact he wasn't sure what exactly he was looking for. His own declaration was maybe a little cliched but it had made her happy and that was enough for him. She loved him, of course he knew that. It was visible in every flicker of her eyes when she saw him and in every smile that lit up her face when she was with him. There was still a question his heart wanted answered, but it was one he could never ask her. Did she love him like he loved her, isolated from all their history and complications? The question had first surfaced in his mind on their anniversary. The gift he gave her had raised some worry in his own heart. If she had had the chance to have kids all along, the things that happened to her would have never happened. Subbu would have never abandoned her. And she could have never been his.
Of course the arrival of Subbu in their lives hadn't helped. Although Raman had complete confidence in Ishita and their relationship on one hand, the little insecure creature inside still whispered that she wouldn't have been his first choice. For him, it was a little different. Despite all the hell he went through with Shagun, he had his kids and he could never be sorry for that. But it was also true that if he had known Ishita before, he would have made her his world from the beginning. It made so little sense he realized but it was a sore spot he thought perhaps her verbal confirmation of her feelings would help ease.
While these thoughts went through his mind Raman's face must have looked odd because an elderly man, who was the only one not otherwise occupied with a screen, was watching him with an amused expression. When he saw Raman look up, he smiled, teeth in surprisingly good shape. Though sitting, a prominent stoop was visible, which along with the deep wrinkles of his face put his age anywhere from 75-85. Raman smiled back awkwardly, but returned to his food and his thoughts.
A couple of hours later, Raman was seated on the plane, waiting for the remaining passengers to sit so the flight could take off. The amused old timer, Raman discovered upon boarding, was his seat companion. Moving slowly but with a deliberate grace, he had settled himself and now looked content to embark on the 15 hour flight. Raman noticed that his clothes seemed well-used butperfectly maintained. He only had a small black bag that he had the air hostess put very carefully in the compartment above.
As all this was happening, Raman decided to steal the last few moments before takeoff to make a call. Ishita would be up now, getting ready for the morning.
Her delicate voice answered a little too quickly, "Raman? Aap flight chadh gaye?"
She laughed, "Sorry, boliye boliye."
[Sorry, tell me tell me]Business class was largely empty but Raman still felt the need to whisper, "Good morning meri Madrassan, I love you."
"Ramann..." he could feel the blush through her voice. Even thousands of miles away he could picture her perfectly in this moment, her long damp hair falling down her back leaving wet spots on her clothes. Wisps of her fresh scent trailing behind wherever she walked and staying on the air long after as if yearning for her return.
Ek din kabhee jo khud ko taraashay
Meri nazar se tu zaraa, haaye re
[If someday you could admire yourself through my gaze]"Bolo na...ab toh koi nahi hoga waha...uss ghar mein tumhare sivai aur koi itni jaldi uththa nahin."
[Come on, tell me...there can't be anyone there now...no one else wakes up that early in that house]"Neelu"
"Seriously?"
"Yes, she is right here."
"Arghhh. Dekhlunga tumhe Madrassan, ghar toh aa hi raha hoon."
[Just wait Madrassan, I am coming home]
"Haan haan." [yeah yeah]
"Kya pehen rahi ho?" [What are you wearing?]
"Hein?"
"Maine nuclear codes nahi pucha tumse" [I'm not asking you for nuclear codes]
"Yeh kaise bewooda sawaal kar rahe aap, flight mein" [What kind of question is that to ask on a flight?]
"Aise hi sawaal karte apni patni se jab itni doori hoti hai. Bolo."
[These are the questions a husband asks his wife when he isn't home]
"Jaise aap kehte hain sadi hui sari se sadi hui kurta hi pehen sakti hoon na main?"
[As you say, boring sari to boring kurta is all I can wear, right?]
Aankhon se teree kyaa kyaa chhupaa hai
Tujh ko dikhaaoon main zaraa, haye re
[I could show you all that is hidden from your eyes]
"Sadi hui isliye kyunki jo bhi pehno mujhe ek hi khyaal aata hain ab..." he had dropped his voice meaningfully.
[I called them names because whatever you wear, I only think of one thing...]
"Raman! Aapke baaju ke log kya samjhenge?!"
[What will the people around you think?!]
So he looked over at his neighbor from where he'd been whispering into his phone and saw that the elderly man was sitting with his eyes closed peacefully.
"Its fine. Waise kuch plan kiya hai ke nahin, kuch suprise wurprise?"
[I hope your planing something special, a surprise maybe?]
"Kya planning? Ghar mein sab honge, bacche aapka intezaar kar rahe hain. They missed you very much."
[Everyone will be here, the kids are waiting for you to get back. They missed you very much]
"Aur tum?" [And you?]
"Hmmm"
"Hmmm kya, kuch bolo!" [What hmm, say something]
"Aap aajaye bas" [Just come back, that's all]
Raman smiled. "Kyun, kuch kehna tha?" [Why, did you have to say something?]
"Raman!"
"Ok ek hot airhostess mujhe ghoor rahi hai, shayad usse mujhse kuch kehna hai. Tum phone rakho."
[Ok, a hot air hostess is staring at me, maybe she has something to say to me. You end the call]
"Ha ha very funny. Aake daanth todu uski?" [Shall I come and break her teeth]
"Nai tum hindustani daanth hi todthe raho, yahan lawsuits hote hain. Magar suno..."
[No, you keep breaking Indian teeth only, they have lawsuits here. But listen...]
"Kya?" [What]
"Meri aane ke baad, sunne beghair mujhe chain ki neendh nahin aayegi. Aur tumhe bhi sone nahin dunga."
[After I come, without hearing you say it I won't be able to sleep peacefully. And I won't let you sleep either]
"Hmm"
"Bye"
"Bye"
Seven thousand miles away, a flushed Ishita put down the phone in the living room. She glanced quickly at the kitchen where Neelu was working, hoping she hadn't overheard anything embarrassing but the girl was engrossed in work. Traveling Raavan Kumar was overly romantic, she thought as she blushed even more. The distance this trip put between them was bittersweet. As much as she missed him every moment, she loved the new phase of their relationship. The flirting, the meaningful teasing and the much awaited reunion. She would have to tell him then though, he wasn't going to let her escape any more now.
Ek ankahee si daastaan, daastaaan;Kehne lagegaa aainaa
Subhanallah..
Jo ho raha hai pehlee dafa hai wallah aisa hua..
[The mirror shall start telling an untold story;
Praise the Lord...whatever is happening, its happening for the first time.]
Back on the flight, Raman was still smiling from the call. As the flight prepared for takeoff, the old man opened his eyes and smiled back at Raman knowingly.
"Pehli baar biwi se itni door gaye ho?" [First time away from your wife?]
Surprised he had been overheard, Raman gave him a bashful smile. The man then spoke in perfect, accented english, betraying a highly educated background.
"Enjoy, the separation is worth it when you see her again. Trust me I know" and he twinkled at him. "What's your name, young man?"
"I'm Raman, sir"
"I'm Vidyasagar, nice to meet you. You'll have to forgive me, I only know a little hindi."
"Where are you heading?"
"To Hyderabad, though I'm from there originally,I've lived the last 45 years in the US. What about you?"
"I was in the US for a short business trip. My family lives in Delhi."
"So newly married eh?" His wrinkles lended a wise look even to his silly smile.
Raman was embarrassed to be talking about this, "No actually, been married for over a year."
"Very good, the excitement is still alive I see."
Raman simply smiled. He wasn't used to sharing private information with strangers. As the post-takeoff announcements began, they both quieted to listen. Soon the old man drifted off to sleep and Raman also decided to get some shut-eye preferring to miss the first of the substandard meals they stuff you with.
About halfway through the flight when he awoke, the third or fourth meal was being served and Raman was starving. Vidyasagar who was eating already, smiled as Raman woke up.
"The food isn't very good, but you must eat something"
"Now that I'm starving, I'm sure it'll taste amazing. Are you vegetarian?" He pointed to his meal.
"I didn't used to be, but age and health warranted the change in lifestyle. Of course my wife was right all along as she tried to get me to become vegetarian long before the doctors."
"Is your wife still back in the US?" Raman had started digging into his own meal.
"No, she passed away. Oh you don't have to look so stricken, it is inevitable. Just the circle of life. She had a full life, family, kids, career, me I hope" and he twinkled some more. "Her last wish was for her ashes to be scattered near where we first lived when we got married."
"Is that why you're traveling back?"
"Yes, my sons offered to do it or at least to accompany me. But I told them I wanted to do it alone."
"Was yours a love marriage?"
"Certainly was, but it was arranged first before it became a love marriage," and he laughed heartily. "What about yours young man?"
"It was arranged."
"But there is love?"
"Ye...yes. But she hasn't told me yet."
"Love doesn't need to be confessed to be acknowledged, son"
Raman felt himself ease into the conversation. He didn't mean to confide in a total stranger but it was comforting to talk to this kindly man who reminded him of his grandfather."You're right and I believe that too. I know how she feels about me but...the two of us had a lot of baggage we brought to the marriage, a lot of our past...and even though I know how she feels it would just be nice to hear it."
"I see," he responded thoughtfully. "My wife and I were married for over 50 years. And in all that time we'd never said the words. Maybe that seems strange to the kids of today but we were of a different generation. Even unvoiced, the love was deeply felt. They are just words at the end of the day. But when I looked at her, there was a song in my heart. When she held my hand, I felt able to face anything. And when we were together, everything in the world seemed to be right no matter what was happening. What more does a man need?"
Raman nodded as their finished meals were picked up by the air hostess.
"Tell me this young man, when did you realize you loved her?"
"I don't know exactly but it was awhile back. I think neither of us realized when, but something changed and we weren't just friends anymore."
"And did she understand you?"
"Yes, after many doubts and insecurities."
"So she saw your feelings despite your silence?"
"Yes she did...". Raman thought back to all the times in the last six months Ishita could have mistaken his actions, but she saw through everything. All the fights he had picked, all the taunts he had thrown her way. She had never doubted his love, even without him saying anything.
Meri Khaamoshi Se Baatein Chun Lena
Unki Dori Se Taareefein Bun Lena
[From my silence, choose the talks
And from its thread, weave the praises]
Nobody else would have borne it like her and he realized for the first time it was because Ishita understood his feelings, his love for her, long before Raman himself had. A slow smile crept up on his face as a new dimension of his wife opened up.
Seeing this, the old man grinned, "They really are wonderful aren't they, our wives. They understand so much more than we could ever imagine."
-------
Back in the Bhalla household, preparations were in full swing to welcome Raman home. The kids had convinced Romi to get some balloons and decorations that they were putting up and Toshiji was cooking up a storm of Raman's favorite dishes. Meanwhile Ishita was unexpectedly sitting in front of the mirror in their bedroom, lost in a dream. If only she could bottle what she was feeling right now. Raman's words from before he left were still floated into the back of her mind every moment. There was something uplifting about hearing those words that was hard to pinpoint. He had loved her for a long time, she knew, and that had given her a confidence that she'd lost after Subbu. But the confession had made her a new woman entirely. And she wanted to give that gift back to him.
Kal Nahi Thi Jo Aaj Lagti Hoon
Taareef Meri Hai Khaamakha
Tohfa Hai Tera Meri Ada
[What I wasn't yesterday, I feel I am that today;
Your praises are without any reasons;My grace is a gift of Yours]
The remaining hours of Raman's flight had passed pleasantly exchanging stories with Vidyasagar about their wives and their families. He had clearly adored his wife and though he spoke of her passing with immense sadness, there was still the feeling that they lived their lives to the max. Never wasting a moment. Raman had shared his Jhansi Ki Rani's tendency to fight with him which had prompted the following comment from the old man,
"Those are the relationships that burn stronger, longer. And...the feistiness translates well to other parts of life too"
Raman coughed suddenly into the water he was drinking. When he looked up to see if the old man meant what he thought, he got a wink in return. Raman's face must have looked beet red at that moment.
Upon reaching Delhi airport Raman parted ways with his new friend.
"It was nice chatting with you young man. It was just an old man's advice but I hope you understood that I was trying to say. Take care of...you didn't tell me her name actually."
"Her name is Ishita," the name brought an automatic smile to Raman's lips. He had understood completely. What's more he'd realized that not only was there a song in his heart when he saw Ishita but ever since she opened up his life and heart again, that song never left. Just like her, it was always humming happily in the background, giving him strength and motivating his life. Raman also knew it was the same for her, he saw it in every smile she gave him, every action she took for his benefit. And that's all he needed to know.
"That's a beautiful name. Give her my regards."
"I will. Best of luck to you and take care of yourself sir."
When Romi came to pick him up outside the termine, he found his brother with a peaceful look on his face, giving him a dreamy aura. Getting into the car silently, he asked his first question.
"Ghar mein sab kaise hai Romi?"
"Sab teekh hai Bhai. Bhabi bhi teekh hai." And he winked prompting Raman to take a swipe at him.
When they entered the house, Ruhi ran into his arms quick as the wind and Adi came up to give him a hug. "We missed you Papa"
"I missed you too Ruhi, Adi."
As he touched his parents feet, his eyes still roamed for the person foremost in his mind.
Ek Din Kabhi Jo Khud Ko Pukaare
Meri Zubaan Se Tu Zara... Haaye Re...
[If one day, call out for yourself, using my voice]
Watching her father Ruhi said, "Ishima upar hai Papa" [Ishima is upstairs Papa].
Raman made a beeline for he bedroom as everyone laughed.
"Hasso hasso, aadmi apni biwi se mile ki nahin."
[Laugh, laugh. Is a man not supposed to meet his wife]
Upstairs, as he walked into the bedroom he crashed right into her walking out.
"Aate hi maro gi kya?"
"Sorry..." Ishita was feeling immensely awkward. After longing for him for so long she felt unsure of their dynamic suddenly.
When he stopped rubbing his forehead where they bumped, Raman's eyes rested on her face and he felt a sense of calm.They smiled at each other shyly. She was out of the wheelchair and standing on her own. For Raman it was like the first time he was seeing her. He stared for a long moment like a parched nomad quenching his thirst. She looked more beautiful than ever.
Slowly Raman advanced into the room and closed the door behind him. He drew her to himself and ran his fingers over her cheek silently. As she inhaled his scent and enjoyed the tingling in her skin from his touch, Ishita knotted her fingers through his hair.
Tujh Mein Chhupi Si Jo Shaayari Hai
Tujhko Sunaun Main Zara... Haaye Re...
Yeh Do Dilo Ka Wasta Wasta... Khul Ke Bataya Jaaye Na
[The poem which is hidden inside you
Let me make you hear it
This relationship between the two hearts cannot be expressed openly]
"Raman, I missed you."
He nuzzled her slowly as she sighed.
"Raman, I..."
Without waiting for her to finish his lips met hers, and no further words were required for either of them.
Subhanallah..
Jo ho raha hai pehlee dafa hai wallah, aisa hua..
[Praise the Lord...whatever is happening, its happening for the first time.]
----end
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