Connected: A YHM Story (COMPLETED) - Page 20

Hello after a long time, fellas! Here's the next part of the story. I'm working on the next two chapters and I should have them up in the next week or so. 😊 

I know I promised more than one part at once, but then I thought I might as well post the one chapter I had completed. After all, something is better than nothing, right? But fear not, the next two chapters are coming very soon! Love you guys! ❤️

Thank you, welcome come back...it is nice to read your story n lived the way Raman understood as Shira n made change if his plans.  It was all like yhm season 1. 

Thanks again for wonderful update..

A very awesome update it was nice to see a caring Raman please update next part soon to know what happens next 

Superb update

Ishita got food poison loved ramans care for her mihika was teasing raman haha other side mihir was also teasing raman wow raman knows ishita handmade food very well he went home to scold her for working haha he even took one week work from home loved family scene ruhi is cutie pie loving ruhi and raman bond ramans care for ishita is beautiful and lovely

Pls update soon

Part 23

Somewhere on the road from Delhi to Gurugram - Saturday, September 1st, 10:30 am 

“Ishimaa, are you sure you’re okay to go on this picnic?” Ruhi asked again. 

“Yes baby, I’m totally fine. Don’t worry. We’ll have lots of fun,” Ishita assured her daughter seated in the backseat of the car.

It had been over two weeks since Ishita recovered from the unexpected bout of food poisoning, but even so, Ruhi was very cautious. She had been looking forward to this picnic with her parents for almost a month but Ishita’s health was her primary concern. Raman too had been insistent on postponing the trip if necessary, citing his refusal to take her to the hospital if her health worsened due to her own carelessness. Ishita had retorted saying she knew how to take care of herself, and she didn’t want to upset Ruhi either. She was well enough to fight Ravan Kumar; going on a picnic with her own daughter would be a walk in the park.

“In 500 meters, turn right.” Siri narrated the directions to The Rosetta, a 5-star resort on the outskirts of Delhi, to Raman behind the wheel. 

“Mumma, resort mein kya kya cheezein hai karne ko,” Ruhi asked.

“Wahan pe spa hai, pool hai, 5-star restaurants hai, aur bahot saari activities hai, Ruhi. It will be lots of fun.”

“Meri swimsuit?!” Ruhi gasped. It didn’t even occur to her to have it packed.

“Don’t worry, I have packed everyone’s swimming clothes.”

“Thank you, mumma…”

“You’re welcome.”

“Mumma, agar Shravu aata to kitna mazaa ata na?”

“Beta, humne sabko invite kiya tha, par sab busy the. Shravu ki swimming classes hai, aur Bala periappa ko apne class ke papers check karne the.”

In fact, Ishita had invited every member of the Bhalla and Iyer clan, but thankfully, they knew better than to bombard the family’s picnic. Romi and Rinki were genuinely busy, as they had plans with their friends. Mihika and Mihir dared not to interfere with the couple’s private time when they finally saw proof of Ishita and Raman coming closer. Both sets of parents had similar thoughts. Toshi and Omprakash refrained from coming as Raman and Ruhi were finally developing a real relationship. They needed their time and space. Vishwa and Madhu excused themselves under the pretense of having to visit a relative, as they wished to see their daughter find true love and happiness with her husband. Ishita, on the other hand, found herself in a bit of a quagmire. Staying alone with Raman was a test of patience, one that she had given many times already. She hoped that if the rest of the family came along, they could act as a buffer. But alas, her fate was against her this time. Or so she thought. For it turned out, fate was working in their favor the whole time; they just couldn’t see it. 

“We’ll be there in 10 minutes tops,” Raman informed them. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The Rosetta

The Rosetta was a beautiful resort. It was surrounded by lush green trees and was interlaced with clear streams and ponds. The breeze cooled the late summer heat. Ishita, Raman, and Ruhi were led to their room for the weekend. It was a large suite with two king sized beds, two cupboards, and a luxurious bathroom with a shower and bathtub, something Ruhi earnestly pointed out. 

“So what do we want to do first?” Raman asked. “Ruhi, we should go to the arcade. I saw one in the other building. It looks fun.”

“No hold on. We should go swimming first, while it’s still sunny outside. Otherwise she’ll get cold,” Ishita countered.

“Come on, do you have to disagree with everything I say?” Raman sighed.

“I get no pleasure in fighting with you, Raman. But my point is valid. Jab bahar dhoop hai tab swimming karna better rahega. Don’t you think so?”

“Bas! Bas! Aap log kitna fight karte hai?!” Ruhi intervened with her hands on her hips. “Main decide karungi ki mujhe kahan jaana hai! Ok?” 

“Ok meri maa, bolo.” Raman folded his hands and surrendered.

“Mujhe pehle swimming jaana hai. Arcade mein shaam ko jaayenge.”

“I love that idea, Ruhi!” Ishita exclaimed, giving Raman a knowing look.

“Pata tha mujhe yahi hoga. Ishimaa ki chamchi.”

According to Ruhi’s decision, Raman, Ishita, and Ruhi got dressed in their swim clothes and went to the pool. Ruhi wore a pink one-piece swimsuit with her pink swim goggles. Raman put on swim shorts and a T-shirt, while Ishita wore skin-tight leggings and a full-sleeve swim shirt. She had thrown out her older and much shorter swim costume after moving in with Raman, owing to her self-consciousness. However, she had to buy some swimwear for this picnic, so she chose the ones that covered as much of her body as possible. 

Raman led Ruhi into the shallow end of the pool followed by Ishita close behind. As Raman and Ruhi waded further into the cool water, Ishita waited by the edge and hesitated. Even though her clothes covered pretty much her entire body, she was self-conscious of getting soaked in front of her husband. However, she didn’t have time to think, for Ruhi instantly started splashing both her parents who returned the favor. The family of three was soaked in no time. The next two hours flew past them as they played and swam and splashed. In fact, they didn’t realize how long they had been in the water until the clock struck one.

“Oh my goodness!” Ishita exclaimed. “It’s one o’clock! That’s past our regular lunch time. Chaliye aap dono, kapde badalne.”

“Ishimaa, please just two more minutes?” Ruhi pleaded.

“No baby, abhi lunch time ho gaya hai. Agar aap ko paani mein aur khelna hai to hum kal aayenge na, haina papa?” Ishita turned it over to Raman.

“Yes beta, your mother is right.” Raman agreed. “Chalo, lunch time ho gaya hai.”

“Ok papa.”

As much as she loved the water, Ruhi was indeed starving. She waddled out of the pool and climbed up the steps, her parents at her heels. Ishita went up the steps first but her grip on the handle loosened as she was about to exit the pool causing her to fall back. Fortunately, Raman was right behind her. He broke her fall by gripping her by her waist with his right arm and holding onto the railing with his left. Turns out, this was an even more dangerous situation for the both of them. Their hearts were racing and their skin turned hot despite having been in cold water for almost two hours. This was the first time Raman had truly observed how his wife looked today in her skin-tight swimsuit and it did nothing to help his predicament. Ishita’s self-consciousness kicked back in causing her to back away. She found her footing again and stabilized herself against the railing. 

“Woh… Ruhi… mera intezaar… uske kapde…” Ishita made a quick getaway in the name of helping Ruhi change, leaving Raman to his wildly racing thoughts. 

What the hell was going on with him? His mind knew that he couldn’t cross the line with Ishita, but god forbid his body could follow suit. 

It’s just attraction, Raman. You’re a man, she’s a woman. That’s it. It doesn’t mean anything. 

But no matter what he told himself, deep down, feelings were definitely brewing.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Once they were all changed and dried, the family of three took a table at the resort’s 5-star restaurant for lunch. The restaurant served every cuisine - Indian, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Continental and more. 

“Ruhi, aap kya khaoge lunch mein? How about some nice Idli ya Wada?” Ishita asked.

“Madrasan, kabhi to apne idli, sambhar, chutney se upar aao.” Raman teased. “Ruhi ko asli swaad wala khaana pasand hai. Like Punjabi food. Chole-bhature, butter chicken, dal makhni, woh sab. Haina Ruhi?”

“Aapko nahi lagta yeh wala joke bahot purana ho gaya hai? Thodi si creativity laane ki zaroorat hai aapko…”

“Offo!” Ruhi squeezed her head between her palms. She loved her parents but my god, they could fight. “Aap dono ki fighting kabhi khatam nahi hoti kya?!” 

“Main kahan fight karna chahta hoon, Ru? Par tumhari Ishimaa ka kya kare hum?” Raman stated matter-of-factly.

“Main… maine kya kiya?” Ishita gaped open-mouthed.

“Maine decide kiya hai ki mujhe Chinese khaana hai.” Ruhi announced before her parents continued their scuffle.

“All right then, Chinese ho jaaye,” Raman said. 

Their argument pretty much ended once they ordered noodles, manchurian, and fried rice, and all three of them dug in. The entree was followed by brownies and ice cream for dessert.

The rest of the weekend passed with just as much excitement and joy. The numerous activities on the resort kept them all busy. Raman finally got his way and was able to take Ruhi to the arcade that evening. She played as many games as possible. Even Raman and Ishita unleashed their inner child and played along with her. In the end, they had enough tokens to get a small teddy bear for Ruhi from the gift shop. On Sunday, Ruhi and Raman decided to go swimming again, while Ishita (who refused to let yesterday’s mishap get repeated) booked a relaxing spa treatment for herself at the same time. Later in the day, after dinner, Raman took out time for himself too, having a couple beers in the local bar and watching cricket. He had assured Ishita that he would be in control. He just needed to wind down. In the meantime, Ishita and Ruhi participated in a session of bingo organized by the resort. Once they had finally tired themselves (and Raman’s alcohol had worn off), they decided to leave for home. 

Akash Ganga Society - Sunday night, September 2nd, 11:30 pm

Raman and Ishita trudged up the stairs of their building. Their daughter was already exhausted and asleep in Ishita’s arms, while Raman carried their luggage. When they reached their front door, Raman laid down the suitcase in his hand and reached for the doorbell. 

“Raman, rukiye. Mere paas chaabi hey. Aap sab ko jagaayie mat. Sab so rahe honge,” Ishita suggested, stifling a yawn. 

Raman glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost midnight. Everyone must be fast asleep if not at least turned in for the night. 

“Theek hai. Kahan hai chaabi?” he asked Ishita. 

“Mere purse ke aage ke zipper mein. Wahan.” 

Ishita turned her head towards her purse that she had tucked under her arm. She extended her arm to allow Raman to get the purse and retrieve the key, simultaneously balancing Ruhi on her other arm. 

“Kaunse compartment mein hai chaabi? Yahan to nahi hai,” Raman complained after one look.

“Arey wahi hogi. Aap theek se dekhiye na?”

“Tumhe kya main andha lagta hoon? Nahi hai yaha par, bola na!”

“To phir dusre compartment mein dekhiye.”

Raman sighed and fished through every compartment of her purse. He found everything: lipstick, foundation, lip gloss, napkins, hand sanitizer, her wallet, her phone, earphones, pens, miscellaneous coupons, crumpled receipts, and even a pack of expired gum. But no key. 

“Madrasan, yeh purse hai ya buniye ki dukaan? Duniya bhar ki cheezein hai par ek chaabi nahi hai. Kaha kho di tumne?”

“Maine chaabi nahi khoyi hai. Aapko bas dhundna nahi aata. Ruhi ko lijiye aap. Main nikalti hoon chaabi.”

Ishita handed over a sleeping Ruhi to Raman, and as soon as she got her hands on her purse, she found the key in the first compartment, the one where she told him the key would be. She took it out and waved it in front of him smugly as a feat of triumph. 

“Mera pura purse tehas-nehas kar diya, par ek chaabi nahi mili aapko,” she nagged. 

“Haan toh tumne itna saara kabaad bhar ke rakha hai apne purse mein toh kahan se milegi chaabi?” he retorted.

“Koi kabaad nahi bhara hai maine. Sab kaam ki cheezein hain.” She proceeded to unlock the door. “Aur chaabi usi jagah thi jahan maine pehle kaha tha. Aapne theek se dekha hota to…”

The door opened and an envelope fell from the crook of the door that they hadn’t noticed before. 

“Yeh kya hai?” Ishita picked up the envelope and examined the front and back. “It’s a legal notice, Raman. It’s addressed to both of us. How did nobody notice it? It was in the crook of our door.”

“Maybe they didn’t hear the postman knock. Or he came by when everyone was busy. Woh sab chodo, just open it. Let’s see what this is,” Raman said. 

Ishita opened the envelope. It was an official letter. She read aloud the first couple of lines.

“Mr. Raman Bhalla and Mrs. Ishita Bhalla are hereby summoned to Delhi Civil Court on September 14th at 10:15 am for the permanent custody hearing of Ruhi Bhalla…” 

Part 24

“Mr. Raman Bhalla and Mrs. Ishita Bhalla are hereby summoned to Delhi Civil Court on September 14th at 10:15 am for the permanent custody hearing of Ruhi Bhalla…” 

Ishita’s words trailed off as the gravity of the situation set in. Ruhi’s trial at court. Her final hearing. The thought itself brought feelings of separation and despair from her temporary hearing. But this time she was more hopeful. She was married to Ruhi’s biological father. The court had given Raman her custody last time and asked him to prove that he could take care of her. Ishita had seen first handedly how he had changed his ways and proven beyond doubt that he was a good parent. And now, she was married to him too. That had to be another plus point. But like any mother, how could she explain to her heart what her brain already knew? 

Raman, on the other hand, was less hopeful. He was a lot more critical of himself than Ishita and probably didn’t see how much he had changed for his daughter. He also recognized that this was an opportunity for Shagun and Ashok to do something against him and his family. He would never rest easy when it came to those two. But he held onto hope nonetheless, for this time, he had the element of surprise. Shagun and Ashok didn’t know that he had gotten married to Ishita. They couldn’t plan around that.  

Meanwhile, Ruhi stirred in Raman’s arms and almost woke up. He quickly lulled her back to sleep and tucked her in her bed. Ishita took their luggage to their room. When Raman came back he found Ishita seated on her couch, staring at the letter. 

“Ishita, staring at the letter won’t help,” he remarked. He tried being casual but his anxiety wasn’t hidden.

“I wasn’t staring, I was just lost in thought.”

“What thoughts?”

“I was thinking that our chances to win are really high.”

“What makes you say that?” Raman sat on the edge of his bed and faced Ishita. 

“Well, first of all, the judge has no reason to side with Ashok and Shagun. My testimony in the last hearing cleared her false pretences. Plus, they haven’t had any interaction with Ruhi in the past three months. You’d think that if Shagun really wanted to be close to her daughter, then she’d have come to meet her sometime, right?”

“You don’t know these people. They can stoop to levels we can’t even imagine. They could pull any twist in court. Besides, the judge wasn’t sold on giving me permanent custody either. Don’t you remember all the doubts she raised?”

“All her doubts are moot now. Your temper, drinking, distance, obsession with work, everything is in control. You are as close to Ruhi as I am. If asked, she would choose to stay with us any day.”

“You’re right. Ruhi would choose us, wouldn’t she? After all, you’re part of the picture now. The judge can be biased against me and towards Shagun with her poor single mother act, but she can’t dismiss you.”

“She can’t dismiss you either, Raman. Give yourself credit for the progress you’ve made.”

How could he credit himself, Raman thought. It was his fault they were in this mess in the first place. The only reason the judge hadn’t awarded permanent custody was because she wasn’t sure of his ability to be a parent. He laid his head in his palms and rubbed his temple.

“Raman? Are you okay?” Ishita asked. This was the first time she had seen Raman be more anxious and nervous than her. Usually, she was the one to get fidgety when it came to Ruhi’s custody. 

“I’m fine. We should go to bed. We’ll have to meet Pathak tomorrow and get all our documents sorted.”

Raman ended the conversation, took his night clothes from the cupboard and went into the bathroom to change, leaving Ishita on the couch growing more worried seeing Raman’s anxiety.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Khanna Mansion - Monday, September 3rd, 9 am

“You stupid woman!” Ashok screamed. “How could you not have kept up with Ruhi?! How do you expect us to win the permanent custody trial?”

“What the hell do you want from me, Ashok?” Shagun yelled back. “You were the one who forced me to leave Ruhi in the orphanage. Why are you so hell-bent on getting her back now? Aren’t we better off without having to fuss over that rugrat?!”

“Come on sweetheart, I thought you liked making your ex-husband miserable.”

“I’d rather not speak to him again. You’re the one obsessed with him, not me.”

“Call it what you want, but I won’t rest without taking Ruhi from him. First his wife, then his son, and now his daughter. The man will be devastated…” Ashok led out a sadist laugh.

Shagun sighed and sauntered off. There were times like these when she hated Ashok but the other times when he showered her with expensive gifts and jewelry outweighed them. Meanwhile, a vindictive Ashok cooked up a plan to make sure he would get Ruhi’s custody. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Judge Bakshi’s office - later that day

Ashok sat with his right leg over his left knee in front of the judge, who sat straight in her chair facing her guest. The crooked smile on his face unnerved the judge, but she maintained her decorum.

“How can I help you, Mr. Khanna?” she asked.

“I heard your daughter was beginning college, Ms. Bakshi. She must’ve grown up so quickly.”

Meeta Bakshi’s eyes widened. How could this man know of her daughter? Surely, he must have powerful resources. 

“I don’t see how my daughter is any of your concern.”

“You know, I’ve heard college fees are not cheap. How much do you earn as a civil court judge? Our judiciary system is a mess, so it might not be enough though.”

“Cut to the chase, Mr. Khanna. What do you want?” Bakshi was losing her patience.

Ashok shifted his position to remove a piece of paper from his pocket and leaned forward. He slid the paper across the table to Bakshi. 

“You must be aware that Ruhi Bhalla’s custody case is coming up. You help me out and I can help you too.”

Bakshi picked up the paper. It was a blank check. This would truly solve all her problems. Her daughter indeed needed money for her post-secondary education. Ashok could see that the judge was tempted. 

“Don’t think too much, Ms. Bakshi. Like I said, we’ll just help each other out. I’ll see you in court.”

Ashok Khanna walked out the door with his chest puffed and nose in the air, while judge Meeta Bakshi slipped the check into her cabinet drawer. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“I hereby grant permanent custody of minor Ruhi Bhalla to her biological mother, Shagun Arora!” 

Judge Bakshi striked her gavel and Ishita heard her entire life collapse. This could not happen. Ruhi belonged with her. She couldn’t go to Shagun. No, no, no, no, she thought. Except she wasn’t thinking. She was screaming. With all the force in her lungs, she screamed, “NO! NO! RUHI CAN’T GO TO SHAGUN! SHE BELONGS WITH ME! NO! NO!” But her screams went unheard as the judge walked away and Shagun towered over her. 

“You lose Isheeta. Ruhi is all mine…” Shagun announced, and her laughs kept ringing in Ishita’s ears. She kept on screaming. 

“Ishita! Ishita! Stop it! Calm down! Stop screaming!” It was Raman’s voice, but Ishita couldn’t see where he spoke from. But what confused her more were his words. Why was he telling her to stop? He should be just as livid! How could any parent calm down in this situation?

“Ishita! Ishita! Wake up!” Raman shook Ishita with all his might and she finally opened her eyes. She looked around in confusion and saw that she was lying on her couch. Her heart pounded in her ears and she was sweating bullets. 

“It’s just a dream, Ishita. It wasn’t real.” Raman’s voice brought her back to reality, and she realized it was just a dream. No, not a dream. It was a nightmare. Her worst nightmare. She sat up and threw her blanket off her. She was so shaken up that tears streamed down her face. She was practically sobbing in a matter of minutes. 

“What will… happen today…?” she squealed between sobs. “Today’s hearing?”

“Just keep faith, Ishita. We’ve tied all our loose ends. Pathak is confident that we’ll win. Don’t lose hope,” Raman consoled her. 

Ishita glanced at the alarm clock on the dresser. It read 2:13 am. 

“I’m sorry I woke you up.” She apologized to Raman and swiftly got up to leave the room.

“Where are you going?” he asked. “Go back to sleep.”

“Mujhe Ruhi ke paas jaana hai. Main wahi soungi aaj.”

Ishita hurried to her daughter’s room and was only pacified once she saw her sleeping figure. She looked so peaceful. Ishita slid into bed beside her daughter and gave her as tight a hug as she could without waking her. No way in hell would she let the universe separate her from her little girl. They both had fought through life. They already had more than their fair share of misfortune. They deserved happiness now. Ishita kissed Ruhi’s forehead and slept through the night. 

Raman peered through the doorway of Ruhi’s bedroom. He had a similar urge to cuddle his daughter close to himself, but Ishita and Ruhi looked so comfortable together that he didn’t have the heart to disturb them. They fit together like a hand in a glove. So he returned to his room and tried to go back today sleep. But his attempts were rendered futile. For his mind kept racing in a million directions, lost in thoughts of today’s custody hearing. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Delhi Civil Court - Friday, September 14th, 10:10 am

“Ashok, how are you so smug and confident? What are you upto?” Shagun inquired.

“Don’t worry baby. I’ve taken care of everything,” Ashok smirked.

They were already seated on the left side of the courtroom in the front row, but getting there wasn’t an easy journey. Shagun had been disinterested in the case ever since the first hearing, while Ashok was adamant at using every opportunity he got to get under Raman’s skin. He checked his watch again. The hearing would begin in five minutes and although the Iyers were gathered, Raman and the Bhallas were nowhere to be seen. He chuckled thinking they might back off and not even show up. What a sight would that be! It also amused him that the Iyers were still involved in this case. Wasn’t Ruhi taken from her foster mother? 

To his bad luck however, Ashok’s dreams weren’t to be fulfilled. For the Bhallas arrived at the next moment with Raman in the lead. But today Ashok saw something different in Raman’s aura. Shagun noticed it too. He wasn’t brooding or angry. He didn’t have a depressive vibe. In fact, he was… happy. Confident even. What could have possibly happened in the last three months that changed him?

As the Bhallas got settled with the Iyers, Raman took a seat on the first bench. Ishita then entered the courtroom with Ruhi by her side, and joined Raman. She guided Ruhi to sit between them, as a gesture of protection from the outside world. If only they could keep her cocooned in their love like this forever. 

Ashok and Shagun exchanged glances. 

“Yeh Ishita yahan kya kar rahi hai?” Ashok asked. “Uska to ab Ruhi se koi rishta nahi hai na?”

“Mujhe kya pata? Aayi hogi apni marzi se, ya Ruhi ki zid ki wajah se,” Shagun assumed. 

Their conversation was cut short by the arrival of Judge Bakshi. Everyone stood up in her honor and took their seats at her signal. 

“We are gathered here for the permanent custody hearing of minor Ruhi Bhalla. The contenders are biological mother Shagun Arora against biological father Raman Bhalla and stepmother Ishita Bhalla. May the proceedings begin,” Bakshi announced.

Ashok and Shagun were shocked. Raman had married Ishita. They did not see that coming. This strengthened their side considerably, Ashok thought. But he already had an inside deal with the judge. He knew how much Bakshi needed the money. She wouldn’t let him down.

Stepmother Ishita Bhalla. The words continued to ring in Shagun’s ears, even as Ashok reeled himself in. Raman was married. She was the one who had left him five years ago, but now he was married before her. All these years, she had a hold on her ex-husband which pumped her ego to the size of an enormous balloon. But now, that balloon popped. And her bruised ego manifested as an irrational rage towards Raman and Ishita. 

Both lawyers gave their opening statements and one after another, presented their argument. Pathak cited Raman and Ishita’s devotion to Ruhi; Raman’s change in behavior over the last three months; the support of the Bhallas and Iyers; and both Raman and Ishita’s strong financial and educational background. He also presented statements from anyone and everyone that could attest to Ruhi’s betterment: the social worker Mr. Yadav, Ruhi’s teachers and counselors at school, and even her pediatrician. 

Shagun’s lawyer did not have anything new to add from their last hearing, for his client hadn’t bothered to keep in touch with her own daughter. To his relief, Shagun stood up and demanded to speak in the witness box. The judge granted permission.

“Humare saath dhokha hua hai. Humein kisine kaha nahi ki Isheeta aur Raman ki shaadi ho chuki hai.” Contempt dripped from her every word. “I demand that this hearing be postponed. Evidence has been hidden from us.”

Pathak stepped forward to counter the witness. “Ms. Arora, this isn’t a criminal trial, so no evidence has been hidden. And Mr. and Mrs. Bhalla didn’t elope. They got married in their community hall in front of both their families. They even have a marriage certificate and their marriage is registered in court. They haven’t hidden anything. But let me ask you this? How could you not know that your daughter’s father was getting married? The daughter that you claimed to love and miss so much? Didn’t you ever go to meet Ruhi in the last two or three months?”

Seeing that Shagun had no answer, Pathak ended his questioning. “No more questions, your honor.”

Shagun stomped back to her seat, almost fuming. How could she be defeated like this? She refused to believe it, much less accept it. What infuriated her more was how relaxed her boyfriend was during all this. Didn’t he want to see Raman destroyed? His smugness didn’t escape Raman’s eyes either. They were clearly losing. Why was he so confident then?

“Bhai, I promise you, we’ve got this. They have nothing against us. They don’t even have anything in favor of themselves,” Pathak assured Raman. 

“Then why isn’t Ashok at all tense? Look.” 

Pathak and Raman looked over and saw Ashok looking intently at the judge. One glance at the judge showed that she was nodding reassuringly at their opponent, and Raman knew their case was done for. They had an inside deal. It was over. No amount of sound proof would change her mind. His heart dropped and rage boiled inside him. 

Thankfully, Judge Bakshi’s voice boomed in the courtroom demanding Raman’s attention. He might kill Ashok but not right now.

“After hearing both sides of the case, the decision seems very obvious. Permanent custody of Ruhi Bhalla is granted to her biological father and stepmother Mr. and Mrs. Bhalla. Case closed indefinitely,” the judge decided with a strike of her gavel. “And one more thing. Mr. Ashok Khanna is sentenced to jail for seven days for an attempt to bribe a judge and obstruction of justice.”

Raman’s heart lifted. In fact, his heart sang. He was so thankful to this judge. Not once, but twice, she had returned Ruhi to him. And Ashok was getting punished for his crimes too. Maybe he wouldn’t need to kill him after all. 

“Mumma, judge aunty ne kya kaha?” Ruhi asked.

“Judge aunty ne kaha ki Ruhi humesha ke liye Ishimaa aur papa ke paas rahengi!” Ishita squeezed Ruhi in a tight hug as happy tears pooled in her eyes.

“Forever Ishimaa?”

“Yes betu, forever! Ab aapko koi kabhi bhi humse door nahi kar sakta.”

“Yes! Yay!!” Ruhi cried out excitedly, as she hugged both her parents. 

While all the Iyers and Bhallas were celebrating and making their way to exit, on the other side of the court, a seething Ashok was being dragged away in handcuffs. In his mind, his vendetta for revenge grew stronger. Shagun had her ego even further bruised as she saw her uncooperative boyfriend being manhandled by police officers, while her ex-husband celebrated with his new wife. No way in hell would she let him live happily when her world was being run over. 

She stomped toward the celebratory parade that the Bhallas and Iyers were having. Ruhi was being cuddled and lifted on shoulders by her aunts and uncles while her parents and grandparents followed behind. Ishita, however, was pulled back by a lurch at her arm. She turned around and saw Shagun gripping her wrist, her face red with anger. 

“Shagun, aapne mera haath kyun pakda hai? Chodo please,” Ishita requested.

“You selfish woman! You really think you could outsmart me? You could defeat me?!”

Raman saw that the situation was about to get really ugly. He signalled Romi, Rinki, and Mihika to take Ruhi away while they dealt with this new mess.

“What are you saying, Shagun? Please, just leave my hand!” 

“Shagun, leave her hand right now!” Raman demanded.

Shagun let go of Ishita’s hand, but she wasn’t done unloading her rage. 

“Tumhe kya laga Isheeta? Tum mere peeth peeche Raman se shaadi kar logi to tum Ruhi ki maa ban jaaogi? Nahi. Ruhi ki asli maa main hoon. Tumne mujhse mera baccha cheen ke accha nahi kiya.”

“Cut the crap Shagun,” Raman countered. “Tumhe Ruhi ke liye koi pyaar nahi hai. Aur jahan tak baat rahi uske asli maa ki, to har maayne se sirf Ishita hi uski asli maa hain.”

“O please Raman, tum mujhe mat samjhao. Tumne isse shaadi kyun ki woh sabko dikhta hai. Ruhi ka khayal rakhne ke liye, right? Warna tum to kisi se pyaar nahi kar sakte. Aur tum, Isheeta. Main acchi tarah se jaanti hoon tum jaisi ladkiyon ko. Koi ameer ladka dekha nahi aur bas chipak gayi us par. You are nothing but a gold digger and a bloody opportunist! Pata nahi isse pehle kitne mard…”

Before Shagun could finish her ugly statement, a sound slap came resounding on her face. Her ears still ringing, she turned to see that her own brother had slapped her. 

“Tumhari himmat kaise huyi Raman bhai aur Ishita bhabhi ke baare mein kuch bhi bolne ki? Tumhe sharam nahi aayi ek aurat ke liye aise shabd istemaal karke? Woh bhi Ishita bhabhi ke liye?!” Mihir yelled.

“Tumhe sharam nahi aayi, Mihir? Paraye logon ke liye apni sagi behen pe haath utha kar?!” Shagun screamed. 

“TUM MERI BEHEN NAHI HO! Tumhara aur mera rishta usi din khatam ho gaya tha jab tumhara aur Raman bhai ka divorce hua tha. Yaad hai na tumhe? You were the one who left your husband for a richer man. So who’s the real gold digger now huh? Projecting much, Shagun?”

“Don’t speak like that to me, Mihir…”

“Oye! Tu kab humara peecha chodegi haa?” Toshi bellowed. She couldn’t keep her rage contained any longer. Shagun needed to be shown the mirror.

“Tujhe pata hai Ishita tujhse kitni zyada padhi-likhi hai? Woh apna khud ka paisa kamaati hai. Woh ek bahot kaamyaab dentist hai. Aur tujhe kya farak padta hai agar Raman aur Ishita shaadi karte hai toh? Tune to humara ghar barso pehle chod diya na? 

Listen to me, woman. My son and Ishita were single, independent adults who decided to get married and did so in front of both their families. You’re the one who had an adulterous affair hidden from the world. So don’t go around badmouthing my son and daughter-in-law. 

Aur apni dukhi bichari maa ki kahani humein mat suna. Agar tujhe apni bacchi se itna hi pyaar tha to itne din kahan thi tu? Aaj tak kabhi Ruhi se milne kyun nahi aayi? Hai koi jawab?”

“Mujhe tum logon se koi baat nahi karni. You guys are all crazy. Pagal log ho tum,” Shagun turned around and stomped off to escape the bombardment of questions that Mihir and Toshi posed.

“Serves her right,” Mihir quipped. “Bhabhi are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Mihir. No matter what kind of a woman she is, she did lose her daughter just now. I can understand where she is coming from.” 

“No Ishita,” Raman said. “She lost her daughter the day she decided to leave her in an orphanage. You didn’t do anything.”

“Ishita, Ruhi is your daughter,” Toshi said with a tough voice. “You can’t be guilty in front of Shagun. Part of being a mother is also being fiercely protective. Tujhe Ruhi ke liye ek sherni ke jaise ladna hoga. Woh tumhari beti hai, samjhi?”

Ishita nodded. She didn’t have room to accommodate Shagun. She couldn’t feel guilty for Shagun’s misery. Genetics and giving birth is not what made a mother. Ruhi was her daughter and she had to believe it.

“Papa, mumma, ghar chalo na! Aap log kya kar rahe ho?” Ruhi shouted from the car.

“Aa rahe hai beta!” Raman replied. “Chal madrasan, teri beti bula rahi hai.”

“Humari beti,” Ishita corrected.

With a soft exchange of smiles, Raman and Ishita made it to their car where their daughter waited, eager to leave this ordeal behind them. They were officially a family now. Forever.

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Superb update 

Your writing is marvellous 

Pls continue your writing

Waiting for next update

Both the parts were really very good please update next part soon to know what will Ashgun do now 

Lovely and beautiful update

Aww ruman care for ishita is lovely ishraru went for picnic ishita had invited everyone from bhalla and Iyer family but some were busy while others didn't joined them to give them privacy ishraru had fun in picnic loved ishra little moment raman is getting attracted towards ishita finally ishraru came back ishra gor notice for ruhis permanent Custody ishita was confident they will get ruhis custody but raman was tense ashok is disgusting he tried to bribe judge for a moment I got scared judge will get bribed but I had little hope ishita had nightmare loved how raman assured her it wa the day of hearing ashok was relaxed shagun was uninterested ashok and shagun were confused seeing ishita and iyers they got shock of their life hearing ishra got married especially shagun thankfully ishra got custody shagun is such a cheap woman loved how mihir slapped her and toshiji fought for ishita ishra scene was nice

Please update soon

Part 25

Bhalla House - Three weeks later, Saturday, 5th October, 11 am

“Ruhi, theek se baitho na baba,” Ishita requested. 

“Ishimaa, mujhe oil nahi lagana hai. Please?” Ruhi pleaded.

“Lekin hair mein oil lagana zaruri hai beta. Dekho aapke baal kitne dry ho gaye hai.”

“Par Ishimaa, oil lagane se mere baal ekdum chip-chip ho jaate hain. Phir Shravu ki birthday party mein saare kids mujhe chidhaayenge.” Ruhi turned towards her mother, crossed her arms, and pouted.

Ishita sighed and leaned back on the sofa. She gazed down at her daughter who was seated in front of her on the ground in front of the sofa, such that Ishita could easily reach her hair. Their biweekly hair oil sessions were always a difficult task as Ruhi hated the feel of oily hair and wanted to wash her hair as soon as possible, while Ishita liked for Ruhi to keep the oil on for at least a few hours to nourish her roots. Today, the ordeal proved to be even harder, as they were supposed to go to Shravu’s birthday party in the evening, which amplified Ruhi’s excitement and her refusal to get her hair all oily and greasy. 

“Accha meri baat suno,” Ishita tried arriving at a compromise with her daughter. “Dekho, abhi 11 baje hai. Aap abhi oil lagwa lo phir lunch ke baad main aap ke hair wash kar dungi aur ek acchi si hairstyle bhi kar dungi. Aap party mein bahot pretty lagoge.”

“Mujhe oil nahi lagana Ishimaa. Dadi, aap kuch bolo na.”

Toshi sat in the armchair beside Ishita and Ruhi knitting a pair of baby socks for Ananya. 

“Mainu maaf kar puttar par teri maa thik keh rahi hai. Tel lagane se baal ekdum ghane aur lambe ho jaate hai. Mere bhi pehle itne lambe lambe baal the.” She signalled to her waist. “Tu bhi tel lagayegi na, to bahot lambe baal aayenge. Teri woh Barbie haina, woh kya naam hai? Ra… Rapoonjul.”

“Dadi, Rapoonjul nahi, Rapunzel!” Ruhi laughed.

“Haan haan wohi, jo bhi hain.”

“Ru, aapko Ishimaa jaise baal chahiye na? Ekdum lambe lambe se?” Ishita asked.

Ruhi nodded.

“To phir oil lagana bahot zaruri hai. Oil aapke baal ke liye bahot healthy hai bacche. Paati bhi Ishimaa ke baal mein oil lagaati thi. Chalo, please baith jao. Main aapko ek bahot pretty hairstyle bhi karke dungi shaam ko.”

Ruhi still wasn’t convinced, and Ishita was at the end of her patience.

“Ruhi. Enough now. Don’t make mumma angry. Ek baar bola na oil lagana hai toh lagana hai. Come and sit now.”

Hearing her mother be so stern was signal enough for Ruhi to let go of her stubbornness. She sat down promptly and cooperated but she still wasn’t happy. That hairstyle better be worth it, she thought. Ishita massaged her head left, right, and center, taking handfuls of oil from the bottle on the nearby coffee table. Apart from Ishita massaging Ruhi’s head, the only noises that could be heard were of Toshi’s knitting sticks and of the whistles of the pressure cooker as Neelu cooked lunch in the kitchen.

After a great stretch of silence, Ruhi started a conversation.

“Dadi, aap kya bana rahi hai?” She was intrigued by her grandmother’s knitting. 

“Main moze bana rahi hoon teri choti behen Ananya ke liye. Abhi sardi aa rahi hai na, to uske liye sweater, muffler, moze sab bana rahi hoon.”

“Mere aur Shravu ke liye nahi?”

“Puttar, mainu sirf babies ke liye banane aate hain. Chote chote se. Tu aur Shravu to ab bahot bade ho gaye hain. Pata hai, main to apne Adi ke liye bhi…” Toshi’s words trailed off. She shouldn’t have mentioned Adi.

“Adi kaun hai Dadi?” Ruhi asked innocently. 

Ishita’s hands stopped in Ruhi’s hair and Toshi fretted with her knitting needles. They were in a pickle now. How were they to explain her elder brother’s absence from Ruhi’s life?

Ishita figured it was best to tackle this topic with Raman in confidence. She diverted the matter for the time being and made a mental note to discuss it with Raman.

“Ruhi, aapke garam kapdon ki shopping to baaki hai na? Hum next weekend jaayenge aur sweaters, socks, scarves, caps sab kuch khareedenge.” Ishita said. “ Aur yeh lo, aapke baal bhi ban gaye.” Ishita gave Ruhi’s pony one final brush.

“Main mirror mein dekh ke aati hoon.” 

Ruhi ran to the bathroom to inspect exactly how oily her hair was now while Ishita put away the comb and hair oil bottle and washed her hands in the kitchen. She and Toshi breathed a sigh of relief having avoided the uncomfortable topic of Adi's absence. 

“Ishimaa! Aapne kitna oil lagaya!” Ruhi screamed from the bathroom, disappointed. Ishita chuckled in the kitchen. Her daughter was tiny but she was the biggest drama queen. 

Thankfully, Rinki and Simi’s arrival grabbed everyone’s attention and diffused the situation. 

“Rinki, tu to Romi ke saath gayi thi na? Tum dono saath mein kaise aayi? Aur tera bhai kidhar re gaya,” Toshi asked. 

“Maa, Romi bhai ne jab niche mujhe drop kiya, tab maine Simi di ko riksha se utarte dekha. Isiliye hum dono saath aaye. Bhai to apni bike pe nikal liye. Unhone bola unhe kuch kaam hai, zyada kuch nahi,” Rinki said. 

She set down her purse and Simi took a seat beside her mother where Ishita was applying oil to Ruhi before. Ishita brought two glasses of water for both of them and joined them on the couch. 

“Yeh Romi bhi na… pata nahi kitthe chala jaata hai baar baar…” Toshi sighed.

“Aap tension mat lijiye, Mummyji,” Ishita assured her. “Usne mujhe bataya ki woh aaj lunch apne doston ke saath kar raha hain. Humein shaam ko seedha party mein milega.”

“Accha accha, phir theek hai.” She continued her knitting, while Simi caught up with Ishita and Rinki. A lot had happened since they last met, and although they talked on the phone very often, it wasn’t the same as speaking in person. 

“Tumse baat karke bahot accha laga Simi,” Ishita said. “Tum aate jaate raho. Aaj kitne dinon baad aayi ho tum.”

“I know yaar. Aaj to waise mumma ne hi bulaya tha. Unhone Ananya ke liye garam kapde banaye haina, wohi lene aayi thi.”

“Bas yeh moze bana loon, phir tu saare kapde le jaana,” Toshi explained. “Waise is saal ke baad mujhe nahi lagta main Ananya ke liye bhi koi kapde bana paaungi. Kitni badi ho gayi hai.”

The rest of the afternoon passed in much the same manner. Rinki, Simi, Toshi, and Ishita chatted and gossiped about everything under the sun. They celebrated the win of Ruhi’s custody case; pondered over how quickly their children were growing up; and even tried predicting the next wedding in town. 

“Ab mere aur Raman bhai ke baad to Romi aur Rinki ki baari,” Simi exclaimed.

“Mera naam to lijiye hi mat, Simi di. Mere liye abhi bahot time baaki hai. Aur waise bhi, filhal to Mihir aur Mihika ki baat honi chahiye na…”

“Ishimaa! Papa ka phone!” The ring gradually increased, as Ruhi ran outside with her mother’s phone in her hands. 

Ishita picked up the call and went into her bedroom to speak in silence.

“Hello Raman, aap ko aur kitni der lagegi? Ek hi outfit khareedna hai aapko. Usme itna time thodi lagta hai. Aap to ladkiyon se bhi zyada time laga rahe hai,” she teased. 

“Madam, acche kapde chunne mein time lagta hain. It’s called a sense of style, jo tumhare paas nahi hain. Maine to tumhe bhi kaha tha, ek adha dress apne liye le lo lekin tum wohi apni ghisi-piti kapdon ki thaan pehnogi.”

“Use saree kehte hain. Aur mere paas bahot sundar saariyaan hain.”

“Rehne do, tumhari yeh so-called sundar saariyaan tumhari umar badhati hain, pata hai? Aur ek main hoon, apna naya suit pehen ke niklu to 20 saal ke laundo ko piche chod doon.”

“Accha? Agar aap itne jawaan hai to aapki yaaddash bhi utni jawaan hogi na?”

“Kya matlab?”

“Aapko yaad hai na ki shaam ko Vandu akka ke ghar jaana hai? Shravu ki birthday party hai?”

“Of course yaad hai. Main yeh shopping kis liye kar raha hoon? In fact, maine apna suit le liya hai. Main to Shravu ke liye gift dhund raha hoon. That's why I called you. To find out what he likes.”

“Raman! Maine bola to tha ki maine gift le liye hai!”

“Tumne bhi apne chote se dimaag se simple sa idea nikala. Madrasan, koi pant-shirt thodi gift karta hai bacche ko?”

“Kyun usme kya bura hai? Bahot acche aur mehenge pant-shirt hai. Bilkul waise jaise Shravu ko pasand hai. Shirt pe to uske favorite Marvel superheroes ke prints bhi hai.”

“He likes Marvel superheroes?”

“Very much.”

“Which ones?”

“All of them. Ironman, Captain America, Spiderman, Thor. I can’t think of any more right now but--”

“Then I know exactly what to get him.”

“What are you getting--”

But before she could find out what her husband was upto, he hung up the phone. Ugh, he could be such a pain in the behind, she thought. 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Bhalla House - 3 pm

“Madrasan! Jaldi kar! Aur kitni der!” Raman yelled from the living room. “Sab log nikal gaye, hum kya kal pohchenge?!”

“Aa rahi hoon Raman! Ruhi ko taiyyar karte karte hai late ho gayi thi. Bas do minute!”

“Dekh madrasan, apni galtiyaan chupaane ke liye meri beti ka naam mat le!”

Raman impatiently paced up and down the living room for a few more minutes.

“All right, that’s it. I’m leaving. If you want to come then…”

Raman lost his words as he finally saw his wife walk out of their bedroom. Her expression conveyed massive annoyance, and she went on and on about how difficult he was being, but he couldn’t focus on any of that. Because Ishita’s look blew him away. She was clad in a designer pink and white saree, and her hair was tied in a messy bun while some loose curls framed her gorgeous face which was adorned with two thin, dangling earrings. She looked… ethereal. His jaw dropped and his gaze remained transfixed on her. What was he thinking saying her sarees made her look old? She looked gorgeous.

Ishita’s voice trailed off as she realized her husband was ogling her. Color rose to her cheeks as she felt self-conscious under his gaze. Even so, the fact that she could render him speechless boosted her confidence a bit. The look on his face was out of this world. And in the few moments before Raman found his senses again, Ishita also got a good look at her husband. He wore his new black suit and a crisp white shirt. He wasn’t kidding when he said he could give 20-year olds a run for their money. 

“Um… woh… ab chalna nahi hai madam?” Raman stammered. “Aise hi… aise hi chalta raha to Shravu ke 18th birthday pe bhi nahi pohchenge.”

“To chaliye, main to ready hoon. Aap hi kabse--”

“Haan haan, chalo.”

Raman cut Ishita’s sentence before she could close caption his dilemma. He made an escape out the door and started the engine of his car. Ishita followed closely behind him trying to reel in her giggles.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Vandu and Bala’s house - 4 pm

The party was already in full-swing when Ishita and Raman arrived. Still, the Bhallas and Iyers were quite early compared to the other guests who were still arriving. Shravu, Ruhi, Ananya, and the rest of the kids were grooving to the music set by Romi on the makeshift dance floor of the living room. Raman made a beeline towards Bala and Mihir who stood in a corner of the living room chatting away with drinks in their hands. He quickly found out that they were actually hiding in the corner, for the drinks they held were alcoholic. Although Vandu didn’t mind, if Madhu found out, they’d all be dead. Raman got a drink for himself and swore on his heart not to let his mother-in-law find out, which also meant keeping the alcohol away from his mother. Ishita, on the other hand, joined her sisters in the kitchen. She lent a hand to Mihika who was laying out snacks on the table, while Vandu made some last minute decorations on Shravu’s cake. 

Romi, Rinki, and Mihika essentially took charge of the birthday party while the rest of the adults kicked back, relaxed, and socialized, something Vandu was eternally grateful for. They engaged the kids in as many games they could think of and could arrange -- musical chairs, dumb charades, pictionary, pin the tail on the donkey, and even just freestyle dancing. By the time the kids were tired of all the games, dinner and cake were ready. Everyone gathered around Vandu, Bala, and Shravu to sing happy birthday and cut the cake, which was followed by dinner. An assortment of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes were ordered owing to the diversity of their guests. After dinner, many of their guests left after wishing Shravu happy birthday one last time. Even Toshi, Omprakash, Madhu, and Vishwa left as the night grew darker. By the end of the evening, only Ishita, Raman, Ruhi, Romi, Rinki, Mihir, and Mihika were present apart from Vandu, Bala, and Shravu. 

Even so, Shravu didn’t let anyone else leave, for his favorite part of the night still remained: unwrapping the presents.

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