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On a beautiful morning, in the Bhalla household, Raman walked into his room after his morning shower. Ishita was checking her handbag for everything she would need in the clinic. Raman cleared his voice and asked her, "Hey! I'm planning to gift you something this evening!". Ishita turned in disbelief, "What?", she smirked. He said, "For your speech madam! Don't be so happy anyways, it's not something as special as you may think!". "Raman! Come on, Gift is a gift! You've already gifted me so much! I don't go by how special' it is anyway!".
"Well, good for me! Come to my office by 6 in the evening? We will go from there!", he said while buttoning his shirt. "Oh! We are going out somewhere is it? Ok! I will drop Ruhi home and then will come to your office!", she smiled.
When it struck 5, Ishu promptly dropped Ruhi home and got herself freshened up. She wore a black kurta-ish tunic top paired with a blue jeans. It's been a while she wore anything in that genre after her dating days with Subbu. She tied up hair into a pony tail and wore her black heels. She looked chirpy like a college pass out. She waved bye to everyone, drove all the way listening to her favorite songs in the car stereo. They were loaded with romantic songs, and for some reason, she couldn't help but imagine her moments with Raman when the romantic lyrics played out. She tended to match every word of the song to Raman. "Pagal!", she did a facepalm after a signal stop brought her back to reality.
She reached his office sharp at 6 and almost found no one in the office. "Wah! It's only 6 and where is everyone? This is a place where a bunch of workaholics work! No way they are all leaving at 6!", she thought.
She reached his cabin and found it empty. Her eyes were filled with excitement and expectations that she started to get nervous the moment she entered his cabin. She hasn't been there often. Maybe a couple of times to yell at him. But today, she felt the scene has completely changed, for good. She never wanted to see his face few months ago, and today she stood there waiting to have one glimpse of him. She looked around for Raman. She could not find him anywhere in the vicinity. She stretched her neck up like a Giraffe and looked into Mihir's cabin. Yet, she could find only Mihir and not Raman. She called Raman's mobile finally, only to get a busy tone after being cut by Raman.
She signaled Mihir through signs through the glass and asked her if he saw Raman anywhere. Mihir flashed an excited smile at her, "Bhabhi!". Unable to combat her anxiety she walked up to Mihir. "Hey do you know where is Raman?", asked Ishita. "No Bhabhi, he was here 30 mins ago. Not sure where he is, did you try calling him?", Mihir questioned. "He cut the call..OK, Raman is not seen anywhere Mihir. Do you want to go with me to the Cafe and check?". Mihir locked his PC and walked with her. Mihir giggled, "Bhabhi, you here? Missing Raman so much?". "Shut up Mihir, I'm not feeling good already! He asked me to come over and he has absconded now!".
Having reached the ground floor of the cafe, Ishita looked around. No luck again. She looked all around the floor piercing through the walls. She thought, "How I wish I had the access to the CCTV cameras. Could have spotted him somehow!". She had weird thoughts while she was restless looking for him.
Ishita was disgusted to have not seen Raman anywhere in the office when the clock struck 6.30 pm already. Mihir asked, "Bhabhi why are you looking so upset? He will be here somewhere, maybe we are searching for him in the wrong places! Or must have gone out!". She replied, "No Mihir, he told me he will meet me today at the office. He said 6 pm! It's not fair on his part to have disappeared like this", she put her chin down. Mihir lifted her face up. "What's wrong Bhabhi? I have never seen you so restless! After all he is your husband, how can he stand you up?". "I have no idea what's wrong with me Mihir! I've waited all day for this evening!". Mihir was surprised at her reply!
They returned to Raman's cabin. Mihir excused himself for a minute to attend an important call. She sat on a chair and tapped her fingers on the desk, "Mihir is right! Why am I so restless to see someone? Why am I so excited beyond limits? Why is he having this effect on me?". She showed all her disgust on the table with a punch of her fist. Whole floor could have heard the sound of it.
Beep, there landed a text message on her phone!
"Hey Ishita!
I had to urgently rush to a Video conference from my client's office, so I won't be taking you out today. I will start to home from here. I just thought I'll leave this note to you. See you in the night!"- Raman. "
Ishita was in 2 states of mind when she read it. She was glad and had a sigh of relief that he left a note out of courtesy, which is very unlike Raman. But very sad that he is not going to take her out. She felt really wretched from inside and she knew she has got to struggle really hard to while away the rest of the evening suppressing all her expectations she grew over the day.
She shared the news with Mihir when Mihir asked her to come over to his cabin see the engagement pictures. "Cool pics Mihir! Put it on Facebook". He smiled. Mihir continued, "Bhabhi, you know what? You and Raman make a great pair, believe me! You guys are so made for each other!". Ishita poked him and said, "Yeah as if we are in love and this is what we are longing to hear from everyone!". Mihir said, "Ouch! Ok fair enough. I will say you two are not looking good. You both can never be in love, cheee!!! Okay?", he winked. Ishita smiled. He asked, "Bhabhi I don't have my car today, Mihika asked me to pick her up from her office. Can we go together in your car, if you don't mind?". She said, "Oh Mihir! For sure! Why do you even have to ask!", and walked back to Raman's cabin to wait for Mihir. If not Raman, at least his cabin!
Ishita looked at a picture of Raman on his desk. 30 more minutes passed and she constantly felt a vacuum inside herself that only Raman's one glimpse would have filled. She couldn't afford to think that her happiness became so dependent on Raman. She started to draw random things on a notepad on the table.
Engrossed in the thoughts of Raman, and all that happened the day before during the engagement saga, she, being totally disconnected from the wake, wrote Raman's name on a notepad that was lying on the table. Unintentionally but very beautifully. Decorated every curve of his name. "Raman".
Mihir was done with his work and apologized to her for making her wait. He suggested they could have a tea before leaving. Ishita felt like having a tea anyways. They walked to the pantry. While having her tea, she asked Mihir, "Mihir, Raman must be still on meetings now right? Should I message him something?". Mihir replied, "Oh no don't do it Bhabhi. Who knows what kind of mood is he in! Just wait"
While Ishita stared at her phone thinking how the day would have been had she met Raman! At the very moment her phone buzzed. "Raman calling..."
"Mihir, it's Raman, think of the devil!", she exclaimed and picked his call.
"Hey Ishita... Whats up?"
"Raman...I'm still in your office...I was waiting all the time in your cabin...I'm in the pantry now, having tea with Mihir...!", she gave a stern reply.
"Sorry I was on meetings all day, couldn't take you out today!"
"I know... that's ok... We can go some other day right?", she asked expecting an yes.
"Well, Yeah, we can go tomorrow...and... wanted to ask you something..."
"What?", she shrunk her eyebrows to the middle.
"Did you miss me?", he asked in his masculine voice.
"Whhaa...whaat? Why...why will I miss you...? No.. no I didn't... why are you asking me this", she stammered as the question came out of the blue.
"No? Are you sure?", he asked.
"Yes!"
"Well... you know what... I'm right now standing in my cabin, and I just happened to notice my name beautifully written on a notepad. I guess you wrote it and it is my name. Do you know any other Raman by any chance?", he put his hand on the mouthpiece of the cellphone and laughed quietly.
"Oh my god... that was... that's just a...wait I'm coming..", she cut the call, did a facepalm and ran towards his cabin.
Just a few lights were on. Air conditioner was off. Ishita was almost sweating and was panting because of her running. She saw Raman standing in his cabin, she convinced herself that she was seeing him for real and went near him.
"Hi... Hi Raman...", while she wiped her face with her handkerchief.
"Hey!", Raman leaned on his desk. "This is some lovely piece of writing! I guess you are the only doctor in India with a beautiful handwriting!"
"Well...I... So why are you here Raman... I thought you were not going to come?", she tried to cover up the mess she had created.
Raman took a glance at her. She was looking entirely new to him in the tunic and jeans. He said, "You are looking different today...!"
"Different? Meaning?", she said and sat on a chair near him.
"Different... and...Nice!", he smiled.
"Thanks... but why are you here? I asked you that..."
"I have a truth and a lie, which one do you wanna hear?", he looked at her.
She smiled and said, "Wow... OK.. That's funny... Lie! Lie first!"
"I had to pick up my mouse. I forgot that while packing my laptop when I left to client's office", he said with a straight face.
Ishita smiled and asked in a soft voice, "So...what's the truth then?"
"Hmmm... you sure wanna know why am I here?"
"Yes!", she rested her face on her palm supported by the table and smiled.
"Well...wanted to just peek in to the office as I thought..."
"Thought?", she raised one of her eyebrows with a smirk.
"...I just had a hunch..something told me that you still would be here waiting for me...!", he blushed and looked away.
** This is an OS Marathon - TAGATHON! I wanna tag one of my favorite writers Lucky, "always_a_TV_fan" to take this ahead and continue this OS from this point where I have left! đ
Lucky! GO! đ
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