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Hey all
Isha (Indian_Isha) sorta she threw this song at me this morning and dared me to write an OS. She posed it as a challenge, very well knowing I wouldnt be able to shy away from it. It so happened that I loved the song too. So, all credit for the song and hence planting the idea in my head goes to her đ
I hope you all like it. I have taken an episode that is fondly remembered by everyone and added my own twist. I hope I havent spoilt any memories. If I did, I am sorry (RKB style... kaan pakadkeđ)
Isha - I do hope I did justice to hisđ
"Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire." - Robert Frost
It was supposed to be happy times for everyone. But it wasn't. The next day, Mihir was getting engaged to Trisha when he really loved Mihika. Trisha was getting engaged to Mihir when she was really in love with Neil. Mihika was standing on the outskirts of this engagement sangeet closely eyeing the groom-to-be. Vibhu was vexed that his fake engagement threatened to become a real one. Ishita and Raman were worried about the same thing, hoping that Mihir wouldn't go through with it. ALthough they wanted the same goal, both of them thought their plan is what would actually achieve that goal. They were that way, Ishita and Raman; Bullheaded but with a gentle heart and a clean conscience.
The children, oblivious to the conspiracies and tribulations of the elders, were having fun. They got a chance to dress up, eat whatever they wanted, dance to their hearts' content and even stay up late, if they could manage the exhaustion. Ruhi had declared earlier that everyone would wear western wear. SHe had called it a James Bond theme after she'd found out about James Bond from her Romi chachu. She and Shravan were fighting with each other over whose father looked better in a tuxedo. The elders of the family were busy greeting guests. The Bhallas were genuine with their welcoming, while the Iyers had knowledge of the farce of Mihika's engagement. They
had been more worried about Mihika than they'd let on. She was their responsibility while in Delhi. She was their daughter for the time being, they had to make sure she got what she loved and deserved, even if it meant getting involved in a lie.
The sangeet ceremony was held in a hall that was one of the exclusive ones; Raman had made sure no expense was spared. Somehow, he knew that none of the money he spent would be wasted. He was so confident in his plan; he knew there would be an engagement the next day, just with different participants. "If only my bewakoof biwi knew that I am on her side. The only reason I didn't tell her anything is because I need her as a player in this game. If she knew the truth, she wouldn't be able to convincingly play the angry bhabhi in front of Mihir. But this woman has to go and create a drama of her own, as if she is an expert in it. She doesn't know how to
play mind games, all she knows is to pull teeth. Woh bhi kabhi kabhi theek se nahin karti " he rued, instinctively putting his hand on his jaw and staring at her with fierce eyes.
"Aiyyo, why is this Raavan Kumar looking at me like this? As it is, I am frustrated. He found out about my plan. I should have been more careful with the secret. Now, not only does he get his stubborn wish of getting Mihir engaged to Tandon's sister, but also gets to score over me in his childish game. Does he not know that his blind ambition for his company is putting 3 people's happiness in jeopardy. Seriously, I dont understand the morons who selected him the CEO of the year. He doesn't understand people and runs a company. I pity his employees." she thought and looked back at him haughtily.
Under his gaze, she subconsciously touched her left shoulder to adjust her pallu when she was reminded she wasn't wearing a saree. Because of Ruhi's command, she had to go looking for a western dress. Mihika wasn't in the mood for shopping, so Ishita had gone alone. She'd tried the midnight blue dress on, and all she could think of was that the colour suited her. She wasn't an expert on western clothes, especially when it came to judging her own body in them. She had chosen the most modest one she could find. It had a Crochet bodice and long organza skirt which flared enough for her to be comfortable during the dance. The bodice however was tight-fitting and halterneck. She longed to change out of it into her saree. She touched her left shoulder again. To distract herself, she mentally practiced her steps again. She had to lead the salsa without letting him know that she was. He wouldn't admit it, but he sucked at that particular dance form. She'd seen him practising and she didnt know if she should have felt sorry for her or for him. Little did she know that while she was recollecting every detail of that dress and his dance practice, her husband was admiring how perfectly it fit her in all the right places. And if she would fit perfectly with him for the dance.
Somewhere at the end of their mute conversation, the surrounding noise had dropped one decibel. People were visibly quieter and looking at the entrance. Both Raman and Ishita turned around and saw the reason. Actually, there were 2 reasons standing at the doorstep; Shagun and Ashok. In that split second, Ishita's face dropped. She then looked at him eyes that were questioning if he had invited her, and pleading, hoping that he hadn't. Raman was amused that the woman who claimed to have nothing to do with his personal life outside Ruhi was visibly upset and was acting like a wife more and more every day. To put her out of her misery, he shrugged his shoulders lightly to tell her he had nothing to do with his ex-wife being present at the party.
Both of them stared at Shagun and Ashok who were being greeted by Tandon. Rajeev apparently did not have an inkling of their villainous nature, and had invited them because Ashok was a partner in one of the projects Raman was working on. Tandon had only a few associates in Delhi and he had invited as many as he could to share his sister's happiness. Shagun had dressed to kill, he was wearing a strapless black dress and a mult-stranded black beady necklace. She looked like she wanted to impress everyone with her style and choice of a better lifestlye. She looked around like a queen and mistook everyone's hating stare as envy. She then excused herself and went to look for the one person she had come here to meet.
The conversation between Simmi and Shagun had gone better than either of them accepted. They started off to a rocky start, but soon found common ground when they started discussing Ishita. Both of them had different targets in mind, but Simmi's blind rage made her oblivious to the fact that her brother would be hurt too. Shagun didnt care about either of them. For her, Raman and Ishita represented a common enemy. Raman and Ishita were, jointly, a stark face of her failure and some where deep down, regret too. She had come armed with a plan that would ruin Ishita's reputation and kill Raman due to shame. Once she told Simmi that she could push Raman's buttons effectively enough to hurt Ishita, she went looking for waiters serving drinks.
Their song had started by then. Ishita and Raman danced to "Galliyan" quite efficiently, without tripping anyone over. Both of them wanted to get the dance over as soon as possible, but not for the reasons they had imagined. He was mad at himself for feeling so out of control when she was in his arms, and she was baffled by how smoothly he moved with her, let her take the lead and hold her as if she was his. They were both equally embarassed when everyone clapped and whistled when their dance finished. They went back to the corners they were standing in. Raman desperately wanted a drink, to forget the last few minutes of his life. He had promised himself never to fall into the honey trap again. Being attracted to a beautiful woman at first glance was something. But being attracted to a woman whose heart he already knew, and admired was something else. He couldn't possibly feel like that and stay under the same roof as her. That was a complication he hadn't signed up for when he signed on the dotted line of his marriage registration. Ishita wanted to go back to the changing room and get out of that dress as soon as possible. She was uncomforable with 2 things then, her dress and the feelings she had when dancing with him. She could fix only one of them. In the commotion of the sangeet, her Amma was nowhere to be found. She then found her mother and her mother-in-law fighting in the middle of children. Ishita knew well enough not to interrupt them. She'd be scolded by both the mothers. She decided to wait for her Amma to cool down before she could go ask for the keys to the changing room. She wandered aimlessly amongst the crowd, looking for someone to get her some juice to parch her thirst. She didn't know why she had such a dry mouth then.
When Shagun spotted someone serving drinks, she cornered the waiter and asked to speak to him in privately. She took a glass and poured a powder into it. She then instructed him to give that glass to the woman dressed in blue. She thought a 5000 Rs. bribe to see Raman ashamed and Ishita devastated was really cheap. Ishita gulped down the juice in one go and asked the waiter for another one. She did not realise anything was wrong with the drink, that was the intention. "Ab dekhti hoon yeh behenji kya tamasha karti hai, dawaai asar karne mein bas 5 minute lagenge"
When Raman saw his wife drinking that glass of juice very fast, he imagined her state. She was losing control as much as he was. He chuckled, "Madrasan ko bahut shauk tha salsa karne ka. Ab zindagi bhar dance ka naam nahin legi. accha hai, mujhe bhi kahaan iske saath dance competition mein jaana hai". He rotated around the in party crowd for a few more minutes and was quietly talking to Tandon, when he felt someone tap on his shoulder. He lost his footing for a second when he saw her face so close to his, so soon after the dance. He hadnt even had a chance to regulate his pulse yet.
"Raman, chalo na " she begged making a face that no sane man on earth could refuse
"Ishita, tum yahaan? main Tandon se baat kar raha tha, you can join us" he said with some semblance of a strong voice.
"Arre din raat aap Rajeev ke peeche pade rehte hain. Aaj family mein function hai, business deal nahin ho rahi hai. I am sure he wouldn't mind you spending some time with your wife. Hain na Rajeev? May I borrow my husband from you for some time?" Rajeev was more shocked than Raman, if that was possible. ALl he could do is nod, who was he to come between a man and his wife, he knew better.
She tugged on Raman's hand and pulled him towards her. "Kya kar rahi ho Ishita? kahaan jaana hai?"
"Arre, aapko bhagaake nahi le jaa rahi hoon main. Bas socha thodi baatein karte hain. chalo, lets go and sit by the bar. I want to drink some more juice"
Raman didn't have a choice, he went where she took him. He knew better than to say no to her, she would start a lecture that would hurt his ears.
After she gulped down another tall glass of juice she asked him, "Aap drink nahin karoge? chalo aaj ek din aapko maaf. You can drink anything you want, just tonight"
He couldnt believe his eyes and ears. Thats when he realised that she was under the influence of something. His Jhansi ki Rani would never let him smell alcohol, let alone drinking it. "No Ishita I am fine. thanks"
"Kyon dar rahe ho kya Raman? sach mein, I won't say anything"
"No, main kyon daroonga? Whats the point in drinking when I am having fun when sober? You know I lose control over my senses when I drink. So I dont want to take that risk"
"Theek hai Raman. Just remember, I gave you the go-ahead and you refused. Waise control lose karna har waqt bura nahin hota, hai na?" His jaw dropped. May be he should have said yes to a drink. There was no way he could take all this, not from her. He felt relieved when the DJ suddenly started playing loud party numbers. His ears really needed some distraction.
Little did he know that the music would be the thing that would melt his resolve. She stood up and started jumping up and down like a kid who'd just spotted the ice-cream truck. Raman, chalo na dance karte hain. As she bounced on her toes, he saw her fully again. He cursed himself for staring at her like this, but the lights were dimmed, the music loud and his wife buzzed. No one would blame him for looking. She then caught him looking at her and said "bas dekhte rahoge Raman?"
"What" he stammered
"No I mean, chalo na dance karne chalte hain" she didt really wait for his answer. She dragged him onto the dance floor, where there were only the youngsters. The elders had somehow distanced themselves from the loud music. They were standing far away, not listening to the music but just watching the dance. Raman was thankful their parents couldnt hear how Ishita was behaving.
She saw him looking at their parents, put her hands on his face and turned him to face her. "Raman, kya idhar udhar dekh rahe ho. aapki dance partner aapke saamne hai"
She then forced him to put his hands on her waist and groove to the music. In some time, her hair had come undone, her lipstick faded, and her moves slowed down. But she hadn't lost the twinkle in her eyes and she looked more beautiful than ever. After the first few minutes, Raman had let go too. After a long time, he felt intoxicated, and he hadn't touched a single drop of alcohol. They danced away to every song, matching each other's steps and even taking the same missteps together.
Everyone in the party hall looked at them, the unlikely couple who had formed a bond that was unlikelier. Mihika and Mihir had tears in their eyes and they looked at each other. Mr Bhalla and Mr Iyer had tears too. For a few minutes, even Mrs Iyer and Toshiji stopped fighting and felt a familiar tug at their hearts. The 2 people who were causing so many people to be happy didn't even know the effect they were having. For the first time in years, they felt freedom. No restrictions or audience could stop them from feeling and living that moment.
There were 2 women sulking in a corner hating the display of whatever Raman and Ishita were putting on. Simmi turned to look at Shagun and wanted to say something insulting, but just ended up saying "Chhad, tere se kucch nahin hoga. Meri mat maari gayi thi, jo mujhe lagaa tha
ki tu ek bhi kaam theek se kar sakti hai" Shagun reached out to the waiter to gulp down another glass of wine.
As the beats started getting slower, many other couples joined the dance floor. Raman was worried about Ishita's state and wanted to make sure she got home safe, without anyone knowing about it. She wasn't in a mood to leave. So they ended up dancing again. After a point, they weren't dancing, they were just holding each other and swaying to the music. She had her arms around his neck, her head resting lightly on his chest. And his hands were somewhere between her back and waist. Every time his hands started going any south, he regretfully brought them back up. He respected her way too much to do this when she was drunk. Although he had been mad at whoever had made her intoxicated, he was happy she ended up there, in that moment with him.
"Raman" she said huskily
"Haan Ishita" he whispered
"I don't know what is happening to me, i don't feel like myself"
"Its OK Ishita. I think someone gave you something funny to drink. Must surely be Romi and one of his loafer friends. I will kick the crap out of him later"
"No Raman. not now. I mean generally"
His heart skipped a beat. He wasnt sure if he was ready to hear it. HE wasn't even sure what it was. But he did want to hear it.
"What do you mean?" he asked, with a dilemma on his mind
"I mean, you and me, why do we fight? I had a lot of misconceptions about you earlier, so in my mind I was right in hating you. But now, it doesnt seem so right. I feel guilty after fighting with you. Why is that?"
If there was ever a second chance, this was it, thought Raman. HE couldn't have asked for a better moment, a better partner for his dance.
"I dont know Ishita. I find myself agreeing with you more every day. and I hate myself for it" She laughed and pulled his left ear. Her hand lingered on his ear for sometime.
"I am serious Raman."
When she pulled his ear, he didnt feel a pinch. But the waves of exhilaration it sent across his body was something he couldn't measure. She had actually pulled his ear. She hadn't hesitated in touching him so naturally and possessively. This woman was reaching out to him.
He resigned to his fate, rested his head on top of hers and even planted a kiss somewhere in her hair, he was sure she hadn't noticed.
"Lets not fight then Ishita. I am tired. I just want to relax for the rest of my life"
"I don't know if relaxed is the word I would use, but OK we won't fight" she said.
He was overwhelmed by her affection and the wittiness she retained despite being under the influence.
"I know I will never be relaxed with my Jhansi ki Rani around, I can handle that turbulence" he said with a laugh. Then he held her face, made her look at him, and kissed her forehead.
"Raman I am feeling dizzy now" she said a few minutes later, and he knew she was gone too far to realise the kiss, or even the conversation. He didnt mind it though.
He shook her gently and said, "Hold on to me Ishita. No matter what you hear, don't open your eyes or talk. Close them as if you are sleeping. I am taking you home now" He held her firmly, and prayed she wouldn't miss a step. He slowly guided her out of the dance floor and out of the hall.
On the way, when their parents stopped them, he just said "Ishita bahut thak gayi hai, usko neend aa rahi hai. Main usko ghar leke jaa raha hoon."
"Arre Raman Puttar, Ruhi ko bhi leke jaao na, us bacchi ko bhi neend aa rahi hogi" his mother said.
Mr Bhalla spoke up, "kya kehte rehte ho aap bhi Toshiji. Raman puttar tu ja. Hum yahaan sab close karwaake aate hain, Ruhi aaj humaare saath hi so legi. Tu tension na le puttar. Tum log theek se sona, waise kal engagement ke liye jaldi bhi uthna hai. Good Night beta" Raman was glad his dad chose this moment to shut his mother up.
After an uneventful drive home, he laid her on the couch, knowing she'd be disoriented and even irritated with herself if she woke up on their bed. He took her shoes off, and placed a blanket over her, and switched off the lights. Her hand was lying out without support so he went back to tuck it in under the blanket. "Raman, aapne kiss kyon kiya ?"
"Oh, tumhein yaad hai? I am sorry I didnt mean to do that while you were not in your senses" he said sheepishly
"If you dont take advantage when I am not in my senses, then there wasnt any point in my intoxication no? I think whoever mixed my drink did have this idea" she chuckled. "But seriously Raman, Why did you kiss me?"
He was still reeling from the effects of her statement about taking advantages. He had met his match, only she could be witty when half asleep. He decided to prolong that game by teasing her
"Maine kiss kyon kiya? You practically forced me to. You seduced me" he said with a firm voice.
"Haawww" she said, her mouth making the perfect round shape even when her eyes were closed. "Maine kahaan seduce kiya? Main to bas baat kar rahi thi aapse, sach mein!"
"You dont even know your appeal, do you?" he said and kissed her again, this time on her lips.
*** So, how was it? It is a territory I havent ventured into a lot. So please give me your honest feedback. I live to learn everyday đ
P.S - those who would have preferred the next installment of the Ehsaas OS to this one tonight, please blame Isha...đ I put that on hold to write this
Isha (Indian_Isha) sorta she threw this song at me this morning and dared me to write an OS. She posed it as a challenge, very well knowing I wouldnt be able to shy away from it. It so happened that I loved the song too. So, all credit for the song and hence planting the idea in my head goes to her đ
I hope you all like it. I have taken an episode that is fondly remembered by everyone and added my own twist. I hope I havent spoilt any memories. If I did, I am sorry (RKB style... kaan pakadkeđ)
Isha - I do hope I did justice to hisđ
"Dancing is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire." - Robert Frost
It was supposed to be happy times for everyone. But it wasn't. The next day, Mihir was getting engaged to Trisha when he really loved Mihika. Trisha was getting engaged to Mihir when she was really in love with Neil. Mihika was standing on the outskirts of this engagement sangeet closely eyeing the groom-to-be. Vibhu was vexed that his fake engagement threatened to become a real one. Ishita and Raman were worried about the same thing, hoping that Mihir wouldn't go through with it. ALthough they wanted the same goal, both of them thought their plan is what would actually achieve that goal. They were that way, Ishita and Raman; Bullheaded but with a gentle heart and a clean conscience.
The children, oblivious to the conspiracies and tribulations of the elders, were having fun. They got a chance to dress up, eat whatever they wanted, dance to their hearts' content and even stay up late, if they could manage the exhaustion. Ruhi had declared earlier that everyone would wear western wear. SHe had called it a James Bond theme after she'd found out about James Bond from her Romi chachu. She and Shravan were fighting with each other over whose father looked better in a tuxedo. The elders of the family were busy greeting guests. The Bhallas were genuine with their welcoming, while the Iyers had knowledge of the farce of Mihika's engagement. They
had been more worried about Mihika than they'd let on. She was their responsibility while in Delhi. She was their daughter for the time being, they had to make sure she got what she loved and deserved, even if it meant getting involved in a lie.
The sangeet ceremony was held in a hall that was one of the exclusive ones; Raman had made sure no expense was spared. Somehow, he knew that none of the money he spent would be wasted. He was so confident in his plan; he knew there would be an engagement the next day, just with different participants. "If only my bewakoof biwi knew that I am on her side. The only reason I didn't tell her anything is because I need her as a player in this game. If she knew the truth, she wouldn't be able to convincingly play the angry bhabhi in front of Mihir. But this woman has to go and create a drama of her own, as if she is an expert in it. She doesn't know how to
play mind games, all she knows is to pull teeth. Woh bhi kabhi kabhi theek se nahin karti " he rued, instinctively putting his hand on his jaw and staring at her with fierce eyes.
"Aiyyo, why is this Raavan Kumar looking at me like this? As it is, I am frustrated. He found out about my plan. I should have been more careful with the secret. Now, not only does he get his stubborn wish of getting Mihir engaged to Tandon's sister, but also gets to score over me in his childish game. Does he not know that his blind ambition for his company is putting 3 people's happiness in jeopardy. Seriously, I dont understand the morons who selected him the CEO of the year. He doesn't understand people and runs a company. I pity his employees." she thought and looked back at him haughtily.
Under his gaze, she subconsciously touched her left shoulder to adjust her pallu when she was reminded she wasn't wearing a saree. Because of Ruhi's command, she had to go looking for a western dress. Mihika wasn't in the mood for shopping, so Ishita had gone alone. She'd tried the midnight blue dress on, and all she could think of was that the colour suited her. She wasn't an expert on western clothes, especially when it came to judging her own body in them. She had chosen the most modest one she could find. It had a Crochet bodice and long organza skirt which flared enough for her to be comfortable during the dance. The bodice however was tight-fitting and halterneck. She longed to change out of it into her saree. She touched her left shoulder again. To distract herself, she mentally practiced her steps again. She had to lead the salsa without letting him know that she was. He wouldn't admit it, but he sucked at that particular dance form. She'd seen him practising and she didnt know if she should have felt sorry for her or for him. Little did she know that while she was recollecting every detail of that dress and his dance practice, her husband was admiring how perfectly it fit her in all the right places. And if she would fit perfectly with him for the dance.
Somewhere at the end of their mute conversation, the surrounding noise had dropped one decibel. People were visibly quieter and looking at the entrance. Both Raman and Ishita turned around and saw the reason. Actually, there were 2 reasons standing at the doorstep; Shagun and Ashok. In that split second, Ishita's face dropped. She then looked at him eyes that were questioning if he had invited her, and pleading, hoping that he hadn't. Raman was amused that the woman who claimed to have nothing to do with his personal life outside Ruhi was visibly upset and was acting like a wife more and more every day. To put her out of her misery, he shrugged his shoulders lightly to tell her he had nothing to do with his ex-wife being present at the party.
Both of them stared at Shagun and Ashok who were being greeted by Tandon. Rajeev apparently did not have an inkling of their villainous nature, and had invited them because Ashok was a partner in one of the projects Raman was working on. Tandon had only a few associates in Delhi and he had invited as many as he could to share his sister's happiness. Shagun had dressed to kill, he was wearing a strapless black dress and a mult-stranded black beady necklace. She looked like she wanted to impress everyone with her style and choice of a better lifestlye. She looked around like a queen and mistook everyone's hating stare as envy. She then excused herself and went to look for the one person she had come here to meet.
The conversation between Simmi and Shagun had gone better than either of them accepted. They started off to a rocky start, but soon found common ground when they started discussing Ishita. Both of them had different targets in mind, but Simmi's blind rage made her oblivious to the fact that her brother would be hurt too. Shagun didnt care about either of them. For her, Raman and Ishita represented a common enemy. Raman and Ishita were, jointly, a stark face of her failure and some where deep down, regret too. She had come armed with a plan that would ruin Ishita's reputation and kill Raman due to shame. Once she told Simmi that she could push Raman's buttons effectively enough to hurt Ishita, she went looking for waiters serving drinks.
Their song had started by then. Ishita and Raman danced to "Galliyan" quite efficiently, without tripping anyone over. Both of them wanted to get the dance over as soon as possible, but not for the reasons they had imagined. He was mad at himself for feeling so out of control when she was in his arms, and she was baffled by how smoothly he moved with her, let her take the lead and hold her as if she was his. They were both equally embarassed when everyone clapped and whistled when their dance finished. They went back to the corners they were standing in. Raman desperately wanted a drink, to forget the last few minutes of his life. He had promised himself never to fall into the honey trap again. Being attracted to a beautiful woman at first glance was something. But being attracted to a woman whose heart he already knew, and admired was something else. He couldn't possibly feel like that and stay under the same roof as her. That was a complication he hadn't signed up for when he signed on the dotted line of his marriage registration. Ishita wanted to go back to the changing room and get out of that dress as soon as possible. She was uncomforable with 2 things then, her dress and the feelings she had when dancing with him. She could fix only one of them. In the commotion of the sangeet, her Amma was nowhere to be found. She then found her mother and her mother-in-law fighting in the middle of children. Ishita knew well enough not to interrupt them. She'd be scolded by both the mothers. She decided to wait for her Amma to cool down before she could go ask for the keys to the changing room. She wandered aimlessly amongst the crowd, looking for someone to get her some juice to parch her thirst. She didn't know why she had such a dry mouth then.
When Shagun spotted someone serving drinks, she cornered the waiter and asked to speak to him in privately. She took a glass and poured a powder into it. She then instructed him to give that glass to the woman dressed in blue. She thought a 5000 Rs. bribe to see Raman ashamed and Ishita devastated was really cheap. Ishita gulped down the juice in one go and asked the waiter for another one. She did not realise anything was wrong with the drink, that was the intention. "Ab dekhti hoon yeh behenji kya tamasha karti hai, dawaai asar karne mein bas 5 minute lagenge"
When Raman saw his wife drinking that glass of juice very fast, he imagined her state. She was losing control as much as he was. He chuckled, "Madrasan ko bahut shauk tha salsa karne ka. Ab zindagi bhar dance ka naam nahin legi. accha hai, mujhe bhi kahaan iske saath dance competition mein jaana hai". He rotated around the in party crowd for a few more minutes and was quietly talking to Tandon, when he felt someone tap on his shoulder. He lost his footing for a second when he saw her face so close to his, so soon after the dance. He hadnt even had a chance to regulate his pulse yet.
"Raman, chalo na " she begged making a face that no sane man on earth could refuse
"Ishita, tum yahaan? main Tandon se baat kar raha tha, you can join us" he said with some semblance of a strong voice.
"Arre din raat aap Rajeev ke peeche pade rehte hain. Aaj family mein function hai, business deal nahin ho rahi hai. I am sure he wouldn't mind you spending some time with your wife. Hain na Rajeev? May I borrow my husband from you for some time?" Rajeev was more shocked than Raman, if that was possible. ALl he could do is nod, who was he to come between a man and his wife, he knew better.
She tugged on Raman's hand and pulled him towards her. "Kya kar rahi ho Ishita? kahaan jaana hai?"
"Arre, aapko bhagaake nahi le jaa rahi hoon main. Bas socha thodi baatein karte hain. chalo, lets go and sit by the bar. I want to drink some more juice"
Raman didn't have a choice, he went where she took him. He knew better than to say no to her, she would start a lecture that would hurt his ears.
After she gulped down another tall glass of juice she asked him, "Aap drink nahin karoge? chalo aaj ek din aapko maaf. You can drink anything you want, just tonight"
He couldnt believe his eyes and ears. Thats when he realised that she was under the influence of something. His Jhansi ki Rani would never let him smell alcohol, let alone drinking it. "No Ishita I am fine. thanks"
"Kyon dar rahe ho kya Raman? sach mein, I won't say anything"
"No, main kyon daroonga? Whats the point in drinking when I am having fun when sober? You know I lose control over my senses when I drink. So I dont want to take that risk"
"Theek hai Raman. Just remember, I gave you the go-ahead and you refused. Waise control lose karna har waqt bura nahin hota, hai na?" His jaw dropped. May be he should have said yes to a drink. There was no way he could take all this, not from her. He felt relieved when the DJ suddenly started playing loud party numbers. His ears really needed some distraction.
Little did he know that the music would be the thing that would melt his resolve. She stood up and started jumping up and down like a kid who'd just spotted the ice-cream truck. Raman, chalo na dance karte hain. As she bounced on her toes, he saw her fully again. He cursed himself for staring at her like this, but the lights were dimmed, the music loud and his wife buzzed. No one would blame him for looking. She then caught him looking at her and said "bas dekhte rahoge Raman?"
"What" he stammered
"No I mean, chalo na dance karne chalte hain" she didt really wait for his answer. She dragged him onto the dance floor, where there were only the youngsters. The elders had somehow distanced themselves from the loud music. They were standing far away, not listening to the music but just watching the dance. Raman was thankful their parents couldnt hear how Ishita was behaving.
She saw him looking at their parents, put her hands on his face and turned him to face her. "Raman, kya idhar udhar dekh rahe ho. aapki dance partner aapke saamne hai"
She then forced him to put his hands on her waist and groove to the music. In some time, her hair had come undone, her lipstick faded, and her moves slowed down. But she hadn't lost the twinkle in her eyes and she looked more beautiful than ever. After the first few minutes, Raman had let go too. After a long time, he felt intoxicated, and he hadn't touched a single drop of alcohol. They danced away to every song, matching each other's steps and even taking the same missteps together.
Everyone in the party hall looked at them, the unlikely couple who had formed a bond that was unlikelier. Mihika and Mihir had tears in their eyes and they looked at each other. Mr Bhalla and Mr Iyer had tears too. For a few minutes, even Mrs Iyer and Toshiji stopped fighting and felt a familiar tug at their hearts. The 2 people who were causing so many people to be happy didn't even know the effect they were having. For the first time in years, they felt freedom. No restrictions or audience could stop them from feeling and living that moment.
There were 2 women sulking in a corner hating the display of whatever Raman and Ishita were putting on. Simmi turned to look at Shagun and wanted to say something insulting, but just ended up saying "Chhad, tere se kucch nahin hoga. Meri mat maari gayi thi, jo mujhe lagaa tha
ki tu ek bhi kaam theek se kar sakti hai" Shagun reached out to the waiter to gulp down another glass of wine.
As the beats started getting slower, many other couples joined the dance floor. Raman was worried about Ishita's state and wanted to make sure she got home safe, without anyone knowing about it. She wasn't in a mood to leave. So they ended up dancing again. After a point, they weren't dancing, they were just holding each other and swaying to the music. She had her arms around his neck, her head resting lightly on his chest. And his hands were somewhere between her back and waist. Every time his hands started going any south, he regretfully brought them back up. He respected her way too much to do this when she was drunk. Although he had been mad at whoever had made her intoxicated, he was happy she ended up there, in that moment with him.
"Raman" she said huskily
"Haan Ishita" he whispered
"I don't know what is happening to me, i don't feel like myself"
"Its OK Ishita. I think someone gave you something funny to drink. Must surely be Romi and one of his loafer friends. I will kick the crap out of him later"
"No Raman. not now. I mean generally"
His heart skipped a beat. He wasnt sure if he was ready to hear it. HE wasn't even sure what it was. But he did want to hear it.
"What do you mean?" he asked, with a dilemma on his mind
"I mean, you and me, why do we fight? I had a lot of misconceptions about you earlier, so in my mind I was right in hating you. But now, it doesnt seem so right. I feel guilty after fighting with you. Why is that?"
If there was ever a second chance, this was it, thought Raman. HE couldn't have asked for a better moment, a better partner for his dance.
"I dont know Ishita. I find myself agreeing with you more every day. and I hate myself for it" She laughed and pulled his left ear. Her hand lingered on his ear for sometime.
"I am serious Raman."
When she pulled his ear, he didnt feel a pinch. But the waves of exhilaration it sent across his body was something he couldn't measure. She had actually pulled his ear. She hadn't hesitated in touching him so naturally and possessively. This woman was reaching out to him.
He resigned to his fate, rested his head on top of hers and even planted a kiss somewhere in her hair, he was sure she hadn't noticed.
"Lets not fight then Ishita. I am tired. I just want to relax for the rest of my life"
"I don't know if relaxed is the word I would use, but OK we won't fight" she said.
He was overwhelmed by her affection and the wittiness she retained despite being under the influence.
"I know I will never be relaxed with my Jhansi ki Rani around, I can handle that turbulence" he said with a laugh. Then he held her face, made her look at him, and kissed her forehead.
"Raman I am feeling dizzy now" she said a few minutes later, and he knew she was gone too far to realise the kiss, or even the conversation. He didnt mind it though.
He shook her gently and said, "Hold on to me Ishita. No matter what you hear, don't open your eyes or talk. Close them as if you are sleeping. I am taking you home now" He held her firmly, and prayed she wouldn't miss a step. He slowly guided her out of the dance floor and out of the hall.
On the way, when their parents stopped them, he just said "Ishita bahut thak gayi hai, usko neend aa rahi hai. Main usko ghar leke jaa raha hoon."
"Arre Raman Puttar, Ruhi ko bhi leke jaao na, us bacchi ko bhi neend aa rahi hogi" his mother said.
Mr Bhalla spoke up, "kya kehte rehte ho aap bhi Toshiji. Raman puttar tu ja. Hum yahaan sab close karwaake aate hain, Ruhi aaj humaare saath hi so legi. Tu tension na le puttar. Tum log theek se sona, waise kal engagement ke liye jaldi bhi uthna hai. Good Night beta" Raman was glad his dad chose this moment to shut his mother up.
After an uneventful drive home, he laid her on the couch, knowing she'd be disoriented and even irritated with herself if she woke up on their bed. He took her shoes off, and placed a blanket over her, and switched off the lights. Her hand was lying out without support so he went back to tuck it in under the blanket. "Raman, aapne kiss kyon kiya ?"
"Oh, tumhein yaad hai? I am sorry I didnt mean to do that while you were not in your senses" he said sheepishly
"If you dont take advantage when I am not in my senses, then there wasnt any point in my intoxication no? I think whoever mixed my drink did have this idea" she chuckled. "But seriously Raman, Why did you kiss me?"
He was still reeling from the effects of her statement about taking advantages. He had met his match, only she could be witty when half asleep. He decided to prolong that game by teasing her
"Maine kiss kyon kiya? You practically forced me to. You seduced me" he said with a firm voice.
"Haawww" she said, her mouth making the perfect round shape even when her eyes were closed. "Maine kahaan seduce kiya? Main to bas baat kar rahi thi aapse, sach mein!"
"You dont even know your appeal, do you?" he said and kissed her again, this time on her lips.
*** So, how was it? It is a territory I havent ventured into a lot. So please give me your honest feedback. I live to learn everyday đ
P.S - those who would have preferred the next installment of the Ehsaas OS to this one tonight, please blame Isha...đ I put that on hold to write this
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
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