Part 4
Raman is sitting in his cabin, tapping the pen in his hand on the table with one hand while his other hand is holding a file. He seems to be lost in his thoughts- the thoughts of Ishita that have been haunting him since past few days now!
Everything in his life and people around has been the same yet everything seemed to be new for him now suddenly.
His wife had been the same ever since he first met her- the same innocence, the same lectures, the same caring person who stands up for herself and for her loved ones.
Yet, there was now a change in the way he looks at her, the way he pays attention to her every word now, the way he smiles when she pouts cutely on him teasing her with his one-liners,the way she takes care of his every need from taking out his clothes in the morning to waiting late nights for him to return home, the way he now can't stay away from her lectures and the way her fresh body scent affects him whenever she comes near him.
He tries hard to get her thoughts out of his mind but the more he tries to avoid, the more her thoughts run through his mind.
He tries to avoid being close to her fearing that he may lose her if he crossed his limits of being a friend to her as they have decided to be.
If he cannot be her love, he can atleast spend the rest of his life being her friend which seemed a better option than just being Ruhi's parents with the tag line "sirf ruhi ke liye! "
On the other hand, ishita had been unaware of his inner conflicts about his feelings for her. She is unable to understand why these days raman is behaving weirdly and seems to be avoiding interacting with her unless they needed to talk something important.
She felt little hurt when she assumed that probably she's trying to be too close to raman and he may not be liking it as she's just Ruhi's mother for him.
Meanwhile, in the cabin, mihir enters to inform raman about the meeting they need to attend now, but raman was still thinking of ishita and didn't hear nor see mihir in his cabin.
Mihir realises this and taps on his shoulder snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Bhai, kya soch rahe ho itni der se? Meeting ke liye der ho rahe hain!"
"Wo...main...kuch nahi... tu chal, main aa raha hu."
Mihir notices Raman's laptop wallpaper which has a smiling picture of Ishita hugging Ruhi.
Mihir smiles saying "bhai, kya baat hai, bhabhi ki photo aapke laptop me! Achi pic hai!"
Raman fakes his anger by replying "andha hai? Teri bhabhi ke saath meri ruhi bhi hai uss photo me...dikhayi nahi deta kya?" As he shuts the laptop and gets up from his chair.
He tries to reason "Wo ruhi chahti thi isliye lagaya wo wallpaper. Mujhe koi shauk nahi hai!"
Mihir hides his laugh seeing Raman's fake anger saying "haan to aap mujhe kyun reason de rahe hai? Maine to kuch poocha hi nahi bhai!"
Raman realises it and says "haan toh? Aur meeting ke liye ab late nahi ho raha tumhe? Kabse bakwas kar rahe ho yaha khade hoke!" He walks off to the meeting followed by a smiling Mihir.
In the evening, Raman returns home to not find Ishita anywhere. He asks Ruhi who informs him that she's at Iyers house.
Raman freshens up and goes to Iyers house only to be welcomed by the sad faces of everyone.
Mr.Iyer gathers courage and makes Raman sit beside him as he explains Subbu is shifting back to delhi as he started a new buisiness and he's coming to stay at the Iyers for 15days till he finds a home to buy.
Raman is shocked to hear this.
Bala adds "subbu was to stay with us but since we are renovating our home for our to be born baby, we cannot keep him at our place and so our mom told amma to keep him with them here(at iyers)"
Raman doesn't understand how to react at this news. Bala could understand Raman's plight as he knows how subbu's presence may affect ishita and raman's relationship but he is helpless as it was his mom's order that subbu should stay at iyers till he find a house and not stay in any hotel.
Mrs.Iyer was against to keep subbu at their home but since subbu is part of their family being Bala's brother, she reluctantly agreed after Mr.Iyer convinced her.
Raman understands their awkwardness and the situation. He asks for ishita and is informed that she's in her room inside.
Raman walks upto her room slowly. His steps come to a hault at the door entrance when he sees a sobbing Ishita while Vandu and Mihika try to give her strength.
He overhears Ishita telling Vandu "Kaise!...I ...I dont know akka! Subbu se main khud se bhi zyaada pyaar karti thi. Apne aap se bhi zyada vishwaas karti thi. How can I forget all those lovely memories with him."
Vandu tells "ishu, I know ye sab asaan nahi hai tumhare liye. We know how much you loved subbu."
Raman's eyes are moist with tears seeing ishita's pain. He leaves from there not able to hear Subbu's name from her mouth and he was sad that she still can't forget him, he still affects her so much so that she cried for him today.
As Raman leaves, Ishita replies to her sisters " It's true that I loved him and had some beautiful memories with him, but it's also true that the painful memories that he gave me have blurred those sweet memories. And now, Subbu is nowhere in my life. My life is Raman and Ruhi now and will be forever till my last breath!"
Mihika gets angry on subbu and his mom as she speaks to ishita and vandu "ye aunty ko bhi sirf jale pe namak chidakna aata hai! Wo jaanti hai ki ishu akka ko hurt hoga subbu ke yahan rehne se, phir bhi periamma ko bola ki subbu ko humare saath rakhe! Disgusting!"
Vandu says "I know! Aur trust me, Bala ne bahut samjhaya tha mummyji ko fir bhi wo nahi maani. Infact subbu bhi hotel jaane ki baat jar raha tha par unki wajah se usse manna padha yahan rehne ke liye!"
Ishita takes a deep breath and says "its ok na akka! Aakhir subbu bhi iss family ka part hai. Main manage kar loongi. Aap log meri chinta mat karo."
Ishita returns to their room after sometime to see a silent Raman sitting on the bed with his laptop.
She is tensed thinking how to tell him about subbu's arrival at her home.
She goes near him and sits. He notices her but pretends to avoid her knowing that she'll speak about subbu and he won't be able to bear hearing his name from her mouth.
She tries to initiate conversation with him but he pretends to be uninterested in her talks. Finally she gets irritated and closes his laptop saying "aap meri baat sunoge bhi?"
Raman gets angry saying "dikhta nahi ki main kaam kar raha hu? Tumhari tarah daant ukhadke ghar aake araam nahi karta hu! Kal presentation hai mera. Dont disturb me!"
Ishita feels hurt by his words. She tells him angrily "aapko jo karna hai karo! Main sirf ye bolne aayi thi ki subbu amma ke yahan 15 ke liye aa raha hai."
Raman pretended to be calm as he said "jaanta hu. Toh?" While it was killing him inside.
Ishita was perplexed that it doesn't matter to him if subbu comes to stay at her mother's place knowing very well about how he had hurt her.
She misunderstands raman thinking he doesn't have any feelings for her or he would have been affected by Subbu's return.
She angrily said "to kuch nahi. Aap karo apna kaam. Main to bekar hi soch rahi thi ki aapko shayad acha na lage subbu ka aana...par acha hai ki aapko farak nahi padta ki subbu mere saamne aaye ya mujhse baat kare...!"
Raman's fears were coming true. He had to hear what he never wanted to- his wife taking her ex lover's name and worse than that, his presence in their lives!
He walks away from the room fearing she might read his mind and know the pain in his heart.
Edited by ishra4ever - 11 years ago
CID
9