IshRa FF : MY BELOVED.... PART 6 : pg 21 7th Dec - Page 13

Ishita : Mihika "We Care" hospital has so many branches all over India and abroad na. If you try n talk to the HR people and get me a transfer somewhere..I ll be saved!!

Mihika : wat akka? U r leaving Delhi?

Ishita : Ofcourse! If that means I dn have to see that man's face every morning. Please Mihika..akka ke liye itna to kro na baba..

Mihika : ok FINE! I will talk to the Management and tell you later.

Ishita hugged her happily, "Thank u Thank u sooo much..."

Ishita : And promise me you are not going to breath this to any other soul until everything is done!!

Mihika hesitated, "promise"

Ishita : umm..Kadavul mele satyam..(God promise) illa akka mele (no..Ishu promise)

Mihika: unga mele satyam akka.. ( Promise on u) I won't tell this to anyone.

Next morning Ishita was busy cooking food for her while Raman was reading newspaper in the living room.

Ishu's phone rang.

Mihika(on the other end) : akka, I have talked to Ashok sir. See they have many branches and they r even planning to open separate dental clinics.

Ishita : wow!! That's good news.

Mihika : lekin it wont happen soon. As of now other than Delhi, dental care units are only available in Chennai, Middle East and Australia.

It was then Raman noticed Ishita staring at him and her tone shifting to a taunt. He looked up from the newspaper and concentrated on the conversation.

Ishita : Chennai , Australia kya..Middle East even Somalia I'm ok with it. I just need to get out of this place Mihika!!

Raman twitched his mouth mocking her and shook his head in agreement equally relieved that she will be over and out.

Ishita saw him and narrowed her eye-brows.

Mihika was still talking to her, " ok akka. I will figure out and let you know. It will take some time. May be a few months.

Ishita : Just make sure its done asap!!

Mihika : yes. I will.

And that was it. The remaining four days of the week went in a similar way with Raman and Ishita leaving no opportunity to display their dislike towards each other. They couldn't even share the same lift. If Raman took the lift first, Ishu would opt for the stairs and vice versa. Only difference when Ishita was in the lift Raman would make sure he switched the supply off just so that Madrasan may use the stairs and atleast lose some weight. Ishu too loved it when he was distressed. She woke him up every morning by her coconut grinding sounds. The TV issue was sorted as she hid the set-top box connecting wires before opening the door for him leaving him devoid of his sports channel. Anywayz he would be so drunk that he passed out in no time. Every time they were together in the same room each wanted to strangle the other. They lived like they were two people sharing the same room. Nothing more..or may be more like two roomies who hate each other to the moon and back!!

And then came the weekends. By mutual agreement, it was decided that Ishita would reach straight from the hospital in her car and Raman in his. When two people can't share a lift how come they share the same car!! By the time Raman reached Bhalla house he heard a different voice than the normal ones. There was a different lady whom he recognized having the same features as his wife smiling and chatting with everyone so happily as if she is the nicest person on the planet.

Raman murmured, "ye Jhansi Ki Rani aj Kabhi khushi mode me he.. dekho to isey. Itna naatak krti he ki TV serial wale issey ideas maangne a jayenge ab"

Raman went straight to his room and kept himself busy with work. Ishita helped Toshiji, enquired about Simmi who left for Dubai, helped Rinky select clothes for her college function, gave a premium family card to Mr. Bhalla for complete check-up once in a year, gave her special filter coffee to Romi as he was studying for exams. Everyone was happy and already considered her family.

In fact Toshiji on dinner even asked Raman to think about shifting to Bhalla house which was ofcourse greeted by Raman with a reply, "kyu apko roz ye saas-bahu drama khelne ka shauq he?"

Ishu got one more reason to think ill about this man who talked so rudely to his own mother!!

And Raman got one more reason to hate this two-faced woman who acted just to please everyone else. In the night Ishu made the rightful excuse and escaped to her house which was next to the Bhalla house. For once they were both happy after the marriage, one peaceful night' you see!!

Next morning both got ready and left in their own cars again with the excuse of work. To everyone they looked like a perfectly normal urban couple except Mihika. She had a promise to keep and she honestly tried her best to help akka in the transfer. But how could she let pass the fact that her sister's life was not a happily ever after, after all.

It was this thought that made her call Mihir Arora and ask him to meet her in the coffee shop early morning. Well strictly "the issue" nothing else stressed Mihika. She didn't understand why a guy like Mihir so simple and sweet made her nervous whenever she met him. It was all fine till that day she clearly remembered when she was clearly upset about some fight in the family. It was regarding her akka's marriage. Yet another broken alliance and there was a row between Bala jiju and akka. Mihika only tried to calm them down and instead Ishu almost shouted on her. She was feeling all drained up and alone and she went out for a walk in the park. And then this guy Mihir walked upto her with a casual yet earnest smile and sat next to her. She didn't tell him, exactly what was wrong but Mihir could guess it from her face that she was upset. Without asking for any explanation or imparting any advice he simply talked about a thousand other things and took her mind off the bitter fight. When she returned that day, her mind wanted to feel that way the rest of her life and at that exact moment she first thought of what it would be to have a life partner like Mihir.

Mihika was startled as Mihir's voice shook her suddenly, "Mihika..kaha khoyi hui ho??"

Mihika blushed and was surprised that she was actually blushing.

Mihika : kuch nhi me to bas yuhi soch rhi thi..

Mihir grinned, "mere barey me.."

She glared at him. How dare he read her mind. Mihir was afraid if he had offended her and quickly changed the topic, " I know if you the-all- time-busy-girl wants to have a chat it has to be something definitely important."

Mihika glad enough that he himself dropped the subject came straight to the point, "Mihir mujhe akka aur jiju ki fiqar ho rhi he"

Mihir : ab kya ho gaya unhe?

Mihika so much wanted to tell Mihir that akka had applied for a transfer but a promise is a promise and she couldn't break it. Aloud she said, "Mihir I think you should talk to jiju for once and ask him to sort himself out. I will do the same with akka na.."

Mihir considered this. He could go and ask bhai to sort himself and his dear Raman bhai would beat him black and blue. He shuddered inwardly at the thought but he would never tell Mihika the truth.

Mihir : ofcourse..Mihika me koshish zarur karunga bhai se baat krne ki..

Mihika : Mihir koshish nhi..U have to talk!!

Mihir : acha baba..baat karunga pakka..

That night Ishita was sleeping peacefully as it turned out that Raavan Kumar was not bothering to come home even by midnight. Relieved she plunged into bed and was on the verge of sleeping when he heard the knock on the door. By now Ishita could easily judge how much drunk her husband was by the way he knocked at the door. The bell meant he was sober which was rare or she never saw that, steady knock meant he wasn't yet knocked out. Well tonight it was a near-to-passing-out knock. She chose to ignore the door and went to sleep peacefully for one more night. After all why bother and let in an insane person who was going to switch on the TV at high volumes and disturb her sleep. Apparently Raman bought new cables for set-top box so there was no point hiding them. Raman kept on knocking at the door and shouting and even kicking the door.

All Ishita heard was a faint sound somewhere far may be in some other planet shouting, "oo madam...darwaza kholo..arey Madrasan kamre me kabza ab ghar me bhi kabza..ye tumhare appa ka ghar nhi he..samjhi..Ye Raman Kumar Bhalla ka apart..ment..he. Abhi me andar aya na..to.."

Ishita shrugged in her sleep and the knock at the door fainted slowly.

Next morning, Ishita took her bath and opened the door to get the newspaper. As she bend down and took the newspaper she realised that a crowd was gathered at her doorstep who looked like they wanted to strangle her with their eyes. What had gone wrong wondered Ishita. But next moment, she knew it. Standing with his back rested on the wall stood her husband Raman ..err ..Raavan Kumar..who was giving it back to her for closing the door the previous night. He was touching his forehead probably suppressing a raging hangover and indicated the crowd to address their grievances to her as if she is the mayor waiting to solve all their problems. Before she could react Raman went inside and closed the bedroom door. The people started talking and Ishita struggled to make out what they said. It was as if they were all mumbling a hundreds of things at the same time or they were doing it actually. Finally the one middle-aged pot-bellied man stepped forward. Ishita recognised him as Mr. Bhattacharya the secretary of their apartment.

Ishita said in pleading tones, "Mr. Bhattacharya hua kya he? Ap please andar ayiye and lets talk peacefully"

Bhattacharya addressed the crowd in a rather animated way, "suna apne..everyone will have their chance. So lets get inside and talk peacefully."

The next one hour Ishita sat like a stone as each and every member of the apartment registered their complaint against her husband. Some particularly outraging ones kept ringing in her ears for a longer period than necessary like the bald old man who complained, "bolta he apka playground to khaali he..me cricket match khelu!!"

Hemant singh was agitated as he spoke "meri biwi se kehta humare yeha nal me agar pani nhi aya to wo help karega!! Indecent person!!"

Bhattacharya himself wailed about Raman throwing up at his doorstep and finding empty bottles at his doorstep every morning.

Karishma the young hot NRI wife who stayed in the ground floor, "When I asked him about the nuisance he was creating to pata he kya kaha shaadi ke baad me honeymoon pe hi nhi gaya..kya tum aogi mere saath! Cheapo.."

And the building security who waited patiently now vented out his anger on Ishita ofcourse, " kehte he tu yeha night duty kr rha he saale tere ghar me kaun duty pe he!! Kaise admi he ye.."

There were more complaints..not only about this night but about the fuss that he made every night after getting plastered. Ishita was numb. She was born and brought up in a family where no one ever got drunk. Ok may be a peg or two once in a while but still sober. This was atrocious and she didn't know how to reply. She covered her face with her palms and sat still.

Finally Mr. Bhattacharya concluded, "dekhiye Mrs. Bhalla apke husband ko jo bhi krna he is ghar ke andar kre warna hume milke decide krna padega ki apke khilaaf koi action liya jaye. Isliye apne pati ko zara sambhaal lijiye.."

When everyone left, the labrador from Mr. Parera's house barged into the apartment. It looked at Ishu for a minute and then barked looking in the direction of the closed bedroom door. By now Ishita didn't need Tamil, Punjabi or English to understand that it was another complaint against Raavan Kumar!

As silence was restored after all that tsunami Raman opened the door coolly all sober and dressed up and left for office without a second glance at her as if nothing ever happened.

Ishita sat there murmuring, "ruthless, shameless man..vekkam kettavan.. koi culture hi nhi he..na hi ettiquettes..How can he be a CEO!! Zarura paise khilata hoga..."

And then she burst into tears. It was all that she could bear..a life of rejection..a lifeof humiliation...and a life which she didn't want in the first place.

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PRECAP : A longgg night ahead... 😊

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PS : I'm in the middle of shifting my current job. So will be a bit busy. Hence next update will take time 😳