"Madrasan has left as if marriage is tomorrow. Pagal !"Raman muttered to himself as he looked from his Mac Book to the couch which no longer seemed appealing.
He gave up on his work to distract his thoughts which were roaming around Ishita and the vacuum which was just created due to her absence in their very room. Cursing again the customs and the stretch of wedding, he moved to the window sill trying to catch some peace without her. "Huh ! Took Ruhi also, she will surely make her a part of Madrasi clan." He mumbled hoping to just answer his heart's unsaid emotions but this fight between mind and heart came to rest with a car's honk taking Raman's attention.
"Thank you so much Jiju. You are the best." Mihika screamed from inside the car as Bala opened the door for ladies to come out.
"Bala that is so sweet of you." Vandu too joined in while Ishita adjusted sleeping Ruhi in her arms.
"Arre my two beautiful saali's requested for an ice cream treat, how could I deny ?" Bala said as Mihika gave him a sude hug.
"Vandu Akka see Bala jiju still prefer us." Ishita said patting Ruhi's back gently.
"Ok, enough haan. I know how much you three love this topic but we should get going."
"Jealous haan, Akka?" Ishita pipped in while Bala smiled on glory.
"Oh please..You have your Raman Kumar, so I need not to be jealous."
Before Mihika could add something, Bala intervened "Enough ladies, I know you all love me but tomorrow we all need to get up early so better catch your beauty sleep." Bala said and all nodded.
Bala bid goodbye after hugging Vandu "Take care of Shravu."
Vandu said as the car went away.
"Chalo lets go before Periamma freaks out to see us coming this late." Mihika said
"Mihiku take Ruhi along with you, I will come in a minute."
"What are you gonna do here Ishu?" Vandu asked perplexed
"Arre I have some follow up reports of patients which I have to mail to Sarika."
"You can do this upstairs also."
"Akka please. I want to sit here for sometime and along with that, I will finish my work."
"Ok. But come soon."
Ishita handed Ruhi carefully to Mihika and sat on the bench as her sisters went upstairs.
"Have your insanity level reached a new level?"
Ishita smiled as that voice reached her ears. She turned her face to look at Raman standing on the pavement.
"What happened now ?"
"Exactly ! Nothing happened. Just a mad woman who likes to sit on bench at midnight."
"I can ask the same thing." She raised her eyebrows at him and he settled next to her . "I saw you sitting here, so thought of giving you some piece of mind."
Ishita smiled at his honest confession while he juggled with his phone.
"So, hows your madrasi clan? How can you guys not playing that irritating music?" He mocked while Ishita shook her head "You love this topic, right? And the music is not irritating, you just understand people howling."
"Oh my God Ishita. Yours dialogues improved." Raman covered his face in shock
"Over-acting." She rolled her eyes at him.
"Hows Ruhi ? I didn't meet her the entire day."
"She is fine. Actually Ruhi waited for you but I guess you were busy."
"Yes. There were so many meeting lined up and with Mihir's absence I have to handle everything."
"Hmm..Dont worry Ruhi will comeback tomorrow to you. "
"And you?" Whether it was slip of tongue or his heart took leap of faith, he blurted them out. Ishita looked at him in surprise while he was too shocked with himself "I mean..Ah..Ruhi cant sleep without you. So, I was askin-" he fumbled with words and Ishita downcasted her eyes "I will come day after tomorrow, after Mihir Mihika's wedding." She spoke cutting down the embarrassment Raman was doing through. He smiled at her, "Ishita I need to talk to you." She diverted her attention to him from her ring "I am sorry" and her expressions changed "for hiding that Shagun is Mihir's sister."
"Its ok Raman. I am glad that everyone knows about it and atleast Mihika is at peace now."
Raman stared at her, he was not surprised that she didn't react in hyper mode because that's how Ishita dealt with Raman. She would demand to know the truth, infact even adorn Jasoos role to dig out the truth but when it is out she will calmly recede back into her zone, no questions and no explanations.
"Ishita, I know should have told you and its nothing like I don't trust you. Mihir was not ready for this to be out, so -"
"Raman I am fine, you don't need to give me explanations." Ishita said sounding calm but he couldn't miss out the disappointment in her voice or lack of spark in her eyes which was there some moments ago.
"I do Ishita. You being a integral part of my life needs to know the reason." And Ishita's eye locked with his, she could witness the sincerity and he could trace the whirlwind of emotions in hers.
"Raman I have already hurt you before by bringing Shagun home that night, I don't want to rub any salt on your wounds." Ishita looked down and a lone tear escaped her eyes. That night was unforgettable for Ishita, she couldn't erase the image broken Raman from her heart and she couldn't help but curse herself for making him recall his bitter past.
"Ishita.." Raman spoke slowly and held her shoulders, turning her towards him "Why are you saying so Ishita? You can never do that. How can you even think of that?"
"I saw you in pain Raman, that pain I haven't seen ever and I cant forgive myself for doing that to you." Her eyes glistened with tears and he felt helpless for putting her through all this
"Ishita that's true I was mad at you, but ..but " Raman didn't know what to say. He was at loss of words to comfort her, Ishita looked at him and her heart was in fist to again witness him in dilemma. "I should leave Raman, its late." Ishita got up with tears rolling down her eyes when a tug on her hand made her stop. She turned and saw Raman holding her hand while his head hung low "Me and Shagun had an arrange marriage" he quietly said and Ishita reluctantly sat with her hand still in his grip "I fell in love with her the moment I saw her, she smiled and it brightened up the day for me." Raman smiled in pain while Ishita just stared at him with every word acting as a sword "We got married. I didn't understand why she agreed for that relation because she was way too beautiful for me. I promised to love her like no one has ever loved anyone and I did. We were happy initially, smiling through even in crisis time but then suddenly changed for good or bad, I dont know. I got a new job with respectable pay and same time Adi came to our lifes, what else I could have wished for. Beautiful it was to be with him." Raman stretched his legs and rested his back against the bench "Shagun started getting irritated with little things, everyday I used to witness fights at home but still stood by Shagun, I thought she could never be wrong. Papa started avoiding us and even Ma stopped asking Shagun for any ritual, my house was broken yet my love for her kept me blinded. Then Ashok came and I cant pinpoint the moment when Shagun was away from me. I was so foolish to allow Shagun to dance with Ashok in front of my eyes. They laughed while I kept staring at Shagun, thinking that her happiness matters the most. Ruhi was not planned, Shagun never wanted her but I longed for my second child when I got the news. Shagun left when Ruhi was six months old and rest is history." Ishita's hand felt numb in his grip but she couldnt feel anything that time. She kept looking at Raman, who wiped his tears before the threatened to fall and looked at Ishita.
"I should have told you this before, I cant expect you to understand everything when you are still in dark about my past." Ishita blinked her tears
"Raman..I .." her vocals gave up yet she gulped
"Its ok Ishita, we have come along this far that we can pour our heart to one another. And honestly, I am not sad about my past I am not. Back then, I couldn't even imagine myself telling this much to self and today I said it to you."
"I am sorry Raman. I didnt realize I was scratching those memories."
"There are no memories left Ishita. Our kids is my memory and Our life ahead is going to make beautiful memories to cherish for life." Tears flowed from her eyes and Raman let go of her hand , and gently wiped them away "We will make those memories." Ishita said and Raman smiled.
"Yes. Even if it means eating that terrible Punjabi food you make." Raman joked
"Food is not that bad." Ishita complained, wiping off the left over tears.
"Ask those who eat it."
"Kuch bhi.." Ishita said finally giving up and laughing with him
"Chalo, we should go now. You only have three hours to take your beauty sleep, take it otherwise everyone will run away from puja."
Both got up and moved upstairs like nothing happened but with her hands intertwined with each other.
"Ishita ?"
"Haan?" Ishita said as she turned towards Iyers.
"You saw me standing at the window ?" Raman asked opening the door to Bhalla's.
"Goodnight Raman." Ishita smiled broadly and went inside while Raman slapped his head before moving inside.
Hope You All Enjoyed it
Ruchi
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
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