Chapter 1 - In The Shadows
Nothin' goes as planned.
Everything will break.
People say goodbye.
In their own special way.
All that you rely on
And all that you can fake
Will leave you in the morning
But find you in the day
- In My Veins, Andrew Belle
He watches her from the corner of his eye as she paces nervously back and forth.
Her excitement, nervousness and impatience evident in the spring of her step, the way she wrings her hands even though she appears her usual calm and composed self. Anyone looking her way would possibly have no idea of the butterflies in her stomach; but he knows, he can see through her.
She appears cheerful, happy in just the right measures to anyone else and considering the occasion he knows those feelings are genuine, she cannot lie or deceive to save her life. For all that she is and could be, there is one thing about this woman he knows through and through - the goodness of her heart which is as real as it gets.
Anyone else in her place might feel jealous, angry and envious but not her, not Ishita; she does not have a single rotten bone in her body.
He sees how she takes care of her parents and his; how she makes sure everyone is comfortable. Should anyone be in need of anything she is there in an instant to give a helping hand. His mother' knee is acting up again and when she needs to have water or something to eat Ishita is there with a smile on her face and that ever-lasting patience of hers. Even when she wanted to go to the washroom she had held his mother' hand and accompanied her without a second' delay.
She is tired; it is evident in the hunch of her shoulders, in the way she leans against a wall for seconds on end to get some rest. However, her excitement and joy provide her the adrenaline that wards off against all and any fatigue.
She is happy, genuinely so he can see that on her face. It amazes him as much as it confounds him - her happiness.
There is something very different about her, she is the same woman on the surface, the Ishita he has always known but there is a change, a remarkable difference that is evident to his eyes within her.
Her smiles and her eyes, the way she has always looked after everyone, has always been a giving, caring and loving woman are the same BUT he cannot help but feel there is something different about her, he can tell that but cannot put a finger on it. He can feel the difference but cannot comprehend what it is, cannot understand what has him restless and so confused all at the same time.
He finally sees his chance, an opening to talk to her - one that he had been looking ever since he found himself restless within minutes of his arrival. It has been hours since they have been here but with their families around, he has not had a chance to speak to her privately.
She had all but turned the corner at the corridor her phone in hand, when the elevator doors had opened and Mihika called out to her making Ishita turn around.
"Akka, Akka wait sorry we got late stupid Delhi traffic I tell you... we aren't too late though are we? Oh god I hope we haven't missed it have we?"
Mihika as is and has always been her norm has barely stepped out of the elevator and is already talking a dime to a dozen, which makes him smile. The girl could talk the ears off a deaf man; he had always known that, sometimes it had made him wonder how she shared her genes with Ishita.
"No, you haven't missed anything the baby hasn't made an appearance yet."
"Oh thank god, I would have hated Mihir for the rest of our lives if I had missed the birth of our niece or nephew."
"Hate me? What did I do? It is not as if I control the traffic in Delhi Mihika, bhabhi make this crazy sister of yours understand something please could you?"
"Mihir, relax and Mihika why are you blaming him?"
"I am blaming him because it was his brilliant idea to come and pick me up from my office when I could have very well arrived by a cab or a rickshaw but NO, Mr. Arora had set off in his royal ride to pick me up and of course I had to wait for him."
"Mihir is only looking after you Miku, you know the doctors advised him that. You know how worried he was when we got the call you fainted in your office?"
"Akka it was only stress and work load, which I don't have every day."
"And also you happen to be anemic. So my vote goes to Mihir."
"This is unfair Akka, ever since you have tied this idiot a rakhi you favor him more than you usually do, which is always more than you favor me."
"It's not like that Mihika."
"It is, he is your rakhi brother and your brother-in-law twice over now. And you obviously are partial to him now."
"You smell that bhabhi? Somebody is burning so badly in jealousy." Mihir pipes in almost in a singsong manner and gets whacked by Mihika on his arm the next instant.
"Shut up also what reason would I have to be jealous about huh? If you have your bhabhi I have my jiju to support me."
He notices then, Ishita exchanging smiles with a man who had stood silently throughout the exchange. He had noticed him exit the lift behind Mihika but had not paid him any heed as he had eyes only for Ishita. Mihika then casually took a step back and put her arm through the man' and raised her eyebrows.
"Right Raman jiju, you are on my side aren't you?"
"Hmmm... I have known Mihir for longer than I have known you Mihika, but you know what you are right. These days he is on team Ishita bhabhi/didi, so we definitely should gang up. Two against two, I am all for fairness in my life."
The smiles exchanged between the couple should have been his first clue regarding who the man was, his identity but hearing Mihika address him as Raman jiju finally kicked his brain into action and he learned he was finally in the presence of his ex' husband and pretty soon they would make their first interaction. He wonders what that would be like, should he go over and introduce himself - would it be the right thing to do if so should he do it soon or should he wait for some opportune moment.
He is wondering how life came to this - how is it that today he is standing at the periphery of things when such a momentous day is making its place in his family as his brother is about to become a father for the second time any moment now. He remembers eight years ago when things were much the same and he was the one who had stood with Ishita hand in hand outside the labor room just like tonight and they had celebrated the birth of their nephew Shravan.
How times have changed, they are back today in much a similar place but as different people, in different places.
He is lost in the memories of the time past when suddenly the noise of the cheers erupting bring him back to reality and he can't decide for the life of him whether the Tamilians were louder or the Punjabis.
He makes out from the commotion that he has just became uncle to a baby girl with the congratulations going around especially as he watches Ishita' loud and boisterous mother -in-law hug Amma as she congratulates her on the birth of her granddaughter.
It occurs to him he should join in and be a part of the celebrations as he decides to move towards his parents and congratulate them.
His feet however come to a halt as he beholds the sight before him that has the wind knocked out of him as he watches Ishita throw her arms around her husband who hugs her back just as tightly, the smiles and the happiness evident on their faces.
Everyone but him lost in the moment of celebration.
Edited by EkPaheli - 10 years ago
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