#1| IshRa : Meherbaan FF | Thread One - Complete. Moved to Thread Two. - Page 27

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C H A P T E R 1 2 A N J A A N A A N J A A N I

Chapter Edited by Dhara (@dsgirl)

"In the middle of the night when I'm in this dream. It's like a million little start spelling out your name." - Taylor Swift

A few girls blushed as they ran down the stairs, when asked they just shook their heads and walked ahead. When asked about from Nalini, they had just pointed towards towards the first floor and stated that she had walked away to her room.

"Voh Akka. She had worn jiju's shirt and jiju was wearing nothing but a sheet and then." one of them stuttered as she blushed beet red as she covered her face in her palms. "Vaise subah subah, jiju bilkul hot lagte hai. Aaaiiyo."

Bala, Vandita and Mihika rolled their eyes as Mihir silently prayed for Raman to be in a good mood today.

"Har baar logo ko scandalise karne ke liye ghoom te hai. Amma is right, how can these two be parents? Darwaza band toh karte. Wait, Amma did you lock Ishita's door last night. If you didn't, just to tell you, you efficiently helped your daughter and son-in-law scandalise young maidens today. Poor girls." Vandita exclaimed as she struggled not to giggle and keep a stoic face as Amma blushed.

"You'll should come to Delhi. This is nothing. Nothing. We have seen worse. And Ruhi. She ships' her parents the most. Ah. What are we going to do with them, Jiju. Yeah, what did you say? Kachcha aam hai, pak na chahiye. Aam pak bhi gaya and haath se nikal bhi liya."

Vimla aunty stared at Bala, Vandita, Mihika, Mihir as they giggled over what that poor girl had struggled to utter. She and her gang members looked at each other.

No. It wasn't even possible. How could 'that' guy do such a thing. He was a khadoos of the first kind. No one had ever seen him smile. And he had walked over and isolated himself instead of interacting with anyone. And then they were parents of a five year kid. You can't have such moment after having a five year old kid. They should know. But to contradict that, Ishita and her husband had good bodies.

"Did you see the way he held her yesterday? And then who would blame him. That girl is smart to maintain herself."

"It's just the Iyers' and their rumors."

"Wait. There was a guy in Ishita's room. And she was..." the lady didn't even bother continuing her statement as her eyes resembled saucers and hand covered her mouth.

"Ishita's husband is here?"

"I haven't seen him."

"Who was the guy who danced with her yesterday?"

"Arrey. He is Raman Kumar Bhalla. Ishita was a part of his charitable programme, she was selected to head it. He can't be her husband. I mean seriously, compare the both of them. Seerrriously."

"I think he's her husband."

"Her daughter introduced herself as Ruhi Bhalla. Obviously he's the father. "

"He isn't the only Bhalla in town."

"He's the only Bhalla in house, especially the way Ishita and her daughter were with him yesterday."

"Still don't believe you."

"Your call."

Their argument was dispersed by a poke followed by another as they spotted Ishita walk down the stairs. The chick was dressed in menswear. Men's jeans and plaid shirt to be precise. She giggled into her cellphone as she walked down the stairs. She had ended the call and then proceeded towards her cousin with whom she had laughed with. They had walked off only to come back a while later with what looked like a Western Breakfast.

Whoever said that Ishita wasn't cocooned was wrong. If the question was put forward then Ishita was cocooned even more now. She lived in her own bubble universe surrounded by her family. That could explain why she had refused to interact with anyone but her immediate family. And so did her daughter. The young kid glared at them while she selectively chose people to be nice to.

"Ishu, Bala and mere liye ek plate, please. I mean two plates here. Fast, it smells yummy. And why you wearing Raman's clothes?" Vandita almost screamed across the room as she rubbed her belly.

"What can you expect from her. She has no future. No matter how she pretends that she has one." a lady commented.

"Arrey. Nalini, why are you here? Where's your husband?"

"He had an errand to run."

The family had decided to have a get together to get familiar with each other. The waters were rough between Subbu's, Nalini's and Ishita's families and if Nitya was keen on marrying into Ishita's family it was decided that they would bring peace between the families and then proceed with the wedding. Subbu had to go to work this morning in order to attain his desired leave - he was the one who started this mess and it was only fair that he had to end it, even if it meant that he had to get up and close with the vixen.

"Bhabhi, this is sent from the kitchen for your baby. He must be hungry."

"Was Ishita present while you prepared this?"

"I didn't prepare this, she did. The stoves were occupied and Akka agreed to prepare your son's meal."

"Abhilan just had a snack. I'll feed it to him if he wants you have it." Nalini took the container as she forced a smile, sheathed proceeded to hand the container to her mother requesting her to dispose of its contents. Nalini couldn't trust Ishita - not yet. Ishita had a daughter, Nalini had given birth to a son. Another reason for Ishita to envy her. Not only had Nalini married her first love, she had also successfully kept up to the societal norms and given birth to a son - Ishita couldn't ruin their life even if she tried.

Raman descended the stairs in all his majestic glory dressed in a short sleeved check shirt with the top few buttons left open paired with white dress pants and flip flops - his hair gelled into place.

He turned heads as he walked down the stairs engrossed in his phone - flaunting his dimple. He made a face into the phone. He took a moment away from his phone and gave the ladies present there an acknowledging nod.

The members of the opposite gender - of all ages - swooned as he smirked.

"Oh. My. God. He looked at me. He looked at me. Eeek. He looked at me. Does he like me? Mom would you mind the age difference?" a girl squealed.

"He's married, you twat," a guy had hit the girl at the back of her head.

"So. So what?"

"Eat some almonds on your way back from the kitchen."

Various ladies gave Raman Bhalla their best smiles as he walked past them. He had just stiffly nodded his head. As if on cue a mischievous smile adorned his face a he walked towards Ishita. What they spoke about couldn't be heard but everything snapped the moment he leaned towards her.

"Besharmi ki hadd hai. Look at Ishita. Talking to a paraya mard. Look at the way she allows him to almost stick to her."

"Get popcorn. This commentary is going to be awesome. It's like watching a desi serial and have the audience give live comments." a teenager present there mentioned.

"Chup. You're distracting us," a lady snapped at him as she stared at the scene in sheer concentration. RKB looked so amazing. She would do him right here and now. If only her husband looked that good, the lady thought.

"Okay. Some body do me a f**k in favor and tell me her link to my husband, I mean future husband," a girl in her early twenties fumed, "Make her move before I tear her away from him."

"He's too old for you. But perfect for me," another chimed.

"And he's bloody married."

"Shut up, focus on that gumiho*, why the f**k is she sticking to him. Serving him was a chore, now why the f**k is she sitting with him. Get her away."

"What. The. Hell. Where are her hands? Can't she eat herself. Sly fox. Making him feed her. What is she trying to prove. What are those looks? That's it. She's dead." the girl in questioned clenched her fists and prepared to charge as she was caught by her fellow companion.

"You do not give your bae's horrible impression. First impressions matter the most, Jane Austen. Did you ever read the reading list handed over to you. He'll run away as soon as he sees her daughter. Raman Kumar Bhalla wouldn't want anything to do with that reject after he learns of her true nature."

Raman Kumar Bhalla had held Ishita's hand, untied her hair, and tugged her towards him as he smiled and whispered something into her ear, Ishita had grinned to that. She had placed her right arm across his neck, encircling his neck with it. She had enclosed him in her arms. He had smiled, showing off his dimples to which Ishita had grinned and placed her fingers on either side on the corners of his smile. They had looked into the cellphone and captured the moment.

Vishwanathan Iyer had married at a tender age of 20. Unusual at that time and age he had married Madhavi Iyer, a fellow Iyer who was a month older than him. Vishwanathan hadn't loved Madhavi then, he had admired the woman in her who's stood for herself and what she wanted on life. His family stood by has choice and they were soon married.

They had welcomed their first child, Vandita, five years later. Seven years after the birth of Vandita they had welcomed Matangi, uff, Ishita. She was nothing but an unrecognizable red bundle of flesh who had pouted at him, the moment she was handed over to him and in that moment Vishwanathan had fallen irrevocably in love with her. The way she squeezed her hardly open eyes, clenched and unclenched her fingers, yawned whilst showing off her miniscule gums and then her pouts followed by her falling right back to sleep. Ishita had always been the family darling.

Vishwanathan Iyer had almost lost his wife during her pregnancy with Ishita but Madhavi had been adamant on keeping the child, and so they had jointly decided to keep the child. Following her birth Ishita had been a delicate child, with her mother frequently praying for her health. Ishita was barely five when she had contacted tuberculosis - how scared had they been.

Months later Ishita returned home stronger than before. She had started talking her medicines before she was reminded to and had started taking life seriously. The months spent in the hospital had started taking their toll on her. Her carefree 'bubblyness' now replaced by a mature sense of humor - unhealthy for a child her age. Their family had been a major help in consoling a distraught Madhavi who cried over the difference in her daughters; as she cried for her younger daughter often comparing her attitude to Vandita's childishness at that age.

Ishita by then had her own sense of justice and humor - the one admired by everyone- but deep down everyone mourned for the loss of her innocence.

And then came Subbu, he had entered Ishita's life when she was nine and from that moment onwards Vishwanathan had seen his daughter change.

He had seen her smile, giggle and have fun for the first time in years.

So, being the selfish father that he was, Vishwanathan refused to pay heed to anyone and anything. He hadn't cared about their gender difference or closeness. All that mattered was that his daughter had smiled, she had lived happily. She had grinned every morning as she waited for Subbu to visit her. That little nine year girl had soom transformed into the twenty one year old maiden and Vishwanathan hadn't even noticed his daughter grow. If only he knew what awaited them.

It was as if Shakespeare was right for one, it was as if Fate and nature never really agreed. It was as if mother nature refused to walk hand in hand with the blessing Fate was bestowing upon his daughter. As Fate lulled them into sweet dreams, mother nature had shattered them in matter of seconds. The teenager who brought nothing but happiness and joy to his daughter had transformed into a young man who personified the messenger of doom, to his daughter, as he shattered every dream she had taken then pleasure of dreaming over the twelve years with him. Subramanian had plunged Ishita into a worse fate than the one he had rescued her from.

And for the first time in his lifetime Vishwanathan cursed himself. He felt responsible for his daughter's heartbreak.

And then came Ruhi - the little girl who lived next door. It wasn't Ishita's attachment to Ruhi that tugged his heart. It was the equation shared between Raman and Ruhi - the helplessness. In them, Vishwanathan saw a mirror to his past. It was Ishita and him all over again. A helpless father and his daughter who constantly forced herself to grow up. In Ruhi he saw the unshed tears that once belonged to his daughter - his beloved Ishita.

Sending Ishita over to Ruhi was something the heavens worked on. Uniting Raman, Ishita and Ruhi was the work of mortals. He couldn't bear to see another young girl unknowingly follow Ishita's footsteps. He couldn't let the little girl his daughter treasured walk down a path of hatred and self loathing. Marrying Ishita and Raman was a gamble. Uniting three souls who had lost faith in humanity wasn't something noble, but they had found themselves in each other. Raman had found companion in Ishita, Ishita had found her salvation in Ruhi and Ruhi had found undying love in her parents. Raman and Ishita, together, had rescued Ruhi. They had rescued her and safely cocooned her in their love. The Bhalla - Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear.

Vishwanathan wiped away a lone tear as he walked towards his wife and elder daughter, placing either hands on their shoulder. He watched Ishita's cousins talk to Ishita and Raman. Raman was too engrossed in his cell phone, Ishita whined at what was asked for and Raman had uttered something that caused Ishita to be shell shocked at his statement. Raman had raised an eyebrow, and right on cue the interlude to Hey Shona' played. Raman was handed an electric guitar, he had taken a seat on the nearest high chair and played the tune. He sang the first verse, not once daring to look away from his guitar. Ishita had accompanied him with the second verse. She had bent down and looked into his eyes, smirking at him she had placing her forefinger on his chin she had raised his head up - all whilst looking into his eyes. She had given him her classic lo-bhugto look. Raman had laughed and continued with the next line.

"Tum toh ghussa karo, mujhe woh pyaar lagta hai, jaane kyun, [You anger seems like love to me, I don't even know why,]"

Followed by Ishita's, "Main toh jo bhi karo tumhe woh ikrar lagta hai, jaane kyun, [All my actions are confessions of love to you, I don't even know why,]"

Vishwanathan shook his head, trust them to argue to feign arguments over silly things. Something had changed over the months, they had changed. They were healing each other.

"Saari duniya ko chhod ke maine chaha hai, ek tumhe, [I've left the world behind, and all I desire is you,] "

"Maine zindagi se manga hai sirf manga hai ik tumhe, [All I ever asked from life is just you,]"

"Sirf issi chah mein, sirf issi rah mein, zindagi bhar mere, tum ho na. Hey Shona, hey Shona, [In this desire, in this path, in this lifetime it's just you. My darling, oh, my darling,]"

Vishwanathan had no regrets now, his daughter was happy with her family. Family, Vishwanathan mused. How ironic was the fact that the reason their own community had shunned his daughter, heck, it wasn't even the reason - they had doubted her character. A stranger had given his daughter so much more, and he hadn't even asked for a medical or character certificate. Raman Kumar Bhalla, the egoistic alpha male, how he never ceased to surprise everyone close to him. Ishita's Raman, Vishwanathan mused. Ishita's Raman.

"Tum hi har pal mein, tum aaj mein, tum kal mein, [It's just you in every moment, it's you today and you in my future,]"