Hey guys, on popular demand, here is an Ishra moment. 😆 😆
Part 5
Raman & Ishita
It was after 3.00am.Raman waited outside the Iyer apartment while Mihika tried her keys in the door.
"Jiju, yeh Shagun kaise Ashok se Shaadi karna chahti hai? When she knows that he doesn't want to marry her, that he doesn't love her. Usko koi self respect nahi hai, Jiju, how can she?"
Raman smiled wryly and shook his head.
"Shagun aisi hi hai Mihika, uske liye fikr karna bekaar hai. Now go inside and go to bed. Ishita must be waiting for me. Goodnight."
He stepped into his darkened apartment and locking the door, waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness before slotting his keys into the key holder and hurrying up the stairs.
The door to Ishita and his bedroom was slightly ajar and a soft glow from the bedside lamp was visible. All other rooms were in darkness and there was a pin drop silence in the sultry early morning calm.
Raman slowly pushed the door open then stood transfixed at the sight that greeted him.
Ishita was sitting on their bed, leaning against the headboard. Her eyes were closed and her hands crossed in her lap, her engagement ring glittering against the deep red of her kurta, her legs encased in black tights folded underneath her.
He stood for a long moment in the doorway, his thirsty eyes finally sated by the sight of her, his lips curving into a soft smile.
He walked into the room closing the door softly behind him. His night clothes had been set out on the sofa, but he saw with satisfaction that there was no duvet on it. The sofa was going to be used only for sitting now, now that his wife had accepted her place in his bed.
He sat on the sofa to take off his shoes, then shrugged off his jacket, shirt, and trousers before making his way into the ensuite bathroom.
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Ishita's woke up with a start. She unfolded her legs and stretched them in front of her as she stifled a yawn with her hand.
"What is the time?" she wondered, looking over to the bedside clock. "3.30am. Raman abhi tak..."
Her thoughts were arrested by muted sounds of running water coming from the ensuite bathroom. She stood up slowly and was greeted by the sight of Raman's shoes and clothes on and by the sofa.
Her heart started to beat faster. Raman. He was home. She ran towards the bathroom and then stopped shyly.
"What are you doing, Ishita" she chided herself. "You can't barge into the bathroom. Abhi aayega woh bahaar, fir baat karlena usse."
She forced herself to turn around and sat back down on the bed, smoothing her hair to make it look presentable, patting off the sudden beads of perspiration that glistened on her face.
"Itni nervous kyun ho Ishita?" She asked herself. "Raman hi toh hai."
But she knew why she was nervous. Their love making earlier that evening had irrevocably changed the equation between them. Throughout the night past, even as she worried about Shagun, about Adi's future, about the implications for her, for their family, her thoughts had kept going back to their intimate moments. It had all been so hurried, and while it had deeply satisfied her yet it left her wanting more. She had finally known what it was like to be loved, to be desired, to be wanted by her husband. The way he had held onto her hand afterwards, the fire that blazed in his eyes when he had looked at her told her that he had been equally as affected by her, by their encounter.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she did not hear the door to the bathroom opening.
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He opened the door slowly, not wanting to disturb her, but then stood arrested as he saw her sitting on the bed, her feet dangling, her hands nervously picking at each other.
She looked up at that instant and their eyes met.
He was dressed only in a towel tied carelessly around his waist. His hair was slicked back and droplets of water glistened on his skin.
She stood up as he approached her.
"Raman" she whispered."Kya hua, sab theek toh hai na, Adi theek hai..."
He stopped in front of her and took her hands in his, bringing them to his lips.
"Thank you Ishita" he said huskily. "You stayed up for me"
Ishita could feel her senses reeling as his lips grazed her hands. His hands held firmly onto hers, his fingers now entwining with hers as he gazed into her wide brown eyes.
"Of course I stayed up Raman. Raman, sab kuch theek hai? Adi?"
"Adi is fine Ishita" he assured her, his gaze shifting to her pouting lips. "I'm sorry I couldn't come back sooner, baatein karni thi aur Shagun apna waqt le rahi thi"
Shagun. A small sliver of dread slithered inside Ishita's heart. She was confident that Raman would never endanger their relationship for Shagun, but Adi was involved too, and Mummyji's warning still rang in her ears.
"Toh kya decide kiya aapne, Adi ke liye? Sha...Shagun ke liye?"
Raman could see the sudden uncertainty and dread that had entered into his wife's eyes. He realised with a pang that she must have been feeling uncertain about her own position now that Shagun was free once again, now that Ashok had dumped her.
He removed one hand from hers and flicked her chin, raising her face up to his. His eyes gleamed with love as he brought his lips down on hers, kissing her swiftly but firmly.
"Itni nervous kyun ho Ishita?" He asked her when he had released her mouth, noting with satisfaction the quick intake of her breath. "Adi ke liye jo decisions banaya hai, woh hamare beech koi dooriyaan nahi banegi. Mein ne kaha tha na tumhe, Adi apni jagah hai aur tum apni jagah ho. Shagun ne humme Adi ki joint custody dene ko agree kiya hai. Ab Adi hamare sang hafte mein teen din rahega. Tumhe isse koi aitraaz toh nahi hai na?"
Ishita's face broke into a delighted smile.
"Aitraaz? Of course not Raman, mein toh kitni khush hoon ki Adi hamare paas ayega, hamari parivar poori ho jayegi"
She threw herself into his arms, hugging him tight, then tried to draw back as she felt his bare skin against her. He smiled and held on tight for a moment, before allowing her to pull away, but keeping both hands on her shoulders.
"Mujhpe bharosa hai na?" He asked her softly.
"Haan " she replied. "Khud se zyaada"
"Phir Shagun ke naam se itna kyun darr lagta hai, hmm? Kya socha tha tumne, mein Adi ke liye Shagun ko wapas is ghar mein lekar ayoonga?"
"Pehle nahi tha, lekin phir Mummyji se baat kiya, toh thodi si darr lagne laga Raman" she answered honestly and simply. "Mein jaanti hoon ki Adi Shagun ke bina nahi reh sakta aur..."
"Adi ko tumhe sambhaalna hoga, Ishita" his voice was husky as he moved his hands from her shoulders to cup her face. "Jaise tum ne uski bahen ko sambhala, uske papa ko sambhala. Shagun ko sirf apni fikr hai, apne bachoo ki nahin. Woh toh abhi bhi Ashok se shaadi karna chahti hai, aur meri madat ke badle Adi ki custody share karne ko tayaar ho gayi. Adi ko ek maa ki zaroorat hai, jo usko sahi rah dikhaye. Woh Ma tum ho, meri biwi tum ho. Tumhe kabhi bhi meri zindagi mein, meri ghar mein apni jagah ko le kar insecure hone ki zaroorat nahi hai Ishita. I love you, only you."
Tears tumbled down Ishita's eyes as she threw herself into Raman's arms again. He held her close, his arms tightening around her as she strained against him, her tears wet on his face as she pressed her face against his.
He picked her up into his arms and carried her to their bed, sitting down with her in his lap. His hands caressed her through the fabric of her Kurta, causing her tears to dry up, and her heart to start to hammer against her chest.
"I love you" he turned her around, still holding her. " I've been dreaming of doing this all night" he murmured as he captured her lips with his, forcing her down onto the bed, his arms on either side of her holding her captive.
"Raman" she whispered as he rained sweet kisses on her face, returning time and again to her lips. " I love you too"
"Then trust me Ishita, I will never hurt you again. I will never put anyone or anything above you, above our marriage, above our love"
"Oh Raman, I do trust you" she said huskily, kissing him back, her hands caressing his face.
His eyes glittered as he rolled over, pulling her on top of himself. His hands freed, he pulled at her Kurta, causing her to gasp and hide her face in his chest.
"Raman" she whispered.
"Kya" he whispered back.
"Kitni late ho gayi hai. Aap thak gaye hoge..."
"I'm never too tired for you" he told her, pulling off her clothes and pulling her into his arms. "Never too tired for this" he captured her mouth with his, kissing her fiercely, exulting in her fevered responses, as they both surrendered to each other.
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It was almost 11 am the next morning when Ishita was awakened by the sounds of knocking and an intense debate happening outside their bedroom door.
"Puttar, tere papa ko kal raat badi der ho gayi thi. Sone de usko."
"Nahi dadi, mujhe papa aur Ishima chahiye"
"Accha chal na Ruhi, dekh Ananya tumhare sang khelna chahti hai"
"No Simmi bua, mein nahi jaoongiii..."
Ishita struggled to get herself out of the strong arms which held her close to a rock hard chest. Raman tightened his arms around her as she tried to extricate herself.
"Raman, please" she whispered. "Ruhi warna world war 3 shuru kardegi"
"Hmmm, theek hai, throw me my clothes before you open the door" he leered wickedly at her. "Aur madam, aap bhi kuch pehen lo "
Ishita looked downwards and gasped, then quickly put on the nightclothes he had hastily removed the night before. She grabbed Raman's night clothes from the sofa where she had laid them out the night before, and waited until he put them on before going to the door.
Ruhi burst into the room as soon as the door was opened, running to the bed and throwing herself on top of her father.
Raman patted her head absently, his eyes on his phone, scrolling down his messages and missed calls.
"Biwi" he called out to Ishita, who had just closed the door on her apologetic and retreating mother in law. " Shagun ki na jaane kitne messages hai. Woh Neel se abhi milna chahti hai. Mere kapde wardrobe se nikal do please, I have to go"
"Lekin Raman, nashta?"
"Haan, naashte ke baad" he told her, scoping up his giggling daughter into his arms and tickling her. " Shagun can wait."
Part 6A - Page 32
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