#2 | IshRa: Meherbaan FF | Thread 3; page 79 - Page 14

Let's have a GG marathon after exams. If you're up for it. 😆

And KYY I will try to. After exams. 😆

Minions. Jenna Marbles. And Gossip Girl.

Guuurrrlll. You're mine. #singsthesong

So I was like, God please give me a sign that I should continue the update and update tonight. And then you came along 😆

To:

My Dharu

May we be original for ever. :)

C H A P T E R 1 7 I D H E E R E J A L N A

"Dadi, sabka prince charming hota ha. I'll find mine. He has to be there. He'll come and he'll fix everything," said a five year old Ishita hooked up to various needles during her stay at the hospital fighting back tears as her grandmother hugged her.

"Of course, and when he finds you. He'll never let you go. He'll kiss you just like this and then it will all disappear, everything will feel like magic," said Ishita's grandmother as she placed feathery kisses.

"Ishu needs no prince charming, I'm here," said a younger version of Vishwa as he flung his school bag across Ishita's alloted room. Loosening his tie Vishwa held Ishita in his arms. Taking her in his arms he whispered all aboutbhis day in school to her, tickling her as he did. Her soft giggles and Vishwa's presence reassured Paati that everything would be fine as she left the two to their own devices. As Vishwa tutored Ishita on the notes he had picked up for her on his way home as they fed themselves on the bland food Ishita was prescribed to eat.


And years later when the elders teased Ishita on her upcoming nuptials, she rolled her eyes.

And when a certain prince charming was mentioned instead of blushing she smiled and locked her arms around a mourning Vishwa saying, "Mera Prince Charming toh yahi here. In my arms. Aur kaunsa ka prince charming?"

The elders had laughed it off as a joke. Vishwa held Ishita in his arms as he placed a light peck on her forehead. Ishita was more than his princess to him. Being almost a decade older to Ishita, Ishita was more like his first child to him. And Vishwa was lost losing his wife and now handing over his Ishu to a guy he never liked. So he held Ishita closer to him, locking her in his embrace. If it wasn't Subbu's parents rushing the marriage. And Ishita's parents agreeing to it. Ishita almost had no say in it. It was assumed that she wanted the same. And Vishwa was too scared to ask Ishita how she felt. He was afraid that the strong face she put up would falter for a second and that he would ruin it all.

He should have. He should've asked her about her opinion before without fearing the consequences the moment he felt the uncertainty in her eyes.

And now as he watched his baby with the man she'd returned home with his heart felt at peace. As he placed his chin on his grandmother's shoulder he found himself smiling. Grinning.
There stood his Ruhi glaring at Shravan. They stood in the middle of the dance floor, arm in arm as Ruhi tried to imitate her parents. With Ruhi ordering and Shravan glaring, Vishwa found himself bursting into laughter. How did he miss four years of this? Of Ruhi and Shravan growing up? We're they the same when they met? And it reminded him of his younger days. Ishita's first dance, as she clung to him as if her life depended on it and him reassuring her that it would be okay. It had taken half the night and a very scared Ishita in stilettos to overcome half her fears. And she still clung to him for their last dance.

And a gaze away on the dance floor as the songs changed Vishwa found Raman making Ishita stand still, and then pointing a finger at her. And Ishita's smiling face bobbed up and down in the direction of his finger before finally rolling her eyes at Raman, cover his finger with her palm and preparing themselves for their first next slow dance of the night.

Vishwa knowing Ishita, if not Raman knew that the instructions were on stepping on toes. And Vishwa smirked a similar smirk to that of Raman as Raman pulled Ishita closer to him while Ishita initially shocked smiled as she locked her arms around his neck. Raman instead traced his finger across Ishita's face, pushing away a lock of stray hair. Tracing his way across Ishita's arms he loosened her grip around him.

One day and conversations later with a little effort in lip reading, "Mauke pe chauka marne ki koshish band karo," laughed Chitti and Paati.

Ishita hadn't let go of her grip, smiled and shrugged. Raman instead shook his head placed his arms on her waist as she hinted a smile and quirked an eyebrow at him. Raman Kumar Bhalla gave her a cheeky smile and shrugged back his shoulders at her.

The lights dimmed, music played and Ishita-Raman moved to music. And as the music beat softened, the cheekiness replaced itself with subtle emotion. As Ishita lost herself in Raman's eyes and gave her a smile reserved just for her. Ishita mumbled, to which Raman rolled his eyes. And then as her gaze moved away for a second he dipped her and Ishita laughed. Soft giggles that turned into giggles of mirth as Raman she punched lightly and as he turned away and laughed along with her. And as the laughter faded and Ishita leaned against Raman as they both moved to the beat.

"She found him, didn't he?"

"Who?"

"Her prince charming,"

whatever happened unknowingly.

Something had happened, not to me

but why did it happened to you?

It's not my fault.

It's not your fault.

Still why we are holding grudges?

I can't call you

I am not able to forget you

Why does this keep happening?]

As Ishita walked away, Nalini walked towards Subbu like she did all those years ago. And she took up Ishita's place like all those years. She danced to tunes that were never hers. Filled in for a bride that wasn't permitted to take part in her own wedding. She attended a wedding that was never hers and married a groom that never wanted her. Took part in rituals where she had no rights in. Till now she lived in a room decorated for someone else. She lived in the shadows of Ishita. Subbu's bride.

For how long?

How long would she lose herself for a man who never cared?

It wasn't her place. It had never been her place. But she had earned it. She had married Subbu. She had taken her place. She had been Ishita for the past seven years and she had given this relationship her all. She had done all that Ishita would never be able to do. She had given up her identity. Her career. Her future. For this. For him. For the life she lived. She had been protected by her mother. Guided my her mother-in-law. Shielded by her father-in-law. And she had her son. No, she didn't have perfection like Ishita. She wasn't happy. But she was content. She had life exactly where she had always wanted to be.

And love? It would come. If not today, then yet another day. What had she to be insecure of? Of Subbu? He had never been hers to begin with. His body had been, not him. His emotions, affection, companionship and soul - they had never been hers to begin with.

She had him. A glimpse a day and the affection he had for Abhilan, what more did she need?


And then she glanced at the couples around her. None of them had the distance between them. The distance Subbu and she shared. And those of whom she knew had, they were courteous enough to make an effort to hide their distance. Yet Subbu, Subbu didn't care enough. Subbu glanced at his brother, who stage whispered something to Ishita's husband and as the latter laughed. Ishita rolled her eyes and let out a, "kuch bhi," while her Akka and Mihika joined in the jest followed by Mihir, a tall handsome guy and the girl who had previously introduced herself as Trisha Tandon, Raman's best friend's sister and Nitya's junior.

Them teasing Ishita had led to Ishita almost mock walking out on the dance floor which led to Raman holding her in his arms, preventing her from doing so as he used his free arm to smirk at his daughter and signal her that her mother was crazy, which caused Ruhi to hold cover her mouth and giggle while Shravan glared at Raman who in return quirked an eyebrow at him.
And when Ruhi asked to lifted Shravan did the same. And Mihika and Mihir lifted Ruhi up as they danced with her. And Raman picked Shravan up. And Nalini was sure that Shravan and Raman were mock arguing over something. Nalini had noticed them do that. She had noticed Shravan look upto Raman, Mihir and Bala. It wasn't just Bala that was close to Shravan. Shravan shared a similar but weaker bond with her maternal uncles. In a similar way that Ruhi was extremely attached to her family. The amount of times Ruhi would run to Vandita inorder to hear the baby kick. Or the way Ruhi would light up at the sight of younger kid. Didn't Raman and Ishita get that Ruhi probably needed a young sibling? That Ruhi needed a sibling? Abhilan would need a sibling in a year or two. But Ruhi and Abhilan were two different cases. Ruhi grew up in an environment where Shravan was more of her elder brother than her cousin. Forever letting her have the upper hand despite being the stronger one. Standing up for her. Protecting her. And then the fact that Ruhi was Raman and Ishita's child. One who scared the living soul out of almost everyone and the letter admired by the nation as a whole. And keeping up to her parents reputation Ruhi was growing up to be both admired and feared. The young child had a different aura about her. The utter confidence with which she doled out her demands. The perseverance with which she spoke. The command in her voice. The convincing power and the intellect. Nalini didn't know what it was if it wasn't for the upbringing she was given. In the same way that Shravan showed Vandita's command, Bala's sense of justice, Raman's family values, Ishita's values, Mihir's soft-spoken nature and Mihika's speech. The Iyer-Bhalla kids grew up in a close family unit influenced by not only their parents but other parental figures.

It wasn't the same with Abhilan. Nalini feared for Abhilan. She feared for Abhilan for the environment she lived in wasn't ideal for her son. But she couldn't provide himself with anything. She had education but no proper experience or a career graoh and at thirty-five, she didn't know where life was heading anymore.

Did she regret marrying Subbu, she didn't know for Subbu had given her the greatest gift one could ever give her - her son.

But when she looked at Subbu who looked over at his brother, sister-in-law and Ishita and had a glimpse of the life that would have been his. Nalini did the same. She mentally broke at having a glimpse of the future she could have had if she had just followed her mind and not her heart. If she had stopped for a moment and thought. If she had been Ishita.

And as the last song that played ended, Nalini let go of Subbu's hand.

She couldn't do this anymore

Your essence is missing.

Everything is still there, still something is missing

Your essence is missing.

is missing..]

And as the slow dances ended and jams played on the Iyer-Bhalla were found encircled together dancing to the jams that played on. And when Amma saw Ruhi pull Raman aside and Shravan keep an eye on Ishita, she knew they were upto no good. Why did her daughter have to marry a guy who was twice as competitive as she was? And when Ishita unaware of the schemes played against her pulled Raman off the dance floor paying no heed to the latter's half hearted protests Amma could bang her head against the wall. If only Amma knew that her worry had gained the unknown couple an audience.

When Ishita held her arm out in a perfect as if a regency era duchess and Raman giving her an are-you-kidding-me look. And one perfected glare from Ishita had the man force a smirk, nod his head, roll his eyes and comply now completely and utterly convince that he had successfully married a loon disguised as a doctor.


Paati watched from far as Ishita walked a round with a half hearted Raman who finally gave in to the temptation and checked his phone. Ishita waited for him to be done with what he had to do. And when he was putting his phone she snatched it away.

"Ishita, not my phone. You know, I don't like it when anyone snatches my things away from it,"
Ishita instead just walked away, paying no heed. She didn't notice Raman's attitude change. His body stiffen. His neck crack. And no one but Amma noticed Ruhi in the corner.
Raman and Ishita weren't even aware that they had an audience. And those who watched, watched from the corner of their eye.

Subbu who followed their worried gaze smirked and breathed a sigh of relief that there was something certainly wrong and this time everyone would realise that Raman was a facade that RKB put forward to be accepted by Ishita's family.

There were a hundred and one scenarios where everything could go wrong for Raman and right for Subbu in this very moment.

It was Amma who was calm and Appa who calmly sipped on his coffee.

Vandita rolled her eyes and Bala covered his mouth to choke back the laughter.

Mihir and Mihika were busy discussing their living arrangements given Mihir's decision to stay celibate until their nuptials and Mihika's not to the same. And Mihika never lost when it came to Mihir.

It took one dash for Ishita to run away and Raman to follow her with a call that she was making a mistake and a reminder that she was wearing a saree.

Paati who was using her age against her mind to calculate and estimate what would happen next noticed the little things. Like Raman's anger hadn't affected Ishita or her stand. Like the way Raman's fingers signalled someone. The way Raman ran his fingers though, bit on his lip and moved like a predator. Knowing where and how he wanted Ishita to be. Dadi noticed Raman's stance, the light smirk. And Ishita and her come hither if you dare looks.

And it all happened in a flash.

Raman leaping on the couch, holding Ishita by her wrist and pushing her against the fall behind.

And no one really noticed given the loud music, crowd and dim lights.
No one but those who had to.

Paati noticed the way Raman's grip was extremely careful and above her wrist, rather than on the joint where it the move could hurt her. The way his free hand cushioned Ishita's fall back on the wall forming a barrier between her body and the cold wall. The way he winced for a second. And then came the trance.

And so did my head swirl I didn't know which way to go

Hosanna, you were there for a moment,

And not there the next moment..

Now what do I tell, in which situation am I,

Here and there I just look for my heart and consciousness..]

Hosanna, me and my devotion,

Hosanna, now this only is my world..

Hosanna..]

Maybe it was the music.

The soft tunes that brought upon a trace.

Ishita wouldn't be able to explain what she experienced in those moments.

But Raman?

Raman's mind flashed back to the flour incident about a moment.

Before the kids came over demanding. Before they spent they had celebrated his recent achievement over a glass of champagne sipped once by either of them and then the contents drained down the drain. Another of their secrets. Before she had trained him on the basics he needed to know later that day with Ruhi as he stood there admiring her instead of paying any attention. How could he? Before he sensed the assurance in eyes rather than the fear he had felt a moment ago.

To the moment where he attempted to dust off the flour off her hair and he had come across a crimson mark - his mark.

A mark he had assumed she had let go of the moment he broke her trust the first time.

The moment his one misguided action had ruined it all.

But yet it stood there.

A fine line of bright red vermillion hidden under her hair.
And when he asked her about just to assure himself, she had just laughed it off and said that it had always been there.

All the signs and actions were pointing in one direction.

Towards him.

Towards her.

Towards them!

But the question was, where did she point to?

What did she feel?

Relationships weren't based on assumptions.

And he couldn't base theirs on one.



And Paati noticed Ruhi tug at Raman's pants and him snap out of it after a while.

And as Raman moved away and Ruhi moved between them, Ishita was still lost in her thoughts.
It was Raman loosening her grip on his cell phone that broke the trance and before Ishita could react Ruhi who stood there lifted an equally heavy bag for someone her age and offered it Ishita who was clearly touched by the gesture and Ruhi's explanation that she missed her mom and so did Papa. And since she hadn't checked the joint they visited out, Ruhi and Papa decided to get what they liked best so Mama can taste it like she normally does.

Raman has just walked away while Ruhi offered to carry the bag and with it ran to the lawn. Followed by Ishita who locked arms with Raman and proceeded to where their daughter as she teased him in the short duration of their walk only to met with his usual taunts.


And when seated in under the nightsky in a secluded area while everyone interacted with each other and the people present there, Ishita preferred to catch up on all that happened with Raman and Ruhi and vice versa. With Ishita moaning over how she hated girl nights and Raman claiming that she should completely boycott them, earning a eye roll and punch from his wife. And Ruhi showing off her new frilly frock to her mom and narrating the events of the evening quite animately and Raman leaning on Ishita's shoulders as Ruhi narrated her tales as she skipped all around. Ishita found herself chuckling at her husband's comment that he was too old to be the father. Followed by his quick continual comment that he was just tired for the day and that he knows guys who have kids when they're in their fifties and that he doesn't really get their logic, just in time before Ishita started on her second lecture for the day.
And when Ruhi plopped onto the ground pouting that her parents weren't listening to her. Ishita let her in on the joke that her old man finally agrees that he's actually old. Earning giggles from the younger one who quietened down and hugged her daddy. Leaning against his chest as he leaned on his wife and Ishita held back on the ground and onto them for support, a glance at the skies and them she found herself thanking the universe for whatever happened in her for it lead her to them.

It was a while later when they were the saree was finally getting to Ishita, the day to Ruhi and the exhaustion to Raman that they decided to head back and freshen up for what remained of the night.

And a selfie later with Ruhi in Raman's arms and Ishita clicking the picture backed by Raman's joke that even the camera wanted to sleep given Ishita's low battery, Ishita did manage to get a good picture of the night. And she took Ruhi in her arms and pointed to the stars.

And when Raman did look away, Ishita placed a light peck on his cheek.

"Recharge," she said.

And Ruhi did the same, but the latter thanked her daddy for working so hard and for giving her food today.

And Raman instead of passing a flabbergasted comment to hide his embarrassment just blushed and took Ishita in his arms as they continued their walk towards the patio.

Raman and Ishita were put on Shravan duty soon after. Vandita was craving something and Bala being the good husband that he was, he was making sure he fulfilled his wife's wish. Ishita to avoid any tub fights had decided that she'd shower Ruhi first and that Raman was to take care of Shravan.




"Amma, aj isne kisko apna ten pages long perfect pakao lecture sunaya tha kya?" a casual Raman asked his mother-in-law a while later.

"Kya Raman, tum bhi baccho walked batein karte ho," she replied.

"Nahi Amma, sachi. Yeh aaj thodi zyada khush hai. Normally yeh aadi pagal hoti hai, aaj toh pura ka pura daura pad gaya," Raman said ashe picked something to drink and then almost spit it out.

"Aiyo, Murugan. Bimar pad jaoge and phir tumhari Ishu ka lecture mujhe padega," said Amma as she giggled, "Yeh pe lo,"

"Apne bhi maan liya ki apki beti pagal hai,"

"Aur tumne usse shadi karne ki zidd ki, tum kaunse kam pagal ho?" said Amma as she walked away towards Appa leaving a semi smirking Raman and his Tingu.

"Woh, Chitti ne Appa ke Amma ko lecture kiya. Volcano. Erupt. Jaise woh tumhe hoti hai," supplied Shravan in return for a sweet.

"Madrasan. She's finally lost it." said Raman as he sat cross legged on the floor, and leant against the wall - imitated by Shravan.

"Voh toh tumse wedding karne se pehle hui thi, band phone ko lecture deti thi,"

"Ab who khud ko lecture deti hai, Pagal," said Raman as he chuckled remembering his wife's antics.

"Meri Chitti ko Pagal mat kahi, tum pagal,"

"Meri Biwi hai, Tingu,"

"Meri Chitti hai, and I know her longer than you do. Jab mein itna chota baby tha, tab mila tha Chitti se," said Shravan as he scrunched his eyebrows and focussed on remembering on exactly how tiny he was when he first met Ishita. While Raman, he just smiled as looked ahead.

"Vaise, Chitappa, Adi se kaho na ki voh mujhe un girls se protect karo,"

"Girls se kyun? School mein acchi hoti hai. Uske baad.. "

"Nahi, Amma ko Pata chala toh. Voh sari girls follow karti and voh boys naraz ho jate hai,"

"Toh tum popular ho, Tingu. Acchi baath hai, thode der mein unhe brains ayengi and sab Ruhi ki tarah behave karne lagegi,"

"Mujhe nahi pasand," said Shravan while Raman smiled and quirked an eye brow at him.

"Jab mein school mein tha.." started Raman.

"Mein Chitti ko bata dunga," interrupted Shravan.

"Tum kuch kaam ke nahi ho, aise hi sade raho. An sirf Ruhi aur Tammy pita deti hai, in a while sari girls pitwa degi,"

"Par tum Adi ke papa ho, aur Adi sab ko dara deta hai, mujhe bhi sikhao, mein bhi apka Tingu hu na,"

"Voh toh hai, par Adi ko voh darane wali harkatein uski mama ne sikai hai,"

"Wah. She's scary," exclaimed Shravan as he shuddered.

"I know," shuddered Raman at the memory.

"Phir tumne usse shadi kaisi ki,"

"Voh meri Amma se puch lena,"

"And then tumne Chitti se shadi kar li,'

"Adi ki mom sirf bark karti hai, tumhari Chitti seedha kaat deti hai,"

"Girls," sighed Shravan.

"Wives," sighed Raman.

"Vaise hume jaana chahiye,"

"Tumhein aur kuch nahi chahiye?"

"Shower karna hai,"

"Chitti, I'm not showering anyone,"

"Appa bhi yehi kehta hai, and then woh Amma ko shower kar leta hai," mused Shravan

If only Raman could erase the last two seconds of his life.

"Paagal khane mein shadi karti tune beta, yaha kisi ke mooh mein filter nahi hota," mumbled Raman as he lifted Shravan up.

"Saare ke saare pagal," he continued as he cleaned Shravan's hand.


"Normally boys boys ko kiss nahi karte hai, but tum humein koi aur samajhta nahi," said Shravan as he placed a light peck on Raman's cheek causing the older man to smile.

"Voh toh hai, par tum toh mere ek hi Tingu ho," said Raman as he pecked the younger one and ruffled his hair, "Ab Chitti ke pass chalein iske pehle voh humein lene aayein," continued Raman as Shravan yawned.


"Yeh Raman bhi na, bacchon ke saath baccha ban jata hai,"


When Ishita was done with showing Ruhi she held a towel clad and passed her over to Raman while Raman passed a 'Superman pants' clad Shravan back to her. When she passed a freshly showered Shravan to Raman, Ruhi was prepared for bed and almost drowsy. And when Ishita left the shower post scraping all the war paint off her body she was welcomed by a sleeping Ruhi and Shravan.

And between them slept Raman.

Ishita's first mistake was to appear in front of with her hair soaking wet.

Her second mistake was to strategically get on the bed and observe him for a second forgetting the fact that her hair was dripping wet.

So when Ishita didn't notice that her husband was awake, that was her final mistake.

"I know that I'm hot, but what I didn't know was that you found me to be hot. Tumhara hi to hoon, I'm not running away. Chup chup ke kya dekhna? Jee chaho dekho, jaise chaho dekho. Mujhe koi problem nahi hai yaar!"

So instead of formulating a reply or snapping back with an excuse, Ishita instead fell for him.

She lost her stance, tumbled, missed the child and fell over him.

And he?

He didn't even open his eyes.

He smiled at her over him and fastened his grip on her to hold her balance.

And when he did open did eyes, they stared right into hers.


Drinking in all that was her.