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Mini update because it's Eid. :)
C H A P T E R 2 0 D I L M E R A M U F T K A
Part A
The next morning the same crowd who watched Raman descend the stairs the previous day watched Ishita Bhalla walk down the stairs. Maybe it was the way she carried herself or her attire but something about her this morning screamed oomph to them. Maybe it was the classic smokey eye she perfected that morning or the makeup Ishita never had the skills to applicate that masked her face; when she walked down the stairs they no longer saw the Ishita they thought they knew in her instead they say Raman's wife. Raman's Bhalla's wife in tailored white formal pants, a crisp white blouse save for the black borders and the black blazer that completed her look. Maybe it were those fierce stilettos she walked in, the designer clutch she carrier or the Aviators that she held that they failed to recognize her. Many stared in awe as the little girl who preferred her ice-cream stains just so she could get another one walked across the room as if she were to walk across a high profile runway. She hugged her parents, high five-d her sibling as then plunked herself on the nearest sitting area as her mother served her breakfast.
"I'm married to a moron," she sighed while Amma shook her head at her and Appa spared her a passing glance.
Vandhu Akka who accompanied Ishita to the breakfast table sighed at the younger one. "Shut up and be lucky," she said, "Amma how does this one get to whine when she gets properties transferred to her every special occasion,"
"Shut up, you get roses and such romantic gestures while I get another board meeting to attend," sighed Ishita as she placed her head on the table, "Jeeju, why did you have to marry Akka, we can't change that now but since you have her you should gift me, shouldn't you?" Ishita gave Bala the cutest pout she could muster.
Vandita smiled as she jabbed at her breakfast. "You don't even have a pre-nup, think of all the money you could get if you'll get a divorce, Ishu," she laughed.
"If we ever get a divorce," sighed Ishu while Amma placed her breakfast on the table and pulled at Ishita's ears.
"No one told you to nag at Raman every time he gifted you. When will you learn to stop complaining, he is so nice to you. When I married your Appa all he ever got me were flowers and the occasionally something expensive," she said dreamily while Ishita scowled at her muttering something along the lines of before your darling Raman tried to get him not to gift you for your Anniversary and I'm your daughter, Amma, he's your son-in-law.. In-law, get it. Your loyalties lie with me.
Madhavi pushed Ishita's off her waist and lightly patted her on her head muttering something about having a mad daughter in Tamil.
"Where's Raman?"
"Still in bed. Can you even believe it? He's still in bed when I am called out. It isn't even fair. It is so boring," she whined, "I can't even do anything because everyone sits there staring at my face expecting input when I'm all like this isn't even my universe, why am I here again?"
"Raman does this on a daily basis,"
"Oh no, he doesn't. Firstly he chose this and secondly he sits the whole night reviewing everything and lists out everyone he's going to bully the next day. It isn't even funny. And all I want to do is text his victims wishing them luck on their impending encounter with Raavan Kumar," said Ishita emphasizing on the Raaav' in Raavan, "I'm glad someone is having fun at my misery jiju,"
The secretariat came in an hour later, handed Ishita some files and waited for Raman to walk down. He did. He walked down in a black tee, track pants and bed hair while Ishita who stood at the counter typing something on her phone rolled her eyes at him. He walked towards her and she tapped her feet and lowered her lashes not knowing how to reach to him after what happened a night ago. It was finally hitting her. She kissed him. She had broken her own rules of no intimacy and kissed him. And he kissed her back. She'd rather not remember how far they went before they decided to sleep it off but right now, one day and one night later, she would rather have the ground swallow her in after that embarrassing ordeal. How did that happen? Yeah, she knew how people kissed and he was a good kisser, which only made her wonder at what other things he was good at. Shut up! She kissed him. Like a moron and he was normal about it, which didn't make it awkward but it didn't hint at something else either.
She sighed.
What the hell!
She kisses him. Flirted with him. Had lunch with him. And was cuddly the previous day. Exactly, what the hell? Ah, she was so dead.
Raman just smiled at Ishita, his eyebrows knotted in confusion as he attempted to decode the conversation in her head. He headed to the refrigerator and picked a bottle of water and sipped at it while she tapped her feet, sighed over and over, and muttered incoherent phrases. He almost spit his water out as she stared at the ceiling probably cursing herself for reasons unknown to him. She shook her head in negative and slouched. His Madrasan was crazy. That was all the proof anyone ever needed. And hot. Let's not go there. If his thoughts went there god forbid what would happen to their so-called agreement on celibacy. Let's not go there, he sighed trying his best not to fail.
When she felt him the next time he had engulfed her in a side hug as he whispered, "Now everyone believe that you are one paagal aurat,"
She stared at him with a bored look then registering his proximity at widening her eyes at her. He held her longer waiting for her animate reactions that were sudden this morning. She felt his breath on her cheek and her eyes screwed shut without her even trying to.
"I was saying," he started, inching even closer to her if possible. She gulped, she smirked and she turned away embarrassed. "You look prettier with your hair untied," he gave a lopsided smirk.
"Thanks. That took me hours to pin."
He placed a light peck on her cheek and then moved back giving her an appreciating look and she sighed. Had she expected him to kiss her? He probably didn't even care of what happened on the rooftop that night.
They were friends and friends kissed she clarified for herself. It wasn't like they slept together or did something more than that. It wasn't like that he told her he loved her or something; she wouldn't believe him with all the pranks he pulled. Maybe that kiss was a mistake on his end and an under analyzed moment for her. She shouldn't be thinking about it anyways, he wasn't. They were friends, close friends, raising a kid. They were comfortable here, it was nice, and no matter how much she wanted to she just could not get sex into the equation. She was a grown woman, not a teenager, and she could very well take care of her urges.
She smiled at him as she watched him interact with his secretariat. He was a good man - powerful, kind and gentle. He cared, loved and protected. He wasn't her man. He wasn't meant for women like her as hard as she tried she couldn't ever make him fall for her. He was Ruhi's father and she was Ruhi's mother. She could not have a relationship more than that with; the worst part was she didn't want a relationship with anyone other than him.
Then as she leaned against the kitchen counter and watched him engulf a sleep walking Ruhi in his arms wiping away her boogey eyes and kissing her awake she had realized that Raman Bhalla had ruined other men for her. She sighed for the umpteenth time that morning registering the newly found information.
She was doomed.
Cricket
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