This update is for Aru, @Arunabhi, for all the lovely GIFs with which she keeps our spirits up in trying times.
Part 18B
Mere Sangh Tu Chal Zara Kyun Dikhe Dara Dara
Wednesday 9 September 2014
An hour later.
Outside Ruhi's school
"Ishima, woh aunty aur uncle mujhe nahi lekar jayenge na. Promise" {Ishima, that aunty and uncle won't take me will they? Promise}
"Promise, baby. Nobody will take you away from papa and me. Now go inside, dekho aap ki teacher wait kar rahi hai" {Your teacher is waiting for you}
Ishita finally disentangled Ruhi from her arms and watched as she walked away, until she had reached the waiting teacher.
She then sighed and returned to her car where Raman was waiting for her.
Rinky had returned to her college from court and Ishita had brought Raman and Ruhi over in her car. After dropping Ruhi, she was now going to take Raman to his office before she returned to her clinic.
Ishita opened the door and sat in the drivers seat, watching the stony face of her husband with concern.
"Raman" she reached over and touched his clenched hands. "It's okay. She's okay now. Kuch nahi hua hai. Please, aap itna gussa mat karo na." {Nothing has happened. Please don't be so angry}
Raman turned towards her. His face was as if carved in granite, but his eyes gave away his anger and his concern for his little daughter.
"Damn her Ishita" he said now through clenched teeth. "You saw her, you saw them, she scared Ruhi. She has no feelings. No feelings at all except for herself and that 6 foot 2 inch husband of hers. And she has my son Ishita. She has my Adi. What must he be going through? How will he have turned out to be? I hate myself Ishita. I hate that I haven't been able to protect my son from her. And now our daughter. I don't want her anywhere near our daughter Ishita. I'll kill her before I let her take Ruhi from us. I swear, I'll kill her."
"Raman, please, calm down, please, Ruhi won't go to her."
Ishita reached across and put her arms around Raman, pulling his unyielding form to her, wrapping her arms around him and stroking his back until she felt his body relax. He had been like this since they had left the Court, and Ishita's anxiety grew with each passing moment. At least he seemed calm for the moment, she thought, as she wrapped her arms tighter around him.
Their embrace was interrupted by a tap on the car window and Ishita looked up to see a street hawker thrusting his wares towards them.
"Nahi chahiye" she mouthed, reluctantly letting go of her silent husband, and starting the car.
"We'll talk in your office Raman" she said quietly as the car shot forward into the traffic.
As she drove Ishita thought back to the meeting with Shagun and Ashok Khanna.
**********************************************************************************************************
* Flashback starts*
Shagun had flounced into the room in a strapless red blouse and sheer black sari, diamonds twinkling on her fingers, neck and throat, her arms outstretched. She had turned towards the Bhalla family, who were all standing together, still caught up in each other's embrace.
Ruhi's mouth had fallen agape at the sight of Shagun and she had stared transfixed at the glamorous vision before her.
"Ruhi" Shagun had cooed. "My baby. Come here. Come to mumma"
Ruhi had immediately clutched Raman even closer and had turned her face to Ishita, tears springing into her eyes
"Ishima" she had whispered, her lips trembling. "I don't want to go"
Ishita had tried to persuade Ruhi to go to Shagun but the child had clung to her father, who also made no attempt to dislodge her, instead holding her even tighter, his eyes straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge either his ex wife or her current husband, his former boss and mentor who had destroyed his family.
Shagun had taken Ruhi's fear as a personal affront and had started to attack Raman and his family until told to keep quiet by Mrs Singh.
"You see, Mrs.. Officer" she had said in her shrill monotone. "They haven't let me see my child in years and now she won't come to me. I don't know what they've been teaching her about me, what lies they have filled her head with. This is why I left Raman. Him and his stupid backward family, keeping a mother away from her child, and they'll make my daughter just like them."
"Please Mrs Khanna" Mrs Singh said firmly. "This is not the time to say these things . Think of Ruhi"
"Shagun" Ashok Khanna had spoken then. "I know you're upset darling, but we can discuss these things later" He turned to Mrs Singh. "I'm sorry Mrs Singh, but my wife hasn't seen her daughter in years, so she is naturally distraught"
Ashok gave a swift pinch on Shagun's arm and Shagun immediately took a handkerchief out of her diamante studded purse, dabbing unconvincingly at her dry eyes. "I want my daughter" she sobbed in her shrill voice.
Ishita had been watching these theatrics out of the corner of her eyes, her main focus on her husband and daughter.
Raman was still standing perfectly still, his arms around Ruhi, who clung to him, tears streaking down her face.
Ishita had touched her husbands shoulder gently, reaching over to take Ruhi from him.
"Ruhi, baby , come to Ishima" she said, even as Raman tightened his hold.
"Raman, please, sweetheart, please, let me have her, it will be okay" she whispered to Raman, who finally released his hold on his daughter.
Ishita took Ruhi into her arms and wiped her tears with her dupatta. "Ruhi beta I told you na, Shagun mumma just wants to meet you, she won't take you away."
"But Ishima, she says she wants to." Ruhi whispered.
"No, beta, I promised na. You trust Ishima don't you?"
She had stroked Ruhi's hair, pressing her little body close to her heart, hoping that the child could feel and be reassured by the love that she had for her.
"Yes Ishima" Ruhi had finally stopped crying.
"Then come, just say hello okay"
Ishita carried Ruhi over to where the Khannas stood.
Ashok Khanna was a tall man, his body running to fat, his hair slightly thinning, he was still intimidating, with an aura of wealth and privilege surrounding him. Ishita could see why an obviously shallow and materialistic woman like Shagun would have been impressed by him.
"Ruhi beta, say hello" Ishita stopped in front of the Khannas, Mrs Singh looking at her with deep approval.
"Hello aunty, hello uncle" Ruhi said in a quiet voice, then immediately hid her face in the crook of her Ishima's neck.
"Not aunty"Shagun said loudly. "I'm your mumma. Call me mumma."
"Shagun, please" Ishita interjected firmly. "Give her time"
"Don't you teach me what to say to my daughter" Shagun screeched at Ishita. "Ashok found out about you. We know all about you. Your fiancee dumped you because you can't have children so now you're trying to steal mine? You ..you baanj"
"Shagun" Raman stepped forward, the steel in his voice matched by the fire flashing in his eyes. "Don't you dare..."
"Bhai, please" Neel laid a restraining hand on Raman's arm, but Mrs Singh had moved faster.
"Mrs Khanna, Mr Khanna" she said firmly. "I think we should let Ruhi get back to school now. Thank you Mrs Bhalla, Mr Bhalla, you can take Ruhi back now. I'll give my report to the judge for your case conference on Friday. Ruhi beta, thank you so much for speaking to me. Ab aap apne mumma aur papa ke saath jao"
Neel had ushered Raman from the room and Ishita had followed with Ruhi, not giving a second glance to the foul mouthed Shagun or her seething husband.
They had then gotten into her car to drive Ruhi to school, Raman silent throughout, Ruhi in his lap, clinging to him, occasionally raising her head to tell Ishita that she hated that "aunty" and wouldn't go to her.
* Flashback ends*
**********************************************************************************************************
20 minutes later
Raman Bhalla's office
Ishita parked the car where Raman directed and then stepped out, following him as he strode into his office.
He had been silent throughout the journey, his eyes covered by dark shades, a nervous tic at the corner of his mouth the only indication of the turmoil she knew he was going through.
They stepped out of the crowded lift into his fourth floor office, and he strode straight past his staff and into his cabin, Ishita right behind him.
She stepped into his office and closed the door, drawing the blinds down over the glass door. She knew his staff would be curious, but she had noticed Mihir out of the corner of her eye, and she knew he would quell any gossip. None of that mattered now anyway. Her husband needed her.
He was standing by the windows, looking out unseeingly at the buildings beyond.
Ishita went up to him and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him from behind, her body pressed against his back, her arms tight around his waist.
"It's ok baby" she whispered, much as she had with Ruhi earlier "I love you, it will all be ok. Don't worry so much please."
His hands grasped hers then and he swung around, pulling her into his arms, his head nestling in the crook of her neck.
"Why Ishita? Why do you love me? I'm a bloody failure. I've failed them Ishita. I've failed my children. I don't deserve to be loved"
Ishita blinked back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes and pushed away gently from Raman, taking his face in her hands.
"I love you because you are a wonderful man" she told him, looking straight into his eyes, love sparkling in hers. "You're honest, you're faithful, you're decent in everything you do. And you're not a failure Raman. Ruhi loves you. She adores you. You're a wonderful father"
"But what about Adi, Ishita?" He looked at her with anguished eyes.
"You saw her today, you saw what that bitch is like Ishita. She's had Adi in boarding school all these years. And I can't go to him. I can't help him, parent him. She'll destroy my son Ishita. And she'll destroy Ruhi too, if she gets her hands on her"
"Raman" Ishita clasped her husbands hands firmly. "Listen to me. We are not going to lose Ruhi's custody. I was watching Mrs Singh. She was disgusted with the Khannas and especially Shagun. She will not recommend custody for them."
'But he buys people Ishita. You don't know him. He bribes everyone he comes across, he thinks everyone is for sale. He bought Shagun after all."
Raman wrenched his hands from Ishita and walked over to the sofa in the corner, sinking down into it, defeated, his face in his hands.
Ishita stood staring at him for a few minutes then went and sat beside him.
"Do you still love her Raman?" She asked quietly.
Raman looked up, wiping away the tears that had spilled unbidden from his eyes.
"Shagun?" He asked in genuine surprise. "No, of course not, aisa kyun sochti ho?" {why would you think that?}
"Then why are you so affected by her?"
Ishita's voice was quite even though the fire of jealousy that had been smouldering in her ever since she had seen Shagun threatened to erupt and made her want to shout.
"You were so confident about everything until you saw her. And then you just fell apart. Kyun Raman?"
Raman raised his eyes to her, and the sadness that she saw made her gasp.
"Adi, Ishita" he said softly, as his tears again fell unchecked. " I remembered Adi when I saw her. When she was calling Ruhi. "Come to mumma" woh Adi ko aise hi bulaati thi {that's how she used to call Adi} She turned Adi against me Ishita and if she does that to Ruhi, I won't... I won't be able to stand it. Mein seh nahi paonga Ishita"
"Raman" Ishita leaned in and kissed his tears, pressing her cheek to his. "Ashok cant buy everyone. Mrs Singh seems like a good person, I'm sure she will not make any report recommending that Ruhi be with Shagun. And as for Adi, Raman, we will file an application for the restraining order to be repealed, for access to Adi. It may take some time but we will get Adi back Raman. Hum Adi ko wapas layenge"
"Adi hates me Ishita" Raman's voice was bleak as he remembered the accusations Adi had levelled against him in court.
"Kyunki usko sikhaya gaya hai. Because he has been taught to. But that will change Raman. I promise you. You gave me Ruhi. Now I'll make sure we get Adi back too."
She had been stroking his back softly as she spoke and he now turned and buried his face in her chest, his arms tightening around her. "I don't deserve you" he murmured.
"Yes you do" she said smilingly, as he lifted his head, the tears in his eyes replaced by a smouldering fire. "I love you, Raavan Kumar"
"I missed you" he whispered. "I missed you so much."
His hands cupped her face, his fingers stroking her lips with slow sensual caresses. "Did you miss me?"
"Yes" she sighed, the touch of his fingers making speech almost impossible. She had been waiting for this moment since she saw him this morning, she realised. In all the dramas, the emotions of the custody case, a part of her had been yearning to be alone with him, in his arms, touching him, being touched by him.
His fingers moved downwards to her neck, and she licked her lips, biting them to stop herself from reaching out and pulling him onto herself.
"What did you miss most?" He asked, one hand dipping into the vee neck of her salwar suit, playing with the rings nestling in the valley of her chest.
"This?" His hand moved sideways, alternately squeezing and caressing her and she moaned.
He had pushed her down onto the small sofa and was straddling her, his other hand pushing under her salwar from the waist, creeping up to torment her as he unclasped her undergarment, giving himself better access to her softness.
"Ramann" she whispered. "Please"
"Or this ?" One hand moved down again, fumbling with the waistband of her salwar pants, as he tried to open the tight dori.
Ishita gasped again and then sat up, taking Raman by surprise as she pushed him back, before straddling him instead. She pressed her body against his, her hands dragging off his suit jacket, and then loosening his tie as she undid the top buttons of his shirt. Her lips were poised just above his and she could feel his harsh breathing as she pulled his shirt from his waistband, sliding her hands up his chest, toying with him as he had been with her just moments ago.
"No, this" she said breathlessly, her hands clawing at his chest, pulling him closer. "I missed this the most"
She sunk her lips on his, her tongue darting to trace the outline of his open lips, before she pushed into his mouth, drinking hungrily from him as she ground her body against his.
He kissed her back with the same ferocity, the emotional turmoil of the morning and the loneliness of the past few nights adding to their desperate hunger.
Their bodies were moulded to each other when their lips finally drew apart, their harsh breathing mingling.
"Don't leave me baby" he whispered suddenly, hiding his face in her chest. "Promise me you won't leave me"
Ishita understood her husbands vulnerability. The scene with Shagun, the effect on Ruhi and his awakened memories of Adi had left him emotionally shattered. He had spent the past few years being strong for his family, establishing his reputation as a hard hitting publicist, never betraying any weakness. He had been a pillar of strength for everyone. But no one had done the same for him. Well she was with him now. And she would make sure that the sadness she had seen in him today disappeared for good. She would love him so much that he would never want for love again.
"I promise" she said softly. "I will never leave you Raman. Kabhi nahi. I will love you till the day that I die. I promise"
Tears welled in his eyes as he buried his face in her arms again. They remained like that for long moments until a persistent knock on the door caused them to draw apart.
"Bhai" it was Mihir's voice. "Mr Malhotra will be video calling in ten minutes. We are waiting in the board room."
"Fine Mihir, I'm coming" Raman called out as Ishita slid off him, fumbling under her Kurta to re fasten her underclothes, then moving away to grab her lipstick from her purse.
She fixed her makeup and turned around to see him shrugging on his jacket, his hands fumbling with his tie. She smiled and moved to him, fixing the tie and then nestling against his chest for a brief moment.
"Jaati hoon" she whispered. {I'm going}
"I'll call you later biwi. Spend some time with Ruhi this afternoon if you can please"
"Of course Raman. Don't worry, I'll talk to Ruhi. You go to your meeting"
She moved reluctantly out of his arms and walked to the door, his eyes watching her every step.
"I love you" they said in unison as she opened the door and walked out.
**********************************************************************************************************
How can I love you more
How can I love you more
Mere sangh tu chal zara
Kyun dikhe dara dara
Chal tujhko aa chupa loon apni mein bahoon mein
Chal khwab kuch saja loon teri in Nighaon mein
Mein jo sangh hoon
Tere rang hoon
Rahoon se teri chun loon mein khwab
Har lamhaa yun guzre
Geherata jaaye pyaar
How can I love you more
How can I love you more
How can I love you more
Hus de zara sa tu teri hasee se
Meri kal ho haseen
Bas itna Chahoon mein
Is zindagi se zyaada kuch nahi
Mein jo sangh hoon
Tere rang hoon
Rahoon se teri chun loon mein khwab
Har lamhaa yun guzre
Geherata jaaye pyaar
Rukna na rahoon mein roke
Agar kal tujhe parchaiyaan
Sangh tere mein bhi hoon
Tanha nahi hain teri tanhaiyaan
Mein jo sangh hoon
Tere rang hoon
Rahoon se teri chun loon mein khwab
Har lamhaa yun guzre
Geherata jaaye pyaar
Mere sangh tu chal zara
Kyun dikhe dara dara
Chal tujhko aa chupa loon apni mein bahoon mein
Chal khwab kuch saja loon teri in Nighaon mein
How can I love you more
How can I love you more
How can I love you more
Part 18C : Tum Dena Saath Mera - pg 73
Edited by Veeann - 10 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Cricket
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
Tum Se Tum Tak
11