Chapter 11:
"That I have no right to be jealous is irrelevant. It is a human passion: the sick, white underbelly of love..."
After a stormy Saturday, if Ishita thought that Sunday would be rather peaceful then she was for a huge disappointment. Madhvi Iyer had decided to re-start her matrimonial business and this time, rather seriously and to make matters worse, Vandita, Ishita's elder sister had decided to join her in her endeavor.
A migraine gripped Ishita after arguing with the old lady who had taken an oath not to listen to her at all.
- No! This cannot go on like this! You will have to make an effort Ishu.
- But Amma! I don't want to meet him!
- See! We are not forcing you into anything. He saw you. I mean your photo. He likes you. Just meet him. Who knows! You might like him.
- Akka I can't believe that YOU are saying this! You know my problem. Should I remind you that I can't conceive and all men interested in matrimony want children?
Madhvi Iyer gasped and a sobbed escaped her lips while Vandu looked miserably at Ishita.
- I am sorry Ishu. I didn't want to upset you. His sister is a good friend of mine. She knows your problem and still she wants you for her brother. That's why I came up with the proposal.
- And why would she want that despite knowing that...
- Ishu! Not everybody is like my mother in law and Subbu...
The two sisters looked sadly at each other. Ishita loved her sister and knew that she had always had her good interest at heart. Feeling extremely guilty, she hugged her tight and promised to give it a thought.
- They are coming to Delhi next week and inviting all of us for dinner. But of course we won't force you into anything.
Ishita nodded and resumed to her room. Her head was killing her and she needed to calm the pain. She had one whole week after all to decide if she wanted to meet the Vermas.
The next morning Ishita woke up late. She had overslept and had had to condense her usual forty-five minute routine of shower, prayer, clothes and breakfast into a rushed fifteen minutes and she chose to skip breakfast which owned her a good earring from her mother. Ishita drowned herself in her work again, putting all family and personal tensions behind.
The next day, when she reached home late in the afternoon after another tiresome day, Ishita had no time to spare for herself because Mihika was waiting for her.
- What? Shopping? Why? Are you going somewhere? If yes, please take Mihir with you...I am really tired Mihiku...
- Akka! You are too much! I am talking about YOU! I heard we have a dinner next Saturday...
- Mihika please! At least you try to understand me.
- I do Akka. But I also want you to have a life besides work. It doesn't matter what decision you take Akka. What matters is that you think of yourself and start living a life you rightly deserve instead of letting yourself stuck in the past.
Finally Ishita had a change of mind. Her mother and sisters loved her... They had her interest at heart...May be Mihika was right. She decided to follow her advice, to take life easy... Both sisters set out on a shopping spree- new clothes for everyone,
The next morning, Ishita was sitting in the living room, sipping her coffee with Mihika while her mom was busy making vadas in the kitchen. Since she had only two afternoon appointments, Ishita had the morning for herself and she would also get the chance to take lunch with her parents before going back to the clinic.
"Ishita! Where is Ruhi these days?" Ishita's mother inquired.
Strangely the little girl hadn't turned up since Saturday and even Ishita was wondering where she was but hadn't voice it out. Raman was there and obviously Ruhi was spending time with him. Ishita could see how happy the little girl was these days- her papa, her "all time favourite person" as she proudly called him, was home."Amma, she must be busy with some school projects and lo! I think she is here."
There was a knock at the door and Ishita smiled as Mihika went to open. "Akka!"
Perplexed, Ishita walked towards the door and her eyes widened with shock. Raman was standing in his white kurti pajama at her doorstep. What was he doing here? Hadn't he tortured her enough on Saturday?
Completely impotent in front of Mihika who was still standing in between them, a tongue tied Ishita only walked towards him awkwardly as he mouthed a "Hi" to her. She only nodded her head and waited for him to start the conversation. Ishita was shocked to learn that Ruhi was not well and hadnt been to school for two days.
- What? How is she now?
- She is better. Just a runny nose and mild cough...
- I told you not to indulge her in so much ice cream the other day but only if you listen to me...
Ishita stopped. Mihika was staring at her with a flummoxed expression. Murugan! Ishita muttered to herself inwardly. Fortunately Raman was there to diffuse the bomb.
- Ruhi asked me to get her Muttu Swami. She is feeling bored and missing her doggy.
- I'll get him.
Taking Muttu Swami in her arms, Ishita followed Raman to her house while Mihika looked on with a "Miss Marple" look on her face. Ishita knew very well that her interrogation would start very soon but she would deal with her younger sister later. Right now she was concerned about Ruhi and her health.
Ruhi squealed with delight and jumped out of bed to hug her two besties while Mrs Bhalla watched the scene, making a face and muttering some not so pleasing things about the madrassis having done some "jaadu tona" on her grand daughter which didn't get unnoticed by Raman who immediately and discreetly urged her to keep quiet.
A not-so- happy Toshi Bhalla chose to leave the bedroom while Raman looked on fondly at the trio on the middle of the bed. Ishita had her back to Raman and was unaware of him staring at her, too engrossed in Ruhi and her talks. How she had missed her little chatter box!
Raman could clearly see how his daughter's cheeks had gained some colour instantly with the arrival of Ishita and that puppy with the strangest of name. She had been so pale and dull for the past two days.
Ishita and Ruhi shared the loveliest bond and Raman felt his heart beamed with an inexplicable joy at the sight of these two smiling and cuddling each other.
- Raman! Are you ready?
The voice coming from behind made both Ishita and Raman turned around. Ishita's eyes widened with shock.
- Ishita! What a surprise! Raman was telling me last night about you being in Delhi. I heard that your parents live just next door. The world is such a small place. How are you?
Ishita felt all the colour being drained from her face. Her legs felt heavy as she climbed down the bed to walk towards the woman who was standing in front of her. She had always made Ishita awkward with her presence in Raman's life.
She had always been...jealous...insecure...annoyed around her. She had never dared asked about the position she held in Raman's life...she would sound so vain if she would she had thought...it would be a lack of total trust...
Seeing her again, this time in the Bhalla's house, was like... rubbing salt to her wound. Silly her because Devika had nothing to do with their relationship turning bitter and spoiled. She therefore replied back to her politely."I am fine Devika. Yes the world is a small place indeed. I should be going now. Work calling..."
Her knees were wobbling, her legs felt like jelly but Ishita managed to let herself out of the room.
"Raman hurry up. We will be late. I took the liberty to take out your suit from your closet. I hope you don't mind. Get ready!"
Ishita had halted when she had heard her voice, talking to him with a familiarity which made something inside Ishita winced. For some unexplainable reason she wanted to listen to his answer. "Thanks Devika. Ok give me five minutes".
Ishita grimaced and walked away.
Of course he didn't mind but was thankful while he had always reminded her not to bother much when she was with him. Even the servant was scared to touch his closet but not Miss Devika Singh!
When she went back home, Mihika was already gone. Thanking her stars, she rushed to her bedroom. Ishita's head was pounding. She was trying not to think of him...of that Devika...but the demons of the past were pulling her in their abyss. And the green monster in her was making matters worse. Her mind would not stop drifting towards Devika and the special bond she seemed to share with Raman.
***flashback***
"Memsaab you are still here. I am back. Please let it be. Saab would not like it. I will tidy it up." The servant was telling Ishita, unaware that she was just doing it to calm herself. Whenever she would be upset, she would pull out all clothes from her closet to fold and put them again. That was her way of dealing when she was upset.
What was that lady doing here? Who was she? Why will Raman give her the key of his apartment?
Ishita came to Raman's apartment to drop a file when the servant told her that he was going to the market."Close the door behind you. I have a spare key."
Ishita loved to explore his house, his room when she was left alone there. It helped her to understand the man she had come to love. She was still in the living room when she heard the key being inserted in the door.
Ishita froze. Was it the servant or Raman? She walked towards the front door only to be confronted by a tall, well proportioned woman whom she had never seen before. She was probably in her late twenties. Her mass of hair was gathered at the back into a neatly arranged chignon with some silky strands escaping and around her face, giving Ishita the hint that the woman was sexier than she wanted to portray herself...at least in the working environment.
The two women stared at each other for a matter of second but then the woman recovered her composure and said in a clipped tone that she had come to pick the file.
"I am Devika. Devika Singh. You must be Raman's friend who came to drop the file." She concluded with a polite smile, her eyes warm and assessing.
Raman's friend! Ishita was feeling more like Raman's peon when she took the file from the table and handed it to her.
"Yes I am his friend. Ishita Iyer."
"Please to meet you dear. Raman never talked about you. I was a bit taken aback seeing you here."
"He is a busy man! Must have forgotten. Do you know each other for long?" Ishita was trying her level best to be polite but she couldn't help the hint of sarcasm which she hoped Devika didn't notice.
"Raman? For years. We met actually in America. We studied together, we lost contact for some time but then we met one fine day in a party in Delhi and he wooed me over to his company. I am one of the financial consultants there now. Who can say no to Raman Kumar Bhalla?"
Devika gave a warm laugh which sent a shudder through Ishita. Years??? He had known her for years and that woman knew him much more than her. She didn't even know that he did his studies in the U.S. She had to turn away because she was sure that despair would be written all over her face.
"I need to move. Raman is waiting for me at the conference. See you Ishita."
Closing her eyes tightly, she took in a deep breath and finally asked the question which was gnawing at her. Ramesh had been working in Raman's house for years. He should know about Miss Singh if what she had said was true.
"Yeh Devika Singh Kaun hain?"
"Devika madam? She is a close friend of Raman baba. She is the one who was handling the company's new branch in Malaysia since last year. Uski Maa bimaar hain toh woh Mumbai shift hogayi hain."
Ishita chose not to ask Raman about her at all. He would if he felt like it. She told herself with determination because she knew Raman well enough to understand that he would not appreciate her nosing around.
Well he did but Ishita didn't learn more than she already knew. Devika Singh was a good and reliable friend and a competent employee, period. But Ishita was still jealous of her and her proximity with Raman and she could do nothing about it, period.
***end of flashback***
Months later, seeing her again and this time in Raman's house, moving around and taking out his clothes like his...
Ishita snapped open her cupboard. The urge to pull everything out and get them again in was very strong but one look at the wall clock and Ishita changed her mind. She finally left the house to the clinic without taking lunch, her appetite completely lost.
When she came back in the afternoon, Ishita was pleased to get a call from Ruhi. She assured Ishita that she would come to meet her the next morning and Ishita found herself smiling fondly.
Ruhi was a darling unlike...
Shaking her head to stop herself from thinking about him, she went in the kitchen to help her mother in preparing dinner when she informed her that Vandu called and wanted to confirm if the family was accepting the dinner invitation.
Finally Ishita agreed but NO marriage proposal or hidden agenda in the pipeline, she warned an excited Madhvi Iyer.
Ishita was dreading that Saturday evening. The last thing she wanted was to have her mother embarrassing her and herself in front of these people but strangely dinner with the Vermas was a calm and pleasant affair and Ishita bonded instantly with Shreya, Vandita's friend who was a great host and a caring and loving elder sister just like her sister Vandu.
Later when Ishita got a chance to share a few words with Siddhart Verma, she was pleasantly surprised there too. He was a true gentleman and more importantly, he had nothing to hide. They discussed each other's work. Ishita learned that he was a stock broker cum businessman and he had just started diversifying his businesses, the reason for him being in Delhi. When he started broaching more personal topics, Ishita started feeling awkward but soon relaxed. Siddhart Verma was an honest man and she appreciated that.
"I was dreading this dinner," he confessed and Ishita looked at him with a surprise look.
"You were?"
"Yes. I want to be very honest here. I am a very busy man. I have no personal life and marriage is not my priority right now. I wouldn't like to get a wife at home when I am hardly there and if ever kids join the equation later, then it would be so unfair. I don't know what my sister told your sister but I am not ready for marriage. Well not yet if you know what I mean..."
Ishita was relieved and reassured him that she wasn't too.
Finally when they parted, Ishita could say that she had enjoyed Siddhart's company and the possibility that they could be friends were very much there.
Two days later, Madhvi Iyer was busy in her kitchen. The Vermas were coming for dinner and she wanted it to be perfect.
"Amma, they are very humble people and very simple. They will love your food. Don't worry."
When Ishita opened the door some hours later, she was surprised to see Siddhart only at the door. His sister had to go to Pune to her in laws. Her father in-law was not keeping well.
"I hope it is not serious," Ishita's Amma asked with concern.
"He is feeling better. An asthma attack but since he is bedridden patient, my brother in law chose to curb his stay here", Siddhart informed.
All started well but unfortunately didn't end well thank to the one and only Raman Kumar Bhalla. Ishita was in the corridor with Siddhart.
"Lovely food. Your mother is a great cook. Ishita...I wanted to ask you to accompany me to a dinner party on Saturday evening..."
Siddhart was a charming and good guy. But still, she wouldn't want to accelerate things between them. They already had two family dinners in a week and now...
"Oh! I am sorry Siddhart...I really..." Ishita began, wondering how she could edge herself out of this one but her apologetic smile died on her lips as she looked up and came face to face with Raman. If she had expected him, she might have braced herself but caught off guard she suddenly felt as though the ground had been jerked away from under her.
She blinked, half expecting him to vanish but he didn't. Ishita's face felt stiff. He was standing there, on top of the stairs, waiting for them to approach, with no intention to step aside to let them go. His dark eyes raked over Siddhart, then flicked back to her, cool and expressionless as they reached him.
"Hi! Aren't you going to introduce us, Ishita?" He asked in a chillingly polite voice.
What the hell does he think of himself? I don't owe him anything! Ishita felt like yelling that to him. Instead she fumbled over an introduction, angry and flustered.
"Siddhart, this is Raman. His parents are our neighbours".
Raman's mouth hardened and he continued to stare at her in a way that made her flush angry.
"Raman Kumar Bhalla", the horrid man introduced himself properly and Ishita watched with horror what followed next.
Siddhart had finally recognized who he was and was rather pleased to meet him and was hoping to meet him for discussing business if the opportunity would arise. Ishita smiled weakly at him when he finally bid her goodbye while Raman was still standing shamelessly where he was, scrutinizing their every movement.
"I'll call you," he said before leaving and Ishita only nodded awkwardly.
As soon as he was out of her sight, Ishita glared at Raman and turned on her heels. Her hand was still on the door knob when she heard him. "Looking quite pretty. Any special occasion?"
The man was expert in making her lose her calm. She turned around and fumed. He was still standing where he was, leaning on the hand rail, his hands in his pockets, as if he owned the whole place. Fuming, she stepped closer to him...she wouldn't want her parents to hear her...
"What is your problem?" She asked. "Who is he?" He continued as if she hadn't spoken.
"That's none of your business Mr Raman Kumar Bhalla."
He immediately grabbed her wrist and pulled her closely to him.
"Everyone in the society is talking about your mother's desperation to get you hitched. That was fast work. Good catch, is he?"
There was a ferocious undertone to his voice. Ishita raised furious eyes at him.
"I won't even bother to answer that', she returned, flushing hotly as he swiftly released her wrist to link his fingers through hers, a gesture implicit with threat.
"Let go of me Raman!"
He pressed her further to him, challenging her to free herself...his lips were dangerously to hers and Ishita could hear her heart drumming erratically.
- So I am only a neighbour. I thought I was...an old flame. And that Siddhart Verma, who is he? Are you seeing him through some stupid act of defiance?
- You flatter yourself Mr Bhalla. Siddhart is a good person and more importantly a gentleman and no liar.
His fingers tightened over hers.
- I never lied to you.
- You just skirted round the truth. I learnt about your wife later and now...
- Now?
What was wrong with her?Thank God she had stopped on time. She would have made a fool of herself talking about Devika.
- Well it doesn't matter any more. You do what you want with your life and I'll do the same. I happen to find Siddhart a nice man and yes, a good catch! Now leave me.
- You are a fool. He is not a man for you.
- That's for me to decide.
Their eyes clashed. Just then his mobile phone started ringing, diffusing the tension. Annoyed, he finally picked it up, giving Ishita the chance to move away from him."I'll get back to you in five minutes Devika" and he disconnected the call.
"Are there a few more insights you'd like to share with me?" She asked with heavy sarcasm. "Can I go now? I wouldn't want your FRIEND Devika to wait because of me."
Ishita wished that she hadn't say that when she saw dark amusement flicker in his eyes. He would love to think that she was jealous, she realized, to know that he still had a hold over her, because wasn't that what he wanted...
"Oh you can run along now," he said lazily though his eyes were like flint. She turned around and walked off towards the door, her body stiff with their awareness that he was watching her.
To be continued...
Precap:
"Devika and I go back a long way," he said softly and Ishita laughed, feeling tears prick the back of her eyes.
"She told me. Old friends. Or whatever."
"Jealous?"
Raman walked slowly towards her, with that lazy, graceful ease of movement...a thousand drums began beating in her head, against her temples, sending her nerves into chaotic tension...
"Nervous Ishita?" He asked softly.
"I must go," she flung out wildly and turned around but hadn't made it halfway across the room when she heard his voice behind her like a whip."I am not finished with you".
"But I AM finished with you!" She returned back angrily, facing him across the room like a sparring partner.
He glared at her, his mouth hostile, his brows drawn in angry frown...
"You are not seeing that man again."
"Excuse me?" Ishita gasped.
"You heard me," he rasped.
Edited by omshreejaanu - 10 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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