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Back with another update. And we'll finally be dealing with Subbu's truth in this one.
Hope you like it. As always, please let me know through your likes and comments!!
~Chapter 13~"Ishu!" She heard her mother call out to her from the door to her room. "Kanna, we have to get you ready soon! The muhurtham is in 3 hours!"
"Amma, I'll get ready on my own. You take care of everything else, I'll manage." Ishita tried to explain to her worried mother. The last thing she needed now was for a horde of women to fuss over her.
"No, Ishu, that won't do. I'll send someone over to help you," Mrs. Iyer stated and left, ignoring Ishita's protests.
Ishita sighed and began towelling her wet hair. She sat on the stool by her dresser and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Was she truly getting married today? She saw no glow of happiness on her face, had no butterflies in her stomach that would make her feel like a bride.
"Akka!" She heard a squeal, and turned towards the door.
"Mihika!" She exclaimed, surprised, as her cousin came forward and engulfed her in a hug.
"You came! But how did you manage to get here from Chennai? Soumya Chithi told me that your leave was cancelled."
"Don't ask, akka!" she replied frustrated. "I had to fake an illness to get here. My manager is so evil, he wouldn't have accepted any other excuse! And I couldn't miss your wedding at any cost now, could I? So I had no choice."
"When did you reach? Amma didn't even inform me that you've come," Ishita complained.
"I got here really late, akka. You were asleep by then and I didn't want to disturb you. After all, you have many sleepless nights ahead of you now," Mihika teased Ishita with a wink, but failed to notice how her face fell at that.
"Umm..Mihika, go check if Amma and Vandu akka need your help. I'll call you if I need something," she tried to divert her.
"Nothing doing, akka. You're the bride, and you need to be treated like one! So you just sit tight while I do all the work for you today...which includes dressing you up!" Mihika said to her with a giggle.
"As you say, Mihiku," Ishita said, giving in.
"I think we have everything here... Oh no! I forgot to get the gajra for you from Periamma's room," Mihika smacked her head in annoyance. "Wait here, akka, I'll go and get them first."
She watched Mihika leave and picked up the madisar lying on her bed, the nine-yard saree that she would drape for the ceremony. She caressed the silk fabric with her hands and felt a deep ache in her heart as it struck her that in a few hours' time, she would be Subbu's wife. Would she be able to love him again? Would she be able to build her future with him? Especially after...
"Don't think about him, don't think about him!" She closed her eyes shut and chanted to herself. "There's no point. It would have never worked out anyway."
She was about to begin changing into her wedding attire when she saw Mihika come running back into the room, panting, looking like she had just seen a ghost.
"What is it, Mihiku?" She asked her worriedly.
"Akka, please come with me. You need to hear this!"
She followed Mihika, who led her into her parents' room, where Vandu and Bala were standing along with her parents.
"WHY, AMMA? WHY DID YOU DO IT?" Vandita thundered at her mother, while Mrs. Iyer stood by, shedding tears.
"I only did what was best for my Ishu," Mrs. Iyer whimpered.
"But Madhu, you didn't even tell me about this! How could you?" She heard her father's angry voice.
"What is all this? What did Amma do?" Ishita spoke up from behind them, and they all looked back at her silently, unable to say anything in reply.
****
Raman stared at the food on his plate and pushed it away, disinterested.
"Ma, I'm not hungry. I'll have my breakfast from office."
"But puttar-"
"No ma, I have some urgent work. I have no time to eat," he said and walked off into his room, making Toshi wonder what was wrong with him.
She would get married today. After today, the woman he loved would belong to someone else, and he would never be able to make her a part of his life. He would have been okay with it, he would have accepted it as a cruel twist of fate had he not been sure that there was something off about the entire situation. Her tears had been an evidence of the fact that she was as unhappy about her decision as he was. But he had no idea what she was hiding from him, and so he didn't know what he could do to make it all better for her; for both of them. He paced around helplessly, dreading the inevitable and hoping, wishing, praying for a way to prevent it from happening.
"Bhai?" Raman turned towards the door as he heard the voice. "Oh bhai, I'm so happy to see you!"
"Simmi!" He greeted her with a smile. "I thought you wouldn't be here until next week. Didn't you have your exams?"
"All done, bhai," she replied as she placed her bags on the floor and hugged him. "And then Rinki and Romi gave me the good news, so I had to come home as soon as possible! I can't tell you how happy I am that you're getting married! Tell me, when can I meet her?" Simmi asked him eagerly, and he fell silent, wondering what he should say to her in reply. But then she spotted the photograph that his siblings had gifted him, hanging on the wall above his bed.
"Bhai, is that her?" Simmi asked him, pointing towards it. "You're getting married to Ishita Iyer?" She asked him, surprised.
****
"Why is everyone silent?" Ishita shouted out, puzzled. "Somebody, please tell me what is going on!"
"Ishu-" Vandita spoke up.
"No, Vandu, please-" Mrs. Iyer pleaded but Vandita interrupted her angrily.
"Amma, Ishu needs to know. In fact, she needs to hear it from you!"
Mrs.Iyer glanced at everyone's tensed faces, and realized that she had no other option but to reveal the truth to Ishita.
"Ishu, I... I am sorry. I did something.. but you must understand.. I did it only for your happiness," she said to Ishita desperately.
"Amma, what is it? I don't understand what you're trying to say," Ishita said to her mother, worried.
Vandita sighed at her mother's helplessness.
"Ishu, I'll tell you," she began. "Remember how you told me that you couldn't understand why Subbu had suddenly changed his mind about you nine months ago? Well, it turns out that Amma had a huge hand in that sudden turnover."
She glanced at her mother once, and continued.
"Amma made fake medical reports, Ishu. She got them made to show that it was possible for you to get pregnant, and handed them to Subbu and his parents to convince them to agree to the marriage."
"Fake reports? Amma, is this true?" Ishita questioned her mother, as she felt herself go numb with shock.
"Ishu, it was all for you," Mrs. Iyer tried to explain, "You were so heartbroken. I couldn't see you in that state, kanna. So I had gone to meet Subbu's parents to talk to them. But they refused to listen to my pleas. They kept saying how they wouldn't accept a...a barren woman as their daughter-in-law. But I knew how much Subbu and you loved each other, Ishu. I knew that if I somehow convinced his parents, Subbu would change his decision. So I.. I decided to do something about it. You know Mrs. Kumar from downstairs. She has a relative at the nearby hospital. I told her about our situation, and she suggested that I could get a signed report that would state that you would have no problems in conceiving a child. And it worked! When I spoke to his parents again, they decided to call Subbu from Mumbai..."
"Amma, this is great news. Why didn't you tell us about this before?" Subbu beamed at Mrs. Iyer.
"We ourselves didn't know. Ishu is still undergoing treatment from time to time to avoid a relapse, and this...this came as a part of her latest test results," Mrs.Iyer replied nervously. "So what will it be?" She asked them. "Wasn't this the only reason you considered my daughter unsuitable for your son?"
"Oh Madhu," replied Subbu's mother. "Don't hold it against us. I want my son to lead a fulfilled life. I've always wanted the best for him. So when we got to know about Ishu's incapabilities, we had to think practically. Besides, my son has a lot of other options. Do you know how many good alliances we get for Subbu?" She bragged. "But now I'm convinced that Ishu will keep my son very happy, so we can go ahead with this marriage."
"Amma, I'll be leaving for London soon. I'll meet Ishita once before I leave and let her know that there'll be no problem now!" Subbu said to Mrs.Iyer happily.
"Subbu," Mrs.Iyer spoke up. "Ishu hasn't seen these reports. I haven't told her since this is such a sensitive issue for her," she fumbled for an excuse to keep the report hidden from Ishita.
"Okay. Don't worry, Amma," Subbu replied. "Tell you what.. we'll keep this report as a wedding gift for her. She'll be so happy when she finds out!"
"Yes. She will be happy," said Mrs. Iyer, suddenly guilty about how Ishita would actually react when she found out about it.
But Subbu will be there to support her,' she consoled herself and smiled back at her future son-in-law.
"I can't believe this is happening again!" Ishita muttered and leaned against the wall, feeling cheated all over again, and Mihika rushed to her side to comfort her.
"Amma, what you did is so wrong!" Vandita shook her head at her. "It's a good thing I spotted the reports lying in your cupboard, otherwise everything would have been ruined!"
"And this is illegal, Madhu! They could sue us if they found out!" Said Mr.Iyer, confounded by his wife's actions.
"Amma, do you realize what you have done?" Ishita asked her mother with tears in her eyes. "How did you think your plan would ever work? Wouldn't they find out the truth once we were married?"
"But Ishu, Subbu's parents were against the marriage, not Subbu. He loves you. " her mother tried to reason with her. "We'll tell him there was a mistake in the reports. I'm sure he'll understand."
"Really, Amma? Let's find out then, shall we? Let's speak to him," she said and called him up immediately, while the others waited anxiously, aware of the fact that everything was about to fall apart again.
****
"How do you know Ishita?" Raman asked his sister, surprised.
"I know her through her sister. Bhai, remember I used to go to a tutor to prepare for my MBA entrance exams? Well, that was Vandita." She explained to him but he gave her a puzzled look in return.
"I can't believe none of you remember this. Vandita and her husband are lecturers at Romi's college! I met Vandita through Romi, and she agreed to tutor me at her home. That's how I met Ishita. Vandita told me her story one day and ... God, how much the poor girl has gone through."
"What? What has she gone through?" Asked Raman urgently.
"She didn't tell you? But why?" Simmi asked him. "Maybe you should talk to her first then."
"There's no time for all that, Simmi. Just tell me, please. What had happened to Ishita?" He held her hands and begged her.
"Okay, okay!" She said, confused by the desperation on Raman's face.
"Around two years ago, Ishita fell ill.. it was tuberculosis, I think. And it was pretty serious, too. She recovered completely, though, but the infection had spread to such an extent that the doctors diagnosed that she would never be able to conceive a child. To make matters worse, the guy she was engaged to broke up with her when he got to know about it. Such a jerk! I remember how upset Vandita had been about it. And Ishita? She was devastated. The illness along with the broken engagement was too much for her to bear," Simmi said sympathetically.
"I moved out of Delhi soon after that, so I had no idea what was going on in her life. But look how everything's turned out now. I can't believe Ishita is going to be a part of our family! And I know Vandita and her family, bhai. They're very good people," she assured Raman, but Raman had stopped paying attention to her, his mind stuck on what he had learnt about Ishita.
He remembered her words from when they had travelled together in the truck.
"There is...something... that he...expects... from me that I cannot give him"
And then it struck him what had upset her that night on his birthday.
"Oh, and my most important demand.. I want grandkids.. at least two of them"
So this was the missing link! He slid down onto his bed, as he finally understood why Ishita refused to let him into her life.
****
"Ishu, what is the meaning of all this?" Subbu asked her, as soon as he had stepped inside her house. "The ceremony is in a few hours. What is the matter?"
"Trust me, Subbu, I wouldn't have called you here unless it was absolutely urgent," she remarked as she prayed for the strength to go through this once again.
"I just have one question, Subbu," she said, her face set, her arms folded across her chest.
"Why did you agree to marry me?"
"What sort of a question is that?" He looked around at the others in confusion, but they remained silent, waiting to hear his reply.
"It's not such a difficult question, Subbu. You see, my mother here thinks that you love me. I'm only trying to find out if it's true."
"Of course it's true. Why the sudden doubt?"
"Oh, so you're marrying me because you love me, and not because you found out that I can now bear your children?" She held out the medical report to him so he would know what she was referring to. Subbu looked at Mrs.Iyer questioningly and then replied to Ishita.
"So you know about the report? Look, I was going to tell you about it myself, but your mother and I had agreed to surprise you with the news!"
"If there was no such report, would you still hold my hand and go through with the wedding today?" She probed him.
"I don't see how that is relevant," he replied, still puzzled by her questions.
"Answer me, Subbu. Would you marry me today if-"
"No, I wouldn't!" He exclaimed, irritated. "I agreed to this marriage on that condition, and I stand by it! But it doesn't matter now, Ishu. Everything is fine with you. I checked the reports myself."
Having proved her point, Ishita looked at her mother, who in turn looked shocked, unable to believe what his words implied.
"But Subbu," she spoke up. "Son, I thought it was your parents who were not willing to accept Ishu. You.. you've been with my Ishu since so many years. Would you leave her just for this one reason?"
Subbu looked at her in exasperation.
"Amma, not just me, but no man in his right mind would accept her as his wife if she hadn't recovered!"
Shocked at his crass remark, Mrs.Iyer burst into tears, realizing how foolish she had been in trusting Subbu.
"What is wrong with everyone? I don't understand why we are wasting time discussing a hypothetical situation!" Subbu said in irritation.
"It's not a hypothetical situation," Ishita said to him flatly. "The report is false. There was no miraculous recovery. I still have the same problem for which you had rejected me nine months ago."
"What nonsense! How can the report be false?"
Ishita sighed as she wondered how she would justify her mother's actions.
"Actually-", she began, but Bala held up a hand to stop her before she could reveal anything that would land Amma in trouble.
"Subbu," he spoke up. "It was an honest mistake. Apparently, the lab goofed up. We got it confirmed from them."
Subbu threw up his hands up in frustration.
"Great! This is just great! What will we tell everyone now? Do you know how many of our guests have come, Bala Anna? It's going to be so humiliating!" He exclaimed insensitively.
Vandita looked at Bala with tears in her eyes as she tried to console her mother who was sobbing uncontrollably.
"Subbu, you're really calling it off? Again?" Bala asked his brother, deeply disappointed with him.
"Anna, I'm sorry. I really like Ishita but I can't be with her if we cannot build a family together."
"Oh shut up, Subbu," Ishita retorted angrily. "You're not the one calling the wedding off. I am! I refuse to marry you! Because you're arrogant and spineless, and you don't deserve to have me in your life!"
"Ishu?" He uttered, shocked to hear her speak to him so rudely.
"You heard me! You're free to go.. to London or wherever it is you plan to live.. just see to it that you're as far away from me as possible!" She tore the medical report into pieces and threw it on his face, and ignoring the way he glared at her, she stormed out of her house in anger.
****
"Bhai...bhai..." Simmi shook his shoulder, bringing him out of his thoughts.
"Is everything alright?" She asked him as he looked up at her blankly.
"I have to stop her.." he muttered. "Simmi, I have to stop her from getting married!"
"What?" She asked, confused. "Stop whom?"
"Ishita," he replied, frantically searching for his car keys. "She's getting married today. I have to stop her."
"But I thought she was marrying you!"
"Ishita is getting married today?" They turned to see Toshi standing at the doorway, with a shocked expression. "Puttar, what are you saying?"
"Ma, I have no time to explain. Please, let me go!" He pleaded and ran out to get to his car and to Ishita's house.
He drove like a madman through the crowded roads, with only one thought on his mind - Ishita. He had had enough. He still wasn't aware why she had agreed to marry the man who had dumped her so cruelly, but he wouldn't allow her to to take any such step now. He wouldn't allow her to go away from him on the pretext of some illness. He needed her in his life, and she needed him. He would convince her that they belonged together. Now if only he could reach on time...
He parked his car in their complex in a hurry, and bolted up the stairs and into Ishita's flat, only to be taken aback by the sight that greeted him.
"Subbu, that's enough," Bala roared at him. "I'm your brother and I have your best interests at heart. So listen to me when I tell you that you're making a mistake."
"Anna, please, you're not my brother anymore. You're just a husband, always running around your wife and in-laws!"
"You're so adamant, Subbu," Bala said to him exasperatedly. "How can you be so inconsiderate?"
Raman looked on, unnoticed by everyone in the room, as Bala and Subbu argued back and forth, while Vandita stood in a corner consoling an elderly lady, who Raman guessed was her mother. He failed to understand what was going on, though, and looked around, ignoring the loud voices in the room, his eyes desperately searching for Ishita.
"I don't understand why you're blaming me for all of this! I was the one who was cheated. I was the one who was shown the wrong reports. I was made to believe that Ishu could get pregnant, when it was all a lie. And you think I should accept her now, even after knowing the truth? Why would I do that?"
The mention of her name caught Raman's attention, and as he heard their exchange, he put two and two together, and fumed as he understood what had transpired.
"Because she trusted you, Subbu," Bala replied, "And if you truly loved her, all this wouldn't have mattered to you!"
"Come on, Anna, you're being biased now! How can you expect me to marry a barren woman? Don't you think I deserve better?"
And before anyone could gather their wits and respond to Subbu's nasty comment, Raman stepped forward and punched him in the face, sending him straight to the ground.
He flexed his wrist and smiled satisfactorily at having managed to do something he had been itching to do since days.
"That felt really good!" He exclaimed, and looked up to notice everyone staring at him, dumbfounded.
"Sorry, Bala, I know he's your brother, but-"
Oh, don't be," uttered Bala, stunned, as he saw Subbu, who lay on the floor, clutching his jaw in pain.
"Vandita," Raman walked over to her and asked her, "Where is Ishita?"
"Umm.. Ishu.." she mumbled, unable to recover from the shock of what had just happened. "She was here a while back. Mihika? Where is she?"
"I.. don't know, akka," said Mihika, wiping her tears. "I saw her walk out. Maybe she's outside."
"No, she's not outside," Raman supplied. "I would have seen her."
"I'll call her," said Mihika and rushed to get her mobile.
"I'll look for her outside, just in case," said Bala and Mr.Iyer followed him to help him.
"Bhai?" Raman turned and to his surprise, saw Mihir at the doorstep, along with Toshi and Simmi.
"Mihir? What do you think you're doing here?" Raman went over to them and hissed at them, keeping his voice low.
"Bhai, Toshi aunty and Simmi said something was wrong... Isn't that Ishita's fiance?" He asked, suddenly spotting Subbu. "What's he doing on the floor?"
Vandita helped Subbu up but he jerked her hand away, getting up on his own.
He walked up to Raman and said furiously, "How dare you! Who the hell do.you think are?"
Raman placed his hands in his pockets, lest he give in to the temptation of beating him up again.
"Buddy," he began, "I used to be the guy who stood by silently while you insulted Ishita, hurt her, disrespected her repeatedly. But not anymore. Now, I'm the guy who won't take any crap from you. I'm the guy you'll have to run into if you ever try and hurt Ishita again," he replied, his eyes calm but the tone of his voice menacing.
Subbu glared at Raman, shocked and angry at the turn of events.
"Whatever.. you can all go to hell, for all I care. I'm done here," he said angrily and walked out of their house, fuming.
"Vandu," Mrs. Iyer whispered to her. "Who is this man?"
Vandita smiled slightly as she wondered how to answer the question.
"Amma, this is the man that our Ishu is in love with!" She whispered back.
"What? Enna pesuren di? What are you saying?" Mrs.Iyer looked at her, shocked.
"Amma, he's a great guy. I'll give you all the details later. For now, just take my word for it!"
"Oh," she muttered unsurely and added as an afterthought, "Is he an Iyer boy?"
"Ayyo, amma!" Vandita exclaimed in frustration.
"Jiju..akka... Ishu akka is not picking my calls," Mihika said anxiously as she came out of her room, just as Bala and Mr.Iyer came in.
"She's not outside as well," said Bala worried.
"She could be at her clinic," Mihir suggested. "I'll go check there," he added, desperate for a chance to meet Ishita and apologize to her for his rude behaviour with her the other night.
"I'll come with you," said Mihika worriedly, and followed him outside.
"Kadavule!" Mrs.Iyer cried out. "Where is my daughter? Please keep her safe, Muruga!"
"What can your Murugan do, if you yourself can't keep her safe?" Toshi commented, and Simmi tried to shush her.
"What do you mean?" Madhu asked her, offended.
"From what I understand, you people are the cause for my daughter-in-law's sufferings! Why are you trying to get her married off to someone else when she is in love with my son?"
"Ma!" Raman tried to stop her from embarrassing him. "Please. You don't know the whole story!"
"How dare you! And what is this daughter-in-law business? Ishu is not your daughter-in-law!"
"Well, she is going to be."
"Not if I can help it!"
"Oh really? Let's see you stop it from happening. No one can come in between my Raman and Ishita!"
They bickered while Raman looked on in shock at this new problem that had cropped up.
"Ma! Enough!" He screamed at his mother to silence her, while Vandita restrained her mother at the other end.
"Ma, please, we need to find Ishita first. Could we put off everything else until later?"
Raman stood around, waiting anxiously for some news, while the others called all of Ishita's acquaintances to enquire if she was with them.
"This is just like before," Vandu sighed.
"What do you mean?" Raman asked her.
"Nine months ago, she disappeared exactly like this, and the next thing we knew, she had taken off to Mumbai, to meet Subbu. But where would she go now?" She wondered helplessly, but unknowingly had given Raman the indication that he had needed.
"I know where she is!" Raman exclaimed.
And without any further explanation, he sprinted to his car and drove off, leaving all the others puzzled.
****
He sped along the highway, stepping on the accelerator impatiently, all the while keeping an eye out for the familiar sign board. Three hours. He had driven for three hours last time before he had spotted that dhaba, and if his calculations were correct, he would get there in a few more minutes. He would find her there, he knew it in his heart, and drove on, weaving his way through dozens of vehicles, his heart racing in anticipation.
And sure enough, moments later, he reached his destination and hopping out of his car, he ran in search of her. Sweeping his eyes through the place, he looked for her face among the crowd and panicked when he couldn't spot her anywhere.
He ran his hands through his hair, almost at the end of his wits, when he turned and finally saw her, standing at the railing, with her back to him, at the very same spot where she had met him the first time.
Edited by nrn1486 - 9 years ago
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