Hey guys! I am here with the next update. Thank you all for encouraging me to write this story. I haven't replied to any of your comments but I have read them all. I will reply to them soon. Thank you so much for such an unconditional support. Here's the update. 😊
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"Ishi Maa, you stay in this house. You don't have to stay in Paati's house. If you stay there, Papa will always insult you whenever he sees you. So, it's better if you stay here," Adi said as he made Ishita sit in the sofa of the new house offering her some water to drink.
He sat beside her and wounded his arm around her shoulder as she looked very pale.
"Ishi Maa, are you Ok?"
As he asked this question, the unshed tears in her eyes starting rolling down her red eyes. He don't know what to do.
"Ishi Maa, please don't cry. Papa has become a total insensitive person. Of course, you can't expect to be how he was 7 years ago. That was your Raman, Ishita's Raman. But now, he has become a jaanwar. He has no feelings, Ishi Maa. He's has become such an insensitive person," he consoled her striking her back gently as tears made down his eyes as well.
"What sin have I done Adi? He called me a Baanj, he called me Manhoos. That was the least I wanted to hear from him. When the whole world was taunting me saying I am Baanj, he stood by my side. He gave me the strength to overcome their taunts. And Manhoos..." she choked as she cried bitterly thinking of his harsh words.
"Actually, he was right. Manhoos toh mein hun. Hamari Ruhi ko ko diya mein ne. I am such a bad omen for everyone. You should leave me also, Adi. I am not a good mother," she covered her face with both her hands and cried letting out small sobs.
"Bas karo Ishi Maa. Your Adi will never ever leave you. It's not your fault for losing our Ruhi. It was meant to happen."
"No Adi, it was my fault. I shouldn't have called Abhishek there. I should have listened to your Papa. I behaved so foolishly," and she cried again thinking of the person she loved the most, her Ruhi.
"She was my everything, Adi. Even before I met your Papa, she became my life. I loved her more than anyone. She was the reason for me to live. I live only for her. Then, she made my life even more beautiful by making your Papa enter my life. Everything was so perfect when she was there. Even you realised your Papa's worth. Our family was so beautiful, You, your Papa, our Ruhi and me. But I spoilt everything. I became the reason for your Papa's pain. I was the reason for his happiness at a time. Now, no more. He's not my Raman. I am not his Ishita. You should accept Shagun as your mother. Anyways, she is your mother. I will go away from all your lives forever this time," she wiped her tears as she got up to leave.
"Are you mad, Ishi Maa? I will never let this marriage happen. Pihu and I are your children. I will not let you go. And let me remind you. You came here to reunite the 2 families. I am not letting you go before finish what you wanted to do."
Ishita knew he will never let her go. Her heart wanted to stay there, with him always. At least as his Mother. But her mind told her off. It told her to leave. It told her that it's nothing more painful than seeing hatred in Raman's eyes for her. But her heart told her to stay as his hate doesn't matter. All that matters is seeing him everyday which she missed for the past 7 years.
"Please Ishi Maa, for me. Stay here. You can leave after you reunite the 2 families. I will not stop you then," he pleaded again.
After she gave a brief thought over his words, she agreed to stay. As he opened his arms inviting his Mother for a long awaited hug, she couldn't help but smile at her son who was behaving so maturely. She embraced him as he wrapped his arms around her.
"I will not let you go anywhere Ishi Maa. I will reunite you with Papa before you leave," he thought to himself as he hugged his mother tighter than ever.
A pair of eyes who witnessed all this had tears in her round eyes.
"Ishi Maa still loves me? She still loves me!" she smiled as she watched the Mother-Son duo.
"No, no... I shouldn't fall for her words. I am here to not let her reunite with Papa. I will never let her come back into his life. You spoilt my life. I will never let you live happily," she said as she wiped her tears and entered the new apartment breaking their moment.
"Excuse me," she said as Adi and Ishita broke their hug looking at the source of the sweet voice.
"Hello, I am Ruhi. I am also going to live in this apartment. The owner have already told me that I have to share this apartment with a lady. Is that you?" she asked as she looked at Ishita.
Without answering her, Ishita made her way towards Ruhi.
"Tumara naam Ruhi hai?" she asked as she caressed Ruhi's cheeks.
Ruhi was immensely elated to feel her mother's touch after a painful 7 years. She tried hard to held back the tears which rolled her eyes. She immediately pushed off Ishita's hands as she composed herself.
"Haan, mera naam Ruhi hai. Are you the one I am going to live with?" she tried to be rude but she couldn't.
"Haan beta, you're going to live with me," she replied as her hands again went up to caress her long hairs.
"Wah Ishi Maa. You totally forgot me after hearing the name Ruhi. If Ruhi was alive now, I think you would have always ignored me," Adi complained making a puppy face.
Ishita smiled at his cute antics and held his ear.
"You haven't changed a bit Adi. Behave like a grown up now. Of course, if my Ruhi was here, she would be the one who will getting all the love from her bhaiya. Her bhaiya always tend to ignore his Ishi Maa when his behen is with him," she said as he implored her to leave him.
Ruhi who saw all this was smiling while she was filled with a bit of jealously seeing her brother getting all the love.
"How much I missed you, Ishi Maa..." she thought to herself. Her trance was broken when she heard a voice behind her.
"Adi bhaiya, what are you doing here with the Haar Wali Aunty?" she asked blinking her eyes cutely.
Ruhi moved aside as Pihu walked to Adi. Ishita had tears in her eyes as she saw Pihu. She went on her knees and traced Pihu's features.
"You look exactly like your Ruhi Di," she said absentmindly.
She hugged Pihu and cried. She missed the 7 precious years of Pihu's growth. Pihu, the symbol of Her Raman's and Her love. She cried as she let out sob making Pihu break the hug.
"Haar wali Aunty, why are you crying? Crying is not good," she said as she wiped Ishita's tears.
Ishita took her small hands in her and kissed them lovingly. Adi And Ruhi who was witnessing all the cried along with Ishita. Pihu turned to Adi.
"Adi Bhaiya, I want to talk to you. I need to ask you something. Can you answer my question?"
"Haan, Pihu. Bolo, Kya puchna tha?"
"Yahan nahi, humara ghar mein puchungi. Aap aao mera saath," she said as she pulled Adi with her.
Ishita signalled Adi to go.
"Ishi Maa, call me if you need anything. I will be just downstairs," he said as her picked Pihu in his arms and left leaving Ruhi and Ishita alone. Ishita looked at Ruhi's wet eyes.
"Kya hua beta, did you cry?" she asked moving towards Ruhi.
"Kuch nahi, some dust went into my eyes. Anyways, I am going to my room," Ruhi answered coldly as she left for her room.
Ishita smiled as Ruhi's answer reminded her of how he always used to say that whenever she caught him crying.
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- Bhalla House -
Adi brought Pihu to his room making her sit comfortably on the bed and locked the door.
"Now ask Pihu. You wanted to ask me secretly. I have even locked the door. Ask me now," he told her as he settled beside her.
"Bhaiya, that's the Haar wali Aunty haina? Then, why are you calling her Ishi Maa?"
Adi was tongue-tied listening to her question.
"Batao Bhaiya, is she our mother? Then who is Shagun Mumma?"
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That's all for now. Hope you like it. Share your views with me. Eagerly waiting to read all your comments. 😃
Love, Ramya 🤗
