This is my second OS in this forum. Please bear with any mistakesđł
This OS is dedicated to my friend Priyađł
Thanks for being such a sweetheart and an amazing friendđ¤
After a peaceful dinner with their family, Raman and Ishita finally retreated to the room, "their" room to be precise. She went to change while he sat on the couch. The very same couch, which had been her bed before they had confessed their love for each other. It was a beautiful journey from that day. Both had been happy and content with their lives. Ishita was the perfect mother he could have asked for his children. The perfect wife he could have asked for himself and the perfect, passionate lover that she was. Everything was perfect till that inauspicious day when they lost Ruhi. They had lost her forever and he had vented his anger, his frustration and his angst on her, not even understanding that what she might be going through. She also lost her daughter, the daughter who made her a woman. The daughter who made her complete in all sense of the world of definition of a complete woman. But instead of comforting his wife in this situation, he labelled her as bad luck for the family. He claimed she did what she did because after all she was and always will be a step mother. It was their plan and he had failed badly, yet he royally thought of ignoring this fact. And as he is known for his tempers, he lashed out at her. And she had disappeared, and later he knew what he had to face. He lost her, their life and his chance at redemption. He knew what he lost seven years back and he couldn't lose her again. He had to apologise to her, confess his feelings to her and let her know what she means to him. Even if she rejected his proposal, he will gladly accept her decision. It was her decision to forgive him or not. For their relationship to progress, she had always taken the first step, this time he would take this step. He would tell her how he feels about her, about them and their relationship. He would tell her that without her he was and shall always be a lonely man.
His train of thoughts were broken when he saw she was standing in front of the mirror, applying her favourite skin lotion so it wouldn't turn dry. Both their eyes met in the shiny piece of glass in front of her. Ishita remembered the moment when she was pregnant, Raman was taking her care like a dutiful husband and had handed her the same skin lotion. It was clear both loved and cared about each other equally. Both respected each other and cherished their past. Seeing their eyes meet, she looked away, realising the effect Raman's eyes have on her. His eyes bore through her safely guarded secrets of her heart and mind. She turned around to see, he had removed her quilt and a pillow and adjusted it on couch she was going to sleep. She had acknowledged the effort he was taking. He shifted slightly so she could sit. He gently took her hand in hers, and noticing that she wasn't hesitant he finally spoke,
Raman: "I am sorry Ishita."
Ishita: "Aap kis baat ke liye sorry bol rahe hai?" she asked confused. Later it struck her that he may be sorry for the taunt he passed at dinner.
Ishita: "Aap ko dinner ke liye sorry bolne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai Raman."
Raman: "Dinner?..." he asked confusingly.
Ishita: "Haan. Aap ne koi taunt mara na, Tamilians pe. Raman I am used to such stuff. Main bhi to kitna taunt maarti hoon Punjabi's pe."
He squeezed her palms tightly and sat down in front of her, he looked in her eyes. The eyes which showed the love she had for him, the warmth her eyes held for him and the eyes that showed she cared for this man, the eyes that showed she cherished this relation. All he wanted was an assurance from her heart, and he lowered his head in front of her and finally gathering courage, he spoke,
Raman: "I am sorry for everything Ishita. Main aaj dinner pe huye conversation ke liye nai maafi maang raha hoon."
"To phir?" chirped in Ishita.
"Ssshhh...do minute ke liye chup baith Madrasan" he started in his trademark style.
She looked at him all confused, but he was going to answer all her doubts today and claim back his lady love.
Raman: "Main tumse 7 saal pehle ke liye sorry bol raha hoon. Us din maine jo bhi tumhe kaha, wo gusse main kahan, I am certainly not justifying myself. I was very wrong that day. Par tu bhi Madrasan, meri life se itni door chali gayi ki main chah kar bhi maafi mang nai pata. Tu to mere gusse ko jaanti thi na, mera matlab hai jaanti hai na. Bina kuch soche samjhe bol deta hoon. Tumhe rookna chahiye tha na, mujhe do thappad lagane ke liye. Waise waale thappad jis din maine Mrs.Tandon ki taariff ki thi. "
Ishita remembered that night and their moments when they became man and woman in true sense. The same night when she truly belonged to Raman and both were consumed by each other, blushed slightly.
She looked away avoiding his intense gaze. Even after 7 years of being apart, they both had that hypnotizing effect on each other.
He didn't want to distract himself and the conversation he wanted to have. He had thought a lot about the forgiveness, completely oblivious to Ishita's answer to his apolpgy.
Raman: "Mujhe chod ke chali gayi aur meri halat ke bare main ek baar bhi nai socha. Ek baar bhi man nahi hua tumhara yeh jaaneka ki main kaisa hoon? Tere bina kaise zindagi kaat raha hoon?" he asked with tears flowing down his cheeks.
Ishita gently wiped the tears and teased him, "Punjabi sher ho ke ro rahe ho...?"
He smiled through the tears, knowing only she had the power and that right to make him smile and comfort him when in pain.
He further spoke,
Raman: "Aur to aur jaake us Mani ke saath rahne lagi. I know he is your friend only but phir bhi Mani. I mean Australia main ek hi ghar hai kya us Mani ka?"
Ishita: "Kuch jalne ki boo aa rahi hai..." she smirked.
She knew what he was trying to say, she understood the pain he went through. The same amount of pain she went through. Without him, her life depended on this very man, without her kids, Ruhi and Adi and their newborn, Pihu. She understood his emotions; only thing was he was no master in apologies. And his taunts, she missed them so badly.
Before she could answer and say something, she stood up and made Raman stand up. She made him sit on the couch and she sat beside him. She looked deep in his eyes; she knew what his eyes were speaking. She entwined their fingers and took a deep breath before she finally said something,
Ishita: "Main aapse kuch kahoon Raman, aapko mere Australia main rehne se problem thi yaa mere Mani ke saath Australia main rehne se?" she slyly smiled.
Raman: "Mooh tod doonga us Mani ke bacha ka. Saala tumpe line maarega. Tum sirf meri ho." He said with such intensity which Ishita had never seen before.
Ishita: "Raman, relax main mazaak kar rahi thi."
Raman: "Mazaak main bhi Mani hamare beech nai aana chahiye." He firmly told her, he grasped her closer,
"Tumne mujhe maaf kiya na? Nahi kiya to its okay. I can understand, I said very horrible words to you. Maine tumhaari insult ki aur sabse important maine tumhaare mamta ki insult ki. How could I even think ki tum Ruhi ko kuch bhi hone dogi. I am really sorry." He said wiping his tears.
Ishita: "Shayad maaf kar paoongi."
Raman: "I totally understand. You need more time. Koi zabardasti nai hai. Take your time."
Ishita: "Jab main jaa rahi thi aapne roka kyun nai?" she asked sternly.
Raman: "Kis haq se rokta?"
Ishita: "Pati ho na aap mere. Koi haq hain na aapka mujhpar. Baaki baar to itni lambi lecture dete rehte hai, tum meri biwi ho and all. Us din kaha gaya aapka haq?"
Raman: "Galti ho gayi. Par aaj usi haq se keh raha hoon, wapas mat jao Madrasan, tere bina my life is non existant, tere bina life main koi mazaa hi nai hai."
Ishita: "Mere life main bhi aapke bina, mere bachon ke bina kuch nai hai. Kuch mere liye special kijiye, phir shayad aapko maafi milege."
Raman: "Acha, yeh baat hai...tum jo bologi wo karoonga." He said mocking her.
Ishita: "Koi aisa surprise do, jo aaj ke pehle nai diya ho."
"Abhi de deta hoon..." he said while getting up. He went and got inside the washroom and changed into the traditional Tamil attire. He came back with a beautiful kanjeevaram and asked Ishita to change too. She was surprised, not because he made her change; she loved getting dressed for him but now her curiosity levels were increasing. He gave her the room to get ready. Before she could answer any questions, he left to wake the kids up. He woke up Ruhi and Adi.
Ruhi: "Papa yeh sab kya hai?" she asked yawning.
Adi: "Haan Papa, itni late kya discussion karna hai aapko?"
Raman: "Main tumhare Ishimaa ko propose karnewala hoon, to socha ki tumhe bhi invite karoon..."
With this he made them wear the traditional clothes. He waited for them and his would be bride Ishita. Ishita looked every inch of his new bride, she looked elegant in her classic white and purple kanjeevaram, gold adorning its border. She had her hair neatly tied up and he was wearing a white shirt and a white lungi. He looked exactly like her Ravan Kumar.
Ishita: "Yeh kya surprise hai Raman? I mean Adi and Ru yahaan kya kar rahe hai?"
Raman: "Are hamare bachon ko bhi pata chale, ki main tumse kitna pyaar karta hoon. Wo sab tum chodo and lets go."
As they arrived in front of the temple, Ishita's heartbeats were rising. The kids finally understood everything, but their innocent mother was a wreck.
Ishita: "Hum yahaan kyun aye hai. Waise bhi 12 baje kaunsa temple khula rehta hai?"
Raman: "Yeh wala. Tum shayad date bhool gayi ho."
Ishita: "Main nai bhooli." She said as a matter of fact.
Raman: "To bolo aaj kya hai?" he questioned her.
He made get her out of the car with his kids tagging along. They were all enjoying this. They stayed behind a pillar now, giving the couple the much needed privacy. They wanted to see their father propose, but knew that their mother would be all shy, so they stayed back citing some reason. He entered the sacred place with her and he knew what he wanted. He waited for this moment since he came to know about Ishita being alive.
Raman: "Ishita Iyer, today is the day when we officially got married for Ru's sake. I wanted a mother for my daughter and you wanted a daughter because you could never be a mother. Slowly I realised you have a heart of gold. You made my life wonderful, you made me again fall in love with you. I was a man hurt, battered and bruised becasue of my divorce and my past. I had even lost the bond every father has with his little girl. You made who I am today. I You made me believe in love once again. You made me rise from the ashes, a broken man who had lost all hope of ever finding a normal life, you made me believe in hope once again. You made me fall for you very hard. Ishita I want us to renew our vows today once again. We drifted in the past 7 years because of my mistake. I want us where we will be happy. Ishita Iyer, I want to remarry you. Will all the rituals, with all the traditions. I want to marry you."
All Ishita could do was crash into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his back. He gently lifted her face; he saw her closed eyes,her trembling hands and her quivering lips. He gently made her eyes meet his, his eyes speaking a thousand unsaid words, speaking a thousand unsaid feelings. I rested my head against his chest, listening to our hearts beating in rhythm with each other. He could clearly hear my heart racing, my beats getting faster, all he did was crush me against his chest, tighten his grip around my waist, and stood still until, my heart was back to normal.
He spoke for the first time in this entire moment,
Raman: "So I guess that's a yes on your part Ishita Iyer." All Ishita did was blush profusely and smile.
"Yayyy!" the kids screamed and joined their parents in their biggest ever celebration. Their celebration of love, celebration of reunion, celebration of trust and celebration of their togetherness.
As they sat for the rituals, Adi and Ru tied did the Gatbandhan. While they were taking the seven vows, this union was witnessed by those very children who tied them together, who made an incredible bond between these to souls.
As Raman filled her partition with the sindoor and tied the mangalsutra, Ishita felt complete again. She felt she belonged with him again. As Raman Ishita hugged, Adi and Ru joined their parents on their new journey of love, understanding and togetherness!
Ishita silently thanked her God, destiny finally had given her, her happiness back. As they took steps back for the house, destiny smiled at its two beautiful children laughing in happiness.
The End!
Hope I lived up to the expectations of the fans!
Please do comment!đł
Do you want an epilogue?
Love,
Mayu
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
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