ENTRY 12
Jab Tum Hotey Ho..
Ishita - How could u do this to me Raman? U were involved in extra marital affair? From when all this happening? Raman I loved u so much and.. And u betrayed me, ditched me like this? I won't forgive u. I hate u Mr Raman Bhalla. Now I feel ashamed on myself that I loved a person like u.. Chee..! Enough.. Enough of this wedding drama. I want divorce. I am leaving u forever, I will send u divorce papers. Sign on them, after that u r free to do anything.
Saying this Ishita barged out of their room making the door closed, Raman came back to reality.
Raman (st) - U never asked for any explanation Ishita. This much u trust ur Raman?
And tears rolled put from his eyes and that was witnessed by Mihir, he didn't say anything but left from there.
***
Ishita was working at her apartment when the door bell rang, she went to open and saw Mihir standing.
Ishita - Mihir u? Please come in.
Mihir walked in and looked at Ishita and said - Bhabhi..
But she cut him saying - I am not ur bhabhi anymore Mihir. I broke relation with ur bhai.
Mihir - I know but do u ever try to know the real reason behind bhai's betrayal..?
Ishita - It's simple.. He love someone else.
Mihir - Really? Then why does he still crying in front of ur photo? Why doesn't he move on yet? Court sanction ur divorce two years back, till now why didn't bhai get married yet?
Ishita looked other side saying - Why r u asking me all this? Go and ask ur bhai.
Mihir - I don't need to ask anyone bhabhi coz I know he loves u and only u. May be u misunderstood him on that day. Bhabhi.. Bhai is dying every day and I know u r not happy in ur life, u still love him..
Ishita - No. I don't love him anymore.
Mihir - Then why don't u get married yet?
Ishita stammered - It's.. Its just..
Mihir - U have no answer coz u still love one person and that is Raman bhai, u can't give his place to anyone. Bhabhi.. Its not late, please I beg u.. Go and clear the matter. Ur relation hasn't break yet, though u r not official husband wife but ur hearts r connected. Please bhabhi..
Saying this Mihir left from there, Ishita sat on the sofa crying, she recalled how she saw Raman hugging Shagun and then she lashed out on him, she even didn't give him the chance to explain anything and left him forever, she cried vigorously.
******
Raman entered Swiss Air's flight to New York. He handed over his boarding pass to the air hostess who guides him to his seat number 13 A . As he moved towards his seat his eyes catch up with his co-passenger, he's shocked to see Ishita here.
Ishita, whose eyes are glued to a magazine, realized that her co-passenger is waiting for her to give him space, she looked towards him and was equally shocked to see Raman here.
Raman didn't say anything to her, he placed his laptop in the luggage compartment and took his seat.
Raman looked at her saying - U looking quite different.
Ishita - Same goes for u too. I'm surprised that u took a window seat today, I remember u always loved the aisle seat and we used to have a fight for this seat.
Raman smiled thinking she still relished the moments, he replied - last minute bookings so had no options.
Ishita - U can take my seat if u r uncomfortable.
Raman - Thanks, but its fine now, I've got used to this.
The flight takes off and soon they were on their way to New York.
Raman - So where are you going, Zurich or New York?
Ishita - I'm going to New York to attend my friends wedding. What about you?
Raman - I'm going to attend a conference in New York.
She smiled and there was a silence of few moments when Raman said - So a friend's wedding ahh!
Ishita - Yeah..! My friend Shanaya, she's getting married for the 2nd time on their wedding anniversary. We all friends are meeting for her marriage.
Raman curiously asked - That's great. So what's your plan, you there till what date?
Ishita - Her weddings on 20th Dec, so we friends have decided that we'll celebrate the New Years together after so many years. Then will go back on 2nd.
Raman - Okay..
The air hostess gets the drinks trolley and asked them what they would like to have.
Ishita - I'd like to have white wine.
Raman immediately replied - But wine makes you dizzy Madrasan. But he stopped as he preferred her 'Madrasan' after ages.
Ishita rolled her eyes saying - So what, or do you want me stay awake?
They had a eye lock when air hostess asked Raman when Ishita replied - He will have Scotch with lots of ice comes. Right?
Raman smiled, she was the one who knew him better than anyone. Raman took the glass and thanked the air hostess.
Ishita - So, how's your wife?
Raman spitted the drink, wife? What wife? Does she forgot she herself gave me divorce? He looked at her sarcastically and asked - What! Oh you mean Shagun? We never intended to get married.
Ishita politely asked - U never planned to marry her and still u left me for her?
Raman - I did not leave you, in fact it was you who went away from me and then send me the divorce notice.
There was a silence for some time, Ishita's eyes welled up but she composed herself and said - So what was I supposed to do, u were travelling in 2 boats at the same time, I thought by moving away. At least u would know whom u have to be with.
Raman - but you never gave me a chance to explain.
Ishita looked at him asking - would that have made any difference? Behind my back you were busy sleeping with her.
Raman - It was nothing of the sorts u r thinking about.
Ishita - So what was it?
Raman rolled his eyes saying - What difference will it make now?
Ishita - It won't make any difference, just that I want to know why u did that to me, I waited for u in those sleepless nights and all u did was came home and slept without talking to me or giving me any time.
Raman - Okay, if after two years u want to know the reason then listen. Do you remember I had told u about my girlfriend before our marriage?
Ishita shook her head recalling - I remember your classmate, but u never told her name.
Raman - Shagun was my girlfriend. One day I received a call from her, she was sounding very low. She pleaded me to meet her for coffee to which I agreed. When I reached there I saw a very different Shagun. She looked so tired and pale. She told me that she was suffering from Blood Cancer and that the Doctors have told her that she just has 4 months to live. I was shocked hearing and seeing this, I remembered Shagun as a very strong person. We started meeting regularly then. We tried to relive the happy moments which we shared with each other.
Ishita - Why didn't you tell me at that time?
Raman - I was not sure how u'll react. She was my ex girlfriend and I was spending more time with her than you, how would you accept that?
Ishita replied in low voice - Agreed, no wife would have accepted.
Raman - Then u started coming late nights as I was taking care of her, she had no one in this world and on that day u saw me hugging her and mistook the situation and left me. I tried to contact you, but you changed your cell and address. What could I have done?
Ishita calmly replied - Any way now that it's gone, nothing can be done.
Just then Raman notices a ring on Ishita's finger. He asks - So you got married? (pointing at her ring.)
Ishita - Well not married, but I'm engaged. We are planning to get married on 14th Feb next year.
Ishita could read the disappointment on Raman's face. She said - Listen I'm sorry. Mani always wanted his marriage to be on 14th Feb. When he told me this, I could not gather courage to tell him that that's my divorce day too.
Just then the air hostess came back to refill their drinks.
Raman - Yeah please repeat the same drink for me.
Airhostess - What about you ma'am?
Ishita - I would like to have plain orange juice.
Raman (st) - so now she doesn't want to get dizzy, interesting.
After the airhostess left, Raman congratulates her for her engagement.
Raman - So where did you find Mani?
Ishita smiled - I did not find him, he found me. He's a VP in a software firm. We met at a party and started talking. He liked me from the 1st time he saw me. I told him about my marriage and still he was interested in me. I took my time to decide and after 3 meets accepted his proposal.
Raman asked curious - He's widower or divorcee?
Ishita chuckled - He did not get married before. He wanted to be successful first.
There was a silence now as both felt little high because of the alcohol. Ishita tried to close her eyes and relax. Raman felt her head moving towards his shoulders. He could visualize the past when they used to travel together and she used to rest her head on his shoulders. After her head was on his shoulders for some time, Ishita realized it and moved her head to the other side. Again they were silent and tried to rest. Ishita remembered the old days when she would accompany Raman to his conferences. When the conference would end she used to see other men's faces dull and bored, whereas there used to be a smile on Raman's face as he used to rush from the conference straight to her.
The silence was broken with the Airhostess's announcement. She said that in a short while they were about to land at the Zurich Airport. She informed that the passengers moving ahead needed to de-board the plane as they had a break of 3 hours.
Raman and Ishita moved out of the plane. Hd suggested that they have a round at the duty free. They went to the chocolate store.
Raman - Ishita.. let's have some chocolates. I still remember your craze for chocolates. At midnight whenever you were hungry you used to grab the chocolates from the fridge.
Ishita - It was then Raman, now I have stopped eating chocolates. I work out now and have reduced for the marriage.
He chuckled - Whose marriage yours or your friends. Come on Ishita we are at Switzerland and if we don't take chocolates from here then it will be like we going to Agra and not seeing the Taj Mahal.
Ishita suggested - Well in that case let's buy sugar free chocolates.
Raman agreed and they shopped for chocolates. They roamed another hour there then they proceeded for their onwards journey. The Flight took off for New York.
As they were seated Ishita asked Raman why he and Shagun have a break up.
Raman - We were the best buddies in our college. We shared all our secrets, all our crushes and finally we found out that we were compatible only with each other. Once we felt that, there was no looking back. Things were going great till be completed our masters. After that we applied for jobs. We both were successful in getting good jobs. Our joy had no boundaries till we both landed in jobs with rival companies. What was love now turned into competition. The rush for wage hikes, promotions and the urge to win over each other took the front seat. We started to go through each other's personal mails and notes to find out our firms secrets. It turned into a great mess. The firms were the winners and we were the losers. Finally we called it quits.
Ishita - So that's the reason that you'll were never bound to get married. It's because of that love which was there once that you went to take care of her. Maybe Raman if you would have spoken out at that time things would not have been this worse between us.
Raman - Maybe..
Suddenly there was turbulence due to weather. The Pilot requested all to take their seats and to fasten the seat belts. Raman looked at Ishita and assured her that they'll be fine.
Ishita replied - I don't care now Raman as I'm happy for this moment and prepared to die too now.
Soon the plane was out of the clouds and all were relaxed. Ishita put her head on Raman's shoulders and this time didn't care to move it the other side.
They were in deep sleep when the landing announcement was made. They de-boarded the aircraft and moved to collect their baggage. Raman helped Ishita collect her baggage and then they started moving out of the airport.
Raman - U want me to drop you to your friends place?
She replied - No, my friend had told me that's she'll be coming to pick me up. You carry on. Raman, here's my US number. Since we are in the same city, we can meet up for a coffee.
Raman smiled taking the number - Yeah sure. I'll give you a call.
As Raman left the airport, Ishita kept on gazing towards him.
The next day Raman called up Ishita and invited her for coffee.
They were sipping coffee when Raman noticed the ring had vanished from her finger.
Ishita - I'm thankful to my friend as because of her I'm here with you and that we could meet again.
Raman - Actually it's all thanks to my friend Mihir.
Ishita - Why Mihir?
Raman - Actually he was supposed to be here on this trip. At the last minute he said that he has to attend a marriage and he requested me to take his place in this conference.
She smiled - Yeah. He deserves the thanks.
Raman - ... And especially because he did all this for us.
Ishita asked - What ? How?
Raman - Today when I called up my office, I came to know that Mihir has not taken any off and he's in the office itself. It then strikes me that it was not a mere coincidence that we were on the same flight and on the same seats.
Ishita smiled widely - Yes Raman, it was all planned out. Few days back, Mihir came to meet me. He told me all about you and suggested me to give our relationship one more chance. I thought about it a lot and finally agreed. He made this plan then.
Raman widened his eyes and asked - Then what about the ring, was it fake?
Ishita replied with a smile on her face - No.. The solitaire wasn't, yes the marriage proposal was.
They both burst out laughing.
Raman asked - What about your friend's marriage, that was a lie too?
She replied - That was a lie too. I came here just for you.
Raman took her hand on his and said - I am sorry jaan.. I should have inform u everything, then this wouldn't go worse. I promise from now I won't hide anything from you. I love u.
Ishita kissed on his hand saying - I love u too Raman. U don't know I was living a miserable life all these years. I am sorry, I misunderstand u, I left u without listening to u. I love u so much.
Raman - Then lets shift in my hotel.. Lets celebrate or second honeymoon. What say?
He winked at her when she blushed under his intense gaze.
THE END







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