Ishra FF ~ Dil Sambhal Jaa Zara ~ (Chap 4 - page 31 - Page 8

"What happened Rooh? Why are you crying betu?" Ishita asked while rocking her in her arms. "Pata nahi.. Kya ho gaya.. Jabse ayi hai chup hone ka naam hi nahi le rahi.." She wondered still trying to console her.

"May be, she is missing Raman." Mr Khurana said making her shocked.

He walked in and took Ruhi in his arms, "Ruhi gets attached with Raman so badly."

"Yes. Raman is really a good father.." She said remembering the father-daughter moments she was witnessed.

"Then why don't you call him tonight?" He asked when Ishita looked on. "See, tomorrow they are coming to attend the function and even Raman also coming. Phir aaj hi kyu nahi? Ruhi bhi shant ho jayegi usse dekh kar."

"But I don't think, he can come. You know how busy he is..."

"Ishu, one side you are saying he is a good father and other side you are thinking he will not come on this special day..! Jab baat Ruhi pe aati hai, I know he can do anything." He said sighing.

"No. It's not that.." She hesitated.

"Just call him and ask him to come. Till then I am taking Ruhi with me." Saying this Mr Khurana left.

Ishita was pacing in the room restless as she could hear Ruhi still crying. She looked at the clock and decided to call Raman. After few rings, Raman received the call. "Hello?"

"Raman?" She took his name.

"Ishita.. You? Is.. Is everything fine? Is Ruhi fine? Are you fine?" He asked worried, Ishita was amazed seeing him so concerned for both of them.

"Yes. We are fine. Can you come tonight?" She asked direct.

"Tonight?" Raman asked looking at the clock. "I can. But can I know why?"

"Ruhi.. Actually she is missing you, she is crying badly and I know only you can handle her in such situation." Raman smiled hearing her. "Raman are you coming?"

"Yes. I am coming." Saying this he hang up the call and left his house taking the car keys.

Raman walked in the Khurana house when Mr Khurana send Raman to Ishita's room. He walked in calling Ruhi's name. He saw Ishita was trying to stop her but everything went in vain, he slowly walked to her asking, "May I?"

"Sure.." She handed her to him when Raman was going to leave, she asked, "Where are you taking her?"

"Outside." He replied.

"Okay." Saying this she placed a cloth on Ruhi saying, "Else she will catch cold." She said looking at him.

"I understand." He smiled and left the room.

Ishita also followed them downstairs when Raman went to garden, Ishita stayed back inside, she was adoring them from the balcony when Mr Khurana came saying, "Raman is a good father isn't?"

"Yes he is.."

"Even a good husband." Mr Khurana said when she looked at him shocked. "Don't you think so?"

"Papa you know how's our relation." She said looking away.

"I know. But how long will you both live like this? One day Ruhi will grow up, have you ever think what will you explain to her? Okay.. Tum dono ka rishta alag.. Ruhi aur Raman ka kya rishta hai yeh batao?" He asked crossing his arms on his chest.

"What are you talking?" She asked looking away.

"Ek simple question ka simple answer chahiye."

"Of course, he is her father."

"Yeh tum manti ho..! Mein manta hoon, par duniya.. woh toh prove chahte hai. Do you have any proof?" He asked.

"What do you want Papa?" She asked confuse.

"Don't you think Raman deserves more. Woh ek achhe pita ke sath achhe pati bhi hai but what he is getting from this relation? And Ruhi.. You both got married for her, today she has Raman's name but does she got it legally?" He made her remember that Raman didn't adopt her legally.

"But Rihaan.. I.."

"Rihaan is your past Ishita. Raman is your present and future. You tell me, did he ever show his rights on you in this six months?" Ishita looked at Raman and recalled how selfishly he did everything for them. "Don't you think he deserve your love? I understand.. You still not forget Rihaan but some or the other day you have to move on. Agar tum past se bahar nahi aaogi toh apna present kaise apnaogi?"

"I can't forget him Papa." She cried.

"I am not asking you to forget him but give Raman a chance. I know he is good person and one day he will make his own place in your heart. Just give him a chance, give a second chance to your life. That's it." Saying this he left, Ishita stood there confuse. She recalled Rihaan's death and then Raman's arrival in their life. She was deep in thoughts when she felt a touch on her shoulder, "Ishita?" She turned and saw him standing with Ruhi.

"Where are you lost?" He asked.

"Nothing. She has fallen asleep." She said caressing Ruhi.

"I will take her in room." Raman said and left to the room, Ishita followed.

He placed Ruhi on her proper place, "It was so difficult to make her sleep." Raman said caressing her cheek and then he loved at Ishita who was lost. "Ishita is anything bothering you?" He asked.

"Raman I am sorry." She said.

"For what?"

"For everything. You did so much for both of us. You accepted Ruhi and me but in return you never got anything from me. I didn't give you the place which you deserve." She said as tears escaped from her eyes.

Raman walked to her. "I can't stop loving Rihaan, I can't forget him. I'm sorry."

Raman held her by her arms asking, "Who put all this in your mind?" He slightly go close to her but still maintain enough distance and then wiped her tears saying, "I know you love Rihaan and I am not asking anything from you. You gave me the most important gift of my life and that's Ruhi, I don't need anything else yaar."

"But you also deserve love.." She said looking down.

"If you want to give me something then can you give me that Ishita who used to know how to be happy all the time? You know it had been six months, I hardly saw you smiling but still that wasn't from heart. Ishita, I know Rihaan ke jane ke baad tumhare liye sab kuch badal gaya hai but tum jeena toh nahi bhool sakti hai na? You have to live for Ruhi. And who told you Rihaan isn't with us? Look at Ruhi, she is complete replica of him." Ishita looked at Raman and then moved her eyes on sleeping Ruhi, she smiled. "Yes. I am asking about this smile, which comes from your heart."

"You didn't change yet. Aaj bhi kitni asani se mujhe sab kuch samjha diya, jaise college mein karte the..!"

"You still remember those days?" He asked smiling.

"Yeah. How can I forget those days? There I first time met with Rihaan." She said recalling those moments.

"... And I met you." Raman whispered admiring her.

"Ugh? Did you say something?" She asked.

"No.." He said, and to avoid the topic, Raman said, "You remember that girl Riya.."

"Yes. She is hell behind you, actually she was crazy for you." Ishita said and they laughed on some funny moments.

During this conversation, Raman only adored her as it was first time in six months, they are sharing their college days, and Ishita opened up in front of him. "Keep smiling like this madrasan. It really suits on your face." He said caressing her cheek.

"Thank you." She smiled and as a friend, she rested her head on his chest. "You don't know Raman, how much I miss Rihaan..!"

"I understand Ishita. But you have to live for him. I know wherever he is, he is watching us especially you and thinking that his Ishita didn't keep her promise. Don't you know he doesn't like your tears and can't see you upset?" He asked wrapping his one arm around her.

"What else I will do Raman?"

He made her sit saying, "You don't need to do anything, just enjoy the every bit of life with your Ruhi, then you will see zindagi kaise haste haste kat jayegi."

"I can't do it alone, I need my friend beside me." She said holding his hand.

"I am always there for you Ishita." Raman assured her with a smile.

*******

Next day, Raman woke up and sat back on the couch and looked at the most beautiful girls in his life. His little daughter was sleeping in her mother's embrace, he moved his eyes from Ruhi and looked at Ishita, Raman recalled their last night conversation. "I know Ishita, you can't love me but I won't pressurize you ever. I keep loving you secretly and will be there for you as a friend always, that's my promise to you." He made a promise and then went to washroom.

The rest of the day passed easily as all the members were busy in decorating, they kept a puja for in the morning where only Iyers and Bhalla were present. After the puja over, Raman left for office and everyone gets busy in decoration.

Ishita walked in room and searched dress for Ruhi when she saw Raman calling her. "Yes Raman?"

"Ugh.. You must be searching a good dress for Rooh..!"

"How do you know?" She asked puzzled while checking the room.

"No. I just guessed. Well I have a solution for you. After a while a boy will come to give you a parcel. I hope you will like it."

"Oh, you bought dress for Rooh?" She asked.

"Yes..!" He was talking on phone when Mihika walked in and gave her the parcels. "Raman two parcel?"

"You open the pink one first."

"Okay." As he said, she opened the box and find a pink frock. "It's beautiful Raman. I am sure Rooh will love it."

"Thank God." He relieved.

"But the another parcel..." She asked confuse.

"Just open it.." Ishita opened it and saw a saree. "Saree?"

"For you." He replied.

"But Raman.." She hesitated.

"Ahh..! Don't get me wrong Madrasan. Actually when I bought Ruhi's dress, I found the saree and I really like it, so I thought to buy to for you. Even today is very special day for your daughter and I want you both look gorgeous." He explained.

"But I have many saree.. I will wear from them."

"Ishita, I found it beautiful so I bought now it's up to you whether you will wear it or not I won't force you." He said smiling but still has a hope.

"Hmm..!" She hummed.

"Okay listen, I have a meeting, see you in the evening. Bye.." Saying this he hang up call, when Ishita was going to keep the saree in the box when Mihika walked in and saw the saree.

"Wow.. It's lovely. Jiju ne di hai?" She asked excited when Ishita nodded. "Oh nice. Then you are going to wear this one. Why are you keeping it inside?"

"No, I will wear something.." Ishita paused as Mihika said, "No. You aren't. Jiju ne kitne pyar se bheja hai. Doesn't he deserve this happiness? You are going to wear this. That's final." Mihika insisted when she looked on thinking Mihika's word, she gave up with a nod..

In the evening, Raman returned from his office and was going to get inside the room but once he entered, he embarrassed. As he saw Ishita was trying to tie the knot of her blouse, "I am so sorry." He immediately turned back.

Hearing him, Ishita also composed herself when Raman walked out from the room, both felt awkward when Raman furiously hit his fist on the wall feeling guilty that he could walked in without knocking. Just then he saw Mihika passing by him, he stopped her saying, "Mihika, I think your akka need some help."

Mihika nodded and walked in. She helped Ishita while saying," Jiju is so decent isn't? He was standing outside when he saw me, he told me to help you." Ishita remembered the moment and trying to erase the thought.

"Done?" Raman asked once Mihika walked out from the room.

"Yes. Now you can go inside." Mihika said when Raman walked in, his eyes met with hers. They both felt awkward but to lighten the moment Raman asked, "Where's Rooh? Apni Princess ko abhi tak dekha hi nahi." He said walking towards the cupboard.

"Yeah, may be she's enjoying everyone attention."

"Yeah." He smiled and searched his cloth when Ishita said, "I kept your suit on sofa." He turned at her when he noticed, she was actually wearing that saree he bought.

Raman smiled saying, "Thank you. You are really looking beautiful."

"Thank you but your daughter is looking more beautiful." She said.

"Yes I know. After all beti kiski hai..?" He winked and walked to the sofa and shocked seeing the suit as he remembered he didn't brought it with him, he turned at Ishita when she said, "We both wear the dress you selected for us. So I thought to select the suit for you. I saw this new suit in your cupboard and asked mummyji to bring it with them." She said smiling.

"Thank you."

"Now go and change. Guests started arriving." She said.

"Yeah..!" Saying this he grabbed the suit and went inside the washroom, he smiled happily looking at the suit and remembered Ishita wearing his saree. He thanked God for doing this miracle.

Raman was busy in greeting the guests when his eyes fall on the stairs when he saw Ishita descending down, he was mesmerized seeing her beauty and kept looking at her until she came down, feeling his look on her, Ishita looked at him when they shared a short eye lock and smiled at each other.

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