Hello all,
I am back with OS # 7. Thank you for the lovely comments and encouragement for the last one 🤗. This part is not a continuation of the last one. And you may have noticed, I am not following any particular chronological sequence. Be warned, this doesnt have a lot of romance 😆
Inspiration for this OS is: "Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad" from Yuva
****
She had finally agreed to talk to him alone. It had taken a lot of effort to convince her. Well, indirectly. It had taken Bala a lot of effort really. Raman had approached Bala few weeks after Param had been kicked out.
He had gone to Romi's college on the pretext of dropping him. Since the exam leaking case, no one trusted Romi any more. Raman had always known that his useless brother would amount to nothing, so he had to keep a close eye on him. He had taken away Romi's bike. Romi had recollected his numerous pleas to get a new bike, and how close he had been. "Oye Romi, mare hue sher se to accha to zinda kutta hota hai. Phas gaya na ab. Ek bhi bike nahin rahi" He had thought to himself and then had begged Raman "Bhai, promise main roz college jaaonga, woh bhi time pe. Seriously bhaiyya, bas ek chance de do. Bina bike ke mera guzara nahin ho sakta bhaiyya please. Mummy, kucch bolo na bhaiyya se". Raman had cut him short "Mummyji ke pallu ke peeche kyon chupta hai idiot. Mummy se poochke chori ki thi? nahin na? Poori Delhi metro, bus, auto use karti hai. Tera guzaara bhi ho jaayega."
For once, his mother hadn't said anything. Toshiji had just recovered from the ghastly incident. She and Simmi had spoken to Ishita alone the day after Param was out. No one would ever know what was discussed between them, but he was seeing an improvement in his mother and sister. His respect for Ishita was increasing day by day. He had always admired Ishita's capacity for love towards Ruhi, her family and even his family. What he had not expected was her capacity for forgiveness. She had forgiven every one in the Bhalla household, except him of course. Secretly Raman thought, hoped, prayed that she had forgiven him too. God knows, he had apologised numerous times. She had been outright rude first, then just started ignoring him. Even her Amma and Appa had mellowed down. Mrs Iyer even started coming into their house again when his mother had any kitty parties.
Raman couldn't take it any more. He had to know what Ishita was feeling. He had to hear her voice, he was desperate to engage in a conversation with someone who was as sharp as he was, someone how was as energetic as he was. He wanted to be able to fight with her again. So off he went to drop Romi in his car. Once they reached the college, he asked Romi to show him where the teachers lounge was so he could meet Bala. "Accha bhai, Bala ko maska lagaane ke liye aap aaye ho yahaan pe. Wahi to main sochoon ki aapko merepe itna pyaar kyon aa raha hai aaj". "Chupp gadhe. Jitna poochha hai utna hi bol, nahi to ek thappad lagaaonga" Raman said. Romi couldn't control his smile and muttered "Kahi ka gussa kahin aur".
Bala was shocked to see Raman there. He came running towards him and asked "What happened Raman, is everything OK? Every one at home is OK?". Raman asked Bala to relax and said "Romi ko drop karne aaya tha aaj. Woh subah ki ek meeting cancel ho gayi thi, so usko leke aa gaya college. Abhi itni door aaya hoon to socha tumse bhi mil loon." Bala welcomed him, and said "Chalo Vandu ke office jaate hain, baatein bhi ho jaayengi aur usse mil bhi loge". Raman panicked and said "No" He wasn't in a position to face his sister-in-law. That was one woman he really feared. He was in no position to face Ishita's akka, the lioness who was always ready to tear him into pieces. She had never liked any of the Bhallas anyway. Looks like she did not have the capacity for forgiveness like his wife did.
"Arre nahi Bala. Vandu se main baad mein mil loonga. Dont worry. bas aise hi aaya main. woh, meeting cancel ho gayi na". He was just blabbering now. The smart Bala knew what was happening. He laughed and said "You and Ishita are as different as chalk and cheese. But both of you worry in the same way. Really its cute". Raman had never thought he could blush, at least not in front of a man. He regained his composure and asked "Woh bhi worry kar rahi hai kya?".
They had an hour long conversation. Raman told Bala how sorry he was, and how he regretted everything that happened. For some strange reason it felt easy to talk to Bala. He was really a good listener. He told Bala how he had tried to talk to Ishita and how she was ignoring him. Bala listened patiently and finally asked "What do you really want from her Raman?". "I want her to come back. But I want to ask her, I dont want you pass the message for me". Bala liked Raman's pride and said "OK. I will try and convince Ishu. But Raman, this is a final warning from me to you. If you do anything to hurt her ever again, You will have to answer to me Raman. Man to man." Raman quietly nodded, thanked him, and went to office.
He was almost whistling when he got to his cabin. Mihir was waiting for him with a bunch of files and had a weird look on his face. "Kya hua Mihir, aise kyon dekh raha hai?" he asked and Mihir replied "Woh bhai aap pata nahin, shaayad khush ho. Kya hua?". "Apne chhote dimaag zor mat laga. Kucch nahin hua hai" After that, Raman did not know how his day had passed. When Bala called him in the evening, he was elated. But he wasnt prepared for what Bala told him. "Sorry Raman, Ishu ne manaa kar diya. WOh meri bhi baat nahin maan rahi hai. But don't lose hope, I will keep talking to her every day. She will relent". "Thanks Bala, Umeed par hi to duniya kaayam hai" Raman said.
That was 2 weeks ago. She had really kept him on the edge. Every time the phone rang, Raman thought it was Bala. Bala was continuously providing updates to Raman. They both knew she was thawing, and mercifully Bala had told him that she may have also forgiven him. According to Bala, she had forgiven Raman, but wasnt ready to accept it, even to herself. After a week and a half, Raman's mood started changing. He felt annoyed and irritated that she was taking so much time to decide. "Arre mazak hai kya. bewakoof aurat jaanti nahin kya, ki mere paas aur bhi kaam hain? din raat phone ko dekh dekhke chashma laganaa pad raha hai. Maaf kar diya hai to ab kya bhaav khaana."
He was in the bedroom now. The wardrobe only had her sarees now, his clothes were lying around everywhere in the room. It looked like a bigger mess than his heart, he thought sadly. And she was responsible for both. Some times, he wondered how she would react if he just went to the Iyers and dragged her from there. Back to their home, her rightful place. "Bhool gaya Raman, is baar, dono gaalon pe padenge thappad. Aur kya pata, shaayad sabke saamne bhi maar pad sakti hai." He instinctively placed a hand on his cheek. He just went to sleep, without eating anything, like he had been doing for some time now. Every one else was busy taking care of everything and everyone else but him.
Their meeting was supposed to take place in a neutral location. They just chose the coffee shop they had previously met in. She came in after him, late by 15 minutes. She didnt even apologise for that. It annoyed him more. He knew she was trying to prove a point, and was going to make him talk first. He didnt say anything. The sat at a corner table, and the waiter walked to them immediately. They placed their orders separately without looking at each other. They were still sitting like that when the coffees arrived.
Because there was nothing else to do, he picked up the cup and took a long sip. Well, he tried to. The coffee was scalding hot. It burnt his tongue and worsened the pain he was having in his tooth for the last couple of weeks. He had chosen not to go to a dentist. He couldn't go to her, and he wouldn't go to anyone else. He chose to bear the pain. The dentist in her spoke up when she saw him wincing in pain.
"Aapko last time bola tha maine, ki doosre daant mein bhi filling karaa lo. Abhi problem ho rahi hai na?" The proud man actually forgot the pain for a second to think that he had won. She spoke first. Now, there was nothing stopping him from talking,"Dekho, bahut kaam hai mere paas. Ek minute ki fursat nahin hai yeh sab faltu waale kaam karne ke liye." "Thheek hai, aapki marzi. So bolo, kya baat karni thi? Mere appointments hain. Main bhi koi free nahin baithi hoon." She was going to make him work for it. He acted like he was actually drinking coffee now so he wouldnt have to answer.
That gave her the opportunity to look closely at him. It looked like he had lost some weight. He always ate healthy, avoided fatty food and desserts. But this weightloss seemed different. His face looked thinner, she felt a twinge of regret. But was too proud to ask him. "Raman, I am still waiting. Seriously, if you dont have anything to say. I will be off. Waise bhi meri Amma jyaada acchaa coffee banaati hai." "Khaali cup to main bhi acchha banaa sakta hoon." he retorted.
He then looked at her and said "Aur kitne din naatak karogi? Tumko pata hai ki ghar se gaye hue 6 hafte hue hain? Tumko bhi pata hai ki waapas aana hi hai, to itna delay kyon kar rahi ho. Socho tumhaari acchhayi ke liye bol raha hoon"
She raised an eyebrow. "Pehli baat, Jab main ja rahi thi to aapne roka nahin. And second, main apne ghar mein khush hoon. And Ruhi bhi khush hai. Usko dono ghar mein time spend karne milta hai, and Judge ki bhi setting ho gayi hai, to main aapke ghar kyon aaon waapas?"
He obviously did not have an answer. He had said the first thing he thought. She always managed to evoke such extreme reactions from him. And look at her now. Smiling shamelessly at his discomfort. "Thoda weight loss hoga tumhaara" "What?" she frowned. "Dekho, tumhaare ghar mein saara kaam Amma aur Mihika kar lete hain. Tum bas khaati ho, and Ruhi ke saath baith ti ho and soti ho. To weight gain to hona hai na?" "Raman, faltu ki baatein band karo please."
"No I am serious, waapas ghar aaogi to thode calories burn honge. Mummy and Simmi are busy with the baby and everything else. Aur ye aapka ghar aapka ghar kya lagaa rakha hai? Bhool gayi ki shaadi ki thi? Woh tumhaara bhi ghar hai. Tumko pata hai, humaare kamre sab phaila pada hai. Kucch bhi nahin milta time pe ya jagah pe. All this is your fault. Main theek tha pehle. Aake poora arrangement bigaad diya tha tumne. Abhi tum hi aake apna mess sambhaalo. MEre se nahin hoga."
"So aap yeh chaahte hain ki aapke kapde aur file sambhaalne ke liye main waapas aaon?" She wasnt giving up easily. "nahi, sirf utna karne se calories burn nahin hoti madam. Woh khaana bhi banaana padega, aur sabko khilaana bhi padega." She was livid now. "Aap ko mazaak soojh raha hai Raman?" "No" he said with a straight face.
Was he serious? That's all he wanted her back for no? So his life could go back to the way it was before Paramjeet re-entered the Bhalla household. He did not want to be in a position where he was continuously thinking about where she was, what she was doing and if she was eating and sleeping well. Above all, he wanted normalcy in his life restored. But after all the crap he'd just said, she wouldnt listen to him, even if he told her the truth. So he stopped talking.
"Theek hai Raman, main waapas aaongi. Bas Ruhi ki maa ban kar. Aap ki wife ban kar nahin. You stay away from me, dont comment on my personal matters and I will stay away from yours. I will obviously maintain all my relationships with your family, but dont expect me to be casual with you. Don't force me into situations where we have to be together in public, or alone. The only place I will go with you is to Ruhi's school or her doctor if there is a need. That's it. Lets not have any false hopes about anything, OK?" She desperately wanted him to disagree with everything she had just said. She had said it out of spite, but couldn't take it back.
"Deal" he said and extended his hand, as if it was a business deal he was closing. She hid her disappointment.
Raman successfully hid his happiness. He thought to himself "madam ko pata nahin hai kya bol rahi hai. Even if she wants, she cannot stop from interfering. Do chaar bhashan nahin degi to neend nahin aayegi. Shakal dekho, lagta hai 6 hafton mein theek se soyi nahin hai"
He couldn't suppress his smile when he muttered "Bas waapas to aao, sab theek ho jaayega"
"He is my first olive: let me make a face while I swallow it."
Elizabeth Gaskell, North and South
*** So, what do you think???
NOTE: I wont be able to post any more stories till next wednesday. I have some work to finish in the next few days. I had written this post before the episode tonight, and considering where my story ends, and the precap I saw, I think this is the place to switch gears and call this a reconciliation track 😆😉
comment:
p_commentcount