IshRa FF Strangers Chapter 22-27 Page 94-95 *Completed* (3/3/15) - Page 42

Wish they would open up to each other and realize that they're meant to be together!

Sorry this update took a little long. I was caught up with work and what not. But I have the next chapter ready. This might seem like a filler chapter but I needed this for the way I plan to take the story.

Thank you so much for all the love and appreciation for this story. I cannot express how much it means to me that s many of you follow this story so diligently and take the time to comment and let me know how you felt about each update. You guys are really rockstars!

As always, please buddy Neet006 for PMs on updates and do let me know how you liked/hated the chapter!

Cheers,

Neet

Chapter 16

Almost a year later..

Sweltering heat greeted Raman as he stepped out of the plane onto the tarmac. He immediately slipped his sunshades on, grabbed his carry-on and laptop case and entered the terminal. He skipped the crowd heading towards baggage claim and headed towards the prepaid taxi counter instead. He showed them the address and requested for an air conditioned cab.

15 minutes later, he was on his way with an extremely chatty driver for company.

"First time Sir?"

"What?"

"You come here first time Sir?"

"Haan.. I mean yes."

"You from Punjab?"

"I am a Punjabi but I am from Delhi."

"Same difference Sir."

"No. They are two different states!"

"Sir for you all South Indians Madrasis. For us all North Indians Punjabis!" the driver explained as if it made perfect sense. Raman shook his head.

"You come for work?"

"No"

"Then why you are wearing suit?"

"Because that's what I always wear" And its none of your business, Raman wanted to add.

"Oh rich man!" the driver chuckled. "But Sir, here, weather very very hot. You wear lungi. You will feel cool. Air can come from front and down. Very nice. I wear lungi at home. At work we have to wear pants. Not as good as lungi."

Raman couldn't decide whether he wanted to be angry at the guy for being so nosy and chatty or to laugh at his description of the lungi. So he simply looked outside and decided to enjoy the view.

"You going to Mahabalipuram for holiday?"

Raman sighed deeply to convey his annoyance at being questioned so, but the driver did not seem to notice, "No. For a wedding."

"Wedding? Tamil wedding or Punjabi wedding?"

"Both."

"Both? At same place? Why Punjabi wedding in Chennai?"

"My brother, who is a Punjabi, is getting married to a Tamil Iyer girl."

"Aiyo love marriage eh? Nice nice. Now more love marriages happening. How the families agree?"

"They.. Agreed.." Raman replied, not wanting to elaborate on all the efforts that Mihir and Mihika had gone to appease each others' families. Mihir had gone to the extent of turning vegetarian for Mihika's family till Mihika intervened and told her family they would have to accept him the way he was. It had been a year long process to get both the families to agree. Once they'd agree, working out the details for the wedding had turned out to be even harder. Raman's family wanted a Punjabi wedding and would not give in while Mihika's family insisted on a Tamil Iyer wedding. The families had then compromised' on a week long wedding intermixing Tamil Iyer and Punjabi wedding rituals. And Raman was on his way to attend this week long circus.

"Good the families agree and bless. My marriage not happening because families not agreeing. The girl is not our caste, but she is Tamil only, not Punjabi. If I say I want to marry Punjabi, my family will throw me out. Punjabi girl don't even know to make idli sambhar. How you will marry? They will ask. But one day Sir, I will marry my Muthulakshmi. You turn left from my house and the second street there, next to Mariamman Kovil, she runs a tailoring shop. All my shirts she only stitched. Even this one. She take my measurement and smile and be shy and I keep on looking at her only," the driver told Raman like they were long lost friends.

"Here Sir. We have reached. Temple Bay resort, Mahabalipuram," the taxi driver said an hour or so later as they pulled into the driveway of the lavish resort. The doorman at the resort opened the car's door for Raman and took his luggage too. Raman stopped to tip the driver. The driver pulled out his card and handed it to him.

"Sir you need to go anywhere call me. I have mobile number also."

Raman pocketed the card and turned to go in when the driver called out, "Your good name Sir?"

Raman turned and said, "Raman.. Raman Kumar Bhalla.."

"Raman.. Raman Kumar Bhalla.."

Ishita froze in her tracks for a minute as she heard the name. No. This had to be her imagination. Raman couldn't be here. In Chennai. In Mahabalipuram. In this resort. No way! And yet her eyes searched in the direction of the voice.

"Akka? What happened? The ballroom is this way. Come on," Mihika said tugging at Ishita's elbow. Ishita shook her head and followed her sister, away from the reception area but not before turning to look back once more. There was no one in sight. She turned away and just then, Raman stepped into the foyer of the reception area.

"Bhai!!! Thank God you are here!" Mihir exclaimed as he enveloped Raman in a bear hug. "All these people and all this marriage prep is driving me crazy bhai! It would have been so much better if Mihika and I had eloped and gotten like a court marriage or something." "There is still time. I can arrange for you guys to elope if you want and I even have the best place possible too in mind," Raman winked at Mihir. Mihir laughed, "Auntyji is so into the spirit of competition with Mihika's periamma that I am afraid if Mihika and I elope, she'll get you married to one of Mihika's cousins just so she can have her tu tu main main with Mrs. Iyer." Raman sighed at the name Iyer. It brought back memories of another Iyer and along with it a bittersweet longing. Where would she be now? Did she ever think of him? He had kept his end of the promise. Of not trying to find her. But had she kept her end of the promise? he wondered. He had thought when he returned to Delhi, back to his life that revolved around his business, he would forget her, eventually. That hadn't happened. After what happened in his past, he had found solace in his work but now even his work didn't give him solace. He felt a strange emptiness - like something was missing. It was like something had changed within him.

"Bhai! What are you thinking?" Mihir asked gently shaking Raman out of his thoughts. "No.. Nothing.. I am going to go to my room and freshen up," Raman said walking away. "Go ahead bhai. Try to hide all you want but even I am your brother and not just for namesake. Someday.. Someday I am going to find out what, or who it is that you are hiding in your thoughts," Mihir thought to himself.

***

"Vandu Akka! I promise you are not looking fat! Can you please move away from the mirror?" Mihika told Vandita as Vandu stood in front of the mirror looking at herself from various angles. "But Mihku, I really think this pink color is making me look fat," Vandu complained not budging an inch from the mirror. Just then, Ishita opened the door and walked in. "Look Ishu Akka! Vandu Akka is not budging from the mirror! How am I supposed to get ready when I can't even see myself in the mirror?" Mihika lamented. "Hawww.. Are you saying that I am so fat, I am blocking up the entire mirror Mihku? Look Ishu.. Mihku is calling me fat! I knew it! I look like a beached whale! I am not coming anywhere," Vandu stated crying as she sat on the bed. "Akka! You know that's not what I meant. I am just nervous and excited and all. I am getting married Akka! Don't you remember how you felt when you got married?" Mihika tried to do some damage control, "Ishu akka, say something na!" she turned to Ishita for help.

Ishita laughed as she sat next to her sisters on the bed. "Oh come on the two of you. One of you is getting married and one of you is pregnant and yet you still behave like you are in school. Mihika, if you want to get ready, you can go to my room and get ready. And Vandu akka! Trust me! You don't look fat at all. Come with me," she led her sister towards the mirror. "The people at the function won't look at you like you are fat. They will see the glow on your face, they will see the care in each step you take and most of all, they will bless this life that you are carrying within you." Vandita's, Ishita's and Mihika's eyes brimmed with tears as Ishita ran a loving hand over her sister's pregnant, swollen belly. Vandita cupped Ishita's face and pulled her into a hug. "Me too," Mihika said as she joined into the hug. "What will I do without the two of you after I get married?" Mihika asked emotionally. "Vandu Akka! Bala jiju and you should move to Delhi. They have really good colleges and universities there. And Ishu Akka.. You can rejoin the hospital where you used to work before.." Mihika caught herself just in time as she saw Ishita's expression change.

"I.. I'll go check on the arrangements," Ishita made an excuse and left. Mihika and Vandita watched her retreating frame. When she was out of earshot, Vandita said, "She never speaks to anyone about what happened. I wish she would just speak and let it out so it doesn't eat her from within like this." Mihika nodded, "She acts as if everything is normal but it isn't. Whether she says it out loud or not, a lot has changed."

Ishita paused in the hallway. Delhi. How could she ever go back to that city? Even when she was so far away from Delhi, there hadn't been a single moment in the last year when she hadn't remembered him, when she hadn't missed him. How could she ever go back to Delhi and live in peace without seeing him? Knowing he was in the same city, so close, yet so far? No. She would never go back to Delhi. She would never see Raman Kumar Bhalla again.

*******

Please update soon!

this update left me hanging , I want to read more !!!!

After a year destiny brings back the now familiar strangers once again

Again beautifully written! 👏

UPDATE SOOONNN!!! PLEASEEE

OMG they are going to meet at mihika and Mihir marriage, that's so romantic.

It's been a year but neither one has forgot each other, they occupy each other thoughts.

I can't wait to read about their meeting.