Later that evening, a knock on her bedroom door, roused Ishita from an engrossing James Patterson bestseller. Come in!' the door swung open and Ishita almost fell out of the chair.
Raman stood there, nonchalantly sipping tea from her, I-m-so-hot' cup. Ishita, recalling their last meeting, felt a blush run from her head to toes. Raman, too remembered, but he kept his expression neutral. His eyes, with valiant effort found and stayed on Ishita's hairline.
The silence stretched between them, neither wanting to break the spell the memories were casting.
I'm not going to the office,' Ishita, avoiding Raman's eyes, huskily announced.
You don't have to!' Raman replied, finally stepping in the room.
Did you just fire me?' Ishita asked, suspiciously. How can he be so unaffected, so causal, she wondered. And, the filmfare award for best actor male goes to...
No. all I'm saying is that you come back, to work, whenever you want to,' Raman genially, assured, leaning against a bookshelf.
Oh!' Ishita mumbled confused, looking but not finding in him, the anger trademark of their recent conversations. Her loony conscience mocked. Who says a way to a man's heart, mind or wallet is through his stomach?'
Straight-face, Raman, pointing at Ishita's t-shirt, inquired, I that an invitation?'
Ishita visibly cowered, remembering what the T-shirt read - This Flavour Never Goes Off The Rack. You wish! I mean of course not!' she snapped, folding her arms defensively in front.
Raman quietly continued to sip the tea, not taking his eyes off Ishita.
Ishita felt her nerves stretch as far as the equator. that's my cup!' she blurted, the words sounded like the chatter of a five-year-old.
Yup, this is your cup, and this is your bed,' Raman quickly moved on, and your room... I could go on.' He sat in a chair across from her. Raman forced himself to look away, his eyes snagging on something at Ishita's bedside table - a pair of crystal lovebirds.
Ishita saw it too. You can have it back if you want.'
No! I don not take gifts back. You keep it.' Finally, Raman spoke his mind, Why didn't you tell me Ishita?'
Tell you what?;
About Rochak! Why dint you tell me what that man had tried to do?'
Sighing Ishita replied, It's no bid D. I can handle him.;
You don't have to handle him... ever. He's gone.' Ishita's eyes widened. Raman clarified, dryly, I dint kill him, I fired him.' A taunt about the amount of movies she watched, hovered on the tip of his tongue, but Raman reeled it in. given their history, who knew where that might lead?
You fired him because of me?' Ishita could not keep the wistfulness out of her voice.
Meeting her eyes, Raman lied, Not just you, others too. I discussed things with the HR department. They had a complete file on him.'
Cool!' disappointed, Ishita glanced away, missing the blink-and-its-gone look of longing in Raman's eyes.
After some thought, Raman spoke, I'm sorry about what happened... yesterday, at the farmhouse.'
its's alright... its all forgotten!' Ishita stammered, getting to her feet, putting some distance between them.
Really?' Raman was not quick enough to reel that one.
What were you hoping to hear?' Ishita snapped back at him.
Just want you to know that I'm not in the habit of forcing,' Raman said, fumbling.
Really?' Ishita shot right back.
Raman moved so he now faced her. You were more than willing, that's why it went that far, it did.' Ishita opened her mouth to protest; Raman cut her off, And please, don't say you were faking. I know the difference!'
Remembering her own wanton response, even the roots of the roots of her hair shriveled. Ishita moved her mouth to fire an apt response, at least some response, twenty seconds late or IST time bhi daudega.!
Raman took in her miserable expression. All I wanted to say was that I don't coerce women.'
You make women could like cattle!' Ishita grumbled, irked at the mention of other females in his life.
Still the half-assed feminist?' Raman bemused, provoked.
Defensive, Ishita replied, Its not feminism, just"
Raman put his hand out. Let me finish this one! Its not feminism, just self-esteem which every female should have, right?' he completed, genuinely smiling, remembering the often-repeated dialogue from their past bickering.
Yeah, something like that,' Ishita nodded, sheepish, but somewhere pleased that he had not forgotten.
I'll see you around!' unnerved, Raman abruptly strode for the door. He had called Ishita my women', and proved that not all their memories burning him were hateful.
I'm sorry!' Ishita's hastily spoken, apology stopped him in his tracks.
For what?'
Her conscious daringly encouraged, Don't back down.. say it! I really need a goodnight's sleep. No eye cream or tea bags can do anything for those bags under your eyes? You are almost thirty-- Shut up!' Ishita hissed back.
Excuse me?' Raman said.
Squaring her chin, completely inflating her lungs and looking at him straight in the eyes; Ishita said, Raman, I am very sorry for what I did to you.'
Raman walked closer, his expression unreadable. Ishita apprehensively watched him. Accha hai! Hindustani thapad ka andaaza ho gaya.' Dilip Kumar's dialogue from Subhash Ghai's classic karma, echoed in Ishita's head.
Halting, a hair's breadth away from Ishita, Raman asked, Did you mean that apology or are they just hollow words?' his expression was dead serious.
I mean them, from the bottom of my heart,' Ishita assured.
Why did you do it?' her words, to date tortured him.
Glancing away, Ishita tried articulating concisely, not revealing anything but her searing regret. I don't know, I was confused and immature... but believe me, on my wall of shame that is one thing that I hang every day.'
Raman could not help the wry smile, at the image her words conjured. Where is your wall of shame?'
Where it is in all of us... in our conscience.'
Raman gazed at Ishita's face, a face in which once he saw his world. I guess that was all I needed to hear. Once in a while we all do things we are not too proud off,' he said, only to steeped in ponderous silence.
Covertly, Ishita watched him. The document exonerating Bala Anna?' she mentioned, tentatively.
The original document was sent to the appropriate authorities, the moment I got my hands on it. The deal was stopped before it happened,' Raman revealed a glint in his eyes.
Open mouthed, Ishita accused, You tricked me.'
you fell for my poker face!' Raman's face held arrogance.
Ishita smiling, ruefully, asked So we're okay now?'
Depends on what you consider okay!'
What does that mean?'
Neither enemies nor friends. Merely, acquaintances with some history,' Raman replied, attempting to clearly mark the boundries; for whom though was still a question!
Ten on ten, perfect!' Ishita agreed, suppressing the depression hammering her heart.
For a few minutes, they gazed at each other. Raman's expression schooled. Ishita's tremulous face held a contrived smile.
There is something else...' Raman began and then paused, taking a long breath.
At his tone, god knows why, Ishita's heart dropped a few more feet.
I have moved on, made peace with you - Raman swallowed the condemning words, Made peace with what happened between us.'
Good!' Ishita condoned, bleakly.
I think it was harder because of the timing. You remember dad, too, passed around that time,' Ishita rambled.
Ishita nodded, no stranger to his pain.
Finally, Raman delivered the news. So anyway what I was trying to say is that I'm engaged.'
Congratulations Ishita! You are safe. Now take a gun and eat the bullet!' her conscience shrieked.
Ishita dug her nails in the book, gripping it hard. She felt the world spin in front of her. Great, congrats,' she said, her tone listless. Anyone I know?'
No. I met her in Europe. Tanya's father is one of the largest granite and marble supplier for Europe. She is very nice.'
Awesome, sounds like someone with similar tastes, and background. She will make you happy,' Ishita quipped, her expression animated, eyes bright... to animated, too bright.
Silly girl! Happiness is what one feels when you hear the radio playing you favourite song, or you find boogers when your hand accidently, brushes the underside of a bus seat. In love there are either cataclysmic highs or soul shattering lows - there is no place for lukewarm feelings like, "happy".' Even Ishita's conscience was sobering up and doing it job: being profound, rather than tripping into one nervous breakdown after another.
Something like that,' was all Raman expressed. It is never easy telling an ex about a current relationship, especially when the latter is headed towards the wedding aisle.
So when is the wedding?' Ishita buzzed, her tonsils hurt.
When you are on this S&M trip, take a knife and rip your insides too. Numskull, quit groveling for details!' her conscience begged, profoundness is for the dead.
Soon I guess. I haven't even told Ma yet!' Raman made the startling confession.
Are you planning to elope.' Ishita chattered.
Why? Are you offering to drive him to the rendezvous spot?'
No, just waiting for the right time. There was no formal engagement or exchange of rings. Tanya and I, after dating for few months decided that we want to get married to each other. That's it! Went for a small celebratory dinner with her parents,' Raman replied.
To each his own I guess,' Ishita offered, not sure what to say.
Well I have taken much of your time. I hope you get well soon,' Raman blurted, speedily out of the door, hot demons on his tail.
I am not sick!' Ishita said, woefully to deaf ears.
What is wrong with me? Was I talking of my upcoming nuptials or funeral? Raman contemplated, walking towards his house.
Tullu came to Ishita's room with another cup of tea. At the threshold, with an expression of shock writ all over her face, she paused. Didi what happened?'
Holding up the serial killer mystery, a sobbing Ishita paused, long enough to reply, This book is very touching. Someone was just slashed ear to ear.'
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