Connected: A YHM Story (COMPLETED) - Page 13

Originally posted by: Aditii

Thank you so much for investing in this story. Yes, Ishu is still a vegetarian. She hasn't changed for anyone (not Ruhi nor Raman). Honestly, I didn't know that Haagen Daaz has egg in their ice cream. I just looked up popular ice cream brands in India and randomly picked Haagen Daaz because it sounded cool (I live in the US). I'll keep this in mind the next time I write an ice cream scene with IshRaRu. I might go back and change the shop name to Baskin & Robbins or Havmor or something else.

In terms of strictness of vegetarianism, I'd say that Appa and Amma are very strict about it. They don't eat egg or even touch alcohol. When it comes to the next generation (Ishita, Mihika, Bala, Vandu), they are a bit more lenient about it. None of the Iyers eat meat, but Ishita lets Ruhi have eggs and meat because her father and paternal family does. Ishita herself wouldn't fuss about eggs if they were already present in dessert. But she doesn't drink alcohol. Vandu is the same. Mihika and Bala are more relaxed. They will have eggs if it is in dessert and they also drink alcohol sometimes with friends.

The purpose of IshRa coming to have ice cream was so that they could gently explain to Ruhi about the upcoming custody case together in confidence. Both Ishita and Raman had to do it together as co-parents and it is easier to talk about difficult subjects with kids in an environment where there were only them as opposed to all the other Bhallas and Iyers being involved. There is no particular reason why they picked this ice cream parlor other than it being close to their homes. Who picked the place is open to interpretation. Also, I wouldn't say that IshRaRu have started eating out together often. This is a sole incident where they brought Ruhi outside to divert her attention because the situation demanded it. Keep in mind that right now, Ishita and Raman are not fond of each other but are tolerating each other for Ruhi's sake.

To answer your question about how Raman came to know of Ishu's favorite flavor: The scene starts with Raman ordering ice cream, right? Well, it can be assumed that before he ordered they must have driven there together and then picked a table to sit at. That is when he asked both of them what flavors they wanted. Think about it, he probably wouldn't have known Ruhi's favorite flavor either, right? So before the scene started, Raman asked IshRu what ice cream they wanted and then went to order. I remember from the show that Ruhi's used to be choco chip and Ishita's used to be black currant so I just stuck with those flavors in my story too.

I hope this answers your questions. Keep 'em coming if you have more. I love with when readers get invested in my story like I am. 🤗

Loved the way u explain .

A very nice and emotional update please bring Ishraru together quickly please update next part soon to know what happens next

Thanks for your long update

After such a long time gap , this beautiful long update was a blessing

So pls continue Ur update

Part 13

“Abhimanyu?” Ishita exclaimed. “Matlab Mani? Mera bachpan ka dost?”

“Haan Ishu. Mani ka rishta aaya hain. Kuch waqt pehle uski behen ka phone aaya tha tumhari Amma ko. Tabse unki baatcheet ho rahi hain,” her father answered.

“Ishu, please is rishte ke baare mein dhyaan se socho kanna,” Amma implored. “Maine tumko pehle nahi bataya kyunki tumhare paas Ruhi thi aur phir tum uske custody case mein busy ho gayi. Lekin ab woh chali gayi hain kanna. Aur tumhe apni life ke baare mein sochna hai.”

“Amma, maine shaadi na karne ka faisla bahot pehle hi le liya hain. Ab woh nahi badlega.”

“Kanna, tum thoda time lo. Kuch dino ke liye dhyan se socho. Itni jaldbaazi mein, bhavnao mein behkar decision mat lo. Mani kitna accha ladka hain, hum sab jaante hain. Tumhara bachpan ka dost hai. Woh tumhari infertility ko leke koi problem create nahi karega. Aur shaadi ke baad tum uske saath ek baccha adopt kar sakti ho. Ek family start kar sakti ho.”

“You don’t get it, Amma. Main koi dusra baccha nahi adopt kar sakti ab. Ruhi hi meri beti thi. I can’t replace her. Not now, not ever.”

“Aiyo Ishu…”

“Ek minute Madhu. Main baat karta hoon,” Appa interjected. “Ishu, is baare mein hum baad mein baat karte hain. Kuch dino baad. Jab tumhara dimaag thoda shaant ho jaaye. Abhi sab so jaate hain. Thik hai?”

Ishita stomped into her room and slammed her door close. How could they? How could they possibly suggest she even think about replacing Ruhi? No. She would not let that happen. She was in no mood to get married and ‘move on.’ The only way she could move on was by indulging in work. That was her outlet.

And so, that’s what she did. The next morning she woke up bright and early and left for her clinic. She worked until she lost track of time. In fact, Mihika had to call her in the evening to make sure she was okay since she hadn’t come home on time. All of a sudden, she understood why Raman was such a workaholic. He wasn’t dealing with losing his wife; he was trying to cope with being separated from his son. The same way she was trying to cope with being separated from her daughter.

Over the next three weeks, Ishita began taking extra shifts at the clinic. She even offered to work on weekends and attend to any emergencies that came up. Being at home wasn’t appealing enough now that Ruhi wasn’t there. Whenever she happened to be at home, she kept herself busy. The meals she cooked were enough to feed a village. Whenever she cleaned, she scrubbed the floors and counters squeaky clean.

Every now and then, she tried to get a glimpse of Ruhi from across the hall. But she restrained herself. Ruhi had to let go of her in order to mix in with the Bhalla family. Other than a few minutes of conversation, hugs, and kisses when she left for work and came back, she had little interaction with her. Even then, Ishita cherished the few moments she got with her little angel.

On the other hand, Raman was having a tough time handling Ruhi on his own. He quickly found out that he knew nothing about her. Not her favorite colors, her favorite foods, her daily schedule, her fears, or anything else. His office regularly demanded his attention and he used it as an escape from his home, leaving Ruhi mostly to her grandparents.

On Mihir and Pathak’s behest, Raman had significantly cut down on his work hours. He had most of his meals at home with Ruhi and his parents. But mingling with them was harder than he thought. Years of isolation could not be undone so quickly. He rarely spoke unless spoken to first, making the environment at home quite awkward. Apart from Toshi, no one had the courage to approach him on their own.

In the aftermath, Ruhi and Raman’s relationship seemed to deteriorate rather than flourish. Their interactions became robotic and mechanical. Raman made sure that she was eating and sleeping properly, and that her other needs were taken care of. But he couldn’t bond further on an emotional level. He seemed to have forgotten how. In one instant, Ruhi had asked him to narrate a story at bedtime. He rummaged through her storybooks and found a Sleeping Beauty book that she liked. He read through it in one go, and Ruhi complained that he didn’t read it as well as Ishimaa. Raman had been exhausted then and he lost his patience, ordering her to quietly go to sleep. Ironically, he couldn’t fall asleep himself that night. What kind of a victory was this? He won his daughter’s custody, but neither of them were happy.

Luckily, the rest of his family managed to cheer up Ruhi. Romi and Rinki played with her after their classes. Simi came over regularly with Ananya. Toshi and Omprakash took her out to the park every so often. Raman thought that should be enough. But it wasn’t. For Ruhi missed her Ishimaa terribly and nobody could fill that void. The one person who could - her father - refused to gel with her. Her grandparents and aunts and uncles tried to keep her distracted as best as they could, but it didn’t work permanently.

Bhalla/Iyer Residence - Friday July 5th, 7 pm

Ishita trudged up the stairs after an exhausting day at work. She had been on her feet all day performing surgery after surgery with hardly a minute to sit down. But the moment she saw Ruhi in the hallway, all her fatigue melted away.

“Ruhi! Aap yaha kya kar rahe ho?”

“Papa ka yeh paper ud ke bahar aa gaya tha. To woh lene aayi thi.” She waved the paper clutched in her hand.

“Aapne khaana khaya?”

Ruhi nodded.

“Kya khaaya?”

“Dadi ne rice aur dal makh… makh…”

“Dal makhani?”

“Haan! Woh banaya tha. Bahot yummy tha. Lekin mujhe aap ke haath ki idli khaani hain.”

“Ok. Jab main idli banaungi, to aapke liye zaroor bhejungi.”

“Aur Ishimaa, meri doll ki dress kharaab ho gayi hain. Dekho.”

Ruhi handed Ishita her doll and pointed out the tear in the dress.

“Oh no. Yeh kaise ho gaya? Koi baat nahi. Main two minutes mein fix kar deti hoon. Ok?”

“Ruhi! Kahan ho?” Raman hollered as he came outside. “Tum yahan ho?”

“Papa, aap ka paper fly karke bahar aa gaya. Dekho.”

“Lao, do mujhe.” He took paper from her hand. “Aur andar chalo.”

“Ok papa.” Ruhi ran inside on her heels leaving Raman and Ishita outside.

“Ruhi ki doll hai na? Let me take it.”

Raman reached out to take Ruhi’s doll from her hand and accidentally grazed his finger on her thumb. Zap! A current of static electricity bolted through them, and they sprung apart. What the hell was that? It was the middle of summer. Static in July?

“Nahi, Ruhi ne mujhe apni doll di hain. Actually there’s a tear in the dress, so I’ll fix it and give it to her later.”

“Okay. Fine,” he said before he withdrew into his house. Ishita rubbed on her thumb as she entered her flat trying to shake off the bolt of energy she felt.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“Ishu, so what did you think about Mani?”

Ishita, Mihika, Madhu, and Vishwa were all seated at the dining table having dinner in complete silence when Vishwa broached the subject.

“Isme sochna kya hai Appa? Maine already mana kar diya hain.”

“Beta, kam se kam usse baat to karo. Tum dono already ek doosre ko jaante ho, acche dost ho. Isme bura kya hain?”

Ishita put her spoon down and ran a palm down her face. Should she entertain the thought? There wouldn’t be any harm in one conversation. Plus, she could finally get her parents off her back. They had been on this subject for three weeks now.

“Thik hai, appa. Lekin sirf ek mulaqat. That’s it.”

“Ok Ishu. Abhi woh Turkey mein rehta hain. Tumhare paas uska number hai?”

“Nahi appa. Woh saat saal pehle waha shift ho gaya uske baad zyada contact hua hi nahi.”

“Koi baat nahi, kanna,” Madhu chimed in. “Mere paas uski sister ka number hain. Main usse tumhara number de dungi aur phir tum aur Mani video chat kar lena.”

“Periamma, periappa, we need to take things slow,” Mihika suggested. “I mean, agar yeh rishta tay hota hain to that means Akka ko shayad Turkey jaana hoga. Kitna door hain woh. Vandu akka aur Bala jeeju bhi humse itni door nahi the kabhi. Hum sab humesha ek hi sheher mein rahe hain. Pehle Chennai aur ab Delhi. Agar Ishu akka Mani se shaadi karti hain to unhe itni door jaana hoga ki hum shayad saal mein ek baar hi mil paaye. Shayad Diwali pe ya Christmas pe…”

The sudden creaking of the door caught their attention and all of them turned their heads towards the entrance. Ishita thought she saw someone’s jet black hair swooshing but she was too far away to tell for sure.

“Kaun hai?” Madhu called. Vishwa got up to check if anyone was at the door.

“Koi nahi hai, Madhu. Shaayad hava se aawaaz aayi thi. Tum sab khaana khao. Main darwaza band kar deta hoon.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Ruhi ran inside her house and threw herself onto her bed, sobbing uncontrollably. So this is why Ishimaa was avoiding her. She was getting married and leaving her. She just heard Mihika Chitti say that Ishimaa was marrying someone named Mani and leaving everyone. But she had promised Ruhi that she would never leave her. Why was she leaving? First papa wasn’t with her, now Ishimaa was going. Did they not love Ruhi anymore?

Her cries echoed throughout the Bhalla house and soon enough, her grandparents were at her bedside trying to console her.

“Kya hua Ruhi? Itna kyun ro rahi hain meri bacchi? Dadi ko bata to sahi ki baat kya hai? Kisi ne kuch kaha? Papa ne daanta? Kahin chot lagi hain? Bol na beta.”

“Nahi. Mujhe kisi se baat nahi karni!”

Despite their best efforts, Ruhi wouldn’t calm down. Rinki finally called Raman, who was in a video call, to try soothing her.

“Rinki, dikhta nahi hai meri meeting chal rahi hain?”

“Bhai please, Ruhi achanak se itna rone lagi hai. Kisi ko nahi pata kya baat hain. Aap ko aana padega.”

After profuse apologies to his clients, he slammed his laptop shut and stormed into Ruhi’s room.

“Kya ho raha hai yahan?!”

“Puttar, Ruhi kab se roye jaa rahi hain. Dekh na,” Toshi explained.

“Ruhi, itna kyun ro rahi ho? Kya baat hain?”

No answer. Just incoherent sobs. Raman had zero patience right now. He went onto her bed and made Ruhi sit up.

“Ruhi, aise rone se kaam nahi chalega. Use your words. Aap mujhe batao ki problem kya hai aur hum solve karte hain. Rone se kuch nahi hoga. Tell me, what is the problem?”

“Papa… Ishimaa mujhe… mujhe chod kar jaa rahi hain!” she sobbed.

“Kya matlab?”

“Main apni doll lene gayi thi tab maine suna. Chitti keh rahi thi ki woh kisi Mani uncle se shaadi kar rahi hain aur bahot door jaa rahi hain. Mujhe chod ke.”

Ishita was getting married? And she didn’t even have the courtesy to let him know, Raman thought. If he had been angry before, he could be fuming right now. How could she do that? On second thoughts, why did he care so much? Because Ruhi needed her, that’s why. Because Ruhi needed her, that’s why. If it were just him, he’d be counting the days until she was out of his life.

He charged out of his house and banged on Ishita’s door. No response. He banged again. After what seemed like hours, Ishita finally opened the door.

“Darwaza kholne mein itna time kaun lagata hai?”

“Main kitchen saaf kar rahi thi, isiliye haath dho rahi thi. Par baat kya hain? Itne gusse mein kyun ho aap?”

“Tum shaadi kar rahi ho?”

“Kya? Aap ko kisne bataya?”

“Ruhi ne. Use lagta hai ki tumhari kisi Mani naam ke ladke se shaadi ho rahi aur tum kahi door jaa rahi ho. Apne kamre mein ro rahi hai woh.”

Ishita’s eyes widened in realization. The whiff of black hair she had seen was Ruhi. She had heard their conversation. She immediately ran into the Bhalla house. Raman followed closely behind. Her amma and appa came too, hearing all the commotion.

“Ruhi, kya hua betu?” Ishita cooed at her as she tugged her into her arms.

“Aap mujhe chod kar jaa rahi ho na Ishimaa? Isiliye aap mujhse milne nahi aati. Aur mujhse baat bhi nahi karti.”

“No betu, aisa bilkul nahi hain. Main aap ko chod kar kahi nahi jaa rahi hoon.”

“Maine aap ki aur Chitti ki baatein suni. Aap shaadi kar rahi hain aur kahin door jaa rahi hain. Aap door mat jao na? Mujhe aap ke aur papa ke saath, dono ke saath rehna hain. Aap papa se shaadi kar lo. Aur mere paas rehne aa jao. Please, Ishimaa!”

Tears raced down Ruhi’s cheeks, and Ishita’s throat tightened and chin trembled seeing her plight. She couldn’t do this to her. The poor kid had spent her early years in an orphanage. She already had abandonment issues at such a young age. She couldn’t leave her at any cost.

“Ruhi, look at me. Suno meri baat. Maine aap ko kya kaha tha? Ki jab tak sky mein stars honge tab tak main aap ko pyaar karungi. Wahan dekho. Aap ko stars dikh rahe hain?”

Ishita pointed towards the window and Ruhi nodded.

“Bas to phir. Main aap se bahot pyaar karti hoon bacche. Aur main aap ko chod ke kabhi nahi jaaungi. Main hamesha aap ke paas rahungi.”

“Promise?”

“Promise mera baccha. I promise.”

Ishita wrapped her arms around Ruhi and stroked her head until she quieted down and fell asleep. She tucked her into bed and planted a kiss on her forehead. Once everyone had dispersed, she sternly told her parents to say no to Mani’s proposal. It was not happening. She wasn’t leaving the country much less the city if it meant staying away from Ruhi. And this time, neither Madhu nor Vishwa could find it in themselves to persuade her otherwise. It was final. Ishita was not getting married to Mani.

While the hubbub dwindled, Omprakash had his mind stuck on something Ruhi had innocently uttered. Her demand that Ishimaa get married to papa. Ever since Ruhi had moved in, he had seen her spark dim down. Staying away from Ishita was taking its toll on her. Raman was struggling to connect with her, still trying to find an escape in work whenever he could. Ishita was the only one who could heal the cracks in their relationship and bring them together. And so, the wheels of his mind turned.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Raman’s office - Saturday morning, 7 am

“Thank you so much for understanding Mr. Tandon. My daughter was really cranky last night so I had to end our video call abruptly. I’m glad we could meet face-to-face today and iron out the wrinkles in our contract.”

Raman, Mihir, Pathak, and Amit Tandon were gathered in Raman’s office, bright and early, to finish up the meeting that ended abruptly last night.

“No worries at all, Raman. I have two kids as well. I know better than anyone how things are with little kids around. I’m just happy that your daughter has come home for good,” Tandon replied.

“Ab Ruhi kaisi hai Bhai?” Mihir asked.

“Thik hai. Woh bas Ishita ko miss karti hai.”

“Ishita? Isn’t that the woman who adopted her?” Tandon asked.

Raman nodded.

“It’s really cruel that she can’t be with her.”

“It’s how the law works, Mr. Tandon. If a biological parent wants and is capable of holding custody, then they get first preference,” Pathak explained.

“Neil, I know you’re married to my sister, but when you say things like that, it makes me question your decision of becoming a civil lawyer. Because if the law keeps Ruhi away from the only woman she’s called mom, then the law sucks.”

Pathak had no answer to that. The law did suck sometimes.

“I’m in over my head with this kid,” Raman sighed. “I don’t know how to handle her or connect with her or sometimes even just face her.”

“I have a question, Raman,” Tandon chimed in. “Can’t you and Ishita raise Ruhi together?”

“That was the original plan. But then Shagun and Ashok showed up and the court decided otherwise. Now, I can’t risk sharing custody in case I lose it.”

“What if she moves in with you and helps out in raising Ruhi?”

“Tandon saab, aap London mein rehke kaafi kuch bhul gaye India ke baare mein,” Mihir teased. “Ishita is a Tamilian brahmin. She’s raised by traditional Hindu parents. Girls like her don’t just move in with other guys without marriage.”

Raman raised his eyebrows towards Mihir. “Tujhe Ishita ki upbringing ke baare mein itna kaise pata?”

“Main Ishita ji ko nahi jaanta, lekin uski behen ko to acche se jaanta hoon na?”

“Matlab?” Tandon was confused.

“He’s dating Ishita’s cousin Mihika.” Raman explained.

“Oh I see. Anyway Raman, I must take your leave now. I have to depart for London in a few hours,” Tandon said as he stood up and shook hands with Raman and Mihir.

“Bhai, main aap ko chod deta hoon. Besides, Trisha would like to meet you before you leave,” Pathak offered.

Mihir left shortly after Pathak and Tandon were gone, leaving Raman in his office alone. It was Saturday, and apart from this meeting, he had no other appointments for work today. He should probably go home to his daughter.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The French Flavor Coffee House - The next morning, Sunday July 7th, 10:30 am

The waiter arrived and placed Raman’s black coffee and Ishita’s cappuccino on their table. They both picked their drinks and sipped in complete and utter silence. Normally, if they even faced each other, they managed to break out into a fight. But today the premise that had brought them in front of each other caused a strange awkwardness between them.

Raman chugged down his black coffee and almost scalded himself. But his mind was so preoccupied that he barely noticed. Yesterday evening, his father had made the most absurd suggestion. Marriage to Ishita Iyer. The first thought he had was that his father had definitely lost his marbles. He could barely stand the woman! How could he get married to her? Impossible. But his father was very stern in his words and persuasive in his reasons. Ruhi needed both her mother and father. How bad of an idea could this be after all? It at least deserved to be entertained. So he agreed to meet with her and discuss the thought.

Ishita’s grip tightened around her mug. She played with the loose tendrils of her hair that framed her face just so her hands had something to do. Marriage was the last thing on her mind ever since Subbu dumped her. But marriage with Raman Bhalla hadn’t even crossed her mind. Ever. But her father’s rigid stance last evening forced her to show up for this meeting. Apparently, Raman’s father had suggested the idea and her Appa was on board with it. But she was yet to wrap her head around the proposal. The only reason why she even bothered to consider this idea was for Ruhi. She could legally become her daughter if this marriage worked.

“Are you actually serious about this Raman?” she asked, trying to mitigate the painful silence.

“I don’t seem to have much of a choice.”

“This is an insane idea.”

“It does have its advantages though.”

“What do you mean?”

Raman placed his coffee down, exhaled deeply, and leaned forward.

“I talked with Pathak. He says that this would pretty much seal our chances of getting permanent custody. Think about it. Between a married couple with strong family support on one side and a girlfriend indulging in herself and a boyfriend busy in work and god knows what else on another side, who would a sane judge choose?”

“I see your point.”

“But let me make one thing clear. Please don’t think of this as a marriage. Think of it as a new living arrangement. We live in the same house and same room but only as Ruhi’s parents. Humare beech mein sirf ek hi rishta hoga ki tum Ruhi ki maa ho. That’s it.”

“Agar Ruhi ki baat hai to main taiyyar hoon. Waise bhi, mujhe pyaar ke liye shaadi karne mein koi interest nahi raha. Ruhi hi meri duniya hai ab.”

“Good. So we’re on the same page. Mujhe bhi yeh pyaar ki bakwaas mein koi interest nahi hain. To tum bhi mujhse aisi koi ummeed mat rakhna.”

“Mujhe aap se koi ummeed nahi hai aur naahi koi rishta banana hain.”

“To tumhari haan hain?”

Ishita opened her mouth to say yes but then faltered. There was still one secret that needed to be uncovered before they could finalize this ‘new arrangement.’

“Dekho, zyada bhaav khaane ki zaroorat nahi hain. Main koi maraa nahi jaa raha hoon tumse shaadi karne ke liye. Jaldi se apna jawaab do.” Raman was reaching the end of his patience.

“Mujhe shaadi se koi aitraaz nahi hain. Lekin hum dono haan bole usse pehle mujhe aap ko kuch batana padega.”

“Kya?”

Ishita took in a deep breath.

“Main kabhi maa nahi ban sakti.”

“What do you mean by maa nahi ban sakti? Tum already Ruhi ki maa ho.”

Ishita was taken aback at how effortlessly Raman said that. He said it in such an easy and routine manner, as if it were common knowledge. As if imagining the opposite would be ludicrous.

“Matlab, main kabhi conceive nahi kar sakti. Kisi bacche ko janam nahi de sakti.”

She went on to explain how, almost a year ago, she was rushed to the hospital due to benign tumors in her right ovary and left fallopian tube. How her fallopian tube had been ruptured and her ovaries had been damaged. How her six year long partner Subbu dumped her for her infertility. How she moved to Delhi with her family and tried to heal herself. And how she came about adopting Ruhi as a way of moving on.

Unlike his normal predisposition, Raman stayed quiet throughout and listened. And with each word his respect for Ishita grew. The woman was more than she seemed. She had battled through so much, maybe even more than him.

“I’m sorry about that,” he said, not knowing how else to respond.

“Thank you.”

“Isiliye main in sab jhamelo se door rehta hoon. Pyaar se sirf dhokha milta hain. There’s no use indulging in love.”

“Aisa kyun keh rahe ho aap?” she asked, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion. “If we go by your logic, then why read a book when it’s going to end anyway? Why do you watch cricket so much when there is no guarantee of your team winning? Why even enjoy life if it is bound to end one day?”

“Tumhare dialogue writer ke paise kaat diye hain kya? Itni ghatiya lines? Pak jaaye aadmi sun sun ke. Aur meri futi kismat, jo ab tum se shaadi karni padegi. Zindagi bhar yahi lecture sunte rehna padega.”

“Wow, so the pot calls the kettle black, huh? Aap jaise gussail aur akdoo Ravan kumar ke saath main kaise rahoongi yeh socho!”

“Tum jaisi paagal to kaise bhi reh legi. Lekin jab tum apni talwar leke chadhai karogi to muj bichaare ka kya hoga woh to maatarani hi jaane.”

“How dare you…”

Before Ishita could come up with a clever retort, her phone chimed. It was a message from Amma.

“We have to go home. Amma aur sab pareshaan ho rahe hain,” she said.

“Thik hai. Chalo. Aur ek baat main phir se clear kar doon. Yeh shaadi sirf Ruhi ke liye hogi.”

“I know. Sirf Ruhi ke liye.”

“Sirf aur sirf Ruhi ke liye.”

“SIRF SIRF SIRF RUHI KE LIYE.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Long long longgggggg and beautifulllllllll update

Actually ur update is like a drop of water in desert

Superb just no words to explain ur writing skills

It is full package

Emotional update part 12

Bhallas were in court ishita was there too she was sitting separate from bhallas as she wanted to give them privacy her parents sisters and bala wanted to come with her but she denied as she didn't wanted them to see her breaking apart shagun was confident she will get ruhis Custody proceeding started both lawyers presented their clients case raman was questioned about his drinking habit and not spending time with ruhi by shaguns lawyer he was silent shagun was questioned why she left ruhi in orphanage she was faked crocodile tears and got judge sympathy judge was going to give decission in favour of shagun but before that she asked ishita with whom ruhi will be safe ishita said with raman and his family she said shagun was about to send ruhi to boarding school and all judge asked ishita to call ruhi to ask her decision ruhi was brought judge took ruhi in alone and asked her ruhi said she want to be with ishra listening to her judge realized ruhi is happy with raman and his family she gave decision in favour of raman but this just temporary custody permanent custody will be decided after two months they will keep watch on raman bhallas rejoice the news ishita was sad as she was instructed to send ruhi to raman shagun was angry with ishita loved ishitas reply to her bhalla gave party ishita didn't attended she was packing ruhis stuffs she wanted to deal with her pain in alone poor ishita felt vad for her raman realized what she is going through

Awesome update

Ishita got herself busy in work to distract her mind from ruhi she understood why raman is workholic her family was worried for her they asked her to get married to mani she was in no mood appa said they will discuss it later after lots of thinking she agreed to meet mani only once ruhi heard mihika saying ishita will go away marrying mani she thought ishra don't love her anymore raman is not able to get connect with ruhi so he stay away from her poor ruhi her grandparents asked her the matter she didn't said raman was called he asked ruhi she told him haha raman was fuming hearing that but what a excuse his mind gave its for ruhi he asked ishita she was shocked hearing ruhi heard that talk she promised ruhi she will never go away from her ruhi innocently gave idea to her grandfather ishra scene was nice they agreed for marriage ishita told raman about her infertility and her broken relationship ramans felt more respect for her

Pls update soon

Beautiful update. This is one of my favourite stories. Cheers mate.

A very nice update please update next part soon to know what happens next

Part 14

Bhalla House Living Room - later that evening, Sunday, July 7th, 8 pm

“Rinki sab ke liye paani la. Aur Romi, thodi zyada chairs nikaal andar se,” their father instructed. “Aap sab aayiye, please. Baithiye.”

Omprakash welcomed all the Iyers and made them comfortable. Everyone was there today -- including Simi and Vandu-Bala -- and that too for a reason they would have never anticipated. Raman and Ishita were getting married. The idea still needed getting used to, especially for both mothers. Santosh had always wanted to find a girl of her own liking from her own community for Raman. Ishita wasn’t her choice; neither was she Punjabi. But her husband convinced her for the union. After all, Ishita was who Ruhi needed the most. Plus, Raman had already been married to a girl of her choice before, and it didn’t work out very well.

Madhavi, on the other hand, was over the moon when she heard that Ishita had agreed to getting married. But when Vishwa revealed it was Raman, she was taken aback. The fact that Mihika was dating someone from outside their community was shocking enough. Why must it be Raman, she had asked. It didn’t seem right. However, when Vishwa explained that it was the best for her and Ruhi, she reluctantly obliged.

The rest of the family had similar reactions. Simi was worried that her brother was rushing into a marriage that he didn’t have his heart in. Rinki and Romi had serious doubts about the compatibility of the union. Mihika thought her akka deserved better than Raman. Vandu was weary of her sister entering a marriage that had no love to begin with. Bala was scared that Ishita might get her heart broken again, something he could not allow after his own brother had hurt her not less than a year ago. But in the end, Raman and Ishita convinced them by assuring it was happening only for Ruhi. Not everyone was particularly excited about it, but they seemed to get on board.

Only one person was ecstatic with the new course of developments -- Ruhi. When Raman told her that he and Ishita were getting married, and that she would come live with them shortly, the little girl couldn’t hold in her excitement. She had started jumping up and down, cheering and laughing that Mumma and Papa were getting married. In that moment, all of Raman’s doubts washed away. If the idea brought this much happiness to Ruhi, then it was all worth it.

Once the herd of people finally settled down in the Bhallas’ living room, Omprakash took command of the room.

“Dekhiye sab log, ab hum sab log ikattha huye hain, to phir shaadi ki taiyyari kaise karni hai, kaunse functions kab karne hain woh sab tay kar lete hain.”

“Bhalla ji, jo bhi ho, mere puttar ki shaadi to hum itni dhoom dhaam se karenge ki puri Delhi dekhti reh jaayegi,” Toshi beamed.

“Aiyyo, to hum kya choti moti shaadi karwaenge? Meri Ishu ki shaadi hain. Main to puri Chennai to bulaaungi,” Madhu countered.

“Bilkul nahi!” Raman, who had been brooding in a corner until now, suddenly spoke up. “Dekhiye, yeh shaadi hum kisi bade scale pe nahi kar sakte. It has to be a private affair on a very small scale. We can’t afford Shagun or Ashok finding out about this. I’ve already told Pathak and Mihir to make sure that this doesn’t get leaked into the business market. So all of you have to make sure not to tell anyone who doesn’t need to know.” He addressed his mother and mother-in-law, “Mummy, Amma, aap log bhi kaan khol ke sun lijiye. Sirf kareeb ke rishtedar ko hi bulana. Kisi door ke mama ya chacha ko bulane ki zaroorat nahi hain.”

“Thik hai puttar, tu chinta na kar,” Toshi assured him. “To ek kaam karte hain, pehle guest list taiyyar kar lete hain. Hamari taraf se to hum sab hain, aur Pulkit ke gharwale. Phir mere veerji bhi aayenge apni votti aur bacchon ke saath. Aur kaun reh gaya?”

“Oh Toshi ji,” Omprakash exclaimed. “Meri behen ko bhul gaye aap? Shaila bhenji bhi to aayengi?”

“Lekin Bhalla ji, woh to Canada mein rehti hain na? Woh apne pati aur bacchon ke saath aa payengi?”

“Kam se kam invitation to bhej hi sakte hain na? Unhe Raman se bada lagaav hain, to woh zaroor aayengi, mainu pata hain.”

“Jaisa aap ko thik lage, Bhalla ji. Aur haan! Pammi te Dolly ko bhi bulana paega.”

“Mummy, maine kaha na? Sirf nazdeek ke rishtedar,” Raman reminded.

“Puttar, Pammi te Dolly meri best friends hain. Unhe to bulana hi padega na? Bas, aur kisi ko nahi, thik hai?”

“Fine. Aur haan, Pathak aur Trisha ko bhi gin lena.”

“Thik hai puttar. To iska matlab hamare guest list mein huye Pulkit ki family, Veerji, Shaila bhenji, Pammi, Dolly, te Pathak aur Trisha. Haina Bhalla ji? Simi, sab aa gaye na?”

Both Simi and her father nodded in agreement.

“Aiyoo Vishwa, hum bhi apne guests bata dete hain,” Madhu cut in. “Hamari taraf se mere brother aur sister hain. Mihika, tumhari Soumya se baat hui?”

“Haan periamma, amma to bahot khush hain. Aur unhone kaha ki woh zaroor aayengi. Unhone chutti ke liye apply kar diya hain.”

“Yeh to bahot acchi baat hain. Tab use Mihir se bhi introduce karwana, thik hai?”

“Sure, periamma.”

“Madhu, lekin tumhare Anna aa paayenge kya? Unki tabiyat thik hai ab?” Vishwa asked.

“Pata nahi Vishwa. Lekin hum unke son aur daughter-in-law ko to invite kar hi sakte hain na? Gopal aur Vasudha ko? Aur unki dono betiyon ko?”

“GPS Anna!” Mihika was delighted to hear that they would be coming.

“GPS? Yeh kaisa naam hai?” Vandu asked her.

“Arey akka, Vasudha anni ne unhe naya naam diya hai. Gopal Krishnan Srinivasan ka short form, GPS. Aur unki dono betiyon, Mahima aur Preesha bhi aayengi? I am so excited! Main to kabhi Preesha se mili bhi nahi. I can’t wait!”

“Aur haan!” Amma exclaimed. “Vishwa, tumhari akka bhi to aayengi na?”

“Haan Madhu, unhe bhi bulayenge. To hamari taraf se sab aa gaye.”

Simi thought they had missed someone. “Vandu, tumhare sasural se koi nahi aa raha kya? Bala ke parents ya bhai-behen?”

“Nahi. Yahi meri family hain. Aur koi nahi aa raha hain mere ghar se,” Bala declared before Simi could even finish.”

Omprakash cleared his throat and tried to bring the conversation back on track. “Chalo, humare guests to final ho gaye. Ab shaadi ke functions ki baat kar le?”

“Aiyo main bol deti hoon, shaadi to Tamilian traditions se hogi,” Amma declared.

“Oye! Bilkul nahi! Shaadi to Punjabi tarike se hogi!” Toshi countered.

Romi and Simi backed her up. “Bilkul Punjabi shaadi hogi. Dhol nagado ke saath, naach gaane ke saath.”

“Excuse me, periamma ne kya kaha suna nahi kya?” Mihika cut in. “Akka ki shaadi Tamilian customs se hogi.”

“Right, I agree.” Vandu said.

And thus, the civil conversation descended into chaos. Both fathers tried their best to mediate the situation but to no avail. Finally, they suggested that Ishita and Raman decide, since it was their wedding.

“Raman puttar, tu bol. Aur bata de sab ko ki tujhe Punjabi shaadi chahiye,” Toshi urged him.

“Ishu, tu piche mat rehna. Make sure ki shaadi sirf Tamilian tarike se ho,” Vandu encouraged.

“Dekho, tumne Madrasi shaadiyaan dekhi hongi already. Isiliye keh raha hoon ki is baar Punjabi shaadi dekh lo. Humare yahan jaisa naach gaana hota hain woh tumne kahin nahin dekha hoga,” Raman told Ishita.

“Maine dekha hain Punjabi music and dance kaisa hota hain. Isiliye main keh rahi hoon, ki shaadi Tamilian tarike se karo. Tumhara bhi thoda cultural taste develop hoga. Apna loud music chod kar kuch aur dekhne ko milega.”

“Kya dekhenge hum? Tum Madrasiyon ko thodi na aata hain humari tarah maza karna? Main bol raha hoon, Madrasi shaadi karenge to sab ke sab so jaayenge itni boring shaadi dekh kar.”

“Agar baat sirf aap ke naach gaane ki hain, to phir sangeet Punjabi tarike se kar lo. Aur phir shaadi Tamilian customs aur traditions ke saath. It is really important to us.”

“Aiyyo, ab maan bhi jao na, please?” Amma pleaded. “Aap ke bete ki to pehle bhi shaadi huyi hain, lekin meri beti ki to first marriage hain.”

“OYE MADRASAN! Teri himmat kaise hui?! Tu kehna kya chahti hai?!” Toshi screamed.

“What amma?!” Ishita sighed. “Aunty, please aap shaant ho jaiye. Amma ka woh matlab nahi tha.”

Vandu quickly came to her rescue. “Aunty, we’re extremely sorry. Woh to Amma ne Ishu ki shaadi ka dream kitne saalon se dekha hain, isiliye muh se nikal gaya.”

Madhu too realized her folly and apologized. “Mera woh matlab nahi tha Santoshi. Lekin meri Ishu ko ek Tamilian bride bante dekhne ka sapna hain mera. Please shaadi ko Tamilian tarike se hone do?”

After much back and forth, it was decided unanimously by the bride and groom that there will be a Punjabi styled sangeet followed by a Tamilian marriage the next day.

“Nahi! Girls best dancers hain!”

“No! Boys sab se accha dance karte hain!”

Ruhi and Shravu’s shrieks from inside her room halted the conversation going on outside.

“Ruhi! Shravu! Kya hua?” Ishita called them.

At once, they came running outside.

“Ishimaa, yeh Shravu keh raha hai ki girls ko dance karna nahi aata! Woh keh raha hain ki boys hi best dancers hain!”

“To sach hi to hain, Chitti! Boys are the best!”

“Shravu! Aise bolte hain kya? Boys and girls are both the best,” Vandu chided him.

“Usme galat kya keh raha hai yeh Vandu?” Raman asked. “Boys are the best. Tingu, tu bilkul sahi jaa raha hain.”

“Bhai, mujhe aap se yeh ummeed nahi thi,” Rinki commented.

“Agar aisa hai Rinki,” Romi interjected, “to phir prove karo na? Sangeet mein, agar tum sab ladkiyaan hume haraa pao, to hum bhi maan lenge ki tum kitni acchi dancers ho.”

“Bilkul haraayenge hum aapko bhai!”

“Aur waise bhi, humaare paas to sab se acchi dancer hain,” Mihika chimed in. “Hamari Ruhi. Haina Ru? Tum hamare saath dance karogi na?”

“Main Ishimaa ke saath dance karoongi!” she announced and galloped to Ishita’s lap.

“Aur chitti ke saath nahi?” Mihika teased.

“Bua ke saath bhi nahi?” Rinki added.

Ruhi was in a pickle now.

“Koi baat nahi, Ru.” Ishita said. “Main, aap, chitti, aur bua, sab saath mein dance karenge. Aur in saare boys ko haraayenge. Thik hai?” she said earning a high-five from her daughter.

“Jitne sapne dekhne hai, dekh lo. Jab humari team aapke saamne aayegi na, tab pata chalega. Kyun Shravu?” Romi asked.

“Yes chachu!” he replied, giving him a fist bump.

Once the theme and details of the sangeet were finalized by the Bhallas, Madhu and Vishwa took charge of the meeting to explain how the Tamilian marriage would go. All the customs were new to the Bhallas but they obliged, even if reluctantly. It was official.

Kalyan Mandap Marriage Hall - July 17th, 4 pm

Ten days after Ishita and Raman had decided to get married, their sangeet was held in the same hall in which they were to be married the next day. All the guests had arrived and the families were ready to go for the sangeet. Ruhi and Shravu were especially excited about the dance off planned between the girls and the boys. Ishita and Raman were seated in the middle on separate velvet throne chairs. The Iyers sat on the side closest to Ishita while the Bhallas sat on the side by Raman. Mihir and Mihika were in charge of hosting the event. Well, truthfully speaking, Raman had appointed Mihir as the host and Mihika happened to join in as a representative of the Iyers. Raman had made it clear to him not to involve him in any of the dances. He was in no mood to dance.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Mihir announced. “Thank you so much for gracing us with your presence at my dearest Raman bhai and Ishita bhabhi’s sangeet ceremony! As you all may know, today’s sangeet is going to be a dance competition between the boys and girls. So first of all, to dazzle your senses, please welcome Romi, Pulkit jeeju, Bala jeeju, Neil, and Shravu, along with myself, to show you how it’s done!”

“Aap dance nahi kar rahe?” Ishita asked Raman in the midst of the applause.

“Nahi. I don’t dance.”

“Aap hi ne kaha tha, ki Punjabis ki shaan alag hoti hain. Aap ke naach gaane dekhne laayak hote hain. Aur ab aap hi piche hat rahe hain? Dar gaye kya?”

“Oh hello, hum Punjabis kisi se nahi darte. Tum Madrasiyon ko haraane ke liye mere do bhai hi kaafi hain, samjhi? Aur waise bhi, agar maine dance kiya na, to tum sab ka confidence chur chur ho jaayega. I’m just doing you a simple favor, all right?”

“Oh please, don’t feel obliged to grant us any favors. Go ahead. Knock yourself out. Main bhi to dekhu, aakhir Raman Bhalla ko dance aata bhi hai ya…”

“Madrasan, agar Raman Bhalla ne dance shuru kiya na, to sab ko complex ho jaayega. Isiliye rehne dete hain. Hmm?”

The rest of their conversation was drowned out by the music blasting through the speaker system as the boys took to the dance floor.

Ishq ishq mein pyar pyar mein no.1 punjabi

Dil lene mein dil dene mein no.1 punjabi

Baisakhi mein bhangra pake mast rahe punjabi

Heer sohni ki dhun gaake mast rahe punjabi

As the lyrics changed, Mihir, Bala, Pathak, and Pulkit pulled in their significant others to dance. Swaying to the music, Toshi and Omprakash joined in as well.

Hey ladki jo dekhe gulabi karde dhamal punjabi

Aankhen jo dekhen sharabi karde dhamal punjabi

Ladki jo dekhe gulabi karde dhamal punjabi

Aankhen jo dekhen sharabi karde dhamal punjabi

Ishq ishq mein pyar pyar mein no.1 punjabi

Dil lene mein dil dene mein no.1 punjabi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hW8Db-BBV1Q

“Dekha hum ladko ka kamaal!” Mihir proclaimed into the mike after the performance. “Humne bhi naacha aur tum sab ko bhi nachaa diya!” he said, aiming for Mihika who stood beside him with the other mike.

“Zyada udo mat janaab. Abhi hum ladkiyon ka kamaal dekhna baaki hain. So please welcome our very own bride Ishu akka, and with her, our angel Ruhi, Rinki, Vandu akka, Simi didi, Trisha, and myself. Aakhir ladkiyaan kisi se kam thodi hai?!”

A round of applause followed and the girls took to the stage. Ishita and Ruhi danced front and center, while the rest were either beside them or behind them. Their track played.

Ho meethi meethi si yeh muniya

Sar pe daale hai yeh chuniya

Kyun

Haan kyun

Ho sohni sohni si kudi nu

Mauj mein rehne de na duniya

Kyun

Haan duniya kyun

Hai kinni shaandar kudi yeh kar degi dhamaal

Ise jhumne de apni beat te

Kudi nu nachne de

Haan nachne de

Tu aaj lagane de thumke

Haan jam ke

Kudi nu nachne de

Haan nachne de

Tu saareyan fikran nu chhad ke

Ban than ke

Kudi nu nachne de, nachne de

Haan nachne de, nachne de

Tu aaj lagane de thumke

Haan jam ke

Kudi nu nachne de

Haan nachne de

Tu saareyan fikran nu chhad ke

Ban than ke

Kudi nu nachne de

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSpMspvMkSQ

As the track came to an end, Mihir put on a playlist of Bollywood and Punjabi wedding/party songs. Rinki and Mihika managed to pull in everyone, including their guests, at one point or another for a brief dance. Even Raman budged and joined the crowd for a few minutes.

After a session of wild party dancing, Mihir and Mihika requested the guests to proceed for dinner. One by one, everyone got their plate, including the kids. Mihir asked Mihika to join him for dinner but she had plans of her own.

“Mihika, tum kya khichdi paka rahi ho?” Mihir asked her. “Agar koi bhi gadbad hui na, to bhai mujhe chodenge nahi.”

“Oho buddhu. Tum Raman jeeju se kitna darte ho? Kuch nahi hoga. Tum ek kaam karo, jaa ke dinner kar lo. Main baad mein kha loongi.”

“Nahi, main akele nahi jaaunga. Tumhari amma kab se mujhe ghurre jaa rahi hain. Dar lagta hain unse, yaar.”

“Pehle bol rahe the apne bhai se dar lagta hain. Ab bol rahe ho ki meri amma se dar lagta hain. Arey buddhu, tum mere boyfriend ho. Meri amma to tumhe ghurregi hi na?”

“Miku, tum please bolo na. Kya plan kar rahi ho?”

“Woh dekho, plan ke mastermind to ab aa rahe hain.”

Mihika waved towards the side entrance of the hall, and Mihir saw Bala walking in.

“Jeeju, do you have the CD?” she asked.

“Right here Mihika,” he waved the CD case at her.

“Perfect.”

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Once everyone was done with dinner, Mihika and Bala urged everyone to sit back down for one more performance.

“Hum jaante hain ki aap sab ne bahot dance kiya hai aaj,” she spoke into the mike. “Lekin, sangeet ke din agar dulha dulhan ka saath mein ek daance na hua, to phir kaisa sangeet?”

Raman was astounded. What the hell! He had appointed Mihir as the host for precisely this reason. He didn’t want to dance. And that too with Ishita? Ugh. He scanned the room and found Mihir standing towards the side. He caught his attention and widened his eyes. Mihir seemed to get his expression as he discreetly held onto his ears and gave a ‘sorry’ gesture.

Ishita smacked her forehead. What was her sister up to? There was absolutely no need for this to happen. Why did she have to dance with Raman? The man didn’t have one joyful bone in his body. Dammit.

“So please welcome the bride and groom for their first dance as a couple!” Mihika announced.

Both Ishita and Raman wanted to say no, but then they saw their little girl jumping with joy.

“Yay! Mumma aur papa ka dance! Yay!!” Ruhi cheered.

Well, there was no turning back now. They had to dance.

While Ishita and Raman made their way to the dance floor, Bala set up the CD in the music player. The idea had come to him right after the sangeet started. He knew that Ishita and Raman both had given up on the idea of love and companionship. But life was bringing them together and it couldn’t be for no reason. They definitely could discover the partnership that they so desperately needed. He knew that neither of them would listen to him if he directly said what was on his mind. So instead, he hoped the lyrics of the song would get to them and convince them to give life another chance. He prayed that they would allow themselves the luxury of hope and love. After all, music had great power.

Ishita placed her hand on Raman’s shoulder while Raman placed his hand on her waist. They interlocked their fingers on their free hand. And the music began.

In dino, dil mera, mujhse hai keh raha

Tu khwab saja, tu ji le zara

Hai tujhe bhi izaazat, karle tu bhi mohabbat, karle tu bhi mohabbat

So that’s what they were up to. Ishita had the urge to thoroughly admonish her younger cousin. How was she to explain that she and Raman could never be that kind of couple? They weren’t compatible, they were poles apart, and they pretty much constantly fought. Heck, even dancing with him was a task. They just didn’t seem to find the rhythm with each other.

Raman held back an exasperated sigh. So this was their big plan? Get them to dance together and watch them fall in love? It wasn’t that simple. He couldn’t find it himself to love again. He had tried it once and it destroyed him. He wouldn’t do it again. And with Ishita of all women? Never. The woman was infuriating.

Berang si hai badi zindagi kuch rang to bharoon

Main apni tanhai ke waaste ab kuch toh karoon…

Jab mile thodi fursat…

Khud se karle mohabbat

Hai tujhe bhi izaazat, karle tu bhi mohabbat

Everyone looked on upon the new couple. They were having some trouble finding their rhythm, but they complemented each other very well. All their well-wishers -- their parents and siblings -- hoped they would find happiness with each other. Both of them had been through a lot. The colors of their lives had been drained away, being replaced by an undercurrent of pain. They all hoped and prayed that they could find the colors of life again. That they could fall in love again. With themselves. With life. And hopefully, even with each other.

Usako chupaakar main sabse kabhi le chaloon kahin door…

Aankhon ke pyaalon se pita rahoon uske chehre ka noor…

Iss zamaane se chup kar…

Puri karloon main hasrat

Hai tujhe bhi izaazat, karle tu bhi mohabbat…

In dino, dil mera, mujhse hai keh raha

Tu khwab saja, tu ji le zara

Hai tujhe bhi izaazat, karle tu bhi mohabbat…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk3HIOJIjz8

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Kalyan Mandap Marriage Hall - the next day, July 18th, 6 am

Ishita and Raman were seated in the mandap as the priest chanted the sacred wedding mantras. One by one, each ritual was conducted as instructed. Bala stepped in as Ishita’s brother when necessary while Appa performed the kanyadaan.

However, Ishita’s mind seemed to be on a tangent of her own. She was getting married. She had been waiting and dreaming of this day ever since she saw her Vandu akka get married. And it was finally happening. Only difference from her dreams was the groom. She had imagined this to be the happiest day of her and Subbu’s life. But destiny had different plans. What a drastic turn her life had taken in the past year? She had been dumped by the man she thought was her soulmate and was now getting married to someone she didn’t love. It was hardly believable.

Raman tied the mangalsutra around Ishita’s neck. He filled her forehead parting with sindoor. Every step was familiar, but in the wrong way. He had done this before and the fallout had nearly destroyed him. Only he knew how he had gathered the strength to show up this morning. On his wedding day. Well, his second wedding day actually. He had vowed never to get into a marriage again, yet here he was, being wed. What a move fate had played! Betrayed by his ex-wife, separated from his son, and getting married for the custody of his daughter.

“Ruhi, tum gathbandhan karo,” Madhavi called to her and Mihika brought her forward.

Ruhi tied the gathbandhan with guidance from Mihika. All throughout, she was practically glowing with joy. Her mumma and papa were getting married. Ishimaa was coming to live with her. Now she, mumma, and papa will be a real family forever.

Ishita and Raman’s gaze fell on their daughter, and they were reminded of the sole reason behind their union. Ruhi’s happiness. The grin on her face was so bright, it outshined every bit of their poignancy. They would go through anything for her, let alone being tied in holy matrimony. Suddenly, a smile broke out on Ishita’s face and Raman was momentarily enthralled. It was the first time he had seen her smile that day. She looked stunning.

“Aap dono pheron ke liye khade ho jaiye.”

Ishita and Raman stood up and began their rounds around the sacred fire as instructed by the priest. One after another, they performed each ritual. And finally, the deed was done. The deal was sealed.

“Aaj se aap dono pati patni huye. Congratulations.”

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