New IshRa OS: Love:A Crazy Little Thing! Updated pg 10

"Jealousy is that pain which a man feels from the apprehension that he is not equally beloved by the person whom he entirely loves."

Aren't you overreacting Raman??

Overreacting? I am overreacting? SHE is overreacting. Mani yeh Mani woh, Mani my bestest buddy, Mani the gentle man, Mani the choosy, Mani the...bloody...grrr!

 This woman is crazy... I should have never married her in the first place...I was better off without her...

Were you?

What the hell!! Of course I was! I am fed up of her antics, of her nonstop nonsense...

Then you must be happy. She is on silent mode. You even said to God if she shuts up for life, you will start a fast. It seemed like Maata has listened to your prayers. Why are you upset then?

I...

Raman stood in front of the mirror, facing his conscience.

He was too troubled to think straight. His mind was a mess with contradicting thoughts. His heart was too restless, his beats too erratic. Raman found himself at a loss of words. What was happening to him? All he knew was that after realizing that Mani was no "choossa hua aam" but a handsome and TALL man, his stomach has churned and things degenerated for him as from there. Within minutes, he had felt like the outsider as soon as that "shani" had set his horse-like legs in HIS in laws' home. Mani the shani was being showered with love by HIS amma and appa.

As he discovered more and more about his wife's "bestest friend", something had started burning inside him. The man was not only good looking, chivalrous and a smooth talker -  all the characteristics that HIS wife had always looked in a man but to make matters worse, that Abhimanyu Raghav, had the "hots" for HIS wife in the past. Still he had tried his best to control whatever was building inside him. He had behaved decently at HIS in laws when they all flocked around that Mani like moths to a flame. He controlled himself when she was sitting and chirping happily with him on "THEIR" bench at night while he was having a hard time with his tummy. He also accepted that he stayed overnight at HIS in laws and kept his temper on check in the morning to see him under HIS roof, at HIS dining table and praising HIS wife's culinary capabilities but... after a hard and tiresome day and returning home to have a note left, he lost it completely. That was the limit!

His breathing was ragged like a charged bull. He was pacing the living room, waiting for her, ready to fight! As soon as the door opened,  Raman was left fuming. She was back but with her new tail in tow. Mani was just behind her with a sleeping Ruhi in his arms.HIS daughter!

Without a word, Raman had snatched Ruhi from Mani's arms and took her in her room leaving both Mani and Ishita stunned. Mani had had no option but to leave awkwardly. Ishita lost no time to confront Raman.

-          Raman! Kya hain yeh? Aap aisse kyun react kar rahe ho?

-          Kyun? Meri biwi aur bacchi aadhi raat ghar aaya hain uske friend ke saat, aarti utarana chahiye tha tum logon ke?

-          Raman it is only 9:30!

Ishita was flabbergasted. She had left a note for him. She had called him but she was told by Mihir that he was very busy to attend her call. Ruhi and Shravu wanted to go the movies and Mani had proposed to take them all. Ishita knew Raman would be late and instead of sitting at home on a Friday, she accepted. The kids had a nice time in bumping cars later and had cheese burgers and coke for dinner. It was a great end of the day till...

-          Listen Ishita you can go anywhere, with anyone I don't care! If you want you can stay out all night too. But leave my daughter out of this.

-          Raman! Ruhi is also my daughter. She wanted to go to the movie and Mani...

-          I am her father! I can take MY daughter to the movies. Your boyfriend can entertain you...

As soon as he had uttered the words, Raman knew he had crossed his limits but words spoken cannot be taken back and Raman being Raman would prefer to mess things up more that say a sorry when his anger has been stretched to his limit.

-          Raman. You never fail to disappoint. You are P.A.T.H.E.T.I.C.

She was to turn to her heels when she felt her arm being yanked. His grip was anything but gentle. Pulling her towards him, Raman seethed:

-          Don't you dare talk to me like this!

-          Leave me you brute. You are hurting me!

He immediately released her arm. She was now out of himself.

-          Why are you dragging Ruhi into this?

-          Go to hell!

-          And you won't even care I am sure. Though you don't know me much I know you so much you see. You care a hoot for people's feelings. No. Rectification. This attitude applies only to ME, right Raman? You are so insensitive. You only know how to hurt. You are so egoistic. You only care for yourself.

-          Yes! I am a brute; I am egoistic, Mujhe koi Fadak nahin padta! You Know what! You can do whatever you want with that Mani of yours.

-          Mani Mani Mani! Since he is here, you are hell bent in dragging him in our conversation.

-          Ha!! Look who is talking. YOU are dragging him everywhere. Mani yeh, Mani woh...Meri biwi pe line maar raha hain aur madam toh bahut khush ho rahi hain!

-          He is my friend!

-          Then dost ke tarah rahe! Don't he dare flirt with you. I swear...I will break his face!

-          Kyun? Aap ko koi farak nahin padta! Nothing affects you. Then why are you getting so angry? Why are you jealous han?

-          Mein aur jealous? Woh bhi tumhare liye? I am not that desperate Ishita.

-          You are right. Why would you? I am nothing in your life. You are still stuck where Shagun left you years back. This is why you don't believe in love finding a way to blossom again in your life. You cannot ever fall in love again and...definitely not to a person like me! I am not... worth it.

With tears in her eyes, she had left the room leaving him more devastated than he was already. Raman dropped himself in the bed with his head in his hands. He was so upset that he had ended hurting her so much.

Welcome to the wonderful world of jealousy Raman Kumar Bhalla, he thought. For the price of admission, you get a splitting headache, a nearly irresistible urge to commit murder and an inferiority complex.

Ishita stood at the balcony, her thoughts completely jumbled and her heart squeezing with pain. What was it about this man that kept affecting her so much? If he didn't care why was she desperate for him to show some affection towards her? What was he feeling for her?  His eyes were mirroring so many emotions at the same time when he was blowing up in the room moments back. Anger, jealousy, desperation, desire, love...hate... Ishita was confused about him. But she certainly knew what she felt for him.Love...Furious with herself for letting a harsh man like Raman messing up with her fragile heart, she closed her eyes, inhaled profoundly and muttered to herself: "Stop it Ishita. You don't deserve this!"  

When she went in her room hours later, she saw him sleeping. Looking at him with sadness evident in her eyes, she promised herself that she would not let herself get affected by him again. She sighed and went to her couch knowing herself too well. This was one promise that she would have a hard time abiding to.

Things toned down as from there. The next morning Ishita was busy with her prayer preparations. Surprisingly she was in a good mood. Raman on the other hand was on self devastation wrought. He was burning in his own consuming flames. Seeing Ishita unaffected by what had happened between them the previous night, it miffed Raman even more.

And I am supposed to be insensitive and egoistic! A typical case of the pot calling the kettle black. He muttered under his breath.

The aarti started. Everybody was busy praying and glorifying and chanting the name of Maata Rani and nobody noticed that Ishita was drowsily clapping her hands. All the stress and weariness finally having a toll on her, Ishita felt her head spinning with weariness and soon the chants and everything started sounding fuzzy. She held her head and stumbled on the floor. Raman who had his back to her, spun around to see her unconscious on the floor. "Ishita!" He yelled and ran to her. Falling to her side, he gently lifted her upper body in his arms and put her head gently in his lap.

-          Ishita! Open your eyes!

He sprinkled some water on her face but in vain. It was then that he noticed that her nose was bleeding. Oh my God!

-          Get my keys Romi.

He panicked and scooped her in his arms to rush to the hospital but halted. He felt her stir in his arms. Laying her on the sofa, he whispered hoarsely, cradling her face:

-          Ishita! Ishita are you ok? Talk to me.

Her eyes flickered at the sound of his voice... She lifted her hand to her head...cringing at the pounding in her ears...She tried to focus her eyes but she still felt extremely lightheaded...

For several seconds she was too stunned to say anything...she tried to focus...Her eyes ascended to look into Raman's eyes...His expression was anxious and filled with worry...She tried to lift her body but felt dizzy again.

-          I am ok!

-          You are not going anywhere. Stay still.

Ishita's gaze never left his face as he leaned closer, the furrow between his brows very pronounced as he examined her bleeding nose which apparently was due to the fall. Nothing very serious..Foolishly she felt her heart leapt but that illusion was quickly shattered when he suddenly shot to his feet and towered over her with his lips pressed into a grim line and his dark eyes flashing with anger.

-          What the hell were you thinking? Did you think you were some super woman? Why do you have to do so much and faint in exhaustion? Koi iss pagal ko samjhao! 

Raking his fingers through his hair, he continued to rant with the family looking on helplessly.

-          What if you had hit your head when you fell!?   You could have suffered a concussion!  

 "I'm perfectly fine," she lied, grinding her teeth against the painful task of sitting up and inching her legs over the side of the sofa. Raman immediately moved towards her stopping her from getting up...

-          No you are not. Romi called the doctor right now.

-          I am fine Raman. I only had some juice since morning, I felt weak that's all...

He made her gulp another glass of fresh juice and without waiting for her to respond, scooped her up in his arms and moved to the bedroom, giving everybody present a very clear message.

-          Excuse us. This woman needs rest. Simmi you handle everything here. Amma will help you.

Once in their room, he stood still for a moment, cradling her against him and looking into her eyes.

Ishita tried to speak: I...I am...sorry.

-         Shut up Ishita! I am in no mood to hear any of your bakwaas right now!

Quickly and carefully he placed her on the bed and glared at her. He was a ruthless man when angry. She always knew that but... his hot and cold attitude was now slicing through her already fragile heart, bringing fresh tears to her eyes. Unable to hold it anymore, the dam broke and she burst into tears.Raman's throat constricted. He was so freaked out seeing her unconscious...he CANNOT see her in pain...

Sitting next to her, he  said softly.

-          I am sorry. Are you hurt?

She nodded.  Worried he asked:

-          Should I call the doctor? 

She shook her head. He looked at her with worry etched on his face.Ishita lifted her hand to hold his. Raman looked at her in awe as she took his hand and put it on her chest, near her heart.

-          I don't need a doctor Raman because...You are the one who can ease my pain. 

A tenderness like nothing he'd ever known before welled up inside him, melting away all the anger and pain and bitterness that had consumed him only moments before... 

-          Why do you run away from me Raman when you care so much? 

He was speechless. No taunting line was registering in his mind for an escaping strategy.

-          Jab acche ho, bura banne ki koshish kyun karte ho Raman? You can fool anyone but not me.

 Regaining his composure, he inhaled sharply and said:

-          I think you really need a doctor. You fell on your head and are rambling...

-          I am not rambling Raman. YOU are the one who were rambling in your sleep yesterday.

He looked at her, baffled!

Was he?

To be continued😳