"Aah..." Raman groaned as he entered his room in a bathrobe, his hand on his lower left cheek and grin. Ishita at once turned leaving aside her task of arranging books on shelf as she heard him. "What happened Raman?" She asked nearing him.
She pulled off his hand from his face as he spoke "I got a cut." Ishita shook her head. " Raman...dont you know how to shave properly?" She said as she examined the cut, her voice full of tension. The cut was just at the bottom of his lower lip and little flow of blood had given it red colour. "Stop your lectures and do something yrrr." He said wincing in pain. "Hmm.." she turned to get first aid box from the drawyer while he positioned himself on the bed.
As she dipped cotton in dettol antiseptic and brought it close to his face, he grabbed her hand and stopped her. "What are you doing Raman? Let me clean it." She looked at him questioningly. "No...dont use it. It stings. Its already paining." He said. "But it is needed." She tried to explain. "No" he said once and for all. Ishita heaved a sigh and stepped back knowing there was no point arguing.
This man..Raman Kumar Bhalla..she thought is not less than a kid. The CEO of the year, president of Enterprenuer Association, Asia Business Head, family members are afraid of him, everyone has to go by his rules..but no one knows that he is so vulnerable. He is afraid of a simple needle. He jumps from bed at the name of cockroch. He cant bear the smell of a simple balm and even septic like dettol stings him. He is rude to the world but his pillow is wet because of his tears. He always tries to ease other's pain but himself holds the biggest burdens of world on his shoulders. "What are you thinking? Do something." His voice broke her trance. "Hmm" she said as she composed herself while he looked at her with a killing expression trying to figure out whose thoughts she was busy thinking about.
Ishita couldn't sleep whole night after knowing the fact that he cried in sleep. What has been bothering him so much after all. Romi's matter cant make him cry and if he used to weep the same way when Shagun left, then what is wrong now with him again. Seeing her lost in his own dreamworld, he decided to help himself and got up from bed to take out suit from the cupboard.
khoyi hogi apne us mani ki yaadon mein. He smirked. And tu bhi kya pagal hai Raman? What did you think? She will feel tensed and help you with the pain. Hell No..Just focus on your work Raman. And remember she is just Ruhi's mom. Nothing else. Dont expect anything from her. He mentally decided to ignore her completely.
The sound of opening door of almirah brought her to senses. "Raman...why you got up? See its bleeding. Let me do something." She tried to put her hand on his shoulder when he jerked it away. "Its okk..I dont need. Am fine" he replied and took out his suit. "Raman...m sorry. I was just thinking..." she left her words incomplete. "Thinking? Thinking what??" He asked irritation visible on his face.
"Nothing..." she said avoiding his question. He shook his head and started to leave for bathroom when she grabbed his wrist. "Whats your problem Raman?" She asked...her pitch a bit higher. His steps came to a halt. "Problem..No.Nothing." He said looking here and there. "There is something. I feel you are hiding something. Whats wrong? Tell me. " she asked with determination of clearing everything today. He turned to face her.
"I dont find it necessary to answer you." He retorted and tried to leave. "Raman..why are you being so rude? Cant you talk properly? " she said sounding sad. "I am rude, arrogant and mean. Then why are you talking to me? Dont waste your time." He said again trying to leave. This time she stopped him by blocking his path. "No Raman...I need to talk. I have right to know what is the problem with you? Why are you behaving like this from past 3 4 days. Coming late, drinking. How you spoke at party yesterday? You are avoiding everyone in the family specially me." She said all in one go fed up of his behaviour as her hands shook his shoulder. He jerked away her hand and spoke rudely "So..you got time to ask. I am blessed today..my wife finally noticed the change in my behaviour." He said arrogantly. Tears welled up in Ishita's eyes as she heard such harsh words from him. "Raman..." she said softly. "Why are you?..." her throat choked unable to voice her words further. He tried to remain unaffected and turned his back to her as a lone tear threatened to appear at the corner of his eye. He at once wiped it unnoticed by her.
"I think we should not talk Ishita. " he said visibly hurt and leave from there. She called him from behind. "Raman" He stopped to listen. His back still facing her. "If the talk has started it should be completed. Please tell me." She wanted to clear all the things today. There were so many things unsaid and this behaviour of him has brought there relation back to square one from where they started. "Do you really think telling you will solve the problem?" He said crossing his arms across his chest. "Atleast give a try." She said with a glint of hope in her eyes. He faced her. She was looking at him intently trying to read his face...what was going on in his mind. He nodded and said "Okk...Ask..What you want to ask?" He said. She gave a fade smile and then spoke
"Why are you coming late nowadays?"
"I have work at office."
"Why have you started drinking again?"
"I didnt start. It was a mischief done by a friend in the party."
"You talked rudely to everyone?"
"I always talk like this if they create nuisance on my getting awards."
She knew he was lying and giving wrong answers time and again.
"Why didnt you take me with you in the party?"
This time he had to frame a reply. "You were late." He said.
"Not that much that you can leave without taking me." She said as her eyes were fixed on his. He lost his patience this time. He had decided to ignore her completely and she was trying to engage him in the whirlpool of her questions. "What is your problem yrr?" He said arrogantly.
"My party..my wish..whom I want to go with? You can't stop me." He said rudely. She knew he was losing control. But it was time...maybe he could vent out his frustation and it will atleast give her an idea of his state. "I am your wife. I have the right to go with you." She said...her voice louder than normal. He shouted back "Wife...really. Right? I dont think you like to come with me." He said taunting her.
"Why wont I Raman. The party was in your honour. I wanted to be with you." She said wiping the continuosly flowing tears off her face. "Stop your emotional drama Ishita. You and I both know that you were more happy to come with that Mani instead of me." He shouted in full volume. "Mani?? Where did Mani come from between us? We are talking about ourselves naa." She said confused.
This time he became red with anger. "He is already in between us dammit." He said hitting his fist with the wall fiercly. Ishita was shaken completely with his anger. His words took her aback and tears started flowing like a stream. He continued "He is already in between us. You roam with him all day. You go with him everywhere and you even love him." Ishita saw his eyes red with anger. She nodded in negative. "Raman..you are..." she tried to speak but he cut her short. "Listen to me Ishita. I know that mani of yours is important for you. We married for Ruhi so I have no right to expect anything from you. But let me warn you. I have allowed you in this house just for Ruhi and if your any of such actions affect my daughter then m not going to leave you." He said pulling her hair angrily. "Aah Raman...it hurts." She said. He realized and pulled back his hand. "She is my daughter also Raman and I..." she tried to calm herself and him. He again cut her in between. "Just saying doesn't make you her mother Ishita. Today is Ruhi. Tomorrow you will love that Mani's son and will become his mother. Whats the big deal? " His harsh words pierced her heart. Raman thinks like this about her. She will leave him and become mother of other kids. "I dont love Mani. Mind it. And Ruhi is my daughter." This time her tone was high though voice choking due to continuos crying. "Stop lying. I myself heard you say him that you love him and will leave us to go to him. Am not a fool Ishita. Moreover..who forced you for this marriage. You came here with your own will. Then why are you doing all this now?" He asked angrily. Realization dawned upon Ishita. So he heard her that day. Flashbacks of Raman's behaviour after that evening comes to her mind. She remembers her words ki dil ravan kumar pe aa gya hai and takes a deep breath thinking he heard half of the conversation. "I didnt mean that." She said softly trying to clear herself.
"Really? Then what did you mean?" This time he shook her shoulders vigorously. "It was friendly hug and words Raman." She said with tears in her eyes. "Wow...you hug your friend. You say him that he is your saviour, your hero. You go with him for coffees, lunch, dinner everyday. You save his number as a girl and hold his hands in the party kept in the honour of your husband. What kind of friendship is this? Tell me." He retorted. Ishita realised he was too hurt. He had taken all of it in the wrong way while she was just helping him. "Everything was frienfly Raman. Trust me." She tried to explain. "Trust you? On what grounds Ishita? Give me just one reason and I will. Do you have?" His eyes were questioning. She nodded her head and tried to speak. "You dont have any Ishita." He said leaving her off his hold. "You do all those things with him and you know it." He turned and wiped away his tears. "By the way..why am I asking you all this. I have no right after all. I should not have expected anything from this contract marriage. Ours was a marriage of convenience and I remember it. But please dont hurt my daughter in all this. Thats all I can say." He said and sat down on the bed unable to hide his emotions further. His words pinched her. Their contract marriage, his daughter...why is he saying all this? Unable to take it any more, she went near him and sat on the bed facing him. He saw her and they shared a brief eyelock as tears flowed down both their eyes. She chose to break the eye contact and brought her face closer to his. He was surprised. But before he could know what was happening, he found her soft lips on his as she kissed him while her hands went to her hair and neck. To say that he was shocked would be an understatement. He couldn't understand her actions when she bit his lower lip demanding entry for her tounge. Her tounge remained in his mouth for long. Then she licked his cut for some time soothing him.
She seperated after some time "I can say him I luv you. I can hold his hand. Can spend lots of time with him. But cant do this with him. Because this is meant for you. Do I need to give some more explanation of my behaviour." She spoke. He looked into her eyes. All he could see was love and affection for him. He could bet when she spoke those words to mani, her eyes were not shining like now. "I am sorry Raman. I didnt realise when and how this thought of me and mani being together came to your mind. It was never intented. He is my friend and I joke with him. But you..you are my husband. My love. I can leave hundred friends for you. How can you think I will leave you. I love you. And Mani is not part of my love life. He is an outsider. Just a friend." She completed her words. A smile crept up on his lips as he realised that she loved him and not Mani. "You really love me." He said with a sparkle in his eyes. "Yes Raman...I luv you and only you." Saying so she hugged him tightly. He hugged her back smiling. "I love you too Ishita." He said kissing her hair. "The thought of seperation from you had shaken me from inside." He said as he let his tears flow openly this time. She broke the hug and they faced each other smiling through their cries. They entwined their hands and joined their foreheads.
"My ravan kumar. I am only yours. And would never leave you. Never ever." She said. "Even if you think, I wont let you now my Jhansi ki Rani." He replied back and both laughed at it hugging each other.
After sometime, she got up when she heard Ruhi calling her Ishima. At the door of her room, when she was leaving she heard his voice "Well...if you promise to heal this way, I think I should have cut from razor everyday." She blushed crimson and ran to living room to see her daughter preparing to leave for school. He didnt miss her red cheeks and smile while leaving and ran his hands through his hair smiling.
So...how did you find it.
Waiting for replies.
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