Part 18
Raman’s office - A few days later, 10 am
“Bhai, I’m ready. Let’s go.” Mihir packed his files and zipped up his laptop bag.
“Ok, main Suresh ko bolta hoon gaadi nikaalne ke liye. Gaadi mein, we’ll go over our presentation one last time.” Raman held open the door of his office as he texted his driver to start the car.
“Don’t worry, Bhai. We’ve practiced many times. We know our plan inside out. We got this.”
“Nahi Mihir, we can’t be overconfident about this. This contract is the biggest opportunity for our company. We have to get this.”
Mihir and Raman raced down the stairs of their office building and rushed to their car. They had to get to an investors’ meet to compete for the biggest contract ever. They were confident that their plan was the best; they would deliver quality material while still being cost-efficient. But Raman was right to be cautious, because integrity and quality weren’t the only standards they had to meet. A lot in the business world was decided by who knew who and whether you had the right contacts. And although Raman had made good friends in his industry, the meeting they were headed to consisted of investors who were Ashok’s loyal friends. The chances of Ashok getting the contract purely based on favoritism were higher than Raman bagging it for his talent. Still, Raman was determined to put up a strong fight and do everything in his power to snatch this contract from his ex-boss/nemesis. Imagining the exasperated look on his face was motivation enough.
The car sped down the highway while Mihir and Raman went over their business proposal one last time in the back seat of the car. They had covered every aspect and tied every loose end. They were ready. The car pulled into the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel. This was it. Both brothers left the car, took a deep breath, and went inside to conquer the day.
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Marriott Hotel Conference Room - 11 am
“Thank you for your presentations, ladies and gentlemen. Please let us have a few minutes to discuss. We’ll let you know once we’ve made our decision.”
The investors sent all the company representatives and officials outside of the room as they gathered to discuss whom to give their contract and investment to. There were a total of five presentations, but everyone knew that the unsaid but very real competition was between two contenders -- Ashok and Raman. Raman and Mihir had given a solid business proposal and had clear, concise answers to all the investors’ questions. But Ashok and Suraj were no less ruthless and cunning when it came to business. Plus, they had an edge as they knew the investors outside of work too. It would be a tough call to make.
Outside the conference room, Raman and Mihir took a step aside to discuss their possibilities and backup plans in case they didn’t get this contract. However, they were interrupted before they could properly begin.
“Kya Raman,” Ashok sneered. “Kyon baar baar aa jate ho apni beizzati karwaane? I mean, you don’t seriously think you’re gonna get this contract, do you?”
Anger simmered deep in his gut, but Raman managed to keep his cool. “Jaane de na 6 foot 2 inch. Ab kiski beizzati hogi aur kiski nahi, woh to thodi der mein pata chal hi jaayega. Haina?”
“Hmph. Jitne sapne dekhne hai, dekh le Raman. Waise bhi, jab contract mujhe milega tab sapno ke alawa kuch bachega bhi nahi tumhare paas.”
Just then, the door to the conference room opened and everyone was called inside.
“Yeh le Ashok, ab kiske sapne poore ho rahe hain aur kiske toot rahe hain, yeh pata chal hi jaayega.” With his final remark, Raman led Mihir inside while Ashok, Suraj, and the rest of the business associates followed.
Once everyone had settled in the conference room, one of the investors spoke on behalf of them all.
“Everyone delivered very impressive presentations and business proposals. But we only found one to be promising. We are very pleased to announce that we will be investing in and working with the one and only…. Raman Kumar Bhalla!”
Huge grins broke out on Raman and Mihir’s faces as they gave each other a congratulatory hug. The rest of the conference room broke into applause, although two members refused to join in. Ashok and Suraj were on the verge of seething rage.
“How could you! Aap ise contract kaise de sakte hain?” Ashok yelled.
Suraj was quick to join in. “Humara aapke saath itne saalon ka rishta hai. Uska kya?”
“I’m sorry Mr. Khanna, but we found Mr. Bhalla’s proposal much better and well-rounded. He promised a quality product along with cost efficiency, while you mainly focused on how much profit you could muster without regard to the quality of the product or the consumers’ safety. And after all, we must keep personal and professional relationships separate, right? This is a professional decision. It shouldn’t affect our relations outside of work. At least I hope it doesn’t.”
While each investor and business associate personally congratulated Raman and Mihir, Ashok and Suraj tried making a quick escape. But Raman was quick to stop him and give him an earful before they could leave.
“Kyun 6 foot 2 inch, kiske sapne toote aur kiske poore huyein?”
“Raman tum…”
“Koi baat nahi. Hota hain. Lekin dhire dhire tujhe bhi aadat ho jaayegi. Phir teri har baat pe beizzati nahi hogi shaayad. Aur haan, apni girlfriend pe kharche karna thoda band kar dena. Jis tarah se tera dhanda chal raha hain, kya pata tu use asli diamond kya, nakli jewelry bhi gift kar na paaye. Hmm? Dhyaan rakh.”
Raman gently patted Ashok’s cheek with a mocking smile before showing him the door. Ashok was now infuriated, but before he could create a scene, Suraj pulled him away.
“Chal Ashok, ghar chal. Don’t get involved. You’ll end up doing something you’ll regret later. Don’t forget, we’re in the presence of every big name of the Delhi business industry right now. Let’s just go home.”
“Nahi Suraj, not home. Pehle hum jewelry shop chalenge. Raman Bhalla ne abhi tak mujhe pehchana nahi hain.”
“Jewelry shop? Let me guess, for Shagun? Tere dimaag mein us aurat ke siwa aur koi nahi chalta kya? Tu kya sach mein nakli jewelry kharidne wala hain Shagun ke liye?”
“Nahi, kuch aur khareedna hai. Raman Bhalla ne bhale hi mujhse contract cheen liya, lekin woh bhul gaya ki Ashok Khanna chup rehne walon mein se nahi hain.”
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Raman’s office - later that day, 2 pm
The office staff were just wrapping up the lunch party in celebration of bagging the biggest contract of the year. Raman had promised everyone big fat bonuses if they delivered this contract successfully. Everyone was pumped and ready to begin work. The initial planning phase of the venture had begun and every department was given their responsibilities. Mihir had created a tentative schedule with due dates to make sure the work was done in due time. They had also begun coordinating with their Mumbai office and delegating the other smaller projects there in order to focus on this order at hand. Raman was especially careful to keep his staff on task and their morale up since the workload was about to increase. But even he couldn’t help the smug smile on his face knowing that he had just beaten Ashok Khanna.
“Oh no!” Mihir gasped all of a sudden.
“What? What’s wrong?” Raman was growing worried.
“Bhai, I completely forgot!”
“What did you forget, Mihir? Just spit it out!”
“We have to go to a birthday party this evening!”
“Seriously Mihir? Birthday party? Itna saara kaam hai aur tujhe birthday party ki padi hain? Is baat pe itna tension khada kiya tune?”
“Nahi bhai, jaana zaroori hain. Humare naye investors mein se ek ki birthday party hain. Maine calendar mein add kiya tha, par aapko batana bhul gaya kyunki zaroori nahi tha us waqt.”
“Zaroori nahi tha na? To phir jaana kyun hai? We can just continue working. This is much more important anyways.”
“No bhai, we really should go. He is our investor now, so it’s all the more important that we go. We should at least make a quick visit.”
“What is the timing of the party?”
“It’s from 4 pm to 9 pm.”
“Fine. Let’s go around the time we usually leave for home. We’ll make a quick stop there and then go home. Besides, I’m not in the mood for any elaborate party.”
“Ok bhai. Sounds good.”
“Accha sun, Romi hai?”
“Nahi bhai, uska lecture tha to woh lunch leke seedha college gaya. Use late ho raha tha to usne kaha ki woh aapko seedhe ghar pe milega.”
“Thik hai.”
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Sunshine Hotel, Party Suite - 7:30 pm
“Wish you a very happy birthday sir.”
“Thank you so much, Mr. Bhalla. Once again, I cannot wait to work with you on our upcoming project. We have big expectations from you.”
“Of course sir. We won’t fail you. You’ll be very happy with our work, I promise. In fact, we have already started working and delegating responsibilities for this project.”
“That’s great! Mr. Bhalla, please excuse me while I attend to the rest of the guests. And make yourself comfortable. Have some drinks.”
“Yes sir. Of course.”
Raman grabbed a drink from the nearest waiter just to keep himself occupied. He had never been too fond of such parties or social gatherings. But he got through them if it was beneficial for networking and expanding the business. Tonight would be much harder to get through because his confidante Mihir had to leave to attend to an unforeseen emergency at his apartment. The security alarm at his flat had gone off and the alarm company contacted him of suspicious activity at his flat. Mihir mentioned that his security alarm had been malfunctioning for weeks now, but Raman insisted he go and check out the matter himself to be safe rather than sorry.
Ting!
Raman’s phone buzzed and he saw Mihir’s message.
False alarm. I told you the alarm was malfunctioning. It took four hours of investigation for the police to figure that out. 😂 Anyway, I am definitely getting my security system replaced ASAP now. 😅 Do you need me there?
Raman replied to him.
No, I can get through this. You focus on replacing your security alarms today itself. Okay?
Okay bhai. 👍🏼
Well, that was a relief. At least Mihir’s home was safe. But Raman now had to focus on getting through the next half hour of a mundane social gathering. Little did he know, his night was about to get very interesting… For the worse.
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Raman had made himself comfortable with a group of his peers, many of whom he went to college with but lost contact after he moved to Mumbai. It felt nice to hear that his friends were doing so well. He mentioned that he had custody of his daughter now but other than that, he was prompt to steer the conversation away from him so as not to reveal that he had married again. There wasn’t anything to hide per se, but they hadn’t made a public announcement of his and Ishita’s marriage either, specifically to keep it hidden from Ashok and Shagun. Ruhi’s permanent custody was still pending and revealing his and Ishita’s marriage to his enemies could jeopardize it. So he decided that using the lie of omission was a clever way to avoid the topic.
The clinking of a spoon and glass put an end to all conversations around the room as all eyes diverted towards the sound. Ashok Khanna stood tall in the center of the room holding his wine glass and a spoon.
“Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please?”
From the corner of his eye, Raman spotted Shagun standing at the side. She was decked up in a sleeveless green cocktail gown with diamond studs and a necklace, her hair done in an updo. This was odd. Why was Shagun here? The party was only for those belonging to the business circle. Hardly anyone’s family members or partners were here today.
Ashok placed his glass and spoon on the nearest table and walked over to Shagun. He held out his hand, which Shagun promptly took and walked towards the center of the room.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your attention. I would like to take this opportunity to tell the most beautiful woman in my life how much I love her.”
Shagun was beaming at Ashok’s words. And her smile only grew bigger and bigger with each statement he made.
Ashok then took out a small box from the pocket of his coat and went down on one knee. Shagun was shivering with joy.
“Shagun Arora, you’re the only woman who can bring me to my knees. Will you marry me?”
“YES!”
In the midst of thundering applause, Ashok slipped the ring onto Shagun’s finger and captured her in a hug. Even so, he had one eye on Raman to gauge his reaction. He couldn’t wait to see the frustration and jealousy in his eyes to see his ex-wife becoming someone else’s. But what he saw startled him. For Raman had the tiniest smile and the faintest hint of pity in his eyes. What did that mean?
Shortly after, everyone came up to congratulate the couple on their engagement. Raman too walked up to them at his leisure.
“Congratulations Shagun. It took five years, but at least now you’ve been promoted from girlfriend to fiance. I wonder how long it will take for you to finally become his wife?” Raman chuckled.
He couldn’t help but laugh at her situation. She was the one who left him five years ago, yet she gets engaged after he got married. How he wished he could spill the tea on his and Ishita’s marriage but as much as he yearned to see that look on their faces, he couldn’t jeopardize Ruhi’s custody.
Ashok lifted his eyebrows as he realized why Raman wasn’t as affected as he hoped he would be. Shagun wasn’t his weak point anymore. But he knew someone who was and will always be.
“Raman, kam se kam meri zindagi mein koi hai to sahi. A partner, a boyfriend, and now my soon-to-be husband. Tumhari zindagi mein kaun hai?” Shagun replied to her ex-husband’s taunt.
“Not only your soon-to-be husband Shagun,” Ashok intervened, “but also Adi’s soon-to-be father.”
Ashok got exactly the reaction he had hoped for when he spoke those words.
“Don’t you dare Ashok!” Raman fumed. “You stay away from my son!”
“Come on Raman. If -- no, not if -- when I marry Shagun, I will become Adi’s legal guardian. Isn’t that right baby?” He wrapped his arm around Shagun’s shoulder and sent Raman a mocking look.
“Adi ka baap main hoon! Aur koi nahi, samjha 6 foot 2 inch! Teri to…”
Raman tried reaching for Ashok’s collar to teach him a lesson but Shagun intervened.
“Come on Raman. Be a grown-up. When will you move on? Main aur Adi tumhari zindagi se jaa chuke hain. Just accept it!”
“Shagun, I don’t give a damn about you. I don’t care or want you anywhere near my life. But god knows I’m not letting go of my son so easily! And I’m definitely not letting him become his guardian!”
“Dream on Raman Bhalla! Sapne dekhte rahon! Aur hai hi kya tumhare paas?” Ashok snickered as Raman stormed off out of the party. He was too angry to even say goodbye to his friends or the host.
Raman opened his car, sat in the back seat, and slammed the door shut, startling his driver in the process.
“Kya hua saab? Itne gusse mein kyun ho?” Suresh asked.
“Suresh, abhi isi waqt kisi baar mein gaadi le lo.”
“Saab ji, is waqt? Ghar pe madam ji aur baby ji aapka intezaar kar rahe honge.”
“Suresh! Jitna bola utna karo! Warna chaabi mujhe de do, main khud chala jaaunga!”
“Nahi nahi saab. Main le chalta hoon.”
Suresh turned the key in ignition and headed towards the nearest bar that he knew of. He was weary of Raman drinking at this time, but he’d rather drive him there instead of let him go alone. Raman was not a man to change his mind and he wasn’t about to let him get behind the wheel under the influence.
Once they were at the bar, Raman headed inside and to the counter.
“Can I have a neat whiskey?”
As he waited for his drink, Ashok’s words raised a turbulence of pain and rage inside him. How dare he? How could he even think of laying a claim on Adi? His son?! His own flesh and blood?!
The son whom you haven’t met or even laid eyes on in years now.
And whose fault was that? Shagun and Ashok. He lost everything because of those two. And no matter how much money he earned, how many contracts he snatched from him, it never seemed enough. No amount of money, fame, or success could douse the fire raging inside him.
And so, for the nth time in years, he tried dousing the fire with alcohol as he drank into oblivion, unaware that it only inflamed it more.
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Bhalla House - A few minutes before midnight
Ishita paced up and down the living room, occasionally glancing out of the balcony hoping to see Raman’s car pull in. But it was now close to midnight and he was off the radar. She dialed his number again and found his voicemail. Again.
“Raman, yeh mera shayad fifteenth voicemail hain aapko. Please jaldi phone uthao aur hume batao ki aap kahan par ho. Hum sabko bahot chinta ho rahi hain.”
Raman had been unreachable for hours now. Ishita had been trying to reach him since 8 pm, when Ruhi insisted on speaking to her father at dinnertime. He didn’t pick up the phone then, and everyone assumed he was busy with work as usual. Romi then informed them that the company had received a huge contract that day and work had begun, so he might stay at the office longer than usual. After dinner, Romi dialed the office only to find out that Raman had left early that day, which meant he should have reached home a long time ago. The family got tense again, but their worries were abated by Mihir who informed them on the phone that Raman had to make an obligatory visit to an investor’s birthday party. He should be back by 10 pm at the latest. Ishita had then put Ruhi to bed with much difficulty as she insisted on meeting her papa before going to sleep. Even so, when Ishimaa said sternly enough, she caved and went to sleep. Ishita managed to convince Toshi and Omprakash to rest as well, as she assured them she would wait for Raman and take care of him. Both Raman and Ishita had gotten into the habit of waiting for each other at the end of the day, in case either one of them were stuck at work. And so, Ishita took her book, set up camp on the living room sofa, and began to wait for her husband.
She read through the remaining chapters, and it wasn’t until she had finished her book that she realized it was half past 11 and her husband hadn’t come home. She tried his cell numerous times, left as many messages as humanly possible, but still no answer. It was now close to midnight and Raman had still not returned. Ishita went inside and woke up Romi.
“Romi… Romi!” she whispered.
Romi was startled awake.
“Kya hua bhabhi? Subah ho gayi?”
“Nahi, abhi raat ke 12 baje hain.”
“Kya bhabhi! Sone do na!”
“Romi! Uth na! Raat ke 12 baje hain aur tumhare bhai abhi tak ghar nahi aaye hain!”
“Kya?” Romi was now wide awake; he stood up from his bed.
“Haan, main kab se unhe phone bhi laga rahi hoon par woh phone nahi utha rahe.”
“Ek minute, main Mihir ko puchta hoon.”
“Haan pucho.”
While Romi dialed Mihir’s number, Ishita peered out of the balcony one more time hoping to see Raman’s white sedan pull in through the gates. She was forced to tear her gaze away from the society entrance by Romi who was calling her from the living room.
“Bhabhi, Mihir ka to bhai se koi contact nahi hua hai.”
“To phir kahan gaye honge woh?”
“Ek minute bhabhi. One last idea. Main bhai ke driver ko phone lagata hoon.”
One phone conversation with Suresh revealed Raman’s location and Romi was utterly disappointed. He hung up the phone and took a long sigh.
“Kya hua? Kuch pata chala?” Ishita asked.
“Bhai kisi bar mein hain. Drink kar rahe hain.”
“Kya? Is waqt?”
“Haan, driver ne kaha ki us party mein hi kuch hua tha jisse bhai ko bahot zyada gussa aaya. Warna usse pehle to woh bilkul thik the.”
“Aisa kya hua hoga?”
“Zaroor Ashok ya Shagun se related koi baat hogi. That’s the only way to trigger him like this. Otherwise he wouldn’t get drunk all of a sudden.”
“Tumhe pata hai ki woh kaun se bar mein hain? Woh ghar kaise aayenge?”
“Suresh ne kaha ki woh akele unhe ghar nahi laa pa rahe hain. I think humein jaana chahiye.”
“Thik hai, chalo. Let’s take my car. Tum sirf apna phone apne paas rakhna. Agar Mummyji ya Papaji uth jaaye to pehle hume hi dhoondenge. But let’s hope ki unki neend kharab na ho. Aur Raman sahi-salamat mil jaaye.”
“Jee bhabhi.”
Ishita and Romi drove off in her car while the latter pulled up directions to the bar’s address that Suresh sent. Ishita recalled the time she had found Raman wasted at the base of the stairwell in their society before they were married. The sight had disgusted her then, but after knowing him better now, she worried for him. If he had taken solace in alcohol once again tonight, then that meant he could have a real problem, which needed to be dealt with as soon as possible. Today. Tonight, in fact. And so, Ishita made up her mind to confront Raman on his drinking tonight and nip this issue in the bud, before he turned into a raging alcoholic. Romi, on the other hand, found his patience wearing thin. Raman was his big brother, the caretaker of the family. And he had drowned so far in his grief, that he forgot he even had a family that cared for him, much less a family that he was responsible for. How long would this continue?
“Aage se right, bhabhi.” Romi pointed towards the upcoming turn, navigating Ishita through Delhi’s streets.
“Romi?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you okay?”
“Haan bhabhi. Mujhe kya hoga?”
“Agar man mein koi baat ho to bol do. Man mein daba ke rakhne ka koi fayda nahi hain.”
“Kya bolu main bhabhi? Bhai ko pata nahi kya ho gaya hain. Aisa lagta hai ki woh Shagun se move on hi nahi karna chahte. Aur uska nateeja hume bhugatna padta hain.”
“Aisa nahi hain Romi. Woh Shagun se nahi, apne bete Adi se bichadne ke dard se move on nahi kar paa rahe. Aur hum sabse zyada iska nateeja woh khud bhugat rahe hain. Sabse zyada dard unke seene mein bhara hain.”
“Hmmm.”
“Tum chinta mat karo. Main aaj hi unse baat karoongi. Thik hai?”
“Thanks bhabhi. Bas idhar gali mein gaadi mod lo. Yahin hai woh bar.”
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Ishita and Romi found a disoriented Raman in a corner of the bar downing a beer. His disorientation proved beneficial for them, as they could easily get him into the car and drive him home, with Suresh bringing Raman’s car right behind them. With Romi’s help, Ishita lugged Raman up the stairs and into their bedroom, propping him on the bed. He had slept for most of the ride home and Ishita hoped he would go back to sleep. She stunk from the stench of alcohol now which prompted her to take another shower for the day. Romi however, went back to bed. Being a Punjabi, he was no stranger to the smell - and even taste - of alcohol. He prized his sleep much more.
By the time Ishita came out of the shower in a new pair of night clothes, the clock struck 1 am. She couldn’t wait to go to bed. Raman would be asleep, and her confrontation with him could wait till the morning. But she was quickly proven wrong when she entered her bedroom. Raman was up and awake, fully alert, rummaging through his cabinet for a hidden bottle of wine. Ishita was furious. Could this man not let go of alcohol? Was this how he planned on dealing with his pain? She threw her wet towel on a nearby chair and stomped towards her husband. Before Raman could open the wine bottle, Ishita snatched it and threw it in the trash.
“Enough Raman! Snap out of it!”
“What is your problem woman?! Are you going to dictate my drinking habits too now?”
“Yes! If your drinking gets out of control, then I’ll interfere. And right now, you’re getting out of control!”
Raman tried to escape to the kitchen to try and get a hold of his mother’s secret stash of beer, but Ishita stood in his way. She promptly closed and latched the door, forcing Raman to stay inside. Raman tried to maneuver himself out of his room, but his blurry vision and unsteady gait caused him to lose his balance and fall against the bed, narrowly missing the nearby coffee table.
“Raman! Sambhalke!” Ishita grabbed his arm and steadied him, making him sit on the floor with his back against the foot of the bed, as she took a seat beside him.
“Chodo mujhe.” Raman lurched his hand free from his wife. He didn’t need help. He had managed all by himself for five years. He didn’t need support. He would be fine alone. All alone. The thought of his loneliness reignited the fire within him and he looked at the trash can longing for the wine bottle his wife had thrown away.
Ishita caught a hint of tears in his eyes along with his gaze wandering towards the wine bottle.
“You’ve been using alcohol to numb the pain, right? But it obviously isn’t working. You’ve been trying to numb the pain, hurt, and anger. But instead you’ve ended up numbing yourself to joy, love, and happiness. And the pain got amplified since you distanced yourself from the real love in your life. The alcohol is doing more harm than good.”
“Why don’t you suggest something then? How do I get rid of the pain?” Raman scoffed.
“Let it go.”
“What?” Raman looked at Ishita as if she had two heads.
“I mean it, Raman. Face your grief, make peace with it, and let it go. Stop fixating on the past and stop looking at your past as your failure. Shagun and Adi leaving you wasn’t in your hands. You didn’t fail as a husband to Shagun or as a father to Adi. You did your best, but not everything is in our hands.”
“That’s the problem, isn’t it? Not everything is in our hands. Five years ago, my life got out of my control and look where it has brought me.”
“You want control, Raman? Then what you’re doing right now, that is in your hands. You’re the one choosing to hold on to the pain inflicted on you five years ago. You’re the one choosing to avoid your family. You’re the one choosing to engage in his race of money and fame with Ashok. You may have not been a bad father to Adi, but you’re the one choosing to be a bad father to Ruhi.”
At Ruhi’s mention, Raman’s eyes shot daggers at Ishita. “Ruhi means the world to me. You have no right to say that I’m a bad father to her.” What she said wasn’t wrong though. Rather, it was the accuracy of her words that hurt Raman the most. He had been neglecting Ruhi.
“If Ruhi truly means the world to you then show that to her. Stop using up your energies on people like Ashok and Shagun. End this war you have going on, this race to earn more money than Ashok. Instead, spend your energies on the people who are here with you. Your parents, your siblings, and your daughter. If you want to earn money, do it for them and for your ambition. Not as revenge on Ashok and Shagun. And for the love of god, stop avoiding your family. Let them in. Intermingle with them. Avoiding them is not solving your pain; it’s increasing it.”
Raman’s head hung low as he pondered on Ishita’s words. She wasn’t entirely wrong, was she? He had shut everyone out after his heart broke. But he couldn’t live life like this forever. It was killing him deep inside. Should he let go? Should he give himself a chance to really live? Would he dare take the risk?
Ishita gently placed her hand on his and interlocked her fingers with his. He was miserable; she could see it. And although they weren’t that close yet, she certainly could offer a helping hand.
“The pain isn’t holding on to you anymore. You’re holding on to it. So just let it go,” she whispered.
The tender look in her eyes was all it took for Raman to finally shed his defenses and break down. Tears flowed unabashedly down his cheeks and everything he had held inside for years came bursting out.
Is dard e dil ki sifarish
Ab kar de koi yahaan
Ke mil jaaye ise woh baarish
Jo bhiga de poori tarah..
Yaariyan ve..
Yaariyan... ae..
Kya hua asar tere sath reh kar na jaane
Ki hosh mujhe na raha
Lafz mere jo zubaan pe aake ruke
Par ho na sake woh bayaan
Dhadkan tera hi naam jo le
Aankhein bhi paigam yeh de
Teri nazar ka hi yeh asar hai
Mujh pe jo hua..
Is dard e dil ki sifarish
Ab kar de koi yahaan
Ke mil jaaye ise woh baarish
Jo bhiga de poori tarah..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wvkdopf7R9U
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By the time Raman gathered himself, the alcohol had worn off and he finally realized the extent to which he had shed his defenses today. That too in front of Ishita. He had managed to keep a mask on for years but only she had the ability to completely undo him inside out. Heck, he had been so vulnerable that he cried in front of her! The recollection caused him to squeeze his eyes shut in embarrassment.
“Raman, are you okay?” Ishita asked. She was afraid he might be having a splitting headache by the way he closed his eyes and furrowed his brows.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Raman let go of Ishita’s hand and ran his palms down his face. He still couldn’t meet her eyes. A grown man like him had just cried like a baby! He doubted whether he could ever look her in the eyes again.
“Don’t worry,” Ishita said, trying to lighten the mood having sensed her husband’s predicament. “Mere breakup ke baad main kitni baar royi hoon, woh main apni ungliyon pe bhi nahi gin paaungi.”
“Ab agar aisa thobda saamne hoga to rona to aayega hi insaan ko. Aur khaas kar ke jab aise muh se shaadi ho gayi ho to… bhagwaan hi bachaye,” Raman said, inadvertently using humor as a defense mechanism again.
“Shukar manao is muh ka ki maine shaadi kar li aap se,” Ishita retorted, playfully slapping his arm. “Warna aur kisi ladki ki himmat nahi hoti aap jaise kud kud kumar ke saath rehne ki.”
“Oh really, you think I’m difficult to live with? Kabhi khud ki harkatein dekhi hain? Jhansi ki Rani. Har dum ladne ke liye taiyaar.”
Ishita opened her mouth to taunt him back, but alas. Her brain didn’t work as fast as she’d hoped, for she couldn’t think of anything to say. But her husband was unstoppable.
“Haan haan, mujhe aur gaaliyaan baad mein de dena, abhi jao, jao ke so jaao. Warna kal subah uthogi nahi aur meri beti ko school jaane ke liye late hoga.”
“Ravan kumar kahin ke. Hmph.”
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Bhalla House - the next morning
The house was in the regular hustle-bustle of a weekday morning, as everyone rushed to get ready for their day. Ruhi was ready and having her breakfast along with Romi, Rinki, and her grandparents. Ishita was busy cutting up some fruit in the kitchen while Raman was still getting ready in their bedroom.
Ishita’s mind kept going back to the events of last night. She had never imagined seeing Raman so emotional and vulnerable. For the first time, she understood the extent of his pain and loneliness over all these years. Who knew he could have hid so much under the coarse exterior of anger and arrogance? No matter what he showed on the outside or what she had taken him to be, she finally saw him for who he really was. And she chided herself for not seeing it before.
There's something sweet, and almost kind
But he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined
And now he's dear, and so unsure
I wonder why I didn't see it there before
New, and a bit alarming
Who'd have ever thought that this could be?
True, that he's no Prince Charming
But there's something in him that I simply didn't see
She cut up the last piece of apple in her hand and brought the tray of fruit to the table, while Raman walked out from their bedroom to join the family for breakfast. Like his wife, Raman too was stuck on what happened last night. He had vowed to never open himself up to anyone, but still, shedding his defenses in front of Ishita seemed like the most natural thing to do. And yet he felt no shame in doing so. For his wife never backed away from his darkness. She was right there beside him through it all, something he hadn’t expected. All she had in her heart and all he saw in her eyes was genuine care and concern. She hadn’t shown pity like his mother; she hadn’t professed disappointment like his father. And she certainly didn’t tiptoe around him or walk on eggshells like his siblings. She confronted him point blank, forced him to look inwards, yet offered a helping hand throughout.
She glanced this way, I thought I saw
And when we touched, she didn't shudder at my paw
No, it can't be, I'll just ignore
But then she's never looked at me that way before
As he pulled a chair for himself beside Ruhi, his and Ishita’s eyes met over the tray of fruit and pile of bread. Neither pulled their gaze away until Ruhi asked for some more cornflakes.
“Mujhe bhi cornflakes pass karna,” Raman said.
Ishita passed him the box after serving Ruhi and as Raman grabbed a hold of it, their fingers brushed, allowing a current of electricity to zap between them. Immediately, they withdrew their hands and looked away, even though a faint smile lingered on their lips.
Their brief interactions over the breakfast table didn’t go unnoticed. Toshi was paying close attention to the slight changes in their dynamics and was pleasantly surprised. She saw her son and daughter-in-law finding their comfort level with each other. It looked like perhaps they would find true companionship with each other after all. Because there was something new between Raman and Ishita that wasn’t there before.
Well, who'd have thought? Well, bless my soul, Well, who'd have known?
Well, who indeed? And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?
It's so peculiar, wait and see, we'll wait and see a few days more
There may be something there that wasn't there before
Here's a thought, perhaps there's something there that wasn't there before
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-GoD0rmegE
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Edited by Aditi_MM - 3 years ago
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