Part 40
Bhalla House - Two days later, Saturday, 8th Feb, 9 am
"Thanks Pathak, that's perfect. You did good." Raman hung up the phone and took a sip of his tea. He closed the phone app and opened his messages to send out a quick text, before tossing it on the dining table. He picked up the newspaper again and an almost devilish smirk creeped up on his face.
"What's that expression on your face Ravan Kumar?" Ishita asked, raising her eyebrow in suspicion. She was coming to sit down in front of her husband on the table with her own cup of tea, and began fixing a plate of breakfast for herself.
"Nothing you need to be concerned with." Raman turned the page in his newspaper.
"Oh heavens, what did you do?" Ishita asked, exasperated. She could see the wheels turning in her husband's head, and that didn't always promise good news.
"Tum apne kaam se kaam nahi rakh sakti kya, madrasan?!" He folded and threw down his newspaper on the adjacent seat. "Har baar jaasoosi karna zaroori hai?"
"Raman, tell me the truth. Kal itna tension ho gaya tha phir bhi aap muskuraa rahe ho? Kuch to baat huyi hai. Kuch to kiya hai aapne..." Ishita asked. She was growing worried.
"Fine," he whispered and leaned in. "But no one's around, right? Main nahi chahta kisi ko is sab ka tension ho."
"Nahi, koi aas paas nahi hai. Amma abhi abhi Ruhi ko le gayi Tamilian breakfast ke liye aur baaki sab so rahe hai. I think papaji shayad bahar gaye hai, but no one's around here."
"Okay then, listen up..."
Flashback begins @ Raman's office yesterday afternoon...
"RAMAN BHALLA! BAHAR NIKAL!" Ashok's voice boomed from out of his office doors and Raman smiled in his chair. His plan had worked perfectly. Footsteps sounded outside his cabin and then the double doors burst open.
Raman leaned back in his chair, amusement dancing in his eyes at the scene unfolding in front of him. Ashok Khanna stomped in barely restrained by two security guards, face fuming and steam whistling from his ears. Raman secretly wished Mihir or Romi or even Pathak was around to witness this absolute gem of a scene.
"Kya baat hai 6 foot 2 inch? Aaj aap humaare chote se office mein padhaare? Kaise aana hua?" he quipped, feigning innocence.
"Don't act smart Raman," Ashok fumed. "What the hell did you do? Why are my clients suddenly uninterested in this deal? I just sat through a torturous 'family dinner' last night to get that deal and then you come nosing your way through my business?!" He advanced towards Raman, but was once again pushed back by the security guards.
"Aap dono jaao, main isse baat karta hoon," Raman told the guards. Neither of them were comfortable with leaving their boss in front of this aggressive man, but orders were orders.
"We'll be right outside sir. We notice any sign of trouble and will come blasting in." They glanced at both Raman and Ashok, reassuring the former, threatening the latter. The guards left, and Raman stood up, buttoning his coat and straightening his tie.
"Now Ashok, why don't you tell me what the problem is? I'm sure we can figure this out. Peacefully." Raman smiled at his opponent.
"My deal with Mr. Ahuja was practically sealed," Ashok gritted through his teeth, making no effort to mask his rage. "But suddenly this morning they called me saying they were getting a better offer from your company. Now tell me Raman, if it took me one month to get them to agree to the deal, how did you accomplish it in less than twelve hours?"
Raman smiled. It was true that he was a great businessman, but poaching a client from a rival company in less than a day was impossible. The truth was, he had heard from a friend of Mihir's (who happened to be at the same Roseo Italian Restaurant last night) that the client Ashok was so eager to impress was none other than Aarav Ahuja, Raman's next door neighbor in Mumbai. They had both started their businesses together and took much advice from each other in Raman's early days in Mumbai. Their products and marketing strategies belonged to different circles and they were targeting different audiences, so the opportunity to do business together had never presented itself. Aarav had gotten married in a couple years and relocated to Bangalore with his wife and converted his business to a web-based platform, eventually losing touch with Raman. But last night, Raman had taken advantage of the opportunity and called Aarav to reconnect with him. After an hour long chat in which they caught up on the newest developments in their lives (Aarav was now a proud father to twin boys), Raman had mentioned that a friend of his had seen him in Delhi. After a sound scolding for not coming to visit even though he was in the city, Raman found out from him that Aarav was now looking for a company to partner with to expand the reach of his online business. And he had chosen Ashok Khanna's company. Aarav had attempted to apologize for not doing business with Raman, but he refused to hear it. "You made the right decision yaar," he had assured his friend. The needs of Aarav's business aligned much more with Ashok's expertise, and Raman's office was already swamped. Whatever personal issues he had with the guy, Raman was a businessman in his mind. "I just have one small favor to ask of you though. Can you stall this deal for a bit?" It was an unusual request, but Aarav didn't ask questions. He owed Raman a lot more than one favor. And so, Mr. Ahuja had called Ashok, pretending to have received a better offer from Raman and asking for more time to reconsider the deal.
"What can I say 6 foot 2 inch, I'm just that good," Raman smirked. He slid his hands into his pants pockets and stepped out in front of his opponent. "Such a shame for you though, having to lose another big client to our office. Again." He put extra emphasis on the last word to rub salt into Ashok's wounds.
His nostrils flared. "Cut the crap Raman. Just tell me what you want."
"I want you and your fianceé to stop interfering with my relationship with Adi. He can meet us whenever and wherever he likes and none of you can stop him or blame him or guilt him. Get me a signed document with both of you swearing to these terms, and I'll drop my dealings with Mr. Ahuja."
"Never! Impossible!" Ashok had stormed out, infuriated.
But Raman wasn't worried. Because once his brother Suraj heard about Raman's demands, he had twisted Ashok's arm into signing the terms. He had even threatened Shagun to throw her out of the house if she didn't comply, so none of her tantrums worked. Suraj was always the calm, cool-minded brother, and he knew very well that they couldn't afford to lose this client, and definitely not to Raman Bhalla again. Ashok's ego and Shagun's pride be damned.
Flashback ends...
"That was Pathak on the phone. He was just hand-delivered the signed agreement and all our terms have been met. So I sent a message to Aarav saying he was okay to go ahead with the deal again."
Ishita stared in shock at her husband. "So you weren't ever planning on actually signing a deal with Mr. Ahuja? This was all a ruse to get this signed agreement?"
"Yup. The best part now, is that if Ashok or Shagun violate the terms of this agreement, then for violating a signed contract, they'll go to jail first and prove their innocence later. In the event of a court case, they might be able to wiggle out of it, but for someone like Shagun, even a single night in jail is unimaginable." Raman drank his last sip of tea.
"I don't believe it Raman... That's so-"
"Evil?" Raman finished her sentence.
"I was going to say unorthodox. Is that even okay? I mean doesn't it break any rules or law?"
Raman sighed. "Ishita, not everyone works with a set of morals and rules like we do. Sometimes we need to find other ways to deal with crooks like Ashok. This isn't how I do business with anyone, not even Ashok. But this is about Adi, our family. Ashok's done enough damage already, and that too by using much more deplorable methods than this. At least with this, we now have visitation rights. That gives us enough time to build a relationship with Adi. Once he is attached to us again, we can sue for custody."
Ishita nodded and nibbled on a bite of paratha. She had known that her husband was a great businessman, but she didn't know until now how ruthless and cunning he was. She had expected it to scare her, but instead, an unfamiliar thrill ran through her veins. Her husband never compromised on his morals when it came to business; every deal he won or lost, he did so with grace. But if someone, if anyone threatened their family, they were a deer going into the lion's den. This protective, alpha stance of her husband thrilled Ishita to no end.
"Ishimaa! Papa!" Ruhi came running through the front door. "Main Tata aur Paati ke saath Murugan ke temple jaau? Woh log puja aur afternoon ke prasad ke liye jaa rahe hai."
"Aap ne breakfast kiya baby?" Ishita asked.
"Haa, maine one dosa aur three idlis khaayi."
"Okay, to phir tum temple jaa sakti ho. Aap ko change-"
"Nahi Ru, not today," Raman interrupted. "Aap aaj nahi jaa sakte, sorry."
Ishita sighed. Were they about to get into the whole Punjabi-Madrasi feud right now? Again?
"Raman," she whispered. "It's one thing for Amma and Mummyji to fight about this stuff, but what objection could you have-"
"Calm down, meri Jhansi ki Rani. Shaant..." He raised his hands in surrender. "Ruhi ko main isiliye mana kar raha hoon, kyunki maine hum teeno ke liye aaj aur kal ki ek picnic plan ki hai, choti si."
"Really?" Ishita's eyebrows shot up.
"Really papa?!" Ruhi ran to her father and jumped into his lap, hugging him tight. "Thank you papa, thank you so much! Hum log kahan jaa rahe hai?"
"Woh surprise hai, Ru. Aap jaao aur packing shuru karo. You'll need your swimsuit, sunscreen, and two pairs of clothes. Go!"
Ruhi ran to her room leaving her baffled mother staring at her chuckling father.
"Raman, kya hai yeh? Hum log kahan jaa rahe hai?" she asked.
"Abhi abhi to bola maine, surprise hai."
"Surprise Ruhi ke liye hoga. Lekin mujhe to aap bata hi sakte ho."
"Nahi madrasan, surprise khaas tere liye hi hai."
Ishita's heart fluttered. The way it was going, she was going to have to visit a cardiologist soon.
"Lekin..." Ishita cleared her throat. "Hum abhi achaanak kyun jaa rahe hai? Aur aapne mummyji ya papaji ko kuch bataya bhi hai? Unki permission li bhi ya nahi?"
"Ishita, it's been almost four months since we went out on a trip like this. Besides, we're not teenagers sneaking out for a party that I need to get our parents' permission. I'm taking my wife and daughter out for a surprise trip. Who can stop me?"
There was that damn heart flutter again. The organ in Ishita's chest seemed to bounce all around.
"Tumhara khaana ho gaya ho, to jaa kar packing karogi? Ya ek aur paratha du?" Raman teased.
"Mera ho gaya hai. Aur packing main akeli nahi karungi. Aap bhi aayiye, warna agar aapki koi cheez reh gayi, to phir mujhe blame mat karna." She dropped her plate in the sink and washed her hands, before stomping off to their bedroom.
"Fine, main aa raha hoon. Lekin tum please apni kanjeevaram sarees pack mat karna. Wear something young and stylish." He followed her into the bedroom. "You need to compete with me after all. Pata hai, aaj bhi log mujhe Romi aur Rinki ka chota bhai samajte hai."
Ishita clicked her tongue in disappointment as she removed a travel size handbag from under the bed. "You know there is a fine line between confidence and airheaded insanity. Why don't you just call yourself Ruhi's brother since you're sooo young?"
Raman and Ishita engaged in their signature push and pull as they packed for their trip. The past few weeks had been stressful, laced with a tension no one had been able to break. Adi's return to their lives had sent everything into chaos, introducing stress into Ishita, Raman, and Ruhi's lives. Raman especially, had been feeling guilty for months, afraid that he had inadvertently been ignoring Ruhi and her needs as he focused on Adi. Ishita was always quick to assure him that that was not the case, but he couldn't afford dropping the ball on his responsibilities towards his daughter. She needed attention from her parents just as much (if not more) than her brother.
He had also not missed the stress this entire ordeal caused Ishita. She had been extremely supportive but unanswered questions still remained regarding her equation with Adi. Truth be told, Raman didn't have any answers yet. So he wracked his brain for something else he could give her. And so he had whipped up this plan several days ago, only for it to come to fruition today. He took a deep breath, trying to replace the anxiety in his lungs with oxygen, hoping to high heaven Ishita liked this surprise of his.
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Raman and Ishita's car, on the Delhi Highway - 11 am
It took much longer than expected, but they had finally gotten their bag packed and hit the road. Naturally, both mothers had lots of questions and concerns; they insisted on making food and packing some for their trip, but Raman had deftly avoided them while ushering his wife and daughter out of the door. They had just merged onto the ramp of the state highway taking them out of the city to their destination.
"Are you still not going to tell me where we're going, Raman?" Ishita asked. Again.
"Madrasan, for once in your life, just be cool. I'm not taking you to the jungles of Africa. It's a nice place. You'll like it," Raman sighed.
Having lost the fight again, Ishita sat back in her seat and opened her book, Pride and Prejudice. It was an all-time favorite of hers and her sisters, although Ishita took special pride in the fact that she was the only one of the three who had read the book three times now. Jane Austen will forever be one of her favorite authors.
"Oh no!" Ruhi cried from the back seat.
"Kya hua Ru?" Ishita turned around in alarm.
"Main apne headphones bhul gayi!"
"Oh sirf itni si baat?" Ishita breathed a sigh of relief. Her daughter was a true drama queen. "Aapko music hi sunna hai to hum radio par kuch chalaate hai, thik hai?"
Ishita turned on the radio and dialed up the volume. She was pleasantly surprised by the song that played, a soft smile gracing her lips.
Kuch to hua hai
Kuch ho gaya hai
Kuch to hua hai
Kuch ho gaya hai
Do chaar din se lagta hai jaise
Sab kuch alag hai
Sab kuch naya hai
Kuch to hua hai
Kuch ho gaya hai
"What are you reading," Raman asked, trying to make conversation.
Ishita showed him the front cover of the book. "Pride and Prejudice," she answered. "One of my favorite books. Have you read it?"
"No, but I've seen the movie. I know the gist of what happens."
"And...? What's your opinion of it?"
"It's okay, I guess," he shrugged.
Ishita's jaw dropped and eyes bulged in horror. It's okay? That was his opinion of such a literary masterpiece?
"It's a lot more than just okay, Raman. It's a timeless classic. It's the epitome of romance."
"Really? What makes you think that?"
"Mr. Darcy's selflessness and basically everything he does for Elizabeth. He gets rejected after his first proposal but his love for Lizzie only grows. Everything he does is for her. And he changes himself, not because Lizzie asks him to, but because he wants to. For her."
Much like the man sitting beside her, she thought. The reason behind her fluttering heart, the object of her deepest thoughts, the cause of her brightest smiles.
Cheezein mein rakh ke
Bhool jaati hoon
Bekhayaali mein gungunati hoon
Ab akele mein muskuraati hoon
Badli hui si meri ada hai
Kuch to hua hai
Kuch ho gaya hai
"Is that what every woman wants?" Raman asked. "A man who changes for her? Without her asking?" What did he need to change about himself, to give his wife what she wanted?
"Not necessarily Raman." Ishita leaned back and closed her book. She enjoyed this conversation too much to read anytime soon. "My point is women can't change their men. Lots of girls think they can change or mellow out a man but that doesn't happen, unless the man himself wants to change himself. And the change has to be selfless. He can't expect for the woman to reciprocate the feelings just because he changed himself. That's what's so great about Mr. Darcy. At the end, he literally says, 'My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.' No expectations, no coercion, just love."
Raman pondered his own feelings for his wife at this revelation. He was no stranger anymore to the paradox of warmth and peace along with passion and desire that Ishita elicited from him. How lighthearted he felt, how happy he had been since she came into his life. How he had changed in the past six months. But he couldn't expect the same from her, could he? Like she had, no expectations, no coercion, just... love? Was he in love?
Pighla pighla hai dil mera jab se
Achcha rehta hain mood bhi tab se
Haske milta hoon aaj kal sab se
Khush ho gaya hai jo bhi mila hai
Kuch to hua hai
Kuch ho gaya hai
"Kahaan kho gaye kud kud kumar?" Ishita asked. "For once, you're not arguing with me? Do you believe me now that this book is a timeless classic?"
"It's not that great, Madrasan." He couldn't deny that it was a great piece of literature, but he'd rather not admit defeat to his wife. "I mean, you seem to be describing any generic man in love."
Ishita smiled and narrowed her eyes. "Pray tell me, what is a man like in love?" she teased.
"How should I know?" Raman asked, running a finger along his t-shirt collar, wiping beads of sweat.
"You were married earlier, weren't you? You should know."
That couldn't have been love, Raman thought. Because then what was this, that he felt today?
"You tell me, what's a woman like in love?" Raman turned the tables on his wife. "You were in a relationship before me, right?"
Ishita stayed silent. She had no idea what love was anymore. Not when Subbu had destroyed her expectations of what love should be like. Not when Raman kept bringing out in her such intense emotions that she could never have expected.
Rang chamkilay saaare lagte hai
Raah mein bhikre tare lagte hai
Phool ab zyaada pyaare lagte hai
Mehki hui si jaisi hawa hai
Kuch to hua hai
Kuch ho gaya hai
"Papa, when will we get there?" Ruhi asked from the backseat.
"One more hour beta." Raman looked at the navigation app that predicted an ETA of 46 minutes, but considering traffic and construction, an hour was a good estimate.
"Okay papa."
Ruhi settled back in her seat, and neither Raman nor Ishita restarted their conversation. Raman continued driving and Ishita continued reading. But both of them were lost in similar thoughts: love. They had both experienced it before, or so they thought. Because what they felt now was much more different, much more intense, much more ecstatic, and much more terrifying.
Yeh nasha jisme dono rehte hai
Yeh lehar jisme dono behte hai
Ho na ho isko pyaar kehte hai
Pyaar mila to
Dil kho gaya hai
Kuch to hua hai
Kuch ho gaya hai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PXP_-5LFdU
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Raman pulled the car into the gravel driveway of a wooden lake house, surrounded by pine and fir trees, at the edge of a large clear blue lake.
"We're here!" he announced, getting out of the car and shutting the door. Ishita and Ruhi followed suit. They gazed at their surroundings in wonder as Raman opened the trunk and removed their bags.
"What is this place Raman?" Ishita asked, amazed at the nature surrounding her.
Raman slung their bag around his shoulders and approached his wife and daughter.
"You said you loved the beaches of Chennai, right? Well, this is the closest thing I found to an ocean near Delhi. Do you like it?" he asked, his heart stuck in his throat.
"I... I love it, Raman!" she exclaimed, awe and fascination in her eyes. Raman's chest swelled with delight.
"Aapko kaisa laga Ruhi? Are you excited to go swimming in the lake?"
"We can swim here, papa? Really?!" she asked.
"Yes beta, that's the plan. In fact, right now is the best time, when the sun is high in the sky. That way we won't get cold."
"Then what are we waiting for?! Ishimaa, jaldi hum sab ke swimsuit nikalo na!" She shook her mother's hand vigorously, jumping up in excitement.
"Okay baby, abhi nikaalti hoon..."
After the family of three had set their bags in the upstairs master bedroom of the cottage and changed into their swimsuits, they had spent the afternoon playing and splashing in the shallow end of the lake. Raman had tried to spend some time teaching Ruhi the basics of swimming, but she was too excited to focus. Eventually, he gave up his efforts, simply splashing around and playing tag with his family. Ishita worried about the different creatures that could be in the lake, of any bacteria or plants or animals around, but Raman was quick to ease her worry. The website renting this cottage had promised a kid-friendly environment, and many of his friends boasted of the cleanliness of this lake.
As the sun began its descent and the temperature dropped, Ishita pulled her daughter and husband out of the water, afraid that they'd get sick in the cold. It was past three in the afternoon, and everyone was starving. They all showered and changed one by one, beginning with Ishita, followed by Ruhi and Raman. When Raman finally came downstairs, he found his wife and daughter in the kitchen, surveying the fridge for its contents.
"Kya dekh rahe ho, maa beti?" he asked, running his fingers through his wet hair.
"Bhookh lagi hai papa," Ruhi pouted. "Hum sabne to lunch bhi nahi kiya?"
"Accha? Raaste mein khaayi chips aur cookies sab digest ho gayi?" he teased. Ruhi nodded.
"Raman, fridge mein kuch fresh saamaan hai, aur thodi cheezein freezer mein bhi hai. Main soch rahi hoon sab ke liye pizza bana doon? Indian khaana to hum roz hi khaate hai."
"Yes mumma! Mujhe cheese pizza khaana hai. Aur main bhi aapki help karoongi," Ruhi squealed.
"Chalo then, I'll join you guys too," Raman chimed in. "Why should I get left behind?"
The next hour and a half was spent in the kitchen. Ishita rolled the dough with Ruhi's help (who simply squeezed and played with the dough), while Raman prepared his self-proclaimed famous tomato sauce and shredded fresh mozzarella cheese. Ishita sliced up their choice of toppings and then, they all set to work preparing three pizza pans. One was Ruhi's choice of cheese pizza; one was Raman's choice with spinach, olives, and mushrooms as toppings; and one was Ishita's choice with tomatoes and bell peppers. Once all three pizzas were in the oven, Ruhi and Raman tried to make a quick escape to the living room to watch TV, but their plans were thwarted by Ishita.
"Absolutely not, you two!" she yelled. "Get back here, and help me clean this up! There's cheese and sauce all over the counter. And there's more flour on the floor than in the dough..."
Fearing Ishita's wrath, Raman and Ruhi returned to the kitchen to help clean up. By the time they were finished, the oven timer chimed, indicating that the pizzas were ready. Ishita cut up the pizzas and served them on the kitchen table. Famished as they were, they gobbled up each slice, accompanied by soda and juice.
The rest of the day passed in much the same manner, the family of three indulging in indoor board games, outdoor field games, and walks on the lake. It wasn't the beach as Ishita was used to, but this lake would always be special to her.
"We should come here more often, Raman," Ishita suggested. Night had fallen and the full moon shone above them, a sparkling silver orb shining in the midst of the velvety night sky. Ruhi had fallen asleep, and her parents had escaped for a quick walk along the lake.
"You like it?" he asked, tentatively raising his arm around her shoulder.
"I love it." Ishita moved closer, snuggling into Raman's arm that was around her shoulder. "We can actually see the stars in the sky here. Unlike the city. Look." She pointed to the sky.
"Do you know any constellations, Madrasan? Can you find any?"
"Not really, do you?"
"I read about it in college. Let's see if we can find any."
He led her to an expanse of grass behind the lake house and sat down. He pulled her down with him, lying down to gaze up at the stars, one arm around his wife, the other pointing up to the sky.
"That is the Great Square of Pegasus." Raman pointed to a cluster of four stars making a square.
"You just made that up, didn't you?" Ishita teased.
"No, of course not! That really is the Great Square."
"It's just four stars clustered together. How is that a constellation?"
Ishita argued with her husband, getting more and more comfortable with her position next to her husband. She snuggled closer, her head on his chest and an arm going around his torso. As hard as she tried to pay attention to different constellations her husband showed, sleep proved to be more powerful.
"Suna madrasan? That's Orion," Raman said. He didn't really know if that was true, but it was a pretty good guess.
No answer.
"Ishita?" He looked over to find his wife sleeping on his shoulder, with slow, even breaths. It was a sight he would never get tired of. As much as he hoped to freeze time at this moment, he knew she must be uncomfortable sleeping in the grass. Not having the heart to wake her up, he lifted her into his arms in a bridal carry and walked towards the lake house. He entered and climbed upstairs, perspiration growing on his brow, either from physical fatigue or from the feel of his wife in his arms.
He kicked the door of the master bedroom open, careful not to hurt his wife, laying her down on the king sized bed and covering her with the blankets. He chuckled softly thinking that his dentist wife was going to sleep without brushing her teeth; it will be fun teasing her about that tomorrow. He changed in the adjoining bathroom and checked on Ruhi sleeping in the next bedroom, before getting under the sheets beside his wife. He suddenly felt grateful for the absence of another bed or sofa, finally allowing him this proximity to Ishita that he wasn't afforded at home.
In the dim moonlight of the night, Raman gazed at his wife and he was certain. He briefly recalled a quote he had read years ago from The Fault in Our Stars. For it had happened slowly and then all at once, like he fell asleep. He fell in love.
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The sun shined through the window and Ishita stirred in her sleep. She found herself enveloped in an unfamiliar but pleasant warmth. She tentatively opened her eyes, and blushed furiously at the position she found herself in. She was cuddled next to her husband, an arm around his chest clutching his shoulder, while his hand curled up around her waist. She closed her eyes, trying to recall what happened last night. The last thing she remembered was arguing with Raman about constellations in the night sky. She must've fallen asleep out there, and he must have carried her inside, the realization causing her blush to deepen to crimson. This was unchartered territory, and she had no idea what to do. She gently removed her husband's arm and slipped out from under the covers, tiptoeing to the bathroom to get ready for the day.
She had gone to wake up her daughter and help her get ready, before Raman woke up, giving her the chance to get her pounding heart and blushing cheeks under control. By the time Raman came downstairs, she had prepared tea and poha for breakfast.
"Papa, aaj hum log kya karenge?" Ruhi asked.
"Jo aap chaho. Aap ko kya karna hai?" Raman sipped his tea, stealing quick glances to his wife. His realization from last night weighed heavy in his chest. His insides churned and squirmed, even as he donned a nonchalant facade.
"Mujhe swimming jaana hai phir se!" Ruhi exclaimed.
"No baby, aaj nahi," Ishita interrupted. "The weather forecast says it's going to rain today. The sun isn't going to come out, so we can't go swimming in the cold weather."
"Then what will we do?" Ruhi pouted.
After ten minutes of back and forth, they had finalized a list of activities for the day: hiking up the trail behind the lake, bird watching, and a picnic by the lake for lunch. As the weather forecast predicted, the sun never came out; cloudy skies reigned throughout the day. By the time they had finished their picnic of sandwiches and soup, Ruhi was so exhausted her eyes barely stayed open. Raman had lifted her up and coaxed her to go to sleep, while Ishita and Raman packed up their belongings.
"Yeh lijiye, sab kuch pack ho chuka hai." Ishita zipped their bags. "Aap kuch bhul to nahi rahe hai na?"
"Nope, I checked the bathroom and Ruhi's room too. We got everything. Main yeh saamaan lekar niche jaata hoon."
"Main Ruhi ko lekar aau?"
"Nahi, use sone do kuch der. I'm going to check the weather first to make sure it's not going to rain."
They took their bags downstairs and Raman opened his weather app. And frowned.
"Kya hua Raman?"
"It's going to rain in a few minutes. We should leave a couple hours later, once the storm passes."
"Okay, I'll call mummyji and amma, and let them know."
Rain pattered down outside, just as Raman had said, forcing them to settle down for the next couple hours. They had laid out a couple chairs on the front porch, enjoying the rain falling around them.
"Aap kabhi baarish mein bheege hain?" Ishita asked, suddenly.
"Haan, bachpan mein shaayad. Kyun?"
"Main bhi aakhri baar bachpan mein hi bheegi thi. Aaj bahot man kar raha hai bheegne ka."
"Really?" Raman chuckled. "You're usually such a stickler for rules. Aren't you scared of getting sick if you get wet? And do you even have another pair of clothes to change into after getting wet?"
"In fact, I do. I packed an extra pair for everyone just in case. And I'm mostly scared for Ruhi getting sick if she gets wet. I'll be fine." She mulled over her thoughts again. "I'm going."
Ishita walked out from under the canopy, spreading her arms wide, letting the rain drench her body. A childishness overcame Raman who joined her outside under the rain, but not before he started a playlist on his music app: "Songs perfect for a rainy day."
Yeh saajish hain boondon ki
Koi khwaahish hain chup chup si
Yeh saajish hain boondon ki
Koi khwaahish hain chup chup si
Dekho na dekho na
Dekho na dekho na
Hawa kuchh haule haule
Zubaan se kya kuchh bole
Kyon duuri hain ab darmayaan
Dekho na dekho na
Dekho na dekho na
He clasped her hand and turned her around, gesturing to the music playing in the background. Silently, he offered a hand, and silently, Ishita accepted it. No words were spoken, but they understood each other as if they had one mind. Raman placed his other hand on her waist, and Ishita grasped his shoulder, as they swayed to the music.
They danced and danced, unconsciously coming closer and closer. Ishita snaked her arms around Raman's neck, who in turn pulled her closer by the waist. Their eyes locked, their foreheads touched, and their quivering lips were inches apart.
Phir na hawayen hogi
Itani besharam
Phir na dag mag dag
Mag honge yeh kadam
Haa saawan yeh seedha
Nahi khufia bada
Kuchh toh baraste
Hue keh raha
Samjho na samjho na
Samjho na samjho na
Hawa kuchh haule haule
Zubaan se kya kuchh bole
Kyon duuri hain ab darmayaan
Dekho na dekho na
Dekho na dekho na
Raman longed to close the distance between them, but hesitated. They weren't at that stage yet. He didn't even know if this was what Ishita wanted. A real marriage. Would it be so bad to hope for that? Could he even afford himself the luxury of hope and love and affection? Why not, he thought. She was his wife, after all. And that was where the problem was. She was his wife. Ruhi's mother. If they decided to take their relationship forward, they didn't have the luxury of backing out. If things didn't work out between them, they couldn't break up. They weren't college kids who could go their own ways in life. They were bound together for life, and he couldn't do anything to screw up this family.
It hadn't even been a whole day since he had come to terms with his true feelings for Ishita. What were the chances that she felt the same? What if she didn't feel the same way? What would he do then? He couldn't distance himself from her and move on. He knew in his bones he wouldn't survive that. He couldn't risk it. He'd love her, but silently, ardently. Like she said yesterday, no expectations, no coercion, just love.
Jugnu jaise chahat
Dekho jale mujhe
Meethi si mushkil
Hain koi kya kare
Hmm hothon ki arzi
Aise thukraaon na
Saanson ki marzi
Ko jhuthlaaon na
Chhuu lo na chhu lo na
Chhuu lo na chhu lo
Hawa kuchh haule haule
Zubaan se kya kuchh bole
Na duuri hain ab darmayaan
Dekho na dekho na
Dekho na hmm hmm hmm
Hmm hmm hmm dekho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6sRLvmaeWg
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Bhalla House, Ishita and Raman's bedroom - 10 pm
Ishita sat on the sofa, opened her night cream, and applied it to her face, arms, and feet, still lost in how the equation between her and her husband had irrevocably changed over this trip. How much more comfortable she was with him, and yet how her heart pounded every time he came close. How safe she felt in his arms, and yet how nervous she became when he touched her.
"Ruhi finally fell asleep." Raman had just walked in through the door of the bedroom. "She read that storybook twice, the one Adi had gifted. I barely managed to get her to put it down before she read it a third time." He climbed into bed and turned on the TV.
Ishita closed her cream bottle and stood up to put it away on the dresser. As she stood up, the sofa rocked behind her, as the weight shifted.
"What's wrong with the sofa?" Raman asked.
"Pata nahi. I think one of the legs has come loose. It rocks back and forth whenever anyone sits on it." Ishita opened the closet to remove a pillow and blanket.
"Wait," Raman stopped her. "Don't sleep on the sofa if it's broken."
"To phir kahan soungi main?"
"Ek kaam karo, chhat pe so jaao," he suggested, sarcastically. "Yahin bed pe so jaao na?"
"Are... are you sure?" Ishita's expression suddenly turned nervous.
"I don't have a problem with it. Aur chinta mat karo. Main kuch karunga nahi."
"I know that, Raman. I-I just..." Ishita averted her eyes.
"It's okay. The sofa probably couldn't take all your weight." Raman picked up on her nerves and lightened the mood.
"Oh really?" Ishita placed her hand on her hip and glared at her husband. "And you think the bed will be able to take my weight?"
"Maybe not before, but now it can. It's much sturdier." Just like their relationship, Raman thought. They had come a long way in the past few months.
"What does that mean?"
"Nothing."
"Seriously, Ravan kumar. Sometimes I don't understand what you're mumbling."
Ishita shook her head and laid out her pillow and blanket on the other side of the bed. She sunk her head on the pillow and turned off the lamp, head turned away from Raman, trying her best to hide the flush rising in her cheeks. Raman turned off the TV and laid down as well. He gave a brief glance to his wife, noting the visible gulf between the two of them. He didn't know if that gulf would ever disappear, but he took solace in the fact that the distance was much smaller than that between the sofa and the bed.
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