Connected: A YHM Story (COMPLETED) - Page 9

awesome update..loved the way u have portrayed their emotions..

pls update the next one soon

Part 8

Raman stayed at the Iyer House for over an hour spending time with Ruhi. When he was about to leave and was at the door, Ruhi clung to his legs begging him to stay and asking why he had to leave, when all her friends’ papa stayed with them. Raman managed to calm her down with a promise to come meet her very soon. Even though she relented, the frown on her face did not disappear. Raman and Ishita looked at each other with no idea how to cheer her up, when suddenly Ishita’s eyes lit up with an idea. 

“Ruhi, how about this? The next time you meet papa, you can meet all your relatives. Dada, dadi, bua, chachu, everyone. Is that okay?”

“Really mumma?! Yay!!!” Ruhi exclaimed as she started jumping around. 

“Okay now calm down, Ruhi,” Ishita said. “Go inside and tidy up your toys and coloring books. I’m going to see off your papa, then I’ll be inside as well.”

“Okay Ishimaa!”

As soon as Ruhi was out of earshot, Raman asked Ishita, “Are you okay with Ruhi meeting my family so soon? You didn’t seem so fond of the idea when I broached the subject.”

“Well, it was going to happen sometime and I think this is best for her. She should be able to meet her family now so she can cultivate lifelong relationships with them,” Ishita replied. 

“Thank you Ishita.”

“For what?”

“For taking care of my daughter, especially in my absence. For keeping her interests above your own. You’ve really been a mother to her. More than her real mother ever was.”

“No need to thank me Raman. I am her mother. It’s my job to think of her well being before my own interests. And just because I haven’t given birth to her, that doesn’t make me any less of a parent than you are.”

For some reason, Raman found more accusation than gratitude in Ishita’s eyes and voice. “Is something wrong? Main to sirf tumhe thank you keh raha tha. Tum kahan ki baat kahan le ke jaa rahi ho? Where did this whole ‘you being less of a parent’ thing come from?”

This man was just so insufferable, Ishita thought. Here he was thanking her for taking care of her own daughter and she didn’t have the right to express even the slightest objection. Today he met Ruhi for the first time and spent less than a couple hours with her, but still he had the right to take her daughter away from her. 

“What do you think, Raman? I’m her adoptive mother and you’re her biological father. Mujhse zyada Ruhi ko koi nahi jaanta, aap to bilkul bhi nahi. Lekin phir bhi aap ka haq hai ki aap use mujhse door le ke jaa sakte ho. Aap mujhe paraya mehsoos karwa sakte ho jab ki Ruhi ki zindagi mein paraye to aap ho!”

How dare she, Raman thought. Who was she to decide that he was an outsider in his own daughter’s life? How could she? He was not going to let one more piece of his life slip away from his grip. Not for himself, and not for his family. 

“Enough Ishita! Tum ne Ruhi ka bahot khayaal rakha uske liye main haath jod kar aabhari hoon, lekin tum kaun hoti ho mujhe apni beti se paraaya karne wali? You are nobody to keep me away from my daughter. I’m her father goddammit. And I didn’t leave her on purpose. I didn’t even know I had a daughter until a couple weeks ago and now that I do, I’m not going to allow anyone to keep her away from me. Not even you. Especially not you.”

“I’m not keeping her away from you, Raman. If I were, then neither would you be here nor would I have suggested she meet your family. Ruhi needs her father in her life so I would never keep her away from you regardless of the legality. You’ve only known about her for a couple of weeks and you just met her for a couple of hours. Even then, you got so angry with even the distant possibility of staying away from her. Think about me. I’ve been with her for two months now. Can you imagine how painful it is for me when there is a very real chance that you would take her away from me?”

Raman took a step back and tried thinking straight. She was not completely wrong. She was just as scared as he was and for the same reason -- separation from Ruhi. And besides, he had seen how comfortable Ruhi was with her. Would it be right to completely sever their ties? But if he didn’t how would Ruhi ever gel with him and his family, where she rightly belongs?

“Ishita, I’m not trying to hurt you. But I deserve to have my daughter with me. My family deserves to enjoy life with the child of our home. We’ve already lost so much, we can’t lose Ruhi too.”

With those words, both Raman and Ishita mellowed down their anger and their eyes met again. And in those eyes, Ishita could see the pain that he was so desperately trying to hide. His eyes always gave him away, be it happiness or sorrow. 

“Ok Raman, but you have to promise me that you won’t ever stop me or my family from meeting Ruhi. Where she stays and who has custody is a matter we can discuss later, but I need to know that you won’t completely sever our ties.”

“All right, I promise I won’t stop you guys from meeting her. I don’t think Ruhi would like staying away from you either. I should be heading home now.” And with that Raman turned around and made way for the stairs. But before he took the first step he turned back around, as an idea struck him.

“Ishita, why don’t you and your family come over to my house this weekend? Ruhi can meet her grandparents, aunts, and uncles, and both our families can get acquainted with each other. I imagine we’re not going to be able to get rid of each other soon?”

“I suppose that’s not a very bad idea. I know Ruhi will love it. And both our families do need to meet each other anyway.”

“Great, then let’s make a day of it. I’ll text you the details later. Bye.”

“Ok, bye.”

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

Next Saturday morning

“Chalo Tata Pati! Hume der ho rahi hai!” Ruhi shouted. “Ishimaa, Mihika Chitti, chalo! Shravu aur periappa-periamma humara wait kar rahe hain niche!”

“Aiyyo kanna, shaant ho jao. Hum aa rahe hain. Waha punjabis ke ghar pe vegetarian khaana hoga ki nahi kise pata? Main sirf thoda khaana pack kar rahi hoon,” Amma replied.

It was a big day for Ruhi today. She was going to meet her paternal family -- the Bhallas -- for the first time. She was so excited that she had kept everyone on their toes since she woke up. Ishita and Mihika increased their speed on cue and finished getting ready. They gathered their things together and came into the living room where Ruhi was jumping around. They found that Amma and Appa had also finished packing the ice box with food and so, they proceeded downstairs where Vandu, Bala, and Shravu were waiting in their car. 

“Amma, itna saara khaana? Hum ek din ke liye unke ghar pe jaa rahe hain. Permanently shift nahi ho rahe hain waha,” Vandu exclaimed as she helped her mother and father haul the ice box into their trunk. 

“Vandu, woh punjabi logon ke vaha vegetarian south indian food nahi hoga na, isiliye thoda sa pack kiya.”

“Thoda sa nahi Amma kaafi saara pack kiya,” Bala grunted as he tried to close his car trunk. He had to move some of his things around and then apply all the force that he could to finally close the trunk with a THUD. “Chalo sab, let’s go.”

“Ruhi, aap ko kaun si gaadi mein aana hai? Humari ya Shravu ki?” Ishita asked.

“Mujhe Shravu ke saath jaana hai!”

“Haa Ishu Chitti, Ruhi ko yaha bhejo na!” Shravu yelled in agreement. 

“Ok phir, jao Ruhi,” Ishita said as she helped her daughter climb into the back seat of the car. Soon enough, all of the Iyer clan had settled into either Ishita’s or Bala’s car and were headed for the Bhalla house.

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

“Oye hoye Bhalla ji, tussi chethhi taiyyar ho, woh log aate hi honge! Oye Rinki! Simi! Mithai bani ki nahi? Aur ye Romi kitthe reh gaya, nalayak?!” Toshi Bhalla screamed.

“Mumma, tussi thand pao. Pura ghar sar pe utha liya hai apne, ha nahi to,” Simi said as she ran up to her mother and tried to calm her down. “Yeh dekho, saari mithai aur khaana taiyaar hai. Aur Romi ko maine hi bheja hai assorted pastries laane ke liye. Baccho ki badi favorite hai to shaayad Ruhi ko bhi pasand aayengi. Aap shaant raho nahi to aapka BP high ho jaana hai.”

“Woh sab chadd pare, pehle mainu yeh bata, Ananya kab aayegi? Use bhi to Ruhi se milaynege na? Use bhi to pata chale, uski ek badi didi hai.”

“Haa mumma, wo abhi so rahi hai ghar pe. Pulkit ji usko dopahar ke baad le ke aayenge.”

While Simi tried her best to relieve her mother’s excitement and anxiety, Rinki opened the door for Romi who had been ringing the doorbell with his elbow. Both his hands were full with the pastries that Simi had ordered. Rinki took some from his hand and began organizing them in the kitchen with the other food. 

“Itna saara khaana, Rinki? Woh Iyer log itna khaate hai kya?” Romi chuckled.

“Bhai please,” Rinki admonished him, making sure that their mother couldn’t hear. “Mumma ne itna saara bana diya hai, woh bhi Neelu ke bina. Unko pata nahi hai na ki Ruhi ko kya pasand hai aur kya nahi, to bas alag alag chize banate gaye aur dhire dhire pura kitchen aur fridge bhar diya.”

“Koi nahi Rinki, hum hai na. Do din mein saara khaana khatam ho jayega, dekhna. Aakhir yeh punjabi pet kis din kaam aayega,” Romi beamed as he slapped his belly. 

As the commotion died down in the living room, Raman stepped out with his phone in hand. “Ishita ka message aaya hai. Woh log nikal gaye hai aur bas aate hi…” Before Raman could finish, the doorbell rang indicating the Iyers’ arrival. “Wow, yeh log to aa bhi gaye? Udke aaye hai kya?” He walked ahead and opened the door, beckoning the Iyers to come in.

Amma, Appa, Mihika, and Vandu entered first followed by Bala who was carrying the food Amma had packed. While the former introduced themselves and made acquaintance of the Bhallas, the latter struggled to find space in the kitchen to settle the ice box. With Rinki’s help, he simply placed it in a corner on the floor in the kitchen. 

Ishita was the last to enter with Shravu and Ruhi, as she was still climbing the stairs while trying to keep both children from fighting over some trivial matter. By the time she entered, the rest of the Iyers and Bhallas had been acquainted with each other. 

“Dekho, yeh hai Ruhi, aur yeh Ishita,” Raman announced to his family. Toshi made a beeline for her granddaughter and opened her arms to hug her. Ruhi was puzzled at the amount of affection she was getting from this lady and the people around her who had eyes only for her. “Maa ek minute,” Raman instructed. He beckoned Ruhi forward and lifted her into his arms. “Ruhi, yeh meri maa hai. Matlab yeh aapki dadi hai. Aur yeh aapke dadaji, yaani mere papa.” One after another, Raman introduced each member of the Bhalla family to Ruhi. When Raman put Ruhi down, Toshi was the first to squeeze Ruhi in her arms and smother her face in kisses. “Mera puttar! Dadi ka bhachungda!” Raman had to implore his mother to keep herself in check so as not to scare Ruhi away. She would need some time to open up to her family.

As the Bhallas took their turn to hug and talk to Ruhi, Raman watched over them and felt genuinely happy that for the first time in years, he had brought smiles on his family’s faces instead of tears and worry. Meanwhile, Ishita stood on the sidelines watching her daughter be fussed over by her dada, dadi, bua, chachu and felt Ruhi slipping away from her. But she could see the happiness on her face and knew that this was all worth it. She had no idea what the future held, whether her daughter would stay with her or not, whether Ruhi would even be her daughter by the end of it all, but in this moment, it was all worth it. 

“Koi bhool gaya ki main bhi hoon yaha par?!” Shravu shrieked as he saw her sister being the center of attention. “Shravu! What behavior is this? Where are your manners? Keep quiet now!” Vandu chided him but Shravu’s frown deepened as he crossed his arms over each other. “Sorry, this is my son Shravan. Ruhi ka cousin hai aur sirf ek saal bada hai to abhi attention baatna sikha nahi hai.”

“Oye tingu, idhar aa,” Raman called. Shravu approached him and Raman went down on his knees to come to his level. “Tu sahi keh raha hai yaar, sab to Ruhi ko hi bhaav de rahe hai. Koi baat nahi. Main hoon na, main teri saari baatein sununga? Aaj se hum dono ki ek team, thik hai?”

“Haa uncle, aaj se hum ek team mein,” Shravu agreed and gave him a fist bump. “Dekha Ruhi? Tere papa kitne cool hai? Woh meri team mein hai, teri nahi!” 

At this point Ruhi had lost her cool. “Nahi, mere papa meri team mein hai!” she yelled as she charged towards Shravu. Seeing that both siblings were about to get into a new fight, Ishita got between them to break them apart. Rinki quickly suggested that everyone get settled for brunch to quiet down the ruckus. 

Both families slowly began to settle down and fill their plates with the copious amounts of food present in the kitchen. Upon Vandu’s request, Rinki and Simi made sure to separate the vegetarian and non-veg foods onto different counters. While Ishita got a plate for Ruhi and sat her down, Amma opened her ice box and took out the south indian food she had brought.

“Yeh thoda sa south indian khaana hum log laaye hai. Ise bhi taste karna.”

“Oye, maine itna saara banaya hai, to tu kyun aur le ke aayi Madhavi?” Toshi countered.

“Aiyo Santoshi, aisi koi baat nahi hai. Woh to maine socha ki thoda variety hoga. Aur pata nahi yaha vegetarian khaana hota ki nahi isiliye…”

“Oye! Tainu ki laga? Mainu vegetrain khaana banana nahi aata? Yeh dekh, kitna kuch banaya hai maine! Aur tu…”

“Maa, please calm down, sab baithte hain na chup chaap khaana khaane, bas bhi kijiye,” Raman requested his mother. Toshi decided to let go of her complaints at her son’s behest.

Amongst the chatter between the two families, Simi brought out the assorted pastries and served some to Ruhi. “Ruhi, aapko yeh pastries khaani hai? Dekho, kitni saari flavors hai.”

“Haa Simi bua, mujhe yeh chocolate aur strawberry wali chahiye.”

“Ek minute,” Madhu interjected. “Yeh pastries mein egg hai kya? Humare yaha egg nahi khaate.”

Simi was flabbergasted. “Aap log, anda bhi nahi khaate? Romi, isme anda hai kya?”

“Pata nahi Simi di,” Romi murmured.

“Tujhe kaise nahi pata? Tu hi to gaya tha na laane?”

“Haa, to aapne jo mangaya tha woh main laaya. Ab isme kya kya daala hai baker ne, woh mujhe kaise pata? Maine thodi banaya hai apne haatho se?”

Toshi was reaching the end of her patience. “Oye Madhavi! Bacchi hai Ruhi. Tujhe nahi khaana to mat kha na. Par use to khaane de?”

“Lekin Santoshi…”

“Amma jaane do na,” Ishita intervened. “It’s really not a big deal. Let Ruhi have some.” Although she was hesitant, Madhu finally relented and let Ruhi have some of the pastry. Both Raman and Ishita gave each other a knowing look. None of the Bhallas could match Toshi’s determination and none of the Iyers could mirror Madhu’s tenacity. But it seemed like both mothers had now found their match.

Brunch continued on for a while considering that there were many people and many delicacies to try. Everybody fed Ruhi a bite at one point or another and tried to bond with her. Shravan too had his fair share of attention, especially from Raman who had just made a new friend. As brunch came to an end, Romi suggested some indoor games they could engage in. Having opened up considerably to her new family, Ruhi insisted on playing Monopoly, a game she had grown to love after playing it with her Tata, Pati, Ishimaa, and Chitti. 

So it was decided. After the table was cleared, Romi brought out the game board. To accommodate the number of players, Bala suggested playing in teams of two. Ruhi and Shravu instantly partnered with each other. The other three teams were Rinki and Romi, Bala and Vandu, and Ishita and Mihika. Simi had to leave for home to attend to Ananya, although she promised Ruhi and Toshi that she would be back for afternoon tea with Ananya and Pulkit. Toshi, Omi, Vishwa, and Madhu retreated to the master bedroom to have a chat of their own, while Raman withdrew to his bedroom to immerse himself in meaningless phone calls and video conferences instead of indulging with his family. He had promised to bring Ruhi back for his family, and he would do whatever it took to fulfill that promise. But that also meant he had to maintain his distance. For the sake of keeping his darkness away from his family and for the sake of his own sanity.

His absence didn’t go unnoticed, however, as Ishita quickly followed him into his bedroom. She knew how much he loved Ruhi. She had seen it in their first meeting itself. But she had also seen him withdrawing himself from her at every chance he got. And she had to confront him for it. She entered his room and saw him standing in the balcony with his back to her as he was scrolling through his phone.

“Raman, what’s wrong? Why are you in here when your entire family is outside enjoying with your daughter? I’ve been noticing for a while that you’re hesitant to open up with Ruhi. You immediately broke your first hug with her at my place. While your entire family was trying to bond with Ruhi and was feeding her morsels, you kept your distance from her. What’s going on? You’ve been going on and on about how she’s your daughter and how you have the first right on her but now that she’s here with you and your family, you’re purposely staying away from her.”

This obstinate woman, Raman thought. Why couldn’t she just stick to her own life? He turned around and put his phone in his pocket. “Listen, it’s none of your business. You need to stop reading into it so much. I just have some important clients whose emails I have to attend to, that’s all.”

“Really? Clients and emails are more important to you than your daughter? The child that you’ve been away from for years?”

“Stop that, okay?! It’s not like I’ve left her alone. She’s with her entire family outside. She’s happy and well taken care of. And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to work. The door is right behind you. Please show yourself out.” 

“Unbelievable,” Ishita mumbled. 

So he really cared about his money and business more than his daughter? Or was there something else? She had seen pain in his eyes which he tried to keep hidden. Was that pain coming in the way? Is that why he tried indulging himself in work? Who knew better than her how work was an excellent escape from heartbreak. She had been doing that for months after Subbu dumped her and before she adopted Ruhi. 

“Raman, I can tell that you are dealing with some kind of pain or loss. I know it’s not my place to ask anything about it, but as Ruhi’s mother, I have to say that Ruhi doesn’t deserve this. I don’t know who has hurt you in the past and what you are trying to run away or hide from, but I can tell you that Ruhi would never hurt you. She’s a child, and she needs her father’s love. All you have to do is open your heart and let her in.”

“Didn’t I already show you the door? Please leave Ishita. And this isn’t a request.”

This time Ishita didn’t falter. She turned around and left immediately. She could tell that Raman had some pain he was dealing with but that didn’t allow him to ignore Ruhi. And neither did it justify or excuse his rude behavior with her.

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

The day passed with lots of smiles and laughter as both families indulged in one game after another. Simi had arrived with Ananya and Pulkit later in the afternoon and Ruhi was thrilled to meet her little sister. “Dekho Ishimaa, main to badi didi hoon ab,” she exclaimed repeatedly. However, to her dismay, it wasn’t enough to convince her mother to push back bedtime. 

Amongst the laughter, Toshi Bhalla shed a few tears of happiness that she shared with her husband. Both the grandparents were elated to see their grandchildren in front of them under one roof. And amongst those tears of happiness were a few of longing and nostalgia, as they reminisced Adi’s childhood days, wishing that he could be here with his younger sisters. 

When finally it was time for the Iyers to leave, another one of the North South feud erupted between Toshi and Madhu as Toshi insisted on letting Ruhi stay for the night while Madhu was adamant on taking her home. But this time Ishita sided with her mother. As much as she wanted Ruhi to form relationships with all her family members, a night stay at the Bhallas would be too much too quick. And plus, she wasn’t ready to let go of Ruhi that easily. The prospect of losing her custody was daunting enough. 

“Main to kehta hoon aap sab yahin pe, isi society mein shift ho jao. To waise hum sab kabhi bhi Ruhi se mil sakte hain. Aur aap sab se bhi,” Romi remarked playfully with a wink at Mihika.

“Are, hum sab to abhi abhi Delhi shift hue hain, kuch mahine pehle. Hum apna lease cancel nahi kar sakte. Agar aisa hai to aap sab humari society mein shift ho jao,” Mihika retorted. 

Although Romi and Mihika had begun their banter as a joke, Omi Bhalla saw an opportunity. He recalled that Mr. Iyer had mentioned an empty flat beside theirs in their building. The previous owner had joined two flats together and increased the space and number of rooms. The only catch was that it was quite pricey due to its size, which was also why the society couldn’t manage to sell it. Maybe the Bhallas could move into that flat. Heaven knew they had the money to buy it. Their old flat was getting cramped now that Raman had moved back and considering that a new Bhalla member had joined in the form of Ruhi, they could use the extra space. Plus, this move might just act as the catalyst for change that would bring back the happy unit his family used to be, Omi thought. 

“Waise Mihika ka idea bura nahi hain. Iyer saab, aap bata rahe the na ki aap ke ghar ke saamne ek flat hai jo khaali hai? Hum waha shift ho sakte hain. Wahan jagah bhi zyada hogi aur hum Ruhi ke kareeb bhi honge. Yaha se zyada door bhi nahi hain. Kya kehte ho sab?”

“Haa Bhalla ji, mainu te idea bada changa laga,” Toshi agreed.

“Agar mujhe us flat mein bada kamra milega na, to main bhi move karne ke liye taiyyar hoon,” Romi exclaimed. “Main bhi,” Rinki chimed in. “Main thak gayi hoon har baar Simi di ke saath apna kamra aur apni chize share karte karte.”

“Raman, tu kya soch raha hai?” Omi asked his son. He knew he had been hesitant about moving his business here when he broached the subject. God knows if he would agree to moving houses. But Raman’s response pleasantly surprised him.

“I think it’s a great idea papa. This way Ruhi could stay close to both her families and we can finally solve our problem of cramped space, especially when Simi and Ananya come to visit.” 

After a suggestive pause, Raman spoke up again. “Ishita?”

“Hmmm?” she murmured in response. 

“Do you have a copy of the legal adoption and custody paperwork?”

Ishita’s heart dropped into her stomach. This was the moment she had been fearing all along. She couldn’t believe that it had arrived so soon though.

“Yeah, I do have a copy at home.”

“Great, then I think we should get it altered.”

“What do you mean Raman?”

“I mean, both of us should share Ruhi’s custody. It’s more than clear that she relies on you the most. We can be co-parents to her.” 

“That’s...that’s great Raman! Thank you so much! Sharing custody is a great idea.”

Ishita finally gave out a sigh of relief. She wasn’t going to lose Ruhi. Raman had turned out to be a much better man than she initially thought. Overcome with emotion, she pulled her daughter towards her and lifted her in her arms. The Iyers too exchanged grateful glances with each other and the Bhallas. Ishita had managed to find happiness after a long time, and they were relieved to know that it wasn’t ending. 

Raman was also relieved. He had been adamant at bringing Ruhi back to his family, but today he had seen for himself how attached she was to Ishita. It wouldn’t have been fair to separate them. Especially when he knew that he didn’t have it in his heart to love and care for Ruhi the way Ishita did. By sharing custody, Ishita would still be Ruhi’s mother, but Ruhi would also be a part of his family. 

There was still much to be done. Visiting the new flat, redoing the custody agreement, moving Raman’s company headquarters from Mumbai to Delhi. But this was a start. A start of three individuals coming together -- Raman, Ishita, and Ruhi. 

Bhalla/Iyer Residence - A few weeks later, late May afternoon

“Ishimaa, main dadi ke paas jaa rahi hoon! Mujhe idli nahi khaani! Mujhe chole bhature khaane hai!” Ruhi screamed and ran next door where the Bhallas had just moved in, as her Ishimaa closely followed her.

“Ruko Ruhi, dadi to abhi saara saamaan unpack kar rahi hongi na? Unke haath ka khaana baad mein kha lena. Abhi yeh idli khaa lo na?” 

“Nahi nahi nahi! Mujhe sirf chole bhature chahiye! Chole bhature, chole bhature, chole bhature!” 

Toshi heard the commotion from her living room and came out navigating through the unpacked and unopened boxes. “Kya hua meri Ruhi ko?”

“Dadi, mujhe chole bhature khaane hai! Aur mumma mujhe idli de rahi hai. Mujhe idli nahi khaani.”

“Thik hai chal, mai tere liye chole bhature banati hoon, thik hai?” 

“Nahi auntyji, aap to abhi bhi unpacking kar rahi ho na? Aur iski har demand puri karte rahenge sab to yeh bigad jaayegi. That’s not right,” Ishita sighed. She kneeled down to her daughter and tried to crack a deal. “Ruhi, agar aap ko chole bhature khaane hai, to dadi aap ke liye dinner mein banayengi. Lekin abhi aap ko yeh idli khaani hogi, thik hai?”

“Ok Ishimaa.”

“Now go and sit at the table.”

Ruhi complied with her mother and crept back into the Iyer residence. Ishita stopped to have a brief chat with Toshi hoping she didn’t mind making chole bhature for dinner. Toshi willingly obliged, as she leapt at every chance to pamper Ruhi. The Bhallas had just moved in a few days back after many flat visits and broker meetings. Raman had also transferred his business to Delhi with Mihir’s help. The last task to accomplish was altering Ruhi’s custody for which Raman and Ishita had a meeting with Mr. Yadav later that day. His approval was needed and then they could see a lawyer and have an official custody agreement drafted.

Ishita ended her conversation with Toshi and went back into her house to serve Ruhi lunch. She had to hurry since the meeting with Mr. Yadav was in an hour. She wondered if Raman even remembered. She had a late shift at the clinic yesterday and hadn’t had a chance to talk with him, and he had been busy in his office since early this morning. As she served Ruhi her last idli and a helping of sambar, Ishita grabbed her phone and dialled Raman’s number. Or rather “Ravan Kumar’s” number. 

In his office, Raman’s phone lit up with the name he hated to see on his screen. “Jhansi ki Rani.” What did this woman want now?

“Hello Raman, aap ko yaad hai na ki aaj humari Mr. Yadav ke saath meeting hai?”

“Of course mujhe yaad hai. Tumhari tarah dimaagi taur se bimar thodi na hoon?”

“Nahi, wo maine socha ki aap apne paiso ke ped ugaa rahe hain to bhool gaye honge shaayad.”

“Very funny madam. Mera kaam bas khatam hi ho raha hai, tum chaho to tumhe pick up kar loon?”

“Nahi, main apni gaadi leke aa jaungi.”

“Wahan parking ki problem hogi isiliye keh raha hoon. Aur tumhari khatara car beech mein band pad gayi to aur musibat hogi.”

“Meri car mein aisi koi problem nahi hai. Aur mujhe baad mein clinic bhi jaana hai, so it’s better if I bring my car.”

“Fine, as you wish. I’ll see you there then.”

“Bye.”

Little Smiles Adoption Agency, Mr. Yadav’s Office

Mr. Yadav entered his office, and as the receptionist had informed him, he saw Raman and Ishita seated in the chairs opposite his. He came in and sat in his chair.

“Hello Mr. Yadav, we spoke over the phone a few days ago, if you remember. We’re here for Ruhi’s custody agreement. We need some documents from you and your approval,” Raman informed. 

“I know Mr. Bhalla, but I’m afraid that will have to wait.”

“What do you mean? Why do we need to wait?”

“Is there something wrong with our documents? Or Ruhi’s papers? I mean I double checked everything…” Ishita intervened.

“No, the documents are fine.” Mr. Yadav took a deep breath. “Actually, the problem was from our side. You see Dr. Iyer, the documents that I submitted to approve your adoption of Ruhi were stopped before they could be processed. As it turns out, two more people have shown up claiming Ruhi’s custody which has sounded many alarms, so her case has to go to the civil court now. The court will decide who will have custody.”

“What?!” Ishita was aghast. “Who has shown up? Who is claiming Ruhi?”

“Shagun Arora and Ashok Khanna.”

“Who are these people?”

By now Raman had visibly sunk in his seat and despair took over his visage. “Shagun Arora is my ex-wife, Ruhi’s biological mother, and Ashok Khanna is her boyfriend.”

Awesome update. Loved it. Thanks

Nice update.. 

Loved it.. 

Continue soon 

A very interesting update please update next part soon to know what happens next what will Raman do now 

You stopped the update at correct place

It is just like intermission in any blockbuster movie

Pls continue soon

Thank u for beautiful update! Loving the story 

Superb update

Raman spent time with ruhi he was leaving but ruhi was not letting him go he promised he will come soon to meet her but she was not ready ishita got the idea she told ruhi she can meet her grandparents and other family members next time ruhi got excited raman asked ishita why she agreed so soon ishita told him the reason ishra had argument but they understood each other prospective raman told ishita they can come to his house ruhi can meet his family members ishita agreed ruhi was so excited to meet her grandparents and others hehe amma packed food too that was funny they reached Bhalla house toshiji was preparing for ruhis welcome all were so excited ruhi was getting so much attention from everyone sharvu was annoyed raman did friendship with him raman was making distance from ruhi ishita notices that she asked raman why he is doing this he asked her not to interfere in his personal matter ishita observed his pain but she felt he was rude iyers were leaving toshiji wanted ruhi to stay but amma didn't ishita supported her mother raman proposed the idea ishita got happy for being coparent of ruhi mr.bhalla said they can shift in same building where iyers stay finally bhallas shifted in iyers building ruhi was happy getting love from both family ruhis coparent document legalisation was pending ishra had to take permission from mr.yadav they went to orphanage oh no ashagun are claiming for ruhis Custody disgusting people poor ishra

Pls update soon

Awesome Update Dear...

Amazing update dear