Connected: A YHM Story (COMPLETED) - Page 12

superb update

would like to read more

do pm.me ur stories

Hi Aditi!!

Read whole story in one go...loved it. Such a different take on real YHM👍🏼 You write so well I can imagine all this happening in front of my eyes...every emotion is penned down so beautifully.

The turmoil Ishita is going through breaks my heart💔

Eagerly waiting for next update !!

Please continue soon

Oh my god !! This is such an amazing story dear! I look forward to reading your story every time I open IF.You capture each of their emotions so well !! I could feel the restlessness of Ishita and Raman !!

Please update asap !!!

🤗🤗🤗

Part 11

Parking lot of Akash Ganga Society - The next day (June 10th), 9 am

Romi once again spun his key in his bike and once again failed to ignite the engine. This was his routine every morning now, but usually his bike started in a couple of tries. Today, however, it took more effort than usual. He sighed, removed his key, and slumped onto the seat of his bike. Every task this morning seemed to take more energy out of him, which meant he probably had less mental energy than usual. Who could blame him though? His situation was no different from his siblings and parents either. They had all either witnessed or heard of Raman and Ishita’s huge fight last night. Since he was on a call in the balcony, he had the pleasant misfortune of witnessing it first hand. The aftermath of that fight meant that Raman had gone straight to his room without joining his daughter and family for dinner. He was distancing himself from everyone, as usual. Lord knows, Romi admired his elder brother but he also drove him nuts. Raman’s refusal to participate with his family affected the dynamics of the rest of the relationships in the house, something he was so oblivious to. Mummyji and Papaji had been constantly worried and/or disappointed, and Romi and Rinki were always on edge. Even Simi and Pulkit’s visits had grown thin over time owing to the tension in the Bhalla house. Fortunately, Ruhi’s arrival had brought much needed laughter into his family, and Simi and Ananya had started visiting more frequently to spend time with her. Romi had hoped that Ruhi’s arrival would give his brother a reason to open himself up again and become the happy man he used to be. But the custody case that Shagun filed meant that possibility was also in peril. Ruhi deserved to be with them and they deserved Ruhi more than anyone, Romi thought. Shagun couldn’t take her away.

Lost in his thoughts, he almost failed to notice who had descended the steps into the parking lot. Ishita was making her way to her car to leave for her clinic. This was the time, Romi told himself. He recalled Ishita’s allegations to Raman last night and decided that he had to clear her misunderstanding. Raman and Shagun’s broken marriage was Shagun’s fault, not Raman’s.

“Excuse me, Ishita ji!”

Ishita turned around and was surprised to see Romi running towards her. She had very little one on one interaction with him making it unusual for him to seek out a conversation with her.

“Haa Romi, bolo?”

“Aap se do minute baat ho sakti hai kya?”

“Yeah sure. Kya baat hai?”

“Mujhe Raman bhai ke baare main baat karni hai.”

“Nahi Romi, mujhe Raman ke baare mein koi baat nahi karni. I have had enough of that man.”

“Meri baat to suniye kam se kam!” Romi pleaded.

Ishita exhaled and stood rooted to her spot. She might as well hear him out.

“Thik hai. Bolo, kya baat karni hai?”

“Aap ko agar aisa lagta hai ki Raman bhai aur Shagun bhabh- I mean Shagun ke divorce ke zimmedaar Bhai hai, to woh galat hain. Shagun ne aap se jhooth bola hain.”

“Kya matlab?”

“Ishita ji, it is not my place to say what had actually happened. That is Bhai’s story to tell. But he won’t share anything about himself unless absolutely necessary. You have to push him for it. After all, Ruhi’s custody depends on it. You can’t make a decision based on other people’s lies.”

“Romi, main samajhti hoon. Aur sach kahoon to mujhe bhi Shagun ki baaton mein puri sacchai nahi dikhti. Lekin jo usne Raman ke baare mein bola, woh sab to main apni aakhon se dekh chuki hoon. To main tumhari baat kaise maan loon?”

Convincing Ishita to dig deeper into Raman’s past would take more effort than Romi had imagined. Well, here goes nothing.

“Aap Mihir ko jaante hain?”

“Haa, tumhara aur Raman ka bhai hain na woh? Aur Mihika ka boyfriend bhi. Lekin usse zyada baatein to nahi hui hain meri…”

“Woh aaj humara bhai hai, lekin pehle woh kisi aur rishte se juda tha humari family se.”

“Matlab? Kaun se rishte se?”

“Ishita ji, Mihir humara sagaa bhai nahi hain. Woh Shagun ka sagaa bhai hai. Woh Raman Bhai ka saala tha. Lekin unke divorce ke baad usne Shagun ko chod kar Raman bhai ki side li. Aap hi sochiye, koi bhai apni behen ko chod kar kisi aur ka saath kyun lega? Kya aap ko nahi lagta ki uske piche koi reason hoga?”

“Agar reason hai to tumhi bata do.”

“Main isse zyada nahi bata sakta, kyunki yeh Bhai ki kahani hai. Unke permission ke bina main aapko kuch nahi bata sakta. Lekin main sirf itna kahoonga, ki Shagun ne Bhai ke saath galat kiya tha. Naki Bhai ne. Ab aap unse hi puri baat puchiye.”

Saying so, Romi left for his bike and spun the key in it again. To his relief, the engine finally started and he left for his college.

Ishita opened her car and sat inside. She placed her purse on the passenger seat and started the car. As she drove to her clinic, Romi’s words rang in her ears. She would have never imagined that Mihir wasn’t Raman’s real brother. They were practically joined at the hip. He blindly doted on Raman, something that Ishita had initially despised but now she saw it in a new light. She had suspected that some pain bothered Raman ever since she saw his first encounter with Ruhi. After meeting Shagun, she thought that it was the divorce and the loss of his ex-wife that grieved him. But if what Romi said was true, then that meant that there were much deeper wounds of his to be uncovered.

‘But why do you care, Ishita? Everyone has a past. People move on. Raman should too. And whether he does or doesn’t, how is that any of your business?’ she thought to herself. For Ruhi, of course. She had to make a decision in less than a week about which parent she should go to. She needed full disclosure in order to do so. Shagun was obviously lying. There was nothing sincere about her attachment to Ruhi. But she knew without a doubt that despite his issues, Raman loved Ruhi more than anything. It was only fair to give him a chance to tell his own story, rather than letting Shagun paint a picture for him, much less a false one.

The French Flavor Coffee House - 5 pm

Raman opened his phone and reread Ishita’s text message.

Meet me at the cafe by our society today at 5. We need to talk.

She hadn’t specified the cafe, but this was the only coffee shop nearby. He had been here many times and this still remained the prime hangout spot for all the youngsters from neighboring societies. He hoped he was at the right place. It was 5 already but she wasn’t here. He decided to wait for 10 minutes at most and then leave if she didn’t show up. Why did she want to meet him anyway? What else did she have to say? Wasn’t last night enough? Why did he even care enough to actually show up? He hated her, he thought. Her know-it-all pretence, her unnecessary involvement in his life, her tart tongue, her everything. He swore to himself, that today, if she crossed a line, he would for sure put her in his place.

He ordered a black coffee for himself as he waited for her to show up. The cafe was a quiet, cozy place in the midst of the city. It was decorated with pictures of the Eiffel Tower, baguettes and crepes, and other French delicacies giving justice to its name. The owners were an elderly Indian couple who had lived a greater part of their life in France but moved back to Delhi for their golden years. Their children and grandchildren lived abroad and they went every Christmas to visit. Raman didn’t know them personally, but his parents had been good friends with them before they had moved to France.

The waiter returned with his coffee, and as he took a sip, he heard the door open and saw Ishita walk in. She wore a simple purple kurti paired with orange leggings and dupatta. Her hair was parted in the middle, some tied with a clip at the back of her head leaving the rest cascading down her shoulders and upper back. Apart from two small jhumkas in her ear, she wore no other jewelry. Her makeup was minimal too, but Raman still couldn’t tear his eyes off her. He studied her so closely that he didn’t even realize that she had walked from the entrance and taken a seat in front of him. Before it was too late though, he managed to look away at the pretense of taking a sip of coffee. He hadn’t expected that reaction from him but he didn’t give it a second thought. She looked pretty today. So what? It was good that she wasn’t much of a strain on the eyes. Otherwise, considering her personality, no one would be able to tolerate her.

Thankfully, Ishita hadn’t noticed Raman’s unblinking gaze, as she herself was occupied in her own admiration. He drove her bonkers, but her ego wasn’t that big to not allow her to acknowledge the man’s grooming. He wore a crisp black suit and white shirt with the top button undone. His hair was perfectly set and seemed to not have moved even after a long day of work. He had a bit of stubble that added to his charm. He was a sight for sore eyes, sure. But Ishita knew better of the man he really was. He drove her up a wall and got on her nerves like no one ever did.

“Ab batao, yahan milne kyun bulaya tha?”

“Mujhe aap se kuch baat karni hai.”

“Ab kya baat karni hai? Wasn’t last night enough?”

Ishita took in a sharp breath. “Kal raat ke liye sorry. Main bahot thak gayi thi aur aap ne seedha mujh pe chillana chalu kar diya to maine bhi bina soche samjhe bol diya.”

Raman’s eyes widened in shock. What did he just hear? The Ishita Iyer just apologized to him?

“Wow, to tumhe sorry bolna bhi aata hai?”

“Yes, unlike you. Tumne abhi tak mujhe sorry bola hi nahi kal raat ke liye.”

“Main kyun sorry bolu? Tum mujhe bina bataye Ruhi ko waha le ke gayi thi. Us aurat ke paas. Aur kuch nahi to kam se kam bata ke jaa sakti thi tum?”

“Par maine aisa bhi kya galat kar diya ki aap mujh pe itna chilla ne lage? Aur…”

“Tum kya yaha par kal ke jhagde ka repeat telecast karne aayi ho?”

“Nahi, mujhe kuch aur baat karni hain.”

“To phir jaldi point pe aao.”

“Aap ki aur Shagun ki history kya hai?”

“Excuse me?”

“Aap ki aur Shagun ki shaadi kyun tooti thi? Aur aap unse itni nafrat kyun karte hain?”

Raman was furious. No one dared to ask him about this. How did she? He gathered his bag in a fit of rage and stood up to leave.

“I don’t talk about this stuff. All right? I don’t care what you think and I don’t owe you any explanation!” He bellowed and stomped away.

Before he could reach the entrance though, Ishita caught his wrist and stopped him.

“Raman, Shagun has painted an awfully unpleasant picture of you and I have a pretty good hunch that most of it is a lie. But you need to speak up and tell your side of the story if you want me to make an unbiased decision about where Ruhi should go.”

Raman’s anger was growing by the minute. Why did she have so much say in Ruhi’s future and thereby in his past? Raman hardly opened up to anyone of his own family, much less a woman he barely knew.

“Who do you think you are, woman?” He blurted. “What gives you the right to know anything about my life?”

“I’m not personally interested in you or anything. But you deserve a chance to tell your own story rather than let Shagun spread lies about you. Speak up, Raman. If not for yourself, then for your daughter. You want her custody, don’t you?”

At the mention of Ruhi, Raman let go of his struggle to free his wrist from Ishita’s hand. Ishita too let go of his hand after she felt him relax.

“This morning Romi told me that Mihir is Shagun’s brother. That he sided with you in the divorce instead of his real sister. Now that counts for something, doesn’t it? Why would a man side with his brother-in-law over his own sister in the divorce?”

“Romi ne tumhe yeh sab bataya? Uski to abhi class leta hoon main…”

“Please, usko blame mat karo. Agar kuch karna hi hai, to mujhe sach batao. Aap ki shaadi aur divorce ki asli kahani kya hai?”

Staying quiet was of no use now. Shagun had been badmouthing him to the person with the biggest say in Ruhi’s custody case. He couldn’t risk losing Ruhi and his family’s happiness over his own ego. It was time to tell Ishita the truth. He motioned for her to sit down as he took his previous seat.

“Let me make one thing clear, Ishita. I will say this only once and then we will never revisit this topic again. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Raman took a deep breath and dived into his past where resided the most painful memories of his life.

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

Flashback

Ten years ago, Raman had been the happiest he had ever been. At the age of 22, he had just graduated from business school and secured a job under the city’s topmost businessman, Ashok Khanna. He looked up to him as a mentor and thrived in his job under his guidance. Soon enough, he started receiving marriage proposals from every corner of his Punjabi community, much to the delight of his mother. Toshi Bhalla had always dreamed of her children’s wedding; she gladly started going through the proposals looking for a suitable bride for her eldest son. She deemed many proposals to be unfit for her son, much to Raman’s delight as that meant he didn’t have to deal with meeting new women every day and instead could focus on his work.

The first and only proposal that Raman actually paid any heed to was of Shagun Arora, a beautiful young aspiring model who had dropped out of college to follow the glamour, wealth, and luxury of the glitz & glam modeling business. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find her foothold despite many tries. Her mother, Poornima Prakash, grew increasingly worried about securing her future with every passing day and consequently convinced her to get married to a well settled boy. Through family friends and acquaintances, Poornima sent her daughter’s proposal to Toshi for her son, and soon enough, both Raman and Shagun met. Raman was smitten with Shagun as soon as he laid eyes on her; he instantly said yes to the wedding. Shagun, on the other hand, took extra time to mull over her decision. Raman wasn’t the kind of guy she would usually go for, but he definitely was marriage material. He wasn’t too bad on the eyes and he earned really well, much more than she had ever had growing up with a single mom raising two kids. She could have everything she ever dreamed of. With the encouragement of her mother, Shagun too agreed to the marriage.

The wedding festivities progressed smoothly, and soon, Raman was a married man. He was beyond happy with his life. To his delight, he soon became a father to a perfect little baby boy, who he named Aditya Bhalla, and his family was perfect. Or so he thought.

While he bashed in the joys of being a father, Raman’s responsibilities as a son took a toll on his family life. Soon after Aditya’s second birthday, Raman’s father had become caught up in office politics and was essentially forced into retirement, which meant that his income stopped. He didn’t want to ask Raman for money though. He knew his son was still getting started in his career; he had a new wife and son to take care of and he also took care of Mihir’s higher education. Omi Bhalla instead tapped into his savings and pension, but soon even that money started wearing thin and it became hard for him to take care of Rinki, Romi, and Simi. Reluctantly, he approached Raman for help who in turn relieved him of his worries. Raman eagerly took up the responsibilities of his siblings’ education along with Mihir’s while simultaneously saving up for Aditya’s future. Whatever was left, he handed to his parents to allow them to live comfortably. Unfortunately, this did not go down well with Shagun. Before, she could indulge all of her and her son’s wishes with Raman’s money, but now she had to share it with a herd of other people. Raman’s excellent money management skills meant everyone in the family was properly taken care of. But his graciousness meant very little money was left for her to spend on her wants -- makeup, jewelry, expensive designer outfits, and more. Their fights over money got uglier and uglier. Shagun saw her dreams and hopes being crushed in front of her own eyes. However, their ugliest fight came in the aftermath of Simi’s wedding, where Raman had offered his and Shagun’s vacation funds to his father to help out with the preparations. Shagun had blurted out how she regretted the marriage now that finances ran thin in the house. Her allegations broke the father and husband in Raman. He made sure that his wife and son were his priority but he was just as responsible for his parents and siblings. He realized just how little he actually knew about Shagun and her desires.

Thankfully, Raman was soon promoted to a higher position which not only meant a larger salary, but also meant invitations to glamorous insider parties mostly hosted by his boss, Ashok Khanna. Raman made a point to take Shagun to such parties to keep her mood uplifted and it seemed to work. Their fights lessened and Raman decided that although the troubles faced by their family had brought out the worst in his wife, she was now back to her previous self. She seemed to withdraw from the family but Raman attributed that to her wanting to spend time by herself. He encouraged her to mingle with his mother and sisters and accompany them when they went outside, but she preferred to go with her friends. Gradually, she spent more time outside with friends than inside with family and her own son. The time that she did spend with Aditya went on pampering him with expensive gifts. Raman’s parents were suspicious with the amount of money that Shagun spent on clothing and jewelry for herself and unnecessary gifts for Adi. But when the subject was broached, Raman was quick to silence it so as not to upset Shagun. He had finally found stability in his marriage and he couldn’t risk disturbing it. Plus, he trusted her to have learned how to manage the money he gave her. Or at least he pretended to. Truth be told, he had noticed Shagun’s suspicious, secretive behavior for long but chose to blissfully ignore it. However, the cracks in his marriage eventually brought his family down crumbling soon after his fifth anniversary.

Shagun revealed signed divorce papers to Raman and instructed him to sign them and end their marriage. She wasn’t in love with him anymore; she was in love with Ashok. She had been happy not because of Raman’s promotion, but because of the lavish gifts and accessories that Ashok spoiled her with. That was the kind of life she envisioned for herself and her son. Raman tried reasoning with her, even resorted to begging, but to no avail. Shagun left with Aditya for Ashok Khanna, leaving Raman in shambles.

But alas, that was not the end of his misery. Before the divorce could even be thoroughly finalized, Shagun filed a case for Aditya’s sole custody. Raman, backed by his parents and siblings, put on a brave fight, but ultimately, the law was stacked against him. Shagun put on a show of fake tears claiming the emotionally abusive in-laws and husband card in front of the judge and implored her not to separate her from her son. Ashok promised to provide financially for both Shagun and Aditya, making the case that he was far wealthier than Raman could ever dream to be. The last straw was when Adi himself was made to stand in the court and choose his mother over his father. Watching his son shun him broke Raman beyond measure, even more than being left by his wife. All the fight he had put up to stay near his son seemed futile now. Shagun was granted sole custody of Aditya Bhalla who quickly transferred him into an out-of-state boarding school, to keep him away from his father and paternal family. Raman’s parents tried their best to support him and help him through possibly the worst phase of his life, but he refused anyone’s help. Everything they did simply reminded him of his failure as a husband and father. Even when he held his niece Ananya for the first time, he couldn’t help but relive the moment he held Adi for the first time. Unable to face his past, he ran. He ran away from his job, his family, and even his city. Despite their best efforts, no one could persuade him to stay behind. However, Mihir managed to convince Raman to take him along with him. He had seen her sister ruin his life; all he wanted was to play some part in helping him rebuild it. Toshi was disappointed to see Raman go but was reassured that at least he wouldn’t be alone. With Mihir by his side, Raman left for Mumbai and began his own business with the sole mission to earn more money than he ever had. He worked on his business with his own blood and sweat making it the one of the topmost in the country. He rose to unimaginable fame and financial success in a span of five years, but he had grown further and further apart from his family. He made a point to send home hefty sums of money, but hardly ever visited. The pain of his broken marriage and separation from his son never left, however. And so, he found solace in alcohol. Whenever he wasn’t nose deep in work, he was wasted away trying to forget his pain. His life wasn’t done shocking him yet though. For merely three months ago, he had found out about another betrayal of Shagun’s -- their daughter. She had placed Ruhi in an orphanage to shake off the responsibility of actually raising her. And his nemesis, Ashok Khanna, had made sure that he wouldn’t find her by destroying her letter.

Flashback ends

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

“Mujhe kabhi nahi pata tha ki aapka beta bhi hain.”

“Hmmm.”

“I’m really sorry for what Shagun did to you.”

Sorry. Pity. This was exactly the feeling he hated. He hated being pitied on. It was the reason he left. He grew so much in stature that now he saw fear in everyone’s eyes, instead of pity. He preferred the former over the latter. But when he looked up into her eyes, he saw neither. This woman, Ishita Iyer, had never feared him. And even now, he didn’t see pity in her eyes. It was something else. But what?

His buzzing phone diverted his attention. It was a message from his mother.

“Mujhe ghar jana hoga. Maa intezaar kar rahi hain.”

“Thik hai. Main bhi nikalti hoon.”

“Tumhe ghar drop kar doon?”

“Nahi, main apni gaadi leke aayi hoon.”

They both proceeded in silence towards the area where their cars were parked. Before they went their own ways though, Raman called Ishita back one last time.

“Ishita?”

“Yeah?”

“Two things. Don’t ever bring this up again between us. And don’t ever take Ruhi away somewhere without informing me.”

“Okay. I won’t.”

Normally, Ishita would put up a fight against someone who dared to dictate orders to her like that. But here, the situation was different. As she got into her car and drove home, she pondered over what she had believed about Raman and what turned out to be true. His protectiveness over Ruhi and his refusal to let her near Shagun came from fear of losing her like he had lost Adi. Alcohol was his effort to cope with his pain. His distanced stance was a result of having been hurt in the past. His drive to make money stemmed from a need to prove himself as a worthwhile man, considering that his marriage had broken over issues of money. It would have been easy for anyone to pity this man who had lost so much. But Ishita saw him differently. She saw that even after going through so much, he had gotten back up and stood tall, ready to fight another long battle for his daughter. Such a man deserved not pity, but respect and compassion, something she felt in surges when he had finished his story in the coffee house. She could never have imagined this backstory of the arrogant, smug, and short-tempered Raman Bhalla.

She still had reservations about Raman’s behavior with Ruhi, but one thing was clear. She could not, in any circumstance, side with Shagun in the court case. She had been lying and pretending all along. Raman wasn’t who she made him out to be, and neither was she. Ishita clearly saw now how fake her “motherly love” was. Shagun had sent her son to a boarding school five years ago. Which meant that the forms and brochures she saw at her house were meant to transfer Ruhi there as well. She could not let that happen. If Ruhi stayed with Raman, then at least she would be in the warmth of her grandparents’ love and care. She would have the company of her aunts, uncles, and cousins. And surely, Raman would deal with his wounds and open up to her as well, she hoped.

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

Khanna Mansion - June 12th, 4 pm

Ashok paced back and forth across his living room, while Shagun flipped through the pages of the latest fashion magazine intermittently glancing at her phone. Ruhi’s custody hearing was two days away and they were adamant at getting her custody. Ishita’s statement would prove crucial in that matter and so, Shagun had just sent a very sweet but insincere message asking her to side with her.

Isheeta, I really hope tum mera saath dogi court mein. Main Ruhi ko bahot khush rakhoongi. Uski sabse best school aur college mein admission karvaaungi, and I’ll make her future secure. Main usko bahot saara pyaar bhi dungi. Main apni beti ke bina aur zyada nahi reh paaungi. I hope you understand the gravity of my situation.

They were now waiting for her reply. Ding! And there it was.

Shagun, you have nothing to worry about. You’ve shown me very well how much you deserve Ruhi. I know exactly whom to choose now. Just relax and rest up for the upcoming court hearing :)

Shagun’s beaming smile told Ashok more than he needed to know but he asked anyway, “Kya kaha usne?”

“Baby, she said we have nothing to worry about. She knows I deserve Ruhi so she knows that she should choose me. I told you.”

“Perfect. Absolutely perfect,” he smirked.

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

Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Parlour - later that day, 9 pm

“One choco chip in a cone and one black currant in a cup, please. And one black coffee.”

Raman placed their order at the counter and came back with the receipt to the booth to join Ruhi and Ishita. Ruhi was especially chirpy as her Ishimaa had granted her special permission to have ice cream and that too, past her bedtime. Ishita on the other hand was growing nervous. She hid it well, but Raman could see it, only because he was in the same predicament. The court hearing was two days away and it was high time that they explained to Ruhi what was going on. It was a daunting task, and they both were finally understanding the gravity of the upcoming battle. Ruhi’s life would be put at stake and the wrong decision would have consequences that neither could bear to think about.

The waiter arrived with their ice cream and coffee, handing the cone to the little girl, the cup to Ishita, and the coffee to Raman. Ruhi instantly dug into her cone.

“Aap itni raat ko coffee pioge to neend kaise aayegi?” Ishita asked, seeing Raman take a sip of black coffee.

“Itni tension mein neend to waise bhi nahi aane wali.”

“Papa, aap ko ice cream nahi khaani?” Ruhi asked. She couldn’t imagine why someone would let go of the chance to have ice cream.

“Nahi beta, aap khao.”

“Aap ko taste bhi nahi karna? Mera choco chip ice cream taste karo na. Bahot yummy hai!”

“No, it’s ok Ru. Tum khao.”

Ruhi then turned her attention to the purple colored ice cream that her mother held.

“Ishimaa, yeh kaunsa flavor hai?”

“Yeh black currant hai, Ru. Mera favorite. Try karoge?”

Ruhi nodded enthusiastically. Ishita took a spoonful of ice cream and fed her.

“Kaisa laga?”

“Bahot yummy hai Mumma!”

“Main aapke ice cream ka ek bite loon?”

Ruhi put forward her cone of choco chip from which Ishita took a spoonful of ice cream for herself.

“Wow Ru, aap ki choice to bahot acchi hain. This is so yummy!”

Ruhi giggled in response. The next few minutes passed with both Ruhi and Ishita gulping down their ice cream and occasionally sharing it with the other. Once they were done with their ice cream, Ishita took Ruhi to the washroom to wash her face and hands which were sticky with melted ice cream.

Once they returned, Raman gave Ishita a knowing look and she knew that it was time to have the dreadful talk with her little girl.

“Ruhi, hume aapse kuch baat karni hai,” she began.

“Kya mumma?”

Mumma. She needed to address that too. She wasn’t her mumma anymore. The mere thought tore through her insides.

“Beta, aap ko pata hai custody case kya hota hai?” she began.

Ruhi shook her head.

“Custody case tab hota hai jab mumma aur papa dono alag rehte hain aur dono ko unka baby apne paas chahiye. Tab court mein judge aunty decide karti hain ki baby mumma ke paas rahega ya papa ke paas. Do din baad aap ka custody case shuru ho raha hain. Usme judge aunty yeh decide karengi ki aap Raman papa ke saath rahoge ya Shagun mumma ke saath.”

“Par main to aap ke saath rehti hoon Ishimaa. Aap hi meri mumma ho.”

Ishita took in a sharp breath. Here it was.

“Ru, woh actually…” Her voice broke as she tried to choke back her tears. Seeing her struggle, Raman took over.

“Ruhi, listen to me.” She turned her head to her father. “Ishita ne tumhe adopt kiya tha. Lekin aap ki real mother Shagun hai.”

“Nahi, mujhe sirf Ishimaa chahiye. Mujhe yahi pe rehne hai. Aapke aur Ishimaa ke paas. Mujhe kahin nahi jaana. Un gandi aunty ke paas to bilkul nahi!” she squealed as she threw her arms around the only woman she ever considered her mother, who was also on the verge of tears.

“Beta, look at me. Shaant ho jao aur meri baat suno,” Raman said, trying to catch her attention again. “Court mein judge aunty aap se puchengi ki aap ko kiske saath rehna hai. Papa ke saath ya Shagun mumma ke saath. Tab aap unko bolna ki aap ko dono mein se kiske saath rehna hai. Agar aap ko yahi pe rehna hai, aur aap ne judge aunty ko woh bol diya, to woh aap ko yahi pe rehne degi. Thik hai?”

“Ok papa. Main judge aunty ko bolungi ki woh mujhe kahi door nahi bheje.”

“Good beta. Isse zyada mat socho. Baki sab hum sambhal lenge.”

Ishita mouthed a thank you at Raman who gave a simple nod as acknowledgement. They had made Ruhi aware of the situation but how could they get her to believe that Ishita wasn’t her mother? Neither of them even fully believed that.

The car ride home was spent in total silence, as all three of them were worried beyond measure. Ruhi couldn’t fathom calling Shagun her mumma. She didn’t even remember much from her visit other than playing with some new toys. She squeezed her eyes shut every time the thought of being separated from Ishita and Raman came into her mind, as if she were forcing the thought out of her mind. She would beg the judge aunty if she had to, but she would convince her that she only wanted to stay with her papa and Ishimaa.

Raman was barely keeping his fear in check. Ishita now knew the truth of his past so he was fairly certain that she would not side with Shagun. But she didn’t have much nice to say about him either. Ruhi had made it clear that she wanted him over Shagun but what if that was only because of his association with Ishita? Take her out of the equation, and which court would side with him over a biological mother? He had already been through this when he lost his son. How would he deal with losing his daughter?

Ishita’s mind was occupied with thoughts of her and Ruhi’s future. She had decided not to side with Shagun, but did that make Raman a worthy parent? He had a family to help out, but he would be responsible for parenting Ruhi. There was a plus side in that if Raman won custody, Ruhi would still be close enough for her to meet her often. But even if she did give her statement in support of Raman, what was the guarantee that the judge would grant him custody? What would be Ruhi’s future if she were granted to Shagun? And regardless of where Ruhi went, what would be Ishita’s future without her daughter? Her day started and ended with Ruhi; her world revolved around Ruhi. She had learned to breathe and smile again because of her. How would she cope with losing her?

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

A very emotional update please update next part soon to know what happens next

Awesome update

Romi was tensed about ruhis Custody he had witnessed ishra fight last night he saw ishita leaving for clinic he asked if he can talk with her about raman she was not ready but when he insisted she agreed he didn't told her whole story of raman but said mihir was shaguns brother but when shagun and raman got divorced mihir supported raman as he knew raman was right ishita was thinking about romis word she decided to give raman one chance she messaged raman to meet her in cafe which is near their society raman was waiting for ishita finally she came both were lost in each other looks ishita said sorry to raman about last night he was shocked ishita asked raman about his and shaguns past raman got angry he was about to leave but ishita said not for anyone but for his daughter shagun is presenting wrong picture infront of her of him raman decided to tell Ishita about his past for ruhi he said they will never talk about this again she agreed he told her everything from start she felt and for him raman didn't saw pity in her eyes which he hates he dont like anyone feeling pity for him loved how ishra cordial with each other ishita was seeing raman in new light shagun is disgusting ishra finally told ruhi she is so scared she don't want to go to shagun

Pls update soon

Thanks for the pm

Very touching and well written update. Cheers mate for an amazing update.

Very nice update .

Quite a lot of the backstory has been covered precisely .

Ishu was introduced as a vegetarian .

But is she an eggitarian? As Haagen Daaz has got only non-vegetarian ice cream ,which contains egg .

I say this because my family avoids ice cream from there on vegetarian days .

Or is ishu the kind who eats NV/ egg Incase of deserts as is common in many vegetarian homes .

This thought is actually bothering me .Did ishu have it for Ruhi’s sake ?

N when did Raman come to know about ishu’s favourite flavour ?

I assume that there must have been many parlours for having ice cream .What made ishra choose this one ?Did they decide over it together or was it Raman’s sole decision or ishraru have started eating out more often .Has ishu already changed a little with her diet for Ruhi’s sake .

Even though this may be a story of mature ppl getting united I’m actually interested in the process .

Originally posted by: GBSC

Very nice update .

Quite a lot of the backstory has been covered precisely .

Ishu was introduced as a vegetarian .

But is she an eggitarian? As Haagen Daaz has got only non-vegetarian ice cream ,which contains egg .

I say this because my family avoids ice cream from there on vegetarian days .

Or is ishu the kind who eats NV/ egg Incase of deserts as is common in many vegetarian homes .

This thought is actually bothering me .Did ishu have it for Ruhi’s sake ?

N when did Raman come to know about ishu’s favourite flavour ?

I assume that there must have been many parlours for having ice cream .What made ishra choose this one ?Did they decide over it together or was it Raman’s sole decision or ishraru have started eating out more often .Has ishu already changed a little with her diet for Ruhi’s sake .

Even though this may be a story of mature ppl getting united I’m actually interested in the process .

Thank you so much for investing in this story. Yes, Ishu is still a vegetarian. She hasn't changed for anyone (not Ruhi nor Raman). Honestly, I didn't know that Haagen Daaz has egg in their ice cream. I just looked up popular ice cream brands in India and randomly picked Haagen Daaz because it sounded cool (I live in the US). I'll keep this in mind the next time I write an ice cream scene with IshRaRu. I might go back and change the shop name to Baskin & Robbins or Havmor or something else.

In terms of strictness of vegetarianism, I'd say that Appa and Amma are very strict about it. They don't eat egg or even touch alcohol. When it comes to the next generation (Ishita, Mihika, Bala, Vandu), they are a bit more lenient about it. None of the Iyers eat meat, but Ishita lets Ruhi have eggs and meat because her father and paternal family does. Ishita herself wouldn't fuss about eggs if they were already present in dessert. But she doesn't drink alcohol. Vandu is the same. Mihika and Bala are more relaxed. They will have eggs if it is in dessert and they also drink alcohol sometimes with friends.

The purpose of IshRa coming to have ice cream was so that they could gently explain to Ruhi about the upcoming custody case together in confidence. Both Ishita and Raman had to do it together as co-parents and it is easier to talk about difficult subjects with kids in an environment where there were only them as opposed to all the other Bhallas and Iyers being involved. There is no particular reason why they picked this ice cream parlor other than it being close to their homes. Who picked the place is open to interpretation. Also, I wouldn't say that IshRaRu have started eating out together often. This is a sole incident where they brought Ruhi outside to divert her attention because the situation demanded it. Keep in mind that right now, Ishita and Raman are not fond of each other but are tolerating each other for Ruhi's sake.

To answer your question about how Raman came to know of Ishu's favorite flavor: The scene starts with Raman ordering ice cream, right? Well, it can be assumed that before he ordered they must have driven there together and then picked a table to sit at. That is when he asked both of them what flavors they wanted. Think about it, he probably wouldn't have known Ruhi's favorite flavor either, right? So before the scene started, Raman asked IshRu what ice cream they wanted and then went to order. I remember from the show that Ruhi's used to be choco chip and Ishita's used to be black currant so I just stuck with those flavors in my story too.

I hope this answers your questions. Keep 'em coming if you have more. I love with when readers get invested in my story like I am. 🤗

Part 12

Delhi Civil Court - June 14th, 11 am

“We are gathered here for the temporary custody hearing of minor Ruhi Bhalla. The contenders are biological mother Shagun Arora and biological father Raman Bhalla. May the proceedings begin,” Judge Bakshi declared with such conviction that there was no doubt who commanded the courtroom.

The contenders in question were seated on opposite sides of the courtroom in the front row, Raman on the left and Shagun on the right. Shagun sat with Ashok beside her, and apart from a couple secretaries, their side was relatively empty. In contrast, Raman had the support of the big Bhalla family. Mihir sat beside Raman occasionally offering him some water or a snack, considering he hadn’t eaten anything since he woke up. Toshi and Omprakash Bhalla sat in the second row along with Pulkit and Simi who had arrived there with Ananya to support Raman. Rinki and Romi wanted to come too but their father forbade them from skipping class. They left reluctantly with the promise of coming during their lunch break, after their morning lectures were over and before their evening classes started.

Ishita sat in the third row, away from the Bhallas, giving them space to be a family. Truthfully speaking, that was actually her excuse to isolate herself. Toshi and Simi had offered her a seat with them in the second row, but she declined. Amma and Appa wanted to be here to support her but she forced them to stay home with Ruhi. She was going to be called during the lunch recess by the judge and there was no reason for her to be here before then to witness her parents fighting in court. She even urged Mihika, Vandu, and Bala to continue with their jobs. She didn’t want anyone around her. She was going to lose the center of her universe today. Her world was coming off its axis. It would break her like nothing ever had, and she refused to put her family through such misery again.

The proceedings began. Both lawyers made their respective cases. Shagun’s lawyer painted a picture of a poor helpless woman who had to let go of her baby due to circumstances but has now shown up to right her wrongs and take care of her daughter. With Ashok by her side, she had the financial footing to provide for her and the emotional support to take care of her. The focus of his argument, however, was Shagun’s motherly love. She, as the mother, had the biggest right on Ruhi and she, as the mother, would be the best for Ruhi. The judge seemed to buy every part of his argument.

Raman’s lawyer Pathak, claimed that unlike Shagun, Raman had his entire family by his side to raise Ruhi. Her grandparents, her aunts and uncles, and even the Iyer family. In terms of money, he was no further behind than Ashok. His business was among the top most in the city, if not the country. He has known Ruhi on a personal level for much longer than Shagun and so she was bonded with him. It was only right not to uproot Ruhi from the family where she has already found her home.

Then, the cross-questioning started. Shagun’s lawyer pointed out as many flaws as he could in Raman ranging from his anger to his drinking habits. He questioned him in the witness box on how much time he spent with Ruhi, proving that he spent the majority of his time in his office and barely took out time for Ruhi.

Pathak questioned Shagun on her decision to leave Ruhi in the orphanage when she easily could have left her at Raman’s doorstep. However, his questions were met with fake inaudible sobs rather than answers, and the judge had to step in and stop the questioning.

Once the lawyers were done, Judge Bakshi laid her pen down and began to think. She saw that financially both parents were on equal footing. Both also had a support system. Shagun had Ashok while Raman had his family. But at the end of the day, she had to evaluate both parents, not their supporters. Shagun had made her case very clear: she loved Ruhi and was willing to go any lengths for her. She saw it in her words and actions. She promised to love her and look after her. On the other hand, Raman’s priorities seemed to lie elsewhere. He spent way too much time at work and not enough with Ruhi. He hadn’t denied his anger or alcohol problems making him a bad candidate to be a parent. The decision seemed more than clear to her. Shagun should get custody.

After years of being in the courtroom, Pathak was an expert in discerning the judge’s biases and picking up on who they would favor. And he could clearly see that Judge Bakshi was swayed against Raman. There was very little hope left for Raman.

“Maine dono paksho ki daleelein sun li hai aur samajh bhi li hain. Lekin apna faisla sunaane se pehle, mujhe do logon ki statement leni hain. Dr. Iyer, who is the child’s foster mother, and the child in question, Ruhi Bhalla. Dr. Iyer, please present yourself in the witness box,” the judge ordered.

It was time. She had to go up there and physically give away a piece of her heart. She tried standing up but instead, Ishita felt the energy drain from her legs such that they couldn’t support her anymore. Before she lost her balance however, two arms came up behind and held her by her shoulders. Vandu akka and Bala jeeju. They were here. And even though she had asked them not to come, she couldn’t be more thankful to see some familiar faces.

“It’s our lunch break and we’re free for a few hours, so we’re here for you Ishu,” Vandu said. “You can do this. I know you can.”

“Stay strong, Ishu. You got this,” Bala added.

As she found her balance again, Ishita took a deep breath and made her way to the front of the room. Shagun was cool as a cucumber. She was assured that Ishita would favor her. Raman’s face was indiscernible but through his eyes, Ishita could tell he was nervous to his core.

Once she was in the witness box and took the oath to say nothing but the truth, the judge spoke to her.

“Dr. Ishita Iyer, as the child’s adoptive mother, I want to hear your thoughts. Both parties here have been fighting for themselves to get Ruhi’s custody. I want you to speak on Ruhi’s behalf and contribute your opinion about where Ruhi would be the happiest and healthiest.”

“Your honour, I believe that Ruhi’s best interests lie in staying with her father and her paternal family. She is very close to each of them and has laid down roots. Uprooting her from the only family she’s known would be detrimental to her. They all love her more than anything.”

Both Raman and Shagun were shocked. The former pleasantly so, and the latter not so much. Neither could believe that Ishita had chosen Raman. Pathak breathed a sigh of relief. Their case was coming on track. But the judge was yet to be convinced.

“I understand that her grandparents and aunts and uncles adore her, but it is her father who would be responsible for raising her. Do you think Mr. Bhalla has what it takes? From what I’ve seen, his work is much more important to him than his child.”

“Your honour, Raman Bhalla isn’t the man to make great shows of emotion. But he will go to any length for the people he loves. And I can say without a shadow of doubt, that he loves his daughter. You might think he is too preoccupied with work but that is because he has been shifting his entire business from Mumbai to Delhi. The entire Bhalla family has shifted from their old flat to a new one that is right in front of ours just to be closer to Ruhi. What more proof do you want about his priorities? Trust me, he is a committed father.”

“And what about his temper? His drinking?”

Ishita was stumped here. She didn’t approve of that herself.

“Your honour, everyone has flaws. But Raman’s temper and his drinking has never posed a problem for Ruhi. I can attest to that.”

“How was your interaction with Shagun? She might not be bonded with Ruhi yet, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have what it takes.”

“I’m not thinking about what Shagun and Raman want, your honour. I’m only thinking about what Ruhi needs. Shagun can definitely have a relationship with her but not full custody. And definitely not this abruptly. The truth is that she plans on sending Ruhi to a hostel in the near future. That is not fair to her. She’d be robbed of a loving family and emotional support altogether. My final statement is that Ruhi would be happiest with the Bhalla family.”

“Okay, Dr. Iyer. I have noted your statement. The court will now take a short recess for lunch during which I’d like to speak to Ruhi Bhalla. Is she here?”

“She is on her way with my parents,” Ishita replied.

“Perfect.”

The judge temporarily dismissed everyone for the lunch break. One by one, people filed out of the court and gathered outside. Raman, Mihir, and Pathak stood together while Mr. and Mrs. Bhalla sat on a bench. Ishita stood nearby with Bala and Vandu. Romi and Rinki were just pulling up to the entrance when they all arrived outside. While their parents caught them up with the proceedings, Simi and Pulkit took their leave to go home for Ananya’s lunch and afternoon nap.

“Main Appa ko call karti hoon ki woh kahan reh gaye. Ruhi ko abhi judge se baat karni hogi,” Ishita mentioned. She dug through her purse to fish out her phone and dialed her father’s number only to hear the ringtone come from behind her.

She turned around to see her parents, Mihika, and Ruhi.

“Mihika, tum kyun aayi? Don’t you have work?”

“Maine aadhi din ki chutthi li hain akka. Aaj ke din aap ko akeli thodi chodti?”

Fortunately, Mihika was saved from a scolding session from her big sister by the arrival of the judge.

“Excuse me, Ruhi aa gayi hain kya?”

“Yes, she’s here,” Raman replied. “Ruhi, idhar aao.”

The little girl galloped to her father on cue.

“Dekho, yeh judge aunty hain. Maine aur Ishimaa ne aapko samjhaya tha na, ki aap ko unse aaj baat karni hain? To woh aap ko bulaane aayi hain. Woh aap ko jo bhi puche, uska jawaab dena, thik hai? Bilkul darna nahi.”

“Okay papa.”

The judge put out her hand for Ruhi to hold and she grabbed it. But before she went inside, she glanced back one last time to her happy place, Ishimaa. Ishita nodded reassuringly at Ruhi whose frown was now replaced with a smile. She turned around and went inside with Judge Meeta Bakshi.

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

Judge Meeta Bakshi’s office - 12:15 pm

Ruhi was seated with the judge on a leather couch. She liked this judge aunty. She was kind and funny. She was nice enough to get a cheese sandwich and orange juice for her. Ruhi sat there munching on the sandwich as the judge slowly eased into conversation.

“Aapko sandwich kaisi lagi Ruhi?”

“Acchi hain aunty.”

“Aap ki favorite hain?”

She nodded.

“Hmmm. Aap ko aur kya pasand hai?”

“Barbie, coloring, Dadi ke haath ke chole bhature, aur… aur…” she tapped her finger on her chin deep in thought. “Aur yaad nahi aa raha,” she giggled.

“Koi baat nahi. Aap yeh batao, aap ko apni family mein se kaun sab se zyada pasand hai?”

“Mujhe sab log pasand hai, aunty. Mumma, papa…”

“Aap ko mumma pasand hai?” She was surprised to hear this considering Ishita’s previous statement.

“Haan. Mumma to sabse zyada pasand hai. Woh mujhse bahot pyaar karti hain. Woh bahot achhi stories sunati hain raat ko. Aur mujhe huggy kar ke soti hain.”

Bakshi realized what the confusion was now. By mumma, Ruhi meant Ishita, not Shagun.

“Beta, main aapki Ishita mumma ke baare mein nahi puch rahi hoon. Main to Shagun mumma ke baare mein puch rahi hoon.”

“Nahi! Woh meri mumma nahi hain. Sirf Ishimaa hi meri mumma hain!”

“Accha, aap mujhe yeh batao, aap ki Ishimaa ke alawa aap ka favorite person kaun hai?”

“Papa mere favorite person hain.”

“Really?”

“Haan.”

“Aap ko apni family ke baare mein aur kya accha lagta hain?”

“Sab kuch. Tata, pati, dadu, dadi mujhse bahot love karte hain. Aur chitti, periamma, bua, periappa, chachu sab mere saath khelte hain aur masti karte hain.”

“Aap ko bahot maza aata hai?”

“Haan. Main phir Shravu aur Ananya ke saath bhi khelti hoon.”

“Woh kaun hai?”

“Shravu Vandu periamma ka son hai. Aur Ananya Simi bua ki daughter hain. Woh mere brother and sister hain.”

“Yeh to bahot acchi baat hain.”

“Judge aunty?”

“Yes beta?”

“Mujhe yahi pe rehna hain. Ishimaa, papa aur sab ke saath. Mujhe woh doosri aunty ke saath nahi jaana.”

The pooling tears and pleading innocence in Ruhi’s eyes melted Bakshi’s heart.

“Ok beta. Don’t worry. Aap ko hum leke chale aap ki family ke paas?”

“Haan.”

“Let’s go.”

Meeta Bakshi took Ruhi’s hand and led her outside to find her family. She now realized that she had been wrong in being biased towards the mother. Ishita’s statement, Ruhi’s interaction with Raman outside the court, the trust she placed in her father, and everything that Ruhi said just now forced Bakshi to think in a different perspective.

“Ishimaa!” Ruhi exclaimed when she saw Ishita. She left the judge’s hand and ran towards her to be embraced in a hug.

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

Delhi Civil Court - 12:40 pm

The time had come for the judge’s decision on Ruhi’s temporary custody. Everyone was on edge. Raman didn’t know if the judge was convinced that he deserved Ruhi. Shagun had no idea where the case would go now that Ishita’s statement had backfired. She also didn’t know what Ruhi would have said to the judge. Ashok sat there fuming at Shagun’s stupidity in assuming that Ishita was on her side. Ishita clutched Ruhi and held onto her trying to salvage the few moments that she could before she was taken away.

Judge Bakshi wrote down her statement and addressed the courtroom.

“In light of new evidence, namely the foster mother’s statement and the child’s wishes, the court decides to grant temporary custody to the biological father Raman Bhalla. Permanent custody will be decided pending a review of at least three months. Please be advised that I will keep a close watch on the case. That means you, Mr. Bhalla. You have yet to win permanent custody. Use these few months to show the court that you truly deserve her. Court adjourned.”

And with the strike of the gavel, the court had been dismissed.

The Bhallas and Iyers broke out into applause and celebration. Pathak turned around and hugged Raman. He was followed by Mihir and Romi and Rinki and his parents. The Iyers congratulated the Bhallas one by one. Through the corner of his eye, Raman saw Ashok and Shagun storm out with their lawyer following closely behind, and he couldn’t help but feel triumphant.

“Ishimaa, judge aunty ne kya kaha?” Ruhi asked Ishita. Seeing her family celebrate was reassuring but she needed verbal confirmation.

“Judge aunty ne kaha ki aap papa ke paas rahoge. Shagun mumma ke paas nahi.”

“Yay!!!” she screamed and jumped around.

The noise grew so loud that the guard had to come in and usher them all outside. They made it outside all right, but the noise did not quiet down.

“Oh meri Ruhi ghar aa gayi hain! Bhalla ji, hum is ravivar ko itni badi party rakhenge. Puri society ko bulayenge. Suna Romi, Rinki? Oh meri bacchi ghar aa gayi hain!!” Toshi was particularly over the moon after the judge’s decision.

“Ha ha Toshi ji, zaroor,” her husband reassured. “Bahot bada jashn hoga. Lekin filhal to ghar chaliye?”

It took a while, but eventually, all the Bhallas and Iyers were sent off towards home. Ruhi travelled with Toshi and Omprakash, while Romi and Rinki went off on his bike. Amma, Appa, and Mihika left together, and Vandu and Bala made their way back to their college. Ishita, Raman, and Mihir stayed back at Pathak’s request. He needed to talk with them.

“Whatever it is Pathak, please hurry up. I have to make it back to my office,” Raman commanded.

“Not at all bhai,” Mihir interjected sternly. “You almost lost Ruhi’s custody because of your misplaced priorities. Go home and spend time with her. I’ll take care of the office for today.”

“Mihir, boss main hu ya tu?”

“Mihir sahi keh raha hain, Raman bhai,” Pathak conceded. “This was one of the things I wanted to talk about. The judge is going to be watching closely. You have to make changes about your work, your drinking habits, and your temper. Spend more time at home. Ease on the alcohol. This time is crucial if you want to get permanent custody.”

“Fine. Mihir, you go to the office but I’ll be available by phone and email if you need me. I want updates every other hour. Do you get that?”

“Yes bhai, I got it.” Saying so, Mihir left for their office.

“Anything else Pathak?” Raman asked.

“Yes, just one more thing. Like I said, this period of three months is crucial to get Ruhi’s custody. One of the court’s requirements is that Ruhi has to stay with the parent who holds custody.”

“You mean Ruhi has to move into the Bhalla house?” Ishita asked.

“Yes Ishita ji.”

“Okay. I’ll start packing her stuff today. She should be ready to move in a few days. Anything else?” She kept her face as straight as possible even as her stomach flipped inside. It was real. Ruhi was leaving.

“Nothing else. That’s all. I’ll take your leave now. Congrats once again Bhai.”

Once Pathak left, Ishita and Raman were left alone in a deafening silence.

“Tumhe ghar chod du?” Raman tried to make conversation.

“Nahi, main apni gaadi le ke aayi hoon.”

Raman wasn’t used to a quiet Ishita. She either lectured or fought but she was never this quiet. Ever since she gave her statement, Raman had been wanting to thank her but couldn’t find neither the opportunity nor the words. Now would be the perfect time.

“Ishita…”

“Haan?”

“Actually I wanted to say…” he was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. It was his home phone. He picked up.

“Hello?”

“Raman puttar!” his mother spoke. “Ruhi tere aur Ishita ke baare mein puch rahi hain. Tum dono kab tak aaoge?”

“Main bas abhi aa raha hoon, maa.” He put his hand on his phone and asked Ishita, “Tum kab tak ghar aaogi? Ruhi is asking for us.”

“Mujhe abhi clinic jaana hain. I’ll be home by 5:30.”

He spoke into the phone again. “Maa, main abhi aa raha hoon. Ishita clinic jaa rahi hain. Woh shaam ko aayegi.”

“Thik hain, puttar. Jaldi aana.” And he hung up the phone.

“Aap kuch keh rahe the?” Ishita reminded him.

Oh yeah, that. He should probably thank her now.

“Kuch nahi. Main abhi ghar jaata hoon. Baad mein milte hain.”

“Okay. Bye.”

Both Ishita and Raman made their way to their cars. While Raman drove away, Ishita was still digging in her purse for her keys.

“ISHEETA!” Shagun’s shrill voice almost made Ishita jump out of her own skin. She turned around to see Shagun fuming.

“Isheeta! Yeh tumne kya kiya? Tumne to mujhe assure kiya tha ki tum mujhe support karogi! To phir aaj Raman ke support mein gawahi kyun di?”

“Maine aisa kabhi nahi kaha tha ki main aap ke favor mein statement dungi, Shagun. Maine kaha tha ki main Ruhi ke favor mein statement dungi. Aur Ruhi ki bhalaai isi mein hai ki woh Bhalla family ke paas rahe. Aap chahe to visitation rights maang sakti hain aur Ruhi ke saath rishta bana sakti hain. Lekin custody is too big of a step.”

“Isheeta, main un Bhallas ke saath koi rishta nahi rakhna chahti. Agar tumne mujhe favor kiya hota to main khud Ruhi ki dekhbhaal karti. Uski acchi tarah se parvarish karti.”

“Waise hi jaise aapne apne bete Aditya ki parvarish ki? Use hostel bhej ke, apni family se door karke?”

Shagun was speechless. She stared at Ishita jawdropped. She had never anticipated that Raman would open up about their past.

“Mujhe aap ki sacchai acche se pata hain. Woh forms aur brochures isiliye the taki aap Ruhi ko bhi hostel bhej sake. Aur woh main nahi hone de sakti thi. Sorry.”

Ishita finally found her key and drove off, leaving Shagun standing there infuriated.

“This is not over Isheeta. I promise you. Iska jawaab to tumhe milkar rahega.”

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

Akash Ganga Society Hall - June 17th, 4 pm

The society hall was decorated with pink and purple balloons and streamers, all to Ruhi’s liking. Energetic Punjabi and Bollywood music played from the speaker system. A variety of spicy and sweet dishes were lined up along the side in a buffet style. After all, Toshi Bhalla’s granddaughter had come home for good. The entire society was gathered there to celebrate. Ruhi was the center of attention. She danced with Shravu, Mihika, Mihir, Romi, and Rinki in the middle of the hall. Her grandparents joined her occasionally as well. Toshi even managed to pull in Raman for a dance or two, even though he spent most of the party sitting alone checking his email and coordinating with his clients.

Amma, Appa, Vandu, and Bala were seated at a table with some vegetarian snacks that Toshi had specially arranged for them. While they were all happy for Ruhi and the Bhallas, they couldn’t find any joy in dancing with them. After all, they were worried sick for Ishita.. She had spent every spare second of the past few days either packing up Ruhi’s stuff or snuggling with her. She had even taken a break from the clinic to cherish as much time she had left as Ruhi’s mother. Nevertheless, despite her best efforts of coping with her loss, she was miserable. They had all tried their best to support her, but it didn’t seem to help. Even now, while everyone was downstairs celebrating, she was upstairs packing up the last of Ruhi’s things. She would be moving out tonight.

“Amma, Ishu kaisi hain?” Vandu asked.

“Woh bahot dukhi hain, Vandu. Woh humse kuch share hi nahi karti. Kehti hain, she will be fine. I don’t understand, main usko kya bolu.”

Vishwa put a hand on his wife’s shoulder in an effort to ease her worry. “Madhu, tum zyada stress mat lo. Ishu ko thoda time do. Woh apne aap ko sambhal legi.”

Across the room, Mihika and Mihir were in a similar conversation.

“Mihika, I’m so happy for bhai! Unhe finally unke haq ki khushi mili hai itne time baad,” Mihir exclaimed.

“Tumhara bhai khush to lag nahi raha. Kab se apne phone mein ghusa hua hain.” Mihika nodded in the direction of Raman.

“Mihika, tum unhe nahi jaanti. Woh apni khushi nahi dikhaate lekin woh khush zaroor hain.”

“Yeah right.”

“Tumhe achanak kya hua hain?”

“What do you mean kya hua hain? Sab log yahan itne khush hain. Tumhe apne bhai ki jeet pe itni khushi ho rahi hain, lekin meri akka? Woh to haar gayi na? Ab unka kya hoga? Woh Ruhi ke bina kaise rahengi?”

“I’m sorry Miku. Maine woh to socha hi nahi. Kaisi hain tumhari akka? Kahan hain woh?”

“Woh upar hain. Ruhi ka bacha kucha saamaan pack kar rahi hain.”

“Tumhe unke paas nahi jaana?”

“Woh nahi chaahti ki koi unke liye pareshaan ho. In fact, she’s the one who sent us all down here to celebrate. She wants to stay alone. This is her problem, you see. She’ll take care of everyone, she’ll ease others’ pain, but she won’t let anyone help her. She’ll suffer in silence and hide her wounds until they’re either gone or just easier to hide.”

“She’s not too different from Raman Bhai in that manner. Bhai also refuses to let anyone else see his pain. So he hides it all under a mask. Do you want to go to your sister? Does she need help in packing?”

“No, she needs to do this by herself. She needs to pack Ruhi’s stuff and get closure for herself.”

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

Upstairs, Iyer house, Ruhi & Ishita’s bedroom

Ishita had packed up most of Ruhi’s clothes and toys the night before. Now, all that was left was her essentials. One by one, she packed up her things -- her toothbrush, her favorite hair comb with Rapunzel on it, her towels, her favorite blanket, and her coloring books and barbie dolls. Each and every object had precious memories attached to it that were etched into Ishita’s heart. The past five months flashed in front of her eyes like a flipbook. These five months had been the happiest that she had ever been. She was a mother to the most precious child she could have asked for. And she couldn’t believe that she wasn’t going to be her mother anymore. Her Ishimaa. It seemed so real and unreal at the same time. Her chest tightened at the thought of it but her mind refused to believe it was true.

Convincing Ruhi had been the worst part. She and Raman had told Ruhi that she needed to move to Papa’s house after the trial, but she refused to budge. It took a lot of coaxing from her grandmother for her to even consider it. Eventually, Raman managed to convince her to move with him by saying that she stayed with mumma for five months. It was only fair that papa got to stay with her too. Ishita was happy to see Raman coming into his element as a parent without even realizing it. He and Ruhi would be just fine. She, on the other hand, maybe not so much.

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

Bhalla/Iyer Residence - 9:30 pm

The party had left everyone exhausted, especially their tiny munchkin Ruhi. All she wanted to do was lie in bed and drift to sleep. But when she arrived at the door to her house with the rest of her family, she saw Ishita standing there with her bags.

“Ishimaa, meri bags yahan kyun hain?”

“Aap bhul gaye bacche? Aaj se aap papa ke ghar pe rahoge na?”

“Oh yeah. Main to bhul hi gayi.”

“Chalo, hum aap ko wahan settle kar dete hain.”

“Ruhi, dadi ke paas aaja. Main tujhe tera kamra dikhati hoon.” Toshi picked her granddaughter up and took her to her own room. Ishita, Raman, Romi, and Rinki followed behind her with Ruhi’s luggage.

Ruhi’s room was designed especially for her, exactly to her liking. It was painted in canary yellow and baby pink pastel colors, with a large poster of Rapunzel over her bed. Her bedding was white and pink to match the room, and she had her own desk filled with crayons and color pencils. Ruhi marveled at her new room even though her exhaustion was apparent as she stifled a yawn.

“Ruhi, abhi aap so jao. Dekho, kitni neend aa rahi hain aapko?” Ishita said. “Main aap ka brush aur nightdress nikalti hoon.”

Soon enough, Ishita had changed Ruhi into her nightdress and tucked her into bed. For the last time, she told her a story and Ruhi drifted into the land of fairies and princesses.

“Ruhi so gayi kya?” Raman asked her when she emerged into the living room. By this time, the rest of his family had gone to bed.

“Haan. Bas abhi abhi aankh lagi hain uski.”

“Thik hain.”

“Raman, uska acche se khayal rakhna.”

“That I will.”

“Just check on her at night also. Woh kya hai na, woh apna left leg kick karti hain kabhi aur blanket uchal deti hain. To use wapas cover karna padta hain.”

“Thik hain. I’ll check on her.”

“Aur… aur woh kabhi kabhi khaane ke waqt bahot zid karti hain ki use vegetables nahi khaane. To use daatke khilana padta hain.”

“All right…”

“Aur woh bahot der tak soti hain subah. To use time par uthana padega warna woh raat no jaldi nahi soyegi aur uska schedule mess up ho jaayega.”

“Ok, I’ll…”

“Aur haan, use raat ko story sune bina neend nahi aati so you better learn some fables and fairytales… aur…”

“Ishita!” Raman said sternly. “Calm down. She’s going to be fine. We’ll take care of her.”

“I know, I know. Actually woh kabhi mere bina rahi nahi hain na, isiliye mujhe chinta hoti hain. Sach kahun toh, main bhi uske bina nahi rahi hoon. Woh to shayad reh legi mere bina, lekin main kaise…” Ishita couldn’t speak any further as she choked back on a brick of tears. She wasn’t strong enough to hold them in this time and let her tears flow down her cheeks.

“Ishita…”

Before Raman could say anything, Ishita made a quick escape.

Raman slumped down on the couch of his living room. When he saw Shagun and Ashok’s faces today after he won the case, he felt victorious. But all of a sudden the victory didn’t seem to have its appeal. He seriously doubted his ability to be a good parent. And he couldn’t help but feel responsible for separating Ruhi and Ishita, even if it wasn’t his fault. When he first met her, he hated the sight of her. He hated that she had more control over his daughter than he did. Because the last time a woman had control of his kid, he had lost his kid. Shagun had kept his kids away from him for no good reason other than to make him miserable. She had placed Adi in a boarding school and Ruhi in an orphanage. And then there was this woman, Ishita. She had the biggest hand in reconnecting him with his daughter even with the risk that she’d lose her. Yet, she did the right thing, ignoring her pain. He could be annoyed with her all he wanted, but that woman deserved respect.

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

Ishita wiped her tears away and composed herself before she entered her home. It was a good call since her family was right there in the living room waiting for her.

“Ishu, all ok na?” Vandu asked as she patted the empty seat next to her.

“Yes akka. I’m ok,” Ishita replied and took the seat next to her sister. “Ruhi so gayi hain. She’ll be fine.”

“I’m asking about you.”

“I’m fine too. Don’t worry.”

“Vandu, we need to get going. Tomorrow is Monday. We all have to get up bright and early,” Bala said. “Ishu, are you sure you’re ok?”

“Haa jeeju, main thik hoon. Aap log jao. Dekho, Shravu ko to already kitni neend aa rahi hain,” she pointed to her nephew who was half asleep on the couch.

“One minute. Bala, Vandu, mujhe aur tumhare appa ko ek baat karni hain sabse,” Madhu announced. “Vishwa, bolo.”

“Ishu ke liye ek rishta aaya hain.”

“Appa, no! Aap bhi? Maine bola tha mujhe shaadi nahi karni!” Ishita cried.

“Ishu, pehle sun to lo. Yeh rishta hume bahot pehle aaya tha. Aur humne mana bhi kar diya tha kyunki tumhare paas Ruhi thi. Lekin ab Ruhi chali gayi hain aur tumhe move on karna hoga. Woh log ab bhi yeh rishta karna chahte hain. Aur sabse acchi baat to yeh hai ki hum sab ladke ko bhi jaante hain aur uski family ko bhi.”

“Ladka hain kaun, Appa?” Bala asked.

“Abhimanyu Raghav.”

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