Wonderful update
Both parts were nice
Ruhi and sharavan were fighting their grandmother came to solve the fight but started fighting themselves ishita and her sisters stopped the fight loved sisters moment raman was suprised hearing Ishita is trained dancer of bharatnatyam he was imagining her moves but realized what he is doing ruman scene was nice ishra decided to take ruhi to picnic she got too happy romi and raman had fight romi was not totally wrong ishita tried to make both of them understand but they were not listening romi asked mihir raman is too close to him mihir said he had insisted raman to take him to Mumbai with him romi realized his fault raman and romi talk was nice
Pls update soon
Super duper hit update
Pls show more of ishra
Will be waiting for your update
Thanks for quick updates, can we pls get more ishra scenes like brothers have patched up n they have a big dinner n then later ishra parts! Raman should overhear Romi thanking ishita for the advice n Raman feeling very proud of ishita.
Both the updates were awesome. Loved the bond between the brothers. Please post your next update soon. Cheers
Just been reading .. read all 20 parts. Great story really enjoying how the relationships are being healed. can u please add me to your dm list. Want to read how the story progresses.
much love
P
Part 21
Bhalla House - later that day, dinner time
Toshi served a plate for Romi and Raman who were already seated at the dining table. Meanwhile, she kept hollering to the rest of the family to come out for dinner. Omprakash and Rinki hurried outside and joined the dinner table. Ishita brought Ruhi outside, who had just finished her homework. While Ishita served Ruhi, Toshi insisted on serving everyone else herself. She gave everyone extra portions and offered various sweets as well. Everyone could see that she was on cloud nine today. After all, her son had come home. For real. Raman and Romi had made up earlier today and the cracks in their family were being healed. Omprakash too felt a wave of relief and happiness wash over him every time he looked at his wife and kids. The stress that gripped him for years now seemed to subside, as Raman had finally begun turning back into the happy and loving man he used to be. It would take time for the cracks in their relationships to heal completely, but they were off to a great start.
“Ruhi, chalo beta. Start eating now.” Ishita urged her daughter to begin dinner but Ruhi’s gaze was transfixed on her father and chachu. Something seemed off. Everyone was… happier than usual. And then it struck her.
“Ishimaa?”
“Haa beta?”
“Papa aur chachu ki batti ho gayi kya?” she asked, grabbing everyone’s attention.
“Yes beta. Mumma ne kaha tha na? Brothers mein jhagda hota hai par jaldi patch-up bhi ho jata hai.”
“Par mumma, papa aur chachu ki fight to two days long thi. Itni lambi fight kyun?”
“Ab ye to tumhare papa aur chachu hi bata sakte hain. Kyun papa? Kyun chachu?”
Ishita gave a meaningful smirk to Raman and Romi, as she put them on the spot.
“Woh kya hai na beta…” Raman faltered. How were you supposed to tell a four-year old that you couldn’t talk to your own brother merely because of your ego?
“Ruhi, actually main batata hoon…” Romi began with confidence that quickly drained away. “Actually woh kya hua na…”
Toshi interrupted her kids and spoke to Ruhi directly. “Ruhi puttar, tere papa aur tere chachu bilkul buddhu hai. Kisi ko pehle sorry nahi bolna tha na, isiliye unka jhagda itna lamba chala.”
“Par ab to koi fight nahi hai na?” Ruhi asked.
“Nahi puttar, bilkul nahi. Aur agar hogi bhi na to maine sabko chittar maar maar ke thik kar dena hai. Tu tension na le.”
Ruhi burst into laughter along with Rinki, Ishita, Toshi, and Omprakash. Romi and Raman joined in too, even if very softly.
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Raman and Ishita’s bedroom - right before bedtime
Ishita had just put Ruhi to bed. Raman was outside attending to a phone call, so she closed the door and changed into her night clothes there. After disposing of her saree and blouse in the laundry basket, she brushed through her hair as she got ready for bed. Although her hands were busy untangling her hair, her mind was preoccupied with other thoughts -- namely her husband. When she had first met Raman, she had taken him to be a selfish, arrogant, money-minded, and self-obsessed man. But all her first impressions were proven false over the last four months as the depth of his pain and the wounds of his past came to the forefront. He was truly a family man but had cut himself off after such a deep heartbreak. He had spent five years of his life in pain and loneliness; no wonder he was so bitter. Even so, he couldn’t get rid of his inner sweetness. A smile crept up on Ishita’s face as she was reminded of Raman and Romi’s banter earlier that evening after they had patched up. She recalled how gentle he was with Ruhi. She even acknowledged how understanding he had been when he had offered to share Ruhi’s custody with her. She sighed. Raman Bhalla was much more than what meets the eye.
“Ishita puttar?”
Ishita set down her hairbrush and opened the door. It was her mother-in-law.
“Mummyji, aap? Andar aayiye na.” They proceeded inside the bedroom. “Kuch kaam tha?”
“Nahi puttar. Bas tujhe thank you bolna tha.”
“Thank you kis liye? Maine kya kiya?”
“Puttar, mainu pata hai, Raman mein yeh badlav teri wajah se aaya hai. Tere aur Ruhi ke aane se hi humare ghar mein khushiyaan wapis aayi hai.” Toshi caressed Ishita’s cheek in motherly affection. “Aur Romi ne bhi mujhe bataya ki tune use kitni changi salah di thi. Uske liye thank you puttar.”
“Mummyji, kya aap bhi.” Ishita took Toshi’s hand that was on her cheek in her own hands. “Aap thank you kyun bol rahi hai? Maine aisa kuch nahi kiya hai.”
“Puttar, tu badi changi hai. Sach kahun toh maine teri aur Raman ki shaadi ke liye sirf Ruhi ki wajah se haan ki thi. Lekin ab lagta hai ki tujh se acchi bahu aur acchi patni Raman ko nahi mil sakti thi. Kaash tu Shagun se pehle mere bete ki zindagi mein aati…. Khair, koi gal nahi. Beeti baaton pe mitti pao. Abhi to tu aa gayi hai na? Ab mainu apne bete ki koi chinta nahi hai.”
After one last glance of appreciation, Toshi left Ishita who was now caught in her own whirlwind of thoughts. It surprised her that her mother-in-law considered her to be Raman’s perfect match. Now that she thought of it, Rinki, Romi, and Omprakash had a similar opinion too. As humbled as she was, it made no sense to her. Yes, maybe she and Raman weren’t as different as she had initially thought, but that didn’t make them a perfect match. They still had very little in common; they still belonged to very different cultures; and they were just outright different people. So how could they be a perfect match?
You and Subbu were a perfect match, right? Same culture, same career, same likes and dislikes. What happened to that?
Okay, maybe you didn’t need so much in common to make a good relationship. But that didn’t mean Raman was her perfect match. No way. No sir. They couldn’t be husband and wife in the real sense. They couldn’t really fall in love. But they would definitely be happy. After all, they had Ruhi. As co-parents, they would be happy as a family of three.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
“Kaash tu Shagun se pehle mere bete ki zindagi mein aati….”
“Abhi to tu aa gayi hai na? Ab mainu apne bete ki koi chinta nahi hai.”
Raman slumped on the couch of his living room as his mother’s words rang in his ears. He had inadvertently overheard his mother and Ishita’s conversation after his phone call had ended. Even though he wouldn’t admit it, he knew Ishita was a wondrous woman. But hearing his mother’s praise for Ishita knocked the wind out of his lungs. For the first time, he truly realized how grateful he was to his wife. She had done so much for him and his family in a mere few weeks. She and his daughter had turned his life upside down in only four months. Four months. That’s all it took for these two ladies to wash away his pain of five long years. An unfamiliar warmth spread through his chest.
Toshi noticed Raman deep in thought as she was on her way to her bedroom. She walked closer to him and placed a hand on his head.
“Ki hoya puttar? Tujhe sona nahi hai?”
“Haan maa, jaa raha hoon. Ek phone call tha to…”
“Tune meri aur Ishita ki baatein sun li?”
Raman sighed and nodded. Damn, it was impossible to hide anything from his mother. Toshi took a seat beside her son and patted his shoulder reassuringly.
“Puttar, tainu sach mein Ishita ke roop mein badi changi biwi mili hai. Mainu yakeen hai ki tujhe uske saath zindagi bhar ki khushiyaan milegi. Sab kuch thik rahega, dekhna.”
“Maa, maana ki Ishita sach mein bahot acchi hai. Lekin uske aur mere beech mein Ruhi ke maa-baap se zyada koi rishta nahi ho sakta. To aisi koi galat fehmi mat paaliye.”
“Par kyun, puttar?”
Raman had no answer. He was a complicated man. He couldn’t just open his heart like that anymore. He could barely be real with his own parents and siblings. How could he open himself to Ishita? Little did he know, Raman had already opened up to her more than he cared to admit.
Toshi read his silence correctly. “Raman, I know you are scared. But trust me. You’ll be really happy with her. Your union was a perfect match. Don’t think too much. Just promise me you won’t close yourself off again.”
Raman nodded to his mother, mainly to get her to drop the topic. It worked.
“Chal puttar, ab tu bhi so jaa. Main bhi chalti hoon. Good night.”
“Good night, maa.”
Toshi sauntered into her bedroom as she chuckled at her son and daughter-in-law. Both of them were stubborn as rocks. Neither would accept it now, but she could see how much they were meant to be. Maybe not now, but eventually, they would accept it too. All in due time.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Bhalla House - A few days later, Friday, August 10th, 9:30 pm
“Did everyone get their passes?” Rinki asked again. “You won’t be allowed in the auditorium without your passes.”
“Rinki, hum sab ko passes bhi mil gaye aur hum sab waqt par pahoch bhi jaayenge. Kitni baar bolna padega?” Romi teased.
“Agar kal koi bhi late hua na, to mujhse bura koi nahi hoga!” Rinki warned.
The Bhalla family was gathered in their living room after dinner listening to Rinki’s orders for the nth time. She was graduating college tomorrow and was somehow excited and nervous at the same time. She had passed out passes for the ceremony to everyone, including her own family, Simi and Pulkit, and the Iyers. The ceremony began at 10 am and although she and her fellow students had to be there by 9, family members had to report before 10. She made it perfectly clear that she would not tolerate anyone being late. Rinki was hardly ever this uptight when it came to rules, but her graduation ceremony was a different story. And no one dared cross her today.
“O Puttarji! Thoda shaant raho! Sab kuch theek se ho jaana hai.” Omprakash insisted as he placed a loving hand on her shoulder.
“Ha Rinki, tu tension na le,” Toshi told her daughter. “Hum sab pahoch jayenge time pe. Tu ab jaa ke aaram kar aur kal ke liye taiyyar ho ja. Kal tera bahot bada din hai.”
“Thik hai mumma. Aur aap sab bhi jaldi se so jao. Kal subah 10 baje…”
“10 BAJE TAK PAHOCHNA HAI. PATA HAI!!” Romi and Raman yelled at once, exasperated.
Rinki stomped inside with a pout. Her brothers always managed to get on her nerves but this was important. They couldn’t be late. It was her graduation. She had always been the baby of the family who was fussed over and worried over and pampered. And as great as that sounds, she worried that she wasn’t always taken seriously. She just wanted to prove that she was a smart, strong, capable woman now. She was all grown up, not the baby of the family anymore. She longed to see the feeling of pride in the eyes of her parents and elder siblings. Especially Raman. It took five years for him to return home, and now that he was here, she was keen at rekindling their relationship. She didn’t realize how engrossed she was in her thoughts until Ishita’s voice at her door shook her alert.
“Rinki? Rinki?! Kahan kho gayi?” Ishita asked as she walked in.
“Kahin nahi bhabhi. Aap ko kuch chahiye tha kya?”
“Nahi, in fact main to tumhe puchne aayi thi yeh. Do you need anything?”
“No bhabhi. I’m good.”
“Are you sure? You’ve been so on edge today.”
“I just want tomorrow to be perfect, Bhabhi.” Rinki sighed and slumped onto her bed. “I don’t want anything to go wrong.”
Ishita sat down beside her. “Everything will go perfectly Rinki. You will graduate, and we will all be so proud of you, as we are every day.”
“Bhabhi, you always know what to say, don’t you? You know, this graduation means a lot to me. Growing up, I always heard about my future as a wife and daughter-in-law more than my career. I was always the baby girl of the family that had to be taken care of. But now that I’m graduating and starting a new job, the feeling of independence and the ability to make my own decisions is so freeing. I just want my family to be proud of me for who I am now.”
“I completely understand Rinki, trust me. I’ve been in your place before. I’m sure every girl has. But let me tell you, we are all so proud of you. Mummyji and Papaji are so proud to have a daughter like you. Raman and Romi may tease and annoy you as much as they like, but they are just as proud of you, if not more.” Ishita drew in Rinki for a hug.
“Thank you bhabhi,” Rinki said, returning the hug.
“Ab chalo, tum aaram se so jao. Kal bahot bada din hai, na? So you need your rest.”
“Yes bhabhi. Good night.”
Rinki proceeded to change and brush her teeth while Ishita made her way to Ruhi’s bedroom. She must be waiting for her bedtime story. At just that moment, her cell phone rang from her bedroom. She rushed to see who it was. The screen read, Dr. Batra. She had to take the call. It was probably important.
“Behri ho gayi kya? Phone uthao na! Kab se baje jaa raha hai,” Raman quipped as he strode in.
“Raman, Dr. Batra ka phone hain. Lamba chal sakta hai. Aap jaa ke Ruhi ko sula do na, please? Thank you.” Ishita received her call and made herself comfortable in the balcony before Raman could answer. Looks like he was on bedtime duty today.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Ruhi’s bedroom
“That night, the entire kingdom celebrated the princess’s return by launching hundreds of lanterns -- the lights that had guided her home. The End.” Raman closed Ruhi’s Disney Rapunzel picture book and pulled the covers over her. “Now go to sleep Ruhi. Close your eyes.”
“Papa, one more story. Pleaseeee?”
“No Ruhi, your puppy dog eyes don’t work on me. It’s time for bed,” Raman chuckled.
“Papa, aap kitni acchi story sunate hai. One more story please.”
“No Ruhi. Ek baar bola na. Go to sleep.”
As bummed out as she was for not being able to listen to another story, Ruhi was pleasantly surprised at how much time Raman had begun spending with her. Not that she was complaining. She loved every moment she got with him. Raman too enjoyed every moment he got to spend with Ruhi. He had been a fool to try avoiding her. It was no use. His daughter’s charm and innocence could melt anyone, let alone him. He was far from perfect in dealing with her, but he gave it his best efforts. He always will.
As Raman got up from Ruhi’s bed and turned to leave, she suddenly grabbed his wrist and stopped him. “Papa, aap mujhse gussa to nahi hai na?” she asked.
“Nahi beta, bilkul nahi.” Raman gently sat down on the bed and took his daughter into his arms. He knew why she was asking that. He had turned away from her many-a-times. The refusal to read another story might sound like he was turning away again.
“Beta, Papa was never angry with you. I was angry with myself. But I promise now that I will never stay away from you or keep you away from me. Ok?”
“Okay papa!” Ruhi’s hold on Raman tightened with elation.
“But right now, it’s getting late, and you really have to go to sleep. Come on.”
Ruhi climbed under her covers and squeezed her eyes shut to show her father that she was asleep. Raman quietly laughed as he stood up and turned off the light. And he internally promised himself never to distance himself from his daughter ever again. He promised to never let her long for a parent’s love ever.
When he returned to his bedroom, Ishita was still on the phone with Dr. Batra on the balcony. He grabbed the remote and tuned into the latest cricket highlights. Ishita hung up the phone and walked back into the bedroom a few minutes later. She was surprised to see Raman so soon.
“Aap aa gaye? Ruhi itni jaldi so gayi? Roz to uske kitne nakhre hote hain. Aadha ghanta lag jaata hai use sulaane mein.”
“Woh isiliye kyunki tumhe use sulaana nahi aata. Mere saath to koi nakhre nahi karti.”
“Excuse me? Mujhe use sulaana nahi aata?” Ishita put her hands on her hips.
“Jee haan, sahi suna tumne. Waise bhi, Ruhi tumse zyada mujh se pyaar karti hain. To meri baat maan kar jaldi so gayi.”
He had barely finished his sentence when a pillow came flying in his face.
“Madrasan! Pagal ho gayi hai kya?! Pati ko koi aise maarta hai kya?”
“Agar pati aisa ho to aise hi maarte hain.” She threw another pillow at him.
“Ruk ja tu. Ab teri khair nahi.”
Raman turned off the TV. He was ready for a fight. He grabbed as many pillows as he could and threw them one after another at Ishita, who returned his every blow. At one point, Ishita ran out of pillows so she stretched forward over the bed to grab one from Raman. Unfortunately, she slipped over the edge of the blanket and fell smack in the middle of the bed. In the process, Raman too lost his balance falling on top of her. They were so close now, they could feel each other’s breaths. Their breathing quickened and hearts pounded simultaneously. It was a dangerous situation.
Before the proximity to his wife could undo him, Raman took charge of the situation. He quickly got up and brushed himself off, allowing Ishita to stand up too.
“Kya tum bhi… Itni raat ko yeh sab… pillow fights karni hai. So jao jaake. Kal Rinki ka graduation hai. Late huye to itni daant padegi ki… pucho mat,” he stammered.
Ishita didn’t even have the courage to reply. She simply fiddled with her bedding on her couch while she lied down trying to get over what just happened. Not the fact that her husband just fell on top of her on the bed, but the fact that her body betrayed her and gave a reaction she didn’t expect.
Raman was in the same boat. The way his body reacted to that moment of closeness was hard to deal with. But even harder would be dealing with the ensuing awkwardness between them. He had to do something.
“Waise, tumne kabhi asli graduation to nahi dekha hoga na? Kal dekhne ko milega tumhe.”
“Kya matlab?” Ishita sat up and turned her head towards Raman.
“Obviously. Ab tumne kahan asli degree li hai. Nakli doctor ki -- nahi, doctor nahi dentist. Nakli dentist ke liye graduation thodi hoti hai?”
“Abhi bhi pillow hai mere paas. Maaru?” Ishita grabbed the pillow behind her in a threatening gesture. “Maine graduate kiya hain. Woh bhi top of my class. Aap pata nahi kaise marks se paas huye the,” she teased.
“Oh hello?! I was in the top 5% of my graduating class! And I had so many job offers lined up for me then. Just like Rinki has right now.”
Raman recalled how many companies were eager to hire him. How Ashok had personally interviewed him and had lunch with him to explain the salary and benefits he was offering. His mind deceived him and soon enough he was remembering how Ashok had given the same attention to Shagun later on. That man really knew how to get what he wanted, didn’t he? Don’t dwell on the past, Raman. What’s gone is gone. And for once, Raman listened to his inner voice.
“But keeping all jokes apart,” he said, “I’m so excited for Rinki’s graduation tomorrow. I remember my graduation. I have so many memories of it. Do you know, after graduating my friends and I ditched the after-party and went for our own personal party, if you know what I mean.”
“My graduation was also very memorable,” Ishita replied. “Of course, we weren’t as creative as you when it came to the after-party. We had an elaborate 5-star dinner for celebration. Although later that night, we went for ice cream though. Just me and Subbu with…”
No sooner had his name slipped from her lips did the color drain from her face. She was married and a mother now. Yet, even the mention of that man still affected her. And she hated it.
“Anyway, enough chit chat. Go to sleep now.” Ishita quickly wrapped up the conversation and lied down to sleep. She turned her face away from Raman to hide the budding tears in her eyes. The mere mention of that man freshened all her wounds. She was mad. Mad at Subbu for what he did. Mad at herself for letting him affect her. Mad at the universe for taking away from her the precious gift of giving birth, a tragedy she was reminded of every time she looked at her scars from her surgery. She swallowed her tears and shut her eyes, trying to lull herself to sleep.
Raman climbed into bed and turned off the bedside lamps. He hadn’t failed to notice how Ishita ended the conversation in haste at the mention of her ex. And it occurred to him for the first time how less he really knew about her. Yes, he knew her story, but he didn’t know her. Not the way she knew him. She had held his hand and been there for him when he was drunk out of his mind over his past. But he had never done anything to help her. He could only hope for an opportunity to somehow make her feel better. To lessen her ache. But truth be told, if such an opportunity were to present itself, would he know how to help her?
Hey humnava mujhe apna bana le
Sookhi padi dil ki iss zameen ko bhiga de
Hmm..hoon akela, zara haath badha de
Sookhi padi dil ki iss zameen ko bhiga de
Kab se main dar dar phir raha
Musafir dil ko panaah de
Tu awaargi ko meri aaj thehra de
Ho sake toh thoda pyaar jataa de
Sookhi padi is dil ki zameen ko bhiga de
Murjhaayi si shaakh pe dil ki
Phool khilte hain kyun
Baat gulon ki zikr mehak ka
Acha lagta hai kyun
Un rango se tune milaya
Jinse kabhi main mil na paya
Dil karta hai tera shukriya
Phir se bahaare tu laa de
Dil ka soona banjar mehka de
Sukhi padi dil ki is zameen ko bhiga de
Hmm..hoon akela, zara haath badha de
Sookhi padi dil ki iss zameen ko bhiga de
Waise toh mausam guzre hain
Zindagi mein kayi
Par ab naa jaane kyun mujhe wo
Lag rahe hain haseen
Tere aane par jaana maine
Kahin na kahin zinda hoon main
Jeene laga hoon main ab yeh fizaayein
Chehre ko chhooti hawaayein
Inki tarah do kadam toh badha le
Sookhi padi dil ki iss zameen ko bhiga de
O..hoon akela, zara haath badha de
Sookhi padi dil ki iss zameen ko bhiga de.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Rinki’s College Graduation Ceremony - Saturday, August 11th, 10:30 am
“Rinki Bhalla!”
Her name was announced and Rinki marched forward across the stage. She could barely hear her own name though, owing to her family’s cheers and screams from the audience. She loved their enthusiasm but secretly wished they would dial it down. So much for wanting her entire family there. Nevertheless, as she accepted her degree from the dean of her college and turned towards the audience for a bow, she couldn’t have been more thrilled to see the pride in her family’s eyes.
After an elaborate photo session, the Bhallas and Iyers joined for a celebratory lunch in Rinki’s honor. To avoid any Punjabi vs South Indian drama, Ishita suggested a pan-Asian restaurant. Both families had the time of their lives, munching on their favorite foods and chatting away. A lot of time was spent fussing over Shravu, Ruhi, and Ananya as well, but to their mothers’ good fortune, the grandmothers took over for the day. Toshi and Madhu pampered and fed their grandchildren, occasionally getting into a disagreement. Mihika and Rinki bonded over their new jobs and newfound independence. Romi and Mihir discussed the latest happenings in their office, interlacing it with juicy gossip. Raman and Bala laughed over their woes of having the Iyer sisters as wives, occasionally teasing Mihir who would join the club soon. Ishita, Vandu, and Simi rejoiced over their children’s and husbands’ latest antics along with gossip from their society. Omprakash and Vishwa tried to fix a date for their next chess match in between conversations with the rest of their family. And the day passed in unmeasurable laughter and joy.
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Hello after a looooong time peeps! 😁
I hope you've liked my story so far. Do keep reading, liking, and posting comments. 😊❤️
Fair warning: I will be gone for about 2-4 weeks now. I have final exams this month and entrance exams next month, so I've gotta buckle down. 😅 But fear not, I will be back soon and as compensation, I will post 2-3 parts at once.
I assure you, I am in no mood to abandon the story. I've planned out the entire plot line up to and including the epilogue. It might take a while, but I promise you a happy ending!
Till then, stay happy and stay safe! Love you guys!! 🤗
Thanks heaps for the lovely update. Enjoyed every bit of it. All the best for exams n will wait for next update. Would love to read bonding of Raman n ishita
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