Posted:
Yup, you got it right! It was all to give Anita screen space. I mean even Ruhi was brought up in the earlier part of her childhood by her grandparents and aunts and uncles, right? Same could've happened for Pihu.
Yup, you got it right! It was all to give Anita screen space. I mean even Ruhi was brought up in the earlier part of her childhood by her grandparents and aunts and uncles, right? Same could've happened for Pihu.
Most of ek’s shows have parts from the Mahabharata n Ramayana incorporated indirectly in them .Nothing original .
Just as yhm is supposedly about Yashoda n krishna .There was surrogacy involved in that too
First wife carrying n giving birth to the embryo of second wife n her husband ..The Embryo of .Krishna’s bro ,balarama was implanted into Vasudev’s 1st wife, Rukmini’s womb.Balarama n krishna being Vasudev’s second wife ,Devaki n Vasudev’s children .2 of the eight .
Anita may not be exactly responsible for the strange surrogacy .
Just as yhm is supposedly about Yashoda n krishna .There was surrogacy involved in that too
First wife carrying n giving birth to the embryo of second wife n her husband ..The Embryo of .Krishna’s bro ,balarama was implanted into Vasudev’s 1st wife, Rukmini’s womb.Balarama n krishna being Vasudev’s second wife ,Devaki n Vasudev’s children .2 of the eight .
Bold: I think you mean Rohini. Rukmini was Krishna's wife (incarnation of Laxmi)
Most of ek’s shows have parts from the Mahabharata n Ramayana incorporated indirectly in them .Nothing original .
Just as yhm is supposedly about Yashoda n krishna .There was surrogacy involved in that too
First wife carrying n giving birth to the embryo of second wife n her husband ..The Embryo of .Krishna’s bro ,balarama was implanted into Vasudev’s 1st wife, Rukmini’s womb.Balarama n krishna being Vasudev’s second wife ,Devaki n Vasudev’s children .2 of the eight .Anita may not be exactly responsible for the strange surrogacy .
Seriously 😳
Cvs claimed multiple times that Ishita and kids are similar to Yashoda and Krishna, but I don't think cvs would ever claim that making Shagun the surrogate is something related to puranas. This is the most regressive version I have ever come across regarding Shagun being the surrogate mother.
Just because it happened in puranas, 1st wife status is not the hallmark to become the surrogate mother 😳
OMG, I have so much to say on this. Buckle down... 😄
I purposely didn't put Pihu in the video because the song was about Yashoda Ma and her love for Lord Krishna. So I focused on Ishita and her adopted children (instead of biological). Plus, it was hard to find scenes of Pihu with Ishita without enduring the dramatic storyline.
As far as surrogacy goes, then yes, I won't be including surrogacy in my storyline. I mean, the whole point of IshRa's biological child was that Ishita would be able to experience pregnancy. What was the point of having Shagun give birth to another child for Ishita to raise?
Still though, I have lots of opinions about how surrogacy could've happened without angering the fandom. I mean, first of all, they could've used any other woman other than Shagun. LIKE WHY SHAGUN???
Okay fine... Let's say we need to include Shagun. I’m going to propose a theory where surrogacy is still possible without characters being butchered. Maybe the hospital where Ishra were undergoing IVF treatment is where Shagun comes as an undercover surrogate mother to stop the surrogacy scandal. Here, she is accidentally implanted with Ishra’s embryo so she ends up getting pregnant with Ishra’s baby (Pihu). When the truth comes out, Raman, Ishita, and Shagun are all horrified, but they make do because this is Ishra’s last chance to have a baby, and plus Shagun's womb is more hospitable and stronger than Ishita's so it is a less risky and safer pregnancy. They somehow convince Shagun and the families to accept it. Here Shagun could be staying at Mihir’s place during her pregnancy or with her new live-in boyfriend (Dr. Manoj or any other colleague of hers). Raman doesn’t trust her completely so he brings legal papers and makes Shagun sign them saying she would have no right over the baby and only Ishra would be the legal parents/guardians. Once she gives birth to the baby, IshRa are given full custody and Shagun is never heard of again. 🤷🏻♀️
In the original show, Pihu is raised by Raman and Shagun while Ishita is presumed dead. They literally pretended to be married for her?!?! 😳 How insulting is that to Ishita?! Raman could've raised her alone, along with Adi. At least Pihu deserved to know who her biological mother was. It was least both Pihu and Ishita deserved. How I wish ITV would give men their due and show them as generous, chivalrous beings AND as men capable of emotion and responsibility. Especially as fathers.
OMG, I cannot imagine Shagun being the surrogate mother of IshRa's child in any manner.
The version which you have written also couldn't console me. I just can't digest it.
I always felt like Shagun becoming the surrogate mother has defiled the very basic foundations of this show.
And what followed after the leap😳, is that our Raman? I am happy you're going to write a neat and clean version🤗
And @bold☝
Bang on 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
When are you going to update new parts🥺
Originally posted by: --QUEEN--
When are you going to update new parts🥺
Sometime next month. Really busy with school right now.
Part 65
Bhalla House – two months later, Friday, 9 November, 6 pm
“Offo Bhalla ji, tussi badaam toh lana bhul hi gaye!” Toshi groaned, as she dug into the grocery bags her husband had brought. “Kal sargi mein badaam ke bina mazaa kaise aayega?”
“Hey mataarani…” Omprakash groaned. “Oh mainu maaf karo Toshi ji. Main ab waapis market nahi jaa raha. Subah se teen baar jaa chuka hoon. Ab maine aaram karna hai.” He flopped down onto the couch and grabbed a newspaper. “Waise, itni sab taiyyari karne ki kya zaroorat hai aapko?”
“Zaroorat kaise nahi hai?” Toshi retorted, as she put away groceries in the kitchen. “Kal Mihika ka pehla Karwa Chauth hai. Aur to aur, Ishita aur Raman ka rishta sahi maayno mein mazboot hone ke baad yeh unka bhi pehla karwa chauth hai. Hum toh badi dhoom-dhaam se manayenge. Madrasan bhi aa rahi hai kal, Mihika aur Vandu ke saath. Simi bhi sargi ke liye yahin aa rahi hai.”
Omprakash chuckled at Toshi’s enthusiasm, but even he couldn’t find it in himself to tamp down her excitement. It had been eight weeks since the nightmare and they were finally well on their way to healing as a family. It was high time to celebrate. And there was no better occasion than Karwa Chauth.
“Thik hai, koi nahi…” Toshi sighed. “Aap baitho aaram naal. Main Madhu ke yahan se badaam le aati hoon.”
While Omprakash stretched his back and cracked his knuckles, Toshi went over to the Iyer house only to run into Ishita, Romi, and Rinki in the corridor.
“Aa gaye tum log? Ishita, teri woh fiski… woh kya bolte hai…?”
“Physical therapy, mummyji,” Ishita finished for her.
“Haan haan, wohi. Woh kaisa raha?” Toshi asked.
“Sab kuch sahi raha mummyji. Therapist ne kaha recovery bahot acche se ho gayi hai. Ab waapis jaane ki zaroorat nahi hai.”
“Ae to badi changi gal hai puttar. Accha ek kaam kar, tu andar jaa ke aaram se baith. Main teri amma ke paas jaa rahi hoon. Kal ki sargi ke liye badaam leke aati hoon. Tum log andar jaao.”
Toshi adjusted her dupatta and walked away as Ishita, Romi, and Rinki made their way into the Bhalla house.
“Bhabhi, aap baitho. Main aapke liye paani lekar aati hoon.” Rinki urged her bhabhi to sit down on the couch before she filled up a glass of water and brought it over from the kitchen.
“Rinki, ab tum bhi shuru mat ho jao,” Ishita sighed, taking the glass of water from her sister-in-law. “I’m fine now. You just heard my therapist say I’ve gained full mobility. And next week, my doctor is going to say the same thing. I assure you.”
She took a gulp of water before setting her glass down on the table in front of her.
“That may be the case bhabhi, and honestly… I do believe you. But I’m more scared of bhai. He gave us strict instructions to take care of you,” Rinki replied. “And we’re not about to invite his wrath by going against him.”
As if on cue, Romi’s phone rang.
“Speaking of which…” Romi sighed as he picked up the call. “Yes, bhai?”
“Tum log ghar aa gaye Ishita ko lekar?” Raman asked on the other side of the line. “Kaisa raha uska appointment? Kya kaha therapist ne? Aur-”
“Bhai!” Romi interrupted him. “Do minute shaant ho jaayiye. At least let me speak. Yes, we just got home. Like just a minute ago. Bhabhi’s appointment went well. In fact, the physical therapist said she has gained full mobility now. She doesn’t need to go back.”
“That’s good… that’s good. Is she in any pain? Any discomfort? You know what? Just give her the phone.”
“Gladly.”
Romi rolled his eyes and handed Ishita his phone. “Lijiye bhabhi. Bhai ko aapse baat karni hai. Ab aap hi sambhaalo.”
Romi made his escape to the kitchen for a snack while Ishita held the phone to her ear.
“Yes Raman?”
“Madrasan, tu sach mein thik hai na? Kuch kaha therapist ne? Romi-Rinki tumhe thik se le gaye na? Kuch gadbad to nahi hui?”
“I’m fine Raavan kumar,” Ishita insisted. “Apni dehshat phelaana bandh karo ab.”
“This isn’t a joking matter, Ishita. This is about your health. If I didn’t have this meeting with these French clients, then I would’ve taken you myself. Damn these time differences,” he snarled.
Ishita sighed in frustration and slumped against the the couch. “Raman. I. Am. Fine.” She punctuated each word to emphasize her point. “Aur main sirf kehne ki khaatir nahi keh rahi hoon. Main sach mein thik hoon. You need to back off now.”
“Back off?! You think I’m being overbearing?” he accused.
“We’ve already had this conversation, and like I said then, yes. You’re being overbearing. You won’t let me go back to work even though I’ve been cleared for duty. You won’t even let me work from home for more than four hours. Patients are lining up at the clinic and they need my help.”
“If they need help that badly, they can hire someone else,” Raman gritted through his teeth, frustration seeping through his voice.
“And I should let go of my job?” Ishita argued. “I have only one more week of vacation left, Raman. And then I have to go back to work.”
“Absolutely not.”
“How long are you planning to keep me locked in here then?” she groaned.
Hopefully forever, Raman thought. But he knew better then to say it out loud.
“Raman… You won’t even let me go out to drop off or pick up our kids from school. I missed Ruhi’s poem elocution competition. I missed Adi’s practice matches. This can’t go on much further.” She sighed and took in a deep calming breath. “I’ve been through eight weeks of physical therapy, medications, and doctor’s visits, and it has all paid off. One last physical checkup next week and then it’ll all be over. I’m fine.”
“Do you really think so?” Raman asked. “Because your gunshot wound and concussion are not the only things you’re recovering from.”
Ishita sucked in a sharp breath. She knew exactly what he was referring to. And she hated it. “Raman, I’m done with this conversation. We’ll talk later. Kal karwa chauth hai aur mujhe mummyji aur amma ke saath taiyyari karni hai. Bye.”
“Wait Ishita!” Raman yelped, startled. “You’re not thinking of fasting tomorrow, are you?”
“Bye Raman.”
“You can’t fast for the whole day-”
Ishita hung up the phone before he went on any further. She tossed Romi’s phone onto the table and shook her head in frustration. For the past two weeks, she and Raman had been having the same argument over and over again, round and round, in circles. And they were no closer to a resolution.
Desperate for a distraction, she decided to join her mother and mother-in-law next door. Romi and Rinki had retreated to their rooms, while Toshi was still at the Iyers’ place.
“Papaji, main Amma ke ghar hokar aati hoon,” she told her father-in-law as she stood up and adjusted her saree.
“Thik hai puttar,” Omprakash nodded before returning his attention to the newspaper in his hands.
When she opened the door to the Iyer house, she was greeted with the aroma of coconut and jaggery and the gurgles of her two-month old niece.
“Amma! Mummyji! Akka!” she called out.
“Ishu! Hum log kitchen mein hai!” Vandu called out. “Aa ja!”
Toshi, Madhu, and Vandu sat on the kitchen floor in front of a large steel bowl of coconut dough rolling it into small balls, while Kshitija watched them curiously from her crib nearby.
“Kya chal raha hai yahan?” Ishita asked, approaching the crowd.
“Hum log kal ke liye nariyal ke laddoo bana rahe hai,” Madhu explained. “Aa ja kanna, tum bhi baitho humaare saath.”
“Mummyji? Mujhe lagaa aap badaam lene aayi thi.” Ishita sat down beside her sister and began helping with the balling of laddoos.
“Haa puttar, par teri maa ne mainu ae kaam haath mein pakda diya toh main kya karu?” she mock-complained.
“Santoshi, tujhe yeh sab sikhna chahiye. Less oil or less sugar mein kaise sweets banti hai. Tum jo yeh saari oily or sugary cheezein khaati ho na, isiliye tumhari koi bhi dieting nahi chalti,” Madhu teased.
“Oye madrasan! Hum log Punjabi log hai, khaate-peete ghar ke hai…”
Their argument continued, while Vandu and Ishita chuckled and segued into their own conversation, all the while continuing to ball laddoos.
“So when are you planning to return to work Akka?” Ishita asked.
“I don’t know yet, Ishu. Sach kahu toh is gudiya ko chod ke jaane ka bilkul man nahi kar raha hai.” Vandu tapped her baby’s nose through the bars of the crib and smiled at her. In turn, Kshitija peered at her mother curiously, bringing her tiny arm out to grip her finger.
“I have a minimum of three months and a maximum of six months of maternity leave. There’s a temporary principal at the college right now, so we’ll figure out a time for when I can return according to both our schedules. Plus, Bala and I have been talking about staggering our schedules. I could have morning hours and he could hold his classes and office hours in the evening. That way one of us is always home with the kids.”
“That’s a great idea Akka,” Ishita whispered.
Vandu managed to free her finger from her baby’s grip by replacing it with a rattle and turned her attention to her sister, surprised to note a whiff of sadness in her eyes.
“Kya hua Ishu?” she asked.
Ishita blinked her eyes and shook her head. “Kuch nahi Akka.”
“Don’t lie to me,” Vandu insisted. “Talk to me.”
Ishita sighed. “It’s just that… Raman has been so… strict, for lack of a better word. He’s been worried for me, which I understand. But it’s getting to the point that it makes me feel restricted. He won’t let me leave the house other than for doctor’s appointments or supervised walks.”
“He’s right to be worried Ishu,” Vandu argued. “You went through a lot.”
“I know Akka. I get it. But this is just too much now. No work, no going out, no leaving the house. How am I supposed to live like this?”
“I thought you had started working from home?”
“Yeah, it’s mostly clinical or research paperwork and some dental consultations that can be performed online. But even then he insists I don’t work for more than four hours. And the worst part is, he’s taking on more and more responsibilities at his office to compensate for my time off. It’s going to affect his health sooner or later. I mean look at you and jeeju. You’re talking about staggering your work hours and dividing your responsibilities. But here, Raman is taking on everything and he won’t let me do anything. And that’s detrimental for both of us.”
“Humaari baat alag hai Ishu. I gave birth. Pregnancy and childbirth is normal for a woman. But you… You got shot. You almost died. You almost bled to death.” A shudder rolled through her spine at the memory of the ordeal. “It’s different.”
“I get it Akka. And for the first five or six weeks, I didn’t oppose at all. I did everything he told me to. But it’s been two months now. I have regained full mobility. Even my doctor has approved me for duty at the clinic. But Raman won’t listen. It’s just…” Ishita sighed. “Akka, I’m worried for him. I’m worried for our relationship, and I’m worried for our family dynamic. And I don’t know what to do anymore. Because every time I try talking to him, we just end up arguing in circles.”
“How about this? Why don’t you try putting yourself in his position? What do you think would go through your head if Raman or Adi or Ruhi were in that bed two months ago? What if one of them-”
“Akka!” Ishita interrupted her before she could finish that sentence.
Vandu raised her eyebrows knowingly, having proven her point.
“Okay fine,” Ishita conceded. “I get your point. But we have to move on at some point, don’t we? How long are we going to stay trapped in this fear?”
“I guess I don’t really have an answer for you there. Maybe time is the only answer.”
As the ladies finished up balling up the laddoos, Ishita pondered over her conversation with her sister. She loved her husband. She really did. More than anything. And thereby, she understood his concern for her. But the extent that he was going to in his concern was beyond what she could cope.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Meanwhile @ Raman’s office
“Mihir, did you get the order forms from Mr. Moreau and Dubois?” Raman asked, shuffling through his files.
“Not yet bhai. They said they’d send them by Monday though. If I don’t hear by Monday morning, I’ll follow up with them,” Mihir replied.
“Okay then. There’s nothing else to do. You can go home.”
“And what about you bhai?”
“I’m just going to go through this backlog of files before leaving for the weekend. Besides, I have to pick up Adi and Ruhi from their friend’s place in an hour before going home. Doesn’t make sense for me to go home only to leave to go pick them up.”
“Fair enough. I’ll see you tomorrow for karwa chauth then. Bye bhai!”
“Bye.”
The door of the office clicked shut as Mihir left leaving Raman to his files and thoughts. He went through each file, signing the ones he approved and making notes in the margins of ones that needed improvement.
But even so, his thoughts kept going back to his wife. She had been recovering for the last two months but the scars that the ordeal had left ran deep and he couldn’t get over them. Not when the monotone beep of the hospital monitor still rang in his ears. Not when the image of her pale, lifeless body drenched in blood was branded into the back of his eyelids. How could he explain to her the absolute terror that gripped his throat? That continues to suffocate him even now?
He scratched his forehead with the back of his pen, sighing as he reached the end of the pile of his files. To make matters worse, Ishita was apparently planning on fasting tomorrow. He had never understood the logic behind a wife fasting for the long life of her husband. Shagun had never fasted, choosing to secretly have food behind Toshi’s back, and Raman couldn’t have cared less. But knowing Ishita, she would fast sincerely, without a morsel of food or drop of water, and it terrified him.
He closed his last file and deposited it into his drawer, sighing in frustration. They were going to have another argument tonight over her health, particularly of his insistence that she not fast. And he knew exactly how it would end. Just as the rest of their fights had ended over the last two weeks. He would insist she play it safe and not risk her health. She would argue that she was healed and okay. He would refuse to hear it and end the conversation. And finally, she would go to sleep with her back to him and internally chiding him for his restrictive behavior.
Raman zipped his laptop bag shut and grabbed his coat before leaving his office. He knew Ishita was getting annoyed – upset even – with his overprotective tendencies, but he couldn’t stop himself. Because at the end of the day, he would rather deal with her annoyance than entertain the possibility of her being sick, or worse, dead.
Come what may, he wasn’t going to let Ishita fast tomorrow. Or start work next week. She may not agree, but he knew she wasn’t ready to leave the house. And it wasn’t just because of her concussion or healing gunshot wound. Having decided as such, Raman got into his car and drove over to Adi-Ruhi’s friend’s place to pick them up.
Twenty minutes later, he was on his way home with Adi and Ruhi in the back seat.
“So, how was your day guys?” he asked his kids.
“It was a lot of fun papa!” Ruhi exclaimed. “Hum ne kitna mazaa kiya, pata hai! We played make-believe in their backyard with bubbles and then we had cold coffee!”
The car skidded to a stop at a red light.
“You guys had coffee?!” he asked, startled.
“No dad,” Adi chuckled. “We had these chocolate drinks with coffee flavor and whipped cream. Kind of like those Starbucks drinks. Mayank’s older sister used to work there so she knows how to make them.”
“Oh I see…” Raman sighed, relieved. “Well, I’m glad you guys had fun.”
He pressed on the gas pedal and turned into Mayur Vihar.
“Dad, how was Ishimaa’s appointment today?” Adi asked.
Raman smiled. If there was anyone apart from him who was just as preoccupied with Ishita’s health as he was, then it was his son.
“It went well, Adi. She told me over the phone that she’s done with all her physical therapy and can move freely now. She has full mobility now.”
“And what about her physical checkup?”
“She has one next week. In fact, it’s the day right after your appointment. Are you ready for it?”
Adi met his father’s eyes in the rear-view mirror. And nodded… hesitantly.
Initially, they had planned on weaning his therapy sessions after his custody case. Dr. Zoya Rashid had insisted on monthly instead of weekly visits to let Adi adjust to life on his own. But since the shooting, it had become more than clear that he still needed professional help to process the trauma. In fact, both kids did.
The week after Ishita came home from the hospital, Ruhi and Adi had refused to let go of her side. Sending them to school was hard enough, but when they were at home, they were always enconsced in her room, keeping an eye on her as she rested on the bed. They even slept with her on her bed. And the first night of that arrangement had revealed just how deep their trauma was.
The family of four had been startled awake twice that night: once at midnight when Ruhi screamed for her mumma and once right before dawn when Adi woke up with night sweats from a horrible nightmare. The very next day, Raman had booked an appointment for both of them with Dr. Rashid.
Ruhi’s nightmares had subsided very soon, allowing her to move on from the trauma very easily, owing to her young age, resilience, and the fact that she understood very less. But Adi was a different story. He had already been prone to anxiety before the shooting owing to his precarious relationship with Shagun. After the disintegration of that relationship, life had brought him to the verge of losing another mother figure, and his anxiety had hit the roof. His nightmares, unfortunately, did not subside as easily as his sister’s did.
Soon enough, Raman parked the car in the Akash Ganga parking lot and led his kids upstairs for dinner. Immediately, they made a beeline for Ishita on the sofa.
“Aap kaise ho Ishimaa?” Adi asked, giving her a hug. “How was your appointment?”
“Main thik hoon beta. My appointment went very well. I’m all done with physical therapy now.”
“Dadi, aaj dinner mein kya hai?” Ruhi asked, shedding her backpack on the couch.
“Aaj khichdi hai, mera bhachungda,” Toshi replied from where she was setting the table.
Immediately, Ruhi frowned. “Khichdi?! Yuck!”
“Ruhi…” Ishita spoke up sternly. “That’s bad manners. Aise nahi bolte.”
“Sorry mumma. Sorry dadi,” the little girl said with a pout.
“Koi ni puttar,” Toshi chuckled. “Aaj yeh khaale, phir kal bahot kuch banaayenge. Karwa chauth haina, isiliye. Sab log jaakar haath muh dho lo, phir khaana khaane baithte hai.”
Dinner was then a simple affair, as everyone talked about their day. They reveled in the news of Ishita’s recovery, the updates of Raman and Romi’s successful contract with French clients, and the excitement of Karwa Chauth tomorrow.
“Chalo sab log!” Toshi announced at the end of dinner. “Aaj chetthi chetthi so jao. Kal subah jaldi uthna hai sargi ke liye.”
“Aap logon ko uthna hoga,” Rinki drawled, as she deposited her empty plate into the sink. “Romi bhai and I don’t. Benefits of being unmarried.”
“Yup. Rinki and I are going to stay up till midnight.” Romi high-fived his sister as they hopped inside ignoring their mother chiding them behind their back.
“Khotiye sab ke sab,” Toshi muttered, putting the dishes away.
“Adi-Ruhi,” Ishita said, “Go finish your homework now, if you want to enjoy the weekend.”
“Okay Ishimaa.”
“Yes mumma.”
Just as the kids ran into their room, the easy-going smooth atmosphere came abruptly to an end.
Toshi turned around with a steel vessel in her hands and accidentally dropped it on the way to the sink, spilling the leftover khichdi. And everything unraveled.
Clang! Splash!
Every hair on Ishita’s body stood up. Her vision tunneled and chest tightened. It was as if she was in that parking lot again. Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunshots… Blood…
Every muscle of her body stiffened. She struggled to inhale enough oxygen. She could feel her heart pace dangerously, as panic choked her, threatening to squeeze the life out of her.
Immediately, Raman’s head whipped to his wife and his fear came true. Ishita had frozen. This. This was why he wasn’t ready to let her out yet. He was in front of her in a split-second, grabbing her hands and squeezing. Hard.
“Ishita… Ishita, look at me,” Raman whispered. “Look into my eyes and focus on your breathing. You’re okay. We’re both okay. We’re at home and we’re safe. Just squeeze my hands and focus on me. You got this.”
Her favorite voice seeped through the panic whistling through her ears, and Ishita managed to look into her husband’s eyes. The feel of his hands and the warmth from his eyes grounded her. Breath in… breath out… breath in… breath out… Slowly, oxygen crept into her lungs and the weight of dread dissipated from her chest.
Even so, this was a much milder panic attack than what she were used to. Six weeks ago, Ishita had had her first panic attack when a car backfired in the parking lot during one of their walks in the society. It was so extreme, she had almost passed out from fear. That night, Raman couldn’t get one wink of sleep after witnessing her so helpless and frightened. The very next day, Ishita had been prescribed anti-anxiety medication.
Over the next six weeks, the attacks had grown less frequent and less intense, thanks to her medication, but every now and then, something triggered her. The clang of a steel plate. The shattering of a glass vase. A bang from the TV. She was transported into a concrete chamber of dread, where the walls were closing in and the oxygen was sucked out of her lungs.
And Raman hated seeing her like that. She was the strongest woman he knew, and seeing her so frightened made him want to seek Ashok out and strangle him to death.
Minutes later, when Ishita could finally breathe again, she let go of Raman’s hands and nodded at him. Immediately, her fear was replaced with embarrasment as she realized that her in-laws at seen her in such a vulnerable state. The family had known of her panic attacks and everyone had been extremely supportive, but still… she hated being seen as so weak.
“Puttar, aap thik ho?” Omprakash asked gently.
“Mainu maaf kar de, Ishita,” Toshi said. “Pata nahin kaise haath se chhut gaya-”
“Nahin mummyji,” Ishita interrupted her. “Aap maafi mat maangiye. Aapki koi galti nahi hai. Laayiye, main yeh sab saaf karne mein aapki madad kar deti hoon.
“Na na puttar. Yeh sab main kar lungi. Tu jaa, jaa kar aaram kar,” Toshi insisted.
“Lekin-”
“Puttarji, tussi tension na lo,” Omprakash interjected. “Main Toshiji ki help kar dunga. Aap jao.”
Before Ishita could argue any further, Raman gently guided her to their room.
“You all right, Ishita?” he asked, as she sat down on the bed against the cushions.
“I’m fine, Raman,” she replied, wiping sweat from her throat.
“Are you really?” He sat down in front of her and nudged her chin to make her look him in the eye. “Do you see now why I refuse to let you go out? What if the next time you have a panic attack I’m not there to help you?”
Ishita swatted his hand away. “First of all, avoiding the outside world isn’t a solution. Puri zindagi aise nahi kategi. Second of all, my panic attacks are getting better and better every day. During the first week, I had three attacks in two days. But now, this is the first one in ten days. And it passed in less than five minutes.”
Raman shook his head and stood up, unbuttoning his shirt and peeling it off. Ishita groaned. Every time she made a logical argument, this was his reaction.
“Raman, don’t you dare walk away. We’re not done talking.”
“Yes, we are.” Raman put on his night shirt and slammed the cupboard closed. “You’re not going to work anytime soon. And you’re not fasting tomorrow.”
“And you get to decide that?” she asked, standing up abruptly. “Without even asking me?”
Raman sighed. He threw away his dirty shirt in the laundry basket and faced his wife. “Madrasan, tumhaare ek din bhookha rehne se meri umar badhegi nahi, kam ho jaayegi. Any danger to you is going to take ten years off my life.”
“Raman, I called my doctor and asked her. I will be fine fasting for one day. In fact, fasting can actually be good for health. It lets the body heal and rest and rejuvenate.”
“Oh yeah? And what if you get weakness from not eating enough? How are you going to take your medications without having any food?” Raman rubbed his palm over his face in frustration. “Why do you even care about this anyway? Tum doctor ho, padhi-likhi ho. Why do you even believe in this nonsense?”
“It’s not about the belief behind karwa chauth, Raman. It’s about the cultural experience behind it. It’s about being part of the festivities, of celebrating our relationship. Saari auraton ne vrat rakhaa hoga. Aur main nahin rakhungi, then I’ll feel left out.”
“Ishita, if it really matters that much to you, then I’ll fast. If this is about celebrating our marriage then I can stay hungry, all right? But not you.”
“But Raman…”
Their argument continued as they went back and forth, neither of them refusing to budge.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Two hours later
“Sorry Adi… Ishimaa is dead.”
NO! NO! NO!
Ishimaa can’t be dead. Ishimaa can’t leave me. Ishimaa…
Every pore in Adi’s body was on fire. His heart had been ripped out of his chest. His lungs were drowning in acid. He was ready to burn the world down. Screw this world. Screw everything.
As the door of the hospital room opened, Adi glided inside and a body materialized in front of him. A pale white sheet covered it from head to toe.
NO! NO! NO!
A hospital orderly pulled the sheet down and a thousand pieces of glass pierced the flesh of his heart. His mother materialized in front of him, eyes closed, eerily still, and face as white as the sheet covering her.
She was dead. She was gone. His mother was dead… gone…
NO! NO! NO!
“Adi bhaiya! Bhaiya, wake up!” Ruhi shook her brother’s shoulder vigorously, trying to wake him up from his nightmare.
Adi’s eyes suddenly snapped open. He was panting heavily with sweat dripping down his temple. It wasn’t until his vision focused on his sister that he realized he had been dreaming.
“Bhaiya, kya hua? Aap ‘no, no’ chilla rahe the. Koi bura dream dekha aapne?” Ruhi asked, concern and fright shining in her eyes.
Adi bit his lip, trying to get his heavy breathing under control, as he sat up. His baby sister was looking upon him, worried beyond belief, and he instantly felt guilty. He couldn’t tell Ruhi. She had finally moved on from the aftermath of the shooting. He couldn’t drag her down with him.
“I’m okay Ru. Sorry for waking you up. Tu so jaa,” Adi insisted.
But both of them knew without saying it aloud, that sleep wasn’t going to come over them anytime soon. Naturally, they found themselves gravitating to the people in whom they found the most comfort.
They knocked on their parents’ bedroom door, and Raman opened the door to find Adi and Ruhi in their pajamas.
“Adi? Ruhi? Aap log soye nahi abhi tak?” he asked.
Adi hung his head while Ruhi shook her head in the negative.
“Kya hua Adi? Is everything okay, Ru?” Ishita asked from the bed.
After a moment’s hesitation, Adi said, “Ishimaa, can we sleep here tonight?”
Realization dawned in Ishita’s eyes, as she looked at Raman. The kids had finally started sleeping on their own. Adi’s nightmares were growing less frequent, but the sweat sticking his hair to his forehead told a different story. And as much as Ishita wanted her kids to be sleeping on their own, she didn’t have the heart to send them away now. Not when they were too scared to be alone.
Without another moment’s hesitation, she opened her arms and beckoned them forward. “Aa jao mere paas.”
Adi and Ruhi ran forward and hopped onto the bed, snuggling into their mother. As Ishita pulled the blanket over them and patted them to sleep, Raman turned off the light and caressed their heads, ruffling their hair.
“Raman, is there enough room for you?” Ishita whispered, once the kids were breathing evenly indicative of sleep. “Ruhi ko pair pasaar ke sone ki aadat hai. Kahin aapko laat na maar de.”
“Tu chinta mat kar, madrasan. I’ll be fine. And if I can’t sleep, I’ll just take the couch,” he replied.
“Lekin couch pe toh aapko back pain ho jaayega. Aap kaise-”
“Calm down, my love. Kabhi tum is couch par soya karti thi na? Ab meri baari.”
Before she could argue any further, he pressed a chaste kiss to her lips to slience her. “Go to sleep. I’ll be okay.”
With one final kiss to his wife and a peck to his children, Raman made his bed on the couch. But even after lying down and twisting and turning, he couldn’t fall asleep. He could only focus on his sleeping wife and children. Ishita’s recorvey, her panic attacks, Adi’s nightmares… The shooting two months ago had plagued them with so much.
Granted, Ishita was physically healthy now. Her panic attacks were dissipating. Adi’s nightmares were also becoming less frequent. Ruhi, in fact, had already moved on. But none of that did anything to loosen the noose wrapped around his throat.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Bhalla House – the next day, Karwa Chauth, 6 am
If anyone would have been dropped into the Bhalla house at the early hours of dawn this fine morning, they wouldn’t be able to discern that the sun hadn’t come up yet. The hustle-bustle of a festival was abounding.
The sizzle of oil sounded in the kitchen as Toshi flipped paneer parathas on the pan. Madhu and Mihika laid out coconut laddoos on the table, even as the former struggled with her unpinned dupatta. Simi and Vandu pulled out steel plates and bowls from the cupboard and laid the table. All the ladies were dressed in fancy Punjabi suits, hair braided with parandas (ribbons) into various hairstyles, as they chatted away without a trace of sleep in their eyes. The only missing member joined them soon enough.
Ishita emerged from her bedroom, clad in a pink salwar suit, a dupatta draped across her side and her braid flowing down the other side.
“Haay… Kitni pyaari lag rahi hai meri bahu!” Toshi commented, as she turned off the stove and brought over the parathas to the table.
“You look gorgeous, Akka!” Mihika exclaimed.
“Tum bhi kuch kam nahin lag rahi ho!” Ishita said brightly, returning the compliment. “What can I do? Kuch taiyyari karni hai?”
“Nahi puttar, bas main aur Madhu sab ke liye sargi ki thali lagaa de, phir khaana khaate baithte hai,” Toshi said.
“Bhai? Aap yahan kya kar rahe hai?” Simi craned her neck to see Raman approach the table beyond Ishita.
Ishita turned around, surprised to see her husband, and sighed. “Raman, aap kyun itni subah-subah uth gaye? Maine aapko kahan tha na aaram karne ke liye?”
“I want to make sure you eat properly. I couldn’t convince you not to fast, but I can make sure you at least eat this meal properly. Jhansi ki Rani…”
Ishita rolled her eyes. “I will eat properly. Waise bhi, main sab ki tarah nirjala vrat nahi kar rahi hoon. I’m doing a liquid fast, like you suggested last night. Samay-samay par juice ya doodh peeti rahungi. But right now you need to go to sleep. Aap kal raat bhi der se soye the.”
“Tumhe kaise pata? Main toh couch par-”
“Because I know you. I know how much you must’ve been worrying about me and Adi last night. But we’re all okay now. So please, just go and rest. Aaram se bistar par so jaayiye bacchon ke saath. Couch par sote-sote aapko back pain ho raha hoga.”
Raman couldn’t help the smile that crept up his lips. Even while they were at odds, she knew him so well.
“Waise… aap humesha mujhe taana maarte hai na, ki Tamilian festivals aur shaadiyon mein aapko subah-subah uthna padta hai? Toh aaj aap badla le sakte hain. You can sleep in, and I’ll stay awake at the crack of dawn. How about that?”
Ishita winked at her husband, and he laughed – genuinely, heartily laughed – after a very long time. Warmth flooded her chest.
“Fine. Main chalta hoon phir. Lekin tum thik se khaana,” Raman instructued. “Mummy! Dhyaan rakhna ki yeh sahi se khaaye,” he said to his mother.
“Tu chinta na kar puttar. Maine apni sabhi bahu-betiyon ko pet bhar ke khilana hai,” Toshi replied.
Hesitantly, Raman backed away into his bedroom, as Ishita joined the ladies at the table. Toshi set a plate of sargi for Ishita and Mihika, while Madhu served a plate for Simi and Vandu. Their plates were full of paneer parathas, potato sabji, nariyal laddoos, and moong dal halwa, along with various assorted fresh fruits and nuts.
Sunrise was half an hour away, and the ladies spent every minute relishing each delicacy. As they ate, Toshi explained the rituals behind karwa chauth, of fasting from sunrise to moonrise, and the pooja done at the time of moonrise.
“Bilkul nahi. Main Mihir ke pair nahin chhune waali!” Mihika exclaimed when Toshi got the part of a wife touching her husband’s feet.
“Toh mat chhuna,” Vandu agreed. “Main bhi Bala ke pair nahin chhune wali.”
“Oh kudiyon, yeh bada puraana riwaaz hai. Aise mat karo,” Toshi insisted. “Pichle saal Ishita ne bhi Raman ke pair chhuye the.”
Mihika almost spit out her coconut water. Vandu stopped chewing mid-bite.
“Seriously akka?!”
Ishita nodded. “Actually… Sach kahun toh pair chhuna sirf ek bahana tha. I pinched him under the pretext of touching his feet.”
Toshi and Simi gasped.
“But in my defense, he deserved it!” Ishita insisted quickly. “He kept teasing me about how the fast would do me good to lose weight. Aapke bete ne mujhe bahot pareshaan kiya tha us din, mummyji.”
Ishita pouted, eliciting laughs all around the table. They laughed and ate and chatted like that until the sun came up.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
A few hours later – 2 pm
“Oh my god… I’m so hungry…” Mihika groaned, her head falling back on the couch.
“Miku, aren’t you being a bit dramatic?” Mihir drawled, as he opened up a protein bar from the pantry.
“Says the guy who’s eating a protein bar,” Mihika snarled. She stared Mihir down, who chomped off a huge bite of his chocolate covered protein bar and gobbled it up… in open defiance of his wife.
The Bhalla house was teeming with bodies now that the men had arrived. The room was decorated with flower garlands and fairy lights, and light classical music permeated through the room. The ladies had spent the early hours of the morning decorating each others’ palms with mehendi. However, their hunger was now getting noticeable, making many of them (like Mihika) irritable. It made Ishita feel all the guiltier about the tall glass of milk Raman had made her drink an hour ago.
“Ugh… Why did karwa chauth fall on a weekend?” Mihika groaned. “Agar kaam pe hoti toh chaand nikalne tak time paas ho jata. Lekin weekend pe it’s like every minute is being stretched longer than usual.”
“I have a great idea for you guys to pass the day,” Bala said, swooping in to save the day.
The ladies’ heads turned towards him immediately.
“What idea is that, Bala?” Vandu asked.
Bala exchanged glances with Raman, Mihir, Omprakash, and Vishwa, who all nodded in return. Every eye was trained on him as he took out an envelope from his pocket.
“This includes an all-paid voucher for a deluxe spa day for six ladies. Plus six tickets to the Cineplux movie theater. A small gift from us to you.”
Bala handed the envelope to his wife, eliciting gasps and applause from the other ladies.
“You should be able to pass the rest of the day quite easily now,” he said.
“Aiyyo, lekin humko shaam ka dinner bhi banana hai,” Madhu exclaimed. “Hum pura din bahar thodi reh sakte hai?”
“Uski tension mat lo, Periamma,” Mihir intervened. “Aaj ka dinner hum log banayenge.” He made a show of bowing down, but abruptly stood up when he heard no reaction.
“What’s wrong? Why isn’t anyone reacting?” he asked, seeing the ladies’ wide-eyed gapes.
“Aap log dinner banaaoge?” Ishita asked tenuously.
“Dinner khaane laayak toh banega na?” Simi teased.
“Oh hello!” Raman spoke up defensively. “Madrasan, tu bhul gayi? Maine tere liye spaghetti banayi thi. And you liked it!”
“And we made quesadillas and burritos for the kids once,” Bala reminded them. “We know how to cook.”
“Jeeju, that might be true, but will you guys be able to cook Indian food today?” Ishita asked.
“We’ll manage bhabhi,” Romi asserted. “We’ve got cookbooks and an entire YouTube playlist of recipes. Besides, we’ll have Rinki here to help out. She knows how to make Indian food, right?”
“Wait, I’m staying here?” Rinki asked. “I don’t get to go out with them?”
“Are you fasting? No, right? So you’re staying here and helping us,” Romi declared. “Besides, we only got six passes for the six married ladies.”
“Okay fine…” Rinki groaned.
Eventually, Toshi, Madhu, Vandu, Mihika, Simi, and Ishita left with their tickets for a well-deserved spa day and movie day. Before they could leave though, Raman handed his wife a bottle of orange juice with strict instructions to finish it before coming home.
Meanwhile the rest of the family stayed behind for dinner prep. Omprakash and Vishwa were on babysitting duty. Bala and Mihir began working on prepping the chole and paneer sabji. Romi and Raman made kheer and barfi. Finally, Rinki soaked a cup of rice and rolled the dough for the puris.
“Can you taste this kheer, Bala?” Raman asked, offering him a spoon. “Is there enough sugar?”
“Tum khud taste karlo na yaar,” Bala insisted, as he stirred the tomato-onion mixture for the curries.
“Mihir, tu taste karle.” Raman turned to his brother who was in the middle of cutting up paneer cubes.
“Bhai, why can’t you just taste it?” Romi asked. “Now that I think of it, you wouldn’t even taste the barfi mixture either.”
Suddenly, Rinki gasped. “Oh my god… Bhai, kahin aapne vrat toh nahi rakha? Kyunki maine subah se aapko kuch khaate huye nahin dekha.”
Every head in the kitchen turned towards him.
“Oh no bhai…” Mihir groaned. “I already had to listen to Mihika rave about you waking up at the crack of dawn for bhabhi’s sargi. Now you’re fasting as well?”
“Raman, tum humaari shaadi todne par tule ho kya?” Bala teased.
“You are too adorable bhai!” Rinki swooned. “Bhabhi ko pata hai kya?”
“It’s not like that…” Raman sighed. “I’m just not hungry. Besides, if I keep tasting stuff right now then I won’t be able to enjoy this stuff in the evening. I’m not fasting. And Rinki, don’t you dare mention this to your bhabhi.”
Technically, it was true. Last night, when he and Ishita had talked, she had urged him not to fast. And he had decided not to. But as it turned out, he just couldn’t stomach a drop of water or a crumb of food today. Not when he knew his wife wasn’t eating anything, despite her precarious health situation.
“Just taste this and tell me whether the sugar is right or not.” Raman stuffed the spoon in Mihir’s mouth before he could protest any further.
“Yeah… yeah… It’s fine…” he said, between coughs. “The sugar is fine, but you should let the rice cook more.”
Hours passed by with the men preparing a grand feast, and the women enjoying facials, manicures, and pedicures.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Akash Ganga Society Terrace – 7 pm
The evening of Karwa Chauth was as bright as it could be. The terrace had been adorned with twinkling fairy lights and garlands of flowers, similar to the interior of the Bhalla house. The men were dressed in traditional kurtas, chatting with each other, while they waited for the ladies to show up for the pooja. Adi, Ruhi, Shravu, and Ananya ran around on the rooftop, while Bala rocked Kshitija in his arms.
The door of the terrace clicked open and the most-awaited arrivals appeared. The ladies appeared in red salwar suits with pooja thalis, copper lotas, and steel chalnis (sieves) in hand.
“Oh chaand nikla ki nahin?” Toshi asked immediately. “Ab bhookh bardaasht nahi ho rahi.”
“Tussi koi chaand se kam thodi ho Toshi ji!” Omprakash exclaimed, eliciting cheers and hoots from the rest.
“Chaddo Bhalla ji! Ae koi wakhat nahi hai romance-shomance karne ka! Bhookh ke maare jaan jaa rahi hai.”
“Mumma, chaand kuch hi waqt mein nikalna chaahiye,” Rinki said, scrolling through her weather app. “Moonrise is at 7:06 pm. Tab tak sab log apni pooja ki thaali ready kar lo.”
Like the rest of the women, Ishita situated herself in front of her husband, lighting her diya and organizing her pooja thali. However, despite her attention on the thali, she felt herself coloring up under Raman’s amorous gaze. Despite the ups and downs in their life, his passion for her had never lessened. If anything it had only grown.
“Bahot khubsurat lag rahi ho,” he whispered to her, tucking a strand of errant hair behind her ear. “Sab is Punjabi suit ka kamaal hai,” he added, earning a light smack on his elbow.
“Kuch bhi,” she chuckled, smiling uncontrollably.
“Woh dekho! Chaand nikal gaya!” Vandu announced the next minute.
“Finally!” Mihika exclaimed.
Every woman was immediately kicked into action as they performed the pooja to break their fast.
Ishita placed a diya in her sieve and peered at the moon through the net. And Raman couldn’t tear his eyes off of her. He knew how upset she was with his controlling tendencies recently, but he couldn’t help it. He still hadn’t gone over the helplessness he had felt when she was in the hospital. When the hospital monitor had been beeping dangerously. That lack of control he had felt was nauseating to say the least. And now he was willing to do anything to regain control. Even if she disagreed with him for it. Because it was his controlling tendencies that let the love of his life stand here in front of him, healthy and happy, and beautiful as ever.
Moments later, Ishita turned and peered at her husband through the sieve, and her eyes softened immediately. Throughout her hours of pampering at the spa, she had thought over Raman’s behavior over the past few weeks, and a sudden breakthrough occurred to her. Ever since the shooting, Raman had not processed the trauma he had gone through. He had been too busy focusing on his family. Ishita had been working through her panic attacks. Adi and Ruhi were dealing with their nightmares. But Raman had not dealt with his own trauma response that had manifested as extreme control. And it was high time that Ishita helped him through it, something she resolved to do as she gazed at him with all the love in the world.
Then Ishita placed the sieve down and picked up the kalash of water to pour it in front of the moon. Once the pooja was over, Raman picked up the glass of water and brought it to her lips, only for her to shake her head in the negative.
“Kya hua?” he asked.
Wordlessly, Ishita grabbed the glass with her free hand and brought it to his mouth.
“Aapne bhi kuch nahi khaya na subah se? Mere manaa karne ke baawjood?” she asked.
“Goddammit Rinki…” he sighed.
Ishita nodded at the glass indicating him to drink. Raman gave in and took a gulp of water, before returning the gesture and making her take a sip as well. Once he placed the glass down, they fed each other a piece of barfi to break their fast (Ishita’s deliberate fast and Raman’s unintentional one).
Then Ishita bent over to touch his feet, only for Raman to stop her abruptly.
“Rehne do,” he said. “Dubaara se mere pair pe chimti kaatogi tum.”
Once the pooja was over, the family proceeded downstairs for a feast prepared by the men.
“Oh my god, this is actually really good!” Mihika exclaimed, munching on puri and sabji.
“Waakiye bahot badhiya khaana banaya hai aap logon ne,” Ishita remarked, between spoonfuls of kheer.
“Why thank you!” Mihir beamed. “Kahan tha na... hum mard bhi bahot accha Indian khaana bana sakte hai?!”
Just then, Rinki cleared her throat knowingly and raised her eyebrow.
“All because of Rinki’s help, of course,” Mihir amended quickly.
And just like that, the rest of the day passed by with food and laughter and joy.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Ishita and Raman’s bedroom – a few hours later, 10 pm
The door squeaked open and Ishita turned around from the dresser to see her husband walk in in his pajamas.
“Bacche so gaye?” she asked.
Raman nodded. “They were very tired after such a long day. I think they’ll sleep through the night. Hopefully no nightmares today.”
“Let’s hope so.”
As Ishita set her hairbrush down on the dresser, Raman placed his phone and wallet on the bedside table and faced her.
“Ishita, can I ask you something?” he asked.
“Sure.”
“Did you have any juice from the bottle I gave you when you left for the spa with everyone else?”
His question was laced with an undercurrent of accusation and anger, and Ishita’s spine turned into a rod.
“Why are you asking this?” she asked tenuously.
“Just answer me,” he gritted through his teeth, nostrils flaring. “And before you think of lying, just know that I just came from the kitchen where Simi was putting everything away.”
Ishita sighed. He meant he had seen the full bottle of juice. And knew that she hadn’t had a drop.
“Raman, I lost track of time, okay? Pehle spa mein, phir theater mein… Mujhe sach mein bhookh thi hi nahin,” she said in her defense.
“How can you be so careless?!” he boomed, storming towards her. “Tum itna time bhookhi thi?! Agar kuch ho jaata to?!”
“Lekin hua toh nahi na?!” she countered. “Main bilkul thik hoon. Waise hi jaise bahot waqt se thik hoon. Mujhe genuinely bhookh nahin lagi thi, isiliye maine juice nahin piya.”
Raman groaned and rubbed a palm down his face in frustration.
“What. Is. Wrong. With. You?” he muttered, punctuating after each word. “Tumhe dikhaay nahin de raha ki main jo kuch bhi karta hoon, kehta hoon, woh sab tumhaare bhale ke liye kehta hoon? Meri baat maanne mein tumhe kyun itni takleef hoti hai?”
“And what is wrong with you, Raman?” she retorted, echoing his words. “Kya aapko nahin dikh raha ki aap had se zyada mujh par rok laga rahe hai? You’re crossing a line now. You won’t let me work, or drive, or even go out for any of the kids’ events. It was fine while I was still recovering, but I’m all better now. How long is this going to go on?”
And there it was. They were back to that same argument. Again.
“We’re not talking about this again,” Raman declared, sitting down on the bed with his head in his hands.
“Yes we are.” Ishita came to stand right in front of him and forced him to look upwards at her. “I think it’s high time we finish this conversation.”
Raman sighed. He was in no mood to talk. Ishita kneeled in front of him and met him at eye-level.
“Raman, you won’t let me work. You’re worried about me all the time. You’re worried about our kids all the time. And that means you’re working more, taking on more stress. It’s not good for you either.”
“I can handle it,” he insisted. “As long as you three are okay, I can handle everything else.”
“Well, I can’t. I can’t handle it like this. I want to go back to work now. And I want you to take care of yourself too.”
“How do you expect me to let you go to work? Madrasan, even when we’re at home, I’ve seen you take on so much work. You’re not the type to prioritize yourself. How can I know if you’re taking care of yourself while you’re at work? Aaj ka hi dekhlo. Jab tum bahar gayi thi tab maine tumhe pura bottle juice diya tha pine ko, lekin tumne ek boond bhi nahi piya.”
“Oh my god…” Ishita rolled her eyes and stood up. “Raman, agar main ek din bhookhi rahungi toh mar nahi jaaungi.”
Immediately, he shot up and grabbed her shoulders. “KHABARDAAR! Mazaak mein bhi aisa mat bolna!”
Ishita gulped. Not from the firm – almost painful – grip of his fingers on her shoulders. Not from the force of his outburst. But from the sheer agony and dread in his eyes. Agony at the thought of losing her.
“Do you know what it’s like?” he rasped in a low, guttural voice. “What it’s like to see the woman you love on the brink of death?” He roughly let go of her arms. “Do you know how much that image haunts me?! You have no idea what it’s like.”
He made to turn away but Ishita pulled him back.
“You think I have no idea what it’s like? You think I don’t know the feeling of seeing the one you love in danger? Raman, when I lost consciousness in that parking lot, I thought you were dead. When I woke up in the hospital, I thought you were dead. And all I wanted to do was never wake up. Never wake up in a world where you didn’t exist.”
Immediately, Raman’s eyes softened. He hadn’t considered that.
“I get it madrasan… But it’s still different for me.”
“Why?!”
“Because your heart stopped!” he yelled. “The beep of that hospital monitor flatlining echoes in my hears all the time. The image of your blood-soaked body is burned into my eyes. So I don’t care what I have to do to keep you safe. I’ll do whatever I have to do, even if it means going against you.”
Raman nudged her aside, stomped over to the couch, and slumped down on it, exhausted and frustrated. Meanwhile, Ishita was glued to her spot, as she processed the new information. Her heart had stopped.
But that made no sense. She had gone over her clinical chart from front to back, forwards and backwards. If her heart had stopped, and if she was resuscitated, then it would’ve been mentioned somewhere. Something was off.
Slowly, she walked over to her husband and sat down beside him. Ever so gently, she placed a hand on his shoulder and palmed his cheek with the other one, gazing at him with infinite tenderness.
“Raman, look at me,” she urged. When he met her eyes, she spoke again, “When my heart stopped, did you see anyone perform CPR? Did anyone do any chest compressions or did they shock me to restart my heart?”
After a moment of retrospection, Raman shook his head in the negative. He would’ve remembered if anyone would’ve restarted his wife’s heart. But come to think of it, no one had taken any such measures.
“That’s because my heart didn’t stop then. If it did, then the very first thing any doctor would do is chest compressions,” she explained.
“Then what was that beeping-”
“That was probably my blood pressure dropping because of the bleeding. Any time there is a drastic change in any vital sign, the hospital monitor beeps like that. But my heart never stopped. I went over my chart a million times. If it did, then there would be a note of it. And I would know. Trust me.”
And just like that, the noose that had been wrapped around his throat for two months loosened and Raman could finally breathe. The relief was so profound, tears pooled in his eyes.
“Raman, jab tak aapki dhadkan chal rahi hai, tab tak mera dil kabhi nahi rukega,” Ishita whispered.
“Mujhe pata hi tha ki tum nakli doctor ho,” Raman laughed despite the tears he was holding in. “Koi asli self-respecting doctor itni cheesy line bolega hi nahi.”
“Yeh hui na mere Raavan wali baat,” Ishita chuckled, even as her own eyes welled up. “Raman, you went through a trauma too. Let yourself feel it. Get through it. And then leave it behind. Every time I had a panic attack, you held me through it. Now let me hold you through your pain. Please,” she pleaded.
No sooner had she said the words did Raman’s face crumble and tears escaped his eyes. Ishita wrapped her arms around him and held him close, as he cried his heart out for the first time in two months.
“Ishita…” he sobbed. “I don’t know what I’m going to do without you. Don’t you dare leave me, you hear that?”
“I’m not going anywhere, Raman,” she replied, caressing his hair and kissing his temple. “I’m right here.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
That night, they made love for the first time after the shooting, and then finally – finally – the everlasting dread in Raman’s chest dissipated.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Hello, hello, hello my lovelies!! 😊❤️
It is soooo good to finally be back. I've missed you guys and I've missed my IshRa! Grad school is getting busier and busier by the minute but I finally have a break because of Christmas coming soon, so hopefully I should be able to update more in the next few weeks! 🤗
This chapter was a bit more angsty then I had initially planned, but I wanted to make sure I addressed the lingering effects of the trauma that IshRaRuAdi faced after the shooting. The show never really focused on the mental effects of trauma so I tried incorporating it a bit here. I hope you have enjoyed it.
IshRa's pregnancy journey will start from the next chapter, so stay tuned! I love you guys! Thanks for all the love you've shown my book over the last two years despite all the long pauses and breaks. It means the world to me... 🌏❤️
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That was a wonderful suprise cum update 😍
I didn't expect u r coming with a chapter this soon.
Awesome update, really loved it.
I could relate to all the trauma that the four went through 😢. And last time when u said, that you wanna show Ishita as someone who would be traumatised because of the attack, I started imagining Ishita as someone who would be shook with the fear of death, which might cause her to go aloof and not pay proper attention towards work, family and all, which actually doesn't seem like a trait of Ishita, but what you've written to be Ishita's trauma is so much like Ishita,she's still the same, but the glimpses of such a terrible accident shook her very bad. Wonderful thought 👏
Also, IshRa often fight, out of care for each other, you've written one such perfect instance. U have always come across as someone who properly understood Raman and Ishita, ur writing reflects that🙂. U just don't write whatever romantic stuff comes to ur mind, but u really write something what IshRa do, think, and function. Very few writers in forum managed to do that🥰
The trauma and IshRa's stress regarding their never ending arguments are wonderfully written👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Though I must say, Ruhi being taken to a therapist came across something shocking to me. Does she really need it? Few things can be treated with proper care and attention, Ruhi's, I think ,felt that way, Adi I understand though. IshRa are depending too much on therapists for their children, I felt. Maybe you have seen something similar and u might have a point, that's why you chose therapist for Ruhi too. I agree.
And can't wait for the pregnancy 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩. It's coming already🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Ishita's earth quake scene and Raman going through seizures, I really loved Raman's panic stricken act in the former and Ishita's helpless sobbing face in the latter. Both KP and DT were terrific in both the scenes. This update reminded me of those scenes.I wish I could see DivAn enacting what you've written😢
Also, when I read the previous update, the number of views to this store were 36k, and now it's 40k,😎
4k members have read ur story in this gap of 2 months, but no one replied☹️. I am really sorry that ur not getting proper response, but considering the views u r already a star🤩. Have you been here when the forum was active, you would have been a famous IFian.🤩 I think you're already famous, it's just that forum is not active.
Congratulations on ur success🏆💪.
Waiting for next part
Originally posted by: --QUEEN--
U have always come across as someone who properly understood Raman and Ishita, ur writing reflects that🙂. U just don't write whatever romantic stuff comes to ur mind, but u really write something what IshRa do, think, and function. Very few writers in forum managed to do that🥰
This means so much to me. Thank you for recognizing the thought and nuance that goes behind writing. I have always tried to keep the essence of Ishita and Raman alive, because they weren't just any hot and happening couple of ITV. They had so much uniqueness, this sense of maturity and responsibility, but also fighting like children, along with this heart of gold wrapped in heartache and troubled pasts. They will forever be my favorite fictional couple of all time. ❤️
Originally posted by: --QUEEN--
Though I must say, Ruhi being taken to a therapist came across something shocking to me. Does she really need it? Few things can be treated with proper care and attention, Ruhi's, I think ,felt that way, Adi I understand though. IshRa are depending too much on therapists for their children, I felt. Maybe you have seen something similar and u might have a point, that's why you chose therapist for Ruhi too. I agree.
Well technically, witnessing a trauma like that can leave subconscious marks on any child, even one as young as her. But younger children are more resilient so they tend to heal faster. Throughout my story, I have shown that Ruhi isn't getting professional help. IshRa's love and care has helped her heal (from the orphanage saga and custody cases). She didn't need to see a counsellor like her brother. Adi's case is different so he needs professional help (because of his older age and the influence of Shagun).
The way I understood it, the reason why Ruhi also got an appointment with a therapist is a combination of Raman's overzealous nature and IshRa's attempt at making sure both children are focused on. Once Ruhi's nightmares were over, she didn't need to see the therapist anymore. But you're right. Ruhi didn't need as much professional help as Adi.
Originally posted by: --QUEEN--
Also, when I read the previous update, the number of views to this store were 36k, and now it's 40k,😎
4k members have read ur story in this gap of 2 months, but no one replied☹️. I am really sorry that ur not getting proper response, but considering the views u r already a star🤩. Have you been here when the forum was active, you would have been a famous IFian.🤩 I think you're already famous, it's just that forum is not active.
Congratulations on ur success🏆💪.
How I wish I was on the forum when it was active. I've read so many insightful posts on IshRa, many of which have inspired the way I write. I do hope more people comment, but even if they don't, just the number of views is enough to see the appreciation.
Thank you for your wishes and thank you for being such an active reader of my story! 😁😊❤️
| topics | author | replies | views | reply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -SG- | 1 | 238 | ||
| ChanChanMan | 1.1k | 156.4k | ||
| -SG- | 1 | 274 | ||
| --PriyaRay-- | 7 | 1.2k | ||
| Phoenix- | 3 | 642 |
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