Connected: A YHM Story (COMPLETED) - Page 8

Very interesting! Pls update soon! Waiting

Part 7

Iyer House, Delhi

As soon as Ishita reached home from the adoption agency around 3:30 pm, she saw that her entire family was gathered in the living room, including Vandu, Bala, and Shravu. They had arrived on Shravu’s insistence to play with Ruhi, and Bala took the opportunity to gift Ruhi the Barbie doll house that he had ordered for her to accompany her Rapunzel doll. When Ishita arrived, Vandu and Bala were just getting ready to leave but Ishita managed to stop them for a bit longer. After all, it was the perfect opportunity to inform them of Ruhi’s father’s arrival. So she sent Shravu and Ruhi inside to play and sat her family down to have a chat.

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

“Ishu, what will you do now?” Vandu asked her.

“Akka, I’m thinking ki main Ruhi se baat karu. She has a right to know that her father is here looking for her,” Ishita replied. Her voice was firm but her eyes filled with tears. Mihika tried to relieve the tension in the room.

“Ishu akka, I think this is for the best. Aap ko yaad hai na, Ruhi ek baar bol rahi thi ki woh apne papa ko miss karti hai? So now this means that Ruhi will be able to build a relationship with her father. Use maa aur papa dono ka pyaar milega.”

“Mihika, Ruhi ko uske papa ka pyaar mile to mujhse zyada khush kaun hoga? Lekin mujhe dar bhi lag raha hai. Main uski asli maa nahi hoon. I’m her adopted mother, and she’s been with me for barely two months. Legally her biological father has more right on her than I do. What if she has to leave and go to her father? What if Raman takes her away?”

“Nahi Ishu,” Bala interjected, “He can’t take her away. You have full legal custody. The most he can do is share custody with you. And even if he wants full custody, the case would go to court. And no sane judge would just order for Ruhi to be taken away by a stranger. Even though he’s biologically related, he is practically a stranger for Ruhi.”

Ishita could see how hardly Mihika and Bala were trying to assure her, but nothing seemed to work. She had heard of cases where children were separated from their adopted parents and given to their biological parents, no matter how unfamiliar they were.

“Slow down Bala,” Vandu cautioned, “Tum to court aur custody case tak pohoch gaye. Abhi to who Ruhi se mila bhi nahi hai. Use pehle milne do, phir is sab ki baat karenge. I’m sure ki woh milega to Ruhi aur Ishita ke pyaar ko zaroor samjhega. Aur nahi samjhega to hum usse baat karenge. Ishu has described him as rude and arrogant but he can’t be outright heartless.”

Vandu’s words turned out to be a ray of hope for Ishita. Surely, Raman would be reasonable enough to let Ishita have at least partial custody of Ruhi.

“We really should get going now,” Vandu continued. “Let’s not worry too much yet. Ishu, why don’t you just talk to Ruhi and ask her if she wants to meet her papa. Let’s get her introduced to her father first. Baad ki baatein baad mein dekhenge. Let’s not worry until we have something to worry about. Hmm?”

“Haa beta, tum abhi zyada stress mat lo. We’ll take it step by step,” Appa suggested.

Ishita merely nodded and strengthened herself. Right now, she just had to take the first step. Talk to Ruhi. Vandu and Bala called Shravu outside and told him to get ready to leave. Both Shravu and Ruhi were adamant at playing more but Vandu managed to get Shravu out the door and into their car.

About an hour after Bala, Vandu, and Shravu left, Mihika gathered her clutch purse and left for dinner with a friend. Ishita noticed that Mihika was a little too done up for a simple dinner with a regular friend. This must have been a “special” friend. Amma and Appa might have bought her ruse but Ishita knew her cousin. She must be going on a date, she thought. But she didn’t have the mental energy to pry or tease Mihika about it. She already had too much on her plate.

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

It was just a quarter before eight. The Iyers had eaten their dinner and Ishita finished washing the last plate from dinner in the sink and arranged it on the rack to dry. She wiped her hands and joined her parents on the sofa, where a new Tamil movie was playing. Ruhi was seated on the floor between the sofa and TV playing with her Rapunzel doll and the new doll house that her Bala periappa had gifted her that day. She was too immersed in her play to notice the tension in the room. Ishita decided it was time to break the tension and talk to Ruhi.

“Ruhi, aap mere saath andar chaloge? Mamma ko aapse baat karni hai.” Ishita opened her arms and called out to Ruhi, who instantly left her doll in her dollhouse and ran to her mother’s arms.

“Kya baat hai mamma?”

“Come with me, andar chalke baat karte hain.” Ishita lifted her daughter in her arms and stood up from the sofa to take her into their bedroom. She turned back to give one last glance to Amma and Appa who nodded their reassurance to her. Ishita took a deep breath and entered the bedroom and sat on the bed with Ruhi.

“Bacche, aapko kabhi apne papa ki yaad aati hai? Kya aap wish karte ho ki aap ke papa bhi apke saath ho?”

“Haa Ishimaa,” Ruhi said while nodding.

“To kya aap apne papa se milna chahoge?”

“Aap ko pata hai ki mere papa kahaan hai?”

“Haa Ruhi. Aapke papa adoption agency aaye the aur aapko dhund rahe the. Yadav uncle ne mujhe bataya. Aapke papa aapse milna chahte hain. Aap ko milna hai unse?”

Ruhi did not respond. Ishita could see that she was hesitant.

“Betu, agar aap ko nahi milna toh hum aap ko force nahi karenge. It’s your choice.”

“Nahi mamma, mujhe milna hai papa se.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes mamma.”

“Ok baccha. Main unko call karke meeting fix karti hoon.”

Ruhi got off the bed and started walking out to resume her play with her doll. But she was stopped by her mother’s hand before she could make it past the foot of the bed.

“Ruhi, idhar aao,” Ishita said as she pulled her daughter closer. “Aap kabhi Ishimaa ko chod kar to nahi jaaoge na?” Ishita asked as tears pooled in her eyes.

Ruhi climbed onto her mother’s lap and wiped her tears with her little fingers. “Nahi Ishimaa, main to aapki beti hoon na? Main aapko chod ke kabhi nahi jaaungi. I love you mamma.”

“I love you too beta,” Ishita replied as she took Ruhi into her embrace.

Bhalla House, Delhi - 8:30 pm

“Oye hoye, ye phone ne dimaag kharaab karke rakha hai. Puttar, khaana to thik se kha le,” Toshi exclaimed to Raman who seemed to check his phone for the nth time that evening. His plate was untouched and his mind seemed to be roaming even though he was sitting at the dinner table with his family around.

“Puttar, tu kidhar khoya hai? Jab Simmi, Pulkit aur Ananya aaye the tumse milne, tab unse bhi zyada baat nahi ki tune,” Omi Bhalla sighed and Raman could tell his father’s patience was wearing thin.

“Sorry Papa, main us Dr. Iyer ke phone ka intezaar kar raha hoon. Pata nahi usne Ruhi se baat ki bhi hai ya nahi. Jab tak usse baat nahi hoti, tab tak mujhe chain nahi aayega.”

“Main samajhta hoon Puttar, lekin tere bhooke rehne se uska phone jaldi nahi aa jayega. Khaana kha le.”

Raman put his phone away and decided to concentrate on dinner with his family. At least he tried to. A few minutes later a knock on the door relieved the tension at the table.

“Main dekhti hoon,” Rinki said and quickly got up to escape the tense atmosphere. She opened the door to see her best friend. “Mihir!” she exclaimed and gave him a prompt hug. “Aao andar. Kaise ho? Mumbai mein sab kaisa chal raha hai?”

“Main bilkul theek hoon, Rinki. Tu kaisi hai? Long time no see, huh?”

“Main bhi bilkul thik hoon. Come inside, everyone’s dying to meet you.”

Mihir set his bag aside in the living room and joined the Bhallas at the dining table. He touched Omi and Toshi’s feet and hugged Romi before greeting Raman. He knew he would have questions.

“Mihir, ab puri baat bata. Teri flight to shaam ko aa chuki thi na? To itni der kyun lag gayi aane mein? Tune phone pe sirf itna bola ki dinner bahar karke aayega, lekin yeh nahi bataya ki kyun,” Raman inquired.

“Actually Bhai, mera ek dost se milne ka plan ban gaya, business ke silsile mein.”

This was odd, Raman thought. If it was something about business, Mihir could have just told him over the phone.

“Oh really, kon se business ke liye? Kyun ki jahaan tak main jaanta hoon, hamare saare clients ke saath meetings ya to humne khatam kar di ya to postpone kar di. Kuch dino tak koi meetings nahi hain. Tum kisse milne gaye the?”

“Nahi Bhai, actually mere kehne ka matlab tha ki main jis dost se milne gaya tha na woh mere business school ka classmate tha. Isiliye I said…”

“Mihir, do I know this friend?” Rinki interjected, adding to Mihir’s plight. “Is he from our undergraduate batch?”

“No Rinki, you don’t know him. Anyway, enough about me, aap sab batao yaha sab kaisa chal raha hai?” Mihir made a desperate attempt at diverting the conversation away from him. Surprisingly, it worked as Rinki and Mr. and Mrs. Bhalla started talking about the new developments from their lives. Romi and Raman shared a meaningful look. They could see how secretive their brother was about this new ‘friend’ of his.

While Toshi forcefully filled Mihir’s plate with heaps of butter paneer, Raman’s phone rang. It was an unknown number and he hoped with all his might that this was Ishita. He wiped his hands and made way to the balcony to answer the call away from his boisterous family.

“Hello, may I please speak to Raman Kumar Bhalla?”

“Yes that’s me.”

“Oh hi, Mr. Raman. This is Ishita Iyer.”

“Finally! Accha hua tumhara phone to aaya! Warna mujhe laga ki kahin tumne mera card kho to nahi diya. Ya shaayad tum bhool hi gayi ki meri bacchi tumhare paas hai.”

“Excuse me? Aap ko main itni irresponsible lagti hoon kya? Yeh aap ki fitrat hogi, meri nahi.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, ki logo ki gaadi ko thok ke bhaag jana, aur aisi irresponsible harkatein aap karte honge, main nahi.”

“Will you let that go already? Hamesha jhaghadne ke liye taiyyar rehti ho. Aisa lagta hai ki haath mein talwaar leke bas logo ko kaat te phirti ho. Jhansi ki Rani kahin ki.”

“The reason why I’m not letting it go is because you still haven’t apologized for that. Itni akad aur ego laate kahan se ho aap? I mean, aap itne rude ho na ki aap ka naam Raman Kumar nahi, Ravan Kumar hona chahiye tha.”

“Fine, if this gets you to shut up about your car, then I’m sorry Ms. Iyer. Happy?”

“Whatever. Listen, maine isliye call kiya tha kyunki maine Ruhi se baat ki, aur woh aapse milna chahti hain.”

Raman’s tone instantly changed at the mention of Ruhi. “Really, that’s great. Main abhi aata hoon. Ma aur papa to bahot khush honge usse milke aur Romi aur Rinki toh…”

“Wait wait wait, hold on! Aap abhi nahi aa sakte. Aur sab ko ek saath mat laiyye. Ruhi overwhelm ho jayegi. Why don’t you come to our house tomorrow evening after lunch? I’ll introduce you to her. And once she is comfortable with you, then you can bring along your family as well. I’ll text you my address.”

“Ok, all right. Sounds like a plan.”

“Great. Bye. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Ok bye.”

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

Raman’s family was overjoyed to hear the news. Slowly but surely, they would begin cultivating a relationship with Ruhi, their long-lost child. Toshi’s happiness overflowed in the form of tears as she sent up silent prayers for her eldest and his daughter. Mihir, Romi, and Rinki broke out into dance as they couldn’t hold in their joy. But still, Raman’s face reflected fear more than joy. Because only he knew that Ruhi agreeing to meet him didn’t mean that she would agree to stay with him. Or that she would ever love him. Maybe he was getting ready for one more heartbreak. Raman tried retreating into his room as the commotion died down but his father stopped him.

“Raman, you have a daughter here now. You need to start thinking about settling down here in Delhi. You’ve been in Mumbai away from us for many years but your daughter will need you here now. Is there any way you shift your business here?”

“Actually uncle, we definitely could move business to Delhi now, right Bhai?” Mihir said. “Business has been booming and we have the resources to open a new office. Plus many of our clients have headquarters in Delhi so it would be easier to deal with them from here only. We could easily set up an office here and we can promote some of our current staff in Mumbai to handle the office there.”

His family was getting ahead of themselves, Raman thought. What if Ruhi didn’t even want to have a relationship with him? Maybe Ishita had convinced her to meet him but that didn’t guarantee anything of their future. There were still so many questions that remained unanswered but he knew better than to bring them up in front of his family. “I’ll think about it,” he said to end the conversation and then retreated into his bedroom.

Iyer House - The next day, 4:30 pm

“Ruhi, seedhe khade raho na baba. Aur mujhe batao aap kaun si dress pehnoge? Yellow wali ya blue wali?”

“Ummmm….” Ruhi said with her finger on her chin as she gave grave thought to the dilemma. “Ishimaa, aap two fingers mein se ek choose karo,” she asked as she extended the first two fingers of her right hand.

“Yeh wali,” Ishita said as she grabbed the first finger.

“Yeh to blue wali dress ke liye finger hai,” Ruhi said with a visible frown.

“To isme aapka chehra itna kyun utar gaya?”

“Mujhe yellow wali pehnni hai.”

“To koi baat nahi, aap yellow wali hi pehno, thik hai?” Ishita said as she chuckled at her daughter’s antics.

Ishita got Ruhi dressed and soon they emerged from their bedroom into the living room. Ruhi instantly ran out to the door -- again -- to see if her papa had arrived. “Ishimaa, papa kab aayenge?”

“Bas aate hi honge baby, just wait for a few minutes,” Ishita replied.

Ruhi had been like this all day. It took her a while yesterday to get warmed up to the idea of meeting her father, but today she had been ever so excited to meet him. And this gave Ishita both relief and fear. But before her mind distracted her any further, a tap on her shoulder brought her back to the present.

“Akka, will you have some coffee?”

“No Mihika, I’m good. Come na, just sit with me on the sofa.”

“Nervous akka?”

“Yeah, a bit.”

“Don’t worry akka. Just have faith.”

Ishita was so grateful that Mihika was able to get off work early and be there for her. Amma and Appa had insisted on staying as well but Vandu and Bala were both busy at the college and they needed someone to look after Shravan who was arriving from school soon. So Ishita convinced them to go and not worry for her. Mihika too reassured them and so they had reluctantly left. After they left, Ishita had kept busy with attending to Ruhi and finishing some administrative paperwork that she had brought home from her clinic. But now the time had come, so Ishita sat on the sofa trying to distract herself but failing miserably as she waited for the doorbell to ring.

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

Raman checked the address of Ishita’s house one last time before he decided to ring the doorbell. Truth be told, he knew for a fact that he was at the right place, but he looked for some excuse to delay the meeting. Very well, he had to go in some time, might as well be now, he thought. And so he rang the doorbell with trembling hands.

“Mumma, papa aa gaye!” Ruhi declared. But before she could reach the door, Mihika stopped her as she had undone her pigtail.

“Ruko Ruhi, aapki choti nikal gayi. Pehle chitti thik karti hai, ok? Let’s go inside.”

Mihika took Ruhi inside and Ishita walked towards the door. Raman’s eyes met and locked with Ishita’s through the bars on the door, and he let out a breath he had been holding. Without a moment’s delay, Ishita pulled her gaze away and opened the door. Raman too became conscious and momentarily diverted his eyes away from her.

“Namaste, please andar aayiye. Have a seat.”

“Thanks.”

Raman stepped inside and took a seat on the sofa chair. He placed his laptop bag on a nearby table and took out his handkerchief to wipe off the beads of sweat on his forehead and brow. Raman Bhalla was a ruthless and clever CEO who knew how to deal with the most twisted of clients, but this… this was something out of his reach. But he had to do it somehow. He had to face his daughter.

“Aap ke liye kuch laaun kya? Pani ya chai?” Ishita asked Raman. She could see that he was just as nervous to meet Ruhi as she was to introduce Ruhi to him. Both were about to step into a land unknown to both of them.

Raman looked up and shook his head as he put his handkerchief away. “Yeh saari formalities rehne do. Mujhe sirf apni beti se matlab hai. Ruhi kahan hai? When can I meet her?” he asked.

What a rude and arrogant snob, Ishita thought. He’s here to ask for his daughter but he doesn’t have even the slightest manners or any sweetness on his tongue. “Woh andar hai, Mihika ke saath. Main use bula ke laati hoon.”

Ishita went inside and saw that Mihika had finished fixing Ruhi’s hair. “Chalo Ruhi, let’s go. Papa se milna hai na?” Ruhi quickly got up and grasped Ishita’s hand. “Mihika, are you coming?”

“No akka, I’ll stay here and finish up a few chores. I don’t think I should intrude. But if you need me, to bejijak bula lena mujhe, thik hai?”

Ishita nodded to her cousin and took Ruhi outside. Ruhi was practically skipping with joy at this point. And Raman could hear her before they even entered the living room. But he did not dare to turn around and look at his daughter. He simply stayed glued to his spot on the sofa chair.

Ishita nudged Ruhi forward as she approached the chair where Raman was sitting. “Jaao Ru, papa ko hello bolo.”

Ruhi came to Raman’s side who had his eyes squeezed shut. She wondered why her father had closed his eyes. Did he not want to meet Ruhi? She was so excited but her papa looked scared and angry more than happy and excited. Why was papa avoiding looking at her?

“Papa,” she said softly to get his attention. Upon hearing his daughter for the first time, Raman opened his eyes and turned his head towards Ruhi. His daughter was innocence personified. She had the most angelic face, much resembling his own. Ishita decided to sit on the other sofa next to Raman’s sofa chair. She did not want to intrude on Raman and Ruhi’s first moment together but she would be there in case Ruhi needed her.

“Hi beta, kaise ho?” Raman managed to say.

“Main theek hoon papa. Aap kaise ho? Aur aap kaha the itne years ke liye? Maine aap ko kitna miss kiya,” Ruhi said with a myriad innocent questions in her eyes. It was these accusatory eyes that Raman had been dreading. What was he to say? How could he justify and explain his absence in his daughter’s life for all these years?

Ishita could see Raman struggling to find answers so she decided to intervene. “Ruhi, maine bataya tha na. Papa aap ko kitna dhundh rahe the. Unhe bas kuch hi din pehle aap ka aur mera information mila. Ab woh aa gaye hai na? Dekho.” Raman was taken aback at Ishita’s words. He didn’t particularly like her and she didn’t like him, but still she made a point to not badmouth him in front of his daughter. He couldn’t help but compare her to Shagun, who took every opportunity to put him down and defame him in front of their son when they were married.

Ruhi turned to her father again and asked, “Papa, aap mujhe kabhi chod ke nahi jaaoge na?”

“Nahi beta, kabhi nahi, never ever, I promise,” Raman replied with less than a moment’s delay.

“I love you papa!” Ruhi exclaimed and threw her arms around Raman. Surprised at the suddenness of the gesture, Raman stiffened momentarily. But soon enough, he loosened up and took his daughter into his arms and seated her on his lap.

“I love you too beta. I love you too. And I promise, I’ll never leave you alone. Never.”

And finally, after holding his daughter close, Raman felt much lighter in his heart and mind. He felt at home, more than he had ever felt in years. As his heart relaxed so did his eyes which released the tears they had been holding in. Only this time, for the first time in many years, they were tears of happiness. Ishita was very pleasantly surprised to see this. Ruhi’s father was a decent man after all, she thought, as a smile crept on her face. Raman noticed it quickly enough and wiped his tears away.

“Woh to, yaha kachra itna phaila rakha hai tumne ki mere aankho mein dhool chala gaya, isiliye…” he said as he made desperate attempts to hide his vulnerability. Ishita just nodded. She wanted to tease him so badly but he was going through an emotional moment, so she let it go. Raman, on the other hand, chided himself internally. He knew he loved his daughter in that moment where he hugged her and cried, but that scared him moments later now. Love was again making him vulnerable which he could not allow. He knew what it had done to him already and he was in no mood to go through such heartbreak again. And so he gently let Ruhi go.

Now that Ruhi was comfortable with Raman, the conversation seemed to go on for eons and eons. She asked about his family and Raman mentioned all of Ruhi’s relatives that were waiting for her -- her dada, dadi, bua, chachu, and her cousin Ananya. Although Ishita was weary of getting Ruhi introduced to so many people at once, Ruhi immediately agreed to meet them much to Raman’s surprise and pleasure. She then showed him her coloring books and new half learnt ballet steps and Barbie dolls.

“Dekho papa, yeh Rapunzel hain. Meri favorite doll.”

“Wow Ruhi, she is so pretty. Lekin yeh aapki favorite kyun hai?”

“Kyunki iske hair itne long or pretty hai na? Bilkul Ishimaa jaise,” she replied as she showed off her doll’s and her mother’s hair to her father.

“Doll ke hair to acche hai Ruhi, par tumhari Ishimaa ke… not so much.”

“Excuse me? Mere baal ke saath kya pareshani hai aapko?” Ishita snapped.

“Pareshani matlab? Koi ek ho to bolu? Aisa lagta hai ki tumhare sar pe baal nahi kisine chidiya ka ghosla banaya ho. Nahi nahi, aisa lagta hai ki tumhare baal nahi, kisi sadhu ki jataaye hai.”

“Oh really, aap to aise bol rahe hai jaise aap koi Hrithik Roshan hai.”

“Nahi Hrithik Roshan nahi hoon, lekin mere sar pe baal to ache dhang ke hai. Main to kehta hoon, tum apni in jataao ka mundan kar do aur ek accha sa jhaadoo banao.”

“Haa, aur us jhaadoo se yaha aas paas safai rakhoon. Waise bhi, safai ka dhyaan to rakhna padega. Kyunki aaj kal logo ki aankhon mein kachra bada jaane laga hai. Haina?” Ishita said with a knowing look.

Damn this woman, Raman thought. She had managed to turn his words on him only.

“Jhansi ki Rani,” he muttered.

“Ravan Kumar,” Ishita whispered under her breath.

Very long and beautiful update

It was best combination of fear of losing their child and being true to them

Reality one

OMG... this was too good.. Loved it soo much dear !!!

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

Awesome Update yaar...

Beautiful!! Pls give us more parts with the trio n ishita n Raman become friends

Superb update

Ishita told her family everything they assured her no one will take away ruhi from her raman was waiting for ishitas call desperately ishru talk was nice Ishitacalled him and informed him ruhi is ready to meet him ruman scene was so beautiful ishra cute nok jhok was nice

Pls update soon

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

pls update the next one soon

Part 8

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

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

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

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

“Okay Ishimaa!”

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

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

“Thank you Ishita.”

“For what?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Ok, bye.”

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

Next Saturday morning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Mujhe Shravu ke saath jaana hai!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Pata nahi Simi di,” Romi murmured.

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

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

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

“Lekin Santoshi…”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Unbelievable,” Ishita mumbled.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Hmmm?” she murmured in response.

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

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

“Yeah, I do have a copy at home.”

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

“What do you mean Raman?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Ok Ishimaa.”

“Now go and sit at the table.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Nahi, main apni gaadi leke aa jaungi.”

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

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

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

“Bye.”

Little Smiles Adoption Agency, Mr. Yadav’s Office

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Shagun Arora and Ashok Khanna.”

“Who are these people?”

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