Connected: A YHM Story ✔️

Chapter 31 - The One With The Misunderstandings

Bhalla House - Sunday, 27 October, 3 pm

"Ishimaa, chalo jaldi!" Ruhi pleaded. "Ice cream parlor band ho jayega!" [Ishimaa, let's go quickly! Or else the ice cream parlor will close!]

"Sirf teen baje hai Ru. Ice cream shop itni jaldi band nahi hota," Ishita chuckled. "Do minute ruko, main Neelu didi ke liye kapde dhone ke liye nikaal deti hoon phir chalte hain."

[It's only 3 o'clock Ru. The shop won't close so early. Just wait for two minutes, I'll give Neelu didi today's bout of laundry, then we'll go.]

Ruhi paced impatiently across her parents' bedroom as Ishita sorted through her and Raman's clothes from the laundry basket, making sure pockets were empty and sarees were okay to be washed in the washing machine. She glanced at her daughter and smiled. There was never a dull moment with her around. Before her Diwali vacation ended today, Ruhi had asked for one last outing. After much consideration, they had decided on a girls day out with Rinki and Mihika -- first ice cream, then to the theatre to watch the new Disney movie.

"Hum movie ke liye late ho gaye to?" Ruhi asked. [What if we're late for the movie?]

"I promise beta, hum late nahi honge. Ishimaa aapko time pe pohcha degi. Dekho, I'm almost done. Aap jaake shoes pehen lo, aur dekho Rinki bua aur Mihika chitti ready hai ya nahi."

[I promise dear, we won't be late. Ishimaa will get you there on time. Look, I'm almost done. Go wear your shoes and see if Rinki bua and Mihika chitti are ready or not.]

"Okay mumma!"

Ruhi made a beeline for the living room. Ishita quickly sorted through the last few pants in the laundry basket and found some cash which she stowed into the drawer of the side table. She checked the pockets in one final pair of pants and found a receipt. She wondered what it was for; Raman wasn't the kind to save ordinary receipts. Curiosity got the better of her. When she read the receipt, her jaw hit the floor.

It was a receipt for a money transfer of four lakh rupees. As she read through the rest of the text, her heart dropped into her stomach. The money had been transferred to... Shagun. What in the world? How could Raman have given such a huge sum of money to his ex-wife and not tell her? Phone calls and text messages were one thing, but this? What the hell was going on? Ishita blinked back her confusion and curled her hands into fists. That was it. She made a resolve to ask Raman clearly about what the hell was going on between him and Shagun. She couldn't take it anymore. She had given him the benefit of the doubt for almost a week now. But now, the limit had been crossed.

"Ishimaa, Rinki bua aur Mihika chitti ready hai!" Ruhi shouted from the living room. [Ishimaa, Rinki bua and Mihika chitti are ready!]

Ishita cleared her throat and stood up. Now was not the time to lose control. She had plans with her daughter and sisters. Raman was out for some work too. She couldn't confront him until he came back home anyway. She quickly folded the receipt and placed it in her purse.

"Coming Ruhi!" she called out to her daughter as she left the basket of dirty clothes in the laundry room and stepped out into the living room. True to Ruhi's words, Rinki and Mihika were already there ready to go. "Chale?" Ishita asked. [Shall we go?]

"Chalo akka." [Let's go akka.]

"Let's go bhabhi."

They descended the steps, got in the car, and drove off to the nearest ice cream parlor. Ishita gripped the handle of the steering wheel and tried her best to hide the growing ache inside her heart.

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Starbucks - Sunday, 4 pm