The Binding String

E I G H T Y - O N E

Madhavi cried with agony as Ishita's face again and again started to come in front of her eyes. Why never did she protect her the way Ishita protects Roohi. There were many why's and she had answers of none.

Madhavi Iyer continued to cry sitting alone, clutching Ishita's picture in her hands.

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302, AAKASH GANGA HOUSING SOCIETY
MAYUR VIHAR, PHASE 2
DELHI

If someday Ishita Iyer sits and tries to calculate what she earned in her life then probably nothing would have come in her hands. Whatever she has done till today for her family is proven as worthless, her small sacrifices , her selflessness proven waste today. She realised she lost everything she earned till date, her mother and her sister were all she had as her family whom she lost for someone who never cared for them. The pain of losing them might be boring somehow but what about the fear of losing her daughter? How will she cope up with that? The fears and doubts were limitless and she was too scared to face them even. She wanted to curl herself at the corner of her room the way she used to when she was a child. She buried her face in her palms feeling vulnerable and helpless, her daughter, her piece of heart rejected her today this only thought was able to tear her heart into pieces. Ishita slid down from the bed and hugged her knees against her chest sobbing loudly.

Raman removed his shoes and closed his eyes with a defeat, his wife doesn't deserve this pain. He softly closed the door and went close to Ishita, the only source of the light in the dark room was the open window. He spotted Ishita sitting on the floor, he adjusted his trousers and sat next to his wife, "Hey love."

"I am sorry Raman." Her voice broke as she looked into his eyes.

"Why?"

"I hurt Roo, I am sorry for...." The words never came out from her mouth and she started sobbing again which was enough to hurt him more.

"Bas baba! How can you hurt her? Come on stop crying now." Raman gently wiped off the tears streaming down from her hazel eyes.

"She hates me Raman. I am not a good mother." Ishita continued to blabber, not ready to listen to him. She is a confident and strong woman for the world but deep down she is an insecure and under confident  mother who scares her daughter.

"Pagal ho tum.....she is just a kid. Dar gayi hogi shayad isliye bas....she loves you a lot and you know that." His warm embrace became her home after that, Ishita buried her head in his chest, "Am I that much bad that no one is ready to love me.

Why do they hate me so much."

What is he supposed to say?

Raman wondered looking deep into his wife's eyes, only if he knew the things that he would be able to help her. "Because they don't know how to value you. They don't deserve you Jaan." His endearments were not helping her in any manner, Raman was thankful of his parents who made their daughter sleep in their room which gave them much needed privacy. He somehow helped Ishita to sit over the bed and removed the pins from her hair, "You don't have to think about anyone, come on sleep now." He patted her head softly, "Raman, will you shart hating me as well." Raman looked back into Ishita's eyes, her doubt on his love is the last thing he expected. His heart pained most thinking how she still doubts over his love for her.

"Nothing can ever lessen my love for you, you still doubt over my love?" Ishita sat aback with a jerk, her lower lip trembling looking into her husband's dejected eyes. Her palms trembled as she cupped his face, "It's....it's not about you ... it's about me. I am one unfortunate woman who loses everyone whom she loves dearly. I lost my mother and sister today, what if you will go away from me."