The Binding String

N I N T Y - T W O

How can you be so beautiful.

He caressed her fist and covered her properly. Her eyes almost made him forget the works he supposed to be done.

"Bhai...jaldi!!" Raman patted his daughter chest softly and left to do the remaining work. Later that evening when he entered in their room to change, he found his wife sitting at the corner of the room, the lights were dimmed and curtains were drawn. Raman removed the curtains and turned on the lights, he found the bed messed  up with her clothes.

"Why are you sitting like this? Tumhe pata nahi hai Pooja ka time ho gaya hai."

"Mujhe nahi aana hai, main yahi theek hoon." Ishita replied in a flat voice not sparing any look at him.

"See I bought new saree for you, it's our first diwali pooja with our daughter. I wonder how long we are going to call her with weird names? Romi call her chuhi, maa call him chutki. Kaise kaise naam rakhe hai na iske." Rama tried to strike conversation with his wife but her unresponsiveness started to irk Raman. He knew last few months had been hard for her, she is going through myriad of emotions and it's not going to be easy for her. Raman kneeled before Ishita and presented a diamond neckpiece along earrings before her.

"This is for you, I know I am late but this from my side for embracing motherhood. Thank you for giving our daughter." He held her hands, his soft words forced her to look at his eyes. She wanted to believe him but the past has been too cruel with her to allow her to believe on him anymore. The delicate diamond neckpiece was of her choice but still she didn't wanted to accept it. She didn't wanted to accept his any of gifts.

"These diamonds can please your mistress but not me. By the way are you gifting me this because maybe your mistress rejected it. Haina?" Her eyes raged, reflected venom and hatred she was carrying in her heart. Her voice agonised and heart bled recalling his allegations.  Other side, short tempered man Raman threw the jwellery box aside and pulled Ishita by her forearm.

"Problem kya hai tumhari Ishita? I am trying to be soft with you but you're not ready to co-operate with me." Raman sneered on his wife, their faces were inches apart, he tried to read her eyes and he found nothing in them except the hate. "We have a daughter now, we are parents now. We have to responsible, this how we will parent her?"

"The daughter I never wished for." Ishita replied in a dead tone, their gaze fell upon their sleeping daughter. "You forced her upon me, I never wished for her Raman. I don't want her.. I don't want her." Her body started to tremble in his hold, her eyes turned glossy and lips dried. Her knees turned jelly and she fell upon the floor crying and cursing her fate. Her pain and agonies were not for anyone not even for Raman, but her tears were enough to break his heart. His actions, his one mistake, his one decision costed two lives, his wife is not ready to accept their daughter and he.....he is just torn. Everyday his heart urges him to confess the truth infront of her but his mind is aware about the consequences, he need to make her understand the reality. She needs to accept the present, he cannot let her go.

"Do whatever you want Ishita, but remember she is your responsibility." Raman left the room, the door banged on her face and she allowed herself to cry harder. Ishita clamped her hands over her mouth fearing to make noise, but heart was bleeding, bleeding hearts makes sound.

What that slut thinks of herself? If she think she can make me believe on herself than she is wrong. I would never believe on her.