The Binding String

O N E - H U N D R E D - O N E

"You want to take bath?"

She nodded her head, distracted with her thoughts. Ishita collected her clothes and entered inside the shower cubicle. He is been at home after so long, she didn't heard about his affairs too, they talk less but he try to be attentive towards Roohi whenever he is at home. Roohi is eigheen months old now, growing up everyday, matching the pace with the normal born child. She creates wonders everyday, her antiques are worth adore and her actions were mesmerising but Ishita being emotionally detached never tried to attach herself, her and Raman differences, her own insecurities never allowed her to come close to her own daughter.

But at the same time Roohi is not respond for all this mess.

She closed the knob and came out after wearing her bathrobe.

"Ishita!" She was about to wear her night dress when Raman called her, her semi naked state was enough to leave her embarrassed. "Wo....Roohi has woken up." She nodded her head and came out hastly only to find her daughter awake trying to jump out from her bassinet.

"But she is not crying."

"But she woke up so I thought to inform you." Raman replied feebly looking at his daughter who looked interested in chewing the wooden barriers. "Chee Roohi. Don't eat that." Raman took her in his arms and that was enough to make her cry aloud.

"What was that Raman!" Ishita gritted her teeth seeing Roohi whining over her father act.

"She was eating that wood."

"It's not like she can eat that. She is teething." Ishita patted her back after taking her in her arms. Roohi babbled and rested her head on her mother shoulder while sucking her thumb. She appeared sleepy and tired, Roohi needs either her nanny or grandmother when it comes on sleeping but she was already half sleepy and hence person doesn't matter to her. She soon fell asleep holding her mother dress collar and time stopped for them. Raman kept looking at the mother daughter duo, their silhouette was falling on the wall carving a perfect picture of the mother and daughter who found their moment of peace after a long hustling day but what we see is not always true. For Ishita, Roohi is just a reminder of their hollow relationship, a tiny human he forced upon his wife just to survive their marriage. Everyday when he returns back, he finds the crib beside Ishita empty, the room lacks her baby essence, he never experienced how it feels to stay awake for a tiny human and much more. He is far away from  experiencing the joy of fatherhood and he has no one to be blamed.

Roohi has slept till now, Ishita took her usual side and her back faced him. The lights were dim with a soft light casting glow on their daughter and another one casting on his wife. He scooted closer to her and wounded his arm around her waist, it was his initiative to be close to her after a long time. Ishita didn't resist his touch, she simply closed the distance between them and her back rested against his chest. The two keep looking at their daughter without speaking a word, Ishita looked at her palm covered with her husband. His touch made her feel goosebumps around her skin, it's more than a year since they last came closer.

She wondered if he was trying to take things forward. Minutes later, he started peppering kisses over her skin, a soft caress of his lips like they're worshipping her body. She sighed and closed her eyes, didn't want to oppose or resist. His fingers crawled beneath her night shirt, making random patterns on her stomach and next to the swells of the breasts.  A few minutes later, her stomach lost contact with his fingers instead she found them combing her hair, sometimes caressing her earlobes. She was in his warm embrace and it was enough to lull her into a peaceful sleep.

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Another thrust and she felt her body jerking upwards, her breath went uneven when he started mauling her breasts. She wrapped her legs around his torso as he continued to thrust inside enough to show her stars. She started scratching his back when he latched her nipples, her every hiss, her every moan encouraged him to ride them in a different world. He sat back and took her on his lap, still connected and close like nothing separated them ever. She hugged him tightly and continued to grind her body on his manhood.

"Faster."

He moaned against her ears and she started to grind faster, he matched his pace and continued to pepper kisses on and above her neckline. Their eyes met and he took her lips for another soul searing kiss and she closed her eyes, to remind herself the good time they shared. As they neared the climax, he slowed down and allowed her body to slump against his. The sheen layer of sweat sparkled on their bodies as they continued to lay tangled and exhausted, glowing with the aftermath of sex.

"Tired?" He asked untangling their legs.

"Yes." Her reply was feeble but he knew she was hiding. Their legs were sticky, he passed her birth control and wrapped a towel around his bottoms glancing at his wife who is now sitting with closed eyes and visibly tired. He adjusted the air conditioner temperature and went to prepare a shower for her.

"I have prepared a shower for you."

"You go. I can't come out like this."

"It's not like I haven't watched you naked." She rolled her eyes on his response and looked critically towards his forwarded hand. A few minutes later, they were laid at their respective sides, Ishita could listen to Raman snores but sleep was elusive for her. Their relationship dynamics had changed in the past few days. The first time when he initiated intimacy between them she didn't refuse and after that there were few nights when they had sex.

Everytime when he touch her, it works as an assurance that they're still together, the marriage which is hanging on the weak thread is still surviving but even she knows the promises and assurances are fake. It's easy to leave the relationship but it's hard to stay together even in the tough times.

A sane side of her mind argued with her to leave her husband but her heart never allowed her, urged her to stay until things got better. She doesn't know if she is right or wrong, maybe she will get her answers later.

She felt him hugging her, Ishita sighed feeling his weight above her. He probably shifted his side in the sleep and she too closed her eyes, exhausted and tired with her own juggles.