Where Have You Been All My Life

38|How Patient

She resolved; it would be the last breath of Ashok if she divulges the incident to Raman. She does not want her husband to turn a monster like that; he used to be one before they made it up for each other. She prefers the happy-go-lucky man whom she so earnestly craved out. Her Raman should be this loveable and peaceful person and for that, she decided to let go of the matter as something inconsequential; she should not be moping on that anymore.

The night was restless. Ishita could not get over it, as she was good until then. Being a married woman, she had sought some respect from society and it seemed she could not really make herself a good woman in front of them. She doubted her own personality that would have tempted. If it were before she got married, she would have just come to the point that men are after her just for one thing. Nevertheless, now, she has a social status and such low things appeared unbearable for her.

"Ayyo Murugan..." She looked above and cursed herself.

How she has changed. The middle-class woman she was once, turned into something she has never thought she would become. She has become a complete high-class wife of a prominent business tycoon that she started judging small creatures like Ashok, in the symbolic sense. He made her feel like she has no security anymore, even after being married. Maybe that man has only one job and daring because he has always wanted to defeat Raman; she sighed. This is not going to happen because she is not Shagun!

Heading towards their bedroom, she took some deep in-takes and latched the door. Adi and Ruhi were tossing and turning while Raman was sitting on the edge, his assigned place. Adi lied on the edge against Raman, where Ruhi slept last night. Their kids have a contract. Every night, one of them would shift in between Raman and Ishita while the other one would be on her backside. They prefer their mother more. Why could not they sleep in the middle? She quizzed while Adi chirped, "Papa won't be able to hug you."

Raman chuckled hearing the same while Ishita blushed. Her kids are shameless than their father. Covering them in a duvet, the trio lied down while Raman closed his laptop earning a glare from Ishita. He kept his specs on the bedside table and hugged Ruhi who was completely on Ishita. He reached out his hand to keep it on Ishita's waist but he really went green when he felt Adi's hand there.
"What's that...?" He hissed in a low voice not to wake up the kids.

"He's hugging me." She giggled watching his eyes gawking at her in the dim light.

"He shouldn't be." He made faces that she could clearly see.

"He's a kid Raman. He'd fall if he won't hold me." She whispered. "Now close your eyes and sleep." She showed him how to close his eyes but he grumbled and turned his back to her.

Next morning when she woke up, Ruhi was over Raman and Adi was about to fall from the bed. She pulled him closer and made him sleep comfortably near Ruhi. Ruhi swiftly shifted her posture and kept her leg on Adi's tummy while keeping her hand on Raman's cheek. She got the best mattresses. Ishita smiled watching them sleeping cutely and covered them with a quilt. Once the warmth of quilt touched them, they grizzled and snuggled closer like a ball, like always.

"How cute...!" She said adoring the scene and came to Raman's side. She touched his cheek but he shrugged it off. Even in his sleep, he did not forget that they had a fight. "Ravan Kumar!" She snickered and hugged him tight from behind.

"This won't work!" He said annoyed.

"Raman..." She reprimanded him.