Itna Karo Naa Mujhe Pyar #Completed

Chapter 30

He had frozen like a statue unable to believe if Ruhi had actually said that. He looked at Ishita unbelievably asking "Tumne suna?"

Ishita nodded her head with a huge smile plastered on her face while her eyes turned moist.

"Hum sabne suna Raman. Usne Papa kaha" said Mrs.Bhalla.

In no time the Bhallas had surrounded Ruhi and they urged her to repeat the word. Ruhi was overjoyed at her achievement and she shrieked bouncing  her body up and down, hitting on the buttons on her walker, setting the music play.

"Paapppaaaaa" she squealed looking at Raman.

He immediately bent over and lifted her. "Mera bachha" he said ecstatically and kissed her cheeks generously.

Making her sit on his lap, he pressed her into his chest, placed his chin on her head and shed tears of happiness. Yet again, she had made him forget his worries.

All her firsts flashed in front of him as he closed his eyes and cherished the moments: The moment when he had laid his eyes on her, when he had taken her in his arms, when she curled her palm around his finger, when she sucked his finger hungrily, when he lulled her to sleep, when she pulled his beard, when she drooled over him, when she giggled, when she put her hands together, when he saw her rolling over, when she crawled and many more. Every single memory was etched clearly on his mind.

Ishita could not contain her joy either.  A few of Ruhi's firsts, a mother always looks forward to, had been erased from her memory. She missed those moments but was grateful for being able to see Ruhi grow. She always knew that Ruhi was closer to her dad than her. And to some extent for some unknown reason, she envied the bond they shared. But right now, she had no complaints, no disappointments, as this was a moment to cherish, the moment when her daughter had uttered the first coherent word.

She leaned over Raman's shoulder and wound her arms around the 2 reasons of her happiness.

Mrs.Bhalla joined her hands and silently thanked the Lord for letting them witness this moment. Mr.Bhalla reminisced Raman's childhood and cherished the moments that were still fresh in his memory. Simmi clicked the trio and saved the moment in her phone memory.

Ruhi began to feel suffocated in the tight embrace. "Papppaaaa" she groaned pulling his shirt. Ishita withdrew her arms and Raman loosened his hold on her.

"Sirf Pappaaaa, Paapppaaaaa hi bolti rahogi? Say Mumma" Ishita urged.

"Paapppaaaaa" said Ruhi giggling.

"Not Paappaaa...Say Mumma...
Mum...maaaaa" Ishita pronounced every syllable seperately so that Ruhi could catch it.

Everybody waited eagerly to see Ruhi's reaction.

After a poignant pause, Ruhi moved her lips in the same fashion as she had seen her mother move her lips, but to her surprise (dismay?), the sound that came out was "Pappaaaa"

Ishita pouted disappointed, while the others laughed. Raman rewarded Ruhi graciously by kissing firmly on her cheek uttering the tagline "Ale Mela Bachha!"

"Not fair Ruhi" Ishita complained.

"Ishita tu bekar hi mehnat kar rahi hai. Ye Mumma nahi bulane wali, akhir Papa ki beti jo hai" Mrs.Bhalla teased her daughter-in-law and took Ruhi in her arms.

"Hmmm...Sahi kaha Maa. Kabhi kabhi toh mujhe lagta hai ke ye sirf Raman ki beti hai, meri toh hai hi nahi" Ishita joked pinching Ruhi's cheek.

"Ishita!" Raman yelled. He held her arms roughly and warned "Khabardaar agar phir se aisi baat apni zaban se nikali toh"

"Par Raman mai toh...." taken aback completely with his sudden change of behaviour, Ishita tried to explain that she had been joking. But before she could complete Raman had sprinted towards his room.

"Raman" she called him but he gave her a deaf ear and walked away.

None had any clue as to what had happened to him. Mr.Bhalla sensed something suspicious yet remained quiet as he didn't want his family to be worried. Raman and Ishita had already gone through a lot, he did not want to increase their worries with his baseless suspicions.

Ishita followed Raman to the room. He had clutched the rails of the window in a firm grip, his jaw muscles were clenched and his eyes had turned red. Ishita took measured steps towards him and placed her palm gently on his shoulder. His body tensed under her touch but he did not turn back.

"Raman" she called out affectionately.

He seemed to relax a little with the magic of her tone and soothing voice.

"Mai mazak kar rahi thi" she explained.

"Mazak me bhi aisi baat mat kehna Ishita" he almost choked. "Ruhi hamari beti hai, meri aur tumhari" he announced, more to himself, than her.

"I know Raman. Ruhi hamari beti hai, meri aur aapki" she affirmed.

Her affirmation came as a healing and he heaved a sigh of relief relaxing his muscles. Ishita turned him around to face her and held her ears apologetically "I am sorry, I hurt you"

He shook his head "No...I am sorry. I over reacted" he realised he should have controlled his temper and his tongue.

"Actually....galti meri hai. Jaise aap Ruhi se baat karte waqt 'Papa ye, Papa woh' karte rehte ho, mai waise nahi baat karti. Aur jab bhi baat karti hoon toh sirf uske Papa ke bare me hi baat karti hoon. Toh obviously woh 'Papa' word hi pehle seekhegi na. 'Mumma' word toh uske liye alien hoga" she said lightening up the mood.

"Jealous haan?" He asked trying to be cool.

"Aur nahi toh kya? Maa bata rahi thi ke sab bachhe sabse pehle apni maa ko pukarte hain. Par aapki beti toh....I mean hamari beti (she quickly corrected) toh apne Papa ko bula rahi hai. Aur woh bhi kitne cutely.....'Paappaaa'" Ishita imitated Ruhi.

Raman chuckled, his dimple displayed prominently.

"Haaye mere Raavan Kumar. Haste hue kitne cute lagte ho" Ishita pulled his cheeks and kissed on his left cheek where the dimple had appeared. "Gussa kam kiya karo na" she added while she leaned over his chest and took him in a side hug.

"I will try" he determinedly said wrapping his arm around her.

--------To be continued-------

Tooo sleepy to write a note🙈
See u guys after a nap😴😴😴