The Binding String

F O U R

"How about Roohi?" She asked with hesitation making him stop.

"What about her?" He quizzed his eyebrows and settled back on his seat.

"Will she agree to come with us?" Ishita's voice filled with uncertainity. Her voice filled with nervousness making me sigh, it was not new when she became nervous with the mention of their daughter name.

"We have to take care her by our own." He replied nonchalantly, "We will try to search a full time maid after shifting there. Atleast she will look after her until we return back from our works."

"It's not easy the way you're assuming." She replied looking in his eyes.

"Then why don't you give up. I am ready to take her custody." He proposed with a smirk, "How irony it is, women who teaches students of age groups eighteen to twenty is fearing from handling her four year old daughter."

"Oh shut up. Neither I'm scared not nervous so you better shut your mouth Mr." She glared him back and started to pick her clutch and apartment keys.
"Come, I will drop you." He stopped her later after settling the bills.

"No thanks. I can manage by my own." She replied while adjusting her scarf around her neck.

"Stop being stubborn. I will drop you." He held her wrist stopping her from going towards the auto stand.

"You're saying like you know where I stay." She taunted him seeing him going towards his car.

"We may not stay together but still I know about your whetherbounds." He replied with a straight face making her eyes softened. She felt her feet glued at the spot where he ignited the car and opened the passenger door for her. She composed herself and silently sat inside the car and they zoomed towards their destinations.

**************

As he expected the night turned sleepless for him, he had already packed his bags and kept it aside. The new morning is going to bring a new start in his life and this time it made him nervous. He collected his files and arranged them neatly on his desk unable to concentrate on anything specific. He opened the drawers of his closet and took out the frame which he once broke in anger, the framed picture of his wife. They looked young in the snapshot, laughing happily on something. They clicked the picture in Hungary where they went for a short vacation, he couldn't help to stop himself from caressing her smiling face. They might be not not a perfect couple but they were happy together. They didn't get chance to spend much time together but whatever time they spend it was good until... he kept the picture back in the drawer and moved towards his daughter room. As he expected the little girl was fast asleep on her bed when he pushed the door gently. Her innocent face snuggled in the fluffy pillows made him smile, he extended his hand to caresses her head but something in him stopped him. He curled his fingers in tight fist upset on himself and came out from her room after covering her properly with duvet.

The one thing was crystal clear to Raman Bhalla. Sometimes you have to do the things you wish to ran off. From last one year they are living away from each other and started to get comfortable in their lives and he had no idea how will they accept the new arrangements. And their daughter Roohi, will she able to fit herself in the zigzag picture?

Otherside Ishita Bhalla was no less, sleep was far away from her eyes that night. After realsing the tossing and turning will not help, she came out in the balcony to get some fresh air. The constant differences from four years and separation from one year was enough to make her habitual of his absence. Actually they hardly lived with each other, as far as Ishita remembered, Raman most of the days spend in another city due to his work commitments and she lived in Delhi for her job. They were never perfect for each other but life was not bad either. They were happy with each other until...... she shut her eyes tightly not wished to recall her past. She rubbed her eyes and moved inside the apartment, she packed her belongings already and probably waiting for the next day. After closing the windows she went inside the room next of her, the room belonged to her daughter. A smile rose on her dry lips looking at the room which was no more scattered, her four years old daughter stuffs were already packed in the cartons and suitcases. She sat on the small size bed and curled her body continued to think about her daughter, she heard a child brings a couple more closer but was the same happened in her case? Will the arrangements, the compromises proved worthy? She continued to wonder on the game of fate and never realised when sleep engulfed her tired body.

*************

NEXT DAY

"Roohi puttar, ek baat bata." Santhosh Bhalla took the little girl in her arms and settled on the dining table. She peaked her granddaughter forehead and asked Shaanti, the house help to paas the glass of milk.
(Roohi puttar tell me something.)

"Haan Dadi." Little Roohi left her coloring pens open and started to sip the milk continued to sit on her grandmother lap.
(Yes Dadi.)

"Tu us din un judge wali aunty se mili thi na, unhone kaha hai ki tujhe tere Mumma Papa ke saath hi rehna hai." Santhosh realised the conversation was not going to be easy with the little girl. She continued to observe her granddaughter expressions which changed all of sudden. Her fishy eyes filled with a sadness after listening her grandmother words. She left her glass of milk unattended making her grandmother worried.
(Do you remembered the judge aunty you met last time who asked you about your Mumma Papa? She told you to stay with your parents.)

"Kya hua baccha?" Santhosh cupped Roohi's face, guilty to see tears in her eyes.
(What happened beta?)

"Par kyon Dadi? Maine kuch bad girl wala kaam kiya kya?"
(But why Dadi? I don't want to go leaving you.)

"Nahi meri gudiya. Tu hi toh kehti thi na ki tujhe Mumma Papa ke paas rehna hai." Santhosh helplessly looked at her husband and then continued.
(No dear. You always wished to stay with your Mumma Papa na.)

"Phir mujhe nahi jana wahan."
(But I don't want to go there.)

"Par kyon baccha?"
(But why?)

"Mumma Papa mujhse baat hi nahi karte hai. Papa daante hai aur Mumma bhi nahi khelti Roohi ke saath. Mujhe nahi jana unke saath Dadi."
(They don't talk with me Dadi. They always scolds me and Mumma never stays at home. I don't want to go there Dadi.)

The denial from the little girl wasn't shocking for Santhosh and Om Prakash Bhalla but they felt helpless and pity for their only grandchild. Roohi is a piece of their heart and the decision to send her away was heartbreaking for them. They never imagined if a child can get scared by her own parents. She looked at her husband who stood eyes were filled with unsaid anger for her son and daughter in law. She tried to make her understand but the little child paid no heed on her words and ran inside her room. Before she could run behind her, the two figures stood at doorway with disappointed faces made her stopped.

"Raman Ishita...."