The Binding String

T H I R T E E N

"Dadi aap mere new friend se miloge?" It was almost evening when Roohi asked her Dadi to come with her after finishing playing her favourite game Snakes and Ladders. Ishita passed an apologetic smile to Santhosh who looked visibly tired with entire day event but don't have heart to say no to her beloved granddaughter. Roohi beamed happily and ran next to door leaving Santhosh and Ishita alone.
(Dadi would you like to meet my new friend?)

"Kaise hai tu Puttar?"
(How are you Ishita?)

"Mummy Ji." Ishita smiled lightly and turn off the knob of gas stove after preparing coffee. "Main bilkul theek. Jaisi pehle thi." Ishita replied warmly passing her mother in law another cup of coffee.
(I'm good mummy Ji. The way I used to.)

"Sacchi Puttar tujh jaise coffee koi nahi bana sakta." (I really missed your coffee Ishita.)  Santhosh exclaimed sipping the filter coffee making Ishita smile. "Puttar tu theek hai na? Matlab tu aur Raman?" (How are you Ishita? And Raman?) Santhosh dared to touch the sensitive point this time.

"Main aur Raman bhi toh theek hai na Mummy Ji. Sach mein." Ishita replied looking in her mother in law eyes.
(We both are fine Mummy Ji.)

"Puttar hum sab chahate hai ki tu aur Raman dobara ikhatte...."
(Dear we all want you and Raman to start your life together again.)

"Nahi ho payega Mummy Ji. Sacchi nahi ho payega mujhse. Bohot karwaahat hai is rishte mein aur main us karwaahat ka asar sabki zindagiyon mein nahi daalna chahati." "(It cannot happen again Mummy Ji. Already there is so much bitterness in our relationship and I don't think we can work on it anymore.) Ishita didn't let her mother in law speak anymore and defined her point briefly. Before they could continue Roohi's loud voice stopped them and they found her entering inside apartment along Pluto and there next door neighbour Mrs. Shobhna. The evening turned merry when two ladies met each other and got befriended soon and they never realised how evening passed. At night, Santhosh Bhalla tried to return back to her home but her stubborn granddaughter didn't let her budge an inch, her eyes turned watery seeing her Dadi going back.

"Nahi jaao na Dadi. Please....."
(Don't go Dadi. Please.)

"Roohi."

Theek hi toh keh rahi hai na Roohi. Ruk jaaye na Mummy Ji."
(She is right Mummy Ji. Stay tonight.)

"Ishita tu bhi..." (Even you too Ishita...) Santhosh faked anger which didn't worked on two ladies and they continued to plead making old lady change her decision and Roohi passed her night watching her favourite animated movie frozen along her Mumma and Dadi. Till next afternoon things went smoothly in apartment 20-B, to keep her mother in law out from boredom Ishita planned a movie date and then lunch for Dadi-Poti duo and assigned a driver for them. It was decided that Santhosh will leave to her own place after dinner. Ishita returned back from university around five, she kept her stuffs neatly and made herself comfortable on couch after preparing black coffee for herself. Her empty mind started to run around her husband, then her mother and her sister. She sometimes miss them alot, the clashes of ideologies just weakened the bond she used to shared with her Akka and Amma once. She smiled gazing at the latest watsapp profile picture of her akka with her Jeeju and nephew Shravan. She felt a pang in her heart and her eyes turned moist knowing ghats be had lost everything she had and with the end of six months will make her loose everything she had.

Ishita closed her eyes for a brief second not wish to think about anyone and continued to surf her phone until something caught her attention.

The young and dynamic CEO of PSR caught in compromising position in bar lounge of ITC Kakatiya.