Broken

Part Twenty Two: Pyar Mujhse Jo Kiya Tumne Toh Kya Paoge

Mrs Bhalla looked back at her son with tears in her eyes. He was sincere, and he really loved this woman...this Ishita...she could see it in his eyes. But she knew her husband, and she knew things would not be easy. And so it was proven the moment later.

"Warna kya Raman?" Mr Bhalla said before his wife could respond, his voice grim. He stood up from the sofa, glaring down at his son, finger pointed ominiously at him as he repeated his words. "Agar hum iss ladki ko apne pariwar mein, apne ghar mein jagah na de, tumhe ashirwaad na de, toh kya?"
(Or else what Raman? What if we don't accept this girl into our family? What if we don't give you our blessings? Then what?)

"Toh kuch nahi papa" Raman said quietly, as he also rose to face his furious father. "Yeh ghar aapki hai. Aap nahi chahenge toh Ishita yahan nahi aayegi. Lekin ab Ishita jahan rahegi, wahan mein bhi rahoonga. Hum shaadi zaroor karenge aur mein ab Ishita ka saath nahi chodunga."
(Then nothing papa. This is your house. If you don't want Ishita to come here, then she won't. But I will be with Ishita now, wherever she is. We will get married and I will never leave her again)

"Mujhe tumse yeh umeed nahi thi Raman" Mr Bhalla spat out, barely restrained fury simmering in his voice. "Kisi ladki ko iss halat mein laana. Yeh tumne theek nahi kiya. Lekin isme uss ladki ka bhi dosh hai. Bina shaadi ke tumhaare saath sambandh kyun rakha uss ne? Kya kaha tha tumne? Ki tum usse Shimla mein miley theh? Toh yeh sab... sirf ek do hafton tak tumhe janane ke baad? Kaise sanskaar diye hai uske ma baap ne usse? Aur tumhaare saath yeh kiya, toh phir na jaane aur kiss kiss ke saath, kya kiya hoga? Yeh tumhe kaise pata hai ki bacha tumhara hi..."
( I did not expect this from you Raman. To get some girl into this condition. You  were wrong, but so was that girl. Why did she form a relationship with you without waiting for marriage? What did you say? That you met her in Shimla? Then for her to get intimate with you, after only knowing you for a week or two? What sort of upbringing did she have? And if she did all this with you, then who else would she have gotten close to? How do you know the child she was carrying was even yours? )

"Papa please" Raman interrupted his father, anger flashing in his eyes. "Not another word. Mujhe maloom hai ki aap naaraz hai, but not another word. Mein Ishita ke khilaaf ek shabd nahi sunoonga. Aap ko manzoor nahi toh hum yahan nahi rahenge, but please, don't say another word about Ishita."
(Papa, please, not another word. I know that you're angry, but not another word. I won't listen to a word against Ishita. If you don't like it, we won't stay here, but please, don't say another word about Ishita)

"Bhallaji, Raman, bas karo." Mrs Bhalla's voice rang out, as she finally spoke, distraught at the argument that had sprung up between her husband and her son. "Bas karo."
(Bhallaji, Raman, stop it. Just stop it)

"Ma, aap papa se kahiye....."
(Ma, tell papa....)

"Toshiji, kya mujhe ab apne hi ghar mein kuch kehne ki bhi ijaazat nahi? Raman jo chahe karega kya?"
(Toshiji, am I not allowed to speak my mind in my own home now? Is Raman allowed to do whatever he pleases?)

Mrs Bhalla placed a comforting hand on her husbands arm, and then turned around to her son.

"Raman Puttar, tum ne humme bahut kuch bataya hai. Humme thodi si waqt chahiye sochne ke liye. Abhi papaji naaraz hai, abhi tum aur kuch mat kaho. Hum kal phir baat karte hai. Tu abhi zyaada mat soch. Chaliye Bhalla ji."
(Raman, my child, you have told us so much at once. We need some time to think. Right now your Papaji is angry, so don't say anything further. We will talk again tomorrow. Don't think too much right now. Come Bhallaji)

Mrs Bhalla gave a loving smile to Raman before ushering her husband, silent and incandescent with rage, out of the room.

Raman stood watching as the door closed behind them, and then picked up his car keys, before he too left the room.