The Binding String

S I X T E E N

"How your phone broke Ishita? It happened in accident?" Santhosh questioned while trying to free phone from her grip. Santhosh quizzed her brows when Ishita refused to leave mobile. "Give to me dear. If it's damage then we will order another one for you. Don't use this broken phone." Santhosh somehow freed phone from Ishita grip and before she could examine the extent of damage her attention went on the page which was open in browser, showing her son name. She looked at Ishita who was still crying burying her face in her palms and then started to scroll the screen to go through the content. Santhosh eyes turned wide, her mouth opened with horror as she absorbed the things written in tabloid.

"Yeh sab kya likha hua hai Puttar?" (What is all this written Ishita?) Santhosh shook Ishita hard who was unaware with the fact that her phone was in her Mummy Ji hands. She wiped her tears hurriedly and looked at her mother in law who was finding hard to believe on the words written and published. Ishita sighted with dejection, she knew it must be hard for her old mother in law to believe on the words and the pictures published. She loves her son most, Raman is not her life but he is her proud and how can a proud mother can believe on such ugly side of her son life. Ishita wiped her tears and took the phone from her mother in law hands before she could speak something more.

"Mujhe bata Ishita kabse chal raha hai yeh sabkuch?"
(Tell me Ishita. When this all started?)

"Mummy Ji yeh sab purani baatein hai ab inhe yaad karke kya fayda."
(These all are old things Mummy Ji. There is no point of discussing it now.)

"Yeh purana kaise hua Ishita? Tune mujhe kabhi kuch nahi bataya iske baare mein. Bata na kabse chal raha hai yeh sab?"
(You cannot ignore it naming old. How come I never came to know about it?)

"Shayad jab main pregnant hui thi tabse hi...ya shayad uske bhi pehle se..."
(It started when I was pregnant or maybe before that.)

"Tune kabhi Raman se poochne ki koshish nahi ki Puttar?"
(Didn't you tried to search the truth?)

"Bohot baar ki thi Mummy Ji. Par shayad Raman ko main batane ke layak hi nahi lagi. Shayad meri takleef unhe kabhi dikhi hi nahi ya shayad unhone dekh ke bhi andekha kar diya."
(I tried to ask Mummy Ji but maybe he never find me enough to answer same.)

"Puttar tu Raman ko kabhi maaf....."

"Pata nahi Mummy Ji. Main thak chuki hoon ab. Main bohot thak chuki hoon." (I'm tired and done Mummy Ji. I don't have enough strength left to deal these issues.) A sudden guilt filled in Santhosh heart listening Ishita, she never expected that the couples had such strong issues between them, she knew both Raman and Ishita are headstrong and always had differences in opinions. Unlike usual girls Ishita never agreed over the things her son expected and Santhosh always appreciated Ishita for her headstrong attitude but she never knew behind her stone heart there is a Ishita reside who is typical and belive to save her husband from warth of world. Santhosh didn't know what exactly happened in all those years but she hated herself for not asking Ishita earlier. She covered Ishita properly with duvet who curled herself in a shape of fetus maybe today avoid the life which was beautiful first but turning painful now.

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"Congratulations on cracking the deal Raman and as well as on becoming head of Asia Entrepreneurship Association."