The Binding String

S I X T E E N

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The ruffling sound next to her make Ishita awake from her light nap. She rubbed her eyes realsing she slept in sitting position only. Ishita yawned lazily before inhaling the known masculine scent around her. She opened her droopy eyes with much struggle only to be found her husband sitting beside her adjusting the cushions crushing beneath her body. Ishita held his arms when he freed the pillow from her backside and made her sit comfortably. She continued to look through her heavy eyes lashes how he kept her fractured foot over cushions making sure not to hurt her. She narrowed her brows realising he came consuming alcohol, his face close to her made her toes curled with anticipation and she continued to look into his blood red eyes. None of them dared to break to her silence but they remained seated close to each other in odd hours of night. But Ishita arched her brows when she saw him taking her broken cellphone without asking her. She tried to stop him but instead of answering her he started to do something in her phone.

"Raman return my phone back." Ishita whispered with tired voice.

"You knew about it?" Raman held Ishita hand with desperation scooting her close to him.

"How does it matter Raman." Ishita didn't choose to divert the matter this time rather than continued to look in his eyes.

"It does. Tell me."

"We are going to separate Raman. It doesn't matter now." Ishita eyes brimmed with tears continued to gulp saliva looking at her lap.

"You think that I can do that?" Raman asked in unbelievable voice.

"Tell me one reason why should I not believe on it. That man was you. I had saw the lipstick mark on collar of your shirt Raman. Tell me if the shirt is not yours or the man in that picture is not you." Ishita bit her lower lip looking intently at Raman, showing her hurt.

"Yes. The man was me. But are you sure whatever you read is complete true?" Raman words made Ishita eyes open. Her mouth remained agape looking deep in her husband eyes, trying to search the words he never said.

Tumne jo dekha suna sach tha magar
Itna tha sach yeh kisko pataa
(Whatever you saw, heard was true
But who knows how true it was.)

"You hurted me Raman. You hurted me so bad." Ishita confessed, with brimmed eyes.

"How cannot you trust me Ishita? That's all you know me? Do you find me such characterless?"

"Even you accused me for same years ago Raman and you still feel that somewhere." Ishita words sounded like someone stabbed him. Raman averted his eyes away from her not wishing to recall the painful past.

Jaane tumhe maine koi dhokha diya
Jaane tumhe koi dhokha hua
(What is that I betrayed you.
Or what is that you misunderstood.)

"There is a bridge of distances and misunderstandings came between us. And I don't know if we ever able to cross it or not." Raman spoke all of sudden, taking off the burden from his chest.

"Don't think about it much Raman. There is a beautiful future waiting for you. Go and embrace it. The Asia Business Head was the beginning of it. Congratulations Raman." Ishita pressed his hand warmly, her eyes showed genuineness making his lips curve into small smile.

"The happiness doesn't excite me anymore like it used to before." Raman confessed with sarcastic smile, he started to rub her cheeks softly, tucked her tendrils behind her ears.

"Don't do anything which may make you regret later Raman." Ishita caressed his hairs when he planted a soft kiss near to her lips.

"Anything with you cannot make me regret Ishita." He replied, cupped her face softly like he is treating a soft flower in his hand. There eyes remained locked another time when Raman captured her rosy lips for a hungry kiss. She gasped with his sudden ministrations and clutched his hairs when his tongue started to explore her mouth. His fingers expertly stroked her waist hidden behind her silky shirt making her moan. They continued to kiss, wrapped in each other arms until they ran out of breaths. He joined his forehead with her and kept his eyes closed while his expert fingers started to undone the buttons of her shirt.

"You're drunk Raman. It's not good between us." Ishita warned him in feeble voice, feeling her body betraying her resistances infront of his sweet ministrations near her breasts.

"I'm not. This alcohol do not affect me. I do not enjoy drinking anymore because I have no one to nag or yell on me now. Alcohol seemed boring now." He confessed with smile, removed her locks from nape of her neck, peppered kisses on her sweet spots making her moan. He discarded his own shirt and joined her on bed, she looked etheral in dishevelled state, half naked in his arms. He toyed with the clasps of her bra kissing the juncture of her shoulder. She threatened her fingers in his short hairs and captured his lips for another kiss and and they remained wrapped in each other arms until sleep engulfed them.