The Binding String

T H I R T Y - T H R E E

"His wife number?"

"We're trying to find it but we still didn't get any clue." The answer irked her and she was about to slam down the phone when the next line fell into her ears,  "But I came to know that she is professor in Delhi University, maybe not at her home but you can approach her there." The smile rose on her lips, she thanked the person otherside and disconnected the call.

Now she was eager to meet the lady who captured her lover.

Ishita Raman Bhalla.

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

THE GULMOHAR ENCLAVES

"Ishita yaar Roohi is so comfortable at home."

"Haan na. Look at her. She is enjoying her stay. Aisa continue raha toh yeh toh school jaane se hi mana kar degi Raman." (If it continued to happen than I don't think she would ever agree to go school.)

"Mujhe laga maybe she would tell us if we fulfill her wish but she got busied in her own world with carefree attitude."

Raman Ishita rested their heads over their palms looking at Roohi from distance who was jumping up and down on reclining chair, trying to match her steps with the title song of some cartoon show. The weekend already ended and it was time for Raman Ishita to return back to their works. Roohi's suspension also ended today but obviously she wasn't going to school according to the promise her mother gave to her, the promise acted as blessing in disguise for Roohi but became headache for her parents. Neither Raman nor Ishita can take more leaves, no one can predict how many days Roohi take to share up her worries and they cannot sit calmly. "Ghar pe hi chod de kya? Neelu ko keh dete hai poora din ruk jaye." (How about asking Neelu to stay with her at home?) Raman proposed an idea looking at his wife.

"Kuch bhi Raman. Neelu kahan humare yahan permanent hai. Woh teen-chaar gharo mein aur jaati hai kaam karne. Hum usko nahi keh sakte. Vaise bhi dekha hai na Neelu ko, kuch nahi keh paati hai woh Roohi ke saamne." (What rubbish Raman. Neelu works in another three four houses. She cannot stay here for entire day.) Ishita rejected the idea without thinking much.

"Toh rakh lete hai na usko permanent. " (then make her permanent.)!!

"Accha ji. Jab maine shifting ke waqt kaha tha ki full time maid rakh lo tab toh bohot natak chal rahe the." (Oh really! Then why you denied when I asked you to appoint full time maid at the time of shifting.)
She sneered on her husband waiting for such opportunity only, in all those years she spend her life almost like a spinster without any workload or responsibilities but now from the day they started to live together in this arrangement she is doing almost all the responsibilities like a typical home-maker along handling her job and this already started to make her crazy but she cannot blame him entirely for same, he simply threw challenge on him and she was the fool one who accepted that blindly without thinking further pros and cons. "Phir kya karogi?" He nagged her further and she rolled her eyes wondering why can't he think something by his own.

"Pata nahi but what I realised that she is very much comfortable at home. I think we might need to make her realise that school is interesting place for her." Ishita spoke after thinking.

"You mean TC lele kya uski?" (Should we admit her inqnother school?) Raman spoke further not getting exact meaning behind her words.

"Nahi yaar! TC is not an option. We should try to know reason before shifting her in another school. No TC for now."

"Phir toh ek hi option hai." (Then there is one option we can try.) Raman whispered looking at Ishita, "isko hum apne saath le jaate hai. I mean kuch din tum Roohi ko apne saath college le jaao aur do din baad Malhotra bhi wapis ja raha hai toh main le jaaunga and we will make sure ki Roohi ke paas entertainment ke zyada sources na ho. Shayad tab usko realise ho." (Let's take her at our workplaces turn by turn. Maybe the boredom make her realise the importance of school and friends.) Ishita somewhere liked the idea Raman shared, although she wasn't convinced taking her to college for almost entire day but they had no option left. She nodded her head in affirmation and for next three days she had responsibility to take her to college. "Vaise bhi tumhari university toh shakal se hi boring dikhti hai. Old buildings, vast lawns, classroom with fans and yes the old wooden benches." (Moreover the old building of your university can anyone feel bored.) Raman continued to speak failed to notice his wife angry glares on him.