The Binding String

F O R T Y - N I N E

"Ishita I'm so sorry. You was admitted on the same floor and I didn't came to know about same. I'm so sorry." Raman listened a mumble from Mihika who was sitting beside Ishita, holding her hands.

"Don't be Mihika. Even we didn't came to know about uncle na. How is he now?"

"Better. He is going to get discharge in a day or two hopefully." Ishita nodded her head with a small smile and gently pressed her hand over Mihika palms.
"But how it happened? How the fuck my fearless friend had nervous breakdown?" Where Mihika question left Ishita tight-lipped, Raman Bhalla who was acting neutral through all the time also focussed his both the ears at the direction where the friends were seated.

"Nothing much baba. Just work related stress, it was just little so stop freaking out." Ishita comforted her friend with a smile hoping to convince her but her words didn't convinced her husband. Raman Bhalla is very well known with his wife capabilities to handle issues, her passion can never stress her out. It's just a pure lie and somwhere he was aware with an alternative of this lie but no one wants to accept their faults with an ease and Raman Bhalla wasn't different. His ego didn't let him accept his faults recalling himself his own miseries in these months. He didn't spoke anything much and the night passed. Next day around mid afternoon Ishita hot discharged from AIIMS and along Raman parents they retired back to their home at Mayur Vihar.

Raman returned back to his parents place after years, he doesn't remember spending much time at his parents place after his marriage. The place was still same as before but so much had changed. The vintage wooden furniture replaced by modern furniture, the living area looked more modernised and spacious than before and he was amazed with the taste of the interiors.

"Maa you never told me that you're planning to renovate this place." Raman casually questioned his mother once they settled back at home. Ishita already retired upstairs whereas Raman father also went inside his room to freshen up leaving mother son duo alone.

"Hmm... Simmi suggested to go for interiors after your promotion. The entire shopping is done by Ishita only." Raman face became expressionless as his mother mentioned his wife name. Huhh!!! Not for once Ishita cares to inquire about me and here she renovated this place as I got promoted. Why she pretended that my happiness matters to her?

Double standards.

Raman murmured to himself looking blankly at first floor where his and Ishita room was located. He remained seated at living area and than walked towards balcony to take some breath in fresh air. He remained stood in balcony and paced little too and fro until his gaze fell on the foreign car parked in their parking premisis making him frown. It was a new model of i10 car which was parked next to his father Maruti WagonR at the designated space of their car parking area. Yahan meri car park nahi ho pa rahi hai aur dekho logo ne doosri ka parking space occupied kar rakha hai. (Why Papa allowed someone else to park their cars in our parking area?) Raman spoke to himself looking for a guard or some staff worker of society.

"Papa....yeh car kiski hai? Aapne humare parking space mein kyon lagwaane diya isko? Please hatwaaye na. Meri car ko park hone ki jagah nahi hai." (Papa whoever i10 is parked here please ask him to take it away so that i can park my car here.) Raman inquired his father about the red color i10 as soon as he saw him coming out from his room after changing his clothes.

"Woh Ishita Puttar ki car hai. Woh wahi khadi rahegi." (Thats Ishita brand new car, so it will stay here.) Raman looked at his father with shock, the revelation took him aback as he continued to exchange his gaze from his father face to the brand new i10.

"But kyon? Mujhe bina bataye car lene ki kya zaroorat thi?" (What was the need to buy another car without informing me?)

"Tujhe hosh tha yahan phone karke apne Maa Baap aur Biwi ka haal poochne ka? Kya tu yeh jaanta hai ki August mein Ishita ki two wheeler ek gaddhe mein phas gayi thi aur use chot lag gayi thi? Humare hi kehne par Ishita Puttar ne yeh car khareedi hai." (You had time for us? For once you took pain to contact your old parents or your wife? Ishita met with an accident in month of August, her two wheeler damaged badly in that accident. I was the one who forced her to buy a car for herself.) His father clarification in stern tone left Raman Bhalla tongue tied. He looked here and there but refused to meet his gaze with his father.