The Binding String

F O R T Y - N I N E

"I....I will pay you the amount. Aap apne taraf se paise mat dijiye." ( I will pay you the amount. I dont want you to pay for her car.) Raman spoke further as he took his step back to walk inside living room.

"Raman... we just gave little amount better said signing amount of 51k. She took this car on loan." Raman nodded his head and walked inside, obviously he forgot that his wife is a self sufficient lady and wouldn't take a single penny from anyone. Maybe his opinion corrupted about women while staying at Zurich but now as he returned back to Delhi he need to feed this thing in his mind that not all women are same and his wife is definitely not same as other women.

Kitni dooriyan aa gayi hai humare beech mein. Mera humesha se mann tha ki Ishita ki car ka signing amount main pay karoon. Ishita had a dream to buy her first car in my presence......how easily our dreams and ways got different. (These six months bought a lot of difference between us. I always wanted to give signing amount by myself for her first car and wished her to buy the car in my presence. How easily our dreams and ways parted.)

Raman was lost in his own thoughts while making his way towards his room. It was nothing less than a challenge for him to face Ishita after long six months. It's quite challenging for a man to face his woman whom he still desires even after keeping lots of grudges, dare to peep inside her soul unaware with the truth that he himself tarnished it. He was in a dilemma to face his wife, the living with her wouldn't be easy for him, how would he share about the Samaira Khanna fiasco with Ishita, she is his wife, a sensible lady but would she take his words? Would she understand his truth?

She barely recovered from the nervous breakdown, if she didn't take the truth well and what if her health deteriorated? The conditions weren't favourable for him obviously, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he finally stepped inside his old bedroom. Their was an uneasy silence which welcomed Raman Bhalla, he ran his gaze everywhere until it stopped on his wife who was taking her clothes out from her bag, those were the clothes she might used at hospital. She dumped all those clothes in laundry basket, after emptying her little bag she started to arrange her medicines neatly on the bedside table. Raman keep walking towards along his trolley bag and straightway entered inside the passage which leads towards walk-in closets. Raman had alot to speak but his guts didn't allowed him to initiate anything anymore. He remained mum and keep looking at Ishita who was doing her work silently without acknowledging his presence.

"Hi....oh no I am going to join from tomorrow. Yes Vibha I am fine...sacchi mein. Main kal milti hoon tumhe. Chalo bye." Her conversation with her colleague Vibha fell in his ears as he approached to initiate conversation.

"Ishita.....you're not well. Rehne do kuch din. Thode din baad join kar lena." (Ishita you're not keeping well. Why don't you take rest for few more days before joining back?) Raman dared to speak at last looking at Ishita.

"Yahan koi bhi nahi hai Raman.....koi bhi nahi. Yeh dikhaawa kyon phir?" (No one is here except us so stop pretending like you are concerned for me.)

The way Ishita presence was making Raman uncomfortable, in the same way Raman presence was also suffocating Ishita Bhalla. Since yesterday she was in a uncontrollable rage, it was becoming hard for her to bear the man who is the sole reason behind her miseries, he is the reason behind those sleepless nights which she spend in pool of tears, he is the reason behind the torturous pain she bore alone in the fear of loosing him. Ishita depicted the world about her careless attitude, she stayed out with her friends, partied hard, travelled across states as well but nothing helped her in overcoming the loneliness consuming her heart and soul. The memories of those cold alone nights makes her despair increase tenfold for her husband, yes she secretly wishes for his presence beside her but now as he returned back, her anger too floured above all her emotions and now she didn't wanted to face him for once.