"Abhimanyu?" Ishita exclaimed. "Matlab Mani? Mera bachpan ka dost?"
[You mean Mani? My childhood friend?]
"Haan Ishu. Mani ka rishta aaya hain. Kuch waqt pehle uski behen ka phone aaya tha tumhari Amma ko. Tabse unki baatcheet ho rahi hain," her father answered.
[Yes Ishu. Mani's proposal has come. His sister had called your mother a while back. They have been talking since then.]
"Ishu, please is rishte ke baare mein dhyaan se socho kanna," Amma implored. "Maine tumko pehle nahi bataya kyunki tumhare paas Ruhi thi aur phir tum uske custody case mein busy ho gayi. Lekin ab woh chali gayi hain kanna. Aur tumhe apni life ke baare mein sochna hai."
[Ishu, please think about this proposal carefully dear. I didn't tell you earlier because you had Ruhi and then you were busy in her custody case. But now she's gone dear. And you have to think about your own life.]
"Amma, maine shaadi na karne ka faisla bahot pehle hi le liya hain. Ab woh nahi badlega."
[Amma, I had decided a long time back that I didn't want to get married. I'm not changing my decision now.]
"Kanna, tum thoda time lo. Kuch dino ke liye dhyan se socho. Itni jaldbaazi mein, bhavnao mein behkar decision mat lo. Mani kitna accha ladka hain, hum sab jaante hain. Tumhara bachpan ka dost hai. Woh tumhari infertility ko leke koi problem create nahi karega. Aur shaadi ke baad tum uske saath ek baccha adopt kar sakti ho. Ek family start kar sakti ho."
[Dear, take some time. Think about it for a few days. Don't take a decision in haste or while flooded with emotions. We all know how good a guy Mani is. He's your childhood friend too. He won't create any problem about your fertility. And you can adopt a child with him after marriage. You can start a family.]
"You don't get it, Amma. Main koi dusra baccha nahi adopt kar sakti ab. Ruhi hi meri beti thi. I can't replace her. Not now, not ever."
[I can't adopt another child. Only Ruhi was my daughter.]
"Aiyo Ishu..."
"Ek minute Madhu. Main baat karta hoon," Appa interjected. "Ishu, is baare mein hum baad mein baat karte hain. Kuch dino baad. Jab tumhara dimaag thoda shaant ho jaaye. Abhi sab so jaate hain. Thik hai?"
[One minute Madhu. Let me talk. Ishu, we'll talk about this later. A few days from now. When your mind has calmed down. Let's all go to sleep now. Ok?]
Ishita stomped into her room and slammed her door close. How could they? How could they possibly suggest she even think about replacing Ruhi? No. She would not let that happen. She was in no mood to get married and 'move on.' The only way she could move on was by indulging in work. That was her outlet.
And so, that's what she did. The next morning she woke up bright and early and left for her clinic. She worked until she lost track of time. In fact, Mihika had to call her in the evening to make sure she was okay since she hadn't come home on time. All of a sudden, she understood why Raman was such a workaholic. He wasn't dealing with losing his wife; he was trying to cope with being separated from his son. The same way she was trying to cope with being separated from her daughter.
Over the next three weeks, Ishita began taking extra shifts at the clinic. She even offered to work on weekends and attend to any emergencies that came up. Being at home wasn't appealing enough now that Ruhi wasn't there. Whenever she happened to be at home, she kept herself busy. The meals she cooked were enough to feed a village. Whenever she cleaned, she scrubbed the floors and counters squeaky clean.
Every now and then, she tried to get a glimpse of Ruhi from across the hall. But she restrained herself. Ruhi had to let go of her in order to mix in with the Bhalla family. Other than a few minutes of conversation, hugs, and kisses when she left for work and came back, she had little interaction with her. Even then, Ishita cherished the few moments she got with her little angel.
On the other hand, Raman was having a tough time handling Ruhi on his own. He quickly found out that he knew nothing about her. Not her favorite colors, her favorite foods, her daily schedule, her fears, or anything else. His office regularly demanded his attention and he used it as an escape from his home, leaving Ruhi mostly to her grandparents.
On Mihir and Pathak's behest, Raman had significantly cut down on his work hours. He had most of his meals at home with Ruhi and his parents. But mingling with them was harder than he thought. Years of isolation could not be undone so quickly. He rarely spoke unless spoken to first, making the environment at home quite awkward. Apart from Toshi, no one had the courage to approach him on their own.
In the aftermath, Ruhi and Raman's relationship seemed to deteriorate rather than flourish. Their interactions became robotic and mechanical. Raman made sure that she was eating and sleeping properly, and that her other needs were taken care of. But he couldn't bond further on an emotional level. He seemed to have forgotten how. In one instant, Ruhi had asked him to narrate a story at bedtime. He rummaged through her storybooks and found a Sleeping Beauty book that she liked. He read through it in one go, and Ruhi complained that he didn't read it as well as Ishimaa. Raman had been exhausted then and he lost his patience, ordering her to quietly go to sleep. Ironically, he couldn't fall asleep himself that night. What kind of a victory was this? He won his daughter's custody, but neither of them were happy.
Luckily, the rest of his family managed to cheer up Ruhi. Romi and Rinki played with her after their classes. Simi came over regularly with Ananya. Toshi and Omprakash took her out to the park every so often. Raman thought that should be enough. But it wasn't. For Ruhi missed her Ishimaa terribly and nobody could fill that void. The one person who could - her father - refused to gel with her. Her grandparents and aunts and uncles tried to keep her distracted as best as they could, but it didn't work permanently.
.....................................................................................................................
Bhalla/Iyer Residence - Friday July 5th, 7 pm
Ishita trudged up the stairs after an exhausting day at work. She had been on her feet all day performing surgery after surgery with hardly a minute to sit down. But the moment she saw Ruhi in the hallway, all her fatigue melted away.
"Ruhi! Aap yaha kya kar rahe ho?" [What are you doing here?]
"Papa ka yeh paper ud ke bahar aa gaya tha. To woh lene aayi thi." She waved the paper clutched in her hand.
[Papa's paper flew outside. So I came to get it.]
"Aapne khaana khaya?" [Did you eat?]
Ruhi nodded.
"Kya khaaya?" [What did you eat?]
"Dadi ne rice aur dal makh... makh..." [Dadi made rice and dal makh... makh...]
"Dal makhani?"
"Haan! Woh banaya tha. Bahot yummy tha. Lekin mujhe aap ke haath ki idli khaani hain."
[Yes! She made that. It was very yummy. But I want to have your idli.]
"Ok. Jab main idli banaungi, to aapke liye zaroor bhejungi."
[Ok. When I make idli, I'll send some for you.]
"Aur Ishimaa, meri doll ki dress kharaab ho gayi hain. Dekho."
[And Ishimaa, my doll's dress has been ruined. Look.]
Ruhi handed Ishita her doll and pointed out the tear in the dress.
"Oh no. Yeh kaise ho gaya? Koi baat nahi. Main two minutes mein fix kar deti hoon. Ok?"
[Oh no. How did this happen? No worries. I'll fix it in two minutes. Ok?]
"Ruhi! Kahan ho?" Raman hollered as he came outside. "Tum yahan ho?"
[Ruhi! Where are you? You're here?]
"Papa, aap ka paper fly karke bahar aa gaya. Dekho."
[Papa, your paper flew outside. Look.]
"Lao, do mujhe." He took paper from her hand. "Aur andar chalo."
[Here, give it to me. And go inside.]
"Ok papa." Ruhi ran inside on her heels leaving Raman and Ishita outside.
"Ruhi ki doll hai na? Let me take it." [That's Ruhi's doll, right?]
Raman reached out to take Ruhi's doll from her hand and accidentally grazed his finger on her thumb. Zap! A current of static electricity bolted through them, and they sprung apart. What the hell was that? It was the middle of summer. Static in July?
"Nahi, Ruhi ne mujhe apni doll di hain. Actually there's a tear in the dress, so I'll fix it and give it to her later."
[No, Ruhi gave me her doll.]
"Okay. Fine," he said before he withdrew into his house. Ishita rubbed on her thumb as she entered her flat trying to shake off the bolt of energy she felt.
.....................................................................................................................
"Ishu, so what did you think about Mani?"
Ishita, Mihika, Madhu, and Vishwa were all seated at the dining table having dinner in complete silence when Vishwa broached the subject.
"Isme sochna kya hai Appa? Maine already mana kar diya hain."
[What is there to think Appa? I've already said no.]
"Beta, kam se kam usse baat to karo. Tum dono already ek doosre ko jaante ho, acche dost ho. Isme bura kya hain?"
[Dear, at least talk to him once. You guys already know each other and are good friends. What's wrong in this?]
Ishita put her spoon down and ran a palm down her face. Should she entertain the thought? There wouldn't be any harm in one conversation. Plus, she could finally get her parents off her back. They had been on this subject for three weeks now.
"Thik hai, appa. Lekin sirf ek mulaqat. That's it."
[Ok, appa. But only one conversation.]
"Ok Ishu. Abhi woh Turkey mein rehta hain. Tumhare paas uska number hai?"
[Right now, he lives in Turkey. Do you have his number?]
"Nahi appa. Woh saat saal pehle waha shift ho gaya uske baad zyada contact hua hi nahi."
[No appa. I haven't had much contact with him ever since he moved seven years ago.]
"Koi baat nahi, kanna," Madhu chimed in. "Mere paas uski sister ka number hain. Main usse tumhara number de dungi aur phir tum aur Mani video chat kar lena."
[No worries dear. I have his sister's number. I'll give her your number and then you and Mani can video chat.]
"Periamma, periappa, we need to take things slow," Mihika suggested. "I mean, agar yeh rishta tay hota hain to that means Akka ko shayad Turkey jaana hoga. Kitna door hain woh. Vandu akka aur Bala jeeju bhi humse itni door nahi the kabhi. Hum sab humesha ek hi sheher mein rahe hain. Pehle Chennai aur ab Delhi. Agar Ishu akka Mani se shaadi karti hain to unhe itni door jaana hoga ki hum shayad saal mein ek baar hi mil paaye. Shayad Diwali pe ya Christmas pe..."
[If this marriage works out then Akka might have to move to Turkey. That's so far away. Even Vandu akka and Bala jeeju have never been that far from us. We've always lived in one city. First Chennai, and now Delhi. If Ishu akka marries Mani then she'd go so far away that we'd probably only be able to meet her once a year. Maybe on Diwali or Christmas...]
The sudden creaking of the door caught their attention and all of them turned their heads towards the entrance. Ishita thought she saw someone's jet black hair swooshing but she was too far away to tell for sure.
"Kaun hai?" Madhu called. Vishwa got up to check if anyone was at the door. [Who is it?]
"Koi nahi hai, Madhu. Shaayad hava se aawaaz aayi thi. Tum sab khaana khao. Main darwaza band kar deta hoon."
[It's nobody, Madhu. Maybe the wind made the noise. You guys continue eating. I'll close the door.]
.....................................................................................................................
Ruhi ran inside her house and threw herself onto her bed, sobbing uncontrollably. So this is why Ishimaa was avoiding her. She was getting married and leaving her. She just heard Mihika Chitti say that Ishimaa was marrying someone named Mani and leaving everyone. But she had promised Ruhi that she would never leave her. Why was she leaving? First papa wasn't with her, now Ishimaa was going. Did they not love Ruhi anymore?
Her cries echoed throughout the Bhalla house and soon enough, her grandparents were at her bedside trying to console her.
"Kya hua Ruhi? Itna kyun ro rahi hain meri bacchi? Dadi ko bata to sahi ki baat kya hai? Kisi ne kuch kaha? Papa ne daanta? Kahin chot lagi hain? Bol na beta."
[What happened Ruhi? Why are you crying so much my child? At least tell Dadi what's the matter? Did anyone say anything? Did Papa scold you? Did you get hurt somewhere? Speak up dear.]
"Nahi. Mujhe kisi se baat nahi karni!" [No. I don't want to talk to anyone!]
Despite their best efforts, Ruhi wouldn't calm down. Rinki finally called Raman, who was in a video call, to try soothing her.
"Rinki, dikhta nahi hai meri meeting chal rahi hain?"
[Rinki, don't you see I'm in a meeting?]
"Bhai please, Ruhi achanak se itna rone lagi hai. Kisi ko nahi pata kya baat hain. Aap ko aana padega."
[Ruhi has started crying all of a sudden. No one knows what's wrong. You need to come.]
After profuse apologies to his clients, he slammed his laptop shut and stormed into Ruhi's room.
"Kya ho raha hai yahan?!" [What's going on here?!]
"Puttar, Ruhi kab se roye jaa rahi hain. Dekh na," Toshi explained.
[Son, Ruhi has been crying for so long. Take a look.]
"Ruhi, itna kyun ro rahi ho? Kya baat hain?"
[Ruhi, why are you crying so much? What's wrong?]
No answer. Just incoherent sobs. Raman had zero patience right now. He went onto her bed and made Ruhi sit up.
"Ruhi, aise rone se kaam nahi chalega. Use your words. Aap mujhe batao ki problem kya hai aur hum solve karte hain. Rone se kuch nahi hoga. Tell me, what is the problem?"
[Ruhi, crying won't help. Use your words. Tell me what the problem is and we'll solve it.]
"Papa... Ishimaa mujhe... mujhe chod kar jaa rahi hain!" she sobbed.
[Papa... Ishimaa is... she's leaving me!]
"Kya matlab?" [What do you mean?]
"Main apni doll lene gayi thi tab maine suna. Chitti keh rahi thi ki woh kisi Mani uncle se shaadi kar rahi hain aur bahot door jaa rahi hain. Mujhe chod ke."
[I heard when I went to get my doll. Chitti was saying that she's getting married to some Mani uncle and going far away. Far from me.]
Ishita was getting married? And she didn't even have the courtesy to let him know, Raman thought. If he had been angry before, he could be fuming right now. How could she do that?
On second thoughts, why did he care so much? Because Ruhi needed her, that's why. If it were just him, he'd be counting the days until she was out of his life.
He charged out of his house and banged on Ishita's door. No response. He banged again. After what seemed like hours, Ishita finally opened the door.
"Darwaza kholne mein itna time kaun lagata hai?"
[Who takes so long to open a door?]
"Main kitchen saaf kar rahi thi, isiliye haath dho rahi thi. Par baat kya hain? Itne gusse mein kyun ho aap?"
[I was cleaning the kitchen, so I had to wash my hands. But what's wrong? Why are you so angry?]
"Tum shaadi kar rahi ho?" [You're getting married?]
"Kya? Aap ko kisne bataya?" [What? Who told you that?]
"Ruhi ne. Use lagta hai ki tumhari kisi Mani naam ke ladke se shaadi ho rahi hai aur tum kahi door jaa rahi ho. Apne kamre mein ro rahi hai woh."
[Ruhi. She thinks you're getting married to some guy named Mani and moving far away. She's crying in her room.]
Ishita's eyes widened in realization. The whiff of black hair she had seen was Ruhi. She had heard their conversation. She immediately ran into the Bhalla house. Raman followed closely behind. Her amma and appa came too, hearing all the commotion.
"Ruhi, kya hua betu?" Ishita cooed at her as she tugged her into her arms.
[Ruhi, what happened dear?]
"Aap mujhe chod kar jaa rahi ho na Ishimaa? Isiliye aap mujhse milne nahi aati. Aur mujhse baat bhi nahi karti."
[You're leaving me na Ishimaa? That's why you don't come to meet me anymore. And you don't talk with me either.]
"No betu, aisa bilkul nahi hain. Main aap ko chod kar kahi nahi jaa rahi hoon."
[No dear, not at all. I'm not going anywhere.]
"Maine aap ki aur Chitti ki baatein suni. Aap shaadi kar rahi hain aur kahin door jaa rahi hain. Aap door mat jao na? Mujhe aap ke aur papa ke saath, dono ke saath rehna hain. Aap papa se shaadi kar lo. Aur mere paas rehne aa jao. Please, Ishimaa!"
[I heard you and Chitti talking. You're getting married and going far away. Please don't go away. I want to stay with you and papa, both of you. You should get married to papa. And come live with me. Please, Ishimaa!]
Tears raced down Ruhi's cheeks, and Ishita's throat tightened and chin trembled seeing her plight. She couldn't do this to her. The poor kid had spent her early years in an orphanage. She already had abandonment issues at such a young age. She couldn't leave her at any cost.
"Ruhi, look at me. Suno meri baat. Maine aap ko kya kaha tha? Ki jab tak sky mein stars honge tab tak main aap ko pyaar karungi. Wahan dekho. Aap ko stars dikh rahe hain?"
[Listen to me. What did I tell you? That as long as there are stars in the sky, I will love you. Look there. Do you see stars?]
Ishita pointed towards the window and Ruhi nodded.
"Bas to phir. Main aap se bahot pyaar karti hoon bacche. Aur main aap ko chod ke kabhi nahi jaaungi. Main hamesha aap ke paas rahungi."
[Exactly. I love you a lot dear. And I will never leave you. I'll always be with you.]
"Promise?"
"Promise mera baccha. I promise."
Ishita wrapped her arms around Ruhi and stroked her head until she quieted down and fell asleep. She tucked her into bed and planted a kiss on her forehead. Once everyone had dispersed, she sternly told her parents to say no to Mani's proposal. It was not happening. She wasn't leaving the country much less the city if it meant staying away from Ruhi. And this time, neither Madhu nor Vishwa could find it in themselves to persuade her otherwise. It was final. Ishita was not getting married to Mani.
While the hubbub dwindled, Omprakash had his mind stuck on something Ruhi had innocently uttered. Her demand that Ishimaa get married to papa. Ever since Ruhi had moved in, he had seen her spark dim down. Staying away from Ishita was taking its toll on her. Raman was struggling to connect with her, still trying to find an escape in work whenever he could. Ishita was the only one who could heal the cracks in their relationship and bring them together. And so, the wheels of his mind turned.
.....................................................................................................................
Raman's office - Saturday morning, 7 am
"Thank you so much for understanding Mr. Tandon. My daughter was really cranky last night so I had to end our video call abruptly. I'm glad we could meet face-to-face today and iron out the wrinkles in our contract."
Raman, Mihir, Neil Pathak, and Rajeev Tandon were gathered in Raman's office, bright and early, to finish up the meeting that ended abruptly last night.
"No worries at all, Raman. I have two kids as well. I know better than anyone how things are with little kids around. I'm just happy that your daughter has come home for good," Tandon replied.
"Ab Ruhi kaisi hai Bhai?" Mihir asked. [How is Ruhi now Bhai?]
"Thik hai. Woh bas Ishita ko miss karti hai."
[She's fine. She just misses Ishita.]
"Ishita? Isn't that the woman who adopted her?" Tandon asked.
Raman nodded.
"It's really cruel that she can't be with her."
"It's how the law works, Mr. Tandon. If a biological parent wants and is capable of holding custody, then they get first preference," Pathak explained.
"Neil, I know you're married to my sister, but when you say things like that, it makes me question your decision of becoming a civil lawyer. Because if the law keeps Ruhi away from the only woman she's called mom, then the law sucks."
Pathak had no answer to that. The law did suck sometimes.
"I'm in over my head with this kid," Raman sighed. "I don't know how to handle her or connect with her or sometimes even just face her."
"I have a question, Raman," Tandon chimed in. "Can't you and Ishita raise Ruhi together?"
"That was the original plan. But then Shagun and Ashok showed up and the court decided otherwise. Now, I can't risk sharing custody in case I lose it."
"What if she moves in with you and helps out in raising Ruhi?"
"Tandon saab, aap London mein rehke kaafi kuch bhul gaye India ke baare mein," Mihir teased. "Ishita is a Tamilian brahmin. She's raised by traditional Hindu parents. Girls like her don't just move in with other guys without marriage."
[Mr. Tandon, you've forgotten a lot about India having lived in London.]
Raman raised his eyebrows towards Mihir. "Tujhe Ishita ki upbringing ke baare mein itna kaise pata?"
[How do you know so much about Ishita's upbringing?]
"Main Ishita ji ko nahi jaanta, lekin uski behen ko to acche se jaanta hoon na?"
[I don't know Ishita personally, but I know her sister very well na?]
"Matlab?" Tandon was confused. [Meaning?]
"He's dating Ishita's cousin Mihika." Raman explained.
"Oh I see. Anyway Raman, I must take your leave now. I have to depart for London in a few hours," Tandon said as he stood up and shook hands with Raman and Mihir.
"Bhai, main aap ko chod deta hoon. Besides, Trisha would like to meet you before you leave," Pathak offered.
[Bhai, I'll drop you off.]
Mihir left shortly after Pathak and Tandon were gone, leaving Raman in his office alone. It was Saturday, and apart from this meeting, he had no other appointments for work today. He should probably go home to his daughter.
.....................................................................................................................
The French Flavor Coffee House - The next morning, Sunday July 7th, 10:30 am
The waiter arrived and placed Raman's black coffee and Ishita's cappuccino on their table. They both picked their drinks and sipped in complete and utter silence. Normally, if they even faced each other, they managed to break out into a fight. But today the premise that had brought them in front of each other caused a strange awkwardness between them.
Raman chugged down his black coffee and almost scalded himself. But his mind was so preoccupied that he barely noticed. Yesterday evening, his father had made the most absurd suggestion. Marriage to Ishita Iyer. The first thought he had was that his father had definitely lost his marbles. He could barely stand the woman! How could he get married to her? Impossible. But his father was very stern in his words and persuasive in his reasons. Ruhi needed both her mother and father. How bad of an idea could this be after all? It at least deserved to be entertained. So he agreed to meet with her and discuss the thought.
Ishita's grip tightened around her mug. She played with the loose tendrils of her hair that framed her face just so her hands had something to do. Marriage was the last thing on her mind ever since Subbu dumped her. But marriage with Raman Bhalla hadn't even crossed her mind. Ever. But her father's rigid stance last evening forced her to show up for this meeting. Apparently, Raman's father had suggested the idea and her Appa was on board with it. But she was yet to wrap her head around the proposal. The only reason why she even bothered to consider this idea was for Ruhi. She could legally become her daughter if this marriage worked.
"Are you actually serious about this Raman?" she asked, trying to mitigate the painful silence.
"I don't seem to have much of a choice."
"This is an insane idea."
"It does have its advantages though."
"What do you mean?"
Raman placed his coffee down, exhaled deeply, and leaned forward.
"I talked with Pathak. He says that this would pretty much seal our chances of getting permanent custody. Think about it. Between a married couple with strong family support on one side and a girlfriend indulging in herself and a boyfriend busy in work and god knows what else on another side, who would a sane judge choose?"
"I see your point."
"But let me make one thing clear. Please don't think of this as a marriage. Think of it as a new living arrangement. We live in the same house and same room but only as Ruhi's parents. Humare beech mein sirf ek hi rishta hoga ki tum Ruhi ki maa ho. That's it."
[We'll only have one relationship and that is that you're Ruhi's mother.]
"Agar Ruhi ki baat hai to main taiyyar hoon. Waise bhi, mujhe pyaar ke liye shaadi karne mein koi interest nahi raha. Ruhi hi meri duniya hai ab."
[If it's for Ruhi then I'm ready. Besides, I don't have any interest in getting married for love anymore. Ruhi is my world now.]
"Good. So we're on the same page. Mujhe bhi yeh pyaar ki bakwaas mein koi interest nahi hain. To tum bhi mujhse aisi koi ummeed mat rakhna."
[I don't have any interest in the nonsense of love. So don't expect anything from me like that.]
"Mujhe aap se koi ummeed nahi hai aur naahi koi rishta banana hain."
[I don't have any such expectation and neither do I want such a relationship.]
"To tumhari haan hain?"
[So are you saying yes?]
Ishita opened her mouth to say yes but then faltered. There was still one secret that needed to be uncovered before they could finalize this 'new arrangement.'
"Dekho, zyada bhaav khaane ki zaroorat nahi hain. Main koi maraa nahi jaa raha hoon tumse shaadi karne ke liye. Jaldi se apna jawaab do." Raman was reaching the end of his patience.
[Look, you don't have to seek any attention. I'm not dying to get married to you or anything. Just give me your answer quickly.]
"Mujhe shaadi se koi aitraaz nahi hain. Lekin hum dono haan bole usse pehle mujhe aap ko kuch batana padega."
[I don't have any problem with getting married. But before we say yes, I need to tell you something.]
"Kya?" [What?]
Ishita took in a deep breath.
"Main kabhi maa nahi ban sakti."
[I can't ever be a mother.]
"What do you mean by maa nahi ban sakti? Tum already Ruhi ki maa ho."
[What do you mean by can't be a mother? You're already Ruhi's mother.]
Ishita was taken aback at how effortlessly Raman said that. He said it in such an easy and routine manner, as if it were common knowledge. As if imagining the opposite would be ludicrous.
"Matlab, main kabhi conceive nahi kar sakti. Kisi bacche ko janam nahi de sakti."
[I mean, I can never conceive. I can never give birth to a child.]
She went on to explain how, almost a year ago, she was rushed to the hospital due to benign tumors in her right ovary and left fallopian tube. How her fallopian tube had been ruptured and her ovaries had been damaged. How her six year long partner Subbu dumped her for her infertility. How she moved to Delhi with her family and tried to heal herself. And how she came about adopting Ruhi as a way of moving on.
Unlike his normal predisposition, Raman stayed quiet throughout and listened. And with each word his respect for Ishita grew. The woman was more than she seemed. She had battled through so much, maybe even more than him.
"I'm sorry about that," he said, not knowing how else to respond.
"Thank you."
"Isiliye main in sab jhamelo se door rehta hoon. Pyaar se sirf dhokha milta hain. There's no use indulging in love."
[That's why I stay away from such nonsense. You can only get betrayal from love.]
"Aisa kyun keh rahe ho aap?" she asked, scrunching her eyebrows in confusion. [Why would you say that?] "If we go by your logic, then why read a book when it's going to end anyway? Why do you watch cricket so much when there is no guarantee of your team winning? Why even enjoy life if it is bound to end one day?"
"Tumhare dialogue writer ke paise kaat diye hain kya? Itni ghatiya lines? Pak jaaye aadmi sun sun ke. Aur meri futi kismat, jo ab tum se shaadi karni padegi. Zindagi bhar yahi lecture sunte rehna padega."
[Have you lessened your dialogue writer's salary? Such bad lines? A man would get fed up listening to them. It's my misfortune, that I have to marry you. I'll have to listen to such lectures for the rest of my life.]
"Wow, so the pot calls the kettle black, huh? Aap jaise gussail aur akdoo Ravan kumar ke saath main kaise rahoongi yeh socho!"
[How am I supposed to live with such an angry and stubborn Ravan kumar?!]
"Tum jaisi paagal to kaise bhi reh legi. Lekin jab tum apni talwar leke chadhai karogi to muj bichaare ka kya hoga woh to maatarani hi jaane."
[A mad woman like you will find a way. But when you bring out your sword, then only matarani knows what will happen of me.]
"How dare you..."
Before Ishita could come up with a clever retort, her phone chimed. It was a message from Amma.
"We have to go home. Amma aur sab pareshaan ho rahe hain," she said.
[Amma and the rest are getting worried.]
"Thik hai. Chalo. Aur ek baat main phir se clear kar doon. Yeh shaadi sirf Ruhi ke liye hogi."
[All right. Let's go. And let me clear up one thing again. This marriage is only for Ruhi.]
"I know. Sirf Ruhi ke liye."
[Only for Ruhi.]
"Sirf aur sirf Ruhi ke liye."
[Only and only for Ruhi.]
"SIRF SIRF SIRF RUHI KE LIYE."
[ONLY ONLY AND ONLY FOR RUHI.]
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