CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT
He smiled knowing full well that she was making fun of these two because unlike Ishita Mihika wasn't a much of a public display of affection kind of girl like Ishita. He felt sorry for them and wanted to do something such that the tables turned. He grabbed his bottle of water from the fridge before he walked over to where she was sitting and slowly placed a warm soft wet kiss on her lower lip.
She quickly opened her eyes looking at him not believing he had actually done that. His face was so close to hers she could feel his breath on her face as he smiled at her, kissing her again and walking away as he said
'Stop teasing them...''
'Oh ho...Who wants more kissy kissy now...'' Said Mihika laughing to which Abhimanyu joined in as Ishita's face all of a sudden lit up like a red rose in snow
She smiled for a minute taking in the feeling that he always arose when he kissed her. It always felt like the first time he kissed her. She looked at him glowing as he walked away and started to chuckle
They stayed in each other's embrace for a while before Mihika jolted head back saying
'Oh God you need to go call Romi right now...''
'Oh yeah I almost forgot...'' She said before she grabbed her walking stick and run upstairs
She got inside and grabbed her phone walking to the balcony as she called Romi...
Romi had been away most of the time to handle the part of the business that Raman should have handled right before Ishita's kidnap. They were trying to make up for all the losses they had suffered during that period and he had been working hard.
He did a very good job that Raman had offered him a job aboard that he would have to handle for a couple of months and he gladly agreed understanding his brother had to take care of things at home as he was needed more there.
He had come back at home for a week just to relax a bit and unwind or at least that is the excuse he gave his family. The real reason for his being back had a little something to so with a very pretty doctor friend
'Hello Romi...'' Said Ishita as she stood in the corner on the balcony
'Hey Ishita what's up...'' He said
'Did you take care of it. I really need this please...'' Ishita said but Romi interrupted
'Oh please Ishita trust me. Of course I took care of it. He needs this as well so yeah it is handled no worries...'' Said Romi
'Really...'' Said a delighted Ishita
'Yes go have fun...'' Said Romi
'Oh God Thank you... Thank you... I owe you big...'' Said a delighted Ishita before she hung up
'You welcome and yes you do...'' Answered Romi right before Ishita hung up as he followed suit as he turned to look at the person across the room
'You know sooner or later your going to have to tell them about us...'' Said Vidya
'I know but right now with Ishita and you being her doctor Raman will flip and freak out...'' Said Romi
'I will take you word for it and agree to disagree...'' Said Vidya
'Don't psycho analyze me right now please...'' he said as he walked over to where she was and out his arms around her
'Am sorry it is just a force of habit. Although, I understand why you're keeping this quiet for now that is very noble of you.'' Said Vidya who understood that Romi was only keeping this a secret because more than anything, it was for Ishita
He knew how right now she was not the very trusting person and him dating Vidya may have put that in jeopardy and it is something he didn't want, more than anything it is something he didn't want his brother to go through again.
Meanwhile back at the Bhalla mansion Ishita quickly got ready as she waited for Raman to come upstairs such that they could begin on their quite frankly unexpected date in Raman's case. He was a bit tired from all the work he had been doing and just wanted to go upstairs and relax.
When he got there he could see Ishita had packed a small go bag for herself and him as she was excitedly moving about the room as if looking for something
'What are you doing?'' he asked surprised
'Oh yeah where are the car keys...'' she asked
'Why? Are you going somewhere...'' he asked
'Just tell me where are they...'' she asked again
'They are still in my jacket I think. What is happening...'' he said
'Oh okay...'' She said as she walked over and removed them
'Ishita what is happening...'' he said
'Just put this on and follow me...'' she said handing him blindfolds
'Why...'' he asked as he took the blindfolds from her hand
'It is a surprise. Just do as I say already...'' She said and Raman very skeptically obliged
'Where are we going...'' he said
'It is a secret...'' she said
'Wait! Are you driving...? I will not sit in a car where you're driving.'' He said as he tightened the folds Ishita making sure he didn't see anything
'Why not...'' asked Ishita
'Because you're a terrible driver! You drive like an 80 year old lady with visual issues...'' Said Raman which caused Abhimanyu who had just walked in to giggle
'Raman...'' She slapped his hand playfully before she let out a soft laugh saying
'That wasn't very nice of you to say...''
'Well sorry but it is true...'' he added laughing as well
'Okay No I am not driving, someone else will help out. Does that make you feel better...'' She said
'Okay... Yes that does make me feel safer...'' He said as Ishita and Mihika lead him out of the bedroom down the stairs all the way to the car
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Abhimanyu drove for some 2 hours taking his time such that Raman wouldn't even suspect where it was they were going. When they got to the house, Mihika removed their bags from the car taking them to the outhouse before she helped Raman take Raman out of the car.
They quietly said their goodbye wishing Ishita all the best before they both got back into the car and drove off. Ishita then turned to Raman and slowly lead him to the house standing at the door as she said
'Okay we are here now...''
'Can I take these off...'' Said Raman
'No wait... ' she said as she peeped into the house making sure everything was set before she said
'Okay now you came...'' To which Raman obliged
He removed the blindfold squeezing his eyes a little just to make sure his vision was not so blurred from being blindfolded for long. It took him a minute to realize where Ishita had taken him.
'Oh God what are we doing here...'' he said surprised to his wits
'Well this place holds a very unbelievable memories for me. This is the place I told you about myself, this is the place you first told me you loved me, this is the place we first made love, this in my eyes is our sanctuary.'' She said as she began to tear up
'I wanted to do something nice for you and say thank you for your patience, kindness, tolerance and above all unconditional love.'' She added
'Ishita...'' he whispered not believing what he was hearing
'Most people wouldn't have been so understanding. Most husbands wouldn't have been so patient. Most lovers wouldn't be so respectful and only I know how lucky I am to have you. I wanted to do something nice for you and a little something to say thank you...'' she said before she wiped her eyes and opened the door of the house.
Raman walked in and his jaws almost dropped because he couldn't believe what he saw. The inside had been completely changed; there were framed hand paintings and photographs of Ruhi and Aditya on the wall in the living room, a family portrait of all the Bhallas including one of Raman, his siblings and parents when they were still kids.
The painting of Aditya, Ruhi and him on that famous movie night hang on one side of the room and it was hand painted beautifully on a big canvas with vibrant colors and their names on the side of the frame written in beautiful calligraphy.
There were red roses everywhere with white candles beautifully laid out in the room. As he looked around he saw a photograph in black and white of him and Ishita as they sat the balcony back at the mansion with his arms around her as she rested her head on the nape of his neck a sleep.
'Oh God Aditya took this one...'' He said as he begun to get teary eyes t which Ishita nodded saying
'Do you like it...''
Raman turned and looked at her as he struggled to fight back the tears. Whatever Vidya was doing in therapy he was grateful because it was clearly working. This Ishita he hadn't seen in over three months and she was finally standing there looking at him.
He slowly walked over to where she was and embraced her carrying her slightly off the ground as he said
'I absolutely love this... Thank you so much...''
'Really...'' She asked relieved to which he nodded and held her face as he slowly put his lips on hers and he kissed her
'This is absolutely amazing...'' he said as he pulled away and started looking at the pictures again
'Well I still have another surprise, hopefully you will love it just as much...'' She said as she grabbed his hand and walked him to their bedroom
There were more framed photographs and hand paintings on the walls of his children's, his siblings, Ishita and his parents. He walked over to the wall and touched each and every one of them in excitement before he turned and just above their bed lay a hand painting. It only showed parts of a body and no face but he could tell it was Ishita's back, he could tell because of the placing of the tattoo that clearly stated his name and just beside her, was a very provocative part of his body, his pelvic where the tattoo of her name lay in beautifully calligraphy with a red rose running across it. He walked over to the bed looking closely at it as he ran his hand over it as well
'Oh God it even has the initials in the petal...'' He said as he turned to look at her still trying to get over the surprise that he had got.
'I wanted to do something that is just you and I and no one else so I figured...'' She said pointing at the framed painting
'When did you even get the time to do all this...''he said as tears swelled in his eyes
'Well except therapy and physiotherapy turns out I have a lot of time on my hands. Plus Abhimanyu and Mihika helped me put them up. Romi made sure you were free today to be here with me...'' she said looking at him as he finally let his tears run down
'Your something else you know that...'' he said as he walked over to where she was and embarrassed her
'I absolutely love this, Oh God I may just move here...'' he said letting out a small laugh
'Well I am glad you loved it. I was nervous because I wasn't sure how you would take it especially this one...'' She said pointing at one just above the bed
'Are you kidding, this is my favorite'' he said looking at it some more before he turned to her and said
'I am so glad your back. I mean you have been here but I haven't seen that glow in your eyes for while now. I am so happy that you're slowly getting back to me...'' he said
'Well you're the reason for my glow so thank you for doing everything humanly possible to get it back to me.'' Said Ishita looking at him before she hugged him some more
Raman was overwhelmed with happiness as he remised the nights they spent in that room not believing how much had changed since then. She had been through so much and he, if he was being honest with him-self didn't think she was even going to make it let alone be here with him.
He pulled her in some more holding her tighter as he let the worries that had been hovering in his mind die away. She was going to be alright, if he had had any worry in his mind, this right here had managed to put all his worries at ease.
'Raman...'' Called out Ishita
'Hhmmm...'' He answered as he let go and looked at her.
She in turn took his hand and took him to the bed asking him to sit down next to her
'I may not always say this out loud but I really do appreciate everything that you have done for me and in a way for my family.'' She said
'You don't have to say this...'' he said
'No actually I do. I can't begin to imagine what these months have been for you and yet you have gone through all of them without complaining or even uttering any word out of detest. People like you are not made every day and I am so damn lucky that I happened to marry someone who only exists among the few...'' she said as tears filled her eyes
'I love you more than anything in this world. I feel like my heart wants to burst with joy every time I see you smile because I know how much I have put you through. I am selfish I know because if I wasn't I should have realized a lot sooner that leaving you was probably going to be the most suicidal thing I could every do...'' she spoke which caused Raman to put his hand on her lips and say
'No more talk of thank you or death for that matter. I did this because I love you. You took my very broken, tired shattered heart and saved me from myself with just the kindness of your heart and the purity of your love for me. My children are happy and they have a mother because you. Only an idiot of a man wouldn't want that for a lifetime and more to come ...''
She looked at him and smiled letting out a small laugh because he had just pulled her nose like a kid
'Why do you do that...'' she said
'Well because every time you blush, you nose goes red...'' he said smiling as he did it again
She softly laughed before she bit her lower lip and looked at him. For some reason that is the one thing that always got Raman's sense to go crazy. He took the hair strands that were falling in her face and slowly tuck them behind her ear and in the process run his hand through to the nape of her neck.
He slowly came forward and kissed her forehead losing all sense of self control before he started kissing her eyes, her nose, her cheeks that were scorching red at this point. He turned his head and looked at her before he leaned in putting his lips on hers and kissing her.
At first Ishita hesitated and he stopped and pulled back a little but he felt her hands in his head and she pulled him in more which caused him to continue. He kissed her slowly sucking on her lower lip as she tilted her head and begun to suck on his upper lip.
Ishita felt him ran his hand through her hair and she could feel his breathing increase as he slowly kissed her cheeks making his way through to the nape of her neck.
Raman smelt her hair and tasted the sweetness of her skin as he begun to kiss her neck, to the shoulder before he made his way back to her lips. As he continued, she could feel her hands which were holding his arms begin to quiver and he could tell she had begun to pull away and so he took a step back.
He looked at her and she was just standing there with her eyes closed not saying anything which worried and scared him.
'Ishita...'' he whispered but she just opened her eyes and came forward to where he was standing, pulling him closer to him as she said
'Let me lead...''