CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT
It had been an unexpectedly long day that no one would predict would turn out this way. Ishita was seated in the living room holding Ruhi in her arms as they all waited for Raman and Romi to finish up with the police and the paper work involved with it. Rajeev didn't want the matter to drag on for long so he convinced the Director General of Police to have them interrogated at home.
He just wanted all this to just be out behind them and let them move on with their lives. In all this while Ishita silently sat back and watched how her father took care of her in his own way. He made sure she was comfortable; he ensured that police treated her with respect. Everything was done and dusted in no time and the police had got what they needed.
'Ishita can we get you anything else...'' Asked Ishana
'No I am good thank you very much...'' Ishita politely answered
'How about you Aditya...'' Ishana asked again
'No I am okay thank you...'' Answered Aditya
Rajeev and Raman came back in joining the family that had gathered in the living room all anxious to know what was going to happen. Raman could tell everyone was still a bit worried and tensed about how the whole ordeal had actually worked out.
'Look you all don't have to worry. Everything has been taken care of. He will be away for a very long time. ' Said Raman
'I will make sure of it...'' Added Rajeev as he looked at his daughters
'I am very grateful for what you have done for me Sir... Thank you so much...'' Said Ishita
'Oh Please, No apologizes... It was my duty...'' he said as he smiled at her a little
Ishita arched back as Ruhi rolled in her arms just to settle Ruhi and Rajeev could see all the bruising on her arms and also the black spot she had from beating slapped earlier. Everything of what had just happened hit him like a flash and he knew the self-control he was trying so hard to put up was about to fall apart.
Raman walked over to where Ishita was sitting and took Ruhi from her hands carrying her instead as he sighed with relief that his sweet little girl was fine. He turned to his wife looking at her and acknowledging that she too was okay.
Rajeev's wife unlike most people in the room could see her husband begin to give away his emotions and this is something that he hated. She stood up and went and stood next to him as he in turn looked away. She didn't hold his hand or try and talk to him. She just stood there almost as if just to let him know that she was there if he needed her.
Ishita like always had unbelievable powers of observation and she knew he was a bit shaken up. I mean who wouldn't be. He might have lost Ishana to day and to be honest he was worried for her as well. She felt so bad that he was going through all this and knew she had to do something about it.
She stood up to the curious eyes of her husband and walked over to where Rajeev was standing and stood in front of him.
'Ishana is fine you know...'' She said
'Yeah... Yes I know...'' he said holding his breath
She looked at him and took a deep breath looking at Raman, Ruhi and Aditya and imagined what she might have felt if this had happened with any of them. He must have been going through a wind of emotions and she felt bad for that. She slowly came forward and put her hands around him as she hugged him.
Rajeev's wife just stayed staring at them as if she wasn't even sure that this was actually happening, Ishana was all in shock together with her grandmother. Tushar and Sarika were shocked as well but Romi just smiled shaking his head at how Ishita could be so understanding and forgiving.
The only unsurprised person in the room was Raman who knew that is wife was a lot of things but unforgiving was not one of them. He knew that she understood what he might have been going through and decided to put an end to his misery. She hugged his daughter as he drew his son's hand in his as together they watched their favorite person be the woman they both adored.
'Usually when someone hugs you, you put your arms around them and hug them back...'' She whispered in his ear
Rajeev got out of his shock and slowly drew his arms up and placed them around his daughter and with all the worry of the day, the regret on his heart that was there from the day he knew she existed, the pain of not talking to her, to everything that he felt was wrong all came trembling down.
He finally let go of all this and even him as composed as he usually was couldn't keep it inside anymore and he broke down sobbing as he pulled his daughter in for a hug a tight as a father could ever give.
'I am okay... I swear I am okay and I forgive you...'' Whispered Ishita as her voice broke down
Rajeev felt like he had just been given a new sense of relief and a heavy load had just been lifted off his shoulder. The words she uttered brought a sense of freedom that he didn't even know he didn't have. The shackles that he had been chained in for all those years had been broken and he knew he was renewed.
Ishita tried to let go of his embrace and look at him but he wouldn't let her. He instead pulled her in a lot more saying
'No yet... Don't let go just yet...'' and she knowing how they both did need this, obliged
'Thank you... Thank you...'' He whispered his voice breaking as tears began streaming down his face all very again
There wasn't a single dry eye in the room and everyone was so much touched by what was going on between father and daughter. Aditya extended next to his dad and ended up putting his arms around him as he said
'I love you dad...'' much to Raman's surprised
'I love you too ...'' He answered
Ishana who was all in tears just wanted the one person with whom she was still mad at to just be there and share this happiness that was in her heart with him. She was finally getting her sister and her dad was going to be okay. She turned and went to where Tushar was standing and said as tears rolled down her face
'We still work on us... We don't stop until we fix us... But right now I just want the man that I love to just hold me. Can you do that...? Please...'' She said her voice breaking as well
Tushar looked at her and he became teary because he too acknowledged that this was her own way of forgiving him and this was a chance he would of course accept with open arms. He took a step forward and put his arms around her slightly lifting her off the ground as he squeezed her tight. He knew his marriage even had a long way to go was going to survive because he was truly still in love with her and she in love with him.
'I love you so much... Please do not break my trust again...'' Ishana whispered to which Tushar answered
'I won't... I promise I won't...''
He pulled out a little holding her face in his hands as he looked at her staring into her eyes, something he hadn't done in so long. He leaned in and placed a soft sweet wet kiss on her lips surprising not only himself but her too because PDA was something he was never found of. She kissed him back before she smiled chuckling as tears still streamed down her face
'I love you...'' he said wiping her tears with the back of his thumbs
'I love you too...'' She answered as she looked at him
Rajeev's wife looked at them and smiled realizing that maybe, just maybe everything in her house was about to go back to normal. Romi who was watching all this had begun to missing Vidya and just wanted you to get out of there and go see her what he didn't know that she was actually already there.
Vidya walked in looking distraught and scared and angry at the same time. She had been worried after she heard what had happened and she had been calling Romi but he was not picking her calls. Like any other normal person she began to worry that something bad had happened and he was really hurt. When she walked into the Khan mansion and saw he was just standing there next to his brother she became levied.
Romi who wasn't sure whether he was hallucinating or she was actually standing right there in that living room with them jumped up from his seat as he stared at her saying
'Vidya...'' Surprised to his wits
Vidya who was boiling walked over to where he was standing and slapped him so hard she drew everyone's attention.
'WHAT THE HELL...'' Romi said as he held his cheek
'What is the matter with you? Why didn't you pick your calls? Do you know how worried I was? I thought something bad had happened to you? I thought you were dead or something? Why aren't you picking my calls...'' she yelled
'Vidya Calm down...'' He whispered surprised at how distraught she looked
'Just... Tell me are you okay...'' She said as tears filled her eyes
'Yes... I am fine I swear... I am sorry...'' He said feeling bad that she had to go through this
He didn't want to worry her that is why he didn't pick her calls but he didn't know it could break her like this.
'What if something had happened to you? I wouldn't have been able to...'' She began to cry
Vidya knew she was being illogical, I mean yeah she was right to worry but then she also knew he can take care of himself. She had tried to reason but her heart wouldn't listen and even with all her degrees and PhDs nothing prepared her heart for the barrage of emotions that swept over her when she heard about what had happened at the Khans. She was genuinely worried for him more than she herself even anticipated.
'Vidya I am so sorry you had to go through this...'' He said as he stepped forward hugging her
She first pushed him back still angry but when he finally put his arms around her, she went weak in her knees and broke down. She out her arms around him and just let it out.
Ishita and Raman were all watching this shocked to their wits as to what was happening. This was something that was so unexpected that none of them saw coming. I mean these two were actually dating? Who would have thought?
Ishita looked at Raman and smiled mouthing to him
'What is happening?'' which Raman shrugged his shoulders indicating he had no idea
'Papa...'' whispered Aditya
'Yeah...'' Said Raman
'I am not so sure what is happening right now... Does that mean Romi is getting married?'' said Aditya to which Raman chuckled saying
'Well even I am confused so I don't know...''
'You're not allowed to scare me like that ever again, you hear me...'' Said Vidya
'I won't I swear...'' Said Romi as he wiped her tears
'Your scary when you're upset and that slap hurt you know...'' He said holding his cheek and trying to make light of the moment
'I am sorry about that...'' She said as he brought her hand forward and touched his cheek
He looked at her smiling as he touched her hand thanking God that she had cooled down and managed to compose herself. Vidya in turn looked at him her heart melting as she realized that she was in love with this amazing man. Surprising not only herself but everyone else in the room, she slowly took her hand in his and said
'I love you Romi... You know that right...'' To which he smiled nodding
'I know... And I love you too...''
'EEEhhmmm...'' Raman cleared his throat causing Vidya and Romi to come back to their senses and acknowledge that there were other people in the room as well
'Hey... I was the one who got beaten you know...'' Said Ishita smilingly
'Oh Yeah... Sorry... How are you...?'' Said Vidya who hoped she was going to avoid the teasing but clearly it was not going to happen
'Yeah it is not going to be that easy. How come I didn't know about this? Romi... You tell me everything and yet you neglected to tell me this? No! This is not done...'' Ishita said
'I am his brother and even I am not aware of this...'' Said Raman
'I am sorry. I thought you might not like it. Given the fact that she was Ishita's therapist and all...'' Said Romi stuttering a little
'What nonsense? What has that got do with anything?'' Said Ishita
'Yeah even I want to know...'' Said Raman
'Wait... You really aren't angry at this?'' Said Romi
'I am angry alright that you didn't tell me but I am happy for you brother seriously. Couldn't have found anyone better than her...'' Said Raman
'How could you even think this would upset me? You have given up a lot for me Romi I would never stand in the way of your happiness. Are you kidding me? I am so happy for you both'' Said Ishita as she walked forward hugging him
The Khans all walked over to Romi congratulating them about his new journey. The Bhallas ended up staying longer than they had anticipated at the Khans as they stayed for dinner upon the instance of Mrs. Khan, Rajeev's mother.
That mansion was after so long filled with a happiness that was so genuine and so full of life. Each of them knew that there bad times had come to an end and even if any bad did come, they were not afraid anymore because they were ready for it. Three families united that day, The Bhallas, The Khans and the Iyers and this bound would be one that was going to last for generations to come.
updating all the remaining parts today and thus i expect some comments too (wink)
-love sunshine