Invitation to a different writing challenge (Part 22/page 82) - Page 36

Hi! My name is Shivashna and this is my first work in Ishra! Thanks to Zami for the opportunity. Enjoy reading :)

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The stars looked different tonight. They glistened in the moon light making the night more beautiful altogether. Raman sat on his window sill in great mental turmoil. "She was the reason you didn't meet Ruhi for a year", said the right. "She is the reason Ruhi is safe today", said the left. "She could have at least tried to contact Ruhi's parents"
"Who's to say she didn't try"
"She hid Ruhi from you, being your neighbour"
"You didn't look hard enough"
"She's a criminal, a bloody kidnapper"
"If she's a kidnapper, you're an animal"
Raman Bhalla had enough. He didn't know which side to support in this ongoing madness all within the confines of his head. He had to go talk it all out with that Madrasan. Morning would be too late though. Idea! *Bulb turns on *

He looked up and saw the rusty pipe, crumbling at places. It looked like it might give him cooties if he touched it. But it wouldn't be nice to go and ring Ishita's doorbell 3 am in the night so yes, Raman Bhalla was climbing up the pipe which lead to Ishita Iyer's room. He carefully placed his on the pipe and his face cringed showing utmost disgust. Slowly he placed his other hand, his leg and his other leg and so on. After climbing up half way through, Raman gained confidence that maybe he might be able to do this. Just then he placed his leg on rusted bar and it the bar crumbled. Raman's hand skidded and he slipped but he composed himself and continued.  After about 10 minutes of strenuous climbing, he reached Ishita's balcony. He heard heavy snoring from the room. "Ye madrasan ke kamre se aise aawaz kaise? Mrei bechari Ruhi so nahi paegi", he muttered to himself and peeked through the gap in the curtain only to find that it was Mr and Mrs. Iyer's room. "Kya kr diya tune", he cursed aloud and Madhavi woke up with a gasp. "Vishwa", she shrieked. "Vishwa, bahar koi hai Vishwa". "Shit", Raman thought and quickly hid behind a huge plant. He breathed heavily. "Vishwa, wahan koi chillaya", Madhavi panted pointing towards the balcony door. She vigorously shook her sleepy husband and dragged him out of bed. "Vishwa, mereko idhar se awaz aaya". Vishwa fumbled to put on his glasses and Madhavi ran for the broom. She slowly approached the door and signalled Vishwa to follow suit. "Kya Madhavi, yahan to koi nahi hai, thanks for spoiling my sleep", he taunted and fell on the bed. "Magar, I heard someone, koi to hai", she muttered to herself and went back to bed.

"That was close", Raman whispered to himself and decided to wait there for some time to ensure that Mrs. Iyer fell asleep. After 30 long minutes, Raman slowly opened the balcony door and tiptoed inside. He walked past a huge portrait of Ishita holding Ruhi in her arms. In that portrait, Ruhi was dressed in her favourite dress, the one she wore when she got kidnapped. It was light blue with white flowers on it. He bought it for her when he went to Singapore for a meeting. He still remembered the look on her face when she got it. She was overjoyed and hugged him tightly. His eyes were teary. Ruhi was looking at Ishita and gave her a toothy grin. Ishita looked at Ruhi with utmost content. Her eyes spoke volumes to him. "She's all I want", they conveyed. Raman couldn't hold back the tears and he let them flow.

"Ruhi is inside", said a grim voice behind him. Raman turned around only to find that Ishita with a glass of water. Her displeased expression immediately softened when she saw his face drenched of tears. He fell back on the couch and let the tears flow; they wouldn't stop. Ishita was dumbstruck. "Mr. Raman?", she called out. The tears grew more ferocious.
"I'm sorry Ishita. I really am", he managed in between his heavy sobbing.
"Why don't you go wash your face and we'll talk this over a cup of coffee", she suggested and went off into the kitchen.

It was around 3.30am and there Raman Bhalla sat having coffee with Ishita Iyer in her living room. Never had he thought that he would end up sneaking into her house at three in the night, cry in front of her or sit here and enjoy this delicious coffee with her. (Yes his ego let hm admit the coffee was good.)

"Kafi acchi coffee bana leti ho tum, it's delicious" Raman made a feeble attempt to start the conversation.
"Thanks. Now Mr. Raman what exactly are you doing in my apartment at this time in the night and how did you get in?" she asked diverting the topic to the one he was specifically avoiding. Maybe it was time to let her know he felt guilty doing what all he did. Time to ask her to be his Ruhi's Ishi maa forever.

"Ishita, thank you for all you have done. My daughter is safe and healthy today and I owe it all to you. After what I did, I know I don't even deserve forgiveness but I'll still ask for it. I'm sorry for all that you had to go through because of me and my family. I can't even look you in the eye Ishita, I feel horrible. I'll forever be repaying this favour"

"Mr. Raman, what I did wasn't for you, it was for your daughter. I fell in love the moment I saw her. I don't have any children of my own, and probably I never might be able to", she said sadly.
Her face dropped and maybe somewhere that's when he wanted her to be Ruhi's Ishimaa more.

"My wife left me for my boss. She had an affair with him from the time she was pregnant with Ruhi. I was shattered. I loved my wife to the moon and back and I didn't know what to do. She left me on 12th of December, 2010 and I lost Ruhi to her on the 12th of December, 2013. Now, I've found her on the 12th of December, 2014. Ruhi has never had a motherly figure in her life and somewhere with all the work I had, I couldn't even be her father", he said

"Kaam kisko nahi hota, bataiye? We all have work but we must learn to take out time for my family. Ab dekhiye, I don't have a child of my own so I make it a point to spend my Sunday with those at the orphanage. I too am a dentist and I have appointments every day but I take my time out no matter what. Ruhi has also come with me on many Sundays. She has many friends there as well."

"Ishita, I'll be honest with you. I need my daughter but I have noticed that you need her too. She needs both of us. So I would like to ask you, how would you like to be Ruhi's Ishi maa, officialy?

"Is this a proposal?", she stammered.

"Maybe", he winked and left towards the door.

She looked on as Raman left and thought to herself.

"Maybe we are supposed to be together"

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Is it too long??