Friday 29 August 2014 - Various locations in Delhi
Call Me Maybe

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1.00pm
"Hello, Bala?"

"Vandu? So why did my beautiful wife remember me now? Lunch par jaana hai?" ( Do you want to meet up for lunch?)

"No Bala, no time for flirting now. I just got a call from Shravu's school. He has a really bad toothache. I'm stuck in classes, but you're free this afternoon na? Can you please pick up Shravu and take him to Ishita's clinic? She said she'll see him at 2.30 pm."

"Ok, biwi nahi toh saali se kaam chala loonga"
(Well, if not my wife, I'll just have to make do with my sister in law)

"Suno, saali ke saath saath apne bete ka bhi khayal kar lena, ok?"
(Listen, along with your sister in law, make sure you remember your son as well)

"Ok boss"

"And listen, Ishita asked for Shravu's last dental X-rays. Remember she wasn't here when we had it done. I thought you wouldn't have time to pick it up from me and pick up Shravu too, so I'm sending it by courier to her now. Just remind her, huh."

"Yes ma'am"

"Bala, you're so cute when you agree with me"

"I'm always cute Vandu"

"I know, because you always listen to me. Acha I have to go. Bye"

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1.05 pm

"Hello Ishita bhabhi"

"Who is this?"

"Sorry, Bhabhi, mein Neel. Neel Pathak. Raman Bhai ka lawyer"
(Sorry Bhabhi, I'm Neel, Neel Pathak. Raman bhai's lawyer)

"Yes of course, kaise ho Neel?"
(How are you Neel?)

"Mein theek hoon bhabhi. (I'm fine bhabhi) Listen, bhabhi, did you get a chance to go over the draft Affidavit I emailed to Bhai? He said he would forward it to you"

"Yes Neel, I've gone through it. It's all fine. Should I print it out and sign it?"

"No, it has to be printed on stamp paper. I'll get it prepared and courier it to your office now. I'll date and file the papers on Tuesday, straight after your wedding. Just go through and initial every page, so you don't have to rush on Tuesday."

"Fine, Neel, I'll do that."

"Thank you Bhabhi. And I'm really looking forward to meeting you."

"Me too Neel. Bye"

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2.15 pm

"Hello meri madrassan"

"Aise hello karte hai kya?"
(Is this how you say hello)

"Phir kaise karte hai? Naak se?"
(Then how do you say it? From your nose?)

"Thoda pyar se bolo na"
(Say it with a little bit of love at least)

"Pyar toh aaj raat ko dikhaonga Baby. Abhi hi se shuru ho jaoon?"
(Love is what I'm going to be doing tonight baby. Or should I get started now?)

"Raman!"

"You're blushing aren't you?"

"Raman, I'm busy. Kyun call kia?" (Why did you call?)

"Kyun aise nahi call kar sakta?" (Can't I call you for no reason?)

"Rammman"

"Ok, listen. I've sent something over for you. The courier should be there any moment now."

"Raman, you're spoiling me. Kal hi to roses diye theh aap ne." (You sent me roses just yesterday)

"These aren't flowers. I'm sending this for tonight, for you to wear tonight. I don't know everything about you yet, what your tastes are, what colours you like, but I'm hoping you will like what I picked out."

"Raman, kya bheja hai aap ne? You know na, I don't wear..."
( Raman, what have you sent? You know, I don't wear...)

"Yes, yaar, I know, you don't  wear anything sexy. But you see, I'm taking you to the best restaurant in town, not to your usual Idli sambar cafe, toh thoda style mein toh rehna padega na"  (So you have to be a little bit stylish)

"So MY clothes are not stylish enough for you? What else about me is not good enough for you?  Maybe I'm just not good enough, Raman."

"Sshh, Jhansi ki Rani, talwar mat nikalo yaar. Aaj mujhe fight nahi karna hai, samjhi. Aaj toh mujhe sirf pyar karna hai. Just have a look at what I sent before you blow up at me, ok. Ab jao, todo sab ki daat."
(Shh, my warrior queen, don't get violent. I don't want to fight today, I just want to make love. Just have a look at what I sent before you blow up at me, ok. Now go and break everybody's teeth)

"Ramann"

Click...

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Nayi nahi ye baatein
2.20 pm
Batra Clinic

Ishita put down her phone, exasperated.

It was going to be difficult enough to make an excuse and get out of the house tonight, without being dressed up to the nines in a new outfit, possibly something entirely different to anything she had ever worn, and knowing Raman, probably something she would not dare to be seen in in any event!

"Ma'am?" Reena stood in the doorway to Ishita's office, a large box tied with ribbon and two courier envelopes in her hand. "These came for you"

"Accha, just put them here. Thank you Reena"

Ishita waited until Reena had left before turning to the items now cluttering her desk.

The box screamed for attention first. Raman's present. She pulled at the satiny pink ribbon encasing the oversized box, and lifted the lid.

An embossed envelope sat on top of the tissue paper which covered the contents of the gift box. "Ishita" her name was scrawled on it in bold black strokes. His writing, she knew. Reminiscent of him. Bold, assertive, larger than life.

She picked up the envelope and caressing his writing, opened it, slowly drawing out the single sheet of embossed paper in it.

                    Ishita

                    I'm not given to fancy words or gestures. In the time that you've known        
                    me, I've been rude and inconsiderate. I've hurt you, caused you pain,
                    troubled your family. I was a beast,  because that's what life taught me,
                    made me into. But you, you changed everything, you made me
                    want to be a better person, a better father. You showed me that it's not
                    wrong to express my love for my daughter, to need someone, that it's not
                    a weakness to have feelings. I want to live again Ishita, for you and
                    Ruhi, not just exist like I have these past years. I want to soar and fly
                    and I know I can, because you will be there with me. I know I can,
                    because with you I'm not afraid of falling. With you, I'm not afraid of
                    failing.

                    I know there are many hurdles in front of us. Our families, the custody
                    case. You will need to adjust to my family, my culture, I'll need to adjust
                    to yours. But I know, your struggles will be greater than mine. I know
                    there will be times when you will question your decision, question your
                    sanity, and mine (that will probably be every day). But I just want to say
                    - we are doing the right thing. You will not regret this. You will not regret
                    marrying me. Because I will make sure, with everything I have, with
                    everything I do, that I will love you, cherish you, adore you, desire you,
                    everyday for the rest of our lives.

                    I love you Ishita. Truly

                    Raman

                    PS: Meet me at at the Taj Oberoi at eight. Give them my name at     
                    reception. Tell everyone you are attending a function with a friend you
                    made in New Zealand. It's true.
                 And wear this. It will make even you look good. I'm kidding. You're
                    beautiful jaan.

Ishita swallowed hard, but she could not stop the tears that gushed from her eyes.

She had never in her wildest dreams imagined being loved in the way that he had showed, this week, that he loved her. His little gestures, his desperation for her, the fiery passion with which he threatened, no promised, to engulf her, the way he looked at her, the feelings he evoked in her. The contentness, the excitement. And the wholehearted way in which he had welcomed her into his daughters life. Ruhi had made her into a mother, together they had made a family.

She brushed away her tears, smiling to herself at just how emotional she had been this week - it was as though all her senses were heightened, every pain was a torment, every pleasure an ecstasy.

She lovingly put the folded note aside, on top of the courier envelopes, then turned her attention back to her gift, opening the tissue wrapping carefully.

"Aiyyo Murugan" she gasped the next instant. "This is so beautiful"

And indeed it was - a pale pink saree in tissue silk, with a scattering of sequins on the border and pallav. There was also a sleeveless matching blouse, with another folded note attached. Bemused, she opened it to read "I find my madrassan very sexy in a saree. No objections to this I hope." Silver shoes, silver and pink bangles and matching jhumkas completed the haul of presents.

She sat stroking the silk of the saree, brushing away her happy tears at his thoughtfulness when Reena reappeared at the doorway.

"Dr Ishita, your brother in law is here. With your nephew? They have an appointment."

"Yes, of course" Ishita hurriedly closed the box, then grabbing her coat, rushed out of the door to go to her treatment room.

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"Shravu, open your mouth wider please"

"No chitti , dard hota hai"  (it hurts)

"But beta, if I don't see what's wrong, then how will I fix it? Acche bacche ho na mere, please Shravu" (You're my good boy, please Shravu)

"Shravu" Bala interjected. "Do what Ishita chitti says"

"No appa, you go from here"

Bala shook his head apologetically at Ishita. "Sorry Ishu, he's been grumbling like this ever since I picked him up."

"It's okay jeeju. I wish I had his X-rays though, it would have made things easier. Akka had said she would send it, but.."

"But Ishu, Vandu couriered it to you two hours ago. You should have received it by now."

Ishita smacked herself mentally as she recalled Reena bringing her some envelopes along with Raman's gift. She had been so excited over the present that she hadn't even looked at the envelopes.

"Aiyyo Jeeju, I did receive a courier envelope, but I forgot to open it. It's in my office, on my desk. Could you ask Reena to get it for me please."

"Sure Ishu" And Bala walked out of the treatment room into the lobby.

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Bala stood by the reception desk. Reena was busy on the phone and two patients stood around clutching information forms.

"Yes Sir?" Reena raised a harassed face to Bala.

"Ishita wanted something from her room, but it's ok, you're busy, I'll get it"

"Are you sure sir? I'll come just now."

"Ya, it's okay, dont worry"

Bala smiled at Reena and walked towards Ishita's office.

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Ishita's office

"Yaar ye Ishita bhi na. Ghar par toh bahut tidy rehti hai, phir yeh kya hai" ( I tell you, this girl is too much. She is so tidy at home, but look at this mess)

Bala stood in front of Ishita's desk looking around him in bemusement. A large gift box, the lid hurriedly jammed back on, dominated the desk. Envelopes and papers were scattered around it.

"Courier envelope, now where is the courier envelope. Ahh"

Bala picked up a familiar orange envelope, setting aside the folded paper on top of it. He opened the stapled flap and drew out the document inside.

                              In the matter of the custody of Ruhi Bhalla

"Oh, no, this isn't it" he thought as his eyes spied a second courier envelope on the desk.

He was just about to pick that up when curiosity drew his eyes back to the document he held. Why would Ishu have  Ruhi Bhalla's custody papers? What was going on?

He read on

                              In the matter of the custody of Ruhi Bhalla

                               Between:  Shagun Ashok Khanna.                      Petitioner

                               And:          Raman Kumar Omprakash Bhalla.     Respondent

                               Affidavit of Ishita Raman Bhalla nee Iyer

Bala gasped and grabbed at the table for support.

Ishita Raman Bhalla? What the hell was this?

He continued to read swiftly, skimming over the pages, certain phrases registering in his mind. "Married to Raman Bhalla today, Tuesday 2 September 2014". "Have known Ruhi for the past four months" "consider Ruhi to be my daughter" "Ruhi is very much loved by my husband, his family and I" " Raman and I recently spent time together in New Zealand" "...very much in love..." " ...family together with Ruhi and Raman..."

Bala sat down heavily in the nearest chair, clutching his head for a moment. "Ishita!"

Ishita had always been so sensible, so levelheaded, so what was this? She was going to marry Raman Bhalla? On Tuesday?? Raman Bhalla who she had professed to hate? Who her amma detested with a passion, who had created so many disruptions in their lives? How? Why?

He remembered Ishu's reluctance to accept Abhi, her strangely lost demeanour of the past two weeks. What had that Raman Bhalla done to her that she would actually accept his proposal? And lie to her family. This was so out of character for Ishita.

Bala shook his head then slowly placed the Affidavit back in the envelope, re stapling it. He grabbed the other courier envelope, taking out Shravu's X-rays. His eyes went to the gift box as he stood to leave, then to the folded embossed bond paper with "Ishita" written on it.

"Sorry Ishu" he whispered. "But this is your whole life. I can't have qualms about your privacy now."

He opened the folded paper and skimmed through it, before placing it back where it had been, and walking towards the door, x-rays in hand.

"Taj Oberoi at eight" he repeated to himself, his face set in a grim line. "We will see, Raman Bhalla. We will see."

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"Did Reena find the x-ray jeeju?"

"Yes Ishu. Here"

"Thank you jeeju. Shravu, just give me a minute, okay beta. Let me look at your x-rays. What's the matter jeeju? Why are you looking so worried? Shravu will be fine, kyun Champion."

"Aargggh" said Shravu through the dressing in his mouth.

Bala nodded. "Yes, I know Ishu. Everything will be fine"

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Nayi nayi nahi yeh baatein Yeh baatein hai purani
Kaisi paheli hai yeh Kaisi paheli zindagani
Thama, ha roka isko kisne, haan yeh toh behta paani
Kaisi paheli hai yeh Kaisi paheli zindagani

Pee le isse, isme nashaa
Jisne piyaa, woh gum mein bhi hasa
Pal mein hasaye aur pal mein rulaye ye kahani
Kaisi paheli hai yeh Kaisi paheli zindagani

Thama, ha roka isko kisne, hai yeh toh behta pani
Kaisi paheli hai yeh Kaisi paheli zindagani

Ankhon mein gar sapna nayaa
Aansoo tera ik moti hai bana
Suni, dagar pe jaise suni
Yeh chaoon hai suhaani
Kaisi paheli hai yeh Kaisi paheli zindagani....

From the movie Parineeta . Music Shantanu Moitra