Meanwhile at Akashi Ganga Society

Ishita looked anxiously at the wall clock as she put the dinner dishes away.

"Where is Raman" she asked herself for the umpteenth time. "Phone bhi nahi uttha rahe hain woh , kitni der ho gayi. Mein ne kaha tha usko meri prescription laane ko hospital se. Abhi meri raat ki dose ka time ho jayega, aur woh aaye hi nahi. Shayad mujhe Mani se kehna chahiye tha pick karne ko. Woh zaroor abhi tak lekar aagaya hota"
(Where is Raman? He isn't picking up the phone and it's so late. I told him to pick up my prescription from the hospital. It's almost time for my night dose and he isn't even here yet. Maybe I should have asked Mani to pick it up for me. He would have brought it by now)

Mani. The thought of her best friend added another furrow to Ishita's brow. She had been delighted when Mani came back to Delhi, had been thrilled to feel like a girl again, his company reminding her of simpler times, a time when life wasn't so complicated, when the world was hers to experience, when everything held promise, a time when she did not know the dreadful truth about herself, about her inadequacies as a woman. So was it any wonder that she enjoyed Mani's company, enjoyed feeling carefree and unblemished again.

But she was not a fool. She knew that Raman did not like Mani, that a thread of antagonism ran between the two men. She had been thrilled by Raman's dislike, thinking it to be jealousy, hoping it meant that Raman had feelings for her, but Raman had told her in no uncertain terms that he did not believe in second chances in love. So why this dislike for Mani? Was it due to the business deal Mani had given to Ashok? Whatever it was, Ishita knew that Raman did not like her closeness to Mani, and she did not know what to do about it.

She cared for her husband, but he was an enigma to her , and she did not know how to deal with the situation. Raman had been acting so loud and boisterous recently, but there was a wariness in his eyes, an uncertainty that peeked through on his face when he thought no one was watching.

She was not sure if what she felt for Raman was love. She certainly cared about him, she liked him and trusted him, and recently she had realised that she was attracted to him, that his presence caused her heart to beat faster, his touches set off an intense longing deep inside her. She wanted to be around him, to be close to him ... So was this love then?

Ishita glanced at the wall clock again. 10.00 pm. Where was Raman? He always called or messaged if he was going to be late. So why hadn't he called tonight? The more she thought about it, the more anxious she got. This was not like Raman. Where was he? Was everything all right.... a shiver of fear swept over her and she pressed her hands together tightly, willing herself to calm down.

It was nothing, she told herself firmly. Raman would be here any minute. Everything was okay. Everything was okay.... except that he wasn't here. She waited for another minute, then shaking her head, she walked upto the sofa, where Romi and papaji were watching TV.

"Papaji" she ventured tentatively.

"Haan puttar"
(Yes my child?)

"Raman nahi aaye, itni der ho gayi"
(Raman isn't home yet and it's so late)

"Kuch nahi puttar, woh toh hamesha late se aata hai. Kaam par hoga. Call kar le"
(Don't worry dear, he always comes late. He must be at the office. Call him)

"Mein ne kiya tha, lagta hai phone off hai. Mein Mihir ko phone karti hoon"
(I tried but it's not connecting. I'll call Mihir)

"Uski zaroorat nahi Bhabhi" a beaming Mihir called out from the doorway, Mihika at his side. "Mein yahan hoon. Kahiye, kya baat hai?"
(There's no need to call me bhabhi, I'm right here. Tell me, what did you want to talk to me about?)

Ishita smiled at her sister and Mihir for a second, her smile wavering as she realised that the possibility of contacting Raman via Mihir had vanished. Mihir was with Mihika. Then where was Raman?

"Mihir, Mihika, come in please" she twisted her sari pallav nervously as she spoke.

Mihir was perceptive as always and he noticed her nervousness.

"Kya baat hai bhabhi?" He repeated as he and Mihika stepped inside.

Ishita smiled nervously and glanced at the wall clock again.

"Nahi, woh Mihir Raman ka phone off hai, mein ne socha tumhaare saath hoga, koi meeting mein"
(No, it's just that...Mihir, Raman's phone is switched off. I thought he may be with you, in a meeting)

"Bhai ghar nahi aaye?" Mihir asked in surprise. "Bhabhi, woh toh 5 pm office se chale gaye theh, City Hospital jaa rahe theh, aap ki dawaiyaan laane. That was five hours ago, ab tak toh ghar aa jaana chahiye tha na"
(Bhai hasn't come home? But bhabhi, he left the office at 5pm, he was going to City Hospital to get your medication. That was five hours ago, he should be home by now)

Ishita stared at Mihir in dismay, her anxiety intensifying as what he was saying sunk in. Five hours. Raman had left the office five hours ago. Then where was he?

"Where is he Mihir?" She asked anxiously, her words arrested by the shrill of the house phone. She looked at the phone in relief. Raman. It must be Raman.

"Mein dekhta hoon" (I'll see to it) Papaji said with a smile, waving everyone back as he picked up the handset from the coffee table.

Ishita stared at her father in law as he spoke into the phone, expecting him to take her husband's name. But he was strangely silent, the smile fading from his face as he listened to the caller. She continued to stare mutely as papaji said something she could not catch, noticed the tremble in his hand as he put the receiver down on its charger. It was something to do with Raman. She knew it. She just knew it.

She looked on as Papaji called out to Romi, avoiding making eye contact with her. " Romi, Mihir" he said quietly. "Zara aana mere saath." (Just come with me)

"Papaji" Ishita grabbed her father in law by the arm as he tried to move past her towards the door. "Kya hua mere pati ko?" (Papaji. What happened to my husband?)

"Kuch nahi, kuch nahi, puttar" papaji still would not meet her eyes. "Mein bas Romi aur Mihir se..." (Nothing, Nothing my child. I'll just take Romi and Mihir...)

"Nahi Papaji" Ishita's voice was quiet, every ounce of energy within her focussed only on finding out what had happened to Raman. Fear tunnelled through her, making her lightheaded, but she remained resolutely on her feet, wanting the answers her father in law was trying to avoid giving "Aap mujhe abhi bataiye. Kya hua Raman ko" (No papaji. Tell me now. What is the matter with Raman?)

The room had become deathly quiet, the repressed emotion in Ishita's voice, mirrored by the despair on Papaji's face, making an impression on them all. Amma and Appa, who had been just behind Mihir and Mihika stood frozen in the doorway. Romi moved up to his father, his face a question mask, even as Ishita tightened her grip on Papaji's hand. "Papaji, please" she whispered.

Mr Bhalla finally turned his face to Ishita.

"Puttar, tu chinta mat kar. Kuch nahi hoga hamare Raman ko. Kuch nahi. Tu, tu yahan rukh Puttar, mein Mihir aur Romi ke saath jaata hoon."
(There's no need to worry my dear. Nothing will happen to our Raman. Nothing. You wait here. I'll go with Mihir and Romi and...)

"Papaji" Ishita cut in, her voice still calm, still quiet. " Kya. Hua. Raman. Ko?"
(Papaji. What. Happened. To. Raman?)

"Ishita, puttar" Papaji motioned to Mihika, who moved up to Ishita and put her arms around her sisters shoulder. "City Hospital se phone aaya tha. Raman par kisi ne, kisi ne...Puttar, Raman par kisi ne hamla kiya hai. Chot lagi hai uski sar par, surgery mein hai, doctors ne usko pehchaan liya, isliye phone kiya humko...Ishita, puttar..." Papaji's voice trailed off as Ishita's knees buckled beneath her.
(Ishita...my dear. That call was from City Hospital. My dear someone...someone attacked Raman. He has head injuries and he is in surgery at the moment. The doctors recognized him that's why they called... Ishita...my dear...)

Mihika's arms tightened around her sister as her amma and appa both rushed forward to help support her. "Raman" Ishita could hear someone shouting her husbands name, not realising that the voice was hers, the screams were from her.

"Akka" Mihika tried to quieten her, even as Simmi came running into the lounge from her bedroom. "Ruhi jaag jayegi Akka. Please. Jiju ko kuch nahi hoga, he will be absolutely fine" (Akka, Ruhi will wake up. Please. Nothing will happen to jeeju. He will be absolutely fine)

Ishita tried to control herself, taking deep breaths, her screams changing to a whimper. "Mihika, Papaji, mujhe jaana hai Raman ke paas" (Mihika, papaji, I have to go to Raman)

"Haan akka, hum chalte hai" Mihika threw a look of desperate appeal at Mr Bhalla, who nodded. "Periamma" she continued "aap bachoon ke saath rahiye na, Vandu akka ko bhi call kar lijiye. Mein akka ke sang jaati hoon." (Yes akka, we'll go. Periamma, please stay with the children. Call Vandu akka too. I'll go with akka)

"Okay, okay, you go" amma's eyes were full of tears as she saw her niece and husband supporting her now mute daughter down the stairs, all the Bhallas and Mihir rushing along with them. " Murugan" she prayed. " hamare Raman ko bacha lo please. Hamare bete ko bacha lo" (Lord save our Raman please. Save our son)

**********************************

Ishita sat mutely in the speeding car, unaware of Mihika's arms around her, her fathers worried countenance or the despair on Mihir's face. All she could think of was Raman, her husband.

Montages of memories flashed through her mind - their first meeting when she had thought him insensitive and arrogant; his drunken antics on the night of the CEO awards, his shock at seeing her at the TV station during his CEO award interview; their agreement to marry for Ruhi; their wedding, their hilarious wedding night when she misunderstood his 'pharmacy' purchase; then her gradual getting to know his goodness, his little gestures of caring towards her; the necklace he designed for her,; the look on his face when she wore the green dress he bought her; the dances when he took her into his arms; the night they danced in the rain; his gentle kiss on her cheek just days ago ... So many memories.... there had been misunderstandings yes, disagreements yes, but there had also been so much happiness, so much joy.

She knew she could not lose him, she knew she could never let him go, she needed him, needed him for HER, not for Ruhi.

She had asked herself earlier whether what she felt for him was love. Now, as her breath stuck in her throat, and her heart felt as though it would stop, she realised that she could not live without him; that her soul needed him by her side - yes, she loved him.

"Raman" she whispered to her heart. "Raman, I love you".