What happens when two very different individuals meet each other because of a child? How will Ruhi, the beloved child of Ishita bring Raman in her and her mother's life?
To find out more, read the Ishra fan fiction, written by me and requested by a...
"Hey guys, terribly terribly sorry. These few days have been extremely busy. I got a new job and got full on occupied with it. But then, a second phase of confinement has been placed in Mauritius. It's a little more serious than it was previously. It's a little discouraging and disorientating but I'm finding time to write this one for you guys. Wanted to break the suspense and will try my best to write more often. Please be safe, take care. Rab rakha."
“Ummm… What… I don’t understand…what!!!”
“Please ma’am, please come here as soon as possible. I am sure he needs you the most at this time”, I faintly hear the woman say as the call disconnects.
I jump when I feel the hands on my shoulders.
“What is wrong dear? Was that Raman? What is he saying? When is he coming back?”, Mummyji asks me.
I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out. I feel a heat rising in my body. My head feels heavy. I am already running in my mind but right now I am pacing in the kitchen. I am looking for something but I forget what it is.
“Ishima, are you looking for your car keys? Here they are. What happened? Are you alright?”
“Ummm. I am fine Ruhi. I’ll be back soon. Very soon.”
I drive off. Shaking, I feel blind and deaf to the exterior world. I stop my mind from thinking about anything. I park the car and walk towards the reception. I struggle to form simple sentences and mumble “accident…Mr.Bhalla…Raman”.
“Oh Mrs. Bhalla”, the receptionist jumps immediately, “we were expecting you. Come I’ll take you to his room.” The receptionist tries to console me by talking to me along the way but I only manage to hear some words like “operation, unconscious and under observation.” I only want to see Raman right now. I just want him.
She finally stops after what felt like the longest walk ever. “He’s in here ma’am. You may go in.” She pauses and then asks, “do you want me to accompany you?”
I bite my lips and shake my head. As much as I want someone’s support, I also want to be left alone with him. My hands violently shake as I open the door. The room feels cold and the only noise I hear is the faint beeping of the machines. I don’t feel good already.
I look around the room and finally see him. The room turns dark around me and I feel that I’m going to collapse but I brace myself. I need to be strong for him.
I feel my heart stop beating when I see his state. He has a bandage on his forehead, bruises on his face, numerous injections on his arms and a cast on his right arm. ‘No!’, my mouth screams silently. ‘How could this happen!’
While I am unable to control my emotional downpour, Raman, even in this state, looks at peace with himself, I even see a small smile lingering on his lips. After some time, I attempt to hold his hands when suddenly the door flings open.
‘Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were here. You must be Mrs. Bhalla. I am Dr. Bose. I’m attending to your husband.”
“It’s okay. Actually…this…how? We just talked, he was perfectly fine and this…”
“Ma’am, please sit down. Actually, he came as an emergency case this morning. It was a very serious hit and run case. Actually, one of the doctors here is a good friend of Mr. Bhalla and we operated on him as soon as possible. He is clearly out of danger. The bleeding has been stabilized and I’m sure he will gain consciousness in a few hours and then he will have to be kept under observation for some days. I assure you Mrs. Bhalla, there’s nothing much to worry about. Actually, you should be extremely thankful, it could have been much more serious. He’s a very lucky and strong man, considering he was calling out Ishita and Ruhi’s name even in his unconscious state. I’ll take your leave now. Please take care of yourself.”
I place the chair next to his feet and stare at him. I gently clasp his hands and look at him. I thank God for his safety and his health. I could never bear to lose him. I want him to get up as soon as possible so I could take him in my arms and hug him so tightly.
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My phone buzzes. I unlock it. 13 missed calls already! Since how long have I been sleeping at his feet? I look at him, he’s still asleep. I move to the corner and dial her number.
“Ishita dear, where have you been? I’ve called you and Raman so many times, where are you two? None of you are picking my calls. You left so dishevelled in the morning, is everything alright dear?”
“Yes Mummyji, everything is fine. It’s just that…”, just as that moment I see a small movement in his legs and then his hands, “Mummyji, I’ll call you back in some time. Everything is fine, please don’t worry.”
I rush in front of him so that he does not get blinded by the lights as he wakes up. He opens his eyes but closes them immediately. After some time, he opens them again and looks around him and then he finally sees me. As expected, he manages a faint smile.
He gestures to me to come closer to him. I lean in closer, my eyes already watering. I then hear him whisper, “how are you?” I start smiling and I get blinded by my own tears, only Raman could have asked such a question at this moment.
“I am fine Raman”, I say as I lean closer and place a gentle kiss on his forehead. I call the nurses who come and check on him before sitting him up and asking me to feed him some soup.
He struggles to swallow at first but manages to finish the soup. When he finally feels a little better, I finally ask him, “Raman, but how?”
“Well, you know I was coming to meet you. But halfway, on a deserted road, I saw an injured dog lying in the middle of the street. I parked the car on the corner and rushed to see him, a car had clearly run on his legs and he couldn’t even move. If I didn't save him, I’m sure he’d be run over by another car. I gently wrapped him in a towel and placed him in the back seat of the car. When I was coming back to my seat, a car got too close to mine and dragged me along the road. The driver didn’t even stop. He kept driving and fortunately I just fell off at a curb otherwise he’d kept on dragging me. He was clearly drunk or asleep. I don’t remember anything after this than waking up here.”
I clench his hands strongly. He wipes the tears off my face but when I lift my face, I see his eyes full of tears.
“No, Raman, no, why are you crying. You are not to be blamed for this. The police are already working on this case and I’m sure that he will be caught extremely soon and adequately punished.”
“No Ishita, actually I’m sorry Jaan.”
“What, why are you even apologizing?”
“Ishita, tomorrow is your birthday and look where you’ll be on your first birthday with me. I had planned so many things for us. The honeymoon suite, just the two of us and now look…”
“No, no Raman, your health and safety is everything I could ever wish for right now. Your presence and just you being here for me is more than anything. You don’t worry at all.”
“Umm…actually, one last thing. I don’t know, but the dog in the car, how is he?”
I smile at his innocence. “When you were sleeping, the police informed me about him, I asked them to send him to the vet and they just called and told me that he is doing well, he will be able to walk soon and that we can take him home by next week.”
His eyes light up. He smiles the widest at me. “You know I love you Ishita.”
