two stories of marriage

chapter 35

'you want the triangles to be circular?' asked ishita to her client on the other line of the phone.

'ok, could you explain that, please?' she continued, as she just nodded in disbelief, taking deep breaths to keep herself calm.

'right, kyunki abhi feel nahi aa raha..how about i get back to you in a while?' she said as she hung up, and looked above and thought,

'bhagwaan agar buddhi kuch insaanon se cheen hi rahe the toh baakiyon kyun di!'

She rolled her eyes, as she marched towards the staircase to get to her office, when her gaze fell on purvi.

Her back was towards her as she had seated herself on the bed in her room, with headphones plugged in and her head tuning with the music. Ishita walked into the room to see what was purvi doing as ridhima was asleep like usual for the day.

'purvi.' Said ishita as she patted purvi on the shoulder and noticed the guitar in her hand.

'hey, what's up.' Said purvi as she took off her headphones.

'yeh, sab..' said ishita as she pointed towards her guitar.

'arre, so rahi hoti hai na yeh din mein, toh isko disturb na ho isiliye headphones plug in karke bajaleti hoon jab mauka milta hai...' said purvi as she turned to a sleeping ridhima as ishita to glanced at her.

'tune bhi shaanti se apne kaam karna seekh hi liya...' remarked ishita.

'arre kya-kya karwaya hai iss ladki ne mujhse ab kya batao?' replied purvi, while still adoringly gazing at her baby, as ishita smiled at the baby girl.

'aapko bhi khwahish hoti hogi na, apne bache ki?' asked purvi, who was aware how disheartened ishita was when dushyant told her he didn't want children. While ishita averted her gaze to the floor, as she didn't know what to say, and those were the moments when she stayed silent.

'pata hai ridhima jab hui, main kai baar chup-chupke roti thi raaton ko, ek failure jaisa feel hota tha. Kuch samajh hi nahi aata tha ki meri bachi ko kya chahiye, aur kuch sahi se hota hi nahi tha...phir main toh seekh gayi, aur jitna bhi pareshan karti ho yeh, isse pyaar karna nahi chod sakti main.' Said purvi only to pause, as a smile came on her face, and she clasped her sister's hand, with their gaze fixed onto each other.

'aapko toh instinctively aata hai woh sab, aapke liye sahi mein bahaut khushiyan laayega ek bacha.' She continued.

'par dushyant ko nahi chahiye bache..' replied ishita.

'agar aap unke liye bache na karna soch sakti ho, woh aapke liye ek bacha karne ka nahi soch sakte...' stated purvi, who very well had a point, as she and ishita both knew.

'karti hoon unse baat..' said ishita, as purvi herself was reminded that she too had something to tell to kavin.

                                                                   ***

Purvi was rocking ridhima in her embrace in bed after dinner, as she waited for kavin who was brushing his teeth.

'baat shuru kaise karoon, samjh hi nahi aa raha hai...' thought purvi, only to come out of the trance as kavin came out of the bathroom.

'zara mujhe dena thodi der ke liye...' said kavin, as he opened up his arms for ridhima and purvi gave her to him.

He bounced the baby in his embrace, adoring her, as purvi finally decided to just tell it to him.

'kavin, mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hai.' Stated purvi as kavin looked up to her.

'haan kaho na..' he said, as he let the baby girl bury her head in his chest, with his gaze fixed on her.

'mere boss ne mujhe reporter ki post offer ki hai...' informed purvi, as kavin smiled,

'that's such a good news...' he remarked as purvi nodded.

'i know, but, i would be a travelling reporter. I won't even be at home for like 4 days a week...uss sab mein hum ridhima ko...' she expressed her concerns but was interrupted by kavin.

'do you want this job?' asked kavin as purvi fumbled reluctantly.

'haan ya na?' asked kavin sternly.

'haan but...' purvi replied.

'what but? This is your dream, you are not giving up on it.' said kavin.

'arre woh sab toh thik hai, par how will you manage alone when i'm travelling twice a week?'

'arre main akela thodi hoon, bhabhi hain, maa hain, bhai hain, rakhenga na iska khayal. Aur tum hafte ke teen din toh hogi na? Bas theek hai...'

'kavin, i will be working late too, a lot!'

'arre toh baba main kahan jaa raha hoon, dekh lunga na isse raat ko!'

'kavin, are you sure, i mean, yeh sab...'

'purvi, maine kaha tha na tumhe hamesha support karunga chahe kuch bhi hoon? I meant it. You have worked hard for this, you deserve it. Jo bhi hoga, dekh lenge, hmm?' said kavin as he slipped his hand into hers, as he looked at her with a gaze of assurance, and that was enough for her to believe.

                                                    ***

Ishita was applying moisturiser in her hands by the dressing table, as her gaze fell upon dushyant who was sitting on the bed with this phone.

'dushyant..' she called for him as she sat on the bed, only for him to look up to her from his phone.

'woh kuch baat karni thi...' she said nervously.

'haan, bolo.' he said, paying very close attention to her.

'woh, yaad hai apne kaha tha ki aapko bache nahi chahiye?' she asked and dushyant nodded in agreement.

'uhh, i know maine kaha tha ki it's fine if you want that, but..' she said as now she turned to him, with an intense gaze fixed on him.

'jab bhi main ridhima ko godh mein leti hoon na, i wish for a child of my own..' she continued, as dushyant just averted his gaze from her.

'main aapko pressure nahi karna chahti hoon, aisa kuch karne ke liye joh aap nahi karna chahte hain, par, main aapse aur nahi chupa sakti...' ishita explained as she grabbed his shoulder, still looking at him.

'i...i need some air...' said dushyant without even looking at her as he walked away.

'dushyant...' called ishita helplessly, as she realised it was to no avail.