Longing To Belong

Chapter 1 - Guilt Trip

Author's note:
Okay so the upcoming. anticipated and hopefully happening for real Honeymoon to Europe trip that IshRa might take has me super excited.

Samilicious asked me to write something on this on my thread yesterday and well since I am as innocent as Raman as to what happens on these trips.. I cant write anything on it Blushing ROFL but I did get hit by inspiration.

It struck me Ishita wasnt ready to believe Mihika when she said Raman planned this trip just for them and then refused to travel alone in the car with him...

She relented for everyone but a two hour drive is one thing - a honeymoon trip another, so ... I was just hit by this idea what if Ishita doesnt agree immediately to the trip as well, how would Raman make her do that in his typical Raavan Kumar style and voila this baby came up.

HingLish dialogues in this one for the first time - hope you guys like it.

NOT PROOFREAD.

Chapter 1 - Guilt Trip

"There's no problem so awful, that you can't add some guilt to it and make it even worse."
Bill Watterson, The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

"Ayyo Amma yeh kya ho gaya? Murugan main is Raavan Kumar ke saath akele car mein bhi do ghante bethna nahi chahti thi aur yahaan toh yeh log humme akele Europe bhejne ki baat kar rahe hai woh bhi poore bees din ke liye, bees din choubeeso ghante is Raavan Kumar ke saath akele! Nahi main paagal ho jaaongi ya iska gala dabba bethungi..."
Having finished his call with Mihir he returns to his room, only to stop in his tracks as he sees his wife pacing impatiently muttering to herself her fears about their upcoming Europe trip. He had considered it a given, life is what happens when you are busy making other plans when he saw not only his own family but his in-laws as well ready and rearing to go the first thing in the morning for the picnic he had exclusively planned for Ishita and himself.
It would be an understatement; to say he was shocked as felt the ground beneath his feet shaken the moment his wife revealed - his - big surprise to the families. Yeah the joke was on him and how! Before he could so much as squeak a word of protest, he received a round of applause and sank in the nearest chair. He literally heard pop in his mind, as his dream bubble burst in front of him.
She made a hero out of him for everyone... only tragically he felt as if he was the comedian in the play of his own life. To say he was pissed off at her would be putting it mildly
Only things changed and boy, he can call this one as one of the most memorable trips of his life - not the most... he certainly knows that for sure - for it is the one coming up. Life with her is anything but boring he would give that to her and god!
She had him scared shitless with that prank of hers - he has to admit though his wife is a pretty darn good actor or maybe he is rubbing off on her.
He had thought the disaster that was this trip would be an experience he would be obliged to forget until the competition happened which they won! He cannot believe they can have such good coordination. Only things had turned mildly awkward since then.
She had been more than happy the moment they were announced as the winners but when it sunk - they would be gifted with a trip to Europe - a trip for two, he had seen his wife become still and later squirm.
It did not help her sisters teased her about this and soon the entire family caught on that they had their honeymoon impending all this while. Soon the trip for two was their honeymoon trip and Ishita had blushed scarlet as she ran for her life towards their room unable to take the frank comments of his family particularly his mother and sister. Not to mention Romi had to open his big fat mouth and tell Ruhi a honeymoon is a trip where a married couple leaves to remain undisturbed for the duration.
Everyone had had a good laugh at her expense then, only he had understood the reason of her mortification. His doubts were confirmed when she made Ruhi and Shravan sleep in their room and he was thus forced to bunk in with Mihir and Romi for the night.
She is perhaps not yet ready for this relationship.
It made sense to him why she chose to ask the family to come along.
He had been wandering around the resort lost in his thoughts when Bala accosted him.
Their conversation enlightened him, the man truly is a genius he realizes, Ishita was not wrong in praising him to the skies, not that she needs knowing that. Something about the way, it's easy to talk to Bala makes him a wonderful person and a good teacher too he concludes.
"Raman... I had been meaning to catch a word with you since last night but well... you know, anyways now that we have the time and quiet, I thought I would talk with you."
"Sure Bala, not anymore problems I hope... did Adi?"
"Arre nahi ... actually I wanted to say sorry and thank you."
"Huh?"
"Actually Mihika ne hum logon ko tumhare plans ke baare mein thoda late bataaya. Toh sorry tumhare aur Ishu ke couple picnic ko hijack karne ke liye... aur thanks ke itne dino bad family ke saath itna achha, thoda crazy lekin achha memorable time spend kiya."
Hearing the man' words he had to smile and shake his head,
"No problem... I am glad ke sab ne itna enjoy kiya."
"Woh toh kiya... by the way, in vouchers ke saath ghum kyun rahe ho? Pata hai bhai tumne aur Ishu ne sabko haraya, ab kya jaale par namak chidakna hai?"
He knew the man was joking since he could clearly see the smile on his face and then recollected he was indeed walking around with the vouchers the resort handed him over as their prize; they had to visit the nearest Thomas Cook franchise to make the arrangements.
He tried to play casual but his hesitation would be evident to even a stranger and this was Bala here, a professor at that and his brother-in-law.
"It's nothing... bas aise hee."
"Waise kab jaaoge tum dono? I hope you make it quick, bees dino ka trip hai aur Adi ke custody case ki date aa gayi toh tum dono ko time kab mile kisse pata hai, if you don't mind me suggesting main toh kahoonga make plans immediately, ek baar case shuru ho gaya toh waise bhi tum usme bhi busy rahoge. Aur phir yeh vouchers bhi toh next six months tak hi valid honge na?"
"Ha... Bala... to tell you the truth, main yeh vouchers waapas karne ja raha tha."
"May I ask why? Unless... I mean if it's too personal."
"Nahi... nahi aisa kuch nahi... frankly, tumhe toh pata hai na jab se yeh contest humne jeeta hai Mihika aur Vandita Ishita ko chhed rahi hai honeymoon, honeymoon bolke."
"Ha toh?"
"Toh yeh ki I feel Ishita mere saath kahiin jaana hi nahi chahti."
"Aisa kyun lag raha hai tumhe?"
"Ab dekhona jaise woh bhaagi aur phir kal raat se woh mujhe avoid kar rahi hai. Pehle Ruhi aur Shravan hamare room mein soye aur subah jab main gaya wahaan toh Ishita paanch minute bhi room mein nahi rahi, mujhe dekh bhi nahi rahi thi. Usse ... shayad achha nahi laga yeh."
"Lekin yeh sab toh kuch aur bhi indicate kar sakte hai na?"
"Kya indicate karenge Bala?"
Bala had looked at him in the way that reminded him so much of his grandfather for a moment, he had a weird urge to laugh, not to mention he had freaked out.
"Raman... Ishu nature se hee bahut shy ladki hai, main usse tab se jaanta hoon jabse main aur Vandu school main thhe, we all have grownup together. Aaj tak Ishu bahut hi protected rahi hai aur woh bahut nidar hai, confident hai par sharmilee bhi... tum hi socho aise achanak se sab uske peeche padenge toh usse sharam aa rahi hogi."
"Ha... par maine thodi na kuch kaha hai, mujhe kyun avoid kar rahi hai?"
"Baba, lekin tumhe leker hee toh sab usse chhed rahe hai. Plus ... Raman aaj tak Ishu kabhi kissi aadmi ke saath akele, kahiin nahi gayi... aur yahaan toh honeymoon ki baat hai."
"Toh kya ab honeymoon pe bhi usse poori baaraat chahiye?"
"No...mere kehne ka matlab hai... Raman aisi baatein couples akele mein pehle discuss karte hai. Yahaan toh yeh ek family discussion ban gaya woh bhi ek public place par."
"Chalo maana yeh ho sakta hai... Lekin..."
"Lekin kya?"
"Yeh picnic, issi ko le lo... Ab.. bhura mat maan na Bala par ab tumhe sab pata hi hai toh, kya zaroorat thi usse sabko yeh bolne ki kay main sabko picnic pe le jaana chahta hoon? Main yeh sab uske liye kar raha tha and she just ruined everything."
"Hmm... baat toh thik hai ke Ishu ne tumhare plans kharab kar diye, but this is wrong Raman that you blame her for it."
"Toh kisse blame karoon?"
"Dekho, Ishu meri saali hai isilye I am not defending her, but just answer this question. Kya tumne Ishu se yeh kaha tha ke yeh trip tum sirf tum dono ke liye plan kar rahe ho?"
"Ha...nahi... picnic ka naam lete hi woh maan gayi thi aur issi chakkar mein yeh toh clarify hua hi nahi tha. Shit!"
"Exactly! Ishu ne Mihika se yehi kaha tha."
"Mihika se?"
"Ha... jab Mihika ko tumne bataya ke sab jaa rahe hai toh baad mein usne Ishu ko tumhare plan ke baare mein bataaya, toh Ishu ne usse yehi kaha ki tumne usse aisa kuch nahi bola na hee woh believe kar rahi thi Mihika ki baat ka."
"She didn't trust Mihika? Usse laga Mihika jhoot bol rahi hai? Par Mihika aisa kyun karegi yeh toh sochti."
"Sawaal Ishu ke Mihika pe trust ka nahi Raman... she didn't expect this."
"Par... aisa kyun?"
"Ab iska jawaab toh tumhe pata hona chahiye... woh tumhari wife hai... meri saali hai, main pooch sakta hoon if you want... lekin wife toh tumhari hi hai..."
"Nahi... nahi don't ask her... I know aisa kyun socha hoga usne."
"Kyun?"
"Pehle kabhi... maine kabhi apni marzi se aisa kuch kiya hi nahi uske liye...Ruhi ke bolne par toh bahut kuch... lekin apne se... damn main usse kabhi ek dinner par bhi nahi le gaya, toh trip ka toh khayal bhi mujhe aayega yeh kaise soch sakti thi Ishita."
"Toh ab kya khayal hai?"
"Matlab?"
"Abhi bhi vouchers return karne hai ya?"
"Tum kehna kya chah rahe ho Bala?"
"Yehi ke... shayad this is a god sent opportunity for the two of you. Socho Raman, itne couples thhe yahaan hamari families ko chhodkar bhi, Amma Appa aur tumhare mummy papa bhi - couples married for decades - lekin jeete tum dono."
"Toh?"
"Toh yeh... ke shayad yehi mauka hai tum aur Ishu ek doosre ke saath kuch akele time spend kar sako, ek doosre ko thoda aur samjho... don't misunderstand me Raman, tum Ishu ko relax karvane ke iraade se yahaan laaye, lekin zara socho... jab se tum dono ke shaadi ki baat hui, koi na koi problems rahe hi hai... kuch dino ki nahi, mahino ka stress hai Ishu aur tum par, so this trip will be a well deserved break for the two of you."
"Shayad tum theek hi keh rahe ho Bala, par Ishita ko kaise manao? "
"Ab yeh toh tum par nirbhar karta hai, sab main thodi na bataonga."

His wife was muttering to herself and he could see things so much clearly now thanks to his talk with Bala.
"Yeh Raavan Kumar... nahi, unhe kahaan mere saath kahiin jaana hoga. Picnic pe bhi kitne rude hee thhe... main bol doongi hum vouchers use hee na kare,.. ha yehi sahi hoga. Woh toh jatt se maan bhi jaayenge. Resort pe kaise bolti sabke saamne? Bas ab Raman aa jaaye toh unse baat karloo."
She actually feels he wouldn't want to go with her anywhere...does she really take his comments that seriously?
Oh, this would be more difficult than he anticipated.
Crap!