Longing To Belong

Chapter 2- Challenge Accepted!

"If you need something from somebody always give that person a way to hand it to you."
Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees

He enters the room nonchalantly and heads straight towards the TV unit, plugs in his mobile in the socket to charge and removes his wristwatch.
His wife notices his presence and he sees she is trying to talk with him.
Fearing his trepidation might give his game away he heads for the closet on the pretext of getting his nightclothes. As he had expected, the moment he had opened the cupboard door, she stands two paces behind him and hesitantly begins,
"Raman..."
"Hmm..."
"Mujhe kuch baat karni thi aapse."
"Ha bolo."
"Raman... kya... kya hum woh vouchers waapas kar sakte hai?"
Gulping down a lump on hearing the words, he finally takes a set out to wear for the night and schools his features before turning around to face her.
"Kyun?"
"Main soch rahi thi..."
"Arre baap re... tum soch rahi thi, aisa mat karo... tum jab jab sochti ho koi na koi kandh karti ho... so whatever you have thought drop the plans."
"Jab dekho tab... "
"Kya? Aur waise bhi vouchers waapas kyun karne hai tumhe?"
"Hum is trip pe kaise jaa sakte hai Raman?"
"Flight se aur kaise, Europe tumhe paidal toh nahi le jaa sakta na yahaan se."
"Woh toh mujhe bhi pata hai ki Europe paidal nahi jaa sakte, main keh rahi thi ki hamara kya kaam wahaan pe? I mean what would we do there?"
"What do you mean by what would we do there? Jo tourists karte hai wohi sab karenge - ghumenge, sightseeing karenge, shopping what else. Tumhare liye toh yeh achha bhi hoga, is package mein Paris aur Milan included hai, wahaan jaaogi toh tumhe shayad thoda bahut yeh samajh aane lage ke fashion kisse kehte hai. Thodi trendy ho jaaogi, yeh kapdo ki thaan jo hai uske aage bhi duniya hai yeh pata chalega tumhe."
"Main jaisi hoon theek hoon. Mujhe koi tips nahi leni Milan ya Paris mein."
"Aadmi umeed kar sakta hai, chalo theek hai... mat badalna, waise bhi... wahaan ki ladkiyan tumse toh jyada hee patli aur lambi hoti hai... tumhe unke wahaan ke kapde fit bhi nahi aanewale thhe. Toh ghum hi lena... and we will shop for the others."
"Raman! Aap samajh kyun nahi rahe?"
"Kya samjho? Problem kya hai tumhari yaar?"
"Raman yeh... yeh... Trip... sabko lagta hai ki... "
"Ki?"
"Sab samajh rahe hai kay yeh trip...hum... hamara... aap samjho na."
"Kya samjho koi samajdaariwaali baat karo toh aadmi samjhe bhi?"
"Raman... aise tours pe sirf waise couples jaate hai, hamare jaise nahi."
"Aise couple, waise couple kya bol kya rahi ho?"
"Uh huh... Raman gharwale is tour ko hamara ... hamara ...honeymoon bol rahe hai."
"Toh?"
The incredulous look she has on her face just brings the expression deer caught in headlights to his mind and he has to stifle a laugh.  Oh, he so would get her to come on this trip with him if it is the last thing he does.
"Toh yeh Raman yeh... honeymoon...aapko odd nahi lagta?"
"Kyun odd lagega? Main tumhari tarah abnormal nahi, mujhe pata hai this is the norm, newly married couples ghoomne jaate hi hai... aur hamari shaadi ko abhi bhi ek saal nahi hua, so technically we still fall under the newly married zone."
"Mujhe pata hai we are newly married... but... god why don't you understand?"
"What do you want me to understand Ishita?"
"Aapko yeh vouchers return nahi karne na toh ... hum ek kaam karte hai... let's give them to someone else."
"Achha... kyun de aur kisse denge huh? Vandita aur Bala ko - toh tumhari behen pregnant hai aur itni long distance ki journey woh bhi itne dino ki can be stressful for her. Amma aur Appa ko nahi de sakte kyunki Amma ko abhi bhi rest ki zaroorat hai, aur Mihir Mihika bachhe... toh bina shaadi kay... mujhe problem nahi lekin..."
"Cheee... kaisi baatein karte ho aap? Hum mummyji aur papaji ko bhi toh de sakte hai na yeh couple voucher."
"De sakte hai bas ek problem hogi."
"Kya?"
"Tumhare aur mama ki umar main toh chehra dekh ke farak pata nahi chalta par bechara papa mujh jitney young nahi dikh sakte na."
"Kuch bhi... main aur mummyji ek jitney nahi dikhte... aur kya farak padtha hai umar ka?"
"Farak padhta hai madam, vouchers dene ke baad resort manager mere paas aaya tha, hamari details note karne... name, age, address... toh Mrs. Ishita Bhalla... unfortunately mummy papa ko bhi yeh vouchers nahi de sakte. Yeh hum hi redeem kar sakte hai, humme sirf Thomas Cook jaake dates fix karni hai aur visa ke liye documents submit karne hai."
"Case! Adi ka case shuru honewala hai Raman."
"Case shuru honewala hai hua nahi... aur waise bhi visa application accept hone main time lagta hai plus aisa toh hai nahi ki ek hi hearing mein case khatam ho jaayega, even you know that."
"But ...dates kaise adjust honge?"
"Woh sab Mrs. Kaul par chhod do, she will handle it."
"Ruhi! mere bina bees din kaise rahegi woh?"
"Tum kuch zyada nahi sochti apne baare main?"
"Yeh mere baare mein kaise hua? Main toh Ruhi ka soch rahi hoon."
"Madam let me remind you, tum kuch mahino pehle hi mili ho usse, tumhare aane se pehle bhi Ruhi ko mama sambhalti thi. Bees din tumhare baad bhi sambhaal hee lengi, aur ab toh Amma aur Mihika bhi hai saamne, Shravan hai uske saath khelne ke liye, bees din woh tumhare bina reh legi."
"Par main nahi reh paaongi na? Jaana hee hai toh Ruhi ko saath le chale?"
"Kar di na bewakoofi ki baat, khud hee bol rahi thi ke gharwale hamare honeymoon ko lekar khush hai toh kya kahenge hum huh ki hum Ruhi ko honeymoon pe saath le jaayenge? Idiot."
"Raman... Simi ko bhura lagega."
"Simi kahaan se aa gayi isme? Hum uske vouchers chori karke thori na jaa rahe hai."
"Raman picnic pe usne jo kaha aapko pata hai na. Usse lag raha tha woh akeli ho gayi hai wahaan bhi aise mein hum gaye toh."
"Ishita that is her problem, poori duniya mein usse ussi kamine se shaadi aur pyar karne thhe toh hum kya kare? She is not accepting the truth, humne akela nahi kiya usse, woh khud hee humse door ho gayi hai. Ab aur koi excuse baaki hai tumhare paas?"
"Excuses nahi Raman... aap samajhte kyun nahi? Hum honeymoon pe jaake karenge kya?"
As soon as the words leave her mouth, her eyes widen and she keeps a hand over her mouth and turns around... but not before he could witness the crimson blush spreading across her cheeks.
He has to let out a little laugh, gently he turns her around by the shoulders but she doesn't look at him. Quietly he says the next words to get her to respond.
"Toh yeh problem hai? Tumhe honeymoon par kuch karna hai...mere saath?"
Her jaw drops at hearing that, mouth the shape of an O' as his words register with her.
"Nahi!"
"Nahi, nahi yehi baat hai... Tum... tum mere saath kuch karna chahti ho aur... aur tumhe darr hai ki tum akele main khudko kaise rokogi? Haww."
"Kuch bhi..."
"Kuch bhi nahi...yehi sab kuch hai... yehi baat hai, tumhari... tum meri izzat par nazar lagaye baithi ho."
Closing the topmost buttons on his shirt, he acts coy as if withdrawing from her.
"Main bata deta hoon Ishita, main tumhare iraade kamyaab nahi hone donga."
"Mere aisa koi iraade hai bhi nahi... yeh sab kachra aapke dimaag ka hai."
"Accha mera dimag, honeymoon pe kuch na karne ki baat kissne ki?"
"Mainne isliye kahaan ki honeymoon pe ... normal couple's jaate hai, hum jaise nahi."
"Hello tumhe apne aap ko abnormal bolna hai toh bolo meri ginti mat karo...mujhe itna pata chal gaya tumhare iraade kya hai."
"Maine kahaan na mere koi aise iraade nahi! Itne mahino se hum ek room main hai... aaj tak kabhi aisa kuch hua? Bas kuch bhi bolte rehte ho... I am not interested in you Raavan Kumar."
"Hmmm, dikhta hai... aur raha room ka sawaal toh tum darr ke mare chup rahi hogi."
"Darr? Aapka? "
"Nahi gharwaalon ka, tum meri izzat pe haath dalogi toh main chilaunga nahi kya, phir sab aa jaate aur tum unhe face kaise karti?"
"You are so gross! Aisa kuch nahi aur mujhe kissi ka bhi darr nahi."
"Ha tumhe darr kyun hoga Europe mein toh mujhe darr lagna chahiye, na gharwaale honge na hee Hindi bolne samajhnewale... wahaan ke kuch desho main toh logon ko English bhi theek se nahi aati. Agar main chillaya bhi... toh zaroori nahi koi meri madad ko aaye."
"Aapko nahi lagta kuch zyada ho raha hai yeh?"
"Apni izzat ko bachane ka darr kam kaise ho sakta hai?"
"Aisa kuch hai hee nahi."
"Achha toh prove karo."
"Prove karoon? Kya matlab?"
"Tumhe ab mujhe prove karna hoga ki tumhari neeyat theek hai mujhe lekar... Europe chalke."
"Huh? Yeh... Is baat ka aur Europe jaane ka kya connection?"
"Hai na, bahut hai... dekho is tour itinerary mein Paris, London, Venice, Swiss Alps, Rome, Barcelona, Milan jaisi romantic destinations hai... wahaan jaake bhi agar main tumhare saath safe raha toh main maan jaaonga ke tumhare iraade saaf hai warna..."
"Aapko lagta hai destinations romantic honge toh aap badal jaaoge kya? Spots romantic bhale hee ho lekin koi Raavan ke saath romance nahi kar sakta Rome mein ya kahiin bhi."
"Toh prove karo... accept my challenge Mrs. Ishita Raman Bhalla."  He extends his hand to her.
"Challenge accepted Raavan Kumar."
She shakes his hand at that and later struts out with a scowl on her face.
He smiles on looking at the way his wife retreated and promises to himself, he would make sure this trip becomes the best of their life- he would assure Ishita she is important to him in these twenty days.
He would make sure his wife knows how special she is to him...how thankful he is to have her in his life.
He would make sure their honeymoon becomes the turning point of their marriage.
He would show her; this marriage means just as much to him as it does to her, her words to Mrs. Kaul in the court, that he might not consider this relationship much, that it may be insignificant to him gnawed away at his soul and heart.
Ishita would never repeat the words - their marriage is only a contract - once this trip is over.
They would have a fresh start, a do-over in these twenty days to wash away all the grime that percolated between them with their misunderstandings and fights, the starting on a wrong note completely.
This trip would be akin to heaven sent showers that they needed to clear away every inch of grunge between them.
With this trip, they would start afresh with a clean slate.