Redemption

FACE OFF

Raman walked into the drop dead silence of his home. Unlike those normal days, whenever he would be late, Ishita would welcome him with grumpy and sleepy smile, scold him for not resting much and then feed him a sumptuous meal, where they discuss the happenings of the day, tease each other. He recalled all those jibes about her profession he threw upon her and in turn her feisty self would mutter all sort of snotty nicknames. A teary smile crept over his face.

He knew Ishita had been right in warning him about checking his behaviour in public vis a vis Tanya or any other XYZ girl, as he looked at the sleeping forms of Ruhi and Pihu, cuddling each other. The fact that Pihu had stopped insisting on sleeping with him since her return from the juvenile remand home made him realise that he need to act responsible for her, for two of them and also for the woman who had held his family together all these years.

Wasn't she doing it now as well? Making him understand his responsibility as a family man. That woman had done it again, break all his defenses and creep into his skin deep, a place he had reserved just for her, a place that belonged only to her. The lonesome view of his room hit him hard that he collapsed on to the couch, holding his face in his palms. Tears of regret and longing making their way through her eyes, as he muttered to himself, " I still love you so much Ishita. I don't know how to get past this hatred, this hurt. I just torn between two scenarios of being your husband or being the father to my son. I don't know whom to stay loyal to. If I am your husband, I am Adi's father too. I just feel so helpless...."

There was a sarcastic laugh in the room that made him lift up his face and locate it source. It had come, like always, His angelic other self, that he often saw whenever he was in a dilemma. But this time it was not the usual serene face in white that greeted him, offering his solemn advice. Instead today he noted the grim expressions as he heard it speak, "Adi's father...? You..? Give me a break. I can only see Ishita's husband, and not Adi's father. Definitely not..." Again giving another sarcastic chuckle.

"Who are you?" Raman dared to ask him visibly irritated at its daring confession.

"I am Adi's father. One who is supposed to hate Ishita... The same Ishita who snatched my son from me. You say you love her, want her. So definitely you are not Adi's father. I am.. You are just Ishita's husband. So stop being a cry baby. Forget about your son, go to Ishita. You spineless man. Tell me who would choose a woman over a dead son, the same woman responsible for your son's death. Murderer she is and you feeling sorry for her.... Shame on you Raman Bhalla..." The alter self went on speaking.

Raman was shaken up by the spiteful words, letting them again seap in his soul, hardening all his earlier reserves and putting up all the defenses again.

He would be Adi's father in true sense, he resolved once more, his eyes closed mentally taking notes of its arguments.

The Alter self smiled in contentment, preparing to leave, now that its work was done.

Had it not been some peaceful vibes that sorrounded him now, Raman would have passed out in that state. He felt it all around him. He opened his eyes again. The scene unfolded before him took his breath for a while.

"Adi, my Adi, my son, you are here...." He was astounded to see Adi or just a vision of him, sitting on the bed bearing the same peaceful smile that he had last saw on his face, just before he breathed his last.

"Your son Adi... I am sorry. I am not your son Adi." The vision's straight answer frooze Raman's feet.

Feeling loss of words, he didn't know what to say? "Why you say so Adi, I am your father, Not Ishita's husband. I swear, I'll never forget what she did to you?" Raman just blabbered.