Desire ✔️

Part 40: Tere Masoom Sawalon Se...

Wednesday 9 September 2014
11.00 am
Family Court, Delhi

Ishita sat in a waiting room at the Family Court, holding Ruhi's hand.

Raman had called some time ago - his plane from Mumbai had been slightly delayed, but it had landed and he would be there soon, his company vehicle having picked him and Mihir up.

Raman had left for Mumbai early on Monday morning, and she had not seen him since parting from him at Mihir's apartment. These two days without him had been sheer torture. She had not realised that longing could be felt in this palpable way, as if it were a thing that she could reach out and touch. Her heart, her soul, her body all ached for him.

"Hum yahan kyun hai Ishima?" Ruhi asked her, interrupting her thoughts. (Why are we here Ishima?)

"I told you baby, aap ki Shagun mumma aap se milna chahti hai. Toh is liye hum court aaye hai, ki yahan par aap Shagun mumma se mil sako, baatein kar sako. Phir hum ghar chale jaayenge."
(I told you baby, your Shagun mumma wants to meet you. That's why we came to court today, so you can see her and talk to her. Then we will go home)

"Lekin Ishima, mein usko nahi jaanti. Mujhe us ke saath nahi jaana." (But Ishima I don't know her. I don't want to go with her)

"Aap mili ho usse beta. Papa ki award function mein. Aur hum aap ko kahin jaane nahi denge beta. Aap ko toh sirf unse milna hai aaj. Aur hum yahan par hai na. You don't have to be afraid at all beta." (You have met her, sweetheart. At papa's award function. And who says we will let you go with her baby? You're just going to meet her. We will be here the whole time. You don't have to be afraid at all baby")

"Promise Ishima"

"Ruhi promise"

Ishita took her little daughter into her arms, hoping desperately that what she was saying was the truth. She knew that she could not bear to lose Ruhi to Shagun. While she had never lived with Ruhi and Raman as a family, she had accepted them as hers in her heart. The idea that she could lose either one of them scared her beyond what she had ever thought was possible.

She had mentioned her fears about Ruhi to Raman in the hurried telephone conversations she had had with him these past two days. In between his meetings, her surgeries and her family, they had found brief occasions to convey their love and longing to each other. And she had told him about her anxiety about this visit with the court social workers.

Raman had been soothing, but largely unconcerned. "I've spoken to Neel, Ishita. Shagun has made no effort to get in touch with Ruhi until now. I've had a restraining order that stops me from seeing my Adi, but I've still sent birthday cards and gifts to him through Neel and Shaguns lawyers. Shagun won't take any maintenance for him, but I've been depositing money into a court held account for him for the past five years. But Shagun has had no restriction on visiting Ruhi. And yet she has never made the effort Ishita, never. She has no feelings for Ruhi and I refuse to believe that any sane or rational judge would take Ruhi away from us and give her to Shagun. So don't worry sweetheart. I know I was upset at first when I got served with the summons, because I know what a bastard that Ashok is, but as time has gone on, I've become confident. All three of us will be together, very soon. I promise."

So she had been somewhat reassured, but his absence and the fact that she could only have brief visits with Ruhi, had not been able to prepare her fully for this court visit, was still a matter of deep concern for her.

Ruhi had come to court today with Rinki and Neel, and Ishita had met them there.

Rinki had told her how worried her parents were at Raman not allowing them to be a part of the court process, and Ishita felt yet another pang of guilt at what their secrecy was costing them in terms of their family relationships. Still, she could not worry about that now. She had to focus on today, on getting Ruhi and Raman through what was to come today.