THE HEART THAT BREATHES . .

UN-ENDING RIPPLES

PART 13

Ritwik tried to reason out with Pari that using her hand was always not the solution to a disagreement which she partially understood . Ritwik decided to take it further with Palak over the weekend.

He had made their favorite chocolate and strawberry milk shake which they gulped down continuing to have their cute banter with their pappa .Soon after they left for their classes .. Pari was learning football and Pransh music. Ritwik decided to get on with his office work from home .

6:00 pm

The kids were finally back from their classes and play . Ritwik took them to shower and then they finally settled down with Ritwik to do their homework.

7:00 pm

Ritwiks mobile buzzed .

Palak : ' Will get a little late today '. The meeting is delayed by an hour. Bacche kya kar rahe hai?

Ritwik : 'Sabse bada Baccha Dr. Palak ka intezaar kar raha hai ' chuckles

Palak :' Ritwik '.....

Ritwik : ' Ok Sorry baba .. they just finished their homework . Now they are having their pasta and then by 8:00 i will tuck them in bed . Tum kab tak pahuchoge?

Palak : I think nine ! Got a call from the principal today ...sigh ... its been 3 times in 4 months Ritwik ....pause....

Ritwik : Palak ...dont stress ! Maine samjaane ki koshish ki hai .. lets talk to her together over the weekend !

Palak : Ritwik ..... pause

Ritwik : Palak ... I dont want you to start thinking again ...Please !

SILENCE .....

Ritwik : ' Palak ?!'

Palak : ' Ritwik .....I often wonder'..... pause .... woh hamesha itni agressive aur gusse mein rehti hai ! Do you think it could be an effect of what she may have gone through during the 3 months of our separation?

Ritwik : Palak ....Stop thinking about those 3 months and stop blaming yourself ! ..... Please ....

SILENCE ......

Ritwik : ' Palak ?'

Palak : 'Uhmm ...'

Ritwik knew that she was not at her emotional best today . She had really never been able to fully get out of the 3 months of tremendous emotional pain she had gone through and he felt really incapable for not having not been around her during those moments . She had suffered and many a times wondered if that had left an irreparable damage on their kids . And she felt responsible for that .

Ritwik : 'Palak . . . are you trying to put the blame on those 3 months'

Palak : huh

Ritwik : 'She is just like you Palak ... accept it ... tumse bhi kisi ka sunaa kaha jaata tha ? Itna sataathi thi tum mujhe office mein ......chuckles ......

Those memories always brought a smile on Palaks face and Ritwik knew exactly how to get it done .

Palak :' Stop it Ritwik ... Tum bhi kuch kam nahi the '.

He could hear her slight laugh over the phone ...He heaved a sigh of relief!

Ritwik : ' Lo mumma se baat karo '

Pransh rushed to the phone ' Mumma aap kab aa rahe ho ?'

Palak explained to him that she may get a little late and that she would see them in the morning and Pransh wished her a lovely goodnight. It was Pari's turn now and she was very hesitant to get on the phone . On a little insistence from Ritwik , she reluctantly came and said a hesitant ' Hello'. Palak knew the situation and lovingly said ' Meri princess kya kar rahi hai?'

Pari immediately eased out and had a small conversation with Palak and they wished each other a hearty good night .

8:00 pm

Ritwik moved with the kids to the bedroom and lied down with them narrating bed time stories to them .

PART 14

10:00 pm

Palak silently opened the door and got into the house making hardly any sound at all. She had had a quick bite at the office and had asked  Ritwik to finish his dinner with the kids. She freshened up and tip toed slowly into the kids room.

CAMERA ROLLS INTO THE BEDROOM .. A shot from above

Ritwik was lying on the bed with his back flat on the bed . Pari was on him with her head on his chest and legs flung over his body . Pransh had found a cosy place with his head neatly tucked into Ritwiks left armpit , facing him and his left leg lifted up and stretched over Ritwiks leg . All of them were sound alseep in their positions . Ritwik had his right palm over Paris head and Left around Pransh.

Palak walks into the room admiring her little universe . She moves closer to them and ruffles Pari's and Pransh's hair looking at them with love , and gives a gentle kiss on Ritwiks forehead . She sits on the bedside on the left of Ritwik for sometime lost in thought . . and slowly gets up to leave .  

Ritwik : 'Kab ayi tum ?' Khaana Khayya?

Palak :' Abhi .. Haan Kha liya ' .

Ritwik : ' Palak ...... '

Palak turned around to look at him .It was not possible to shift Pari . She was a very light sleeper and with the slightest movement she would wake up . Ritwik looks at palak and re- adjusts himself with Pari and moves Pransh slightly to the left making place for palak on his right. He stretches his arm towards her and she comes and lies down next to him her head on his arm and the other hand on paris head ,while he gently envelops his hand around her .

Ritwik looks soulfully into her eyes ' tum thik ho ?' She nods and snuggles even closer as he tightens his grip around her .

He knew she was at her emotional lowest today and more than anything else , she needed his warmth around her . As he made her comfortable . . his thoughts drifted back to that terrible day that had caused them immense pain all due to the ones they thought were family .

A lot of their equation had completely changed that night exactly 6 years 9 months back .. They had woken up as 2 different people . Their personalities had undergone changes.... and the effects of those 3 months were to create multiple ripples in the times to come , something they were completely unaware about then !