In love?

A HEATED ARGUMENT

In the evening, Raman came home early in a good mood. He asked Neelu for two cups of coffee and went to his bedroom. Ishita was sitting on the couch with a tensed expression. He asked her the reason but she avoided the topic.

R: Kya baat hain Ishita? Any stress?

I: No, nothing.

R: Coffee?

I: Main banakar laati hoon.

R: Are nahi, maine Neelu ko bol diya hain.

Just then, her phone rang and it was Mani! Though Raman was not very happy with it, he kept mum. Ishita went to a corner to talk to him. The suspicion in Raman came to action. He tried to overhear her conversation but she moved out of the room infuriating Raman further. When she cut the call, he asked her if it was something important.

R: Ishita, kuchh important tha kya?

I: Nahi, Mani ka nahi tha.

R: Par maine toh uska naam bhi nahi liya.

I: (scared) Kya? Haan, haan... woh mujhe clinic mein ek emergency hain, I need to go.

Raman was shocked with that lie. He decided to follow her though he knew it was wrong to distrust his own wife. He got the shock of his life when he saw Ishita meeting Mani and hugging him. He went back to his disturbing past where Shagun always lied to him about Ashok. In that disgust, he went home and started drinking. When Ishita returned, she was shocked to see his state.

I: Raman, yeh kya naya tamasha hain?

R: Ohhh! Ab yeh tumhe tamasha lag raha hain!

I: Cheee! Kitni pee rakhi hain aapne.

Raman neared her.

R: Kitni pee hain? Batao, are batao na.

I: Raman please! Door rahiye mujhse.

R: Kyun? Tumhe sirf Mani ke paas jaana achha lagta hain?

I: What? Are you even hearing yourself?

R: Kya galat kaha maine? Abhi toh usse milke aa rahi ho. Mujhse jooth bola ki uska call nahi hain. Phir usise milne chali gayi and ab mujh pe chilla rahi ho.

I: Aap ne meri jasoosi ki! Like really! Aapko lag raha hain ki maine aapse jooth bolke aapko dhoka diya?

R: Aisa lag nahi raha, aisa hi hain. I know you women very well. Woh Shagun bhi waisi aur tum bhi. Usne mujhe Ashok ke liye chhoda kyunki woh ameer tha. To mujhe ek baat batao, tumne mujhe kyun chhoda uss Mani ke liye? Woh tumhe aisa kya deta hain? Oh let me guess... he gives you all the pleasures which I can't. I denied to love you toh ab woh.....

And before he could complete the sentence, there came a tight slap across his face. He was shaken to the core.

I: How could you even say that Raman? I am disgusted by your thoughts about me. Maine jo kiya aap ke liye kiya. Par shayad main hi galat thi. I should not have saved you from what was in store for you.

R: Mere liye kiya? Really?! Do you think I am here to believe?

I: (sarcastically) Not at all. Isiliye aap poori baat sun lijiye. Aaj aapke office mein shaam ko ek ladki aayi thi. Sanjana naam tha uska. (loudly) Yes or no?

R: Yes... yes. But how do you know?

I: Kyunki use Ashok ne bheja tha. Woh kal subah aap par molestation ka iljaam lagati aur uski breaking news ban jaati. Yeh Ashok ka plan Mani ko pata chala jab woh kisi kaam se uske office gaya tha. Ashok ka game plan tha jisse woh aapko defame karke Asia Business Guild ke president ki post le paata. Mani ne uss aurat ko samjhaya, aur use double paise diye jab jaakar woh mani aap par aisa ghatiya iljaam na lagane ke liye. Isiliye main aaj din bhar Mani ke saath thi. Ek hotel room mein thi uske saath akeli jab hum ne uss ladki ko manane ka plan banaya. Aur koi sharam nahi hain mujhe iss baat ki kyunki main apne pati ko protect karne ke liye wahan gayi thi.

R: What?! Agar itna sab ho raha tha toh tumne mujhe bataya kyun nahi?

I: Kya batati? Ki iss plan ke baare mein Mani ko pata chala? Tab bhi aap usi par shaq karte ki shayad woh bhi iss plan mein shamil hoga. Ya toh aap jaajar Ashok se maarpit karte jisse problem sulajhne ke jagah aur badhti.

R: I am sorry.

I: Uss sorry ki koi jarurat nahi hain Raman. Keep it for yourself. Main abhi aapko yeh sab explain karna bhi nahi chahti thi lekin jo iljaam lagaya na aap ne mujhpe uske saath mein nahi reh sakti. Kya kaha aap ne? That we were having fun together. Right?

R: Sorry.

I: What are you sorry for? Mujh pe shaq karne ke liye ya mujhe Shagun se compare karne ke liye ya mujhe unfaithful sabit karne ke liye?

R: Ishita, main galat tha tumhe lekar.

I: Nahi aap galat nahi the. You are right, bola hain maine jooth, par waisa kyun kiya yeh jaanne ke bajay aapne mujhe dhokebaaj thehra diya. Sach batao toh aap na kisi ka pyaar, kisi ki parwah deserve hi nahi karte ho. Aap ke isi bartav ke karan aap ne zindagi mein saare rishte kho diye the. Woh toh un logon ki achhai hain jo aapko chhod ke nahi chale gaye. Aaj aap meri nazaron mein itne chhote ho gaye ho na Raman, ki mujhe toh aap ki shakal se ghin aa rahi hain.

I: Maine sorry bola na yaar. Please ab khatam kar de na ye.

He was about to hug her when she pushed him back with full force.

I: Mere paas aane ki koshish bhi mat karna. Main hi pagal thi jo mujhe laga ki main aap se pyaar karne lagi hoon. Aaj ke lunch ke baat toh mujhe yakeen ho gaya tha ki aap ke dil mein bhi mere liye kuchh toh hain. But I was totally wrong. I hate you for what you said to me Raman. I just hate you. Dobara Ruhi ke kisi baat ke alawa mujhse baat karne ki koshish bhi mat karna. Aaj se, main sirf Ruhi ki maa hoon. That's it. Ek aur baat, Mani is my best friend, aur main usse milungi bhi and I don't owe any damn explanation to anyone. You are free to think what you want to. And ya, you are also free to do what you alleged me of doing with Mani.

Saying so, she stormed out of the room leaving Raman with tears of self-loathe, guilt and pain of losing his best friend in every sense whom he had not believed he actually loved.