Guilt, trust, love

Part 32

-In Ishra bedroom

Raman was sitting on the couch. Ishita comes there. Seeing Raman in a trance she put her hand on his shoulder.

I: What happened Raman? Jab se Shagun-Manoj shaadi ki baat karke gaye hain tabse aap khoye-khoye se ho. Kya aap... aap nahi chahte... ye shaadi. I mean... woh...

R: (clasping her hand) I mean what? Ki main aaj bhi Shagun ki yaadon mein khoya hoon?

I: (stays silent with downcast eyes)

R: Ishita, baitho yahan. Sit. (after a long pause) Haan main kuchh soch raha tha tabse. Main mana nahi karunga. Lekin woh baat kuchh aur thi.

I: (inquisitively) Kya thi?

R: I was just wondering.

I: About?

R: About how life goes in a complete circle. Dekho na, ek waqt tha jab Raman Shagun ke pyaar mein tha. Aur aaj ek Raman yeh hain jo tumhare pyaar mein paagal hain. Tumhara deewana hain. Ek Raman woh tha jise lagta tha ki use duniya ki saari khushiyan mil gayi hain. Aur aaj iss Raman ko woh khushiyaan mili hain jinhe woh jaanta tak nahi tha. And you know what, iss sab se mujhe tum ne rubroo karaya hain. Main jab bhi apni zindagi ke baare mein sochu, mujhe woh heart-broken, toota hua Raman Bhalla nahi, Ishita ka Raavan Kumar yaad ata hain.
Ishita, believe me, main Shagun ki shaadi ke liye dil se khush hoon. Aaj, iss pal, mujhe koi shikwa, koi complain nahi hain apni kismat se, koi regret nahi hain. In fact, tum meri sabse badi khushkismati ho.
Tumhe yaad hain, maine tumse kaha tha ki kuchh surprise hain tumhare liye.

I: (with teary eyes) Haan. Lekin kya hain?

R: (goes on his knees) Ishita, tumne jo aaj tak kiya hain mere liye, humare rishte ke liye, humare HUM ke liye, uss sab ke liye main taumra tumhara shukragujar rahunga. I have nothing to say but 'I love you'. I really, really do!

I: (surprised) Raman! (tears welling up) Of course, I love you too! Main bhi aapse utnahi pyaar aur bharosa karti hoon.

R: So, my girlfriend, will you marry me?

I: Whattt? Raman, we are already married!

R: I know yaar, lekin dobara karne mein koi problem hain kya! Ishita, humara rishta bohot saari chunautiyon se gujra. Bohot imtihaanon ke baad humne humare pyaar ko paya hain; ek doosre ko paya hain. Beech mein jo kuchh bhi hua...

I: (cuts him) Let's just leave it and move on Raman. Please. That's the only way forward.

R: (smiles fondly at her) Yes, we will move on. So kyun na iss rishte ki ek nayi shuruat ho. Woh saari kasme, saare vaade dohraye jaye, ek nayi shaadi ke saath?

I: Yaa, not bad... I mean...(blushing)...

R: (in a lighter tone) Kabhi nahi laga tha na ki Raman Kumar Bhalla tumhare saamne ghutnon par aake tumse jawab maang raha hoga?

I: (imitating his tone) Kabhii nahi!!

R: But Madrasan, only you have the power to bring The Great RKB on his knees. And I love you for that!

I: I love you too Raman. In fact, I love you more! (Saying so, she kisses his cheeks)

R: (Raman swiftly kisses her cheeks and her forehead. They both join their foreheads. After a while, they part) Are ab haan bhi toh bol shaadi ke liye. Aur kitne papad belu? Bata na, will you marry me?

I: (blushing) Yes!

They both hugged each other tightly promising happiness forever.