Hum aur Tum

Part 17: Ruhi

I sit on the bed and try to read a book, but my mind keeps on drifting elsewhere. What is happening downstairs? The way Ishima sent me upstairs felt like there was definitely something wrong after what Raman Uncle told her. Is Ishima angry at him? Will she scold him? Will we be leaving soon?

Suddenly, I hear a knock on the door.
"Come in."
The door opens and Raman Uncle peeks in, telling me that Ishima is calling for me downstairs. He waits for me outside and holds my hands as we get down the stairs.

As soon as we reach downstairs, I start to panic a little. Ishima is sitting on the sofa with a group of people that I do not recognize, that I never ever met before sitting next to her. All of them stare at me as I approach them. I look at Ishima and back to Raman Uncle expecting one of them to break the silence and introduce me to them. I notice Ishima's swollen eyes and her red face, she has definitely been crying. Is everything fine? What has happened and who are these people?

Raman Uncle lightly releases my hand and I go and stand next to Ishima. I see Raman Uncle then leave from here.
After some time, "amma, appa, this is Ruhi", Ishima says.
"Uṅkaḷ Pētti", she continues and all three around me gasp.
I stare at her, shocked, unable to comprehend what she told them and why are they reacting in such a way. But, Ishima refuses to tell me anything. She continues to keep a straight face and look at them as they continue to cry. At length, the younger aunty, with tears still streaming down her face manages to utter something to Ishima, "Akshat's ?"

I see Ishima nod and suddenly the wailing around me intensifies. I hear screams and muffled no nos in the background. What is the matter actually? I start to tense.

After a long time, the older aunty comes to sit next to Ishima. She takes me in her lap and starts kissing my face. I feel like a doll today. I get transferred to the younger aunty and then to the uncle and then back to Ishima. All of them keep on kissing and hugging me, but. I still do not know who they are.

Ishima then tells me that, "Ruh, they are your grandparents. Your Pāṭṭi and Tāttā, your nana and nani. This is my mother, this is my father and this is your Mihika Maasi, my younger sister", Ishima tells me while pointing at each one of them.

Ishima's parents and her sister are here. But how come I have never met them before? Where were they earlier?

"Ishima really? But why am I meeting them now? You never told me about them or made me meet them earlier..."
Ishima explains to me that there had been some misunderstandings between them for a long time. They had to stay away from each other, but now everything is better.

We spent the whole afternoon talking to each other and having a lot of fun. They tell me a lot of amazing stories, ask me a lot of questions and keep on pampering me. Raman Uncle and Daadi even joined us. After some time, I hear Nana telling Raman Uncle that they will have to leave now otherwise it will be difficult for them to catch a bus later. Everyone's faces droop but they say nothing. I also start to feel very dejected.

"But... But... You...", Ishima stutters.

"Why don't you stay here for a few days? You are meeting your daughter and granddaughter after so long. Why don't you stay with us please?", Raman Uncle tells them.

"Raman, it is not that we do not want to stay. We really want to. But it will be difficult for all of us to stay in your house, we do not want to be a burden on you Son. Even if we agree to stay somewhere else, it will be very hard for us to find a place right now. Please forgive us, Raman. Ishu and Ruhi, please don't be so dejected, we will come back very soon."

"Stay nah amma...", Ishima starts to cry."

"Aunty, Uncle, actually, the apartment next to mine is currently vacant for a few months already now. Why don't you stay there? I'll talk to the flatlady, she won't refuse me. See how sad these two are, please stay for them. Don't worry about anything else, I'll manage. Please", Raman Uncle tells them.

"Oh yes, amma please, Appa tell amma no. You're here after so long, I do not want you to go back this soon. Mika, convince amma no...", Ishima adds.

All three of them start to look at each other. Before any of them can say something else, I go and hug Pāṭṭi and tāttā. "Stay. Please, for me, for Ishima. We hardly get the chance to spend time with a family, please do not let us miss this precious opportunity. Please."

And as if my words were magic, tāttā nods and says yes. We all shout in excitement. I find tears filling my eyes when all of them hug me tightly. The family that only had me and Ishima is so big today, so happy. There are so many people around, so much happiness, so much fun and this is only because of Raman Uncle. I ran to hug both him and Ishima. Isn't Raman Uncle a God-sent angel in our lives? Thank you God, thank you Ishima and Raman Uncle, I utter in my thoughts.