Hum aur Tum

Part 25: Raman

"Sorry for an extremely late update. I have a number of assignments lined up and I'm trying hard to find a little time to write update the story. Please enjoy this part and do leave comments. Take care and be safe."

"Yes, have you come up with a solution already, have you chosen an option?", Akshara asks Ishita.

"Yes Akshara, I will sign the marriage agreement. But are you sure everything will be fine afterwards, isn't it?", Ishita asks her.

Akshara adds, "I'm glad that you have chosen this option. This is by far the one with which we have more chances of winning the case. Rest assured, I have consulted many advocates before coming up with this option. But who is the other person?"

"It's me.", I tell her.
Akshara stares at me with her mouth wide open.
"Okay", she says after some time, "I'll be back with the papers soon."

Just after Akshara leaves, Ruhi comes into the living room and upon seeing me she rushes into my arms and starts hugging me tightly. I kiss her on the forehead and I find Ishita looking at us and smiling, but as soon as she finds me looking at her, she lowers her head immediately.

"Ruhi, dear listen to me. I am telling you this because I know you are understanding and very mature my child. Tomorrow Ishima and I will have to take you to a court."

"A court? Like the ones they show in movies? But why Raman Uncle? I know people go there to fight, isn't it?"

"No Ruhi, actually people fight between right and wrong there, and tomorrow Ishima and Pa... I mean Raman Uncle have to fight for the right thing. You will have to come with us tomorrow and I am telling you this now so that you don't have to worry at all about it.  Just remember that we are doing a good thing."

"Raman Uncle, as long as you're with us and with Ishima, I don't have to worry about anything. Thank you for telling me about it. I am proud of you both. I love you", she tells me and Ishita before hugging both of us.

At around 5 in the evening, Akshara arrives with the papers. She asks us twice whether we are sure about it, and both times we only reluctantly nod.

When I pick up the pen after Ishita has signed the papers, I realize the complexity of our action. This paper will make her my official wife. Maybe I had wished for such a thing, but in these circumstances? I do not even believe I am doing such a thing. Would Raman Bhalla have signed any such papers if it wasn’t for Ishita or Ruhi? How have these two become so important to me that they feel indispensable to me? I sign the papers, avoiding the thoughts of the future consequences this will bring for the three of us.

Just some time after Akshara has left with the papers, we hear another knock on the door.

"It must be her again," I tell Ishita, "she must have forgotten to tell us something."

But, as soon as I open the door, someone barges in, stumbling. I stand firmly in front of the man and stop him from moving any further.

"Who are you bastard? How dare you stop me?", he asks me.

Ishita asks Ruhi to go inside and asks him, "How dare you enter my house, especially in such a state? Get out of here immediately!"

"I am your husband Ishu, did you forget about it? My daughter is still in this house and I have come to see her and no one has the right to stop me from doing so!", he laughs at Ishita.

I still stand firmly in front of him, "I hope you heard what she said Akshat!", I tell him, "get out of here! She is not your wife nor Ruhi is your daughter. Get out now otherwise I will be forced to throw you out of here!"