Ishita had to finish all the tasks before the kids got home from school.
She was still busy preparing a meal for them but she had already laid out all their after school clothes.
There were only a few things she had to finish; the twins were at Amma’s so she could relax a bit.
As she picked up some of the babies toys and blanket that were on the floor and walked to her room to put it away.
Ishimaa!
Ishimaa!
That unmistakable voice of Ruhi sounded through the flat.
As she lifted her head, a smiling Ruhi came bursting through the door eagerly awaiting a hug from her.
She has been neglecting her for a while as she had to make time for Ruhi…..
So she asked Amma and Mamiji to look after the twins today after school.
There was just something about that little girl that made Ishita want to make her happy all the time, to see her smile.
Ishimaa I raced Adi Bhaiya and won, Ruhi said out of breathe.
Go freshen up Ruhi,Ishima ordered as she took her book bag from her.
Ok Ishimaa, she obediently replied and ran off to her room.
After a while Aditya came walking up visibly tired….
Afternoon Ishimaa, he said.
She looked at him for a while …his eyes.
He was honest and filled with light.
It was like the darkness that always appeared in his eyes disappeared.
His eyes were finally smiling back at her, warming her heart.
The last part stuck in her head as she tried to make sense of what just happened.
Did she hear him correctly?
Hi Aditya she greeted him.
Please go freshen up and I will get you something to eat as Adi turned to go to the bathroom Ishita’s eyes shyly filled with tears.
He called me Ishimaa……
Her worlds came to a standstill and for a moment in time she was the happiest she could have ever been.
Aditya’s full acceptance of her was the only missing piece of the puzzle in her family life.
It was strange but that was the kind of strange she liked.
It touched her heart.
She always loved Ruhi and Adi the same and now her heart swelled.
Now her love for them was even deeper than the depths of the ocean.
Did I just call her Ishimaa, he scratched his head.
Aditya was in deep thought as he got dressed.
And in an instant something is changed in him.
Ishimaa, he said again.
A little unsure of himself, but this time he knew he liked the sound of her name when he said it.
It made him happy ……
She never treated him bad even though he has been so rude with her.
Ishita quickly wiped away a frozen tear that were hiding in her lashes.
As she was busy with warming the food, Adi and Ruhi walked in busy discussing whether or not she cheated.
Ruhi obviously denied the accusations but Ishita could see that her little girl was lying.
The two of them was quite a site to see…smiling and making jokes.
Where is Karan and Kareena, Ishimaa? Ruhi asked with her mouth still half full of food.
Yes, Ishimaa Adi interjected.
They went to Amma for the day; she missed them so much so Dadi took them over.
It was clear that they were disappointed, as she understood every unspoken word their eyes said.
When you finish your lunch you two can go over.
Yes!!
The two simultaneously yelled.
It has always been a dream of hers that Ruhi and Adi share that special bond between brother and sister…….
And finally it was looking like they were getting there.
Every worry she had were replaced with happiness.
Her restlessness that was deep in my heart made way for peace.
My prayers have been answers she said; even the relationship between Raman and his son have been restored.
Her words melted her frigid lips causing them to smile.
Ishita accompanied them to Amma’s flat.
As she looked at the kids playing with the twins she couldn’t help but get emotional.
There was a strange type of magnetism between the siblings.
This was love……Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, she thought.
Amma and Toshi walked over to her with tear filled eyes….
Ishita ….I never thought I would see the day that this would happen Toshi said as she hugged her daughter-in-law.
You have accomplished so much …much more than we ever could have wish for.
I felt so helpless before seeing my son so unhappy with his family torn apart by that ……..
That………Mamiji ,Ishita stopped Toshi before she could utter anything further.
You made our sorrows yours and replaced it with laughter and happiness.
We were a family but even with all of them in the house it lacked that bond …that love you brought to our house.
You have awakened the goodness in Raman that was dormant for so long.
You destroyed the burning loneliness that followed by son like an angry shadow.
Like a black and white film that suddenly were a washed with colour.
We are able to live as a family again; Toshi’s eyes swam with tears.
Thank you ji, Thank you ji, she said in her half broken English.
Ishita pressed her finger to her emotional mother-in-law’s lips.
Enough Mamiji….
It was nothing ……..I just wanted Raman to be happy, Ishita stated.
Her whole face lit up as she said that.