CHAPTER 8
NeilGau’s House
Ishana’s Room
Ishana is arranging the baby stuffs in her room. The baby is lying on the bed and looking at Ishana who is very busy. Ishana keeps most of the things inside her cupboard because she knows NeilGau won’t open it. She hides the baby’s crib under her bed and covers it with a comforter. She mentally thanked NeilGau for the big comforter they gave her few months before. It is being useful now to hide the crib. She sits tiredly on the bed beside the baby.
Ishu: It’s done finally. I hope both of your papas will not be able to find out anything here. (The baby smiles at her)
Ishana looks at her smiling face and thinks something. Unknowingly, her eyes started to filled with tears. She touches her stomach and thinks something. Flashes of a girl falling down from somewhere and screams holding her stomach can be seen. She jerks from her thought and looks at the baby in front of her who is looking at her questioningly. She lifts the baby and hugs to her chest.
Ishu: If that baby has born in this world, he or she must be your sister or brother right now. It’s my fate that I have to loss it before it could see this world. (Cries) The baby which has been made through hatred. I hate that man but not the baby. I was blamed for everything including for losing the baby. They don’t understand my pain at all. They only care for their pain and they forgot that I’m a human too. (Tears are flowing non stop from her eyes. The baby who is confused looking at her tears, touched her tears. Unknowingly, she wipes Ishana’s tears. Ishana smiles sadly at her.) You are here to wipe my tears now. But, that time no one was there to wipe my tears. Only three people liked me in that family but they too were helpless that time. My friends didn’t know anything that happened in my life during their absence. They won’t be able to bear if they got to know about it. That’s why I didn’t say anything to them. (Sobs)
The baby looks at Ishana and she started to cry. Ishana realised what she did and slaps her her head to make her cry. She places the baby on her shoulder and pats her back.
Ishu: I’m sorry, baby. I made you cry. I was thinking of my past and cried to you. Please don’t cry. Your both mothers are not here yet. You are a good girl, right?? Stop crying. (Gets up from the bed and walks pacing here and there. The baby calms after a while. Ishana makes her to sleep and places her on the bed. She too lies beside her and lost in her thought)
SUNSHINE RESTAURANT
AvNeil and PoojAm smile looking at the person. Neil: Hey, why are you standing there?? Come here. (The person walks towards them and hugs NeilGau)
Gau: When did you come??
Person: Just came. I saw four of you are spending your time together. So, I thought to not to disturb you for some time.
Neil: Our table is there. Let’s go. (Five of them walk towards the table and take their seats there.)
Avni: So, finally, Inspector Ranveer Singh Randhawa got time to meet us. You are more busier than our husbands.
Pooja: Avni, he is having another important work beside his police job. Have you forgotten?? (Winks at her)
Avni: Yeah, right. (NeilGauRan chuckle at them)
Ranveer: Both of you are in the mood to pull my legs I guess.
Pooja: It’s been long time since we see you. That’s why.
Ranveer: I understand. So, how is your life??
Avni: It’s going fantastic.
Ranveer: Have you both joined your work??
Pooja: Not yet, Ranveer. You know right?? Ishu is not well and she needs our attention a lot.
Ranveer: (nods understanding) Her condition is still the same??
Neil: Yes, Ranveer. In fact, it’s getting more worst. (Ranveer is surprised and they tell him what happened last night. Ranveer is worried)
Gau: We will take care of that. You don’t have to worry. You order something for yourself first.
Ranveer: That’s ok. I already had my dinner. I came to meet you all only.
Neil: At least have some drinks, yaar.
Ranveer: Drinks!!?? Are you serious, Neil??
Neil: I mean about light drinks. You can have hard drinks if you want.
Ranveer: (chuckles) You both are still same. Till now you don’t take alcohol at all. Scared of your wives or Ishana??
Avni: We don’t mind if they have a little bit of alcohol but they are the one don’t want to have it.
Gau: Ishu doesn’t like alcohol. That’s why we are not taking it. (Ranveer smiles at him)
Pooja: Leave that, Ranveer. You tell us about your lady love. Have you confessed to her??
Ranveer: I’m here to tell you about that only. (In a worried voice)
Neil: What happened?? Any problem??
Ranveer: First, you all tell me. How do you know her??
Gau: Ishu said that she is her colleague’s friend who was looking for a job. I and Neil only find a job in the orphanage that we both grown up.
Ranveer: Do you know her background??
Neil: What is the need to know about it?? She said that she has no one and we believe her. Why are you asking this??
Ranveer: I’ll tell you. Answer this question. Is Ishana married?? (Four of them are shocked with his question)
Neil: What?? Of course she is not married. What question is this??
Avni: Yeah. We must aware if she is married.
Ranveer: Who knows?? She might hide it from you all.
Gau: Ranveer, why are you having these doubts?? And, why you wanted to meet us??
Ranveer: Today, I went to the orphanage to meet her as usual. I saw she was talking with someone and I thought to meet her later. I was about to leave but their conversation stopped me from moving from there. She was addressing that person as bhaiya. I didn’t take it seriously and thought that man might be the orphanage sponsor. But, what was shocking me is they adressed Ishana as bhabhi. (Four of them are shocked listening to him) As I know, Ishana is not married but why they have to address her like that??
Avni: Ishu is married!! How is that possible?? I think there must be some misunderstanding. Ishu won’t get married without us.
Pooja: Exactly!! In fact, she doesn’t have idea to get married. Two things she hates in this world are alcohol and marriage. She just hate both of them.
Neil: I think there is a logic with what Avni and Pooja saying. But, that doesn’t mean we are saying that you are wrong. You can be right too.
Gau: Ranveer, what else did they talk??
Ranveer: Actually, I’m not really understand what they talked. But, I could feel some kind of pain and hatred in their voices. I know Priyanka since a year but I never seen these hatred inside her. Both of them look like real siblings. (Thinks something) And I heard they are mentioning the name Oberois.
All: Oberois??
Neil: Who are the Oberois and what they have to do with Priyanka and Ishu??
Avni: Maybe it has something to do with Ishu during our absence.
Gau: If we find out about the Oberois, maybe we can know what happened in Ishu’s life that time.
Pooja: Ranveer, did you talk with Priyanka after that??
Ranveer: No, Pooja. I just left from there without meeting her.
Pooja: You try to talk with her and ask about this. (Looking at NeilGau) Both of you try to find about all of the Oberois in India.
NeilGauRan: Yes, madam!! (Avni chuckles at looking at them. Neil’s mobile rings. He looks at the caller ID and surprised)
Neil: (looks at them) Ishu’s bhai.
Gau: Answer the call and put on loud speaker.
Neil: (nods and put it on loud speaker) Hello.
Sid: Neil, Siddharth here.
Neil: I know it. What is the matter?? You won’t call without reason??
Sid: Where is she??
Neil: Who??
Sid: Ishana.
Neil: (sarcastically) You mean your sister, Ishana??
Sid: Where is she??
Neil: Why are you asking about her?? You don’t even like her. What happened now that you called me and asking about her??
Sid: My wife wants to see her. She is missing her terribly.
Neil: (sarcastically) Aww!! I thought you started to care for your sister suddenly. So, it was your wife is missing her. But, I’m sorry. I don’t know where is she. We didn’t see her since 1 ½ years.
Voice: What?? She is not with you. (Cries badly) Then, where is she?? I thought she is with you.
Neil: (looks at GauRan and AvJa) Swetlana bhabhi. You??
Swet: Yes, Neil. Where is Ishu?? I want to see her. (Cries)
Neil: (with hurt filled voice) You are loving her these much but you didn’t thought to call her once in these years??
Swet: How I will call her, Neil?? Siddharth snatched my mobile from me and never let me to go outside too. Then, how I will call her?? (Cries)
Neil: Bhabhi, are you on speaker now??
Swet: Hmmm.
Neil: Are you a human or what, Mr Siddharth Raichand?? I can make you to get arrested for torturing your wife like this. But, I’m sparing you because you are our Ishu’s brother. (Siddharth looks down guiltily) Bhabhi, I will make Ishu to talk with you tomorrow.
Swet: Really??
Neil: Trust me, bhabhi. We promise that Ishu will talk to you tomorrow.
Swet: We??
Neil: Yes. Gautham, Avni, Pooja and Ranveer are here too.
Swet: (smiles in tears) You all are fine, right?? I missed you all too.
Avni: We are fine, bhabhi. You don’t worry. We too missed you very much. Take care of yourself. Ishu will talk with you tomorrow.
Swet: Ok. (Ends the call and gives the mobile to Siddharth. She leaves from there.)
Neil: Pity Swetlana bhabhi. She too suffered without seeing her Ishu.
Gau: Why this Siddharth is like this?? Already he tortured Ishu since kid. Now, he is torturing his wife too. I just hate this type of men. (Pooja hugs his shoulder)
Avni: Luckily, our husbands are not like that. (AvJa smile at each other)
Ranveer: It’s getting late now. Let’s go back. I’ll talk to Priyanka tomorrow. And you both try to find out about the Oberois. Before that, make Ishana speak with her bhabhi. (All agree and leave from the restaurant)
To be continued….