Together

bones123

@bones123

Part 5

She was rushing out of their home and her movements were making him and Sandy dizzy. She was rummaging for something in that dumpster bag of hers and was recounting how urgent it was and how the two should be helping her find it (whatever the it was). 

Neither he nor Sandy were paying any attention as they were enjoying their chocolate milkshake for breakfast on account of it being a cheat day. 

She finally found the item she was looking for and then proceeded to give Tarun instructions on not to feed Sandy or him any junk even if they threatened him. Tarun was to also immediately call her if these two stepped out of line. Trust his wife to leave spies behind even when it was a holiday. 

Their relationship over the last few months had improved by leaps and bounds and his mind often treaded the dangerous territory of what next. He remembered their hug from a few weeks ago and if he was being entirely honest, he wanted that to be their reality. Where he could hug his wife when he wanted. 

He wanted to hold her hand always and not just when it was crowded. He wanted to sit with her and listen to music on their terrace and look out to the vast city. He wanted her to calm him when he was annoyed even if he hadn’t yet told her what he was annoyed about. He didn’t just want to continue his life with her as two friends travelling alongside, he wanted to go on this rollercoaster as true partners. 

He had spoken to Adi and Bri about this weird deadlock they were in and how he wanted to take their relationship to the next stage, how he wanted to confess to Priya what he felt. His friends though were completely useless and everything they suggested involved some teenage level shenanigans which he was definitely not going to engage in. 

He wasn’t entirely sure what held him back, it was a little niggle in the back of his head that went back to the words spoken at the start of their wedding….that love would never be part of it. But, hadn’t he changed…so it was possible that she could as well? Right? 

However the risk of her not reciprocating and him losing what little they had made him hesitate. But in his heart, he knew he wanted more. 

“Mr. Kapoor, you want more? You just had such a tall serving of the chocolate milkshake. How could you be so irresponsible, aapne toh Sandy ko bhi apne team mein kar liya! No more junk for today.. please!”

Not realising he had uttered the last few words out loud, he made a sheepish excuse for what he was being accused of. 

“Aap mujhe pick karne aayenge na? Shaam ko?” 

“Haan ofcourse Priya..I’ll be there”

5pm rolled by and he made his way to the story telling event she was organising. He had never attended anything like this before. It was an experience for sure and he was so proud of Priya for being at the centre of it. Everywhere he saw, people were singing her praises. Priya herself was glowing every time he caught a glimpse of her. If he thought he was falling for her before, the evening was a complete confirmation. He was 100% smitten and in love with his wife. If he continued with his plan of not telling her anything, he was going to be in deep trouble.

Finally the evening was wrapping up and they called on the last performer, his Priya. Ram wasn’t aware that she was also going to be part of the story telling commune and was mentally kicking himself for not bringing her a gift for the same.

Priya came up to the stage the lights dim and a lone spotlight followed her. She walked up to the mic and started 

“This performance is dedicated to a special someone. Someone means a lot to me, I hope that through my words tonight, I will be able to convey just how much. 

Ram assumed it was for Meera ma as he knew how fiercely she loved her mother and it just made sense. 

“This performance is for you, Ram”. 

Ram was thunderstruck with the dedication but that was just the beginning. He was spellbound with what followed. 

Interweaving the complexities of her experiences with various relationships, she recounted how she had given up on the concept of love, how the one marriage she had gotten into was also built on the basis of respect but never love. How without her knowledge, love had crept it and filled all the corners of her heart and mind and how she hoped that this signalled a new beginning, one that would be the start of her forever.

She ended and there was thunderous applause for her emotional performance. However, her eyes were trained only on him. Ram was amazed at how fearlessly Priya had laid her feelings bare and how despite feeling the same, had tiptoed around it and even considered never disclosing it. 

He walked up to the stage as Priya was dismounting and stretched out his hand which she clasped without hesitation. 

“Ram, before you say anything, I’d just like to finish my bit.”

“Priya, what…”

“Uh huh” she cut him short. 

“I need to give you something.” 

She held out a rectangular deep burgundy coloured box, which looked like it held a watch. As he flipped it open, he saw it was a fairly simple watch, white dial, black leather strap and a slim edge. It was very similar to what he wore on a regular basis. 

“This was the receipt I was hunting this morning when you and Sandy steadfastly refused to help me. I’m glad I finally found it, as today would have been incomplete without it. Flip it over” 

He flipped it over and it was a set of five dates engraved on it. He looked at her in a puzzled manner. 

“Woh, aap apne phone pe hamesha woh dates note karte the, so I thought why not set it in a more long lasting surface. I’m not sure what you understood of my speech today, but the sum of parts is that I don’t want to address you as Mr. Kapoor ever again.

Ram, I really hope you understand what this means”

The penny dropped when he saw that each of the dates were when she had addressed him unknowingly (or so he thought at the time) as Ram. He couldn’t believe that his wife was an emotional fool just like him, and now expectantly looking at him. 

He strapped the watch on his wrist after discarding the one he wore, and slowly tucked a tendril that had escaped her loose braid, behind her ear. He closed into her and heard her breath hitch. Just before he swooped down to capture her lips he uttered….

“I understand and I hope that you never, ever…have to refer to me as the infernal Mr. Kapoor again”. 

Fin

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No authors note, just absolute thanks for coming on this journey with me. Thank you! Ok bye