Shot 2 :" Crash Course" Matured

One Month Later.

"Bri, Are you sure Priya won't get mad at me?" Ram asked his friend who claimed that Priya won't mind if Ram asked her out on a date.

Still Ram was hesitant given the fact she was his friend's ex. A friend Ram doesn't even remember but a friend Ram would love to punch for leaving behind Priya and Pihu over a misunderstanding.

Since the doctor had advised that Ram shouldn't try to find about the five years memory and stress himself. His friends were very vague on the details regarding his life. They told him the bare minimum for all his queries worried anything else would be too much for him.

The only fact he knew about Priya was that she was no longer married to Pihu's father and that she is single at the moment. Pihu tends to talk about her Papa a lot with him whenever they meet and she absolutely adored him.

But even Pihu doesn't seem to say more than anything about his friend. She though tends to keep saying her Papa would return when he gets better. When Ram asked his friends if Pihu's father was sick, they told him no that it was just the little kid missing him.

It was just been over a month since he lost his memory. But Ram formed a close bond with Pihu even without his memory that he really disliked her father for leaving them over a misunderstanding.

Because he couldn't imagine leaving either Priya or Pihu over anything. He loved the little kid from the very first meet and with Priya, he was attracted to her in a way he couldn't even explain to himself.

Priya felt like his home, someone he shared a very close bond with for a long time. But it didn't make sense given Pihu's father left them just recently and Ram was sure Priya loved him given how she gets teary eyed whenever she mentions him or talks about him.

So Ram was sure his growing feeling for Priya would never be reciprocated but his friends were sure that Priya would agree to go on a date with him.

"Yes Ram, Just ask her first and I am sure she would say yes" Bri spoke up on the phone call pretty confident about Priya's answer.

"But you did ask me to stay away from Vedika  because Shashi was my friend too" Ram asked Bri because his friends were pretty vocal about Vedika

It didn't help that Vedika rushed him to marry her as soon as he got away from the hospital. She claimed it was because almost losing him to the accident scared her and she didn't want to wait any longer.

But Ram's heart which should have been elated by her willingness to get married soon, felt indifferent. It was as if he wasn't ready for such a big step.

Even then he was almost tempted when she took him to the registrar office unknowingly as she claimed they were going for a date.

"Ram, please let us get married. I can't waste another day" Vedika spoke up after they reached the place as she claimed that they were very much in love and it hurts her to see that he was unwilling to marry her now.

Ram knew in his brain Vedika was right and he should say yes given he always loved her, but he wasn't able to say yes even when she was begging him. Because in the back of his mind, he was more excited to meet Pihu later that day than getting married to Vedika.

Then Priya arrived at the Registrar office by coincidence and Vedika changed her mind. Later Ram felt the need to clarify to Priya that he wasn't going to get married to Vedika and it was sprung up on him suddenly.

Ram didn't know why he felt so strongly about letting Priya know the truth and it was the first seed of doubt that brought his mind to the conclusion he feels more for her Priya emotionally than Vedika.

The next day Vedika called him to apologize for her actions and claimed that in truth Ram and her were growing apart recently before the accident and she hoped his memory loss would help them start over. So she pushed him for marriage in fear of losing him.

"I am sorry Ram, I almost wronged you by hiding the truth. And I need some time to work out my feelings on my own. So don't worry if you didn't hear from me for awhile " Vedika told him and ended the call. That was the last Ram heard of her.

"Well Priya didn't try to abduct you and get married using your memory loss did she? So of course we were against Vedika. Chalo, stop talking about Vedika and start planning on how to ask Priya out for a date" Bri spoke up ended the call leaving him alone at his home with his breakfast.

As he happily planned on how to ask Priya out for a date while munching on his favorite food.

                        ****************

Nandini Kapoor was losing yet again to Priya and her family. Ram's friend are her biggest hurdle because they keep Ram in the dark and help him choose Priya and Pihu over and over again by their words.

Even now as Nandini overheard Ram's call with Bri, she felt angry that her hands were tied by Priya.

Vedika tried to play a smarter game after Priya confronted them that day with the shocking truth. She almost got married to Ram by dragging him to the registrar office. But Priya foiled her plan easily.

Then Vedika was given an option of jail or leaving the town after calling Ram. Vedika tried to ask Nandini for help but Priya already tied her hands by hitting Nandini where it would hurt when she sent Nandini a screen shot of selling their farmhouse to Adi and Bri for no cost.

"Well Adi and Bri should get some gift for finding about Vedika's plan and letting me know. Choose carefully on which side to stand because I am excited to gift something else.

Maybe this time I would sell all my shares in the company to Vikrant since he is my brother in law " Priya spoke up on the call leaving Nandini fuming in anger and unable to help Vedika out of her predicament.

"You choose to act foolishly Vedika. Now I can't even help you" Nandini had told Vedika and so Vedika was left with no option but to leave town to escape jail sentence.

For over a month Priya continued to play with Nandini as if she was a rat caught in her trap. Everytime Nandini plans something, Priya put a stop to it either by appearing out of nowhere or sending a screenshot of donations made on her name to various charities.

That Nandini stopped planning anything because at this rate Ram would be of no use even if he gained his memory because Priya would have bankrupted them.

Once Nandini had a doubt that the screen shots were false so went to check the foundation of one of the charities on her own and they were super thankful for her contribution that Nandini realised Priya wasn't playing any game but indeed donating the money away.

But Priya was very new to this game of manipulation and blackmail. If there was a degree assigned to such qualities Nandini would probably have a Masters degree along with doctorate on how to be evil.

So Nandini silence so far was her way of letting Priya's guard down until she can destroy her in one single strike. Hearing Bri's phone call with Ram made her realise that she needs to strike soon and the opportunity came in an unexpected way few minutes later.

When Ram, himself choose to walk inside her den, ready to fall on her trap willingly.

"Mom, I need to ask your advise on something. I am not aware of any trendy places in recent five years. Can you suggest a place for me. I would like to take someone out on a date " Ram asked her.

"Well you can't say you are going on a date and not say who first. As your mom, I am curious and do I know her already?" Nandini asked innocently and Ram was sharing everything on his own including his reluctance to betray his supposed friend by dating his ex wife.

"Ram, I am sure Priya is a nice girl. And the few times I have met her, she was sweet to me. But there is rather a rumour amongst our circle on why your friend broke up with her and it isn't favourable on her.

It seems like she met her first love and they kind of reconnected and Pihu might not be your friend's kid. Please don't tell her that I said any such thing. I just want you to be aware in case you get caught in the midst of the drama later.

The doctors advised that you should not get stressed and while I am sure Priya is blameless. Still her ex husband might return and demand for Pihu back in his life. It would be more stress for you to be caught in the middle as his friend might feel betrayed by you and Priya, if you got together and any chance of reconciliation between them would be lost. " Nandini spoke up gently enough and knew Ram would hear the truth she wanted him to hear and would stop planning on dating Priya.

"Well my friend is an idiot. How can he not trust his wife and believe a rumour. But you are right mom, if Priya wanted to get back with him after their misunderstanding is cleared I shouldn't stand in the way. " Ram answered back just as she hoped and Nandini almost felt bad for Priya who isn't going to know what hit her when Ram began to distance himself from her.

"Priya.." Ram spoke up and Nandini waited for him to continue what he meant to say but he remained oddly silent as if he was shocked and that was when Nandini noticed he was looking behind her and turned to see Priya standing in the doorway to her room.

Nandini wanted to shout how dare she entered her room without invite, but with Ram around she can't even act herself and also the fact Priya overheard what she told Ram could mean Nandini's plan backfired once again.

"Priya, I am sorry. I just care about Ram and wanted him not to he stressed" Nandini spoke up silently hinting that if Priya declared Nandini's words as lies than it would only stress Ram more about why his mom lied.

"It is okay Mrs Nandini Kapoor. You didn't say any lies, did you?. It was true my husband once believed Pihu wasn't his child because his own mom told him so. We are separated now not because he still believes the same, but because he still can't move on from his mother manipulations.

I was loyal to my husband when we were married and was loyal to him when we were separated. But that doesn't mean I am going to stay stuck in the past forever.

And Mr Kapoor, Don't you think I should get a chance to live me life do you think it is fair for me to wait and not move on for my ex husband to return. I want to live my life on my terms. So  you can ask me where I would like to go and eat, I do have a list of favorites. Only if you want to after hearing what your mom said about me.  " Priya spoke up cleverly turning everything back on her favor once again.

"I do want to go out with you, and my mom was just worried about me but I believe you. Can we go out later tonight, I think I am free after 6" Ram spoke up clearly excited about his date with Priya and the fact she hinted that she would say yes made him more confident that she felt the same for him.

"Priya, all I want is my son to be happy. I am sorry if I hurt you unintentionally" Nandini spoke up trying to get back in the good grace of Ram for the time being since her plan clearly failed.

But Priya wasn't who she was before the accident. She liked paybacks more and that was why she spoke up next leaving Nandini shocked by her claims because she knew it would be true as well.

"I know Nandini aunty. You are a good person. The reason I came to the house was to personally thank you for your contribution to the charity for women relief . You see I am very much involved in the foundation you donated for today and when I heard about it. I wanted to come and thank you in person. Was it 25lakhs or 50 lakhs? " Priya asked oh so innocently as if Nandini hadn't gotten the message loud and clear.

That it was her price to pay for trying to create rift between Ram and Priya today.

"It was 10 lakhs. You must have heard wrong. I promised to contribute more to those in need when Ram got into the accident. I would have love to pay as much as you said, still it was Ram's money that he earned with his blood and sweat. I can't give it all away easily even if I am his mother " Nandini answered back limiting the loss and the same time trying to maintain the status quo with Ram.

"You can give away as much as you want mom. Also Priya did say it was a foundation she was part of which means they do need our support. I will ask Adi  send another 25 lakhs later for you mom" Ram spoke up foolishly while Priya only smiled back at Nandini for having her plan foiled yet again.

"You can stay and chat with mom, Priya. I have to head back to office and you send me the details of your favorite restaurant and I will book a reservation for us " Ram spoke up and left Nandini alone with Priya.

"You must have thought you were being so clever Mrs Nandini Kapoor. But sadly your clever manipulation will work until I stand back and let it happen. Not anymore, Mr Kapoor night get his memory back or not but I won't give up on him. You might try to stop me, but I won't let you win this time.

Every evil plan of yours woul hvd have consequence, say bye bye to your monthly allowance check for this month that I came to give you for being good so far.

Also Nandini Kapoor, count your days because I would be returning back as Mr Kapoor's wife back into the house soon enough with or without his memory. Then the real fun would begin because the day it happens would be the day your place in this house will end " Priya spoke up and walked away leaving Nandini Fuming in anger at being outplayed by Priya once again.

                      ***************

P.S :" The End . Let me know your thoughts and feedbacks.. Hit the votes if you liked it "

Juanita Reid. 

BlurredLines2022-11-15 18:38:14