Next day morning
Ram was in his office when he recived a call on his cellphone. It was Vikram's. He had called him to say that Ram needed to go to the Australia office asap regarding some deal. Vikram had arranged for his tickets in a hurry and promised to acompany him till the airport.
After he disconnected the phone, Vikram's face flashed before him.
"Sun, main janta hoon tera man nahi hoga yahan se jaane ka but yaar aur koi option nahi hai. Agar mere jaane se kaam ho jata toh tujhe kehta hi nahi. Main janta hoon Ram, ki tujhe wahan jaane mein kitni taqleef hogi. Puraani yaadon ko saamna karna bahot mushkil hota hai, khaaskar un yaadon ka jo kisi bahot hi apne ki judaayi se judi hon. Khair, ye sab sochne baithne ka time bilkul nahi hai. main janta hoon ki tu pichhle kuchh saalon mein kaafi strong ho chuka hai. Khud ko sambhaal lega. Isliye ab teri tickets wagerah ka intezaam karwa diya hai. Milta hoon tujhe shaam ko. Saath mein airport chalenge. Aur dekh, zyada tension mat liyo. Yahan Nuts ki dekhbhaal karne ke liye main aur Neha, dono hain. Tu befikr ho kar ja," he had said.
Ram was ever so grateful to his buddy of years for whatever he did for him. Till that unfateful day, he had loved and respected Vikram, and Neha too. But after that, in these 5 years, he had really begun to treasure his friendship. Ram had insulted them both as he did with Priya, for going against Niharika. He broke off his friendship with them and severed all ties. Still, it was them both who initiated and rebuild the broken relationship. The way both Vikram and Neha came forward to pick him up and restore him back was beyond anything. He rebuffed their help initially. Still, they kept trying. Vikram would always be there to make things easy for him. When Niharika's truth came out, Ram was shattered beyond belief. If not for them, he wouldn't have been able to come out of the trauma.
Ram knew that Vikram was his buddy for eternity and he was really grateful for that.
"Pata nahi aisa kyun hota hai ki main jise bhi chaahta hoon, wo mujhe chhod ke chala jata hai. Pehle baabuji, phir ma aur phir Priya bhi. Bas ek tu aur Neha hi hain ab mere paas, mere apne," He sighed.
Note – Friends, how much I tried, I couldn't bring myself to write about the evil trio and how they were exposed. So let's assume that their truth came out in the open not long before Priya left. Niharika got killed in a freak accident while Sid and Mama were imprisoned for their frauds in Kapoor Industries. Ram got to know about Krishuji's innocence and how Priya tried to expose the evil trio and was planning to reunite him with his mother. This left him shattered. He felt guilty for not believing his mother but more than that, for not believing Priya. He tried searching for them both in Mumbai and whole of India but in vain. He patched up with Vikrama and Neha and all three of them searched for Priya everywhere but remained unsuccessful.
Evening.
Ram was waiting in the airport lounge for the boarding announcement. It was then that something familiar happened. He was unable to place the feeling that ran in his heart. He sat there, taxing his brain to come out with the reason behind his uneasiness. Just then his eyes fell on a married girl sitting just across him, resting her head on the seat with closed eyes. One glance at her face and Ram found the source of his perturbed mind. She had placed her tiny bindi slightly offcentre. A series of flashbacks passed through his mind. And a red saree draped around a slender figure appeared before his eyes. He sat there with a slight smile on his face; reminiscising the bliss that was.
A voice woke him up from his reverie.
"Madam, ghar se yahaan tak yun hi chali aayi? Ek baar mirror bhi nahi dekha kya?" a man, probably that girl's husband, came and woke her up.
"Kyun? kya hua? She asked
"Tumhari bindi dekho. Tedhi lagi hui hai. Itna dhyaan bhi nahi rakhti ho tum…"
"Toh kya hua? Tum ho na.. meri bindi theek karne ke liye.." with this, she cuddled close to him and rested her head on his shoulders. Her husband corrected her bindi and rested his head on hers.
Ram sat there, watching them enjoy that bliss which had left him 5 years ago, rendering him with solitude.
"Har pal aisa kuchh na kuchh kyun ho jata hai jisse tum yaad aa jati ho? Main janta hoon.. ye sab tum hi kar rahi ho. Tum chahti ho na ki main zindagi bhar aise hi yaadon mein jeeta rahoon? sazaa de rahi ho na mujhe?" pain clouded his eyes.
********
Priya had a certain unnamed feeling in the back of her mind, since morning. She was feeling anxious as well as a certain unexplained happiness around her.
"Aaj aisa kyun lag raha hai mujhe ki kuchh achchha hone wala hai? Jaise ki kuchh khoya hua ekdum se wapas milne wala hai," she thought. Her eyes were continuously darting around the room. But in a moment, they fixed upon a handsome face, smiling at her from the opposite wall. She went near the photoframe and smiled back.
"Kya ye aap hi kar rahe hain Ram? Main jaanti hoon ki ye aap hi hain kyunki aisa ehsaas, aisi bechaeni mujhe aapke siwa koi nahi de sakta." She thought. "Zaroor aaj Bansi kaka ne naashte mein aapko aaloo ke paraanthe serve kiye honge, hai na? Aapki wahi khushi mujhe yahan tak mehsoos ho rahi hai." And she grinned.
Just then the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Priya. Main Krishna bol rahi hoon. Kya tum pls meri baat ek baar ke liye sun sakti ho Priya? Pls?"
"Ma?'
"Haan Priya. Main hoon. I know ki tum mujhse bahot naraaz ho par kya mujhe explain karne ka ek bhi mauka nahi dogi?"
"Ma aap janti hain ki main aapse…"
"Haan Priya main jaanti hoon. But pls, ek baar meri baat toh sun lo. Main aaj shaam tumhein university ke caf mein milti hoon. Pls aana. I'll be waiting."
And before Priya could reply, the call got disconnected.
********
Ram was on his way to office. The car halted at the traffic signal. Something was wrong there. The signal had stopped working and a policeman was directing the traffic. A jam was in formation. Ram waited impatiently for the road to clear when his eyes fell on her. He stepped out of his car. Yes, it was her. It was Apeksha! He almost ran towards her, pushing people out of his way. "Apeksha!" he cried out. But she didn't turn back. She was walking at a fast pace with her laptop bag swinging around her right shoulder, with earphones plugged in. Ram was running towards her, passing the huge human wave with much difficulty, which crossed the road from the opposite direction. By the time he crossed the road, she was nowhere to be seen. Ram stood at the pavement, bent double trying to catch his breath.
"Apeksha yahan hai. Matlab maa bhi yahin hongi!" he thought. The disappointment on losing his sister suddenly gave way to the hope of meeting his mother. "Koi baat nahi agar aaj Apeksha se nahi mil paya toh. Kam se kam ye toh pata chal gaya ki wo dono yahin hain, Sydney mein. Ab main kisi bhi tarah unko dhoondh hi nikaloonga. Thank you so much God!" he thought happily.
Ram then went back to his car and directed the driver towards his office. He took out his cellphone and dialed Vikram's number. "I have to share this good news with Vikram. Wo kitna khush hoga ye jaankar ki ma ka pata chal gaya hai," he thought. But after trying for a few minutes, he put the phone down. Vikram's phone was unreachable. "Koi baat nahi, shaam ko bata dunga."
Ram spent the entire day working hard in the office. He attended many meetings and conference calls with his team and his clients. Sighting Apeksha worked as an energizer for him. At 6 in the evening, he wrapped up his work and went out for a stroll.
There was a park just across the arcade, which was a 10 minutes walk from his office. Ram walked leisurely, taking in the sunny day and the hustle-bustle of the park. He walked, reminiscing the days he had spent with her in this very land. It was in a similar park like this, where they had sat and talked, shared their feelings for the first time as friends. He recollected that conversation.
"Aapke hisse ka darr mere hisse mein aa gaya," she had told him when he asked her why did she got scared of flying in the sea-plane.
"Mere hisse ke sabhi darr aur dard tumne apne hisse mein le liye Priya. Aur main gadha, tumhari qadr hi nahi kar paya," he thought with a palpable sadness.
He sat on a bench and gazed at the little kids playing in the sand pool a bit far. He looked at them lazily. Many of them were accompanied by their moms or dads. There was a set of swings where the crowd was maximum. Kids thronged that area like bees. He kept staring at that wonderful sight of playing kids for a long time and after sometime got up to leave. But then he dropped his phone. He bent to pick it up and was just straightening up when something unexpected met his eyes.
Priya!
He was stunned. Yes, it was Priya standing before him, amidst a pool of kids and adults. He took a step forward. Yes, he was sure that it was Priya. She looked different. She was wearing a long top with linen trousers with her hair in a messy bun. A far cry from his Priya; the one who dazzled in sarees. But then he looked at her again and, yes! She had those same big, beautiful eyes and that same enchanting smile. Yes! She was his Priya.
He felt a jolt in his stomach. Something heavy slid through it and he felt his heart contract. His movements were paralyzed and his nerves seem to short circuit in his brain. He felt dizzy. He closed his eyes for a few moments, afraid to open them again. He took a deep breath and opened them slowly.
Yes, she was stil there; standing beside a swing, smiling at the kids playing there. He stood there, soaking in the exhilaration. His numbness faded out slowly. A wave of happiness swept him, sending chills down his entire body. His feet, unknown to him, carried him towards her. He walked in a daze, without blinking his eyes, fearful of losing her again. He wanted to feast the sight for as long as possible.
He tapped her on the shoulder in his trademark way; just with his index finger.
She turned around. She had a smile on her face which faded instantly on seeing him. Those initial reactions of Ram were reflected on her face too. She stood there, her gaze transfixed on him, betraying shock and disbelief. Ram feasted his eyes on her face; those beautiful eyes, that straight nose, those luscious lips and that tiny mole on her upperlip. They were all the same. He felt he could live his entire life in this one moment.
'Woh ek din.. sau saal ka..
Sau saal ki .. woh raat thi..
Kaisa lage jo..Chup chaap dono..
Pal pal mein poori sadiyaan bita dein..'
"Priya.."
"Ram.."
They both uttered in unison. A relieved smile ran across Ram's face.
"Kitna dhoondha tumhein… Kahaan chali gayi thi tum Pr.."
"Mumma!"
He was interrupted by a sweet little voice. He looked down and saw a cute, chubby little girl tugging at Priya's top.
What???!! Mumma? This can't be… Ram felt another jolt.
Priya looked at the kid and then quickly at Ram, lines of horror forming on her forehead.
"Priya, tum… ye kaun.."
"Mumma, chalo na. DK hamara wait kar raha hai car mein."
And with this, she started dragging Priya along with her. Helplessly, Priya allowed herself to be dragged away by the kid. But her eyes never left Ram. She turned around every now and then while walking away.
Ram stood rooted at the spot, unable to comprehend anything. He saw her going away and it was only when she started disappearing in the crowd and he was unable to see her clearly that the realization hit him. He is going to lose her again!
Ram started running towards the exit gate. But by the time he reached the gate, he saw Priya and the kid getting inside a car, while a man stood there opening the door for them. He ran towards the car. He could see Priya rolling down the window and looking back at him continuously, as the car moved away.
He felt helplessness and disappointment spreading throughout him.
"Priya!" He shouted with all his might.
The car sped up. He has lost her again. He stood gazing at the car until it disappeared.
"God! Ye kya ho raha hai aaj mere sath? Ye kaisa imtihaan ho raha hai mera? Pehle Apeksha phir Priya! Aur kitne rukaavatein paar karni hongi mujhe apno ko wapas paane ke liye? Pls God, help me!"
His knees gave up and he slid down on the ground, unable to handle the loss. He was left energyless.
Just then his phone beeped.
"Hello Vikram."
Precap – "Mumma, wo papa they na park mein? Bolo na, mumma. Wo papa hi they na jo aapse baat kar rahe they?"
Priya sat in silence, with her head in her hands.
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
Advocate Anjali Awasthi
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