CHAPTER.13
The sun peaked out of the horizon displaying its radiant colors, bright streaks of red, pink and orange slowly overtook the dark blue and purple twilight sky. The sky was a clear after the night's storm. The bright rays of the sun fell over the two love birds still engulfed between each other's arms. Priya cuddled a litter closer to ram as the traces of sharp sunlight disturbed her peaceful sleep. Her facial muscle turned into a frown as she was trying to adjust to the sudden light.. slowly she lifted up her lazy eye lashes who still wanted to engross the sleep within them.. she blinked several times to clear her vision.. as she tried to get up she felt something heavy over her.. it was Ram's hand firmly encircled around her waist. He slept ever so peacefully just like a tension free child. She had been craving to see this view for so... so long. She tried to remove his hand but was scared to wake him up.
Very carefully, she removed it from her waist and placed a pillow under his hand. She got dressed and stood by the window staring outside aimlessly. The glistening reflection of the sun on the small puddles of water reminded her of the blissful night.. she smiled to herself but soon that feeling revolved into dread and distress..
"He didn't do this as ram.. He doesn't remember anything priya.. why?? why did u let him come close to you..??" she blamed herself. she held on to her black beaded neck piece and shut her eyes tightly hoping that her dream would break and she would land up alone in her home. But this was no dream.. she threaded her fingers in between the locks of her hair and squeezed them in a fist.. "why priya why??" she kept on questioning herself..
Priya was lost in her own thoughts unaware that ram was already awake.. putting on the bath robe he came stood behind her. He glided both his hands around her stomach and pressed his lips on her shoulder.
"good morning beautiful." He said in a husky tone caressing her soft fluffy cheeks with his rough ones.
Priya's whole body shook by his sudden touch. The muscles of her entire boody clouded with tension at first and then slowly began to calm down as they recognized the touch.. that was the effect he held on her. She tilted her head a little towards him.. "good morning" and replied in the least audible tone.
Ram knew her dilemma. He could tell by the tone of her voice.. "hey what happened??" he asked turning her to face him..
priya could not make herself to look at him.. deep down she knew what had happened between them last night was not wrong. She belongs to him and he was hers but he doesn't remember his own identity. She was some Mrs. Kapoor to him with whom he'd just fallen in these few days of casual intimacy.. that was not the truth, that was not how she wanted things to happen. She was just playing the other woman here.." priya thought to herself.
"priya.. look at me... please.." he said in his sweetest self.
Priya gained a little courage to look at him.
"main janta hu tumhe lag raha hoga yeh sab jo bhi kuch hua humare bich wo sab galat hain but trust me priya nothing was more sacred than what happened last night.. main aj tak nikita se engaged tha lekin I never felt that kind of connection with her like I felt with you.. not to make it complex I mean I have never been able to actually love her priya.." ram said. His choclaty eyes was shining with honesty.
Priya looked into his eyes deeply.. and in her subconscious mind she mumbled which didn't get unnoticed by Ram "kya ap ko kuch bhi yaad nehi??"
"mujhe yaad hain priya sab kuch yaad hain.." ram retorted
A curve of relief reflected on priya's face but only to last for a second.
"main sirf tumse pyar karta hu priya.. bas inn kuch dino mera tumhare sath jo nata jud gaya hain mera wo saalon se nikita ke sath nehi jud paya.."
Priya opened her mouth to say something but wasn't able to utter a single word. Tears prickled in the big doe eyes.. she somehow managed to confine them inside.
"priya.." ram cupped her face with his palms.. "I promise main sab kuch sort out karlunga.. main niki se baat karunga I'm sure wo samjhegi.. main tumhari duvidha samajh raha hu but please priya isse galati maat samajh na.. I really love you priya.. maybe it is too soon.. maybe it's just not believable but trust me I do.. I do love you and I want to marry you.. can you trust me??" he asked.
A feeling of awe swept over priya by his honesty.. so what if he doesn't remember who he was.. she knows he is her Ram.. and now she can take him back with her and do everything in her capacity to make him remember his past life.
"I trust you.. completely." She replied.
He was overjoyed to get her assurance. He pulled her in between his strong arms and broad chest and hugged her tightly "I love you priya.. I really do" he said.
"I love you ram.." she choked which hardly made her voice aural.
Ram rushed to Niki's hospital almost running in excitement. As soon as he entered he bumped into Niki.. finding him in front of her Niki threw her arms around him and burst into tears.. Ram was puzzled by her sudden outburst.. he tried to find out what was wrong
He grabbed her by the arms and drew her off him.. "what happened.. tum aise kyun ro rahi ho?? Kya hua kya?? batao to" he asked restlessly.
"w-wo-woh papa.. p-papa had a heart attack.." she managed to say in between her sobs.
"what??" ram asked shockingly.
"kal raat ko.. main"maine kitna tumhara phone try kiya.. kaha the tum Rajiv?? m-m-main kitni akeli padh gayi thi " she stammered still weeping badly.
"I am sorry main wo toofan mein phas gaya tha.. all the phone lines were jammed.. ab kaise hain uncle.?" He asked
"he's still critical.. mujhe bohot daar lagraha hain.." she hugged him again.
He patted her head assuring her that everything will be fine. After a while the doctor called Niki in saying that she could now meet her father but he was still fragile and he cannot afford to have another attack. Niki went in and ram followed her close behind. The 65 year old had a oxygen mask on his mouth and couple tubes attached to his body here and there.. his breathing was very shallow. Niki stood beside him.. he looked at her then shifted his sight to ram.. he raised his hand slowly indicating him to come closer.. ram did the same and leaned forward.
Mr.Kumar folded both his hands in front of him and said in a shallow voice.. "please Rajiv mere beti ka sath kabhi maat chod na.. tumhare elava uske paas aur koi nehi hain beta.. she is totally dependant on u.. main tum dono ki shadi apni akhon se dekh ke jana chahta hu beta. varna chain se mar bhi nehi paunga.."
Ram held the old man's folded hand in between his and said "please uncle ap aise maat kahiye.. kuch nehi hoga apko.. aur ap jaisa chahte hain waisa hi hoga.. main Nikita se kal hi shadi karunga.. ap please stress maat lijiye.. u need to take loads of rest please." He reassured him.
Ram left the hospital feeling defeated to himself.. "yeh kya hogaya.. ab main priya se kya kahunga.. tu aisa kaise kar sakta hain.. kaise sirf apne bare mein socha.. mana ke tu priya se pyar karta hain... lekin tu niki ko kaise bhulgaya?? She's your responsibility damn it!" he kept balming himself.. all he could think of now was the demise of two ladies.. one to whom he was committed.. and the other with whom he had hopelessly fallen love.
With all these thoughts barging in and out of his head Ram made his way to his guest house where priya resided.
He pressed the door bell and priya open the door.
"areh ap??" priya asked surprisingly.
The devotion in worship, the enchantment of beauty, the tenderness in a child's giggle brushed over his mind and soul just by her mere sight. She was dressed in an ocean blue quarter sleeve shirt and white denim.. her hair tied high up on her head and the long pony dangling behind her ever so freely and some streaks of hair left loose here and there. An eerie silence persisted between them before priya made the attempt to break it.. "andar ayie na." she insisted.. he walked in his slowest motion trying to stay off the topic he'd come here for as much as possible.. though he knew what he's gonna have to say this way or that.
"priya.. mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hain.." he managed to speak up.
"haan kahiye.."
"priya kal raat jo hua humare bich.. m-m-main.. h-hum.." he couldn't find the exact word to say it.
"kya hua?? Saaf saaf bataiye.." a worried priya asked.
"kal raat jo hua w..wo.. woh nehi hona chahiye tha priya and I- I don't blame u for that.. isme tumhari koi galati nehi main.." he smacked his lips with his tongue.. his throat had suddenly dried out which made it more difficult for him to speak.
"I am sorry Priya.. I know this shouldn't have happened.. ho sake toh mujhe maaf karde na.. lekin Nikita meri zimmedari hain.. I can't run away from her.. I am getting married tomorrow.. please mujhe maaf karde na.." ram said apologetically and rushed out of her sight as soon as he could. He knew if he'd stared in her intense dark orbs he would drown in them and never be able to leave.
Priya froze on spot.. she couldn't believe her ears.. was this some bloody joke fate was playing with her.. her tears had dried out.. not an inch of her facial muscles moved.. somehow after a while she dragged herself up to her room near the phone.. she picked it up and dialed a number.. "Vikram I am coming back.."
The day next Ram and Niki sat in front of the holy fire dressed as bride and groom. Ram was lost in his own thoughts.. the priest enchanted the holy verses. As the waves of the priest voice entered his ears his eyes suddenly fell on the fire in front of him. Flashes of his marriage with priya intruded in his empty mind.. his memories took charge of his head and heart.. they broke in and out like a thunder storm and soon he was on his back lying lifeless on the ground.
He was taken to the hospital and treated immediately. In his subconscious state the only word he kep uttering was "PRIYA"
Niki walked to and fro in the the long corridor outside of his cabin restlessly completely dressed in bridalware.. the words of that caller buzzed in her ears repeatedly "zara apna dimag bhi lagao! Hosh mein ane ke baad usse batao ki u r already married to him"
In between she heard his muffled voice calling for Priya. Nikita heaved in mouthful of oxygen. She took out her phone and dialed a number.. "hello!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
Indian Idol 15
