Tears of Joy or Sorrow Part 20 on pg 39 - Page 14

Part 12

Enroute to Sharma House Priya is deep in thought, playing with her mangalsutra and looking out of the window. What an emotional roller coaster? God please be with Ayesha as she is all set for new challenges in life, please let her not fall a prey to temptations and help her succeed in life being a good role model to Kush.

Ram keeps throwing glances at Priya, trying to catch her attention but she is lost in her own world. A sudden brake at a traffic signal brings her back to the real world. She looks at Ram, who is staring into her eyes and he smiles at her. He is happy that things are falling into place and hopes things work out for Ayesha and Kush.

They reach Sharma House and witness an emotional welcome to the prodigal daughter. Both Sudhir and Shipra are overwhelmed with emotions as they hug Ayesha and take her into their home.

Sudhir bows his head and joins his hands as he faces Ram: Beta, I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for my family. I apologize for our mistakes and promise to take ownership to my responsibility.

Ram holds Sudhir's hands: Papaji, please don't embarrass me. I was just doing my duty as the son of this house. You call me beta and thank me for sharing your burdens? This is not done.

Sudhir: I am really touched Ram and now please accept our blessings. Hope Priya and you find happiness always and wishing you both many many years of good health and prosperity. God bless you both.

Priya is also in tears seeing her Papa so emotional. She comes forward and gives him a hug and wipes his tears. Nuts comes in and hugs Ayesha and takes her inside. Ram and Priya wait for a few minutes and Ram looks at his watch.

Ram looks at Priya: I think we should get going. By the time we weave through the traffic it will be time for the children to be out of school. I don't want to be late today. He calls Ayesha and she comes from inside: I will pick up Kush and take him home with us before I bring him here. I want to spend some time and talk to him about the situation. I want him to understand what is going on and accept it fully. Ayesha, you will have to be very patient with him as he is going to go through major changes in his life and he needs your love and support.

Ayesha: Yes I know and I am going to give it my best shot.

Priya: Don't ever forget that we are always there to help you whenever you need it. Kush is a good kid and he deserves the best. Ma, Papa, Natasha and Ayesha, we have to leave now bye.

Both Ram and Priya take the elevator and leave in their car. They go to school to pick up the children. Kush and Pihu are very happy seeing both Ram and Priya there. They run up to them and give them a big hug,

Pihu: Wow Kush! Look both Mamma and Papa are here to pick us up. Are you taking us out somewhere Mamma?

Priya: No baby, we wanted to give you a surprise so decided to come together to pick you up. How did you like our surprise Kush and Peehu?

Kush: Good badi ma. Thank you and Papa for the surprise.

Peehu: You know what happened in school Mamma?...

Peehu's nonstop chattering continues and Ram looks at Peehu and Priya with wonder in his eyes: How do they both do it? Peehu never tires talking nineteen-to-a-dozen while Priya never loses patience while listening and answering the never ending battery of questions from Peehu. This mother daughter combination are beyond comprehension, but most loveable all the same. All through the drive back home, Priya has her head turned as she is listening to and answering Peehu patiently. As they reach home, Ram puts his hand on Priya's arm to draw her attention.

Ram: Ladies, do you realize, you were the only ones talking all the way home. We men never got an opportunity to put in our two bits.

Peehu and Kush giggle as they get out of the car. Priya narrows her eyes and purses her lips as she gives Ram a wicked look. Ram raises his eyebrows and looks at her questioningly. Priya laughs and gets out of the car. He holds her back for a brief second as the children run indoors.

Ram: What was that look for?

Priya grins mischievously: Oh! Never mind and tries to break free when he tightens his grip.

Priya: Ouch! That hurts.

Ram: Well then, spill the beans.

Priya pinches his cheek when all of a sudden he loosens his grip and she dodges him and goes inside quickly. Ram shakes his head and smiles as he goes into the house too: Awww! She is too cute. He says out as he is walking in and KK hears him.

KK: Hello Beta, Who is cute?

Ram blushes and replies shyly: Oh nothing Ma. I was just thinking aloud.

The house is full of laughter, chattering and happiness fills the air. Peehu and Kush go inside with Priya.

Priya: Ok Bachche freshen up and change out of your uniforms. Then you can go out and play for a while before we come back to do our homework.

Both Kush and Peehu are very excited. They change and go out to the garden to play. Priya goes into the kitchen and returns after a bit with the tea and snack trolley. Soumya serves everyone and Priya takes a tray with milk for the children, tea and snacks for Ram and herself.

Ram is sitting outside on the garden swing working out of his laptop with his reading glasses sitting just above his nostrils. He looks up and sees her with the tray and smiles as he gets back to viewing his laptop. Priya gives him a broad grin as she sets the tray down. Ram looks up again and sees her giggle.

Ram: Now what's the matter? What mischief is brewing in your devilish mind?

Priya squats on the floor at Ram's feet: No mischief planned. You look very cute with your glasses sitting so low on your nose. Is it wrong to admire my husband?

Ram smiles and lifts his hand to remove his glasses when Priya quickly holds his hand and stops him: No no, please don't remove them so fast. Let me feast my eyes on this cute image. She gets up and takes the glasses off his nose and turns to make the tea and give it to him. She hands him the tea and he holds her hand and stops her.

Ram: My wife's seems to have frequent memory loss.

Priya turns back, takes a sip from his cup and gives it back to him. She makes her tea and joins him on the swing. She calls the children to come and have their milk and snack and they come rushing, gulp down their milk and take a cracker each and are running away when she stops them.

Priya: Please don't eat while you are running. You might choke, so sit down, eat your cracker and then run along to play.

Both of them do as they are told and go to play in the grass. Priya is sitting with her feet folded beside Ram resting her head on his shoulder and he has his arm around her shoulders, watching the children. Ram seems a little stressed and as usual Mrs. Know-it-all senses it immediately.

Priya lifts her head slightly and rests her hand on Ram's chest close to his heart: What is going on Ram, you seem a little tense?

Ram takes her hand in his and kisses her palm: I always wonder how you know when I am anxious or worried? Sometimes you seem to know it even before I feel it.

Priya: You are my very life Ram and when my life is agitated, I am the first one to know.

Ram: I was just thinking about what I am going to tell Kush. Peehu and he have become so close in such a short time and now I have to break the news that they are going to be separated. The poor boy, I don't know how he is going to take it. I have been the father figure in his life, his only confidant especially since Ayesha was never there for him, and I just hope he is not going to take it badly. I would love for him to continue to be a part of our family and I am sure you would too, but we have to give Ayesha a chance to bond with her son and he has to get to know her as well. It is her decision and we have to respect it. He is such a small kid and I don't know what his little head will read this as.

Priya: Just remember we are in this together and I am sure we can handle it well. I know he will be staying at Sharma house, but as long as they are here, Peehu and he can always spend time together. Neither of us will have any problem with him calling you Papa and he can continue to do so till Ayesha decides to move on. Also, I would not let him go completely because I want to make sure that Ayesha is sincere about her decision and takes on the responsibility completely. Don't worry Ram, we will tackle this together with honesty and integrity and I am sure it will go well.

Soon it is time for the children to come in and do their homework. Priya tells them to go and wash up and change. She takes them both into Peehu's room and sits down with their homework while Ram goes to KK's room and spends some time with her.

The children are done with their homework and have their school bags packed for the next day. She takes them to the dining table and serves them dinner. After dinner she asks Peehu to go and spend some time with Dadi and Badi Dadi while she and Ram go upstairs with Kush.

Both of them are feeling a little awkward about how to start the topic when Kush solves the problem.

Kush: Papa, where is Mom? You said that she was coming back today.

Ram: Yes, Champ she came back a little while before you got out of school. She is with Nanu, Nani, Bua and Mama.

Kush: Oh, is she going to stay there for some time? When will she come home?

Ram: She is going to stay there for a while Kush. She is not going to come back to stay here. She will visit us some times, but she has decided to stay with Nanu's. You know that she is their daughter don't you?

Kush: Yes Papa. I know that Nani and Nanu are her Mom and Dad. So she will not stay with us in KM anymore?

Ram: Yes Champ that is what she has decided. You know how Badi ma had gone away for a few years and came back three months ago. Well, she used to live here in KM before that.

Kush: Yes, I know that she is your wife Papa.

Priya: Yes beta, I am his wife.

Kush: Whose son am I Papa?

Ram was taken by surprise when he heard the dreaded question. He breaks out into a sweat and wipes his forehead and looks at Priya. She shuts her eyes for a brief second and shakes her head from side to side.

Priya takes Kush into her lap and holds him close to her: Beta, you have heard the story of Lord Krishna, haven't you?

Kush: Yes.

Priya: Do you know who his Mamma and Papa were?

Kush thinks for a minute: Now I remember, he had two Papa's and two Mammas. Vasudev and Nanda were his Papa's and Devaki ma and Yashoda ma were his Mamma's.

Priya: Yes Kush, you are absolutely right. Vasudev and Devaki were the parents to whom he was born and then when he was a little baby they had to give him to Nandaji and Yashoda to became his Papa and Mamma to take care of him because he had a bad uncle who was trying to harm him. Just like Lord Krishna, when you were a born, your Papa had to go away to some far off place, and I was also not here so this Papa was also alone. So he told your Mamma that he will be your Papa and take care of you just like Nandaji became Lord Krishna's Papa. So that is how this Papa became your Papa and he loves you just as much or even more than your other Papa.

Kush listens to this and nods his head as he is thinking about all that Priya told him: What is my Papa's name? Where does he stay now?

Ram and Priya look at each other and Priya ruffles Kush's hair and smiles at him: Your Papa's name is Siddhant Kapoor, he was Papa's younger brother. Like you are Peehu's brother, Papa is Siddhant Papa's brother. He went away five years ago and said he would come back once his work was over. We are waiting for him to come back.

Kush: Oh like how you went away and came back now?

Priya's eyes fill up listening to the innocent questions. Ram notices the tears and comes to sit close to Priya putting his arm across her shoulders from behind. Priya looks at him and they exchange smiles. Priya rests her head on Rams shoulder briefly and continues to hold Kush in her lap.

Ram: Yes Kush. Sometimes adults Mamma's or Papa's have to leave their families and go away to far off places to so that the rest of the family can be safe and happy. So that is what your Papa also had to do.

Kush: So Siddhant Papa and Ayesha Mom are like Vasudevji and Devakima for Krishna Bhagwan?

Priya bites her lower lip and heaves a sigh: Yes Kush, you are absolutely right, and just like Lord Krishna, Siddhant, Ayesha, Ram and Priya will all be your Papa and Mamma. You can call us Mamma and Papa just like you call your own mother Mom. As she speaks these words she draws him close to her and gives him a tight hug and a kiss on his forehead. Kush also wraps his arms around Priya and rests his head on her chest. Priya is so touched by this gesture and can't keep her tears from flowing down her cheeks.

Kush: I love you Badi ma – Mamma?

Priya bites her lower lip and smiles through the tears as she gives Kush her nod of approval.

Kush wipes Priya's tears: Why are you crying Mamma?

Priya: Sometimes when we are very happy our eyes fill with tears and they flow out of our eyes just like how they are flowing from my eyes now. Beta, I am so lucky to have such a smart, handsome and caring son like you. Thank you for calling me that special name "Mamma". I love you just like I love Peehu – very much.

He gets off from Priya's lap and goes to Ram and gives him a big hug and a kiss on his cheek. Ram holds him close to his heart with one hand and draws Priya close to him with the other. This is a real emotional moment for him as well.

Ram: I love you very much Champ and remember you can always come to us whenever you need any help or advice we will be there for you.

Priya: Kush, your Mom wanted you to go to Nanu's house tomorrow after school. She would like to talk to you about something very important.

Kush: Can I stay here in KM with all of you?

Priya: Any time beta. Like I told you this is your home too. But, listen to what your Mom has to say tomorrow. She is missing you a lot and wants to see you.

Kush bends his head down and frowns: But, she doesn't love me.

Priya: That is not true anymore son. She was talking to me this morning and said that she loves you very much and misses you a lot.

Ram looks at his watch: Champ it is bedtime now. You and Peehu should go to bed so you can get up bright and early to go to school tomorrow.

Kush: Mamma can you tell us a story? Can Peehu and I sleep in your room tonight? Please?

Ram and Priya look at each other and smile: Of course! Just this one time okay. We love both of you and as a special treat you can sleep with us in our room.

They go downstairs and bring Peehu also upstairs and tonight is going to be an interesting night with all four of them in one bed. Ram looks admiringly at Priya as she is telling them a story and watches how intently they are listening to her. He goes downstairs and waits for Priya to come down and have dinner with the rest of the family. He is happy that their talk with Kush seemed to have gone pretty well and he knows that this is just the beginning of many such conversations and they have to be prepared with answers.

Well friends please do read and let me know what you think about this part. More in my next part.