Tears of Joy or Sorrow Part 20 on pg 39 - Page 8

Part 7

Everyone is very happy after the puja and they sit down on the steps for a little while as Pihu and Kush are running around and playing.

Ram is sitting next to Priya and giving her some Prasad. Priya takes it in her hand and eats it. She holds her mangalsutra in her hands and keeps looking at it. Her eyes are moist again as she goes back in time in her thoughts to when they were married. She recollects Ram adorning her slender neck with the black beads and then putting the sacred vermillion powder in the parting of her hair. She remembers how both of them were so uninterested in the whole ritual because they were doing it for their family and they had no feelings for each other. Now the whole ritual has a new meaning for both of them. She is so happy to have it back around her neck.

Ram is looking into Priya's face adoringly. After five years they are going to be back together and this time nothing and no one is going to separate them. Destiny has brought them back together one more time and this just shows that they were meant to be together. He turns Priya's face towards him and wipes the tears from her soft cheeks. He looks into her eyes and smiles as he nods his head from side to side. No more tears from now he seems to say.

KK: Beta Ram, I think we should head home now. Priya is looking rather pale and I think she needs some rest. You need to rest as well; we have all had a long and tiring day and both of you especially need to follow the doctor's orders strictly. Shipraji, Sudhirji, Natasha, Neha, Vikram please come home with us and join us for dinner tonight. Pihu and Kush, come on, time to go home.

Pihu and Kush come running to them. Pihu looks at KK: Dadi are we all going to Papa's house or Mamma's house? She looks anxiously at Priya and Ram. She doesn't say anything verbally but the expressions on her face say it all.

Ram gets up and stands facing Priya. He takes both her hands in his and helps her up: Priya, are you ready to go back to our home after five long years?

Priya: I have waited patiently for this day Mr. Kapoor. I will be most delighted to return to our home. She gives Ram a coy smile and looks into his eyes. All she can see is the love he has for her, all the anger, hatred, spite is all gone and he looks more relaxed.

Pihu comes running and hugs her mother: Mamma, why do you call papa Mr. Kapoor?

Ram is taken aback by Pihu's question and laughs out loud: Ha ha ha Pihu, good question. Only your Mamma can answer that.

Priya's cheeks turn dark red and she looks at Pihu: I will answer that question at home Baby. Right now we should all go home.

Pihu and Kush hold on to both her hands while Ram follows them closely. Everyone is getting into their cars and heading to KM. Even before he can say anything Ram sees the children have gone and sat down in Natasha's car and are waving to them. Natasha smiles at Ram and waves to them.

Ram: Well, I guess that leaves you and me in our car! The children have made up their minds rather quickly. He smiles at Priya and opens the door for her. She gets into the car and straps up while she watches Ram getting into the drivers seat. She rests her head on the back rest and closes her eyes. She lets out a deep sigh and a lone tear escapes her left eye. Ram notices it and even before it can come down her cheek, he wipes it with his right thumb. He looks at Priya and smiles.

They reach KM and Priya just stares at the front door. Ram watches Priya's reactions and doesn't move. His eyes are brimming with tears ready to overflow down his chubby cheeks. This is a very emotional moment for both of them. After five long years, five years of loneliness, of longing to be with the person who means the world to him, the moment has finally arrived. Here they are Ram and Priya, on the threshold of a new lease of life together, on the threshold of their home, waiting to begin life afresh, this time with more commitment to their relationship, to new joys and laughter together for the rest of their lives. Ram and Priya are both shedding tears – of sorrow remembering the hard times they spent without each other, tears of joy remembering all the happy moments they had spent and the happiness that is to come in the future years. They have come a long way and are both finding it hard to take that final step into their home together. Ram takes Priya's hand in his and gently caresses it. Priya turns and looks at him through the blur of the tears. Ram's eyes are also filled with tears and Priya bends towards him and wipes his tears and Ram does the same to Priya.

Ram: There is something I need to tell you before we go into our home as we start our lives afresh on a clean slate. From now onwards, I promise never to keep anything from you and not to give anyone a chance to come between us and cause any misunderstanding. I promise to be your best friend and may all your sorrows be mine and my happiness be yours forever.

Priya: And I promise to be your best friend and never hide anything from you. I promise to be there for you at all times, be it happy or sad times. I will be your best friend and share in your joy and take your sorrows away from you.

Ram: I also have to tell you that I spoke with my lawyer about our status. You know that I married Ayesha in your absence. The lawyer said that your marriage with me still holds good for another two years. So, I had to annul my marriage with Ayesha, and he took care of that this morning. Ayesha and my marriage holds no ground since you are back in my life and that is a big relief.

Priya: I wanted to ask you about that and I am glad you took care of all that before I came back to our home. Thank you very much Mr. Kapoor, now I can say that I am relieved to know that there is no one and nothing between us. Shall we go in, I am sure everyone is wondering why we haven't come in as yet.

Ram gets out of the car and opens the door for Priya. He gives her his hand to hold as she gets out of the car and they walk into KM hand in hand. Priya looks at Ram and smiles as they walk to the door. Soumya is at the door with a plate to do Arati. After she does Arati, she asks Priya to kick the Kalash with rice and step into the plate with the red water so that she enters their home with the auspicious haldi kumkum water. Ram holds her hand and walks in with her. Pihu and Kush come and give them a hug.

Pihu hands a card to Priya: This is for you Mamma. I made it for you.

Priya opens the card to see her drawing – a picture of the family saying "Welcome Home Mamma" with lots of love from Papa, Pihu and Kush. Priya bends down and gives both Pihu and Kush a hug and a kiss on each of their cheeks.

Priya: Thank you very much my Princess and Prince charming. I love this and I am going to frame it and put it in our room. She gets up and takes blessings from KK, Dadi, Sudhir and Shipra. Nuts comes and gives her a hug.

Nuts: Welcome home Bhabhi! How does it feel to be home? I wish you all the happiness in the world with Bhai.

Priya: Thank you very much Natasha…

As she is talking she feels dizzy and faints, falling into Ram's arms.

Ram: Priya, Priya are you alright? Please talk to me. Rishabh please call the doctor and ask him to come here right away. Soumya, please bring some water. Priya, open your eyes dear, Priya, Priya.

He carries her into the room he has been using downstairs. He lays her down gently on the bed and sprinkles water on her face. Priya responds and opens her eyes to see herself in Ram's lap and everyone is around her looking very worried.

The doctor comes in and checks her: Mr. Kapoor, there is nothing to be worried about. She has had a lot of stress lately and like I said this morning, she needs a lot of rest. If she is not going to get the rest she needs at home, I will have to take her back to the hospital, till she has recouped and is fit.

Priya: Doctor, that will not be necessary. I am very happy to be back home after a long time and my body could not take the excitement. I promise to take rest and get better before I do anything around the house. Please don't take me to the hospital.

Everyone laughs and is happy that she is alright. They leave Ram and Priya in the room and ask Bansi Kaka to set the table for dinner.

Ram: No more scares please. You have to follow the doctor's orders and stay put in bed. Since it is the weekend Pihu and Kush will also be here to run errands for us. You are not getting out of bed so soon my dear.

Priya: Anything you say Mr. Kapoor, I will follow your instructions. Just this one time, can I come and have dinner with the family? After this I will listen to everything you say.

Ram: Okay, but you get some rest and once the table is set and everyone is ready I will take you to the dining table. He bends forward and gives her a kiss on her forehead.

She smiles and gazes lovingly into his eyes. Finally she is in her home with the ones she loves, where she belongs. She looks around the room and realizes this is not their room. Ram notices her looking around the room

Ram: This is the room I have been using for some time now. I just couldn't get myself to sleep in our room without you. Once you have recovered completely and you have some strength to go into our room, we can move back there. Pihu's room is next to ours here and I am planning to convert the room next to the study into her room, so she is close to us and doesn't feel lonely at night. Pihu and Kush can share her room now. I am sure they will be fine together and you don't worry about them.

After a while they come out and join everyone at the table for dinner. There is a lot of celebration and chatter at the table. Vikram and Neha are very silent all through dinner and Priya notices it. Ram and she will now have to come up with a plan to get them back together soon. She looks at Ram and signs to him and he nods back in approval. After dinner everyone gathers in the living room and the celebration continues.

Bansi kaka is so happy to see Priya back and comes to talk to her: Madam, I am so happy to see you back in our home. KM was not the same all these years Madam and now Mr. Kapoor will also be happy. It has been very difficult for me to see Sir so sad and lifeless all these years. I am very happy madam.

Priya smiles at him and is touched at his concern. He has been part of the family for a very long time and she remembers all the good times with him around the home. After sitting in the living room for a little while Ram excuses themselves and takes Priya into his room. He tells Pihu and Kush to change and get ready to go to bed. Soumya offers to read to them and make them sleep.

Pihu and Kush change and Pihu runs to Ram's room. She lays down beside her mother and holds on to her: Mamma, I am so happy to have you and Papa at home with us. Now we are a happy family.

Kush: Papa, where is Mom? Why hasn't she come home? When will she be back?

Priya: Kush beta, come to me and I will tell you what happened. Your Mom is spending the weekend out with her friends. She will be back on Monday. You can sleep in Pihu's room so both of you have company, but remember no masti and playing. It is bedtime now and both of you have to go to sleep like good children.

Kush: Ok Badi ma. Good night.

Pihu: Good night Mamma and Papa. I love you.

Priya and Ram wish them both goodnight and Soumya takes them to Pihu's room.

Sudhir, Shipra and Nuts come to say bye to Priya and Ram. KK comes in and tells Ram to call her if he needs any help with Priya at night.

Neha and Vikram are also about to leave, when Ram asks them to stay over for a bit. They agree and sit down in the room with Ram and Priya. There is an awkward silence and Neha and Vikram have an eye lock. Ram looks at them and smiles.

Priya: Vikram can I ask you to do me a big favor? Can Neha stay over at your place for a few days? She cannot stay at the apartment alone, now that I am not there with her.

Vikram: Sure Priya, I don't see why she cannot stay in our home. She is the one that moved out in the first place remember?

Neha has tears in her eyes and avoids looking at Vikram. He goes to her and sits on the floor next to her and wipes her tears. Neha bursts out crying and he just holds her hand and strokes it gently.

Ram: Neha, I know you are both going through a rough patch too. Please let Priya and me help you through these trying times. You have always been there for us and we would like to return the favor. It hurts to see our best friends in pain – our friends who taught us what love was all about and helped bring us close.

Vikram: Thank you Ram, when we are ready and if we need help we will definitely come to you. That's what friends are for. He turns to Neha: Shall we go home now? It is late and Priya needs to get rest. I don't want to be the reason for sending her back to the hospital.

Both Vikram and Neha leave and again there is silence in the room. Ram goes in to change and Priya realizes she has not brought any clothes from her apartment. She looks around the room and waits for Ram to come out of the rest room. Ram goes and checks on the children in the next room. He turns off the light and puts on the night light so they don't get frightened if they wake up at night. He bolts the door that leads out into the living room and opens the door between his room and Pihu's.

Priya: Mr. Kapoor I don't have any night clothes here. What do I do?

Ram comes and sits beside her and gives her a naughty grin: Why do you need any night clothes? He winks at her and she blushes.

Priya: Aww! Mr. Kapoor, please, I'm serious. I need a change of clothes.

Ram: Give me just a minute. He goes into the changing room and brings one of his kurtas. I know this will be very big for you, but I'm sure you can manage for one night. We will figure out something tomorrow.

In the meantime Soumya knocks on the door and comes in with a nightie: Priya bhabhi, here, you can wear this for tonight.

Priya takes it and looks at it. She recognizes it immediately. It was one of her old nighties that she used five years back and she looks surprised.

Soumya: I went upstairs to your room and got this out of your closet.

Priya looks at Ram and he bends his head turning pink in the face.

Ram: I have all your clothes in your closet upstairs. I didn't want to go into our room without you, so I couldn't bring it down for you. Soumya knows where all your clothes are so I guess she went upstairs and brought it down for you.

Priya: Thank you Soumya. She looks at the nightie and goes into the past. This was the nightie that she wore or rather Ram made her wear after her first Holi when she was too drunk to shower on her own. She pulls the nightie close to her chest and rests her head on it.

Ram looks at her and smiles. He also remembers the incident and begins to blush. Priya gets up and goes to change while Ram is picking up stuff around the room and putting it away.

Priya lays down on the bed and Ram goes to the other side and slips into bed. He takes her hand in his and gives her a kiss on the palm of her hand. Priya smiles and looks at Ram.

Priya: Goodnight Mr. Kapoor.

Ram: Do you remember what Pihu asked you in the temple?

Priya blushes and pretends she doesn't remember: No I don't.

Ram: Have you forgotten my name Priya?

Priya: Oh that! She smiles and turns red in the face. She turns and lays down on her side facing him. She puts her hands across her face covering her eyes: Goodnight Ram! Thank you for everything.

Ram: Please say my name one more time Priya. I have been craving to hear it from you. All these years everyone has been calling me "Ram" but it has never sounded so sweet as when you say it. Please say it one more time,

Priya: Raam, I love you!

Ram: And I love you too Priya. Goodnight!

Soon they are fast asleep and Ram begins to snore. Priya looks at him and giggles. She heaves a big sigh and shuts her eyes and drifts into sleep peacefully. Both of them have a very contented look on their faces and Priya automatically puts her arm over Ram, reaching out to hold his right hand. Ram feels her arm on him and opens his eyes. A wide grin apprears on his face and he holds her hand and shuts his eyes. Within seconds he begins to snore again. After five long years he is finally at peace – the love of his life is by his side and nothing else matters.

Kapoor Mansion is at peace finally after five long years. Ram and Priya are together and everyone is happy. Life has given them a second chance and here's hoping they make full use of their time together.

Well friends, will be back next year to continue this story. In the meantime, please take the time to read and let me know what you think.

Awesome update!!!👏