FF : Bas Pyar Ho Gaya | Part 32 pg 153 updt 11.12. 2016 - Page 15

Part 7

6 months later

Ram looked at the unknown number flashing on his phone screen. In spite of being in the midst of checking an important presentation, he picked up the call.

Hello... ... Mr Ram Kapoor?

Yes.. ! He answered.. May I know who is calling ?

Mr Ram Kapoor.. main sub inspector Shinde bol raha hoon.. Lonavala police station se. Mrs Geeta Kapoor... aapki wife hai na ?

Ji haan.. par aap yeh kyun puch rahe hai.. Ram's heart skipped a beat as he spoke ...

Mr Kapoor ... aapki wife ka accident ho gaya hai. Aap turant aa jaiye.. Ashirwaad Hospital, Lonavala..

What? Kaise hua yeh sab? How is she inspector? Kya hua use ? Ram's voice choked as he spoke..

Mr Kapoor .. aap jaldi aa jaiyye phir baat karte hai .. The inspector disconnected the line.

Ram sat motionless in his chair for a few seconds.. his mind was unable to register what he had heard just now! He finally gathered himself and rushed towards the conference hall. Sudhirji was in a meeting with some clients, and was surprised to see Ram rushing in without even knocking at the door.

Uncle... woh .. Geeta ka accident .. police ... Lonavala mein.. Ram uttered a few random words, unable to even form a proper sentence as he almost collapsed in a chair crying.

Please excuse us gentlemen... we can schedule this some other time .. Is all that Sudhirji could say before he rushed towards Ram and pulled him into a hug.

Kuch nahi hoga beta... himmat rakh... Sudhirji gathered Ram in his arms... Lets go there first...

Shudirji instructed Guptaji to cancel all appointments for the day as he and Ram, along with Ram's driver Inder rushed towards Lonavala. The two and a half hrs journey from their office in Powai to Lonavala seemed like taking ages to complete. Ram had already started sobbing inconsolably and though Sudhirji kept on pacifying him, but at the core of his heart he too had a premonition that something was terribly wrong.

On reaching the hospital, the lady at the enquiry counter told them to go straight to the emergency and casualty ward. Sub Inspector Shinde, along with two other constables was talking with the doctor at the corridor.

On seeing them, Shinde came forward: Aap hi hai Mr Ram Kapoor?

Ram nodded his head... unable to utter anything.

Main Geeta ka uncle hoon.. Sudhir Sharma.. Sudhirji came forward.. Inspector.. Geeta kaisi hai ?

Aap log aaiye mere sath.. The inspector walked through the corridor and entered a room.

Madam ke pan card mein se aapka naam mila.. The inspector continued... Phir phone search karke aapka number nikala hum logon ne...

The room was gloomy and dimly lit, with shabby green curtains hanging from the windows and the partitions. There was an iron cot in the middle... a lifeless body was covered with a white sheet.

I am sorry .. accident ke 30 mins ke andar hi hospital mein leke aaye the .. par phir bhi kuch nahi ho saka.. The Inspector proceeded towards the cot... Actually unka koi galti bhi nahi tha. Ek Travera aake unki Honda city ko hit kiya, Travera mein jo do log the unko to bas mamuli chot aayi , par Madam ka car totally imbalance ho gaya... Samne se ek truck aa rahi thi .. aur...

Ram was following the inspector like a robot.. hardly anything was going into his ear.

M... Memsahab... Inder let out a soft cry..

Tears had started rolling down Sudhirji's eyes.. .. his arms clasped tightly around Ram's shoulders..

The Inspector lifted the white sheet .. and looked back at them.. I am sorry.. aap log ek baar identify kar lenge toh phir lash post mortem ke liye bhej sakte hai...

Ahhh... Ram buried his face inside his palms..

Ram...Priya patted on his shoulders.. Wapis wahi soch raha tha kya tu ?

Ram turned his face to find Priya standing behind him, he did not answer her question though. Seeing Ram breathing heavily and sweating profusely, Priya handed over a glass of water to him. He gulped it in one sip, wiping his forehead with his palm.

Ram...Priya placed her hands onto his.. Some things in life... however painful they might be, has to be accepted ... somehow ... right ? I mean .. its almost going to be three years now ..and ..

What more do you want me to accept Priya ? Ram retorted angrily...have I not already accepted that I have lost Geeta ... forever!! You want me to also accept that it was a simple accident or that it was totally her fault or her fate? That those two men.. who drunk and drove and forced her to death are innocent and should get off scot free ? Ram's voice broke as he spoke ...

Ram.. please I am sorry I did not mean that ... Priya tried to clasp his hands tightly...

Teen saal se court ka chakkar kat raha hu Priya ... teen saal se! Ram continued as he freed his hands from Priya's and threw his fists in the air... Aur aaj dekha na tune ke court mein kya hua ? The prosecution was struggling to prove that her car was off balance only because it was hit by the other car! It felt as if she drove herself to death! Ram closed his eyes in an attempt to bear the anguish... resting his head on his entangled hands ...

I am sorry Ram... I know how it feels ... Priya encircled her hands around his shoulders... Tu mera har problem ko apne sar pe leta hai... aur main aaj tak tere itne bade dukh ko thik se samajh nahi payi.. Priya continued.. Main kal hi Papa se baat karti hoon... I think we should hire a better lawyer...

I don't know Priya... Mujhe toh apne desh ki system se hi bharosa uth gaya hai..Ram sighed..

Please Ram.. aise mat bol! Kuch na kuch zarur karenge... Priya tried to assure him...

Ram did not reply, he was still lost .. pondering about the happenings in the court.

Ram... ek baat bolna tha tujhe ...Priya continued softly...Woh jo dusra aadmi tha na.. Bhargav.. mujhe aisa laga ke use kahi toh dekha hai maine pehle ...

Haan toh dekha hoga yaar.. teen saal se toh chal raha hai yeh sab...Ram replied..

Nahi Ram.. mujhe nahi yaad hai ke main pichle teen salon mein kabhi bhi tere ya Papa ke sath police station ya court gayi hoon.. Priya nodded her head...This is the first time I supposedly saw these two! And strange... I strongly feel .. that second man... I have seen him somewhere!

Leave Priya... agar tune use kahi dekha bhi hoga toh how does that matter... Ram shook his head in disgust..Chod ab is baat ko... agle mahine tera bhi toh case hai na...

Haan.. pata nahi kya hoga waha bhi! Priya uttered dubiously.. ..

Arey tu chinta mat kar.. Ram uttered confidently.. Bas this is the last time... the divorce will definitely happen! Just don't worry .. all will be fine.. Ram gave a reassuring look to Priya...Priya smiled back in return.

3 weeks later

Ram and Priya waited eagerly outside the family court in Munich. It was almost the scheduled time of hearing , and neither Sanjay nor his lawyer had turned up. A visibly disturbed Priya kept on looking at her watch ... Ram... agar woh nahi aaya toh ? Priya said in an apprehensive tone..

Arey aisa kaise nahi ayega woh? Ram replied.. Agar who nahi aaya toh main...

Ram stopped in the midst of his sentence ... Seeing Sanjay coming with his lawyer.

Why are you so late ? Priya demanded...

I am not satisfied with the papers... Sanjay retorted.. I need my share in our Munich flat and also our restaurant in Salzburg...

Your share? Ram intervened.. You must be kidding Sanjay ! Don't forget .. Munich ka flat Priya ne apni kamai se liya tha. Aur that restaurant in Salzburg.. .. it was completely under mortgage till Priya arranged money from uncle and cleared the papers.

Dekho Priya.. I am telling you once again.. Agar tum yeh papers change nahi karti ho toh ...

Toh kya ? Kya kar loge tum ? Ram howled at Sanjay...

Just shut up Ram.. Sanjay shouted back .. I am talking to my wife.. just don't dare to interfere...

Wife.. oh ho.. Ram said sarcastically.. If only you would have treated her as your wife .. we would not have been meeting here like this today!

Come on Ram.. at least you should not say so .. Sanjay gave a nasty look.. I married Priya for money ... true! But what are you doing Ram ? You are also doing the same thing! At least maine shaadi toh ki thi... tum ne toh woh bhi karne ki zarurat nahi samjha! Business partners ... huh..!!!! Tumhe kya lagta hai logon ko malom nahi ke tum dono ke beech...

You are sick... Just sick Sanjay.. Priya cried out as she buried her face in her palms .. sobbing.

Enough Sanjay...Ram interfered.. You are lucky that Priya started a mutual divorce procedure.. if I would have been told earlier I would have definitely gone for a case against you... and be assured we have enough proof of your violence and misconduct. .. Ram paused...So .. in short.. these papers will not change. If you sign , its well and good! And in case you don't, be ready for a formal case.. we really don't mind waiting for a few more months! If you want any particular clarification it can be done later... but as of now you have exactly 5 mins to decide and sign... Ram gave a cold look towards Sanjay.. And regarding your other allegations... for a man like you ... who does not have minimal respect for women, I really don't expect you to even understand a man woman friendship... and anyways I don't think I owe any explanations to you .. So.. we meet in the court after exactly 5 mins...

Ram held Priya's hands and pulled her and walked towards the court.

Within 5 mins Sanjay's lawyer Mr Hovart informed Priya's lawyer that they agreed to the clauses... Only they wanted Priya to grant them an affidavit to sell their Salzburg restaurant, and once that was done the money could be properly divided among two of them and both parties agreed to have an out of the court settlement for that. After seeing the papers, and considering their separation for more than a year, the judge finally declared the marriage to be irreconcilably broken , thus granting a divorce.

An ecstatic Priya could not hold back her tears... Thank you Ram.. she whispered to him.. Thanks for standing by me through all this...

Its okay... relax.. Ram handed over the phone to her.. Now call buddy.. He must be waiting for the news...

Priya dialled Sudhirji's number... Papa.. papa... she cried on the phone... finally I am free...