CHAPTER - 1
It was a chilly late Sunday afternoon.. winter was commencing.. the leaves of the bright colored trees had already started growing brown and dead.. winter in Versoix was particularly colder than the other regions of Switzerland.. Versoix; a municipality in the Canton of Geneva was situated at the right bank of River Geneva or the River Lac Leman as called by the French.. though it's 90% of the population was French-speaking it didn't bother Priya much.. she had created her own little space and community of Asian friends.. who helped her run a little orphanage that she nurtured like her own child.. she curled up to their double-sized beige fleece blanket's sofa hugging herself tightly as the cool breeze knocked at her.. this was everything Priya had ever dreamed of.. a little town house in the suburbs.. surrounded by greenery.. a calm and peaceful environment where nobody else mattered but her and Ram.. yet there was some kind of emptiness.. looking out of the window she heaved a long sigh of dissatisfaction and went back reading her book..
"good afternoon my love.." Ram greeted Priya smiling as he entered the front door.
Without answering Priya looked at her wrist watch and replied in utmost sarcasm.. "bhai wah.. badi jaldi agaye ap.. !" she sniffed.
"sorry yaar.. I know aj Sunday hain.. I should have been with you.. but kya karu bohot important kaam tha.." he replied apologetically taking a sit beside her.
"apko na apne kaam se hi shadi karleni chahiye thi.." she retorted.
"uffo Priya tum bhi na.. accha meri chodo.. tum iss waqt yaha kya kar rahi ho?? aj orphanage nehi gayi kya??" he asked.
"nehi..um..mm.. meri tabiat thik nehi hain.." she mumbled.
Ram gave her a I know you are lying look' and said.. "hhmmm samajhgaya.. ab kis ki adoption hui??"
"neelima.." she replied pretending to be engrossed in the book.
"oh.. that neeli neeli akhon wali golu molusi bacchi??" an elated Ram asked.
"hhmmm.." came Priya's soft-low reply.
"prriiiyaaa..." he took the book from her hand which she was barely reading. "kya hua?? Why are you so upset??"
"main thik hu Ram.."
"mujhse toh tum jhuth bol nehi paogi.. neelima ko miss kar rahi ho na??"
"han.." she replied.
"but why baby?? You should be happy for her.. ussko finally ek family mili hain.. aur tum khush hone ke bajai udaas ho rahi ho?!"
"I am happy for her Ram.. but mera kya?? ek ek kar ke ek din saare bacche chale jayenge.. han aur jaana bhi chahiye.. I want the best for their life.. but mere paas kya rah jayega.."
"areh.. tum aise kyun soch rahi ho?? The orphanage is your child itself.. besides Priya you have to see to it that every child gets a good well to do and responsible family.."
She took a swift turn towards Ram taking his broad palms cozily within her petite ones.. "we are a responsible family Ram.. why can't we adopt one of them??" she urged in a child-like manner.
He slipped his palms out of hers hopping off the couch.. "phir wohi baat.. jiska jawab tum janti ho wohi sawal bar bar kyun poochti ho??!" he replied sternly.
Priya got up slowly.. placing her hand on his shoulder she started "Ram I know.. but we are miles away from that place.. ath saal ho chuke hain uss baat ko.. we have to move on.. please..!"
He spun around to grip her by the shoulders.. "haven't I moved on Priya?? haven't I??" Ram jerked her lightly.. "aur kya expect karti ho mujhse..?? you.. only you matter in my life now.. tum mere sath ho toh mujhe aur kuch nehi chahiye.. I don't want a child Priya.. please.. I have moved on only because of you.. meri bas ek hi request hain tumse.. iss baat pe mujhe pressurize maat karo.. I beg of you.." he let her go and climbed to their room with long strides..
Priya sighed hopelessly.. another attempt went in vain.. 6 years of their marriage she couldn't give him his most desired thing.. though he would never say but she knew how much he craved for child.. her first memory with Ram.. when she was 6 and he was 11.. the way he had bandaged the broken hand of a mare doll of hers so delicately that even she couldn't have matched his grace.. that sensitivity still survived in this grown up man of 38.. Priya was challenged in the reproductive area.. so many doctors.. so many tests.. so many medicines and hormonal injections but nothing seemed to have enhanced her shortcomings.. she bit her bottom lip and let go one last heavy breath in frustration lowering her head in disappointment.. only if Ram had given his consent for the adoption.. then her family would have been complete..!
The following morning Priya stood in front of their small four-sitter dining table arranging breakfast and packing some light snacks for Ram's trip to Zurich. Ram had spread his business well around few parts of Switzerland and had quickly become one of the well known furniture designers. He came hopping down the stairs dressed in an elegant black suit with a crisp white shirt, matching black waist coat and a glossy red tie.. his thick black hair neatly back brushed giving him a cavalier look. Ram was a tall broad-built man with a big round tummy sticking out of his well-to-do physic.. though he was considered to be fat but had a strange aura of captivating women of various ages. He stopped at the last step of the stair and observed Priya for a while.. she was dressed in a pair of white denim, topping it with a baby-pink full-sleeved shirt and a matching white jacket.. her precisely tied ponytail floated playfully as she worked.. Ram watched his dutiful wife preparing everything he needed.. every morning when he woke up he would find his suit neatly kept on the chair.. his files and other necessary stuff for the day carefully arranged on the desk and whenever he traveled he slept peacefully snoring to his heart's content whereas Priya packed his overnighter storing everything he required.. she knew him better than he knew himself.. Ram regretted his yesterday's behavior, a wife so loving and caring deserves everything her heart desires for..
he went near her.. she greeted him like everyday planting a feathery kiss on his cheek wishing him good morning.. he replied back in a low voice.. Priya was her usual self like nothing had happened.. she was used to the blankness in their life and Ram's frantic reaction towards adoption yet she never stopped trying to convince him.. Ram knew that even if Priya was okay he needed to apologize..
She served couple of pancakes on his plate garnishing them with a little molten butter and thick honey.. "aj apko travel karna hain so no heavy food.. I have packed your favorite aloo ka parantha.. Zurich pohochne ke baad khalijiyega.." she directed him filling his glass with fresh papaya juice.
Ram held her wrist taking her aback..
"kya hua??" she asked.
"I'm sorry Priya.." ram said apologetically.
"for what??" she asked surprised.
"for my behavior yesterday.." he got up holding both her hands now.. "I love you a lot Priya.. main tumse kabhi bhi uchi awaz mein baat karna nehi chahta hu.. whatever little I am today it is all because of your love and support.. varna pata nehi m.." Priya placed her hand on his mouth before he could finish..
"bas kijiye.. you don't have to be sorry for anything.. I love you for what you are Ram.. you have given me more than I ever wanted.. aur rahi apke chillane ki baat.. ab toh usski adat hogayi hain.. ap nehi chillate hain toh hairani hoti hain.." she giggled.
Ram smiled ear-to-ear.. he loved everything about her.. the way she talked.. the way she smiled.. even when she mocked about his snoring, his short temper and even his goluness.. he embraced her in a warm hug placing his chin snugly on her head.. Ram was 6 feet+ in height.. whereas Priya barely reached his chest.. she had no complex about being miniature.. instead she took the advantage of her size always keeping her head right over his heart.. listening to his rhythmic heartbeat gave her peace and serenity..
TO BE CONTINUED..
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