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Part~23
Priya left the Shergill House and reaching Kapoor Mansion, she had promised herself to stay as calm and normal as possible. Maybe she was overreacting, it's not something Ram can control. And plus, there was nothing like that anymore. It was clear that Ram loved Sonali, or else he wouldn't be this hurt.
She reached Kapoor Mansion, only to find Ram pacing back and forth down the living room, nibbling away on his nails, a bad habit he had when he was really nervous. She noticed he was still in his pajamas, meaning he had done absolutely nothing productive today. Which means he probably hadn't had anything to drink...that was a plus point.
'Priya'. Ram gushed, as soon as he saw her shadow approaching the house.
Priya gulped, hoping she wouldn't rush up the stairs and refuse to meet his eyes. For some reason she was embarrassed, she didn't know why but there was a little piece of embarrassment floating around in her.
'I'm so sorry'. Ram began. 'Mera aisa koi iraada nahi tha, tumhe hurt karne ki ya phir tumhe uncomfortable feel karaane ki'.
The whole family had crowded around them, and Priya just reddened even more. She silently wished Ram could've arranged to have this talk in a more private place. Having this discussion, especially in front of Krishna and daadi, was not really the best setting.
'It's fine'. Priya managed to choke out in between her loud thumping heart beats.
'Tum naaraz toh nahi ho naa mujhse?' Ram asked.
'Nahi'. Priya quickly replied.
'You're sure?' Ram confirmed.
Priya looked around again. Everyone's eyes widened with curiousity. Priya had hoped they weren't aware of what was going on. Even Bansi Kaka had been eavesdropping from the corner of the kitchen's exit.
'Bolo naa!' Ram urged her.
'Andar jaake baat karein?' Priya quietly asked, finding the guts to actually say something, not realizing she was going to be alone in a room with someone who used to love her...or loves her, well it was complicated.. 'Yeh sab kuch living room mein karna zaroori nahi'.
Priya realized she was going to face Ram alone now, and she had done it at least a million times in this lifetime, so it shouldn't be a big deal. But after coming to know everything, this gave her the shivers. She didn't know why, but it did.
Ram led her upstairs to his Ran, closing the door behind her gently. The two of them were seated across each other on the comfortable single seated couches. 'Kya hua?'
Priya was tugging on her handbag uneasily, she didn't know what to say and there was no reason for them to have this talk alone. She looked at him awkwardly. 'Kuch nahi'.
'Arre! Kuch nahi matlab?' Ram crossed his eyebrows.
'Kuch nahi matlab...kuch nahi!' Priya repeated innocently.
'Toh yeh sab kya hai?' Ram asked.
'Kuch nahi'. Priya replied again.
'Priya stop this game. I'm serious, jo bhi hua aaj subah uske liye mein jaanta hoon tum bohot affected hui ho'. Ram said. 'Please tum naaraz mat ho mujhse'.
'Nahi hoon naaraz. Galti thodi kiya aapne'. Priya slightly chuckled.
'Toh aaj subah tum itna naaraz kyun ho gayi thi! Dara diya tumne mujhe!' Ram almost yelled.
'Mere liye aasan thodi hai yeh believe karna ki aap mujhse pyaar karte the! Anyway jo hua so hua, che saal ki baat hai toh it's okay. As long as ab aisa kuch nahi hai humaare beech'. Priya said.
'Nahi, bilkul nahi. Mere hisaab se tum dost se badhkar kuch nahi ho, aur usse kam bhi kuch nahi'. Ram said.
'Likewise'.
'Good, ab yeh saara confusion clear ho gaya toh...it's good'. Ram sighed.
'Haan'. Priya agreed.
'Waise...mujhe bhi tumse kuch poochna hai'. Ram stated. 'I need an answer from you too'.
'Haan, kya baat hai?' Priya asked.
'Yaad hai jab meine tumhara phone check kiya tha?' Ram asked.
'Haan'. Priya replied.
'Meine poocha bhi tha tumse, ki tum kisse itna zyaada baat kar rahi ho internationally jiske liye naa tumne contact save rakha hua hai naa koi naam. Mujhe...mujhe uss sawal ka jawab abhi bhi chahiye'. Ram demanded.
'Achanak...kyun pooch rahe hain aap aise?' Priya asked.
'Priya please, batao mujhe. Meine tumhe apni zindagi ka itna bada sach bata diya, toh tum bhi bata sakthi ho mujhe'. Ram replied.
'Ram yeh sab karna abhi zaroori hai kya?' Priya crushed her eyes shut. 'Aur waise bhi, aapke saath itna kuch hua hai...mein nahi chaahti ki yeh sab mere uppar aa jaayein. Already bohot kuch ho raha hai aapke saath, mere saath...I don't want to add on to that list of drama'.
'Priya, please. I don't want to think about that now. Jo bhi hua hum dono ke saath, I think acche ke liye hi hua. Meine iss baare mein bohot bohot bohot zyaada socha, aur meine realize kiya ki zindagi ko aage badhana hi hoga. Beech mein aise rukh nahi saktha kyunki mere saath yeh sab hua. Hota hai yeh sab kuch. I guess I have realized and accepted this'.
'Ram that's good. Yeh sab...this helps a lot! Aur mein jaanti hoon, aapke liye bohot kuch pada hua hai jo aapko dher saari khushiyan degi. You deserve the best, aur mujhe poora yakeen hai ki aapko wahi milega'. Priya smiled.
'Thanks'. Ram returned a smile back. 'Tumhe bhi'.
'Thank you'. Priya blushed slightly.
'Ab please, batao mujhe. Kaun tha woh? Shaadi ke liye koi tha kya? Tum bata sakthi ho mujhe, I won't feel bad'. Ram assured her. 'Kisse baat kar rahi thi tum jo India mein nahi rehta? Priya tumne sirf uss insaan ko ek-do baar call nahi kiya, tumne at least 30 times dial kiya hoga!'
'Nahi woh nahi hai...bas, mujhe nahi pata agar mein ready hoon aapko bataane ke liye. Matlab...it's a huge part of my life Ram. Yeh kahaani bataakar shayad aapki soch jo hai meri taraf, woh poori tarah se badal sakthi hai'. Priya warned him.
'I won't judge you'. Ram promised. 'Aur chaahe jo bhi ho jaayein, hum dono ke beech kuch nahi badal saktha. Even a million fights can't change our bond'.
'Ram, I'm serious. Yeh jo mein bataane jaa rahi hoon aapko...shayad meri zindagi ka sabse bada sach hai, aur mein khud iss reality ko accept nahi kar sakthi toh...aapko accept karna, mein already jaanti hoon yeh bohot hi mushkil hoga aapke liye'. Priya sighed.
'Priya stop hesitating. Jo bhi hai tum mujhe bata sakthi ho'. Ram said.
'Okay'. Priya took a deep breath.
'Whenever you're ready'.
'Ram...umm...meri...meri ek beti hai'. Priya hesitantly but finally said.
-xxx-
Priya left the Shergill House and reaching Kapoor Mansion, she had promised herself to stay as calm and normal as possible. Maybe she was overreacting, it's not something Ram can control. And plus, there was nothing like that anymore. It was clear that Ram loved Sonali, or else he wouldn't be this hurt.
She reached Kapoor Mansion, only to find Ram pacing back and forth down the living room, nibbling away on his nails, a bad habit he had when he was really nervous. She noticed he was still in his pajamas, meaning he had done absolutely nothing productive today. Which means he probably hadn't had anything to drink...that was a plus point.
'Priya'. Ram gushed, as soon as he saw her shadow approaching the house.
Priya gulped, hoping she wouldn't rush up the stairs and refuse to meet his eyes. For some reason she was embarrassed, she didn't know why but there was a little piece of embarrassment floating around in her.
'I'm so sorry'. Ram began. 'Mera aisa koi iraada nahi tha, tumhe hurt karne ki ya phir tumhe uncomfortable feel karaane ki'.
The whole family had crowded around them, and Priya just reddened even more. She silently wished Ram could've arranged to have this talk in a more private place. Having this discussion, especially in front of Krishna and daadi, was not really the best setting.
'It's fine'. Priya managed to choke out in between her loud thumping heart beats.
'Tum naaraz toh nahi ho naa mujhse?' Ram asked.
'Nahi'. Priya quickly replied.
'You're sure?' Ram confirmed.
Priya looked around again. Everyone's eyes widened with curiousity. Priya had hoped they weren't aware of what was going on. Even Bansi Kaka had been eavesdropping from the corner of the kitchen's exit.
'Bolo naa!' Ram urged her.
'Andar jaake baat karein?' Priya quietly asked, finding the guts to actually say something, not realizing she was going to be alone in a room with someone who used to love her...or loves her, well it was complicated.. 'Yeh sab kuch living room mein karna zaroori nahi'.
Priya realized she was going to face Ram alone now, and she had done it at least a million times in this lifetime, so it shouldn't be a big deal. But after coming to know everything, this gave her the shivers. She didn't know why, but it did.
Ram led her upstairs to his Ran, closing the door behind her gently. The two of them were seated across each other on the comfortable single seated couches. 'Kya hua?'
Priya was tugging on her handbag uneasily, she didn't know what to say and there was no reason for them to have this talk alone. She looked at him awkwardly. 'Kuch nahi'.
'Arre! Kuch nahi matlab?' Ram crossed his eyebrows.
'Kuch nahi matlab...kuch nahi!' Priya repeated innocently.
'Toh yeh sab kya hai?' Ram asked.
'Kuch nahi'. Priya replied again.
'Priya stop this game. I'm serious, jo bhi hua aaj subah uske liye mein jaanta hoon tum bohot affected hui ho'. Ram said. 'Please tum naaraz mat ho mujhse'.
'Nahi hoon naaraz. Galti thodi kiya aapne'. Priya slightly chuckled.
'Toh aaj subah tum itna naaraz kyun ho gayi thi! Dara diya tumne mujhe!' Ram almost yelled.
'Mere liye aasan thodi hai yeh believe karna ki aap mujhse pyaar karte the! Anyway jo hua so hua, che saal ki baat hai toh it's okay. As long as ab aisa kuch nahi hai humaare beech'. Priya said.
'Nahi, bilkul nahi. Mere hisaab se tum dost se badhkar kuch nahi ho, aur usse kam bhi kuch nahi'. Ram said.
'Likewise'.
'Good, ab yeh saara confusion clear ho gaya toh...it's good'. Ram sighed.
'Haan'. Priya agreed.
'Waise...mujhe bhi tumse kuch poochna hai'. Ram stated. 'I need an answer from you too'.
'Haan, kya baat hai?' Priya asked.
'Yaad hai jab meine tumhara phone check kiya tha?' Ram asked.
'Haan'. Priya replied.
'Meine poocha bhi tha tumse, ki tum kisse itna zyaada baat kar rahi ho internationally jiske liye naa tumne contact save rakha hua hai naa koi naam. Mujhe...mujhe uss sawal ka jawab abhi bhi chahiye'. Ram demanded.
'Achanak...kyun pooch rahe hain aap aise?' Priya asked.
'Priya please, batao mujhe. Meine tumhe apni zindagi ka itna bada sach bata diya, toh tum bhi bata sakthi ho mujhe'. Ram replied.
'Ram yeh sab karna abhi zaroori hai kya?' Priya crushed her eyes shut. 'Aur waise bhi, aapke saath itna kuch hua hai...mein nahi chaahti ki yeh sab mere uppar aa jaayein. Already bohot kuch ho raha hai aapke saath, mere saath...I don't want to add on to that list of drama'.
'Priya, please. I don't want to think about that now. Jo bhi hua hum dono ke saath, I think acche ke liye hi hua. Meine iss baare mein bohot bohot bohot zyaada socha, aur meine realize kiya ki zindagi ko aage badhana hi hoga. Beech mein aise rukh nahi saktha kyunki mere saath yeh sab hua. Hota hai yeh sab kuch. I guess I have realized and accepted this'.
'Ram that's good. Yeh sab...this helps a lot! Aur mein jaanti hoon, aapke liye bohot kuch pada hua hai jo aapko dher saari khushiyan degi. You deserve the best, aur mujhe poora yakeen hai ki aapko wahi milega'. Priya smiled.
'Thanks'. Ram returned a smile back. 'Tumhe bhi'.
'Thank you'. Priya blushed slightly.
'Ab please, batao mujhe. Kaun tha woh? Shaadi ke liye koi tha kya? Tum bata sakthi ho mujhe, I won't feel bad'. Ram assured her. 'Kisse baat kar rahi thi tum jo India mein nahi rehta? Priya tumne sirf uss insaan ko ek-do baar call nahi kiya, tumne at least 30 times dial kiya hoga!'
'Nahi woh nahi hai...bas, mujhe nahi pata agar mein ready hoon aapko bataane ke liye. Matlab...it's a huge part of my life Ram. Yeh kahaani bataakar shayad aapki soch jo hai meri taraf, woh poori tarah se badal sakthi hai'. Priya warned him.
'I won't judge you'. Ram promised. 'Aur chaahe jo bhi ho jaayein, hum dono ke beech kuch nahi badal saktha. Even a million fights can't change our bond'.
'Ram, I'm serious. Yeh jo mein bataane jaa rahi hoon aapko...shayad meri zindagi ka sabse bada sach hai, aur mein khud iss reality ko accept nahi kar sakthi toh...aapko accept karna, mein already jaanti hoon yeh bohot hi mushkil hoga aapke liye'. Priya sighed.
'Priya stop hesitating. Jo bhi hai tum mujhe bata sakthi ho'. Ram said.
'Okay'. Priya took a deep breath.
'Whenever you're ready'.
'Ram...umm...meri...meri ek beti hai'. Priya hesitantly but finally said.
-xxx-
