Part~24
'Meri ek beti hai'. Priya finally said.
Priya squirmed uneasily on the couch, fidgeting with her fingers and purposely avoiding eye contact with Ram.
If Ram could turn back in time to this very moment, he was almost sure he'd find his jaw drop just a few inches after hearing this.
'What?' Ram gasped.
'Haan'. Priya mumbled.
'Priya...m-mein...mein samjha nahi'. Ram stammered.
'I have a daughter, Ram'. Priya repeated.
'L-lekin...kaise? Yeh...yeh sab? Kab? Who's the father?' Ram stuttered. 'Ashwin toh nahi hai, Priya?'
'Haan, Ashwin hi hai. Meine aur Ashwin ne sirf iss liye shaadi karne ki decision nahi li kyunki hum dono ek doosre se pyaar karte the. Shaadi hone se pehle hi...mujhe pata lag gaya tha ki mein pregnant ho gayi hoon, I had made a huge mistake Ram. A big mistake. Protection kahin baar nahi use kiya hum dono ne. Aur issi liye hum dono ne shaadi karne ki decision liya tha. Kyunki iss bacche ko paalna sirf shaadi ke baad ho saktha tha. Lekin jaise ki aapko pata hai, Ashwin khud hi shaadi pe aaya hi nahi. Maa aur papa, dono ne kaha ki iss bacche ko abort kar lo kyunki hum log naa financially stable the iss bacche ko support karne ke liye naa mentally. Matlab, bacche ko paalna...bada karna...bohot bada responsibility hai, lekin iss bacche ki kya galti thi? Iss bacche ki koi galti thodi thi! Iss liye...I had this baby, lekin meine iss bacche ko adoption centre mein daal diya deliver karne ke baad. Meri beti...US mein hai, apni nayi family ke saath. Mein bas ussi family ko contact karne ki koshish kar rahi thi taaki mein apni beti se ek baar baat kar loon, lekin...contact nahi ho paa raha'. Priya wiped the tears streaming down her face.
'Oh my god'. Ram uttered in shock.
'Aap...gussa toh nahi hai naa mujhse?' Priya sniffled silently.
'Tumne mujhe...bataaya kyun nahi?' Ram choked out.
'Pata nahi...iss baare mein baat karna, mere liye bohot mushkil hai'. Priya wiped her face again.
'Priya...this...this is huge! Kissi aur...ko pata hai?' Ram asked.
'Nahi. Aapke siwa, yeh baat kissi ko nahi pata hai. Shaadi ke wakt pe it was still my second month of pregnancy, toh koi guests ko pata nahi chala'.
'Oh my god'. Ram held his head to support himself.
'Mujhe bohot bura lag raha hai...uss bacchi ko aise hi akhele chod diya meine. Pata nahi kaisi hai, kis haal mein hai, I know nothing about her. Mujhe yeh bhi nahi pata ki woh family jiske saath woh rehti hai..woh family acchi bhi hai ki nahi. I just want to find out if she's okay. That's it! Sach toh yahi hai Ram ki woh meri beti hai'.
Priya was crying bitterly at this point. And she couldn't help it, her eyes were uncontrollably pouring down with tears.
Ram did feel sorry for her, at the same time he was a bit hurt that she hadn't told him about this. And to top it all up, the truth was Priya's a mother, technically she is.
'Priya, kya tumne itne saalon mein uss bacchi ko contact karne ki koshish ki thi?' Ram asked.
'Nahi. Mein itni tooti hui thi, aur mera mann hi nahi kiya. Mujhmein koi himmat nahi thi. Lekin...pata nahi kaise, lekin...kahin na kahin, woh himmat mujhmein aa gayi thi'. Priya wiped her tears.
'Priya...mein maanta hoon ki tumne uss bacchi ko janam diya hai, lekin...', Ram's voice trailed off, unable to get the words out.
'Haan, I know! Mein iss baat ko already accept kar chuki hoon ki...ki mein uski maa hoon lekin nahi hoon. Ram mujhe bas yahi jaana hai ki woh theek hai ki nahi. That's all'. Priya sighed.
'Theek hai Priya, then that's what's going to happen. Hum US jaayenge, aur tabhi waapas aayenge jab poori tarah se tum convince ho gayi ho ki woh theek hai'. Ram promised her.
Priya couldn't believe her ears. Ram hadn't even stopped to think for a second, about anything. Without even her asking, he had taken a decision for her. 'Ram...lekin-',
'Lekin kya? Arre, Priya, woh tumhari beti hai! Tumhe itna toh hak banta hi ki tum pata karein ki woh theek hai ya nahi! Tum kuch galat nahi kar rahi ho! Mein hoon tumhare saath, hum dono chalenge US'.
Ram had taken Priya's hands in his, not to just assure her with words but to assure her with his heart.
A spark of something travelled up Priya's body. Ram had touched her hand many times, countless times! They had hugged a million times, but she never felt that spark. This...this was different. Today, she felt awkward, and...and she blushed. Today, she couldn't get the two simple words of thank you to get out of her mouth. And all of this was because of one touch? Was that really it? One..single..touch?
'Kya hua?' Ram shook her hands.
Priya regained senses instantly. 'Kuch nahi...mein bas yahi soch rahi thi ki I am really blessed to have a friend like you Ram. Thank you, so so much'.
'You're welcome'. Ram smiled warmly.
'Ram waise abhi jaana koi zaroori nahi hai. Aapke saath itna kuch ho raha hai, mein nahi chaahti ki mein aapke dhimaag mein aur tension daal doon. Ek-do mahine tak hum log wait kar sakthe hain, usse zyaada bhi. Koi jaldi nahi hai'. Priya said.
'Priya hum aaj nikal rahe hain. Aur mujhe bas Mumbai se door jaana hai, Sonali se door...I just need a break. Aur uske saath mein yahi chaahta hoon ki hume jald se pata lagein ki woh kaisi hai. Tum bas apna samaan pack karo, aur apna adoption waali forms bhi tum lo. They will want to see that'. Ram told her.
'Ram...woh adoption forms mere paas nahi hai'. Priya said.
'Tumhare paas nahi hai matlab?' Ram asked.
'Woh papers...Sharma House mein hi hai'. Priya sighed.
'Oh god'. Ram muttered.
'Aur aaj hi jaana...koi zaroori thodi hai Ram. Hum log baad mein bhi jaa sakthe hain'. Priya continued.
'Nahi, hum log aaj nahi toh kal jaayenge Priya. Aur adoption papers yahan nahi hai toh kya hua, ghar jaake collect kar sakthe hain'. Ram said. 'Chaabi mere paas hi hain uss ghar ke'.
'Theek hai aap apna packing shuru kijiye, mein jaakar collect karti hoon'. Priya said.
'Sure? Tum akheli uss ghar jaa paaogi phir se?' Ram asked.
'Haan'. Priya sighed. 'Mein theek hoon. Aap bas chaabi dijiye mujhe, aur mein ek ghante mein aa jaaungi'.
'Tumhe pata hai na ki woh log kahan rehte hain?' Ram asked.
'Haan mein adoption papers collect karke adoption centre bhi jaaungi, aur proof dikhaakar ki mein janam dene waali maa hoon woh log bata sakthe hain mujhe ki woh kahan hai'. Priya explained.
'Priya in that case mein bhi chalta hoon tumhare saath'. Ram decided. 'Tum akhele manage nahi kar paaogi'.
'Ram mein theek hoon koi baat nahi'. Priya assured him.
'Priya please, tum kuch nahi kahogi iss mein. Mein aa raha hoon tumhare saath and that's final'. Ram sternly said.
'Theek hai let's go'.
-xxx-
Kumkum Bhagya
Tu Dhadkan Main Dil
