Part~33
Hey guys!
Firstly, thanks so much for helping me reach 100 pages! Really wouldn't have been possible without you guys!
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Sanjana
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Ram and Priya had spent a lovely evening, and it wasn't overly romantic, but it was almost perfect. Both of them had no idea what perfect really meant in terms of dates, but this felt pretty amazing so it was perfect to them. They headed back to the hotel, and just spent a while casually chit chatting with one another.
'Kaash papa hote aaj'. Priya sighed. 'Kitne khush hote woh, pata hai? Hum dono ko ek saath dekhkar unko bohot khushi hoti'.
'He's still watching us, Priya. Uncle jahan kahin bhi hai, I'm sure he's really happy'. Ram assured her.
'Aur maa'. Priya continued. 'Maa toh khush hokar pagal bann jaati. Hamesha chedti rehti thi mujhe, ki mein aur aap...ek saath...', Priya's voice trailed off.
'Accha?' Ram said.
'Haan. It's so sad that mere family mein ek bhi member nahi hai jiske saath mein yeh khushi baant sakhoon. Kartik aur Ayesha mere baare mein shayad bhool gaye honge'. Priya's eyes welled up with tears.
'Aise kaise bhool sakthe hain? Don't even think like that. Duniya ki sabse acchi behen ho tum, they can't forget you like that. Lekin...I'm still not sure about the fact that you haven't told them anything. Priya, bohot ho gaya ab yaar. Tum mere saath ab kaafi mahine se reh rahi ho, kyun nahi bata sakthi ab? Ek din agar woh dono khud hi aa jaate hain Sudhir uncle se milne ke liye? Tab tum kya bologi, kaise bologi? Tumhe kabhi maaf nahi kar paayenge! Uncle toh unke papa bhi hain na, sirf tumhare thodi hain'.
'Mujhe bataana toh hai Ram, mein bataana chaahti hoon lekin uske saath saath I know ki mujhse nahi hoga. Mein nahi keh paaungi unn dono se kuch bhi, trust me'. Priya told him.
'Mein hoon na! Agar zyaada kuch bol diya dono ne toh mein sambhaal lunga! Yaar woh dono mere chote bhai behen ke tarah hain. And agar unn dono ko itna fikar tha tumhare ka ya uncle ka, toh ek baar phone kyun nahi kiya? Lekin phir bhi, jo bhi ho, they have a right to know. Humaara koi hak nahi banta itni badi baat ko chupaane se. Bataana padega, Priya'. Ram sighed.
'Fine, lekin Mumbai jaakar. Mein yahan rehkar kuch bhi theek se soch nahi paa rahi hoon, seriously. Itna sab kuch ho gaya ki mujhe toh saans hi lena mushkil ho raha hai'.
'Mumbai waapas jaana hai tumko?' Ram asked.
'No, abhi ke liye mein yahin theek hoon. I just need some time to take everything in'. Priya mumbled.
Priya had seated herself on the king sized bed, with her legs crisscrossed. She had started fidgeting with her fingers uneasily- a habit she had been practically born with that she'd do whenever she was nervous. Ram sat beside her, and placed a gentle and comforting hand on top of hers.
'Kya hua?' Ram asked. 'Kyun ro rahi ho?'
'Sir phat raha hai mera. Phat jaayega ek din mein. Itna kuch sehen liya hai, ab aur nahi kar sakthi. I just want a stop to this Ram. Kitna kuch hai jo bas khaate jaa raha hai dhimaag ko. Khushi hai, meri ek beti hai, abhi tak believe nahi kar paa rahi hoon. God, I don't know where to start with Khushi. Phir hum dono hain, there's us too'. Priya sniffled.
'Hum dono ko kya ho gaya? Mein hoon toh naa tumhare paas'. Ram said.
'Ram das saal ki dosti ab pyaar bann chuki hai. Does that not scare you? Mein koi mazaak nahi kar rahi hoon yahan, I actually love you jab ki meine socha tha that mein kabhi bhi pyaar kar hi nahi sakthi after Ashwin. Hum dono ke beech mein kitna kuch badalne waala hai! There's a tremendous difference between love and friendship, chaahe woh dosti kitni bhi gehri ho!' Priya exclaimed.
'Tum kehna kya cha rahi ho, Priya? I don't understand'. Ram frowned in confusion.
Priya took a deep breath before she began.. 'All I'm saying is...yeh mere liye, it's...it's really different for me. In fact, different would be a goddamn understatement. Mujhe bas yeh samajh mein nahi aa raha hai ki yeh sab ho bhi gaya toh kaise? How did this happen?'
'Kya...kya yeh tumhare liye bohot jaldi hai? Hum dono wait kar sakthe hain Priya, agar tum iss wakt ready nahi ho iss relationship ke liye toh phir we can sideline this. Dekho mein sirf yahi chaahta hoon ki tum mentally stable ho jaao. Iss liye tumhe aaj baahar lekar gaya, that's why. Agar tum mentally stable nahi ho toh yeh sab kuch baad mein aa saktha hai, it can wait. Tum bhaag kahan rahi ho mujhse, I'm telling you, apne liye agar tumhe thoda sa wakt chahiye then let's pause this'.
'Kuch nahi samajh mein aa raha hai, god'. Priya sighed, choosing not to reply to Ram.
'So jaao'. Ram suggested, rubbing the hand of hers he was holding and warming it up.
'Nahi, I'm feeling restless, it's a ridiculous feeling. So nahi paaungi mein'.
'Toh kya aise hi raat bhar rone ka iraada hai tumko? You haven't slept in god knows how many days, okay? So jaao. Hum kal baat karenge, jo bhi hai baat karne ke liye, we'll do it tomorrow'. Ram told her.
'Okay'. Priya sniffled, wiping her tears away.
The next morning:
Ram had woken up to Priya tugging on his shirt nervously the next morning.
'Ram'. Priya continued tugging on his shirt. 'Uthiye, naa'.
'Kya hua?' Ram groaned sleepily, rubbing his eyes. 'Itni jaldi kyun uth gayi tum? It's 6:45, Priya'.
'Mein so nahi paa rahi hoon'. Priya replied.
'Tabiyat toh theek hai?' Ram asked.
'Haan'.
'Kya hua tumko? Kuch kehna chaahti ho?' Ram questioned.
'Haan'.
'Haan toh kaho, kya hua? Sab kuch theek toh hai?' Ram jerked off the bed, getting worried.
'Mujhe waapas Mumbai jaana hai, Ram'.
'Haan toh jaayenge naa. Mein baad mein tickets book karwa leta hoon, bas so jaao tum'. Ram promised.
'Nahi, Ram. Mujhe abhi jaana hai. Mein raat bhar uthke pack kar rahi thi. I even packed your suitcase. Mujhe waapas abhi jaana hai. Nahi rehna yahan pe'.
'Arre...kya hua tumhe achanak? Kal hi toh keh rahi thi ki tum nahi jaana chaahti ho. Tum theek toh ho, Priya?' Ram asked.
'Haan, Ram, mein theek hoon. Please chaliye naa. Meine sab kuch tayyar kar diya, aapko sirf tickets book karne hai'. Priya pleaded.
'Ek minute, just breathe. I think you're getting restless, Priya. Meri baat maano tum, haan. Tumhe aaram ki zaroorat hai, really. Aankhon se saaf nazar aa raha hai ki tum theek se soyi nahi kaafi din se, and you even look a little weak. It's not a good idea for us to go back to Mumbai, especially now'. Ram said.
'Mein nahi rehna chaahti yahan pe, Ram, samajhne ki koshish kijiye naa. Please, kaise samjhaaun aapko?' Priya sighed.
'Priya, tum toh dara rahi ho mujhe. This is not you, yaar. Tum aise behave nahi karti ho, kya ho gaya achanak? Tumhe Khushi se milna hai kya?' Ram asked.
'Nahi milna, Ram, please. Mujhe bas Mumbai waapas lekar chaliye, I'm begging you. Please...mujhe nahi rehna yahan pe, I just really want to go home'. Priya continued begging.
'Accha theek hai, agar tum itna hi insist kar rahi ho mein tickets book karwaata hoon'. Ram agreed, reluctantly.
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In the flight:
Ram knew he wouldn't be able to handle Priya in any stopover, so he made sure to book a direct flight from Boston to Mumbai for his peace of mind and her peace of mind. There was just about less than an hour for landing, and more than Priya, Ram wanted to go to Mumbai now so Priya was in a better atmosphere. She really concerned him earlier that morning, and Ram knew that even his help was just not sufficient to boost her confidence.
'Priya'. Ram called out.
'Haan'.
'Mujhe tumse kuch baat karna hai'. Ram said.
'Kahiye'. Priya permitted.
'Priya, aaj subah jiss tarah se tumne mujhe uthaaya aur jiss tarah se tumne mujhse kaha ki tumhe waapas Mumbai jaana hai...matlab...all of that really concerned me, honestly. Tumhe dekhkar mujhe pata lag gaya ki tum apni normal self nahi ho...there was something different about you today and that really scared me, Priya'.
'Mein...mein samajh nahi paa rahi hoon, Ram. Aap kya kehna chaahte hain?' Priya raised an eyebrow.
'Don't take this in the wrong sense, okay? Mein sirf tumhe madad karne ki koshish kar raha hoon, believe me'.
'Kya hai?' Priya urged.
'Priya, mujhe lagta hai ki tumhe kissi ko dekhna chahiye. I mean... I think you need help to talk through your feelings, honestly. Tum mujhse open up nahi kar paa rahi ho...maybe seeing a...a therapist or a counsellor will help you?' Ram suggested.
'What rubbish! Pagal ho gaye hain aap?' Priya yelled, attracting a bit of a crowd. 'What the hell do you think of me, Ram? Mein kya pagal lagti hoon aapko? You're saying I need to see a therapist? Ram, I'm fine! Mein theek hoon! Pagal nahi ho gayi hoon mein, samjhe aap? Bas shaher se jaane ke liye request kar rahi thi mein aur aap mujhe pagal samajhke rakhe hue hain? What is wrong with you? Itna bhi bharosa nahi hai aapko mujhpe ki mein khud ka khayal rakhoon? I'm not a child, Ram. I know what I feel and I know how I feel, I don't need any therapy or counselling!'
'Arre! Tum gussa kyun ho rahi ho? I'm trying to help you! Mein help nahi karoonga toh kaun karega? Tumne apne aapko dekha hai, Priya? Have you seen the way you've been behaving? It's scary! Mein nahi chaahta ki tum aise ho! I'll do anything to have the real you! Kyunki yeh tum nahi ho!'
'Mujhe aapki help ki zaroorat nahi hai! Jab zaroorat padegi toh mein khud maang lungi! I haven't asked for any help from you, Ram! You've done everything, and I appreciate that par meine aapse kabhi bhi help nahi maanga!'
'Tumhe maangne ki zaroorat bhi nahi hai, Priya! Okay? Tumhare friend hokar mujhe fikar thi tumhari, and iss liye meine jo bhi kiya kiya. And abhi bhi tumhare liye fikar karta hoon and that's why I think it's important for you to see someone!'
'Just leave me alone, Ram. Mein apna khayal khud rakh sakthi hoon, you hear me? Bacchi nahi hoon mein, and you really need to understand that'.
-xxx-
CID
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
