"Mumma.." Came the sleepy voice of their daughter. He moved back from her and giving her a moment to gather herself, he walked towards Peehu. "Hey Rockstar.. Good Morning.." He picked her up in his arms and kissed her cheek. She giggled as his beard brushed on her cheek. Hugging her father, she snuggled into his neck. "Good Morning papa"
Priya looked on with a smile at the two most important people in her life. How much life had changed in the last one year! She had found her love, her husband back and their daughter now had her father with her. She adored the bond these two shared and she would be overwhelmed every time she'd see them together. How guilty had she been of keeping Peehu away from Ram! but as time passed, the love in their hearts had healed them completely from the past.
He saw Priya looking at them with admiration. Her face reflecting her happiness at seeing him with their daughter. He had known how guilty she was of hiding from him, keeping Peehu away and not letting him see her grow. He was mad at her too but he had realised that no matter what, she was alive and that his 'mini me' was actually his own daughter. The past couldn't be changed but he knew there was no future without these ladies in it.
He saw her walk towards him and take Peehu from his arms. "Aap ready hoke neeche aa jaiye breakfast ke liye. I'll get Peehu dressed and join." She said to him walking out of the room. He nodded at her and went about the room putting his files, laptop and other necessities into his office bag.
He walked down to the dining table for breakfast where he saw his mother and dadi engaged in an animated discussion. "Good morning maa, good morning dadi" he wished them and bowed down to touch their feet, another habit he had developed in an attempt to teach Peehu to respect elders which the kid religiously followed.
He settled on his chair when he saw Priya come in with Peehu who, after taking blessings from her dadi and badi dadi sat down next to her dad. Ram gave her a hi-fi while Priya got their breakfast. Ram could smell the fresh Aalo Paranthas that were being brought into the room but he knew he wouldn't get them. Priya had put him on a diet of healthy food and Paranthas were definitely not a part of them. Though he would crib and whine about it, he had to agree tgat he felt much healthier and lighter than he had in years. His productivity, both physical and intellectual had gotten better and he didn't need those ridiculous tablets anymore.
He waited for Priya to get his bowl of oatmeal but was surprised to see a parantha instead. He looked up at her in confusion while she just winked at him. "Priya beta, aaj Ram ko paranthe? Kya baat hai?" His mother asked. "Woh maa.. Nothing! He's allowed to cheat once in a while na.. And it's been really long since he's had them." Priya replied and his mother nodded.
He relished his breakfast to the last bit. Asking Peehu to get her schoolbag, he walked towards the door. Priya followed him out while maa and dadi went back to dadi's room. "Priya, thanks for the breakfast. You know how much I love the paranthas you make. They were delicious." He said, holding her in his arms. She had only given him a quick kiss on his lips in reply, making it a yet another pleasant surprise. "Papa, I'm ready." Peehu came to them. Kissing her mother goodbye, the father daughter duo had set off for the day.
Ram had been busy at work with back to back meetings and multiple deals happening. Kapoor Industries was at it's peak again. He had just cracked a big deal and was happy about it. Wanting to share the news with Priya, he reached out to his phone. Just then, it started ringing and he saw Priya's name flash on the screen. Smiling to himself, he picked up the phone and told her about his achievement.
"I'm so proud of you, Ram. You are doing a great job Ram and Bauji would have been so very Proud of you if he was around today." She had said, making him feel ecstatic. "Par Ram, that doesn't mean you skip your meals. I'm sure you haven't had lunch yet. So first, go finish your food and only then are you allowed to work, okay?" He chuckled and agreed to her command. He still wondered how she knew every single thing about him. It was a mystery how she could read his mind and speak the exactly things he'd wanna hear. She was the magician who raised her wand and turned his lonely life into a fairy tale.
He loosened his tie as the car came to a halt at the basement of Kapoor Mansion, a mere house that she turned into a home with her presence. The new deal had needed some urgent decisions and he had to stay back at work. He had called up Priya and told her the same, asking her and others at home to have their dinner and sleep. She had wanted to wait for him but he had told her of the dinner meeting with the clients and she had relented. He was exhausted and all he needed now was to sleep, hugging her close to himself.
He walked into his room and was surprised to see the lights on and Priya nowhere around. His eyes fell on an open book on the bed and on looking closer, he realised it was his own diary from all those years back. The one he had used to note Priya's wishes. That was precisely the page open. He noticed something a sticky note attached to the page near the very last wish. Right below the 'Kisiko zindagi deni hai' was written 'Thanks for making it come true, yet again' in her beautiful handwriting.
He scratched his forehead once, not really grasping the meaning of the note. He then noticed her phone right next to the diary and a note on it read 'unlock the screen'. Still confused, he did as instructed and his heart was overjoyed with what he saw. He kept looking at that picture of Peehu holding a placard that read 'Mumma is pregnant with baby #2'.
He turned around, looking for her. He needed to see her, hug her and hear this from her mouth. He was overwhelmed with joy and was almost in tears. She was standing at the door of the dressing room, looking at him. He rushed to take her in his arms and she happily obliged.
"Priya ye.. Mai.. Hum.." He stuttered, unable to speak. "Haan Ram, we're pregnant!" She said, smiling at him. Unable to take it anymore, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, showing her in action how happy he was.
As they lay in bed, after what would have been the most beautiful and tender love making for them, Ram her her close to his himself. She wrapped her arms around him, his steady hertbeat lulling her to sleep. He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes. This woman definitely had him wrapped around her little finger and she had enslaved that one organ pumping blood in his body, his heart!
And with that, we come to the end of another story.. Hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as i did when i wrote it..
Loads of love...
BeingIyeristic a.k.a. Priya a.k.a RaYaKapor