NOTE: A few parts might seem like fillers but given the story is set in a whole new universe, this is necessary to give some context into the insight of few characters' lives. I am sorry if you found it boring and sorry for the long chapter too. Please do drop in your comments 🤗
Chapter 3 - My Psycho Ex-Girlfriend
“Hey hi, c’mon in!”
Brinda ushered Priya inside.
“Hope you don’t mind the mess, Dr Sood. Got here just last night.”
“Please call me Priya."
Priya took in the room that was in a complete state of disarray and she nearly tripped on one of the bags that was lying open in the living room. It appeared like a mini explosion had turned the place upside down. She could see clothes scattered everywhere with a laptop in the far end of the hall, on a desk with a pizza box next to it.
The apartment reflected Brinda’s persona – spunky, wild and carefree. Not so unlike herself she mused giving Brinda an indulgent smile.
Priya was there to check out her cousin Sara’s apartment. Sara was a physiotherapist working for a corporate hospital owned by Lifecare Group in Bandra and where Priya had recently got appointed as a cardiac surgeon in the same hospital as her cousin. After Sara’s flatmate moved out, her landlord had given the apartment on rent to Brinda who was in Mumbai for a temporary assignment. Priya had no intention of moving in with Sara as she always wanted a place for herself, but she had a tough time scouting for a place in Bandra. Since Sara was back in Pune for her vacation for a month, Sara suggested Priya move in temporarily with her new flatmate. Brinda also seemed cool with it.
“That’s perfectly all right. I am not so organized myself,” Priya assured her picking up a photo frame on the dressing table.
“Wow! You play the guitar?” Priya asked her, but Brinda gave her a sad smile taking the frame back.
“Used to but not anymore,” she replied, and Priya could sense a longing in her voice.
“Why not?”
“Well, some things change and also, I have a job that takes up most of my time. Anyways, care for some coffee? I was making some for myself anyways.”
“Sure.”
A cup of coffee and an hour later, they seemed to get along like a house on fire.
“You’re from Dehradun too?” Brinda asked Priya excitedly.
“Not exactly. I was born in Doon but we moved to Chandigarh when I was seven after Suri chachu got a transfer.”
“Joint family?”
“Well, not sure if you can call it that. A big family for sure but we are kinda scattered. Mahinder tau was settled in Delhi and after he passed away, tayiji moved to Pune with Sara. You already know about Sara,” Priya added to which Brinda nodded.
“And then back in Chandigarh, it’s bebe, Surinder chachu, mimi and Sandy. Sandy is in high school and she is the youngest in the family.”
“Mimi?” Brinda asked her puzzled.
“Meera Mimi is actually Suri chachu’s wife. Technically speaking, she is my chachi but she has been more of a mother to me than my own. I barely knew my mother to be honest. She had been suffering from Alzheimer’s for a long time before she passed away. So yeah,” Priya ended on an awkward note and broke her gaze from Brinda’s. Brinda did not fail to notice that Priya had never mentioned her father even once in their conversation and she did not wish to prod any further.
“Enough about me though. Tell me something about yourself. Is this your first time in Mumbai?”
“Yep. I am actually from Dehradun, but I moved to Bengaluru a few years ago when I landed a job in an MNC. You know, typical stuff? So, I am here on a client engagement which will wrap up in a couple of months. But I will be relocating to Mumbai soon and this time, for good,” Brinda grinned and her eyes twinkled as she flashed her engagement ring to Priya.
“That’s great! Congratulations Brinda!”
“Thanks!” Brinda replied and pointed to one of the bigger frames she had hung up on the wall that Priya had missed to notice earlier on.
“That’s my Adi,” she told her pointing to a round faced, jolly natured man as Priya took a closer look at the pictures. While Brinda was skinny to the bone, Adi was on the healthier side but despite the differences in their physical appearance, they looked very much in love.
“He owns a construction company in Mumbai – Shekhawat Enterprises.”
“Childhood sweethearts, huh?” Priya observed looking at one of the pics in the frame.
“Hmmm, you could say that I suppose. We have been friends since our second grade, but we started going out only when we were in college.”
Brinda picked up another photo and showed it to Priya. It was a picture with her gang from school.
“That’s me and Adi. Then that’s Vikrant,” she pointed to a guy with bangs.
“He is a weirdo but he is fun. And back in the day, he was obsessed with this horrible look. He called it his Tom Cruise look,” Brinda said rolling her eyes.
“And who is this?” Priya pointed to a shy looking guy in nerdy glasses. Brinda did not say anything for a second as her eyes turned misty.
“That’s Kunal,” she replied in a small voice. “He died in an accident eleven years ago.”
“Oh, am so sorry Brinda. I didn’t mean to…” Priya started but Brinda shrugged her off.
“It’s OK Priya. Anyways, that’s him and this is Ram,” she said in a bid to change the topic.
Priya squinted hard but could not make out the face as the image was blurred.
“My bestie and the life of our group,” she said beaming.
“Back when we were young, this guy would throw a ruckus to pose for a photograph and he would hardly standstill and now he gets people to pose for him,” she said shaking her head smiling at a distant memory.
Priya looked confused.
“What do you mean?” she asked Brinda.
“Heard of Ram Kapoor?” Brinda asked her to which Priya shook her head.
“He is a celebrity fashion photographer.”
“Interesting,” Priya mumbled.
“You should meet them sometime. Adi is out on a business trip but Vik and Ram are around. Hey you know what? Join us this tonight.”
“Where?” Priya asked her puzzled.
“It’s Friday night babes and we have a tradition to keep up,” Brinda told her with a playful glint in her eyes and added with a tease, “Of course I totally get it if you are not up for it. I guess doctors don’t really do wild nights.”
Priya scoffed.
“You think we are geeky nerds hiding behind ugly glasses wearing boring scrubs, hey? Well time to change that I suppose. Let’s do it your way,” Priya accepted her dare while Brinda looked impressed.
“Cool, I think I like ya already.”
**************
Talaiva, Mumbai
Vikrant was laughing his head off as Ram recounted the events that took place outside Brinda’s apartment. He was in a sour mood as it is and Vikrant’s reaction was not making it any better.
“Bro did you seriously expect her to yell and whop after your dog had broken her phone?” Vikrant asked Ram trying hard to suppress a laugh.
“Arrey I told her I will get it fixed, didn’t I?” Ram retorted angrily. “She expects a dog to be well mannered but where did her manners go when I tried to make it up to her? Fly out the window?”
“Chill maar! It’s not like she is filing a lawsuit against Whiskey. And we are in Talaiva bro. For once in your life stop being a grumpy kid and here have this.”
Vikrant thrust a glass into Ram’s hand.
“Whiskey On The Rocks!”
Ram scowled before pushing the glass back into Vikrant’s hands and turned to the bar attendant.
“One ginger ale, please.”
Vikrant guffawed.
“Ginger ale? Like seriously? Dude, you need to man up!”
Ram ignored Vikrant sipping his drink leaning against the bar counter, observing the crowd of gyrating bodies on the dance floor. Booze and parties held little appeal to him and he only tagged along to hang out with his friends but at times the ritual turned to be tiresome as he got bored easily.
“Why is it taking so long for Bri?”
“She is bringing her new flatmate with her I guess,” Vikrant replied.
“Flatmate? But wasn’t she out of town? Bri had said she won’t be coming for a month,” Ram asked him puzzled.
“Not her, I guess. It’s her cousin or something like that. More like a temporary flatmate,” Vikrant replied shrugging his shoulders and sipped his drink.
“Oh look there she is. Hey Brinda!” Vikrant waved out to Brinda to catch her attention.
“Yo Vik,” Brinda squealed as she approached them squeezing her way through the crowd and hugged both her friends enthusiastically.
“Wow Bri you finally look like a girl,” Vikrant remarked giving her a once over while she rolled her eyes at him.
“But you still look like crap,” she retorted back and grimaced looking at him. “And what’s with this weird hairstyle again?” she asked Vikrant running her fingers through his hairs which was all tousled up sticking out in every possible weird direction.
“That’s my new ultra cool sexy look” he rebuked, snubbed at the commentary about his look.
“Yeah right!” she scoffed at him. “Your fashion sense hit the rocks ever since you started dating Gothica,” she muttered under her breath. She had nicknamed Vikrant’s ex that due to her gothic fashion sense.
Ram sputtered at that last remark trying to suppress a laugh as Brinda turned on him.
“If you think you had it any better, hate to burst your bubble but I’d take Rose over Gadhika any day,” she replied while Vikrant was the one to have fun at Ram’s expense now.
“Rose didn’t bother any of us but your girlfriend….”
“Ex,” Ram corrected her.
“Whatever! But thanks to you, we had to live through your torture. Can’t forget the time when she offered to turn a stylist for Adi’s cousin’s sangeet and we were all stuck looking like pink fluffy bunnies.”
Brinda shuddered at the memory and the next instant, all three of were having a hearty laugh.
As their laughter subsided Ram remembered something.
“Hey Vik mentioned you’d be bringing your flatmate here. Where is she?”
“She is here. Must have gone to washroom. But what are we waiting for? Let’s hit the dance floor,” she said enthusiastically pulling their hands dragging them to the dance floor but Ram declined.
“I am fine here. You guys have fun.”
Ram slunk into a corner as always while Brinda and Vikrant were grooving to the beats on the dance floor. A few minutes later, they were joined by a third person whose face he could not see clearly from the distance, but he knew who it could be when Brinda beckoned him to join them.
“Priya this is Ram and Ram, Priya.”
Neither said a word for a moment until realization dawned upon them.
“YOU!”
Both of them shouted simultaneously throwing daggers at the other, while Vikrant and Brinda looked at each other and then towards Ram Priya with confusion written all over their faces.
“Well, I guess the introduction was unnecessary,” Vikrant mumbled to Brinda.
“Err……. Care to throw some light on this? You guys know each other already?” Brinda asked looking from Priya to Ram.
“I wish I hadn’t though,” Priya replied stiffly turning her face away from him.
“Feeling’s mutual,” Ram mumbled under his breath rolling his eyes in exasperation as Priya walked out of there with Brinda at her heels and Vikrant turned to Ram, giving him a What-Was-That-All-About look.
“Of all the people who’d hang out with Bri, it had to be HER?” Ram gestured by waving his hand in the direction Priya had walked out.
“Hold on! What the heck is happening?” Vikrant asked Ram tailing after him as he too made his way towards the exit.
“When did you meet Priya?”
“After listening to the full story of Ramayan, you are asking me who is Sita,” Ram taunted him.
“Sita? Who is she now?”
Ram exhaled in frustration.
“How thick can you get Vik? It’s the same girl I was talking about! I ran into her outside Bri’s apartment. Why couldn’t I figure it out?”
Vikrant looked confused for a moment and then it struck him.
“O teri! Priya is your doggy wali female kya?” Vikrant asked amused at the new turn of events.
“Don’t tell me we have to tolerate her for a whole month!” Ram groaned.
“I am not the one with doggy issues dude. She is pretty cool, if you ask me. Try talking to her once.”
“Yeah right!”
“This is gonna be interesting,” Vikrant mused shaking his head.
**********
Lifecare Hospital
It was Priya’s first day in the hospital and she was excited to embark on her new journey there. She prayed silently to Babaji to give her strength and courage to never falter in saving a life and help as many as she could. Her day had started off on a good note with the head nurse, Sister Malti giving her a tour of the hospital. They stopped by a special children’s ward which Malti explained was used for the treatment of kids with special needs from the NGO the hospital had a tie up with and whose expenses were borne by the hospital.
“Mind you, these little ones could be quite a handful. You can call any one of the staff nurse to assist you in case they go out of control, which is quite often the case here,” she told her smiling before leaving from there. Priya greeted the patients with a cheery air and read the charts clipped to the railings of their wrought iron beds.
At last, she reached the bed in the far end of the ward that was presently unoccupied. From the corner of her eye, she caught a tiny hand gripping the back railing and a pair of curious eyes peeping from behind. Stealthily Priya backtracked her steps in the pretext of picking up a pen she had deliberately dropped to the ground and grabbed the girl from behind who flailed her tiny legs in the air giggling soundlessly.
“Gotcha!” Priya exclaimed placing her on the bed while the tiny girl gave her an impish grin.
“So, what were you hiding from, hey?” she asked her in mock stern voice. The girl did not utter a word but instead she gestured in sign.
“From whom?” Priya asked her unclipping the chart tied to her bed to read her history.
“So, who de we have here? Uh, Miss Zara Motiaz?”
The girl made another gesture indicating a tall person and then she pointed to herself pinching her nose and made a notion of swallowing something bitter sticking her tongue out as Priya laughed at her antics. The kid had assumed she was on medical rounds to administer her daily dose of medicines and from the look she had given just then, Priya realised she was not too enthusiastic about it.
“Don’t worry. It’s not for another two hours,” Priya assured her pointing to the watch. She realised the girl was born mute. The girl pulled at her sleeve and gestured to the place surrounding her and told her wordlessly that she did not like the place and wanted to go from there as soon as possible.
“Hmmm…. So, you don’t like the hospital, huh?” Priya asked her arching her brows to which the girl nodded her head vigorously.
“Well in that case, you need to take all your meds on time young lady,” Priya told her and turned her attention back to the chart in her hand. As she read it, her face paled and she glanced at the six-year-old child before her who looked up at her with her innocent large, inquisitive baby brown eyes that sparked with so much life and enthusiasm that it was hard to say that her disease was ebbing away her life slowly with each passing day. That was the harsh reality of her profession where on one hand it came with the boon of saving lives, on the other, death was a bitter truth, since some things were beyond them too.
She was shaken out of her reverie when she heard her name being called out.
“Dr. Sood?”
The head nurse was back.
“I see you met little Zara,” she told her fondly bringing fresh lilies that she placed in the vase beside the window replacing them with wilted orchids.
“She is such a darling! But what a terrible fate!”
Priya clipped the chart back in place and turned to face the elderly woman.
“When was she brought here? What of her family? Is anyone here with her?” she inquired.
“She has no family Dr Sood. Her parents were originally from Iran and they died three years ago in a plane crash. Nobody from her family came to claim her and she has been with the orphanage since then. She was diagnosed with Reye Syndrome two months ago and unfortunately her condition had worsened when she was brought here. She has advanced to the second stage and there is little anyone can do now.”
And these were the times when Priya desperately wished that was never the case.
**********
Elite Studio
“Hold that pose……”
“Perfect!”
Cameras flashed and the model posed for the camera radiating confidence and plenty of oomph.
“That was fabulous Kiara,” Ram told her giving her the thumbs up. “You killed it.”
“OK guys, let’s take a break and we’ll gather here in five,” he signaled to his crew when he got a call on his cell.
“Hey Ronnie! Wassup?”
Ronnie Singh had been Ram’s mentor when he first ventured into the world of fashion and had been instrumental in helping him get his first big break.
“Ram, I have a favour to ask. It’s a photoshoot but not up your alley. Think you can do it?”
“Am cool Ronnie. Just tell me what it is.”
“Lifecare hospital wants to renovate their east wing and they will have their new childcare unit there. They want us to take few pictures with the staff and some of the children who are patients there. The photoshoot will happen in their NGO in Panchgani,” Ronnie informed him to which Ram was surprised.
“But why me, Ronnie? You can get anyone to do it.”
“Not exactly, Ram. This is not the usual kind where you get people to stand for a pose. It’s more impromptu and you know my brother-in-law is the dean of that hospital. This is a part of their most ambitious initiatives till date, and he only wants the best. I would have done it myself if I didn’t have to travel to Paris for the fashion week. Can you please cover for me?” Ronnie requested him.
Ram thought for a moment before confirming.
“Should be OK, I guess. When will it be?”
“Not for another fortnight. But before that, can you please meet Dr Mehta sometime this week? He will help you out with the details. I suppose the hospital is close by to your home. I am guessing it should not be a problem for you?”
“Nope. I will take it from here Ronnie,” Ram assured him while Ronnie thanked him.
“I always knew I can count on you Ram. I owe you one!”
**********
Ram’s penthouse
“Bri is it necessary?”
“Absolutely!”
Brinda replied in a tone of finality giving him no other option.
“Look I am not going to spend an entire summer juggling between my bestie and my flatmate. As it is, I am crammed with work in office and I am not about to spend the scanty free time I get on hand trying to resolve your issues,” she added and continued before he could protest, “and no, it’s not about one month alone. I need to hang out with her cousin when she moves in and Priya will be around us. And honestly all because your dog broke her phone? Grow up Ram!”
“What do you expect me to do?” Ram asked her incredulously lounging lazily on his recliner, throwing the smiley ball at the wall facing him, catching it every time it came bouncing back.
“Break the ice! Let’s chill in that amusement park in Mumbai-Pune highway tomorrow,” Brinda suggested catching the ball midway.
“Not again,” Ram groaned throwing a pillow at her which she dodged but Whiskey caught it and ran away from the room before Ram could call him back. He sighed and mentally added a pillow to the list of things he had to replace in his home, thanks to his dog.
“Arrey yaar I just want to unwind and relax on weekends but that’s impossible with you two around. Friday night, it’s Talaiva for Vik and you’d do anything to step out if you are at home. Besides, I hate amusement parks man. It’s just dumb rides and kiddo stuff.”
“Ram I am not asking you. I am telling you and you’re coming with us. And about rides, you don’t really find them dumb but you are scared of them,” Brinda taunted him.
“What? No way!” he scoffed.
“We shall see that.”
**********
The Next Day @ the Amusement Park
“Look I am fine with the entry pass OK? I won’t be sitting in any one of those wretched rides. So why spend a good deal of money over it?” Ram argued but Vikrant refused to budge.
“Look who's talking! Dude, you don’t have to be stingy about it. I knew you’d kick up a fuss and have your excuses ready but Bri ain’t listening to it,” saying this he pushed Ram in front of the counter where the guy operating it put a green coloured band that was meant to be a day pass around his wrist and Ram eyed it ruefully. He wasn’t much into thrill seeking and he had always been wary of roller coasters and heights.
They went inside to catch up with Brinda and Priya who were waiting for them.
Priya had got a day off from work. It had been a while since she had been to an amusement park and she had heard a lot about this place. She wanted to try all the rides and she was looking forward to a ride on their roller coaster, the latest attraction in the amusement park which was the second longest one in the world with seven inversions. She then looked at the drop tower as its gondala came down in a flash carrying its screaming riders. All around her, people of all age groups enjoying their day without a care in the world and she absolutely loved this. Given a choice, she would spend the rest of her life making the most of every moment she lived.
“Priya they’re here,” Brinda pointed out to the two boys headed their way. Ram and Vikrant gave Brinda a bear hug and Vikrant gave Priya a hi 5.
“Hey,” Ram greeted Priya hesitantly who responded back in kind. Brinda had requested her to sort out her issues with him and looking back at how things had turned out then, she realized maybe she had overreacted to the whole situation. But she was still a little miffed at him for defending his dog and now that he was trying to be civil and extend an olive branch, she saw no point in stretching this matter any further.
Priya and Vikrant were eager to try the roller coaster and that being the new addition to the roller coaster rides, there was a long queue for it. Ram tried to back out but Brinda reminded him about what he said earlier on, which gave him no choice but to tag along. Just looking at the ride made him feel nauseous and he was not sure if he would even survive it. He had been waiting for more than an hour and he would continue waiting in line for the rest of the day so long as he was not asked to sit in the damn thing but he was not so lucky – for after a long wait of 90minutes, they were hauled to the station. Ram sent a silent prayer to whoever was listening right then as Vikrant dragged him and to his utter horror Vikrant had chosen the front most seat for them and he made to take a U-turn and runaway but was pulled by Vikrant again. The girls took the seat behind them and Priya was disappointed for missing the front seat.
“I wish we could sit in the front. It would be so exciting to be the first to touch down,” Priya said reproachfully while Ram frowned at the remark.
“I just wish I am alive by the time it hits the ground,” he mumbled under his breath recalling the rollercoaster debacle in Final Destination.
“Bro this is gonna be so much fun,” Vikrant whooped as he put on his seat belt. Red warning lights began in the station area and Ram began to take deep breaths to calm his nerves which were doing a salsa right now. The roller coaster started off slowly and people behind had already started shouting and Vikrant was hooting beside him. Ram held on tight to his handlebar, squeezing his eyes tight shut and before he knew it, the roller coaster had picked up its speed, taking steep twists and turns. When he dared to open his eyes, he was hanging upside down and the next instant he was thrust downwards with hurtling speed. After an agonizing 120seconds, the roller coaster slowed down and came to a halt. Ram looked white as a sheet and he scrambled out in a hurry heading straight to the washroom nearby while Vikrant doubled over laughing.
“I am…. never ever…. gonna forget this one,” he told in between his laughs. “Poor Ram!”
Brinda and Vikrant teased Ram once he was back while Priya laughed along with them.
“Quite the faint hearted, aren’t you?” Priya asked Ram when Vikrant and Brinda were taking selfies.
“What do you mean?” he asked her annoyed.
“We all saw how you well you handled one ride,” she pointed out with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
“What the…...? Nothing like that, OK. It’s……umm…. just that…………”
Ram fumbled looking out for an excuse while Priya gave him a quizzical look.
“Haan! It’s because I had just then eaten cupcakes and I felt nauseous. That’s it,” he told her shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, but Priya was not buying this.
“Really? I am sure your…. err….stomach is pretty much empty now that you…….” she pointed out in the direction where he had run previously while Ram look thoroughly embarrassed.
“So how about that?” she pointed to the drop tower gleefully.
Ram gulped down nervously looking at it. That drop tower was touted to be the tallest one in Asia that dropped riders from a height of 180 ft above the ground.
“What happened? Not much of a brave heart there, are you?” she teased him as Ram closed and opened his mouth like a gaping fish wondering how on earth he would tackle this now.
“No,” he replied shaking his head. “No, that’s…. that is……. Yeah, am cool with it!” he told her putting on a brave face.
“Perfect,” Priya replied smugly and called Brinda and Vikrant to join them.
“What? Are you serious bro? Look I know you don’t do heights……” Vikrant tried to stop Ram for he knew Ram was acrophobic since childhood.
“Vikrant!” he interjected loudly putting his arm over his shoulder and whispered in his ears, “don’t make falooda out of my honour dude, not in front of her. I can handle this.”
Vikrant looked dumbfounded and so did Brinda, but they said nothing. They boarded the gondola with Vikrant and Brinda taking seats at the opposite side and Ram Priya sat down facing the front. If the roller coaster had been a nightmare, then this was a trip straight to Hell for Ram. He had always been terrified of heights and just seeing this from a distance had made him feel dizzy on countless occasions. As he waited for it all to be over, the catch mechanism lowered down to hook onto the gondala to hoist it up. As the gondola ascended upwards slowly Ram began to get more and more terrified and he pursed his lips tight shut. Priya felt a twinge of guilt for having provoked him.
“Ram, relax! You can close your eyes, it will be all over,” she tried assuring him but Ram stared ahead seeing the view before him. Had it not been for the fact that he would soon be plummeting downwards, and he hoped not to his death, he would have appreciated the spectacular view before him. He would have probably captured it in his SLR too but right now all he could think of, was the moment the gondola would be dropped from the summit.
The gondola ascended to the peak where the viewers were allowed a few seconds to enjoy a good view of the landscape around them. Priya reached out and caught Ram’s hand out of impulse and gave it a light squeeze. Ram turned to look at her and she beckoned him to close his eyes by blinking hers. For reasons unknown to him, Ram felt the urge to heed her words and he closed his eyes. The catch mechanism released the gondola and as it came plunging downwards with all the riders screaming their lungs out, Ram only felt a sense of weightlessness and freedom but not fear. In a heartbeat they had touched the ground. Everyone began to get down from their seats when Ram felt the soft pressure of a tiny hand resting on top of his. Priya instantly withdrew her hands like she had been electrocuted and jumped from her seat running to join Brinda and Vikrant while Ram pondered over what just happened. He could not shake off the moment when Priya had assured him it would be all right and he felt a sense of deja vu. He had felt this before, but he was not sure where.
The rest of the day went good, and Brinda and Vikrant decided not to force Ram anymore for the rides.
It was nearly 7pm in the evening and the sun was now beginning to set with everyone around them winding up for the day. Brinda and Priya bought a fancy bunny hairband for themselves and were engrossed in their selfie mode. The girls had thoroughly enjoyed themselves and the boys as well. Ram had taken part in the arcade games and won a big bag of assorted chocolates of around 2kg, most of which was eaten by Vikrant and he was fairly certain he would not have much baggage to take back with him now. Ram drove his Audi in silence while the girls chattered away happily behind him.
Vikrant and Brinda were happy since their plan had worked and even though Ram Priya hadn’t really bonded like best of buddies, they were not giving the other a cold shoulder which was a start.
After a 2 hour drive, Ram pulled up in front of Brinda and Priya’s society complex. As they were getting down, Ram called out to Priya.
“Priya?”
“Yeah?”
“I just wanted to say…. umm…..thanks…. you know for……” he tried to but she brushed him off.
Neither of them said anything for a few seconds.
“I am sorry,” Priya said startling him.
“Sorry? For what?” he asked her.
“I should not have goaded you to do that. I didn’t realize you were acrophobic before.”
“Don’t be,” he assured her. “You didn’t drag and tie me to that thing.”
Just then her phone buzzed, and she checked out her notification.
“You bought a new phone?” he asked her pointing to the cell she had just then pocketed but instantly regretted doing that.
“You gave me no choice,” she replied in a stiff voice thinking of her old phone to which Ram got offended.
“Hey, I did offer to get it fixed,” he reminded her.
“Have you ever heard of the saying Prevention is better than cure?” Priya asked him in a derisive tone.
“What does this have anything to do with a phone?” Ram retorted.
“Not with a phone but has everything to do with your dog,” she countered and added, “why bother with damage control when you can very well prevent it?”
Some of the camaraderie they had established over the day began to dissipate as the environment was beginning to get slightly tense.
“Oh for the love of!!!!!!!” Ram exclaimed clutching his hair before turning to face her.
“It was just an accident all right and Whiskey doesn’t go about breaking phones on a regular basis for me to keep a check on him. Poor thing doesn’t even know what a cell phone is,” Ram defended his dog yet again. He always got touchy where it concerned Whiskey. He loved him like a friend and pampered him like a parent, so there was no way he would let anyone tell him off.
“Then you should teach him what he can or cannot take for a chew toy instead of letting him lose on a rampage like that. And wait a sec. You call your dog Whiskey? Like for real?” she asked him disbelievingly.
“What the….? I call him Whiskey, Rum, Brandy, Vodka or Scotch, that’s my business. Why do you care?” Ram shot back.
Vikrant and Brinda were looking at the pair of them bickering, tired of it already.
Priya shrugged her shoulders.
“Not surprised actually. Weird names for a dog is not really a concern when people are weirder,” Priya remarked crossing her arms looking away.
“Peace out,” Vikrant intervened stepping between them.
“You guys got started again?” Brinda said throwing her hands up in the air.
“Were you ever planning on apologizing to me?” Priya asked Ram haughtily.
“For what? For letting you insult my poor dog for no good reason? That’s just a God damn phone but you care little for a living thing that breathes, eats and sleeps,” Ram bit back at her.
“You forgot to mention another thing – breaks cell phones too!”
“Do yourself a favour and record that line. Will spare you the trouble of saying it again and again!” Ram told her in an irritated tone.
“And yeah, about the apology, I wanted to, back then but you never gave me a chance. Now I don’t see a point to it anyways. So next time you expect people to say something to you, make sure you give them a chance to speak first!” and with that Ram got back into his car beckoning Vikrant while Priya glared at him.
But before Vikrant could get inside, his jaw dropped, and he looked like he had seen a ghost. Brinda too froze in her tracks.
“Vik what’s wrong….” Ram got down from his car to see what was it all about but if Vikrant and Brinda looked shocked, Ram felt like he’d been hit by a thunderbolt. And certainly not in a good way.
Priya was perplexed looking at the petrified look on the trio’s faces, especially at Ram who looked like he would be anywhere but there at that instant. She didn’t have to try hard to get her answer though as her eyes fell on the person standing opposite her in front of Ram’s complex. Well, she was certainly an eye catcher, with long tresses that fell in ringlets at her waist and a face woven right out of a man’s fantasy. Creamy peach complexion with rosy cheeks, her violet hues encased in almond shaped eyes and a dazzling smile that complimented her dreamy looks, she looked like a live Barbie doll dressed in pink floral dress with matching accessories, which were again, Priya noted in pink. Right from her fancy hairclip down to her stilettoes. The outburst of pink emanating from her would momentarily render anyone colour blind.
“Oh no! This is bad news!” Brinda groaned from behind.
“What’s this all about?” Priya asked Brinda in a low tone.
“Arrey yaar, remember? I had told you about Ram’s ex-girlfriend na? It’ her! Gadhika… I mean Vedika Kumar!”
Priya now remembered Brinda telling her about Vedika in one of their casual chats. So Ram’s ex-girlfriend with an unhealthy obsession for pink was back? Served him right Priya thought savagely.
Vikrant was the first to recover from the shock.
“Hey Vedika! Nice to… err…. see you here,” he told her casting a furtive glance at Ram whose face was drained of all colour.
“Hey Vikrant, Brinda! Ram – I missed you so much my munchkin,” she cooed running up to hug him while Ram looked helplessly at his friends.
“Aww I know my baby was all heartbroken when I left him but now, I am back honey,” she told him interlinking her arms with his while Ram’s brain was working at jet speed trying to figure how to walk out of this nightmare. Vedika wanted to get back with him? His day could not have ended on a more horrible note. But Vedika was blissfully oblivious to the tumult wreaking havoc on his mind and thought Ram would be jumping with joy to get her back.
“You know I didn’t really want to leave you baby and Shashi was such a moron. And I can’t believe it took me two years to realize that, you know?” she asked Ram pouting while he tried to smile feebly at her which looked more like a grimace. She continued to chatter away but Ram was not listening to a single word she was saying.
“Eww! Ram you get back with her, I swear am gonna kill you!” Brinda muttered to herself.
“Cool, now you guys can have a reunion party,” Priya whispered in Brinda’s ears. “Besides this is not really my place. So am outta here. Can you please give me the keys?”
She took the keys Brinda handed to her and brushed past Ram when he pulled her to him while extricating his other arm carefully from Vedika’s. Both the girls were astonished by his move, especially Priya. Ram probably knew he was about to do the most insane thing ever but he did not care so long as he ensured Vedika would never want to come back to him.
“Vedu,” he began with a slightly apologetic note in his voice.
“Baby I want you to meet my wife Priya,” he told Vedika mentally cursing himself while Priya was utterly shocked.
“Your what?” Vikrant yelled while Brinda’s eyes literally bugged out of their sockets.
“You got married?”
Vedika was shaken and the next moment tears brimmed in her kohl lined eyes.
“Vedu I am so sorry baby, but you know after you left, it was so hard on me and then I met Priya,” he said in a mock sad tone and turned to look at Priya, silently pleading her to play along with him but Priya was beyond furious. She knew he was faking it to get rid of his girlfriend, but she was in no mood to become the scapegoat. Well, he was not the only one to play games she thought and turned to Vedika.
“Oh so you’re Vedika? He keeps talking about you often and yeah it was so, so hard on him when you walked out you know? Poor thing was pining for you,” Priya replied sarcastically patting Ram’s cheek while Ram looked puzzled but he played along giving an awkward laugh wondering what Priya was up to now. And why was she overplaying it? He would have found it perfectly normal had she been mad at him but he could not fathom what was playing on her mind.
“But you know what? Let me make it easy for you guys. I mean who am I? Just a shoulder for you to cry on over your broken heart, right baby?” she asked him giving him a malicious smile while he tried to signal her to stop whatever it was she was doing.
“Vedika, you see he is still clearly not over you! And since we are getting divorced in a couple of months, he is all yours!”
“Divorced?” Ram yelped while Vikrant and Brinda mutely watched this exchange.
“Honey don’t be so surprised! This had to happen sooner or later and Vedika will always be your first love and she has come back. So, I don’t want to be a hurdle between the two of you. I know you want to be with her and I can let you go if that makes you happy,” Priya told him sympathetically placing Ram’s hand in Vedika’s.
Brinda beckoned Vikrant to come closer and asked him, “Dude is this some kinda shitty soap opera? What are the two up to?”
“What am I to know? Ram orchestrated the whole thing. First an eye candy girlfriend to annoy his mom and now a fake wife who can’t stand him. He only gets out of one pit to land in another.”
“Ram it’s OK. You don’t have to explain anything,” Priya told Ram in a sugar-coated voice when he tried to say something and walked away from there leaving him stumped to deal with his psycho ex-girlfriend all by himself.
Edited by BeyondHorizon - 3 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
