Part 5
Sara and Priya went out that night for dinner. Pihu ran off to the restaurant’s play-place, Sara saw it as a chance to talk to Priya about something that had been bothering her. She saw Priya fidgeting and asked her.
“Is everything alright, Priya?”
Priya looked toward Pihu and replied.
“I am just afraid, what would happen if Pihu came across Mr. Kapoor or any of his family members.”
Sara placed her hand on Priya’s and gently spoke.
“I am sorry, Priya. I’ve made it even more difficult for you with my situation with Vikrant. I assure you I tried to stay away but…”
Priya shook her head and replied.
“Di, you have nothing to apologize for. You deserve your chance at happiness.”
S: “What about your happiness? Ek baar Ram se baat toh…”
P: “Nai Di! Whatever happened is in the past now. My happiness is Pihu and Pihu only.”
S: “But what about Pihu? Don’t you think it’s her right to get to know her father? What will you do when she eventually wants to meet him? Kab tak tu usko ye stories suna k behlati rahay gi?”
P: “Di apko pata toh hai. Don’t you remember? I tried. Maine yahi socha tha keh mai Mr. Kapoor ko sab sach bata dungi. Isi liye mai teen saal pehle ayi thi yahan. I never wanted to lie to him in the first place but back then, the situation was such that I had no choice.”
She had a flashback of that fateful day when Nandini Kapoor had come to her jail cell. She’d tried to force her to lie using Mr. Kapoor and Ishaan. Priya was emotionally at her worst at the time. When she didn’t agree to her demands, Nandini hit her where it hurt the most. She’d told her.
“Dekho Priya, you’ll have to do as I am telling you. Warna accident toh kisi ka bhi ho skta hai. Jese meri Shivi chali gayi, ho skta hai tumhara bacha is dunya mai aanay se pehle he… Tum samajh rahi ho na. Tumhara paon phisal sakta hai ya jail ke khanay mai kuch… Tumhe lagta hai Ram mjhe chor kar tumhari baat par yaqeen kare ga. Woh toh tmse yahan milne bhi nahi ayega jab tak mai na chahun.”
That had done it for her. She had to protect her child even if it meant destroying every chance at her own happiness. Even then, she knew in her heart that he’d see through her lies. Initially, he did react exactly how she expected him to but then the stacks against her were way too high. He’d succumbed to it too. For her part, she’d thought she deserved to be punished so she’d stopped trying. She’d rejected every help he sent through Adi, Kunal or Vikrant but he didn’t come himself other than that one time. She didn’t have a choice, but he’d given up on them way too easily. She didn’t hold that against him for she understood his position. What he did two years later was something she’d never forgive him for.
Coming out of her reverie, to her sister she said.
“Di, anyways it is all over now. If he wants to be a part of Pihu’s life, I won’t stop him but we’re over. I hope you’d respect my decision and keep your promise to me.”
“Acha baba! I’ll do whatever you say but tell me. If you’re over him, why haven’t you still signed the divorce papers? Usne toh kr diye thay na.” Sara reasoned.
Priya didn’t answer and got up instead to call Pihu back.
The next day, Sara, Priya, and Pihu went to a mall for shopping. Sara’s friend accompanied them. The four of them made their way into a store. A few minutes later, Ram walked into the same mall.
Ram walked into the store Brinda had told her about. As soon as he walked in, a young woman walked toward him and asked.
“Mr. Ram Kapoor?”
When Ram replied in the affirmative, she continued.
“You’re late. I’ve been waiting for you. Brinda wasn’t exaggerating. I like you.”
“But I came at the time Bri told me to. Look I am busy. Kaam krte he, I need to leave.”
“Oh fast! But I am fine with that too… Wait, is that a wedding ring? Are you married? Phr bhi…”
Ram was confused.
“Haan… nai… woh… Pr uska is se kya lena dena hai.”
The lady smiled and replied.
“Agar apko lagta hai ke lena dena nahi hai toh theek hai. Apki wife ko problem nai e?”
“Meri wife ko… kya matlab… usko problem kiun hoga. Woh toh… hai b nahi. I…I don’t understand.”
Ram was wondering why this salesgirl was so interested in his personal life. They surely didn’t need all this information just to pick up a parcel. He turned his attention back to her when she said.
“So… let’s go grab something to eat and get to know each other better.”
“Pr jo mujhe apse chahye uske liye apko jaanne ki kya zrurat hai. Aap bas mujhe de den. I’ll make the payment here.”
She seemed offended at that. Ram couldn’t understand why though. So, he went on.
“The parcel Bri asked me to pick for her husband. It would be either under Brinda’s name or Aditya’s.”
She relaxed a bit and replied as realization dawned on her.
“Oh! So, Brinda didn’t tell you, you were coming here to see me. Anyways, since you’re here now, let’s go grab a coffee.”
Ram sighed, as he realized Brinda’s plan. To her, he said.
“I am sorry for wasting your time. I am not interested.”
He started to walk away. She spoke from behind him, making him stop.
“Because you’re still interested in your wife, jo ab hai nahi.”
Angira didn’t want to let go of him. She was very interested. Who wouldn’t want a man who loved like that? His pain drew her to him. She wanted to be the object of his affection, the way this woman was, who’d left him long ago. Brinda had told her, that they separated five years ago. She’d mentioned his wife just to see his reaction. She was a sucker for men who went all in, in love. Even if her friends thought there was something wrong with her, so be it.
Ram turned around the corner to see if she was still following him. This one was, by far, the weirdest woman Brinda had tried to hook him up with. He heaved a sigh of relief when he realized, he’d finally managed to get her off his back.
His attention shifted to the small bakery in front of him.
Pihu was constantly fidgeting and getting cranky. She stomped her foot and refused to go any further. Priya bent down to her level and asked her.
“What is wrong, beta?”
“I am hungry. Your shopping is going on and on. When will this end?” Pihu whined.
“Just five more minutes, Pihu. Sara Maasi needs to buy one last thing and then we’ll go eat whatever my baby wants. Okay?”
Priya tried to placate her.
“I can take her to eat something and then you two can join us in the food court.”
Sara’s friend, Preeti offered. Before Priya could say anything, Sara agreed.
As Pihu and Preeti walked away, Priya said to Sara.
“Di, we need to hurry up. I am worried. What if he is here?”
Sara laughed and replied.
“Just calm down Priya, woh koi bhoot hai kya jo har jaga ajaega?”
Priya shook her head and voiced her concerns.
“Di. I am just worried. If he sees me with Pihu, how would he react? Agar unho ne Pihu ke samne kuch keh diya, who boht choti hai, uske zehn pe bura asar paray ga.”
“Priya, if you think he’s that bad, why do you keep painting such a nice picture of her father in front of Pihu? Vese bhi, I don’t think Ram would say anything.”
Sara countered to which Priya replied.
“I don’t want Pihu to grow up with feelings of inadequacy. Mai nahi chahti ke usko pata chalay k uske baap ne usko thukra diya tha. I don’t want her to try to prove her worth to her father jese maine Mahendra Sood k samne kia. Isi liye mai nahi chahti k Pihu Mr Kapoor se milay.”
Sara held her hand and spoke.
"I know you want the best for Pihu but you need to stop comparing your relationship with our father with Pihu's."
“Give me that chocolate truffle cupcake.”
They both spoke at the same time pointing toward the last one available. Ram looked down to see a little girl with chubby cheeks and bluish green eyes looking up at him.
“Excuse me, I asked for it first, so it is mine!” Ram told her.
“No, you didn’t. I was here first.” The little girl huffed and countered back.
“Mjhe nai pata. Main le raha hoon ye.” Ram told her.
“Ek second! Yahan pe bacha kon e Uncle?” She spoke as she put her hands on her hips.
“Maare gye!” Ram muttered as he saw Angira approaching. “Ye toh glue ki tarah chipak e gayi hai!”
Pihu followed his line of vision and asked him.
“Do you want to get rid of her? I can help you. Maine ye kia va hai pehle b handsome, I mean apne friend k liye.”
When Ram agreed she continued.
“Meri payment. She pointed toward the cupcake.”
“Okay. Fine.” Ram replied, flustered.
“Pinky promise?”
The little girl held up her little finger. Ram was reminded of Priya’s pinky promise but he quickly brushed her thoughts aside and spoke.
“Haan haan theek hai.”
Before Angira could call out to him, Pihu spoke loudly.
“I love you! Papa”
Ram looked at her surprised. She came forward and hugged his legs.
“Woh cupcake le ke do na Papa.”
“Papa!” Angira gasped.
“Haan ye, ye meri beti hai!” Ram replied as he picked her up.
“What? Nobody said anything about a daughter.” Angira spoke in a disappointed tone.
“Ye new mummy en Papa?” Pihu asked innocently.
Angira reacted as if someone had stabbed her. A child would complicate things. Her interest in Ram evaporated suddenly.
“Nai! Koi Mummy vummy nai. Main mummy lagti hoon kya. Tum sambhalo apni bachi. Mje mummy nai banna!”
Both of them laughed as she ran away.
Ram bought the cupcake and was about to walk away when Pihu called after him.
“Aap promise thoro ge?”
Ram thought to mess with her a little, so he turned back and said.
“Mjhe toh koi promise nai yaad. Vese b agar mai ye kha loon toh tum kia karo gi? Ye mera hai. Maine khareeda hai.”
Pihu made a face and said.
“Main shor macha dungi k Papa khud cupcake kha rae en aur choti si beti ko diya e nai. Ye mera hai. I’ve earned it.”
He instantly handed it to her and stammered.
“Kia cheez o yaar tum, ye…ye tum le lo. Kya meri bezti krwao ki ek dum.”
Preeti finally saw Pihu and ran to her. While trying to catch her breath she said to her.
“Pihu esay bhagtay nai en beta. Ye cupcake kahan se lia?”
Pihu continued to devour the cupcake, while Ram asked Preeti.
“Ye apki beti hai? Boht pyari hai, par boht hosheyar bhi.”
“Thank you but she’s a friend’s daughter. Sorry apko tang kiya isne.”
“Maine kab tang kiya. Maine toh help ki.”
Priya stood outside the building that had been her workplace, years ago. Her apprehension at the moment was that this building also housed his office. The man she didn’t want to come across at any cost.
“Shukar hai, floor different hai. Jaldi se ye files Mr. Agarwaal ko pakra k bahir nikl aungi. Lekin kal phir presentation k liye yaheen ana paray ga.”
She asked Pihu to wait in the lobby area while she’d go up to deliver the files. After asking the receptionist to keep an eye on Pihu, she took the stairs to go up.
“Kia baat hai. Aaj boht arsay baad tumhe smile krte huway dekha hai. Did you like her?”
Adi commented as he entered Ram’s office.
“She was something!” Ram replied. “Cute bachi thi yaar.”
“Ab bachi toh na bol usko. She was at least twenty-five, twenty-six.”
Adi countered.
“Aray main us Angira ki baat thori kr raha hoon. Main ek bachi se mila jisne meri Angira se jaan churwai. Aur yaar Adi please Brinda ko bol ke ye sab band kr de. Mje nahi chaye koi bhi.”
Vikrant walked in that instant and informed them.
“Mr. Agarwaal is about to arrive from Delhi. Official meeting toh kal he karenge. He wanted to meet informally once before that. Ram I’ve been calling you.”
“Mera phone… Oh I think I forgot my phone in my car. I’ll go grab it.”
Vikrant offered to get it for him, but Ram declined.
“I’ll go get it myself. Get the conference room ready for tomorrow, then.” He gave them instructions as he walked out of his office.
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