FF: Raya Story - New Chapter 21 updated, Pg 54 on 27 Nov 2016 - Page 16

Chapter 13

Ram and Mr Desai reach Bangalore around 5 PM. Ram explains to Mr Desai that he has a prior engagement to meet someone in Bangalore. Asks him to take a cab from airport to the hotel.. He will catch up with him later. Ram had arranged for a car for them.. and takes that to go and meet Priya and her family... He calls Priya's house...

Ram: Hello, is this Priya's house?

Shipra: Yes, this is her house. May I know who is speaking? This is her mother speaking

Ram: Namaste Aunty, Main Ram bol raha hoon..

Shipra: Ram.. Kaun?

Ram: Aunty, main Krishna ka beta... Mumbai...

Shipra: Oh.. Ram... Sorry beta pechana nahi...

Ram: Aunty, Aap ghar pe ho? Uncle hain?

Shipra: I am home.. Uncle to abhi 10- 15 mins aa jayange... Kyun beta..

Ram: Main Bangalore aaya hoon...kaam ke silsile main... Abhi airport se nikhla hoon aur hotel jaa raha tha.. Maa ne aapka address diya tha mujhe... Kyunki aap ka ghar raste main padtha hain... Maine socha ki aap free hain to main aa saktha hoon kuch der ke liye...

Shipra: Not sure what to answer... Priya or yeh bhi ghar pe nahi hain... kaise bolo... ekdum se... Accha hi hain.. agar yeh dono mile tho... ...Long pause...

Ram: Aunty??

Shipra: Haan beta.. Sorry.. Tum aa jao... Directions patha hain ghar ka?

Ram: Aunty, No problem... I have a driver... use patha hain area... I will see u in an hour or so aunty...

Shipra: Teek hain beta.. Bye...

Shipra gets all worked up.. ek ghante main... Pehle nahi call karsaktha tha kya... Ghar pe kuch hain bhi nahi... Ok... She calls Sudhir and explains the whole situation and also asks him to get some snacks on his way... Next she calls Priya...

Priya: Maa... Aane main der ho jayegi... Kal ke liye kaam bhaaki hain..

Shipra: Dekh Priya... Ram ne abhi call kiya tha...

Priya: Ram ne?? Kyun?

Shipra: Haan... Woh ghar aa rahay hain... ek ghante main... Tu ghar aaja... tumhara kaam kal dekh le tu...

Priya: Maa... Kal subah ke liye hain.. yeh kaam... I can only try... woh call karke pehle batana tha na ... Earliest I can leave is an hour... Kuch experiment ke beech main hoon maa...

Shipra: Dekh main kuch nahi janti... tu aa rahi hain... Bye...

Shipra is wild... She does not like that Priya.. is not leaving everything and coming home for this... Forget it.. will worry later.. Now.. House needs her attention... and sets the house and snacks (after Sudhir brings) up for the guest. Shipra and Sudhir wait for Ram..

Priya is trying to finish her stuff ASAP... But she knows she will not be able to head out in time...Maa is going to be angry...He should have informed earlier.. not your fault Priya... And gets back to finishing her last past of the experiment..

Ram reaches Priya's house at around 6 PM...

Shipra: Ram beta.. aao andar aao... Koi pareshani nahi hui naa ghar doondene main?

Ram: Nahi aunty.. Koi problem nahi hui... Ek minute.. I will just remove my shoe aunty...

Sudhir: It's ok beta.. waise hi andar aao...

Ram: No problem uncle... removes shoe and walks in

Sudhir: Aao beta ... Come sit...

Ram: Thanks... Aap log kaiso ho?

Sudhir: we are doing good beta... How are you?

Ram: I am good too uncle...

Sudhir: Juice piyoge?... Arey Shipra... zara juice lana...aur snacks bhi le aana..

Ram: Ok... Priya??

Sudhir: She is not at home beta... she should be on her way home from work beta...

Ram: Oh.. Ok... Sorry Uncle... I should have informed earlier... This morning I knew I was travelling to Bangalore... Aur mujhe pata bhi nahi ta.. if I will get time today... Isliye.. till I reached Bangalore I did not call... I am here on work uncle.. back to Mumbai on Friday early morning...

Sudhir: Arey beta no problem... Usually Priya is back... She has some important meeting tomorrow... she is prepping for that... Isliye aaj late hain... warna by this time she is home... Aur Shipra ko shayad.. yeh pata nahi ta...

Ram: No problem uncle...

Sudhir: Ek minute beta... main abhi aata hoon.. Runs inside.. helps Shipra with the snacks and juice... Shipra calls Priya... Priya says I am leaving in 15 mins Maa... Traffic will be high... I can't come sooner... Shipra is disappointed. Conveys this to Sudhir..

Meanwhile Ram looks around.. and sees a picture.. and smiles... It's an adorable picture of Priya... as a kid... having cake on her face... Hands...

Sudhir: Beta yeh lo... toda snacks aur juice..

Ram: Thanks uncle... eats some snacks... and enjoys it thoroughly.. Aunty.. it is very nice.. Aapne banaya?

Shipra: Nahi... Yeh sab ghar ka nahi hain... Yahan ek bakery hain.. wahin se hain...

Sudhir: Very nice bakery.. Priya loves the snacks from there...

Ram: Nice uncle...

Ram enjoys the snacks...Has a good conversation with Sudhir and Shipra... Looks at his watch a couple of times.. No sign of Priya... I am getting late.. How long will I keep talking to these people... I better go... Sudhir observes Ram's behavior and realizes that Ram is getting impatient and probably late as well... Sudhir changes the conversation..

Sudhir: Beta.. Kal Shaam ko free ho?

Ram: I am not sure uncle... Kyun uncle?

Sudhir: Beta.. Priya ko aane me aur thodi der ho jayegi... Tho main aur Shipra soch rahe the.. ki kyun na kal aap dono.. dinner pe chale jao...

Ram: Uncle... idea tho acchi hain.. aur mujhe aaj late bhi ho raha hain... Kya main aapko kal afternoon ko bata saktha hoon.. I am not sure kal shaam ka kya program hain...

Sudhir: Teek hain beta... I do not know my daughter's program as well... But I can persuade her for tomorrow evening...

Ram: Ok uncle... I will take leave.. Very nice meeting both of you...

Sudhir and Shipra: Same here beta... Very delighted that you could come...

Ram: Kal call kartha hoon... Bye...

Shipra just cannot fathom ... as to how Priya did not make it in time... Is angry... Sudhir calms her... and tells her... Don't worry Shipra... They will go for dinner tomorrow... Call Priya and see where she is...

Priya is on her way home... Just 5 mins from home, within the colony... Thinking it will be her parents... calling... she stops her dio... picks up the phone...

Sudhir: Where are you beta?

Priya: I am almost there papa...

Sudhir: Ok beta... See you soon... Anyway Ram has left... no need to tell anything now.. let her come home...

While Priya.. keeps the phone back inside... She hears somebody calling out... Looks around to see if they are trying to reach her... She turns...

Ram leaves Priya's house... Directing the driver to take him to the hotel... Just after few mins ... He asks the driver to stop the car... And reverse a few car lengths... Ram cannot believe ... who he is looking at... she is on the phone... least bothered what is going around her... All those feelings.. he tried to put away... to try and pursue this marriage proposal... come flushing into his mind... he can't take his eyes off her... Almost staring from the car... he rolls down his window.. and instructs the driver... to park on the side... He gets off... meanwhile she has finished the call... He calls out to her... not even knowing her name... She turns...