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SS: Kuch kehna tha...
Priya sat slumped on the couch...Though in the morning she was feeling really happy but in a few hours it changed to gloom... She remembered when Ram asked her to give away the cheques for Diwali Bonus in the office... she felt odd but strangely nice... She had taken care to dress properly, in a light blue sari with pearl drops, bangles, a bit of lip gloss. For the first time in her long life she felt like getting dressed... She was going to his office and she certainly didn't want to give his employees any scope of criticism... Not that they would have spoken about the 'Boss's Wife' publicly, but one could always feel what impression they made on others...
Her mind drifted off to the appreciative glance he got from Ram when she was interacting with the employees, who were pretty bemused by the fact that their Boss's Wife was speaking to them in such a nonchalant, sweet way...
For a moment a smile spreads on her face... they left no opportunity to remind themselves that this relationship is nothing but a compromise... but she wondered till how long they could hide themselves behind that veil... one day would come when that veil will fall and they would have to accept themselves... As soon as she tired to envisage their future, Ashwin's image popped up... After many moths she had seen him... in Ram's office... handing over the cheque of Diwali bonus... he worked in Sid's office...
Ashwin did not behave out of turn, he walked upto her normally and accepted the cheque when she forced a smile... but he did seem self-conscious and she not mistake those burning eyes when Ram was introducing her to the board members and other important people... His eyes were on her, she could not have hallucinated... Later during lunch, he did want to speak to her, made an advance towards her, but she had royally snubbed him, sticking to Ram's side... For some unwitting purpose, she felt protected being with Ram, as if he was guarding her despite being unobvious to the fact...
She knew ashwin was sick and not someone on whom she should waste her thoughts and time but that irritatingly nagging feeling did not leave her ever since she returned... Some peculiar instinct within her warned her that Ashwin was upto something... and he would leave any stone unturned to get even with her... After that day near the elevator, she was so sure the man who was once her very good friend, was a slimy swine...
She wondered whether she should tell Ram about Ashwin... Would he be bothered at all?? Would he care??? What would be his reaction??? Will he feel bad??? A part of her felt like pouring it to Ram, clearing the mist... but a part of her was filled with doubt... Not that she couldn't handle Ashwin, but what if things take a different turn... Would Ram trust her??? Would he defend her integrity??? Or would he like Lord Ram question her????
Ram entered his room... seeing Priya today in the office was like a breath of fresh air... she so pretty, classy and charming, almost all his employees were mesmerized by her spell of magic... He could read the admiration in their eyes for his wife... With the whole world she was this angle descended form heaven, but with him she was a Hitler, fighting with him all the time... She was a walking, talking contradiction... or did she have a split personality... Seems like he always got the evil side... He smiled to himself... watching her...who seemed to be in the world of her own...
Whenever he returned form office, it was her usual din which welcomed him... something or the other always came up and they had to brainstorm over it... But today she was in deep ponder... and oblivious of anything else... She didn't even greet him good evening as always... He yearned to listen to her...
"Priya..." he called out, loosening his tie... she didn't react...
"Priya..." he called out again... breaking her train of thoughts...
"Huh...Mr. Kapoor..." Priya got up...
"Hi..." he said eying her, she seemed to be stressed...
"Hi...Good evening... Kuch lenge..." she asked a bit absentmindedly...
"Kya hua..." he asked, looking at her...
"Kya kya hau..."
"Tumhe kay hua..."
"Kuch nahin...kkkuch bhi toh nahin...i am fine..."
"Really..."
"Ya...i am fine...main chai leke aati hoon..." she ran out of the room, leaving behind Ram who was sure something was not right... Priya and so absent-minded, it was not possible... she always had something to speak...and today she didn't even tease him...
XXX
Night...
Ram was half-lying on the bed...working on his laptop... there was an important presentation to be reviewed... Priya as usual settled on the couch...tossing and turning in that little space which was enough for her slim form...
After a while he saw her sit up, throwing away the comforter in frustration...
"Kya hua...neend nahin aa rahin hain..." he asked not lifting his head from the computer screen...
"Nahin..." she sulked...
"Kyun...aaj toh main kharate bhi nahin le rahaa hoon..." he commented... making her smile...
"Woh..." priya hesitated... Ram shut down the laptop...
"Kya hua priya...main shaam se dekh rahaa hoon...is something wrong..." he asked looking at her directly... Was he actually concerned??? She questioned herself... she decided she would tell him...otherwise she wouldn't be able to have a peaceful mind... Her father used to say that when something bothers oneself, one should always talk to someone...
"Mr. Kapoor... Kuch kehna tha..."
"Haan..."
"Aaapko Ashwin yaad hain..." she asked...
"Kaun..." Ram tried to recollect...
"Woh jo meir buildign main rehta hain... aap ek baar mile the, lift ke saame..."
"Haan...oh yaad aaya...usse toh maine Sid ke office main bhi dehta tha...wahi hain na..." Ram said...
"Haan... woh... Main... Ashwin aur Shruti... we were in the same college... and were very good friends..." Priya took a deep breath...
"It was our graduation day, ashwin... told me that he liked me and wanted to get married...i said i needed some time... i liked him, but i wasn't sure... then i started my job... we met quite often... And i said yes... to him... Our families were also happy... par..."
"I told him that i would like to give my salary to papa... Kartik aur ayesha bohot chotte the...papa ki salary bhi zyada nahin thi... Ashwin ki maa was against this...she wanted a bahu who would bring money... We broke up..."
"Kuch din i was sad but then i moved on... it was not be... lekin kuch din baad mujhe pata chala ki Shruti my best friend and Ashwin were getting married... main jhoot nahin boloongi...i felt bad, i felt hurt... two of my very good friends betrayed me... but i did not say anything... i was happy for them..."
"Aap soch rahe honge ki main aap ko yeh sab kyun bata rahin hoon... Uss din jab aap mujhse milne aaye the...Kartik aur natasha ki patch up ki baat karne... toh ashwin mila tha mujhe... and he was speaking nonsense... he...he wasnted to have a realtionship with me... i couldn;t beelive my ears... I was so angry with him... amine bohot kuch keh diya usse...then you walked in... aur issilye... woh...maine aapko mera fiance kaha... I... I... aaj jab maine usse office main dekha toh... i felt odd... as if woh kuch karne waala ho... I... mera yakeen kijiye...i have nothing to do with him..."
Priya lifted her face to look at him... he sat expressionless... his silence was killing her...
"Priya... please...mujhe koi safaai dene ki zaroorat nahin hain... tumhe kuch kehne ki zaroorat nahin hain..." he said... priya sighed with relief...
"Tum chaho toh i can get him fired..." he said...
"Nahin...nahin... i mean...he has a family to run...it would be unfair..." she said...
"Unfair...ussne jo kiya tumhare saath...uske baad...main tumhari jagah hota naa...i would have strangled him..."
"He is not that important to me Mr. Kapoor..."
"Toh tumne mujhe yeh sab kyun bataya..."
"Pata nahin... i felt like telling you..." she said, unsure...
"Wahin kyun..." he was looking at her keenly...suddenly the distance between them seemed to vanish... he wished she sat near him... so that he could comfort her fears...
"I know aap kabhi nahin poochenge... par mujhe laga ki aapko batana zaroori hain..." she said simply... Ram was almost speechless for a moment...
"Its late priya...go to sleep...aur forget about everything... the past is gone..." he said...
"Good night... Mr. Kapoor..."
"Good night...Priya..."
END...
Priya sat slumped on the couch...Though in the morning she was feeling really happy but in a few hours it changed to gloom... She remembered when Ram asked her to give away the cheques for Diwali Bonus in the office... she felt odd but strangely nice... She had taken care to dress properly, in a light blue sari with pearl drops, bangles, a bit of lip gloss. For the first time in her long life she felt like getting dressed... She was going to his office and she certainly didn't want to give his employees any scope of criticism... Not that they would have spoken about the 'Boss's Wife' publicly, but one could always feel what impression they made on others...
Her mind drifted off to the appreciative glance he got from Ram when she was interacting with the employees, who were pretty bemused by the fact that their Boss's Wife was speaking to them in such a nonchalant, sweet way...
For a moment a smile spreads on her face... they left no opportunity to remind themselves that this relationship is nothing but a compromise... but she wondered till how long they could hide themselves behind that veil... one day would come when that veil will fall and they would have to accept themselves... As soon as she tired to envisage their future, Ashwin's image popped up... After many moths she had seen him... in Ram's office... handing over the cheque of Diwali bonus... he worked in Sid's office...
Ashwin did not behave out of turn, he walked upto her normally and accepted the cheque when she forced a smile... but he did seem self-conscious and she not mistake those burning eyes when Ram was introducing her to the board members and other important people... His eyes were on her, she could not have hallucinated... Later during lunch, he did want to speak to her, made an advance towards her, but she had royally snubbed him, sticking to Ram's side... For some unwitting purpose, she felt protected being with Ram, as if he was guarding her despite being unobvious to the fact...
She knew ashwin was sick and not someone on whom she should waste her thoughts and time but that irritatingly nagging feeling did not leave her ever since she returned... Some peculiar instinct within her warned her that Ashwin was upto something... and he would leave any stone unturned to get even with her... After that day near the elevator, she was so sure the man who was once her very good friend, was a slimy swine...
She wondered whether she should tell Ram about Ashwin... Would he be bothered at all?? Would he care??? What would be his reaction??? Will he feel bad??? A part of her felt like pouring it to Ram, clearing the mist... but a part of her was filled with doubt... Not that she couldn't handle Ashwin, but what if things take a different turn... Would Ram trust her??? Would he defend her integrity??? Or would he like Lord Ram question her????
Ram entered his room... seeing Priya today in the office was like a breath of fresh air... she so pretty, classy and charming, almost all his employees were mesmerized by her spell of magic... He could read the admiration in their eyes for his wife... With the whole world she was this angle descended form heaven, but with him she was a Hitler, fighting with him all the time... She was a walking, talking contradiction... or did she have a split personality... Seems like he always got the evil side... He smiled to himself... watching her...who seemed to be in the world of her own...
Whenever he returned form office, it was her usual din which welcomed him... something or the other always came up and they had to brainstorm over it... But today she was in deep ponder... and oblivious of anything else... She didn't even greet him good evening as always... He yearned to listen to her...
"Priya..." he called out, loosening his tie... she didn't react...
"Priya..." he called out again... breaking her train of thoughts...
"Huh...Mr. Kapoor..." Priya got up...
"Hi..." he said eying her, she seemed to be stressed...
"Hi...Good evening... Kuch lenge..." she asked a bit absentmindedly...
"Kya hua..." he asked, looking at her...
"Kya kya hau..."
"Tumhe kay hua..."
"Kuch nahin...kkkuch bhi toh nahin...i am fine..."
"Really..."
"Ya...i am fine...main chai leke aati hoon..." she ran out of the room, leaving behind Ram who was sure something was not right... Priya and so absent-minded, it was not possible... she always had something to speak...and today she didn't even tease him...
XXX
Night...
Ram was half-lying on the bed...working on his laptop... there was an important presentation to be reviewed... Priya as usual settled on the couch...tossing and turning in that little space which was enough for her slim form...
After a while he saw her sit up, throwing away the comforter in frustration...
"Kya hua...neend nahin aa rahin hain..." he asked not lifting his head from the computer screen...
"Nahin..." she sulked...
"Kyun...aaj toh main kharate bhi nahin le rahaa hoon..." he commented... making her smile...
"Woh..." priya hesitated... Ram shut down the laptop...
"Kya hua priya...main shaam se dekh rahaa hoon...is something wrong..." he asked looking at her directly... Was he actually concerned??? She questioned herself... she decided she would tell him...otherwise she wouldn't be able to have a peaceful mind... Her father used to say that when something bothers oneself, one should always talk to someone...
"Mr. Kapoor... Kuch kehna tha..."
"Haan..."
"Aaapko Ashwin yaad hain..." she asked...
"Kaun..." Ram tried to recollect...
"Woh jo meir buildign main rehta hain... aap ek baar mile the, lift ke saame..."
"Haan...oh yaad aaya...usse toh maine Sid ke office main bhi dehta tha...wahi hain na..." Ram said...
"Haan... woh... Main... Ashwin aur Shruti... we were in the same college... and were very good friends..." Priya took a deep breath...
"It was our graduation day, ashwin... told me that he liked me and wanted to get married...i said i needed some time... i liked him, but i wasn't sure... then i started my job... we met quite often... And i said yes... to him... Our families were also happy... par..."
"I told him that i would like to give my salary to papa... Kartik aur ayesha bohot chotte the...papa ki salary bhi zyada nahin thi... Ashwin ki maa was against this...she wanted a bahu who would bring money... We broke up..."
"Kuch din i was sad but then i moved on... it was not be... lekin kuch din baad mujhe pata chala ki Shruti my best friend and Ashwin were getting married... main jhoot nahin boloongi...i felt bad, i felt hurt... two of my very good friends betrayed me... but i did not say anything... i was happy for them..."
"Aap soch rahe honge ki main aap ko yeh sab kyun bata rahin hoon... Uss din jab aap mujhse milne aaye the...Kartik aur natasha ki patch up ki baat karne... toh ashwin mila tha mujhe... and he was speaking nonsense... he...he wasnted to have a realtionship with me... i couldn;t beelive my ears... I was so angry with him... amine bohot kuch keh diya usse...then you walked in... aur issilye... woh...maine aapko mera fiance kaha... I... I... aaj jab maine usse office main dekha toh... i felt odd... as if woh kuch karne waala ho... I... mera yakeen kijiye...i have nothing to do with him..."
Priya lifted her face to look at him... he sat expressionless... his silence was killing her...
"Priya... please...mujhe koi safaai dene ki zaroorat nahin hain... tumhe kuch kehne ki zaroorat nahin hain..." he said... priya sighed with relief...
"Tum chaho toh i can get him fired..." he said...
"Nahin...nahin... i mean...he has a family to run...it would be unfair..." she said...
"Unfair...ussne jo kiya tumhare saath...uske baad...main tumhari jagah hota naa...i would have strangled him..."
"He is not that important to me Mr. Kapoor..."
"Toh tumne mujhe yeh sab kyun bataya..."
"Pata nahin... i felt like telling you..." she said, unsure...
"Wahin kyun..." he was looking at her keenly...suddenly the distance between them seemed to vanish... he wished she sat near him... so that he could comfort her fears...
"I know aap kabhi nahin poochenge... par mujhe laga ki aapko batana zaroori hain..." she said simply... Ram was almost speechless for a moment...
"Its late priya...go to sleep...aur forget about everything... the past is gone..." he said...
"Good night... Mr. Kapoor..."
"Good night...Priya..."
END...
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