Lalita's take : Post RaYalicious week ended on 19th Jan 2012
Ram & Priya return from their morning walk. It's just 7 am and there's a lot of time for them to start getting ready for work.
Both of them are reading the paper and having tea. Ram is in a very good mood and seeing him, Priya is also very happy.
Ram : Priya, dekho the pact I had with you.. that was only for stopping my medicines against you not keeping contact with Apeksha and her mother, right..?
Priya, puzzled, Haan.
Ram : Toh, maine jo parathe khana chod diya, uske liye tum kya karogi?
Priya, smiling : Accha, kya chaiye?
Ram : Suno. Mondays ko paratha na khane ke liye, tum har Monday tel maalish kar doge. Irrespective of whether I have a headache or not.
Priya : Ok, accepted. Par Monday matlab? Aap ko har din kuch na kuch chaiye?
Ram : Haan. Tuesday ke liye, tum baat baat pe mereko taane dena bandh kar doge.
Priya : Sorry, mein ye nahin accept kar sakti. And by the way, Mr. Kapoor, main aapko taane nahin deti. I only give you good advice.
Ram : Chalo ok, phir'. Ok, you have to promise ki hamara jitna bhi jhagda ho, tum us din ki tarah, room se bahar nahin chale jaoge. Waise, yeh main tumhare bhale ke liye keh raha hoon. You're the one who feels afraid alone.
Priya : I'm not afraid of anything.
Ram : Toh Australia mein mera haath pakadke kyon s'
Priya interrupts, as she remembers the scene : Ok, accepted. Nahin jayoongi. Aap jayenge bahar J
Ram : eh? Kya bola tumne?
Priya : Kuch nahin. Nahin jayoongi.
Ram : Chahe kuch bhi level ka jhagda ho?
Priya : Matlab'aap ka zindagi bhar jhagda hi karne wale hai?
Ram : Jhagda main nahin karta hoon. Tum karte ho and aur phir bahar chale jaate ho. Anyway, ab yeh decide ho gaya.
Ab Wednesdays ke liye' ..hmmm'tum mujhe Mr. Kapoor bolna bandh kar do. We're friends now.. tum kuch bhi bolo..Ram bolo or whatever you want..
Priya is smiling : Ok, dinosaur chalega?
Ram : Nahin' tum Ram nahin bol sakte?
Priya : Haan. Bol sakti hoon par nahin bolungi. Dinosaur chalega toh bataiye.
Ram : Nahin, Mr. Kapoor hi thik hai' Toh phir..
Priya : Aapko pata hai it's 8 am? Aapko office nahin jaana?
Ram : What ! Sab tumhari galti hai. Now I'll reach late.
Ram rushes to get ready.
The day goes well for Ram again. He manages to get more work done than usual and still feels light and fresh at the end of the day. Inspite of waking up at 6 am. He again has only apples for lunch.
It's later than usual when he finally winds up. Vikram calls him just when he's about to leave office.
Vikram : Ram, tune woh cup utha ke dekh liya kya?
Ram : Vikram, isn't there anything else in your head, apart from that cup? Main bol raha hoon na, koi pyar vyar nahin hai. But she's my very good friend.
Vikram : Yaar, main bhi toh tera accha dost hoon. Hai na?
Ram : Haan hai. Toh?
Vikram : Toh itne saal mein, mere saath reh ke bhi tu itna khush, itna badla hua kabhi nahin laga.Kyon?
Ram : Arre Vikram, I explained that to you. Priya is a doctor cum friend. She's brought about changes in my whole system. That's why. Isi liye tereko yeh change dikh raha hai. Bas, aur koi baat nahin hai. Do you have anything else to ask? Nahin toh, I'm keeping the phone down.
Vikram : Chal bye..par ek vaada kar.
Ram : Yeh kya hai'tum sab mere se promise hi kyon karvate rehte ho?
Vikram smiling : Just promise me that you will not pick up the cup when I'm not there. I want to see your expression when you pick it up.
Ram : Woh kabhi nahin hone wala hai. But ok, agar kabhi hona ho, I'll definitely wait for you. Chal bye.
Ram, smiling at the stupid conversation goes back home.
He enters the room hoping to see Priya on the sofa, working like the previous day. He smiles remembering how he tried to fool her into another massage'. he sits on the bed, thinking she's in the changing room.
10 minutes elapse. Ram gets up to check. The washroom is empty. He thinks Priya is probably with Daadi and decides to freshen up.
After some time, when she still hasn't returned, he contemplates asking Bansi Kaka. Just then, his phone rings. It's Priya.
Ram : Hello? Priya? Tum kahan se phone kar rahe ho?
Priya Woh Mr. Kapoor, ghar se phone aaya tha'Papa ke kuch kaam hai..jo pehle mein karti thi' toh I came over here directly from my classes. I'll stay here at night because it'll take me some time to finish it.
Ram : Kya? Tum aise kaise kar sakte ho?
Priya Kya?
Ram : Matlab tum aise hi kahin bhi chalo jaoge and won't come back at night?
Priya: Kahin bhi nahin, Mr. Kapoor, main apni ghar aayi hoon. Aur mein kal aa jayoongi na. Kyon, kuch kaam tha?
Ram ' angry, is silent for a while.
Priya : Kya hua?
Ram : Kuch nahin. Tum pehle bata toh sakti thi.
Priya : Arre, I thought I would finish early and go back par abhi bhi do ghante ki kaam baaki hai.
Ram : Toh thik hai, you finish your work'and come back at night.
Priya : Nahin, main itni raat ko kaise wapas aayoongi?
Ram : I'll come and pick you up'. Tumhara kaam ho jayega toh phone kar dena..
Priya is silent'
Ram : Ab kya hua?
Priya : Thoda ajeeb sa nahin lagega'?
Ram : Kya ajeeb lagega? You finish you work and then come home ! What is weird in that?
Priya : Nahin, matlab everyone will ask why I need to return so late at night and why I can't stay over'
Ram : Tum'.
He finally realizes what Priya is trying to say and is somewhat embarrassed himself.
Ram : Accha, ok, tum kaam kar lo..Good night
And disconnects the phone suddenly.
Ram is wondering what Priya must be thinking about him. After all, he himself couldn't understand why he was pressurizing her to come back. After all, she was just a friend'.
He tries to calm himself and sits quietly for a while.
The room seemed to miss her. He looks around and sees his snap on his side of the bed and a frame with snaps of all his siblings on the other side and suddenly realizes that Priya's snap is not there anywhere. He wonders whether to replace his own snap with both of them together but then thinks Vikram and Neha will tease him unmercifully. Also he is a bit wary of Priya's reaction after their last conversation.
Ram, thinking' Hadh hai, apne biwi ko ghar bula raha hoon, even for that I need to think what other people will think.
He tries to think rationally, would he have felt bad if Vikram had promised to meet him somewhere and then not come, without informing him in advance'? Nah' then what was the difference in Priya's case? He was sure that he wasn't in love, then why was he missing her? Company for early morning walk? Maybe' he convinces himself ..yehi hoga'.
But he still wasn't happy. He skips dinner. Anyways, without his oily food, eating was now just a chore. All fun had gone out of food, along with the butter and ghee.
He wonders whether Priya has finished her work; but is apprehensive to call. He thinks of messaging here and wonders what to write and in the end, sends out a blank message, by mistake. He waits for a while, but there's no response.
After some time, he goes and sits down on the couch, Somehow, that couch makes him feel as if Priya is somewhere around. He recollects their morning unfinished conversation and suddenly has a great idea. Against giving up Wednesday's alu parathas, he would make Priya promise that she would never go and stay overnight at her mom's place anymore. She could go as many times as she wanted, during the day, spend every day there, if she wanted; but no staying overnight. After all, if she wanted him to be healthy and go for morning walks every day, she should help him to do so ! She also had some responsibility ! He smiles, decides to lie down for some time and then'..goes off to sleep'.on the couch.
Priya has just completed her father's work. Her father comes in and asks her to explain so that next time he would take care of it himself. Priya refuses.
Priya : Papa, I also stay in Mumbai and very close by. Meri shaadi ho gayee toh main kya yahan aake aapka kaam nahin kar sakti?
Sudhir : Nahin beta, aisi baat nahin hai. Tu humesha aa sakti hai, par tera zimmedariya ab double ho gayee hai; ho sakta hain ki kabhi tereko genuinely problem ho raha hao aane mein and kyonki yeh mere ko samajh nahin aata, you are still having to come compulsorily.
Priya : Nahin Papa. I will never be too busy for you.
Sudhir smiles and goes off to sleep.
Priya also changes and then picks up her cell to set an alarm for the next morning at 7 am. Then she notices the message.. a blank message from Mr. Kapoor? She wonders whether to call him and ask'..but then it's past 12. Did he send it by mistake?
She remembers their last conversation and is happy, very happy suddenly. And she's also a little afraid'.of his anger. She wonders if she made a mistake by not informing him earlier, about her plans.
She suddenly decides to set the alarm for 5.30 am and reach Kapoor Mansion by 6 am. Then she could join Mr.Kapoor for his morning walk and he woudn't be angry. She wonders what to tell her parents and then decides to say that she had to finish setting a test paper for her classes and she'd forgotten all about it and hence needed to go so early.
Priya blushes in the dark. Ab Mr. Kapoor ke liye apne papa ko bhi jhoot bolna padega. She speaks to Sudhir, sets the alarm and goes to sleep.
Next Morning
Priya is a bit late as she had to wait for an auto for quite some time. She reaches Kapoor Mansion around 6.15 am wondering if Mr. Kapoor has already left for his walk. She enters the room and sees the empty bed. She decides to go down to the lawn and join him and turns to the couch to keep her bag. And then she sees him still sleeping on the couch !
Priya is amazed. Why would he sleep on the couch? And why wasn't he still awake for his walk? The previous day, he had woken her up ruthlessly, not allowing her to sleep.
She shakes his hand lightly and calls, Mr. Kapoor' uthiye' it's 6.15 !
Ram moves a bit in his sleep but doesn't respond.
Priya removes the comforter and shakes him again. Ram sits up suddenly.. and is zapped to see Priya.
Ram : Tum kahan se aa gayee?
Priya : Ghar se. Aap yahan kyon so rahe hai?
Ram sees the couch and remembers his pain of the previous night. He doesn't know how to react. On one hand, he's so happy she's back'.so early in the morning. On the other, he's angry that she went away without telling him. And he's embarrassed also, to show his happiness.
He gives his schoolboy look and is silent.
Priya repeats her question' aap yahan pe?
Ram closes his eyes and admits, softly : Main tumhe bahut miss kar raha tha Priya. Isi liye'.
End of Chapter 1.
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