Possible episode for 30th January 2012
(Assuming Priya still has the throat infection and hence dialogues are minimal J )
4 am in the morning.
Ram is lying down, unable to sleep. He gets up every few minutes, walks over to the couch and checks on Priya, to ensure she is sleeping peacefully. He keeps looking at her, adjusts the comforter and goes back and lies down. For the first time in his life, Mr.Ram Kapoor is feeling helpless. For the first time, he is facing a situation which is affecting him so powerfully and yet he has no control. He has researched on breast cancer on the internet for more than 6 hours that night. The next day he has requested for appointments with 4 top specialists on breast cancer in the country. He wants to be prepared to understand even technical medical replies to the list of 17 questions he has prepared.
Priya turns to the other side facing the wall. She has also not slept at all, keeping very still whenever Mr.Kapoor had come to check on her. She recalls the incident when his step mother was down with fever and he didn't think twice about cancelling his honeymoon and returning to her side immediately. She knows that Mr.Kapoor will take as much care of her as he would have of his mother. She is his responsibility. And this worries her. For the first time in her life, Priya will be a burden on someone else. Her independent nature does not allow her to accept this. For a moment, only for a brief moment she allows herself to dream that Mr.Kapoor really cared for her, loved her. Then? Priya accepts, honest with herself in the darkness : No, then I would not have felt this guilt. I would have considered it my right; for my husband to assume my responsibility, to be worried about my health, to shield me from all danger. But as of now, to her husband, she is just a friend. And this is not the level of worry she wants to burden a friend with.
Flashback of memories continue to torment Ram. Suddenly the scene from Munnabhai MBBS comes to his mind. The young boy, asking for his wish to be fulfilled, to be allowed to experience what he had missed out till then and at the end, begging Sanjay Dutt to save him. Unwantingly, the scene plays in his mind and he imagines Priya coming to him and asking him to ensure that she too would live and experience life to the fullest and pleading with him…to save her life. Ram cannot control his emotions any more and breaks down totally….he sits up in bed and tears steam down his face….Priya…. Priya….Priya….he continues to call her name.
Priya hears him. In the pin drop silence she hears everything, when he first starts to cry and then when he calls out "Priya" for the first time. In a minute, she reaches him and stands in front of where he is sitting. She puts out her hands and holds his face and tries to comforts him. Ram pulls her close and buries his face in her. They stay like that for some time till Ram calms down. And then he moves a bit, makes some space for her and makes her lie down. He adjusts the pillow under her head. Both of them are still too emotional and unable to speak. Priya motions to him to lie down too and he smiles and obeys. He lies down close to her and adjusts the comforter on her. Both of them close their eyes and pretend to sleep.
Priya remembers the conversation when they entered the house and is grateful that Ram had not shared this diagnosis with the family. She wonders why Niharika had asked to see the report and whether she suspected that there was something wrong. Suddenly a few scenes flashed in her mind…the day when she'd showed the snap from Krishnaji's bag to Ram and he had chest pains; how Niharika had insulted her by not allowing her to take care of Ram. Niharika's coming to pick her up fron the coaching class and trying to explain to her that rich people like Ram did not fall in love. Her terming Priya's nature therapy on Ram as ridiculous in the doctor's chamber. Why was his step mom so against Ram's getting well and leading a healthy lifestyle? Why did she not seem happy with Ram's clean medical report? Krishnaji's conversation is there somewhere at the back of her mind and she wonders if Krishnaji could be referring to Niharika in the group of people who surrounded Ram and who had prejudiced him against his own mother. Was it possible? Priya remembers a few more incidents. The necklace incident where Sid had tried to frame Vikram and how Niharika had played the recording of Vikram opening the safe. She recalls her last conversation with Shruti who had also hinted that Mamaji and Sid had played a key role in inciting Ashwin to try and get back with Priya. Suddenly a lot of things fall into place. Priya is excited. She is confident that she is on the right track. And she would bring Ram and his real mother close and restore Ram's faith in women. But this would take time. Many months maybe. Her diagnosis comes back to trouble her. Would she get that time?
Ram is also thinking about so many things. He decides that he would ensure that Priya slept close to him from that day onwards. He sits up and looks at her. Priya's eyes are closed and he gets comforted seeing her face. There's so much serenity. And wisdom. And honesty in that face. He slowly holds her hand and lies down. Again their conversation at the doctor's chamber comes to his mind; when Priya was so sure that nothing would happen to him. If Ram's results had shown such a diagnosis, what would have been the scenario now? What would have been going on in his mind? He closes his eyes and tries to concentrate. What would he have missed? What would he have been afraid to leave behind? For what or for whom would he have begged God to give him another chance at life? Was there anything like that in his life? The industry he had created? No. The international awards he had won? No. His "step" family? Ram deliberated on this for a while and he finally admitted the truth to himself. He would not miss Niharika and her family. He had a duty to them since his father had entrusted them to his care but that was all. Till his last moment, he would ensure that he would do his duty towards them. Vikram? No. Vikram was his best friend and would him terribly but Vikram had his own sweet loving family. But he would not have wanted a second chance at life just for Vikram. Then? He closed his eyes again and … The truth finally dawned on him. PRIYA ! Priya's image…on the karva chauth night came to his mind. How she had once saved him from sure death. If Ram had been diagnosed with something like cancer, he was suddenly sure that his Hitler wife would have saved him from death at any cost. And he would also have pleaded with God just to be allowed to live with her and spend many years together with her and…have his own family with her. Suddenly realization of this love gives Ram a new strength….that he would be able to protect her from any misfortune. The doctor had just seen a lump. He was sure hundreds of women had these lumps all over their bodies ! This was just a ploy by doctors to scare people. Nothing would happen to his wife. To HIS Priya !
He looks at his sleeping wife and blushes. He decides he would never reveal his love for Priya in front of her as she would tease him and not take him seriously. If Priya wanted him to be just a friend, he would be whatever she wanted. Bas, when she was asleep, Ram wanted her close to him, very close…so that he could look at her all night. He brings his face closer to hers and almost touches her forehead with his.
Priya opens her eyes ! She looks into his eyes and in a second, realizes that Ram also loves her. A woman's instinct. All tension about her diagnosis ebbs. She bites her lower lip and looks embarassed.
Ram, also embarrassed, draws back a bit.
Ram : Woh main…woh subah ho gayee nai…toh walk pe chalna hai… Toh main tumhe uthane ki koshish kar raha tha..
Priya : Alarm baj gaya kya?
Ram : Haan, maine abhi toh bandh kiya..
Priya : Accha..maine toh nahin suna.. she looks at her watch : Par abhi toh sirf 5.45 hua hai?
Ram : Toh aaj mujhe thoda lamba walk karna tha..toh isi liye maine 15 minute pehle ka alarm lagaya..
Priya :Accha?…woh alarm clock dikhana zara?
Ram : Ab tum subah subah CID ki tarah kyon baat kar rahe ho? Walk pe nahin jaana toh mat jao. Main so jaata hoon.
Ram pretends to be angry and turns to the other side and closes his eyes.
Priya smiles. She gets up and pulls the curtains. The first light of dawn is breaking.
Ram also opens his eyes and sees Priya standing by the window. It's a beautiful sight. He gets up and joins her. Priya slips her hand into his. They stand together for some time, in silence.
RRRinggg..the alarm goes off.
It's now 6 am.
Both burst out laughing.
Ram pulls Priya close and hugs her.
Ram : Tumhe kuch nahin hoga Priya. Mujhe pata hai. Jaise main itne saal apne chest pains ko minor heart attacks samajh ke darta tha aur woh mamuli sa acidity problem nikla, tumhara bhi waise hi kuch hoga. Tum dekhna.
Priya : Haan ab aapne bol diya..toh doctors ki yeh majaal ki kuch aur bole ! The Ram Kapoor, jinke ek ishare par poori…
Ram interrupts: Tum ek din bhi ..ek din kya..tum dus minute bhi nahin reh sakti bina mujhe taana mare?
Priya smiles.
Priya : Chale walk ke liye?
They start their walk. Priya suddenly sees Mamaji at the window, looking at them. She wonders how to start with her investigation into the family problem and whether to call up Krishnaji and take her advice. She looks a bit worried.
Ram : Kya hua Priya? Kya soch rahe ho?
Priya : Kuch nahin..
Ram : Bhadosa hai na?
Priya nods.
Ram smiles and holds her hand. Mamaji's cup of tea falls from his hand seeing this and he cries in pain as the hot tea burns his hands.. He runs to again wake up his sister.
RaYa continue their walk, holding hands.
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