Part 20
Priya sat wrapped in the duvet feeling trapped in a familiar
surrounding. Thoughts of her past gushed every corner of her mind desperately
aiming for recognition. Her subconscious screaming, “forgive him”, a request that she
consciously repressed. To savour sweet moments in the realm of pain is the key
to moving on but to forget the painful moments of the past is plain foolishness
with the potential to serve as a reckless reminder in the future. Her body was
the battlegrounds between her love and her anger, which essentially were two in
the same. However in this battle, her broken heart found solace in anger, while
her mind put together pieces of her past trying to strengthen the standing of
love.
Ram (walks in with a plate of
food, looks at Priya who is sitting up against the headboard staring blanking
into space completely lost in her thoughts):
Priya?
Seems like her mind was in the lead seducing her ears and her eyes
her heartbeat outrageously sensing defeat. His face occupied her vision, his
voice echoing in her ears. The way the air passes up his larynx vibrating his
vocal cords prior to being propelled by his tongue to his lips; and the way his
lips then touch and separate in a flash as he says, “Priya” is harmonious to her
beating eardrums. Scrunching her forehead and shutting her eyes tightly to
erase his image from her mind she said,
Priya: god why won’t it stop… I am Priya Sharma I want
my heart to win and if my heart says that this is wrong than I believe my heart
but what is this doubt in my mind and why is it so strong?
Ram (he places the plate of
food on the night stand and sits by her knees on the bed, he was about to grab
her hands but immediately pulls back): Priya
are you okay? Is your head hurting?
The cold reality of the situation splashed in Priya’s face with the
realization that Ram’s voice was not a fiction of her mind. Than why was her heart
beating outrageously was it because of defeat or… “No, no, no”, she thought dismissing the possibility before it developed and
conceived in her mind.
Priya: what is it?
Ram: are you okay?
Priya: I am perfectly fine… In fact I am fully
capable of taking care of myself so…
Ram: nice try Priya… (he hid his agony behind
a smile) But you are staying right here. It has not even been a day since you
came home from the hospital and you want to leave, this is not fair. I did as
you asked; I am not touching you or forcing myself on you…
Priya: it was just a thought… What? Is thinking not
allowed in this room?
Ram: no! (She looked at him
puzzled)… I mean yes you can think but atleast get your facts straight.
Priya: excuse me?
Ram (notices that her mood is
not good and her anger has not subsided the slightest bit since she is trying
to turn everything into a fight): Well for one thing, you are no longer Priya
Sharma; you are Priya Ram Kapoor.
Priya: sorry I forgot, I was
trying to think about my happy days.
Ram (hurt by Priya’s words but ignores it
because he does not want to carry on this fight. Instead he smiles and says):
Well Ms. Priya Ram Kapoor what is this I hear that you did not eat anything?
Looks like you don’t want to get better because you don’t want to leave this
room. It’s okay Priya, even when you get better I will be more than happy
if you stay with me in our room…
Priya: Whatever Ram, if only you
could see how badly I want to be away from this room. But anyways, I am not a
child that you can say these things to trick me into eating. I said I am not
hungry, so that means that I am not hungry. Now just please leave me alone and take
this food with you (she points to the plate on the night table and Ram picks it
up but instead of leaving as she had asked, he takes a piece of roti, dips it
in channa masala)
Ram: Eat Priya, please… (He asks sincerely)
Priya: Have you lost your mind?
I said NO… now just le…
Pihu (says angrily with her
arms crossed across her chest): MUMMA!! Itne
baari ho gaye ho but still you are acting stubborn like a child.
She walks up to Priya who is looking at Ram and than at Pihu
scared. Ram thinking, “Wow sherni vs. choti sherni. Ab aayaga maaza!”
Priya: pihu my darling you are
back.
Pihu: Mumma don’t change the topic. Papa
is trying to feed you so nicely and you are in turn getting mad at him? Papa
told me that you are sick and if you don’t eat than how will you get better? Mumma you need to get better,
I need you, and papa needs you too.
The thought of losing her Mumma brings tears to Pihu’s eyes as she leaps into
her mom’s arms taking shelter in
her warm embrace.
Pihu: mumma please don’t leave us. We love you
Mumma.
Priya (breaks the hug and wipes
Pihu’s tears): Mumma is not
going anywhere.
Pihu: than why arent you
eating mumma?
Priya (smiles at her daughters
concern, she cups pihus face and kisses her softly on the forehead): because i
was missing you. How can i eat without you?
Ram (smiles proudly at his
happy family): well Priya, now pihu is here so please eat. (His request is met
with her cold stare. He decides to leave it and looks at Pihu) listen Pihu i
know that you did not eat yet and neither has mumma so why doesnt papa feed
both of you? hay na great idea?
Pihu: Papa you are very smart.
(she looks at her mumma) but not smarter than Mumma.
Papa: woh toh hain no one is
smarter than or (his voice softens as he looks Priya in the eyes) more
beautiful than your mumma. (He picks up a bite and moves it towards Priya's
mouth, which remained sealed. He signaled Priya to look at Pihu who was
watching her intently. Her throat moved up and down as she swallowed and opened
her mouth. Ram feeds her and thinks, "Cady you are a genius". He
picks up a second bite and moves it close to Pihu's mouth) and now for my
princess... (She opens her mouth and takes the bite)
Rams’ queen and princess finished all their food in this loving manner.
He sensed the hesitation in Priya’s acceptance of each bite that he fed her and in his heart he
repeatedly commended Pihu’s presence and influence. Rishab enters Raya’s room with Dadi and
Soumaya. Priya holds Ram’s gaze captive as she tries to convey anger and awkwardness, which
is met with open arms by his love and desire…
Soumaya (clears her throat,
ending their staring contest): Wow Ram Bhappa kya baat hain. How did you manage
to do what we all failed to do in the last couple of hours (she points to the
empty plate in his hand)?
Rishab: Soumaya, yeh bhi koi
puchaanay wala baat hain! (He laughs and winks at Ram who gives him the “shut-up” look). Priya bhabhi only
likes the taste of that food that has Ram bhaiya’s pyaar… hay na bhabhi?
Ram: oye chup kaar.
Dadi (grabs Rishab’s ears): Why are you
bugging my golu and bahu?
Rishab (with painful expression,
his palms folded): oww dadi, please that hurts. Okay I am sorry… please Dadi
She lets go, Ram gets up and she goes and sits next to Priya and
Pihu… Pihu leaps forwards and
gives her pardadi a hug before she run to her chacha and chachi…
Priya: Pairi Pauna Dadi!!!
Dadi (she strokes Priya’s head): god bless you
Priya putar. How are you feeling now? Is golu taking good care of you or do I
have to yell at him? (ram makes a scared expression)
Priya (looks at Ram,
remembering that she had promised to act like everything was fine between them): Nahi Dadiji apki golu putar is taking
real good care of me. I am feeling much better.
Dadi: good!! Priya I came here
to tell you that tomorrow morning I have arranged a pooja to thank Vahiguru for
returning you to us and to pray for your speedy recovery.
Ram (interrupts dadi): Dadi
Priya is not well. How will she sit through the pooja? Is this pooja really
necessary?
Dadi (gets angry): oye tu chup
kaar!! Now you will tell what to do and when to do it? You are really big now
and I have no say in this house?
Ram: Nahi dadi that’s not what I meant to
say.. It’s just that Priya just came back from the hospital..
Priya: Ram I am totally okay to
sit through the Pooja. Dadi don’t worry, this pooja will happen and that too tomorrow. I will be
ready…
Dadi: Dekha Ram meri Priya
Putar kitne respect karthi hain meri. She never turns me down.
Ram (Irritated and
murmuring): how will she turn you down, her quota for turning down people
starts and finishes with me.
Dadi: did you say something?
Ram (scared): nahi nahi toh.
Main baas woh.. I just wanted to say sorry if I hurt you Dadi…
Dadi: oye golu I was just
joking you don't have to apologize, I know how much you love Priya and that you
are only trying to protect her.
Priya looks at Dadi and than at Ram. He looks at her while saying
to Dadi.
Ram: Haan Dadi you are right!
If only she knew how much I love her…
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