Agape & Eros

Blessed

 Priya tried to understand the person sitting in front of her. Ram continued to speak. 

Ram- Priya, I'm scared cause... You'd understand. You take care of your family, right? You handle everything, everybody. You take care of everyone. Just like that, my family depends on me. I don't if something happens to me... What'd you do, Priya? If you were in my shoes.

Priya- If I were you I wouldn't worry and cry like you.

Ram- Are you scolding me, Priya? 

Priya- No, not at all. What's wrong with that? A man can cry. You can definitely cry. There's nothing wrong with that. I respect you a lot for this. You have the courage to be afraid for your family. You have the courage to be vulnerable. But what about the fear? Are you ready to change? Will you stop eating junk food? Will you change your daily routine? Will you stop taking meds without the doctor's permission? If yes, then there's no need for this fear. If not then I also need to be scared like you. 

Ram- No, Priya, no. Please, you shouldn't get scared... Can I tell you a secret? Come closer, someone might listen. Come closer. 

Ram sat near Priya leaving a little space between them. He held her hand. Then he whispered. 

Ram- No matter how much I try, I won't be able to impress you. It's quite tough. Really... Priya, I'm too tired. 

Saying this Ram pulled her hand towards him and leaned on her shoulder. Priya was confused about what to feel. 

Ram then smelled her hair. He looked at Priya with dreamy eyes and spoke. 

Ram- Priya, when you keep your hair open na, it looks too good on you. 

Priya became awkward at the proximity. She moved a bit away from Ram. Ram kept his hand on her shoulder. 

Ram- When you tie it like this. Ek second, dikhao mujhe, aise. You look like a strict teacher. 

Ram tried to demonstrate by softly grasping her hair together in his fist.

Ram- But when they are loose, you look so lovely. Ekdom soft, sundar, sushil, just lovely. 

Priya- Mr. Kapoor. 

Ram- Really. 

Priya- Mr. Kapoor, let's go to bed please. 

Ram- Areh, no. Priya. Can't you take compliments? Why? You must be used to it. I mean, Meera maa, Saradi, Shivi, Akki they praise you so much! But when I do it, you're not taking it. Catch it. Take it. 

Priya- Even your family must be praising you, no? 

Ram- They are lovely. They have a lot of mercy for me. They are very nice to me, I swear.

Priya- I am not talking about mercy but love. 

Ram- It is mercy. Loving a step son, what is it if not mercy? When my dad married again, he just wanted one thing that I don't consider Nandini mom as my step mother. He wanted that our family should never be separated and I promised my father and I've kept my promise. I'll be keeping my promise. But do you know who showed nobility? My mom. Who was I? I was just a child. An orphan one. She accepted me. She raised me. She didn't ignore me even after Shubhu and Shivi were born. She gave me love, and gave me a family.