Agape & Eros

Piercing Pain

There is a rare cancer named osteosarcoma. 
Years before, Priya had seen a skull specimen of a patient who had osteosarcoma. 
Suddenly, she pictured it in her mind. 
Thousands of needle like protrusion coming out of the skull. 
It was such a painful picture. Just thinking about the suffering of the person was insufferable. What the unlucky soul must have gone through! 

Priya wondered, why all of a sudden she remembered that particular information. Her eyes fell on Ram laughing with his gang and her family. Everyone in her family was charmed by him. Even the little introvert nephew of her, Ishaan. She saw little Ishaan trying to hide behind Ram when Brinda and Adi were trying to talk to him. Ram was trying to make him comfortable with them but at the same time hiding him behind him. 

And Priya understood why she remembered that particular information. 

After knowing the unfortunate incident that connected Ram and Priya even before they had met, she felt a piercing pain in her heart. She felt thousands of needles were piercing her heart. 

It wasn't only the fear of losing Ram, but her self-respect was hurt. She knew that she was born to a selfish, arrogant, and rude father. But she didn't knew that he was a monster too. To think that a murderer's blood ran through her veins, she felt disgusted. 
She looked at Ram again.
All she could see in the moment was the victim's son and the convict's daughter. 

"And that's our true relation. The victim's son & the convict's daughter. We are but the two sides of a river- the assailant & the victim. The killer & the killed. The murderer & the murdered..."

Priya... Priya... Pri...yaa...

Priya- huh?

Priya's thoughts were dispersed by Twinkle's voice. 

Twinkle- Where are you lost? 

Priya- Nowhere. 

Twinkle- Hmm. I know everything. You are so lost in your husband that you have forgotten your best friend. You didn't talk to me for a second today. jab dekhu tab teri nazar sirf Ram par hi milti hain mujhe. 

Priya- Aisa kuch nahi. 

Twinkle- Oo. Really? Accha, to aaj kaal, Mrs. Priya Ram Kapoor ko jhut bolna bhi aane laga hain, hmm? 

Twinkle said the line jokingly of course. But Priya felt someone was showing a mirror to her. 

"How could I tell such a big lie?" She thought. Suddenly, she felt her skin crawling. She could feel his father's blood running through her veins polluting every pore of hers. 

Twinkle- Priyaaa, phirse kaha kho gayi? Itni juliet kab ban gayi tu? 

Priya said nothing.

Twinkle- Achha, forget that. Now tell me when are you planning to have kids? 

Priya- Kids? 

Twinkle- Ha. Kids. Look, I know it's weird. But how about being pregnant together? We are best friends, our spouses are best friends, we can be pregnant buddies, and our kids can be best friends too.

Priya gave a faint smile.

Twinkle- What? Are you smiling right now? I was prepared to hear "Eww cringy" "films have spoiled you" and instead what am I seeing!! You are scaring me now. what have you done to my Priya?

Priya- We haven't think about kids now. And of course that was too cringy. 

Twinkle- Now you feel like you. Ok. There's nothing to do then. We have to conceive now. You know, Vikrant's family is still avoiding accepting us. so we decided next time we will meet them with their grandchildren. Then they will accept us for sure.

Priya- Is it that easy?

Twinkle- Of course, everybody loves their grandchildren. 

Priya- So, if they have their grandchildren they won't separate you two? 

Twinkle- Of course not. 

Priya wanted to ask a few more things to Twinkle but Vikrant had joined them. So, she refrained herself. 

.
.
.

After the get together, everybody went home and Ram and Priya went to their room. Priya's mind was occupied with several thoughts. While trying to untangle her thoughts, she had tangled the strings of her dress. Ram saw her struggling with the knots. He proceeded to help her. 

She felt his touch on her shoulder. And he tried to understand her current state of mind. He slowly moved her hair from her back. His fingers feathered her back. His breath fell on her bare skin. Priya slightly turned her head toward him.