So sorry for the delay! My exams were going on and it's really tough to balance actually🤡 anyways here's the next chapter.....
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Ram caressed Pihu's cheek softly and placed a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room in search of Priya, noticing that she wasn't there.
He didn't have to search for long. He entered Pihu's playroom and saw Priya organizing Pihu's toys which she, of course, scattered around the whole room. Priya didn't notice him as she was too focused on her task. But sometime later, she saw him gazing at her, standing at the doorway. He seemed to be in deep thought.
Priya: Mr. Kapoor?
This break his train of thoughts and he slowly walked upto her.
Priya: Kya hua aap aise kyun khade huye the wahan? Sab thik hai na?
Ram: Haan sab thik hai Priya. Umm...woh...
He started fidgeting with his fingers feeling anxious.
Priya: Haan?
Ram: Woh I have something for you.
He pulled out a jewellery box from his pocket. Priya shook her head sighing deeply at the sight of it.
Priya: Mr. Kapoor kya hai yeh sab? Aapko pata hai mujhe...
Ram: Gifts pasand nahi hai. Pata tha mujhe tum yeh hi bologi.
Priya: Toh kyun karte hai yeh sab jab pata hai aapko?
Ram: Tum shant ho jao. Baitho pehle.
He held her hand softly and made her seat on a stool and then sat next to her. Priya looked at him with slight anger. He swallowed hard, searching for some courage to give his reasonings. Finally he took a deep breath and started talking.
Ram(looking downwards): Priya umm... there's a tradition that you gift your child something when you see them for the first time. Isiliye maine Pihu ko woh stars wala chain pehnaya aur woh ring.
Aur phir mujhe laga tum usse iss duniya mein lekar aayi ho, tum bhi toh pehli baar mumma bani ho. So you also deserve a gift. Toh isiliye main yeh laya hoon.
Priya didn't know how to process her thoughts or what to tell Ram. She felt herself drowning in extreme guilt and embarrassment. She could feel her throat getting choked. Above all when she looked into his eyes, she saw them holding immense love and admiration for her. At that point of time she felt like she's the most selfish person in the whole damn world for snatching away his rights on Pihu. She wanted to die a thousand deaths in that moment. The bitter memories of her pregnancy phase where she was completely alone in jail came in front of her eyes.
Ram saw Priya's eyes getting more teary each passing second as he said those words to her. The more he looked into them, the more he understood the pain they held in them.
Ram(very softly): Priya?
As she heard him calling her name, she wanted the earth to swallow her completely. She wasn't able to take it anymore. She hid her face with both her palms as tears started flowing down her eyes continuously.
The moment Ram tried to remove her hand from her face, her cries got louder and she started wailing in grief.
Tears trickled down Ram's eyes seeing her in so much pain. He didn't know how to minimize that, how to handle her.
Ram: Priya? Please tum rou mat. Batao na mujhe kya hua?
Priya shook her head, still crying her heart out. He caressed her head to comforting her, waiting for her to calm down a little.
Some time went by and he again tried to remove her hand. This time she let him do it and he saw her face totally red due to all that crying. He tried to make her look at him but she plainly refused to look up.
Ram: Priya...please...meri taraf dekho. Baat karni hai mujhe tumse.
Priya was blankly looking at the floor, tears still flowing down her eyes.
Finally with no other option left he sat on the floor, keeping his arms on her knees, looking at her. He slowly brushed her hair which had almost covered her whole face and tuck them in behind her ears. Then he pulled out a tissue from his pocket and softly dabbed it on her face, wiping her tears away. He waited for her to respond a bit but she didn't do anything.
Ram(teary-eyed): I'm sorry. Main tumhe hurt karna nahi chahta tha.
Suddenly she looked at him seeing that he started apologizing for no reason at all. He was just being sweet to her, caring for her whereas she was the one who left him alone and chose to protect Ishaan.
Priya(almost inaudibly): Main aapka pyaar deserve nahi karti Mr. Kapoor.
Fresh tears trickled down her eyes as she said those words. Ram felt his chest getting heavier each moment.
Ram(softly): Tum khud sunn rahi ho jo baatein bol rahi ho? Priya meri taraf dekho...(he finally made her look at him) Tum meri poori zindagi ho. Haan hum dono ne galtiyan ki, ek doosre se dur ho gaye par alag nahi ho paye. Jaanti ho kyun?
Cupping her face, he touched his forehead with hers.
Ram(closing his eyes): Kyunki hamare Dil nahi maante. Mujhe pata hai main tumhe deserve nahi karta. Par yeh saala dil toh bass tumhe chahta hai! Tumhe nahi lagta hoga par mujhe pata hai ke main kaise raha hoon yeh 5 saal. I'm nothing without you. Sunn rahi ho meri baat?
Priya nodded slightly but Ram could feel that she strongly believed that she didn't deserve him.
Ram: Thik hai chalo...mann li tumhari baat. Tum mujhe deserve nahi karti. Thik hai? Khush?
Priya's face fell again. She started fidgeting with her fingers.
Ram: Tum bhi yeh mann lo ke main tumhe deserve nahi karta.
She again looked up at him with a frown.
Ram(goofily): Minus multiplied by Minus equals to Plus.
It took Priya 3-4 seconds to actually understand what he just said and she couldn't help but smile seeing that he was comparing their relationship with a mathematical formula. That smile soon turned into a chuckle. This made Ram smile with tears in his eyes.
Ram(holding her hands): Jaane do Priya. Jo ho gaya bass ho gaya. 5 saal humne bhi toh khoya hai na...mujhe woh 5 saalon ki khushi chahiye woh bhi 30% interest pe. Uss Honolulu ko 22% de sakti ho toh mujhe toh usse zyada de hi sakti ho.
Priya couldn't stop herself anymore. She started laughing her heart out.
Priya: Honolulu......(laughing hard)....Honolulu nahi tha unka naam. Oh my God! Aap kabhi uss 22% ko mention karna nahi chodenge na?
Ram: Tch. Never.
Priya shook her head smiling and embraced him keeping her head on his shoulder. Ram kissed her hair and held her more tightly.
After sometime they broke the hug. Ram smiled at Priya and took out the bracelet he bought for her.
Ram: May I?
Priya gave him a small smile and he made her wear the bracelet in her left hand. He put a soft kiss on her knuckles and looked at her.
Ram: Congratulations Mrs. Kapoor. I know it has been really tough for you to give birth and to raise Pihu all alone but tum toh tum ho...you did it. Hamari bachhi iss duniya ki sabse pyaari bachhi hai aur inn sab ka shrey sirf tumhe jaata hai.
Priya shook her head with a smile.
Priya: Nahi. 50% aapko bhi jaata hai. (Kissing his forehead) so Congratulations to you too.
Ram(sadly): Maine kuch nahi kiya hai. Literally.
Priya: Aisa aapko lagta hai. Mujhe nahi. (Clearing her throat, with a little smile) Aapko yaad hai main kaisi thi...rude, pessimistic, awkward- I mean ab bhi hoon main waisi thodi par phir meri zindagi mein aap aaye. Aapne mujhe khush hona shikhaya, zindagi ko kaise enjoy karte hai yeh shikhaya, baarish se pyaar karna shikhaya...meri zindagi ki choti badi khushiyan sab aap ne mujhe di hai. Aur Pihu aaj aisi hai kyunki main aisi hoon, aur main aisi hoon kyunki aapne mujhe aisa banne mein help ki hai. Toh isiliye bol rahi hoon ke Pihu ki parvarish mein jitna mera contribution hai utna hi aapka bhi hai. Haan aap nahi the hamare saath itne din par maine koshish ki ke aapki saari achhi baatein Pihu mein rahe.
Ram was crying at this point. He felt overwhelmed as Priya opened her heart out to him. She shared how she felt and it was a big thing for her and for him too. He gave her a soft smile.
"Haan tum paachaas baar 'I love you' nahi bolti par tumhari yeh baatein mujhe bataati hain ke tum mujhse kitna pyaar karti ho. Mujhe ab meri saari baatein, mere waadein ek khali kalash mein jaise awaaz zyada hoti hain waisi lagti hai. Nahi lagta mujhe ke maine tumse kiya hua ek bhi wada nibhaya ho. Tumhare liye ladne ke wajay tumhi se lad liya maine woh bhi tab jab tumhare andar ek nanhi si jaan thi. Hamare pyaar ki nishaani. Main khud ko iss baat ke liye kabhi maaf nahi kar paayunga Priya. Kabhi nahi.", he thought to himself.
Priya noticed that although Ram was looking at her but his mind was somewhere else. His eyes were moist, they held a sense of pain in them. So she held his hand, caressing the back of it. That brought Ram back to the reality. He blinked rapidly a few times.
Priya(softly): Aap thik hain na? Maine kuch galat bol diya kya? I'm sorry.
Ram shook his head, pulled their intertwined hands close to him and gently kissed her hand. He cleared his throat and looked into her eyes again.
Ram: Main thik hoon Priya. Bass mujhe zyada credit de rahi ho jo main deserve nahi karta.
Priya: Kaha na maine aap nahi maante honge par main maanti hoon. Mr. Kapoor we don't have to agree on everything.
Ram: But don't we need to be on the same page? Woh toh zaroori hai na...
Priya nodded for some seconds.
Priya: But we can be on the same page using different directions. Aisa nahi hai ke hume ek jaisa hi sochna hai. We can have different opinions and still be on the same page.
A frown formed on Ram's forehead as he analysed what Priya wanted to tell him.
Ram: Hmm. Yeh bhi sahi hai.
Priya nodded with a smile. She forwarded her hand to him.
Priya: Uthiye. Bohot der se niche baithe huye hain.
Ram didn't stand up instead he went closer to her and again kept his arms on her knees, looking at her dreamily.
Ram: Yeh thik hai?
Priya gave him a small smile, nodding a little.
They kept looking at each other with their eyes full of love, soaking into each other's warmth which they missed in those 5 years.
Ram caressed her right cheek with his left palm and brought her face closer to his, touching their foreheads together.
Ram: Phirse kabhi tumhe khud se durr nahi jaane dunga main.
Priya: Main kahin nahi jaa rahi aapko chordke.
She hugged him tightly, caressing his soft curls. He hugged her back, finding solace in her arms.
Suddenly Ram's phone rang. He felt highly irritated.
Ram(not breaking the hug): Main jala dunga iss phone ko!
Priya broke the hug and told him to take the call. He pulled out his phone and saw that it's Adi. That made Ram more irritated as it's because of him he couldn't kiss Priya in the morning. He cut the call in anger.
Priya: Kya hua? Phone kyun katt diya?
Ram(making a face): Mujhe baat nahi karni usse.
Priya: Kyun?
"Ab isko kaise bolun ke uski wajah se mujhe tumhare paas jaane ka mauka nahi mil raha", He thought.
Ram: Aise hi mood nahi hai mera.
Priya: Yeh kaisi baat hui? Kuch important hua toh?
Again a call came from Adi. And this time Ram picked it up as Priya was literally glaring at him.
Ram(pretty irritated): Haan bol.
Adi: Haan Ram Bangalore ka woh Residencial society ko leke kuch problems hain.
Ram: Haan toh main kya karoon?
Adi: Kya karoon matlab? Investors se baat karni hai. They have some queries. Meeting rakhni hogi abhi.
Ram: Mujhe nahi karna.
Adi: Ram MD hai tu aur tujhse hi woh log baat karna chahte hain.
Ram closed his eyes feeling really frustrated. Suddenly he felt Priya's hand on his. He opened his eyes and he saw her nodding, while pointing at the phone. He immediately felt calm and cleared his throat.
Ram: Umm...okay. Meeting arrange kar.
Adi: Okay.
He cut the call and rested his face on her knees.
Priya: Office jaana hoga?
She half heartedly asked, thinking that he might have to leave and won't be home until late at night.
Ram looked up and shook his head.
Ram: Nahi. Online.
Priya let a soft sigh of relief which made Ram happy.
Priya: Phir thik hai.
He stood up, smiling at her and then gently kissed her forehead.
Ram: Main aata hoon meeting khatam karke.
Priya nodded with a shy smile.
An hour later when he was about to enter the room, he suddenly stopped at his tracks, being so surprised and overwhelmed with the situation happening in front of him.
Priya was sitting on the bed, resting her back on the backrest, spreading her legs together while Pihu was sitting on her thighs. Priya was holding Pihu's tiny hands, making them do a little dance while singing,
"I love my body from my head to my toes
I love my face, my eyes, my mouth, my nose
I love the way I look when I look in the mirror
I stand a little closer, just to see a little clearer
Who is that? It's me
And I am looking good as good can be
So what do I say?
I tell myself I love me everyday"
It was a song that went viral on the internet a few years back. He remembered how Brinda was watching an Instagram reel of a mother with her two daughters, singing this song. At that time he felt heartbroken thinking how it would have been if him and Priya had a child and lived happily.
But today she was singing that song to their daughter making his heart melt like icecream on a hot summer day.
Priya noticed him standing at the doorway with happy tears in his eyes. She passed a gentle smile to him. He entered the room and sat with them. Pihu went to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a tight hug.
Pihu: Bohot late kar dia Papa! Main kabse wait kar rahi hoon.
Ram(kissing her hair): Achha? I'm sorry cupcake. Meri galti nahi hai. Aapne Adi chachu ko daant lagana. Usne Sunday ko meeting rakh di.
Priya shook her head listening to him.
Pihu: Achha? Adi chachu ne bulaya tha? Main daant dungi unko.
Ram(smirking): Haan achhe se daant dena ke Sunday ko mujhe call na kare.
Pihu: Hm.
"Kitne badmaash hain yeh! Adi kya karen! Unko phasa diya", Priya thought.
Pihu: Ek seconddd! Main abhi aayi.
She quickly ran towards her playroom making Ram frown.
Ram: Kya hua?
Priya(smiling): Abhi aayegi.
Some seconds Pihu came and back and stood before Ram with her arms behind her back. Ram looked at her questionningly. Pihu looked at Priya once who nodded with a smile.
Shyly Pihu forwarded a card to Ram in which "Thank You, Popsie" was written and a red rose. Ram took that card from her hand, open mouthed not knowing how to find words to say that would make her understand how he actually felt.
He opened the card and there was a flower drawn on the left and on the right there was a drawing of him and Priya with Pihu in the middle, holding hands.
He couldn't hold himself anymore. Tears trickled down his eyes out of happiness. He felt like the luckiest father in the world to have a daughter like Pihu who appreciates each and every effort made by him.
He held her hand and slowly wrapped her in a warm hug.
Ram: Thank you Pihu bachhe. I love you.
Pihu: I love you too.
Ram forwarded an arm towards Priya who was wiping her tears with a smile. She went close and Ram kissed her forehead and wrapped his arm tightly around her.
Then Pihu started showing Priya what all they've shopped that day. She looked at everything and smiled. Ram thought that Priya would make a fuss about doing that much shopping but luckily she was actually happy.
Pihu suddenly went to Ram and started whispering in his ear.
Pihu: Papa! Mumma ki earrings kahan hai? Yahan nahi hai.
Ram(whispering back): Woh dress aur earrings cheepa diya hai maine birthday wale din denge na woh.
Pihu: Oh okay. Okay. Aur woh dresses woh yahan hai?
Ram: Abhi dikha denge.
Pihu nodded reluctantly, not sure how Priya was going to react.
Priya looked at the duo, narrowing her eyes as she could'nt figure out what they're talking about.
Priya: Yeh kya phusur phusur chal raha hai?
Pihu and Ram both looked at her, completely alert.
Pihu & Ram(together): Kuch nahi.
She let it go smiling internally.
Ram then cleared his throat, took a bag which had the cloths they shopped for Priya and forwarded it to her. She opened the bag and her eyes got bigger.
Priya: Yeh kya hai?
Ram: Tu...tu...tumhare liye.
Priya: Par kyun? Aapko pata hai ke mujhe yeh sab nahi pasand.
Ram suddenly pointed at Pihu.
Ram: Pihu ne pasand kiya.
Pihu also put her left hand on her waist and pointed at Ram with her right hand.
Pihu: Nahi nahi Papa ne choose kiya.
Ram: Nahi Priya maine nahi Pihu ne.
Pihu: No Mumma Papa ne kiya sachhi mein.
Their plan was to create a chaotic situation and prove their point.
Pihu: Papa ne bola ke aap par yeh colour achha lagega.
Ram: Aur tum ne bola Pihu bachhe ke Mumma ko woh saree suit karegi.
Pihu: Woh wala suit dekhke aapne bola ke yeh achha hai.
Ram: Haan toh achha hai na...
Pihu: Haan aur woh saree bhi pretty hai.
They kept talking non-stop making Priya irritated.
Priya: ENOUGH! Chup karo aap dono. Ho kya raha hai yeh?
Ram and Pihu both swallowed hard.
Pihu: Woh Papa ne....
Ram: Nahi Pihu ne...woh...
Priya(looking at Ram): Kya zaroorat thi iski?
Ram: Priya...woh...
Priya: What? Aapko pata hai mujhe yeh sab achha nahi lagta.
And that's it. Ram felt that he was forcing her into something she didn't want. He cleared his throat slightly.
Ram(looking down): It's okay Priya. Tumhe nahi pasand toh koi baat nahi. Main Tarun ko bol dunga woh wapas karke aayega......umm...(voice almost broken) I need to make an important call. Main jaata hoon.
He stood up from the bed and left the room in a second, making Priya and Pihu shocked.
Pihu(in a low voice): Yeh toh plan mein nahi tha.
She looked at her Mumma who was still looking at the door with a shocked expression.
Pihu: Mumma...aap ne Papa ko sad kar diya.
Priya looked at Pihu and tried to explain.
Priya: Pihu you know na baby I don't like all this.
Pihu(sadly): Papa ne sab choose kiya tha aapke liye. Woh toh aapko gift dena chahte the. Main jab aapko rose gift karti hoon tab toh aapko achha lagta hai.
She felt bad that her Mumma didn't like the gift and her Papa got sad for that.
Pihu: Aur Papa ne mujhe do do Red dress bhi dilayi.
Priya(not understanding): Huh?
Pihu: Hmm...
Then started telling whatever happened it the store. How Pihu got a little upset and her Papa made sure that she was okay, he even bought her 2 red dresses and how he told her not to worry and that he was there for them.
Tears came to Pihu's eyes as she remembered how upset Ram was sometimes ago.
Priya(teary-eyed): Pihu...I'm sorry baby. Main aap dono ko hurt nahi karna chahti thi.
Pihu(looking down): It's okay mumma. Aapko Papa se bhi sorry bolna chahiye woh sad ho gaye Mumma.
Priya(hugging Pihu close to her heart): I'm sorry. I'll apologize to him and make sure he's okay.
Pihu nodded while wiping her tears.
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YAYYYYY! 50th CHAPTER IT WAS!
It would not have been possible without the continuous love and appreciation I receive from you guys! So thank you so much!
Hope you guys liked the chapter!