"You, of all the people," Kunal took a dramatic pause. "I would have still understood if it was Vik, but you?" he paused again then looked away for the effect.
"And Priya? You've a massive female following and you choose the only girl I..." he trailed off.
"Kunal.. I.. I didn't know you still..." Ram followed him as he got up to leave. "Sorry. Not for loving her," he interjected, "sorry.. things didn't work out for you.. Trust me, I didn't have such feelings earlier. You know it, right? I don't know when... how... I hadn't planned. bas... bas.. ho gaya.."
His friend burst into laughter, leaning against the cabin door.
Ram frowned at him at first, then sighed in relief. "I knew you weren't serious," he pretended.
"Yaa, saw that. Sorry, not for loving her. For you two," Kunal teased, laughing. He took a moment to calm down, then put an arm around his shoulder saying, "And Priya's Mr. Kapoor, love is not something you plan, it just happens."
A bashful smile spread over Ram's face and his cheeks turned crimson.
Love.
He was in love.
"When is the wedding?"
"What wedding?"
"Your wedding," Kunal clarified. "You're telling me so I'm assuming you proposed—"
"Whoa, wait! I didn't propose," Ram clarified and added, "Or asked her out yet. I don't want to rush things."
Kunal went from excited to disappointed in a second. He remembered the impatient Ram who couldn't wait until Valentine's that he proposed Vedika on his birthday. Priya and Ram have been hanging out for quite some time, definitely longer than the time taken to fall for Vedika. He enquired about the same.
"Proposing Vedika on eighteenth birthday... it was adrenaline! Life had just began. Mann mein aaya, bina soche samjhe kar diya. I claim I'm young — which I'm, mann se — but we are not teens anymore. She has a past. I have a past. Our baggage.. experiences.. it scares me," he paused. "I.. I wasn't enough for Vedika.."
"Ram..."
".. or our relationship, and I lost her. Her parents needed financial security. They wanted someone with more money and less responsibilities. I'm doing well now but Priya doesn't need this. She is different. She's self sufficient."
Kunal interrupted, "that shouldn't be a problem."
"It's not. The problem is Vedika was expressive, Priya is not. She never held herself back, even when she broke up with me. Be it about her parents expectations or her insecurities, Vedika was clear. With Priya things are complicated. At times I understand her in the most unexpected situations, but sometimes I struggle to figure out the basic stuff."
He turned to his friend. "We have reached a point where we are happy in each other's company, comfortable in sharing worries and confide in each other and I.. I.. fear that my hurry will ruin whatever we have if she doesn't feel the same way."
"Not just that," Ram continued. "For me it'll be another heartbreak but it's going to fuel her existing trust issues. Mahendra Sood and that jerk Neeraj had done enough damage that my proposal will break her terribly. She'll loathe men even more, and won't be able to trust again."
"Ram, you think a lot," Kunal finally spoke. "You don't want to rush, I get it. And I really appreciate your thoughtfulness, but you just can't do nothing."
"Matlab?"
"Um, matlab..." He tucked his leg and turned to his friend on the couch. "While you give yourselves time, you can give her hints. Like whenever you find her beautiful, tell her — don't flirt but you can at least compliment her. Don't hold hands but walk together. Romantic long drive na sahi zidd karke ghar chodne jaaya kar. Baki kaam teri yeh neeli gehri aankhen kar degi and she'll know. If the feelings are mutual, she'll reciprocate and you'll know."
Ram briefly stared at his friend.
"All I'm saying is while giving her time, you can slowly and gradually make her aware of your feelings and try to know hers," Kunal explained.
What Kunal suggested, unintentionally he has been doing that for a while now. Even Priya's response to it seemed to be positive, but she doesn't seemed prepared which is why he decided to pause.
Also what if it's all in my head and I'm reading the signs as I want them to be?
Kunal added bringing him back, "You know how important marriage is for desi moms. Mumma refused check up until I agreed to meet the girl. Priya is single today, but sooner or later her family will pressurize her into marriage again. Yaad hain na Akshay ki shart."
'Jab tak Priya didi ki shaadi nahi hoti, tab tak main yeh shaadi nahi kar sakta.'
'I said you're saved. Bach gaya tu shaadi se.'
"She refused," he countered.
"How long?" Ram tensed up. "She almost agreed to marry you that someday the pressure might make her say yes to someone else. Better you gear up."
He asked after a minute, "What if it.. it's no again?"
Kunal took a moment before answering, "Then we both will sing Channa Mereya in her wedding," he laughed.
Ram glared at his friend.
"Accha, sorry. I won't tease." His friend shifted closer and kept arm around him. "My intuition says she won't refuse this time. Cause like we see a changed Mr. Kapoor, we notice changed Priya Sood too."
"We?"
"We," he nodded. "Adi, Bri, Vik, Sara—"
"Sara? Priya's Sara Di?"
Kunal shrugged, "Bri might have run into her sometime. Accidentally, you know. So don't overstress and follow your heart."
****
"Wow, Di. You appear to be in great mood," Priya exclaimed as she arrived in the Bakery.
"I am. Varun will pick up Ishaan from the classes, and then me," Sara smiled. "Coffee?"
"Nahi, thanks." Priya shook her head, then smiled at her sister who peacefully sipped coffee while softly bobbing her head at the beats of music.
She hadn't seen her sister so relaxed and happy in long time. Finally Varun jiju got a new job after being jobless for almost 3 years. This not only assured about the financial support hereafter but also helped in improving the bobd between the couple that Sara had planned to shut cafe for a while to spent time with her family, but Priya stepped in. She offered to look after the cafe for couple of hours so they don't have to start over again.
And also because she, unable to refuse then, had agreed to Mr. Kapoor's wish for call. Declining to talk after agreeing will cause tiff between them and talking to him in her house meant inviting unnecessary speculations about their relationship. Thus, this proved to be the safest option solving boty the issues.
Perhaps marriages aren't that bad and restart truly exists, she mused and turned to the PC to update the accounts.
A while later, Sara kept the empty mug on the counter and cleared her throat before speaking, "Sandy told me you brought a designer saree yesterday."
The fashion house Shivina worked for had organized a fashion event. Due to orders, Sara couldn't go, but Priya along with her younger sisters, mom, and Kapoor woman attended it.
"Haan. Yes. She kept insisting and I couldn't say no," Priya replied without glancing up.
"Oh.."
"Its only one-time thing. It was her first event and I couldn't disappoint her," she justified.
"Hmm, disappoint her. Correct."
Priya ignored her and kept writing.
Sara spoke after a moment. "What next?"
"Almost done with the accounts, now I'll quickly wind up here, then check the stock."
"I meant about you and Ram," she asked directly.
Pen slipped out of her hand.
"I know you like him. You know this too," she added before she could deny. "So do you plan to tell him or how? What's next? Like you say, can't wait for things to happen."
"Right, so what should I do?" Priya broke her silence. "Designer saree pehenke, haath mein laal gulaab lekar, bahe phelake unse kaho ki Mr. Kapoor, I have began to like you so please marry me."
She left the counter angrily as Sara stifled a chuckle. Sara pulled a chair beside her and said, "Chalo, at least you accepted that you like him and thinking about marriage."
Priya silenced her with a glare.
"Dekh, Priya." Sara kept hand on her hand on the table. "I had never, and will never forcibly meddle into your personal affairs, but I can't stall Maa anymore. She has began to think you're using Ram as excuse, especially because even he isn't into marriage and all. She even discussed with Mami about her sister-in-law's nephew."
"Maa bhi na.." she exasperated.
"What Maa bhi na, Priya?" Sara scolded. "She is worried for you like all of us. I understand you need time but think from Maa's perspective too. She has spent most of her life without Sir, why wouldn't she worry? Moreover she had us, who do you have? Don't say family. Akki is married, Sandy will settle someday. And whatever we say everyone will be busy in their lives, no one will be with you forever."
Her sister continued, "I'm just saying you like Ram, and the way he rushed to our house when you were sick, I think he, too, likes you. And I fear if both of you keep waiting for the other," she paused. "Aisa na ho, he finds out about the proposals before you two talk and misunderstand anything. Tu samjh rahi hain na?"
"No, I don't," Priya answered. "I neither understand myself, nor him. This feelings... this changes... this feels like a dream, and I fear that some day I'll wake to find it gone. Sometimes I feel like I matter; I'm important. And sometimes I feel like an absolute idiot."
"Does he ever make you feel like—"
"Never!" She cut her sister. "Ever since we became friends, not even once he had made me feel bad about myself. In fact, I had stopped belittling myself. It's not him, but my actions around him make me feel stupid. And like you said he came here when I was sick, but what if we're misreading his goodness for something else?"
"Priya.. Priya.." Sara laughed. "Told you, love won't allow you to think straight. Remember, cupcakes and muffins?"
She recoiled at the recollection of her tall claim on Valentine's day to never falling in love with anyone.
Wait, what?
Love.
Her chest weighed heavier. She should have known talking to Sara Di never helps. Instead she pushes her deeper and deeper into the pink hues.
Gulaabi world. Priya, stop!
Her sister took her hand into hers which broke her thoughts. "Priya, sometimes it's good that you're scared. Then you realise how much someone matters to you, and I hope now you know what Ram means to you."
She listened to her sister, paralyzed.
"Hi, Maasi!" they heard from the entrance. "Mumma, chale?"
Sara nodded at Ishaan and turned to her sister again, "Think about it before it's too late."
****
Priya anxiously checked her phone for the seventh time in last four minutes. She was done with the accounts and clearing up everything, and Ram hadn't call yet.
Agitated, but mostly terrified by Sara's words, she dialled him.
He didn't answer the call.
She locked the phone in her purse, then grabbed the mixing bowl, flour, spatula and everything needed to bake.
Seventeen minutes later, she filled the tray with the batter and headed to the oven.
Mr. Kapoor still didn't call back.
She was mad at him for not calling her back, but he isn't the kind to ignore calls which concerned her even more. Running out of patience, she took her phone and called him again. He didn't answer again, but called back a minute later.
"Why didn't you answer earlier? I've been waiting for a long time," she yelled.
"Sorry, but.. I.. I was.. in the.. meeting," he managed to answer.
"Wait, you are still in office? And why do you sound so weird?"
He breath heavily, then stopped to speak. "Cause I'm going down the stairs. As I entered the lift, I saw your missed call. Before I could call, you called again. I thought it's urgent. The network was poor in there so I stepped out on the next floor."
Now Priya inhaled deeply to control her anger. "Get back in the lift and call me once you reach in the car," she ordered, then hung up with waiting for him. At times his over caring attitude stresses her instead of giving happiness.
And Sara Di thinks its easy to understand Mr. Kapoor. Little does she know simple being simple actually makes it difficult to understand.
Here, Ram reached to his car, drank some water and called her. He calmly told her about the video call with client operating from the States. Due to the time difference they had to schedule the call late in the evening.
In whatever 2-3 calls they had, it was usually him who called, that too comfortable lying on the bed or couch on terrace. Today neither he called, nor answered her calls, so he apologized.
"I'm sorry too," she added.
"Why are you apologising? It's not your fault. I should have kept you informed about my schedule."
"Phir bhi, I should have let you explain, but I kept on yelling..."
"It's okay. Ab toh aadat si ho gati hain," he teased and could sense frown in her silence. Immediately he added, "Enough of sorry. How was your day? And why did you call?"
"Nothing special. Both, the day and the call. How was your meeting?"
"It went good. Slightly less than good but I think we'll get the deal. We have another meeting tomorrow, hopefully we—"
"But we have holika dahan at our house tomorrow," she interrupted at the thought of him missing the Pooja. "I mean... Shivi ki pehli holi hain. She's very excited."
"I know but not sure if I could make on time. The meeting might stretch like today. Then I'll go to Kapoor Mansion, get ready, then drive to Goregaon, it's—"
"You can get ready here," she cut him again. She shook her head, scolding herself. "I mean you can directly come here. Anyway you wear branded and expensive clothes to office that different outfit is not needed."
Ram smiled to himself at her explanation to hide her restlessness. Two missed calls and two interruptions reminded him the conversation he had with Kunal few days back. Their work didn't give them time to meet each other or provided him opportunity to give her hints, but maybe the distance did it's magic to give him hints.
"I hope you make it tomorrow," she added after a minute, uncertainty and sadness lingering in her voice.
If only she knew, how much he had missed her and how desperate he was to meet her.
"Don't worry. If the meeting doesn't end soon, I'll hung up the call just like you did. Bhaad mein jaaye deal," he tried to cheer her up.
"Really, Mr. Kapoor?"
He heard faintest giggle and replied. "Um, not really. Cause the deal is huge and very important, but I promise I'll try my best to be there on time," he assured.
"I will be waiting."
"I won't make you wait long."