Ram (blinking deeply,with a sweet satisfied smile)- Dr.Priya,you just amaze me every single time yaar... matlab kaise kar leti ho ,ye sab aap.Itni tension mein thin aap bhi Jaan (Ram's Maa) ki sudden disappearance se ,and then your patients and still.. still,aap mere favourite dhabbe se ye vada paav lekar aayi... that's amazing ,I...I do appreciate this gesture..yeah
Priya(uncomfortable with his intense gaze and praise) - Ummmm,Mr.Kapoor...aap pareshaan then aur ek hi cheez hai jisse aap stress free ho jaate Hain,toh main le aayi...Maine itna koi bada kaam toh nahin Kiya aur na hi Aisa kuch socha bhi tha,to be honest...aap mujhe kuch jyada hi accha smjhte hain..ye toh koi bhi karta aapke liye,koi badi baat nahi thi ,hai na..and she smiled sweetly, genuinely meaning her words...
Ram (smiled mildly at her simplicity)- Har koi toh nahin karta..(Priya looked into his blue -blue,green-green eyes)..Per tumne Kiya aur trust me,ye mere liye koi aam ya mamooli baat nahin...tch..meri maa ke alawa kisi ne..(he looked away for a second or two before continuing)..pta hai Priya,Maa jab bhi mujhe kahti thi ki Ram shaadi kar le,taaki tujhe ek saathi mil jaaye,tu akela na rahe..toh ,main na unhe apne ghar ki gatherings dikhata aur kehta ki...Kahan akela hoon,ird gird kitne log hain...aur Maa bas yahi kahti ki,jab wo saathi tere pass hoga ,phir chahe tum dono kisi mehfil mein na bhi ho,tab bhi tujhe kisi ki Kami mehsoos nahin hogi..tab tujhe pta chalega ka ki bheed aur ek saathi mein kya farq hota hai...aur main bas hasi mein unki baat taal deta,ye kahkar ki Meri Jaan toh mere pass rahengi hamesha....per ab , actually jab hum dono yahan baithe Hain,iss pal mein hi mujhe ehsaas ho raha hai ki Maa kyun Aisa kahti thin...darr,Priya...woh darti thin,haan..darr unse ye kahlwata tha..shayad..(and he finally looked back into her eyes,which were showing his inner self, vulnerable yet so real but he didn't avert his eyes, letting Priya see his true self)...
Priya (leaned towards Ram and blinked her moist eyes ,spoke with a trembling voice)- Kaisa darr?
Ram (he ,too ,shifted towards her)- Akelepan ka darr... main... Pri..Priya(and he couldn't bring himself to form another sentence)...
Priya (quickly grabbed his hands to enforce some strength)- Koi ..koi baat nahin,agar aap mujhe kahne mein comfortable nahin hain toh...main samjhti hoon, it's okay..
Ram (shook his head frantically)- Nahin...sirf tum,sirf tum se hi main ye kah sakta hoon...shayad phir se ye himmat na juta paaun...please..(Priya assured him through her eyes)...Priya,main na bahut chota tha...jab Papa....Maa ne akele ,na sirf meri zindagi sanwari balki khudko khada Kiya mere...mere liye...aur koi humare liye nahin khada hua,ye duniya na...ye duniya apne liye acchai maangti hai,per kabhi khud acchai deti nahin...mere liye toh sirf mere Papa nahin rahen,aur main chota bhi tha toh..you know,Mera dhyan doston,padhai se bahal sakta tha,per Maa..Maa ke liye unka life partner choot gaya,unke bacche ka pita choot gaya...aur wo jab mujhe akela dekhti thin toh kanhi na kanhi unhe,unhe apna akelapan mujhme dikhaai deta hoga ...tabhi toh tumhen dekhkar,jaise ...tumne dekha hai ,I mean notice kiya hai ki
,Chahe main hi kyun na unke paas khada hoon,unki nazren bass tum per rahti hain...kitne pyaar se dekhti hain tumhen ...jaise itne saal jab tum humari zindagi mein nahin thin,uski bharpaai karna chahti hain...jaise tumhi wo baisaakhi ho ,jiske bharose wo khadi hain...
Priya(choked with emotions) - Main...Mr. Kapoor...
Ram (startled to see her)- Kaise Priya...kaise tum,meri har baat.. har ek baat,har ek gesture smjh jaati ho..jaise meri har kahi ankahi baatein bas tumhare liye hi hoti hain...see,abhi bhi tum meri feelings ko smjh pa rahi ho,jabki kitna jaante hain hum ek dusre ko..?You know Dr, it's so strange ki Jo log aapke saath rahte hain,aapse pyar karne ka davaa karte hain..unhe aapki kahi Hui baatein bhi smjh nahin aati per ajnabee..wo sab smjh hi jaate hain .... aah (wiping his tears)...kya yaar Ram,Dr.Priya ka bhi mood kharab kar diya...(Priya, too,hid her tears).. thanks yaar, shayad tumse kahne ke liye hi,itni baatein man mein hi thin abtak... thanks,Dr.Priya...
Priya (changing the topic)- Haan...contract Jo sign Kiya hai Maine ,aapke boore jokes,aapki kamaal ki nasihaton aur aapke man ki baatein sunne..aur sabse importantly aapke hygiene ke uper labme labme bhashan sunne ka ,Jo aap apne gande joote sofe per rakhkar dete Hain...
Ram (chuckling)- Yaar...tum mujhe pahle kyun nahin mili,Aisa accha dost, saathi sab deserve karte hain...
Priya (suddenly all serious)- Kyunki sab aapko deserve nahin karte ..(and Ram was startled with sudden change in tone)..I mean, Kriti is the one,you have chosen for yourself and I know,she does much more than anyone can do for you...main toh list mein kanhi nahin aati...(and she smiled her fake one)..
Ram (reality hit him,in deep voice)- Toh ek contract aur sign kar lete hain..dosti ka...hum Mila karenge na,we will be in touch Priya...(waiting eagerly for her positive response..)
Priya (baffled for a moment,then regaining her senses)- Mr. Kapoor... already sab itna messed up hai,and moreover Na hi Kriti Ko ye pasand aayega aur na hi main zabardasti iss equation mein' fit in 'hone ki koi absurd koshish karungi...
Ram (shifting on his place)- Arey yaar ,kyun per...and kriti ko kya pareshani hogi,I mean ab bhi toh hum.. rahte hai infact ek room mein..sab vaisa hi rahega..
Priya (smiled dejectedly)- Kuch ab jaisa nahin hoga aur usi mein aapki bhalai hai...dekhiye, iss contract ke baad,you have a life to live,and no wife will tolerate this dynamic..aur main khud kabhi aapke saamne nahin aaungi,kyunki ye mere ussolon ke khilaaf hai,aur mere usool...mere usool mujhe bade acche lagte hain, Mr.Kapoor..so,please leave it...
Ram (uncomfortable with her words and the coming future)- Per dost ko .. matlab tum theek ho ya nahin,sab theek hai ya nahi..ye check toh kar hi sakta hoon main...aur...
Priya (denying softly)- No, Mr Kapoor...ye contract ke baad aap apni life mein itne busy ho jaayenge ki...aur aapki 'love of life', aapka intezaar kar rahi hogi,aapko us per hi dhyaan Dena chahiye...ek 'stranger Dr. who turned your wife for 3 months ' per nahin.. vaise hi ye baat ki hum kitne logon ke dil todenge...ye mujhe har pal kachotati hai,jab sach bahar aayega..nahin,main aur bojh nahin lena chahti..iss janm ko nikalne ke liye bahut dukh hain mere pass aur nahin chahiye (and she shed a tear,being remorseful )...main ,jaisi bhi hai,apni zindagi jee lungi....
Ram (tore his eyes,sighed deeply)- toh,phir tum kya karogi aage...
Priya (blankly)- Pta nahin..Main hamesha se ek boring insaan hi rahin hoon, of course earlier,ab toh aapne meri life mein kaafi adventure bhar Diya..(chuckling) Haan,shaadi se pahle sab kuch firmly sochkar rakha tha ,ki bas career per focus karungi and all per.....
Ram (again looked at her,with a dying ray of hope)- Per...shaadi ke baad aisa kya hua ,Priya?
Priya (absentmindly)- Sab badal gaya...kuch pahle jaisa nahin raha,na main,na meri soch ,na zindagi...aapko pta hai main na hamesha se ek dreamer rahin hoon,har baat mein rang bhar leti thin,ki meri zindagi aisi hogi,vaisi hogi...Mera parivar,career,meri shaadi,just...(she shut her eyes tightly , oozing out her pain)...jab humari wo 'fake shaadi ' ho rahin thi,toh har pal mere dil ne khoon ke aansu bahayen honge,Mr. Kapoor...jise pyaar Kiya,woh saath nahin tha aur mujhe iss baat se koi farq nahin pad Raha tha,yahan Tak ki jise main apna pyaar smjhti thin,Maine use aasaani se apni zindagi se jaane Diya aur ..ek ajnabee..ek acche insaan,mere saath shaadi ke mandap mein baithe then,ek pyar karne wali saas...sab kuch shayad kisi ladki ke sapno se bhi jyada accha tha uss mandap mein..jab hum phere le rahen then,kanhi na kanhi meri aatma ne aapke saath unn vachno ko liya tha,ek pal bhi mera man vahan se nahin dola,jaise vahan hona hi meri acchi kismat thin...jab aapne meri maang mein sindoor sajaaya, mere dil mein kuch ajeeb sa hua...jaise main poori ho gayi..per Aisa kyun hua Mr. Kapoor?Aap toh ek ajnabee then na,per kyun ho raha tha mere saaath wo sab..kai baar mere man mei ye khayaal aata hai ki k accha hota agar ...agar aap mujhe pahle mile hote...kaash...aap Kahan then Mr. Kapoor, kyunki aap jaise insaan toh bas novels, ya phir wo aapka favourite tv serial ,kya naam hai ,wo Bade Acche Lagte hain,mein hi hote Hain...asal zindagi mein kisi Priya ko Ram nahin milte... She adored his presence through her moisture laden eyes...
Ram (with twinkles in his red eyes)-How beautiful my name sounds..? (But this time, Priya didn't retreat)...Sach kahoon Priya...abhi Jo bhi tumne kaha ,bilkul jaise mere man se nikala tha....aur ye khyaal ki ab tum mujhe khudko dekhne se bhi mana kar rahi ho,ye ..ye khyaal meri jaan le raha hai,Priya....jis Priya ko main jaanta hoon,woh toh apne patients ke liye aadhi raat ko bhaagti hai, apno ke liye ek ajnabee se shaadi kar leti hai aur uss shaadi ko poore dil se nibhaati bhi hai,wo Priya mujh per itni sakhti se kyun pesh aa rahi hai?.....
(And after a pause)...Jo hua wo hum badal nahin sakte,per jo hone wala hai,usse zarur rok sakte hain...
Priya ( chuckled mockingly)- Maine toh sochna hi chod Diya hai ab...hoga Jo dekh lenge ab ,isse bura toh kya hi hoga....aur aapke liye toh kriti aapka intezaar kar rahi hai,mere liye koi nahin hai..jiske liye main kuch sochun ya.. isliye jis din aapke ghar se jaaungi,usi din aapki zindagi se bhi chali jaaungi hamesha ke liye...usi khamoshi ke saath,aur aapki zindagi per uska koi asar nahin hone dungi, promise...
Ram ( in an equally mocking manner)-Well... khamoshi se na toh tum meri zindagi mein aayi thi aur na hi main tumhe jaane dunga...accha ,ek baat btao tumhe kyun Aisa lagta hai ki iss rishte se sirf tumhe hi koi farq padta hai..main kya koi robot hoon?Priya...tum itna toh mujhe jaanti ho ki khaane ,apne looks ke maamle mein Jo insaan itna particular hai,use tumhare jaane se koi farq hi nahin padega,Aisa kyun?
Priya (softly)- Koi farq nahin padega,ye toh main nahin kah sakti..kyunki aap ek bahut acche insaan Hain,aur acche log sabki parvaah karte hain....aur Maine dekha hai aapkon ki aap sabko kitne pyaar se treat karte hain,per aisa toh nahin hai na ke mere jaane ke baad aap uthkar ye sochnge ki ..Haan ,chalo ek chapter toh khtm per ab aage kya karun...aisa toh nahi hoga,kyunki next chapter aapke saamne hoga..sochne ka waqt Kahan hoga aapke paas?Bas yahi....
Ram (firmly)-Toh tum mujhe kabhi nahin milogi? Matlab mujhe kuch ho jaaye ya mujhe tumhari zarurat ho tab bhi...
Priya (dejected by his choice of words) - Main kahin bhi rahun ya na rahun,main aapki behtari ke liye prarthna zarur karungi...Ram ko bhale hi Priya ka dhyaan na rahe,per Priya ke dhyaan mein aap hamesha rahenge...chahe vanvaas kitna hi lamba kyun na ho?
Ram (melting)- Tum...mujhe khush rakhne ke liye,mujhe chodkar jaane ko taiyaar ho,apne aur mere gharwalon ke saamne buri banne ko taiyaar ho,mere saamne nahin aaogi,per mere liye prarthna karogi...ye sab karogi per mujhe ek baar...ek baar daantkar,taane dekar ye nahin kahogi ki ..ki Aap sirf mere hain Ram,sirf Priya ke...ke woh vachan,phere ,wo sindoor, mangalsutra itne kamzor nahin ki hawaon ki disha badlne se bikhar jaayen... Ke koi contract uss pavitra bandhan ke uper nahin,ke main aise kisi contract ko nahin maanti Jo ye kahen ke main aapki nahin,aur aap mere nahin...Agar main aapko sofe per shoes rakhne,bathroom mein ghanto lagaane,din bhar ulta seedha khaane,mujhse jaan boojhkar ladne,ye sab sah sakti hoon,toh sirf main,sirf Priya...sirf Ram ki Priya hi hamesha unke saath rahengi...Sirf Siya ko hi nahin,Ram ko bhi bin Siya ke vanvaas hi Mila tha, Priya...sabne kaha ki Siya ke saath Ramrajya mein bhi nyay nahin hua,per anyaay toh Ram ke saath bhi hua tha na... Siya ke paas unki yaadein thin,unke bacche then per Ram ji... Sita ji ko khulkar yaad bhi nahin kar saken, apne bacchon ka jaankar bhi,unhe seene se nahin laga saken...jag ke liye muskaate rahen,per man toh Sita ji ke saath rota hi tha na...kyun Pati ke pyaar ko samjhne ki koshish nahin ki jaati...tum koi aam ladki nahin ho ,Jo meri zindagi mein acchanak se aayin,use uthal puthal kar Diya aur jab man Kiya mujhe chodkar chali gayi... tumhari aankhen bolti Hain,isliye shabdo mein kanjoosi karti ho, per Aaj tum boli Priya....per sach kyun nahin boli?Tumhari aankhen padhna aata hai mujhe, per tumhare Dil ki sunne ki bhi toh hasrat hai...Aaj tumne mujhe Ram kaha...per naam Aaj bhi adhoora hi liya hai,use poora kar do...meri,sirf...sirf meri Pri..ya...main tumhe kahin nahin jaane dunga smjhi tum..kahin nahin...agar tumhe mere chaos ki aadat ho gayi hai toh mujhe bhi tumhare ird gird ke sukoon ki zarurat hai, Priya..
And Priya dashed into him..her husband was always a master of words,and today as well ,he proved himself to be nothing less than a magician,casting his spell on her.She was crying uncontrollably and he was hiding himself into her, away from the world...
Priya (crying hysterically)- Aan....main.. aap..
Ram (trying to pacify her)- Shhhh,it's okay...I know maine bhi bahut intezaar karwaya ... tumhe toh pata hi hai na,ki main pahle tumhe isliye hi nahin mila... Ummm , shayad koi amazing si dish try kar Raha hunga.... hahaha,aah Priya (Priya hit him on his back)...Kitni violence hai tum mein...
Priya tried to say something, between her hiccups as she came out of his hold but still hugging him, facing him.. Ram touching her hair,to calm her down)- It's okay, pahle shaant ho jaao...shaant Priya,phir bol Lena...
Then looked at Priya and changed his words- Ram - Accha bol lo tum,Varna kahogi ki aap mujhe bolne nahin dete, jabki tumhare teen teen page ke bhashan ke baad mushkil se teen lines bolta hoon..per taane dene ki toh factory hai na ,woh inbuilt Madam ke ander...atmanirbhar Priya,taanebaaz..
Priya (smiled at his efforts,in a trembling tone)- Aap....aap mujhe..aapki Priya ko uske Ram,bade acche lagte hain....main sirf aapse, apne Ram se pyaar karti hoon...itna pyaar,Jo ki ab mere iss Dil se sambhaalna mushkil ho gaya hai..Main aapke kisi contract ko nahin maanti,mujhe pyaar hai aapki har baat ,har andaaz se...toh ab mujhse iss pyaar ko le lijiye..(coming close to his ears, whispered)mere,sirf mere Ram....
Ram (sighing)- Chalo....vaise mujhe pta hi tha ki tum mujhe chodkar kahin nahin jaaogi...
Priya (chuckling sweetly)-Accha ji,aapko sabkuch pta hota hai.. kaise patidev?
Ram (acting offended)- Tumhe mazaak lag raha hai..?Arey Bhai,jitna jor jor se tum vidaai per ro rahi thin,mujhe tabhi pta chal gaya tha ki Ram ,beta isse jitna rona hai na ,madam ro chuki...ab tujhe hi rona hai zindagi bhar... Hahaha
Priya (irritated)- Accha ,theek hai ,jaane dijiye phir mujhe...Yun pakadkar kyun rakha hai,yakeen nahin hai..
Ram (laughing and tightening his grip around her waist)- Aise kaise jaane dunga...yaad nahin ,meri Jaan ne kya kaha,unko jaldi se pota ya poti chahiye aur main apni maa ki har baat maanta hoon...and he gave an enchanting lopsided mischievous smile to his wife...
Priya (gasped, hearing his words)-Aap...and she just hid herself in his chest...
Ram (tightening his grip with a laughter)- Toh..iska matlab Haan smjhoon,na..?
Priya (gave him a spat)- Besharam hain aap..and she smiled against his chest , completely surrendering to him and engulfing him into her loving embrace at the same time...
And Ram finally took a sigh of relief, getting lost in his new found solace,his Priya... Ram's Priya....
The lyrics, still lingering in the background....
Paas aayiye ke hum nahin aayenge baar baar,
baahen gale mein daal ke hum ro lene jaar jaar......
Thanks for reading,it was an impromptu one...11:51 pm ,20th July and I started writing this piece from nowhere and at 2:54 am ,21St July typing these concluding lines.Such is the life of a creator and that's the joy of it.Sharing this joy with all of you lovely readers,do share yours with others and write about your precious feedback and vote....🌹