BALH Paanch Saal Baad Part 99

A distance that is scheduled for 18 to 20 hours, for Ram it was like an era to cover. Thanks to Singapore Airlines, when the authorities were informed about the VIP, they upgraded Ram Kapoor from economy class to First Class. It was little relief for Ram. He wanted to think about all the incidents that happened in the near past. What wrong he has done? Was that a blunder he made when he supported Priya and almost threw Pihu out of his life, taking away everything away from her. The darkness outside, suddenly erupted it’s vastness and vacuumed out his every thought from his head. Smiling face of his daughter faded in front. “What have you done Priya ? What have you done??”

Same time in another time zone, Priya for another time of many times, she sneaked inside the room. With her daughter in deep slumber, clutching the pillow by her side. She wanted to hold her close hiding her from every fear, every disheartened feeling whispering to her softly, “Every thing is fine. Every things gonna be okay. If not then she will be there in every moment for making it best again.” But how she can tell the same, when it’s her who is guilty in her daughter’s eyes. She again settled on the couch just outside the room. Her eyes ached, her neck pained. She is already informed about Ram’s flight by Kush, and certainly with Pihu her another priority stands to make her husband understand about the seriousness of the situation. Will she be able to make him understand, the overprotective father. While she knew most worst is going to happen, she prayed for a little to happen good, when she meets Ram in person.

“Priya.” Called Apeksha standing just by her, “ You must sleep for a while.” She suggested with care.

“Sleep?” Surprised was Priya “ Sleep? How can I Apeksha. Even If I insist myself to go into slumber I can’t. My baby is in pain and I will.. I am fine here Apeksha.”

“Priya, is your health perfectly fine? Are you Okay with it? We all know what happened in recent past and you have not recovered completely from it. Please stop torturing yourself and remember one thing, as much I know your husband, my brother, This ! is not going to be easy. You have a bad time ahead Priya.” Apeksha took Priya by Surprise.

“ Are you trying to terrify me Apeksha or you are trying to tell what you are going to do infront of your brother, that is will take his side, just to survive this crisis.” Fumed Priya in anger.

“Priya God !” Apeksha’s body language showed the disgust in her,” Look I don’t know why we are fighting, what I know is this is nothing is going to happen or change by guarding Pihu, all this”

“I want to stay here.” Priya looked other way opposite to Apeksha.

“I insist Priya, Don’t sleep, just lie down for few moments, minutes.” She pated Priya’s shoulder, “Please” Apeksha added as Priya turned around a bit. Agreeing to Apeksha, with the promise from her to be with Phu in her absence, Priya agreed to rest for a while. Dev who was still present there, saw Priya walking towards the bedroom. He sighed.

“Dev!” Apeksha called him up. “ I think you should be get going now. Bhai will be here by around 7 to 8 in the evening and I will request you to receive in person”

“Even if you have not said, I would have !” Dev smiled, “And you also take some rest. Good Night.” Dev stopped while he turned to leave. “Certainly you will take care of both of them, you have lots of duties to do, please do take care of Priya too.” He smiled. While he walked downstairs, Apeksha in her head murmured, “Don’t put yourself in this Dev, Bhai is not only a protective, Overprotective father, but a mad lover an insane husband, who loves his wife more than anything else.”

In her room, Priya sat on the bed, it was almost near to dawn, when she was there. Her body was giving up, restlessness worked throughout. Whatever has happened in a day or to be right in few days is somewhere due to her, her decisions. She cursed herself. Pihu could be handled in some other way, where she could have Ram by her. Certainly, Ram is an over possessive father, who doesn’t even wait for his child to wish. Strolling for a moment in her room, with the thoughts inculcated, she walked back to Pihu’s room. She could hear Apeksha and Pihu talking, with her daughter awake she didn’t want her to be again reason of Pihu’s agony again. Stepping aside she waited for Apeksha to come out. Her wait continued almost for half an hour, it came to halt only when she heard Apeksha’s phone buzzing. Answering the call she came out and her eyes meet with Priya’s very first. “Ya. You just keep on checking.” Disconnecting the call, she called Pihu by her name and asked her to be ready.

“Ready?” Priya exclaimed, “ Where she is going?”

“College. Pihu wants to come along like her regular days. She almost forgot about the last night except the major hurt part, i.e You.” Apeksha waited for a reply, Priya looked startled unconvinced with the idea of letting Pihu go to college. “Well, Bhai’s flight is bit delayed.”

“When he will land?” Priya asked looking no where to Apeksha.

“As of now almost 9 or 10 at night. With everything getting cleared.”

“ Almost 24 hours. He will be more…”

“What More Priya ?” Apeksha asked.

“Leave it! I will handle. But tell me why you are allowing Pihu to go to college?” Priya almost demanded an answer.

“Priya, this is the problem. Look if she wants to be there and make herself involved in all other routines, let her do that.”

“But..” Priya couldn’t even say the second word, her attention was drawn to Pihu.

“Wow Mom. Wow.” She walked closer to Apeksha and Priya, “See Bua this is my mother, who wants me to drop college and Mom why should I drop the classes? Already I am lagging behind everyone. No project is ready from my side, Even I don’t have a single friend and she wants me to lag even more behind. Isn’t it so real bua.”

“Pihu..” Priya tried to speak.

“Mom please keep me out of you. Sab kuch toh cheen liya hain aap ne mujse thoda toh jeene dijiye. Mercy me a little.” She rushed downstairs before anyone of the women could defend.

“Priya Look.” Apeksha sighed as she also didn’t have any words to give her strength. “I will look after her I promise you.”

“ I trust you Apeksha, take care of her.” Priya walked back to her room.

As always like any other normal day, Apeksha took Pihu to her college. She got out of the car looked around, took a deep breath before enacting to be smiling.

“Pihu.” Apeksha called from the car, “If you need anything or plan for anything let me know. Please.”

“I will. Only to you.” She walked through the college gate. Apeksha waited till she turned and waved with a smile.

“Just drop me at the first turn and wait in the parking, I will be around.” Apeksha instructed.

While Ram was loosing his patience every moment in the delayed flight to his destination, Priya was worried about facing her husband, with the circumstances being worst around.

~~

“Hey!” Pihu was greeted in the cafeteria, where she was seated with Kunal and Mia. “Remember Me.” Advik made himself comfortable sitting just inform of her.

“Not really..” Pihu was not sure while she answered, “ I think I saw you yesterday right?”

“Are you asking or remembering?” He smiled putting a potato wedges in his mouth, “Hmm? I asked something.”

“I am not sure. You were home yesterday. Yes you were, you .. Yes a family friend.. Right?” Pihu tried to figure out.

“Hey Pihu, If you don’t know him , tell me I will show him his place.” The savior Kunal jumped into.

“Relax Man, didn’t you heard I am a friend.” Advik looked straight at the boy.

“I think we should continue it later” Mia smiled, “ Pihu we have studio classroom in an hour. See you there.” Mia almost dragged Kunal out.

“ So your friends.” Advik said making himself comfortable.

“Na, I don’t make any friends. They were curious about me that’s why joined me. I Guess.”

“Guess, did they tell you that, or anything that made you curious about guessing what they are thinking.”

“A fool will hint you and a dumb will tell you that they are curious.”

“You are serious threat to our profession.”

“What !!” Pihu looked surprise.

“Let me introduce you once again. I am Advik Agarwal. Your consultant doctor. We had some kind of talks last night at your home.”

“Yeah ! I remember Now.” Pihu Stood up collecting her belongings, “You may leave now. I am not mad!” She almost shouted. When all pair of eyes curiously looked at them, Advik smiled looking at her.

“Miss Pihu Kapoor.” Advik stood up, whispering into her ears he added, “This is called to be curious.” Pihu followed Advik’s eyes along and find herself in most strange situation. “Calm Down Miss Kapoor. Sit.”

“Hey Guys..” Advik Clapped and grabbed the attention, “She is a friend and nothing serious. Carry on folks.” He came back to his place. “What’s bothering you so much?”

“My Mom!” Pihu shouted again.

“Shhh.. We can discuss this Pihu, nothing to shout and tell the world about your botheration. No one is going to care, else to make that complicate more. Deemag mein ghusa lo.” Advik said in a strange tone.“How much do you know your Mom?” he asked.

“Completely. Control Freak, She is the right person only, left in this world. Everyone else is wrong. Stubborn, Arrogant and …” Pihu stopped.

“Go On.” Advik took one after other wedges from Pihu’s plate.

“Why are you eating my wedges?”

“Because I am hungry.”

“Don’t you have manners how to react with a girl?”

“No!”

“Shameless bugger!”

“Leave it! We will decide that later if I am shameless or what! Please continue with your mother.” Advik grabbed a tissue, “ Stubborn, Arrogant and…”

“Nothing.” Pihu denied to share.

“I can help you, Opinionated, Haughty, Self-Important, lordy, Superior..anything more. Must be she must be.” Advik added.

“How dare you to talk for my mother like that?” Pihu gritted her teeth.

“Okay! You were saying all these to me last night. I have recordings at my chamber, If you want I can ask someone to send those here.” Advik waited for Pihu to react. She sat calmly on her seat. With the bell ringing she wanted to leave for the studio classes.

“Let me tell you I have a great inclination for art. I adore it and the artists who does so wonders. I know a better place that can fill colours in the canvas of your thoughts.”

“No. I have to go. Excuse me.” Pihu stood up to leave this time.

“Okay.” Advik stood by her, “ Miss Kapoor artist have great skills, they make the things look about, as they see them. Good or Bad they are the creator with the power to project and impart their thoughts to every other person.” Pihu looked straight at Advik, who in return smiled, slipping a card into her folder he whispered, “We see what an artist makes us see. If you want to talk, call me any time. Anytime means anytime. For of now, bye. See you soon Miss Kapoor.”

With trains of thoughts stalled inside her head, Pihu walked straight towards her destined classroom, for the first two times as she looked back, she found Advik smiling at her, for the third time, when she looked back, he was walking back out from the cafeteria. With his last words echoing inside her brain, Pihu walked inside her classroom.

“You don’t need to hide Aunty!” Advik said tapping on Priya’s shoulder, “She doesn’t hate you, she loves you more than anyone else does.”

“I don’t know Advik. If it was my little Pihu I would have second you very much. But somewhere I also cannot understand my girl. My child.” Priya said, who was observing the whole event from a little distance but she couldn’t hear each and every words from the conversation of the two. It was Priya who called up Advik and informed about Pihu who willingly attended college. Advik insisted to have a chat with Pihu at college and Priya to be there with him. Priya agreed with the condition to be there but not being near but far.

“Her condition is not worse, her condition is bad. She is in need to be shown who you are for her and what you mean to her. It has been put aside for any reason, that has to be brought forward again.” Advik added.

“I don’t want anything. Even if she hates me for all my life, I am okay with it. But I can’t see her like this. She was not like this. I want my Pihu Back, even if it costs me to be out from her life I am okay with it.” Priya Paused, as she found Apeksha there too.

“Getting back old Pihu, at the means of you minus her life, are you out of your senses Priya?” With no response from her end, Apeksha continued, “We need to get back Pihu with you by her side, with her to know what she means for you, and what you look out for her. If I am wrong Advik can correct me.”

“ Aunty, She is right.If you will go out of her life, she will slip into worse to worst. But what I would like to correct, sometimes over protectiveness leads to suffocation. Looking into the complete history of Pihu, She is feeling suffocated.” Advik said to the ladies.

“For getting her breath normally, I need to move out.” Priya exclaimed, “Isn’t that what I was trying to say?”

“No you didn’t need to move, Walls are not broken from the houses or new fabricated walls are being brought into as replacement. We look for some space. That you have to do the same with her, Give her little space, Let her decide, fail and come to you for advice. Don’t stop her from deciding.”

“Even if it is harmful for her?” Priya expressed her astonishment and disagreement to Advik’s suggestions.

“If Harmful, she needed to be stopped, but not forcible by putting something on to her. By making her understand. She will revolt though, I know. But you have to.” Advik cleared Priya’s disgust, “ And I think you two must be get going. Miss Kapoor will definitely go back home from here direct, with the thoughts I could incult into hejgkdghfkghfhkhdgfkghr few minutes ago, in some mere decimal percent, but she will definitely call me up to prove me wrong either, or to talk to me.”

“Yes Priya we should leave. You must have some rest. Bhai will be here by night.” Apeksha looked to Advik and cleared his doubts of who being called as Bhai by her.

“Oh! So Ram Uncle will be here too. I saw him last when I was been to India with Sir, for a conference. Almost an year. I think He will also understand the situation. I would like to speak with him also, Aunty Please arrange a suitable time when I could talk to him, as per his convenience.” Advik quickly checked his watch, “ For now I need to rush back have some patients for counseling.” With a smile he left in his car from the campus.

Apeksha asked her driver to pick Pihu back from university once her classes are over. She and Priya drove back to the house in the car that Priya brought along. Throughout the entire route, Priya neither allowed Apeksha to speak nor did she. When they reached home, Priya walked straight to her room, locking herself inside she sat by the window in the rocking chair. While her thoughts remained with what Advik said to her, It also bothered as arrival time of her husband neared. In due time her eyes gave up to her tiredness, and also after effect of the medicine she gulped as prescribed, subconscious to her senses she fell asleep, with no dreams invading, into a deep slumber she slipped into.

~~

With constant loud knocks at the door, from when Priya didn’t know, she almost jumped out of her slumber. Clearing her throat she answered to knocks. With her reply, the knocks halted. To Priya’s surprise she found Apeksha and Pihu equally nervous and disturbed. She tried to explain, “ The medicine.. I think..”

Interrupted by Pihu, “ Atleast you could have kept the door unbolted.” She walked away without allowing Priya to explain further or may be she didn’t expect a reply.

“Come, it’s almost 10 , have some food and Bhai will be here at any moment. His flight landed almost 45 minutes ago. Check your phone, I called almost 90 times and Pihu almost 30- 40 times. Come quick.” Apeksha Said.

“Yeah, coming in a while, let me change.” Priya went to the changing room with her night gown. While Priya was upstairs walking towards the aisle from her room, she could hear Pihu screaming in happiness on arrival of her father. While going downstairs she found Pihu excited relived more than earlier, clinging to her father’s neck. Their eyes meet and Priya could feel the anger in his eyes, what if she had not spoken to him almost 2 days then. With Ram looking at Priya, Pihu’s excitement vented off, “Papa you just get fresh we will talk later. I have some projects to finish, deadlines.” Pihu smiled before leaving she wished her father good night and left.

“Apeksha, arrange my dinner in my bedroom.” Ram said and walked upstairs ignoring Priya completely.

“What..” Apeksha was about to interrogate Ram, was stopped by Priya, “please Apeksha Let it be our matter.”

“But what is this behavior? Yaar tumne thodi na kuch kiya hain. Whatever happened was sought to be.” Apeksha showed her disgust.

“Then also, Yeh humare pati patni ka mamla hain and let me handle this. Tum dinner bhijwa do upar. Please.” Priya insisted Apeksha. She agreed with no choice left.

~~

While Ram was still in washroom, the dinner got served at the bedroom, Priya bolted the door and waited for her husband to come out. She was not having courage to face him, but there was no option left with her at that point of time. With the squeak of the door of the changing room, Priya looked behind to see her husband walking to the dressing mirror, he combed his hairs perfectly as always, and walked straight to the food, placed neatly at table there. With no response from her husband, Priya took the courage to walk to the table, seated just opposite to Ram, she filled her plate with scarce amount of food, which she tried hard to gulp.

“Does my presence makes you uncomfortable?” Ram spoke for the first time. Though rude, she thought but she thanked God for him to speak up atleast.

“Why do you feel so? Actually I am not feeling to have food.” Priya replied.

“No look, If there is any problem I can make myself comfortable in the guest room.” Ram dined to concentrate on the topic that Priya was diverting towards.

“Why are you behaving like this? Did I ever tell you to do so? Why are you anticipating?” Priya was annoyed this time.

“That’s the problem with you Priya, You don’t tell anything, you just do it! Why because you feel it to be right, and we all have to anticipate the future and agree with you. Isn’t it??” Ram was furious.

“What did you say?” Priya’s annoyance can be described easily from her face, “Did you want to 
mean you had different opinion for Pihu, when I showed my interest to send her outside India? Is that what you want to mean?? Don’t tell me that Mr .Kapoor. I have never compelled you to take that decision, I just expressed, you agreed.”

“Did I have a choice?”

“Did you express one?”

“Shut Up Priya!” Ram shouted, “This .. just.. This is your problem, you just go on and on if someone differs from you.”

“When Mr. Kapoor? You are blaming me for something that we together decided, by putting the charge on my shoulder. Tell me one thing if nothing would have happened whose decision will it be? Ours right?” Ram didn’t respond to Priya, “ Oh! Wait a second!” Priya looked straight to Ram, “ Are you blaming me for all these?”

“yes! There you go. At last!” Ram sighed, “ At last you got to realize the truth Priya! It is you who lead my daughter into this disaster!”

“Do you really said that Mr.Kapoor” Priya’s voice chocked.

“It is indeed Priya!” Ram’s anger was expressed, “Shall I repeat it for you? Then listen it very carefully, I was foolish that I agreed to you. I send my daughter here away from everyone, friends family everyone, only entrusting you with her every responsibility. But you failed me. You failed to be a mother or to be correct your ego, failed you as a mother. How can be anyone else is right when you said something? Yes you dragged Pihu into all these. You are solely responsible for my daughter being at this stage. ”

“What Mr. Kapoor I failed as a mother? Mr. Kapoor If Pihu is your daughter she is mine too. I.. I ..” her voice chocked, “how could you say that Mr Kapoor? I carried her for….” Priya was expecting worse but the worst took place. “ I carried a part of you, in me, I felt her growing at every step. I felt her Mr. Kapoor. She is ours but I felt her to grow, and I will put her in danger for what ??? For ego. Is this you think of me?”

While Ram sat still with his eyes shut tight, hand pressed against forehead, Priya stood up to leave. She walked furiously towards the changing room, In few seconds she came out. Tears trickle down her cheeks, “Pihu is Our Love Mr Kapoor, I felt our Love blooming inside me, and I can kill myself for good, for bad, but I can never ever think any bad for our love only to satisfy my ego or my point.” Priya waited for Ram to reply, “Huh! But it’s so wonderful to know what the father thinks, the mother to be guilty of his daughter’s health only because she wanted to satisfy her ego. Only to prove herself to be right. Thank You Mr.Kapoor, Thank You.” Priya rushed out of the room. Pushing the dish away from him Ram stood up. When he ended up to Pihu’s room, he found Priya seated in the Living Room.

“Pihu!” Ram called and knocked at the door before entering.

“Hi, Papa.” She closed her workbook and looked behind.

“Come sit here.” Pihu sat by Ram hugging him. “How are you my love?” he asked.

“I don’t know Papa.” She sat straight.

“Please Beta tell me what is bothering you? Is that your Mom and her decisions?” Ram asked very caringly. Pihu looked surprised and shocked at the same time.

“May be. But.. But why you all are into blaming mom? I have differences with her and let…” Pihu paused and looked no where but blank, “Papa I think you are tired and I.. I have many pending assignments to complete. Can I talk to you later?”

“Okay!” Ram sighed, he stopped at the door and looked back, Pihu has already got back into work. “Pihu.” He called her, “I will be waiting for your reply and remember one think if today Ram Kapoor is here it is for you, not for your mother. Good Night.” Ram walked back to the room, he looked down once for Priya but she was not there at the Living Room.

At the bedroom he found Priya gulping some kind of medicines. When she is done with she was asked about those.

“Regular Medicines.” She answered, “Anything else.” Without any response from Ram, she continued, “ Make yourself comfortable, I am in the guest room.”

“Why? If may I ask?”

“I don’t want to be with a man who takes his child’s mother to be a satisfying egoist.”

“When did I said that?”

“What you left to say Mr. Kapoor? You said everything. Just Everything.” Priya said Picking up her book from the side table.

“Priya !” with Ram calling her, she stopped. “Stop over reacting.”

“I am not Mr. Kapoor Not at all. I am just behaving normal, with my husband and with my daughter.”

“No, You are not. You are again showing your stubbornness.” Ram walked to her.

“Mr. Kapoor, if you want me to behave like nothing happened after what you accused me of, then I am really sorry. I am not hurt you know. I am feeling thrashed against by the person whom I loved more than anything, even more than our daughter. I am feeling betrayed by that person whom I trust. I am feeling shattered for being blamed by the person, whom I was looking forward to fight off this situation together. I am feeling like the convict who has no idea of the offense made.” Priya’s voice cracked down, “ You know what, you feel that I am a failed mother. But I tell you the truth. I failed as a wife, as a partner. I failed because you have the feeling, my husband has the feeling that I impose my thoughts on him, let others be.. I don’t bother about others, even when Pihu said me the same, I didn’t feel bad. But from the man whom I adore, I love he tells me today even if he differs in decisions can’t tell because I never acknowledge the same for my ego.”

“Priya.” Ram tried to speak.

“No.” Now she reacted, “Now I am telling you No. I don’t want to hear anything. You said I heard but now it’s over. I am the failed mother, failed wife and as far I know there is no place for any failure in The Ram Kapoor’s Life, then what I am doing in his bedroom.”

“Stop Over Reacting Priya!” Ram insisted Priya to stop.

“ Sorry Mr Kapoor. This time I am reacting and I will. Today I draw a Line between us. Let us be the Man and the Wife on Papers. It’s Over between you and me. We, no there is no we, I and You need a break, may be forever this time.” Priya dashed out of the room, with Ram standing there clueless of what in store for future.