(This starts from when Ram & Priya are locked in a fierce embrace; their first one after their declaration of love to each other)
Ram felt like he was on the top of the world. A feeling of exhilaration, elation … emotions which he had not experienced in his long life of forty plus years engulfed him. He could not even imagine life without her now; how had he survived all these years?
A wave of sadness washed
over him; he shuddered when he remembered
his bleak and barren life; dedicated to work and keeping his family happy.
No one had seen his unshed tears nor felt his loneliness.
There was no one for whom his heart skipped
a beat. He had been alone; totally
alone; and devoid
of any sincere
love and affection
for as long as he could recollect.
Priya felt it. She felt him shudder
even in her intoxicated state.
Ram was so deeply entrenched
into her system,
into her whole being that she realized
that there was something troubling
him; causing him sadness. She looked up and saw his eyes. Inspite of the love for her glowing in his eyes, she could still make out the tiny vestiges
of sadness. She did not even look here and there to notice if anyone was looking. She just held his face in both her hands and looked
deep into his eyes.
At that moment
Ram knew … knew that this was the last time he would feel sad or lonely in his life. His wife …. his darling talli wife was now his entire life. To cherish
and love for ever. And in return;
to be loved and cherished
by her. To be made to feel like "The King of the Universe".
My God, he was getting
filmy now … as he recollected the dialogue from Om Shanti
Om. He knew Priya would never let him be desolate again.
And that she existed only because he existed. There was no pride in between them, no complexity.
He strengthened his hold around
her once more and led her back into the house. No other woman in the world would have understood
his sadness and tried to dispel it in an intoxicated state.
What had he done to deserve someone
like her? He remembered the track from one of his favourite
movies ..the "Sound
of Music"
"So here you are standing there
Loving me
Whether or not, you should
So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good"
He made Priya lie down on the bed; and as per his prior experiences, he smiled as she rolled over and went off to sleep immediately. He settled down beside her; afraid to sleep; in case she woke up and walked off somewhere again in that state. He was also dead tired after the last few emotionally exhausting days. That night before Priya's breast cancer report when he had been terrified and then the next night when he'd finally opened up his chocolate box and shared his innermost secrets with her. Even that night he hadn't been able to sleep; still unable to believe that there could be someone in his life with whom he'd shared the terribly sweet and sad story of his "Gudiya". And then followed by the urgent US trip, realization of his love, and the equally urgent return. And the party, and awakening of an unknown jealous streak in his body, the ugly fight, the fashion show and then last night. And this morning, he'd hurt his back after bending over and cleaning the left over candles throughout the room. But it had been worth it. The most grueling and emotionally exhausting week had been worth it.
He held her close; wanting to see her expression when she woke up in his arms. He knew he'd behaved badly that morning. Last night had been such an unforgettable experience. More so because they had unknowingly waited so long for that day. They had progressed to the final stage of their relationship and become one only after admitting their love. Priya had been amazing.
He had been hesitant even last night to proceed to the next stage for a secret fear. He knew that Priya loved him very much but he also knew from his friends that women had certain expectations from their special night. He was a 40 year old unfit man, unhealthy and fat. That had been the main reason for his hesitation the previous night. But Priya had overcome all his inhibitions and reassured him, in ways only which she could have. He knew one day that he would share that night's experience and fear with her some day. He wasn't afraid to open up with her or spill out his fears. He closed his eyes once again as he remembered how she'd walked to him when he'd pulled her slowly towards him by the hold on the pallu of her sari.
But in the morning, in the light of the day, with the candles long extinguished; again his fear had come back to haunt him. Had he really been able to make Priya happy the previous night? To hide his fear, he had pretended to be gruff; so as not to allow her to read his emotions. But his wife was too smart. He recollected an earlier conversation when after he'd deliberately shouted at her without reason; she had realized that it was just a blind; to keep her from questioning him about his relationship with Apeksha.
But today; after they'd applied colors on each other and had embraced in that final hug, he had realized ; finally; that there was no cause for any fear. Like she was the whole world for him and could never disappoint him in anything; similarly so; he was the same for him. She would never be disappointed with him for anything.
He could not wait any longer and woke her up. She took a lot of time to finally get up and understand where she was and how. She could not remember
who had given her the bhang but just remembered
that she had been very very thirsty.
After a lot of teasing
on both sides,
Priya fell silent
and looked at Ram intently.
Her eyes were seeking some answer. Ram knew what she was asking but he wanted
her to speak out too. Finally Priya asked him about the morning. About why he had seemed
so withdrawn. About why he had said "kal raat ki baat kuch aur thi". That had hurt her, he knew.
Why? Asked Priya again. What was the difference? Why had they woken up as strangers
yet again?
Ram finally played his trump card.
Ram : Tumhaare liye bhi toh kal raat aur aaj mein farak hai.
Priya : Nahin toh.
Ram : Are you sure?
Priya : Haan
Ram, softly : Phir kal raat tumne mujhe itni baar "Ram" kehke pukaara tha…tumhe yaad hai? Phir aaj subah se "Mr.Kapoor" pe kyon wapas aa gayee?
End
