Ram kept on pressing the door bell, but nobody answered. He looked at the watch... it was almost 7 pm. Priya should have been back from university by now. It was about 45 mins drive from her university campus in Munich to Sanjay's bungalow at Holzkirchen. Ram stood confused outside the house ... seemed as if nobody was there. He read the name plate carefully again :
Singh
14 A Marketplatz , Holzkirchen 83607.
He remembered very clearly... he had come here twice after Priya's marriage. The house looked pretty much the same, a simple bungalow, situated right at the heart of this small town. It was quite cold outside and even with a pullover and an overcoat, Ram was shivering slightly.
Chalo... bhad mein jaye surprise! He thought to himself as he picked up the phone.
Ram : Hello.. kaha hai ?
Priya was surprised to see Ram's number flashing at that hour: Ghar pe hoon.. tu kaha se bol raha hai ?
Ghar pe? Ram yelled in an irritated tone.. Arey main toh tere ghar ke bahar hi khada hoon! Kitne baar bell bajaya.. why cant you open the door?
Priya was startled at Ram's words : Mere ghar ke bahar ? Matlab tu Germany mein hai?
Ram : Phir kya.. socha tha tujhe surprise dunga! Par darwaja toh khol pehle!
Woh main T..T..Toronto mein hoon..Priya exclaimed hesitatingly.
Toronto mein? Ram was too puzzled with the reply..Abhi abhi toh bol rahi thi ke ghar pe hoon?
Priya bit her lips in tension: Woh actually ghar matlab hotel mein. Sanjay ko aana tha kuch kam se toh maine socha main bhi aa jao... vacation pe...is liye...
Accha.. toh madam vacation pe hai ... wah wah! Chuckled Ram ..Aur mujhe to bataya hi nahi! Aur yeh achanak Toronto mein kyun bhai. Sanjay waha bhi koi naya restaurant ka plan kar raha hai kya ?
Priya: Arey achanak hi kuch business tour pe aaye .. mujhe bhi thik se pata nahi. Par tu aise kyun aaya.. bolna chahiye tha na. Tune toh bola tha Dubai ja raha hoon..
Ram : Arey main Frankfurt aaya tha ek project ke liye... toh socha yaha aake tujhe surprise de doon... is liye jhoot bola. Par tune bhi toh nahi bola ke tu vacation pe ja rahi hai ...
Nahi woh .. main.. Priya continued in an embarrassed tone...I mean mujhe bhi pata nahi tha .. last minute plan hua sab...
Itna bhi embarrass hone ki zarurat nahi hai. Accha kiya tum aur Sanjay vacation ke liye gaye... lagta hai Ma ki baatein bohot seriously le liya tum dono ne.. Ram quipped teasingly.
Please Ram.. just shut up! yelled Priya.
Ram : Ok Baba, chal Sanjay ko phone de zara..
Priya : Woh actually ek dusre call mein busy hai toh...
Ram : Oh ho.. ok. Mera hi bolna use .. aur enjoy karna vacation dono acche se samjhi.
Par tu kya karega abhi ? Priya asked.
Ram : Kuch nahi.. raat ke liye Munich me kisi hotel pe ruk jata hoon. Subhe ki flight arrange karke nikal jaunga. Waise idhar tere neighbours ke pass kuch chod sakte hai ?
Kya ? Priya enquired.
Ram : Arey Ma ne pata nahi kya kya bheja hai tere liye. Pura ek bag bhar gaya hai tere saman se ...
Nahi Ram... Priya said in a shaky voice...Woh neighbours naye hai.. humein thik se nahi pehchante toh mushkil hai...
Ram : Ok.. phir tum logon ki restaurant pe hi chod deta hoon...
Nooo Ram.. Priya almost screamed in the phone.. Actually woh Munich ka restaurant mein renovation chal raha hai .. toh bandh hoga..
Priya isme itna chillane wali kya baat hai.. Ram said.. Aisa hai to wapas hi leke jata hoon. Ma se bohot pitayi hogi par I will manage!
I am so sorry Ram...Priya's voice almost chocked.
Ram : Arey ... Tu kyun mujhe sorry bol rahi hai ? Tujhe pata thodi tha main aane wala hoon. Ab yeh sab chod aur enjoy kar apna vacation... See you!
As soon as Ram kept the phone , Priya burst out crying.
I am so sorry Ram...Tu itna door aaya phir bhi main tujhse mil nayi payi.. aur uske upar tujhse jhoot pe jhoot bola.. Par main kya karoon .. what should I do.. she dig her face into the couch.
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Priya got up next morning in a very disturbed state of mind. She reached the university and continued with her lectures, though her mind was hovering around what happened yesterday. She could not take this torture any further, and decided to take a break and go to India for some time. Suddenly her phone buzzed... it was Ram.
She stared at the screen for some time without picking it up. Last night Ram had texted that he will be catching an early morning flight back to India... he should have been in flight by this time..
H.. H..Hello..Priya said in a shaky voice..
I am waiting for you in the main gate... immediately bahar aa ja. Ram's cold but authoritative voice made Priya shudder with apprehension.
Priya : Ram... tu toh wapis jaane wala tha.. yaha kaise ...
Ram : Woh sab baad mein... just do as I say..
Priya : Par Ram mera class hai abhi..
Do the hell with your class.. Ram lost his patience as raised his voice... Tu bahar ayegi ya nahi..
Priya sensed Ram's anger and could guess that he had come to know something... but she did not know how.. and to what extent. Her head started paining, as if thousands of hammers were banging inside as she took leave for the day and drove towards the main gate. She caught a glimpse of Ram standing at the main gate, dressed in a black suit sans his tie, and stopped the car in front of him. They were meeting after almost 8-9 months, and Priya felt like giving him a tight hug, but Ram seemed least interested.
Ram sat beside Priya and without even looking at her uttered coldly: Ghar chal...
Priya gave a blank look : Ghar?
Kahi pe toh rehti hogi na tu... bas wahi chal...Ram muttered irritatingly.
Ram.. look I know maine tujhse jhoot bola . Priya tried to pacify him .. par ek bar meri baat to sun le...
Mujhe abhi kuch nahi sunna for God's sake..Pehle ghar chalte hai please...
Priya did not utter a single word more, and started driving the car. She could sense Ram throbbing with anger in the adjacent seat, and she herself was fighting her tension constantly to keep her hands straight at the steering. They reached her apartment, and Priya opened the door to let Ram in.
Ram scanned the humble living room for a few seconds before he finally sat on the couch, looked at Priya and declared : Priya..bas bohot ho gaya! Just pack your things...tu mere saath India wapis aa rahi hai ... humesha ke liye...
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