Trips and Truth

Part 8 - The Truth

"Mr. Kapoor, aapko woh accident waali raat yaad hai? The truth is it was never really an accident..." she said, Ram stood there, dumbfounded, looked at her in shock. "Accident nahi ka matlab kya hai?" he said nervously, "Mr. Kapoor..." he cut her, "Priya? Wat? Tell me.... If it wasn't an accident you mean it was a mu...." He yelled stopping before he could finish the word. Priya grew paler by the minute, He was walking frantically yelling something on his own scaring her. He looked at her, she was standing next to the bed terrified with her face down. He realized he had frightened her, he took deep breaths and calmed himself. "Priya? I am sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just that..." he spoke making her sit on the bed. "It's okay Mr. Kapoor, I get it. It is a lot to take in." she said after relaxing a bit. "go on..." he urged her to speak. "I will, in one condition, you will not interrupt, and let me speak fully... okay?" she asked and he nodded. She started off by saying how Mahendra Sood had come to the Lohri party and created a scene there. And then when she was talking to him on the phone outside, she listened to Mr. Sood talking to someone on murdering him by accident. Ram's body stiffened, but he told Priya to continue, she then told him that she ran to stop but was unsuccessful so she had to take a vehicle nearby, she only found an auto. It came crashing down for Ram, he now realized what she was doing in the middle of the road in an auto. Ram's anger boiled listening to her, as he was about to speak more, "wait, I didn't finish yet... there is more..." he narrowed his eyes as she went on telling about the day, she thought she will trap Mr. Sood and take his confession. She turned out to be successful but she had to lose it to save Neeraj from being arrested for he did nothing. Ram rolled his eyes in frustration. As Priya teared up, "I am extremely sorry... "she said, which made Ram soften up. "Are you angry with me?" she asked innocently, Ram sighed, "Yes Priya I am, of course I am angry, all this... Till now, I thought what happened to you was an accident, now I find out that you were ready to sacrifice for me, you knew you might get hurt, hell, die in the worst case scenario, but you came, stood in the middle, protected me. I don't know how to process this... "he said on the verge of crying, that incident was a nightmare to him, he could have lost his Priya. She looked at him and apologized again. "Priya... what if something happened, it was luck that we made it to the hospital. I cannot imagine, I don't want to... You are important to me, you get that right?" he asked, she nodded her head silently. "actually, I had a hunch about that but I brushed it off, I somehow knew it was never just an accident." He continued, "how?" she asked. He narrated about his father's accident, which sent shivers down her spine. "number plate?" she asked as she knew something, "Yeah, the number plate of his car was missing...", it hit her, the number plate!!! "Mr. Kapoor, if you don't mind, do you have a photo of his car or his number plate?" she asked, Ram looked at her confused and then took the photo frame and gave her. Her doubts were right. She started breathing heavily, "Priya? Kya hua? Is everything fine?" he asked her, "Mr. Kapoor, I am afraid..." she replied, Ram quickly took her in his arms, hugging her, "Priya talk to me... why are you afraid?" he asked softly, while she whimpered. "One day, me, mama, Sara di were at home, Sandy and Maitreyi were fast asleep. We were just in the living room, Sara di and mama had a fight which made her go out. Then, sir came knocking, he was drunk and he looked ragged. I was in my first year of college, looking at him, it frightened me... he had a number plate in his hand. He came in and verbally abused mama, I couldn't take it, so I spoke back, and he got agitated. He... he... He umm... hit me. The more I got up showing I am strong, the more he hit me and at a point even I was tired. So, ma came in between to defend but even she was harassed by that number plate. Before I could call the police, he ran away. Sara di came in shocked, we went to the nearby hospital." She could feel Ram's fisted hands, "He had left the number plate in our home, and I kept it inside... should've thrown it. But I don't know why it seemed important. I brought it here, so that ma wouldn't find it there, it gives her anxiety. I have learned to move from it, she hasn't. But now that number plate...." She quickly got up, and went towards their cupboard and took the damned number plate out. "dad's... this is my Dad's!!" he yelled. "I realize that now, so, from what I can make out, he was never in an accident too. Mr. Kapoor, we cannot back down now, we need to get that man, he needs to pay for all the crimes he did! I will make sure of that... And I promise you that, you know I never back out of my promise." She said mustering up the much-needed courage. "Yes! We will make sure he rots in hell. He will pay for all he did, murdering my dad, laying his filthy hands on you and Meera ma, how dare he?! And then, attempt to murder me, because of which, I could have lost you... No... no ... I will not spare that creature!!" he said. He held her hand, "Priya, we are making a new promise now.... We will never keep any secrets from each other, okay?" he asked, "Yes, I promise." She replied. He had calmed down a bit. It was around 1am, they both were exhausted. They lied down. Ram turned the other side, trying to control his tears. Priya gently kept her hand on his shoulder. "I don't know how to console a person, maybe because no one has done for me. I have always learned to accept the fact and move past it. But I will not say that to you. Whatever has happened is wrong and not worth moving past it, it needs to be corrected. He disgusts me, I am ashamed. He snatched the opportunity of me meeting my father in law, the one who you said would love me, my one chance of getting a fatherly love, and he took that. He also took the person who you considered to be the world, Shivi and Shubham's dad. I feel guilt-ridden. You don't deserve this; you don't deserve me..." she said sobbing lightly. Ram turned to look at her and cupped her face, "No Priya, none of this is your fault. He murdered dad way before we even met. I will see to that, that he never comes anywhere near our family nor us." He said. They were tired but sleepless. 'Priya, are we gonna be alright?' Ram thought. After a few minutes, "Are we gonna be alright?" Priya asked softly. The same question that lingered in his mind became clear now, "Yes... we will be, as long as we are together, as long as you are with me, we will be alright." He said, earning a small smile from her face. He gently pulled her closer and slowly kissed her forehead. This was new to her, she was just getting used to his touch, but the kiss made her weak, she could melt anytime now and he was feeling butterflies in his stomach, more excited that Priya didn't stop him. She closed her eyes feeling his lips on her forehead. Everything felt alright for the moment. "Everything will be fine" he whispered. As much she wanted, she was afraid of getting hurt more... She pulled herself back, Ram looked at her questioningly. "Priya? Did I make you uncomfortable?" he asked, bracing himself for the answer, he would never want to make the woman he loved uncomfortable around him. "No" she replied, he took a breath in relief. "then?" he asked, "Mr. Kapoor, I am just scared that if I get too attached to you, I might go through the same thing again and I can't... I have no strength to put myself back together. Our growing bond scares me... As much I want to move forward, a voice in my mind brings back all the bitter memories..." she replied, "So, you don't trust me... you think that I might hurt you..." he said sadly, she could see hurt and guilt in his eyes, and it pained her. "Never... you are different, you can never intentionally hurt me... and I trust you." She said keeping her palm on one side of his cheek. "Then Priya, you cannot be afraid. The only way to get rid of this fear is to overcome it. And you don't have to do it alone... I am with you every step" he said moving forward touching his forehead with hers. "okay..." she said weakly in his embrace. "Wow, a one-week trip to Ooty brought us here, we should go on in more vacations" he said lightening the mood. "Really?" she asked sarcastically. "yeah, a longer one this time, I wonder what might happen to us" he said smirking, causing Priya to blush lightly, "uh huh, think ahead are we?" she asked, "Well, I remember you telling me that you'll come along where ever I go... so... yeah. Next time, we'll go for 15 days somewhere far away, Europe?" he asked. "we'll see, Mr. Kapoor." She said nonchalantly. "So, I'll take that as a yes." He said grinning widely, Priya chuckled, "Maine yes nahi kaha" she said, Ram smiled slyly, "Haan toh no bhi nahi bola na" Priya shook her head. "As I said Mr. Kapoor, we'll see..." she said again. "I cannot wait for it!" he exclaimed hugging her. "Ahh... okay now, you are crushing me" she said, he pulled back and smiled sheepishly.

The following morning, Ram asked Priya not say anyone anything about this till they ae clear with evidence as he didn't want to stress out anyone. After the breakfast, Priya gave her statement to the police, firstly they find that he hasn't gone home for quite some time now, secondly, he has been seen going in and out of Shashi's house, but to their disappointment, the house was empty. "Mr. Kapoor, try to think, does Mahendra Sood have any relations with your father earlier? Have you ever seen him before meeting him as Priya's fa- "before Inspector Rawat could complete, Ram intervened, "No sir, I do not recall him from earlier." He looked ta Priya and gave a slight nod, "Ok Mr. Kapoor, we don't have much now, and there is no concrete proof other than Mrs. Kapoor's statement. We'll look more into it." He said. "Thank you, Inspector Rawat" Ram said and he took Priya out, and headed to car. "Priya, you sit in, I'll be back" he said. "Mr. Kapoor, I'll come with you." She said, "Please... listen to me... Sit inside..." he said, while she sighed and obeyed him. Ram entered the police station. "Mr. Kapoor? Is everything fine?" inspector asked. "Yes sir, I just wanted to clarify one thing. Mahendra Sood would not be addressed as Priya's father. I do not want to make my wife uncomfortable with this investigation. I hope I made myself clear." He spoke firmly, everyone agreed to him. He entered his car, "Kya hua? Why did you go back in?" she asked, he smiled at her. "kuch nahi... don't worry, I am not hiding anything from you. I just wanted them to know that Mahendra Sood must be addresses as such and not as your father" she was overwhelmed by emotions, giving a small smile, he took off. Ram suddenly stopped the car, Priya was used to him stopping the car suddenly, but it still irked her when he did that. "Priya, chalo, let's have ice cream, I want one" he said making a pouty face. "That is not gonna work on me. And Mr. Kapoor, we had so much junk last week on the trip, and ice cream...." She spoke, "NO CHANCE!" they spoke together, Priya looked at Ram narrowing her eyes, "I knew you would say that... "he said frowning and drove to her college to drop her. "Accha Priya, when will your classes get over?" he asked as she got down, "Today I have till 5." She relied, "oh I have a meeting till 5:30..." he said sadly as he wanted to pick her up, "Okay, toh kya hua... I'll come to your office, it's nearby and for half an hour I can wait, no big deal" she said, Ram's face lit up, he was happy that she suggested to come to his office rather than going home by herself. "Okay then, I'll see you at 5 mi amor" he said and quickly drove his car leaving a flustered Priya, "Mr. Kapoor- "but he was too far now. She shook her head and let out a small chuckle...

Thank you so much all of you... <3