It was a few hours later. Ram was sitting on his hospital bed with Priya by his side, and Adi, Brinda, Vikrant and Sara with him. Everyone present was looking at Ram, who, despite the weakness from his attack, was looking the happiest and relaxed that his friends had seen him in the last five years. Everyone wanted to know the same things - how Ram came to know of Nandini's involvement in his father's death, and also, now that he had given Kapoor Mansion to her, where would he stay now?
"Guys, relax. I am fine. And I know all the questions going on in your mind. All in good time. But first, Vik and Sara di...what about your wedding?"
Sara was stunned! Did Ram just call her Sara -di again? Was he finally beginning to forgive her for all that had happened? And for which she was somehow responsible? Varun, her ex husband had been involved in Ram's father's death, and now Ishaan, had unwittingly been the cause of Shivina's death! And yet, here was Ram, accepting her - not as his buddy Vikrant's to be wife, but as a Sood, as Priya's sister? Did that mean...
"Ram, tu pehle hospital se nikal, phir hum dekhenge shaadi ka...deal bhi sign hona hain."
"Deal!" Ram scoffed. He had done all this so that Shubham would not have to go to jail, but who knew that he would end up in jail anyway, because of what he had done 5 years ago! And he and Mom had messed up everyone's lives, but most of all his and Priya's!
Ram looked at Priya. She was sitting quietly by the bed, her eyes focussed on the monitor, deliberately not looking at him. There were tears glistening in her eyes. Ram reached to his side and took out some tissues from the box.
"Priya...". He handed her the tissue and she could not hold back her tears any longer. She broke down and rushed out of the room. Ram wanted to rush behind her, hold her, hug her, take her in his arms, wipe her tears away...but he was stuck to his bed with all the machines plugged on to him. Sara got up and went after Priya.
"Jaan...tell us, how did you know that Nandini aunty was involved in Uncle's murder?" Brinda asked him.
And Ram told them. When he was listening to Krish and Akki and what they told him about Nandini, he suddenly remembered what the resort manager at Alibaugh had told him. That there was a woman who was also involved in the whole plot. A beautiful woman who kept providing the assailants with information about VK's whereabouts. Ram had thought about this, but it had never crossed his mind that this woman could be Nandini! He was so sure that the woman his father loved was a good woman who could not do any wrong. But this morning, after hearing Krish and Akki something had clicked, and he had got the police to use all their resources to come up with ONE clue that would prove that it was Nandini instigating them! And they had! There was one telephone conversation in which Nandini was talking about how she would own everything once Virendra was dead! Ram was just a minor, so she would be the guardian, and she would manipulate him into signing away everything to her. And when he would become an adult, she would kick him out of the house!
"I loved that woman guys, I always treated her as my mother. Gave her the love and respect that I would have given my own mother, were she alive. Kept my promise made to dad. But what did she give me? Only dhokha and unhappiness. She took away from me everything that I ever held dear. She took Priya away from me, she didn't allow me to hold my daughter, she fed me only hatred the last five years! What has my life become? It's like a broken mirror, and I can't even see my reflection in it anymore! What did I do to deserve this? All my life, I only gave love and laughter, hoping for just a little bit of the same in return. But, but what did I get?" Ram was speaking and crying at the same time. Adi, Brinda and Vikrant were in tears too.
Just then the doctor came in. "Mr. Kapoor, you need to take better care of yourself. This was a close shave. We are discharging you. You can go home now, but you need to come back in a couple of days for some tests and follow up. Mrs. Priya has assured us that she will take care good care of you.
"Home!" Ram sniggered. He no longer had a home to go back to - he had lost everything and everyone dear to him.
"We are all there for you Ram, always. But tell me, where will you stay now that you won't go back to Kapoor Mansion?"
"Mr. Kapoor will stay with us. Not today, not tomorrow, but always and forever.
Ram looked at the door. Standing there was Priya, and with her was Pihu, his daughter!
"Papa! Aap sach mein mere papa ho! Ms. Sood ki Prince Charming is actually my father!" And saying this, Pihu came and enveloped Ram in a big hug. And Ram smiled through his tears. This was HOME!
to be continued...
