Part 28
Credit: Neha
Priya was concentrating harder on the next photo almost squinting her eyes to get a better look..
Ram: What are you looking at?
Priya: If this it what i think it is..its more baffling...
Ram: Priya, please stop taking me as real ACP Pradyuman..i am not getting what you are saying..simpler words please..
Priya: Look at the second name in the winners list..
Ram too squinted his eyes and looked at the name...slowly realization dawned upon him..as he looked open mouthed at Priya..
Ram: Siddhant Singh...you mean that commissioner..
Priya: I am not sure if its him..
Ram: But right now you said it..
Priya: Ram its only the name..there might be thousands of people with this name..can't be so sure unless we know which school he went to..But if he does know Vishal then it all becomes more complicated..i can't deal with another S now..
Ram: What S?
Priya: The lighter remember?
Ram: Who are your suspects anyway?
Priya: Sheena, Vishal...Siddhant maybe...Priya hesitated to say Saket's name. She was still not sure about it..
Ram: Why did they try to harm Sumit?
Priya: To scare you maybe..Sumit is close to you..
Ram: If i get a concrete proof that they are involved, i will really really make them pay for this..
Priya: Ram, you are doing nothing like that..We have a law to take its own course..I don't want you involved in anything like this ..
Ram: So how do you want me involved? Ram asked mischievously ..
Priya: Huh? Priya was startled by that question
Ram: Obviously in the case, what did you think?
Priya stammered : I ..I was thinking of the case only..Anyways i need to ask you about Sheena and Vishal..I need more details..
Sheena and Vishal's name brought a bad taste in Ram's mouth.
Ram: I have already told you everything that is there..
Priya: Ram, there are still so many links missing..If we have to win the case you have to talk about this, no matter how much disgusting it becomes.
Ram: What do you want to know?
Priya: Lets start with Vishal...Since we are not getting anything on him you need to help us in knowing him. Where can he go?
Ram: I don't know that but i have never doubted his intelligence. He had a sharp mind always thinking something. He always kept me ahead of my competitors..he somehow knew what the others were doing..
Priya: That means he always knows what we are going to do? How did anyone know you were in Delhi?
Ram: Only Sumit, Meera, and my office knew about it.
Priya: Any body from your office maybe?
Ram: Priya i only spoke to Ellie and the she in turn to the travel manager, nobody else knew anything. And i already told Arnav that i do not suspect Ellie, she has been with me for many years now..
Priya: Can we get a list of people who called your office that day?
Ram: We can but why?
Priya: I want to know the people who called. Now tell me exactly how things happened on the night Sheena claimed your murdered Vishal.
Ram: I am bored Priya...
Priya: Ram, this is important..
Ram: As i told you when i came home i saw Vishal's car parked in the driveway. I found them in my bedroom.
Priya immediately looked around the room.
Ram: This is not the room. I have not stepped in that room since that incident. This was my bedroom before we renovated the house. The bedroom that i am talking about is on the other side of the floor..
Priya gestured him to continue..
Ram: Seeing me both of them were startled and they followed me to the living room. I confronted Vishal but he said he was just explaining the upcoming share issue to Sheena. I did not buy it and pushed him. He fell on down and i walked off in disgust. I stayed in the hotel that night and the next morning when i came to the office i was arrested and presumably Vishal was dead..
Priya: Did you suspect them for long?
Ram: Not really..i mean despite the fact that we were as different as chalk and cheese i never expected Sheena to cheat on me that too with Vishal..
Priya: We can get the manager to confirm about your stay at the hotel but the distance between hotel and the house is 20 mins and why did it take you almost 45 minutes to reach?
Ram: I stopped for petrol at the petrol pump. And i also stopped for a cigarette break for almost 10 minutes .
Priya: What about the petrol pump guy who claims your car did not come up there..
Ram: How am i supposed to know..
Priya: Did you take a receipt?
Ram: No
Priya: Ram atleast you could have taken the receipt, thats so basic..
Ram: Priya, i seldom drive my own cars, so filling petrol is so out of question..I am not used to this.
Priya: Our hearing is next week, please try and remember if there was anything..anything that happened in front of a third party that may be used against you by Sheena..You misbehaved or anything like that?
Ram: No
Priya: Ram, think atleast don't just say no
Ram was about to reply but his attention was diverted by Peehu who had come in...
Peehu rushed towards Priya and sat on her bed..
Peehu: Mumma...did you get me from Bangkok?
Priya: Bangkok? Who told you that?
Peehu: There is a boy in my class..Aditya...he told me all children come from Bangkok...he got his baby sister from there..
Priya: Peehu..that is not true..babies don't come from Bangkok..
Peehu asked innocently: Then where do babies come from?
Ram: Peehu..babies come from a special place...All Mummas pray for them and then God gifts it...
Ram deliberately did not mention Papa he did not know if Peehu knew about her father or no
Peehu: Really Mumma..you prayed for me..
Priya: Yes baby..i did ..she lovingly touched Peehu's cheeks ..
Peehu: Then can i get a baby brother for my birthday?
Priya: Peehu...did you finish your drawing? Will you not show it to us?
Peehu: Mumma first tell na can i get a baby brother for my birthday?
Ram sensed Priya's discomfort, he himself did not know how to answer Peehu.
Ram: Peehu..when you get a baby brother na you will have to share everything with him..all your things..Mumma also...
Peehu thought about that
Peehu: Everything?
Ram took Peehu in his arms...Yep..everything..
Peehu: What about Bugs Bunny? I have to share with him also?
Ram: No..not with Bugs Bunny.
Peehu: Then i will have bugs bunny only...and she smiled happily...
Ram: Deal..now rest for sometime then we will play ok?
Peehu slid from Ram's arms and snuggled near Priya on the bed. Within minutes she was fast asleep..
Priya put her arm around Peehu.
Priya: Thanks..
Ram: No problem..If you don't mind can i ask you something?
Priya nodded at Ram
Ram: Does she know about Saket?
Priya let out a deep sigh
Priya: No, Saket was around when she was very small hardly 2-3 months..After that she has never seen him. As children are not allowed in the hearings she wasn't present at the court either..She has never experienced the love of a father.
Ram: What about Saket, he never asked you about Peehu?
Priya: No, he was more than happy to shirk his responsibility.
Ram: Peehu never asks about her father..
Priya: Peehu has been with me and then at the childcare centre. The child care centre has kids whose parents are either mostly divorced or dead..Peehu has not witnessed a real family as such to realize there is something missing in her life. But now with the school i guess she would be seeing more of it and sooner or later she will start asking questions..
Ram phrased his next question very carefully..
Ram: You never thought of remarrying?
Priya stared at Ram unable to make out the question..
Priya: I just got divorced Ram..and anyways i have had enough of marriage...Peehu is everything to me..she is my priority now..
Ram: I understand that but can one bitter experience totally change your idea about marriage? You never know you might just meet the perfect partner..
Ram prayed that it had sounded like a normal enough conversation and not like he was trying to know what she thought of a relationship.
Before Priya could reply Ram's cell buzzed..He looked at the name flashing on the phone..He took the call
Ram: Hey Jimmy, whats up?
Saket: Ram can you please check the mail i have sent you, we need copies of those contracts..
Ram: Oh ok, let me check, i ll tell Sumit to forward the copies to you. I hope your company back in Belgium has no problems now.
Saket: Can't say Ram, i have submitted my report but you know these people are very temperamental..don't know what would be their final decision.
Ram: Ok but try your best to convince them..
Ram disconnected the call and looked at Priya.
Priya: All ok with the deal?
Ram: Hope so..Jimmy is helping me a lot. If the deal remains with me i have a lot to thank this guy.
Priya: Does he decide about the deal?
Ram: Not exactly but his reports can make or break it for me. You already know that i am so dependent on this one deal..so in that way i would not want to get into his wrong books..
Priya again thought about whether to tell the truth to Ram about Saket being her ex husband. If Saket was indeed helping Ram out then it was better to keep this information from Ram. Ram could do anything in a fit of rage and harm himself in the process. She still did not know if Saket was involved with anyone..She could not even tell Arnav to check on Saket without telling him the entire thing..What if she herself speaks to Saket..Priya dismissed that thought immediately..
The knock on the door diverted Priya's attention to it..The doctor stepped in to check on Priya.
Doctor: Your vitals are good..and you look better too. Can you try and get up and walk around..
Priya put her legs on the floor and slowly got up she moved a few steps and stopped and then moved again..
Doctor: That's good I can safely tell you to move around in the house..
Priya : What about the cast, when can we remove it?
Doctor: Not yet, the shoulder has still not healed..
Priya: Ok but i can go home right..
Ram stared hard at the doctor..
Doctor: Also i forgot to tell you..i would request you to please stay here till you are completely healed.
Priya: Why?
Doctor: I mean i stay close by to this place and it will be better for me..please ..i ll lose my job..
The doctor looked scared and helpless..
Priya: Ok
Doctor: Thank you..thank you so much..saying that the doctor almost ran out of the room..
Priya looked at Ram who kept a straight face...she thought of asking him about the doctor but then decided against it, maybe the doctor genuinely had problems..
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since Priya could move now she wanted to experience fresh air. She was walking in the garden when she heard Peehu call her..
Priya walked in the direction of the sound..
Ram, Peehu and another girl were standing together awaiting Priya to join them.
Ram: Priya, meet Shweta..
Priya and Shweta shook hands and Priya gave a puzzled look to Ram..
Ram: Shweta will teach Peehu how to swim, remember we discussed about it.
Priya: Yaa..i remember...You sure Peehu can learn at this age? I mean isn't she too small?
Shweta: Yaa she will learn..don't worry we will start with absolute basics..she will be fine trust me..
Shweta held Peehu's hand in hers: Ready?
Peehu nodded and walked off with Shweta...They both changed into Swimming suits and stepped in the water.
Priya sat down as she watched Peehu and Shweta in the swimming pool. Shweta had a superb figure and the swimming gear fully complimented her..
Ram too sat down near Priya and watched the two of them..
Priya: You know her from long?
Ram: Who?
Priya: Shweta
Ram: Yeah..we were partners at the swimming club..She is a terrific swimmer..state level..
Priya: You have partners at the swimming club?
Ram gave a sly smile he actually liked Priya's line of questioning..
Ram: Generally no but she and me hit it off so well that we enjoyed each other's company..
Priya nodded and looked ahead..
Shweta: Ram...what are you doing on the sidelines? Come join us...
Ram: No i am fine you guys carry on..
Shweta: Don't be a spoil sport or have you forgotten how to swim?
Ram chuckled at that : Is that an invitation?
Priya looked at Ram shocked he was openly flirting with her...
Shweta: Might be..Shweta laughed back..
Before Priya could understand what was happening she heard a huge splash..Ram in no time had changed and jumped into the water..
Priya: Men...thought Priya..all are the same...As she was sitting down she could only see the heads of the 3. She got up to have a closer view..Shweta was teaching Peehu but her one hand was on Ram's arm..
Priya: Who the hell is she teaching? Peehu or Ram..Priya muttered to herself..
Meera: There you are..I was searching for you in the entire house..
Priya : Whats the matter?
Meera: There is a fax from Ram's office, Ram had told me to give it to you..Its still there near the fax machine..
Priya: I ll look at it..Priya replied but her eyes were on the swimming pool itself..
Meera: Isn't that Shweta? Wow she is teaching Peehu? She is a very good swimmer..
Priya: That i can see
Meera saw the look in Priya's eyes and stifled a smile..
Meera: They are partners...
Priya looked at Meera..anticipating the full meaning of what she had said
Meera purposely remained quiet..
Unable to bear the silence Priya herself asked
Priya: Partners?
Meera: Swimming partners ..what did you think? Meera winked at Priya..
Priya: Why will i think anything? Be any partners i don't care..
Priya watched as all 3 of them came out..Ram immediately took a towel and started wiping Peehu's head..In turn he felt a towel on his head. Shweta was helping him dry himself.. Just as Shweta's hands reached Ram's bare back Priya turned away..
Meera: What happened?
Priya: I need to check the fax..and Priya walked off..
Meera looked heaven wards and gave a thumbs up...Right Track..
Priya reached Ram's study room all the time fuming..Can't even wipe himself off she angrily gritted her teeth..She took the fax in her hands and looked at it. It was the list of numbers that had called Ram's office that day.
Priya was interested in the second half of the numbers as Ram had aranged his ticket in the evening..
She put her finger across the numbers going through each number one by one and seeing the timings against them..There was Sumit, Meera and some other numbers that had called in last. As Priya came to the end of the list she froze ...there had been a call from Saket's number...and there was an outgoing call to Sheena's number..
To be continued
Anupamaa
