• Second Chances •

25. A Ray Of Sunshine

"Adi, am I still asleep?" Ram kept his chin on Aditya's shoulder.

Aditya pushed Ram off and growled. "Yes."

Ram purposely hugged Aditya. "Carry me."

"Ugh. Shut up!" Aditya tried his best to get away from his annoying friend.

Shaking her head at the immaturity that was on full public display, Brinda asked Priya, "So how was your flight?"

"Good!" replied Priya.

"Did you guys talk?" inquired Brinda.

"Not really. Mr. Kapoor just slept throughout the flight. He was really tired from his earlier trips I guess..." explained Priya.

Brinda nodded. "Yea. That's the advisable thing to do when you are flying with toddlers. Tire them out so they sleep on the flight and don't harass you."

Priya and Brinda chuckled. Ram's ears immediately perked up and he looked at them with questioning eyes. "What's so funny?"

Brinda returned the gaze. "Not you. That's for sure."

Priya didn't look too offended by that statement much to Ram's disappointment. How could she not like his jokes? He whined and brandished the hotel check-in papers in their faces. "Let me just tell you that I don't like this newly formed Bri and Pri team!"

Whilst Brinda's face blossomed into a huge grin, Priya found her own smile to fade away. She had no issues with the short version of her name that Ram had used. She had found it to be rather endearing. But it did catch Priya off guard. When was the last time anyone had included her in anything? When had she, even unknowingly, teamed up with anyone to tease someone? When was the last time she had felt a part of something apart from her family?

Her eyes roved over to Ram. He was looking at her sceptically, almost guiltily, like he had offended. When their eyes met, Ram quickly jumped to apologize to her. "I am sorry. I didn't..."

"Sir!"

A polite, middle-aged woman interrupted him. She diligently shook hands with Aditya and Ram and welcomed them to the hotel. Then she directed them to their rooms. As they waited in the lift, the woman brightly smiled at Ram and Priya. "Newly married, I see."

"Yes!" Ram replied even more brightly, much to Priya's surprise.

He was a charmer, that was for sure. No one could tell from his face that this marriage was just for the sake of it. Then the woman turned to Priya and said, "Congratulations. You are positively glowing. Beautiful!"

"Thank you!" Priya thanked her.

The woman then went back to Ram for more small talk. It seemed like everyone enjoyed having a conversation with him. Priya was not surprised at all. 

"So how long do you plan to stay in our country?" the woman asked in a teasing tone.

"Till 31st..." Ram's inherent cheekiness surfaced. Then he winked. "But if you wish, we can stay longer."

The doors of the lifts opened and the woman laughed wholeheartedly as she stepped out. "Oh, I see. I will have to seek permission from my husband for that to happen, kind sir."

"Oof!" Ram lightly punched his chest. "The universal pain. Husbands and their ilk destroying the happiness of all the wonderful ladies."

The woman laughed again. Priya caught on to his words and had to smile. It was true. She hadn't seen one good husband. At least not in her family. Aditya looked like a good enough husband. But who knew what was the real truth? Maybe Brinda and Aditya also hid a lot about their relationship. Maybe they weren't as happy in their marriage as much as they looked. Every marriage was at some level, a sham. Right? Maybe she would see with time. Maybe Brinda would tell the truth to her.