Agape & Eros

Storm II

As Priya was praying for her mother to regain consciousness the doctors comes to her with dreaded news. Meera has gone into a coma. Priya stands still, steady, just like a stone. Doctors inform her about what to do and what to expect. Priya tries to concentrate on every word. But her vision becomes blurry and the voices become muffled. She feels like she's drowning. She feels a lump in her throat. Her heart feels heavy.

Sandy's wail brings her back to reality. She has a family which needs her support. She goes to Sandy and hugs her to pacify her. Sara also leans on her crying profusely. Maitri also hears the news upon arriving. She also breaks down in Priya's arms. Priya hugs her too. 

Ram, standing at a distance, observes how the family depends on Priya and how she must be there for everyone. He talks to the doctor about shifting Meera to another hospital. The doctor informs him that the patient's guardian needs to give her consent to that, in this case, Priya. The last thing Ram wants right now is to bother Priya with these formalities. Ram decides to talk to Priya about this later. 

While Priya is pacifying her sisters, Akki gets a call from his manager. He has gotten the role. News that was supposed to be celebrated goes unspoken. After some time, Ram requests Akki to drop Shivi home and get some rest. He also tells the others to go home and freshen up.

Ram- Priya, you should also go and freshen up. 

Priya- I won't leave maa. 

Ram- It is gonna be a long journey now- staying with her. You need your strength too. I'm here. You should go home for some time. 

Priya- You don't need to. I'll manage. I'll send Sara di and others. Then I'll go after she comes. 

Ram- Ok, then. I am also going to stay. 

Priya- Mr. Kapoor, why are you doing these? You don't need to. 

Ram- Priya... I lost my own mother when I was a little child. Nandini mom raised me. She always pitied me. But I felt the warmth of a mother from Meera maa after ages. Last night, she let me call her maa. She's my Meera maa now. Please, let me do this, let me do this as her son. Please. 

Ram's pensive eyes and heavy voice testify to his every word to be true. Priya nods her head in a yes. 

Priya- Ok, you can stay here. But I am going after Sara di come. 

Ram- Ok. 

They both sit side by side at a foot's distance. After a few moments, Ram proceeds to discuss shifting Meera ma. But Priya refuses as she doesn't want to interrupt the treatment procedure here. Ram decides not to pester her anymore. Rather he decides to talk to the doctors. It was more like pestering than talking. Ram starts to read the treatment procedure on google and starts to ask several questions to the doctors and the nurses.

After an hour a nurse comes to Priya asking for her help. 

Nurse- Mam, please handle him. We can't concentrate on our other patients due to him and his questions. Please, mam.

She takes Priya to the nurse's station and shows her the situation. In an hour Ram, with the help of Adi, has printed out the treatment procedures. Now he is reading that and asking questions to the doctors about the procedure. Priya can't believe the scene before her eyes. She proceeds to talk to him. 

Priya- Mr. Kapoor, what are you doing? 

Ram- Priya, wo... I was trying to evaluate the doctors if they are really the best for Meera maa. 

Priya- Mr. Kapoor this is too much. Please, come with me. Let them do their work. They have other patients to care for. 

Ram- But Meera maa needs them the most. 

Priya- It's not in their hand now. Please, stop behaving like a child. Come with me.  

Ram- I am not behaving like a child. I need to know...

Ram shuts up noticing the death glare Priya is giving him. He follows Priya as she storms out of the room after apologizing to the doctors and nurses. 

When they reach the corridor Ram speaks up. 

Ram- I was just trying to make sure that Meera ma is in safe hands. I'm stressed. 

Priya- Everyone is stressed right now. Even the doctors. Your interrogation isn't going to make things better. 

Ram- But, Priya we need to know. We need info for deciding. And we need to ask them to get an idea about this. If we don't then, how will we know what's going on? We know nothing, right? Not a thing. Do you get what I am saying? 

Priya gets it. A stammering, sweating, blabbering Ram makes it clear how stressed he is. Priya opens her bag, takes a water bottle out, and offers it to him. 

Priya- Mr. Kapoor, please drink it. 

Ram- Is it filtered? 

Priya- No, boiled. Better than...

Ram- yeah, better than filtered. 

Ram takes the bottle and with the water pops two pills. 

Priya- Calm down now. Sit here. Everything's gonna be fine. We just have to be patient. 

After calming down, Ram feels a bit guilty as these words should have been said by him. He should have been consoled Priya. Not the other way around. He curses himself in his mind for bothering Priya. But he feels lost. He can't decide what to do and the stress is killing him. Seeing his restlessness Priya speaks up. 

Priya- Mr. Kapoor, I think you should go to your office. You must have a lot of work. 

Ram- But, Priya, Meera ma

Priya- Meera ma will be alright. I will manage everything here. And I'll update you.

Ram- I'll come again later then. 

Priya- Ok. 

Ram decides to go as he doesn't want to bother Priya anymore. He decides to drown himself in work until Meera ma wakes up. After all, that's his coping mechanism. It always has been.