Shadows & Sunshine

Ch : 14

The day had finally arrived for Varsha's homecoming. Ved and Priya stood outside the airport, eagerly waiting for her. As they watched the stream of passengers exiting the terminal, Priya's phone rang. She glanced at the screen and saw Ram's name flashing. With a sigh, she declined the call.

However, Ram was persistent. The phone rang again and again. Reluctantly, Priya excused herself and stepped a few paces away, answering the call.

"What is it, Ram?" she said, her voice tinged with impatience. "I came to pick up Varsha. Why are you calling? I hung up for a reason, right?"

Ram's voice came through, sounding a bit forlorn. "I just wanted to see you. It's been two weeks since we last met."

"I'll see you soon," Priya responded, trying to keep her voice steady. "Just give me some time."

"How long do I have to wait?" Ram asked, his tone turning more insistent.

Before Priya could answer, she spotted Ved was coming,. "Ved's here. I have to go," she said quickly, hanging up the call without waiting for Ram's reply.

Priya rushed back to Ved,

Ved : What is it are you fine ?

Priya : Yeah fine just a call from office lets go .

After some time, Varsha finally arrived. From a distance, she waved excitedly, and Priya's heart swelled with joy. Seeing her daughter after a year was an emotional moment for her. As Varsha approached, her eyes caught sight of her father. Rushing to him, she exclaimed, "Dad, what is it? What happened to your leg?"

Ved smiled reassuringly, downplaying his condition. "It's nothing, just a little accident."

But Varsha's face clouded with worry. Ved quickly tried to sober her, patting her shoulder gently. She then threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. Priya watched, a pang of irritation and sadness tugging at her heart. It always seemed that Varsha was more engrossed with her father whenever they reunited. This recurring dynamic often left Priya feeling sidelined.

As they made their way to the car, they faced the challenge of fitting in all of Varsha's luggage. The car was crammed, and Varsha, noticing the difficulty, turned to Priya. "Mom, can you take a cab? See, Dad can't sit in such a cramped position."

Ved quickly interjected, "I can manage."

But Priya, feeling a surge of frustration and resignation, agreed. "Yeah, fine. You guys go on," she said, her voice tight. She closed the car door firmly, stepping back as they drove off, leaving her standing alone.

Watching the car disappear into the distance, Priya felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. She loved her family deeply, but moments like these left her feeling unappreciated and alone.

Just then, a car arrived behind her, only a few inches away, but Priya was too lost in her thoughts to notice. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder and spun around, startled. It was Ram.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice edged with surprise and confusion.

"Come with me," Ram said, his tone urgent.

"No, I can't. I need to be at home," Priya protested.

"For whom? For those who left you like this? I saw what happened," Ram replied, his eyes filled with concern.

Before Priya could respond, Ram gently but firmly pulled her towards his car and ushered her inside. He started the engine and they were soon on the road. The cityscape blurred past them as Priya's mind raced.

"Why are you being like this?" she asked, her voice rising. "Are you like all those men who want to possess and demand their position over women? I thought you were different. How can you be like this?"