Priya was walking towards the book cafe lost in her thoughts, she didn't even realize when she reached the cafe and ordered a latte for herself.

Priyas pov -
Zindagi bhi kitni ajeeb hai. Kabhi Socha bhi nahi tha ki ye bhi ek situation aayegi. Ram kapoor se contract marriage - Ram kapoor didnt fit her criteria at all, he was overweight , over 40 and a wealthy businessman, nothing like Priya. Shaadi ke 10 din baad hi aise ladayi. Ma papa to khush hain atleast. Ek ye bhi zindagi ho sakti thi ki papa ki tabiyat thik hoti aur main US me hi hasi khushi zindagi jeeti. Shayad mere naseeb me pyaar kabhi likha hi nahi. Tabhi to itna Waqt US me rehne k baad dosti k alawa aur koi rishta bana hi nahi paayi. Kya pata aur kya kya hoga ab, lekin ek baat to samajh aa gayi ki ram kapoor se ye shaadi ka "the end" to hokar rahega. Kya kya soch rahi thi main subah ki bhagwan ka ishaara hai ye ki Ram ne mera haath mere birthday par thaama aur aise ki raat bhar mere hi haath me tha. Mujhe bhagwan ne finally ishaara de diya ki Priya tumhare liye bhi koi hai. Lekin ye ho kya gaya Mr. Kapoor ko, was he really that insecure about losing his friendship with vikram and neha? Aisa to kuch nahi kiya tha jo aise baras pade. Chod Priya, coffee pi phir uske baad wapas to jaana hi hoga, contract jo sign kiya hai. But iske baad minimal interaction with that khadoos kapoor. Ye vikram aur neha k saath ajeeb situation ho gayi ab. I don't think neha ko kuch pata tha contract k baare me, she looked shocked. But why should I care. He will handle his friends.

She looked at her fading away mehendi and his name on it. She touched her mangalsutra and took it off and slid it in her purse. She needed a break.

In the resort villa -

Vikram turning to Ram - ram ye kya tareeka tha usse baat karna ka. Arey tere liye nashta hi to laayi thi wo. Aise kya kar diya tha usne. Dekh Ram - ye contract wagare ki baatein baar baar dohrana, ye sab galat hai.

Neha - vikram, baby tum hamare liye coffee lekar aao na please.

Vikram - lekin ye aise bol kaise sakta hai usko. Contract to hai lekin bhagwan k saamne shaadi ki hai isne, duniya k nazar me wo ek shaadi hai na. Thik bol rahi thi wo ye sirf ek businessman hai.

Neha - vikram Jaao na please, I need to talk to Ram.

He leaves to make coffee in the kitchen.

Neha sits besides Ram -
Ram, dekho main nahi jaanti ki tumne kya contract sign kiya hai ya uske terms and conditions kya hai aur main jaanna chahti bhi nahi. Mujhe sirf itna samajhna hai ki tumhare ye bartav ki wajah sirf itni hai ki usne tumhe raat me room tak jaane ka sahara diya? Ya phir ye ki tumhe apni god me sar rakh kar sulaya, tumhara haath pakad ke?  Before you say anything, she didn't say a word to me. Wo to raat me vikram mujhe settle karke tumhe settle karne aa raha tha tab usne dekha ki tum priya k saath ja rahe the room me. He didn't come to the room. Ab uska baar baar tumhare room me aana galat hai Ram. 
Wo ab priya ka bhi room hai and she needs privacy. Wo to subah vikram bahot pareshan ho raha tha to maine tumhare room me jhaank k dekh liya. You realize you were sleeping like a child in her lap? Your hands were entwined like they were meant to be.

Ram, US me Juhi tumhara past hai aur kuch nahi. Past bhi kyu, Juhi is nothing to you Ram. Tumhare papa jaane k baad tumne thoda Waqt hi maanga tha na usse, she moved on without thinking twice with another man. Wo sirf tumhare gifts me interested rehti thi ye tum bhi jaante ho. Bhul jao yaar use. Usi ke baare me soch soch kar tum udaas the na kal? She was your one sided love. Priya ko dekho, wo sahi Keh rahi hai, dosti karo usse. Usko Waqt do, why can't you see she is the one for you. Thoda zoom out kar ke dekho wo waise hi hai jaise ladki tumko chahiye thi. Usne bhi zindagi bahot independently akele ache se ji hai. Wo naya pan hai usme jo tumhare saath Share kar sakti hai.
You can't deny you wanted to marry Ram. Ab jab wo ho gaya hai to kyu usko apne aap se dur kar rahe ho? Are you trying to create so much hatred for you in her that she leaves you? Kyu ram, uska exam kyu le rahe ho?

Ek aur baat - you think you are adjusting in this marriage, then I am sorry to say wo tumse jyada adjust kar rahi hai. Wo tumhare pure family ko apna rahi hai. Have you seen the bonding she has created to share with your family? Tum to office me busy rehne ka bahana kar lete ho. She is going to talk to you but kyunki ab hum baar kar rahe hain, let me tell you - tumhari dadi ne kal ghar se nikalte Waqt usse zabardasti waada liya hai ki kapoor khandaan ko uska waaris degi jald se jald aur dadi ko unka parpota. Tab shipra aunty bhi waha thi and apni beti ko support karne ki jagah wo priya par hi gussa karne lag gayi ki priya ne ram ko roka hoga kareeb aane se and all. Tum jaante ho wo kitni pareshan hai uss sab se.  Yaar hamari Natasha ya Riddhima k saath koi aise behave kare to kya tum ok rahoge tab bhi?
Ram had his head hung low.

Neha - dekho ram, ek final cheez - tum looks me interested nahi hote ho par tumhi ne kaha na ki she is good looking. Indeed, she is quite classy. She carries herself so well and is well maintained. Hai na? Come on yaar ram, main tumko the ram kapoor ke pehle se jaanti hun na.

Ram nodded in agreement.

Neha - and she is bound to be hormonal some days. Wo ek do cheezein usne bhi jyada boli hai but she is allowed. She is menstruating Ram. I know tumhe ye sab mere muh se ajeeb lag raha hai. Hum itne saalon se friends hai and maine kabhi tumse menstruation wagare ki baatein nahi ki but you have to understand her. Tum room share karte ho uske saath. Krishna aunty said she tried talking to you a few times too. Ok ab? Promise me you will give this marriage a chance?

Ram nodded. Vikram came in with three cups of coffee

Vikram - hame priya k paas jaana chahiye?

Neha - nahi, she is quite sensible and mature. Ab usse rehne do aur waise bhi 2 logon k saamne bahot kuch ho gaya hai. Hum apne hi hain but wo ye sab cheezon me ab nayi hai. She will be back, I am sure of that. Uske baad ram khud akele me apologize karega. Hai na?

Ram said OK.

They ordered lunch from room service and finished eating when the doorbell rang. Ram's heart skipped a beat thinking about Priya. Neha answered the door, it was the resort concierge. They had come in with atleast 12 bouquets of well arranged orchids and cards with each bouquet. Neha asked what was all that to which the staff replied
Staff - all of this is for Mrs.Ram Kapoor. We had recd a few of these early in the morning but we had instructions from senders to only send these in at 3pm. Sir and mam, from the resort staff and concierge, a very very happy birthday to Mrs. Kapoor.

It dawned on three of them. They didn't know. How would they? They barely knew her. It was her birthday!!

Vikram - ye hame kaise nahi pata tha. 9 August ko shaadi and 20th August ko uska birthday ye to Sudhir ji ne kaha tha! Shit yaar! Neha ab kya? Ye kya hua hai aaj subah se.
Neha - I know, wo bichari! I don't know what to do. But ye 3 baje ka kya funda hai.

Rams POV
Main pura gadha hun. Kya zarurat thi itna chillane ki us par. Kya karun ab. Kya hi soch rahi hogi wo ab mere baare me. Ek to raat ko drink karke nashe me uska haath pakad k so gaya aur aaj subah naashte k liye daant diya, what is wrong with you Ram ? Ye Juhi ne puri tarah barbaad kar diya hai mujhe. Neha Vikram sahi to keh rahe hain, dosti karne me to koi burai nahi hai. Lekin ab to kitne gusse me hogi wo, uska bday bhi hai aaj

Priya entered the living room . Her sindoor was smudged and her mangalsutra was missing but more than that her cheeks had marks of dried tears. she had cried a lot it looked like. 

Neha - tum thik ho Priya ?

Priya simply nodded and handed out a bag to Neha - wo bahar toy store tha to I bought toys for your kids, hum kahin bahar to gaye nahi iss trip par , I am sure they would be expecting something from us. Pls take this if you feel ok about it. 

Neha took the bag - Priya , aise kyu bol rahi ho, mere bachchon par hak hain tumhara aur hamesha rahega. 

Priya tuned towards the orchids and said - ye sab kya hai? lovely orchids, ye mere fav flowers hain. OMG! wait ye sab mere doston ne to nahi bhijwaya hai, how did they even co-ordinate. Fools they are, koi zarurat bhi thi kya , har saal itna taam jhaam karte hain. But cute friends hain mere. Ok so this is Amar and Lisa's , this is Mahesh and Manisha's and this is from Abby, Andy and this ones from Mike and Rachel , this one is from Ipshikha and Manav and this is from my handsome hunk Deven . 

She turned to Neha excitedly - you know Neha , this is my core group of friends. We were all together in our graduation days and even after that we have always been in touch. 

Neha - thats great ! lekin sabse pehle Happy Birthday ! 

Vikram joined in - Happy Birthday Priya ! you do seem to have some great friends in this world , hai na Ram ? 

Before Ram could say anything , Neha started - ye 3 baje aaya, kya funda hai 3 baje ka ? 

Priya - wo dekho ye 4 log US ke west coast par rehte hain, ye 3 East coast par and Manav and Ipshikha stay in Australia. To all in all, mera bday sab jagah India ke 3pm hota hai. Isliye, idiots they all are ! 

Priya's phone rang - Ye in sab ka video conference call hai. I should take it given they thought about me. Isko time lagega , I will take this in the room. 

The minute she had recd the call, loud roars of Happy Birthday sing song started. She disappeared in the room. There were too many noises from her friends. 

Neha - main cake arrange karwati hun. Vikram tum aur Ram please dinner arrange karo at some good place.  this is the least we can do. 

Priya was still in the room after 2 hours - the noises were dead so Ram thought this was the time to apologize and wish her birthday. He went in , she was standing by the edge of the bed and looking at her cell phone when Ram called her. She jumped in shock so much that she fell on the bed face up and Ram on top of her. Their face was mere inches from each other. They shared an eyelock. Priya froze not only because of the eyelock but because of his weight too. Ram moved upwards a little and kissed her on her forehead and whispered 

Ram - I am sorry Priya and Happy birthday ! 

Priya lay there frozen. She was captivated by his manly broad torso and his after bath cologne. She wanted more but why ? 

Their eyelock was broken by Priya's cell phone. Natasha was calling her. She said in very low voice - Mr. Kapoor can you please move ? mera phone baj raha hai , shayad kuch imp call ho. 

He stood up with a jerk - I am sorry Priya , I didnt mean to aise , but bura laga ho to I am sorry 

She said - its ok. Natasha is calling me. 

Natasha, her husband and rishab were on the call to wish her for her birthday. Ram wondered even his siblings knew about her birthday but he didnt. He had been irresponsible. 

Natasha - waise bhabhi, bhai itne romantic hai hume pata hi nahi tha, apni wife ko birthday par ek romantic weekend par bahar le kar gaye hain. Good going, where is bhai? why dont you come in the same frame. 

Ram joined Priya. She was uneasy with is presence he could see. 

Natasha - to bhai ne aur kya kya gift diye? 

Rishab - arey nuts, hamare saamne thode hi bhabhi bolengi, kyu Priya bhabhi? 

Priya - arey ab tease karna band bhi karo! 

They chit chatted away for a while. Neha and vikram forced Priya to dress up for a nice dinner. She wore a black evening gown. Ram noticed she had still ditched the mangalsutra. They went out to a club so Priya would be comfortable as a club has more people and things are less awkward. ram couldnt help but think of his kiss with Priya and her perfume and everything about her. 

Neha took Priya to the dance floor to cheer her up. Ram and Vikram were watching them. They were 2 beautiful women attracting too many men Vikram thought.........