The Best of Things
(RagLak, SwaSan) Fan Fiction Series
By Bubble
Chapter 18
Ragini was in the bedroom, taking off the counterpane, readying for bed. Lakshya was in the balcony, sitting on the side ledge, playing sudoku on his mobile. When she had finished, she wandered into the balcony, pensively rubbing her hands against the railing.
Lakshya shot a look at her but deliberately went back to his game, letting her speak first. But she seemed to be having trouble broaching the subject that he knew was preying on her mind, so he gave her an opening...
"So, Ms Ragini Gadodia-Maheshwari, which of your many admirers is occupying your thoughts?"
She turned at that, with a small laugh. "What a lot of rubbish Swara spoke in front of everybody! As if I was a diva in the badi!"
"Why, I found it very believable!" Lakshya said, apparently involved in the game.
"I had no idea that Debo was interested in me - I hardly even spoke to him!" she said, both trying to alleviate any mistrust the idea many have aroused in Lakshya, as well as trying to explain how it was.
"But that's part of the mystique, lady!" Lakshya returned lightly. "Plus, you are a gorgeous girl, so I'm not surprised at all with anything Swara said."
"Do you think so?" she asked, with a shy glance up at him, "I always thought that Swara was the more sought after... you know, she was so lively and friendly, they clustered around her all the time, so... I didn't think of it like that..."
Swara's revelations had changed the very complexion of her growing up years. From feeling like a colourless, insipid person who didn't mingle with young people her own age... she was now looking an image of herself as a girl much admired, but inaccessible. If she had been allowed to mix with them, would she have been popular as well?
Lakshya put his phone aside, set his feet on the ground and put out a hand to her. Uncertain, she put her hand in his. He drew her close, and closer still, till she was standing in the V of this legs as he propped against the ledge. His left arm curled around her ribcage, drawing her against him. "Don't you know how beautiful you are?" he asked her on a whisper.
"I know I'm pretty but... I thought Swara was more attractive..." she told him hesitatingly.
Swara. It always came back to Swara. Her competitior, her sibling, her rival... her only yardstick of success in the world.
But right now, his work was to reassure Ragini...
Then, with her hands on his chest, haltingly, as if the words stuck in her throat, she asked, "Do you think I'm more beautiful than Swara?"
He looked down her, and raised a hand to her face. His fingers came up to push tendrils of hair off her face... he placed a palm against her cheek, his thumb moving against the soft rose of her lips. Her lips parted with the pressure and he brought his own close, till their breaths merged. But his hand moved, caressing the long column of her neck, over her shoulder, down her arms... before circling her bare waist. "You're utterly beautiful, Ragini! It's not fair to compare but your skin, your eyes, your slender limbs... you're very, very beautiful..."
His lips parted hers and he took her under, ravaging her with a deep kiss.
***
Swara was finishing up for the night. The shrine had been cleaned, she had collected the ash from the agarbattis, set right flowers that had fallen out of line. Now finally she was topping up oil for the jyot that would burn all night.
Lakshya came down the stairs from the second floor. His passionate reassurance of Ragini's insecurities had ended in with a bout of lovemaking that was both vigorous and tender... Ragini had fallen at once into deep sleep. But he had needed a smoke, and reluctant to befoul their room with tobacco, he'd gone up to the terrace. It was almost 11.30, and as he crossed the corridor to his room, he was surprised to see Swara at the mandir, still winding up for the night.
There she sat, not like an elegant lady, but like a child, crosslegged, her face crunched up slightly as she concentrated on not spilling the oil. The golden light from the lamp lit her face.
A slight noise behind him had Lakshya turning swiftly. Sanskaar stood there, looking at him steadily, an eyebrow raised in question.
Lakshya reddened. He let out a short laugh, "Sorry bhai! You've caught me staring at your wife... I ... I'm sorry..." he ran a hand through his hair. "Please don't get me wrong... I didn't mean anything... I was just thinking."
Sanskaar's countenance relaxed a little and a look of amusement crept into his eyes. "Thinking about what?" he asked, lightly.
"A little while ago, I was reassuring Ragini that when it came to roop-rang, naak-naksha, she was more beautiful than her sister. And, feature for feature, I was actually right: Ragini is technically more beautiful than Swara. But how is it, bhai... that you can't take your eyes off Swara? What does beauty mean, anyway?"
They both turned to look at Swara, who was now sitting quite still, eyes closed, hands joined in prayer in front of her God, serenity on her face.
"I don't know, Lucky," Sanskaar admitted, "It must be that thing they call inner beauty."
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
Bade Achche Lagte Hain Naya Season
