The Best of Things
(Ragya, Swasan) Fan Fiction Series +16
By Bubble
Chapter 50
Ragini took over the care of Swara almost immediately.
Lakshya was a little concerned for her sake. "Can you manage? Abhi toh you've come back after looking after Maa - you must be tired. Let Maa or Uttara look after Swara, Ragini..."
But Ragini was emphatic. "Nahin, Laksh, bilkul bhi nahin! I'm not tired at all. Besides, Swara is so ill, she needs me - I can't let anyone else take care of her!"
So Lakshya shrugged and let it be.
Ragini devoted herself to Swara. She sponged her down, helped her into loose, comfortable clothing, fed her soup and milk, gave her medicines on time and soothed her brow as she slept. Her face had a sheen from the fever. She clutched the pillow as she dozed restlessly... she looked so childlike and vulnerable... falling ill because her husband had to go away for a few days on work! What an emotional thing she was! Ragini had a small smile as she brushed Swara's hair back from her face.
Swara's preoccupations became very clear as the fever raged. "Sanskaar..." she called out once, and then muttered child-like, "no, no... Tokyo!"
"Woh jaldi aa jaayenge, Swara!" Ragini assured her, hoping to soothe the delirium.
She slept next to Swara in the night... waking up from time to time to check on her, tucking her in properly when the sheet slipped off...
+++
The next morning, Ragini entrusted Swara to Uttara while she attended to Lakshya and saw him off. Swara had worked herself into a fret by the time Ragini returned. Uttara wrung her hands in worry, because the fever hadn't subsided at all. She was grateful that Ragini had come back soon - she didn't feel up to handling Swara by herself.
"I'll tell them to make a kada, bhabhi," she said to Ragini anxiously and left.
Ragini placed wet pads on Swara's forehead trying to bring the fever down. It worked temporarily but as the morning wore on, it spiked again.
"Ragini..." said Swara as she tossed around, "where were you?"
"I'm here, Swara," Ragini assured her, "I have been right here with you. I had gone to see Lakshya off earlier..."
"Lakshya?" Swara said doubtfully... and then it seemed to make sense to her, for she nodded and turned to doze again.
But the name seemed to trigger some memories, because Swara became agitated in her sleep... "Laksh... please believe me...!" she said once, "Mera yakeen karo, Laksh!"
Ragini became alert at once and leaned over her sister to take in her words... Swara's agitation became deeper... "No, Ragini! Aisa mat karna, Ragini... no, Ragini... nahin, don't do that..."
Ragini became quite pale. It was clear that Swara was back in that horrific moment when her sister pushed her off a bridge on her wedding day, so that she could marry the bridegroom herself...
And then, as she clasped her hands, not knowing how to bring Swara back from the memories that had gripped her... Swara started to choke! Ragini panicked and started rubbing Swara's palms, and tried to wake her up by holding her face in her hands. "Utho, Swara! It's only a dream, Swara, utho!"
But obviously Swara was now deep in the recesses of her memory, reliving her drowning moments. Ragini found her thrashings, her gasps impossible to bear... tears streaming down her face, she tried again. "Swara! Wake up, Swara! Please, Swara... I'm begging you! It's only a nightmare, Swara! Hey, Devi Maa, please Swara ko jaga dena!"
Eventually, the nightmare released her and the fevered girl subsided into a restless sleep, without even waking up.
Ragini backed away from her, with a hand to her mouth, utterly shaken by what had happened. She ran to Annapurna and reported that Swara's fever had mounted, that she was delirious and having nightmares, and that the doctor should be summoned at once! Shocked and dismayed, Maa and Choti Maa went at once to be with Swara.
Still shaking, Ragini went to her room and sat on her bed, trying to compose herself. Her hands reached for the phone. She never bothered Lakshya at work but today...
Edited by soapbubble - 10 years ago