The Best of Things
(Ragya, Swasan) Fan Fiction Series +16
By Bubble
Chapter 52
Swara was sitting up in bed being subjected to the rough affections of her mother in law.
"Bas, Mom... mera ho gaya!" she said.
"Na, chhori, do chamach aur... itna toh tujhe khana padega! If you become thin in four days, my son will look at me for an answer. Chal raje, khaale!" Sujata blew a cajoling kiss and held out a spoon of khichdi.
Warmed by the affection she was getting at last, Swara opened her mouth to receive the morsel. The fever had gone thanks to the injection in the morning and showed no signs of coming back. Swara was feeling weak but much better on the whole.
"Sanskaar ke aane se pehle poori tarah se theek hona hai, samjhi?" Sujata ordered.
"Ji!" smiled Swara.
Sensing a question from Swara, she answered it herself. "Haan, mhane Marwari bahu hi chahiye thi, par usse bhi zyada ek aisi beendni chahiye thi jo mhare bete ko bohut bohut pyaar kare. Aur jaise tu pyar kare hai usse... toh jaa, tera aadha-Bangali hona maaf!"
Swara smiled broadly. "Thank you, Mom! I'm so happy, mai bata nahin sakti aapko!"
"Hmm!" Sujata harumphed. "Ab doodh laati hun, pee lena chup chaap se!"
+++
Ragini pushed open the door.
Swara was sitting up, propped against pillows, checking her messages. Her husband hadn't been told how ill she was, and she didn't dare talk to him because he would know within two seconds of hearing her voice... but she was able to message him without interrupting his work or worrying him. She heard the door open and looked up at her sister with a smile.
"Ab kaisa lag raha hai tumhe, Swara?" Ragini asked her, gently sitting on the bed. She still looked pale.
"I'm much better. The fever didn't come back after the injection," Swara said, adding, "Bohut pareshan kiya na maine tumhein?"
Ragini eyes welled.
"Ragini! Kya hua?" Swara asked, in a upsurge of concern.
"Pareshan toh... tumhein humne kiya hai, Swara..." and she broke off as the storm in her chest overpowered her.
Swara moved forward to hold Ragini and calm her down... "Kya hua Ragini?" Ragini clasped her sister tight and sobbed her heart out.
After a while, Swara pulled away and caressed her face, wiping away the tears that continued to fall... Ragini said brokenly, "I'm sorry, Swara! Humein maaf kardo, Swara, ho sakey toh humein maaf kardo! Hum pagal ho gaye the... tumhein jaan se maarne ki koshish ki humne! Hum khudgarz ho gaye the, itna khudgarz ke... uske saamne kuch nahin Tik paaya!"
Her apologies tumbled out in a torrent of emotion and repentence. It was almost as if her tears were cleaning her out...
"Koi baat nahin, Ragini - maine maaf kar diya tumhe, kar diya maaf!" Swara assured her.
"Now I look back and wonder what had possessed me, Swara! How could I? I love you so much - when we were younger, I would fantasise that you were my sister... but when it actually came to be true... how could I hurt you, harm you?" Ragini choked.
"It was a combination of things, Ragini... I knew even then how desperate you felt, that you thought you had to snatch your happiness or you would never get it! Ab jaane do... it's over!" Swara said, through her tears.
Ragini looked at Swara's face - looking so tired and vulnerable from the just receded fever. She pushed her hair back and examined the forehead, where Swara still bore some marks of her injury in the river. Even looking at the scar on her tender skin made her wince now... tears of remorse flowed again... and the sisters clung to each other in embrace till they were each washed anew.
+++
Ragini wanted to let Swara sleep but Swara was indeed feeling much better - her fever had been mostly psychosomatic anyway.
They sat talking into the night. Remembering things from the past and also that fateful day. For the first time, they compared notes... Ragini made Swara take her over what happened to her after she fell into the river... she needed to know and Swara found it a relief, after all, to tell her... how she was washed ashore, how she was taken to hospital by fisherfolk... and then how Sanskaar had come for her...
Finally Swara said, "Ragini, we've finished with this now, ok? Put your guilt away... from now we're just sisters... and friends. If you feel you've snatched your life from me or from destiny, there is only one thing to do now."
"Kya?" asked Ragini.
"Live it well. That's the best you can do - for me and for yourself."
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Cricket
