The Best of Things
(Ragya, Swasan) Fan Fiction Series +16
By Bubble
Chapter 64
Swara closed her eyes. The sounds of the temple, the bells, the chatter of the crowds... all receded as she shut them out... alone in conversation with the Goddess.
She was sitting on the ground, with Sanskaar beside her. They were at the temple of Manasa Devi, the giver of boons, and the panditji had just finished the special puja that she'd requested. She opened her eyes, genuflected and sighed in gratitude.
"Kya maanga tumne?" asked Sanskaar curiously as they walked away, with coconuts and prasad tucked away in their bags.
"Woh Devi Maa aur mere beech ki baat hai!" smiled Swara secretively.
"Mujhe nahin bataogi?" he asked, affronted.
Swara pressed her lips close and shook her head mischievously.
+++++++
Over dinner, Swara looked curiously from Lakshya to Ragini and back again. Something had definitely occurred. Lakshya looked thunderously angry and Ragini looked plainly unhappy. She stole a look at Sanskaar, who looked back with a little quirk of an eyebrow. It could just be a regular tiff. Best not to interfere! Ragini and Lakshya were both not speaking at all, so between them, Swara and Sanskaar kept up a flow of light chatter and soon, they all went off to their respective rooms in the nice, roomy, old fashioned hotel they were staying at.
Ragini stood in the balcony, looking out. Lakshya looked at her and knew some stirrings of panic. Why was she so miserable? What did she want? She loved him, he knew that. She had been happy all these months... so why was she even thinking about leaving him?! A cold fist tightened around his heart every time he thought about that.
He thought he had completely closed down that train of thought - then why was she still standing there, looking like she was facing an executioner in a few hours? If she persisted, what would he do? His heart hammered at the idea.
He came towards her again.
"Why are you still brooding over this?" he asked, "I thought we'd settled it."
She continued to look at the garden below.
"Ragini..." he drew her to him, "You said you loved me... do you still?"
She looked at him at last, her eyes wide. "Yes, I do! You know I do!"
He pulled her close. His lips were at her temple. "Phir? Problem kya hai?"
What could she say? The problem is, you don't love me! But she couldn't say that - because he had NEVER promised to love her and it hadn't mattered before. If she said it out loud, he was so kind, he might even lie about that... and she couldn't bear that!
Why did it suddenly matter if he loved her or not? It mattered because someone as wonderful as Lakshya deserved to love someone... to be with someone who really mattered to him, whom he could respect. Or at least be free of an imbalanced woman whom he had brought himself to merely tolerate, a liability whom he had to "manage" all the time!
She blinked back the tears. "I chose you but you didn't choose me, Lakshya... you didn't have a choice. That bothers me."
"It bothers you that I didn't choose you..." he repeated, trying desperately to understand what was in her heart. What could he do to set her mind at rest?
+++
The knock on the door was loud and unceasing.
Sanskaar raised his head, annoyed. Just when things were getting interesting! His wife wriggled under him and pushed at his chest.
"Go see!" she hissed. He got up reluctantly, smoothing his clothes and hair. She sat up, quickly pulling down her night shirt. Sanskaar gave her a minute to get decent - and the door was rattled again.
He opened it.
"Tum! What's up, Lucky?" Sanskaar asked, irritated.
Lakshya almost pushed him out of the way in his haste to come inside.
"Swara!" He came round the bed to her. She had just managed to stand up when he grabbed her shoulders. "Swara! Please tum kal subah Ragini ke saath Moti Bazaar chali jaana! I need you to buy all the finery she might need, and a nice kurta for me also! Of course, something special for both of you as well!"
"Huh?" Swara looked bewildered. "Finery? Kurta? Why, what's happening?"
"Ragini and I are getting married again tomorrow!"
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