swasan sujata two shot: 'in pursuit of happiness'completed

swara: me is insaan ke sath ek chat ke niche nai reh sakti
Ragini: what are u saying swara, this is his house...where will he go?
swara: it's okay, I have no problem leaving...

swara starts leaving
Sanskar: one min...u don't have to go anywhere... I will leave...
The whole family protested a lot and Ragya tried their best to convince swara. But she remained mum and impassive, at least outwardly. She was feeling a dull pain deep within her, which disturbed and puzzled her immensely...But she was still unaware of why she should feel this way...

at last his mom convinced him to leave in morning as it was too late by that time...
swara was staying in guest room that night, as she couldn't bear to have those memories glare at her, accusing her of a crime so heinous, but as yet unknown to her...

Sujata was awake worrying about her son and daughter in law..whatever happened at dining table today, was a clear signal of all the misery that was lurking around swara and Sanskar...howsoever much she wanted to blame swara for hurting Sanskar, she knew her conscience wouldn't allow her...while Sanskar's pain couldn't be felt by anyone, intense and anguishing as it was, it was at least visible...poor swara didn't even realise that she was hurting on a very different level...Her innermost soul screamed in anguish at this agony she was inflicting on her soulmate; but her amnesia afflicted mind was not capable of consciously and logically evaluating her feelings.

Nature has a weird way of giving it's blessing to God's children, mused Sujata, even as she smiled sadly. Their misery before all this was greater than what all the members of the family had faced in their lives combined together...but yet again, Sanskaar and Swara were now suffering another one of destiny's ploys...

Sujata checked upon Sanskar and tiptoed to his room, so as not to disturb his sleep..much to what she expected, there he was, in their room trying to relive those moments captured in beautiful photographs, frozen in time...it was heartbreaking to see him this broken, where it looks like breathing too was a hard task for him..family members wanted to see him smile and only she knew how his smile was more painful than his tears..she is the only one who for now don't want to see him smile... cruel? Perhaps so...Sujata knew that others might not understand what she felt, but she knew her son. Smiling a broken, empty smile just to comfort his family members, was killing Sanskaar a thousand times more, than how he was already dying inside a little, every second...Sujata wanted her son to laugh, grin, smile from his heart..and that was impossible without Swara's presence by his side..

Swara...

Sujata didn't want to disturb Sanskar at this time, so she gently closed his door and went ahead to look out for swara...

Again she was not surprised at the sight which met her eyes...swara was crying, crying so hard that it shook Sujata with the amount of grief she was carrying within herself...

Unaware about sujata's presence..

Swara: what has happened to me? Since when do i cry so much? Why so much pain..help me someone I can't bear this anymore..what are u doing to me Sanskar maheshwari..? U have already tried killing me and even then, I am not free from you...
For whom am I crying, ? I don't even know what is it that is hurting so bad...
And she kept on crying...so much that it felt to sujata that she was like a wee babe, desperate for her mother's warmth..
Sujata shed several tears of her own, and decided if not Sanskar, she can least try to soothen swara's pain..
Silently she slipped inside the room and caressed swara's head who was simply lying there lost...
On feeling a hand, startled swara bolted up..Sujata withdrew her hand not wanting to frighten her more.
Both were silent, words suddenly fled out of the window. After a few seconds sujata asked
Sujata: u are still awake? Not feeling sleepy yet..?
Swara was surprised with the concern but comforted nonetheless
Swara: I..I was sleeping..I mean was trying...water..ah..no I mean.
Sujata: I was here from past 10 min..
swara instantly fell quiet, realizing she didn't need to make excuses now, and in any case Sujata would not have believed her excuses even had she made any.
Swara: I'm sorry your son has to go bcoz of me, plz don't worry, I will leave first thing 2morrow..this is hishouse, I will stay at mine..
Sujata: I don't want any of u to go from here..
Swara: I...I can't stay..no no..I want to..no..I need to leave.
Sujata: swara don't jump to conclusions so soon beta
Swara: Obviously, u would say this, u r his mother, y M I not surprised? My own mother is not believing me..so why will you..you are..
Sujata(interrupts): u used to call me mom too..
Swara: huh?
Sujata: do u believe that us when we tell you you are married to Sanskar?
Swara: I..I dnt remember but that photograph... yes I am married to him..
Sujata: it's a progress, before the accident u used to address me as mom too..so what if sharmishtha ji is not believing you? I am ur mom too, I will listen quietly whatever u have in ur heart..u don't hate me right?
(Almost lost but hopeful)

Swara: u? U will listen to me? U will believe me?.
Sujata: we will start by listening first, and then we shall come to the belief part ..now come here..
Sujata sat on the edge nd made swara lie down with her head in her lap...
Swara who was uncomfortable and confused at first, Relaxed as she felt Sujata caressing her hair and was almost tempted to sleep peacefully after so long. But the restlessness to finally pour her heart out waswinning.

Sujata: I am really glad u are alive and healthy, and reunited with all of us. We were so lost when police closed the case, we had lost hopes only sans...Ragini was very hopeful you will return. Your mother was hurting so bad, bhaisaa, jiji, uttara were living in guilt, u came back and brought happiness to our lives, don't go again okay?

Swara was feeling lost but touched with the concern this family has for her..but somewhere it was hard to believe all this quietly..
Swara: I don't remember any of you..
Sujata: i know beta..we all know that..but we remember you and we love u the same...now tell me y were u crying so much?
Swara: no one is trying to understand me..I..I don't want to live with that khoon..I mean sans..Sanskar.I don't want to stay with him.he shot me I know..I saw him..nd he again tried to attack me yesterday in that park...maa, Ragini baba all are forcing me to believe him nd stay with him give him a chance, y can't they seem to get it...I am afraid..I am so very afraid and I don't even know why I am feeling this...everything is so confusing...I remember him pressing the trigger and then, blood splashing all over me...I have nightmares of that moment...why don't you all understand?

By now she was sobbing uncontrollably...when her mother failed to understand how afraid and lost she was..it felt good to get some warmth from someone be it sympathy... Be it the mother of her attempted murderer..she was relieved finally someone is patient enough to hear her conflict rather than lecturing her on how good that Sanskar is...Sanskar...she is his mother..Even she will defend him...she waited and waited...her sobs have subsided now..after getting no response but the continuous patting of hand on her head she looked up to her..
Sujata realized what Swara must be thinking, when Swara looked up, she smiled.

Sujata: feeling better now ?
A baffled Swara nodded in the affirmative..
Sujata: it's not healthy to bottle up your feelings, it drowns u inside and u never realize it till u are very deep in it...u have lost an year of your life but we...the people around you, remember every bit of it..and we care for you whether you believe it or not..we know everything that happened in that past year beta..we have seen u grow from a strong girl to an even more stronger girl, we have seen u fight your demons and win over them..u have won us with your immeasurable love time and again..Do u know I used to hate u initially?
Swara: (whispers) why?
Sujata: why? Maybe coz u were not a marwari bahu like I always wanted to flaunt?
Or maybe coz u we're so fierce with ur thoughts and adamant and not letting injustice prevail..u were..u are capable of shaking years old foundations with your persistence and determination..u are not even half aware how strong and beautiful you are Swara

Swara: u don't hate me now? Even after seeing how I behaved with your son?
Sujata: I want to..
Swara felt dejected..
Sujata continued "but I cannot..not after knowing that it's not your heart that is guiding you..but your brain..I cannot hate u for being confused now can I?
Swara: tell me something please...
Sujata: what do u want to know?
Swara: anything of this past one year..I want to know anything..
Sujata: do u know u broke out from jail to marry Sanskar?
Swara shocked sat up straight
Swara: I.. WHAT??
Sujata laughed at her reaction and continued
Sujata: yes u did..we won't go in details but just remember, u did so much more..
Swara: umm..was ours..a love..love marriage?
Sujata: no one would have arranged a marriage of the two of you, if it wasn't for your immense, unmatchable love..u both fought tooth nd nail just to stay together..so many incidents, so many people tried to separate you..but you two stood tall and firm, accepting every challenge and defeating it..

Swara: but if I loved him why don't I remember it..and if he loved me as you all claim..y did he shot me?
Sujata: do u really think so many ppl are lying to u Swara? Leave all of us.u trust ur mother right? U know how wonderfully she brought u up single handedly? Do u really think she will hand u over to someone whom she thinks can harm her daughter?
Swara:(regretting the way she spoke to her mother) no
Sujata: exactly beta, if not us, trust ur maa at least..
Swara: maa said he fired that day to save me..how was he saving me by firing at me..he had so much hatred in his eyes, I am not lying, I clearly remember that look and it haunts me..
Sujata: that day he did fire the bullet, he definitely was seething in anger, but not at you dear, you remember yourself getting shot and him firing, what you are missing is the person that held u hostage and was trying to actually kill you
Swara: there was no one else
Sujata: there was, rajat took u from here, this house and was using u as shield to save himself, u must be wondering who is rajat..
Rajat was supposed to uttara's groom..he was a professional con and was marrying my child for extracting money from bhaisa.u realized his intention somehow, and were doing everything possible to stop the wedding, but that vile man kidnapped u in front of us all and we we're helpless bcoz of the gun that was pointed at you..anyway the memory u have of yours and Sanskar..at that time Sanskar had to free u from rajat's hold or Rajat would hv had killed you..he fired the bullet on Rajat, Swara not you...do u have any wound on your body to back your claim that Sanskaar shot at you?

A startled Swara suddenly realized how baseless her memory was now..she realized she never had any bullet wound on her body...but still, she did not want to accept a truth which she did not have any memory of...

Swara: then y did I fell in river if he didn't hurt me? He must have had pushed me
Sujata shook her head, half amused and half exasperated, at Swara's attempts to not believe things so easily. Some things about Swara would never change, thought Sujata, with a wry smile to herself.

Sujata: Rajat, with the impact of bullet striking him, fell down the cliff and pulled you down with him..Sanskar never shot you neither did he push you swara..my Sanskar..he can never ever dream if hurting u Swara..he would prefer dying a thousand deaths, than Letting u get a scratch..he went against all of us even u both were not in love, rather when u didn't realize it.
My sanskar loves u so much that we can't even fathom..it's only you who matches his intensity, when he loves Swara, he loves with such intensity that it consumes him completely, and you Swara, u were a bit slow on realization part yet u were equally protective of him, u were always ready to take down anything that can possibly harm him..such was the depth of adoration u both shared...

Swara was amazed with whatever her mother in law was telling her, her mind was dazed and buzzing with all the information she had been provided. She was now trying very hard, to imagine whatever possible with all these new found details...

Swara: all this while, I hurt him unknowingly when he deserved nothing of it?
Sujata: to be blunt, yes he deserves none of this harshness and yes u have hurt him a lot, but if it's any consolation, none of us blame you for that, u didn't know the truth Swara! But now that u know, I am hoping u will think it through? Coz the Swara I know, is not the one who will judge instantly..the Swara I know will try to look for positivity Coz I don't know any other person who can analyze a piece of coal and list out it's good things when to most it's nothing but a mass of black rock..
Its quite late now..now give rest to this overactive mind of yours and ponder over it tomorrow, u need rest..goodnight beta..
Remember no one but you yourself can decide what's right and what's not for you..I care for you as much as I care for my own children..u have given me My Sanskar back..u hv saved my uttara's life from getting butchered..don't ever think u mean less to me..whatever u decide, I wont love you any less, but u need ur happiness for my happiness. If u are happy, my son will be even more happy, and a mother wants nothingmore than to have her children happy and safe..
Sujata stood up and covered Swara with duvet, bent down and kissed her forehead and went out..

Swara's mind and heart we're in deep chaos, but unlike every other time, they are in sync this time..both agreed to the fact that Sanskar was never really the khooni she accused him of being.
Guilt now consumed Swara, she wanted nothing more to go back in time and rectify all the mistakes she had made...

PART 2

""A successful marriage requires falling in love
many times, always with the same person"" ----
Mignon McLaughlin

~~~~-------~~~~

Sanskar was listening to swara's recorded
confession in the audio cassette.. he shut his eyes,
and was trying to feel all those loving moments,
was trying to remember her "I love you". But
every time, despite his valiant efforts, her harsh
"tum khooni ho" overpowered the gentle, beautiful
words of love she had spoken earlier...
He felt lost and utterly helpless, nothing was within
his control, it was as if destiny was mocking him.
He always knew Swara held the power to hurt him
the most, yet he would give that power to her,
only her, again in a heartbeat. Because with that
power, came that unimaginable amount of pure
love..
Silent tears were rolling down his cheeks, and there
was an almost unbearable sense of pathos in the
air. It almost seemed that the universe itself, was
shedding tears for his pain...
Unknown to him, that recorded confession was being
heard by someone else at the door..Swara was
somehow not shocked with all the words that
message had, considering that Sujata mom had just
now told her about her and Sanskaar's immense
love for each other.
Sanskar wiped his tears on hearing a knock at door.
He was surprised when he saw Swara standing there
unsure, he looked into her eyes expecting to see
hate and fury in them, but got surprised when he
saw those big brown eyes filled with confusion and
warmth. A hope blossomed in his heart, but he
shoved it down with the immense force of his will.
They stood staring at each other, and minutes flew
by, tears started flowing nd both unconsciously
started taking steps towards each other, when
they were separated by just a mere distance of
footstep or two, they stopped. As was his custom,
Sanskar took out his hanky and wiped her tears
"don't cry Swara"
Swara felt her heart fluttering with the concern,
and something was trying to make its way into her
mind..a memory maybe? She avoided it, right now
she wanted to follow her heart and not what
memory her mind was was trying to look for...
Although she knew it, still asked?
Swara: I said that?
On receiving confused look she gestured towards
the tape recorder, Sanskar was suddenly
speechless, he was unsure what to tell her..slowly,
carefully, as if stepping on a threshold to an
unknown, dimly lit room, he nodded in yes..Swara
smiled a small smile..
Swara: I..speak wonderful lines..haina?
Startled, Sanskar saw subtle but genuine mirth in
her eyes. And in what felt like years, for the first
time he cracked a smile,.a smile so genuine that it
pained Swara, pain so sweet that she wanted to
feel it all the time...
Feeling bit more confident, she added "lakshya
showed me your proposal video, u surely know how
to win over a girl" the sight that was bestowed on
her was worth the teasing she gave him, he
actually blushed..Swara grinned wide at the sight,
she never Knew he looks so gorgeous when smiling,
she wanted to capture it, she wanted to make him
smile more, suddenly feeling a lot more confident..
Swara: you..
She was interrupted, Sanskar although accepted
the momentous relief and happiness, but he
couldn't avoid the big elephant in the room, why
was Swara here, and why wasn't she angry with
him..a little tentatively he asked
Sanskar: y are u here Swara, u seem..happy and
contented right now? I mean.. I..mm.
Swara knew he was confused with her sudden 180
degrees of mood shift, he deserved an explanation,
but she herself was unsure how to address her
realization, it was harder than she imagined...
Finally after her internal debate she said" let's not
talk about it now Sanskar, will discuss all this
tomorrow, now is not the time" on watching his
face fall, she quickly added "I believe u are not my
tormentor, it's my mind playing games, but I don't
want to discuss why and how, at this time,plz? I
hope you understand... "
Sanskar couldn't express just how much overjoyed
he felt at that moment when she discharged him
from the accusation of the attempt to murder her,
which she had placed on him earlier. He thanked
the guardian angel that surely must be watching
over both of them, he smiled a dazzling smile of
relief, and nodded affirmatively to Swara.
Still a tad unsure how to react, Sanskar looked
around
Swara: show me something of ours, I want to look
through our life with your eyes, others have told
me enough, won't u share something with me?
It felt as if a dam of his happiness has burst open
and his joy was overflowing, Sanskar smiled and like
an excited child "sure, come i have so much to show
you, come"
He turned to go..
Swara felt like flying after watching the glow on
his face, guilt tried to consume her but pushed it
away, now is nor the time, she was basking in his
happiness, it was overwhelming, she wanted to do
something, "Sanskar", she called out urgently.
Sanskar stopped with his heart in his mouth, and
was afraid what he would find on turning back to
look at her, it was as if he was waiting this mirage
to break. Finding himself back in his personal hell
again, he turned slowly and hesitantly, and found
something in her eyes, something that was there
before that cursed day, something that in recent
days he had found only in their photographs.
Her eyes had... love ..love for him?
She was saying something, or trying to say
something, he focused his attention back on her,
Swara: "Sanskar..hug me..please?"
He felt his throat choke up, overwhelmed with so
many changes, he cried, a dam was open..along
with him Swara cried..not for herself but for
him...she stepped ahead and embraced
him...Sanskar felt as if some unknown strong power
resurfaced into him, flowing ecstatically again
through his veins. He stopped crying and embraced
her fully, hiding her from everything, trying to
release all the pain of the past two weeks.
Swara embraced him so as to wash away all his
pain, when she asked him to embrace her, she
wanted that sense of calmness and protection in his
arms and surely, she got it..
They clutched each other tight..come what may,
this moment was theirs...theirs to love, theirs to
cherish...
Outside the room, Sujata clasped her hands in
silent prayer to God, thanking the Almighty for
blessing her kids. Now she was sure Sanskar
wouldn't cry silently at night, now that she was
sure Swara wouldn't wake up at night trying to
fight off the nightmares that were consuming her,
she was sure this mansion will become home again...

~~~~------~~~~

""When you seek love with all your heart, you shall
find its echoes across the universe""--- Rumi

Res
Unres
Superb story 👏
Seriously i loved the way you include sujata in this story which is very unique. Usually in many stories i have read sujata is negative or used to taunt swara but in this story sujata is totally positive who love both sanskar and swara equally.
And sujata & swara conversation was lovely.
Beautifully written 👏

Part-2
Oh that hug
I loved it 😳
But my favourite is sujata in this story

Beautiful story
Do write more

Superb. Loved the way you shaped up sujata's character.

hey akki, its awesome...I had never imagined sujata like this...she is so caring understanding...it would have been a treat to watch sujata like this...😳anyways its beautifully written...loved it.😳

Originally posted by: Nivijo

Superb. Loved the way you shaped up sujata's character.

thank you nivi.. :)
Sujata is actually the main reason o write this one

Originally posted by: CogitoErgoSum

<font size="2">Akku sweetie🤗🤗

Glad I could help you in whatever way I could. What I found most lovely about your TS was the way you had portrayed Sujju...Her intense desire to see both her son and daughter in law happy. The patient way she jogged Swara's memory, while at the same time, being so concerned about the way Sanskaar was literally breaking apart.

As a mother (though my Kiddo is a tiny tot as yet, not SwaSan's age 😆 😉), I could so identify with this powerful maternal instinct of Sujju's. Kudos for portraying that, and as for the intense and potent love SwaSan have for each other---you captured that very well, too. Sanskaar remembers every precious moment they spent together, and Swara, though she can't consciously remember those, feels within the marrow of her bones, in the innermost recesses of her soul, that she is connected to Sanskaar in that precious way.

A very nice start to your writing, I liked it a lot. Hope to read more from you.

And a big </font><font size="2">🤗🤗</font><font size="2">🤗🤗 for the special mention in your Intro.

Love ya Loads,

----Viji
</font>

viji 🤗
M really thankful to U for all the help ...
glad that U liked it...I was apprehensive may'be ppl won't like Sujata as this is totally in contrast with what we hv in show...
thanks again girl...
M quite lazy so next write up may take time...but will try definitely ..
🤗🤗