Posted:
**My only crime was loving you and my punishment was the broken heart, you gave me when you walked out of my life. Rashida Rowe**
Act I
Watching Lakshya being brought to consciousness boiled Sanskaar's blood. Here was the guy he had been frantically searching for past 22 months. He had given up sleep and food, forgot the meaning of peace and patience, lived the day in dark and searched for flickering lights in the night, for this one guy - his brother, Lakshya.
While everyone else had expressed their exhaustion from detailed searches, consoled themselves that Lakshya had left on his own accord, and been pessimist to the extent of believing him non-existent in this world, Sanskaar was devoid of all those feelings. Not because he had turned cold-blooded and inhuman, but because the love of his life had devoid him of any humane feeling. She stripped him of the right to feel anything but accomplished in his search for Lakshya .
***
Lakshya opened his eyes slowly. He was watching the real world after a very long time. He used to visit this realm in between his doses, when the effect reduced. He would remember a chaos ensued life that sucked the zeal of his soul. As a remedy, he would take higher dose and slip away for a bit longer time. He was happy in that shaded realm where he only had to think where he can find his next dosage.
Today, however, he was not in the dark confines of his room. He was in broad daylight, the sun piercing his gaze. His head hurt as if his skull was too big for his brain. He tried to straighten but found his bones and muscles sore. His clothes were wet and he was lying in front of police station.
Before he could take in anything else, someone made him stand up holding his collar. A face came in his sight, the face of the brother who had made him understand the critical situation with an intensity to not hesitate a threat to his life.
***
Sanskaar completed the formalities for Lakshya to be released on parole. He was charged with drug trafficking case. Upon his nudging, Lakshya confided in consuming drugs but never involving in the business itself.
He dragged Lakshya to the Baadi and presented before the sisters who had significantly changed the lives of the brothers. The police gave them the authentic explanation of where Lakshya had disappeared to and how he was found. He had not missed the glee to disgust train of expressions from Ragini. He didn't even glance at Swara for he had to make a tougher decision soon. He needed to select an appropriate punishment for her.
He asked the sisters to visit the Maheshwari Mansion the next day for his verdict to be read out in presence of his family. Before leaving the Baadi, he threw a sweeping glance at Swara and registered the pain in her eyes. Finally it's there!
###
**Sometimes in life we make the mistake of giving certain people the places which they never deserve in our life.**
Act 2
Ragini reflected on the changes in her life Lakshya had brought with him. He had made her fall in love with him and turned down only to turn to her sister. He broke her heart and caused her to adopt evil ways to win him back. She fought with her sister for him, even killing her in the process, more than once. Laksh had made her happy one moment and had gifted her grief in the next. She forgave him for her love. She begged for forgiveness to keep him in her life. Yet he had chosen to stay away from her.
He did not love her. He did not respect her love for him. He disregarded her care as her obsession. She cared too much for his immature demands. He had succumbed to the drugs to numb his senses, while she suffered every moment not knowing his whereabouts.
She had no trace of love left for Lakshya. She probably had a trace of worry, and since he was found, that was wiped. The only feeling left in her heart for Lakshya was pure disgust.
***
Swara was surprised that Ragini was not happy to see Lakshya back. She simply commented that he is fine and alive and she doesn't have to think more than that. It was not a response she expected from Ragini. However she didn't ask her more for she was preoccupied with her anxiety for his punishment.
She understood today that her perception was wrong and Sanskaar had no hand in Lakshya's disappearance. She thought back to all the times that she had read his intentions incorrectly and how easily he had accepted her apology. She was aware of the sensitive situation and it was much bigger issue than all those times combined. It would take her more than an apology to mend the only beautiful relation in her life.
While the sisters shared a strong bond, Sanskaar had been the tying strength for her to stand in one piece, heart and mind, in face of all kinds of obstacles. If serving her term under his verdict earned her his forgiveness, she would do it with the courage of Swara Sanskaar Maheshwari.
***
Both families gathered in the vast main hall the next day for Sanskaar's verdict. Sanskaar pricked Swara's heart verbally by mentioning that he would keep one more of his promise, to mete out a punishment she was worthy of.
He forwarded a stack of papers asking her to sign them. She saw the first line Divorce and a lone tear escaped. Nevertheless, she signed as he instructed. She handed back the papers to him. "Swara Gadodia, with this, you have chosen the easy way out. I waive off your punishment, and you are free to live your life. A life without me in it."
She laughed without humor that he couldn't make a choice of punishment for her reasoning that he couldn't think of hurting her. She went to self proclaim that he loved her the same and though her trust quivered, she would learn from her mistakes.
Sanskaar was quick in dismissing her words calling them hopeful rubbish only she believed in. "I thought for once you will trust my love. The day you chose to leave this house despite my ultimatum, you killed my love and I realised how foolish I was to think so highly of you."
###
**The best revenge is just moving on and getting over it. Don't give someone the satisfaction of watching you suffer.**
Act 3
Ragini stepped forward and asked the same of Lakshya. He, now in a sober state, questioned her request for divorce while she waited for him through the long ordeal. She declared it as her final decision for having enough of his irresponsible actions.
Lakshya promised to undergo rehabilitation and be her Lakshya once again. Ragini dismissed him saying Lakshya can never be someone else's as he is clouded and bound in his own world. When Durgaprasad demanded she think over her decision, she stood her ground and credited it to Lakshya being the reason for destroying the relationship between Swara and Sanskaar. It was her punishment for Lakshya that he would never be the recipient of her love.
***
Swara pleaded her sister to not destroy their relationship because of them. Ragini countered her that Swara had never heed her plea to not leave Sanskaar on her account, but she had not listened to her that day, hence she would do the same and take the decision without her interference.
The whole exchanged fell as a slap to Swara's face for choosing her ideals over her relationship, for putting the only non-demanding relationship she ever had at stake for every problem, little and huge. She had always knew Sanskaar would shower no mercy on her once Lakshya was found. However she had least expected Ragini to end her relationship too.
She turned to Sanskaar out of old habit and he, without words, questioned why she is turning to him for help when she had no trust in him. For probably the first time in her life, Swara stood helpless and with no hope of things getting better.
***
Annapurna challenged the decisions for they were destroying Sanskaar and Ragini too. Sanskaar then announced his impending move to Delhi and his subsequent marriage to Ragini. Ragini too confirmed that she had accepted to Sanskaar's proposal as a way to move on in her life.
The storm had taken a new direction in the Maheshwari family with the revelation. It overturned Swara's menial hope that she would be able to go back to Sanskaar some day.
As if the knowledge of it wasn't good enough, Sanskaar announced a music academy for which Swara would be head of operations unless Sanskaar accepts her resignation. He hit the final nail in the coffin as he added that the patron of this academy shall be Ragini Sanskaar Maheshwari to remind Swara every moment of her waking life that she had lost him forever.
###
**Every story has an end, but in life every end is a new beginning.**
Act 4
If ending their relationships was punishment to Lakshya and Swara, it was torture for Ragini and Sanskaar. Their marriage was one of revenge, a revenge from love, love that destroyed them completely. The first couple of years went in the blind fury of hurt and pain. As Sanskaar and Ragini spent their days in company of each other, trying to nurse their broken hearts, their friendship rekindled once again.
They examined the last time they had become friends to destroy the duo. It was in a state of half baked facts and shades of meaningless love. Sanskaar had sought revenge for Kavita who had turned on him later. Ragini had sought for Lakshya's love which she kicked out herself being tired of his shenanigans. They had an understanding of similar minds and healed in each other's companionship.
***
Swara had taken the deal in her own stride at first. Slowly her steps leading to the academy slowed both literally and figuratively. She could stay so close to her passion for music yet had lost her zenith. She often had dreams of Sanskaar screaming at her, getting impatient and demanding silly things from her. How she wished her punishment would be all that!
Here she was today 8 years later at the country's one of the elite music academies that produced rock stars year after year. As she dragged her feet into her office, her secretary reminded of a board meeting that was conducted annually to check on the health of the academy and any enhancements that could be made. She particularly wished this day would erase from every year of her life. She was happy to meet her sister however everyone else in the room addressing her Mrs. Maheshwari was annoying to her ears. Signing quarterly reports for the board where she saw the name Ragini Sanskaar Maheshwari was more than sufficient reminder of her irrevocable mistakes.
***
Every year, Sanskaar and Ragini visited the Maheshwaris for Diwali without fail. Lakshya who had been going through rehabilitation attempted to accept the fact that Ragini was no longer his. He saw her glowing of happiness with every passing year. Lakshya had decided to wish her well and concentrate on his work at the family business.
However, 6 years from the fated day, a voice screeched in the mansion hall that felt like a knife driving through his heart. Shanaya Sanskaar Maheshwari ran around her Dadi for the laddu offered in prasad.
She served as a testimony to Lakshya that Ragini had completely moved on with Sanskaar and was in fact happier than ever with a loving family to watch over her. He reiterated to himself that at least she was happy but his heart still refused to come to terms with his mind.
###
**Love is when the other person's happiness is more important than your own. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.**
Act 5
Lakshya tried to stay strong but it was then that he realised the extent of his mistakes. He now stayed at the office penthouse, yet the proceedings at the mansion tortured his memory. He emptied a white bottle he found in the table drawer, into the scotch he was having. He sat at his table and typed an email on his laptop.
"I took advantage of being the youngest son of the family. I took your love for granted. I never for once thought if my actions would have any consequences. So much has passed between us that even after realising my folly, all I can do is type an apology email. I don't know where I will be when you read this. Just know that no matter where my heart and mind point me to, I only want the best for you and if it is Sanskaar, so be it Sanskaar. Please accept my apology, Mrs. Ragini Sanskaar Maheshwari."
He downed the last drop of the glass. The white specks left over were that of sleeping pills.
***
Four years later, Swara was engulfed by ill health. She had survived 10 years of her life on auto pilot. She believed, she did justice to the music academy, which had once been her dream. She was grateful for at least that dream was fulfilled as the rest shattered. Due to her abstinence from taking care of herself, she now survived on machines. She decided to leave a final word through video for the man who had finally defeated her ever optimistic self.
"Hi Sanskaar, you asked me to serve the academy for life and I am keeping my promise. I am sorry if I am cutting short your punishment, taking the easy road as you might say. However, today I would like to confide in you that I failed miserably in the test of our love. The person for whom I left you is now part of your life while I am not. I suppose this is justice to you for I never trusted you at the much needed times. I know a thousand apologies wouldn't extinguish your hatred towards me. So I am going use my last breath to wish you and Ragini well."
Swara stopped the video and got her assistant to burn it into a CD. She later filled the Delhi Address and handed the cover for her assistant to courier.
***
Ragini read the email next day of the event and lamented for the loss. She didn't know exactly whose it was. She still didn't.
Sanskaar watched the CD. He had completed her funeral rites in a confused state of anger and grief.
In the thirst for revenge, Sanskaar and Ragini had once again burned themselves. They had thought their friendship has mend their hearts. Shanaya, whom they adopted at a tender age of 2 weeks, helped fill the voids in their lives. But little did the others know that Sanskaar had never stopped loving Swara and Ragini had always wished for Lakshya to own up his mistakes before her. They had set out to punish Swara and Lakshya, but the fate turned the game on them and left them to serve the complete term for the biggest mistake of deciding to separate from their soul mates in moment of fury.
--------
I am attempting this type of writing for the first time. Your feedback would be helpful for me to improve and provide quality works worth your reading time
There is an alternative plot for this tale. Please read if your time permits.
Bigg Boss 19
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
