Snow Covered Plains- A Swarya Fanfic CHAP 4 Up pg 6 - Page 2

Chapter 2

Laksh ran to Swara, images of them together- memories- rushing through his head. He barges into the room calling for her only to find her finally, peacefully asleep. He carefully walks over to her bedside and sits himself next to her and just stares at her peaceful form, as if in a trance, breathing in and out. He watched her calm face in slumber after days, he watches her silent smile, he sees her chest rising and falling in a beat and finally, he sees her hands protectively rested against her stomach and by sheer instinct his hands find the exposed space between her hands and he carefully caresses her stomach. He briefly wonders if its all true, if theres a child there, shouldn't he be able to feel SOMETHING? Just at that moment Swara's hand closes on his and her grip tightens unconsciously sensing an external being touching her precious cargo. And that's how Laksh knew its there, he feels his child's presence in Swara's instinct to protect it, that's when the enormity of the situation sets on him. This wasn't just about him and his love and his broken heart and Swara's wellbeing anymore; it is much more than he could've ever imagined. The sense of protectiveness that washed over him was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. He chuckled softly at the feeling; he felt like a caveman needing to protect his woman and cub. But he knew Lakshya Maheshwari was not selfish enough or strong enough to do it. But he knew Lucky was.

L: Tu chinta maat kar beta, papa tujhse aur ma se wada karte hain; tujhe aur teri ma ko apna haq dila kar rahungi, tune humare pyaar ko ek naya vajud diya hain beta. Tera papa tujhe apna naam zaroor dega. chahe iskeliye mujhe kuch bhi karna pare, kisike bhi khilaaf jana pare.

He takes out his phone and makes a call.

L: Haan Omi, yaar maine tujhe shaadiwale din ek file di thi apne dad ko dene k liye. Kya woh file tune unhe di thi?

O: Haan Lucky file toh woh usi din apne saath office le gaye the. Par baat kya hain yaar?

L: Aaj shaam ko kya uncle ghar pe honge?

O: haan honge. Kyun?

L: Main tujhe baad mein aake samjhata hoon. Main shaam ko tere ghar aunga uncle se milne aur saari baatein tabhi karenge.

O: Accha thik hain Lucky, par yeh baata aab Swara bhab...I mean Swara kaisi hain.

L: Oy! Bhabi bol saale! Aur abhi so rahi hain. Baad mein tujhe saab batata hoon.

O: Accha chalo thik hain, milte hain baad mein.

Laksh hangs up the phone and notices Shekhar and Shomi walking towards Swara's room, the doctor treading behind. Laksh puts his phone away and gently lifts Swara in his arms. Everyone enters the room and looks at him questioningly.

L: Shona unconscious nahi hain, 4 din baad soyi hain, main nahi chahta ki woh disturb ho...isiliye main usse abhi bari le jarahi hoon.

Shekhar and Shomi nod and Laksh heads out with Swara sleeping peacefully in his arms but Shomi stops him before he can exit the room.

SH: Humari baath abhi khatam nahi huyi hain.

Laksh simply nods before heading towards the car.

AT THE BARI

When Laksh reaches the bari, Swara is still fast asleep in his arms. He carefully enters the house and realizes everyone is staring at them and whispering. Having gotten accustomed to their whispers, Laksh decides to ignore them and heads towards the Gadodia house and before he can ring the bell someone opens the door and Laksh is shell-shocked to see its Ragini. Ragini smiles at him.

R: Aap aagaye! Bas aaphika intezar ho raha tha. Aap Swara ko uske room mein chod aiyye aur hum aapke liye khana banate hain. Aapko bhukh lagi hogi na? Humne apne haato se apka man pasand khana banaya hain, aur ma bhi aayi huyi hain.

Laksh simply looks forward and walks towards Swara's bedroom without acknowledging Ragini. On the way he sees his mother chatting in the livingroom with Dadi and Dadaji. They make eye contact and AP is shocked to see Laksh shamelessly carry Swara in his arms. She's about to say something but Laksh walks away.

IN SWARA'S ROOM

Laksh sets Swara down on the bed and is about to go see his mother outside when he feels Swara's hand on his arms.

S: Laksh.

He turns around to see Swara's awake, rubbing the last remnants of sleep off her eyes. He sits down on the floor beside her and takes her hand.

L: Kya hua Shona? Neend puri hogayi?

S: Nn...een...nd. Meri neend puri?

L: Haan Shona, tum so rahi thi, abhi uthiho, tumhari neend puri huyi?

S: Main soyi thi. Par lucky tumne kahata...shaadi k baad mujhe sone nahi doge na?

Swara retorts his innuendo back at him with such casualty yet innocence, that he cant help but laugh out loud.

S: tum haas kyun rahe ho?

L: Kuch bhi nahi Shona. Haha. Bas aisehi.

He caresses her cheeks lovingly and removes a strand of hair from her face.

L: Main toh tumhe har paal pyaar karte rehna chahti hoon, par kya kare baby k liye toh sona zaroori hain na?

S: Baby, tumhe pata hain? Maine bataya tha na main ma hoon.

L: Shona yeh humara baby hain na, toh mujhe toh pata hoga na?

Swara looks at him questioningly.

L: Ok fine. Mujhe doctor ne bataya.

Swara nods and tries to sit up on the bed but finds her hands too wobbly and unable to coordinate the lift off. Laksh sensing her confusion, moves behind her and puts his arms around her shoulders and places her arms in a way that she can successfully lift herself off the bed. Within the second swara manages to sit up AND put a pillow on her lower back for support! Laksh takes a seat next to her on the bed and she rests her head on his chest and brings his hand to rest on top of her flat belly. Laksh immediately starts caressing her belly, staring intensely into Swara's eyes. Neither of them speak, completely lost in their own world, slowly Laksh starts to bridge the distance between their faces.

AP: Laksh! Swara! Yeh sab kya ho raha hain?!?

AP's scream brings them out of their little world. Swara simply stares at her without any reaction or recognition, whilst Laksh hides his face in the crook of Swara's neck to hide embarrassment and annoyance.

AP: Swara maine tumse yeh umeed nahi ki thi! Aur Laksh tu yeh maat bhool k...

Laksh cut her off.

L: Ma please! Aap bahar jaiye main aapse do minute mein aake sab samjhata hoon.

S: Lucky yeh kaun hain?

AP: Swara?!?

S: Aur yeh Swara kaun hain?

L: Kuch nahi Shona, yeh meri ma hain.

S: Tumhari ma matlab jaise...

Laksh takes her hands in his before she can touch her stomach and clue in his mother to her pregnancy.

L: Haan Shona, main inka baby hoon, toh yeh meri ma. Ma aap please bahar jaiye main abhi aata hoon.

Recognising the stubbornness in her son's voice, she nodded and left.

Laksh looked at Swara who seemed visibly agitated so he decided to make light of the situation. He sits down next to her and kisses her on the cheek.

L: Arre yeh ma ne toh pura romance ka band baja diya. Shona woh bula rahi hain na, toh mujhe thode der k liye jana hoga. Par main yuh gaya aur yuh aaya. Ok?

Swara nods. But right as he's about to leave swara again stops him.

S: lucky, baby ko...bhukh...bhukh lagi hain hum dono ko, bhukh lagi hain.

Laksh feels his heart jump out of chest in excitement. After days, Swara was feeling hunger, this was definitely a step forward. Laksh grew even more confident that he'll get her back, back to the old swara.

L: Bolo Shona, kya khane ka maan kar raha hain?

S: Mujhe khane ko...pata nahi...yaad nahi...

L: Koi baat nahi, mujhe pata hain tumhe kya pasand hain.

S: Aur Lucky, woh...kya tum mere saath...woh khaane ke baad sona hain, aur mujhe daar lagta hain, kahi tum chale gaye toh...tum mere saath sona, please?

L: Hahahaha, main tumhe chod ke kaha jaunga Shona? (he put his hand on her cheeks) Par mausam aur maard ka koi bharosa nahi hota Shona, humari niyaat kisi bhi waqt bigad sakhta hain.

Swara instinctively blushed at his comment but couldn't quite understand why she felt so hot in the face but she gathered that Lucky must talk to his ma' so she let it go.

L: Main abhi aaya.

Swara nods and lets him go.

AT THE DINNER TABLE

Dadaji and Dadi are sitting with AP waiting for Laksh, whilst Ragini was in the kitchen getting the food. Laksh enters the dining room.

PD: Aaye jamaisa. Hum aphika rah dekh rahe the. Aap baithiye, laado abhi khana parosegi, usne apne haaton se aapke liye khana banaya hain.

L: Dadi kamse kam aap toh aisi bartav maat kijiye ki saab thik hain. Mujhe aapki lado se koi rishta nahi rakhni aur nahi mujhe uske haaton se baana khana khaana hain.

AP: Laksh! Yeh kya tareeka hua apne baro se baat karne ki? Aur yeh maat bhulo k Ragini tumhari patni hain, Swara nahi.

L: Ma main iss zabardasti k rishte ko nahi manta. Mere manne na manne se aapko farq pare ya na pare par mujhe farq parta hain. Aap mujhse baat karna chahti thi isiliye main bahar aaya, varna mujhe Shona k liye khana kharidne jana hain.

AP: Laksh tu yeh...

R: Rehna dijiye ma. Aap please in pe gussa maath kijiye. Dekhiye ji aap humse naraz hain, thik hain par khana chod ke maath jaiye. Anna ka apmaan hota hain. Aur Swara ko khana hum de aate hain, usse humare haaton se bana khana pasand hain.

Laksh doesn't even look at her or acknowledge her.

L: Ma main Swara ko aisa koi khana nahi khila sakhta jis pe mujhe bharosa na ho, kya pata usme kisine agar zeher milaya hoga. (Ragini is shaken by Laksh's lack of faith in her but hides it carefully) Aur main khana swara k saath khalunga. Agar aapko aur kuch poochna hain toh pooch sakhte hain.

AP: Thik hain. Samdhanji, samdhiji agar aapki aagya ho toh main apne beten se kuch der akele mein baath karna chahunga.

Dada Dadi look at each other and exit with Ragini.

AP: Laksh yeh sab kya hain beta? Tu char din se ghar nahi aaya. Pata hain main aur tere Papa kitne pareshan the? Aur uss bechari Ragini ki toh ro ro ke bura halath hogaya tha. Aur tu milta hain to bhi yaha, uss ladki ke paas.

She looks up at Laksh and sees that none of her words seem to have any effect on him.

AP: Laksh aab bas bohut hogaya. Jo huwa usse bhool ja. Main kamre wali baat kisise nahi kahungi. Tu bas pagphera khatam hote Ragini k saath ghar chaal aur apne rishte ko age barah.

Her heart breaks a little at Laksh's stoic silence.

AP: Laksh! Kuch toh bol beta! Kya woh ladki tere liye tere parivaar, teri ma se bhi zyaada bari hogayi hain?

L: Main kya bolu ma. Meri baat aapko samaj nahi ayega, aap unse aur bhi zyaada hurt honge. Par haan, jis ladki k baade mein aap baat kar rahe hain, woh mere liye meri vajud se bhi zyada maine rakhti hain. Agar woh hain toh main hoon. Varna kuch bhi nahi. Aur jahatak Ragini ko apnane ka sawal hain, mere zinda rehte toh aisa kabhi nahi hoga.

AP: Bilkul patthar ka ban gaya hain tu! Uss ladki main aisa kya hain jo Ragini mein nahi hain? Khubsoorat hain, sushil hain, sanskari hain aur tujhse kitna pyaar karta hain.

L: Ma aap mujhe patthar keh rahi hain, aapke uss sushil bahu ne mere Swara ko patthar se bhi battar bana diya hain. Usse mere alava kuch bhi yaad nahi, na apna naam, na apna vajud. Jis ladki ko apne dekha, woh Swara nahi, sirf Laksh ki Shona hain. Ma Ragini mein bohut goon honge, sevai ek k, woh meri Shona nahi hain, who kabhi Shona ban hi nahi sakhti, aur Shona k andar meri jaan basti hain.

AP: Toh tu kya karega? Iss ghar mein rahega? Uss ladki k saath najayaz rishta rakhega? ARRE! HUM SAMAJ MEIN KAHIN MUH DIKHANE LAYAK NAHI RAHENGE! RISHTA WOH BHI APNE PATNI K BEHEN K SAATH. YEH MAIN KISI BHI KIMAT MAIN HONE NAHI DOONGI. SUNA TUNE!

L: Ma chillane ne se kuch haasil nahi hoga. Mujhe nahi pata main kaha rahunga par jaha bhi rahu, Shona mere saath rahegi. Aapke samaj ko jab humare dukho se farq nahi parta toh hum khush hone se pehle unke bare mein kyun soche? Aur ha, jahatak humare rishte ki najayaz honeki baat hain, iss rishte ko khud bhagwan ne joda hain, aab ise main chahu toh bhi nahi todh sakhti.

AP: AISA NAHI HO SAKHTA HAIN LAKSH! Main tera haath jorti hoon, please beta ghar aaja. Yeh zidd chor de.

L: Ma mujhe der ho raha hain. Shona khane k liye mera wait kar rahi hain.

He walks away leaving a devastated AP behind.

MEANWHILE SHEKHAR AND SHOMI ARE ON THEIR WAY BACK.

SK: Mishti please kuch bolo, doctor k waha se nikal ne k baad tumne ek shadb tak nahi kaha. Please mishti humse baat karo, tumhari chuppi humse bardasht nahi ho rahi hain.

SH: Main kuch kehne k layak hi nahi rahi Shekhar. Kosti hoon uss din ko jab maine tumse aur tumhare parivaar se rishta jora tha.

SK: Please mishti aisa mat kaho.

SH: Humare paas sab kuch nahi tha Shekhar par hum khush the. Main, meri beti aur meri ma. Aur tumhare parivaar k vajay se aaj na meri ma aur nahi meri beti mere saath hain. Pehle kya kaam daard mein thi meri bacchi jo aab ye pregnancy?

SK: Mishti humein maaf kar dena, pita hone k naate na hum Ragini ko kuch sikha paye aur nahi hum Swara ko uska haq de paye. Par ek akhri bar humpe bharosa kar lo, hum sab kuch thik kar denge.

SH: Kya thik kar doge tum Shekhar? Tum kuch nahi kar sakhte. Par maine soch liya hain aab mujhe kya karna hain. Main apni betein ko apni tarah zillat ki zindagi kabhi jeene nahi dungi. Aur uska sirf ek hi upai hain, main Swara ko iss bacche ko janam nahi dene dungi.

SK: KYA?!? MISHTI TUMHARA DIMAAG TOH THIK HAIN NA? Tum Swara se uski itni bari khushi kaise chin sakhti hon?

SH: Swara aur uska baccha zindagi bhar ghut ghut k jiye, isse accha hain ki woh abhi iss kisse ko khatam kar de. Main janti hoon kitna mushkil hota hain bin baap k aulad ko janam dena, usse palna.

SK: Par Laksh iss bacche ko najayaz kabhie kehlane nahi dega.

SH: Kab tak ladega woh sabse? Samaj se, apne parivaar se? tum lar paye the? Shekhar mere liye asan nahi hain yeh faisla. Par Swara ki halath nahi rahi ek bacche ko palne ki. Humein toh abhi tak yeh bhi nahi pata ki usse thik kaise kare, nahi, maine soch liya hain. Yahi sabke liye sahi rahega.

Shekhar nods.

AT THE BARI:

Shekhar and Shomi arrive at the Bari and find Ragini there. Ragini greets them and tries to take aashirwad from Shekhar and Shomi. She touches Shekhar's feet and he almosts lifts his hands but then Swara's stoic face flashes through his head and he cant bring himself to. Realizing this tears drop down Ragini's face and she switches towards Shomi who walks away before she can even bend down, with an angry look at Shekhar, who trails behind her. Shomi goes into her room and starts packing her bag.

SK: Mishti tum yeh kya kar rahi ho? Kaha ja rahi ho? Mishti hum saach kehte hain, Ragini k aane k humein koi khabar nahi tha.

SH: Shekhar yeh ghar Ragini ka hain, woh jab chahe yaha aa sakhti hain aur yaha se ja sakhti hain. Mehmaan sirf Shona aur main hoon, isiliye behtar hoga k hum yaha se chale jaye.

SK: Please mishti hume chor k maath jao. Bohut pyaar karte hain tumse, tumhare bina hum ek paal kabhie khush nahi reh paaye.

SH: Iss umaar mein Shekhar, humare bacche hi humari khushi hain. Isi liye behtar hoga tum Ragini pe dhyaan do aur main Swara pe dhyaan deti hoon. Hum itna khudgarz nahi ho sakhte. Tumne socha bhi hain k ghar mein jab Swara ki pregnancy k baare mein pata chalega toh kya hoga? Ragini ko paata chal gaya toh?