SwaSan OS: GLASS.

The glass broke.

Fell from her slack grip and shattered.

Swara frowned at the shards of glass littering the floor of the glistening marble floor of Maheshwari Mansion. She had always been taught, a child in a household of her widow Dida and her single mother, where they could never afford servants...no matter what you break by accident, always clear up after yourself so that other people don't get hurt.

Bending down to clear it up, Swara suddenly thought how very like glass people were. She too had been clearing up after Ragini's mess. She had left debris in her wake. Now that the truth was out finally, there would be a host of apologies from her father, Laksh, Dadi and the entire maheshwari family. Trust had been shattered like broken glass. Yet sometimes glass cracks and still does not crumble completely.

Laksh and her father's distrust had cracked her. But she had not crumbled. For her Ma. For her Dida. and for him.Sanskaar.

He too was a classic example of glass was he not? He had been hurt. Betrayed, he thought by his family over his love. Glass when broken, can hurt, can cut. Sharp and jagged and merciless. He had reacted the same way.

Yet, he had somehow through his innate purity sensed the wrong he had done to her and had put a brake on his misdeeds...something her own sister had been unable to do. Glass you see is pure and pristine.

Sanskaar was sharp; witty; he had created his own business from scratch...glass though brittle is a material which can build skyscrapers.

Glass may itself be hurt...but it will always protect the pictures and memories preserved and sheltered underneath it. It will bear blows, weather storms, be coated in dust and look ugly itself...but won't let the sheltered memories wither. He had protected her, bearing whatever his family threw at him. In atone for his deeds, yes...but he had protected her. Never left her side as he had promised Dida. Had wanted nothing in return.

Glass is transparent. He had always been open to her after confessing to his evils. He had never doubted her. When she had had doubts...he had acted like a mirror...which in the darkness and loneliness of a room reflects back our own self...and teaches us what our inner voices say. That glass you see knows us. Trusts us. Because it is our image in the mirror. One we can never lie to or be lied to. He had understood her better than anyone else perhaps. Ever. And she had understood him. Instinctively. Almost like soulmates were supposed to do. gave her a shoulder whenever she needed.

Swara looked up at the mirror across the room..over the dressing table. She had planned on leaving tomorrow...go back home. But that woman in the mirror seemed to tell her something. That there was one mess that she had not cleared up.

Sanskaar. Yes, his mess had not been created in anyway by her. But weirdly enough she and he had acted as glue to each others breaks...and if she left would his wounds open again? He seemed happier nowadays. She had thought it was because he had a friend in her...but what if it was something more?

Wait. Just wait.

Was she hoping that it was something more? Was she hoping that a man like him who trusted her and would be by her side and revel in her company...who she could laugh with and whom she would never have to tell stuff to because he would know instinctively, exactly when she needed a hanky...would have feelings for her? Did she have feelings for him? Yes he had caused all this. But he had made sure he finished it. once and for all. Taken responsibility, faced his mistake, asked and EARNED her forgiveness. Saw it through with her. Fought for her. Had he ultimately...won her?

And he entered. And very calmly said," do you really have to leave?"

"I...yes...i am done with this place anyway...ummm why do you ask?"

"Oh, I am not asking Swara. Not anymore. I want you to stay."

"err... why?"

"are you blind? Or are you simply so naive? Scratch that. You are naive. But anyway. Swara Bose...I believe I am in love with you. You have made the ghosts of my past go away. You have healed me. Believe me, I have loved Kavita too much. I lost her. I never meant to love you. Hell, I didn't know I could heal enough to love again like that. But i did. I don't want to lose you. So please. Stay. I swear I will love you with everything I have."

Swara looked at him. And suddenly realised... Glass is many faceted. It can reflect light and make a rainbow. She could have met Sanskaar in a different setting...and be amazed by him. His wit, his strength, his character, his love for his family...and above all his resilience. And his way of respecting people. Not just loving them. Like he respected her. Laksh was her past. He had loved her but never respected her enough. It was childish.So it broke down at the first blow. But Sanskaar's love was mature. Glass again. Glass can endure.

We don't appreciate glass as a metal. Yet it protects things and beautifies them never asks for attention...preferring to give attention to what lies sparkling and displayed in a showcase. Its withdrawal and maturity is what makes it so special. Ability to hold together...to be sober and be anything but common...be delicate...and yet be so tough when called to action. You have to know it to love and appreciate it. Because it will never ask for anything in return. it knows it deserves everything.

And suddenly she knew her own heart. She knew she would learn to love him

THREE YEARS LATER. SWARA AND SANSKAAR'S ANNIVERSARY.

They had been making love by the firelight in the hotel room they were spending their vacation at. Suddenly Swara said..."Chandelier"

"What it's gonna crash?" Sanskaar sat up.

"No baba. I just remembered the night you proposed to me. and it was liked someone had lit a chandelier in front of me. Glass reflects light and magnifies its magnificence. Just light the light. Give it a chance. Like me and you. We made a brilliant chandelier of our broken lives, just by being together"

"what glass? Swara you always babble nonsense after we have sex. Its cute...but..."

"Stop talking. I wanna kiss you..."

Love does not tell and arrive. Sometimes it can be found in the unlikeliest of places. And sometimes God gives us what we really need. In HIS own style.

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wrote something. hope everyone enjoys.😊