Posted:
Best Friends Forever
*The scene is set after all the KC rituals are finished and the whole family gets to know about Sanskaar fasting. This is inspired from the 5/11 precap. Hope the episode turns better than this.*
---
Laksh had been the one most affected by the revelation that Sanskaar kept the fast for Swara. Didn't Bhai say he doesn't love her? Didn't he say he will help me get my happiness back? Then what's this? He needed to clarify with Sanskaar.
After the rituals, he asks him to come aside. Once he made sure, no one was around, he asked, "Bhai, yeh sab kya hai? Tumne toh kaha tha ki tum Swara se pyaar nahi karte? Phir aaj tera mann kaise badal gaya?"
"Lucky, sunn meri baat. Tu pehle relax kar. Main tujhe sab batata hu."
"Nahi Bhai! Tum nahi jaante mujhpe kya beeth rahi hain."
Sanskaar starts to explain but Laksh is no mood to listen. He starts off his rant on how he wants to get Swara back in his life at all costs. Also he emphasizes that being his brother, Sanskaar should understand and support him by explaining to Swara that she needs to give his Lucky a chance.
Bewildered to see his brother bordering, scratch that- crossing over to the obsessive side, Sanskaar shudders at the consequences if this is to continue. "Lucky! Tu mujhse poochna kya chahta hai?"
"Bhai, ab tak main kya bol raha tha? Mujhe aapki help chahiye Swara se ek aur chance maagne ke liye. Aap toh usse pyaar nahi karte ho na? Toh kyun baandh ke rakha use iss zabardasti ki shaadi mein?"
It was time to reveal his truth, Sanskaar decided. Lucky needed to be shown the mirror before the fire of obsession consumes him completely. "Lucky, tu mera Bhai hai. Tune jis kisi cheez ki bhi zid ki, maine khushi se tujhe de diya. Par Swara koi cheez nahi hai. Ek ladki hai. Koi college crush nahi jo main tere liye sacrifice kar du. Meri patni hai. Aur inn sabse upar, main Swara se pyaar karta hu."
Laksh took a step back. Things were getting complicated. He was looking forward to starting a renewed life with Swara. But if Sanskaar loved her too, then it could trigger off the sacrificial accounting between the brothers. And he would lose the game there. Because Sanskaar had always given and Lucky had always received. Does that mean he will have to give up Swara? What about his love for her?
Sanskaar watched Lucky's reaction closely and found exactly what he had feared. Lucky was tethering on the edge between realise-and-retreat and claim-and-force. One push he could fall into the deep valley of obsession and one pull he could leave Swara alone to let her make an independent decision.
"Bhai, tum mere saath aise kaise kar sakte ho? Yeh jaante hue bhi ki main Swara se pyaar karta hu."
"Ek minute Lucky, Jab mujhe Swara se pyaar hua tha, tujhe usse nafrat thi! Kaunse pyaar ki baat kar rahe ho tum? Apne aur Swara ki uss rishtey ki jiske buniyaad pe tum dono shaadi karna chaahte the? Ek aandhi aayi aur tera saara pyaar khidki se bahar ho gaya tha. Uss ladki ko tune hadh se badkar sazaa di. Aur ab ussi ke saamne gidgida rahe ho. Mere Bhai, ab mujhe darr lag raha hai tere liye. Ragini ne jis junoon mein aake yeh neech harkate ki hai, tu bhi usi raaste mein chalne laga hai. Ab bhi waqt hai, sudhar ja."
None of the words penetrated Laksh and at the comparison with Ragini, he left from there in fury. But he remained oblivious to the rage and dilemma building within Sanskaar.
Two people he wanted to protect from all harm and hurt - Lucky his brother and Swara his love. What he didn't tell Lucky was if he was convinced Swara would be happy with Laksh, he wouldn't have blinked before sacrificing his love. But Laksh had broken her heart which Sanskaar helped piece together with extreme patience and multiple trials. He had promised Swara to always be the reason of her happiness and he wanted to fulfill that promise over his duty towards Laksh.
---
Sanskaar was going towards his room when Ragini passed him an envelope. "What is this, Ragini?"
"Laksh asked me to pass to you. He said it would prove his point to you." With that, she turned towards her room.
Sanskaar watched her leaving until her shadow was out of his sight. Ragini had been up to a very dangerous game. Never mind, it can wait. He casually threw the envelope into his wardrobe and went about his daily routine. Swara had requested him to stay in their room and he had gladly accepted. He would rather sleep on the uncomfortable couch watching over her rather than on the luxurious bed tossing in her worry.
---
Next month came too fast. The whole Maheshwari family was aware of the growing affection between Swara and Sanskaar. Between them, they still stuck to and maintained the risk-free relation of friendship.
One fine day the dark clouds arrived over the Maheshwari mansion despite of the clear sky that the universe saw. They were at the dining table for lunch. All the family members coming together for lunch was such a rare occasion and they celebrated the essence of the joint family. Laksh had gone to his room for some file. After 5 minutes, Ragini came downstairs and switched on the TV.
AP questioned her. "Ragini, sab lunch ke liye baithe hai. Tum TV kyun on kar rahi ho?"
"Ma, Lakshji ne kaha ki jab sab aajaye toh news on karne ke liye."
"Par woh hai kaha?"
"Woh abhi aa rahe hai." She surfs through all the news channels and her nervousness starts to show.
"Kya hua Ragini, kaunsi channel doondh rahi ho?" Swara asked. "Laksh ne bataaya nahi ki kounsa channel hai? "
"Isi channel pe hona chahiye tha par ab nahi hai toh main doosre numbers try kar rahi hoon."
Swara glances at Sanskaar who was watching this exchange relaxed. Swara's alerts flagged up. Did he know what's wrong with Ragini?
Laksh came down. "Ragini, mujhe koi ring nahi mila. Maine bahut doondne ki koshish ki par waha pe kuch nahi mila."
AP asked Laksh ignoring his conversation with Ragini. "Laksh, Tumne Ragini ko news on karke sab ko bulane ke liye kyun kaha?"
"Maine? Nahi toh!"
"Laksh, aap shayad bhool gaye kal raat ko bataaya tha. Lekin iss channel pe toh nahi hai."
"Kya bakwaas kar rahi ho, Ragini?"
Sanskaar spoke up for the first time since the drama started. "Bakwaas nahi Laksh. Ragini, tum jis programme ke liye doondh rahi ho, woh yaha pe hai." He held up a CD case which Ragini recognised immediately. He handed it to her to play.
"Yeh kya keh rahe hai, Sanskaar?"
"Play karo. Tumhe samajh mein aa jayega."
Swara stared at him. She had no idea what he was talking about. How did Sanskaar know what Ragini wanted?
Ragini placed the CD into the player with shivering hands. Her game was up. But not so soon. She would not give up so easily. If the CD was what she thought it was, she could redirect the arrows to Sanskaar.
The CD played the scenes that Ragini had carefully captured and edited to mean what they didn't mean. Right from Laksh entering Swara's room to the recent encounters between Swara and Laksh. The family reacted exactly the way Sanskaar expected them. Some eyes looked at Swara in suspicion while some looked at the video in disbelief. But his Bade Papa's gaze never left Sanskaar during the 15-minute clip.
"Koi bataayega yeh kya naya tamasha hai?" His Bade Papa asked out of patience.
"Yeh toh aap Laksh se poochiye. Usne Ragini se kaha, ki woh yeh footage poore sheher ko telecast karvaaye taaki Swara aur Laksh ki adhoori dastaan sab ko pata chale Aur Hamare Ghar Ka Naam MITTI MEIN MILL JAAYE, Haina Ragini?" Sanskaar asked in a chilled tone.
He stood infront of Ragini and pinned her down with his steely glare. "Tumne pehle jo kuch bhi kiya, main chup tha. Main Swara ka sirf saathi tha. Jung tumhare aur Swara ke beech tha. Par Memory loss wala natak se shuru hui jung Tumhare aur mere beech mein hai Ragini, yeh baat tum nahi samajh paayi. Laksh ko uksaaya taaki mein apne Bhai se phir door ho jaun. Swara ko Laksh ke saath khade hone ko majboor kiya taaki main uska galat matlab nikalu. Ek teer Teen shikaar! Mere saath aisa khatarnaak khel khelne ki himmat bhi kaise ki tumne?"
"Sanskaar, tum Ragini ko misunderstand kar rahe ho. Usne yeh sab nahi kiya." Swara spoke up.
"Kiske baare mein baat kar rahi ho, Swara? Tum shayad Ragini ko nahi jaante, ya shayad main tumhari behen ko nahi jaanta, magar iss Ragini ko bahut acche se jaanta hoon." Before Swara could say anything, he played the voice recording in his phone.
On the day of Durga Puja, Sanskaar was recording event. When the accident happened and Swara left his phone on the chest on her way to meet Laksh, the recording had resumed. That night he realised the recording was still running. He had got kept it untouched and wanted to play it at his choice moment.
At the end of the playback, each family member was introduced to Ragini's masterplan for Sanskaar, Laksh and Swara.
"Sanskaar!" His Mom rushed to him. "Tere ko Ragini pe pehle din se hi shak tha?"
"Haan, Mom." He met Swara's gaze but turned away quickly. He had not shared with her just because she was not ready to accept. They will have to settle this privately. Later.
"Ragini ne shock ka drama pehle bhi kiya tha mujhe bachaane ke liye. Toh uske memory loss stunt pe mujhe bilkul vishwas nahi tha. Aur iss recording ne mera shak confirm kiya. Ragini, tumhara khel shuru hone se pehle hi khatam ho gaya tha. Tumhari har kadam pe meri nazar thi. Har chaal ka saboot hai mere paas. Poora paper trail choda tumne mere liye iss telecast CD tak. Agar main woh sab nikalu toh shayad koi bhi tum pe zindagi bhar vishwas nahi karega."
"Sanskaar, aap ne mere saath bahut bura kiya." Ragini was shedding tears.
He felt responsible for introducing her to the darker side. "Jaanta hoon. Maine tumhe bahut galat tareekey sikhaye. Maafi bhi maangta hoon. Yeh sab hum dono ne milke shuru kiya tha. Aaj hum dono hi khatam karte hain. Sabse poore imaandaari se maafi maango. Maaf kardenge. Tumhare liye bhi yeh bahut relieving hoga, Trust me!"
"Sab mujhse nafrat karte hain." Ragini spoke between her tears.
"Haan toh? Tumhare kaam kaise the. Kuch to punishment banta hain na. Kyun na tum asaan wale se shuru karo. Apni Behen se toh sorry bol sakti ho na?"
Ragini nodded. Swara, who was also in tears, stepped forward and stood before her. "Hume maaf kardo Swara?"
"Poochne ki zaroorat hain?" Swara smiled and hugged Ragini. "Meri best friend mujhe wapas mil jaaye, mujhe aur kuch nahi chahiye. Maafi bhi maangne ki zaroorat nahi."
---
It took them exactly 6 months to get everyone forgiving Ragini and genuinely accept her into the family. Sanskaar had to use force with Lucky but end of the day he too accepted his own set of mistakes and was trying to give his relationship with Ragini a genuine chance.
Swara and Sanskaar had come to accept their love for each other and their marriage. Swara was thinking back to the past one year which had changed her life tremendously. Sanskaar came to stand beside her at their room window and draped his arm over her shoulders. "Finally, sab maan gaye."
"Haan Sanskaar. Finally."
"Toh kya hum uss holiday pe jaa sakte hai jo Bade Papa ne hume offer kiya tha? I need a break, Swara."
"Break? Then you go alone."
"Agar mujhe apni wife ke saath time spend karni ho toh? Tab bhi nahi aaogi?"
"Theek hai. Kaha chale?"
"Tum maan gayi na. Toh kya pharak padta hai ki kaha jaa rahe. Bas tumhara saath ho."
"Thank you Sanskaar mujhse itna pyaar karne ke liye."
"Iske liye bhi koi Thank you bolte hai kya, Shona?"
Current Affairs
Real Estate
