The Best of Things
(RagLak, SwaSan) Fan Fiction Series
By Bubble
Chapter 25
Lakshya drove into Kolkata a little earlier than expected. He parked in the garage, and had the door opened to by him by Ghanshaam who told him the ladies were all in Annapurna's room.
"I'll tell maalkin you have arrived, Lakshya baba!" he said.
"No, no, it's ok, I'll freshen up first" Lakshya stopped him, "Just bring me some tea." He bounded up the stairs, bag hauled across his shoulder.
Ragini wasn't in the room... with the others probably. Lakshya wondered what the conference was about... was there some puja coming up? Probably. There always was!
He stripped off his shirt, grabbed towels and hit the shower to wash the journey off off him.
Ragini came into the room and looked around. A pair of shoes, lying askew in the middle of the room, socks scattered in two different corners, a flung-off shirt adorning the embroidered cushion cover, trousers on the floor, a very dusty travel bag sitting on the otherwise pristine bed cover. There was a tea tray on the table. She heard loud singing from the bathroom, and her heart thumped in a mixture of excitement and dread.
He came out then, bare-bodied, with only a large towel tied around his slender waist. He was toweling his hair.
"Lakshya!" Her face lit up. It was always so nice to see him.
"Hey, you!" he said, holding out a hand.
She rushed to him, and was gathered in a wet hug. "Aap aa gaye!"
Lakshya leaned back to look at her. "Haan, 20 minute huey hain! Kahaan thi tum?!"
She looked up... "Woh hum Maa ke kamre mein..."
"Hmm..." he said, nuzzling her neck and her hair. "How are you? Have you been a good girl?"
She stiffened.
He moved back to look at her, puzzled.
She broke contact... "Haan... haan... aapko bhook lagi hogi... hum kuch..."
He frowned. "Just a minute. Is everything ok?"
"Hum abhi aate hain, Laksh... " And she whisked herself out of the room.
***
When Lakshya went down, he found the atmosphere gripped by some strange tension. Although everyone greeted him, and the household was having tea and snacks around the sofa in the drawing room, the mothers looked serious and grim. Although it was only five in the evening, Sanskaar was home, sitting quite immobile, staring into his teacup. And Swara, who was also sitting in a lone chair across him, was looking almost white with anxiety. Ragini was hovering around the dining table.
"What's the matter?!" Lakshya asked everyone, and when Annapurna just shook her head, he turned to Sanskaar. "Bhai?"
Sanskaar raised his head then to look at him, and Lakshya was horrified to see a look of utter bleakness in his eyes. What had been happening here, in his absence? Why was Sanskaar looking like he had lost the world? Shaken, Lakshya gripped his shoulder.
He looked around. No one was going to tell him anything soon.
He grabbed Sanskaar's arm, "Bhai, tu chal mere saath! I have to talk to you. Come, come, Sanskaar!"
Sanskaar allowed himself to be dragged and the two brothers retreated into their favourite bolthole, the terrace. There he leaned his hands on the parapet and looked out into the setting sun.
"Ok, now, please, please tell me what's happening?" Lakshya pleaded, "what has gone wrong?"
"Swara is leaving," Sanskaar said baldly. "She's leaving the house. She's leaving me."
Lakshya blanched. "Leaving! For good?!"
Sanskaar nodded, dragging in a deep breath, "Yes!"
"Why? Why now? You guys are happy, she's very happy, she thinks the world of you... how can this be happening? WHY is it happening?" his questions tumbled out.
"I don't know! Except that it's all coming apart... I tried to stop Badi Maa but she wouldn't listen... now Sharmistha Maa is coming in a while... to talk... and maybe take Swara back with her..." he could barely string the sentences together.
"Maa? What has Maa said?" Lakshya was latching on to any fresh information.
"They cornered Swara this morning... Mom, Badi Maa... they asked Swara about our relationship... whether we still only friends or had become husband and wife... whether we had any intention of having a real marriage... and then they called me home from work... they had decided that this can't go on... they accused Swara of trying to use me..." he felt sick as he remembered the scene.
"My God!!" exclaimed Lakshya, "but what brought it on, suddenly?"
Sanskaar shook his head, "There had been some complications between Swara and me... but we were sorting it out... I don't understand why they erupted like this today."
Lakshya turned Sanskaar to face him and held his shoulders, "Then stop Swara, bhai! There is so much trust and respect between you.. rok lo usey! No one can intrude into your marriage after all... no one has any real say in your relationship but you two..."
"I can't, Lucky!" Sanskaar said brokenly, "I messed up a few days ago... I want Swara to stay, but I can't say a word to stop her. And you know what? Even if she wants to leave, I want it to be her decision, in her own time, a well-thought-out decision made calmly... I don't want her to be hounded out of the house like this!"
"What does Swara want?" Lakshya asked.
He swallowed painfully. "She is looking very upset... but I don't know what she wants... she's not saying anything! I know that she stayed here at her mother's wish... but I don't know what she wants..."
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