Pawn 1 -
click here Once alone in their room Annapurna questions her husband over his decision, she asks the questions that have been burning her for hours, "why did you allow Sanskar and Swara to marry? Why did you not wait for Laksh? The woman he loves is now married to his brother," she ends admonishingly.
Exhausted with the whirlpool of emotions he experienced today, Durha Prasad sighs deeply as he unbuttons the buttons of his sherwani coat. Sitting down on the sofa, he reluctantly looks into angry eyes. Calmly he says, "Annapurna, come sit by my side. Give way to your anger and hear me out with an open mind."
Forcing herself to control her emotions, Annapurna sits down on the sofa next to her husband, her expression expectant as she waits for Durga Prasad to explain himself.
"Annapurna," Durga Prasad begins, "I want you to forget about Laksh and just concentrate on Sanskar." Anapurna stares at her husband in confusion. He continues, "today for the very first time after..." He takes a deep breath, then continues, "... Very first time after Kavita, Sanskar chose to allow someone into his life." Regret and pain etched in his features, he says, "today for the very first time I saw a glimmer of hope that our son will forget his past and move on in life."
Anapurna looks at her husband skeptically, says, "do you really see Sanskar falling in love again... Moving on..." Durga Prasad looks at his wife, answers softly, "Swara is a ray of sunshine... Filled with laughter... I think if anyone can teach our son how to laugh again, it is she."
Anapurna sits up, taking her husbands hands into hers, she asks in a concerned voices, "and what of our other son? Why does he have to pay the price for our mistakes?" Durga Prasad tries to pull his hands away from his wife, pain emanating from him, Anapurna does not let go of him and says, "we did wrong... And it has haunted us..." Durga Prasad replies, "not we... I..." Shaking her head, Anapurna continues, "we made a mistake... We were wrong... We have been paying the price... We live in regret everyday... Is it right for Laksh to suffer for our misdeeds? What if he follows his brother's footsteps?"
Shaking his head, Durga Prasad says, "Sanskar has always been emotional and sensitive... Always keeping things in his heart. Laksh is different, carefree... And most important thing of all is that Swara is alive. When he sees that she has moved on and is happy, he will move on too."
A niggling doubt bothering her, Anapurna asks worriedly, "do you think Sanskar was involved..." Recollecting his earlier conversation with Sanskaar's driver, Durga Prasad gives his wife a reassuring smile and lies, "no he was not involved. Did you not tell me that Swara asked Sanskar to marry her."
Relieved, Anapurna nods and says, "yes. I only asked because... I thought maybe..." Shaking her head, she continues, "I don't know what I was thinking."
********************
Unable to sleep, Sujata stays up, mentally going through the events step by step. Instinctively she just knew something was not right. Frowning, she shakes her husband awake and says, "bhai saab knows how much Laksh loves Swara... Why did he not wait for Laksh? Why did he agree for Swara and Sanskar to marry?" Her husband rolls his eyes, reluctantly sits up, knowing full well that his wife would not let him go back to sleep anytime soon. Sujata continues on with her tirade, "bhai saab did not react at all when he found out that Laksh was not at the mandap... He was not angry with Laksh being irresponsible... Even when we came home, he was not angry, just worried... I am telling you, something is not right... But what!"
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[DIV]Debating whether to call Laksh or not, Ragini decides to call him, telling herself, "he needs a friend."
"Are you okay?" Ragini asks into the phone.
"No I am not," Laksh replies, "thank you for calling."
"Why did you leave? where did you go?" Ragini asks.
Sighing with regret, Laksh says, "I am so stupid. I went to buy gol gappa."
"Gol gappa!" Ragini exclaims, "why?"
"Sanskar was telling me how he and Kavita would celebrate all their special moments by re enacting their first date. So when he left, I thought that Swara would find it romantic," Laksh explains.
Curious, Ragini asks, "who is Kavita?" Suddenly worried for her sister.
"Kavita was bhai's girlfriend. She died," Laksh replies, his voice filled with remorse.
Sitting up, he says excitedly, "guess what. Bhai said that he will divorce Swara so that Swara and I can be together."
Trying to sound happy, Ragini replies in a small voice, "oh that is wonderful. Do you think the family will agree?"
"I don't know," Laksh replies, "first things first I shall have to speak to Swara."
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Groggy, Sanskar wakes up, confused as to what woke him up. Seeing Swara pace to and fro across the room, he sighs and sits up, leans towards the side lamp and switches it ok, saying, "why are you awake?"
Startled, Swara turns, replies, "I can't sleep." Walks up towards the bed, sits on the empty side and says, "I am sorry I woke you." Shrugging his shoulders, he rests his head on the headboard and asks, "why can't you sleep?"
"I am not tired," Swara replies. Raising his eyebrow in disbelief, he states, "it is nearly three in the morning." Sighing, infusing concern in his voice, he asks, "what is bothering you... You can tell me."
Swara hesitates momentarily, then says, "two things... I lied to you and I need your help."
"Here we go," Sanskar thinks, "she has decided to go for the divorce."
Teasingly he says, "why would I want to help a liar?"
Teasing him back, Swara says, "I don't expect you to help a liar... But I do expect you to help your wife."
Startled by what Swara says, Sanskar nods and says, "so wife, how would you like me to help you?"
Flushing with emberrrassment, Swara says, "I would like to tell you about what I lied first."
Feeling defensive, Sanskar folds his arms across his chest, saying, "sure."
Wanting to get it off her chest, Swara speakers in a rushed tone, devoid of emotions, "I married you because Ragini loves Laksh and I did t want to come between them."
Surprised and pleased for he was expecting to hear something else, trying to ignore the tinge of guilt he feels over his part, Sanskar starts of mockingly, "wow that is very noble of you. You are forgeting one very important thing. Laksh loves you. By you making yourself unavailable, does not guarantee that Laksh and Ragini will reunite."
"Duh," Swara says, rolling her eyes, "I know that... Which is why I need your help."
Shaking his head, Sanskar says, "oh no... Don't even think to involve me in this nonsense. Laksh and Ragini are adults, they can decide for themselves. I want no part of it."
Watching different emotions flitter past her features, Sanskar can't stop himself from admiring her. Reading disappointment in her gaze, he says, "fine. No promises. I will help if I can. Now go to sleep."
Smiling, Swara says, "thank you." Then adds, "I am still not sleepy." Smiling back, Sanskar teases, "if we married in different circumstances, I would make you very tired." Swara jumps off the bed. Reading her expression, Sanskar shrugs his shoulders and says, "what... I am a man." Walking backwards to the divan, Swara says abruptly, "I am suddenly very tired. Good night."
Sanskar bursts out laughing, switches off the lamp and says, "good night." Swara turns towards him, calls out, "you were teasing me, right?" Sanskar replies, "goodnight Swara." Relieved, she replies with a smiling voice, "goodnight."
********************
Dressed for office, Sanskar stops by the divan, watching a sleeping Swara. Annoyed with himself and confused as to why he had said what he said last night. "What the hell was that? Why would I say that?," he wonders, shuddering as he recalls the words... I am a man! Debating whether to wake her or not, he thinks dismissively, "she will wake up when she wakes up."
Pawn 3 -
click here Edited by angelpureness - 9 years ago