~SwaSan Story ~ A Bound Relation ~ Updated Epilogue - 10/04~ - Page 29

(Note: Forgive me, I don't have a whole lot of knowledge about the pooja held in Marwari family. I'm only writing as much as I know and as we do here. I hope I won't offend anyone.)

Chapter 14:

After being chased off to his room and told that he only has fifteen minutes to get ready by Sujatha, Sanskaar grouchily raced himself in getting ready on time for the puja because he knew he would experience hell from his Maa for being late. Coming out the bathroom after a hot shower, Sanskaar pulls on some blue jeans and throws a cream kurta quickly over himself. He was slightly glad to know that Swara wasn't around in the room and was somewhere else...

Sanskaar runs down the long marble stairs and is relieved to know that he has made it perfectly on time. The pundit ji sits in front of the flaming fire and Sujatha speaks something to him. Everyone else is seated down obediently on the floor, waiting for the ceremony to begin... Everyone with the exception of his wife, who seems not to be around anywhere... Where could she be? Brushing off this thought and telling himself that he could care less, Sanskaar sits down in his own spot.

Hearing the twinkle of payals from a distance catches his attention and causes him to turn around towards its direction. Sanskaar sees her walking gracefully towards them with a thali, containing numerous of things, in her hands and a small smile on her pink lips. Because of his fat ego, he would never admit to himself how wonderful she looks in the pure crape saree designed in a purplish majenta color with matching sequins that she is currently wearing. Yet, he seems to be unable to take his eyes off of her, following her steps towards his Maa's side. He watches her hand the thali over to his Maa, who thanks her with a bright smile and hands it over to the pundit ji. Swara, who makes her way towards Uttara, is surprised to be stopped by her.

Sujatha: Arre, Swara, why are you going over there? Sit up here... with Sanskaar.

Swara hesitantly looks away from Sujatha and over at Sanskaar, who stares back at her. Unwillingly, she listens and sits down by Sanskaar's side, trying her best to avoid his nerving glances. Satisfied by seeing them together, Sujatha sits behind them, besides Dadi and Laksh. The Pundit ji immediately begins the puja, which goes by swiftly...

They all stand up from the ground as it ends and slowly go off to their old routines. Samar and Neetha quickly run off to get ready to go out like they usually do. Uttara waits around for Swara, who helps Sujatha clear up. Laksh helps Daadi to get up stairs. Ragini goes off to her room, claiming that she has a headache. Sanskaar was just about to wander off to his study but immediately stops in his steps as he hears his phone ring. He takes the call and remains standing in the hall, chatting animatedly on his cell.

Sujatha: Swara, would you mind putting this back in the puja room?

Swara: Of course not, Maa.

Swara takes the items from Sujatha and prepares to walk towards the puja room with Uttara following after her. She halts in her steps and turns to her sister, smiling sweetly at her.

Swara: Uttara, it's okay. I've got it. You go and help Maa. Alright?

Uttara: Sure, Di.

Uttara retreats back over to Sujatha and asks whether she needs any help or not. Swara continues on towards the exit of the room and to the hall, where the prayer room was at the end of. Sanskaar digs his free hand into his pant pocket and turns around, catching a glimpse of Swara walking past him at the same time as he does. He ignores her and casually casts his gaze slightly up rather than look at her and then looks the other way. But just as quickly as he had changed his gaze, he changes it back over to the ceiling and his body seems to still momentarily.

Sanskaar stares on worriedly at the unexpected tilting chandelier, looking as if it were to crash and fall any second. He then looks over to Swara and his face pales. She continues to walk obliviously towards it, seconds away from standing right underneath the slanting chandelier. Panic over takes him and his heart begins to race. Dropping his phone down to the marble floor, Sanskaar acts without another moment of thought, aiming for only one thing... "Swara!", he shouts.

On hearing her name called out, Swara stops and continues no further. She stands right underneath the breaking chandelier, its chains already starting to split away from the center hook, attached to the ceiling. Swara turns around and looks confused at her panic-stricken husband, rushing towards her with great speed.

Swara: Mr. Maheshwari--- w-what are you---

Sanskaar: (terrified) Swara, move out of the way!

Swara: (terribly puzzled) Ji?

Sanskaar: Move out of the way!!!!

Sanskaar startles Swara by grabbing her into his arms, pushing them both back, and hard down onto the floor. Swara lets out a sharp gasp as he falls on top of her. Sanskaar ducks his head down next to hers as he hears the sharp sound of a crashing and shattering glass making contact with the floor.

"Didi!"--"Sanskaar-Swara!", Uttara and Sujatha call out to them in complete fright and worry. Both Sanskaar and Swara look over to the site of the accident after a few seconds, recovering themselves, clinging onto one another. Sanskaar looks back down at his wife's pale face, who was still in his tight embrace and staring dazedly at the shattered chandelier. What she does next surprises him... She faints.

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Sujatha begins to sob uncontrollably, continuing to mutter how bad of an omen this is that Swara was just about to suffer a near death incident right after the puja that was held for all of their well being. Sanskaar ignores her cries and Uttara's and proceeds to hold up Swara in his arms and take her upstairs to their room. As they arrive before it, Laksh hurriedly opens the door and lets Sanskaar enter in first, Swara dangling unconsciously in his arms. Sanskaar gently sets his wife down onto their bed and covers her with the comforter. He sits down on the bed besides her, staring into her white face with full concern.

Sujatha: Who knows what would had happened if you weren't there to save her, Sanskaar. Swara would had...she breaks into an awful cry, which Uttara also follows...

Sanskaar shudders by her comment...not wanting to think of the possibility of her words. What if he wasn't there to note the tilting chandelier? What if he were in his study? What if at that exact moment Swara had stepped under it and it... No, he couldn't even think of it. It was too frightening for him.

Laksh: (croaks, also white in the face) Maa, don't dwell on what could have happened... be thankful for what had actually happened... Swara is safe now.

Ragini: (bored voice) She's perfectly fine... There's no need to over react.

Uttara, offended, glares at Ragini. Neetha and Samar shake their heads at their sister with disbelief. Even Sanskaar surprisingly casts Ragini a silencing look, making her say no more. Everyone else ignores her. Sujatha just thinks that Ragini is trying to lighten the situation and make everyone feel better.

Dadi: Thank God that Swara is alright... and that Sanskaar was there to save her.

Sanskaar shuts his eyes and doesn't move nor say anything until a long moment, continuing to ignore everyone's talks and cries. Finally he opens them and casts his gaze at Laksh.

Sanskaar: Laksh, call the Doctor now. Say it's an emergency.

Laksh nods his head and pulls out his phone, dialing a few digits and then informing the Doctor of Swara. He is reassured that he will arrive in less than fifteen minutes. Uttara leaves Neetha's side and sits down on the other side of the bed next to her sister. Sanskaar looks up at her and watches the tears roll down her pale cheeks.

Uttara runs a hand through her sister's black hair and sheds more tears. She glances up and stares at Sanskaar...but not with anger as she usually does...no...today she looks at him with gratitude... for saving her elder sister's life. Sanskaar looks in the other direction, not comfortable with how intensely his sister-in-law is staring at him.

Uttara: (shaky) Mr. Maheshwari...t-thank you... thank you so-so much.

Sanskaar gazes back at her tearing face. Finding himself speechless, Sanskaar looks down instead at Swara, who is still very unconscious. Just as promised, Dr. Saxena arrived in less than fifteen minutes with his equipment and checked up on Swara's state. Sanskaar stood mutely watching him do so.

Dr. Saxena: There's nothing to worry about, Mr. Maheshwari, your wife is well. She was just experiencing a state of shock... therefore she fainted. But still... I recommend that you all let her rest for awhile. A good rest should make her feel better.

Sanskaar: (nods his head) Thank you, Doctor.

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Sanskaar left his bedroom, leaving his sister-in-law by his still unconscious wife's side, and locked himself in his Study. He lets out a long exhale and lowers his face into his palms. A series of questions attack him... regarding about the attempt he had made in saving Swara's life.

Seeing that chandelier dangling over her head had scared the life out of him... Why? He did not know. From what he remembered he hated his wife... Then where did all this concern and worry come from? Of course he wasn't going to let her come to harm... even if she is a woman whom he loathes and isn't on good terms with... Any humane person would have done the same... Right?... But his reaction... He didn't expect at all... where did all this care come from? She's fine now, there's no need to care anymore... besides he needs to remember the kind of woman she is. But why is it that whenever he thinks about that close near death incident... the thought of losing Swara... his heart just seems to stop from fright?

She isn't anything to him... so why the strong reaction?

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Swara stirs a little in her slumber and lifts her eyelids open. She slowly scans around the room and becomes confused as to why she is here in bed when just a few seconds ago she was downstairs going to the puja room. But then it hits her like lightning... The chandelier falling right on the spot where she had occupied seconds before... Sanskaar saving her by pushing her aside... and then her fainting.

"Didi", she hears a gentle voice speak and a squeeze on her hand. Turning to her left she sees her baby sister staring at her with tears in her eyes.

Swara: (softly) Uttara?

Uttara: Oh Didi, I was so scared! if anything had happened to you--- I-I would had killed myself.

Swara: (soothing) Uttara, don't say anything like that... Look at me... I'm perfectly alright.

Uttara: Just thinking about how close you were to death scares me so much----

Swara: Uttara... Don't worry... I'm fine... (small smile)

Uttara:...(watery smile) Mr. Maheshwari had saved you right on time. He had seen that the chandelier was going to break so he pushed you immediately out of the way... I guess you're right... He isn't such a horrible man as I had thought... I am forever grateful to him for saving your life.

Swara continues to smile gently, but her mind wonders off on Sanskaar. He had saved her... pushing all his differences with her aside and only thinking about her safety...he had saved her... He could had just warned her about the chandelier and let her move out of the way herself... but he came running to her rescue... This must mean that he cares. No matter how hard he tries to hide it from her, no matter how many times he tells her that he hates her, Swara knows that there is a part in her husband that still cares for her... just as he had before they had gotten married.

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