And Happy 70th Independence Day.. Proud to be an Indian.. Jai Hind..!!!
Chapter 28:
Sanskaar smiles at his wife as she comes walking out of the bathroom, dressed in her nightwear, and approaches him at their bed. Swara shyly smiles back and joins him.
Swara: Goodnight, Mr. Maheshwari...
Sanskaar: Goodnight, Shona...
Swara lays down on her respected side and turns off her lamp. Seconds later she hears Sanskaar's lamp also turn off and feels him shift, trying to find a comfortable position for himself. She switches her back towards him and pulls the covers around her tightly. A few moments go by and Swara feels her husband move once more and the area behind her sink down. Curiously she looks over her shoulder and finds him staring at her, curious himself.
Swara: Mr. Maheshwari, kya hua?
A slow grin forms on his lips as he continues to nerve her by staring at her with a fixed gaze.
Sanskaar: Nothing... I was just wondering... first dancing... then drinking... then crickets...volleyball...and lastly your beautiful voice... what else do you have saved to further surprise me, Swara?
Smiling shyly at this, Swara fully turns around, looking up at him since he has his elbow propped up on his pillow and his chin resting on his hand.
Swara: (giggling) The alcohol was by accident... I'm not a drinker.
Sanskaar: But you are everything else... you continue to amaze me, Shona.
Swara blushes at this and is thankful for the darkness in the room, otherwise her husband would clearly see the red in her cheeks.
Sanskaar: Can I ask you something? (blunt, all of a sudden serious)
Swara: Yes? (looking back up at him)
Sanskaar: When's Swara coming back?
Swara: (startled, confused) Hu??
Sanskaar: I'm starting to miss her... Shona's too much of a show off.
Swara sits up and now stares down at her grinning husband, who looks back up at her, not breaking their eye contact.
Swara: You think Shona's too much of a show off? (faking shock)
Sanskaar: Hmm... and she talks too much... and gave me bruises throughout the movie... and scratches on my arms... Swara was so quiet and rarely troubled me.
Swara: So Shona is a handful for you?
She moves her hand behind her and grabs a hold of her pillow, tightening her grip on it.
Sanskaar: Hmm, I think that's what I've been trying to say.
Swara: (encouraging him on) What else is Shona?
Sanskaar smiles at this and tries really hard not to laugh at Swara's expression. He was having a lot of fun with pulling her leg.
Sanskaar: She's a ball hog...
Remembering how Neetha and Uttara kept on insisting that she serve and hit the ball throughout the match.
Swara: Hmmm... so Shona talks too much... she harasses you through movies... hurts you physically... and is a ball hog?
Sanskaar: Yes, that's exactly what Shona is----
She hits Sanskaar hard with her pillow, taking him by complete surprise.
Swara: You only think that because I kept on beating you in every game today!
Again she hits him, bringing Sanskaar out of his temporary shocked daze.
Sanskaar: (out of disbelief) Shona, yeh tum kya---
Swara: And when I was Swara, you kept on prodding me to talk and be myself... So when I'm finally Shona, you tell me that I talk too much and need to go back to being Swara??? (demanding) Bolo---
She continuously hits him with her pillow, causing Sanskaar to laugh at her childish act.
Sanskaar: Ow! Shonaaa---
Swara: And I didn't harass you throughout the movie-- and even if I did, I didn't see you trying to stop me! (growls) Oooh, Mr. Maheshwari--- you make me sooo ang---
Swara is silenced by another pillow smacking her in the face. Shocked, she looks down at Sanskaar who grins boyishly at her and shrugging his shoulders innocently. She sees his own pillow held firmly in his hands...
Sanskaar: You started it first...
Swara stares back up at him and slowly breaks out into a smile. She then giggles and goes back to hitting him with her pillow. Sanskaar fights equally back with her. They laugh together at their foolishness, shushing each other in between (afraid to wake up anyone else in the house), but don't stop with their childish banter until they soon get tired and the feathers from their pillows are scattered all over the bed and floor of their room. Sanskaar and Swara lay back down, side by side, panting for air as if they had just run in a marathon...
Sanskaar looks over to his wife in the darkness and grins...
Sanskaar: Look at the mess you've made.
Swara looks back at him with disbelief.
Swara: The mess I made?... Mr. Maheshwari, I clearly remember telling you to put an end to it.
Sanskaar: (chuckling) I wasn't the one who started it.
She smiles at this and silently agrees.
Sanskaar: ...We acted like six year olds instead of adults.
Swara: (giggling) Everyone has a child in them, Mr. Maheshwari.
Sanskaar: But you are the most childish of them all.
Swara's eyes meet his and she frowns purposely at him. Sanskaar watches her shift sides, turning her back on him. This causes Sanskaar to laugh.
Sanskaar: (amused) Shona is also very stubborn... what else is Shona?
Swara: ... (gently says) Shona is exhausted, Mr. Maheshwari... and suggests that you also go to sleep.
Sanskaar: Hmm... Goodnight. (tired himself)
Swara: Goodnight.
Swara snuggles closer to her deflated pillow and smiles to herself quietly, feeling truly happy for once in her life after her parent's death. She was always occupied with trouble and stress with trying to support her small family and attempting to give her sisters' a better life. But now... she felt peaceful for a change, actually satisfied with the current events in her life. A couple of moments go by in silence until Sanskaar suddenly says...
Sanskaar: But let me tell you something... I'm not giving an explanation as to why there are goose feathers all over the room when the servants come in here to clean up... that responsibility falls entirely on you alone.
Swara bursts out giggling, bringing a smile onto Sanskaar's face...
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The Maheshwaris had left the farmhouse the next day after having Breakfast. The servants mused over what possibly could have happened in their Master's bedroom that there are goose feathers all around. Swara stammered and flushed when innocently asked by one of them. Sanskaar, who was getting dressed during the time, couldn't stop chuckling. Neither of them gave a reason, leaving the matter a mystery...
A week flew by fast with everyone resuming back to their old lives. Sanskaar and Swara were growing more and more comfortable around each other, the silence between them also wasn't as awkward as before, but they rarely had time alone together since Sanskaar was wrapped up with the office work. The distance that existed between them before was now permanently gone... No longer were they strangers...
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Ragini chats noisily with her kitty friend over the house phone, situated in the living room by herself. No one else seemed to be at home... Swara and Sujatha had gone to the Mandir, the youngsters (including Uttara) were at the university, the men at work, and Dadi was locked up in her room as usual-- watching any one of her favorite movies for the hundredth time.
Ragini: Of course it's real, Tanya! Would Ragini Maheshwari ever wear something that's not? --- Paris, Darling... Why yes, I am truly blessed to have such a successful brother...
Hearing the Mansion's doorbell ring momentarily interrupts Ragini. She, however, ignores it, thinking that Shambu will attend to whoever it is at the door. Moments go by and the doorbell continues to ring obnoxiously.
Ragini: Excuse me, Tanya, for just one moment... (covering the mouth piece) Shambu!!!!! ----Shambu!!! Arre, where have you died?!
After no sort of reply coming from her butler, Ragini angrily gets up from her seat and in a bad mood walks over to the front doors while ending her conversation with her kitty friend. She opens the doors and snarls at the man before her.
Ragini: What is it? (demanding)
Delivery man: Ma'am, I have a parcel...if you could please sign on this sheet.
Ragini: Give it to me. (snaps)
She snatches the clipboard out of the man's hand and hurriedly scribbles her signature on the paper. The man hands over the parcel to her and eyes Ragini weirdly as she again rudely takes it away from him. He takes the clipboard out of her outstretched hand and quickly bids her a farewell.
Ragini: I was having a good day up until you came along... (mumbling to herself, replying to his farewell)
She closes the doors and wanders back over to the living room with the phone in one hand and the parcel in the other. Curiosity taking the better of her, Ragini eyes the parcel suspiciously and tears it neatly open after seeing that it's addressed to "Mrs. Maheshwari", her sweet Bhabhi. The papers come sliding out and she greedily reads what it says... After a couple of minutes she gasps softly out of shock and then moments later she smiles wickedly to herself. Her grip on the papers tightens as her evil mind begins working...
Ragini: Maybe I'm having a good day after all...
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Sanskaar sits seated in his revolving chair, twirling around in it, feeling bored and exhausted from being at the office. Suddenly thoughts of Swara creep into his mind and a happy grin forms on his lips. He is glad that the distance between him and his wife has been breeched and that they are sharing a comfortable friendship with one another...
Realizing that it's been awhile since they've shared a proper conversation with each other due to his busy schedule, the idea of taking her out to dinner crosses his mind. "Yes... I'll take her out to dinner...tonight." Sanskaar pulls out his cell phone from his coat pocket and dials Swara's cell phone number. After a couple of rings, he gives up after having no response from her, and instead calls the Mansion...
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Sujatha: Accha... by 7:30 PM? ...Nahi nahi, she won't be busy, you don't worry, Sanskaar... Yes yes, I will just tell her now...Accha teek hai beta, bye.
Smiling, Sujatha places the phone down on the kitchen counter and looks over at a curious Swara, who has started preparing to cook for dinner.
Swara: What happened, Maa? What did Mr. Maheshwari say?
She immediately bites down on her tongue as she sees her Sujatha glare disapprovingly at her.
Swara: I mean... (giggling) what did my Pati Dev said, Maa?
This also causes Sujatha to giggle and lightly hit Swara on her head.
Sujatha: You are making fun of what I had told you... I am serious, Swara, Sanskaar is your husband...not your boss.
Swara: (smiling sweetly) I know, Maa... Alright, tell me, what did he say?
Sujatha smiles wonderfully at her while stroking her hair.
Sujatha: Sanskaar wants to take you out to dinner tonight. He says for you to get ready by 7:30 and he'll come home to pick you up.
Unknowingly Swara smiles brightly on hearing this and beams at Sujatha.
Swara: Sach, Maa? (blurts)
Sujatha: (chuckling) Haan, Baba, sach. --- Seems you are also restless to be with your husband.
Swara realizes how she is behaving and blushes, despite feeling slightly confused with herself as to why she is feeling suddenly cheerful on the news. She muses over this for a moment, but is interrupted by Sujatha, who nudges her.
Sujatha: Kya hua? Where are you lost? --- Go on and get ready. ...It's close to six now.
Swara opens her mouth to intervene but is quickly cut off by Sujatha.
Sujatha: Don't worry about Dinner. You go and get ready...
Smiling sweetly, Swara nods her head and leaves the kitchen, fiddling with the pallu of her saree nervously. Knots were forming in her stomach with just thinking about being with Mr. Maheshwari at dinner, alone. She is terribly nervous, but anxious to go at the same time. Nowadays her husband's company brought her secret happiness... He was courteous, caring, friendly, and very amusing. She enjoyed seeing this whole complete different side of Sanskaar Maheshwari that she never knew existed or could exist. Maa had of course endlessly rambled on about what a wonderful man her Sanskaar was, but Swara never quiet believed her. She was starting too, though. However, she would always feel so aware of herself when with him... Strange feelings that she is not familiar with sweep within her and make her nervous and shy...
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PS: I will update TOP very soon..
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Lots of Love,
Shreetha..
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Bigg Boss 19
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