Characters' info updated - Page 5

The Unexpected Announcement

A month passed since Swara and Sanskar's resplendent wedding. Both of them slowly accepted each other and they were successful because of the friendship they shared. And thanks to their friendship, awkwardness between them also reduced which otherwise would always enclose them when they are near each other.

It was one of those days when Sanskar showed up to visit the Gadodia family where he found none but a vulnerable Swara crying her heart out. He knew it would be wrong and people would utter nasty things but Sanskar cared least about them at that moment. He moved towards her and enveloped her in a hug trying to console an inconsolable Swara whose continuous crying reduced to hiccups all thanks to his sweet words. That was the moment he felt himself emotionally connected to his to-be sister-in-law. And that's when he offered her his hand for friendship. Little did he realise at that time that he wasn't offering just his friendship, he was offering her companionship for a lifetime and may be more.

Their mornings would start with pipping hot adrak-elaichi wali chai made by Swara and evenings with a guitar session by Sanskar. Swara's adrak-elaichi wali chai was something Sanskar became used to. A day without her tea, he can be found all grumpy.

And Sanskar's music session was something for which Swara waited every evening. She was elated on finding someone equally passionate about music just as she was. With days passing by, she discovered his talents hidden from all. One such was gardening. Another similarity, she often thought with a chuckle.

"Good evening, Sanskar." Swara exclaimed with a smile as she saw Sanskar entering the mansion. But her smile soon turned into frown seeing him enter in a completely exhausted state.

"Workload, I guess." Swara consoled herself as she saw him move towards their room without sparing a glance at her. Turning to the other side, she swiftly walked towards their room. Upon reaching their room, she found Sanskar slumped on the bed in his formal wear massaging his hair with closed eyes. Swara felt a pang of saddness in her heart seeing him such a state.

"Sanskar, are you ok?Have this." She said and handed him a paracetamol with a glass of water. Sanskar took the tablet from her hand and gulped it with water. Swara sat beside him and massaged his head lovingly.

"Was it a hectic day?"She tried to strike a conversation.

"Yeah, sort of. Finishing off my incomplete tasks and meeting the foreign clients. How was your day, by the way?" He replied softly.

"Mine was pretty good. Helping badi maa and bhabhi in household chores and Uttara in her studies." She answered his question before putting him off to sleep promising to wake him up before dinner.

Swara descended the stairs and found herself being bombarded with questions.

"Bhabhi, Sanskar is fine right?"

"Sanskar theek haina, beta?"

"Bhai kaise hain ab?"

"Ji, Sanskar abhi theek hain. Kaam shayad zyada ho gaya aaj. Is liye thak gaye hain. Abhi so rahe hain." She replied with a smile. She was amazed to see such a wonderful bond the family shared. Not for once, they let him feel that he was not their own son or brother. And they had accepted her as daughter-in-law and sister-in-law quickly. And there was her own family, on the other side, which did not accept her as a daughter till date. She sighed, not delving further into those thoughts. She walked into the kitchen to prepare the dinner with other women.

Few hours later, around 9 pm, the family sat down on the table for dinner. Their dinner was monotonous. Roti, sabzi, daal and rice with buttermilk at the end was their dinner. Everyone were having their dinner silently, when Annapoorna dropped the bomb,

"Hum soch rahe the ki hum Swara aur Sanskar ke shaadi ki reception agle saptah rakhein."

Swara's spoon immediately fell off from her hand in shock, while Sanskar's condition was no different.

"Lekin Badimaa..." Sanskar tried to intervene but was dismissed by matriarch of the household.

"Tum dono ki shaadi ko ek mahina ho gaya hai, Sanskar. Aur humne apne naye bahu ki muh-dikhayi bhi nahi ki. Log kya sochenge, beta."

"Badimaa, Ragini abhi bhi laapata hai..." This time, Swara intervened. Annapoorna's face fell hearing Swara. It's true, Ragini is still missing. And how can they any ritual without her. She is their household's daughter-in-law's sister. But Annapoorna steeled herself before replying to the unasked question of Swara.

"Galati humari nahi thi. Galati tum dono ki nahi thi. To fir tum dono ko saza kyun milein? Yeh final hai, tum dono ki reception hogi aur hokar rahegi."

***

So guys, I'm back after a long time. I lost grip on my writing too in these months, so I am extremely sorry in case you felt it was cliched. Waiting for your feedback. Your feedback serves as a fuel to my ignited writer mind. Thank you.

Love,

Nivedita