SHIKWA

Chapter 13

Swara entered Sanskar's room. There was visible distress over her face. The almost complete recovery of Sanskaar was pushed back to where they started. It was the second time since her arrival that there was a major damage to Sanskaar.

Taking a deep breathe, she decided not to move away from Sanskar's side as much as possible. She did not care about maintaining the mask of false lies. She did not care about revelations of her secrets now. Nothing was more important to her than Sanskaar.

"Ma'am! You please take rest! We are here to take care of sir!" Newly appointed sister Rama said.

Swara smiled and denied. She knew that danger is still lurking. And so did Laksh and Ragini. Nobody could enter the home without being frisked in presence of Laksh. Nobody could take anything to Sanskaar without reporting Ragini.

Day converted to night. Sanskaar did not open his eyes. His condition, though stable, was not satisfactory.

The moonlight had lightened up the room. Sister Rama tried to put up curtain but swara stopped her.

"He loves moonlight!" Swara said and exhaled a little. Sister Rama, who was a middle aged lady, looked at Swara closely. She was noticing her face for the first time.

"What happened sister Rama?" Swara asked.

"You don't remember me. But I remember you!" Rama said, "I was your attending nurse 1.5 years back!"

Swara looked at her and got a little surprised.

"I... I am sorry! I really don't remember anything!" Swara said getting a little nervous.

"How could you! You were in coma at that time." Rama said, "And when you woke up, I suppose there was a good load of many things upon you!"

Swara tried to smile and looked away.

"You are fine na! Happy to see that you have come so far!" Rama said patting her head gently. Swara nodded and looked at her with gratitude.

"Thank you so much!" Swara said, "But can I request something? Can you please not reveal anything in front of Maheshwaris ever?"

Rama frowned a little but agreed.

"Thank you!"

Swara's thoughts were so deep that night. She wondered if ever Sanskaar got to know what she did, how would he react! She had lied to him and if her lie got exposed, how would he live with the burden. He always wanted the best for him. He could deny his biggest pleasure just to see her happy. And he did so that evening.

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Swara was calling Sanskaar continuously. He was not receiving the call.

Ragini, who had just arrived back from Mumbai for 2 days, was sitting right next to her.

"Even Laksh is not taking the call!" Ragini was worried too.

"Then what you two are doing here?"

It was Shekhar who spoke. He had keys of his car in his hands.

"Papa!" Swara was about to say something. She had never directly told him about Sanskaar yet. Nor she planned to do so. She had left this on her mother.

"Yes! Beta, there are some places where you ought to be at the times of need." Shekhar said, "Don't worry Ragini! I just had a talk with your father. He is on his way too."

Swara looked at Sharmishtha. Seeing Shekhar going away, she came near Swara and said, " I have told him everything and just remember, fathers have their own way of judging whether a boy is suitable for their daughter or not!"