SHIKWA

Chapter 14

Swara was awakened by a loud thunderstorm. It was 4:30 in morning, her usual time of waking up. She found Ravi awake and scrolling his phone

"You did not sleep?" She asked Ravi.

"Ma'am! I slept in day itself. But you did not sleep, neither in daytime nor night time. So when I came here, I thought not to disturb you!"

Swara smiled at Ravi's seriousness. She went outside. After sometimes, with her hair all wet, she was searching for something in her beg. The photographs she kept with her, were gone.

She was still searching when Ragini knocked the door.

"Searching for these?"

Swara saw the photographs in Ragini's hands. Her face flushed. She felt her ears burning.

"Officer Rajesh got a hold on them and he gave us these before leaving." Ragini said keeping the photographs on the bed. Swara looked away.

"How strange is it na! Photographs are kept with so much of love but the people standing in front, no interest in them! Great!"

Swara did not answer Ragini. Nor did she deny anything.

"I have noticed you have started to talk very less. I have noticed many loopholes in the fake story you have created. Swara! Please talk to us! Please tell us what's the issue!"

Swara's heart felt like bursting out. She wanted to run towards Ragini and hug her tightly. She noticed tears in her eyes too. Her childhood friend, her secret keeper was pleading her to share her pain. But she could not. Trying to maintain a poker face, Swara spoke, "I have already told everything in that letter. I got a better choice than Sanskaar and I decided not to marry him. Simple!"

"Great! Very great! Good practice of lying you did na! Then where is your luxurious life Mrs. Swara Yuvraj Raisingh?" Ragini emphasized the last words and she noticed Swara getting visibly uncomfortable.

"Chalo you divorced him for some reason! But since you are a gold digger, you could have demanded huge alimony from him na! Where is that? Why are you living in ashram?" Ragini fired her last words. Swara turned away trying to avoid any sort of eye contact from her best friend.

"Fine! But my quest will not stop!" Ragini said turning away, "And one more thing! You don't know the basics of friendship. I wish you have ever considered me so precious the way I considered you."

Swara covered her mouth with her palm to muffle any cry coming out. Ragini moved out of the room and signed Laksh who was standing outside. Laksh sighed and said, "Pinch her everytime! We need to know the truth! But please! Unless we get a confirmed news, we won't tell bhaiya anything. I can't see his hopes getting broken! "

Ragini nodded.

The day was uneventful. It was evening. Swara looked at Sanskaar from a distance. She smiled remembering all the beautiful memories he gave her in such a short period of time. How beautiful was his love! How he smiled shyly just from a single eye contact in front of everyone! How tender was his care for her! He never wanted too much from her! Just a hug and everything was good! Just intermingling of his fingers and everything got sorted. That's it! That's all!

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It was the beautiful morning of March. Swara was a little tensed learning about the potential threat covid was causing. First case was already detected in the country.

"How is work going on?" Swara asked Sanskaar as he came to meet her in hospital.

"Good!" Sanskaar replied.

"Covid cases are rising! And I got to know something from Laksh!" Swara said looking at Sanskar's pocket.

"What?"