Destined (RagSan FF)

Chapter 6

His friendship gives me a sense of relief,
He is my special one to heal every wound.
He may talk a little, but the impact is deep,
The moments spent with him are my journey of happiness.

It was a quiet weekend morning at the Gadodia household. The sun streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow on the simple yet homely living room. Dada ji was sipping his tea, while Dadi was busy knitting, the calm morning routine in full swing. Ragini sat quietly, reading a book, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere when suddenly there was a knock at the door.

Ragini, not expecting anyone, was startled. "Who could it be this early?" she thought as she got up to open the door.

As she opened it, her eyes widened in surprise. Standing at the threshold was none other than Sanskar Maheshwari, looking as composed as ever. His presence, although not unfamiliar to her, was certainly a shock at her house, especially on a weekend morning.

"Sanskar?" she exclaimed, her voice betraying her surprise.

Sanskar gave a small smile and nodded. "Good morning, Ragini. I was wondering if I could speak with Dada ji and Dadi ji."

Ragini blinked, trying to make sense of why he would be here. Her family was traditional, and while they respected Sanskar, it was still unusual for a young man to just show up like this.

Hearing the unfamiliar voice at the door, Dada ji and Dadi ji looked up, equally surprised. Dadi put her knitting down and looked toward the door.

"Kaun hai, Ragini?" Dada ji asked, raising his eyebrows.

Ragini hesitated for a moment before replying, "Sanskar Maheshwari, Dada ji. He’s come to talk to you."

"Sanskar?" Dada ji echoed, his tone a mix of curiosity and surprise. He exchanged a quick glance with Dadi ji. They both stood up and made their way to the door.

As Sanskar greeted them with a polite smile, Dada ji adjusted his glasses and looked at him thoughtfully. "Sanskar beta, sab theek hai na?" he asked, wondering what had brought him here so unexpectedly.

Sanskar nodded and greeted both Dada ji and Dadi ji with folded hands. "Namaste, Dada ji, Dadi ji. Sab theek hai. I actually came to ask your permission for something," he said respectfully, fully aware of the traditional values of Ragini’s family.

"Permission?" Dadi ji echoed, surprised by his directness. She exchanged a quick glance with Dada ji, clearly intrigued.

"Yes," Sanskar continued. "I wanted to ask if I could take Ragini out for a little while today. There's something I’d like to show her."

Ragini’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her eyes darted between her grandparents and Sanskar. This was not something she had expected at all. Her mind raced, wondering how her traditional family would react.

Dada ji raised an eyebrow, his expression serious but not unkind. He glanced at Dadi ji, who gave a small nod, signaling that they should hear him out.

"Bhairo baat hai, Sanskar beta," Dada ji began in his Marwadi accent. "Tu humari Ragini ko kahaan le jaave chaave hai?" ("It’s a serious matter, Sanskar. Where do you want to take our Ragini?")

Sanskar remained composed and answered calmly, "Sir, I was thinking of taking her to a quiet place outside the city—a peaceful place where we can talk and she can relax."

Dadi ji, who had been listening carefully, interjected. "Tu samajhta hai na ki humara khandaan bahut parampara wala hai? Aise bina bataye ladki ko le jaana… thoda ajeeb lage hai." ("You do understand that our family is very traditional? Taking a girl without prior notice... it feels a bit odd.")