SwaSan FanFic (TOL)

CHAPTER 2

It was a daily pattern at Maheshwari house for the family members to assemble after dinner and discuss the day's important events. Every new member in the family is apprised of this custom by Durga Prasad who set this rule in the first place. So this night too, they were relaxing and talking at the huge living room, when Sanskar came back from his business trip to Hong Kong. He walked straight to his mother and gave her a small packet. His mother,Sujata looked up at him questioningly and he said

'They are your medicines mom.Right now,they are not available in India so they were couriered from US.'

Sujata took the packet and smiled proudly at everyone. Her Sanskar was a delight to her and her husband, except during those awful years when he absconded from home. Sanskar strode back towards the stairs when his father asked him

'Sanskar, are you not having your dinner?' 'Later dad, Let me freshen up first.' He replied and proceeded to his room.

'Look at Sujata! How proud she is of Sanskar!' Sujata's co-sister Annapurna teased lightly.
'Why would she not be Annapurna? He takes care of her needs so well.'
DurgaPrasad answered her because for the first time in his life, he was slightly envious of his own brother RamPrasad. He wished Sanskar was his own son. Both the senior brothers were called Ram Laxman brothers in their community. Ram Prasad never went against his brother.He was loyalty personified. Whatever decision DurgaPrasad made, RamPrasad followed it diligently. Adarsh and Laksh too obeyed without hesitancy.

But Sanskar came from a different mold. He was more like DurgaPrasad than his own father. Right from childhood, Sanskar took his own decisions and if someone raised doubts, he would convince them of his view. He always had a mind of his own. DurgaPrasad wanted Laksh and Adarsh to be more like Sanskar. But they were more susceptible and soft. He did not blame them because he knew he was very strict and rigid during their growing up years. He treated all three of them equally but Sanskar grew up with his own set of principles and ideas. DurgaPrasad always regretted his one decision that drove Sanskar away from home. He wished he had not been so hasty then and could have waited for Sanskar before arriving at an end.
He sighed! One cannot change the past but one could always learn from the mistakes.
Till recently, he did not know that Sanskar headed the huge conglomerate that was creating waves in the business sector. He was amazed to learn that his own nephew was the one who built it up independently from scratch. Now he was proud to be known as Sanskar Maheshwari's uncle though he would have preferred to be called as his father than uncle.

Sanskar was doing his push ups in the basement gym when Laksh joined him. Sanskar preferred to be left alone during his workouts. Laksh knew it well so why was he disturbing him? Sanskar mused about it and looked at Laksh questioningly. Laksh shrugged his shoulders and moved over to the punching bag.He wore his gloves and started punching the bag as if to vent out his frustration. Sanskar observed him for few seconds and continued with his push ups.

The brothers shared cold vibes since that fateful day when Sanskar came across a virago called Swara Bose. He still got furious when he thought of his first meeting with her. It rattled him and threw his perennially controlled senses into disarray.

When he completed his push ups, he found Laksh still punching the bag furiously.
'What is the matter Laksh? Are you still frustrated?' he taunted Laksh purposely.
'Shut up Sanskar and get out. Do not irritate me.' Laksh barked at him
Sanskar could not stop himself from laughing out loud with evil mischief.
'I do not have to do it Laksh. You are capable of doing it yourself.' he mocked Laksh.
Laksh gave him a nasty glare and continued with his punching. Sanskar stood there for two seconds, watching Laksh and turned back to leave. When he was about to cross the door, Laksh's words halted him.