Ragini tried keeping her mind calm after she saw Sanskar leaving home in the morning with the coldness she ever witnessed.

She had seen his hate and love but this coldness was scaring her and her heart pondered as she kept thinking what possibly might be wrong with her husband.

Resting her thoughts for a while she walked to the terrace to spread the clothes for drying.

She did not even notice on the way the casual look on Swara's face. Though Swara had her head moved in a direction Ragini went who looked lost in her own world of thoughts.

Following Ragini's steps Swara reached the terrace and found Ragini doing her work. She was about to turn finding nothing suddenly froze and turned to look at her sister.

"Ragini" Swara held Ragini's hand midway while she was placing One of the cloth on the rope.

Ragini turned to look at Swara who was having lot of questions running in her mind.

"Swara" Ragini gave her a weak smile moving her hands down.

"What's wrong with you?" Swara narrowed her eyebrows and Ragini stared her not understanding what she meant.

"You are placing already dried clothes on the rope" Swara brought the day cloth in Ragini's hand.

She cursed herself. She probably forgot to put the clothes for washing in the machine and brought the dirty clothes up.

"I...I was just drying them. They weren't dry" she tried covering but failed miserably.

"Really? And how did they end up so dry enough to smell dirty?" Swara crossed her arms.

"Oh they aren't washed? Pari bhabi told me to dry the clothes already so I thought they have been washed" Ragini smiled weakly.

"Now you don't want to share anything with me right?" Swara bent her neck.

Ragini closed her eyes taking a deep breath.

"There is nothing Swara to share. I'm good and everything is fine" Ragini tried convincing her but she did not looked like budging anyway soon.

"Fine. Keep the things with you. I know priorities change after marriage and loyalties too" Swara walked from there with an unpleasant look on her face.

Ragini slapped her forehead and grabbed all the clothes and walked to the washing machine to spin it.

The day seemed terribly long for a reason Sanskar's emotions on his face were coming back every now and then to freeze her and zone out. She burnt her finger once and was about to cut her skin with the knife while working in the kitche if it wasn't for Sujata who kept screaming her daughter in law's name to bring her back to the earth.

Ragini's confusion did not remain unnoticed by her mother in law. Sujata walked to her room tugging Ragini along once the lunch was over and the ladies of the house finally had the free time before they will be getting back to the work of preparing dinner.

After Ragini sat on the bed Sujata closed the room door thinking to avoid any interruptions while she interrogated her daughter in law regarding her absent minded behavior all day.

She waited Ragini to start speaking but Ragini was still out of zone though Sujata sat in front of her.

"Now don't ignore me like a typical bahu" Sujata's words brought her to her senses and Ragini moved and tried to remember if her brain recorded what Sujata said.

Luckily she did remember.  She weakly smiled at Sujata trying to look normal. But she knew by the look on her mother in law's face that she wasn't yet convinced.

"Will you say it what happened? And why are you behaving so abnormal today?" finally Sujata spoke as she thought that Ragini will not be willing to even initiate the talks, sharing her problem was though secondary concern right now.

"And don't try to fool me with the fake health reasons" Sujata warned guessing Ragini's retort. Ragini who had opened her mouth to speak stopped and her shoulders dropped in surrender.

"Is it about Sanskar?" Sujata made things more easy for Ragini and she looked at her mother in law who seemed like had developed a power to read her mind.

"It is"Sujata concluded looking at Ragini's facial expressions. "Tell me what has he done?" Sujata spoke sternly this time.

She had been treated like some side character with only purpose to crack some jokes all her life. She did not liked the idea of the women of the Maheshwari Mansion being treated the way they are getting treated now.

She had all the hopes that her son will be not like her husband who never stood for her. She thought at least her son will look after his wife in a better way. But the look on Ragini's face surely had disappointed her to an extent.

Ragini hesitated to continue the discussion when she felt her mother in law looked affected by the fact that Ragini was disturbed due to Sanskar.

"Maa. It ain't anything serious" Ragini tried to convince her mother in law who hardly looked convinced.

"Just tell me what happened?" Sujata was determined.

Closing her eyes at once Ragini looked at her mother in law helplessly.

"I don't know Maa. Sanskar looks disturbed from last night. And he isn't telling me what happened" she poured her heart out in the shortest way possible.

"He was good in party right?" Sujata asked remembering her son's excitement last evening.

"He was actually. I sensed he was disturbed from the time we danced" Ragini said and held her forehead.

Sujata seemed to think something for a while. She knew her son is not someone who will hold back if something is bothering him specially if he is angry or hurt.

This was very unusual of Sanskar. She thought for some more time before she spoke "I think he is stressed out due to the work load"

Ragini looked at her mother and realization stuck her. "Exactly. How did this went out of my mind. He was discussing about a multinational company which was interested to invest in Karma Industries. And he had to prepare a presentation to please them. God I was thinking all the nonsense" Ragini shook her head.

Sujata smiled at her and Ragini hugged her back. "Thank you Maa. You just solved my problem" Ragini drooled happy.

"Any time" Sujata patted her back and brought her out of the hug.

"And next time. You need to talk to some one. Don't you ever think you are bothering me.  I will be happy to help you" Sujata cupped Ragini's one cheek and Ragini smiled nodding her head.

****.****

Ragini walked to her room once the dinner preparations were done. Sujata and Annapurna stayed back in the kitchen saying they had some work pending.

Pari had retired to her room early and Swara and Ragini had walked out of the kitchen at the same time.

She turned the knob of the FM radio which was playing some sweet melody.  She danced across her room and held the blazer morning she wrestled with Sanskar.

She held it and swayed to the music dancing across the breadth and length of the room. She shyly buried her head in the fabric inhaling his cologne and missing him terribly for an unknown reason.

"So that was friends the Valentine's Day dedication from Akash to his girlfriend Ridhima. Now we move forward for the next request that is from Sanjana to the love of her life Keshav.  Lag Jaa Gale... Sung by Sanam" the RJ spoke.

"Valentine's Day" Ragini's eyes went wide. "Not fair Sanskar" she brought the blazer up assuming him to be her husband.

"You are contaminating my memory also" she pouted. "No problem Pati Dev. I still have time to make this be the best Valentine's Day of your life" she hugged the blazer and continued to sway to the music.

In the background the song continued to play.

Humko mili hai aaj yeh ghadiya Naseeb se....

While Sanskar stepped inside the mansion he was too much exhausted. He straightly walked to his room not looking around.

He failed to notice that his mom and Annapurna were serving something special they made to celebrate the day of love.

It was hardly possible that he even knew that it was Valentine's Day today.

Loosening his tie with one hand he turned the knob of his room door with other. For a moment he thought he was looking at someone else's room.

"I'm sorry" he closed the door behind him out of habit thinking he has disturbed someone's moment.

Then he realized it was actually his room. He turned again to open the door this time making a mental note that he surely was standing in front of his room.

Placing the first step inside what looked like a space ship right now to him, he scanned every inch of it.

The room was decorated with all the scented candles and the dim light added to the beauty of the room. There were no roses but some new cushions and covers on the bed and pillows.

He walked further in getting a good view of it.

"Happy Valentine's Day Mr. Maheshwari" he felt two hands encircling his stomach and Ragini's  mellifluous voice just an inch away from his ear and a sweet kiss she placed on his cheek turning him crimson instantly.

"Ragini" he brought her front to face him and she stood with a bright smile on her face. He watched her keenly.

She had worn a wine red Saree with the black border and had tied her hair in a messy bun.  A hair strand was dangling across her face.  Sanskar moved it and tugged it behind her ear. She closed her eyes smiling widely.

" What's all this? " he asked softly and Ragini looked at him. "I'm sorry if it isn't up-to your expectations. I almost forgot about it and at last moment whatever I got I just used them all.... " she was nervously narrating everything when Sanskar cupped her face and dragged her near to silence her.

She was shocked and kept staring in his black orbs and losing herself in his breath which was teasing her lips. The proximity was not new to them but today the atmosphere looked very romantic.

"Will you stop blabbering for god sake? My head hurts" he  said and Ragini still was blankly staring in his eyes.

He could no more hold himself when the fragrance of her was hitting his nostrils and made his eyes to move to her lips.

They were red exactly the colour of her Saree and she parted them gulping the lump and finding it too difficult to control herself in his dominating grip which just went on tightening.

Sanskar stared her lips and the temptation did not seemed to be dying any sooner and drew him more and more close to her.

The edge of his lip was touching her lips and they were about to have one of their most passionate kiss and the most memorable moment.

Suddenly he drew himself breathing heavy and letting go of her. Ragini opened her eyes to find her husband pulling his hair in frustration.  She felt he was still stressed out so much. She wanted him to live this moment with her so she did not give up.

Resting her head on his shoulder she hugged her husband from behind and moved with him to the music.

Sanskar though unwillingly moved with her.

She came in front of him and hugged him placing her head on his chest. "I know what's bothering you" she said softly.

Sanskar looked at her once. "I know you are stressed due to the new project" she said and felt his chest falling.

"And don't worry I'm with you always" she moved her head to look at him and gave a sweet smile and dangled her hands across his neck. She dragged him near and made the move to kiss him.

Sanskar jerked off her hand for a moment and Ragini who was shocked due to her husband's move took a moment to grasp the things.

She raised her ground scanning eyes and had a question in them. Definitely she needed an explanation for the impulsive behavior of her husband.

"I... I'm sorry" he  raised one hand in defeat. "I..." he finally looked into his wife's eyes gathering the much required courage.

But his heart pained when he saw that tear drop leaving her eye.

"What happened Sanskar? Please tell me" she pleaded him cupping his face.

"Nothing" he said not meeting her eyes this time. "Look at me" she demanded.

"I need space Ragini. Please" he said annoyed and it broke her heart.

"What?" she whispered weakly. Surely her mind and heart were not in a sync right now and she struggled a lot to keep herself together.

It looked impossible for Sanskar to stare in his wife's eyes. They had the thing he hated most in the world tears.

But did he had a choice?  Not actually.

"Please leave me alone for god sake" he  said pressing each word and it pierced his heart with a deeper wound everytime.

He jerked her hands and moved away leaving her to process Her thoughts.

"Sanskar..." she trailed off to him but he placed his hand on his waist and the other squeezing his forehead.

"Ragini please. I beg you" he folded his hands in front of her.

"Please tell me you are alright" she moved to him and he walked back.

"Please Ragini" he said again. "Just once tell me you are okay" Ragini did not seemed like budging.

"Will you stop baby sitting me for heaven's sake" he screamed as he no longer could hold his annoyance.

"I'm all okay.  Are you happy now?" he asked and Ragini still kept staring him with her tearful wide eyes which depicted her shock.

"I'm tired of all this. I need some me time. Don't you understand that?" he said annoyed.

Ragini was still not recovered from shock.

"Say me what's bothering you Sanskar. I promise will sort it out together" she spoke moving near to him.

"Oh come on. Don't be like you did not heard what I actually screamed" he said tired.

"Just leave me on myself for some time. Is that so difficult?  I don't need your help. I'm strong enough to deal" he said sternly.

"It's not about you.. It's neither about me. It's about us and what we are.... " she stared in his eyes while he interrupted her.

"I'm done" he moved his head breaking the eye contact and Ragini's eyes were still glued to the spot his eyes were earlier.

She closed her half open mouth and gulped down the sore lump twitching her lips to digest the unpleasant atmosphere where she felt suffocated suddenly.

She moved past him and he held her hand to stop her. Probably he had realized his mistake soon.

"I'm...  I'm sorry" he stammered and Ragini closed her eyes for once and the held tears just escaped her closed eyes.

The pain was intolerable. "I thought we had our moment" she turned to meet his eyes with her red eyes which resembled nothing more than the fire.

Sanskar shook his head lightly and was about to speak when a loud noise from outside interrupted them.

"Swara...." they heard Sujata's scream and rushed outside their room. Swara was fallen on the ground and Sujata and Annapurna were trying to revive her. Laksh juat entred the main door and his eyes fell on his wife who laid unconscious on the ground.

All looked up the stair flight where Uttara stood nervous feeling everyone's questioning gaze on her.

***.***

So what do you think why did Uttara pushed Swara off the stair case?

Is she hiding a motive again?