Next weekend came within a blink. It was decided, Swara and Sanskar to go to Granny's house on Friday from there, they would leave for Tobermory. It was 3 hours' drive from Granny's home.

"Are you ready Granny?" Sanskar asked entering in her room.

"Are you asking this Sanskar? Mrs. Maheshwari is ready from morning itself." Julia replied on behalf of Granny.

Granny flashed her bright smile.

"Granny, see I told you, you will look great in this." Once they had decided to go on trip. Swara had purchased nice long gown for Granny through online shopping.

"You are looking ravishing" Swara teased, while hugging her.

"Lier. You are looking ravishing. Ask your husband his eyes are not moving from your face." Granny teased but passed corner look to her grandson who was secretly admiring Swara's antics.

True, his eyes were not moving from her face today.

It was not new for him to see her in western cloths. Her regular professional attire in office used to be like formal pants and light-coloured or shirts tops whereas when she was with him on weekend she used to mostly dress up in kurtas and leggings.

But today, she was wearing knee length dress which was gifted to her by Julia on her birthday. It was simple wine-coloured dress with white floral designs, but it was taking her husband's breath away.

Swara turned to him swiftly who looked everywhere but not at her.

"We will get late. I think we should leave." He avoided her gaze and pushed Granny's wheelchair.

Swara narrowed her eyes looking at his flushed face.

Swara and Julia pulled pull overs of Granny.

"Julia Aunty, you had packed everything right? Granny's medicines, her tonics, her protein shake..."

"Yes Swara, I have personally checked list two times which you have given to me."

They both started following Sanskar who had small smile hearing their conversation. Daily he used to get updates from his Granny about the planning his wife was doing for this trip.

"Julia Aunty did you pack the fruits?"

"Swara we are not going on any no man's land. If we forget it, we can buy it there." Sanskar rolled his eyes.

"Come on let's go. You guys are so lazy." Granny cried as usual.

They came outside and Sanskar started helping Granny to sit on back seat.

"Granny should sit at front. It will be convenient for her." Swara interrupted.

"No No No... I don't want to sit there. It's your place."

"But Granny?"

"Swara, I don't want to be Kabab me Haddi?" she was stubborn in her own ways.

"She will not listen" Sanskar whispered indicating her to take front passenger seat.

Soon they were on the roads, Sanskar was on driving wheels, Swara was beside him whereas Granny and Julia were on back seat.

Another car was following their's with one doctor and nurse.

Despite, Sanskar and Julia were not understanding most of the meaning of old Hindi songs, they both were enjoying the melodies played on car's audio and more than audio, it was Swara and Granny's humming's.

"Udati Banu Panchi banu mast gaganme aaj me aazaad hun duniya is dagar se" Granny was humming along with song.

She was not alone but Swara was also humming the song with small smile.

His wife's melodious mumblings were enriching small smile on his lips.

"It's been long time, I have heard these beautiful old songs. Swara, you have such a great collection."

"Granny it's not collection. I have one app downloaded on phone. I will download on your phone as well. Then you can hear these old golden pearls whenever you want."

Sanskar looked at his grandmother from rear view camera. She was looking outside with bright grin. It was after long time he was seeing inner child coming out from his Granny.

'Swara was right. I should not have locked Granny inside four walls. Look at her face. She is content. She is so happy. Thank you so much Swara for making me realise about this. Even though she is my Granny, it's you, who understood her better.'

He turned to look at Swara's face which had small smile.

"No need to thank me" Swara whispered pressing her lips to supress her chuckle.

Instantly, his face turned surprised.

"Do you have any mind reading app as well?"

"Hmm...no. I have Granny" Her reply added extra to his already confused mind.

Within three hours they reached to the small cottage which was surrounded with maple trees.

Since, it was falls season, it was looking more beautiful with different colours

Julia showed her around as instructed by Granny where as Sanskar helped Granny to settle down in her room.

"Wow this is simply beautiful" Swara was at back side of cottage which had beautiful lake side view with fireplace, patio settings, barbeque.

"This is Lake Huron. One of the great five lakes of Canada." Julia informed.

"Julia Aunty who will say this is a lake? This is like an ocean. It's so big you can't even see the other end." She was amazed with nature's creation.

"What is this Julia Aunty?"

"This is barbeque. I have marinated meat we will do it tomorrow along with thanksgiving special roast turkey dinner." Julia confirmed.

After long talk they both came inside to have dinner.

Post dinner, Julia also went to take rest, but sleep was far away from Swara's eyes.

She moved towards back of the cottage. She sat there on the bench facing lake. She was rubbing her shoulders feeling chillness in her body.

"Take this. You are usually cold most of the time" Sanskar passed one quilt standing at the back of bench.

"Thanks Sir" she took quilt and wrapped around her.

It came as surprise for her when Sanskar sat beside her.

It was again peaceful silence just sound of leaves and water waves were increasing beauty of the night under full moon.

"Me, Granny and Grandpa always used to come here on thanksgiving weekend. When Grandpa passed away, we stopped coming here. It's almost after 6 -7 years, we are here."

"Ohh... do you miss him?"

"Terribly! I was just 22 – 23, when he took his last breath. It was unexpected. Everything came on my shoulders suddenly. Granny's care as well as business." He slipped in memory lane.

"It must have been so difficult for you." she took quick glance of his lost face.

"You can't even imagine. During university days, I used to take my lessons from Grandpa, but it was like, I always used to work under his shadow. And then one day, I was thrown out to walk under burning sun."

"But you built the shed over the years for yourself." her proud tone made him to look in her eyes.

"I don't know. If I could or not"

'I hope, I have not disappointed you Grandpa' he turned his eyes back on stars.

"No, you did. Your Grandpa must be proud of you wherever he would be. He must be watching you. And his heart must be swelling with pride looking at his grandson who is walking successfully on the path which he built."

'I still don't understand how she reads everything from my mind' he scrunched his eyebrows.

"I told you. I have Granny" her lips stretched in mischievous smile which earned chuckle from Sanskar.

'She is becoming dangerous these days.'

"I thought you are not scared of anyone" she rolled her eyes.

'Shut up' his glare was enough to shush her.

Swara put her finger on mouth.

He just shook his head chuckling looking everywhere but not at her.

"You know you have this unique quality." He voiced out after long time.

Swara turned to look at him with creased forehead.

"You find positiveness in everything." He became serious all sudden.

"I take it as complement Sir."

"Of course, it's a complement." His reflection in her big doe eyes filled his heart with peace.

They were sharing long eye lock when her phone started buzzing flashing "Nikhil Calling"

Swara broke their moment to huffed in irritation.

"You carry on" he started to get up.

"It's ok Sir" she cut the call.

"No, I don't want to disturb you. You can have time with your fiancée." he lied, his tight clutch and gritted teeth were true representation of his feelings.

"No, I am not interested in talking to him" she muttered scrunching her nose.

Sanskar was able to hear even though it was mere whisper.

He sat back not moving his eyes from her face.

His gaze went on her screen which was again flashing with the same caller's name.

"Do you want to share?" he regretted on his question the moment it was out.

"Fiancée?" Swara's lips stretched in ridiculed smile. She cut the call and switched off phone.

"Is there anything wrong? If I may ask."

"Everyone thinks everything is going on well, but I don't feel it that way.... these days."

"What do you mean? You are in love with your fiancée."

She stared at his face for a moment.

"I don't know. I am an ordinary girl who wants simple, normal life without any roller coaster ride. We live in same colony. We were friends. I was in my tender ager when I defined love after watching it in Bollywood movies and TV serials. I used to think it's so simple, tender, beautiful but then ... then" she lost her words.

"And then I happened"

She turned to look at him in shock.

"If I was not there, then your life would have been going on as smooth."

"No... not really" she mumbled after much thought.

"It was my decision to push myself in this relation. It was not your fault. It was solely my decision. If you were not there, then I might have pushed myself to something else which could have result in more disastrous for me."

"But you were forced to accept it."

"It was my choice to accept it for my family. My Papa and Ma means world to me. My little Rohan is my first baby." Her eyes filled with tears.

"But circumstances turned out to force you make that choice"

"Circumstances named as Nikhil" she shook her head. "I cannot blame him either. I always knew his craze to settle down in any foreign country. But I always thought it is just a phase and he would overcome it. But he would stake our life for his craze was least expected for me. And even after staking everything he is not regretting over his impulsive decisions. He is not ready to mend his ways. I regret for trusting him."

"Do you still love him?" Sanskar asked question which was haunting him from long.

She took her time to think over.

"I don't know." She shook her head looking far.

"At this moment I don't even know what is love is all about? Maybe I never knew."

Sanskar looked at her teary eyes.

"But now a days I don't have any urge to talk to him. I don't feel restless when we don't see each other. I feel regret over the days we spend together, I don't trust him anymore. I just want to run away from him. I feel disgusted of myself when I remember, I agreed to marry a person who betted on me for his long-lasting dream." One tear rolled over her cheeks.

"He was a jerk to force you for..."

"Can we not talk about him?" she pleaded. "Basically, I did it for my family. I can do anything for them."

"Do you really think family is so important in anyone's life?"

"Is Granny important for you?" her question was straight forward.

"Of course. Is this any thing to ask?"

"Exactly, if you can marry any stranger girl for Granny's happiness. Then the same way, I can do the anything for my family."

"Marriage? It's a bullshit" his mood changed immediately.

"Sorry Sir" she bit her lower lip looking other side. 'I have awakened Mogambo'

He turned to her. He did not understand why his heart was scratched when her eyes filled with new tears.

First time he regretted for his blunt reply.

"Sanskar"

"Sorry Sir?" now she turned to him in confusion.

"My name is Sanskar."

"Of course, I know it." She rolled her eyes.

"Ohh, I thought, you don't know. You never called me by my name so thought to have introduction." Suddenly he was in teasing mode.

She rolled her eyes. "As if I am going to call you by your name." she muttered.

"Why not?"

"You are my boss. I work in your company."

"On paper you are my wife as well" he reminded straight looking in her wide big doe eyes.

"It's too much for me to take in one day. Good night ... SIR" she got up from bench breaking their eyelock.

She turned but felt hold on her wrist.

"Shekhar Maheshwari" his chocked voice halted her in her tracks. 

*********************************************

Thanks for loving this story. Let me know how you found this chapter in the form of your votes and comments.

Please feel free to share this story in your message board as suggestive read if you think that they will enjoy this roller coaster ride.

Love
AngelTweet