Back with another chapter! Hope you like!

Also, since the reads are much, I hope the votes will be increasing as well. They shouldn't matter, but it feels good since it makes you feel that you're writing something that's good. Hehe...

Moving on...💃💃💃

"Words in double quotes" - Talking

'Words in single quotes' - Talking

Chapter 42 - Engagement?

"Engagement?"

"Yep! Your son's and Ragini's!" Shikha spoke in an over enthusiastic voice as she spoke of the arrangement to Sujata and Ram.

Mani had invited the Sanskar, Ragini, and Sanskar's parents over for dinner at his house. He said it would help them get to know each other better.

Sujata was first confused about it. However, now things were becoming clear as to why they wanted them over.

"Are you sure this is the right time?" Ram asked.

"My question exactly." Sujata added.

"Yeah! Don't you think its about time they got engaged at least, if not married. I mean look at them. They are already a happy couple who love each other immensely!" Mani exclaimed, pointing at the two who sat blushing at the other couch. "Aww...just look at them!"

Raj hit his son over the head. "At least act your age in front of guests. Oh you midgit!"

"Ow! Maa, Dad's being a bully!"

"Bully my foot!" Raj uttered as he hit him on the arm lightly.

Shikha rolled her eyes at their antics. "You both are obnoxious. Out! Both of you. Go and bring some desserts from the shop."

"Bu-"

"Now!"

Raj and Mani sulked, but didn't dare question Shikha. They silently left the house. However, one could hear them bickering like children once outside.

"Ehehe...sorry for their childishness."

Ram chuckled. "It's okay. You seem to be a happy family." he commented. The 'unlike ours' that he wanted to add went unsaid. However, Sujata could understand his thoughts.

"Yeah. I love them." Shikha replied. "You all sit here. I'll go ready the table. Once Mani and his father is back, we'll have dinner together."

"I'll help you with it." Sujata offered and got up to leave with her.

"I can't possibly let you do that. You're our guests!"

"It's alright Shikha. I want to help."

Shikha nodded with a smile and the two women left the living room.

"So?" Ram turned to Sanskar and Ragini. "Are you both okay with the plan?"

Both of them looked at each other at his question. Ram noted that while Sanskar looked a bit thoughtful, Ragini seems a bit worried.

Sanskar rubbed the back of his head with a shy smile.

Don't get him wrong. He was still on not talking terms with his father. But the fact that he and Ragini was getting engaged was too good of a news for him to think about tiffs and arguments. He felt elated at the prospect of them getting engaged officially.

Ram sighed. "Since you both are so silent, I'll take it as a no. We have to postpone th-"

"NO!" came the shout from Sanskar. "I...I um...I mean no. No need to postpone." he spoke in a soft voice, flushing from his earlier outburst.

Ram chuckled. "I see. Then you don't have any problems. What about you, Ragini?"

"Of course she deosn't have any problems." Sanskar spoke, looking at her with a smile and linking their hands. "Right, Ragini?"

Ragini tightened her grip on Sanskar's hand and smiled back at him. However, he could tell that the smile didn't reach her eyes. There was an uncertainty in her eyes that unnerved him.

Ram seemed to notice something amiss. "I...I think I need to use the washroom. Excuse me."

Sanskar didn't look up from her face as his father left. "Is...is everything alright Ragini?"

"O-of course." she assured looking away.

"Don't  lie to me." he commanded. He placed a hand on her chin and made her look at his eyes. He softened his voice. "Please."

"It's...it's just something silly."

"If it's something silly, then it shouldn't make your eyes moist. Neither should you hesitate to tell me."

"It's...it's just that..." she abruptly leaped forward and put her arms over him. "You seem to get distant from me these days Sanky. You're so busy in work. At home, we chat for a moment while we have our meals or refreshments. But other than that, you're always busy with your work. We live in the same house and yet...yet we seem to have less time for each other."

Sanskar sighed in relief. He thought something else was the matter. "You silly child."

Ragini could feel his chest rumble with a small laughter. "You're laughing at me, aren't you?" she pushed him away and crossed her arms over her chest, looking the other way. "Go away! I should have known you men are like this! It's all a joke to you right?! You think I'm being irrational, don't you?!"

'Shit! I shouldn't have laughed. Good going Sanky beta.' he mentally smacked himself. "Hey Ragu...come on! Don't be like this. It doesn't feel good when you're upset."

"And whose fault is that, huh!?" she asked, turning to face him with angry eyes, tears leaking out of the sides.

"Okay, okay. I admit I am to blame. Sorry?" he apologized, holding his ears. "I really am. I am sorry for laughing at you."

Ragini sniffed and rubbed angrily at her eyes. "Whatever!"

Sanskar bit his lip to keep himself from smiling at how cute she was looking with the angry pout. 'Sanskar Maheshwari, don't you dare laugh or smile if you want to still marry this girl. If you do, you might as well get ready to face her silent treatment for an entire time span of 86400 seconds, which for you would seem like an eternity!' he gulped and raised his hands in surrender. "Ragu, you would always come first before anything! You're my Before Anything Else on this earth! Trust me!" he stressed. 'Why won't she understand?'

"Then why don't you try to spend more time with me!?"

"But I'm doing it for us, for our future Ragu. Try to understand."

"I told you I don't care about money!"

"I don't either. But we need money to secure our future, don't we. Besides, if I remember correctly, it's only these few days that I've become so busy, isn't it?"

Ragini looked away in thought and nodded. "That doesn't justify you ignoring me for work."

He smiled and pulled her closer to him by the shoulders. "That's because these days I've tried to devote myself completely towards this new project so that I can get sponsers. Remember the loan thing? With the help of the loan and the sponsers I'll be ab-"

"Able to start your own company. You alrready said that!" Ragini sighed in a defeated tone. "I want you to succeed in your dreams Sanky. But...but it's just that..."

"Just what?"

She looked at him with a look that spoke millions about her insecurity. "It's just that I fear that over time you would second me over work. I love you Sanky. You may call it selfish, but I want you to prioritize me and our future together over work. If we are to start a family in future, would you be able to give time to me and your children over work?"

"Aren't you thinking too hard Ragini?" he asked with a chuckle. "We haven't even got engaged yet. You've started thinking so far."

"Marriage isn't a joke or a trivial matter Sanskar!"

Sanskar flinched at her reprimanding tone. She seemed serious about the matter. While they were alone, they usually called each other by their nick names. The fact that she used his full name showed her irritation at his casualness about the matter.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I am not taking it lightly. But I haven't thought about it much because you and our kids in future will always be the first for me. I already know it. So why worry?"

"You can't be so sure. You seem to think it will be simple as a straight road. But you never know what may happen in near future. So I want to ask you Sanky, are you sure that you will stay committed to your promise?"

"Ye-" she put a hand to his lips, stopping his words.

"Would you be able to leave your work if it is for your family? I want to spend my entire life with you, have a family with you, have kids and live peacefully away from anything that might harm our family. I want to have a white picker fench and have a happy family which doesn't have to worry about you getting into trouble. I don't want a family where our children have to wait for occasions and holidays to get to meet their father. Tell me, are you ready to commit to me and be ready to sacrifice even your work and dreams for your family?"

Sanskar blinked his eyes in amazement. He never thought Ragini had thought this much. In fact, he felt ashamed at himself. Being the male, he should have been the one to think about all these things before thinking about marriage. And yet, she turned out more understanding than him.

He looked down deep in thought. 'My work, my dreams. I can't think of any reason why there might arise a situation where I have to choose between these and my family. But if it does, what will I choose? Give up my dreams for my family, for Ragini?' he looked at her face. There was no trace of a smile, but only a grim face. She seemed to be waiting for his answer with her breath held. 'It's decided.'

He took away the arm that held his lips and kissed it. "I've decided Ragu." he smiled at her. "I've decided I would never let my work interfere in our relationship. I'll keep the professional side of me at my workplace. And I'll be your Sanky while I'm with you."

"Does this mean that you have decided you're ready to sacrifice your work for me if it calls for it?"

"I told you Ragu. I'll let them interwine. I'll never let such a situation arise for me to choose between you two. I promise I shall try my best!"

'But you still didn't promise that you would choose me.' she thought.

"Believe me Ragini. Don't you trust me? I'm telling you I'll never let you feel seconded. Trust me on it. And if I can do it by not sacrificing anything, isn't it all the better? You should feel happy and in fact encourage me, shouldn't you?"

Looking at his sullen face, Ragini felt guilty. 'Isn't he right, Ragini? He's promising to never let you feel ignored. Why can't I accept that? Must I be bent on making him promise to sacrifice his dreams? Am I being selfish?' the more she kept looking at his pained expression, the more convinced she was of her guilt. 'I am. He's already doing so much. Even his work and dream is devoted towards creating a better future for us. And here I am being an unsupportive partner!'

"I...I'm sorry for doubting you. I'm sorry Sanky."

Sanskar's face suddenly turned bright, feeling that she finally understood his point. "It's okay Ragu. I'm glad we're both looking in the same direction now." he poked her nose playfully. "Now, give me a million dollar smile."

Ragini smacked his hand away, but giggled nevertheless.

"WE'RE BACK MUM!" came a loud shout from the front door. "OPEN SESAMI!"

A thud was heard, no doubt from Raj hitting Mani.

"Wait!" Ram came into the room hearing the shout. He passed Ragini and Sanskar as he went to unlock the door. They seemed to have sorted out their matters. "Come on in."

"Right on time. The table's ready everyone!" Shikha exclaimed from inside.

#Gadodia Residence#

Swara came out of her house silently and reached Laksh's car. "Let's go!"

Laksh nodded and started the car.

The car was silent except for the sound of the vehicle.

It was the first time Laksh and Swara were alone together after the entire incident with him sort of kidnapping Ragini.

"I'm sorry."

Swara looked at him in surpirse.

"I know it's too late. But I wanted you to know that I'm sorry for faking a relationship with you when I was actually pursuing Ragini."

Swara smiled a pained smile at him. "Forget it. It's okay."

He turned to look at her and smiled back at her. "You don't need to lie to me. A broken person can see through the fake smiles of another broken fellow."

She chuckled. "I guess then we should raise a toast. In the name of all things broken but still surviving!"

He chuckled at her words and turned ahead.

Silence reigned over the car once more. None spoke for a moment. Swara's sigh cut through the tension.

"I don't blame you anymore."

"You don't?"

She shook her head. "Nah. I've had a lot of time to think about things and...and I can see that none of us can help with whom we fall in love with. Not to mention jealousy is a monster that is present in each and every one of us. Yours just got lose and came out to show it's ugly self, while mine was under control."

"Eh?"

She chuckled. "It hurt you know. To know that you wanted Ragini and not me. At that moment, I too felt a rage like no other. I forgot for a moment that Ragini was my sister and wished she never met you. But...but my conscious reacted on time and I was able to overlook my jealousy. I was only one step away from becoming vengeful like you."

Laksh swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "I myself never thought I would fall for her. It was only when she no longer considered me her everything that I came to value what I lost."

"Like I said. We all are flawed in our own ways." Swara chuckled. "You know, I never thought I would come to have a soft spot for Mani."

Laksh took a moment to digest the information. "You...you like Mani?"

"I think I do. In fact, I felt something for him while I was with you. I never meant to cheat you, neither did I mean to have fewelings for him. But...but it just happened." she replied with a shrug of her shoulders and a humorless chuckle. "Guess that makes me not-so-innocent either, does it?"

"At least you never tried to force someone to love you, and neither did you cheat me."

"True. But there were always second thoughts within me, which I subdued." she extended her hand towards him. "Let's start over. So, friends?"

He smiled at her raised hand. "I would love to shake your hand. But I wouldn't want to drive my newly made friend into a ditch."

Swara let out a bark of laughter, in which he soon joined in.

It was a genuine one. One from their hearts.

"Shyyyaaaat up!" came a voice from the back seat as Uttara removed the cover from her body. She got up and yawned. "You guys woke me from my beauty sleep."

"Haha...! Good morning Uttara."

She nodded towards Swara in acknowledgement. "Are we there yet bhai?"

"Yeah. just round the corner. Isn't it where you told Maa and Baba to wait Swara?"

"Yeah. I'm sure they would be there since I told them it's about Sanskar and Ragini."

"Right. Get ready then."

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🌹~ Mona 🌹