Future series Final Part (2)

6th August  2020

                       
  Swara was blissfully happy, Her husband returned back and life couldn't be much better. She was content with having him as an part of her life.  Sometime when he looks at her, she could feel he was hiding something but that look will vanish the moment he notices her. And so she was content. She wanted her husband to be happy and he did look happy to be with her. Maybe she was wrong to assume he couldnt be happy with her. 

                         When she woke up to find him staring at her with affection she almost believed he loved her as well. He haven't said those words to her.  But every action and every small gesture of his made her aware of his love. She always saw it but never hoped it could be true.

       So she lived in denial and then she wanted him to be able to move past his guilt so she sent him away. But now that she knew how much it hurts,  She promised herself never to let him go. 

                           
"Good Morning Shona"  He greeted her with an smile that lit up her face as well.

                          
"You are going to work  ?" She enquired, after he returned  from the trip ,he spent every day with her. It was blissfull. But she knew he have work to get back to as well.

                          
"No, Did you forgot . We are going to visit your parents since your mom called last night and wanted to see you today,  Then we can go anywhere you  wanted to,  How does that sound, " He asked her,  instead

                        
  "Well mom wanted to see me I admit, And I would love to have you for company. We can go shopping as well, "  She answered back,  She waited for him to shake his head for her shopping plans but he didn't seem to mind her plans at all.

                        
"Okay , You get ready then. I try to make break fast, " he spoke up ,  shocking her further.

                    
"Breakfast!"  her mind couldn't fathom it but since sanskar was determined to prove his cooking skill. Swara let him do it.  And they were having an very pleasant breakfast when the phone call came that shattered their peaceful life.

                             
Swara couldn't believe it while Sanskar was  driving her in his car towards ragini house. Her sister was an bride last week now she was dead.  The news haven't settled in  yet and without sanskar by her side she must have collapsed just by the news.

     
  She was holding on to his hands in an firm grip while she entered ragini house and was immediately taken in by the sound of raised voices.

       
Her father was holding on to collar of ragini groom. And he looked furious . No one mentioned the reason of ragini death but it was soon apparent  the moment Swara saw her body. Her beautiful face was scarred  by blows delivered to it. She looked so fragile that  Swara wept in her husband arms. 

                                
  While ragini in laws claimed to reason of her injuries were due to fall from stairs no one seemed to believe it. It was Sanskar who managed to find the answer for her death from  ragini husband .

     
Ragini died because she married an monster  who abuses those who are weaker than him when he gets drunk ,And he got violent  when his bride didn't come to his bed as a Virgin  . And then the guilt settled in,

                         
Shekhar Gadodia blamed himself for not checking enough about the groom. Dadi blamed herself for forcing the marriage by coercion and emotional blackmail.  Sharmistha  Gadodia blamed herself the most.

      
Though she had decided to take ragini home the very next day after the phone call. She regret delaying going to her daughter. She still remembered the fear in ragini voice.  One night was all it took.

                              
Sharmistha wanted to go with Swara and sanskar early morning and bring back ragini. She didn't care about society and what they will think when ragini returns back home within an week. She didn't care about her husband or mother in law opinion about dutiful wife. Sharmistha was determined to bring her back home.

   
But back then she didn't realize the delay in few hours would cost her daughter life.  Nor did she knew the injuries her daughter suffered were such life threatening. Sharmistha couldn't forget the last words her daughter spoke. She didn't give birth to her but  she was her daughter. And Sharmistha failed her.

                     
  " Mom, Can you come see me tomorrow, Bring Swara as well. I am fine mom . I just need to see you, "  that all she said on the phone call. And it wasn't enough to make her fear for her daughter safety. But the time of her call was the first concern it was around 2.00 Am. And her second concern was the fear in ragini voice.

So Sharmistha called Swara immediately and decided to visit ragini as early as possible. But still she was too late. 

                        
Swara was filled with guilt too for not protecting her sister from such an monster . But she knew her mom would fall apart without her  and so the whole day she exhausted herself with taking care of her family. Sanskar exhausted himself with legal procedures to send the monster where he belongs.   

                        
  It was only around midnight Swara and sanskar finally got some time alone and it was also the only time Swara allowed her grief to show. She held on to sanskar has she cried for her sister who died. In her grief Swara failed to realize that her husband was feeling guilty as well.

                            
" It feels like I failed as an sister sanskar,  If we both got along well I would have at least called her daily and maybe she would have confided to me. I let our differences tear us apart. I know she made terrible mistakes  but she was trying to accept her new life and who would have thought it will end this soon, "she spoke up , as  he voiced her guilt and feeling of helplessness that she couldn't protect her sister. 

                             
" It all my fault Shona , None of the tragedies in your life would have happened if it wasn't for me, " Sanskar spoke up, shocking his wife who didn't think her husband would blame himself for her sister death. 

                            
" How is it your fault Sanskaar. You weren't here,  You didn't even know about ragini marriage. It not your fault sanskar, " Swara spoke up , as she tried to reassure him.

                              
" You might have forgotten but how can I forget my revenge and it influence on ragini.  If it weren't for me I am sure you both would have been still close. And ragini wouldn't have made those mistakes. I am really an hindrance in your life Shona. You were right I should have never met you. All I have caused you so far is heart ache. I shouldn't have come back.

     
 When I found the cottage in the woods,  I got scared. I wasn't ready to lose you and so i lied. I found the person Shona. So see it my fault. I should have changed our past. A life without me is better for you than with me,  " sanskar spoke up,  Swara mind was stunned with all his revelations.

                            
" Why did you lie to me? " She asked,  not sure if it was the right question to ask. 

                               
" I know you would have wanted to change our life and I couldn't do it Shona.  I was selfish. I only thought about losing you and I didn't think about how much you suffered because of me,  I will go back. I will change our life together. So you get to have an normal happy life without me ," he answered back,  with conviction that it worried her.  

                                
Swara realized his reason and guilt and so she didn't try to change his mind at the moment. Because sanskar was not in the frame of mind to listen to her.  And also because she realized that Sanskar couldn't give her up even when he had an chance to change his life he didn't took the chance.

     
Which can only mean she was an important person to him. Someone who he didn't want to lose. Which meant even if he didn't realize it yet he loved her and that was enough for Swara to hold on to the hope that he might be able to be happy with her. Maybe not today when he was guilty about ragini death, maybe not tomorrow but someday he might be able to move beyond his pain

                                      
Swara realized that she was willing to wait for such an day even if it took years because few years with sanskar loving her was worth living than losing him. But sanskar was not in the mood where he could understand her reasoning of accepting her heart ache and pain so far for him.  So she simply postponed his decision.

                                       
  "Let not do anything rash, We can talk about it later. Just give it an week  and you can decide it later Sanskar, " Swara spoke up , and she thought she had all the time in her hands to convince sanskar but time was not in their hands.

           
The next day the family had been gathered for Ragini last rites. That when she saw him. The person who is partially responsible for his sister plight. Swara knew the blame rested on the monster she married but she couldn't look at Laksh without feeling anger .

               
Laksh Maheshwari stood in shock as he saw the lifeless body of Ragini. The girl who stood by his side even when he had been in the wrong. He was frankly relived when he heard she got married because he didn't want to let her keep hoping he would fall in love with her. 

               
And yet when he heard the news she died ,his heart constricted with guilt and looking at the hateful look from the girl he loved made him wonder why she was walking towards him in anger. 

       
" Leave Laksh , we don't want you here,  " Swara lashed at Laksh, forgetting he wasn't alone and his mother was beside him .

        
" Shona ,don't , " her husband voice made her realize , he was beside her .She didn't know how he made his way back to her that quickly ,she was gonna argue but he simply shook his head asking her to let it go. 

  
     
"Swara beta ,death is tragic. We are sorry for you loss but you can't blame my son just because you want someone to accuse, " Annapurna Maheshwari spoke up , as her voice held disapproval of Swara anger. 

         
" Yes I can , if your son didn't play with her heart and if your son didn't take her to bed without the protection of marriage. Then maybe she and her unborn child wold be alive now,  " Swara voice was in a whisper, so no one around them could hear but from the way Laksh stiffened ,she knew he heard her .

     
  The autopsy revealed Ragini had been Pregnant , a fact that shook her entire family . And Swara had all she could handle about people casting blame for her death on her sister instead of the monster .

               
Swara knew her sister , the only person she would slept  with would have been Laksh and it bothered her. Laksh knew Ragini wasn't like other and yet he slept with her thus playing with her heart .

         
" It was a mistake. I was too drunk, "Laksh spoke up ,but he was talking to himself as if  he was living in a nightmare of his own.  And when he walked away without a word to them ,Swara turned in time to see her husband going after him. 

         
Swara knew she crossed a line by mentioning  Ragini had been pregnant,  but she didn't like being left alone with Laksh mother either who looked at her as if she hated her.  She assumed it would fade away when she understands behind Swara words were a grieving sister

        
Sanskar didn't like the bleakness in Laksh face ,it was eerily similar to how he looked after Kavita death ,so he followed him ,in an attempt to comfort or support him . He didn't know but he was worried about his reaction .

              
" I think I forced her,  " Laksh voice made him stop in his tracks ,the words shook him up and yet he waited for Laksh to elaborate than jumping to conclusion.

          
" Though I blamed you , I know I am the reason dad died . I bankrupted the company and found comfort by drinking till I lose consciousness . One day when I woke up she was beside me and I panicked. 

            
It had been a normal routine of her to follow me around even when I was rude to her ,help me to my hotel room when I got too drunk  ,but I didn't expect to find her beside me in that hotel room where I crashed often not to worry mother by letting her see me in  a drunken state .

     
I hoped and hoped nothing happened that night.  I didn't want to find the answer so I ignored her calls all the  awhile waiting for you or her father to demand i make it right by marrying her

          
I knew deep down, I crossed the line that night, i had this memory of her smiling face as she looked at me with love .But I ignored it , and when I heard she was gonna get married ,I was relived because i believed it meant nothing happened that night . 

           
I killed my unborn child because I was too much of a coward to take responsibility for my actions , Swara is right.  It is my fault all of it,  " Laksh finished speaking and Sanskar didn't know how to approach him. 

           
" Laksh , I won't ask you not to feel guilty because you made a huge mistake , but please don't blame yourself for everything , the person who caused her death is behind the bars .
        
You made a terrible mistake Laksh . A very big mistake but you didn't kill her , " Sanskar spoke up,  and yet he knew Laksh wasn't in a mindset to listen .

         
Annapurna Maheshwari waited for her son to come home ,the whole night . Instead of her son ,she got a phone call from hospital with the news that shattered her .

        
She raced to the hospital to find her son fighting for his life, he tried to take his life the doctors told him and Annapurna had never felt so alone. 

          
She called Sanskar, who rushed to the hospital with her ,the person behind everything that went wrong in her life.  She looked guilty like she knew it was all her fault.

           
But Annapurna was too worried about her son at that moment ,that she ignored her presence till the doctors declared that her son was safe . 

         
  " Shona, hush now .He is fine ,it not your fault , " her son was consoling her as she continued to cry .And yet Annapurna knew her son words were a lie because it was all her fault  

           
And Annapurna Maheshwari vowed to make her pay ,for hurting her son. She let her live so far for Sanskar ,he had lost his happiness after Kavita death and she always assumed Swara was no real threat to her.  

            
Even when she created rift between her sons , she forgave her time and time again because she didn't want to make the same mistake again by hurting her son .

             
But after today , Annapurna had enough of her . This time she will make her pay even if it has to be by her own hands she decided as she gazed at her with hatred .

            
          
                 
                                  
P. S: " One more Part and Future  series will end ,but next up will be present track and since I will be writing that update from scrath ,it may take some time to materialize , Let me know your feedback and thoughts .Hit the votes if you liked it . "

Juanita Reid