Two weeks later. 

15th August 2015

                     
Swara loved to be out doors, growing up with only two lovely women had led her to be completely delusional about men and their protective instincts. It felt like house arrest as the Maheshwari brothers refused to let her go anywhere alone.

         
Ever since Laksh overheard his mom threat to kill her, the brothers have appointed themselves as body guard much to her surprise ,the fact her life was in threat was enough for them to get over their differences
     
 Laksh took her to college and drove her back home. If Swara so much as mention going anywhere else, Sanskar would appear before her door step, she understood them,  having her life under threat was not a nice feeling.

          
But two weeks later, she had enough of it. As she quietly slipped past her house to go to the park, she found Sanskar waiting for her at the gate .
     
" Don't you ever go home? " Swara asked him,  with a smile but seeing his serious expression only made her more angry.  She wanted to live not caged up in her house .

         
" I am not going to live in a cage Sanskar,it needs to stop. I am not going anywhere with you ,so leave ," Swara spoke up, at his continued silence and when he turned around and walked away, she felt like she made a mistake .
         
In a logical way she knew and understood him, yet she felt angry and upset. So she took it out on him, she regretted it immediately and rushed inside her home forgetting all about her mini escapade. 

            
" Where is Sanskar. Your bag is all packed but it heavy, call him inside so he can carry them " her mother voice confused her, and she looked at her packed bags in confusion .

           
" He better marry you, we only agreed for the trip because we know you would hate cooped in the house , " her Dida spoke up, making her wonder what mysterious language they were speaking about and yet she knew she was missing something. 
      
" What trip ?" She asked her family wondering what was going on, Sanskar had taken it upon himself to explain about his bade maa to her family, to make sure they always keep an eye on her .
            
Her mother reaction was asking him to leave them alone and Swara argued that no matter what his bade maa will hate her, but it was her dida who supported her and  said the young ones should follow their heart and not worry about everything else .
         
" Sanskar beta asked to take you out for a vacation since he knew you would hate being cooped inside. It was supposed to be a surprise but I saw you both talking assumed he told you, " her mother words made her heart squeeze in pain .

         
He wasn't there to control her movements, he was there to take her on a vacation and without finding the reason for his arrival she lashed at him.

             
She immediately dialled his number in a bid to apologize and when his call went unanswered she called Laksh who was clueless about Sanskar whereabouts.  

             
 The ten minutes of panic she felt when he continued to not pick up her calls made her realize the nightmare he had been living for the last few days. 
              
She couldn't handle mere minutes, when she had been worried about him and to realize it how he felt made her feel guilty until her phone rang and she answered to hear his voice on the other end
     
" Shona ,what happened ? " his voice held the same concern and not a hint of anger  at her cold dismissal earlier which was the reason she  burst into tears. 
            
" Shona , stop crying.  I will be there give me few minutes . Stay in the line,  " Sanskar  answered back, as he drove his car back to Dida house .

           
And she waited for him, at the sound of his footsteps . She rushed out of her room towards him and embraced him in an hug and started crying all over again. 
      
" Shush Shona don't cry , " Sanskar spoke up, as he held her close in a bid to comfort. And she leaned onto him, until his presence made her heart relax   

           
" I am so sorry Sanskar, I won't leave the house without you again, I won't worry you again. Just know I am sorry, " Swara whispered, as she held on to him. And when she felt him tightening the embrace she smiled against him . 

              
They left for their trip an hour later with a smile on their faces,  the next few days Swara was blissfully happy . Sanskar had booked a room in a resort that was located in the top of a hill that was isolated enough to give protection but also privacy. 

           
Swara loved the long trek she took with Sanskar  in the morning ,she liked spending a relaxing day with nature and loved when Sanskar took her for a picnic.  Each time she realized inspire of the fear for her life ,he had went out of his way to make up for the house arrest.

         
It felt like a small piece of heaven on earth, the days she spent there with him, the only time she had been alone was awhile sleeping ,still knowing Sanskar was in the next door was reassuring. 

               
The days passed by quickly and before long it was the last night, they were heading back home at the break of the dawn.  Swara was almost half asleep in her room when she heard the knock on her door and woke up to realize she fell asleep  before dinner. 

           
She opened the door to find Sanskar dressed up as if he was going out and she wondered why he was dressed up when he told her that they will share dinner in her room .

        
" Are you going out ?" Swara asked him as she looked at him.

       
" No we are going out, " Sanskar answered back, with a smile and she wondered what was going on his mind .

        
" In the middle of the night ?" Swara enquired, as she glanced at the clock in the room which showed the time was nearing 10.  

         
" Yes , we are going for a walk , " Sanskar answered back , and yet refused to say more ,so she reluctantly got dressed up and went with him .

            
Ten minutes later, her stomach reminded her ,that she had gone long  enough without food and so she was pleasantly surprised to find at the end of the walk a small canopy .

        
She looked up to him in surprise as she walked inside it , the canopy was set in the edge of the cliff which gave her a view that was breathtaking . But her eyes remained focused on the table and the food assembled in them .

            
Swara knew she was spoiling the mood of a candle light dinner ,but she was too hungry to care as she sat down on the chair and began platting the food on her plate .

               
" So sorry Sanskar but I am too hungry, " Swara spoke up,  in between mouthful of food looking adorable that Sanskar only smiled at her in return .

            
Only when she had three gulab jamun and felt she couldn't eat anymore did she look up to him and saw he was nervous and she wondered it must be because they were going back

         
" Sanskar, don't worry . I promise to follow all the rules even if it is hard . Nothing will happen to your Swara , " Swara spoke up, as she saw the look of worry in his face .
            
" I won't survive if I lost you Swara , The knowledge that she may harm you anytime scares me and yet I am helpless because I have no proof she killed my parents and I can't prove things that happen in the future either.  How long Swara before we find a solution to our problem? " Sanskar voice carried the despair, he kept hidden during the trip. So that she can be happy at least for awhile .

           
" It going to be okay Sanskar, you have detectives following her. The moment we find any evidence that she was going to harm me. You can have her arrested, then this will all end . It is only until then Sanskar, " Swara  answered back,  trying to calm him down .

          
" What if it took months before we found proof , I know you hate being kept in a cage, the only reprieve I can give you is trips like this one and yet it isn't enough and I am too selfish that I can't give you up either, " Sanskar answered back, it was his anguish that propelled Swara to break the tradition and speak up the next words

       
" Let get Married Sanskar, " Swara spoke the four words and watch the words take Sanskar by surprise as he choked on the sip of water he was drinking . 

      
" What? " Sanskar asked as he failed to believe the words he heard from his Shona .

         
" You are right, we wasted enough of our life in the future to repeat the same mistake. We shouldn't do the same this time around as well .

              
We can't stop living, and we can't remain hidden as well . So Sanskar Maheshwari let get married, what do you say ? " Swara spoke up , leaving him surprised by the turn of events .

P.S : " That it for now .Let me know your thoughts and Feedbacks .Hit the votes if you liked it "

Juanita Reid