Two days later

Sujatha  Ram Prasad Maheshwari wasn't the perfect bahu by her mother in law standards , she wasn't even the perfect wife because perfect wife don't fail to notice when their husband was too stressed and lose them to an heart attack. 

But she was good mother or tried to be a good one which had been the reason,  she made a choice to choose her son over her in laws approval as she walked away from her sasural .

And it wasn't easy to come to that decision, she would lie in her bed without being  able to sleep for so long wondering if walking away from her husband was the right thing to do when his only fault had been to be unable to make his parents like her .

She always carried the guilt with her , when her husband choose to come with her and she knew it bothered him as well because which son who loved his parents would walk away from them willingly, but he had to make a choice and he choose them for which Sujatha would be forever love him.

And so she knew when their was another struggle in the house, she had seen it from the way Ragini ,her daughter in law who readily confided in her about her fears of laksh acceptance and the knowledge of her pregnancy failed to do so with her mother. 

And she knew it when she found Swara sobbing in Sanskar arms the next day ,asking her nephew why her mother was so cruel at times , and so she waited for them to confide in her because Sujatha may think of her daughter in law has her daughters like Uttara but she was still their mother in law .

So in the midst of her waiting she noticed Swara was closeting herself in the dance room for most part of the days and only ventured out after Sanskar came home, Sujatha used to do so as well not that her mother in law would allow her a minute of rest but she will be so lost in her thoughts that it was like she made a room for her mind and closed herself in it. 

It was much better than being alert and hearing her mother in law subtle hits which showed how much she disliked her very presence in the house , she had never thought much about her in laws after their death, her only attachment to them had been her husband and his grief .

" Mom , Ragini is sick and she refuses to visit an hospital , " her son had been the one to approach her at last and she knew this can't continue for long , so she promised him that she will look after his wife and sent him to work as she made her way to her daughter in law who looked too pale for her liking. 

" You need to get to the hospital Ragini ,while I would prefer laksh to take you as it is his duty to be there for you , I have no choice but to take you on my own ," Sujatha exclaimed as she pushed her daughter in law into accepting her help and that was how they end up in the hospital for the check up along with Swara ,who refused to stay behind .

Sujatha was vastly relieved to hear that Ragini and her grand child were fine but as they drove back home ,she realized this continued distance can't last between them , she expected her daughter in laws to need time to accept her but she also realized they need someone to confide in as well other than their husband's ,someone who had been in their shoes once .

" Have you ever heard the story of the time when I left my husband ?" She asked them as they were seated in the living room together after the trip to the hospital.

" Laksh always told me that story , how romantic it was that his father choose you over his family , " Ragini answered back with a smile and Sujatha had her first win , making them curious is  important if they are going to confide secrets with each other .

" Yes , Laksh always saw it as romantic   whenever my husband told him the story , because that was how he told the story to his five year old son who was clueless on why he wasn't living in the big house anymore, to the child it was romantic story indeed but to my husband it hadn't been one , and I spent countless nights in my bed wondering if I did the right thing or I was just being selfish .

One hears certain words being whispered about them , I was the home wrecker who made the perfect son walk away from his parents , the tag I received for just trying to keep my sanity was the price I  paid for my freedom . There was nothing romantic about the story Ragini, because choosing one part of your family over other is never easy .

Still I will never regret it , do you want to know why because those people who gave me the tag never really knew me or why I made the decision.  They don't know how I was prepared to lose my husband over my decision because I never even contemplated he would choose me over his family .

When we grew up everyone tells you the same thing , family is all about love and compromise but they never tell you that if it just one sided you will end up with only scares for the rest of your life.

I know you are scared to tell Laksh, because if my son showed an inclination of not to be a father now then it would break your heart but the truth is Ragini, you are already pregnant and give my son a chance to choose wisely because I believe he won't make you regret it . Because he is Ram's son " Sujatha finished speaking up , as she remembered her husband support for her all those years ago .

So that was how Sujatha had confided in her daughter in law that she once used to be a daughter in law as well and she also faced troubles in her married life. And had been relieved when Ragini told Laksh that evening after he returned home who rushed out to tell everyone smiling just like her husband had been when she told him ,she was pregnant with Laksh .

His happiness to share the news was short lived when he realized everyone else knew before him until Sujatha had to remind him it wasn't the important thing and like a good son ,he went back to his wife with a goofy grin as if he getting a new toy instead of a child. 

And Sujatha breathed a sigh of relief that atleast one of her daughter in law was feeling better but she didn't like the look that passed between Swara and Sanskar when Laksh was shouting at them the happy news .

Sujatha was sure they were happy for Ragini and Laksh ,yet the pregnancy news made Swara bit upset and she had no idea how to make Swara confide in her yet.

But Sujatha didn't have to wait for long to find out the reason because the very next day Ragini and Laksh went to tell her parents the good news  after sujatha asked them to do so at the earliest because she didn't want her parents to think they are keeping them out of the loop of her daughter's life .

And when they returned Ragini looked so furious and even her ever charming son looked angry , as Ragini marched inside Swara dance room , Sujatha feared the cousin were going to fight and was about to interfere when Laksh held her back filling her with the details as well as the reason for their anger.

                ******************

 
Swara wasn't looking forward to her mother reaction to Ragini pregnancy,
surely her mother would thrilled that her prayers were answered that her niece got pregnant before her daughter. 

And she will find out soon enough, it was why Swara was extra grumpy when Ragini marched inside her dance room looking terribly upset.

" Ragini, what happened ?" Swara asked in concern as she noticed Ragini face crumble right in front if her as she burst into tears .

Swara stood still for a moment wondering what brought this tears , her sister Pari used to cry for no reason as well when she was pregnant ,including commercials on TV that she had no idea how to react until Ragini spoke up and answered her queries for her . 

" How could mom and aunty ask you to wait , just what were they thinking and how could you not hate me  ?" Ragini spoke up clearing the confusion .

" Our mothers actions and words are on their head not yours ," Swara answered back because what else was there to say , because Swara didn't think Ragini  was in an mind frame to listen to the anger Swara held on from revealing by her iron will .

" What about my actions , I know how much you hate marriage or the ides of it  and yet I made you marry Sanskar for my sake , how am I different them well don't answer that,  I am much worse than them , because I know how much it will cost you and yet selfishly choose my own happiness over yours " Ragini spoke up, and Swara didn't like the gloomier look in her cousin one bit .

" Ragini ,relax you are pregnant not the time for a trip down the memory lane especially when they are not pleasant. I am fine , and I am no longer the same Swara who is alone in my battles , do you know what I realized in the last two days ever since mom asked me to wait till you get pregnant,  " Swara asked her cousin who  looked interested in her answers.

" That I am not alone , Pari di , you and me we all tried to break out from the circle our parents confided us in and yet we were stuck in the vicious circle because they were our parents who loved us and it was ingrained in us from childhood to obey them , but do you realize what I learnt recently that it is okay to not obey them if it would only cause you hurt forever .

Do you know what Sanskar told me when I first confided in him about my mother's demand , he asked me to listen to my parents wishes and demands but choose what is best for me  not them .

That he would agree if we wanted to wait to have a kid ,if it was my decision because having a child is a decision that should be only reserved for the parents not the grandparents.

Just like how marriage should be the decision of the two who are getting married not the rest of the world even though we got married for her family, he insisted that every decision from now onwards will remain between the two of us and not anyone else. Do you know how much of a relief it was to me to hear him say so .

He also told me that it was okay to be angry at them and right now I am angry Ragini , so angry with my mother and your mother but let us not allow it define us or our relationship. We are wise enough to separate our parents wishes from ours , " Swara answered back as she hugged her cousin who was crying over the loss of choice they had all their life's until now .

Ragini choose Laksh for her freedom from her parents grip and Swara understood her better now ,because when someone offers you a key to escape ,you won't throw it back at them . It was the reason she forced Swara hand to get married to Sanskar , in fear that her freedom will be gone with Laksh .

And Swara knew she had to choose wisely as well ,because she may love her mother but it was time for her to choose if she went to forever remain in the circle of her vicious demands or break free even at the cost of a price she didn't want to contemplate yet .

She remember Sanskar's aunt telling her that it may not be easy to walk away from a family but sometime it was the only way . Even if it hurt her , Swara refuses to contemplate a life where her choices will always be next to her mother demands . With that she made up her mind to visit her mother alone .

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

Coming up in the next update , Swara and Sharmistha confrontation ,also Sanskar POV ..

Juanita Reid