A/N

Hello everyone! As most of you wanted me to complete THE HIDDEN HALF first, so, I’m putting TYMHIS on hold, or maybe I’ll give an update of that story once in a while, depending on my work schedule. Now, here is the next chapter of THH. I hope you all will like it!

*** CHAPTER 26 ***

With each flutter of Vidhaan’s eyes, Swara’s heart skips a beat and the moment his eyes meet with hers, she loses every bit of rationality she has within herself. At this very moment, all that she wants is to run up to him and engulf him dearly in her embrace.

He has heard her calling him! He is alright! Nothing seems to matter anymore.

“SWARA!”

And as he whispers her name in his hoarse voice, she trembles, a shudder running all the way down her spine. Her heart has apparently started ditching her brain yet again as her thumb involuntarily starts rubbing his fingers wrapped around her palm as she keeps on gazing at her own reflection shining in his eyes. Words fail her and she finds herself unable to make anything coherent to come out of her mouth.

“Bhai!”

And that’s when Laksh’s voice breaks off her trance and every bit of the recent incidents rush back to her with full force and she pulls her hand back away from his hold. Instant hurt flashes across Vidhaan’s face as he misses the sudden warmth of her hand, making Swara close her eyes and clench her fists to her sides, trying her best to ignore the withering of her traitorous heart.

She has so much she wanted to ask and so much she has yearned to hear but the moment she notices his outstretched hand towards her, Swara stumbles backwards as the reality hits her with full force. He’s not the one she thinks he is!

She has so much she wanted to say but at that very moment failing at the hands of her heart, she instantly turns around and runs out of the hospital room as if her life depends on it.

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Annapurna immediately takes Vidhaan’s cheeks in her palms with all her motherly affection, peppering his face with innumerous kisses, unable to contain all the love for her son she has kept hidden inside of her for twenty seven years. Vidhaan’s heart aches getting overwhelmed with this feeling he has yearned for so long. So, this is how a mother’s love feels like! And the tiniest bit of his heart unknowingly gets jealous of Shlok realizing that he has had this love all to himself for all these years, but at the same time the other bit of his heart wrenches with pain knowing it quite well that he’s not going to come back. His brother is gone and he’ll never be meeting him anytime sooner or later!

Annapurna: Sanskaar! Mera bachcha! Thank God you’re fine. You scared all of us so much. Aisa koi karta hai kya?!

Vidhaan: Maa!

She’s all immersed in her own raging emotions so deeply that when she hears him call her, Annapurna shakes her head taking it all as nothing but her mere hallucination. Noticing his mother not making any satisfactory response, Vidhaan calls her again.

Vidhaan: Maa!

And this time, Annapurna eyes meet her son’s eyes making her stumble her a little back.

Annapurna: W-What did you say?

Vidhaan: Maa, please… please don’t cry!

That very instant fresh tears start making their way down her cheeks all over again, except this time they are the tears of joy. Joy, that her son has called her ‘Maa’ for the very first time! Joy, that her wait of twenty seven years is finally over now.

Durga Prasad instantly reaches out and places a palm on his wife’s shoulder trying to comforting her and looking at his son with yearning eyes. Hearing him calling Maa, even the heart of the father longed to hear the endearment for himself.

Vidhaan: Papa, please… ask Maa… not to cry!

Durga Prasad’s eyes tear up looking at his son’s face and how he is looking at him right now, as if he trusts him… more than anyone else and he can’t be anymore happier.

Durga Prasad: Yes! Yes! She won’t cry anymore. You’re fine. That’s all that matters. She won’t cry, son!

Annapurna caresses Vidhaan’s cheeks with tears still lingering in her eyes but a beautiful smile gracing her features. She doesn’t know herself when she was this happy before that even her heart seems too small to hold all that beatitude within.

Annapurna: Sans… Vidhaan! I…

Vidhaan: Sanskaar…

Annapurna: W-What?!

Vidhaan: I want… you all to call me… Sanskaar from here on! Though I’ll always be Vidhaan… but I cannot deny the fact that… I am Sanskaar. That’s who I truly am!

Annapurna: Sans… Sanskaar. Mera Sanskaar!

Durga Prasad: (smiles) Hamara Sanskaar!

And the moment couldn’t have been anymore perfect, anymore happier. Annapurna breaks into another round of sobs nodding her head vigorously, Durga Prasad places a soft kiss on his son’s forehead and everyone else witnessing the scene couldn’t help but let their tears flow down freely on their own accord.

As for Vidhaan, or Sanskaar that he will be known as from here on, the recent incidents have come as nothing but a lifetime lesson. The life is too short to hold things against someone, if you are given a chance never fail to show how much you love the ones who love you! That’s all that matters at the end.

(A/N : So guys, finally your wait is over. From here onwards we’ll be addressing our beloved as Sanskaar. Honestly, I’m going to miss Vidhaan 😭😭 But we can’t help it. It’s a Swasan ff, so, Sanskaar must come and if I’m not wrong, we all love Vidhaan and Sanskaar equally. After all, both of them are the same person only ❤️❤️)

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Sanskaar: S-Swara…

His raspy voice rings around the room again and everyone takes in a sharp breath. Her reaction has astonished him to a great extent as if she doesn’t even know him, as if he’s a stranger and that moment has been tugging at his heart mercilessly. The forlorn look in her eyes has been haunting him incessantly. Laksh comes and holds his brother’s hand in a comforting assurance and Sanskaar instantly realizes that something is wrong… really… really wrong.

Sanskaar: W-What happened?

Laksh: It’s nothing, bhai. You shouldn’t talk much right now. Just take some rest.

And the way Laksh avoids his eye contact confirms Sanskaar’s suspicion. The pain surging through his entire body has forbidden him from making any movement and go out to search for Swara and all he can do now is look at his brother with helpless eyes, desperation quite evident in them.

Sanskaar: What’s wrong, Laksh?

Laksh: Nothing… Nothing is wrong!

Sanskaar: Then why can’t you say the same thing looking into my eyes?

Laksh: (takes a deep breath and mumbles) She remembers!

Sanskaar: W-What?!

Laksh: Swara remembers everything, bhai… and…

Sanskaar: (whispers) And that means… She knows I’m not Shlok!

He closes his eyes taking a deep breath trying to make himself ready for her questions that will undoubtedly follow sooner or later. He has always known that truth is bitter, but right now with a single nod of his brother’s head he has realized that it’s too cruel to be true. Just when his heart has won after fighting his own self and accepting what he feels for Swara, their little bubble gets bursted by the cruel prick of reality.

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Annapurna, Durga Prasad and all the elders leave for changing their clothes and then getting something to eat for Laksh who has stayed back to take care of Sanskaar as well as of Swara who still hasn’t returned from her hospital room once she has run away after Sanskaar opened his eyes.

The nurse gives Sanskaar some painkiller and some sleep inducing injections. Giving him a smile she walks out of the room, leaving the two brothers behind.

Laksh flips the page of the business magazine he has been reading sitting on the couch kept by the side of the room when Sanskaar’s voice makes his head snap up from the article he has been reading. He finds his brother lying straight on his bed staring up at the ceiling as if trying to fight to make his way out of the whole situation.

Sanskaar: Laksh!

Laksh: Yes, bhai?!

Sanskaar: Will Swara think bad of me?

Laksh takes a deep breath and keeping the magazine aside he gets up, making his way towards Sanskaar’s bed. Sitting by his side, he places a comforting palm on his arm.

Laksh: It wasn’t your fault, bhai. You were just trying to help her.

Sanskaar: But I played with her feelings. She fell in love with me, the person who wronged her… and most probably the most.

Laksh: Even you know that you didn’t play with her feelings. It’s just that you couldn’t hold your feelings back, and there is nothing wrong in that. Just give it some time. Everything will be fine.

Sanskaar: Will it be?

Laksh: (smiles) Yes! I know she’s hurt right now but she’ll understand that you never did anything wrong to her. If anything, you helped her when everyone lost every bit of hope for her. You’re the one who gave her a new life.

Sanskaar: (shakes his head in denial) No, it was her who gave me a new life. If it hadn’t been her, I would have never come to know who I really am. And above everything else, she gave me the most beautiful feeling of my life. I’ll always owe that to her.

Laksh smiles nodding his head when with a light knock the door to the room gets opened and Swara enters the room with hardly any expression on her face.

Laksh: Swara, do you need anything?

Swara: Can I talk to him for a minute?

Laksh: Um… I don’t think this is the right time!

Swara: Please, Laksh. It’s important for me.

Though her face is emotionless right now, but she fails to hide the huge turmoil quite evident in her eyes. Sanskaar takes a deep breath before turning towards Laksh.

Sanskaar: It’s okay, Laksh. You can go.

Laksh: But, bhai…

Sanskaar: It’s okay. Really! Can you please give us a moment?

Laksh nods his head reluctantly before making his way out of the room giving one final look to Swara, praying silently for nothing to go wrong… not at least after whatever has happened.

As Laksh leaves, none of them speaks for minutes, just staying there where they are fearing that one wrong move and everything will be over. And finally after torturous five minutes, Sanskaar finally decides to break the silence.

Sanskaar: Swara…

Swara: Don’t!

Sanskaar: You wanted to ask something?!

Swara: (takes a deep breath) I won’t ask who are you? Or why you did this? Or whether everyone knew it all ever since the beginning? I just want to know why did you start it when you couldn’t finish it?!

Sanskaar: W-What?

Swara: I’m not a toy to play with! Why did you say all those things to me when you never meant even a single word?

Sanskaar: Swara, you’re getting it all wrong!

Swara: Weren’t you supposed to act as my husband?

Sanskaar: Yes… but…

Swara: So, everything you said was just a part of an act. Everything was nothing but a pretense.

Sanskaar: What?!! No…

Swara: No! I don’t want to hear any explanation because all I know is that is going to hurt even more.

Sanskaar: Swara, you’ll have to listen to me first.

Swara: (loudly) And what am I supposed to listen?!!

By this time every bit of her self control gives up and she shouts with tears finally breaking all the shackles and rolling down her cheeks. With every tear of hers, several shards pierce Sanskaar’s heart making his soul wither with pain. Never in his life has he felt so helpless that the person whom he has come to love with all his heart is breaking down in front of him and he can’t even reach out to console her.

Swara: What an I supposed to listen? That what a fool I am?! That I fell in love with the person who was just putting up an act in front of me?! Maybe… maybe you did everything for my good but what am I supposed to do… just tell me what am I supposed to do…

With that she falls down to her knees next to his bed, gripping the white bed sheet in both her fists. Sanskaar reaches out to touch her hand, but her words the very next moment stop his outstretched hand in midair.

Swara: Every time I look at your face, I’m reminded how I was betrayed!

And that comes as a heavy blow for him. Sanskaar’s hand tremble and he tightens his palm into a fist pulling his hand back, becoming entirely speechless.

Swara: What should I do now? Should I just leave? Should I just go somewhere… somewhere where I’m not reminded of all these things… or…

Sanskaar: Just give me sometime.

His unexpected words bring Swara to an abrupt pause and she lifts up her head only to find him looking at her so intensely that her heart skips a beat.

Sanskaar: Just give me some time and I’ll bring an end to your sufferings. Until then I would just request you to avoid me. Please don’t come to this room again.

And with that being said, Sanskaar closes his eyes trying to fight the tears threatening to roll down any next moment. With his eyes closed, all he feels is Swara leaving the room moments later and finally his tears escape from the corner of his closed eyes.

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Breathing heavily, Swara runs all the way out of the hospital building and into the small garden outside. All of this is too much for her to take in. She’s not that strong! She doesn’t know herself what she should feel right now. Her heart has been reprimanding her continuously for leaving him that way but her mind has been opposing her heart without a single thought, reminding her again and again that it all has been nothing but a callous façade.

She just can’t understand whom she has in this world to call as her own! Her legs give up and the next instant she falls down to her knees unable to contain the avalanche of emotions tugging mercilessly at her heart. As her tears flow down drop by drop, the obdurate pain hauling at her entire being becomes more and more ruthless.

Swara doesn’t know herself how long has she been sitting there on the grasses of the garden when she feels a hand on her shoulder. Wiping off her tears she lifts up her head only to find an old lady smiling at her.

Old lady: What happened, beta?

Swara: It’s nothing, Aunty. Nothing.

The old lady helps Swara to get back to her feet and guides her towards the nearest bench kept in the garden. Sitting by Swara’s side, she holds her hand and smiles at her again.

Old lady: It’s okay if you don’t want to discuss it with me, beta. After all I’m a stranger but I couldn’t stop myself from talking to you when I saw you crying like that.

Swara: (fiddles with her finger) I’m sorry!

Old lady: You have nothing to be sorry about. Just know this, my dear, that everything happens for a reason. It’s just that we often don’t understand the actual meaning of the things happening in our lives unless and until the right time comes. Do you understand what I’m saying?

Swara: (nods her head) Yes…

Old lady: If you don’t mind can I ask your name? My name is Sharda.

Swara: My name is Swara!

Sharda: Swara, life is too short to be true and I believe that everything can be sorted out with a talk. I don’t know what’s wrong in your life, beta, but if you feel that you can talk it out then I think you should do it. I’m about the age of your mother, so, please take it as a motherly advice.

Swara: Yes, I’ll do. Thank you so much, Aunty!

Sharda: (smiles) I’ll take your leave now, beta. It’s time to meet my son now.

Swara: Your son?

Sharda: Yes, he’s admitted here at the hospital. He’s suffering from leukemia.

Swara: Oh, I’m sorry about to hear about it.

Sharda: Please don’t be. If you want then please pray for my son, so that we could get some more time together. I don’t know how long we have but all I know is that the time we have together is something I’m going to cherish for all my life. I’m proud that I’m mother of a fighter!

Swara: You’re a fighter yourself, Aunty! I have never seen a person so strong willed as you. I’m glad that I have come to know you.

Sharda: (smiles) It was a pleasure knowing you too, Swara. I hope to meet you again.

Swara nods her head and Sharda turns around making her way towards the hospital leaving Swara amazed by how strong she is! Knowingly or unknowingly, though being a stranger Sharda has taught Swara an important lesson of life. She has taught her to be strong and that everything will fall into place eventually.

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Days turn into weeks, but still Swara fails to bring herself to face Sanskaar. And as two weeks pass by, the day of his discharge arrives. Annapurna is beyond the ninth cloud that her son is finally coming. Durga Prasad is getting ready to visit hospital to bring his son back when he receives a call. With a smile, he picks up the call.

Durga Prasad: Hello! Yes, Laksh… we are about to leave.

Laksh: Bade Papa!

The very next moment, Durga Prasad’s smile fades away hearing Laksh’s frantic voice.

Durga Prasad: What happened, Laksh?

Laksh: T-That… Bhai…

Durga Prasad: What about Sanskaar? Be specific, Laksh.

Laksh: He’s gone!

And with that everything comes to an unexpected pause once again.

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