A/N

Hello everyone! Just a small note before we start. This is about the new book STAR-CROSSED : WHEN LOVE MEETS FATE that Egeria_Anjali and I are bringing to you together. So, please have a look at the book. That would really mean a lot to us.

The prologue of the story will be posted tomorrow.

Happy Reading!! (P. S. : The proof reading of this chapter is yet to be done. So, kindly forgive me for the grammatical and typing mistakes well in advance 🙈🙈)

*** CHAPTER 32 ***

“Vidhaan beta…”

The slightly weak voice from the other side of the mobile phone breaks his sleep instantly. Recognizing the voice, Sanskaar sits upright on his bed glancing at the wall clock. It’s 4:00 am. Why’s there a call so early in the morning? He scrunches his brows in confusion contemplating the odds. Hasn’t he been on a holiday?

Sanskaar: Hemant Uncle?

Hemant: Y-Yes! Sorry for waking you up early in the morning, beta. But I’m unable to reach Mr. Durga Prasad Maheshwari at this moment.

Sanskaar: So, do you want me to wake him up?

Hemant: (shouts immediately) No! Please, no! I don’t have that much time.

Sanskaar: What’s wrong, Uncle? You don’t sound alright. You were on a leave, weren’t you?

Hemant: Leave? No, I’m… I’m in Kolkata.

Sanskaar: (confused) You’re in Kolkata? But…

Hemant: I… I’ll tell you everything. But please, can you come and get me before that? I… I don’t know what to do! They are after me…

Sanskaar: After you?! What…

Hemant: Please come and get me, beta. I won’t be able to hold for much longer.

Sanskaar: What do you mean? Uncle, are you hurt? Please don’t worry. I’m on my way. Just tell me where are you.

With the mobile phone still in his hand, Sanskaar leaps out of his bed. Grabbing the key from the holder near the door, he dashes out of his room as Hemant guides him to his exact location.

Sanskaar: Don’t worry, Uncle. I’m on my way. I’ll be there within an hour.

“Sanskaar?”

His hurried voice are instantly brought to a stop no sooner he disconnects the call by a voice calling him out from behind. Turning around he comes face to face with his confused mother, who by now has already started moving towards him.

Sanskaar: Maa, what are you doing so early in the morning?

Annapurna: I was going to the kitchen to get some water. But the question is, where are you going at this hour?

She glances at the key in his hand suspiciously and then at her son with an unknown fear rising in her heart.

Annapurna: Are you going again?

Sanskaar: Yes. I mean… no.

Annapurna: Has anyone said anything? Has anything happened? You know you don’t have to go. We can sort it out together. I…

Sanskaar: Maa. Maa. Maa. I’m not going anywhere. Relax.

He stops her immediately taking her face in his palms. But Annapurna’s heart, still shrouded with the clouds of suspicion, refuses to acknowledge the words her ears are hearing.

Annapurna: Then why is there a car key in your hand?

Sanskaar: I mean… I’m going but I’ll be back in hardly two hours.

Annapurna: But where are you going?

Sanskaar: I’ll tell you everything once I have a proper explanation myself. Now I’m in a hurry, so I’ll take your leave.

Annapurna: But…

And Sanskaar silences her already with a light kiss on her forehead, calming her down instantly.

‘He’s not leaving again’, her heart chimes with delight.

Sanskaar: Relax. I’ll be back soon.

With those words being said Sanskaar leaves hurriedly, worried about the whereabouts of Hemant. And above all, why is he in Kolkata? Then what about the application earlier that has stated that he’ll be on a leave?

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Annapurna keeps on pacing up and down the hall impatiently, glancing at the door time and again. Everyone else sitting on the couches around dares not to say even a single word, for they all know it pretty well that the volcano is on the verge of erupting.

Sanskaar isn’t back even after three hours! And Annapurna who has been acting all cool and relaxed for the first two hours has started freaking out no sooner the clock ticked by.

Durga Prasad: Annapurna, relax. He said he’ll be back.

Annapurna: But what if he’s not? What if he goes back again? Or what if he's hurt?

Durga Prasad: Then tell us where he has gone, so that, we can go and look for him. You’re not even saying anything.

Annapurna: I… I don’t know. He just left hurriedly without telling me anything. But please… please do something. I don’t want to lose my son again.

Durga Prasad: Okay. Okay. We’ll go to look for him. Laksh?

Laksh: Ji, Bade Papa?

Durga Prasad: Let’s go to look for him. And Ram, please take care of everyone in here.

Ram: Theek hai, Bhaisa!

Durga Prasad: Let’s go, Laksh!

Laksh: Ji!

Annapurna’s eyes still glued to the door, turn to have a quick glance at her husband as he is all set to go out to look for his son, and then they turn back towards the door.

But amidst all these, without getting noticed, a pair of troubled eyes keep looking at the door anxiously, awaiting Sanskaar’s arrival.

Swara’s heart keeps leaping inside its cage for some unforeseen fears. Has he really gone back again? Or has she unknowingly said anything? Everything seems so complicated with him in the picture. But without him, it’s complicated beyond measures.

She doesn’t know herself how she wants him in her life. As an acquaintance, as a friend, or as something more than that? But just the thought of not being able to see him again has started troubling her heart, and a lot to be honest. All she wants is to have him in front of her eyes, right here, right now. And that’s all it takes to make her realize… He still holds a special place in her heart.

But what’s her place in his heart? Or does she even have any?

Fighting back the tears, she fists her palm so tightly that it starts hurting her own self, before slumping down on a chair. If he leaves again, she’ll make sure to bring him back and lock him up into a room. Leaving is not an option for him!

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It takes Durga Prasad and Laksh another one hour to return back. And everyone is left heartbroken the moment they return back disappointed.

Annapurna: W-What happened?

Durga Prasad: We searched in all the probable places but he’s nowhere. We couldn’t find him.

Laksh: Maybe we should go to areas near Kolkata as well.

Durga Prasad: Yes, I think you’re right. Let’s go.

“Where are you going?”

And hearing an all too familiar voice, everyone sighs with relief. Without even giving it a thought Annapurna rushes towards Sanskaar who by now is standing by the door, all confused seeing everyone’s expressions.

Sanskaar: What’s wrong?

Annapurna: What’s wrong? Are you seriously asking us what’s wrong? You said you’ll be back in two hours, but it’s been four hours now. Where the hell were you? Do you even realize how worried we all were? Your Papa and Laksh even went to look for you. I… Stop smiling now!

Annapurna glares at her son as he keeps on smiling the whole time she keeps scolding him. Sanskaar’s smile widens even more looking at his mother’s expressions.

Annapurna: What? Why are you smiling like that?

And the next moment Sanskaar’s arms go around his mother pulling her for an earnest hug as his smile widens even more, if that’s possible anyway.

Sanskaar: It feels really good to finally have someone care for me.

One sentence, and that melts Annapurna’s heart instantly. Caressing the back of Sanskaar’s head, she smiles before returning the hug.

Annapurna: And I’ll always be there for you.

Sanskaar: I know.

That’s when her eyes land on the person standing behind Sanskaar. With his shoulders slumped down, several strands of unkempt hair sticking to his forehead, chapped lips and pale face, exhaustion of the hardship he has faced in last few days is quite evident on his face.

Annapurna: (breaks the hug) Hemant Bhai Sahab?

Sanskaar: Yes! I went to take him. I received a call from him in the morning and when we met, he was very hurt. So, I took him to the hospital.

Durga Prasad immediately passes by his wife and stands holding Hemant’s shoulders. Looking at this person whom he has come to consider as his younger brother, he has this very strong feeling that whatever the cause of his whole situation is, it’s something none of then will come to like. And this thought himself troubles him a lot.

Durga Prasad: Let’s get inside first and then we can talk.

With a nod of their heads, everyone makes a way as Durga Prasad guides Hemant inside, followed by everyone after.

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Holding Hemant’s hands, Durga Prasad makes him sit on the couch and what he tells everyone in next few minutes, leaves them all thunderstruck. Hemant has been knowing all along that whatever he has told those two back then will turn everything upside down for the entire Maheshwari family. And the shocked expression on their faces, increases his guilt multiple times.

Annapurna: I knew it that these Sen Guptas are not the one to be trusted.

Hemant immediately falls to his knees in front of Sanskaar apologizing profusely.

Hemant: I’m sorry, beta. I’m sorry. They had kidnapped my daughter. I was forced to tell them about you. I was so scared. Bachchi hai who meri. I… was so helpless.

Sanskaar: (bends down and holds his shoulders) Uncle, relax. Don’t worry about that.

Hemant: But Swara…

Sanskaar: Don’t worry about that. She knows everything about me now.

Hemant: But how?

Sanskaar: That’s a very long story. We can discuss about that later. But please stop apologizing. Anyone at your place would have done the same thing. So, don’t worry either about me or about Swara.

Durga Prasad: In fact, she knows something that even you are unaware of.

Hemant: W-What? Have those two brother and sister done something again?

Laksh: Not that, Uncle. Though now they know that he’s not Shlok but Vidhaan, what they don’t know is that…  he’s Sanskaar. They don’t even know that someone named Sanskaar exists.

Hemant: (looks at Durga Prasad) Sans… Sanskaar? Sir, hamara Sanskaar?

Durga Prasad: (smiles) Yes, Hemant. Hamara Sanskaar!

Hemant: But how? He was just a small baby when I saw him for the first and the last time. I mean… how come Vidhaan is Sanskaar?

Annapurna: Maybe the God above has finally decided to give us some happiness after all that has happened.

Hemant instantly rises to his feet wrapping his arms around Sanskaar. Caressing the back of his head, he sighs with relief.

Hemant: Now everything will be fine. The son of the family is back.

Sanskaar: Yes, Uncle. And I’ll make sure that my family is not wronged again. But one thing that’s bothering me is that why has Sahil done this?

Ragini: Isn’t that obvious? He sees you as his powerful opponent. It’s quite evident that after Shlok Bhai, Sahil wants to marry Swara and you’re the biggest hurdle in his way. So, the first and foremost thing that is to be done is eliminating you out of the picture.

Sanskaar: What? That’s insane! Just because he wants to know who I am, he has hurt Hemant Uncle. Does that even make any sense? Has Sahil gone crazy?

Laksh: Nope! I don’t think it’s only Sahil.

Ragini: I was thinking the same thing. Honestly, that Sahil is dumb. His brain can’t run that far. There’s definitely someone with him.

Hemant: His sister! She was with him back then.

Laksh: Kavita? Damn! I don’t think that’s a good thing.

Sanskaar: Why? What’s wrong?

Laksh: You’ll know once you meet her. However, I wish you don’t.

Ragini: What are we supposed to do then?

Laksh: Let’s just wait for their next step. Only then we’ll be able to find out what they want.

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Even after racking his brain for almost an hour, Sanskaar fails to point out one single thing that may help in finding about Shlok’s murders. He just can’t point at anyone without any proof and everyone will think that he has gone crazy if he tells them about his dreams. The entire chaotic situation seems to be draining his energy out of his body.

Leaving everything on the table, he walks towards the window allowing the cool breeze soothe him down. Closing his eyes he tries to reminisce the dream again when his mobile rings on receiving a message.

Sanskaar narrows his eyes as it’s almost past midnight. Who sends a message at midnight? No sooner he picks up his phone, his eyes narrow even more. Swara’s message?!

‘Can you come up to the terrace for a while?’

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Sanskaar’s steps immediately falter no sooner he reaches the terrace. In one corner, near the railing, Swara has spread a sheet of cloth. With candles, as the only source of light, resting on a copper stand and keeping a small cake in front of her, she’s sitting on one end of the cloth leaving the other side empty, as if she has made a space for her companion.

Not sure of what to do, Sanskaar approaches her with silent steps when Swara gives a slight smile and speaks…

Swara: You came? I thought you won’t come.

Sanskaar: You messaged me!

Swara: Yes, because I didn’t want to be alone.

Sanskaar: What is this all about?

Swara: (sighs) It’s already midnight, so, technically it’s my first marriage anniversary today. I don’t want to celebrate it alone.

She gives him one more smile before patting the empty place, gesturing him to come and sit. Not knowing how to react, Sanskaar joins her little celebration.

Swara: Thank you!

Acknowledging her gratitude with a nod of his head, Sanskaar smiles. Swara picks up a knife before slicing out a piece of cake and handing it to Sanskaar.

Swara: (smiles) Happy Anniversary to me!

Sanskaar: Swara. I…

Swara: Can I ask you for a favor?

Sanskaar: Sure. Anything.

Swara: I know this might be uncomfortable for you but can you please sit with me for a while? Just a while. I won’t take long. I don’t want to be alone right now.

Taking a deep breath, Sanskaar nods his head. With a grateful smile, Swara relaxes back on the cloth as she looks up at the sky without saying anything. And for Sanskaar nothing can possibly be as ethereal as this moment. No matter what’s the reason he’s here for, it renders a gentle warmth to him that at this very moment Swara wants to be with him. Not as anyone else but as who he really is. For the first time, he’s actually sharing a moment with her as Vidhaan… as Sanskaar! And that makes this moment worth cherishing for.

Closing her eyes, Swara allows herself to relive all those memories she has spent with Shlok. And what seems like minutes later, she finally speaks.

Swara: Sanskaar…

Sanskaar: Yes?

Swara: Does that make me a bad person?

Sanskaar: What do you mean?

Swara: Is it wrong that I want to let go of my past? Is it wrong that willingly or unwillingly my eyes have started seeing dreams of my future ahead?

And just two sentences from Swara, leaves Sanskaar tongue tied once again, leaving his heart thumping like crazy!

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