GUILT SEASON II (MAIN TENU SAMJHAVAN KI) CH-15

Here is the last chapter:
Chapter 14

“Will you trust me till I’m ready to disclose this?” he asked helplessly. “I have no reason to distrust you Bhai. I will wait till you are ready to share it with me. I promise” she hugged him and he kissed her hair and rocked her in his hold. Somewhere her heart knew whatever the truth was Vikram had a reason to hide it from her and she like always believed her heart. He kissed her forehead and they walked to Ragini’s room.

He made her lie on the bed and covered her with the quilt. She closed her eyes when he patted her head. The day was weird. She wished by the time she wakes up it will vanish and will remain in her memory as a bad dream. The night’s darkness seemed covering her heart. Her innocent heart which broke into pieces today.

You cannot define the feeling when you realize that the family which you have been living with is not your family. More than the fact hurt her that her original family did not even try to search her. Was she such unwanted person in someone’s life that they were happy that she was finally out of their lives.

Her hand struggled to grab the pipe attached to it. “Doctor” the nurse grabbed Sriti’s attention. She turned to the bed. “Her hand moved” said the nurse excited. Sriti looked at the lifeless body on the bed. There was a tear drop escaping her eye. Sriti grabbed the stethoscope and checked her pulse rate and the reading on the monitors.

“I don’t know what connection we have but surely something special. Your recovery is giving me happiness that I had lost years ago. You remind me of her and I don’t know why” Sriti sat beside her and smiled through her tears. “Sriti beta” she heard an elderly man’s voice.

She turned happy. “Uncle she shook her hand. She is showing signs of recovery” Sriti smiled at Shekar who stood blank. His face had grown older than it should have been actually. Or was it the fact that he was living a lifeless life. Sriti’s face saddened.

“Who is she?” asked he. “You met her morning only na uncle remember” she tried her way to remind him about the morning incidence but it did not pay off.

“I…” he stood blank. “I don’t remember” he said and walked to his room. Shekar was in a mental dilemma. He could hardly remember anything now a days. Sriti was scared that his brain was suffering a lot of emotional turmoil. She looked in his direction painfully.

“Wish you were here Ladoo. Uncle wouldn’t have been in this state” she looked up helplessly. The hand again moved but it went unnoticed.

***.***

“Ragu” Sumi tried stopping Ragini who was walking out of the house lost. “She did not look up but just stared ground. Vikram had already told Sumi that Ragini was aware of the truth. “Won’t you forgive me?” Sumi looked at her emotionally.

“It isn’t that way” said Ragini trying to hide her pain. “Then how is it” Sumi cupped her face. Ragini held her hand and closed her eyes. “I need time just a bit of it please” Ragini looked at her with tears fighting to drop out of her eyes. Sumi nodded her head and Ragini walked out of the house.

“Maa” Vikram flung his hand across Sumi’s shoulder. “My family broke again Vikram. Again” she buried her face in his chest. “No maa. I trust Bappa. He will not let it happen this time” said Vikram rubbing her shoulders.

He don’t know from where he had got that courage but he surely knew this time his God will not disappoint him.

He walked to his cupboard and opened the box. He took out the frame and wiped the dust on it. “Sorry Bacha. I have to keep you hidden. I can’t break my Ragu now. I know you will be happy wherever you are. Trust me Sahil and Ansh are good. Only thing is I have to tolerate your killer’s face beside him” said Vikram and his tear dropped on the frame on a smiling face beside Sahil in a bridal attire.

****.****
Ragini walked inside the office all silent. “Ragu” said Riya approaching her desk. “Are you okay?” asked she and Ragini just nodded her head. “I think you are upset with yesterday’s my words. I’m sorry” she held her ears apologizing. Ragini held her hand and signed her not to do that.

“I’m not angry Ri. I’m just a bit exhausted” said she and turned to her system. Riya looked at her for some more time before turning to Tarun. Tarun asked her what happened and she just shrugged her shoulders. She looked at Ragini and walked to her table. Her condition worried Tarun also.

Sanskar who was working on his Mac Book looked up and found Ragini. She was not her usual self. It was mystery to him also how he could always understand her emotions without even her speaking. He watched her fallen face and it somewhere pinched his heart.

He took a deep sigh and dialed Tarun’s intercom. “Tarun arrange for my travel to Lonavala for the meeting. And inform Sahil that I want to attend it instead of him and handover the project details to Ms. Asthana” he placed the receiver still looking at Ragini.

“Why am I still being torture by him God ji” Tarun hit the receiver to his head and placed it back. Holding the files in his hand he walked to Sahil’s room expecting an outburst.

“Excuse me sir” Tarun peeped inside Sahil’s cabin. Sahil signed him to come inside. “Ya Tarun. I know we have to leave for Lonavala. But just give me a second. I’m too much exhausted” said Sahil bending his neck. “Sir actually Sanskar sir told he want to attend the meeting and told me to handover the files to Ragini” said Tarun. He waited for Sahil’s outburst.

But to his surprise Sahil gave him a wide smile. “My Sanky is always my life saver” said he relaxing on the chair. “What are you waiting for. Handover the files and guide Ms. Asthana.” said Sahil and Tarun walked out still shocked.

“What happened?” asked Riya to thunderstruck Tarun. “Am I dreaming?” he asked with his popped out eyes. “Ouch”he rubbed his shoulder which Riya pinched. “You aren’t” she smirked at him and he looked at her annoyed. “I have to handover the project file and details to Ragini. I will see you later” said he glaring her and walked to Ragini.

“Ragini” he stood beside her and she looked at him. “You and Sanskar sir have to leave for a meeting in Lonavala” she nodded her head giving him another shock.

“I’m pakka dreaming. She did not argue that he is informing so late” Tarun walked to his desk and sat looking at Ragini who was busy on her work but her chirpiness was not present.

“So Ms. Asthana ready?” asked Sanskar standing at her desk. She packed her bag and held the files in her hand walked out. He looked at her worried. It was evident that something bothered her. She was unusually quite today. And previous day also she just disappeared like that. When he was annoyed and was asking about her Yohan said that she was not well so he gave her permission to go home and he will inform Sanskar.

She stood near his car and the driver opened the car and she sat inside and Sanskar sat beside her in the back seat. She just kept analyzing the files and he stared her blankly all over the journey.

They reached the venue and the meeting was finished by afternoon. “Ms. Asthana. Here is a nice cafe nearby would you like to come along?” asked he. She nodded her head in a no and looked away. “Oh common. Just a coffee. Your boyfriend is not gonna break up with you due to it” she looked at him without any expression.

“I’m not even worried about it” said she and stared the ground. “Oh yes yes you are worried about him. I know Yohan is too much possessive. But I thought at least you wont behave like his puppet” he smirked looking at her. “Oh I’m not his puppet alright” she said annoyed. “But you are worried about him” said he teasing. “I’m not” said she clutching the files to her chest.

“Oh then prove it. Come with me on a coffee date” he forwarded his hand. “Fine” she placed her hand in his hand. He smiled blushing. He took the files in her hand and placed them in the back seat. The driver walked to the car. Sanskar signed him that he will drive himself and made Ragini sit beside the driver seat and he walked to the driver seat. The driver walked back and watched the car disappearing in the horizon.

The car stopped at a cafe. It was a resort kind of arrangement where there were small tables and chairs arrangement. And a huge garden surrounding it. It was a beautiful place with least crowd. Sanskar looked at Ragini who stood beside him admiring the nature. He again forwarded his hand.

She looked at him blankly. “We are on a date forgot?” asked he. “But we aren’t girlfriend boyfriend” said she shrugging her shoulder. “Oh say it like that you are afraid that Yohan will be angry” he twitched his jaws biting his cheeks inside.

She frowned and grabbed his shoulder and stood head up. He smiled at her and walked with her inside the cafe. He pulled the chair to help her sit. “I know to do that” said Ragini. “Gentleman manners” he smirked at her sitting opposite to her.

He ordered the coffee for both. The waiter brought the coffee and both of them enjoyed it. Ragini smiled as the cool breeze touched her face. Sanskar who was sipping the coffee choked as his heart skipped a beat looking at her beautiful smile. Ragini turned to him concerned.

“Are you okay?” she asked patting his head. He composed himself and nodded his head. “Think about your fiance and this is what happens” said she sitting back in her seat. “Oh so you are jealous about it?” asked he. “Mujhe kaunse pagal kutte ne kaata hai that I feel jealous” she said furrowing her eye brows. He chuckled looking at her.

“Let’s leave” said Ragini as they finished the coffee. “Was this a date?” asked Sanskar. “Tha tho” said Ragini. “We spent hardly fifteen minutes” said he. “Huh. Fine” she sat back on the table. “Not here. Come with me” he said dragging her to the garden and they settled on a bench.

He sat there admiring the nature and she looked at him annoyed. “How much more are we going to stare these all green nature” said Ragini crossing her legs. “Looks like you are too much worried about your boy friend aren’t you?” he teased her. She closed her eyes annoyed.

“First thing I’m not worried about him and second thing don’t drag him in every sentence” said she looking other side. “Then be yourself” said he and she looked at him resting her palm on the bench edge. His eyes shone in the sunlight and she could not drag her eyes from staring in those hazel orbs.

Suddenly a thought of him being engaged to Kavya passed her mind and she moved her gaze unwillingly.

Sanskar looked at her and slowly his hand touched her hand on the bench. She dragged her hand away. He smiled at her cute anger. “Look Mr. Dumbledore I know your hands are long but keep them in control” she shook her head annoyed. “Sorry” said he controlling his smile.

He heard what he wanted to hear. Her calling him ‘Dumbledore’ A wide smile crept his lips. But still she was disturbed. And he could feel it.

“You can share it if you want to” he said and she looked at him. “Why should I do so?” she asked. “Because sometimes our enemies can solve our problems which even our friends can’t solve” said he shrugging his shoulders.

“That doesn’t make sense” said she. “I thought you like senseless talks” said he and she burst out laughing as she could not hold on to her laugh anymore. She leaned to him and her head his shoulder. He looked at her and smiled looking at her. She shook her hands not able to control her hysterics.

“This is called die out of laughter” he said and looked forward. “Mahn you don’t look but you are funny” said Ragini. He frowned but lost himself in her laughter which brought tears in her eyes.

What else he needed in his life that beautiful smile on her face and her childishness which made him forget his sorrows, his hate. Was there any hate in his heart? He couldn’t trace it.
Only thing he could trace was that emptiness when she was not around and the life she brings to his body when she is around.

“You know something” she stopped when he spoke looking at the sun. “Life has two faces. One which is visible to us and the other which is not visible. The half visible truth brings so much pain in our life sometimes but trust me the hidden half will surely heal that pain” he turned to look into her eyes.

She doesn’t know why his words felt so real and soothing. “Life runs on hope. Don’t lose that and you will not lose your life” he smiled at her and she smiled back at him.

Apne ruthe paraye ruthe Yaar ruthe naa
Khwab tute waade tute Dil yeh tute na

Ruthe tho khuda bhi ruthe saath chuthe naa
Allah wariya mai tho haariya tuti yaariya mila de koyi.

There was a strange connection between them. An invisible bond which brought the life in their lives and unknowingly they knew how to heal each other.

They walked back to the venue where Sanskar’s driver waited for them. Sanskar and Ragini sat in the back seat and the driver started the car. The sun was on the horizon for the second time. Ragini was talking continuously and Sanskar was just smiling at her chirpiness.

The car stopped at Ragini’s house. She was fast asleep. He watched her cute face for some more time. He did not wanted to disturb her peaceful sleep. He got out of the car and walked to her side and opened the door. He picked her up in his arms.

She cuddled in his embrace and he smiled at her nodding his head. His dumbo Ms. Asthana was back on her usual self and he did not wanted anything more than that.

He stopped at the gate when his eyes fell on someone’s legs. He looked up to find a familiar face.

Vikram forcefully snatched Ragini from his hold.

He turned to walk. “Vikram” Sanskar’s words stopped him.

“Mr. Vikram Asthana. Brother of Ragini Asthana” said he and continued walking. “Listen to me Vikram” said Sanskar pleading him. “If you ever valued our friendship stay away from my sister. I can’t risk my another sister’s life because of you” said he and walked inside the home and banged the door.

Sanskar jerked a bit. His memory traveled back in time.

“You never told me about your little sister?” Sanskar complained walking behind her. “Because she isn’t with us and I don’t want you to trap her” she spoke facing her back to him.

“That’s not fair Kumud Bhabi. Do I look like a despo to know about every girl in the town” he turned angry.

“No but. Your innocent face can’t fool me Devar Ji Who knows you can try on her also” said she pulling his cheek and he pouted sad.

“Awww. My Sanku looks so cute” said Sahil pulling his cheek.

Kumud smiled looking at him.

“R… Ragini is Kumud Bhabi’s sister” his eyes went wide as realization hit him. He stumbled a bit standing there staring the Asthana house for a moment.

Kumud’s smiling face crossed his mind. A car screech made his brain nerves to feel the pain and he held his head.

I can’t let her know this’ he thought in his mind. ‘I can’t let anyone know the truth’ he walked to the car. A truth he wanted to prove to everyone. Now he had to hide the same truth