Hii everyone…!! Now you must be thinking why this Two Shot all of a sudden…!! Thank you so much for such sweet and lovely wishes on my birthday…!! So this story is like a return gift from my side and also it’s a kind of bribe for you all as I’m going on a break for a while…!! I have my entrance exam on 8th of Jan…!! And as you know studies come first so I’ll be posting after that exam…!! And my next entrance test is one month after that i.e. in February…!! First of all I thought of posting #MITWAA but since you all are very intelligent and by now you all might have guessed where Swara is going, I thought of writing all about it together after my paper…!! So for now, my first TS for you all…!! I hope you all will like it…!!
********** PART 1 *********
RAJASTHAN…
A huge mansion towering high up to the sky, standing right in the center of a campus enthralling over acres of area in the most prestigious area of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Heavy iron gates open up to give way to the stone driveway which leads directly to the front porch of the mansion. In front of the porch is a white marble fountain standing upright in its glory. To the either side of the mansion are lovely lawns provided with well furnished sitting areas and a huge swing near the specially made rose garden having all possible colors of roses one can ever imagine…!!
In the living room of the mansion, a guy of almost 23 years of age is standing near the fireplace, his legs crossed and arms folded across his chest. A lady in her late forties and a man in his early fifties are talking to him:
Lady: I don’t want to hear anything Sanskaar…!! You have to do it…!!
Sanskaar: Come on Mom…!! You can’t be serious…!! I have never seen her, never met her…!! God… I don’t even know her name and you are telling me that we got engaged in childhood and now you expect me to marry her…!! No way…!!
Lady: Look…!! You might be a business tycoon making your father, Mr. Ram Prasad Maheshwari, even prouder but I don’t want to listen anything in this matter…!! I have seen the girl and I know she is perfect for you…!!
Sanskaar: But Mom you have only seen her…!! You’ve never actually met her…!!
RP: (to the lady) Sujata, let me handle this…!! Sanskaar, I have met her and I’m saying that she’ll do perfectly for you…!! And this was your grandfather’s last wish…!! He promised her grandfather that they will get their grandchildren married so that their best friendship could remain forever…!!
Sanskaar: You are kidding me, right…!! We are living in 21st century and you want me to marry a small town-girl just for the sake of a promise made almost twenty thirty years ago…!!
RP: Varanasi is not a small town Sanskaar…!!
Sanskaar: (glaring at his father) That’s not the point Dad…!! The thing is I can’t marry her…!!
Sujata: Why…?!?! Just because of your so called status…!!
Sanskaar: Mom, she is nineteen… four years younger to me…!! Don’t you think she should get married to someone closer to her age…?!!
Sujata: Correct…!! She is just nineteen that’s why she needs someone mature who could handle her…!! Sanskaar, she lost her mother at a very tender age… All she has is her father…!! Since the time she has come to know that you are her fiancée she has dreamt of marrying you and only you…!!
Sanskaar: I understand Mom, but…
Sujata: No ifs and buts Sanskaar…!! If you don’t agree then…
Sujata takes out a small bottle and shows it to them…
Sanskaar: Mom…!! You can’t be serious…!! You should seriously stop seeing those daily saas-bahu serials…!!
Sujata: I’m not kidding Sanskaar…!! I’ll seriously drink this poison…!!
RP: Sujata…!!
Sujata: What Sujata Sujata…!! Why don’t you convince your son then…?!?! Its better I die…
Sujata opens the cap of the bottle and raises it to her lips…
Sanskaar: (shouts) Ughh…!! I don’t believe this is happening to me…!! Okay fine…!!
Sujata: (with wide eyes) What…?!?! You want me to die…!!
Sanskaar: God Mom…!! Fine… I’ll marry her…!!
Sujata: (giving the biggest grin possible) Really…!! You are the best son…!! You know what…
Sanskaar: Please Mom… I don’t want to hear anything about her…!!
RP: I’ll book the tickets and inform Shekhar Ji that we are coming…!!
Sanskaar: I’m going to office…!! I need to finalize a few things…!!
Sujata nods her head and Sanskaar turns to leave…
Sujata: And yes Sanskaar…!! Your marriage is after three days…!!
Sanskaar: (shocked) What…?!?!
Sujata: I don’t want to take any risk…!! What if you change your mind…!!
Sanskaar: Then do one more thing…!! Don’t let me see her face before marriage…!! If I don’t like her face I’ll definitely reject her…!!
He turns to leave…
Sujata: And one more thing…!! Her name is… Swara…!!
Sanskaar: (without turning) Yeah whatever…!!
——————————.
Swara is sitting in the middle of the king-sized bed in Sanskaar’s room… As Sanskaar refuses to have flowers for the decoration of the room, the whole room has been decorated with several fragrant candles and the chandelier above gives light golden light which makes the whole room dimly lit. The bed is covered with white bed sheet and the royal blue comforters are neatly arranged and kept near the edge. To the far corner of the room is kept a dressing table along with various imported perfumes and now with several beauty products a lady might need. A door adjacent to the room leads to an en-suite washroom along with attached dressing room. The balcony of the room gives a clear view of the fountain in front of the mansion.
Swara smiles looking at the fountain and goes to the balcony. After a few moments she hears the front door of the room open and close. She turns and goes inside the room. In the dim light she couldn’t see Sanskaar’s face clearly but could still feel him standing in front of her with his back facing towards her as he is searching for something in his cupboard. As Sanskaar wanted, both of them could never see each other properly before marriage. Even while returning back to Rajasthan Sanskaar sits with some of his business delegates along with RP whereas Swara sits with Sujata. As soon as the plane lands Sanskaar goes straight towards the office and now is the time he is returning back.
Sanskaar: You are still awake…??
Swara’s heart beat raises as she hears his voice… Her grip on her dress increases as his words get registered in her brain…
Swara: Hmm…!!
Sanskaar: Look…!! You don’t need to wait for me…!! My returning time is never fixed…!!
Swara: But I don’t have any problem…!!
Sanskaar: (a bit loudly) But I don’t want you to wait…!! I’m going to sleep… I’m very tired…!!
He goes to freshen up and Swara keeps looking at him. She never expected such a reaction. A tear drop silently rolls down her cheeks but she quickly wipes it off and composes herself…
Sanskaar comes back to the room and goes straight towards the bed. Pulling the comforters over his head he goes to sleep.
Swara: (in a low voice) Where should I sleep…??
Sanskaar: Sleep wherever you want but don’t disturb me…!!
Swara: Oh…!! Okay…!!
She looks around the room trying to figure out where she should sleep as she doesn’t dare to wake Sanskaar up by sleeping on the bed…!! Finally she decides to sleep on the couch kept near the bed…!!
——————————–.
Next morning Sanskaar is sleeping peacefully when Swara comes out of the washroom after taking a bath trying hard to get the saree in its place. She tries to find some safety pins to secure the saree and looks around the room.
Swara: Maybe it’s inside the drawer near the bed…!!
She holds her almost half-made saree in one hand and steps out of the dressing room. She leans down towards the drawer silently trying her level best not to wake up the sleeping devil but unfortunately for her, her leg gets struck in the half-open saree and she slips falling right above Sanskaar…
Sanskaar opens his eyes with a jerk and finds two big doe-eyes looking nervously at him. He gets captivated the moment his eyes get locked with those beautiful big eyes, water droplets falling from the wet hairs on the eyelashes… Swara’s eyes widen as soon as she finds Sanskaar wide awake:
Swara: S… Sorry…!!
Sanskaar: (still half sleepy) Who are you…?!?!
Swara: (blinks twice before answering) Umm… Your wife…!!
Sanskaar: Wife…!! Yeah, right… I’m married now…!! But what are you doing above me…??
Unknowingly on their own accord his hands slowly slide across her bare waist…
Swara: (nervous due to the touch) I’m… I’m sorry…!! I was… looking… for safety… pin… but I… slipped…!!
Sanskaar: Safety pin…?!?! Here…?!?!
Swara: I thought it would be in the drawer…!!
Sanskaar: Swara all the things you need are in the dressing room only…!!
Swara’s heart skips a beat as she hears her name from his mouth from the first time… Abruptly a smile breaks on her lips…
Sanskaar: Why are you smiling…??
Swara: Nothing…!! Can I ask you something…??
Sanskaar: What…??
Swara: Don’t you like flowers…??
Sanskaar: Why…??
Swara: No, yesterday you refused to have any flowers in the room, that’s why…!!
Sanskaar: I don’t like when we pluck flowers unnecessarily when we have alternatives available for them…!! I thought when we can use something else instead of flowers then why waste them…!!
Swara smiles hearing his answer…
Sanskaar: Now if you are done smiling and if don’t have any other questions then can you get up from me…?!?! I have to go to the office…!!
Swara: Sorry…!!
She holds her saree with one hand near her chest and gets up. Sanskaar raises an eyebrow looks at her from head to toe.
Sanskaar: What are you doing…?!?!
Swara looks at him and finds him staring at her…
Swara: I don’t know how to wear it…!!
Sanskaar: Why…?? Nobody taught you…!!
Swara: Everyone’s mother teaches them but I think I was not much lucky in that case…!!
Sanskaar: (diverting the topic) If you want I can help you…!!
Swara: (wide eyes) You know how to wear a saree…!! How…??
Sanskaar: Do you need my help or not…?!?! Or else should I go to get ready for the office…!!
Swara slowly moves closer and stands in front of Sanskaar. He stands up and takes the saree in his hand…
Sanskaar: Raise your hand…!!
Swara: Huhh…!!
Sanskaar: Raise your hand…!! I need to drape this around your waist…!!
Swara: But…
Sanskaar: Raise your hand Swara…!! I don’t have my entire day for you…!!
Swara closes her mouth and raises her hand…
Sanskaar: (draping the saree) Why were you sleeping on the couch…??
Swara starts laughing instantly… Sanskaar glares at her…
Sanskaar: I’m asking you something and you’re laughing…!!
Swara: S… sorry…!! Actually I’m a bit more ticklish than expected…!! Especially near my waist…!!
Sanskaar: Okay…!! I’ll try not to touch your waist…!! But stop laughing…!!
Swara nods her head and Sanskaar starts draping the saree again.
Sanskaar: So, why were you sleeping on the couch…??
Swara: You only said to sleep wherever I want…!!
Sanskaar: But as far as I remember I never asked you to sleep on the couch…!! I think we have a pretty huge bed…!!
Swara: You said not to disturb you… that’s why…!!
Sanskaar: Done…!!
Swara: What…??
Sanskaar: Your Saree…!! It’s done…!!
Swara: (smiles) Thanks…!!
Sanskaar: From now on you can sleep on the left side of the bed…!! I have a habit of sleeping on the right side…!!
He picks up his towel and goes straight to the washroom and Swara keeps smiling looking at him…
————————-.
After a few days, Swara is washing a few things when suddenly she hears Sanskaar shouting…
Sanskaar: What the hell do you think you are doing…??
Swara: Umm…!!
Sujata comes there on hearing Sanskaar’s shout…
Sujata: What happened Sanskaar…?? Why are you shouting…??
Sanskaar: With whose permission is she touching my things…??
Swara: These things were dirty so I thought of washing them…!!
Sanskaar takes a deep breath and rubs his temples.
Sanskaar: Not my Allen Edmond shoes Swara…!! I don’t use surf excel to clean them…!!
Swara: But…
Sanskaar: (shouts) Shut up…!! Don’t argue and for God’s sake stop using your brain…!!
Swara starts crying and runs out of the room.
Sujata: What is this Sanskaar…??
Sanskaar: What…??
Sujata: How is she supposed to know about your things if you won’t tell her…?!?! You shouldn’t have shouted at her…!! You yourself know that her intentions were not wrong…!! She is just trying to blend in…!! I think you should apologize…!!
Sanskaar: I won’t…!!
Sujata: I know you will…!! You know that I’m saying right…!!
She leaves. Sanskaar waits for a few moments for Swara to return back but when she doesn’t he goes out to apologize to her.
—————————-.
After searching for Swara in every possible place Sanskaar goes to Sujata…
Sanskaar: Mom, have you seen Swara…??
Sujata: How am I supposed to know that…?? Your wife… you should know about her…!!
Sanskaar: Mom, I’m not in the mood of any jokes right now so are you going to tell me where my wife is…!!
Sujata gives a wide smile on hearing this…
Sanskaar: (raising an eyebrow) Now what’s with that smile…?? Are you trying to freak me out…??
Sujata: (slapping the back of his head) Shut up…!! I’m just happy…!!
Sanskaar: And the reason for this happiness…??
Sujata: Today, for the first time, you have addressed Swara ‘My Wife’…!!
Sanskaar’s eyes widen as soon as realization hits him…
Sanskaar: (ignoring eye contact) Don’t get your hopes too high Mom…!!
Sujata: Yeah yeah I got that Mr. Bossy…!! By the way a very great personality has said that if you don’t find your wife anywhere in the house you should search for her in the kitchen…!!
Sanskaar: And who is this ‘Very Great Personality’ by the way…??
Sujata: (grinning widely) Me…!!
Sanskaar: Seriously Mom…!! You are the only piece in this world…!!
Sujata: Hurry up and go to the kitchen before your wife disappears from there also…!!
Sanskaar: Okay… Okay…!! I’m going…!! (he turns to go but Sujata calls him)
Sujata: Sanskaar…!!
Sanskaar: Hmm…!!
Sujata: Can you do something for me…??
Sanskaar: What Mom…?? You know you don’t need to ask me for something…!!
Sujata: Then also…!!
Sanskaar: Okay…!! What…??
Sujata: For me… Can you give your relationship a chance…??
Sanskaar: (takes a deep breath and nods his head) Yes Mom…!! I think I can do that…!! And this is not because you have asked me to do so but because Swara is a very good girl and I want to give our relation a chance…!!
Sujata smiles and kisses his forehead… Later, he leaves for the kitchen…
——————————-.
Sanskaar reaches the kitchen but finds it empty…
Sanskaar: Looks like Swara left from here also…!! Now where should I find her…?? Should I check the room once again…??
He turns to go to his room but he stops in his track as he hears a slight sob…
Sanskaar: Swara…!! Are you there…??
Swara speaks from somewhere…
Swara: No…!!
Sanskaar: So from where am I hearing you…??
Sanskaar waits for her reply but she speaks nothing. He starts searching for her inside the kitchen. He looks for her behind the door, under the table but gets shocked on finding her sitting inside one of the lower cabinets…
Sanskaar: (bends down) Swara…!! What are you doing here…??
Swara: (sobbing and wiping off her tears with the back of her hand) I’m sitting…!!
Sanskaar: Is this a place to sit…?? (forwards his hand) Come out…!!
Swara looks at him first, then at his hand and comes out by herself…
Sanskaar: Swara…
Swara: (cutting in between) I’m sorry…!! I didn’t know that I was ruining your things… its just that…
Sanskaar stops her by keeping a finger on her lips…
Sanskaar: Shh…!! Am I asking you something…?? (Swara shakes her head in a NO) Listen Swara…!! I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have shouted at you…!! It was not your fault…!! I’m… I’m Sorry…!!
She smiles slightly against his finger and Sanskaar feels light at heart on seeing her smiling. He removes his finger and holds her hand…
Sanskaar: Come…!! Let’s get you acquainted with my things…!!
He takes her to the room to tell her about his things…
—————————-.
At night after dinner, Swara sees Sanskaar going somewhere…
Swara: Are you going somewhere…??
Sanskaar: Hmm…!! (smiles) The moon, today, is looking very beautiful so I thought of having a walk in the lawn outside…!!
Swara: Wow…!! I always wanted to go out for a walk in moonlight…!! Can I also come…??
Sanskaar: What do you mean by ‘you always wanted to go for a walk’…?? Why…?? Don’t you have moonlight in your Varanasi…??
Swara: (blurts out) I never had you there…!!
Sanskaar: (smirks) What…??
Swara’s eyes widen as soon as she realizes what she said…
Swara: Sorry…!!
She turns to go but Sanskaar holds her hand…
Sanskaar: What were you saying…??
Swara: Aaa… Umm…!! (closes her eyes and speaks in one go) Since the time I came to know that I’m engaged I always wanted to go for a walk in moonlight with my husband…!!
As soon as she completes, she takes a deep breath and opens her eyes only to find Sanskaar smiling and looking at her…
Sanskaar: Alright then…!! Let’s complete your wish…!!
He holds her hand and takes her out for the walk…
Sanskaar: Swara…!! Come I’ll show you something…!!
He takes her to the rose garden where all the roses seem to have an entire new aura in the presence of moonlight…
Swara: It’s so beautiful…!!
Sanskaar: (smiling) This is the thing I like the most to do whenever I’m free…!!
Swara: Huhh…?!?!
Sanskaar: I love gardening…!!
Swara: So you are saying that you grew these roses…??
Sanskaar nods and leans near a rose… He touches the petals lightly and Swara smiles seeing his care for the flower…
Sanskaar: It took me almost seven months to get the rose of every color over here…!! This is the reason I don’t like to pluck the flowers unnecessarily…!! They are also living beings and have their lives…!! Right…??
He turns towards Swara… She smiles and nods her head… They both go and sit at the swing near the garden…
Sanskaar: So…??
Swara: What…?!?!
Sanskaar: You never told me anything about you…!!
Swara: Same to you…!! You also never told me anything…!!
Sanskaar: What do you want to know…??
Swara: Not like this…!! Let’s play a game…!!
Sanskaar: Game…?!?!
Swara: Twenty Questions…!! I’ll ask you twenty questions regarding you and you’ll answer them…!!
Sanskaar: And after each question you’ll answer the same…!!
Swara nods her head…
Sanskaar: So, the first question…!!
Swara: Your favorite color…??
Sanskaar: Blue…!! Yours…??
Swara: Red…!! Next question…!! Your favorite dish…??
Sanskaar: Kheer…!!
Swara: Mine too…!!
Sanskaar: Okay…!! I’ll ask the next question…!! Umm… What do you like to do when you are free…??
Swara: I like painting and making new dishes…!! And I know you like gardening…!!
Sanskaar: (smiles) I’ll like to see what type of paintings you make…!!
Swara: Anytime…!!
Sanskaar: Okay next…!! Chocolate or ice-cream…??
Swara: Chocolate ice-cream…!!
Sanskaar: Hmm…!! Two-in-one…!! You ask the next question…!!
Swara: Your favorite book…?!?!
Sanskaar: How to win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carneige…!! Yours…??
Swara: Wings of Fire…!!
Sanskaar: Hmm…!! Nice…!! Your favorite destination…??
Swara: In India, its Jaipur…!! I always like to read about the ancient monuments and their histories…!!
Sanskaar: And outside India…??
Swara: I never gave much thought to it but I would love to see Venice…!! What about you…??
Sanskaar: New York and Singapore…!! Even though I have visited there I always like to go there…!! Even you should go there…!! Would you like to come with me…??
Swara: Will you take me with you…??
Sanskaar: Of course…!! Why not…?!?! Okay next question…!! Why don’t you call me by my name…??
Swara: I never needed to…!!
Sanskaar: I call you by your name so I want you also to call me by my name…!! You got that…?!?!
Swara: (smiles and nods her head) Okay…!!
Sanskaar: I have done my MBA…!! What about you…??
Swara: (stops for a moment before answering) Umm… actually I was in second year of my graduation when I got married to you…!! And after our marriage I came here…!!
Sanskaar: But why didn’t you wait till your graduation…?? We could have got married after that…!!
Swara: Because everyone thought that you’ll refuse to marry later and we should get married at the earliest…!!
Sanskaar tries to say something but couldn’t find words to voice his thoughts…
Swara: It’s getting very late…!! Let’s go inside…!!
Sanskaar looks at her and nods his head… Both of them go inside…!!
End of part 1…!!
Rest of the story in part 2 coming up tomorrow…!!
———————————.
How was it friends…?? I hope you liked it…!!