As soon as the doctor came out of the ward Sanskar rushed in. He crushed his mother in a bone crushing hug. “You have any idea you made me almost dead?” he asked with his swollen throat. Sujata rubbed his back trying to cool him.
“I mean who does like this mom. So careless” he whined dragging himself away from her. “I’m sorry” she said with twinkling eyes.
“You better be. You know how was I feeling? Do you even realize I felt so odd” he looked into her eyes with the tears fighting.
Sujata kissed his forehead and it instantly cooled him. “Then why do you leave me and go?” he stiffened hearing her. “Please beta. I don’t want to spend this short life without my son” Sanskar stopped her with a hug and nodded his head vigorously.
She smiled widely.
***.***
Sanskar settled in his cabin and looked at Ragini’s table which was empty. He dialed the intercom. “Shreya why isn’t Ragini yet come to office?” he waited for the response.
“She had applied for leave sir. As you weren’t around and it was emergency I have to grant her leaves” Shreya said apologizing. “Emergency?” he cocked his eye brows.
“Um. Yeah though she did not tell me what it was. She just said its personal” Shreya repeated what Ragini had told her.
“Ah. Okay” Sanskar placed the intercom back. “What emergency it might be?” he played with the pen.
He took out his mobile and dialed Ragini’s number. Her phone ringed but instead of her receiving the call the voice mail opened. “Hi this is Ragini. Please leave your message after the beep. Currently busy with something will call you back soon” his jaws twitched hearing it.
“Call me back soon” he spoke and disconnected the call. Though he was trying to concentrate hard but he was failing badly.
***.***
Sumi placed the mang teeka over Ragini’s hair line and watched her daughter’s lifeless face. “Ragini” she did not move. “Lado” Sumi shook her and Ragini moved her gaze. Ragini picked the bindiya and placed it on her forehead.
“Arrey Lado you got ready or not?” Parvati entered with a necklace in a box. “Maaji aren’t we hurrying with all this?” Sumi asked to which Parvati glared her.
“And you have such doubts when I got the best groom for my Lado isn’t it?” asked Parvati and walked ignoring Sumi’s concern.
She made Ragini wear the necklace and looked at her image in the mirror. “This is your mom’s necklace. She had given it to me” Parvati said emotionally.
Ragini smiled with glassy eyes. She held her Dadi’s hands which were resting on her shoulders. Sumi looked at Ragini as she suspected that Ragini was not happy with this.
“Sumi” she heard Shekar’s voice. “I guess the groom has come” said Parvati elated and Ragini’s heart fell inside the pit of her stomach. Suddenly her palms started sweating.
She did not knew was she doing right or wrong. She squeezed the edge on her dupatta to gain the strength. Parvati walked out and Sumi looked at Ragini unsure.
“Lado you sure you want this?” she looked at Ragini’s image in the mirror. She met Sumi’s eyes trying to hide the pain and smile. “I was never so sure” she nodded her head slightly.
“Sumi get Ragini” Dadi announced and Ragini jerked hearing it. Finally the time had come.
Sumi helped Ragini to descend the stairs.
Rudr whose gaze moved to the stairs was lost looking at Ragini. She looked no less than angel to him then. He placed his hand on his fast beating heart.
Ragini just stared the ground not able to move her head up. When she stood in front of him still digging holes in the ground with her eyes the flower petals showered on them. Ragini looked up feeling them.

Rudra looked at her smiling. “this” she held the petals in her hands. “Beautiful surprise for a beautiful girl” he bent and whispered in her ear.
She looked at him confused. “I bribed your decorator and florist” he winked at her and she lowered her gaze.
His smile widened looking at her. “Where is Shona?” asked Dida to Sumi. “She won’t be able to make it. Sujata ji has been discharged yesterday only and Annapurna Ji apologized for not being able to attend the engagement.” Sumi said which surely stopped Ragini’s heart beat for a moment.
Sanskar’ she thought in her mind. “I need to make a call please” she cutely requested Rudr. He nodded his head and she walked to her room immediately.
She searched for her phone and grabbed it as soon as she saw it. She was about to dial Sanskar’s number but stopped. She looked up frustrated. Why can’t she do what she likes.
She closed her eyes and looked at her phone screen which had the notifications. When she unlocked it she found a message in voice mail

Hearing Sanskar’s voice at that moment turned out to be intolerable for her. She without thinking much dialed his number.
Sanskar who was working over his laptop looked at the screen of his mobile. And her name alone breathed a new feeling in his heart.
“Hello” he spoke and waited for her response. “Sanskar” she spoke and let out a breath which she was holding from a long time.
“Finally you got time?” asked he coldly trying not to show his emotions. She closed her eyes and in took some more calming breaths.
“I just wanted to check if you are okay?” she asked and he leaned back over his chair as the heaviness in his heart increased.
“I… I’m okay. Never the less I did not had my friend when I needed her” his voice had the hurt. “I’m sorry I was just” before she could finish she heard the knock on the door.
“Carry on with whatever you are busy with” he disconnected the call. “San…” she felt bad due to it. She wiped her face and walked to the door. She found her Dadi looking at her angrily.
She snatched the phone from Ragini’s hand. “Your phone is the worst thing which comes on your way of happiness” Only if Dadi knew what she uttered before throwing the phone on Ragini’s bed and moved tagging along with Ragini to the hall.
“I was rude” Sanskar twitched his lips frustrated. He dialed Ragini’s number but she did not pick up the call this time. Suddenly he felt uneasiness growing inside him.
He rolled his eyes before throwing his phone aside and concentrating back on the work.
The pandit chanted the mantras. Rudr was all smiles. But Ragini did not heard or felt anything around her but just was thinking about Sanskar.
She landed back to reality when she felt a touch on her palms. She looked at Rudra who held her hand.
He slipped the ring in Ragini’s finger. Before she could realize her world had scattered. And she could not scream or cry to let out that pain her heart was sinking itself it.
She slipped the ring in his finger when her Dadi insisted. Parvati had a huge grin on her face. And then and there Ragini’s heart felt lifeless.
How is she gonna live a lifeless life.
The ladies around them started dancing celebrating their engagement. But Ragini was feeling nothing.
Rudra walked to the center of the hall whistling.
“Dil ne yeh kaha hai dil se Mohabbat hogayi hai tumse.
Meri jaan mere dilbar mera aitbar karlo
Jitna bekarar hu mai khudko bekarar karlo
Meri Dhadkano ko samjho tum bhi mujhse pyar kar lo
He held her hands and dragged her along to dance with him. While everyone went awe looking at them Ragini just could not meet his eyes.
Tum jo keh do tho chaand taro ko thod lavunga mai
Inn hawavo ko inn ghatavo ko mod lavunga mai.
Kais manzar hai meri ankho me kaisa ehsaas hai
She looked into Rudra’s eyes.
Pass dariya hai dur sehra hai phir bhi kyu pyas hai.
He dragged her near to him and she collapsed on his chest
Kadmo me jahan yeh rakhdu mujhse ankhe chaar karlo
Jitna bekarar hu mai khudko bekarar karlo Meri dhadkano ko samjho tum bhi mujhse pyar karlo
Dil ne yeh kaha hai dil se mohabbat hogayi hai tumse.
He twirled her and she hit someone. It was Sanskar.
Meri yaado me mere khwabo me roz aathe ho tum
iss tarah bhala meri jaan mujhe kyu sataate ho tum.
She tried touching his cheek. He held her wrist and twirled her and moved up her jawline sending shivers down her spine as she closed her eyes feeling him so near and his clutch over her.
Teri baho se teri raho se yun na javunga mai
Yeh irada hai mera wada hai laut avunga mai.
Duniya se chura lu mera intezar karlo
Jitna bekarar hu mai khudko bekarar karlo
Meri dhadkano ko samjho mera tum bhi mujhse pyar karlo tum bhi mujhse pyar karlo….
She found him disappearing and back walked heart broken.
Kaise ankhe chaar karlu kaise aitbaar karlu
Apni dhadkano ko Kaise khudko itna bekarar karlu.
Kaise tujhko dil mai dedu kaise tujhse pyar karlu
She looked at Rudra who was happy holding her in his embrace.
The emotional riot was not going good with her and she passed out not able to handle it anymore. Rudr held her and prevented her body touching the ground.
He lifted her and walked to her room. As the doctor arrived and checked her he assured them that she was fainted due to the stress and she might have missed her food.
Sumi looked at her daughter painfully. Rudra after spending a lot of time beside her finally bid the Gadodia’s bye.
Ragini did not wake up till the morning due to the injection the doctor had injected.
***.***
Ragini distributed the sweets at her work place and moved to her cabin. She looked at the clock. Sanskar entered the cabin and looked at her.
He sure wanted to show his happiness to find her in front of him. But he cloaked his emotions behind the cold look.
Ragini walked behind him to the files room with the sweet box. “Why are you following me?” he turned to her annoyed.

“I” she stopped and forwarded the sweet box. He looked at it confused. He took the piece and bit a small part of it. “So morning morning which god did you torture you today. From which temple did you brought the sweet?” asked he.
“It isn’t the prasad” she said closing the box. He looked at her confused.
“Um. It was sent by Dadi to distribute among everyone” she said and he continued eating the sweet.
“On the occasion of my engagement yesterday” the sweet stuck into Sanskar’s throat and it tasted bitter. He coughed throwing it out.
“Are you okay?” Ragini asked him concerned. He fumed closing his eyes. Holding her wrist tightly he pushed her to the file rack.
And the force was such that hurt her back so badly that cried in pain.
“You got engaged and did not even felt like informing me?” he spat angry. His eyes were bleeding due to the anger which busted suddenly.
“Sanskar” she squeezed her eyes. “How could you?” he neared her face scaring her. She looked into his dark eyes and her heart beat galloped.
She tried getting out of his hold which just went on tightening.
“Leave me” she whispered. But he did not care to listen. He looked at her face which clearly showed her pain.

“Please. Its hurting” she cried closing her eyes. His grip loosened over her. He looked at her hand which was in his hold.
The ring shone and burned his soul. Sure he did not knew what he felt right now but it was painful. He could not understand what it was.
She collapsed on the ground and he knelt in front of her. “I…I am sorry” he moved his hand to touch her. She held her palm high stopping him.
She wiped her face and walked out from there. She immersed herself in the work not even looking at him. Sanskar hit his hand to the wall to punish himself but it did not help.
Ragini logged out of the work and looked at her phone. It flashed Rudr’s number. She received it. “Hello. Ji Rudr Ji. I’m just coming” she disconnected the call and walked out of the cabin not even looking at Sanskar.
He got up and followed her.
“Hey” Rudr moved and hugged Ragini to greet her. She felt a bit awkward. Sanskar closed his fist angry.
Rudr found Sanskar standing at a distance. He walked to Sanskar with a smile. “Hi Mr Maheshwari” Rudr forwarded his hand. Sanskar unfolded is fist and forwarded his hand.
Rudr shook his hand and felt something wet. He looked at Sanskar’s hand which was bleeding. “Gosh you are hurt” Rudr’s voice made Ragini to turn and she met Sanskar’s eyes.
Her gaze moved to his hand which was dropping the red liquid.
“Ragini get the first aid box in my jeep” Rudr held Sanskar’s hand and signed Ragini. She rushed to his jeep and brought the box.
Rudr cleaned his wound and Sanskar flinched when the antiseptic touched his fresh flesh. Ragini’s eyebrows furrowed with pain.
“Wasn’t it painful?” Rudr looked up at Sanskar. Ragini lowered her gaze and Sanskar looked at Rudr.
Tujhe Yaad na meri aayi kisi se abb kya kehna.
“Pain isn’t pain when the person who is responsible is the only cure for it” he looked at Ragini. She held her dupatta.
Why it has to turn this way. Why is she again giving chance to her heart to feel his pain. Why is she expecting anything from him. A emotion which she knew she will not be given in return.
“Thanks” Sanskar smiled weakly at Rudr and walked back to his office.
“Shall we leave?” Rudr held Ragini and she walked in the opposite direction. Sanskar turned over his shoulder to find Ragini’s hand in Rudr’s hand.
His heart broke.
Broke like never before. The heart which was dead all this time.
Ragini turned and looked at his back.
Was that all? Did it end?
****.***
Today is jubilee Day I guess.
Guilt completed 50 chapters and this completed the 25th chapter finally.
Hope you people are liking the story.
Love ?
Sally