Mishal moved and brought her out of her trance. And she came to reality and realized that she wasn’t dreaming but her husband was in front of her. How much she had prayed for this moment she had no count of it.
Then her eyes moved to Supriya who was busy praying with the closed eyes unaware of the happenings. She did not wanted Supriya to burst out seeing Raj so she collected herself quickly and walked from there. “Rag…” Raj tried stopping her. But she just walked away.
“Ragini” he found her finally near the Banyan tree. She closed her eyes painfully. His voice. His voice. She craved him to call her name all these days. Tears found their way finally to trip out of her eyes. She wanted to turn and hug him. Hug him so tight that there should be no air in between them and he never even think of going away from her. She closed her fist to control herself and gritted her teeth feeling helpless. Helpless to express herself.
He walked more close to her and his closeness increased her heart beat. “S… Stop” her voice made his steps stop. “Stop Raj. I have moved on in my life. Please don’t enter my life again. Please I beg you” she pleaded him. His heart was at highest pain. Her each word was like poison to him a sweet poison. Sarcastic life.
Her voice was which made his heart skip a beat few minutes ago and now her words were hurting him. Was she aware of his pain. He can’t expect it. He held her from her elbow and turned her and dragged her close to him. She was looking into his eyes which were filled with pain. Pain to be away from her for two full years.
In next moment his actions made her numb. He placed his lips on hers. She widened her eyes shocked. He let his tears flow from his closed eyes. He did not had better way to convey his emotions to her. His each lump of breath which she in took had number of feelings and emotions in them.
He did not care of the surrounding. He did not care where was he. He only knew his wife was near him and she was in pain equally like him. Her eyes closed in pain. She was sobbing. This moment had all the bliss of her life. The best moment of her life.
Mishal who was still in Ragini’s hold touched their cheeks which brought them to reality that they are not alone but there is a silent innocent spectator who wasn’t even aware of what they are doing. Both departed and stood embarrassed. Raj held her elbow and hugged her and placed his chin over her head.
“You know how much I missed you Nakchadi. Do you even realize?” he closed his eyes painfully. Two full years he stayed so strong but just a moment when she was so near to him everything dissolved. She controlled her cry. She could hear his heart beat which was the witness that he was speaking truth and only truth.
“I hate you” she whispered. “Don’t say what you can’t do. You never hated me and you will never” he smiled through his tears. She dragged herself out of his hold. “Don’t keep the hopes which can’t be fulfilled Raj” she looked up into his eyes and a tear dropped from her eye.
He kissed her tear. “I don’t care. I just know one thing that is I love you a lot and now I don’t know why I have become so vulnerable that I can’t breath without you anymore” he neared her face and she closed her eyes painfully.
“Ladoo” she heard Supriya’s voice and stood away from him. She was about to go but he held her wrist. “Please Raj if maa sees you here she will again insult you. Leave” she pleaded him. “I don’t care” he tightened his grip on her wrist.
“Why are you doing this Raj. Let me go. We aren’t meant for each other” she looked at him with painful eyes. “Then why don’t you move on in your life when you have accepted it” she looked at him confused. “I have already moved on Raj and better you also do the same” he closed his eyes frustrated.
He dragged her near to him and pinned her hand to her hip and held her mangalsutra. “Oh really. Then why are you wearing this? Remove this na? Oh ya I tied it right so I only should remove it na? Is there anything like that so you were waiting for me to come and release you from this unwanted meaningless marriage? Let me release you from this” he moved his hand to break it.
“No.. no” Ragini struggled to release her hand and stop him but his hold tightened more and she struggled to do that. When his hand was about to break the mangalsutra she did not had any other option so placed her lips on his lips. He opened his eyes shocked and his grip on her hand loosened and she tried dragging herself out but he held her and dragged her more close to him and enjoyed the moment.
Mishal hit his forehead with his palm. Poor fellow what and all he has to witness at this small age and that too in a Mandir. When they felt difficult to breath Raj dragged his face away from her and touched her forehead with his forehead and let out a slight chuckle.
“Now say Mrs. Khurana?” he winked at her and she blushed at his gaze. “Oh no maa” she moved her head a bit up and Mishal’s head collided with Raj’s head and he started sobbing. “Oh fish” Ragini tried controlling his cry. “Ladoo” she heard Supriya’s voice again. She relaxed Mishal who stopped crying when Raj was making faces to cool him and held him in his arms.
Ragini panicked when she saw Supriya at far who was looking other side. Raj dragged her behind the banyan tree and stood covering her in his embrace. He signed Mishal to be quite he smiled looking at Raj. Ragini had placed her head on Raj’s chest and was nervously praying that Supriya don’t see her. Raj looked down at her and smiled. She was biting her nails nervously.
“Where did this girl go at this time” Supriya looked around annoyed and was about to turn. Ragini and Raj who were peeping looked at her jerked and moved behind the tree and she hit Raj’s nose who winced. Supriya heard it and was approaching the tree. Ragini looked at him and apologized when he was glaring her rubbing his nose. “Jiji” Supriya stopped when she heard Simi’s voice and turned. “Jiji Pandit ji is calling you” Simi signed her to come. She looked back at the tree suspiciously and turned and walked back to Mandir.
“Phew” Raj and Ragini sighed at a time. They walked and sat on the bench near the tree. Raj was playing with Mishal and Ragini was lost in thoughts. “Waise I forgot to ask you whose kid is this?” Raj held Mishal’s hand. He did not get any response and looked at Ragini who was lost in thoughts. “Hey Nakchadi” he shook her and she came back to reality. “Hmm?” she looked at him. “I asked you something” he looked at her and signed Mishal.
“He is Shona’s and Ranjit bhai’s kid” Ragini held back Mishal. “Shona.. She got married?” he asked her shocked. “She got married means? She was already married when you met her. She did not tell you?” Ragini looked at him confused. His eyes widened shocked. “Gosh that topic never came up and…” he paused up and stood up. “Where is she how can she hide such big thing from me. This all confusion is due to her I wont leave her” he huffed angry. Ragini was confused her eyes turned painful. “You can’t catch her anymore. She is gone very far” a tear tripped her eye. He looked at her confused.
“What?” he asked confused. “She is no more Raj. While giving birth to Mishal she left this world” Raj collapsed on the bench beside her. “No” he gasped. He remembered Swara’s childish behavior and her antics. Him meeting her for the first time. Their fights and friendship just played in his memory. A tear dropped off his eye and he looked at Mishal blank who was playing in Ragini’s arms smiling unaware of the things around him.
How can God snatch a mother from such small kid. He saw Ragini kissing his cheek and he encircling his little hands across her neck and touching her cheek. May be he knew Ragini will have a reason to live these years away from Raj. Both Mishal and Ragini needed each other equally.
“And Mr. Blind driver why did you say she is responsible for all this confusions? You know she supported you till her last breath and you being her friend blaming her only?” Ragini looked at him disgusted. She was about to get up but he held her wrist and made her sit back. “Listen to me first” he neared her face pleading.
*******.*******
“So you thought you were marrying Shona so you told your mom to stop the engagement but you were getting engaged to me?” Ragini nodded her head annoyed. “You are hell confusing me Raj. I did not understand anything” she looked at him helplessly. He kissed her pouted lips. “Hey” she glared him but couldn’t hide her blush. “If you tempt me I can’t help it” he winked at her.
“I don’t know how to clear your confusions Ragini” he cupped her face. She looked at his hands and looked into his eyes. “But one thing I’m sure is I always loved you only and I will always love you only till I have my breath in my body” Ragini placed her finger on his lips and nodded her head looking at him and tears were at the edge of her eye. His lips curved into a smile.
“I love you too Raj” she finally confessed her feelings when he dragged her into a hug. “But I can’t go against my mom. She has gone through a lot in her life. My so called Dad left us when I was in her womb and that’s why I hate myself. My birthday always reminds maa of her fateful day when her husband left her. She had to take so many blames on her though it wasn’t her fault. She has suffered a lot. And she is scared that my life also will be like hers” Raj dragged her out of the hug and looked at her emotionally and she nodded her head.
“So this is bothering saasu mom?” he smiled. Ragini looked at him surprised for his address to Supriya. “What she is my Saasu mom officially” he shrugged his shoulder. “She is” she smiled through her tears. He rubbed her shoulder side hugging her. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine” he kissed her hair. “I trust you” she smiled and Mishal clapped looking at them.
****************************************.*************************************************
“At this time who will come” Ravi yawned and walked to the door as the bell ringed early in the morning. He opened the door and stood with half closed eyes. “Good morning Saale Saab” he opened his eyes hearing a voice. His eyes were about to pop out of the socket.
Raj bent a bit forward adjusting the straps of the back pack and smiled at Ravi widely. Ravi rubbed his eyes as he couldn’t believe is it reality or dream. “Who’s there Ravi” Supriya walked out of her room and was shocked to find Raj who waved his hands to her and bent a bit folding his hands in a namaste and smiled. “Namaste Sasu mom” he teased her.
“Maa” Ragini walked out of her room in her night dress rubbing her eyes. She looked at Supriya who was looking at the door and she followed her gaze. “What the…” she opened her mouth shocked finding Raj at the door and he winked at her biting his lower lip.