SECOND CHANCE (Chapter 33)

Ragini opened her eyes and scanned around the place. She slowly sat up on the bed and realised that she was in a hospital room.
She was totally bewildered and shocked.
She couldn’t remember anything. She couldn’t even remember her own name, who she was, who was the guy who hugged her and why was she here????
All these questions haunted her and thinking about it gave immense pain to her head.
Just then she saw the doctor along with the guy who had previously hugged her, enter her ward. The doctor then checked her.

D: don’t worry miss. You are as fit as a horse now. You will be soon discharged from here. Maybe within a day or so.

R: but doc, who am I??? Why am I not able to remember anything???

D: I’m really sorry to say this, but you had a memory loss after your accident. I think he can tell you more about yourself (pointing to Laksh). OK then, I’ll leave now.

The nurse leaves from there and Laksh comes and sits next to her. She continues to stare him for a while and after sometime Ragini initiated to speak.

R: Do you know me? (Laksh nods). Then who am? How come I came here??

L: Raghida– that’s your name.
Actually, both of us had went to a party few days back after which you were driving back alone, and you met with an accident and was admitted here.

Ragini was about to ask him something more when two middle aged women came into the ward. They went towards Ragini and caressed her hair.

W1: Thank goodness you are fine, my child. The doc informed me about your condition.
Don’t worry, everything will be alright.

R: who are you? How do you know me?

W2: welll, I’m Josephine and this is Martha.
We both are from the Sunshine Orphanage and you are a part of it.
We found you when you were barely 6 months old and from then, you had been staying with us.

Ragini looks at them with her face clearly displaying confusion and shock.

M: I know child, it would be really difficult for you to digest this fact, but believe us this is the truth.

They then showed her some files and documents that showed her to be Raghida and some of her photographs with them (those were all fake).
During this time, Laksh walks out and waits outside.
Ragini was taking in, inside her that she is Raghida.

R(holding Martha’s hands): can I ask you something???

M: sure.

R: do you know the guy who was here a while ago??? (Martha nods yes). Is he a part of our orphanage??? (She nods no). Then who was he?? How does he know me???

M: he was Laksh.
You both love each other. You were classmates from your college days and then eventually you both fell in love.

Ragini looked at them with a confused expression.

J: I know it won’t be easy for you to believe whatever we say but don’t worry, we are always there with you and everything will be alright.

Ragini bonded well with both the ladies and she started trusting what they say. Tgat day she refused to meet Laksh saying she was tired but the reality was that her heart was not letting her to meet him. She felt as if she was missing a major part of her soul. Her conscience also told her that someone very near to her wanted her very much. But she ignored all such intuitions.

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Ragini had been discharged from the hospital and Laksh along with Josephine and Martha were present there with her. Laksh helped her in to the car and they drove off. Soon they reached the Sunshine Orphanage and all headed in. Ragini developed a good bond with all the people there and they all spend a good time. All the people there acted as if they knew her from ages.

After a while Raglak were left alone.

L: Rags, I’m really happy you are alright.
(Ragini smiles)
I know you might be confused about who am I and all that….

R: actually, Martha told me about you…… I mean, about ‘us’.

L: oh… And….

R: and… I don’t know, I don’t remember how our relationship had been but….. you see…… I need time to digest all these.

L: sure. Take as much time as you want.
But, we could still remain friends, na.

R(smiling): sure Laksh. Thanks for understanding.

L: call me Lucky, like you always used to.

They then talked for a while and after sometime Laksh was called in and he excused himself and went from there while he kept his phone there itself.
Just then his phone beeps due to the arrival of some message and Ragini noticed that he had left his phone.
She was about to go in to give it to him, when she noticed the wallpaper on his screen.
It had a photo of the two of them, with Ragini kissing Laksh on his cheeks while Laksh was smiling. It was a selfie of them. She noticed that how happy both of them were looking at it and kept on staring at it for some time.
Meanwhile, Laksh was seeing this with a smirk on his face.

Laksh soon came back and Ragini immediately kept his phone aside. They both then talked for some more time and she started feeling comfortable around him.

R: Lucky, will you pls take me to your place, whenever you are free. I wanna see your house.

L: why do you wanna wait?? Come, let’s go right now.

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On entering inside Laksh’s house, Ragini was dumbstruck to see the whole house filled with Raglak’s different pictures. She scanned her eyes keenly around each and every one of the pics.
They spent some time there and Laksh also showed her some videos of them- their fights, their masti, their cute moments and all. By seeing all these Ragini’s mind was convinced that she was really happy around him, but to het dismay her heart denied it and she felt as if she is missin something in all these. (All these photographs and videos were the ones when they were in a relationship, while she stayed in London). Just then Ragini noticed 2 portraits hanging on the wall with garlands around them.

R: Lucky, who are they???

L: they are my parents…. Actually, they died in an accident last year.

R: oh….. I am really sorry….

L: no, that’s fine.

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It has been almost 1 week since Ragini had been in Sunshine Orphanage. During this short span of time, she had completely transformed into Raghida from Ragini, even without her conscience. Even Raglak bond grew stronger.
Laksh created circumstances such that Ragini was confused between her mind and heart and her mind always won the battle.

One day Laksh asked Ragini to shift to his house, as he wanted her to be near him and she agreed as she trusted him and even the orphanage authorities encouraged her decision.
Soon she shifted to Laksh’s and even started building her own career.

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Ragini gets up with a jerk from her bed, sweating badly. She looked really tensed. Immediately she got up from her bed and went towards Laksh’s room and found him sleeping soundly. She breathed a sigh of relief and went back to her room.
Ragini stood by the window looking out thinking deeply.

Her Pov:

Why am I feeling so restless??? Why do I feel like someone really close to my heart is in immense pain and why does it feel like he/she needs me very badly?? Why do I often get these tears when I’m actually not ment to shed them.
Actually I should be happy that even after me being an orphan, I got someone who loves me this immensely and who stands by me, but it feels like all this is a deja vu and there is something even beyond, which I hadn’t acknowledged till now.
I know Lucky loves me and that is all I want. It has been almost 1 year, but why do I still feel incomplete?? It seems as if I’m missin an integral part of my life.Why am I not able to understand what my heart says???

And these weird dreams of a couple….. why are they haunting me??? I’m not able to properly see whom they are except for the eyes of the man??? Why do I feel like I have a connection with all these???
What does all these dreams signify and why do I get them every day????

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One day Raglak were coming back to their house after a bit of roaming around the city that it started raining. Since the pour was really heavy they decided to halt at a lonely road till the rain reduces.

Ragini got out of the car and allowed the water droplets drain through her with her hands open. Just then Laksh came out from the car totally mesmerized in her. He came close to her and tucked her hair behind her locks and leaned forward to her lips and she closed her eyes. As soon as she closed her eyes she got some flashes of a boy and a girl kissing and she pulled herself out from Laksh’s hold with a jerk. She didn’t knew what to say and inorder to remove the awkwardness between them she said “you should wait till our marriage” as that was the only excuse that came up in her mind.
Soon the rain stopped and they drove back to their house.

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Laksh was sitting on his knees holding a velvet box infront of Ragini, with a beautiful ring in it.
Ragini was just staring at him with her face clearly displaying confusion.

L: Raghida, pls say fast na… My knees are hurting…… Will you marry me???

Ragini after taking a deep breath in and releasing it said yes and Laksh slid the ring through her finger. He then got up and hugged her tight.
Even though Ragini was smiling, it was not from her heart. It had almost been 3 years since her accident and during this time she had came to know how much Laksh is crazy about her and even she was happy around him. But it still took her some time to say yes to this proposal and she herself didn’t had an answer to why.

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R: Lucky pls na….. I had always wanted to go to India. I really wanna go…. Pls pls pls…

L: Rags, a no means a no. You are not going to India and that’s final. See, you don’t know anything about the city and how could you stay there alone.

R: I’m not alone na… You would be there with me after a week….

L: Ok then, if you are still adamant then you too come along with me. Why do you wanna go early???

R: ohho, pls yaar Lucky, we are gettin married next month, let me enjoy my Bachelorette life….. Pls pls yaar…. Try to understand….

L: you try to understand Rags….

After a whole lot of pleading, ignorance and showing those puppy faces of Ragini, Laksh had to give in and allowed her to go only on the condition that she should call him every day and inform about all that happened in a day.

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Hey guys, belated new year wishes to you all.
I know I’m a bit toooo late. Sorry for that and hope you all enjoyed reading it.
I clearly don’t know when I would be able to post the next part as I’m really badly stuck among my xms and practicals.
So, I’ll upload only when I get time.

Take care and stay blessed…..