Thanks everyone once again for liking the cncept…… here is the next part, hope you like it……
Recap: Sanskar’s Change of Decision……
Chapter 5
Sanskar: well I thought of your words about her and when you are so confident then I can at least give her a chance… after all we shouldn’t judge people on their looks.
Sanjeet: (gladly) you are right… I will inform her tomorrow.
Sanskar: thank you Mr. Das and good night.
Sanjeet: good night.
Sanskar disconnects the call and moved to his bed. He had a strange habit of recalling all the events of the day since morning till night, before sleeping. But today when he closed his eyes to recall everything, it was little different.
Sanskar’s POV
I called Mr. Das and told him about my decision. He sounded happy. Mom’s word compelled me to change my decision. I realized that I had done the same mistake like mom and that is “judging a person without even trying”. I love my mom because she always made me correct. It was almost mid night and I was completely exhausted due to the hectic schedule of the day. So, I have decided to call off the day and moved to bed. I had to start my journey early in the morning to Bhopal, so it was important for me to have a good sleep of few hours. I made myself lie on the bed and started to recall the happenings of the whole day. But something was troubling me it was her face… whenever I was trying to recall anything I end up remembering her and her innocent face. I was shocked, it never happened before. May be her tragic story was made a mark on me. Irritated with all this I decided to sleep.
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It was a sunny morning. Everything was looking fresh and crystal clear due to yesterday’s heavy rain. Swara’s sleep was disturbed by her mother’s wake up call. She stood up, took her clothes and moved to washroom. After some time she came out of the washroom and started combing her hair. Suddenly something struck her and she lost in her thoughts. She startled when she felt a touch on her shoulder.
Sharmishta: (concerned) Shona… what are you thinking?
Swara: (turned to her) Ma! You scared me…
Sharmishtha: (worriedly) Is something troubling you?
Swara: (smiled at her) nothing like that Ma… (She looked herself in the mirror and asked her mother) Ma, do I look like a kid?
Sharmishtha laughed at her question. But Swara was in no mood to joke, she gave an angry glare to her mother.
Sharmishtha: (holding her laugh) ok ok….I am sorry, but why are you asking this? Did anyone say this to you?
Swara: (avoiding her mother’s eyes) no mom…. Don’t think so much. I am asking just like that.
Sharmishtha: (cupping her face) do you know what differentiate a child from a mature person? (Swara looked at her confusingly) it’s the innocence and purity of the heart which reflects on the face. And so is the case with you dear, your heart is as innocent and pure as a kid.
Swara: (hugging her mother) but Ma this is not an answer to my question.
Sharmishtha: (patting her cheeks) my daughter is a beautiful grown up women, now happy!
Swara: (shook her head) you are impossible Ma. (They smiled at each other and moved towards hall)
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Sanjeet’s house
He was having his breakfast silently with a smile on his face. Bushra noticed this and was curious to know the reason of his happiness.
Bushra: (sipping the soup) someone is looking so cheerful today. Got a girlfriend?
Sanjeet: (smiled) I made this mistake once in my life and still regretting.
Bushra: (angrily) so you are regretting being with me?
He looked at his wife’s frowned face and laughed a little.
Sanjeet: Bushra we have been married for almost 25 years and sometimes you still behave like a kid. To cut the further argument he diverted the topic “well you want to know about the reason of my smile?”
Bushra: (anxiously) off course… tell me.
Sanjeet: well I am happy for Swara, finally she got a good job.
She gave a confused and a questionable look to him. And then he told him about everything that how Swara asked him to find a job for her and how he managed to fulfill the needs of both Swara and Sanskar, and about final victory. While he was proudly narrating the whole story to her, she was lost in her own thoughts.
Bushra: (blankly) why she didn’t mention anything about it to me?
Sanjeet: (noticed her dilemma) because she knew that you won’t be happy about it or may try to manipulate her.
Bushra: Are you happy with this? Do you want her to take up a job?
Sanjeet: (in serious tone) Bushra, it is not about what you want and what I want, it is about what she wants. And I have tried my best to make her understand that there is no need for her to do all this, I am here with them and we will manage together. But you know her more than me, how she is. So, I thought if I can’t help her directly there are other ways. And believe me this is the best we can do for her.
Bushra: (worriedly) Do you think this is best for her? I mean she has to work for Sanskar Maheshwari and people don’t talk good about him. I heard he is a misogynist (one who hates women).
Sanjeet: (laughed out loud) from when you started believing in all this gossips? It is nothing like that people just exaggerates things. If he is not in a relationship with any woman that doesn’t mean he is a misogynist. I agree he dislikes the women who drool over him and try to lure him. But he is not a cruel man at all. I know him and his family for a quite long and Maheshwari mansion is the safest place for Swara to work.
Bushra: (satisfied with his words) ok if you are so confident about him, then I have no problem. But I am surprised how Sharmishtha agreed for this.
Sanjeet: (mischievous smile) who said she agreed? We have to make her agree. So we are going to Shekhar’s house. Get ready we will leave after lunch.
Leaving behind a baffled Bushra, Sanjeet moved to his office to make an important call.
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Shekhar’s house
Swara was helping Ashwin in preparing his bag for school. As usual he was getting late. Sharmishtha was busy in scolding him while doing her kitchen work. Swara passed him lunch box and water bottle.
Swara: (angrily) Ashu you are in sixth standard and behave like a nursery kid. You know when I was in my sixth standard I used to pack my bag all by myself and never got late for my class.
Ashwin: (irritated) because you never went to school by bus like me.
His words made her look at him with pain and guilt. Guilt of how his little brother has to suffer and she can’t do anything for him. She remembered when her father was alive how he used to drop him at school every day and driver brings him back to home. The life was so easy for him but now everything changed. Ashwin heard the horn of bus. He quickly picked his bag and bottle and ran away saying a bye to her sister and mother. She was still lost in her thoughts, her eyes brimmed with tears. Sharmishtha called her stating that her phone is ringing. She slowly whipped her tears came back to the hall. She picked her cell phone and looked at the screen. It was Sanjeet’s call.
Swara: hello uncle…. How are you? And how is aunty?
Sanjeet: we both are fine princess. How are you all?
Swara: everyone here is fine.
Sanjeet: (cheerfully) princess I called you to tell that Mr. Maheshwari agreed to give you this job. He called me last night and told me that you can join after a week.
Swara: (hesitantly) Uncle I am sorry but I don’t think I can work for him.
Sanjeet: (shocked) princess… what happened? Are you sure you don’t want this job?
Swara: Uncle I know I troubled you a lot to find a job for me and when you came up with one now I am denying but it seems like it will be very difficult for me to work for a person like him.
Sanjeet: (calmly) ok princess I won’t force you but just want to tell you that you are doing same mistake what Sanskar had done when he saw you for the first time. Don’t judge people before even trying. He is a nice person and a great employer. This is a good opportunity for you. By taking up this job you can financially support your family as you wanted and simultaneously can also prepare for your scholarship exams. So, just give it a thought and let me know ok.
Swara: (confused) ok uncle … I will call you to inform about my decision.
Sanjeet: good… take your time and just let me know. I hope you will take right decision. Bye and take care.
Swara: bye uncle
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Swara’s POV
I was wondering why he changed his decision. The person who brutally rejected me a day before now wanted me to take up this job, but why? Did uncle persuade him to change his decision? No, I know him he will never do that. He is not a person who believes in using his influences for his own profit. Then why he wanted to appoint me? This question kept on bugging my head. I told myself that the thing is not what that man wanted me to do, the point is what I wanted. “Am I ready to take up this job”, I asked myself? I know our condition was miserable and this is not the time to think emotionally but practically. I was thinking about Ma and Ashu. We need money to lead a good life. Moreover, I didn’t want Ashu to suffer anymore. He deserves much better life and this job was offering me an opportunity to do that. I analyzed all pros and cons of my decision and made up my mind. Without wasting anytime I called uncle and told him about my decision, he was sounding happy. But I was worried about ma, I knew it would be difficult to make her agree for this. I discussed about this with uncle and he assured me that will handle it. And I know he is very good at persuasion.
After talking to Sanjeet she looked at the picture of her father kept on the side table of her room.
Swara: (broken voice) baba, please bless me for my new beginning. I need your support.
She took the photo frame, kept it close to her heart and lied down on the bed thinking that soon her life going to change.
Precap: Sanskar tells Siya and family about new governess….