Chapter-25 Doing right
“What are you trying to infer? I’m telling you Swara, I don’t want to marry that jerk of a man.”Ragini fumed and whispered as I was taking her to the wedding mandap.
“Shut up Ragini or your mother will hear you.” I whispered giving a tight lipped smile.
She murmured something angrily.
I didn’t allow her to escape from the wedding with Laksh. There’s a better way to put an end to all this drama.
I noticed Laksh and Sanskar standing at a distance on the bar. Anyone could tell by seeing that Laksh didn’t get enough sleep since his eyes were droopy. I pitied him. Ragini was staring Laksh as though it was their last moment together. She turned her neck to look towards me with begging eyes.She was about to lose her composure. I assured her by giving a firm grip on her arm. Once I looked forward I saw an alarming and nervous expression on Tanuj’s face. Apparently he had expected Ragini to flee from her own wedding and here she was walking down the aisle. He was looking here and there nervously whilst trying to maintain a smile on his face.
Just the thing I wanted.
“I trust you.”said Ragini once Tanuj held his hand forward to take Ragini further.
With a nervous expression and shaking hands she held his hands and sat to perform her rituals.
I kept on staring Tanuj but he chose not to maintain any eye contact and sat beside Ragini.
Sanskar’s POV
“Are you okay?”I asked Laksh once Swara settled Ragini beside Tanuj.
“I don’t know what to think–“he said raking his hair”–but I trust Swara.She won’t let Ragini down.”he smiled weakly.
I saw the proud faces of bride and groom’s parents who were showering their love and affection to their children.
‘What a proud moment.’ I murmured.
When the ceremony started I found Swara advancing back towards the hotel. I followed her instinctively and matched her pace.
“You’re following me again, aren’t you?”Swara frowned while I smiled sheepishly.
“Where are we heading?”I asked curiously.
“You mean where am I heading while you follow me around?”she said again giving her victorious smile.
“Yeah yeah…”I trailed off.
“…By the way Swara, I know you actually love the fact that I follow you around like this. I mean who won’t…”I said waiting for her reaction. Now I expect her to get nervous and buzz me off with a sarcastic remark.
“Not now Sanskar.”she tried shutting me while it was me smiling victoriously now.
We were standing in front of one of the hotel room’s now.
“If I am not wrong isn’t this Ahaana’s room?” I stated while Swara was unlocking the door.
“Where did you get the key from?” I frowned and Swara was still keeping quiet and ignoring me.
She opened the door wide open and called out-
“Dhruv…?”
We entered further finding a boy of about two or three playing in his cot.
Everything was crystal clear now.
Tanuj and Ahaana owned a baby.
“WHAT? WHEN?WHERE?WHY?!”I said voluntarily taking a step back and doing weird actions with my hands.
“It would take no genius to understand the situation now, isn’t it Dhruv?”stated Swara as she started cuddling with Dhruv who was playing with Swara’s hair.
I wasn’t listening to Swara now,all I could do was to adore at the sight of Swara playing with Dhruv.How can anyone be this beautiful and yet so pure.?
Her eyes crinkled each time Dhruv went into a series of giggles. She tickled him and he replied with indistinct words and a shrill of laughter.
“Aww Sanskar aren’t you the cutest when confused.”she said suddenly pinching my cheeks while laughing at my “cuteness”.
I held her wrist when suddenly she realised what she was doing. She cleared her throat before continuing-
“Let’s go and save Ragini.”she said awkwardly not meeting my eyes.
“Swara…are you going to take Dhruv in front of everyone, it’ll be a shame for Tanuj,Ahaana and of course Dhruv.”I stated the obvious,unsure to let Swara go further and do whatever was in her mind.
Swara patted Dhruv’s back as he cooed in her neck.
“I know what I am doing. Could you please lock the door?”she smiled and passed me the keys.
“You’re not going to reveal anything to me, aren’t you?”I said maintaining a poker face.
“Wait.”I stopped Swara as we started pacing to the gathering.
I stood in front of her and grabbed her shoulders she creased her eyes in suspicion.
“I am not going to kiss you “I laughter it out even though I desperately wanted to.
“I wanted to point out-“I minimised the distance between our faces while Dhruv was still resting in the crook of her neck. She started backing her face away while I continued to grow closer.
“What?…”she whispered.
“I wanted to point out don’t we three just look so perfect together. Like a perfect happy family who lived happily ever after.”I said with twinkling eyes and left her shoulders laughing at the look on her face.
“Are you done? Shall we go now?”she said again advancing in her steps. I bet she hid a smile,or was it a blush?
Why did I do that?
I wonder why I always behave so naive in front of Swara. I feel really comfortable around her as if I am truly being myself. I love the fact that due to my strange antics she laughs and smiles. I left my trance and started following her again.
Once we were out in the arena Swara and I started finding our way through the people who had circled around the wedding mandap.
I followed Swara as she purposely stood right in front of Tanuj and Ragini.
After seeing Tanuj, Dhruv started clapping his hands and smiling ear to ear. Some moments later Tanuj finally spared a look in our direction. From the look on his face anyone could tell he was extremely devastated seeing Dhruv right in front of him in his own wedding. Swara was giving a piercing look to Tanuj as if warning him to confess everything.
“Stop all this.”she mouthed.
Tanuj was visibly shaking and couldn’t redirect his eyes anywhere except Dhruv.
Next thing I find is Ahaana coming in the front while Swara handed over Dhruv to Ahaana.
With glistened eyes Ahaana stood in place of Swara-right in front of Tanuj.
Tanuj’s features softened and he started removing his turban.
The priest stopped chanting the mantras while everyone started whispering,clueless about everything happening in front of them.
Ragini snapped in Tanuj’s direction and then towards me and Swara. I know Swara must be smiling widely as Ragini visibly relaxed.
Tanuj stood up and held out his hand to support Ragini to stand up. He advanced towards Ahaana and Dhruv. Tanuj’s and Ragini’s parents were utterly shocked just like others.
“I’m sorry.”he said to Ahaana and held Dhruv in his arms. She nodded emotionally almost crying.
Everyone was extremely confused and were taking indistinctly with each other.
Tanuj looked in Swara’s direction who was smiling encouragingly. After heaving a long sigh he finally broke his silence.
“Mother… Father I don’t want to marry Ragini. I’m in love with Ahaana and Dhruv is my child. He is my son. I should have told about this long back but didn’t have the guts to says so. But if I won’t speak today I never will. I didn’t mean to insult or offend neither you nor Ragini’s parents in front of these many people.”he paused and held Ahaana’s hand.
“But the truth is the truth. I love Ahaana and can’t stop myself from doing so. I’ve always been taught to keep my family legacy over everything but what’s the use of that when you have to live with guilt all your life.”Tanuj’s parents silently stood there bewildered with whatever was happening in front of them.
Ragini’s mother came and stood by her looking accusingly towards Tanuj’s parents.
I saw Swara slapping her forehead lightly after seeing Ragini who was trying really hard to hide her happiness.
“It’s not their fault Mr. and Mrs. Murthy.”Tanuj told Ragini’s parents.
“It’s mine and I take all responsibility.”
**
A/N:
This chapter may be boring to some as it didn’t focus much on SwaSan but the story has to move on.
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