TUM MILE

Chapter 2

Ragini and Nikhil knew that there was no point of arguing. They both looked at each other and then at Sharmistha. Sharmistha lowered her gaze and zoomed out of room.

"Nikhil! It's your day! Go and celebrate!" Swara tried to plaster a smile on her lips.

"Didi! I want both of you with me!" Nikhil requested again, "Ma never assumes you as her child. She just hates you because papa adopted you without her consent."

"Shhhh! She doesn't hate me. You see, she always care for me when I am sick. She even thanked me that I taught you. She just does not show this to me!" Swara replied with a sweet smile, "Now! Don't you think about me! Enjoy! And bring a chocolate for me when you come back! Okay!"

Nikhil went out of the room leaving Ragini and Swara alone. Ragini looked at Swara with pity mixed with love.

"I wish Nikhil never gets to know that I am the illegitimate child of papa!" Swara said closing her eyes with pain and helplessness.

"You are papa's child. That's it!" Ragini said sternly.

"I was 15 when papa took me here. You were 14. We both were above to understand the word illegitimate. But Nikhil was not. This made up story is for society and him. Not for us Ragini!" Swara said. She took out album from her closet and opened it. Her photograph with Janki, Swara's real mom , was smiling back at her.
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"Shekhar! How can you bring your illegitimate child to me ask me to give mother's love to her" Sharmistha was yelling at the top of her lungs. Sitting on the sofa set, was Swara with her head bent low.

"Janki was my girlfriend in college. I didn't even know that I had a daughter from her." Shekhar too was yelling at Sharmistha, "Janki died 7 days back. Before that, she called me and gave Swara's responsibility to me!"

Swara tried to close her ears.

"And you took the responsibility." Sharmistha started to cry now. Infidelity was something which no woman in this world could tolerate. And the fruit of her husband's infidelity was standing before her. How could she keep calm!

"I did the paternity test too. She is my daughter indeed!" Shekhar replied, "Janki had no one and Swara too!"

Sharmistha looked at 15 year old Swara who was trying to hold back her tears. The girl had just lost her mother. And now, she discovered that she was illegitimate child of her father.

Swara stood up. Janki had taught her to leave the place at once where her self respect was getting harmed. So she took her bag and started to move towards front gate when someone held her hand.

"Where are you going?" Sharmistha said in a stern voice.

Swara looked back at her and with tears in her eyes, she replied, "I don't want to be a burden on you. I am going somewhere else! I told Shekhar sir to not take me here. Ma told me everything. I am sorry! But I don't want to live here!"

Sharmistha wiped her tears. Gently, yet sternly she said, "I am angry with your father. You can never understand my pain neither I wish you to understand. It's not your fault, I know!"

Swara looked at Sharmistha with eyes widened in astonishment and so was Shekhar.

"You are staying here Swara! You will stay here." Sharmistha replied and looked at Shekhar, "Don't expect me to shower the love of a mother over Swara! I am not that great nor I want to be. But I am not so heartless too to allow a child to be away from her father."

Ragini and Nikhil bonded with Swara soon. Nobody could tell that they are not real siblings. But Sharmistha, her pain was known to her only. She behaved sternly with Swara but never failed to complete her responsibility. Attending Swara's school meetings to taking care of her when she was ill, Sharmistha did everything. The only duty she failed was giving the love of a mother to Swara.
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"Ragini! Go and change!" Swara reminded Ragini with a smile again.

Ragini nodded.

There was nobody at home now. Swara was preparing chai for herself. She was humming a beautiful song in her beautiful voice. She loved to sing and so did Ragini. Did not know why, she was singing the song which was describing love in a beautiful way.

Tum mile toh ab kya hai kami
Tum mile toh duniya mil gayi

Doorbell rang interrupting her singing session. Swara opened the door and when she saw the person who was standing there, her eyes widened with anger.

"You! Here!" She said looking at Sanskar, "From my lab to my home!"

Sanskar too frowned back at her.

"Look! That was a misunderstanding!" He tried to explain in the least angry manner he could.

"Listen! Just get out of here!" Swara said fiercely.

"This time you are misunderstanding me madame!" Sanskar replied, "I have come here to meet Shekhar sir!"

Swara got confused. And this made Sanskar chuckle a little, " Dr. Swara! I am sorry for the morning."

Astonished, she asked, "Who are you?"

"Ips Sanskar Maheshwari. Deputy head of ATS. And your Ram sir's younger son!" Sanskar chuckled again, "Laksh bhai told me about you and I am really sorry for the misunderstanding of morning."

Swara's mouth hung wide open at this. She was thinking that the guy would be some jerk who got so proud to be called a policeman, but this man was humble who accepted his mistake.

"Oh! Mr. Maheshwari! Please come in!" Swara felt a little awkward, "Papa is not at home right now. Would you like to wait?"

"Nah! It's okay! Just tell him that I came to meet him. Nice meeting you Dr Swara! And sorry once again!" Sanskar turned back to leave. As he stepped out, Swara called him. Even she did not know what made her do so! Was it the humbleness of him with which he apologized! Was it because he was Ragini's boyfriend's brother! Was it because he was Ram sir's son! Or was it because she was impressed that while questioning her in morning, he never even once mentioned that who he was!

Sanskar turned and said, "Yes!"

"You want to have tea! I have just made it. You came to our home for the first time." Swara asked curtly.

Sanskar scratched his head lightly at the sudden change of behaviour of Swara. But he agreed.

"Thank you so much Dr. Bose!" Sanskar said. They finished the tea as he narrated the reason of his action to her.

"Papa scolded me so bad. I am really too hot tempered. " Sanskar said and he finished his cup of tea with the last sip. On the other hand, Swara was smiling as she listened the story. She did not realise when her tea got finished.

"May I take your leave Dr. Bose?" Sanskar asked.

"Sure! I will tell papa that you had come!" Swara replied.

Sanskar left but his charm was imprinted ovet Swara's heart. There was something different about this man, thought Swara. He was short tempered yet so humble. And she did not realise when she slept.

On the other hand, Sanskar was in his room that night, smiling lovingly towards stars.

"Sanskar! You haven't slept yet?" Laksh came in his room without knocking.

"Not feeling sleepy!" Sanskar said again looking at stars.

"I heard that you had tea with Dr. Swara! Good going!" Laksh teased him.

Sanskar smiled little and replied, "Do you even think so?"

"Why not? Isn't it my birth right to tease you?"

"After all that happened to me, do you think I can ever love someone!" Sanskar asked looking at Laksh.

"Come on Sanskar! It's been more than 5 years." Laksh replied and sat beside him, "Kavita is your bitter past. Forget her!"

"I have forgotten her! But I have forgotten how to love too." Sanskar replied.

Laksh smiled. He knew that there will definitely be someone who is going to wipe the bloody tears that Kavita gave Sanskar.