Laksh and Ram both were sitting in Dr. Abhishek's cabin the next evening. Sanskar's tests were done and the reports were in the Doctor's hands. He was surprisingly looking at the reports and then at Sanskar who was sitting along with his family.
"Dr. Maheshwari!" He addressed Ram, "I am surprised even after such a fall, there are no injuries to the brain. Even you and I know it's not possible."
"But what about amnesia?" Ram asked, "Why did Sanskar forget everything if there were no injuries?"
Abhishek took a deep breathe and looked at Sanskar. With a reassuring smile, he asked, "Mr. Maheshwari! Can you tell me, what happened when you looked at your family? Means, how did you feel?"
"I recalled everything! I mean I did not even had to recall! I felt as if I had never lost my memory!" Sanskar replied, "I knew my room! I knew where I had kept the things!"
"Thank you Mr. Maheshwari!" Abhishek replied and again looked at Ram, "Sir! After surgery in which a strong and potent anesthesia is used, we know that patients sometimes forget their relatives for an hour or two! And who better knows the mechanism than the God of forensics himself!"
Ram smiled at him. He understood the reason for Sanskar's amnesia. But Laksh did not.
"Laksh! Listen!" Ram started to explain, "When there is a head injury or a long unconscious period due to any reason, our brain connections gets loosened a bit. But in the recover period, they are formed again. Same happened with Sanskar. He did not remember anything in thise 8 months due to the fall and injury. And he did not see even a familiar face in front of himself to make him recall even a bit. But see, when familiar places and person came in front of him na, he remembered everything."
Laksh was still sitting confused.
"Mr. Maheshwari!" Abhishek took the matter in his hands, "IPS exams are very tough na! When you used to prepare for it, at some point of time, have you ever felt that you don't know a single word of that topic which you knew by heart?"
"Many times!" Laksh replied.
"But when you just saw one word of that topic, you recalled everything immediately!"
Laksh's eyes smiled. Now he understood. And so did Sanskar. But still there was a question in his mind!
"But Dr! Why did I recall everything when I saw Laksh bhai?" Sanskar asked, "I was with Swara for whole two days! In fact the only name that I remembered was Swara! But I did not recall anything!"
"Do you recall time spent with her now?" Abhishek asked with a serious face.
"No!" Sanskar replied garnering serious looks from Laksh and Ram.
"We will have a psychiatric opinion tomorrow for this! Rest all I must say, physically, mentally and with everything-cally, you are absolutely hail and healthy!" Abhishek replied and shook his hand, "Congratulations for your second chance of life!"
Those three people took an exit from the cabin and instantly found Swara coming out of the front cabin with Ragini. Her left hand was wrapped in a bandage and her forehead too, was covered in bandage. Her face was looking flushed.
"Swara! How are you?" Ram patted her hair and immediately removed his hand. She was burning with fever.
Ragini replied, "Her fever is not getting down by any means! So Dr. shah asked me to bring her here!"
Sanskar felt a deep regret seeing her like this. Her eyelids were dropping. Ragini helped her to sit on a bench and again said, "Maybe the travelling and all!"
"I....I am sorry Swara!" Sanskar said. He knew he was responsible for this condition of hers. But he never meant that.
"It was not your fault!" Swara replied and tried to smile weakly. Sharmistha too came to them with medicine in her hands.
"It was not your fault Sanskar!" Sharmistha said, "You were just agitated."
Sanskar's eyes could not bear the burden of guilt. They lowered down immediately.
"Mr. Maheshwari! I am sorry but I don't think Swara in a good state now!" Sharmistha said folding her hands.
"Take her to home! She needs rest!" Ram replied and signed Laksh to see off them to their car. But without anybody's insistance, Sanskar's hands immediately reached Swara's shoulder to support her. He knew it was not just his guilt! He knew there was a different emotion in him for Swara but he was not able to recognise that.
On the other side, Swara was too weak to even keep her eyes open now. She was completely unaware who held her. Her eyes half open and half closed, she completely leaned on Sanskar.
Ragini stepped forward to help but Sharmistha held her hand and said, "Let him do this! Swara and Sanskar, both need this!"
Ragini nodded with a smile.
Sanskar's heart was running in mixed emotions. He did not know the girl properly. She seemed like the girl whom he met just two-three days back but he felt as if he knew everything about her. Why was it happening, he left the thought for a while! Because right now, he was feeling too bad for her condition.
Gently, he made her sit in the backseat of car. Her eyes were completely closed now. He was just looking at her with intent and a little tensed for her condition.
"It is all due to the injection."
Ragini's sudden entry startled Sanskar.
"She had been given injections to lower her fever. That's why she is sedated." Ragini said and looked at Swara, "She asked me to convey a few words to you. She knew she would not be in the state if she meets you here."
Sanskar looked questioningly at her.
"She has requested you not to feel guilty of anything. You can never do this intentionally." Ragini said.
Before Sanskar could say anything, Ram, Sharmistha and Laksh reached there. Sanskar saw Swara's car going. He had so many questions in his heart. But did not have answers to anything.
It was night. Sujata got finally satisfied when she forcefully made Sanskar drink the dryfruits milkshake.
"Good! Now take rest! Me and your badi ma are going to meet Swara! Laksh told us about her condition. I will feel good only when I meet her once!"
Sujata's words again made Sanskar confused. She means a lot to his family too. But why couldn't he recall even a single memory of her!
He sat in his room and tried to recall the memories of his transfer to Delhi. The first thing he recalled were some papers which were prepared wrong. So he straight went to forensic lab and then all blank. After that, a few important events, an encounter and then too everything blank. He remembered his official events of December to April, he remembered his father was shot but did not know the reason why, be remembered Laksh and Ragini's engagement too but very foggily. To be precise, every memory in which Swara should be there, was foggy.
Knock! Knock!
Laksh was standing on the door. Sanskar smiled and asked him to come in.
"Quite tensed?" Laksh asked.
"No bhai! Nothing like that!"
Laksh pulled his ear and said, "Lier! Great!"
Sanskar looked away. He knew he could not hide things from his brother.
"You are tensed because the girl whose name was the everything you remembered, is the only person you don't remember anything about! Hai na!" Laksh asked, "And you are feeling guilty too for her condition."
Sanskar sighed. He said, "When I was taking her to her car na bhai, though I did not know anything about her, yet it seemed like she is a very important chapter which I learnt but forgot everything about! I am feeling bad for her."
Sanskar stood up and looked at moon. He said, "Bhai! You know what she did to Raja bhaiya and Dharma bhabhi, the couple who saved me. She literally fell on their feet thanking them for saving me. And I am seeing the love in her eyes for me. And here I am! Feeling no love for her! What's happening with me?"
Laksh looked at him and forwarded him a photograph of the engagement.
"Because you still love her! Feelings never die Sanskar. You just need a little time!" Laksh said, "I am feeling bad for her too. Everyone got you back tomorrow. Everyone but her!"
Sanskar nodded. He was frustrated now. Why only her!
"Sanskar! Calm down!" Laksh said.
For time being, he calmed down. But the turmoil was never ending.
It was morning. Sanskar was too eager for his psychiatric appointment. Maybe that would be the place where he would get the solution for his problem.
On the other hand, Swara was a little bit better now. And as soon as she felt good, the first thing she did was to take out her files and begin her work. The more her mind would be busy, the less she would think of her pain.
"Sanskar took a psychiatric consultation today!" Ragini informed Swara when she came back in evening, "And I suppose I should take you to schizophrenia ward myself. Who works in 101° fever?"
Swara smiled. Ragini saw her pain hidden in her smile.
"Swara! I cannot even imagine how you must be feeling! But trust me, his love is stronger than you imagine!" Ragini said patting her back, "I saw him yesterday. The way he cared for you, nobody could say he doesn't remember you. I saw the glimpse of same Sanskar in him who he used to be!"
Swara smiled a little. Ragini was right. Swara needed to calm herself down. She was thinking too much now. God had already returned him from death. He would take care of the rest.
But Sanskar was too agitated after his appointment with psychiatrist. He realised he remembered everything. But his memories have been faded from December, when he was appointed here in Delhi. Not all, but the ones that had Swara with them. The part where he was blamed with false rape charges had foggy imprint in his mind. Who helped him out of that, was still unknown to him! Although, psychiatrist told him, it was Swara who helped him, he did not recall anything.
And then the reason psychiatrist gave, made not only Sanskar, but the whole Maheshwari family stunned.
"Kavita's betrayal had cleaved Sanskar's mind. He used to associate Kavita with love. His mind tried to repress the memories of Kavita. But in it's place, it just repressed the feelings of love. And the one he associated with love when he fell from the cliff, was Swara!"
(P.s.- guys! Yes it can happen in practical life too. Neurology is very advanced. These are rare but potential complications of PTSD.)
Psychiatrist's words shook Sanskar. Would he be never able to know how falling in love was for him! Would he never be able to give love to the one who needs him the most! The way Swara was, he could surely assume that she would be the most beautiful memory of his life. But he did not remember those.
On the other hand, Swara held her head in her hand. Why was the wait not over for her! She looked at Ragini who herself was distraught of this news.
"At least he is alive!" Swara said and lay down on her bed. She had now compromised with everything. She knew she had to live like this until he recalled her memories. But what if he never!
The next morning, Sanskar came out of his room. He saw elders sitting in the hall unaware of his presence having a serious discussion.
"I don't know what will happen to Swara now! We can't blame Sanskar but we can't overlook Swara either." Sujata was saying this.
"You are right! I called Ragini too last evening. She said Swara was happy that Sanskar is back. That's it! She is compromising now!" Annapurna stated.
"What else will she do?" Durga Prasad said, "Don't know how many more problems are written in her life!"
More than a month passed like this. Sanskar was declared well fit and fine to resume his position. He was too happy to join his work back. He was too happy to see his family back. But still, guilt was etching in his heart. The fact that he couldn't recall even a memory of Swara was enough to make his nights sleepless.
Swara had finally accepted the fate. She knew forcefully making Sanskar remember anything would complicate the situation only. So she again, threw everything in God's hand. Her days started with usual early wake up and work and ended with a late return from her work. She tried to find happiness in Ragini's happiness. She felt content looking at Ram's face glowing once again. She felt good to get a glimpse of Sanskar whenever he came to pick up Ram. But he did not say anything except a hii! She was satisfied with that only.
"Swara!" Ram said one day, "You have completely stopped coming to Maheshwari mansion! Why?"
Swara chuckled and said, "Sir! My duty is over there! Sanskar is back na!"
Ram could not say anything to her. But looking at her eyes, he knew the pain behind that smile was too deep.
It was one of those evenings when Sanskar came to pick up Ram. Swara as usual looked at him and with a smile, she said, "Hii sanskar! How are you?"
"Good!" He replied.
"Good then! Bye bye!" Swara replied and moved from there.
Sanskar wanted to stop her. He always wanted to. But couldn't gather courage to do that. He did not have the guts to stare in her eyes and say anything. The guilt was consuming him.
On their way back, Ram started the conversation.
"Sanskar! Why don't you talk to Swara?"
"I don't know papa!"
"Beta! I know you want to talk to her! But you feel yourself responsible for her loneliness na!"
Sanskar just nodded. He never knew Ram would understand his emotions so well
"Beta! But this way her loneliness is just increasing!" Ram explained, "Everyone's eyes have started to glitter except her. Sanskar, not for anyone, but for the sake of your own turmoil, you need to talk to her!"