He was lying in the snow. The bullet in his back was hurting him badly. He did not have the capability to move a bone. Then he saw someone coming towards him. He knew he saw the face but did not remember it.
"Help me!" He said.
The person came near him and laughed a cruel laugh. There were words too, but he was not able to decipher. And then, all blank.
Sanskar woke up with a cold sweat on his face. He looked at the time. It was 2:30. He was having these recurrent nightmares since his return. Who was that person!
A strange feeling of anxiety was taking over him. His psychiatrist had informed him about this anxiety. But no amount of preinformation would ease his anxiety now. He felt a sudden panic too. He did not have any idea but he knew he had to catch the person anyhow otherwise he would harm......... his mind suddenly stopped. For the first time, he realised the person wanted to harm Swara. And for the first time from his past memories, Swara's face flashed in front of him.
He was tensed for Swara before his memory gave away. But why! Who would decide to harm Swara! And the person knew what Swara meant to him!
He immediately reached out to his phone. He did not think anything and dialed Swara's number immediately. But cancelled the call.
Sanskar! She must be tired. His brain said.
I had to agree, though reluctantly, with the brain , his heart replied.
Sanskar was too distraught when he saw Swara calling him. He smiled, cursed himself for waking her up at this time and picked up the call.
"Sanskar! You fine na?" Swara asked. There was a visible worry in her voice. And it was obvious. He had called her for the first time this late at night. He was sure too, that he would never have called her at this time earlier in a relationship too.
"I am fine! You sleep!" Sanskar replied. He knew he couldn't lie. But he did not want to increase her anxiety too.
"No! I know you are not!" Swara replied.
"Swara! You must be tired. Please sleep!" Sanskar said.
"Sanskar! It's okay. I understand you don't want to tell me. But trust me, it's all over." Swara's words were calm and composed, "You are with your family. You are safe here!"
Swara's words were calming. He felt as if his panic was getting subsided. But he wanted to tell her that it was her safety he feared for!
"Thank you Swara!" Sanskar said.
"It's okay! And you are free to call me anytime. I will be there for you!" Swara replied.
As she cancelled the call, though with calmness, Sanskar begin to think what could be someone's enmity with Swara! Yes, for few cases and all, she must have gathered a few opponents. But who must be this cruel.
He shuddered a little just by the thought of any harm to Swara. He then looked at her photograph in his phone. Her innocent eyes, sweet face and soft demeanor, if a person still could think of even hurting her, he would surely not fit to be categorised as human.
Next morning, Sanskar was having breakfast and Laksh was busy selecting sarees and jwellery to be given to Ragini from their side.
"Kya ma! This green one is much better. But you are placing this red one above!" Laksh was eating Sujata's brains.
"Offo! Do one thing! You decorate Ragini's gift box. Okay?" Annapurna said, "Thank God Ragini is very understanding. Otherwise anyone else would have broke up with you till now."
"And you! Mind it! Ragini will look much beautiful in red than green!" Sujata, with her fake anger, threw a yellow coloured saree too at him, "Keep this too!"
She then turned towards Sanskar. He was peacefully having his breakfast and waa busy in his work. Occasionally, he was smiling at Laksh's antics.
"Sanskar! Don't you want to select sarees for Swara too?" Sujata asked.
Spoon was about to fall down from his hands at Sujata's words. Saree, and him, noways!
"Ha Sanskar! At least have a look at these too!" Annapurna said, "I suppose this pink one will look good on her!"
Sanskar smiled gently. The saree was really good. He said, "You all decide! I don't have much idea!"
Laksh came near him and said, "Sanskar! What to do with idea! Just imagine Swara in that saree! You will instantly realise!"
And then, imagining Ragini in red saree, laksh said, "Ma! You are right. Ragini will look better in red."
Laksh pulled a reluctant Sanskar to the hall.
"Now choose!" Annapurna said.
Sanskar did not have any idea about these things. But since he had to do, so he started looking at the sarees. He found an orange coloured saree. It was soft, light and elegant.
"Ma! This one!" Sanskar said taking it out. Annapurna looked at Sujata.
"Beta! This is good! But why this one?" Sujata asked, "There are other bridal ones too! Have a look at them too!"
Sanskar looked at them. They were beautiful but definitely heavy on weight.
"Ma! Maybe other ones will be uncomfortable for her. See! This is soft na!" Sanskar said, "Rest all are beautiful too. You asked for my choice so I took out one!"
Sujata looked at Sanskar with love. With a gentle smile, she took that saree and kept with other heavy bridal sarees she selected for Swara.
After few minutes, both Sanskar and Laksh were on the way to their headquarters.
"You look a little tensed Sanskar!" Laksh said, "Don't worry! Ragini told me! Bridal sarees are heavy but ma had selected the most comfortable ones for their daughters in law. Your Swara will not crush under their weight."
Sanskar chuckled. He said, "You all asked me! So I chose! I feel she will look beautiful in every saree!"
"Oooooo! So someone is falling in love!" Laksh laughed hard. He was genuinely happy for his brother.
"Bhai! I need to tell you something!" Sanskar said. He told him everything about his nightmare. Laksh looked at him a little anxiously.
"You don't remember the face, the words! You just remember the intentions?" Laksh asked.
"Yes bhai! And I am tensed for Swara now!" Sanskar said, "Why do I feel Kavita is behind these things?"
"Kavita is in asylum. I have seen her yesterday only." Laksh replied. With a smile, he said, "Don't worry! They thought she will be alone after you have gone. But God sent you back na!"
Sanskar nodded. But his anxiety was not ready to be cleared.
It was evening. Swara was sitting in her room looking at the jhumkas Sanskar gave her. She smiled and kept it with things she needed to take with her to her new home. She never felt such mixed feelings in her entire life. This was her home. Her father, her brother and her choti ma too! And that would be her home too! On one side, she was happy to be with Sanskar, on the other, She needed to leave her parents.
She was lost in her emotions when she heard footsteps. Silently, she wiped her tears and looked at the door. Ragini had just came inside. There were tears in her eyes too. Swara did not demand any explanation. She knew the reason.
"Ragu!" Swara said, "You know the best thing!"
"That at least we both will be together na!" Ragini smiled through her tears and hugged Swara. Both sisters cried a little and laughed a little more.
It was the day of Haldi ceremony. Amidst sweet gestures of family and relatives, ceremony took place in a cheerful manner. Though, Swara saw Shekhar wiping his eyes hiding from everyone. Sharmistha was about to cry too when she deliberately let out a nervous laugh.
Mehandi ceremony took place in a good manner too. Laksh, who was happily agreed for applying mehandi to his hand was telling a reluctant Sanskar the importance of mehandi.
"Sanskar! You know! Darker the stain, more the love from the lover!"
"I know! I have seen movies too!" Sanskar replied staring at him and his other friends who were holding him tightly while artist was applying it on his hands.
It was night. Sanskar was finally allowed to wash off the stain now. When the relatives saw the colour, the teasings started. The stain was so dark. Though Sanskar brushed it off as a coincidence, he was blushing secretly. Because he knew about Swara's love for him.
It was late at night when Sanskar finally retired to his room. Though tired, sleep was miles away from his eyes. He was wondering how his life changed. He remembered how he loved Kavita! But never felt what actually being loved back feel like! How much broken he was after those accusations. How he decided to took his life! How he thought he would never be able to love someone else! How he thought himself as an animal! Though he did not remember how Swara entered his life! But he thanked God for the moment! Just by hearing about Swara's gestures towards him, a smile ran over his face. And now, he was becoming hers, forever!
He took a deep breathe. He decided to take things at their own pace. He promised himself that for a girl like Swara, he would never keep his ego in front of her! She had enough of cries because of him in these months! Now, he won't let even a tear out of her eyes!
It was the Sangeet ceremony. Sanskar looked at Laksh, who had prepared a surprise dance for Ragini, practicing his steps.
"Bhai! Bas! Enough!" Sanskar said.
"Sanskar! You won't understand!" Laksh said, "This dance should be perfect. Otherwise Ragini will tease me for entire life!"
"Seriously?" Sanskar asked raising his eyebrows.
"Yes!"
They were sitting waiting for their would be brides. And they came. Ragini in a light blue coloured gown, complimenting Laksh's dark blue blazer! And behind her was Swara. Sanskar felt as if heart would stop at any moment. She was wearing a lavender coloured long gown, her hair and makeup the most elegant and a beautiful smile to die for. She stopped as soon as her eyes looked at Sanskar.
The couples were sitting together while dance performance of Cousins and extended families were entertaining them.
And then, with both Swara and Ragini were called on stage for dance. That was a mixed number but Sanskar was so lost in Swara's beauty that he forgot to even notice the songs. She danced beautifully. When she returned, Sanskar couldn't help himself to stop from complimenting her.
"You danced beautifully!" Sanskar said.
"Only dance? Am I not beautiful?" Swara teased him a little, "So sad! I am breaking off this marriage!"
"Don't you even dare to!" Sanskar said and winked at her.
Laksh's dance performance was lovely too. Though he said he did this to be proven better by Ragini, everyone knew it was just to bring a smile on Ragini's face. Afterall, she too waited a lot for him. The way she took care not only of him but his family too, was rare to be found.
Swara was happily looking at the performance and then at Ragini who was secretly wiping her tears and smiling. After all the choice of songs was the playlist which Ragini created for Laksh when he was recovering.
Sanskar was feeling happiest too. For his brother, he always dreamt of a love who would support him in every ups and downs of his life. And Ragini was definitely the one. Looking at happy tears of both his brother and would be bhabhi, he felt immense happiness too.
"I am sorry Swara! I didn't make you feel special today!" Sanskar said in a low voice to Swara. Swara turned towards him at once and winked at him.
"Everyone has their own way of showing love." Swara smiled, "And I accepted you in your way only. You and I are getting married, that is the most special thing for me."
Sanskar smiled but did not say anything. He was not able to understand how she could understand everything.
He did not know what was coming next. Cousins were cousins after all. And for once, he saw Laksh smiling devilishly at him too.
One of his cousin, Piya, came on the stage and started a very bad acting of finding something. Nikhil, who was hosting the night asked, "Piya! What are you trying to find?"
"My jhumka!"
Sanskar knew what was next. He hid his face in his palms and Swara too was laughing.
"There is only one jhumka thief here!" Nikhil said and both Piya and him, pointed towards Sanskar.
Suddenly, his other cousins came, and lifted him up on their shoulders and threw him on the stage. Swara covered her face with her palms.
"Sanskar Bhai!" One cousin asked, "Why you took jhumka with you? What's so special in it?"
Before Sanskar could reply, another one took the mic and said, "That jhumka travelled all thr way to Kashmir and back!"
Sanskar was laugh heartily. He finally stood up and threatened to beat them with his eyes. But Nikhil came in between and said, "From our secret sources, I got to know that you sing even better than Swara di. Earlier I thought to call her but she already did her part in engagement. So why not you?"
Sanskar looked at Nikhil who was smiling ear to ear. He then looked at Laksh who was smiling devilishly at him and Ragini was hitting him. His family, his relatives and everyone wad there. He had not even talked to Swara in front of anyone freely. And here, they made him stood on stage and asking for a song to her.
His gaze then fell over Swara who was just smiling at him. Her smile was calming. Her smile gave him a little confidence. This girl made him believe in love all over again. This girl reduced his doubts of being an animal to ashes. This girl did so much for him and was ready to do it again. This girl seemed like the destination he always wanted to reach but never knew!
He finally took the mic. Yes he has sang on stage earlier too, but never for a girl. Maybe because he never knew what falling in love was! But now, he knew he was falling for her a little more everyday.
Taking a deep breathe, he said on mic, "Dr. Bose!"
Swara looked at him instantly.
"I am lucky to be your husband."
A blush ran over Swara's face. And she lowered her gaze. But the next song made her look at him once again.
Aapki manzil hu main
Meri manzil aap hain
Swara knew the song. But she never imagined Sanskar would dedicate this to her.
Kyu main toofan se daru
Mera sahil aap hain
Swara was lost in his voice. She could now feel the trust of him in these words.
Koi toofano se keh de
Mil gaya sahil mujhe
Aapki nazro ne samjha
Pyar ke kabil mujhe
With a huge round of applause, Sanskar stopped his song and looked at Swara. World knew him as the most daring, bravest one but he knew, Swara was braver than him. He knew he was safe with Swara! And she was her home!