Sanskar closed the door as Laksh went out. While changing, he was trying to absorb Laksh's words. He always knew Laksh had more ideas about dealing with emotions. He was always the clueless one.
He tried to remember his old self who was deeply in love with Swara already. How would he have reacted in this situation!
Your memories are lost! Not your personality!
Swara's words echoed in his ears again. She was right. His older self would have reacted the same! But neither his older self, nor the new one was correct! He needed to cater her emotional needs as well. Thank God Laksh saved him from doing damage beyond repair.
Sitting next to Swara, he gently covered her properly with comforter. Suddenly Swara stirred in her sleep. Turning herself towards him, she gently opened her eyes.
"You woke up! What happened?" Sanskar asked.
"Nothing!" Swara said and smiled, "You came so late. Is everything fine?"
Sanskar wanted to tell her about the impending danger that was awaiting to harm her. He wanted to tell her how frightened he was right now for her! He wanted to tell her what just one day of absence of her voice in his life could do to him! But he knew it was not the right time.
"Yes!" He replied.
"Lier!" Swara again said and suddenly realised where she was!
"Oh! I am sorry!" Swara said suddenly trying to get up from bed but fell down back on it immediately.
"No need Swara! I am comfortable this way too!" Sanskar blurted and without letting her say anything, he kept his finger on her lips, "It's not the time to think much. It's not the time to say much! Please take rest and get better soon!"
"But...."
"Shhhh! I said na I am comfortable. In fact, I feel better this way!"
Sanskar's words met with confused eyes of Swara. Sanskar realised what he just said.
She will think you as a creepy pervert, his brain screamed.
This is the truth. Look how warm and comfortable you are feeling with her, his heart longed.
This is not the way you should have disclosed things to her, brain again yelled
You shut up! See, how beautiful she is looking with her eyes closed. Heart smiled.
Swara had indeed fallen back asleep. Sanskar calmed down the chatter of his heart and brain, corrected Swara's pillow, turned towards her and closed his eyes.
It was morning. Sanskar's eyes opened at his usual time. But he did not find Swara near him on bed. He quickly got up just to find her standing near the mirror getting ready.
"You got up! How are you feeling?" Sanskar said, "And what was the need to take a bath this early in morning?"
Swara's hair were wet too. She was shivering a little.
"I did not want to. But shower was turned on. So, I got drenched completely." Swara replied.
Sanskar got a deja vu. He got a flashback in which, Swara was saying the same thing to him, but in a hotel setting.
"What happened?" Swara asked.
"Did it happen before too?" Sanskar asked.
Swara smiled. A glitter beautified her gaze.
"Yes!" She replied, "in Manali! I..."
"Went out to get medicine for me in drenched hair amidst smow storm!" Sanskar did not let her conplete the sentence.
Swara smiled again. With a nod, she said, "So finally, you recalled a little."
It was evening. Both Sanskar and Laksh came back from the office together. Though it was a hectic day, Sanskar did not forget to text and call Swara, just for reminding her of her medicine and meals. He knew Swara was well aware of taking care of herself, but he felt really good when he heard her voice assuring him again and again that she was better now.
But as soon as they entered, unexpectedly, Sujata and Annapoorna came and hugged Laksh tightly. Their faces were filled with a glow which Sanskar had never witnessed before.
"Ma! Badi ma! I will choke from your love!" Laksh said.
Sanskar left them on the door. He was not able to decipher the reason for the sudden shower of love on his brother. He thought to ask Swara. Straight, he entered his room but was a little confused not to find Swara there.
After a few minutes, Swara entered the room. For the first time, Sanskar saw her dancing with every footstep. It seemed all her weakness had vanished. She came inside and as soon as she saw Sanskar, she jumped with joy. Her eyes were glowing.
"Swara! What happened?" Sanskar couldn't resist a smile when he saw her so happy.
"Sanskar! Sanskar!" Swara ran towards him and jumped like a kid again.
"What happened?" He again asked.
"Sanskar! Ragu...." Swara was not able to say.
"What happened?" He asked third time.
"Sanskar! You..... Chachu...." Swara finally said as much as she could. But that was enough for him to understand. The way Laksh was showered with love, the way Swara was bouncing like a basketball, informed everything.
"What?" Sanskar almost yelled with joy. And the next moment, Swara felt herself being lifted up from the ground, with Sanskar's arms around her waist and then the whole room spun around her.
Sanskar was dancing with joy carrying Swara in her arms. Both of their happiness knew no bounds today.
"Swara! Swara this is the best news! This is the best one!" He was continuously saying.
"Sanskar! I am so happy!" Swara was saying too, "I was waiting for you to come home quickly."
Ahem! Ahem!
They both got startled. They first looked at the door which was opened and Laksh and Sujata were standing there, and then realised their position. Swara was still in Sanskar's arms.
Both of them got separated as if an electric shock threw them away from each other.
"Close the door from next time, you shameless creatures!" Laksh said with an expression so fake, that even Kailash who was passing from there could not resist his laughter.
"Shameless! Who?" Sanskar said and ran towards Laksh. For next few minutes, Sanskar and Laksh ran in the whole house like Tom and Jerry which got stopped as soon as Sanskar saw Ragini.
"Congratulations!" Sanskar said with a soft smile.
After having a great dinner, Sanskar came inside kitchen.
"What happened bhaiya?" Kailash asked. Sanskar said something to Kailash and he smiled.
"And ha bhiya! You need to include yourself too in this!" Sanskar said and left the kitchen.
Swara was finally feeling tired again. Happiness made her forget about her health. But now, when she sat on the bed, she realised how much tired she was!
She kept her head on the headboard but did not realise when she slipped into slumber.
Sanskar was on the way to his room when he found Laksh carrying a box of chocolates to the room. Sanskar laughed devilishly. This was the time to tease his brother afterall.
"Bhai!" Sanskar said blocking his way.
"What?" Laksh asked.
"How fast you are! Haa!" Sanskar tesed him.
"Fast! Me?" Laksh said laughing again, "I have been in relationship with your bhabhi for more than one year. Still I waited for marriage!"
Sanskar again smiled devilishly. He took one chocolate from the box and said, "4 months bhai! Good progress though!"
"Progress ke bachhe! Your wife will kick you if she found you teasing me by her sister's name!" Laksh said, "Now leave from the here! I need to meet Ragini! I have not even thanked her properly for special gift!"
Sanskar smiled and moved aside. But not before taking the whole chocolate box from his hand.
"Return that back!" Laksh fumed, "Or I will tell Swara!"
"Tell her! Go on!" Sanskar was busy finding the chocolate of his choice from the box just like a little kid.
"Not 5star! It's Ragini's favourite!" Laksh tried to snatch it from him but his reflexes were faster.
"Sanskar Maheshwari! Return that to me!"
"Noways! You are so fast na! Then snatch it from me!"
"Fast! Me! You have beaten me in race already bhai!"
Laksh's words made the chocolate slip from Sanskar's hands. Laksh caught the chocolate in mid way and laughed devilishly at him.
"What?" Sanskar exclaimed.
"You are jumping as if you have done a sin! She is Swara! You loved her then! You were vulnerable!" Laksh said with the innocent face of a pitbull.
Sanskar scratched his head. Laksh laughing devilishly again, "You can never beat your elder brother in teasing!"
Laksh went away but Sanskar stood there only. He calculated the months. He came here in dec, Kavita's case happened in March. And he disappeared in April.
"It's not possible!" Sanskar thought.
Why not! You loved her! I feel deeper connection to her! His heart yelled again.
Shut up! I would never allowed Sanskar to do something like that! His brain scolded heart.
You keep quite. It's your fault that you forgot such a sweet love of mine! How dare you mix her with Kavita! Heart scolded brain.
Sanskar decided not to trust Laksh's words. He may be teasing him just.
Ask Swara! She will give answer! Brain suggested.
But what will Sanskar ask!
Hey Swara! Did we got physical before our disappearance?
Creepy! That would all she think of him if he asked this way.
Sanskar took a deep breathe. Was there a point of asking her this! Does it even matter!
Yes! I want to know each and every moment of my forgotten love story. Just imagine how beautiful would it be! Heart ordered.
In his thoughts, Sanskar entered hia room. All the chaos get quite immediately as he saw Swara's sweet face, pale yet charming, on the headboard of bed. Her eyes were closed.
"Swara!" Sanskar called her. He knew she forgot to take her medicine.
Swara opened her eyes.
"You forgot medicines na!" Sanskar said.
After giving her medicine, he asked, "Tired?"
Swara denied. But her eyes agreed.
"Why denial in front of me when I can clearly see that you are tired?"
Swara chuckled at his question.
"Actually I am very happy today! I will count this as the one of the happiest days of my life!" Swara said. Her tired face lit up with euphoria again.
"Acha! Tell me what are the most happy days of your life yet?" Sanskar questioned. He was feeling happy seeing her face lit up.
"Oh! Yes! My days with Janki ma! And then, well she left me!" Swara said, "And then I met Ragini!"
"Oh! And then?"
"Then when I got selected in medical!"
Sanskar wanted to hear about him. But Swara was purposely teasing him.
"And then what! Then toh everything is happy na!"
Sanskar glared at her and smiled tightly. Swara laughed looking at him and said, "Acha baba! Now final wale happy days. With you!"
Sanskar smiled and chukled, "Continue Dr Sahiba!"
"My most beautiful evening was with you in Manali. That evening told me everything about you. We did not talk much! But the silence was enough to understand you." Swara said looking at his eyes, "You always wonder na how come I get to know what you are feeling! It's because that day, you shed every boundary of yours in front of me. And I realised how lucky I was!"
"Really?" Sanskar asked, "I wish I could remember that night!"
"Doesn't matter now! We are together na! We will create millions of memories more!" Swara said and held Sanskar's hand lightly. Sanskar felt butterflies in his belly. Her touch was electrifying. Did she know what he was feeling for her!
"Swara! I wish to relive each and every memory with you. You get fine soon. The first thing we will do is to book a ticket for Manali!"
Swara nodded and laughed again.
Sanskar took a deep breathe. Maybe it was high time he had withheld things in his mind and heart. Maybe it was high time he needed to confess his feelings. Things need not be dramatic in life. There was no right time to do things. Nobody had seen the future.
"Swara! I... I need to tell you something!" Sanskar said. His voice trembled a little. A sudden nervousness engulfed his heart. Though Swara was his wife, he felt as if he did not know the reply from her. What if she said no!
Swara looked keenly at him. There was thunderstorm outside. But Sanskar's forehead was sweating. She could sense nervousness in him. Though she had idea about his emotions but she did not think he would confess so soon. A smile ran on her lips. A blush painted her cheek. A river of tears brimmed from her eyes. The love she was longing for was finally hers again. Her wait was over. God had returned her Sanskar to her completely once again.
"Sanskar!" Swara said, "You know! We were sitting like this only, when you asked me about my feelings!"
Sanskar looked at her. Just by looking at her eyes, he knew she knew everything. The heart's connection was stronger than he thought.
"Swara!" Sanskar could say this before his voice choked too. He could witness a love so pure in her eyes that he would die thousand times and return back for her. Now he realised what kept him alive!
"I know!" Swara said. She gently held his hand and lightly kissed him on his palm. There was no need for words. There was no need for formalities. She knew! He knew! Their eyes were speaking.
Sanskar gently wiped her tears. The next moment, Swara engulfed him in a hug. He never felt so calm in his life. Though he was sobbing too, for the reason he himself did not know, a sense of fulfillment filled up his heart. He never knew hugs could be so beautiful.
"Thank you Sanskar!" Swara was sobbing. The feel of getting your lost love back was something unexplainable.
"See! Even after loosing my memory too, I fell in love with you all over again!"
Swara smiled amidst her tears. She did not know when her eyes closed while hugging him. But Sanskar realised. Tonight, he did not want to be away from her. So, he placed her on the bed gently, came closer to her and hugged her gently till he fell asleep too.
Author's note:
A very very happy new year everyone! I may not be able to update regularly for next 2 months! Actually schedule is gonna be tight for me these months. But I promise to update as soon as I get time!
Thank you so much for your love and happy reading!