The Maheswari Mansion aroused to witness another beautiful dawn listening to the soulful voices of Swaragini. A smile sprouted on Sanskar's face as the sun rays peeped through the window to wake him up along with the music. It has been two months from RagSan marriage. The life at Maheswari Mansion as well as Badi experienced a remarkable peacefulness these days. Days started with the morning puja and ended with dinner where the whole family ate together.
The romance of younger couple was evident as air, new couple continued to be in their 'best friends' tag while the 'matured' couple remained as it was. In short, everyday turned out to be blissful in their life.
"Do bring the book for me. Please Sanskar." It has been two days since Ragini asked Sanskar to get the books home which her friend handed over to him at his office.
"Okay." Sanskar sighed; he's going to forget again for sure. "Yaar, remind me about it around six in the evening. I'll probably forget it." He said scratching his head.
"Do you have lice in your head?"
Sanskar twitched his lips on her sudden question. "What made you ask that?"
"You always scratch your head like a monkey. So..." Ragini grinned on the change of his expressions.
"How will I have lice? My seniors used to say the only chance of having lice in a man's head is after marriage. You know... In my condition, even after that..." Sanskar slowly shortened his reasoning on realizing what he was blurting out.
"Do you mean that I'm unhygienic? How can you think that I have lice in my head?" Ragini narrowed her eyes keeping her hands on her hips.
Sanskar heaved a sigh as Ragini failed to catch the angle in which he said. "No. Actually..."
"Err.. How's your back pain?" She asked with concern cutting his words on seeing him holding his back in between.
"It's better now. Will be alright by evening." Sanskar blinked his eyes.
"What else do you expect? Coiling yourself in that couch will result in this only. Even then, don't leave your adamancy."
"Ragz..." Sanskar whined and pulled her cheeks. "It's time for office. You can lecture me after dinner."
Ragini bid adieu to everyone for office. The ladies have gone to the temple in morning; she couldn't.
On entering 'their' room, a smile crept over her face. The smell of Jasmine! She looked over; a jasmine scented candle was kept lighten on the table. 'Of course; Sanskar!' She thought. With these days, he knows how to make her feel good when she gets extra-moody.
The post-marriage rituals were conducted on that day itself making Ragini tired. After the strenuous day, she was made sit on, from now onwards, 'their' bed. Her heart was pounding on as if it would pull apart her skin and appear before her eyes asking her the reason of its torture. 'It's Sanskar.' She convinced herself and looked around to lessen her unwanted tension. The whole room was serene; lighten up by jasmine scented candles and some flowers while fairy lights lightened the balcony. Swara and Parineeti had made sure that nothing goes awkward between the couples in their 'first night'. A sudden tranquility rushed into her as the jasmine scent began to lull her.
Sanskar's condition was no less. He thought of not going inside 'his turned their' room to give space to his Ragz.
"I can't make her uncomfortable." Sanky bit his nails while talking to Laksh and Adarsh. The brother duo had accepted defeat in enlightening their newly-married brother. Arrival of dulha's bhabhis finally made a positive conclusion to the unwanted worry.
The crease on his forehead disappeared on the moment he entered the room. The small smile playing on Ragini's face soothed his heart gaining an ounce of confidence. There was awkwardness in the initial moments of their togetherness in 'their' room.
Sensing it, Sanskar suggested in his normal mode, "Ragz, what a day! I will sleep in the study. You change to something comfortable."
Ragini nodded her head with a smile. Both of them changed themselves into their usual white night wears, finally getting freedom from the heavy wedding dress.
"Sanskar" Ragini called out Sanskar on seeing him preparing to move himself out to the study after their small chat about their 'big day'. "We need to get comfortable to each other. Moving to study won't help in that." Ragini said fidgeting her fingers. She wanted to try to make their relation work even though some aspects were beyond her comfortable zone as of now. But she couldn't step back.
"Okay, Ragz. You sleep on bed; I'll adjust on the couch." Sanskar smiled on seeing her nervousness.
"You on couch!" Ragini exclaimed. "No way. You take the bed. I'll sleep on either couch or floor." She declared.
"Seriously! Ragz, you won't be comfortable."
"Same goes to you too Mr."
Both held their serious expression, bursting into a light laughter a moment later. Their first argument after marriage!
"We will take turns the other day. Fine?" Sanskar finally made the solution.
"He put forward the solution. Now see. He is only suffering. Ziddi Chora (Adamant boy)." Ragini smiled shaking her heads.
The two months of marriage was better than what RagSan had thought. They understood each other more, became comfortable with each other, became each other's support and the trust level hit the peak. The late night talks, once-in-a-while coffee, small flower bouquet on his return of outdoor meetings and their journey to Badi with continuous chattering made it blissful. It was complete yet incomplete.
Ragini's relation with Laksh improved with days. Though, they had distance between them. While the bond of sisters deepened further. Swara ensured that she was always there for Ragini and the other way round. She comforted Ragini in her awful days handling both their duties together while Ragini supported her sister in her arguments with Laksh which used to last for couple of days, though it is playful.
"Am I imagining your cheeks being flushed?" Ragini asked Swara who was stealing glances unusually after returning from temple.
Swara nodded her head while Ragini rolled her eyes on the weird behavoiur of her sister. She raised Swara's chin making her face Ragini and found a slight pout on Swara's lips making her look further cute.
"Someone stole your chocolate?" Ragini asked chuckling.
"No dee." Swara whined pulling Ragini to her room. "Wo... Chachi.." She stuttered.
"Huh! I want to hear this year itself. Why are you stuttering before me? And what did Sujatha Maa tell?"
"Baby." Swara said covering her face in shyness and distress.
"Baby? I'm not Laksh. Why are you calling me 'baby'?"
Swara banged her head with her hands. "From when did you become Swara? Ragu, not that baby.. But BABY.." Swara stressed on the last word.
"Baby?" Ragini made faces processing what she heard from Swara and her eyes widened as the realization struck her. "Baby!" She exclaimed. "I'm going to become Maasi?" She yelled questioning in excitement.
"Don't yell Ragu... It's not what you think."
Ragini silenced herself as the excitement drained out of her. "Then what?"
"Chachi suggested me to think about planning a family." Swara pouted.
"Ohho... Wait, are you embarrassed? Did she say..."
"No Ragu. Chachi told me personally. In fact, she just teased me. But that shows that they are expecting it, no?" A worry flashed across Swara's face while Ragini listened to her. "It's not that we don't plan to. But, it needs a little more time. At least one more year. But, I don't want to disappoint them also." Swara sighed in distress.
"You won't disappoint anyone, Shona. Don't get tensed. We will explain to maa if she talks about it again." Ragini tried to make Swara relax.
"If this subject comes up..." Swara's words were cut by Ragini.
"....Pari bhabhi will be downhearted."
"Yeah, that's what Laksh and I were also thinking. Adarsh bhai is elder that Laksh. So..."
"So...." Ragini stretched the word in thoughts. "Do you remember about what I told when I was in Banaras?"
"What?" Swara stared Ragini twitching her eyebrows.
***
"Maa." Swara approached Annapurna and Sujatha who were sitting in the drawing room sipping their tea, followed by Ragini.
"Maa, woh.." Swara stuttered confusing both Annapurna and Sujatha.
"What happened?" Annapurna enquired.
"We wanted to talk about something since morning." Swara initiated the conversation. She kneeled besides Annapurna keeping her hands in Annapurna's lap. "We wanted to talk to both of you, ask both of you."
"What happened Chori? Why are you making us tensed?" Sujatha asked worried making Ragini kneel besides her.
"Chachi, the matter you said while returning back from temple." Swara stated making Annapurna and Sujatha smile. But reminiscing that she wants 'to ask something', their smile faded slowly.
"Swara, it's just that, she teased you. Don't get worried. There is no pressure." Annapurna said trying to bring a smile on her face.
"Maa, Pari bhabhi is elder that us. Then how can we?" Swara asked Annapurna, shortening her words which followed a silence.
"We all know about it Swara. We don't want to hurt her."
"Even our happiness will sting her heart, Maa. None of us want that."
"What else we can do Swara?" Sujatha asked. "Your child will be all of ours child, no? Pari can give equal love to the child."
"But the contentment of having own child won't be there, Maa." Ragini placed her hands on Sujatha's lap holding her hand. "Maa, in Banaras, there is an aunty in Dida's neighborhood. Her daughter is a gynecologist. We used to talk over phone. Once, I mentioned about bhabhi. She had suggested to consult a doctor, if possible, her. She will help us in this matter. Why can't we do this? I forgot about this amid the chaos of marriage."
"Ragini but..." Annapurna tried to reply but Swara intervened.
"Maa, let us complete please. You can take time for deciding, thinking well. We didn't want to take a step ignoring her."
Ragini continued, "Maa, how you would feel if Sanskar and Uttara were not there? And maa, what about you if Adarsh bhai and Laksh were not there? We would never like to see bhabhi agonizing over her voidness in life."
"We can try Chachi. It won't make us lose anything but may give happiness." Swara stated.
Annapurna caressed Swara, "I understand and agree also. She deserves the happiness. But, what if she gets more disappointed from this?"
"Maa..." Ragini shifted in between the mother-in-laws. "Why are we thinking negatively? Dr.Neha is very capable and selfless. We can trust her. I know, it's all a chance. But if this goes wrong also, we can think of, err, adoption."
"Hmmm. Girls are right bhabhi. We should think about it." Sujatha supported Swaragini. "Adoption matter is not easy. Bhaisaab has to agree, Adarsh and Parineeta have to agree. But we can first convince to visit the doctor, what name you said, Megha."
Ragini released the breath she had been holding unknowingly. "Maa, she's Neha not Megha." She giggled.
***
Annapurna, Sujatha and the daughter-in-laws were sitting in former's room. Four of them were silent, busy staring Parineeta, tensed about her reaction. It needs to be discussed with her first; she is the one who needs to be ready. Convincing others is a silly matter compared to this.
The depth of silence increased making the ladies more nervous. Parineeta pulled her sight up, directing them to the four women sitting before her. Her eyes brimmed with tears which inflected a slight pain in everyone's heart. The silent tears turned into sobs pushing others into grief as they neared her to comfort her.
As Annapurna placed her hand on Pari's cheek to caress, she hugged her back not able to control her emotions while Sujatha caressed over her hair.
"It's okay Pari." Annapurna consoled her. "It's all up to you. We want you to be happy. Your devaranis want you to be happy. You need to be strong now."
Annapurna held her chin and made her face them. Amidst the flowing tears, Pari's lips stretched into a smile following which she nodded her head in a 'yes'. Both Annapurna and Sujatha embraced her and conveyed their happiness through pecking her forehead.
Left were the three daughter-in-laws of the house, in Parineeta's room, in silence. None of them knew what and where to start with.
"Thank you." Pari mumbled in between her silent, slow tears.
Swaragini had a layer of tear in their eyes as they hugged Pari together.
"Jethaniji doesn't thanks devaranis; they just orders." Swara said in between cupping Pari's face.
***
"Means, I will be a chachaji soon?" Laksh asked in excitement.
"Yeah. Well, chachi suggested to make you a papa initially, then changed the plan to make chachaji." Swara said leaving behind a bewildered Laksh.
____________________________________
Hey guys! Back again but a little late.
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@lucky_lakshmi @chandrasejar and all others, thank you again and again.
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