Here is the last chapter :
Sumi was moving with her hands back. Ragini and Vikram were looking at her like small kids waiting for the punishment.
“From how many days are you hiding this from me?” asked she crossing her arms across the chest.
Vikram gave her a sheepish smile. “Maa wo…” he was interrupted by Ragini “Maa I came to know a month ago. But bhayyu likes Sriti bhabi from two years” “Ragu” Vikram glared her to shut her mouth.
“What? Now when Maa also knows that you like. No no. You love Sriti. I can call her Bhabi right?” Ragini looked at Vikram innocently.
“Chup” he whispered dragging her near. Sumi narrowed her eyes looking at Vikram who blushed caressing his hair.
“So when are you going to propose her?” Sumi smiled and Vikram looked at her shocked.
“My mumma is the bestest” Ragini jumped and hugged Sumi who was surprised and finally smiled holding Ragini’s hands.
“See Bhayyu even mumma wants Sriti only as her daughter in law but you are backing off. Darpok Bhai” Ragini teased Vikram.
“But” he said confused. “But what?” asked Sumi caressing his hair. He hugged her burying his head in her bosom. .
“If she says no?” he whispered. Sumi and Ragini looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Phattu Bhai” Ragini spoke in between her giggles. Vikram stood pouting.
“Awww” Sumi and Ragini pulled his cheeks from either side and placed their head on his shoulder. He smiled looking at them.
“Ragu” Sriti entered Asthana home shocking three of them. “Ragu ragu ragu” Sriti walked to Ragini and twirled holding her happily.
“Stop it Sriti Dee” Ragini stopped her when she felt dizzy. “Oops I’m sorry” Sriti bit her tongue.
“Did she hear our conversation? Why is she so happy?” Sumi whispered in Vikram’s ears whose eyes widened with shock as he looked at Sriti who stood panting for breath.
“You know Lucky had called. He said Diya’s last patient has gained consciousness finally.” Sriti hugged Ragini.
“Sachi?” Ragini asked excited. Sriti nodded her head positively.
“Laksh is moving to London with Uncle so I have to shift to Indore. She is still recovering so I need to be there” said Sriti and Vikram’s face fell.
“You are going back to Indore?” Ragini asked shocked.
“Haa. Tomorrow” Sriti said and Ragini smiled at her sadly. She looked at Vikram when Sriti walked to Sumi and hugged her.
‘Say her’ Ragini signed Vikram who stood blank. He smiled weakly when Sriti stood in front of him.
“Happy Journey” he shook Sriti’s hand who returned him a “Thank you” with smile.
Ragini crossed her arms glaring Vikram who just watched Sriti.
“Come beta have food” Sumi took Sriti to dining table and served her.
“When will you say Bhayyu? After she gets married to someone hold a whiskey bottle and sing Altaf Raja song ‘Tum tho tehra Pardesi…'” Ragini huffed angry.
Vikram chuckled in that serious situation also.
“Why don’t you let me be sad for even nanoseconds?” asked he looking at Ragini.
“Because my Bhayyu doesn’t deserve this. He deserves the happiness of every nanosecond. And if he want to punish himself then also I want to stop him” she said with twinkling eyes.
“But if she says no then that rejection is painful than this” he said looking at Ragini. “And plus her ignorance” he looked down.
“Bhayyu don’t live your life on ifs and buts. Consequences are always hard to guess and sometime way painful but they don’t lead our life. We lead it” Ragini placed her hand on his shoulder.
When he looked at her she gave him an assuring nod.
After the dinner Sriti talked with Ragini and Sumi for sometime while Vikram was processing his thoughts not able to decide what should he do.
“Acha aunty” Sriti stood after looking at the watch to leave. Vikram’s heart started beating fast as he looked at her when she smiled waving him a bye.
His body suddenly felt numb.
“Sriti” she turned hearing her name and found Vikram on his knees.
She looked at him puzzled. His voice was stuck in his throat.
Ragini knelt beside him surprising him and Sriti.
“My bhayyu is dumbo. He realizes everything late. What to do not sharp like me na?” Ragini chuckled through her tears.
“But he is very good. Not just good he is the best. He is the best brother in the world and I know he never gives upon any relationship. See I don’t even know who I am but one thing I know is I’m his Ragu bacha and he is my bhayyu. This was possible because all those days I disappointed him saying I don’t remember anything he never gave upon me. He held me close to his heart and made me accept this” she wiped the tear.
“Ragu” Vikram held her shoulders.
“He loves you Sriti.” she looked up at Sriti with her twinkling eyes. “Will you be my bhabi and accept this bholu bhayyu of mine?” she asked innocently.
Sriti was overwhelmed. She knelt in front of them and held both of their cheeks with her two hands.
“You both are irresistibly cute” she smiled through her tear filled eyes.
“Say Yes or No na Srit…” Ragini stopped pouting. “What am I supposed to add after your name?” she bent her head looking at Sriti.
“Add bhabi of course” Sriti giggled and hugged Ragini and Vikram together.
“How can I reject the cutest proposal of Global history” she dragged herself out and looked at Ragini emotionally.
Ragini hugged her again happily. Finally her Bhayyu’s life is going to be sorted. He was getting what he wanted.
Vikram looked at them both. A thought that might be Sriti accepted him because of Ragini pricked his heart.
“Damn” Sriti hit the punctured Tyre of her car as she walked out of Asthana house to leave.
“What happened?” asked Vikram coming to her. “Flat Tyre” she pouted looking at him. He smiled at her cuteness.
“Let me fix it” he moved but was pushed again by Ragini.
“Bhai don’t be so Kanjus. Drop Bhabi home on your bike” She stopped near his bike and Sriti followed smiling looking at Ragini. “Oh haa” Vikram realized that he has other way also.
“Bhudhu Bhai” Ragini hit his forehead. He sheepishly caressed his head. As Sriti mounted behind him he started the bike and accelerated it towards Sriti’s home. Ragini stood smiling looking at them.
“Good night” Vikram said when Sriti got down at her home. “Vikram” she stopped him. “Hmmm?” he looked at her puzzled. “You don’t have anything to say?” asked Sriti fiddling her dupatta. “Um” he swallowed hard. She moved close to him and looked up at him.
“I….” Vikram stood fumbling. She lifted herself with the help of her toes and kissed his cheek just near his lips and his eyes widened in shock. “You have to cover the remaining distance” she said blushing.
“Sriti” she looked into his eyes. “I love you” he looked at her waiting for her response. “I love you too idiot” she hugged him and he stood caressing her head.
“I thought you are accepting me out of compulsion” he said and she dragged herself out of the hug.
“You really are Budhu. I accepted you because I love you too. I waited waited and waited that some day you will be on your knees proposing me but it did not happen. I actually…” she looked down.
“Actually what?” he asked her. “I only punctured the car so that you can come to leave me and I thought I will only propose you” she looked up at him innocently. His eyes had the shock which he could not digest.
“So all these days when you said your car is punctured or it is gone for servicing you did it purposely?” he looked at her and she nodded her head giving him a sheepish smile.
“What could I do? I was not sure of your feelings. Like you always behaved like you care for me but I could never guess that whether you love me or not and….” she looked at him and found him smiling at her.
He leaned and covered the distance between them placing his lips on her lips. She dangled her hands across his neck and they were lost in their own world.
“I love you” he touched her forehead with his. “I love you too” she said smiling.
“Indore” she said pouting reminding him that she will be leaving to Indore morning.
“I will not bind you to me Sriti. You have your dreams and I want you to fulfill it. First fulfill them then we will think about marriage. I don’t want you to compromise with your dreams. I will wait for you” he caressed her forehead lovingly.
She smiled hugging him.
He placed his chin over her head smiling. Life looked easy when she was with him.
***.***
Laksh walked to the ward where she was sitting on the bed. “Hey Ragvi” he dragged her attention and she moved herself wiping the tears over her face.
“You did not tell me anything about your family” he sat in front of her.
“Family” her mind played the memories of her family where she always was stuck to her elder sister and her brother teasing her and her mother caring for her.
“I…” it pained her.
“I don’t have a family” she remembered Kumud and Sahil’s marriage.
She remembered how she controlled her emotions on that day.
****Flashback***
Sahil and Kumud sat on the mandap and were smiling. Ragvi ran to her room not able to control her emotions. She slid down leaning to the door crying.
After some time she heard a knocking on her room door. She wiped her tears and opened the door to find Kumud standing with the mangalsutra around her neck and vermillion on her hairline.
Kumud hugged her and Ragvi burst into a bitter cry. “Shhh Shona” Kumud caressed her back to console her. It pained Ragvi that her sister is not aware of the reason for her pain.
After Kumud’s Bidayi Ragvi avoided meeting her or Sahil. Kumud was always worried for her sister’s reluctant behavior.
Vikram fixed Ragvi’s marriage and she agreed to it thinking that she can stay away from her Dee’s life and her Dee will be happy.
But on the day of marriage she realized that she cannot love anyone other than Sahil. She did not wanted to cheat someone marrying him and still having feelings for Sahil.
She found a better way to escape all this and ran away from the marriage. She arrived in Indore and started a new life away from her family.
She had tried dialing Vikram’s number and Kumud’s number many a times.
But never got a courage to speak to them. She was not understanding what will she tell them. Will they forgive her?
She finally gathered her courage to meet Vikram and boarded a bus to Mumbai which met with an accident and she was the lone survivor.
But she slipped in coma. She could hear and feel everything around her but only could not respond.
***Flashback end***
A tear tripped her eye which she wiped. “Can I ask you something?” she looked at Laksh who nodded his head.
“Where is Dr. Diya?” her question made Laksh traveled back in time and remembered his wife who was no more in the world.
“I used to hear her voice and I started recognizing her initially but after some time I never heard her. I felt a strange connection with her” said Ragvi smiling through her tears. “I want to see her” she said hopeful.
“Here she is” he forwarded Diya’s photo in his wallet. Ragvi took the wallet and looked at Diya.
She doesn’t know why her face reminded her of Kumud. “She is no more in this world” Laksh looked down sad. Ragvi looked at him shocked.
“No” Ragvi gasped and the tears in her eyes started flooding. She felt someone close to her heart and in no time that person was also out of her life. How can she end up lonely always.
“You are her last patient” said Laksh smiling through his tears. “I’m sorry” Ragvi apologized. “That’s okay” said he stretching his lips to form a smile.
“Anyways Sriti is coming back tomorrow and she was your doctor till two years ago. I had to shift her to help the doctors in Mumbai branch” the name Mumbai flooded her emotions.
“You are still weak and need to take rest for at least a week. After that she will discharge you but you have to come for regular checkups.” said Laksh getting up.
“Doctor my bills?” asked she. “We have a fund raiser in Diya’s name and you are the first beneficiary of it” he smiled at her.
“She was an angel” Ragvi smiled remembering Diya’s voice which was still fresh in her memory. “She was” Laksh smiled and walked out of the ward.
***.***
Sahil was looking at the picture in the frame. “Where are you Shona? I miss you so much. You said you will never leave me” he caressed Ragvi’s face.
“You know when I saw Ragini first time she reminded me of you I don’t know why” he said sadly. “Wherever you are be happy and safe” he hugged the photo frame looking at the moon.
Ragvi walked to the window and stared at the moon. “I want to see you Sahil. I want to see all my family. But after hurting Bhayyu I have no courage to face him” she said wiping the tear.
Vikram was standing in his room looking at the moon. Ragini placed her head on his shoulder.
“Don’t you miss Shona Dee” she asked and he sighed.
“I have told you many times don’t remind me of her. She did not even felt like contacting us all these years” he said walking to his bed.
“Bhayyu” Ragini cupped Vikram’s face. “The coin has always two sides. The visible half brings so much pain. May be the hidden half will heal that pain” she spoke the words and suddenly a memory passed her mind.
‘Why do I feel I have heard this before from someone else’ she spoke in her thoughts.
“I’m sleepy” Vikram lied on his bed to sleep and faced his back to Ragini. She looked at him and walked out of the room and reached her room.
She was in her thoughts. She closed her eyes when a negative played in her mind. There was a girl and boy sitting on the bench of a garden. ‘Who are they?’ she opened her eyes and panted for breath.
Suddenly her phone ringed disturbing her. She walked to her bed and received the call without noticing the number. “Hello” she said and waited for the response.
“Are you okay Ragini?” Sanskar got up from his bed. She scrunched her eyes and dragged the phone to look at the number.
“Who is this?” she asked as there was just number. “Wait Sanskar?” she asked as she recognized his voice.
“How did you got my number?” asked she confused.
“Leave it. I just called to check if you are okay” he said as his heart beat raised.
“Leave it? I’m all confused about my life and my past and you are adding on to the misery talking in puzzles like this?” he could guess she was worried.
“Relax Ragini” his voice calling her name always soothed her for an unknown reason.
“Everything seems difficult but it is not as it looks. You just have to stop bothering about the things too much. Just let it on time”
“Sanskar” she stopped him.
“Have we never met before?” she asked hopefully and his heart skipped a beat. He struggled to answer.
“Um” he swallowed hard. “Sanskar don’t change the topic. Tell me why do I always feel that I know you but don’t remember you. Why do I always feel that you were in my past. You were there just beside me” she closed her eyes letting the tears fall out and now the picture was clear.
“Ragini relax”
“You knew me” she spoke and his heart felt galloping.
“Why are you running away from me?” asked she painfully.
He had no answer. “Sanskar” she waited for his response. His tears were flooding and he controlled them with difficulty.
“Ragini it is too late you sleep. We will talk in the morning” he said and she closed her eyes painfully.
“So that you can leave me like earlier?” she asked remembering him meeting her in the hospital after she gained consciousness and then him departing at the airport.
“I…” he struggled to answer her.
“Why did you leave me and go Sanskar? Why didn’t you stay like everyone?” asked she painfully.
“I wish I could stay but I simply could not see you hurt that you are not able to remember me and die every second with the guilt” his eyes had the pain as he spoke.
“Now everything seems moving fast and I can’t trace back to past where I left you” he said watching the moon. “I’m sorry” he looked down.
“Your Sorry will not repair everything. You snatched away part of my memory with you” she spoke painfully.
“I know sorry isn’t enough for what I did. But I could not force you to accept me in your life Ragini. I could not” he nodded his head.
“You could have tried once” she said and there was this silence between them.
“You could have just given a chance” she repeated.
“I did the same” he said smiling through his tears.
“I did the same by going away from you. I gave you a chance to fill that space in your life which was meant for me” he said and held the window for support.
“But you did not fill that space” his voice cracked.
“Because it was always meant for you Dumbledore” she burst into a bitter cry.
“Today I’m feeling that peak of a pain that I don’t remember you and I let you go” she sobbed.
“Ragini.. please” he pleaded her. “Please don’t cry. I can’t… I can’t tolerate your cry” he said with his heavy throat.
“Where were you all these years when I cried. Did you stay unaffected all these years?” asked she wiping her nose.
“Tell me what should I do to make you feel better” asked he. She did not speak for some time.
“Compensate for those three years. Three years which I spent without you. Compensate for every tear I shed without your knowledge and every smile crept my lips without you” she said.
“I will” he nodded his head smiling.
“Ragini” he stopped her from disconnecting the call. “Hmmm” she waited for him to continue.
“I love you” he said and waited for her response.
***.***
So what will be Ragini’s reply?
Hope you people liked the chapter.
P. S: Elections elections. Hope the people of Karnataka had caste their vote. It’s our right and I hope we(Kannadigas) don’t repeat the history of lowest turnover of voters like last election.
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