Previously….
Again I felt someone running and I saw…. Him…. Siddhanth?
And.
Shruti in his arms?
Shruti!!!?
I stood there shocked and the world lost its colour.
**
I woke up to a very white surrounding, on a not-so-fluffy bed. My eyes raked around my surroundings to see if someone was here. I was sure, I was in my second home, hospital of course. Well, breaking both of my legs and a few times my hands and getting out of surgery had been my favourite hobby ever since my mom left. My head hurt a little and I tried sitting back. Well, this reminds me of my first day being kidnapped. I had to laugh at the memory when I told laksh that he should’ve informed me. But even now, I wouldn’t regret that. Maybe then, I could’ve got that diary with me. I had written a lot about myself, me and Sanskar, my mom, and unfortunately, even my dad. I had written that I loved him even after whatever he does. It’s not easy to hate someone and when that someone is your own dad, it’s rather difficult.
The door clicked bringing me out if my reverie. Ragini stood there, cheeks stained with tears.
“m… May I.. Come in? ” she said between hiccups.
“of.. Of course… ” I stuttered.
“are… You okay? ”
“Sort of…. My head’s banging… ”
“can you please answer a question for me? ”
The pause caught my throat. My voice ditched me. I contemplated before nodding my head slowly.
“have they hit her on her stomach harshly? ”
She didn’t need to mention the name. I already knew it.
I gulped. Even now things play in front of my eyes. I felt my eyes tearing up. And hers flowed.
I nodded. I remember them beating her up with an iron rod all over her body. Her head, her limbs, her stomach, her back. Everywhere.
My breath hitched at the memory.
“her body was…. heavily bruised…. But now, there’s…….. There’s a chance that she could….. never bare a child. ”
At this I lost it. Good now. Just because I wanted to see my mom, I destroyed her life. Maybe, I should have been careful about things and should have told Sanskar about it.
“..i…. I’m sorry….. ” was all I could say between my sobs.
“her fate… Well, how are you doing? ”
I nodded that I was fine. I couldn’t get the words or strength to say something. I bit on my lower lip to avoid the sobs that may escape. By now, I’m sure I’m hardly breathing.
“Swara, there’s someone I want you to meet…. ” she said.
I bet my eyes grew wider. The fear of the person being Siddhanth, or even worst Sanskar, or laksh, killed me. Can I face them? I didn’t know that the person I was told to hit off was Maheshwari. Fear strained my body, as I shook.
“no…. ” I said sobbing.
“she’s wanting to see you since you were brought home… ”
She? Who was this now? It can never be shruti. She wasn’t getting up anyway before me. Oh, wait! How long was I out?
“ragini, how… How long was I out? ”
“three hours… Swara, please, she’s willing to see you badly…. ”
I didn’t know what to say. I sat quiet.
“I’ll take it as yes… ” she said smiling slightly. Before I could oppose she was out. My fate…. Could I change something? God! I wish I could.
I sat there staring at the ceiling when the door cracked open. I composed myself.
“Swara…” ragini called out. I turned my gaze to see a women, dressed in her red and green Saree, perfectly moulded across her body. Even though her smile didn’t do justice with her eyes, I did feel a little relieved.
“hi, dear… ” she said as she walked across to me slowly.
“hi… ” it was a whisper.
“I’m… Sujatha… Sanskar’s mom, or you can say, your mother in law. ” she smiled at me sweetly.
My eyes grew wide again. What was happening? Why in the f**king hell did she arrive here? Now? With all the guilt I’m feeling can I hold much more? Their hatred?
My eyes instantly teared up.
“we’re sorry, we didn’t get to attend your marriage. Sanskar’s dad’s health wasn’t pretty good. I hope you enjoyed? ”
It was more a question. I’m enjoying. Ain’t I? Crying all over everything! I’m enjoying. But who to blame. It’s me who caused the mess.
I nodded.
“I’ll see you soon dear… It seems my daughter caught up with some accident. I’ll see her first. ” she said and smiled at me again sweetly before she went, which damn I knew I didn’t deserve.
I bit my quivering lower lip after I saw her off, to avoid a sob and tears fell.
“Swara” I heard ragini call and then I remembered, she was still here.
“mom doesn’t know much about shruti. She just knows that she had met with an accident and then slipped into coma. I hope you’ll not tell her until the brothers think of doing it… ”
I nodded.
I felt as if the weight of the world was put on me. It was so irrational. What was I going through? Nonsense. Why am I not finding anything understandable? Is it possible that she doesn’t know that her daughter was trapped by a girl who was terribly into a game to get a sneak peek of her mother? Is it possible after all these nonsense media stuffs had reigned over the accident making it almost impossible for my dad to leave house, she’s not aware of? Or she’s pretending. Like, how is it even possible that you wouldn’t be telling your mom about anything that your sibling went through? What the f**king hell was going on? Whom should I believe at least?
My door opened again bringing me out of my train of thoughts.
Now, it was Sanskar!
My heart thudded as he approached me. He walked straight to me with no emotions leaking through his face.
“you have a visitor. And he wants to meet you…. You’re all fine, you can go and meet him in the lobby. ” he said, his voice, hoarse. His eyes were red and puffy. Maybe he had cried too much for my liking.
My hands died in anticipation of touching his cheeks, hugging him, feeling him, and asking him for forgiveness. Why wouldn’t he ask me once? and I would so willingly accept all my faults.
I kept a check on my hands not to move them and embarrass myself. I nodded at him and he went back.
I strained my legs, moving them and pushing myself off the bed. Making myself presentable, I moved out of the room, to my visitor. There was always this sixth sense that told me something is wrong!! I don’t know.
Shruti’s POV.
I couldn’t make out anything surrounding me. It was more like I was somewhere between commotion. My ears anticipated to hear someone, I knew, someone I craved for. I tried moving my arms, legs or anything possible. I couldn’t. I felt I lost everything and myself.
My eyes were terribly heavy, my breathing uneasy. As if my motions were strained by someone tying me up, I couldn’t move. I was never the one who believed blindly in god, but today if there is someone, a god, I would beg him to get me back to my old self or just kill me.
I don’t know what I was going through. I don’t know why I was unable to see anyone, while I could hear them speak. I anticipated to speak back to them. To comfort them when they cried but least I could do was letting tears roll down my eyes.
As the commotion grew more, I couldn’t hold it up. With all I had in me, I squeezed my eyes shut, clenching my teeth. My fists balled, my toes curled. I gulped as the pain shot through my nerves all over my body restraining me from using my strength.
This was enough. I had listened to my mind enough, when my brothers or ragini or Siddhanth spoke to me. Everytime they did it, how much ever I tried, my brain ditched me. Not now.
I felt a small weight rocking on my stomach, making it much difficult for me. I wonder if it was a thing or Aadhya.
A lone tear fell asleep I remembered the disastrous day. My breathing was severely strained as I ached to breathe more. I could hear the sounds of whatever machines next to me, beeping. My heart rate dropping literally. I couldn’t give up now. I shouldn’t die after all these days of struggle. God knows how long I’m out. But that definitely doesn’t matter. I want to face the world.
The room had turned silent, scaring me more. With all I had, again squeezing my eyes, I balled my fist. I shot my eyes open with a terrible pain behind them, causing me to shut them again.
I heard a few gasps. And a warm touch on my balled hand.
“baby, wake up.. ” I heard him call softly next to me and my heart shuddered.
I was successful the second time I opened my eyes. My vision was blur and I tried focusing on anything possible. I could see a creature hovering over me, patting the side of my face to see him. The weight on my stomach disappeared.
I blinked twice before everything seemed visible.
“shruti… ” I heard him call and I turned to face him, the charm of my life.
“sweetie… Wakey wakey… ” I heard a sweet voice next to him. I wasn’t able to see the owner of the voice though.
My throat suddenly went dry, as I tried speaking out. Siddhanth… Was all I wanted to say, but nothing came out. I gaped like a fish in front of him, lying like a lifeless body on the…. hospital bed? It felt like I was home a few moments ago.
My eyes welled up as I stared right into his eyes. He smiled up-to me brightly, his eyes welling up too. I tried shaking my head as it was unbelievably painful to move my hand. I tried smiling back up to him too, failing miserably. He stood next to me, with my hands in his, making room for me to study around.
Sanskar’s POV
“baby, wake up… ” Siddhanth said suddenly shifting the conversation from screwing me up, to, my sister, who laid on the hospital bed.
Everyone’s gaze suddenly shifted to her. Her fingers balled, eyes squeezed shut. Her body shook as she strained herself to wake up.
My heart thudded at an unbelievable rate. Her eyes shot open and she blinked around a few times before Siddhanth called her again.
“shruti… ”
“sweetie… Wakey wakey… ” I heard Aadhya say smiling brightly though she couldn’t see her aunt for all with her short height.
The couple stared at each other a few moments before he stood next to her, her hand in his.
Her eyes wandered all over the room just before landing on ragini. Soon alerted, ragini walked up to her to kiss her cheeks.
“welcome back… ” she whispered.
My throat went dry on thinking what would I respond, how would I face her? Even though everyone told me there was no wrong from my side I couldn’t agree with them. I could have made some move to rescue her.
Her eyes moved to laksh who stood too still for her liking and next to me. She smiled up-to him faintly before he wiped of a tear that fell. He smiled back before walking out of the room with ragini and Aadhya is his tow. I turned to follow them before she saw me, unable to face her.
I moved out of the room and collapsed on my knees as soon as I was out. This is what I had been waiting for.
I sat on the side of the door hugging my knees to my chest and dropping my head in between them. I shook as I let everything in me out through my tears aggressively. I hated myself very much now, even though seeing her back, relieved me.
****
So again…. Who the hell is here to see Swara now?
What will be the consequences when shruti and Siddhanth face of with Swara?
Will Sanskar ask swara once more before something goes nasty?
Well, these are the questions to be answered in the later chapters….. So do like, review and share my story….. Love you all…. Thank you….