KAISE JAANE DOON TUMHE!!

Chapter 33

Sanskar felt a strong sensation of pain in his arm. He immediately tried to withdraw his hand but felt a strong pressure. Opening his eyes, he found it was Laksh who was holding his arm tightly and another doctor was trying to withdraw blood. But this blood was not from veins. It was his artery which was being pricked.

"Calm down bhaiya! Just a second more!" Laksh immediately tried to comfort him as soon as he saw his eyes open.

Sanskar, who had bear the pains of bullets piercing his whole body, who had survived being entrapped in fire for more than an hour, couldn't believe his pain threshold had gone so low. It was paining worse than ever to him.

Laksh saw the expressions of Sanskar. He was a little confused at his brave brother.

"It's over now! Calm down bhaiya!" Laksh tried to pacify him. But his eyes still had tears. He was clearly distressed over something which Laksh could not understand.

"Bhai! Why are you crying? Is something paining? You okay?" Laksh tried to ask. But the intensity of Sanskar's tears increased.

Laksh was a very good doctor. But this situation blocked his mind. He could not understand what to do! And then, as if the string of his twin heart was pulled, Swara came in the room.

"What happened?" She asked as soon as she saw the dishelved state of Laksh.

"Don't know! We were just doing the arterial blood sample. I think bhai felt pain. But he is crying! I don't know what to do!" Laksh blurted out in one go.

Swara looked at Sanskar. His eyes were red and filled with tears. Unable to speak a word, he just stared at her with helplessness. Swara's heart wanted to cry too, but her mind stopped her.

"Shhh!" She said while leaning down near Sanskar and and caressing his hair, "It's okay! Everything is fine!"

Sanskar turned his face away. More tears fell from his eyes.

"No! No!" Swara turned his face towards her, "Is it paining? Let me see!" Saying so, she gently blew some air over the area.

"You see, it is very important test. I can understand that it pains a lot, but it is important!" Swara said directly looking into his eyes, "Sanskar! I know what you  are thinking! Don't worry! I know your pain threshold was very high! Even the pain of bullets was negligible for you. Hai na,!"

Sanskar once again wondered whether Swara was a magician or a mind reader or both.

"Hehe! Stupid! I am your Swara! Remember, I can even sense your thoughts! Don't worry! This weakness can sometimes reduce the pain threshold. This is temporary though! You are not alone! We all are with you!" Swara's words brought more comfort to Sanskar than any medicine could.

"How can you?" Laksh asked as soon as Swara came out of the room after Sanskar drifted off again.

"Sanskar is used to helping others. Helplessness and inability to do anything can frustrate him." Swara said with a smile, "But when we all are with him, he will overcome everything."

She sensed the distressed state of Laksh too. She knew the guilt with what he woke up eveery morning in these years. He needed comfort too.

"Were you not afraid?" Laksh asked.

"I was! In fact I am still afraid. This morning when I woke up, I feared opening my eyes. I thought what if this all was a dream!" Swara sighed and looked upwards. Laksh knew this gaze. He knew she was doing this to avoid tears falling from her eyes. She had been doing it for last 1.5 years.

It was evening when Sanskar opened his eyes again. And he saw a lean pale figure sitting reading a book. Hair were a little unkempt, dark circles beneath her eyes, but her face had the same love for him as it was 30 years back. Sanskar felt a pain mixed happiness as he was able to see his mother once again.

He wanted to call her out. He wanted to hold her hand and bury his face in her lap like he used to do in childhood. But all he could do was to just stare her.

Sujata sensed Sanskar's movements. She raised her gaze and found him staring her. There was a moment of silence. Sujata could not distinguish whether it was a dream or reality. But when she did, she tried hard to hold back her tears of joy. The sobs escaping from her lips made Sanskar's heart melt too.

She shed tears till her heart satisfied. And then, with all her love, she caressed his hair gently. "Don't be afraid! You will be fine sooner than you think!" Her words brought a little smile over Sanskar's face. Suddenly his gaze fell over the window. Swara was standing there with smile and moist eyes. Sanskar knew that she was standing there from a long time. She just did not want to disturb the moment between mother and son.

As she realised that the moment was over, she wiped her tears. Sanskar saw all this with corner of his eyes. Swara entered the ward and hugged Sujata from behind giving a warm smile to Sanskar.

"You came back! Good!" Sujata said patting her cheek, "Sanskar beta! Just get well quickly! We both have to scold this wife of yours! Look at her once! How lean she has become! She did not care for herself in your absence!"

Swara smiled. "Okay! Scold me as much as you want! But first, take care of yourself too ma! We both have to be fit and fine for mr. maheshwari! Hai na!"

Sanskar knew how much Swara was hiding from everyone. He knew Swara had lost more than 10 kg of weight in these years. He had seen her crying in her cabin. But now, he did not want her to cry anymore. And it would be possible when he gets alright.

A week passed like this. There was slow but steady improvement in Sanskar's health. Every meeting with his family memebers became overwhelming for him. The thought of again being able to touch them melted his heart every time. Ram and Durga Prasad were trying to crack silly jokes to make him laugh. Afterall laughter is the best medicine. Adarsh and Parineeta told him about the antics of ayansh and reyansh which again brought smile on his lips. Laksh was leaving no stone unturned to provide him the best treatment. Annapurna and Sujata were waiting for Rajat's approval to make Sanskar eat all his favourite things. Sanskar loved and appreciated their efforts well. And he understood Swara's silent efforts too. He knew Swara thought he was asleep when she kissed him good night every night. And this was the best thing he experienced every day.

He knew Swara was torn between her duties as a mother and a wife. It was Ashna's exam time and she had to make an effort there too. But still, she managed to give Sanskar all the love and care he deserved. From washing his face to shaving his beard, from cheering him after every painful procedure to caressing his hair, she did everything to become his support.

One fine morning it was. Swara brought flowers and put it in the vase beside Sanskar who was still asleep. As she came near him, she noticed blood oozing out of his canula. As she was correcting it, Sanskar withdrew his hand suddenly and a moan escaped from his lips. And after a long time, Swara heard her name from him.

"Swaraa!"

For a moment, she paused. She tried to brush it off as a mistake but again she heard the same.

"Swaraaa!"

Swara felt goosebumps. She longed for this moment. She wanted to hear his voice and the first word he said was her name.

"Sanskar! I am here only!" Swara said clutching his hand tightly.

Slowly he opened his eyes.

"Sanskar! You ..... You called me! Please call me once again by my name! Please!" Swara begged.

And with lots of difficulty, Sanskar called her name once again. His voice was hoarse but still had that love. Swara did not said anything else. Placing her head near his pillow and holding his one hand, she closed her eyes. She heard something very precious today.

Sanskar knew what it meant to her. He understood what she wanted. So he too tried to place his head as close to her as possible and closed his eyes too.