SwaSan FanFic (TOL)

CHAPTER 6

The crowd and commotion at the platform in Howrah Station made it impossible for anyone to identify him.He waited at the arranged location with a cup of tea in his hand.His mobile rang and he answered
'I am waiting at the exact location you told me.'
'Yes,I have seen you.Have you started on the job?' the voice asked from the other end
'Yes since two weeks.' He replied and before he could say anything else, the call was cut off.He turned back to drop the cup in the trash bin when a brown packet fell on his feet.He picked it up and searched for the person who dropped it but could not locate the person in the milling crowd.He left the busy station and headed back to his room to open the packet and know further instructions.

As soon as she woke up,Swara remembered that she had forgotten to show the letter of appointment to Dida. She was taking the letter out when Ragini joined them.She had come to Baadi to collect her remaining things from her house.She was curious about Swara's first day at job,

'Swara how was your first day? Did they give you assignment?'She asked excitedly
'No Ragini,I met the HR officer who allotted me the schedule but my boss was not there so I will get assignment only after meeting him.'
'Oh,' Ragini sighed disappointingly
'But I made some friends.'Swara explained about her new acquaintances to Ragini
'And Ragini, you know what? Nadira has come all the way from Tamil Nadu. She is staying with her relatives.'
'Oh? Her parents sent her all the way alone?' Ragini exclaimed
'Why will they not Ragini? Even I will go to a new place if I was offered a job.' Swara surprised Ragini with her opinion.

Dida entered speaking loudly.......'Haan! Haan! Shona toh meri sherni hai..' Bringing the sweet she had made for both of them.
'Didaaaa.....' Swara rushed ahead to hug her and took the tray of bowls from her hand to place it on the center table.She drew her to the couch and took out the letter of appointment from her bag.She showed it to Dida excitedly. Dida was thrilled to see the letter and read it loudly.She hugged Swara and kissed her forehead.
'My shona is a big girl now...' She exclaimed emotionally

Ragini watched this display of affection little enviously.No one has demonstrated such affection to her. Dadi was old fashioned and conservative.She brought up Ragini single handed inculcating orthodox values and morals.One of them was not to demonstrate affection openly. She was rigid about it.As a result of which,Ragini grew up yearning for warmth and companionship.She thought she will acquire it after marriage from her husband but Laksh lived in another orbit.
Now as she watched them,she wished Dadi was more like Dida. Dida left them alone after their neighbor came looking for her.Both Swara and Ragini were enjoying the authentic Bengali sweet when Swara's mobile rang....It was one of her friends.
Ragini watched her talking on the phone.After the call got over, she said 'Swara,how do you manage to make friends so easily? I wish I was like you.'She uttered the words longingly.

Swara looked up and studied Ragini's face.Her heart swelled with compassion for Ragini. She wanted to hug and comfort her but she knew that such display of open affection unsettled Ragini. She wished Ma had married Baba much earlier so that she and Ragini could grow up together.

'Ragini,I have been meaning to ask you this for some time.Are you happy with Laksh?'She asked Ragini tentatively,not sure about Ragini's reaction. It was a delicate subject between them because of Laksh's past feelings for Swara.Ragini nodded and went into a long narration of her life in Maheshwari House.She appeared to convey that she was contented but Swara noted that she did not speak much about her and Laksh.When Swara was about to ask her, Ragini volunteered excitedly
'You know Swara, Laksh's brother Sanskar is very nice.Last night he offered us two passes for the latest movie that is running in 'Gaiety'. Gaiety was one of the posh theaters in Kolkata. All the latest movies were released here. Swara was surprised and it showed on her face. She could not believe that the insolent man had the courtesy to think about others.