Malignant Ardor

12. Swara Explains

Sujata asked Sanskaar in his room, "Sanskaar, are you okay now?"

"Chachi, please check on Ragini."

"Okay." Sujata left.

Swara entered the room, with a blank expression, and closed the door behind her.

"Why are you silent, Swara? Won't you say anything today?"

"What can I say? You called me foolish for pampering my brother. Here, both of you siblings also sit on the same balance of stupidity and affection."

"Swara, I just couldn't control myself."

"When you have control over yourself, you will have control over the world. And until yesterday, you were in control. Today, things slipped out of your hands. Because you acted without thinking of the consequences."

"I knew a lecture was in the way. Swara, spare me."

"Sanskaar, you asked me to speak!"

"I asked you to speak, not scold."

Swara was in no mood for a quarrel and left the room.

Sanskaar laughed without humour. "Someone was saying that you should control your anger."

~~~~~

"Ragini, Don't be so stubborn! Have your dinner. Sanskaar will also not have if you don't." Sujata pleaded.

"Chachiji, please leave me alone."

Swara knocked on the door. "Can I come in?"

"Swara, at least you make her understand... Between these brother-sister quarrels, I am going crazy."

Swara took a seat next to Ragini on the sofa. "You know what? I don't know what to say to you.. and it's so unlike me!" Swara pushed up the sides of her lips in a thin smile.

"Let it be, Bhabhi." Ragini also didn't know what she wanted to hear. She wished it was her brother there. However, Sanskaar didn't have the patience for a sister, Ragini concurred.

"Shall I tell you about Lucky?"

"Does everyone call him Lucky?" The topic was diverted.

"Yes. There's a story behind it. As children, Lakshya and I had one of everything, never two. My Ma used to say it will teach us to share. As I grew up, I gave into his demands freely being the elder sister. He would persist, and I would accept. He would cry, and I would run to fulfil his demand. So, I started calling him Lucky. The name stuck."

"Are you trying to say that... Lucky... and I are similar?"

"Aren't you? You both have an elder sibling who would bring the moon to earth if you asked." Swara smiled.

"Bhabhi, you tell me why Bhai hid this marriage from me?"

"I don't know if I should answer for Sanskaar. In my opinion, he was unsure of your reaction yet sure of this being right for you. He was just scared to face your reaction."

Ragini looked incredulously at Swara. "My Bhaiyya is never scared!" she defended. How well has Swara understood her brother!

"Sanskaar Maheshwari may be the frosty businessman that the world calls him. However, within the four walls of this house, he is a brother who loves his sister a lot."

Ragini glanced at her Chachi. Sujata forwarded a spoonful of vegetables and Ragini had it. As she chewed, she thought of sharing her fears with Swara.

"Bhabhi, I am sometimes afraid of the glint of possessiveness when he takes such big decisions and then put me down as the reason for it."

"I would call it being protective, not possessive."

"There's a thin line between the two and Sanskaar Bhai has crossed it long back. Maybe your relationship hasn't reached that stage yet. The day he loves you, you will understand what I am saying."

"Maybe I don't understand now. Just for the record, Sanskaar is not alone in this. I am also party to this marriage, and from my side, I agreed for Lucky. I was, like Sanskaar, frightened thinking of your future with Lucky. You seemed such opposites that our protective instincts went on high alert leading to this marriage."

"Bhabhi, can I talk to Lucky?"

"Sure. Here's his number." Swara forwarded the number.

"Ragini, you want to call him now? Sanskaar..." Chachiji questioned.

"Sanskaar is not a telephone operator nor is he a security guard. You don't need his permission to talk to your fiancé." Swara answered.

~~~~~

The next day morning, Lakshya was tossing on his bed for an hour now. He should have been downstairs for breakfast now. The missing morning alarm fight disrupted his internal clock. He finally sat up and looked at his phone. Two missed calls from an unknown number. It was just 8 am. Who would call him this early?

He called back. "Hi, I received missed calls from this number. May I know who is this?"

"Lucky, I am Ragini. Would it be possible to meet? I want to talk to you about Bhai and Bhabhi."

"Sure."