Hi guys...Part 8 updated as promised
PART 8 UPDATED
MUMBAI 2016
Mr Lakshya Maheshwari was desperately waiting for Ragini...his Ragini...though he was not sure whether he could call her his anymore. Not a single day had passed in the past 5 years when he had not repented his actions...when he had not cursed his weakness. He had doubted a pure soul of a heinous crime...which was unpardonable. He was surviving with a terrible guilt...and this was becoming impossible...just impossible. Today...there would be a lot of explanations to put forth and a lot of questions which he would be ready to answer...happily
Basically...he was ready to do anything to get back Ragini in his life. When Ragini agreed to meet him the day before...he didn't know how to react...he was too overjoyed.
"Probably...she still has some feeling for me...otherwise why would she agree to meet up...specially after all that has happened" .. he thought to himself..."but even if she harbours a 1% feeling for me...I will put in all my efforts to convert it to a 100%"...he promised to himself
Suddenly, he was jolted back to his senses...she was standing there in front of him
He was yet to see such a beautiful sight in years to come...she was wearing a plain beige coloured draped saree...and kept her hair open...simple yet ethereal...he was lost once again
"If you don't mind Mr Maheshwari...can I ask you to stop day dreaming...and let me know why you have called me here?"...she said in a stern voice
Lakshya realised that this was not the old Ragini...so he would have to very careful in dealing with her...one wrong step could spoil everything forever. He decided to go slow.
"Ragini...I called you here today...because I need to tell you something..." Lakshya paused...and swallowed..."I cannot survive with this guilt anymore Ragini...it is miserable...nobody has been happy since you left the house 5 years back...we all have wronged you"
He waited to see Ragini's reaction...
She was staring like a statue straight into his eyes...without any reactions...without any emotions
Lakshya was scared...this was not something he had anticipated...he really wanted her to react...cry, shout, scream...even slap if needed...but this silence was killing him
He continued...this time in a louder tone "Ragini... we all have wronged you...it was really unfair to not believe you...I did not support you when you needed it the most...I acted like a spineless character...I was very wrong...and I have faced my punishment...I lost everything...when you left me"
He waited for an answer...but she was still quiet
"Ragini...will you not say anything?"...he asked completely distraught
"Nope...you wanted to meet me...for old time sake" she said coldly..."I have nothing to tell you...there was a time when I wanted to tell you many things...but not anymore. Let me know when you are done...so that I can leave"
"No Ragini...you cannot leave in this way...you have to give me an answer..."
Ragini cut in immediately
"Can I ask you to shut up?"...Ragini was seething..."You have no right whatsoever...to demand any answer from me...do you get that...? I hope I have made myself clear. Now if you can please excuse me...I need to leave...I was jobless once but not anymore"...She stood up...ready to go
"Ragini I am sorry...I didn't mean that..."...Lakshya in desperation caught hold of her arms...
Even after 5 years his touch affected her...but she couldn't allow herself to get weak
"Mr Maheshwari...I do not want to create a scene here...so please " She said firmly...gritting her teeth.
Lakshya loosened his hands...and she left fuming
Yet again...he had planned for something...and something else had happened...he would have to try something else...he had hurt Ragini much more than he had imagined
Ragini was staring at the lonely Palm Tree from her window...it was almost 1 AM...and despite having a hectic day...she wasn't sleepy...she turned back for sometime and checked that Sargam was in deep sleep. She was worried...very worried about the incident today. She had steeled herself over 5 years, but why did Lashya affect her so much?...she hated him...she was determined not respond to anything Lakshya would say...but she did...and she was surprised and angry at herself for doing that.
There was no question of forgiving Lakshya...he would never know nor realise what she had gone through in the past 5 years...
MUMBAI 2012
"Ragini...your delivery date is coming by...have you thought where would you conduct it?"...Aditi asked concerned
"Yes Aditi...the same place where I get my check-ups done..." Ragini replied without thinking
"...What?...Ragini are you sure ? You would want delivery in a Government Hospital?"...Aditi asked startled...
"Yes...Aditi I do not have the finances to go for a delivery in any other place"...Ragini replied
"I will talk to Dev...and..." Aditi started..
"No Aditi...Dev has done a lot...he has provided this shelter...I cannot take anymore help from him.." Ragini said
"But Ragini..."...began Aditi
"Aditi...my self-respect is the only thing that remains with me today...please do not take it away from me.."... Ragini pleaded
...
Amongst the terrible screams and cries of scores of mothers in labour pain...Ragini was lying down in one of the so called beds of the Government hospital. She was in terrible pain...difficult to explain the intensity.
She remembered those days when even a small cut in her hand would get her father crazy and he would take her to the biggest hospital for first-aid.
A junior doctor came to her..."You've been having pain for almost 10 hours now...but the progress is poor...would you like to opt for a Caesarian section?...she asked blatantly
"Madam how much money would you need?" Ragini asked
"Taking the medications into consideration it would be around 10,000 rupees"
"Can I wait for some time more?"Ragini asked
"Yes you can...I will give you some medications...let me see if it progresses"...the doctor replied..."But even after 2 hours if there is no improvement...you would need the surgery, else there would be a life risk"
Ragini hoped against hope that she would deliver normally...not because of the finances...but because she wanted to feel the pain...the pain that would wipe out all her other pains...and for the first time in the past 7 months...her wishes were fulfilled.
That night she gave birth to Sargam...a mother was born...
She looked at her daughter's face...that day she found a new purpose in her life...she would try her best to give her all the basic comforts of life...within her means...she was not a rich woman...but that would not make any difference
...
A creek from the window brought Ragini back to her present
True Lakshya Maheshwari would never ever realise...what she went through...and truly speaking his realisation did not mean anything to her
Poor Ragini...whom was she lying to?
To be contd.
comment:
p_commentcount