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After two days...

The golden rays of sun pierced through the air, chasing away the darkness! A new dawn assuring the emergence of brightness after every darkness, proving nothing is constant but a cycle.

Soulful voice of Ragini echoed in  Maheswari Mansion after many days. The morning had been refreshing for everyone except Sanskar and Ananya who had their head dug deep in between pillows.

Sanskar smiled listening to her voice but chose to stay in bed, his mind reeling through his life. After weeks of war, their home was at peace, literally!

They had been rushing here and there the past two days because of the case and business.

Sangita and Manav bid bye to the Maheswaris the morning after the revelations, apologizing genuinely.

All the legal proceedings were done and Kartik was sentenced for double life time imprisonment and Pooja too accepted her deeds, but the court convicted her as another victim of the vile game lessening her punishment.

No one wanted to hold any grudges about their past! Let it go... Why to lessen the brightness of today because of the dullness of days gone by?

Brightness holds no significance without darkness!!

•~•×✿ו~•

Ragini entered her room huffing, seeing her husband rolled up in the comforter.

"Sanskar..." She whined. "What's this behaviour? It's 8 already. Don't you want to go office today?" She pulled the blanket throwing it aside.

"Aagayi, Jhansi ki Rani!" Sanskar sat up with a teasing grin, rubbing his eyes.

"You were already up?" Ragini was surprised as he didn't join the prayer. "Leave it and get ready." She managed to pull him from the bed but whom is she kidding!!

Sanskar rose half way as his petite wife pulled him, but sat back with a thud pulling her along, making her sit beside him.

"Chill, Ragz! No one is going to office today. It's family time." He said with a small smile. "We had been running around for two days to settle everything and be at home for few days peacefully."

Ragini smiled heartily listening to him. She was craving for such a day where the whole family would be happily together with no distractions.

"And..." He said slowly taking her hands in his. "There's so many things to be done....to be spoken!"

***

"We can play some games, hai na Bhabhi?" Ananya chirped sitting with Parineeta and Uttara. Pari excitedly agreed while Uttara nodded with a smile.

"Uttara... Come..!" She pulled her along, discussing the game and giggling.

The Maheswaris along with Sharmishta and Shekhar was in the hall, everyone chatting and laughing at memories, the boys - Adarsh, Sanskar, Laksh and Arvind- guffawing at their college lives and adventures, while Ragini and Swara continued talking animatedly with Parineeta, pampering her and caressing and talking to her baby bump.

"ATTENTION EVERYONE!!" Ananya announced in a shrill vice, making everyone go silent all of a sudden.

'Ananya!' Arvind's tongue itched to admonish at her pitch but chose to ignore. 'I'm off-duty!' He remembered her words and rolled his eyes.

Uttara joined Ananya, a moment later, and got confused seeing the almost 'statue' situation around.

"What happened?" She asked, holding a bowl containing numerous chits.

"We should ask that, what's going to happen?" Adarsh asked narrowing his eyes.

"Nothing bhaiyya." Uttara said with a small smile. "We can play a dare game. See we prepared the bowl." She said keeping the bowl on the table before the family.

"And who wrote the chits?" Arvind asked crossing his hands to chest.

"We both wrote!" Uttara said in an 'obvious' tone.

"I'm out of it!" He declared immediately.

"We don't want to eat burnt food!" Ananya retaliated immediately while the youngsters rolled eyes smelling a bickering coming up.

"How does it connect?"

"Those who opt out of the game will have to cook a dish for the rest of the family." She said with a shrug while he muttered irritated. 'Oh God!'

"Okay then, I'm opting out!" Annapurna declared.

"Badi Maa!!" Uttara pouted, after quite long.

"Haan, even me!" Ram Prasad also decided to join his Bhabhisaa.

"You'll cook?" Sujatha asked with shining eyes. "Hayee, it has been years I had something made by you!" She said dreamily.

"Papa cooks??" Sanskar and Uttara chorused at the discovery of their father's unheard talent.

"Arrey, he doesn't need even half of the effort I put in cooking." Sujata sighed. "That is why I had been suggesting him to remain at home all these years."

"Yeah yeah fine.. Now come." Ramprasad held his wife's hand to walk towards the kitchen with their sister-in-law.

"Why should I come? You know the way to kitchen, Bhabhisaa will be with you for company and above all, you won't give any attention to me when you hold that spatula in your hand. Why should I let go of my enjoyment? I'll be here enjoying with my kids. You go and cook something mouthwatering." Sujatha said in a go, making RP's mouth go 'O' while others giggled at his expense.

Sharmishta also joined the duo while others shifted their focus to Ananya and Uttara.

"So the game is simple, humble and common." Ananya started explaining.

"Haan, there are two bowls, one with everyone's name and other with tasks." Uttara quipped in following her friend.

"Two chits in everyone's name, that is, everyone will be having two tasks to do. And trust me, they're so simple!!!" Ananya ended dramatically.

"So let's see..." Uttara clapped excited and hopped to take a chit.

"Adarsh bhaiyya!" She celebrated while the boys patted Adarsh.

He came forward and took a chit, mumbling the prayers he knew.

"Sing ABCs backward in 10 seconds!"

"What's this childish dare!" Adarsh said coolly.

"Haan, we also said na, they're simple. Waise sahi hai, let's see if baby's papa knows ABC in reverse order."

Adarsh did the task, but not in 10 seconds but 15.64 seconds.

"Buy that lehenga which you refused to buy me in Sanskar's bhaiyya's Sangeet! I want it for Bhabhi's godhbharai." Uttara ordered with a winning smile while Adarsh sulked but his heart was happy seeing their sister returning to her old self.

"DP uncle!" Ananya called with not-so-excited voice. The duo expected DP to opt out of the game, but he ultimately decided to be the game changer.

DP's eyes widened seeing his task. It was simple, but not at all suited him. He pouted at Uttara helplessly.

"Do the disco!" Uttara announced stiffling his laughter.

Everyone cheered when DP decided against being a spoil sport and matched his steps with 'Bachna Ae Haseeno!' leaving a gaping Annapurna as she watched him from the kitchen.

"Bhaisaa, aapne toh kamal Kar diya!" (Brother-in-law, you rocked it!) Sujata couldn't contain her happiness.

"Mom!" Uttara announced the next.

"Take your age, subtract the same, add the sum of digits, and act that age!"

"Is it mathematics exam?" Sujata rolled her eyes and calculated. "9!"

"As if being a child is a task for mom!" Sanskar scoffed playfully seeing his mother running around like a kid, rather being a 5-year old instead of 9!

The next turn was of Ananya herself! She grinned and hopped forward to take the chit but Uttara stopped her.

"I'll take for you!" Uttara offered, took a chit and pressed her lips together suppressing her laughter.

Ananya gulped seeing her task.

"If not Durga Prasad Maheswari, act like him! If yes, drop the chit and go for another."

She looked at DP to see him smirk, sitting royally on the couch with legs crossed.

'Apne pairon pe hi kulaadi mar di!' She mumbled before starting sternly upwards scolding the almighty.

"I believe the decisions won't make things worse, Sanskar. It shouldn't! I don't want to interrupt what you are trying to do right now. But if things get worsen, we have our ways to tackle it." Ananya mimicked one of the dialogues she heard from DP, exactly the way he did, surprising everyone.

She completed and looked DP, her confidence drained for an unknown reason and directed a nervous smile. DP chuckled and clapped, joined by others.

"Swara Bhabhi!"

'Dance on a semi-classical song with the person who sat/stood beside you!'

Swara grinned looking at Ragini and pulled her to the centre while 'Ghoomar' played for them.

"Yeh bhi koi dare hai?" Sanskar asked clapping.

"It is, if any boys had got it!" Arvind said sighing in relief.

"Arvind Bhai!"

'#DoWhateverYouWant!'

"Thank you! Family you all are! So I'm not able to express my gratitude in words!" He said bowing down and turned to walk back while Ananya called from behind.

"Oh hello! What?"

He handed over the chit to her and walked back while her eyes widened seeing the chit and glared Uttara.

"Yaar Ananya, I'm not getting any ideas! You tell me a dare!" Uttara said scratching her head.

"Uttara, write whatever you want." Ananya said casually but Uttara heard it as 'write "whatever you want"'!

"As always, fate is always in support of that human!" Ananya huffed.

"Ragini Bhabhi"

'Spin around 10 times and try to walk a straight line'

Ananya rolled her eyes again. "Uttara, you need to attend classes for writing dares."

The game went on and on... And the last name.

"The game concluder is obviously Sanskar Bhaiyya!"

Uttara jumped in excitement hoping to see her brother doing weird dare like the earlier one.

Sanskar's first dare was 'Imitate a monkey as best as you can and jump her and there continuously!' and he managed to do it perfectly to an extent making the family laugh endlessly.

'Sing a song!'

Uttara scoffed hearing the dare. "We wanted something colourful to eyes. But---"

"Bhai, shall I bring you the guitar?" Laksh asked with a teasing smile.

Ragini and Swara controlled their laughs remembering Sanskar's 'Yeh dosti hum Nahi todenge'!

Na na...

Sanskar started singing while Laksh played guitar smiling contently.

Tu nazm nazm sa mere..
Honthon pe thehar ja..
Main khwab khwab sa teri..
Aankhon mein jaagun re..

Ragini blinked her eyes and turned to see Swara while she continued gaping at Sanskar. He sings!

Tu ishq ishq sa mere..
Rooh mein aake bas ja..
Jis aur teri shehnaai..
Uss ore main bhaagun re..

Sanskar continued singing, his eyes closed, a serene smile playing on his lips and opened her eyes to wink at Ragini and Swara.

Haath thaam le piya..
Karte hain vaada..
Ab se tu aarzu..
Tu hi hai iraada..

Mera naam le piya..
Main teri rubaai..
Teri hi tto piche piche..
Barsaat aayi, barsaat aayi..

Ragini blushed slightly taking in the meaning of the lines and admiring the depth of emotion with which he was singing.

Tu itrr itrr sa mere..
Saanson mein bikhar jaa..
Main faqeer tere qurbat ka..
Tujhse tu maangun re..

"He sings fantastically! And Laksh Bhai too is awesome" Ananya said with an awe.

"Of course! Adarsh bhai plays drums, Sanskar bhai sings, both him and Laksh Bhai play guitar and I dance!" Uttara said with a fond smile

Tu ishq ishq sa mere..
Rooh mein aake bas ja..
Jis aur teri shehnaai..
Uss ore main bhaagun re..

Adarsh, Pari, DP, Sujatha, even Annapurna and RP came to the hall and watched them drowning in the world of music with a tint of moisture in their eyes. 

"It has been so long we heard him sing like this!" Pari said with a smile.

Mere dil ke lifaafe mein..
Tera khat hai janiya..
Tera khat hai janiya..
Nacheez ne kaise paa li..
Kismat yeh janiya ve..

Sanskar gazed Ragini, an unwavering one, as he continued pouring out his soul in to the song.

Oh mere dil ke lifafe mein..
Tera khat hai janiya..
Tera khat hai janiya..
Nacheez ne kaise paa li..
Jannat yeh janiya ve..

Ragini felt goosebumps as his voice created magic making her trapped in a trance, from which she wished to escape never.

They continued staring each other, while Sanskar smiled heartily seeing his family mesmerized. He hi-fied with Laksh while Uttara hopped onto him hugging with happiness.

•~•×✿ו~•

Sanskar and Laksh pleaded with their eyes to Adarsh at their dining table as they started their lunch. They had told DP and RP about their wish to go to club that day but they got silence in return.

Adarsh widened his eyes and shakes his head expressing his nervousness to bring up the matter again.

He only had initiated the talk earlier, if Sanskar-Ragini, Laksh-Swara & Arvind-Ananya could go to the city to roam around. And stealthily he added that they would like to enjoy in a club run by his friend.

"Sanskar.." DP called as he finished his meal. "When will you all go?" He asked while others frowned. "If you all go by 4, you will get enough time to enjoy in the city. Keep the spare keys with you. What if you'll get late!" DP said chuckling, seeing his children bewildered.

•~•×✿ו~•

Ragini checked herself in the mirror, skeptical of her looks. She wore a simple red anarkali kurti paired with black leggings, her hair braided to one side, her only jewelry being her mangalsutra and a pair of white stud earrings.

She made faces in not getting satisfied with the outcome as she wanted to be little different and free.

Sanskar walked in to the room only to see his beautiful wife pouting in front of the mirror checking her side profiles.

He chuckled approaching her while she glared and later pouted at him.

"I'm not looking good." She whined.

"Yeah.." He shrugged. "You're not looking good, you're looking beautiful!" He whispered reducing the distance between them and tucking her tendrils behind her ears while she got conscious of their closeness.

He stepped backwards and crossed his arms, observing her head to toe and shook his head. Without waiting, he opened the wardrobe and skimmed through her dresses to pull out a jeans and handed over to her.

"Wear this!" He said moving to the other side of wardrobe.

"What difference will this make Sanskar? It's an Anarkali top. Won't make any--" Her words trailed off as she saw him placing a cover on her hand smiling.

"I know that this jeans with this top won't make a difference! So wear this with it!" He said tapping the cover and turned to walk out of the room.

He stop in his way and walked to her again and pulled her hair band off her hair and said the dialogue which makes almost every girl's heart weak. "Baal khule rakho! Zyada sundar dikhti ho!"

Ragini stood still surprised as Sanskar chuckled and walked out of the room. Blush crept up her cheeks as she smiled shyly shaking her head and hugged the dress to her chest.

•~•×✿ו~•

"How much time more, Yaar?" Arvind asked irritated as they had planned to leave half an hour before.

"Who asked you to be ready so early?" It didn't take much time for Ananya to argue.

Laksh and Sanskar joined them laughing about random things while they waited for Swara and Ragini to join.

Not making them wait more Swara joined them, cladded in a dark pink top  paid with black jeans, her hair pulled together with a band.

"Wow Bhabhi, you look so different!" Ananya exclaimed as she saw Swara as such for the first time.

"I have been wearing them before marriage, Ananya. It's not new." She shrugged her shoulders while Laksh grinned watching his wife. 'But it has lot of differences. She truly looks different than before.'

"I never thought Ragu would be la--" Arvind's words died in his throat as he saw Ragini walking towards them.

The maroon top she wore enhanced glow, while her hair fell through her left shoulder. Even though in minimal make up, her eyes were enough to capture Sanskar's heart as she walked towards them with a cheeky smile.

"Woah Ragu!!!" Swara blinked her eyes multiple times. Laksh also stood there blinking rapidly.

"Bhabhi, you're just-- you're are looking amazing!" Ananya stretched 'amazing' as she gaped at Ragini's transformation.

Ragini turned her neck to face Sanskar and one look, she was satisfied. Words were not needed to convey feelings and appreciation between them.

•~•×✿ו~•

The grooving music of the club had lifted everyone's mood even high as the three ladies sat at the counter guffawing to the bits of experiences and the men stood with them sipping juices and laughing along with them.

"Umm... Bhaiyaa." Ananya called Sanskar skeptically. "Can I have a shot? It has been soooo long!" She made her best puppy face.

"No!" Came the stern reply but from someone else.

"I didn't ask you!" As if she listens to him! "Bhaiyya, please. I don't get drunk easily. I can manage really!" She pinched her throat.

"Why not?" Ragini quipped in. "If we can't drink when these men are with us, then when would we? They're here to handle us, na!" She said winking.

"Ragz.." Sanskar called out in a warning tone while she giggled.

"We haven't experienced all these, Sansky!" Swara shrugged. "So atleast saying about it is fun!"

"Four shots!" Ananya didn't wait further.

"Why four?" Ragini raised her eyebrows.

"One each for you two, and two for me!" Ananya grinned. "I can handle upto five-six shots. I don't drink always okay." She said on seeing the accusatory glances. "But once in a year. And I haven't gone for a party since last year."

"Your parents will allow you?" Swara asked surprised.

"Till I handle it! Like it's good for health to an extent. They never allow me to go beyond that level and I'll never do too." She said with a smile.

"Here it comes and here it goes." She raised the shots encouraging Swaragini to do the same as they shrieked 'Cheers!'

✿◍•~•✿•~•◍✿

How's it?

Do you guys see anything coming?

Thanks a ton to all those who had been supporting this book♥️ The reads, comments and votes do motivate me a lot.

Please feel free to let me know the shortcomings.

Stay safe and happy

With Love
Sameera :)