Namaskaram 🙏

Date of Update: 20.08.2023

****

Next day evening Sanskar just entered home to get surprised to see Ragini and Dev present in the hall waiting for him. Laksh is sitting with them and they are talking.

"Oye! What are you doing here when you should be running and messing your whole room packing for your vacation?" Sanskar asked as he sat beside Dev.

Dev smiled at him side hugging him.

"Don't tell me you postponed your vacation again?" Sanskar asked not letting Dev speak.

Dev postponed his vacation once since they got an emergency in their office.

"Yaar I really want to postpone it again but my parents and sister are not allowing me to." Dev said and glared Ragini.

Ragini pouted.

"Why? What happened now? Again any problem in office?" Sanskar asked.

"Office work is any way being handled by dad. The real problem is Ma's chachi passed away, so ma and papa had to go to Jaipur. Dad told he would look after the office work by himself even if he has to keep talking in phone. But I am worried about Ragu. You know she has her mid exams coming in next week. So she can't be going along with me or ma, papa. Also we can't let her stay alone there." Dev said.

"Then she will stay here Dev beta!" Annapurna's voice is heard making three of them look at her.

Annapurna moved towards the hall from her room while Laksh got up and moved away from there. He went on to the stairs and leaned to the stair case making sure he can hear to them.

"I got here for that only aunty. I thought I will drop her, talk to Sanskar and then go." Dev said smiling.

Sanskar smiled and so did Annapurna.

"And you little devil do not trouble anybody especially Laksh and let him study. You anyway waste your whole time!" Dev said poking Ragini's nose.

Ragini made weird faces while Sanskar chuckled. Laksh smiled seeing her making faces. He felt happy to have her in his house suddenly. He can enjoy.

"Take Care!" Dev said kissing Ragini's forehead while she nodded smiling.

"Bhai don't forget to get everything that I listed!" Ragini said pouting.

Dev chuckled and nodded. Sanskar moved along with Dev to send him off.

"I don't want to go yaar but three of them are adamant. Not that I want to spoil my vacation but Ragu... I am concerned for her. You know she never stayed alone." Dev spoke worried.

"Don't worry. I will take care of her as much as you would." Sanskar spoke assuring him.

Dev sighed.

"Dev?" Sanskar looked at him questioning.

"I don't know... This is the first time she is staying neither with ma, papa nor me. You know she is very attached to me. And Papa will also be not there. I am really worried." Dev speaks his worry.

"Buddy!" Laksh called him from behind.

Dev and Sanskar turned towards him. Laksh moved close to them.

"I swear I will not let her miss you." Laksh said pinching his throat.

Dev smiled. He patted Laksh's back and nodded.

"Just have a happy vacation. You need this. You had a very rough days since few months due to business worries. Just refresh yourself keeping all the worries aside. Till then Miss. Annoying will be my responsibility." Laksh said.

Dev stared Laksh for a moment and hugged him. Sanskar stared at his brother with proud smile.

"Happy Journey! And Happy Vacation Buddy! Don't worry about Miss. Annoying!" Laksh spoke as they broke the hug.

Dev smiled nodding and looked at Sanskar who nodded smiling at him. Dev left bidding bye to them while Sanskar looked at Laksh with proud smile.

"Bhayya!" Laksh called him.

"Hmm?" Sanskar responded.

"You freshen up and come. I want to talk something important." Laksh said.

"Okay! Did Ragini settle in her room?" Sanskar asked.

"Woh... She said she would stay with ma if ma has no issues. Ma readily accepted. So she is staying in ma's room along with ma." Laksh said.

Sanskar nodded and they moved to their rooms. After sometime Sanskar moved to Laksh's room to see Ragini annoying him while he is trying to study. He smiled seeing them. Seeing Sanskar entering into Laksh's room Ragini made excuse and left since Laksh told her he would want to talk to Sanskar once he freshens up and comes.

"Tell me bacha, what is it you want to talk to me?" Sanskar asked.

"You know Neelam?" Laksh asked.

"Yeah! Your friend. She is in your gang along with Nishit and Vishvak." Sanskar spoke.

Laksh nodded.

"So? What's with her?" Sanskar asked.

"It was her nephew's naming ceremony. She invited me though I didn't visit as I didn't want to." Laksh spoke.

"So?" Sanskar asked confused.

"Her brother... He is younger than you... And he already had a son. Why... Why aren't you married yet bhayya?" Laksh asked his question finally.

Sanskar was stunned hearing his brother. It was the first time his brother has asked him this question. He kept staring his brother till his brother shook him.

"Bhayya! Say na! Why aren't you married yet?" Laksh asked again.

"Lucky bacha! Why are you suddenly getting topic of my marriage?" Sanskar asked.

"Because people around me are having bhabhi and nephew or niece, though their brothers are younger than you. But me. I didn't get a bhabhi yet." Laksh said pouting.

Sanskar smiled a little seeing his brother.

"Seriously?" Sanskar asked as his brother is not that childish too.

"Of course bhayya!" Laksh said not meeting his brother's eyes.

"Ahaan! Tell me now!" Sanskar said making Laksh look at him.

"Bhayya yaar, how do you always find out that I am hiding something? Fine! Because you are 32 and in every Indian house parents will be in the hunt for their daughter in law. I am sure ma has also got the topic and you should have rejected it. So I want to know why you rejected ma and was not ready to get married?" Laksh spoke.

"Because I am not ready!" Sanskar said standing.

Laksh held his hand and made him sit back again.

"Now what Lucky?" Sanskar asked.

"Tell me the truth and go bhayya!" Laksh said.

"Why would I lie to you?" Sanskar said not meeting his eyes.

"Okay! But say looking at me." Laksh said.

Sanskar sighed and looked at Laksh.

"I an not ready bacha. Once I am ready I will first say to you only." Sanskar said.

"Will you get ready after fifty years?" Laksh asked.

"Laksh I have work. Let me go!" Saying Sanskar went away from there.

"I won't leave till you answer me Bhayya." Laksh spoke looking at the way Sanskar went.

*****

Sanskar is pacing around the hall in anger and worry. He is looking at the entrance of the house every now and then. That's when Laksh and Ragini entered the house silently looking down.

"Laksh!" Sanskar called Laksh making both RagLak stop.

Laksh didn't look up and moved towards Sanskar and so did Ragini.

"Where were you Laksh?" Sanskar asked with cold voice.

Laksh didn't speak a word. Ragini was about to speak but Sanskar spoke before she could.

"Ragini go to the room. I need to talk to Laksh!" Sanskar said with calm voice.

"Bhai..." Sanskar interrupted her.

"Should I call Dev and ask him to return tomorrow?" Sanskar asked coldly.

Ragini silently left from there but stood in the entrance of the room along with Annapurna who also stood in the entrance of the room as she saw Sanskar angry on Laksh.

"Speak Up Laksh!" Sanskar raised his voice a little.

Laksh raised his head and looked at Sanskar as he heard that angry voice of Sanskar.

"Vishvak's Party Bhayya!" Laksh spoke like a mere whisper.

Sanskar started clapping his hands with a sarcastic look.

"This is the proof that you respect me so much Laksh. Thank You for the value you have for my words." Sanskar spoke smiling sadly.

Laksh shook his head.

"No bhayya. You are misunderstanding me." Laksh spoke.

"What is there to misunderstand Laksh? You went to party even after me denying you to. This proves right." Sanskar spoke.

"No bhayya!" Laksh shook his head with teary eyes.

"No! Then what Laksh? You have mid exams in two days, you need to complete two assignments too. I asked you to party after exams. I didn't stop you to enjoy. I just asked you to just concentrate on exams since you need to study and have to sleep properly but you still went and returned back at night and say that I am misunderstanding you. Beyond all this you took Ragini along with you. What will I answer Dev when he questions me about how I took care of his sister?" Sanskar spoke all in anger and frustration.

Laksh was about to speak but Sanskar only spoke again.

"Leave me alone Laksh. Go to room and sleep. You must be tired after enjoying the party." Sanskar said and left from there before Laksh could speak anything.

Laksh looked the way Sanskar went with teary eyes. He immediately ran into his room and sat there grabbing his books. He tried studying but all he could feel was irritated and sad that his brother is not listening to him and is just misunderstanding him of going against him.

Ragini sat silently and sadly in Annapurna's room. Annapurna sighed.

"Ragini beta... You had food?" Annapurna asked concerned.

Ragini shook her head as no.

"Wait let me get you something to eat." Annapurna said.

Ragini shook her head.

"Woh... Aunty...I Will have with Lucky!" Ragini said.

Annapurna spoke nothing and Ragini moved out of the room. She went to kitchen and served in two plates. She moved to Laksh's room to see him sitting frustrated of not being able to either study or do his assignment. He looked like a mess with his books around him and his room messed. His eyes are red due to crying.

Ragini's eyes turned even more sad. She sighed before knocking on the door to enter inside the room.

"Not now Ragini!" Laksh said as he saw her with two plates in her hands and calling her Ragini, which made her understand that he is completely not in a mood to atleast speak to her.

She sighed. Just placed both the plates there on the table and moved out of the room. She saw into Sanskar's room to find it empty. She went out of the house to check where he could be to find him pacing in the garden. She moved towards him.

"Bhai!" She called him softly.

"Not now Ragini!" he said.

"Call bhai and ask him to return tomorrow. I don't want to stay here." She said and moved from there.

Sanskar was stunned to hear her. He didn't think she would say that. He saw her moving towards the out-house instead of going inside the house. He sighed and thought to talk to her later as now he is not in a proper mood as he is really upset with Laksh.

"Woh! Kusum di?" Ragini asked as Kamala Kaki opened the door when she rang the bell.

"Ma who is at the do..." Kusum stopped as she saw Ragini there.

"Di can we talk?" Ragini asked.

Kusum nodded to Ragini and signed Kamala Kaki to go inside. Kusum followed Ragini who stopped at a distance near garden.

"Di... Woh... Would you please talk to Sanskar bhai and tell him to listen to Laksh once? He is not listening what Laksh wants to say and is misunderstanding the situation. If bhai was there he would deal with him. You are his best friend right so he might listen to you. Laksh is a complete crying mess now. I tried talking to both of them but both of them are not ready." Ragini spoke everything sadly.

Kusum looked at Sanskar who is just pacing around the garden and then looked at Ragini.

"Give me five minutes. I will speak to him. You go inside and stay with Laksh." Kusum said.

Ragini nodded and left. Kusum sighed and moved towards Sanskar. She cleared her throat taking his attention.

"Hey!" he said with weak smile.

"What happened?" She asked softly.

He was about to shake his head as no but saw her stern look and he couldn't help but let a small chuckle.

"Ragini complained?" Sanskar asked.

"She couldn't do anything with you brothers. So she came for help since Dev wasn't there." Kusum said.

Sanskar just nodded.

"You think he would go against you?" Kusum asked.

"He did!" Sanskar said with moist eyes.

"You didn't listen to his side of story Sanskar. You are not some one who would come to conclusions without knowing everything. Then what happened today?" Kusum spoke.

Sanskar wiped his tears and shook his head.

"What is it?" Kusum asked.

"I was worried like hell. And in worry I just spoke rude and angrily to him. Didn't let him say anything. I will talk to him. Don't worry. Go!" Sanskar said.

Kusum nodded as she knows he would do what he said. She left from there giving him a look before leaving. Sanskar paced around the garden for five more minutes and then moved towards Laksh's room to see Ragini silently seeing him struggling to concentrate.

"Lucky bacha!" Sanskar called him making Laksh to look at him immediately.

His red are eyes and messed up face made Sanskar's eyes moist. He held Laksh's hand and pulled him from the floor he was sitting and made him sit on the bed. Ragini went out of the room silently letting them speak.

"I am sorry!" Sanskar apologized.

Laksh immediately hugged Sanskar and bursting out into cry. Sanskar let his tears too.

"I am sorry bhayya. I didn't do it intentionally. I am sorry!" Laksh said in between his cries.

"I am sorry too bacha. Stop crying and tell me what happened?" Sanskar said cupping his face and wiping his tears.

Laksh wiped his tears with his wrist and started speaking.

@flashback

"Please Laksh. Please!" Neelam pleaded Laksh while Laksh shook his head as no sternly.

"No means No!" Laksh said.

"But why?" Neelam asked.

"Because Bhayya said no and it is a no, no matter what from me." Laksh said.

"Okay fine! Just drop me in the Vishvak's house atleast I would enjoy when you both are sitting bored at your home studying." Neelam said sighing.

Laksh sighed and nodded.

"Okay for you?" Laksh asked looking at Ragini.

"It's just a matter of fifteen minutes. It's okay!" Ragini said.

Laksh nodded. He was about to call Sanskar to inform him but Neelam pulled him along saying she would get late. Laksh could only start driving hearing her banter. She didn't even let him speak a word so that he could even ask Ragini to call Sanskar and inform. She kept blabbering something or the other with Ragini and him so Laksh just sighed thinking he would call Sanskar once he dropped her. He finally reached the venue of party and dropped her. He was taking U-turn of the car when they heard a ringtone from behind seat only to find her phone left in back seat. Laksh sighed.

"I will give and return back." Ragini said and left from there.

Laksh waited, waited and waited for Ragini but she didn't return even after ten minutes. He called her but she didn't take the call. He parked the car and went inside to see her speaking angrily to her friends who are not giving her phone to her instead kept teasing her.

"Guys!" Laksh shouted a little angrily entering inside.

As he entered inside Nishit ran towards door and closed it. Laksh was shocked. He immediately marched towards the door and tried to open to see it locked.

"What the hell guys?" Laksh screamed angrily.

"It's party time. Let's enjoy!" Neelam screamed.

"Guys stop it. Open the damn door!" Laksh shouted angrily.

Three of them only kept smirking.

"Guys don't act immature. Open the door. We need to leave. Bhayya will be worried." Laksh tried sounding soft and calm thinking they would listen.

But instead they switched on the music and started dancing. Laksh groaned in frustration and pulled his hair angrily looking around to find ways. All he could see was no solution. He thought he would atleast inform Sanskar then but before he could dial the number Neelam pulled the phone from him. He tried snatching his phone from her but all he got was failed attempts. Laksh kept trying while Neelam just hid the phone in a cupboard there and locked that too. Laksh was beyond frustrated. He is getting more and more angry. Ragini is glaring all three of them as they are just enjoy dancing around the hall.

Laksh's anger reached peaks. He just marched to the music system and switched off the music. Vishvak moved towards the music system and switched it on again. Before Laksh could switch it off again he pulled Laksh along with him and started dancing making him also dance forcefully. Laksh's anger limit reached to it's highest limits. He pushed Vishvak angrily making him fall. He glared him who looked at him shocked moved towards music system and just broke it making the hall silent.

All looked at him shocked. His face looked very red in anger and his eyes are red too in anger.

"Can't you just understand when I said No?" Laksh spoke at the top of his voice angrily which only made his friends flinch at his anger and tone.

Ragini rushed towards him and held his hand while he took away from her trying his best not to hurt her.

"Lak..." Neelam tried to speak while Laksh glared her.

They had never seen Laksh that angry. He always had been the coolest guy in their gang.

Nishit moved to the cupboard and opened the lock of it, he passed RagLak's phones to them and opened the door. Laksh just moved out not even looking at them while Ragini followed him. It was already dark by the time they had moved out. Laksh's frustration increased seeing the time. He just drove off as soon as Ragini sat in the car. Ragini spoke nothing so did Laksh. Laksh was all the time thinking about how would his brother react. He knows his brother would have got upset thinking that he didn't listen to his words and went to party. He is just frustrated for making his brother upset.

But what frustrated him more was his friends immature behaviour. They never behaved such way but today they disappointed him by behaving so. He can tolerate anything but when they disrespect someone's choice that only makes him more upset. It's his choice to respect his brother's words and it was his final decision. But his friends only tried forcing into something which he is not interested of.

@flashback ends.

"I am sorry for not letting you speak anything and to speak those words to you." Sanskar said hugging Laksh.

"No bhayya! I know you were worried for us and spoke like that. But bhayya always remember you mean everything to me. Your no means no from me too. Your yes means yes from me too. I don't do that just because I Love You or respect You, but because I chose to follow you and your words because you are the person I can trust blindly and know whatever you say it would only be for my wellbeing. You have always been my first priority and You will always be." Laksh said.

Sanskar's eyes are teary as he heard Laksh. He looked at his brother lovingly. Every time Laksh shows such love towards him Sanskar only feels grateful to the god for letting him to go against his mother on the day of his father's death. He never ever wanted anything in return from Laksh but Laksh always had tried his best to give the respect he deserved and that was enough for anybody. Today he felt miserable for saying such words to his Lucky. His mood was off since morning may be due to work pressure and the pressure he is taking regarding the topic of marriage since the time Laksh has asked him about marriage. It is only making him to think different ways to say No to his brother and mother every time they get the topic.

"Come Let's have food!" Sanskar said holding Laksh's hand.

Laksh nodded smiling but before Sanskar could get up from the bed he hugged him tight.

"I Love You Bhayya!" Laksh said.

"I Love You too Bacha!" Sanskar said smiling and hugging him back affectionately.

"Let me call Ragini too. She didn't have food too." Sanskar said.

Laksh nodded. Sanskar went to Annapurna's room and called Ragini for dinner. She nodded and moved crossing him while Sanskar followed her.

"Ragu!" He called her.

She stopped and looked at him.

"You are still upset?" Sanskar asked.

"No bhai! I was upset because Laksh was upset. Now that you both sorted I am fine." Ragini said smiling.

Sanskar smiled at her and caressed her hair.

"I wish one day he understands how much you love him and recognises how much he loves you!" Sanskar said.

Ragini smiled sadly.

"You want me to call Dev?" Sanskar asked.

Ragini giggled shaking her head as no. Sanskar smiled shaking his head in disbelief and signed her to move. She nodded and moved towards Laksh's room along with him. When they entered the room they saw it clean.

Ragini was surprised about the way Sanskar's words effect Laksh. His one rude word would make a mess of Laksh. His one loving word would brighten Laksh's whole face. She understood even more how depth their love is for each other. She was always surprised of how two step brothers can be so amazingly affectionate to each other. Today she had seen another instant.

She smiled seeing Laksh pouting at Sanskar as he fed him and Laksh is trying to throw tantrums without eating. She adored their love more and more.

****

Thank You for reading

With Love

Dharani (Dhaరणि)