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A NEW BEGINNING

After Sanskaar left for the office, Swara decided to use her day productively. The first task being, the little enlightenment session she planned for 'house help'. Thanks to the breakfast session in the morning, Mrs Braganza warmed up to her a little. So it hadn't been tough to set others for a talk, with her help.

Just some curious and sceptical looks was all she decoded, scanning rest. Tara seemed comfortable toying with Mrs Braganza's glasses and hair which thankfully, she didn't mind. With wasting no further time, Swara took over. The summary being, she is not here to exploit their boss rather help him. She's a professionally trained counsellor and is gonna help Mr Maheswari settle. She intentionally stressed on his big heart of lending her a roof when in need. And if they help her in this 'Mission Miss right", soon this house will be back to its former self, happy and cheerful.

She had seen their eyes lit up. oh! Sweet people.Mrs. Braganza who had been a witness of morning spectacle stepped up and affirmed her faith. "Ever seen him sleep properly? Take breakfast from home. She did that!" If anyone could get our Sanskaar inline it has to be her."

And Swara knew she won the score. Yes! Swara did a little dance mentally.

Having them on her side is a must. She could count on their inputs which will make the job easy. Perspectives of others which we tend to ignore can change the game at times, she believed. It ended well .. and changed demeanour was visible.

Govardhan Kaka volunteered to take her around MM just to familiarise ...and it was then she got a magnificent inside view. All rooms crafted to perfection ...as if someone pulled a few pages from a hi-fi lifestyle magazine and poured life. She didn't venture into Sanskaar's room and left it out. She knows her boundaries too.

It was later, she paid close attention to the family portrait neatly hung on one of the walls. Happy faces!

"Ye Ram Saab hain, ye Sujata mem Saab ... Uttara bitiya.." Kaka's voice choked "Bahut hi Pyari bachi thi!" He added wiping a tear. Indeed! Uttara looked like one with a spark of mischief, and bubbly and pretty. The life of this house. Her eyes moved to Sanskaar who was decked usually in a suit, but her attention went to his wide smile, one which reached his eyes, bright and full of life unlike now. Dead.

At lunch preparation, she got to know a few more details about Maheswari's from the Madam cook. What a loving happy family they were, always kind to others, the sibling bond of Uttara and Sanskaar which always brought smiles around. They would fight one minute, then are besties in next, how Sanskaar loved coming up with new demands for breakfast and bringing her new recipes to try after his every business visit.

"He loves my waffles! Mrs Braganza recalled, " I didn't make one in years" She was in tears too. "Sab chale Gaye aur Saath main Sanskaar ki hasi bhi. Jaise Bache ne Jeena hi chod Diya. You will help him, Right!" Her hands held Swara's and squeezed it in a plea. Swara felt choked.

Soon, she will get it back! The smile and life which he left behind. Soon... Swara promised herself and to the lady too.

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Post Lunch, putting Tara to sleep, she took a quick nap. Later she pulled her notes on Mr Maheshwari and went through them carefully. She added a few more. Now for the real task! What should she start or Where? she pondered for a minute. Then, her eyes moved to the answer.

Gotcha! This would be perfect! She smiled and chalked out her plan. Later, she stepped out wishing for a nice cup of tea. Mrs Braganza was already in the kitchen. Bless this woman, Swara thought taking a sip of her ginger tea. The wonders a cup of tea does after a nap!

A little tour of the garden refreshed her further. The well-mowed lawn, soothing greenery and slight teasing fragrance of blooming flowers. She loved it like Tara who seemed to take in the expanse with her eyes as opposed to cramped space in her modest apartment. This was huge ..all open and wide. Tara took stumbling steps, would fall with a thud and laugh. It was her much loved the game as Peek- a -boo and Boy! She loved the swing in the middle.

Govardhan Kaka didn't seem to mind the invasion at all. "Lagta hain gudiya ko pasand aayi ye jagah," he smiled "Haina Gudiya". He asked Tara, who seemed to love the new attention and made happy sounds.

Swara loved the vibes of this place. Good and Pure unlike...

She brushed thoughts away and played with Tara and cradled her sleeping form carefully after a tiring play and walked in.

Now all she has to do is wait for Mr Maheswari to step in from the door.

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Sanskaar parked his car, loosened his tie and walked into MM hoping for a ginger tea first! Oh its been ages, he thought. His plan was clear. He would freshen up and attend whatever class session Madam counsellor has planned and get back to work. But he wasn't prepared at all, not for this at least. His eyes met the sight of Miss Bose right before him scanning seriously through some notebook. One minute she was there. Next minute she was smiling at him. Before he could blink, she came running and hugged him

Oh! You are back! I missed you.

And he lost his breath.

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Never! He had been the recipient of such a hug and he felt blanked out. Totally. All he could see was, this woman was looking at him with those really big eyes, smiling at him, her hands around his neck! And he stared at the loss of words. His heart thudded so fast, he felt scared it would be out in the next minute and he might be dead.

Then she stepped back as nothing happened and went on blabbering something while he stood still trying to process the happenings.

"Are you following me Mr.Maheswari?" she asked her arms crossed. And Sanskaar didn't have a clue. His body and brain are still stuck in the process of unfreezing.

"You didn't!" She threw a mild accusation.

Sanskaar blurted out the most natural question that came to him after the earth-shattering incident "Why did you hug me?" And the look she gave him was comical.

Swara sighed. He left all the lecture she gave and is asking this! She smiled fluttering her eyes "Because you looked so handsome, Mr Maheswari, I couldn't stop myself."

It was meant to be a joke, but wait! Is this man blushing? Swara bit back her giggle. He is! Turning all red. 'Laal Tamatar' was the first thing that flashed in her mind. Oh, He's cute ok! Super cute! But cute wouldn't help her business. She went on to explain.

"Mr.Maheswari!. You should get used to the idea that you will have someone waiting for you after a long day of work. You will be walking back to your loved one at the end of every day and there is a high chance you might get greeted like this! A hug and if luck favours, few kisses too."Sanskaar stepped back instinctively at the word 'kiss.' It didn't escape her notice.

Please don't get any ideas Mr.Maheshwari." Swara clarified, "I was just checking your comfort levels. And please! When a beautiful woman hugs, You are not supposed to look at her like she's some ghost who jumped out of the graveyard," She pointed referring to his earlier expression. 'You have to be nice and sweet. Got it!" Swara raised her eyebrows in question and Sanskaar nodded, taking in the idea.

Nice and sweet! He noted.

"Great! Let's do this again. "Swara clapped her hands all into serious business.

And his heart slipped. Again?

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Sanskaar sulked back in his room. This woman and her ways. When she suggested they should go through this exercise again, he protested.

"Can we do this tomorrow?" He asked nicely but Lady Hitler! She dismissed him in an instant. "Stop making excuses like a kid trying to skip his homework." He really felt like one. " Three minutes, you are gonna walk back. Think of something nice to say, remember the sweet smile. I don't want any mistakes this time " She ordered like a boss

All he could do was mutter a curse under breath and walk out. He did as she asked him ok! He didn't freeze and gave a smile too, trying not to look flustered. She looked as of she's waiting for more, then asked him a question.

"Did you miss me?"

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No! He said a No!

Right below Sanskaar's room, Swara sulked too. "Iska Kuch Nahi ho Sakta" she murmured. He did that hug part nice okay! But then? He messed it up.

A blunt no on the face!

He has no clue of women. She would buy that! But this was a complete no! Not a nice woman favouring bone, he has that hot toned body.

"Wait! Why would I care if his body is ... whatever! "Swara waved a hand in dismissal and focused back on folding clothes.

"If I had been his wife, I wouldn't give him food for a day." She turned to Tara who was busy playing with building blocks. "You have a happy life, Darlin. You don't have work on Mr Maheswari and his rigid ways."Obviously, he wouldn't know women liked to be missed by their lovers. They would love hearing that at the end of the day, making all the wait worth it. Just a few nice words, a loving hug and a kiss.

But this Man! And what was his reply, when she tried to correct! "I won't lie" Swara rolled her eyes. Bada Aaya Satya harishchandra.

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He just told her the truth and she jumped back in horror. Sanskaar recalled still brooding. She got all hysterical, shaking her head. No! No! You shouldn't say that and giving him looks like he's murdered, someone. This one and her antics. And it's just day one!

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He had a point, Swara admitted. He was being honest, but she had her ways too, to twist and convince.

"I won't ask you to lie. You wouldn't. Take my word for it Mr.Maheshwari. When you are in love with someone special, you will miss them. Even a minute apart, it would feel like an hour. And you will be counting each ticking second to get back to them. You wouldn't even have to try. It just happens. I was trying to give you an idea...I hope you don't get me wrong."

And he looked almost convinced.

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Heck! He was convinced. Damn! Very well convinced. What is Miss Bose? getting away with anything! And he obliged her every word. Wait! Is she a witch casting spells? Mrs Braganza was her friend already and Kaka told him, he gave her a tour of the house and played with the kid in the garden. He looked so happy.

Ok! Two wickets down. Definitely a witch! He concluded. And it's those eyes! He knew. Those big, bright ones ...sucking you into them like some brown pools. Coffee brown? Nah! Chestnut? Nah! Caramel! No! Too deep ...rich in colour, brown and beautiful...

Wait! Sanskaar stared in the mirror. "Are you really trying to figure out the colour of her eyes? Really Sanskaar? From when did ladies eyes start interesting you?" Sanskaar shook his head. "Don't look. Don't think. He repeated.

And the hug came back to him. On your way to being doomed. The warning came. He wished not.

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Dinner time! Sanskaar still felt unsettled. His heart didn't return to normal pace yet, especially the second hug was hard to get out his mind. Because he could feel it this time. The warmth seeped through him at contact, Those hands going around wrapping him in, and the brush of her cheek over his...

Soft, it felt like a feather...delicate, but it felt like a jolt. He felt his breath ...hot and his heart jerking madly. A knock on the door .. he felt interrupted at the moment.

Dinner must be here! He always preferred having it in seclusion..all alone. On opening the door, Swara stood before him, beaming.

"Mr Maheshwari. Let's have dinner!"

And he didn't want to. Because he felt out of balance and didn't like it.

"No! Thank you. I prefer it here!" His voice came more harsh than intended. Her smile faded.

"But..." she tried again.

"I think I had enough for the day! Miss Bose. Now, please!"

Swara stood stunned as the door slammed on her face. How Rude! For a minute, she felt like breaking it and giving this brat a nice lecture on Manners. She decided against it and took stairs down. Mrs.Braganza met her with a dinner tray and her eyes with an 'I told you so' look.

"He didn't have to be so rude," Swara murmured angrily. "I was just trying to be nice."

"He wasn't this way!" She remarked. And Swara got to know a few more details which offered her a new perspective. The Maheswari family always had their dinner and breakfast together. That was a cardinal rule by Sujata Maheswari. "Poora din kaam kaam..khaane ke Waqt bilkul nahi! Ye Waqt Sirf parivaar ka hain". The phones were banned as any other gadgets and all they did was to talk, joke, share day events...

Swara turned to the dining table and it hadn't been difficult to picture them., those moments. "Accident ke baad, Phir Kabhi Nahi!"Mrs Braganza added and took dinner upstairs.

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He had been rude! Sanskaar admitted. He couldn't have dinner in peace. She didn't have a clue...why he avoided that place. Too many memories. It was his own problem. He had no right to hurt her.

This very feeling led him downstairs again that night. He half hoped for the song and acceptance of his apology. He waited, but nothing came in. A hesitant knock on the door had Swara facing him. He hoped to see some anger, but he found none.

"I am sorry! I shouldn't have..." The pause lingered in the air for a fleeting moment.

And she nodded in acceptance. He waited for her to say something ..anything ...but it was just silence. He turned to leave.

"Mr.Maheshwari! "He stopped, feeling strangely elated. "You are trying to start a new life ...at least you have plans. A simple dinner wouldn't hurt right?" Her voice came, softly.

It would! He was sure, but how long can he avoid it? He needed time. "I will tell you, when I am ready, Miss Bose. I hope you will understand." He muttered without turning back and hoped to end the conversation there. It did indeed. But his heart sank when he realized that she was gone without another word. The pause he left for her, hung in the air prickling against him with unease.

Unknowingly his feet led him to the couch, and he realized the silence hung heavy waiting to be broken, trailing after him from that unfinished conversation, a hope, he reluctantly recognized it was, hope that she would sing again.

Would she? When he had disappointed her so when he had all but shut the door on her efforts would she still have the heart to sing tonight?

The yearning felt unfamiliar, a burden on his heart, but it lifted soon after as soon as the first few notes of her soft crooning crept on tiptoes towards him. Sanskar sighed, feeling the unease lifting and his lungs filling with air, peace and a slow...wisp of happiness.

His lips curled on their own, eyes closing to savour the moment, he settled on the couch another night of peace awaiting.

Only Swara, waiting at the threshold to her room, where Tara was already sound asleep, saw the picture from different eyes.

This song had meant for him, an apology of her own for poking his raw spots insensitively. And also an acceptance of the begrudgingly held out hand of a man who did not know how to climb out of the walls he built around himself. It was his way of asking help to keep him from drowning in his past, to pull him out. She read him well now and she would pull him out, slow but steady ... she will not give up on him....not until he has his own happy ending.

The song was her promise to herself. And she smiled. Swara never broke her promises.

And the night felt good!

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