Chapter 23

[MEMBERSONLY]

Next day when Arnav came to the breakfast table, Khushi wished him good morning. Instead of replying his usual 'good morning to you too' he raised his eyebrow looking serious. She looked at him a little confused not getting his meaning.  'You know there are Raizada traditions for Good Mornings and Good nights as well'  he said concealing a smile that was trying to burst at the corners of his mouth. The color of her face changed in a snap as she caught on. 

'Jiii ... Ummm ... Bre ... Breakfast ... Breakfast is ready ... Adit has already eaten ... I'll go get Adya ... I ... I made porridge for her ... She likes it ... Adit don't ... Do YOU like porridge? ... If you do you can have some ... If you don't, then NO problem ... Your breakfast is already prepared ... I like porridge though ... It ... Its good for health ...  I think you should eat ... Are you not getting late ... You will be late' she blabbered nervously. When she finally dared to look up into his face she found that Arnav was grinning like anything, and it dawned on her that he was just teasing her. 'ARNAVJIII'  she clamored, and stomped her way to nursery to get Adya for breakfast.

It is going to be an awesome life with her. Chattering or lecturing, smiling or frowning, blushing or blabbering, whatever she is doing, he seems to love her even more every passing minute, he thought fondly. 

'Khushi, I think we should not tell anyone about the engagement or impending wedding just yet'  he said while eating his breakfast.

'Why?'  she frowned.

'Because if media gets a wisp of it, they'll make your life a reality show by hounding you all the time. With your exams in two months, I think you can do without all that circus. You have no idea how exhausting it all can get'  he explained.

'Won't they do the same to you?'  she asked, touched by his concern for her exams and privacy, and worried about him.

'They'll try. But I am used to handling media. And then I don't go to temple like you or to the institute or market. You are a pretty easy and available target and not to forget THE surprise bride. You'll attract much more attention than me'  he elaborated.

'Oh. But you'll also not get to share the news with anyone because of me then'  she said displeased at the prospect.

'Who was I going to tell? I don't have an extended family. And my business 'friends' can wait for the announcement till it is all official'  he shrugged.

'But won't the media hound us after the wedding? I'll still have my exams coming up that time. Do you think we should postpone the wedding for two months?'  she genuinely suggested, intrigued by the ways of rich and famous.

'Well, that's not an option now. We've got an approved date for the wedding. And anyways the mystery leading up to the event is more marketable for the media. After wedding the news will loose its luster'  he replied sounding as normal as possible, although her idea of postponing the wedding had fired up an irritation in his heart.

'Okay. I'll not tell any of my friends then'  she relented.

'And your aunties at the temple too. They gossip more than a few harmless students'  he added.

'Like hell I am going to tell them anything about my life'  she grumbled under her breath.

'What?'  Arnav asked.

'Nothing. I was saying that can I tell Akash at least'  she queried.

'He is an outsider too. But if you want then okay'  he was actually glad that now this piece of information will be conveyed to Akash by Khushi herself. 

'He is NOT an outsider Arnavji. He is a close friend of mine and Shyam bhai loved him too. I trust him completely'  Khushi instantly defended Akash being called an outsider.

And that's from where the lovely morning of new couple spiraled downhill.

'Oh! Such eagerness to defend the Akash incredibly-close-to-me Roy'  Arnav fumed.

People get violent when they are angry, hyper too, but Arnav Singh Raizada had a tendency to turn into ice when angry. Cold like ice. Stiff like ice. Dangerous like a silent avalanche. Only indication of his mood being his eyes, if you dare look into them at that time. And right now his honey-brown eyes were mirroring the jealous fury which was burning his insides at the speed of a jungle fire. And in this jealous fury of his, his mind conjured up that Akash will in some way or the other always remain in her life, like a back up, waiting for him to make a mistake, or Khushi to realize that she might have made a mistake by choosing him. And in that weak moment Arnav caved in to his insecurities. In his all encompassing desire to assert his importance, his place in Khushi's life he forgot that telling Akash was a better idea than taking it up with Khushi against it. 

'Other than Adit-Adya and ME, everyone is an outsider NOW'  he chewed out his words, trying to reign in his temper.

She looked up at this statement of his, sensing a sudden shift in his tone too. 

'I know. But I trust Akash. He won't tell anyone'  she stood her ground.

'I don't trust ANYONE with MY fiance's privacy and security'  he bit out.

'He is not anyone Arnavji. You know him. He works for you. He'll not let any harm come my way. He is a darling'  she tried to assure him.

Darling?? NOW THAT WAS THE LIMIT. Arnav could not trust himself to speak without hurting his less than a day old and at present very provoking fiance or scaring the daylights out of little Adya who was now curiously looking at him. So, he abruptly stood up, in the mid of his breakfast, gathered his blazer and headed to the front door without a single word or a single glance towards the occupants of dining table. And that was cue enough for his fiance to realize that he was bloody angry.

'Arnavji, wait. Arnavji. WAIT'  she ran after him. He stopped just near the front door.

'What happened? Why are you leaving like this? You are angry?'  she asked baffled by his sudden departure from the table.

No reply.

'Arnavji, I am not a mind reader. I can see that you are angry, but you have to tell me the reason. Is it about telling Akash?'  she tried again.

'Its nothing. I have an urgent meeting. Gotta go'  he hissed and started to make a move. Hell will have to freeze over before he tells her the reason of his discontent.

Khushi touched his elbow.  'But you haven't finished your breakfast'  she said concerned.

'I am done'  another hiss and he left, leaving a very confused Khushi in his wake.

'What just happened? Is telling Akash such a big issue? Seriously? And he left his breakfast for that? Why does he not get that no issue is more important than his health?' she looked perplexed at his retreating back.

Nowadays cooking had started to become therapeutic for Khushi, helping her unwind and sort out her thoughts. So today, while making lunch for Arnavji Khushi reached the decision to withhold the news from Akash until Arnavji comes around. Her fiance's comfort with things pertaining 'them' is more important to her than everything else. But what disheartened her a lot was that Arnavji had to spell it out that him and kids were her priority now, as if she does not understand that. In case he hasn't noticed, this family has been her priority all her life. All the people she had ever cared for have been from HIS family only, even her brother. HIS brother-in-law, HIS sister, HIS naniji, HIS niece and nephew and latest addition to the list HIM, so why would it be any different now? God knows why would he think that her priorities will lie with her friends and not him, specially now that they are engaged. Whatever he thinks, for her beginning  yesterday, this intelligent and kind man, who has an irrationally fierce temper, is her responsibility and she HAS TO balance out his shortcomings by her own nature. And she thanked God that she was inherently just what the arrangement warranted, the calm one, and shall accept him just as he is, a LAAD GOVERNER. She chuckled at his new name while stirring his favorite curry.

Needless to say, Arnav was in a very bad mood today. He tried to get some work done in morning but did not succeed, so asked his secretary to clear his schedule for the most part of the day barring one or two important meetings. While he stood lost in his thoughts at the floor to ceiling glass window at his office, he realized that it is not a good sign. NOT AT ALL A GOOD SIGN. They just got engaged yesterday and today he was again surrounded with all possible doubts about them. He spent better part of his morning thinking  about the way she intrigued him at first, and then had become an obsession to him that he had pursued relentlessly till she gave in to his designs. First to befriend him, then to marry him. His obsession, his designs, his love, all HIS,  he smiled wryly.  Did she ever had any feelings whatsoever for him during all this? And what about Akash? The way she immediately defended him says it all, doesn't it? He closed his eyes in desperation. 

He was missing his Di today. She was so good with the matters of heart and she understood him so clearly. Left to his own devices, only thing that he could think of was to hold onto Khushi with all his might. Right or wrong, he did not know. In fact he did not WANT to know anything if that means loosing HIS Khushi. Only respite for him now would be if she reciprocates his feelings. 'Please love me back Khushi, Please'  he murmured.

He was brought back from his thoughts by a knock on his door. It was office peon with his lunch box in his hands. He kept the lunch on the table near couches in his office, brought out the plates and and served him. When he left, Arnav absent mindedly started eating. After a few minutes he spotted a yellow paper tucked under his plate. He pulled it out and opened it, it read  'Can I tell Akash after the wedding? Or maybe I can break the news to him  directly on our first anniversary party,  just so that he knows the reason of the party. What say?'  And Arnav could not stop the corners of his mouth curve upwards at such a cute note. 'She cares for me more than her friend' he got elated like a child.

And like his smile, his appetite came back to him too. He knew it was her who had cooked today. After all, he has been her only patron since she had learned cooking. And how can he forget that by default she learned all things that her only patron, namely him, can eat with all his dietary restrictions. She was like tailor made for him. Yeah. SHE WAS HIS. ONLY HIS. He is not going to let her go, EVER. And did she not say that she will fall in love with him one day. He pledged to wait for that day patiently, and not let his insecurities get better of him. He was Arnav Singh Raizada. He does not do insecure-lover-boy. He was made of sterner stuff and Khushi has accepted him with her eyes open. Earlier where he was rueing the fact that he is unable to tell her about his love, he was thankful now that she entered into this relationship with her eyes open, for he knew that he could be very difficult to live with sometimes. With his love and her being so understanding, THEM, will work fine, just fine. Also he will have to start believing that this time fate will not play foul with him, no Akash Roy will snatch his happiness from him.

Later that night, during their chit chat session, Khushi brought up the topic nagging her since morning.

'Arnavji, you don't like Akash?'  she asked.

'He is a good lawyer'  he refrained from elaborating.

'No. Not as a lawyer. As my friend'  she asked further.

'That's your prerogative Khushi. I am not qualified to answer that'  he dodged answering again.

'So it does not matter to you who your fiance is friends with?'  she exclaimed dramatically.  

She called herself his fiance and then her theatrics, it made him smile. But he still refused to take the bait.

'Arnavji, seriously. I should know if you have issues with any of my friends. So tell me'  she requested.

'I don't know him on personal level and hence it is difficult for me to trust him that ways. As your friend that is. I know jiju trusted him, but please don't expect me to do the same. Trust can not be passed on like inheritance'  he conveyed his distrust in most civil way possible.

'Fair enough. But you trust me, right?'  she asked.

'What sort of question is that? Of course I trust you'  he retorted.

'Then I will not ask you to trust Akash, just trust me when I say that I choose my friends with care'  she looked at him intently.

'Hmmm'  came a non-committal reply.

'Akash called me today, and I did not tell him anything. And I don't plan to until you are okay with it'  she revealed.

Arnav did not know what to say. Now that he has made such a huge fuss about not telling Akash, he can't flip at the first given opportunity, can he?

'Khushi, I think you decide. I'll go with your decision'  he said hopefully.

'Hmmm. Okay. As of now I have accepted the dinner invitation he had extended'  she informed.

'Dinner invitation?'  his blurted.

'Yeah, remember the one which was postponed. Akash has come back today from his trip and revived the invite today itself for day after tomorrow'  she announced.

So, Akash Roy did not forget the dinner. Well, too late. Khushi is now committed to him, and nothing can change that. 'Except Khushi backing out or Akash influencing her to back out'  his mind panicked. But he regained his composure and decided to cross that bridge when and if it comes to that. He decided to not interfere and let her go ahead with her dinner plans with Akash. They are bloody engaged now and it has to count for something. And for heavens sake he claims to LOVE the woman, and what is love without trust? Moreover she has also pledged her loyalty to him by accepting to marry him, hasn't she? This time he'll hang on to his faith in Khushi, for he was SO DONE WITH manipulating situations. He will just wait and watch what fate has in store for him now.

It was easier said then done, and Arnav realized that later in the night when all his mind could think was 'Its just a dinner, a family dinner on that. Its okay'. And his heart knew like hell that it was NOT okay with him!