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Valley of Flowers ' Chapter 25
Part - 2
KHUSHI looked up as though compelled to find
Arnav's caramel brown eyes staring back at her. 'Arnav?' She took in his
dishevelled appearance-- his hair, a
little too long curled at his nape, a few days growth of beard on a gaunt face,
mud-streaked clothes and shoes. Her heart lurched when she saw that he had lost
some weight. Her face contorted with apprehension as realization hit her with
full force.
'Arnav! What are you doing here? Don't you
know how dangerous it is here right now?'
His face suffused with anger. This girl would
never change. 'What are you doing
here?' he retorted.'Are you rehearsing for your movie here in the middle of
nowhere?'
She ignored his jibe. 'Look at how this place
is Arnav,' She spread her hand toward the destruction meted out by nature. 'You
could have been killed.'
'Stop protecting me Khushi!' He strode up to
her. 'I have had enough of women manipulating my emotions in the name of love!'
She didn't know if it was the drizzle or
Arnav's words that made her shiver. Arnav had discovered his mother's
deception. Tears welled up in her eyes when she thought of the shock and pain
he must have had to face. She wasn't even there to console him.
'How did you know I was here?'
'It was very simple really,' he said his tone
laced with sarcasm. 'First I thought Shyam had kidnapped you. Then the police
told me to get out of their face and ruling this out as a domestic dispute. So
I decided to take your letter at face value and went looking for you in Mumbai.
Even though your friend assured me you were not there, I still searched for two
whole days. Finally, I came here ' on a hunch.'
'I 'I am sorry Arnav.'
'As much as I wished I had killed him, I am
thankful to Shyam for his blunder which revealed the truth about mom. Why
didn't you tell me Khushi?' He demanded.
'I was going to ---'
He didn't let her finish. 'Then you decided
to run!'
Khushi's eyes flashed with anger at his tone.
'Look who's talking? You keep running off to the farm house whenever you are
upset.'
'Are you trying to tell me that this is an
"eye-for-an-eye"?' Arnav took a few steps toward her, his eyes simmering with a
barely controlled temper.
She took a few steps back ward. 'Didn't you
also want to do something like that when you first met me eight months ago?'
'You let me go on believing a lie!' He lashed
out.
'What was I supposed to do?It had been five long
years Arnav! I had moved on. I was all set to marry NK ---'
'You had moved on?' He took a step closer to
her, backing her into the tree, 'How?' He raised his eyebrow in a familiar
manner. 'By holding onto my tattered t-shirt?'
Khushi's flushed. She had forgotten that bag
in a hurry. She stood silently thinking of all the memoirs she had collected
over the years. It was something she had started as a child of thirteen and
hadn't been able to wean herself off, even as a grown woman.
'I would never
have let you marry that moron.' He said arrogantly.
Khushi's eyes flashed with anger. 'NK didn't
turn up that day,' She reminded him. 'And that was no thanks to you!'
'So what? You think marriage would have
stopped me?'
'Of course not!' She shot back. 'You don't
believe in the institution.'
'Do you blame me?' He came up to her and held
her arms. 'It did nothing for my parents, my sister, Lavanya-- just to name a few. Would only marriage,
prove my love for you?'
'What did you say?' she whispered.
'Why
do you think I came running from the US to stop your wedding and marry you?'
'You told me you '.wanted me.' Khushi reminded him of their conversation on their
wedding night.
'I was scared Khushi! I was afraid you would
break my heart. That is why instead of telling you I thought I would show you.
Actions speak louder than words they say. I thought I could keep you with me by
giving you all the luxury in the world.'
That was why he had bought her all those
expensive gifts ' the diamond necklace set, the saree, the dishwasher he had
bought so she didn't have to wash dishes and then the join account. 'Oh Arnav,
I didn't care for any of those gifts,' Khushi said emphatically. 'What mattered
to me was the donation you made to the dance school ' for my students.
'It was then that I had decided that I'd
rather live with you than marry NK. I went to himand came clean with him,
hoping he would call off the wedding.'
'But you decided to go ahead when he didn't!
' He said sardonically.
'I was planning to call it off just before
you landed up on the wedding day!' She cried. 'I realized I couldn't go through with it
Arnav. Not even for my parents' sake. I loved you too much.'
Arnav's eyes filled with tears even as his
face remained stoic. With the slightest of quiver on his lips he said. 'You
loved me so much that you left me without saying anything and came here to hide
out in this Godforsaken place, putting me through hell these past three weeks!'
Khushi'stears, were being washed away by the
rain that had begun to get stronger. 'You think I have been in heaven all this
time ' without you?' she tried to shrug off his hands but his grip was firm. 'Let me go!'
'NEVER!' He pushed her back against bark of
the tree, his eyes blazing. 'I am not letting you go this time!' He released
his fingers when he heard her wince. He raked a hand through his wet hair. 'I am
sorry but I can't let you go,' he said with a catch in his throat. 'If I did ---
I don't think I will survive Khushi. I LOVE YOU!'
I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU
Khushi's heart clamoured joyously as Arnav's
words reverberated all around the woods echoing against the hills and valleys
around them. Words, she had been longing to hear from the past five years.
'Why Khushi?' He said stepping back a little.
'How long were you going to continue to protect everyone but yourself?'
'I only care about you Arnav,' she said
brokenly.
'I don't need protecting Khushi. You do.' He
groaned and put out his arm, pulling her unresisting body against him while she
clung, clutching his t-shirt.'You sweet little fool!'
'It's a terrible story isn't it?'
'The most terrible part is how you were made to suffer. You were so
young Khushi ' too young. If you had only told me!'
'Please understand,' she implored.
'I don't,' his brown eyes bore into hers. 'I
can't believe it.'
'I love you, Arnav,' she exclaimed.
'Why you should, baffles me.'
'Anything that hurts you, hurts me.'
'God,' he said resting his chin on the top of
her head. 'You didn't write that monstrosity of a letter either.'
'Forget about it,' she begged.
'I can't believe my own mother would do that
to me. A mother who claimed to love me. I spent so long hating you because of
that letter. You, the other half of
me.By far the better half.My only love.'
'But no one knew that Arnav,' she said sadly.
'You said yourself no one understood what we meant to each other ' the
compulsive, unquenchable love. You mother considered she was doing the right
thing.'
'Right for whom?'
He stepped back and kneeled down on the
ground. He looked up at her and took her hand in his. 'Will you just allow me
to say, sorry?'
'No.' She shook her head.
'Please.'
The break in his voice affected her
violently. She pulled him to stand up and put her arms around his lean figure
and hugged him as tightly, as fiercely as she could. Arnav felt his pain in his
heart ebbing away little by little. He moved his hands all over her back, the
need to feel that she was really in his arms foremost in him mind.
'I am sorry for leaving you like that Arnav,'
Khushi whispered looking deep into his eyes. 'I didn't know what to do. I
realized my mistake when I got here. I had planned to come back. But then the
floods came and the roads got closed.'
'What if I had lost you Khushi?' He said his
voice heavy with anguish. 'You know I couldn't have lived without ''
'Don't!'
She went on her tip toes, her hand snaking
around his neck as she pressed her lips to his with a an ardour that made them both tremble. The
drizzle had turned into a down pour but neither cared, lost in each other as
the rest of the world ceased to exist.
When Khushi started shivering uncontrollably,
he realized that there were drenched to the bone. He picked her up in his arms
ready to take her back into the house.
'What the --?' He swore as he saw two girls
standing a little distance away.
'Oh that's Lakshmi and Shanti,' Khushi said
emphatically.'Don't you remember them Arnav? There were the two little girls
who told us about the significant of this match making tree when we came here
ten years ago.' She pointed to the tree they were standing under.
'Thisis the same frigging tree?' He looked up with disbelief as the girls
started giggling again. 'Unbelievable!'
He was still shaking his head as he walked toward the house. They had no
chance in hell, did they? It was
providence.
Just as they entered the house, Arnav shut
the door and pulled her back into his arms.
'Arnav I --' He bent his head and captured
her lips pulling her flush against himself. As the warm aroused musky scent of
his skin assailed her senses, she responded by digging her own fingers into the
sensitive area of his back, her senses thrilling as he responded by raising his
hand to her hair, threading them through the wet strands, imprisoning her head
so that she had to press even closer to him, forcing her to lift her face as
the heat of his body transmitted itself to her.
After what seemed like an eternity he lifted
his head. 'Now, tell me what you wanted to say.'
'Uh?'She seemed to have lost her train of
thought.
'Khushi,' He had been wondering about this
since the moment she had kissed him outside.
'Aren't you worried we might be related?'
'What?' She stepped back in horror. 'Hey Devi
Maiyya!' She put a hand to her mouth. 'I thought you knew. Arnav, the woman in
the picture was not my mother! She was ''
'Your aunt,' he finished for her. 'Your
mother told us everything.'
Khushi hit his chest in mock anger. 'How
could you scare me like this?'
He grabbed her hands and pushed her against
the wall. 'You know how scared I was when I couldn't find you at first?'
'I am sorry Arnav --' she began.
'Khushi,' he said looking at her with his
caramel brown eyes. 'I meant what I said earlier. You can't leave me like that
every time there is a problem.'
'I didn't know what to do when Shyam showed
me the photograph!' she said defensively.
'Why didn't you come to me?'
'What was I going to say to you Arnav?' she
retorted. 'Should I have come up to you and told you "The woman who destroyed
your parents' marriage was my mother. I hope you don't mind."' Her tone was
laced with acrimony.
'Amma had not told me anything about the
past. Buaji always taunted me about my mother. I thought it wastrue. And the
possibility that we could be '' She couldn't finish the sentence. 'I couldn't
face you Arnav.'
He pulled into his arms and regaled the drama
that had taken place in her absence. 'I wish I had killed that b@#$%&! I
can't believe my mother brought this scum into our lives.'
Khushi placed her hand on his cheek gently.
'Don't!' She pleaded. 'You have to find a way to get past that.'
A window banged shut with a loud noise making
Khushi jump. She stepped back from him. 'I have to go shut all the windows and light
the lamps. The power lines are down.'
Arnav's face lost its colour when he realized
how scared Khushi was of darkness. Khushi put her hand on his shoulder and
said, 'Lakshmi's family have been very helpful. They came right away and took
me to their home that night. After that, they gave me hurricane lamps, a
kerosene stove and provisions to make food. They are used to this weather and
generally stock up on provisions in case of emergencies. This is one of the
safest places in the world. The people here are innocent to the point of being
nave. Don't worry.'
She brought him a towel and told him to clean
himself up while she put together something for him to eat. Arnav looked around
to see the house for the first time. There was one bedroom, one bathroom and a
kitchen. The entire house would probably fit into the living room of the
RaizadaHouse. He stepped inside the bathroom to wash himself.
A little later, he stood at the door of the
bedroom watching her towelling her wet hair. His heart began to beat
erratically as he watched a drop of water, slide down her creamy back. He
walked up to her, wrapping his hands around her tummy and pulled her flush
against himself even as his lips claimed the delicate skin at the nape of her
neck.
Khushi gasped as her back touched the bare
skin of his chest. 'Arnav ---' She turned
around and stopped abruptly when she saw him standing in just the towel, his
hair damp, his muscled body glistening in the glow of the oil lamp.She stepped
back and hit the wall in the tiny bedroom. 'You will be 'cold.'
'You too. So,let's get you out of these wet clothes.'
He rasped.
'Hurry!' She said, her own eyes reflecting
the hunger in his.
His lips fused with hers, hot and starving.
She tasted passion' desire. His tongue stroked and cajoled, sending a sizzling
jolt right to her core, so she answered him fire for fire.
He peeled the kurti off her body, skimmed his
hands up her narrow rib cage, then cupped her breasts. As her breathing grew
heavy, Khushi clutched her hands in his hair and dragged his mouth up to hers.
He had wanted to go slow but her lips were wild and desperate. He understood
that it was what she needed. He let himself go.
He ripped at her bra, making her eyes go wide
with shock and arousal. When his hands moulded her this time, they were greedy
and rough.
She moaned when his mouth, hot and moist
closed over her breast. His tongue caressed, stabbed. He suckled strongly,
wanting to devour her, mark her.
He untied the strings of her pyjama bottom
and dragged the material down her smooth legs. The panty was no hindrance as he
plunged his fingers inside her. As his thumb began to make swift circles around
her nub, her nails dug into his shoulders telling him she had reached her peak.
The whimper in her throat turned into a cry that was both a shock and joy.
His breath hissed out, as he watched her rise
up and topple over the edge. The dazed look in her eyes brought him a dark
pleasure.
He threw his towel aside. As he caught her
leg, wrapping it around his waist, Khushi came out of her daze and her eyes
widened for a brief second. Then she closed her eyes and leaned back, her
finger curled in his hair as she pulled him for a kiss.
As Arnav thrust into her slowly, he found her
moist entrance more than ready for him. As he filled her to the hilt, she was
gasping, her breath coming in little pants of pleasure.
Arnav began to move, in rhythmic movements
fast and slow, deep and hard. Her soft little moans emanating from her throat
were driving him crazy. Her nails bit into his back, her breath came in gasps
and her eyes clouded with heat.
He lifted her to wrap the other leg also
around him and drove deeper, his hand biting into her waist.
Khushi forgot where she was. Who she was.
There was only the pleasure coursing through her body, as she threw back her
head and indulged herself.
Arnav murmured something incoherent, his hand
tightening on her, he thrust fiercely into her. Khushi threw back her head,
shuddering with pleasure as she body spiralled out of control, wave after wave
shaking her. She stifled her cries as she buried her face against his shoulder.
She dropped one leg on the floor, unable to hold herself against him.
He thrust one last time and his body
crescendoed like a hot volcano. He felt like his body had turned into lead, as
if she had drained his very strength. He placed his forehead on her, struggling
to regain his ability to breathe.
A little later, Arnav brought her the food
she had prepared a little earlier, wearing his track pants riding low on his
hips.
'Khushi?' He sat down beside her, gulping
when he saw her bare legs stretched out in front of her, the t-shirt riding
high on her thighs. His body hardened at the thought of her wearing nothing but
his t-shirt. But he stemmed his thoughts. 'How did you find out about your
aunt?'
'Uh?' She had been busy staring at the hair
on his chest. He had no idea what it did to her.
He repeated his question as he handed the
plate to her.
'Oh'..I found her diary hidden away in the
trunk here in this room.' She fed him from her plate.
'What did she write in that?'
'Arnav --' She hesitated. 'Aren't you angry?
Even if she was not my mother, she is still my aunt.'
'I am angry alright, but not for the reason
you think.' He said his jaw tightening with fury. He told her about his
mother's role in the whole fiasco. He said, 'I can understand why dad had
fallen for Gauri. She was not only beautiful outside but inside as well.'
A tear trickled down Khushi's cheek as she
thought of the aunt she never knew. 'She sacrificed her love and life for the
man she loved.'
'You have similar sacrificial traits, like
your aunt,' he said wiping her tears. Luckily for me, you are not suicidal like
her. You are stronger. I guess you take after your father. He had the courage
to wait for his love ' unlike mine.'
'Don't be too harsh on your dad Arnav,'
Khushi said sadly. 'He did come for her. My aunt firmly refused to marry him
and sent him away.'
'So what?' He said emphatically. 'Did that
mean he should have agreed to marry --'
'Don't!' She put her fingers on his lips. She
couldn't for one second think of a scenario that he didn't exist. Luckily for
her, he had turned out like her dad. 'All that matters is that we didn't let go of our love. I have
been in love with you for so long, so madly.
I can't have anything spoiling it now ' not the past, not your mother, not
Shyam or anyone else. We are going to be together the way it was meant. I am
not going to let you hold on to the wretched past. If I can forgive and forget
so can you. We have to start afresh Arnav!'
He laughed a little at her passionate
response.She looked beautiful, invincible and passionately alive.
He went up to the knapsack he had brought
with him and took out her diary. He opened it and took an old letter that was
stuck inside the flap of the cover. 'I know how long you have loved me Khushi.'
I was in the middle of my
riyaaz with Naniji when I felt like someone had called my name. When I turned
around, there he was--- dressed in black denims, dark grey hooded jacket with a
dark blue t-shirt inside and grey-yellow sneakers. Those were the most
beautiful eyes I had ever seen I my entire life. Eyes, the colour of caramel.
When I took him some tea
the next morning,he looked so anguished that I wanted to take him in my arms, but
didn'tdare.He had just taken off his t-shirt and it made me feel warm all over.
I couldn't even talk properly and so I ran away from there.
Though he was trying to
ignore me all through the journey, I don't know why I wanted to go on talking
to him.The next day,under the matchmaking tree, whenI made that silly comment
about the song,he laughed. His stern face had totally transformed, making him
look like a little innocent boy. I was so happy that I couldn't help joining in
his laughter.
The Valley of Flowers was
as beautiful as I had imagined it. It had reminded me of the time I had spent
with my own Amma and Babuji. I forgot about Buaji and her cruel taunts for
those few wondrous moments. Then it began to rain and I had found his caramel
eyes looking at me. My heart began to beat a strange rhythm of dhak-dhak when
he walked toward me and I was suddenly overwhelmed with joy.
Now he is gone far away from me and I don't feel that good. Yesterday I
had a dream about marrying him under the matchmaking tree! Hey Devi Maiyya! What
is wrong with me?
A wild
rose colour had mounted her cheeks and she tried to close her face with her
hand. She had torn that page from the diary and hid it inside the flap of the
cover.
He moved her hands away and looked deep into
her eyes.'When I first saw you in Dehradun I too was overwhelmed by how
exquisite you were Khushi. But I told myself that you were just a child. But at
the Valley of Flowers, seeing the joy on your face I couldn't help being drawn
toward you. I had forgotten all my troubles in that one instant. My heart
always knew that you were my salvation. But happiness had eluded me for so long
that I failed to recognize it when it was staring right at my face. I pushed
you away. Again and again.'
'It wasn't our time yet.' She whispered.
'It's taken me ten long years to find you
once again. I assure you that I will spend the rest of my life making it up to
you. I love you Khushi.Forever.'
'I love you too Arnav,' She took a deep
shuddering breath. 'I am yours ' heart, body and soul. Forever.'
With that promise they came together in
rapture as the stars twinkled a little more brightly in the night sky.
I feel motivated to
write more when I hear from you so do comment and feel free to give me your
feedback.
I am also going to try
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charlotte742013-07-23 05:38:17
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