Chapter 55

Sunlight danced around brightly in Vinay's room, mirroring his heart. He sat there, staring out of the window, feeling happy that he could finally see eye to eye with Arnav and didn't have to put his head down in shame. What happened hours ago at the Raizada house cleared all the bad vibes out of this place. All their suffering had ended and it was the time for freshness to blossom. His smile held a lot of nostalgic moments, as he thought about the first time a kid entered this house, looking forlorn and scared but now, was ruling this house with both his brilliance and maturity. Arnav had come a long way and it made Vinay extremely proud to think he was a minute part of this.

The door creaked open and Vinay looked up to see Akash standing there, waiting for his permission to enter his room. Vinay's heart bled looking at Akash and the amount of neglect he had inflicted on him. His eyes welled up in shame and helplessness and he got up shakily to meet the eyes of his brother, expecting to see all the complains and sadness but could find none. Akash was smiling and his eyes shone with love. Did Akash forgive him for all the misery he had gone through in his teens because of Vinay's blindness towards everything that was not Anjali. He knew what Akash would say. He would say the same what Arnav said. While it was okay hearing that from Arnav, since the equation negated with him helping Khushi. But if Akash said thank you again then Vinay would probably collapse in the pit of depression. There was only so much a person could handle. But Akash didn't do anything of that sort. He walked straight to his brother and slapped him as hard as he could.

Vinay stumbled, holding his cheek in pain and stared at Akash, who was smiling, "I know you are wondering why I slapped you. I should have done this way earlier to knock some sense into you but I could never do it because I am not Arnav bhai. I can't come here and say thank you because I am not Arnav bhai and I can't perceive a scenario the way he does. He thanked you for being a driving force in his life. But I can't do that because I am not that great. So here my rant out and we will probably end all this shit here and now."

Vinay stared at him, satisfied, as Akash continued, "You were a jerk. A total asshole but I can't complain because everyone in love are idiots and don't seem to see anything ahead of the person they love. Not everyone are Arnav bhai though. I know whatever you did was unintentional and purely out of your love for Anjali Di. I know that but I still couldn't forgive you for all the loneliness I had to go through because I didn't have my brother to share things with. But then that vanished when Arnav bhai became my spirit guide. He was there, somewhere, yet he managed to make me feel wanted and heard. I am still mad at you for not being there, but I now understand that everything happens for a reason. I am still mad at you for being selfish but it's all in the past and I feel the water is under the bridge and we need to forget all that. So truce?"

Vinay nodded, tears falling and just like that everything was back to normal with the two worn out brothers. Ironically, nothing can heal a person like love.

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"I think we both have a thing for foreigners," giggled Lavanya as NK finished telling her about Ariadne. NK looked at her incredulously, wondering where did this loon come from. They had just finished talking about each other's love lives, knowing full well that their mother is going to get a shock of her life when these two will tell her about their respective partners. While NK and Ariadne were pretty much together, Lavanya and Chris's equation was still confusing. While Lavanya was sure that she was in love with him, NK wanted her to take it slow and not jump into any conclusions. He wanted her to give Chris some time and she agreed, albeit a little disappointedly. Chris too needed that time to figure out and understand his feelings towards Lavanya. Even though he had drunk proposed, that would be catastrophic if Chris didn't feel the same once he was sober. Though the way Chris was staring at Lavanya left little doubt in NK's mind that he was totally into his sister, it was much needed that he got his time.

Dynamite sat there, giggling with Ariadne. It warmed his heart to see his best friend getting along so well with his girl. Diya and Arnav were the only ones who knew about Ariadne and his struggle and never once judged. Diya never told him to move on and look for another girl. Even though she never was in a relationship before, she understood him perfectly and that was the reason why he felt that he could bare his soul to her. Now all he wished was for a nice guy for Diya, not knowing the story that cooked between Akash and Diya. Well, how would he know? He wasn't here for the most part of their love story. But that didn't bother him because he was staring at another pair, the ones that were made for each other from the time they were born.

Arnav and Khushi stood there, laughing about for some personal joke they were cracking. A while back, Arnav had proudly introduced his girl to everyone and it took just 10 seconds for everyone to fall in love with Khushi. While they had already liked her since the first time she came here, to see her as the one for Arnav was a different thing but that ironically didn't make any difference in judging her because she was awesome!

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"The way he behaved before, oh my god, you had to see him Khushi," Anjali gushed, opening her complain box against Arnav. In her defense, she deserved to do that after all that shit Arnav had put her through. Arnav stood there, scratching his head, "Di, Chipps knows me more than anyone else, I think she knows what kind of an ass I am."

"You shut up, Chhote!" Anjali glared at him, "this is between me and my sister. I can tell her anything about you and you cant complain."

Arnav looked at Khushi, rolling his eyes, but Khushi seems to have switched her team as she stuck out her tongue and muttered, "It's ok, Di. You tell me all the trouble he gave you in my absence. I want to hear what he was doing."

Anjali smiled as she started talking about the days Arnav spent in Raizada Mansion. Khushi stared at her, mesmerized by the stories and the bond these two had. Now since everything was sorting out, hearing anger stories of Arnav were downright hilarious. Khushi knew how difficult handling an angry Arnav was. She was younger than him but she was more of an authoritative figure between the two. But in the case of Arnav and Anjali, Arnav took up the mantle of Khushi and usually Anjali bowed down. "Was he always like this in anger?" Anjali asked Khushi. Khushi just smirked and said, "Yep, but Arnav didn't have the balls to get angry on me back then. The only time I have seen him shout at me was in New York."

"New York?" Anjali stared at Arnav.

"Yeah, the first time we met," Khushi smiled, "I spilt hot coffee on his white shirt or was it the other way round?"

"The other way round," Arnav reminded.

"Yeah," Khushi laughed, remembering their disastrous first encounter after 15 years, "that was one heck of a day. I was happy but then he ruined my mood."

"You were happy?" Arnav asked incredulously, "I thought you hate New York!"

"You remember that?" Khushi asked in disbelief. Arnav nodded, laughing, "I can't forget your rant when Sr. Avantika showed you the album with her pictures in New York. You couldn't believe a place existed where the greenery was confined to a little part in the centre and you were all like they are jailing the trees. What a shitty place."

And just like that they were laughing their hearts out again. Anjali could just stare at these two. This was the first time when she was seeing Arnav laugh so heartily and the amount of happiness it gave her to see Chhote like this was incomparable. She just stood there, mesmerized, as Khushi brought out the best of Arnav Singh Raizada.

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Devyani stared around the dining table, that had so much life today after so many years. Finally, her entire family was fitting around, happily gossiping and eating their heart out. For many years she had wished to see this but her wish had never come true because of the invisible wall that existed between the members of this family. Arnav never sat with everyone when he ate, he preferred to dine alone in his room. Akash would sit in front of the TV so that he could pretend to not hear the conversations that happened. Lavanya was always in her own world. NK wasn't here. Vinay was too busy in his work half the time. Anjali was running behind Arnav, making sure he ate. And somehow the dining table ended up being too lonely and cold for the three members alone would sit there, not knowing what to do. But today, it was lively and full. She smiled knowing that dark cloud had finally poured the rain and vanished, now it was time for the blooms of happiness.

There were new faces in the table, of course. Devyani had a feeling that the other three people would also be the permanent members of this house like Khushi. Khushi, the name itself brought warmth to her heart and eyes. Such a divine, lovely personality that girl had. She literally had brought back all the lost happiness of this house. From the minute, she stepped inside the Raizada Mansion, this place, the family were radiating in her positivity. It seemed as though this was always the destiny, to see her grandson sitting beside his happiness, finally able to fight his personal demons and emerge out of the fire, smiling, as he conquered his world.

"Arnav bitwa," she spoke finally. Arnav looked up and smiled at his grandmother, a smile that she wanted to see desperately for a very long time.

"Ji, Nani?" and suddenly, tears made their way out of her eyes. Arnav, who saw that, got up and went to give his nani a hug. Bonds were repaired, hearts were happy again. Arnav finally had accepted everyone as his family. Each and every member of this house, including the ever elusive Lakshmi ji would remember this day.

"What is this nani? You are still crying?" Arnav mused, "I thought now that all the shit is done, everyone would be happy."

"Rinnie?" Khushi almost screamed, "that is the way you talk?"

Arnav smiled sheepishly and muttered, "Actually, now that the boss is back, I can retire!"

Khushi hit him playfully while the rest of them were like, "boss?"

Arnav nodded, "this one is the actual boss," pointing at Khushi, "I am just the namesake."

"What the hell?" Khushi crossed her arms. Arnav was like, "yeah. See between Mama and Mami, Mami is the boss. Between Vinay jij and Anjali Di, Di is the boss. Universal truth, that between you and me, you are the boss."

"What universal truth, what nonsense are you talking?" Khushi was miffed. Everyone else was puzzled, also entertained. Lovers' banter is one of the best entertainments!

"Nonsense?" Arnav muttered covering his mouth dramatically, "universal truth is that the wife is always the boss. So technically, in a few days, when you come here as my wife, you will be the boss."

And that shut Khushi up effectively while everyone else burst out in joy, in celebrations. Just like that, Arnav had finalised his relationship with Khushi, bowing down to her and accepting her as his better half in front of the entire family. There was no greater respect a girl could receive. Her love, her commitment and her principles were paramount to Arnav and he had honoured her in the most beautiful, unembarrassing way.

Raizada mansion was ready to be decked up like a bride herself, to see the union of these two pure souls!