Chapter 15
THIS WORK OF FICTION SOLELY BELONGS TO ME. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE, COPY OR REPRODUCE ANY PART OF IT. IT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED AND UNETHICAL.
~ LAST PART ~
"Ab Var, Vadhu ke gale me Mangalsutra pehnayenge..."
Khushi closed her eyes and let the sublime feeling sweep over her, as Arnav tied the sacred chain around her neck in response to the Panditji's instructions. This moment, this single moment of her life signified the realization of all her dreams, all her wishes and all her hopes which she had harbored in her heart since her childhood. It was a moment she hadn't dared to believe was written in her fate. But here she was, despite her fears, finally the better half of love of her life. Wife of Arnav Singh Raizada.
Mrs. Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada.
Her new identity. Her new name.
As they began to take the seven holy rounds around the pyre, Khushi's thoughts went back all that had happened in the last few weeks to finally culminate in this beautiful moment.
Once Khushi had plunged headfirst into the preparations, the days had moved quickly in all the trousseau shopping, jewellery shopping etc..etc. Very soon, it was time for the celebrations to begin. All the pre-wedding celebrations were conducted in Raizada Mansion, except the Wedding and Reception which were to be held at Raizada Hotels.
For the engagement, the palatial mansion had been decorated no less than a bride. There were abundance of fragrant flowers everywhere in the decorations and twinkling lights, which twinkled as though bestowing their blessing on the happy couple. The ceremony itself had been deep and meaningful with both the future bride and groom leaving no doubts in the guests mind about the reason for the wedding.
Arnav had given her a wonderful surprise that day by making it possible for the whole St. Mary's to attend her joyous day. She had been overwhelmed with such love for him that she hadn't been able to control her tears. She had invited the holy sisters to her engagement, but Arnav had understood her heart's desire to have the whole orphanage share her day and silently gone about giving her what she wanted. Arnav had swiped Khushi's tears and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and teased her that she looked like a vamp now with her spoiled make-up, but his admiring eyes had belied it.
The Sangeet was a star studded affair with lots of masti and fun happening between the bride's side(All the girls from office including La and Payal had already declared themselves "ladkiwale"!) and the Groom's. Arnav and Khushi enjoyed completely, watching the antics of their friends and joining in the festivities wholeheartedly.
Mehendi was held next day with only the bridal side attending the function in RM while the men had been strictly prohibited from entering, which had gotten Arnav's goat once again. A sulky Arnav was dragged to a funky club by NK & Co, where they had arranged a bachelor party for him. After getting teased mercilessly by his friends about being whipped, Arnav had decided to meet Khushi and see how her Mehendi had come about, only to be stopped by his formidable Nani. He had thrown a fit when he had realized that after Mehendi, he would only be able to see Khushi on the day of the wedding as next day was the haldi. But Nani had held tough, and no amount of raging had softened her.
Haldi had gone on without any hiccups though Arnav had been quite reluctant to apply the sticky mixture on his body. But as it was explained to him earlier that the remains of the haldi applied on him would be taken to Khushi as shagun, he had gone with it quietly without a peep. Both Arnav and Khushi spoke continuously on the phone throughout the ceremony amusing the guests to no end. In the end Nani had confiscated Arnav's phone as he kept distracting Khushi, leaving Arnav to brood some more, much to Nani's and Khushi's amusement.
The day of the wedding dawned bright and clear. Khushi's friends had dragged her to the exclusive beauty parlor which Arnav had booked. The wedding was scheduled for 4'o clock in the evening. By the time 3'o clock had rolled, Khushi had been primped, primed and dressed in her extravagant wedding trousseau, which Arnav had specially had it made for Khushi by 2 of the best designers in the country. Though the bridal attire was quite heavy, considering the amount of intricate work and jewels in it, Khushi felt it was worth all the pain, watching Arnav's reaction when she was first brought into the mandap where he waited with the Pandit for his bride.
As he sat in front of the holy fire, listening and following the rituals, Arnav felt a hush fall over the wedding crowd and turned towards the stairs, only to see an angel descending in a beautiful dark red lehenga-choli which had been designed just for her. Her face had been half hidden by the ghoonghat but as she neared the aesthetically decorated mandap, she lifted her eyes and looked straight at him. He could hear and feel the collective gasp and awe of the mesmerized audience. He knew Khushi was beautiful, but she looked extraordinary today. It wasn't just the dress but her glowing radiance which held him captive as she slowly progressed towards him without breaking their eyelock. She radiated happiness. Arnav had never seen looking more beautiful. She only glowed more as the sacred rituals which would bind them forever in holy matrimony began.
The Pandit asked Khushi to lead for the last 2 pheras and as she passed him, Arnav was once again struck by Khushi's exquisite beauty. She looked too good to be true and in another few minutes she would belong to him forever, exclusively and legally. He remembered the first moment he had seen her today and had been enraptured.
As they proceeded to take the seventh and the last round, Arnav vowed to himself to keep his Khushi happy forever. With every breath he took.
"Ab yeh vivah sampan hua..." Pandit announced as they bent to take the blessings of his grandmother. The guests cheered and threw flower petals over the newly married couple.
Mr and Mrs. Arnav Singh Raizada.
-----xxx-----
Arnav entered his beautifully decked bedroom to see Khushi sitting demurely in the middle of his bed. Their marriage bed. He smiled at the vision crossing the room to sit next to her and lifted her chunri slowly to reveal his beautiful bride. When Khushi still didn't lift her eyes he held her chin to lift her face only to look into her eyes which were moist.
"Khushi...?" he asked with concern as he gently swiped her tears away "What's wrong?"
Khushi looked at him for a moment before flinging herself into his arms and sobbing. Arnav stroked her back gently as her sobs reduced slowly. She pulled away at last and gave him a shaky smile to show him she was all right now.
"What was that all about?" Arnav asked curiously.
Khushi sniffed before answering "Tears of joy, Arnavji. I never thought this day would ever come Arnavji. My heart is so full of happiness, I j..Just couldn't control"
"And here I thought you were already regretting marrying me" Arnav teased mildly and laughed at the fire in his wife's eyes.
His wife... Arnav savoured that word as it flashed in his mind. For so long it had been an albatross around his neck, suffocating him. But today for the first time it liberated him. Made him happy. Made him feel complete.
His wife, Khushi.
He slowly removed the dupatta and the pins from her hair, meshing his hands in her glorious tresses and pulled her closer. Khushi blushed and looked down as he began to press kisses from her temple to her chin and below. Her gasp turned into a moan as Arnav slowly divested her of the remaining bridal wear. He removed her jewellery one by one, making sure to kiss the skin below it as each piece was removed. It had been near a month since they had last been intimate, making this feel like their first time once again. Both were desperate for the contact and hungry for each other. In no time both were touching skin to skin and as Arnav took her lips in a scorching kiss and pressed her back to the mattress as he dimmed the lights with the remote kept on the bedside table, leaving the room and them bathed in clear moonlight.
The night and the moon stood witness to the union of two souls in love as a gentle breeze moved inside swaying the curtains. The night was perfect.
Their love, even more so.
-----xxx-----
EPILOGUE :
Arnav walked into his home with a spring in his steps and a smile on his lips. He had been a workaholic for so long, but now he loved coming home on time. After Khushi had come into his life his life had completely changed. She had filled colors into his barren existence. Her unconditional love had given him strength to fight the obstacles in the path of their love. She was his cornerstone. His home.
Something wasn't right, Arnav looked around the vacant living room, suddenly frowning. Usually he would be greeted by now with utmost enthusiasm. But where was his family?
He asked Hariprakash where Khushi was and was immediately shown towards the kitchen. Arnav threw his jacket on the couch along with his briefcase and moved to where he could find his heart and soul. As he entered the kitchen he knew something was wrong. And there they were, his wife and his almost 3 year old son, Arjun.
Khushi was standing beside the kitchen table holding a glass of milk, while his son had turned his face to the other side, his tiny hands crossed across on his chest. As Arnav slowly walked in, his son looked up at him once but again moved his head away. Arnav raised his brows at Khushi in enquiry and she whispered back.
"He was looking at old photographs today and came across our wedding album..." she pointed to the huge album in front of Arjun.
"And...?" Arnav whispered back, while their son continued to ignore them both.
Khushi rolled her eyes, exasperated, as she muttered "And he is not in it..."
"Ah!" Arnav smiled as she realized what had his son in an angry mode today, that he hadn't even come to greet him at the entrance, like he usually did as soon as he heard his car enter the driveway. He gave Khushi an I'll-handle-it look, took the glass of milk from Khushi, sat beside his son and ruffled his hair.
"What's the matter, son?"
Arjun, who was the spitting image of his father, both in looks and attitude, turned to him and glared at him. "I'm angry, Daddy"
"Yes. I could make that out. But may I ask why?"
"You didn't take me to yours and mommy's wedding!"
"But, we did!" Arnav pronounced pretending surprise.
Arjun looked at Arnav, confused "But...I'm not in ANY photo, Daddy!"
Arnav pulled his son on to his lap and turned the pages of the album "Look carefully. You are there in every picture"
Arjun bent over the album and squinted his eyes to see if he had missed something and on finding any, turned back disappointed."I'm not there, Daddy. Only you and Mommy are!"
"Oh,You are there all right, but still in your Mommy's tummy" It was stretching the truth a bit, for Arnav was fairly certain his son had been conceived during their idyllic honeymoon in Scotland. But he was quite proud of the ingenious idea he had come up with, to convince his young son.
Arjun looked shocked."Mommy's tummy? How did I get in there, Daddy?" he suddenly asked, flummoxing Arnav.
Lord, Save me from precocious kids! Arnav thought and looked helplessly at Khushi, imploring her to get him out of this fix. He had never thought he would have to teach his son about "birds and bees' so soon! Khushi just stood there smirking at Arnav's plight, waiting to see how he would get out of this.
Arjun turned his father's face towards him and asked again "Tell me Daddy, How did I get inside Mommy's tummy? Did she eat me?"
"Yes, she ate you!" Khushi said and sat on the other side of Arjun. "You were being very naughty, so mommy ne tumhe kha liya!"
"Hawww...Bad Mommy!" Arjun backed into Arnav, glaring at his mother, while Khushi and Arnav laughed. Khushi began to tickle Arjun and it wasn't long before he joined in the merriment, forgetting all about missing his Mommy and Daddy's wedding. Arnav looked at his family and sent another prayer of thanks to the almighty.
It had been over 3 years since their beautiful wedding. After the wedding, Arnav had taken Khushi to Scotland and Ireland for their honey moon. 2 weeks after returning Khushi had had a dizzy spell while doing pooja and was almost about to keel over, scaring the hell out of Arnav who had caught her just in time. The doctor who had examined her had given them the good news of their impending parenthood, making them both dizzy, but this time with happiness.
Arjun Singh Raizada made his entry into the world exactly 8 months later, with a bellow large enough to announce his arrival to the other side of the continent, much to the immense pleasure of his adoring parents and doting Par-Nani. Khushi had no complication during either her pregnancy or labour. The proud father had announced a hefty bonus to all his employees on the occasion of his heir's birth, to the delight of thousands of ARI employees who blessed the baby boy Raizada with all their heart.
A lot of other developments had taken place in these years. NK and Lavanya had gotten married and were proud parents of a cute 9 month old baby girl, Ananya. To no one's surprise, Khushi's other friend Payal had married Aakash Rathod and they too were expecting their bundle of joy any day now. A year ago Mr.Maxwell had called to inform that Sheetal had married a fellow occupant from the rehab and Arnav and Khushi couldn't have been happier at the news. Arnav didn't know if Sheetal had yet kicked her drug habit, but he had realized that until Sheetal herself wanted to do it, no external force could make them quit. He had made his peace with that fact and was finally happy to close that chapter of his life.
When Khushi had been ready to go back to work, instead of giving her old position back, Arnav had made her the chairperson of the ARI charity foundation. Arnav informed her that the position was tailor made for her with her love for charities and her drive to do something for the world. She had both the compassion and shrewd business acumen to balance both the philanthropic and financial side of the foundation. Khushi had been surprised and overwhelmed by husband's thoughtfulness. She had determined to prove her husband that his faith in her was not wrongly placed and went on to make ARI Foundation a name to reckon with in the next year, as well as deriving satisfaction from the charitable work that their trust initiated and supported.
-----xxx-----
Khushi looked at the reflection of the father-son duo, who were rough-housing together on the king-sized bed in their bedroom and smiled as she combed her hair.
One of the most heartening changes to happen after her marriage had been that Arnav had loosened up and had reverted back to the jovial young man he used to be before the weight of the responsibilities had bogged him down. After they had confessed, Arnav had come of his shell slowly with her, but after the wedding he had gradually begun to unwind with others too. Khushi was happy that he felt free to do so now. He had also regained his faith which he had lost when he had lost his brother. He smiled and laughed more freely and that made Khushi happy more than anything else.
"Daddy, you are losing!" Arjun shrieked merrily as he showed off his newly acquired boxing skills by punching his Dad and in the process displacing more pillows to the floor.
"Owww, Slowly beta...Your Dad's old bones aren't what they were before" Arnav pretended to be hurt, clutching his abdomen and making Arjun laugh some more. Suddenly Arjun shrieked with surprise as his clever dad overturned him sneakily and began to tickle him.
"That's enough you two! It's time for bed. Arjun, keep the pillows back properly!" Khushi said sternly keeping both her hands on her hips as the two miscreants sheepishly got down from the bed and hurried to keep the fallen pillows back.
"Mommy, Daddy did it!" Arjun the turncoat, put the blame squarely on his father and stood there looking like an innocent little angel as his mother narrowed her eyes at them.
Arnav rolled his eyes watching his naughty son's "butter-wouldn't melt-in-my-mouth" expression. "And who begged Daddy to teach them some moves?"
Arjun stood there for a moment as if undecided how to answer and then suddenly ran to his mother, pulled her pallu and yawned dramatically "Mommy, Arjun is sleepy now"
Arnav shook his head at his crafty son when Khushi lifted him up to take him to his bed. But Arjun was adamant. "No Mommy, I want to sleep here tonight!"
Khushi glanced back at her husband who smiled and nodded back at her as he began to arrange the bed. She turned back to her son and murmured "All right. But first let's brush your teeth. Hmmm?"
Ten minutes later, Arjun had already fallen asleep in the middle of the bed with Arnav and Khushi on either side of him. Khushi stroked Arjun's hair slowly while Arnav just watched them as he lay down on his elbow.
"We did good, didn't we?" Arnav whispered, looking at the perfection that was their beloved son.
"Hmmm..." Khushi murmered her assent and slowly raised her lashes to look coyly at her other half of soul. "We are about to do better..."
Arnav looked at her puzzled.
Khushi removed the envelope she had kept on the bedside table and gave it to him. Arnav scanned the contents of the paper, his smile broadening as he read on. He then looked up at Khushi with eyes full of love and adoration.
"When...?" He asked, his voice straining with the wealth of emotions he was feeling.
"You remember the weekend we spent in the farm house...?"
Arnav just nodded and leaned forward to place a gentle kiss on Khushi's lips, not trusting his voice. He was so happy right now he was almost speechless. Another child. Another little person to love. It had been something that had been so out of his reach at one time, something he hadn't even dared to dream.
But now it was his reality.
Because of Khushi.
He had been moving aimlessly in a haze of apathy and along had come Khushi, to light up his life where there had been only darkness before. To fill it with music of laughter, where there had been only the silence of desolation. To infuse it with life's breath where there had been only the vaccum of dying hopes.
Along came Khushi, to love him, like he had never ever been loved before.
Arnav leaned in once again to plant another long kiss on the lovely waiting lips even as he whispered. "I love you, Khushi"
"I love you too, Arnav" Khushi whispered back as their lips parted for a moment, the symbol of their love sound asleep in between them.
Life was good.
Life was perfect.
~ THE END ~
[NOCOPY]
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