Chapter 19

Khushi went over to the cupboard to take out her night clothes. Her eyes fell on something red sticking out of the left hand drawer. She pulled it open and found a stack of letters and envelopes bundled together and tied up with a red ribbon. That's what her eye had caught. She glanced at Anjali sitting comfortably on the bed, one hand over her swollen stomach.

"Bhabhi, what are these?"

Anjali looked at what Khushi was pointing and her face flushed a little. She smiled softly and beckoned her to sit down beside her. Khushi brought along the bundle and settled down comfortably next to her.

"These are all from your Bhaiya."

"Really Bhabhi? When did he give you these?"

"Well they go back many years. He wrote me the first one during Mumma and Papa's first trip abroad. I was around seven back then and I was really missing them a lot. So to cheer me up, he wrote me a letter. There was not much in it but I felt so relieved after reading. I can't tell you how much it comforted me."

Khushi watched fondly as Anjali's eyes started misting up as she recollected each and every memory associated with the letters.

"By the time I was twelve, he had started sending me cards on special occasions. My birthday, Friendship Day, Christmas, New Year, Diwali and god knows what else. I guess I started realizing that I had special feelings for him when I saw that other girls in my school had gotten presents on Valentine's Day but I hadn't and that upset me a lot. I fought with him so much but I didn't realize why. Then he gave me a rose and everything became alright. I still have that rose. It's pressed together between the pages of our old photo album. But most of the stuff in there are from the days prior to our wedding. He sent me something or the other during those twenty days between your return and our wedding. It really made me feel special. Like he was trying to make up for the years he had been away from me."

"Wow Bhabhi. You're so lucky. I never knew Bhaiya was so romantic!"

Anjali blushed lightly and smacked Khushi playfully.

"Pagli. Now go to sleep."

Just as Anjali had settled into bed, Khushi's phone vibrated. It was a text from Arnav. She opened it and read it eagerly.

Looks like Di's the lucky one tonight. She gets to spend so much time with you. Lucky person. Anyway, I have a meeting with an important client tomorrow. Meet me at my office around one alright?

Khushi couldn't help but blush lightly as she read the message. She replied with an affirmative and snuggled into the bed.

Tomorrow would be the day. She would finally ask Arnav about the issue that had been bothering her for the past few days. Their relationship. She wanted to know about its future. She wanted to be assured that this meant as much to him as it did to her. She wanted a proposal. No. A promise. A promise that spoke about them being together forever and ever.

Tomorrow.

...

"Akash, we need to start preparing."

"Preparing? For what?"

"Have you forgotten? It's Maji and Babuji's twenty fifth anniversary next week! Aren't we going to celebrate?"

"Oh of course! How could I forget? We should definitely get down to it. I'll ask Arnav for a list of our business associates and you ask Di and prepare a list of our family and relations."

"Alright."

...

"Payal, what're you doing?"

"Oh Khushi, I'm so glad you're here. I really need your help. It's Maji and Babuji's twenty fifth anniversary next week so there are a lot of preparations to be made. You will help me won't you?"

"Sure Payal. Just tell me what to do and I'll get to it."

"Akash asked me to make the list of relatives and people to be invited, so I'll be busy on that side. I need you to speak to the caterers and decorators about the arrangements. If you need any kind of help just ask Di alright?"

"Sure thing."

...

Khushi rushed out of the auto and ran into the tall building. She had spent the entire morning speaking to the decorators and the caterers were still left. She had excused herself from Anjali saying that she had some important work to do. There was no way she was going to miss her lunch date with Arnav.

She hurried into his cabin and stopped to catch her breath.

Arnav looked up amused to see her panting and clutching her stomach. She looked too adorable when she was flustered.

"So, you hungry?"

"Starving."

"Great. A new restaurant just opened up a few blocks away. Let's go there today."

...

Her plate was almost overflowing with different kinds of pasta and vegetables. The place they had come to had an all you can eat salad bar and Khushi had taken it too literally. She scarfed down her food and went back for seconds. Arnav was startled to see her pace and wondered why she was in such a hurry.

"Khushi relax. The salad bar isn't going anywhere."

"I know Arnav but I'm in a terrible hurry."

"How come?"

"Preparations for Manohar uncle and Manorama aunty's twenty fifth anniversary."

"Oh yeah! Akash had told me about it. I have to get together a list of business associates who are to be invited."

"That's still a simple job. I have to deal with decorators, caterers and sneaking out to meet you."

"So you don't like sneaking out to meet me?"

"What? I never said that!"

"I know Khushi. I was joking."

Khushi caught the mischievous glint in his eyes and shut her mouth immediately. She didn't realize when his hand had come on top of hers and was stroking different patterns on it. He had a lazy smile on his lips and Khushi blushed as she understood the thoughts that were going through his head. She tried to pull her hand away but he caught it deftly and his thumb continued its meanderings along her now sensitive skin.

"Arnav? What a pleasant surprise!"

Arnav looked up to meet the smiling face of one of his business associates, Shyam Manohar Jha. They had been very close friends in college and had maintained contact even though they barely met.

"It's great to meet you to Shyam. How have you been?"

"Good good. I'm actually here with my wife for lunch. She's been wanting to come to this place for a long time now. Let me introduce her to you. Deepali meet Arnav, my good friend from college. And Arnav, this is my beloved Deepali."

Arnav got up and shook hands with a pretty young woman dressed in a tasteful salwar suit. There was sindoor in her parting and a mangalsutra hung around her neck. She glanced at Khushi and smiled. Shyam too turned towards her and extended his hand in greeting.

"I don't think we've had the pleasure of meeting before. You are?"

"Khushi. She's a very old friend of mine."

"Ah I see. It's very nice to meet you Khushi. We should be getting along. The place is getting full already."

"Sure thing. You'll be meeting me today at my office right?"

"Yes. Four o'clock sharp."

Arnav ordered dessert but Khushi wasn't able to eat much. Tension regarding the preparations. That's what she told herself. No other reason why she couldn't eat properly.

...

"Payal, what are you going to wear for the anniversary party? I just realized that I don't have anything new."

"I'm going to be wearing this sari that Akash gifted me for our six month anniversary. Do you want to see it?"

She opened her wardrobe and took out a magnificent looking green kanjeevaram. It had beautiful gold designs on it and looked exquisite on Payal as she draped it on herself.

Khushi felt a twinge of envy as she admired the beautiful piece of work. She had no one to gift her such gorgeous clothes. You expected such things from either a father or a husband. And she had neither.

Satvik walked in and saw the disheartened look on Khushi's face. He understood that she was feeling left out of the celebrations because she had nothing exclusive to wear.

"Why fear when Bhaiya is here? I will take you shopping tomorrow Khushi and we'll pick out a beautiful set for you to wear. I'm going to become a father soon and the responsibilities will also increase so why not get my little sister a gift before things get serious?"

Khushi's face immediately brightened up but then she looked at Payal and her face fell again.

"But what about Payal? Won't you give her something as well?"

"Bhaiya gave me a pair of beautiful gold bangles a few days back. That was his gift to me on his becoming a father."

Khushi immediately felt better and the imp in her came to life and she looked at Satvik with wide eyes.

"Kya? You already gifted something to Payal? What am I? Reject material? Why do I get my gift so late?"

"Arre no no. How am I to catch you when you're always flitting from one place to another? It's easy to buy something for Payal. She only ever goes to university and then comes back home. But you! I never know where you are! How am I to buy something for you anyway?"

Khushi had the grace to blush. The reason why she was hardly ever home was because of Arnav. She snuck out whenever possible to meet him and this was always kept a secret from her family.

"Ok sorry. But tomorrow I will clean you out Bhaiya so be prepared."

She winked at him and ran out of the room. Once outside, she almost collided with someone. She steadied herself and looked into a pair of familiar black eyes.

"Karan?"

...

"So Arnav, what was it that you wanted to talk to me about personally?"

"Well you see Shyam, next week is Mama and Mami's twenty fifth wedding anniversary and we'd all like you to be present there. Not just as a business associate but as a close friend as well."

"Of course I will. It'll be my pleasure."

"And be sure to bring Deepali along with you as well."

"Definitely. Oh and it's good to see that you're finally planning on settling down."

"Huh?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"No I don't."

"I know you said that earlier in the restaurant because you don't want to media to make a big deal of it. But you are serious about this girl, aren't you?"

"What? You mean Khushi?"

"Yes of course I do."

"There's nothing of that sort going on between us."

"Really? From what I saw you two seemed pretty serious about it. But maybe I was wrong. You are Arnav Singh Raizada after all and settling down with a woman just isn't your style. I'll see you next week then."

He smiled and walked towards the door. Before leaving he stopped briefly and turned to look at Arnav.

"In my experience, though Arnav, women don't usually think the way we do. It's ultimately marriage they'll be looking for. So make sure you're clear on that."

...

Arnav walked into the house and the first thing he heard was Khushi's lilting laughter. His heart immediately soared and he walked briskly to the source of the melodious sound. He came to a halt outside the living room and his eyes slowly narrowed as he took in the scene before him.

Khushi was sitting next to Karan Patel, son of businessman Harish Patel and close friend of Mamaji's, laughing away as he spoke to her with his charming smile in place.

"Karan it's so great to meet you after so many years! You've really changed a lot but your sense of humor is still the same!"

Arnav clenched his fists and stomped up the stairs, much to the surprise of both the people sitting on the sofa.

...

Arnav hadn't come down for dinner and Anjali was really worried about him. So Khushi volunteered to take his dinner up to his room. She had been wanting to talk to him for a long time and now was probably a good time. He would have had time to rest after coming back from office and the dinner would make him feel better as well.

She opened the door to his room and found that he wasn't there. She put the tray down on the table and went out to the poolside. Sure enough, he was standing there with his back facing towards her. Something about his posture seemed odd but she ignored it and walked over to him.

"Arnav?"

No reply.

"I've got your food for you. Please don't skip dinner. It's not good for your health."

"Leave it there."

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

Again she received no response.

"I- uh I wanted to talk about us."

His back went rigid but she was looking at the water in the pool and didn't notice this change.

"I've been thinking... You know... This...this... whatever this is between us, where is it heading? I mean- where are we heading? I-"

He suddenly turned around and faced her and she was shocked by what she saw. His eyes held a murderous rage and the softness and warmth she had grown accustomed to seeing there had vanished completely.

"Us? You want to know about us, do you? Fine I'll tell you. What exactly do you want to know? Oh I know what it is! You want to know when we'll be getting married, right?"

Khushi couldn't understand what he was saying. Why was he so angry? And what did he mean by those words?

"Arnav-"

"Well let me make one thing clear. There will be no marriage. I will never marry you. Do you understand me Khushi Kumari Gupta?"

Khushi could feel the tears pricking at the back of her eyes. His words were cutting through her like a knife. Why was he saying all this? What had she done that he was punishing her like this? And when he said no marriage, did he mean...?

"Arnav, what are you talking about? When did I talk about marriage? All I wanted to know was-"

"Whether we had a future, right? Well listen carefully then. We don't have a future."

The tears were falling freely from her eyes now but nothing seemed to move Arnav. He continued to look at her with those cruel, unfeeling eyes.

"But Arnav-"

"That's right. We don't have a future alright. Now you're free to pursue Karan Patel or any other rich bachelor in town. I don't give a damn."

"Arnav? What are you saying? I'm not pursuing anyone! How could you even think something like that?"

"Just shut up! I know what I saw and you'd best leave this house as soon as Di's baby is born. I don't ever want to see your face again! Do you understand me?"

Khushi wiped her tears and looked at him with cold eyes.

"I understand. I understand perfectly. Even after everything, we've been through, all this means nothing to you. I should have known. Arnav Singh Raizada can never change."

She adjusted her dupatta and walked towards his room. She turned back once and regarded him with hurt shining in her eyes.

"And even after all these years, its still Khushi Kumari Gupta who has to pay the price. The price for falling in love with a monster."

Arnav watched as she walked out of his room and possibly his life. A cold fear gripped him and he held his head in his hands.

Oh god! What have I done?

...