Chapter 14
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[MEMBERSONLY]
EXPELLIARMUS 2013-07-16 06:54:29
Kaash Main Tumse...
(Part Two)
Arnav stared outside the window of his white SUV, the sight of the downpour reminding him of that night...
And her.
These days, everything reminded him of her.
It had been seven days since he had seen her, and he could barely remember a time when she had left his thoughts.
In the office, every little thing served as a reminder, and he couldn't wait for his work day to be over just so that he could go home.
Payal was a competent assistant, of course, but she just didn't have that extra..something that made him enthusiastic everyday.
His drive for his work had lessened, something that he hated with all his heart.
And while he was at home, dealing with the mess that Sheetal's abrupt departure had caused, thoughts of Khushi still intruded whenever he spoke about San Francisco.
He slammed his hand on the leather seat, frustrated beyond measure.
He hated her.
And he hated her influence on him.
And yet...
He couldn't help but yearn...
For that same thrill that he felt when they sparred verbally.
For that zing of desire that shot through him invariably, whenever he saw her.
For the zeal she could rouse in him professionally...
How was this possible?
How could he hate the woman who had destroyed everything he held dear, while yearning for her presence at the same time?
Why couldn't he stop himself from wishing that he would start feeling this way for someone, anyone other than her?
Why couldn't he stop thinking about how things would be...if they didn't share a horrendous past?
Driven to distraction by his thoughts, he quickly ordered the driver to stop.
Once he had pulled over by the roadside, he saw a tea-stall and told Mohan to get himself some tea.
Mohan looked at him curiously, but walked out with an umbrella.
Once he was alone, Arnav stared out at the rain.
His hand curved over something in his pocket, something that he had carried for weeks now...
The next moment, he stepped out into the rain, and closed the door behind him.
He leaned against the car, the headlights illuminating the object in his hands.
In a fit of anger, he crumpled it into his fist.
The rain pounded down , drenching him in seconds.
He opened his fist, then slowly unfolded the photograph.
He smoothed it out gently, then smiled.
A wistful, pain-filled smile.
And whispered, so that the only ones who could hear him were the raindrops, and the wind...
"Kaash main tumse..."
_______
Khushi stood up, then folded the prayer-mat and placed it on the table.
A piece of paper fell out of a book, and she bent down to pick it up.
Only to realize that it wasn't a piece of paper after all.
It was a photograph, almost torn into two.
But not quite.
She had stopped herself from completing the damage that night, just like she had stopped herself from completely forgetting...
No.
She had to forget him.
She had to move on.
His hatred was destructive, it would annihilate everything she had worked so hard to achieve over the years.
And she couldn't allow that.
The stakes were too high here.
She stared down at the photograph, and thought about how much easier it would be to do this if only she could bring herself to hate him.
But try as she might, she couldn't...not completely.
She would give anything to dislike this man as much as he disliked her.
She smoothed her finger along the torn edge, and whispered...
"Kaash main tumse nafrat kar paati."
______
"Khushi! If you're done with namaz, it's time for the aarti!"
Khushi placed the photo in her desk drawer, then hurried out to join the rest of her family.
Bauji, La and NK were already there, the latter two dressed in their work clothes.
She sighed as she felt that sense of peace steal over her again.
This.
This was what she had come home for.
This was why she had made the sudden decision to apply for leave.
Just so that she could come here, and heal.
Her family was her solace, as always.
"I'm here, Amma."
Garima smiled, then turned back to the image of her beloved Devi Maiyya.
A few moments later, the aarti had been completed, and Amma came to her with the thaal.
Khushi closed her eyes and bent down for the tilak, her right hand on her head as Amma had taught her.
She reached for the prasad, but NK got there before her.
"Bhai! She will give you some too, can't you wait for your turn?"
"Titaliya, let him take it. He's probably in a hurry, right? And after he's gone, I'll make you some jalebis."
Khushi laughed, then took some prasad too.
Garima smiled, that special smile that said without words just how much she appreciated this.
Khushi did not believe in the deity before her.
Nor did she believe in the ritual that had just been performed.
What she believed in, was a mother's belief that these things protected her children from all harm, and would make their day a perfect one.
And for the belief, for that conviction, Khushi always turned up on time.
"NK, stop eating all the prasad, I'm getting late!And Khushi, don't forget to go to the beauty parlor, just because I'm not here!"
"Stop worrying, La. And try to come back on time, okay?"
"That depends on the stupid Bangalore traffic. You know, yesterday I was stuck for two hours! And then NK had to..."
Khushi listened to La's non-stop chatter all the way out the door, then finally closed it behind her and NK.
When she turned back, her mother was looking at her with a serious expression that she used very rarely.
"Khushi...I know all this has been discussed already...but I can't help asking you again, are you sure about this? "
She walked up to her mother, and hugged her tight.
"Amma, I know what I'm doing. And I thought you were happy for me."
"I am, Titaliya. But why now, when all these years you have..."
"It's time, Amma."
Her mother pulled away, then stared at her for a long moment.
"If you're absolutely sure..."
"I am."
Her mother sighed, then turned towards the phone.
"I'll call the boy's family now, and ask them when they can come here."
***************
A/N: Thank you so much for your awesome response to the interlude!
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