Chapter 6

First published on 15/May/22

Payal had gotten ready to go to Gupta house that morning for her long pending Pagphere ritual and was contemplating how to approach Khushi. Truth be told, in the intervening one week from Shyam's exposure to today, she had thought numerous times to talk to Khushi and apologize for the way she had behaved on her wedding day and next few days. But she could never gather right words or courage. She still couldn't fathom Khushi's hasty decision to marry Arnav but at the same time, she knew she had left her baby sister alone when she needed her jiji the most. Not to mention, she had selfishly tried to stop Khushi from exposing Shyam's truth. Now when they all knew Shyam had tried to murder Anjali and manhandled khushi many times, she shuddered to think if Shyam could have done something more horrible to Khushi...and these thoughts made her feel more guilty than she could say.

But Khushi too had to go with her to Gupta house, after all it was her pagphere too that was pending... the same ritual for which she, buaji and amma had earlier stopped her from coming...shaking her head to remove those thoughts of guilt from her mind, she decided to approach Arnav instead. He will convince khushi and she cannot deny him either... Once khushi agreed to go with her, she will apologize to khushi on the way, Payal thought. That was easier...

.

.

"Khushi won't go with you to Gupta house." Arnav told Payal when Payal told him that she and Khushi would have to go to Gupta house. He didn't like the idea of Khushi going away, he was afraid, she might not want to come back...after all, he was yet to prove to her that he was a changed man. And just last night, he had earned another one of her disfavors.

But he didn't know Khushi herself didn't want to go there, especially for this ritual when her family had earlier shunned her from attending. She had understood they would be angry but the act of completely abandoning her, worst yet, telling her to keep quiet in shyam's matter had hurt her. She knew they wanted to make amends, but she wasn't ready yet.

At the same time, Arnav's reply to answer on her behalf also irked Khushi, "You can't tell me where I will go and where not Arnavji, I can decide that." she told him and before he could retort, turned to Payal "but yes he is right, I won't come to that house where I was disowned, without considering what I was going through, without hearing what I might have to say." she sighed and then thought something, "However, I want to meet babuji, but I will meet him outside somewhere." She told Payal and left from there leaving 2 shocked people behind.

--*--

"Khushi bitiya, what am I hearing? You won't come to our house?" Shashi Gupta asked exasperated when only Payal showed up at their doorsteps for pagphere rasam (ritual).

"No babuji, it's just.." Khushi held the phone tightly; she didn't know how to tell him.

"hmm. Samajh gaya. But know one thing, this is MY house, your babuji's. So, I will decide who stays here and who doesn't. And I am saying that I want my daughter to come to meet me here. Toh tum aaogi na (so, you will come here right)?" he asked again

Khushi had tears in her eyes hearing her father's words,

"How can I deny your words babuji? I will be there. But-" she hesitated talking about how she wasn't comfortable mingling with her amma or buaji yet. And he understood.

"Don't worry about anyone else, I will ensure they don't come in front of you when you are here. I don't think they themselves can show their faces to you...sharam sabse badi saza hoti hain Khushi (being embarrassed is biggest punishment), remember that." and with that he put the phone down, turning to instruct his wife and sister they were not to come in front his daughter when she arrives...

--*--

"Khushi, you will come back, right?" Arnav asked, as he watched her get ready to leave for pagphere. It was a stupid question, given that he himself would be going to pick her up in the evening but he still wanted to confirm.

Khushi somewhere knew that he was truly trying but she couldn't easily let herself believe he would never treat her that way again. She too was missing him, she too wanted to run into his arms but every time she thought so, the realization that there was a time when he believed shyam's lies made her resolve weak. The thought that his initial proposal was based on ruining her life made her stop her steps to him. She couldn't help but feel what if he once again mistrusts her some day? How does she bring herself to believe in him and his love...wait love? he hadn't ever told her he loved her yet. And that realization further annoyed her.

"Do I have any other option?" she said keeping a box of jalebis she had made for her babuji, in her jhola (sling bag).

"Enough of this Khushi, I can't take this anymore. Tell me what will it take for you to forget the past? What will it take to make you trust me that I really want us to begin afresh?" he asked impatiently, patience was anyway not his forte.

"Why? why do you want me to forget the past? Why do you want me to start afresh Arnavji? hum kya mehsoos karte hain isse aapko isse kya farak padta hain (how does it matter to you about I feel)?" she asked the same question she had asked him numerous times in the past hoping for answer they both knew, but he never said. She hoped he would now.

"farak padta hain dammit, because I-" and there we go. He started and stopped again, unable to bring the next words.

"You know what Arnavji, you need to first believe in yourself about what you want from me, what you feel for me, then ask me to. The day you can answer this question, and not just to me, but in front of everyone this time, I will probably begin to forget the past and trust you again." saying so, she left leaving Arnav to his thoughts.

--*--

When she arrived at Gupta house, she immediately ran in her babuji's arms, her safe haven! She missed him. As he promised, her amma and buaji were nowhere to be seen but they had still prepared her favorite food, halwa puri and aloo ki sabzi. The foodie that she was, the aroma food itself tempted her, and she was hungry too. But she didn't feel like eating, it would be like letting this go so easily. There was a note as well on the food container, signed by her amma and buaji and it read,

'Maaf kar do bitiya (forgive us, dear).'

"kaise? Ek pal nahi laga tha aapko humein yaad dilane mein ki hum aapki apni bhatiji nahi hain. Aur amma aap? Hamari bilkul fikar nahi hui aapko? Ek baar bhi nahi socha hamare barein mein? (How? it didn't take you even a minute to remind me I am not your blood. And amma, did you not feel worried about me at all?)." she said to empty kitchen, but her amma and buaji who had been watching her from behind the wall heard it and felt even more guilty. They had indeed wronged her, left her alone thinking of only Payal's future, when she too needed them.

--*--

It was after their lunch that Shashi finally asked her the question that had been nagging him. He had seen Payal's marriage even if he couldn't really participate but not being there at all for Khushi's marriage had hurt him. And he also felt there was more to her impulsive decision to elope. Did she willingly marry Arnav? He had to ensure.

"Bitiya, tell me honestly, this runaway marriage with Arnav bitua, did it happen with your will? I know you; I know you can take impulsive decisions but I also can't help but think why you would marry Arnavji. I mean he is-" Shashi knew Khushi and Arnav were always at loggerheads, they were as different as chalk and cheese so was there more to this wedding? But Khushi didn't let him complete that thought process,

"Yes babuji, humne apni marzi se shaadi ki hain (I married him by my will)." She answered immediately. And it was true. She had willingly gotten married, albeit with her own reasons one of which was to keep shyam at bay and second was, their love or she thought. So, she didn't talk about his original proposal to babuji about he had actually come up with a contract marriage plan, how she retaliated and blurted shyam's truth and how then he suggested they anyway marry and she agreed. Her babuji need not know this neither would she tell anyone else. It was a matter between her and Arnav anyway. Besides, she had already asked Arnav to do something to earn her love and trust, so that was that...

Her babuji nodded as she smiled to give assurance to him that all was fine. But there was one last thing he wanted to do...

.

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When Arnav and Akash were leaving from office to go to Gupta house, his nani called him to pick her, Anjali and mami-mamaji on the way, as Shashi Gupta had asked them all to come to Gupta house. Arnav was puzzled. there was this feeling of anxiety surrounding him, telling him something big was going to happen tonight.

--*--

Precap - "So Arnav bitua, are you ready to prove you're indeed right life partner for my daughter?" Shashi Gupta asked looking directly at Arnav, once again

"Yeah-yes sure sir." Arnav didn't know why he suddenly felt nervous. Wish they had a course in Harvard, 'one-o-one with a girl's father'!

"Very well then. It's a simple thing to do honestly, you have to live with us, like one of us for 2 weeks, live a middle-class life, eat the stuff we eat, travel the way we do. Kar paoge (can you do it)?"

--*--

A/N - Sorry for the delay in bringing this part, I was preoccupied with my other story in bikhre moti so this one had to take a back seat. Besides, ideally, I would have liked to finish this story within next one, but it feels rushed now. Especially since this is about the dreaded contract marriage track. So, this SS will run a little longer now.

Anyway, so Gupta ladies are repenting and trying to make amends, will see how that goes. And about Arnav bitwa, he too is trying his best but now he will have to not only convince khushi, but her babuji too :D fun times ahead, stay tuned.