Part 3

Arnav was at AR's head office that evening. His return flight to London was later that night. Even when his heart was loathing him to leave, not knowing when he would see Khushi next, his brain had reminded him that this was for the best.

"Think about it again, Arnav. At least meet Khushi once before leaving." Kashish spoke as Arnav was done instructing some last-minute things to Aman.

Aman looked between Arnav and Kashish. For a girl who knew ASR for just 3 years, she surely seemed to assert her care for him.

Arnav did not say anything but picking up his cell phone, quietly left the room. As if he did not hear a word she said.

Aman sighed as the door closed behind ASR.

"Please don't feel bad, he rarely listens to anyone." Aman said to Kashish, feeling sympathy for her.

"Hey. Don't worry, I'm past that stage to get offended by Arnav. Besides, he can pretend ignoring but I know my words will make him think about what I said."

Aman chuckled at her words, "You are quite persistent."

"Well, they call it becoming a good psychologist. But whatever."

"Nice. I am Aman, by the way." He extended his hand.

"Kashish." She answered, giving her hand to his.

Was this a good time to ask him if he was free to grab a cup of coffee, she wondered. Or maybe it was too direct too soon.

--*--

Khushi was headed to the institute where she was taking professional dance classes. This was one thing that had sort of given her a sense of identity. After recovering from her accident 3 years ago and trying to come to terms with her memory loss, she had asked her Di and others about what her life was like before the accident. Was she helping her brother Aakash and her mama ji with their business, or was she doing something else, did she have many friends etc. And they all told her that she loved two things, cooking and dancing. She had frowned when she heard the first part, as she now absolutely hated stepping a foot into the kitchen, in fact, she felt confused and lost when she even tried to help her payal bhabhi in some kitchen chores. So, it was sure that along with her memories, her erstwhile fondness for cooking was also gone. No one then mentioned to her about her special connection with making jalebis! Only felt anguished that a significant part of her was lost in that mishap apart from her memories.

Thankfully, dance was something that still appealed to her. And when she learnt that she never had any formal degree before, she decided to enroll in an arts and dance institute to get one. It was already one year into her curriculum, and she was doing so good. In fact, she had also started teaching dance to some young kids in her free time.

Today, however, before heading to her class, she decided to stop at her favorite spot. Her mother's garden.

Although, as she walked towards the center of the garden where many rose plants happily bloomed, she was surprised to see someone already present there. A man with his back towards her, standing with his hands in his pockets and observing the tress attentively.

She took a sharp breath. Was it Arnav?

"Aap yaha kaise (What are you doing here)?" she asked, making him turn around to look at her and a similar surprise dawned in his eyes.

Yes. It was surely him. She was not imagining this.

Because he clearly took her name in his distinctive, deep, enchanting voice next,

"Khushi."

It was just that. Her name was sort of an answer to his appearance there. Or an acknowledgement that he was not a figment of her imagination.

"Actually, this is my amma's garden." she herself started speaking, overcome with happiness to see him at this place, "I usually come here when I miss my parents. I don't remember them but at least they still know me, so coming here makes me feel like I am close to them- especially to my amma." she said as an explanation. Why was she telling him this, she did not know. She just wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him everything. Every single thought that came to her mind, every single wish she had from her life. It was a strange desire!

Arnav was honestly taken aback. He had come here after 3 years. Not having enough courage to face his mother had made him avoid coming here. But today, something had pulled him towards this place. And now seeing khushi here, hearing that she often visited here, his mother's warmth gives her comfort too, made him stunned and emotional. He had to look away to hide the tiny sheen of tears in his eyes.

"Did you know my mother?" Khushi asked after a while, genuinely curious about why he had come here. Her Di had told her that only the people close to her mother knew about this place.

Arnav looked at her with a slight frown. What should he answer to that? His Di must have told Khushi about this place, perhaps to make her feel some connection with her parents and he couldn't be more thankful to Di for doing this. Bringing Khushi to his mother's garden would be like bringing solace to her confused heart. And maybe his too.

"Yes, I knew her." He answered, measuring each word, "She was one of the kindest people I met. And-" he took a momentary pause, "and you are a lot like her."

His response touched her heart. How did he know what exactly she would like to know? She often sought some connection with her parents, was she like them, did she resemble them in any way were some questions she often had. Her nani had shown her their photo on her insistence once but truthfully, she couldn't find any similarities between them and her. Her own memories had already betrayed her. So, all she relied was on feelings. And now, knowing that she shared something with her mother made her smile.

She then asked the next question after debating with herself for a minute, but she didn't know when she will get time like this with him again, so she asked, "Umm, did you... did you also know me well from- from before?"

Arnav felt his heartbeat stop for a second. The question was too weighted for him to answer. This was the reason why he avoided being alone with her in the past 3 years, she would ask him something like this and he would be compelled to lie.

Except he couldn't lie today. Not sitting here with his mother listening as well.

"I wish I knew you well, Khushi. But I did not." And that was the truth. He had never truly understood her. Until it was very late. He had believed the worst of her, thinking that she was a home breaker, a third woman in his sister's marriage despite her eyes repeatedly proving her innocence.

Khushi nodded. Not happy with the answer, but somewhat satisfied that he had wished to know her. Maybe because of his wife's disapproval, he couldn't -she stopped her chain of thoughts when the thought of his marriage came to her mind. She didn't want to think of it for now. And thus, she decided to drop the topic.

They sat on the bench there, in silence. Neither one was in a hurry to leave nor felt compelled to say something and break the companionable silence they found.

For Arnav, this was truly an improbable surprise which he couldn't have seen coming. Earlier this evening, he was all set to leave Delhi for another prolonged period. But Kashish's words had made him confused. On an impulse, he had come to this place to seek some clarity of thought. And suddenly Khushi came in front of him.

She on the other hand, found it surreal to spend time with him like this. Alone. How she wished she could get him to stay here for a long time.

A sudden idea came to her mind then and she called him, "Arnav."

He felt down-hearted hearing her call him that. Misplaced even. Previously, he would have bet his money for khushi from earlier days to call him so instead of adding a "ji" to his name. But now, whenever he heard her call him Arnav, he longed to hear her say Arnavji!

"We are hosting a small cocktail party next week for Di and Vikrant jiju. Will you – will you attend it?"

Arnav's heart further dropped while he straightened his back to sit unnecessarily upright. Tension was visible on his face. And why not, this cocktail party reminded him of one that he had thrown for Aakash and Payal before their wedding. The one where he purposefully did not invite Khushi. Deliberately to hurt her. And yet, when she managed to come as NK's date, lifted his lifeless party's mood with her mesmerizing dance and her tasty Indian snacks, he had insulted her and made her cry, raging in his jealousy over her and NK! Is this what Kashish called karma hitting back?

"Arnav?" she called him again, worried if she made him upset. Maybe he did not want to attend this party without his wife... "It's ok, if you don't feel like-"

"Do you want me to come there, Khushi?" he asked, with a tad bit more intensity in his voice than needed.

"I will be very happy if you did." She answered sincerely.

"Then I will be there." He said, making her give that dazzling smile of hers which lit his entire world. He was done hurting her already. If these small things gave her happiness, then he would gladly do it. He had no capacity to deny her anything anymore.

Except giving into those unsaid pleas her eyes often had for him, asking him to express his love for her. No. That he could not do. He would not do!

He cleared his throat to say something. Anything to keep the conversation going for a little longer. Maybe ask her about this party that made her so happy?

"So, what all have you planned for the party? Will there be any dancing?" He asked, hopeful for a positive answer.

She was flustered, "I- I don't know. I mean do want to keep some dance performances, but I am not sure if it will be alright for this type of party."

"You should definitely include dance, Khushi. People will love it." he said, making her smile. She hoped that in "people" he included himself as well.

He got up to leave then, it was getting dark. And even though she wanted to spend more time with him, she too was getting late so she got up as well. He waited until she sat in the car and gave a nod to Mohan to drive her safely to her destination. And then he dialed Aman to tell him to postpone his flights. He was going to stay back in Delhi for a little longer after all.

--*--

Khushi had stopped at a boutique before returning home. She wanted to buy something for the party. Usually, she would have her Payal Bhabhi or her Anjali di with her. But today she felt like shopping alone.

However, even after spending a good hour there when she couldn't find anything, she exited the store and called Mohan to come to pick her up. He had parked his car at some distance in the parking lot.

As she was waiting on the stairs of that shopping complex, someone called her from behind,

"Hello, Khushi ji! How are you?"

Khushi turned around to see a man, medium-built, wearing frameless spectacles, a baseball-cap on his head and a knowing smile on his stubbled face.

Khushi looked at him with confusion. She didn't think she had met him before. Of course, not in these 3 years. She didn't know if she knew him from before.

The man in front of her beamed at her. He had taken utmost care going through a makeover before coming in front of her. Not that she would remember him. But he wanted to take no chances. And looked like his efforts weren't wasted.

"Don't worry, Khushi ji. I know about your accident. I know you cannot remember your past. So, I will not feel bad if you can't recognize me." he said.

Khushi smiled awkwardly, simultaneously looking around to see if Mohan was there yet. Something about this man was not giving her good vibes.

"Anyway. You and I share a very special bond, so even if not today, you will certainly remember me one day."

Khushi frowned. Who was he really?

"Can you tell me your name?" she asked.

He laughed a little, "So you can go and ask your Anjali di about me? No way. I want to make you remember me, by my own efforts, Khushi ji. And like I said, we share a very, very special bond, so we'll keep meeting. Take care, ok? The world around you is not so good." Saying so, Shyam Manohar Jha left just as Mohan pulled the car in front of her.

For a long time after she sat in the car and started her journey to her home, khushi kept wondering just how much of her past was not revealed to her yet!

On the other side of the city, Kashish knocked on the side panel of Aman's cubicle in AR with her cell phone in her hand.

Aman smiled at her as he was talking on the phone but signaled her to come in.

He finished his call in a minute and asked, "Hey. I thought you already left."

"Nope. I was waiting for Arnav so we could head back to the hotel and then to the airport. But your boss just called me to say that we will not be going back to London tonight."

"Oh, I see." Aman nodded.

"Actually, your phone was busy, so he called me. Can you make changes to our tickets?"

"Sure." He replied and turned to his laptop.

Kashish waited there for a minute but when he didn't realize she was still here, she said, "Well, ok then, I will see you around."

Aman turned and smiled at her, "Yes. It's nice meeting you, Kashish."

"Same here." Kashish whispered and left from there nearly stomping her feet.

Huh! Looked like her brother's PA was more workaholic than him! Great!

Aman smiled to himself as he finished making the changes in ASR's itinerary and then headed to ASR's cabin where he knew Kashish would most probably be. He was planning to ask her if he could drop her at her hotel... sure that would not be considered as making a move?

--*--

A/N - Please ensure to have added this book in your libraries or you're following me for notifications on updates. The next one might be slightly delayed, but I will stay on top of it. Thanks for reading ♥

p.s. There are and will be some heavy references to the past episodes of the show, especially payal-akash wedding, the terrace scene before arshi contract-marriage (torture!), khushi getting to know why Arnav married her (more torture!), and the airport scene (heartbreak!). You can either re-watch these episodes (if you're in for some sobbing) or just do with the references I make here.