Part 14

Alright. So, the chapter you all were waiting for is here and I'm feeling nervous excitement as I share it with you. Hold your breath and read on-

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Khushi had a severe headache since last evening. A pain of this magnitude which she had never experienced before. She had not told her di about it yet, even when it was always her di who used to be with her when she had these crazy and repeated bouts of headache.

But this time, she knew the reason for her pain.

It was meeting someone unexpectedly. Someone whom she had only known as Arnav's probable wife. Lavanya.

But what she wasn't prepared for was that Lavanya not only knew her but also seemed to care for her. From the way she talked with her yesterday, it became clear to her that they had a strong bond in the past. A bond of mutual affection.

And that made her feel more guilty and sad. Had she come between her friend and her friend's husband? After all, Arnav's changed behavior towards her in the past few weeks had anyway stunned her. Maybe he had sensed her silly crush on him and had started to reciprocate? He was anyway lonely, being separated from his wife and maybe her love added ghee to fire? After all there was a famous saying, 'ishq aur mushk chupaaye nahi chuptaa (secret of love and fragrance of musk are unconcealable)' right?

And Lavanya? How was her bond with her in the past?

Khushi had never felt so strongly to remember her past as she did now. She desperately tried to remember something, anything from her past that could show her why and how did Lavanya became her friend. But she was not able to recollect anything.

All that pressure and the conflicting thoughts ultimately led to a severe case of headache!

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Lavanya was getting bored sitting in her hotel room. After meeting ASR and Khushi yesterday and getting a shock of her life, she honestly did not have any purpose left to be in Delhi anymore. Maybe she should go back to London to her parents whom she hadn't visited in the past 3 years either. She could try to find some work there and stay there. And when Khushi gets her memories back or ASR tells her about her past (which she hoped happened soon), she could come back.

There were a few friends in Delhi from her modeling days that she contacted and met. A couple of them were now working in Mumbai and one had changed field to start working in an arts college as a dance teacher whom she couldn't reach out to.

Having no other work left for now, she decided to book her ticket to London when she got a call back from her friend whom she couldn't reach earlier.

She smiled as she picked up the call, "Hey Dev! Long time!"

Devesh, aka Dev's accusatory voice came from the other side, "Don't you 'hey Dev' me, La! 3 years, 3 f*cking years you become incommunicado and ab aayi ho wapas (and now you're back)?"

Lavanya bit her lip guiltily and replied, "Sorry... majburi thi (I had no option)."

"Oh, come on, don't give me that Bollywood-ish majburi dialogue! I'm sending you the address, you're coming here and then we're going to my favorite restaurant where you will be paying the bill. That's how you prove that you are sorry. Ok?"

Lavanya chuckled. Dev had been her first friend in Delhi. When she was a struggling model and had an accent due to her long stay in London for years, not many people befriended her. She in fact was contemplating returning back. It was then that Dev was able to reach out and make her feel homely here. He was a Delhi-ite, meaning he was born and brought up here. So, he helped her a lot in knowing which places to visit, where to stay etc.

Until she got an offer from AR and then she eventually kind of lost touch with him. He still would text or call in between. Some she returned, some she couldn't.

And once she moved away from India 3 years ago, she didn't keep touch with anyone.

But if she was being honest, she had realized that both of them shared a very special bond, something that could have become more than friendship if given time...

"You haven't changed at all, Dev! Fine, I'll be there. Send me the address."

Unknown to her (as well as him), they both shared another common connection. Khushi. Dev was Khushi's teacher- the same one who had found himself attracted to her but after Anjali and Vikrant's intervention he had stepped back*- and Lavanya- well she and khushi had a 'history'! (a/n-chapter 6)

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Rubbing her temple, Khushi took slow steps towards the auditorium of her college, where dance rehearsals were held every day. At least this one place was where she did not feel any conflicts, any dilemma, where she found solace.

She had just kept a foot inside the place when she froze. Because there, some distance away stood her Devesh sir talking with none other than Lavanya. The woman who had been in her thoughts for so long now. The woman who had made her question so many things...

A sharp wave of panic ran through her, making her brain become blank and she felt her feet losing balance. That was the exact moment Lavanya saw her and as she saw Khushi lose her balance, she ran to her, just in time to catch her before falling to the ground.

"Chamkili!" Lavanya exclaimed to now-unconscious Khushi, "Khushi! What happened to you? Oh god! This can't happen!"

Dev too reached there and was shocked seeing they both knew each other, "La, you know her?"

"There is no time for this, Dev. Please help me pick her and let's take her to the nearest doctor."

"Ok, ok, got it." He said, lifting Khushi in his arms.

Lavanya, keeping presence of mind, called Arnav to inform of this.

And on his panic-filled but strong instruction, they took her to Dr. Vikrant's hospital.

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It was crowded in Dr. Vikrant's cabin, as he was facing a pale-faced Arnav and equally ashen-faced Anjali sitting in two chairs in front of him. While Payal, Akash, Kashish and Lavanya stood behind them in the available space.

Khushi had been brought here 2 hours ago and had gained consciousness a few minutes ago. They had run some important tests on her meanwhile, given her glucose to revive her energy level and keep her heart going and then waited for what it was going to be when she opened her eyes. Would she get her memories back? Would she get partial memories or would it be the same?

Since no one except Vikrant and a nurse were around her, Arnav and the rest were waiting outside that private room when Khushi's senses returned. And to their astonishment, she had not recollected any of her past. Her last memory was still about her visiting the college and losing senses.

It was after talking to her that Vikrant had concluded a few things and that was what he was preparing to tell the assembled people there...

"Khushi's condition is due to her putting a lot of pressure on her brain to recollect her past. When she met Lavanya, she reacted to it by trying to remember how she knew her. And from what I hear from her, she had been under a lot of pressure due to this."

Arnav gave a sharp look to Lavanya, "I told you to stay away from her."

"I didn't know she will be there, ASR, please trust me." Lavanya pleaded.

"Arnav, it's not really her fault. I mean, we all were worried for a day like this, when a person from her past approaches Khushi without knowing about her accident and that triggers her in wrong way, didn't we? That was why we had been keeping her past from her. Revealing only a few parts as needed, as much as she could take...right?"

It was Payal's turn to react now, "I am sorry, but this is happening because Arnavji came back here. She had been doing very well for the past 3 years, when he had kept a safe distance from her. But my sister started working herself up since he returned to her life!"

Akash closed his eyes in helplessness. He understood Payal's condition as a sister. Even if she had been thawing towards Arnav in the past few days, today's incident was enough to make her paranoid...

"Honestly, I would not blame him, Payal. I was the one who called him to Delhi, for my engagement with Anjali, right? I had hoped for his presence to help her with her nightmares. And I think to some extent it did work as she has not complained about those in the past 2 months since Arnav returned."

"This is true, Payal ji." Anjali spoke this time, "Khushi indeed slept well since Chote came back..."

Payal wasn't convinced but kept quiet, nevertheless.

"What do you suggest we do now, Vikrant?" Arnav asked, "I don't want to take any more risks about her health."

"I think we'll have to do wait and watch. For the next few days at least. Don't do anything that would put pressure on her brain, don't say anything in front of her that would make her question her past. Just continue things the way they are..."

"So, can we never tell her about her past again, Vikrant jiju?" Aakash asked this time. As much as he worried for khushi, he also couldn't see his bhai having a heartbreaking fate like this.

"We can. In fact, before today's incident, I was myself thinking we were close to having her ready to hear about her past. The more we lie to her, the more it will be harder for her to grasp the truth when she knows it. But now, I would tread with caution. And if we ever want to tell her anything, please do so in my presence, preferably in the clinic so we can take necessary actions if needed... we don't know how she is going to react..."

All of them tried to process his words. Why did it feel like they narrowly escaped a mishap? If something happened to khushi today, none of them would forgive themselves...

"And yes, one last thing, if she ever panics again or tries to get upset, just try to give her reasonable answers. Ensure that she doesn't feel upset like this one more time." he said, before getting up to conclude the discussion.

--*--

It had been a week since that incident. Arnav's all earlier plans to proclaim his love had been put on the backseat now. Since Vikrant had been unsure about her mental readiness to listen to the truth about her past, Arnav had to continue the charade for some more time. Honestly, he was disheartened. Every time he went to check on her, he tried to talk to her, he felt her eyes question him. And it was getting difficult for him. Despite knowing Khushi had feelings for him, her eyes being mirror to her heart, seeing her yearning for him, he had to keep mum. How he wished he could tell her he too loved her, beyond all limits? For how long can he hide this from her? Even for her sake?

Right now, Arnav was in his office, lonely as ever, as he leaned against his wooden desk and looked at Khushi's photo. His eyes turned misty automatically. "I miss you so much." He whispered, "Will we ever be able to get back together?"

And that was precisely when Khushi had entered his cabin. She had missed him in the past week, ever since her return from the hospital. Not that he avoided her, in fact he kept checking on her every now and then, ensuring she was well etc, but she knew he wanted to tell her something. Something more than just customary greetings or health-related questions.

It was the 'talk' she had put on hold weeks ago, when he had come to talk to her. Maybe it was time to have that now. Maybe that will help her face Lavanya better.

In the past 1 week, she had thankfully not had any headache, courtesy her Di's and Payal's strict watch on her and instruction to her to not think about anything. They in fact kept her busy in their talks, engaging her in watching some random TV shows etc. If that was not enough, Nani and Mami too kept her occupied with sharing some funny anecdotes of their lives and had cheered her up.

Feeling confident and ready to hear him out, Khushi had come to AR today and to his cabin when she heard and saw him talk to a photo.

"Is that your wife's photo?" she asked, despite herself.

He looked up in surprise. He was so lost in talking to khushi in picture that he didn't realize when she came in front of him in person!

Thankfully, he was holding the photo facing him so she wouldn't have seen it. He quickly kept it in his drawer.

"*ahem* Yes." he said, clearing his throat.

"I want to see it." she demanded. She didn't know what had come over her suddenly, from where had she gotten so much daring out of blue today.

"Wh- what?" Arnav Singh Raizada stuttered, as he was caught legit off-guard!

"I want to see your wife's photo." Khushi said with assertion. In the hindsight, she would think of this moment as the one that changed things forever for her. A moment she wasn't really prepared that time or maybe was never...

A momentary silence spread over the space.

Sometimes you have to make an important decision suddenly, sometimes you must change your plans at the last minute. Because some moments are so crucial and delicate that they demand you to take such quick decisions.

And this was one such moment for Arnav.

Sure, they were not in Vikrant's clinic as per the plan but perhaps it was time to not manipulate her anymore. Didn't vikrant also say something like that?

And with that, he took a much-needed breath and looked towards her with honesty in his eyes,

"I will show you the photo Khushi, but you need to know something before that. Something very important." Arnav said, although he felt his resolve was breaking. Her vulnerable expressions and her curious eyes were testing his patience.

She nodded her head for him to continue.

"Remember you asked Kashish to meet my wife?"

Her eyes widened in surprise, "How do you know that?"

"That's not important. The important thing is you couldn't have met her, Khushi, neither could you talk to her."

"Why not?"

Alright. This was it. There was no turning back after this.

"Because that person is you. You are my wife!"

And the arrow was shot. Now que será, será (What will be, will be)!

Khushi could not believe her ears. This was the most bizarre thing she could hear from him. What was he trying to do? She narrowed her eyes, with a flash of anger in them as she asked him, "What are you playing at, Arnav? Ye kaisa mazak hai (is this some joke)?"

Even when his heart was breaking at her question, he shook his head fervently and said, "No, Khushi. This is the truth. The biggest truth from your past. YOU are my wife. You are not just khushi Singh Raizada, you are Mrs. Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada. My wife. My One and ONLY wife."

Arnav swore his heart was racing at a risky speed as he waited for her to say something. He even braced himself for an angry outburst, perhaps a slap right across his cheek.

But nothing came.

She stared at him for a long moment. Two fat teardrops rolled across her cheeks which she wiped with shaky hands.

And then getting up from her chair, she started to leave.

"Khushi." he called out to her, but she didn't stop neither did she turn around. He jogged to reach her, "Khushi, wait."

She stopped.

"Khushi, why aren't you saying anything?" he asked, going to stand in front of her.

"About what?" the impassive look on her face scared him.

"About- about what I told you."

"What do you want me to say?" came her question. The use of an even tone which was so unlike her, stumped him.

Taking advantage of his losing grip on her, she started walking again.

"Don't walk away, damn it!" he said and pulled her back with her wrist. His heart and brain both were in mess and that made him lose his bearing! Or maybe with her now knowing what she was to him, it seemed that his old methods of staking claim on her resurfaced too.

She didn't flinch this time though, rather she met his eyes with her own fierce gaze and asked, "Why? Is that how you expect your wife to behave? Be in command of you?"

Those words from her mouth and his grip on her loosened. He helplessly watched her move back and then leave his office...or was it his life?

No, damn it! He swore under his breath.

She won't leave. He would not let her. This must be her initial reaction. She was in shock, right? He will take help from Vikrant or whoever needed but he will make her understand...

'Take as much time as you need, Khushi. But I promise you one thing, I will bring you back by my side not just as my friend, or as your protector, but as a lover...as a life partner...' he made a promise.

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A/N – you guys are going to do the talking today. Do let me know if you liked it or expected something else. Also, we're very far from reaching finale of the story, I'd say this is halfway mark and now more exciting times await you all :D

p.s. yours truly has been writing extra-hours this weekend with 3 back-to-back updates, so pls tell her if you enjoyed this reading treat. Thank you ♥