Chapter 66

[MEMBERSONLY]

PART-42

It was early afternoon and RM was mostly empty. Arnav and Akash had gone to office. NK had taken Dadi for physiotherapy, Anjali and Nani had gone for vaccination of Roshni, Mamaji and Mami had gone to a social gathering. Khushi was at AR constructions office because of some urgent official work and Muskaan was at school. So, the only person who was at home was a heavily pregnant Payal.

Payal was lying on bed when she all felt a sudden pain within her stomach. The pain was severe and difficult to bear. Not able to bear it she called for the family members but soon realized that she was alone at home, so slowly she walked out to the kitchen to drink water but fainted on the way.

Khushi came back home as her work at AR construction got over and was shocked to see a senseless Payal with blood flowing out of her body on the floor. Immediately with the help of the driver she took her to hospital. There she was informed that the baby was on its way and Payal was in dire need of blood. Khushi called the family and then went with the nurse to donate blood to Payal. The entire family soon reached hospital and were informed that Payal's condition is critical and they would have to leave it to almighty. Khushi had donated 2 bottles of blood and was feeling dizzy.

Arnav making her sit on a chair: "What was the need to give blood Khushi? Like that also you are weak and now..."

Khushi: "Jiji needed blood Arnavji... or else..."

Akash: "Bhabi, you could have contacted the blood bank or waited for us."

Khushi: "That would have been very late... I didn't want anything happening to Jiji or the baby." Getting irritated on the brothers "Now stop worrying about me and pray to Devi-maiyaa that she protects both the mother and child."

After an impatient hour of waiting the nurse came out and informed that Payal has delivered a baby girl and both the mother and child are fine. They will be moving them to room and hence they have to wait for some more minutes before they meet the new born. The entire family was elated at this news.

Akash hugging Muskaan said: "Congrats Muskaan, now you have another little sister."

Muskaan pouting: "But I thought I would get a little brother..."

Nani kissing her cheeks: "It's okay Muskaan Bitiya... but I am sure your Khushi Mami will very soon give you a little brother."

Muskaan squealing: "Sachii..." with that she hugged Khushi and she blushing hugged her back.

Later Payal was moved into the room and the entire family took turn to look at the baby and congratulate the newly became mother who was still looking pale. But her eyes were looking for somebody and not seeing her she was becoming impatient.

Akash sitting beside her: "What happened Payal..? What are you..."

Payal: "Khushi... where is Khushi..."

Akash: "Bhabi... she is..."

Payal: "Doesn't she want to meet her niece? She..."

Anjali smiling: "Don't worry Payalji... Khushiji is outside... I will call her."

Outside the room, Khushi was sitting on the bench with Arnav.

Arnav: "Khushi, Why didn't you go in? Don't you want to see the baby?"

Khushi: "Arnavji... I want to see the baby... but... I don't want to upset Jiji..."

Arnav: "But Khushi, the baby is your niece too..."

Khushi: "I know Arnavji. But today is Jiji's day... she became a mother today... I don't want to spoil the day for her... even her wedding got spoil because of our sudden marriage and I don't want that to happen today... she is happy as she gave birth to her daughter and I am very happy for her... I don't..."

Anjali said from behind: "You don't need to think that way Khushiji..."

Both Arnav and Khushi turned behind and Anjali sitting beside Khushi said: "Haan Khushiji... don't think that way... (cupping Khushi's face and smiling) ... I guess you got your Jiji back."

Khushi: "What..!! I mean.."

Anjali: "Yes Khushiji, Payalji is asking for you... she was asking why you haven't met your niece yet..."

Khushi still in shock: "Really..!!"

Anjali: "Haanji... chaliye aur apni bhanjji se mil lijiye... aur waise bhi aapka to uske saath do do ristha hai... humari nanhi si pari ko bhi apni Massi aur Tai se milna jo hai... Chaliye..." and holding her hand took her inside the room with Arnav following them.

Khushi hesitantly walked into the cabin to be welcomed by the smiling faces of the family. Payal who still was weak post delivery sat up in a half sitting position and smiling at Khushi said: "Kahan thi tum..?? Hamari beti kitni der se intezaar kar rahi thi apni maasi ko dekne ke liye..."

Khushi smiled through her tears and walked near Payal who placing the little bundle in her arms said: "Tumhari bhanji bilkul tum par gayi hai... ekdam sanki... ab tum hi sambhalo isse."

Khushi looked at the baby in her arms who moved a little making herself comfortable in her maasi's arms again went off to dreamland. Khushi kissed her forehead and then looking at Payal said: "Tumhari beti bohot pyaari hai. Aisa lagta hai jaise chand ka tukda nehi balki poonam ka chand hai."

Payal held Khushi's arm and said: "Kya woh sirf hamari beti hai... tumhari kuch nehi..?"

Khushi: "Wooh... Hum..."

Payal with tears rolling down her cheeks: "I am sorry... please maaf kar do..."

Khushi: "What are..."

Payal: "I am sorry Khushi... I really am..."

Khushi sat beside her and holding the baby in one arm and Payal's hand in other said: "What are you... tum yeh kya..."

Payal cupping Khushi's face: "Apni Jiji ko maaf kar do... please... I know I have done and said lot of bad things to you but still I am asking for your forgiveness... I know I am not worth it... but..."

Khushi: "You don't need to say sorry... I never had any grudges against you... I..."

Payal: "You have a big heart Khushi... that is why you are saying this... but please let me say... that day... that day whatever I said about you and Akashji... (wiping tears from her eyes) ...I shouldn't have said that... I knew you and he share a brother sister relationship but I don't know why I said all those rubbish... I know I have committed a sin that day... accusing a pure soul like you with something that bad... I don't know what got into me... I am sorry... please forgive me..."

Khushi wiping Payal's tears: "Let bygones be bygones... let's forget whatever happened in the past and make a new start. You don't need to say sorry jiji..."

With Khushi pronouncing the word "Jiji" more tears rolled down Payal's eyes and she hugging Khushi cried: "You don't know how much I have wished in the past months to hear you calling me Jiji... Thank you Khushi..."

Khushi too in tears: "You also don't know how much I have missed calling you Jiji." And both the sisters cried but this time with happy tears.

Everyone else present there too smiled and Anjali wiping her own tears came near Payal and Khushi said: "In between the bharat Milan of you two sisters my dearest niece is getting suffocated." taking the little baby who was now literally being sandwiched between the two sisters "Now you two can continue your Bharat Milan while we all spend some quality time our little angel."

At Lucknow

Garima hanged up the call and turned to Sashi: "This is the nth call from Khushi... she wants us to attend the naamkaran ceremony of Payalia's daughter."

Sashi: "And this is the nth time I am telling you that we are not attending any function related to Payal."

Garima sitting beside him: "I know that Payal has hurt you a lot and you are angry upon her... but what is the fault of that little baby in all this... she is our grand daughter and we need to see her... I don't know about you but I want to meet my grand child... want to hold her in my arms... please..."

Sashi: "And did you forget what the mother of your granddaughter said about you and our Khushi Bitiya... I can never forgive her..."

Garima: "But Khushi has forgiven her... you always say that when someone truly repents then we should forgive them and Payal is repenting... we should give her a chance... let's go there..." seeing Sashi not agreeing "Okay not for Payal but for your Khushi Bitiya... it has been months since we saw her... let's go and meet her, see her... and if we go on the naamkaran day then Khushi will be delighted... let's go for her sake. Please."

Sashi simply nodded and Buaji who was listening to the entire conversation came to them and said: "I also want to go... I need to beg forgiveness from Khushi... I always thought bad about her but she always did good for us... Please let me come with you."

Garima: "Sure Jiji. This time when we meet our daughters then again we will become a happy family forgetting all the bitterness and there will be only happiness."

It is the naamkaran day of Akash-Payal's daughter and the whole RM is decorated like a bride. Everyone is running here and there to get things done and the most excited being Khushi. After the day of the baby's birth the relationship between Khushi and Payal has bloomed which has made everyone at RM happy. Khushi was walking towards the puja room holding a plate of fruits when she saw the Guptas entering. Excited she kept the plate on a nearby table and running hugged her parents.

Khushi still hugging Garima: "Ammaa... you don't know how much I missed you... I missed you so so so much."

Sashi: "And what about me?? Didn't you miss your Babuji?"

Khushi moving away from Garima and hugging Sashi: "I missed you too... How are you?"

Sashi caressing her head: "I am good and how is my daughter doing?"

Khushi: "I am fine as usual... and now that I am a massi I am even better... but you know what that naughty girl did today..? She did pee on me..." she completed with a pout.

And both Sashi and Garima couldn't help but chuckle at her.

Buaji who was standing behind came to Khushi and said: "Titaliya... I am sorry... I..."

Khushi being the ever forgiving one hugged her: "You don't need to say sorry Buaji..." kissing her cheek "I love you Buaji." and hugged her tight.

Buaji: "Hai re Nandkishore... kaisa pyaar hai ye... sanka devi humko maarne ka irrada hai kya... hum abhi jawan nehi rahe kit um humka itna jor se kas ke pakdo."

And both she and Khushi laughed at it and even both Garima and Sashi couldn't help but smile.

Sashi was still angry on Payal but seeing the sweet little face of his granddaughter made him forget everything and then when Payal asked for forgiveness he could feel that she is truly guilty and forgave her. During the naamkaran ceremony Payal wanted Khushi to name the baby and Khushi named her "Pari" as she believed that this little angel has come from heaven to reunite her with her family. The Guptas stayed at RM for couple of days before going back to Lucknow. Akash seeing Payal genuinely changed and being happy with Khushi's presence and loving her, forgave Payal and now they were a happy family with their little Pari but everyone would still say that Akash loves Muskaan more than he loves Pari and Payal too had no problem with it as she too had began to love all the three kids i.e. Muskaan, Roshni and Pari, equally and unconditionally. In short everything was going fine at RM.

Some months later, everyone were sitting in the hall of RM discussing random things when Anjali talked about how happy she felt when she was pregnant and soon Payal joined in saying how being a mother made her feel complete and she feels how hollow she was before Pari's birth. Khushi smiled at them but a sudden pain rose in her heart and she too wanted to go through the same feeling. Little Roshni who had now began to take wobbly steps came walking and nudging Anjali's saree made some funny noise and then pronounced "maa" for the first time. Anjali picking her up showered kisses all over her face showing happy she was and soon the rest followed with Payal exclaiming that she is waiting for Pari to call her Maa. Khushi watched the glow on Anjali and Payal's face which was there due to the happiness of being mother. She saw Roshni sitting on the lap of Dadi and saying something in baby language and immediately her mind formed a mini version of Arnav sitting on Dadi's lap blabbering and not able to take it she rushed upstairs to her husband.

Khushi entered into their bedroom to see Arnav sitting on the recliner working on his laptop. She sitting beside him rested her head on his shoulder and Arnav could easily feel that she is either upset or wants to say something.

Arnav hugging her sideways and cupping her cheek asked: Kya hua Khushi..? Kisine kuch kaha kya?" Khushi shook her head "Phir..!! Tumhe kuch bolna hai?" Khushi nodded "Bolo."

Khushi: "Arnavji... woh... hum..."

Arnav now worried: "Bolo Khushi... kya hua hai?"

Khushi: "Woh Arnavji... Roshni spoke her first word today... just now..."

Arnav excited: "Wow..!! That's great... (now confused) But you should be happy about it... why are you upset Khushi..? Did anyone say anything to you that has hurt you..?"

Khushi: "No Arnavji... actually I was thinking that... Arnavji now it has been over a year since our marriage... and... I..."

Arnav: "What is it Khushi?"

Khushi: "Arnavji, I want to be a mother... I want to feel a part of you growing inside me... I want to hold our baby in my arms... today when Roshni spoke for the first time... she said "maa"... I too want someone to come who will call me Maa... Arnavji... I..." she was nearly in tears when she said those.

Arnav wiping her tears and holding her close: "Khushi, you only wanted to hold on for a while till we find out who is behind Mama and Papa's..."

Khushi pushing him away from her and getting up: "Yes, that is what I wanted and that is what I want now also... but I am seeing no interest from your side... I know it has been more than 14 years since that incident and the investigators are trying... but if they continue in this pace then it will take more 14 years to find the truth... and I don't understand how can you just relax leaving everything to the investigators..."

Arnav: "What do you want me do then..? I don't know exactly what I should do..."

Khushi: "Why don't you talk to your Chachaji... I am sure he knows the truth... he will..."

Arnav: "And you think he will say the truth to me... the man who threw his orphaned nephew and niece out of the house... who locked his mother in a room will be honest in reply... and..."

Khushi: "You can use your ways... threaten him... give him money... I don't know but I think he will tell the truth..."

Arnav: "I don't know how to make you understand Khushi... as much you want to know the truth I am also that much eager to prove my father innocent and clear his name... but I can't trust my so called chachaji... you need to understand this Khushi... he is can never be trustworthy."

Khushi: "Okay then. If you don't want to talk to him then we will have to talk to Dadiji... I am sure she knows the truth or atleast some of it."

Arnav: "We are doing no such thing. Dadi is not well."

Khushi: "She is well, in perfect mental condition and I am sure she knows everything. If you don't want to talk to her then I will talk to her and today you are not going to stop me."

Arnav: "Khushi...!! Listen...!!" but she was already gone and Arnav too rushed down following her.

Downstairs everyone were still sitting talking and laughing when Khushi reached there and in a stern tone said: "Dadiji, I need to talk to you."

Dadi smiling at her: "Yes dear. Tell me."

Khushi: "Not here Dadiji. I need to talk to you in private. Let's go to your room."

Dadi nodded and Khushi began to push her wheel chair when Arnav intervened: "Khushi, it's not necessary you know... You..."

Khushi cutting him: "If you want then you can join us or else keep quiet."

Everyone was shocked with the tone Khushi was using and Anjali said: "What do you want to talk to Dadi, Khushiji..? Can I join you?"

Khushi nodded and Mami said: "Even me too..."

Khushi: "No Mamiji. It is something related to the Mallicks and I would like only the Mallicks to be there when we discuss it." And pushing the chair went to Dadi's room with Arnav and Anjali following them.

Inside Dadi's room

Dadi: "What is that you want to talk Khushi Bitiya?"

Arnav sitting beside her: "Dadi... are you having any pain..? Are you..."

Dadi: "What is it Chote? Tell me..." she said eyeing suspiciously at both Arnav and Khushi.

Khushi kneeling beside her and holding her hand: "Dadiji... I want to ask you about something which you may not like... but need to know about it... Dadiji, trust me I would never have asked about it but it's essential not only for you... but also for your chote, your Anjali Bitiya and me... and not only that but also for Papaji and Maaji..."

Dadi: "What are you trying to say... I..."

Khushi: "Dadiji... it has been more than 14 years since that fateful day when... when Maaji and Papaji killed themselves... that..."

Dadi: "Why are you talking about that day now?"

This time Anjali spoke before Arnav or Khushi could reply: "It is because we know that day whatever happened Papa wasn't responsible for any of it... all that happened between Mama and Papa was a misunderstanding created by someone who was present in that wedding function..."

Dadi shocked: "You... you... believe that... Arvind was innocent... you..."

Arnav: "Haan Dadi. Not only we believe but we are confident that Papa was innocent... someone had framed everything..."

Khushi: "Yes Dadiji... and now we want you to tell us what exactly had happened in that function... Arnavji wants to clear his father's image before the society and want to have his name back... please Dadiji tell us what had happened that day..."

Dadi looking at Arnav and Anjali: "I can't tell you how happy I am... Arvind's soul would have felt at peace the day when you two had believed that he innocent."

Arnav: "That means Dadi you knew that Papa was innocent and someone had framed him..."

Dadi: "Chote... woh..."

Anjali: "Please Dadi... boliye na... who was that..."

Arnav: "Dadi, was that Avinash Mallick who did all of it?"

Dadi: "CHOTE..!! IS THIS THE WAY YOU TALK ABOUT ELDERS..? DON'T FORGET HE IS YOU CHACHA."

Arnav: "WHAT CHACHA DADI... WHAT CHACHA..!! THE CHACHA WHO THREW HIS ORPHANED NEPHEW AND NIECE OUT OF THE HOUSE TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES... LOCKED HIS MOTHER IN A ROOM..."

Dadi: "CHOTE..!! I WON'T TOLERATE A WORD AGAINST HIM..!!"

Arnav: "I DON'T CARE DADI... BUT TO ME HE IS BETTER DEAD THAN ALIVE... I ALSO DON'T CARE WHETHER HIS FAMILY LIVES OR DIES."

SLAP..!!!

Anjali and Khushi looked shocked at what happened in that moment. Dadi had slapped her dearest Chote.

Arnav recovering from it: "Dadi...!! Aap... aapne us insaan ke liye..."

Anjali now angry: "DADI..!! HOW COULD YOU SLAP CHOTE FOR THAT MAN... THE MAN WHO NEVER CARED ABOUT US..."

Dadi: "Will you all tell me what made you believe that Arvind was innocent..?"

Arnav: "DON'T COMAPARE MY PAPA WITH THAT MAN..."

Dadi: "Before becoming your Papa he is my son and I know my children better than you do... you believed your Papa is innocent because you would have realised that how much he loves you... how much he adores you two... all you have got in life from him was love... isn't it?" Both Anjali and Arnav slowly nodded. "Then think of a time when Avinash had hurt you... except for the day when he threw you out of the house..."

Arnav: "Wasn't doing that enough..!! He was living on Papa's money so he had never hurt us... but when Papa was no more he showed his true colors... he is..."

Dadi: "NOO... he was forced... his hands were tied... he had to..."

Anjali: "Please Dadi... no need of taking his side when we all know the truth." Walking to Arnav "Chote, it's okay if Dadi doesn't want to tell us the truth... it's high time that we found out the truth and clear our Papa's name... always remember that your Di will always be by your side... no matter what."

Arnav: "I know Di."

Anjali: "Chote, we need to go to Lucknow and find out the truth for ourselves."

Dadi: "NOOO... please... please... both of you don't go there... it's not safe..."

Arnav: "Now I am not a 14 year old Arnav Dadi, I can very well take care of me and my family... you don't need to worry about it."

Dadi: "Chote... try to understand... your family doesn't only consists of the people staying at RM... your family includes your..."

Arnav: "THEY ARE NOT MY FAMILY..." he stopped when his cell rang and he frowned seeing an unknown number on display but answered it.

"Bhaiii..." the voice spoke from the other side and the phone slipped from his hand.

Hello Everyone. I kept my promise of posting the entire update before the end of the week. 😃
Please do like and comment.