Chapter 9
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[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
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Part 2: Day 12
Section 4
Khushi looked out through the window at the night sky, not because she wanted to see the sights, but because she wanted to avoid the Raizada driving the car, stealing looks at her lips with his seductive eyes...
It had been so throughout lunch and tea. He had barely taken his eyes off her and Khushi had felt her Amma's delicious cooking stick in her throat.
Khushi fumed, and worried. What would she do once they reached RM? Why had she looked at his shirtless glory? She should have shut her eyes tight while massaging him! And why had she let him kiss her? And enjoyed it? The feel of his lips... Who had known that the lips that had insulted her time and again were capable of... Khushi squirmed in the hot seat of her own making. The seatbelt seemed to chafe her. If only she could fly out through the window, like a bird...
Arnav stopped the car in front of RM and opened his door. Khushi pushed her door open, clambered down, and almost ran to the front door.
"Khushi..." Arnav called.
Khushi pretended a sudden bout of deafness and sounded the door bell, praying that Hari Prakashji would open the door fast before her contract husband reached her. She tapped her foot in impatience.
Hari Prakashji opened the door. Smiling at his greeting, not waiting to respond to them, she ran to the kitchen.
HP stared after Khushiji with perplexed eyes. Was Khushiji so thirsty that she was running to the kitchen?
Dinner was a quiet affair, with Nani & Anjaliji having it upstairs. Mami, NK, Arnav, Khushi, Akash, & Payal had it in near silence in the dining room.
Payal whispered in Khushi's ear, "Happy birthday, Khushi."
Khushi smiled at her Jiji. "Thank you, Jiji."
"I wanted to wish you in the morning, but..."
"I know. With everyone so worried and upset..." Khushi comforted her.
"I am glad you went to Buaji's house for the day. They must have made you your favourite dishes..." Payal smiled.
"Haan, Jiji." Khushi smiled back.
Dinner was soon over. Payal, Khushi, & HP cleared the table. Mami went to watch her favourite serial on TV. NK went with Akash & Arnav to check on Anjali.
Soon, everyone drifted off to their rooms.
Arnav collected the parcels he had ordered and waited in his room for Khushi, but there was no sign of her. She was avoiding him. How could she? After pacing the length & breadth of his room for a while, Arnav went down to the kitchen.
"And then I made jalebi... A mountain of jalebi... Hari Prakashji, you won't believe how many people had dinner in our house that night. It was such fun..." Her voice trailed away as her eyes fell on the furious Raizada standing at the door of the kitchen. Her fingers stopped shelling the peas. HP, who had been enjoying her Lucknow tales, looked around to see Arnav Bhaiyya staring at his wife.
"Khushi, come up with me." the lion growled.
"I have work in the kitchen." the lioness growled back.
"Khushi..." the lion raged.
"Khushi Bhabi, leave the peas. I will do them." HP, the traitor, took away her excuse.
Left with no recourse, Khushi walked out of the kitchen & up the stairs, feeling like a student chastised by a teacher. She looked daggers at the stern back of her Shaitan, but walked after him to his room.
Once they reached the room, Arnav shut the door after her. He picked up a huge bouquet of red roses and pushed them into her hands.
"For me?" Khushi's eyes were as round as saucers.
"No. For Aman." Arnav bit out, his caustic tongue sharpened by the knowledge that Khushi was trying to keep a distance between them.
"Then give it to Amanji. Why are you pushing it into my arms?" Khushi asked.
"Khushi!" he bit out. "Happy birthday!"
Khushi looked at his face that was pale with anger & then his gift. She sighed. "Is this the way you give a gift? After shouting at the birthday girl...?"
"This is the way I give gifts." Arnav bit out.
"No wonder you don't have any friends except Amanji!" Khushi retorted. "It is a wonder he hasn't left you long before. What have you done to him? Forced him to sign a contract?"
Arnav tried hard to control his anger. He had only 12 more days. He looked at the clock. Soon this day would end, & he would be left with just eleven more days... His anger vanished as if it had never been. If she left him... he would die...
"Khushi..." he said softly. "You love red roses, don't you?"
"Ji."
"That's why I..."
Khushi looked at him for a moment and then at the sweet-smelling flowers in her hands. "Thank you." she whispered.
Arnav handed over another box to her, coming to stand behind her. "This too is for you." He looked at her face with intent eyes.
Khushi put down the roses and took the gaily-wrapped box.
"Open it." Arnav invited her, his eyes on her plump lips.
Khushi unwrapped it with shaking fingers. As she lifted the lid of the expensive-looking box, she saw a red hanky in it. Maybe a towel. Why was he giving her a red towel for her birthday?, Khushi wondered.
Khushi lifted the flimsy satin cloth out of the box, setting the cover aside. It was claret in colour. Satin. It had two shoestring straps. Why should a towel have straps?, Khushi frowned. She shook it out, and her eyes opened wide in horror.
It was a short nightie in claret satin, with more holes than material and straps so thin that even a child could tear them.
Khushi turned to look at Arnav's eager face with wide eyes and an open mouth. Her heart beat sounded like a drum to her.
"Do you like it, Khushi?" His husky voice should be banned in all countries of the world, Khushi thought.
"Will you wear it, tonight?" he asked hopefully.
Khushi moved away from him and glared at him. "I will wear it for my real husband, not my contract husband who will vanish in..." she looked at the clock "...eleven days..." Even though the look on her face was militant, her voice was soft and sad.
Arnav felt tears choke him.
He had a lot to make up for. Ever since they had met at Sheesh Mahal, he had been hurting her, destroying her life knowingly & unknowingly, pushing her into dangerous situations, harming her reputation, humiliating her, maligning her character... It would take his whole life to make up for all the insults he had heaped on her. Her tears on Diwali night... They had fallen on his heart, corroding it like acid...
"You will wear it one night, for me." Arnav whispered it as though he were making her a promise.
Khushi raised her eyebrow.
Arnav nodded.
Khushi pursed her lips, pushed the soft material into its cover, and set it aside. She went to the wardrobe, took out her nightclothes, and fled to the bathroom.
She stood in the shower, feeling the sharp sting of cold water on her hot skin. She had to leave this house at the earliest. Each day spent here, each moment spent in his presence would weaken her. But how could she leave? He would try to stop her... the thoughts whirled around in her head, making it ache.
Finally, she emerged from the bathroom, dressed in her white casual suit, her hair unbound. The room was dark, only a night lamp shedding dim light to help her make her way to the bed. The recliner was in darkness.
Khushi slipped into bed with a sigh of relief. He had given up waiting for her and gone to sleep. She pulled the blanket over herself and settled down.
A warm arm came to lie over her waist.
Khushi yelped and sat up.
"Sshh... it is just me. Go to sleep." Arnav murmured in his husky voice.
"What are you doing here?" Khushi hissed as soon as she was able to find her voice. Her arms tried to dislodge his, but to no avail.
"Sleeping. Or trying to..." She could hear the smile in his voice.
Khushi saw red. "You are supposed to sleep on the recliner. And I am to sleep on the bed." she reminded him.
"Who said so?" he countered. "Why should I sleep on the recliner when there is a good bed here, waiting for me?" he asked reasonably.
Khushi tried to leave the bed. "Then I will sleep on the recliner." she announced.
Arnav pulled her into his arms and cuddled her close. "It is very uncomfortable. Especially when you are on the bed and I am on the recliner. I can vouch for that."
"Leave me!" Khushi tried to struggle against his hold.
Training at the akhada came in use. He wrestled her into his arms using his arms, legs, & body.
He whispered in her ear, "Never. We are going to sleep like this, in one bed, in each other's arms, every night of our lives."
It was a promise.
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