Chapter 42
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[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
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Section 1 B
Arnav and Khushi looked at their family with eyes as wide as saucers and then looked at each other, horrified.
"Bhen will Akass Bitwaa and Payaliyaa make me a grandmother?" she lamented the slowness of her son.
"It will happen, Manorama, It will happen. Give them time..." Nani smiled.
"Enough!... Arnav put an end to the absurd situation. ...Khushi is not..not carrying... We... we are not having a b... baby!"
There was perfect silence in the room. There was disappointment on every face in the room. Khushi clutched her fingers together. Worse was yet to come.
Finally Nani said, "It is alright, Khussi Bitiyaa, don't worry. You have a lot of time left. You have been married for just 6 months. Chinta mat karo!"
"Haan, haan, Titliyaa. Nandkisore knows when to give you children, You don't worry about such things." Buaji said.
All the ladies nodded, smiling.
"You wanted to tell us something, Chotey?" Anjali asked.
Arnav drew a deep breath and tightened his hold on Khushi.
"Yes. I want to tell you something. Please listen to the whole story before crying and shouting at me." Arnav said.
All the people in the room looked at each other, scared of what Arnav was going to reveal. Mami caught hold of Nani's hand in fear.
"Shyam used to harass Khushi whenever he got her alone." Arnav began.
The entire room gasped.
"I didn't know anything about Shyam having been a paying guest in Buaji's house or having been engaged to Khushi.." he explained.
All nodded.
"On Payal & Akash's wedding day, I went in search of Khushi. I wanted to tell her that I loved her, that I wanted to marry her" Arnav said.
Khushi looked at Arnav's face, trepidation on hers. What was he doing? Telling everyone that he loved the wife who would not be his wife in 5 days?
All smiled at Arnav, knowing that he was crazy about Khushi. Akash & NK looked at him with admiration in their eyes.
"But Shyam had managed to find Khushi before I did."
All looked at him, their hearts in their mouths.
"He caught hold of Khushi. She tried to escape, but he was too strong for her."
"The rascal!" NK was moved into exclaiming.
Akash clenched his fists.
"From where I was standing, it looked like Shyam and Khushi were hugging."
"Hai Re Nandkisore!" Buaji exclaimed. "Hugging? Our Titliyaa hates the sight of him!"
Anjali could not speak a word. She stared at Arnav, her mouth open.
All waited for Arnav to continue, their hearts racing. Tragedies had a habit of attacking the Raizadas and the Guptas like tsunami waves, one after the other, unrelenting, destroying everything they had built up...
"I caught hold of Shyam by the collar. He said that he and Khushi were in love, that they wanted to have a life together, that my Di was the only hurdle in their path..." Arnav looked at the pale faces around him.
"Chotey!" Anjali exclaimed.
"I went to tell Di the truth. I thought that I could reveal the real face of Shyam to her, and throw him out of our lives. But... but when I was talking to Di, she fainted. And she got the test results from the lab. She was pregnant." Arnav sighed.
"Shyam appeared to be delighted. Di was over the moon. Then it became my responsibility to see that Di remained in her bubble of happiness for 6 months more so that she could deliver the baby safely. I had to keep Shyam here for 6 more months. I had to keep him away from Khushi for 6 more months."
"Chotey!" poor Nani wept.
"Don't cry, Nani. There is more to come!" Arnav said, sighing.
"It was time for Payal & Akash's wedding. I stood looking at the arrangements being made as the auspicious moment arrived. I needed to keep Khushi away from Shyam. The only leverage I had on her was her love for Payal."
He looked at his family. They were all pale. They knew him well, knew how ruthless he could be... Their fear was open on their faces. The Guptas looked confused.
"The first time I met Khushi was on Payal's wedding day in Lucknow. Khushi had come to Sheesh Mahal to meet Payal's groom, hoping to dissuade him from hiking the dowry demand a few hours before the marriage. She didn't know that I had purchased Sheesh Mahal, that I was conducting a fashion show there. Someone pushed her on to the stage, thinking that she was a model, and she fell in to my arms. I thought that she had come there to sabotage my event, and I kept her locked up till the event was over so that I could investigate which of my competitors had sent her. The net result was that Payal's wedding got cancelled."
Nani buried her face in her hands. Mami whispered, "Saasummaa!" Anjali looked at Arnav, horrified.
The Guptas looked resigned. The tale was not new to them.
"Khushi had always felt guilty that she had caused Payal's wedding to be cancelled. I knew that. Desperate to stop Shyam from going off with Khushi, I decided to blackmail her."
All looked at him, the whites of their eyes visible.
"I told her that if Payal's wedding to Akash had to go ahead, she would have to marry me."
All gasped.
"She knew that Akash would not disregard my words, regardless of his commitment to Payal. She knew that Payal's wedding would be cancelled or postponed, that she would be left at the mandap again. So Khushi had to agree." Arnav said.
The listeners looked at each other, horrified.
"I never told Khushi about my suspicions regarding her & Shyam, never asked her for an explanation... That was foolish. I believed Shyam's version."
"Chotey... Anjali could only look at her brother in shock.
Arnav continued, ...I arranged for a mangalsutra to be left in the temple you frequent, Di. As soon as Payal & Akash's wedding was over, I dragged Khushi out of the house and took her to the temple. It was dark. There was no one there, not even the purohit. I pulled her up the steps, tied the mangalsutra around her neck and put sindoor in her maang. And brought her back home. The rest you know."
"Chotey!" Anjali gasped.
"What have you done, Arnav Bitwaa!" Mami exclaimed.
Nani couldn't find words to rebuke her grandson.
"Hai Re Nandkisore!" Buaji exclaimed. "Titliyaa, you married Arnav Bitwaa without telling us because of all this? For Payaliyaa?" She got up and went to hug Khushi.
"And I hit you!" Amma cried. "Khussi, I am sorry. Hamein maaf kar dena, bitiyaa!" Tears flowed down her cheeks. Amma threw her arms around Khushi, hugging her.
"Amma, you have the right to kill me. It is alright." Khushi said softly.
Payal wept all over Khushi. "You never said... not even a word... Pagli, why didn't you tell me? Who gave you the right to sacrifice your life for me?"
NK & Akash were lost for words.
"Chotey!..." Nani finally said in a tremulous voice. "Without saat phere, without a pandit, without witnesses... you married Khussi Bitiyaa?"
"How can you call it a marrijj, Saasumma? It is not a marrijj!" Mami cried.
"Chotey.." Anjali whispered. "...You have been living with Khushiji in one room... for 6 months... Chotey, what have you done?"
"It is OK, Di." Arnav pretended to be casual about it, his heart thudding fit to deafen him. "It is legal. I made Khushi sign a contract."
Nani, Mami, & Anjali looked at him in horror. Buaji & Amma looked pale with worry. Babuji's eyes were wide with shock. Akash & NK looked at the ladies first and then at Arnav & Khushi.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you something. The contract is for 6 months. It will end on 14th night. Khushi will be leaving on the 15th." Arnav said simply.
The listeners were too shocked to even gasp.
"Six-month marriage, Nandkisore?" Buaji couldn't believe her ears.
"Ee sab kaa ho raha he, Jiji?" Garima asked, scared for Khushi & Payal.
"A marriage that is not a marriage. And that too for six months?" Nani asked.
"Bhat kind of marrijj ijj this, Saasumaa? No pandit, no phere, no mehmaan. Only managalsutra and sindoor. And that too only phor six months? Six months ke baad bhat (what) will they do? Take off the mangalsutra and the sindoor, tho marrijj khatam?" Mami asked, perplexed.
Arnav felt immense gratitude to his Mami for emphasising the fact.
"It is not a marriage, Chotey. It is an insult. You have insulted Khushiji..." Anjali said, her voice low but firm. His Di was acting to form.
"And fooled all of us." Nani completed her statement, her eyes spitting fire at Arnav. Arnav relaxed. Now that his Nani had found her tongue, he could rest easy. She would do his job for him.
"You forced Khussi Bitiyaa to live with you in your room as your wife when she is not your wife. When your marriage is not complete according to our vidhi!.." Nani declared.
Arnav nodded. Khushi looked uneasily at the family members.
"Saasumma, Anjali Bitiyaa, they have been living together for 6 months. If she gives good news after the 15th.." Mami warned them. "They won't be married, and she will be a bin byahi maa!"
Khushi opened her mouth to refute the allegation, but Buaji's loud cry silenced her.
Buaji hit her head with her hand, "Hai Re Nandkisore! Kaa hoga iss ladki kaa?"
Garima started weeping. Payal, Akash, & NK stared at Arnav & Khushi.
"Madhumatiji, Garimaji, Sasiji, please don't upset yourself." The doyen of the Raizada family spoke with authority. "...My grandson has made a grave mistake. I apologise for him and assure you that no harm will come to Khussi Bitiyaa. Her reputation will not be tarnished as long as I am alive.." That is the way to go, Nani, Arnav thought, wanting to cheer her on.
Anjali added, "Arnav has committed a serious crime, Buaji, Amma, Babuji. He has played with Khushiji's reputation and her good name. I am ashamed to look at your face." Arnav waited eagerly for her to get to the point.
"Do something, Saasummaa, phast. Or we won't be able to show our phases (faces) to Mrs. Sinha and Mrs. Mathur and Mrs.." Mami started. Yes, yes, Arnav egged on his Mami silently.
Anjali stated, "You have to make up for the damage you have caused to Khushiji's reputation, Chotey." Her face was cold and stern.
Arnav nodded, lowering his eyes as though penitent. How he wanted to hug his Di!
"You will marry Khussi Bitiyaa, according to our vidhi, here in our presence, without further delay." Nani declared. Finally! thought Arnav. He nodded.
"No!" Khushi exclaimed. "Naniji, we never... we.. that is, we never.."
"Aap chup rahiye. Both of you have already done your manmaani. Now it is our turn to solve the mess you have created..." Nani said sternly. Seeing Khushi's distress, she relented. "Khussi Bitiyaa, you must trust me to see to your welfare. My grandson has treated you abominably. I will not let him destroy your life."
"Think, Khussi, think." Mami exhorted her. "If someone comes to marry you and his family finds out about this contract marrijj! Will he marry you? He will also say, let ujj hab a contract marrijj. Ek baar kar chuki ho. You can do it with me too. Why should I marry you, Hello Hi Bye Bye?"
Arnav clenched his jaw and tried to breathe deep to control his anger.
"Chotey, you will marry Khushiji today, here." Anjali declared.
Arnav nodded obediently.
Nani turned to the Guptas and asked courteously, "Is that convenient to you?" Amma, Babuji, & Buaji nodded.
Khushi shook her head in the negative, but no one was looking at her except Arnav. He hid a smile.
Nani turned to Akash & NK. "Akass Bitwaa, go to the temple and get the purohit."
Akash nodded.
"NK Bhai & Payalji, come with me. We need to decorate the house and set up the mandap." Anjali invited.
Nani said, "The whole world thinks that Chotey & Khussi Bitiyaa are married. So we don't need to invite them. Let's limit this to the two families."
The Guptas could only nod. Amma & Buaji pushed Babuji's wheelchair closer to Nani to discuss the remaining arrangements.
Khushi grabbed Arnav's arm and pulled him away in to the nearest room, which was Nani's bedroom.
"What is happening here, Arnavji?" Khushi asked, furious. "I asked you to end our contract marriage. And now you are going to marry me in the presence of our families? Yeh..yeh sab kya ho raha he? I asked you to let me go."
"I will. I will, Khushi. Let the wedding be over. It will satisfy both families. It will settle the point about the validity of our relationship. Once we are married, you can leave on the 15th. If you still want to."
Khushi stared at him. Arnav knew that the only way to get her to agree to the wedding was to bring his need in to it, make it sound as though it was for him.
"Let me make it up to you, Khushi, for the contract marriage. So that I don't have to feel guilty. So that I can sleep at night, even after you are gone. So that I can look myself in the mirror."
Khushi looked at him for a long moment, and finally nodded.
Payal & Anjali came looking for Khushi.
"Khushiji, we need to buy you a dress for the wedding!" Anjali said. "..I will arrange for someone to bring jodas home for you to select"
"No, Anjaliji..I.." Khushi tried to protest.
"Di, Khushi has a new red sari. She can wear that." Arnav suggested.
Anjali & Payal looked at Khushi enquiringly.
Khushi nodded weakly.
Anjali & Payal left the room.
Khushi turned her gimlet eyes on Arnav. "Did you plan all this? Did you give me the saree to..?"
"No, never." Arnav said. "It was a gift. Pure & simple. But I want to marry you. Desperately."
Khushi frowned at him.
"Even though I will leave you on the 15th?" she asked.
Arnav caught hold of her hands.
"Even though you may leave me on the 15th." Arnav affirmed.
(Post Above)
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