Chapter 30
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[MEMBERSONLY]
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[NOCOPY]
MARRYING KHUSHI
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Part 30
Section 1
ASR watched as Payal & Khushi bid farewell to their parents, Buaji, neighbours, and friends.
Akash looked almost sorry that he had married Payal after seeing her weeping like there was no tomorrow. He had wanted to make her happy, not throw her into the depths of despair!
Khushi flitted about here and there like the Titliyaa she was supposed to be, laughing and chattering non-stop. Her cheerful demeanour and never-ending laughter moistened Sasi Gupta's eyes and hurt ASR's heart.
"Sasiji, I promise that we will look after your daughters like our own. They will live like princesses." Nani promised the father of the two brides.
"They will be our Anjali Bitiyaa's sisters. Aap ko borry (worry) karne ki kauno jaroorat naahi!" Mami promised them.
"We have got two daughters today, Sasiji. Thank you for giving us such well-mannered and loving girls. And if you ever need anything, just give us a call. Your damads and his family will be always ready to help you." Mamaji said, covering Sasi Gupta's folded hands with his own.
"And don't forget to visit us in Delhi." Nani smiled. "Let us spend this Diwali together."
Sasi, Garima, & Buaji nodded, wiping tears off their faces.
ASR held the car door open for Khushi to enter.
She waved at everyone, her face wreathed in smiles. her new mangalsutra glinted in the light of a hundred lamps.
Her bags and Mittu were safely stored in his white-coloured vehicle. He slid in after her. Aman took the front seat and Mohan took the wheel.
Anjali, NK, & Nani got in to the next car. Mama, Mami, Payal, & Akash took the third one.
ASR looked at Khushi as she sat by him, her face lowered, her hands clasped in her lap. Her smile was nowhere to be seen. It had vanished with the crowds.
He wanted to take hold of her hand but hesitated to do so for fear that it would break the dam, as it were. And there was no time. The distance between Gomti Sadan and Sheesh Mahal would be covered in a matter of minutes.
Even as the thought passed through his mind, the three cars entered the ground of his haveli and halted in a line near the magnificent entrance.
"Khushi!" ASR called softly.
She lifted her face to his. Her eyes were dry, but her face was pale.
"We are travelling to Delhi tonight." he said.
She said nothing.
"I need to get my bags, check that the helpers have packed everything. Will you be alright for 2 minutes?" he asked.
Khushi nodded.
"Mohan will be here with you." he comforted her before leaving her.
He strode in to the house to his room, took his pill for diabetes, gathered his bags, looked around to see if he had left anything behind, and returned to the car.
As he walked to the vehicle, Aman whispered to him, "Manjuji asked me to keep a cover of tissues in your car." He handed over the wad.
ASR swallowed. "Thank you." He pocketed it.
Aman nodded.
Helpers loaded the luggage of the Raizadas in to the three cars, and after making sure that his family had all settled themselves comfortably in their vehicles, ASR took his seat once more.
The cars moved out of Sheesh Mahal, one after the other. They began speeding out of familiar Lucknow, towards an unfamiliar Delhi.
Mohan looked in the mirror at the unlikely pair sitting in the seat behind his.
As he watched, his khadoos Arnav Bhaiyya took hold of his Khushi bhabi's fingers. She tensed slightly. Then she leaned against his arm, her head falling gently against his shoulder. Slow tears began to leak from her eyes to drip down her cheeks. Her body began to shake silently.
Mohan swallowed in distress. Khushi Bhabi had been so happy bidding farewell to her family that he had imagined her happy to be leaving for Delhi! Why was she crying now?
Was it because she was scared of her new husband? He couldn't blame her! Any body would be put off by Arnav Bhaiyya's cold eyes and reserved nature at first sight. And when they got to know him better, his anger and his cutting tongue would demolish any feeling of affection that had managed to survive the course!
As he watched, his akhdoo Arnav Bhaiyya's protective arm went around Khushi Bhabi's shaking shoulders and he pulled her close to him.
Mohan stared at them with wide eyes. Was that Arnav Bhaiyya?
His Bhabi's arms went around Arnav Bhaiyya's waist, and she buried her face in his neck, sobbing bitterly.
So she was not scared of Arnav Bhaiyya! Then why was Khushi Bhabi crying? As he watched, Arnav Bhaiyya's hand came to rest on her back, gently caressing her, patting her, comforting her. All in silence.
Light from the street lamps fell on his Arnav Bhaiyya, illuminating his face. Mohan almost had a heart attack at the wheel. Tenderness, pain, empathy, and... and love were etched on his face... What had happened to Arnav Bhaiyya? Had he... had he fallen in love with Khushi Bhabi? Mohan's heart filled with delight.
He turned his head to look at Amanji. He was smiling at him.
Soon her sobs died in to hiccups, and as Mohan watched, Arnav Bhaiyya handed over tissues to his bride. She dried her face and tried to stop stray tears that meandered down her cheeks.
She lay with her head tucked under Arnav Bhaiyya's chin. As Mohan watched, the fingers of her left hand came to clasp the collar of Arnav Bhaiyya's sherwani. The newly-wedded pair remained locked in this position as the car sped in to the night on the tail of two other cars.
ASR looked out at the dark night, holding the treasure he had looted from Lucknow safe in his arms.
A few weeks back he had seen her dancing one dark night on his way out of Lucknow. He had been alone then, deprived of her warmth and her joy. Alone. With nothing to look forward to. And with no expectation that love would steal in to his hard heart, that one glance at her would engrave her picture in his heart, that it would make him move mountains to find her and that he would succeed...
He looked down at the prize he had won after weeks of arduous struggle, fighting a stiff battle against the threat of paanwalas and chudiwalas... wrenching her from the loving bosom of her family to take her to a land she knew little of, to an unfamiliar home, to a new family... and a new husband...
He swallowed hard as he looked down at her face as she slumbered in the cosy bed of his arms, safe, sheltered. She must have worried all of last night. And pretending to be happy all day must have eaten in to her reserves of energy...
He dropped a gentle kiss on her hair, breathing in the scent of jasmine flowers adorning her hair with deep relief.
He touched her mangalsutra and his eyes lingered on the sindoor in her maang.
She was his, finally. Now no one could take her away from him.
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