Chapter 13

She closed her eyes for a moment and then nodded positively making him to release his breath which he was holding from the time he saw her fall. Slowly his fear turned into anger and he yelled "what the hell you were doing, Kushi? What if, if something had happened? Wha..." His voice trailed off as her almond shaped eyes got opened while her mouth opened in 'o' shape.

He noticed that she was still under shock. He pulled her to him, making her head to crash on his chest when tears began to fill her eyes. "No, no. Don't cry. It's okay. Please don't cry Kushi. Everything is fine. Don't cry." He soothed her holding her securely against him as she cried silently on his chest.

After confirming, for the hundredth time, that both Kushi and child were fine, he thanked the doctor and stood near the main door watching doctor's car to disappear into dark night. He sighed and started to move towards his room, taking each step slowly as his mind moved backwards to what happened few minutes back.

What he would have done if something had happened to her? He could have never forgiven himself for it. He promised her that he won't let anything happen to her. But he couldn't do anything except watch her fall. Was it his mistake? Or it's just cruel fate again playing with him? Whatever it is, he promised himself he will never let it happen again and wished he could keep up his promise till his last breath.

He stood near the entrance of his room watching his grandmother and sister talking to her. She was sitting on bed with her back resting on headboard and her legs drawn up. She gave a weak smile when Anjali caressed her cheeks and then nodded. He waited for his grandmother and sister to leave and then closed the door. Then he turned and observed her.

He could see that she was still in shock. She coiled and uncoiled the fingers of her both hands while her eyes were glued to it. He walked around the bed to his side, his eyes not leaving her for a moment. Her eyes got lifted from her hands to him. She looked at him for second and a small smile spread on her face as she moved little to her side making room for him to sit.

He settled next to her and little surprised with the way she greeted him, he asked "what?" Her smile grew little wider as her eyes got fixed to her fingers which had once again started repeating their earlier action. "First, di thought that you pushed me from bed like you pushed her!" she said with amusement in her voice and playful glint in her eyes.

He was taken aback. Talking about his childhood and making fun of him was the last thing he expected her to do now after what had happened. But he liked the fact it made her smile. Deciding to continue with flow, he leaned back stretching his leg "hmm...i saw small then. Hardly six or seven years." He replied uninterestedly.

"Small...But strong enough to get her hand fractured." He looked at her in delight hearing her soft giggles and their eyes held each other. Within a second, the light moment they shared vanished as she began to bit her lower lip and her eyes once again welling up. "kushi." he said moving towards her while she closed her mouth with her palm and began to weep. He placed his hand on her shoulder and she responded by colliding onto his chest.

"For a second, I thought i lost the baby..." her body trembled against his hard one just like her voice. He wrapped his arm around her. He wanted her to stop crying but he knew that it is better if she cried off now than to keep the fear in her heart. He knew that how dreadful it is to think about losing the child as he felt same when he saw her fall. His heart forgot to beat while his lungs forgot to take in the air.

He patted her lovingly like he used to pat pia while she cried her heart out. She wept against his chest like there is no tomorrow. But she stopped crying soon than she expected because of the warmth which was spreading from him. As her heavy breathing got slowed down, she began to hear his steady rhythm of his heart. With her one hand clutching to his tee shirt and other hand behind his back, she settled more comfortably on his left side of chest which felt like her home.

He noticed that she had stopped crying and he spoke breaking the silence in the room. "You should sleep now. It's really late." He said still patting her arms. "i usually don't get sleep when i am upset." She pouted in reply making different patterns on his tee shirt with her forefinger. "So what do you do when you are upset?" he asked lifting her body little up, more close to him and then leaned both of their weight on headboard.

"When I am upset, I used to visit beach. I really love to sit on sand and watch the waves. It helps me to forget the problem and makes me happy. Do you know our beach house? It's my favourite place on earth." She said tracing the words printed on his tee shirt with her fingers. He was silent not sure of what to reply when she continued again. "I do miss beaches here in Delhi but I do really love your pool." He asked "do you want to go out and get some fresh air?"

"Do you want me to die out of cold?" she snapped raising her head and looking at him. "no." He snapped back instantly before adding "and don't you ever use that word again." She made a face before resting her head on his chest. "kushi, are you fond of any pets?" he asked her and then noticing her confused look he continued " i mean all girls are fond of some animals."

"For instance, both di and aart..." he paused saying his younger sister name but eventually continued again. "Aarti were fond of dogs. I remembered growing up along with two or three dogs. And nani is fond of goats. Isn't it weird? I mean dogs are okay but goats. How come one can love goats?"

"laxmi is really cute." She said against his skin. He nodded in agreement "and her only job is to search for my important documents and eat it." Kushi smiled and said "i like birds. I used to sit on terrace at evenings, watching them fly in the sky. I love their chirping sound they make. I always wanted to have bird sanctuary at home."

"Then why didn't you build sanctuary at home?" Kushi raised her head hearing his question. She replied in confusion. "i dont know. I always wanted to have them at home but never thought of it." She returned to earlier position before including "after six months, when i return home, first thing i will do is to build sanctuary for them."

His hands, which were patting her, paused for a moment hearing the word six months from her. Then he continued patting her as he didn't want to push things right now. He had no idea of what she was thinking or planning. But all he knew is six months is really long period and he didn't want to spoil his present worrying about what's going to happen after six months.

"Then what else you do when you are upset?" he asked for which she replied "i used to talk..." she stopped not wanting to tell further. He smiled thinking how she used to talk non-stop three months before. His smile faded as her hands clutched his tee shirt more. "...With my mom. When i talk with her, within a second I will forgot all my problems."

His body got stiffened hearing her talk about her mom because whenever she remembered about her mom, her reactions were wild and distance between them became more. When he was expecting her to pull away from him, she buried her face further on his chest crying "i really miss her, Arnav."

"i am fine, uncle. How are you?" kushi asked Ram through the phone. "Good beti. I got some information which might appeal you. That's why i called." Kushi heard her uncle say and turned to her room. She saw Arnav choosing clothes from wardrobe through closed French window. "Yes, uncle. Is it about jha's?" she asked with her eyes fixed to her husband.

"Yeah, beti. They owned the famous SJ fashion house in Mumbai. But it is not there anymore. It was shut down two years back as they were not able to compete with new emerging fashion house named AR fashion house." She gasped looking at her husband who was buttoning his waist coat. How stupid of her to think that he let them free that too after messing with his sister. If you had messed him then you have to pay really huge sum back.

The voice from other side of phone continued "after demise of shyam jha and his father, his uncle handled their fashion show for four years till it got destroyed at your husband's hand. Poor jha's, they didn't even had idea of what was coming in their way. Arnav not only made sure that they were burned down to ashes but also made sure that they never rise from their ashes."

Kushi watched him as he made perfect knot with his tie. Whatever he do, being it tying a tie or destructing other's life, he made sure it was done perfectly. No wonder he had built such huge empire of his own just in span of six years. He walked to the French doors and said "kushi, i am leaving. If you need something give me a call. And be careful." She nodded waited for him to disappear.

"kushi beti, are you there?" she heard her uncle's voice. "ji, uncle. You continue." She said in kind of daze and then listened to her uncle. "i checked every minute detail. There is no connection between jha's and your father legally. I am sure your dad had never met them. But coming to illegal business i have some doubts."

"They both were involved in selling illegal drugs. But i am not sure whether they were together or not. Our Private investigators are working on it. I will inform you about it as soon as i get the information." Kushi nodded and asked "uncle, i want to meet shyam's chachu. Is it possible?"

She got the reply as "I don't think you can beti. His son is now behind the bars as they were not able to pay back their debts. And Mr.Jha is currently under treatment. The pressure he faced two years back got him mentally upset. I have interesting news about it. Dou you know who is paying his bills?"

"Arnav Singh Raizada." Kushi replied sarcastically. "How do you know, kushi?" her uncle asked in surprised tone. She replied back "uncle, he is my husband. If I don't know this much about him, then I don't think I will be able to survive a single day with him." She heard her uncle laugh loudly and then he said "take care, my child. I will get to you as soon as possible."

Kushi entered the house tiredly along with nani, Anjali and her kids. Yesterday night's incident got nani upset and she immediately planned pooja at temple for kushi's well being. "Mama..." pia shouted as she ran towards her uncle who was standing near the steps with a smile on his face. "mama, you came home so soon?" pia asked Arnav as he lifted her from ground.

"Yes dear. And from where my princess is coming?" he asked nuzzling her small nose. "We went to temple and prayed." Pia explained him by joining her hands. He smiled and enquired "what did my princess pray?"

"Mummy told me to pray for kushi mami. First i prayed for mami and then i prayed that mummy should buy me an ice cream. But she didn't buy me ice cream." She pouted making him to smile more. He said "no problem, mama will buy ice cream for his princess." Pia smiled and hugged him. Anjali spoke in firm voice "pia, didn't i tell you that you will catch if you eat ice cream at evening?"

Seeing pia's face to turn pale, Arnav assured "no problem. Tomorrow i will buy you." She kissed his cheeks and asked "i love you mama. Can i stay in your room tonight?" even before Arnav could respond, Anjali come near them and removed pia from his hands and said "no pia, tomorrow you have school. If you sleep there, you won't get up early."

"Mummy, but i always used to stay there even when i have school." Pia argued adamantly. Anjali said in certain tone "pia, you promised me that you will listen to my words before coming here. If not tomorrow we will leave to our house." Pia immediately apologized to her mother. It didn't take minutes for Kushi to realize that they had come here only for her and they are still angry with Arnav.

Kushi rolled her eyes to where Arnav was standing before but he was not there anymore. Suddenly her heart immersed in grief. She knew how much he loved pia and how unbearable it will be for him. She quickly went to their room. Arnav was digging something in his wardrobe, his blazer carelessly thrown on bed. His tensed form explained Kushi everything. "Arnav."

He turned and looked at for a moment before saying "stay near garden for some time. I want to be alone." She tried to talk but he shouted "can't you see i am changing? I said leave." She blinked in confusion before shouting back "what? If you want to change, then go to washroom. Why should i leave? This is my room too."

"What? What sound?" she asked concentrating on her surroundings. Her eyes became wide while mouth formed perfect 'o' shape, she gasped "oh my god." He smiled as he saw her running towards the pool. Kushi's head started to spin seeing his garden filled birds of different variety.

When Arnav walked into pool, kushi was checking the cage which had two cute parrots. Arnav watched her from side. With her hair resting on other shoulder, her sky blue anarkali suit with silver border adding glory to her skin and her face glowing with happiness, she looked nothing less than an angel. "You bought these for me?" she asked not caring to look at him.

"Absolutely not. I bought these for me. You know my plants were making too much noise, so i thought of replacing them with these silent birds." He said seriously with his hands in his pant pocket. She giggled "do you know that you are very bad at making jokes?"

"Thanks for compliment." He nodded. "But still you laugh." He pointed out making her to turn towards him. She retorted "come out of your dream world, Mr. Raizada. I am not laughing at your stupid jokes. I am laughing at the way you make them sound stupid." He smiled "I don't care whether it is stupid or funny. As far as it makes you laugh, i am fine doing it." Her smile faded with his words.

After few minutes, she asked "do you think it is correct to keep them like this. They are meant to be free and fly around the sky." He replied "oh no, kushi. You are not going to turn into filmy heroine and let them all free. I didn't buy them for that purpose." She retorted "and they are not created for this purpose."

"Okay, if you feel like that then go ahead." He said accepting his defeat. "But they all are so cute." She pouted. "Decide kushi." he said smiling. "How many of them are there?" she questioned him. "i think 26." He answered and jerked back when shouted "perfect. I will free one bird daily. In that way for 26 days, they will be with me. Wait no. There is two pair of love birds. So i guess only 24 days."

She said checking all the birds. He asked in amusement "and what will you do after 24 days?" she bended checking sparrows and said "it's simple. I will again tell you that i love birds and i want to have them at home." Arnav's jaw dropped down in delight "you are unbelievable!" she turned to him and struck tongue out at him.

His heart skipped a beat. This was the girl he knew three months before. How much she had changed now? What he had done to this girl? He had killed her bubbly character. "i am sorry, kushi." he said sincerely. She looked at in glee and her face turned pale when he understood what he meant. She changed the topic "aranv, since you bought them, tell me which bird should be let free today?"

"Why dont we start with love birds?" he asked. She took a sparrow out from the cage and exclaimed "but as these are small, i thought i will leave them first." Her eyes got widen when he told her to go ahead. "what? You will accept whatever i say?" she asked him little surprised. "tell me one incident, when i said no to you?" he challenged her.

"Well, there are many. You said no to our marriage even after knowing i am pregnant." She said caressing the little bird in her hands. "Oh really!" he exclaimed as he straightened her mangalsutra which was hanging in disoriented position. She looked at his hands as he positioned her chain in correct place around her neck and said "i didn't leave you with any other choice." She argued adamantly adjusting her hair with one hand as other hand was holding the bird.

She cried in pain when her hair got locked with her earring. Arnav removed her hand from her ears and with his single hand he removed hair from her earring. She shivered as his finger caressed her cheeks in that process. He said "we always have choice, kushi. It is up to us to make our choice. I had other choices when i married you but i thought this is the right one."

Their eyes locked for a minute and he smiled at her. She turned to other side and asked "so you are telling me to leave this sparrow free today?" he nodded noticing how efficiently she changed the topic. He didn't want to talk until she wants to talk. "What will i name it? Binu, vinu, minu..." she kept adding while he left to answer his buzzing phone.

She sighed after he left and looked at the door with tears in her eyes. Why he is always making it difficult for her? When she wanted him to love her, he didn't do that. And now when she wanted to stay away from him, he is neither doing that. She let the bird free in frustration. She has come here only for her child. She cannot forgive him or love him the way she loved before. But now she is not even able to hate him.