Chapter 31

It seemed like he was having some debate going on his mind as he opened his mouth many times but only to close it immediately. "Arnav." she shook him hard and he shuddered like coming out from his own world. "Kushi." his voice was disoriented and he rolled his eyes to her face, completely perplexed. Ignoring her 'what happened' query, he asked her "how can it be possible?"

"What are you talking about?" she questioned him back equally perplexed. She got more shocked when he pointed her belly. Even before she could come out of shock and close her wide open mouth, he spoke making jaw drop down even more. "How can it grow so big just in one day? Yesterday it was small!" She pushed him little away and roared angrily "what the f***? Are you teasing your pregnant wife?"

"No Kushi." he shook his head earnestly and said "i have been watching you closely. Your stomach had grown so much just in a day. Even though i am not sure how big it was today morning, i can swear that it was not this big yesterday night." Kushi stood still confused whether she should laugh at his silliness or should scold for making fun of her pregnancy.

Taking advantage of her silence, he looped his arm around her waist enveloping her in side embrace. Kushi tried hard to control her laughter as Arnav checked her belly size. "Are you okay?" he asked her in worried tone. Kushi started to laugh and said "i am in my seventh month, Arnav. You have to worry if it is not big and not now when everything is perfectly fine. Stop acting like you has never seen pregnant women."

"But i think yesterday i was able to hug you more closely." He argued hugging her. She pressed her lips together tightly stopping herself from giggling and rested her head on his shoulder for few seconds. Suddenly she raised her head and kissed his cheek surprising her husband. "i love you Arnav." she whispered in his ears and he pulled her to face him. She was smiling and looking at him as he looked back at her intently and caressing her cheeks with his thumb lovingly.

"Should i go and come later?" anjali's voice broke their trance and they turned to notice Anjali who had her eyes closed with hands. "Di... come in." Arnav said freeing Kushi from his embrace. Anjali opened her eyes cautiously before moving to Arnav with irritated expression. "There is a thing called door and lock. Why you guys never use it?" she made a face before calling her grandmother in.

"It's okay di." Arnav said making Anjali to shout "at least have little shame chotey. I am your elder sister and she is your nani." Arnav rolled his eyes dramatically. "You both are spoiling my kids. For past one month pia is blabbering that she can feel her husband's presence. Oh god, She is just six, you know?!?" Anjali said worriedly with dejected face making others to giggle with her cute expression.

"Leave it, Anjali bitiya." Devyani said patting her shoulder and then turned to Arnav and Kushi. "We came here to inform you both that we will leave for temple at 8 tomorrow morning. Pooja will start at 9." Kushi looked at them confused before asking them about what they are talking.

"Anjali and i have decided to conduct raksha pooja for you and your child tomorrow as it is your birthday." Devyani finished patting kushi's cheek. "How do you know it's my birthday?" Kushi asked her face turning pale abruptly hearing devyani's words. "What do you think kushiji? If you don't say it to us then we will never know?" Anjali asked wriggling her brows.

Kushi shook her head and turned to devyani asking "what's the need for it, nani?" devyani held her shoulders lovingly and explained "don't say like that, bitiya. Since the time you come here, we didn't perform single pooja; not even for your marriage. It's good for our family and also for your unborn." But Kushi was not ready to take it. "But nani I don't want you both to take any trouble. It's just another day; Nothing special about it."

"Trouble!" Anjali exclaimed walking towards Kushi. "What trouble is there to arrange for such small pooja? We didn't even arrange for surprise party like chotey did. You know keeping surprises as a surprise is very difficult and i am bad at it but..." Anjali bit her tongue closing her eyes as her brother's voice echoed in the room. "DI."

Opening her one eye, she met her brother's angry and deathly glare. She immediately held her ears in her hand and apologetically said "i am sorry, chotey." Arnav was still glaring at her when kushi's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Arnav, did you arrange for surprise party? Why did you do that? Don't you think you should have asked me before arranging it?" she demanded him with authority.

"What? I wanted to give you surprise! What's wrong in it?" Arnav questioned her little confused over the fact that she was fuming for such small thing. "Because I don't like to celebrate my birthday! Till now I have never celebrated it!" she reasoned out in frustrated tone. "So what if you didn't celebrate it till now? This year we will celebrate it! I want your first birthday at your in-laws to be memorable." Anjali declared giving her infectious smile.

Arnav observed how Kushi was glaring at him and then how she tried to compose herself hearing anjali's words. "Di, for past twenty years i didn't celebrate my birthday and this year is not going to be any different." Though while addressing Anjali her voice lacked authority with which she talked to Arnav, still it was firm. "Cancel everything, Arnav." she said turning to Arnav who stood silently monitoring her every single action and trying to figure out what's wrong.

"chotey cancel the party if kushiji doesn't want it. We will just have small pooja." Anjali said in distressed tone. "I don't want pooja also." Kushi stated not looking at anyone. "kushi bitiya, please dont say like that. Pooja's are our offering to god in return for what he has given us. If you don't believe in god, we won't compel you. But still you can attend the pooja. As you are carrying heir of this family, i want you to attend it. It's your duty and right. Don't forget that you are bahu of this house." Devyani said emphasising how important it is for Kushi to attend the pooja.

"Yes nani, i know that I am daughter-in-law of this house and also carrying your family's blood in my womb. But that doesn't mean that i shouldn't have any opinion of my own and follow what all you people say like a dumb ass." She spoke in ferocious tone before saying resolutely "I am not going to come anywhere tomorrow! That's. Final."

Arnav stole a glance at his sister and grandmother whose face has turned pale before returning his gaze to French window through which Kushi has vanished few seconds before. When he moved towards it, his sister got hold of his wrist and stopped him. "i think she is having mood swings. It happens in pregnancy. Don't take it hard chotey." Devyani nodded supporting anjali's words and as a response Arnav smiled at them assuring them that he won't take it hard.

Kushi wiped her tears quickly as she sensed Arnav near the French doors walking towards her. "What's wrong Kushi?" he asked in cautious tone.she turned to him giving him an angry glare. "Do you have any idea how much you have hurt them..." he began to speak in normal tone but was interrupted by her furious voice. "So it doesn't matter to you that i am hurt?"

When Arnav tried to open his mouth, Kushi signalled him to stop with her hand and continued to say "fine. i am sorry. I will also apologize to your nani and your sister and will do whatever you people want me to do even if it offends me. Is it fine with you?" Arnav stared at her furious form for few seconds and understanding that it is waste of time to talk with her because it doesn't look like she will share her problem with him instead will hurt them both with her words, he decided to keep quiet.

"Did you have your dinner?" Kushi looked up at him hearing his question. "Tablets?" he shot his next question to which she nodded. He nodded and said "good. Sleep when you want to." She gazed at his retreating back. He didn't order her or request her to sleep like he always did but instead left her just like that. Wiping her fresh angry tears, she looked up at the sky searching for the brightest star.

Two hours later, Arnav turned to have a look at Kushi. Her back was facing him. He was not angry but he was offended with her words. He had never done anything against her wishes till now, then how can she say like that? If she had said she doesn't want to celebrate then he would have agreed to it without any protest. What's there to over react?

He knew that she is still awake and lying in same position for past two hours. She had told him that her back aches if she simply lies in same position for more than hour. Heaving a sigh, he moved closer to her, and wound his arm around her waist. "Kushi." he called her gently and got shocked when her body began to shake uncontrollably. "kushi...are you crying?" he panicked.

Making her to get up, he noticed her face which had completely turned red indicating that she had been crying for hours. "What happened Kushi?" he asked her worriedly. "Ar...nav..." she hugged him without looking at him and sobbed. "You are angry with me." She pointed out hiding her face in his chest. "No, no, Kushi. I am not angry on you. Why should I?" he questioned her in confusion.

"You didn't hug me nor you said a word to me?" she sobbed in his arms making him to tighten his grip on her. "Not like that Kushi. i mean i am sorry. Really sorry." He kissed her head controlling his tears which were ready to spill out of his eyes. "Sorry, Arnav." she pulled away from his embrace. "Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you all. But I don't want to celebrate my birthday, Arnav. I don't want you even to wish me. Please try to understand Arnav. It hurts; badly hurts."

"kushi, stop crying." He cupped her face grabbing her attention. "Stop crying and listen to me. I will never do anything against your wishes. It's a promise. I will neither wish you nor ask you for the reason. But remember, if you want to share something, i will be there for you; always." Kushi gave a weak smile and hugged him again.