Chapter 39

"Arnav...Arnav...wait..." Lavanya shouted as she noticed Arnav descending stairs in a grumpy mood. Of course she didn't expect him to be in a sweet mood after hearing those ear-piercing noises from his room. She kept television volume high trying to concentrate on it rather than hearing couple's fight. But she was tensed thinking whether what she did was right or wrong.

Switching off the television, she placed the remote on couch and walked to Arnav who was standing at the end of stairs with irritation. She didn't want to infuriate him more but she just wanted to make sure that Kushi and he was fine. "Where are you going? Is everything fi...OMG Arnav!" she exclaimed, the minute she noticed his bleeding hand.

"I knew it. I knew that you guys will do something stupid like this. Is Kushi fine?" She asked in panic taking his hand in hers and inspecting it. Arnav just looked at her blankly observing her concern for him. She looked up at him and noticed he was lost somewhere. "Arnav! I asked whether Kushi is fine. Is she hurt? I mean physically! Where is she?" Lavanya stuffed him with series of questions.

"She is fine...near pool..." He answered her in low voice to which Lavanya nodded and replied "okay...i will talk to her later. First I will dress your wound. Come with me!" She pulled his uninjured hand but he resisted it. "Lavanya, it's okay. I am fine. No need for..." He stopped when Lavanya glared at him. "I can see how fine you are! Come with me!" She hissed angrily.

And this time he followed her without any protest. He felt too weak even to talk now forget about protesting. Reaching her room, she asked him to sit on bed and was little surprised when he obeyed without any objection. He stared at nothing in particular. 'He is hurt.' Lavanya concluded.

The sound of opening of closet door brought Arnav back to the world. He turned and looked at Lavanya who was digging something from her cupboard. 'May be medical kit' he guessed. Suddenly whole day's event came in front of him. How he yelled at Lavanya for no mistake of her. Oh god, he even mentioned about arjun.

Arnav felt disgusted with himself for saying those things which he never meant to say. 'How can you steep so low?' his conscience questioned him. In trying to prove his love for Kushi, he had hit Lavanya that too below the belt.

"I thought you would have left!" Lavanya froze hearing his honest confession. Then picking up the medical kit, she closed the closet and moved towards him. "I will leave Arnav. But not now when you both need me badly!" She said stunning him and sat beside him before gesturing him to show his hand which he did obediently. He quietly observed her as she cleaned his wound tenderly.

"I am sorry." He said meekly. Lavanya's hand halted its movement but she didn't look at his remorseful face. She put down the blood stained cotton and picked fresh cotton before continuing what she was doing all the while without looking at his face. "Lavanya!" he placed his other hand over her making her to look at him.

"I am really sorry. I just told it in anger. I didn't mean any of it. Believe me..." He stopped when she looked at his eye directly. "It is so easy for you know, Arnav. To say hurtful things without thinking and then apologizing for it even without trying to understand how much pain it had caused others!" she exclaimed looking at his eyes and then removed is hands from hers.

"Lavanya...I am so sor.." his voice appeared broken; his eyes were filled with tears. "shhh..." Lavanya placed her finger on his lips silencing him. "You don't have to Arnav. We are friends, remember? I can easily find out whether your words are from here..." She pointed his heart and then his head. "Or from here. Though it hurts little, I know you didn't mean it. I understand you that much. Also I am used to your anger. Being a friend of Arnav Singh Raizada for ten years taught me at least that!"

She winked at him gaining a half smile from him. Heaving a sigh, she declared "I just hope Kushi also doesn't take your angry words to her heart. Now also you yelled at her, didn't you? She understands you but i am not sure whether she is used to your sky touching anger or not." She pouted applying medicines to his wound.

"Kushi understands me well? Kushi? She doesn't understand me nor does she care to do it." Arnav exclaimed dramatically. "And you have understood her very well?" Lavanya asked him raising her brow up. He stared back at her little puzzled. "What do you mean by that?"

"You said that she doesn't understand you! I am asking is she the only one here who never understands? As far as I know you didn't even had a slightest idea of what was going on her mind." She argued indicating mistake was on both sides. "She masked everything with lies, laughter and love. Honestly i tried to understand her. But I don't think anyone can do it. She is impossible!" Arnav defended.

He continued "one day she says to me that she wants to stay in my arm forever and next day she says she wants to get the hell out this place! One day she says she loves me more than her mom and next day she says that she hates me because i was responsible of aunty's death! One day she asks me to stay away from you and next day she asks me to marry you! I mean what can i make out of this girl, Lavanya?!? She is so confusing! She is driving me crazy!"

Arnav vented out his frustrations while Lavanya bit her lower lips feeling bad for him. She gently squeezed his wrist and said "relax Arnav. Everything will be fine. Just talk to her calmly and try to explain things to her." Arnav shook his head staring at ground. Then looking at Lavanya he said "we can explain things to people who actually don't understand. But we can't do anything with people who understand everything still pretends like they don't understand anything."

"So you think she is doing everything wontedly?" Lavanya asked him tentatively wrapping band aid around his palm. He nodded and Lavanya further interrogated him "do you really think that it won't hurt her seeing you getting hurt?" Arnav raised his hands up in surrender and agreed "that's what is confusing me the most! She is not only hurting me but also..."

He stopped when Lavanya glared at him before pulling his half band-aid hand down. She warned him with strict 'hang on!' like a mother who is angry at her son. "It's over." She smiled putting final knot to the band-aid while Arnav looked at her amusedly with smile involuntarily adorning his face. "What happened?" she asked him noticing his smile.

"I am proud of you Lavanya! I still remember you sitting here on same bed looking at me helplessly with fear two years back. You had not only risen from such a worst condition but also managed to emerge out as stronger women. I am really proud of you!" He said with genuine admiration; his respect for her growing thousand times.

Lavanya accepted his compliment with warm smile and replied "there is moment in everyone's life where they feel extremely weak. Two years back, it was my moment of weakness and today it's yours. But these are moments which will make us strong. Trust me, what Kushi and you are going through now is the thing which is going to strengthen your relationship."

Arnav looked at her in awe. "Oh...where did you learn these things? Please don't tell me that you sat under some tree and got enlightened!" Arnav exclaimed sensing huge changes in Lavanya. As far as he remembered she was girl who kept herself updated with current fashion and bollywood movies. Motivational talks were out of picture. She has become so much matured.

"Experience!" She replied hitting his arm playfully and chuckled happily seeing trace of carefree Arnav which she saw in college. Responsibilities have changed him completely. Seeing her chuckle, he popped a question. "Do i have to feel bad that i actually missed you?!?" Lavanya chuckled more seeing his puppy dog face. "Not at all!" She commented.

"You are actually lucky to get girl like Kushi! Do you know that? She is an angel!" Lavanya remarked making Arnav to smile and nod. "I know! She is such great being! She is matured and at the same time she is childish who is always seeking for assurance. She always did what she felt right and accepts her mistake. I don't know why she is behaving like this now...?" He shook his head in disbelief. "She does love me a lot Lavanya but..." Lavanya cut him off.

"Are you kidding me? She loves you?!?" she asked dramatically confusing Arnav. "She worships you, man! Worships!" Lavanya exclaimed before continuing "though you both never told me the truth, when i came to know about arjun, i figured out what you might have happened. i was upset with you, Arnav. When i asked her about it, she didn't blame you. Actually, she tried to convince me that what you did was right and any men in your place would have done the same thing!"

Lavanya gave dry laugh while Arnav looked at her shocked. "I mean she was the main victim but still she defended you! What could be the reason for it except her love? If I was in her place i would have never forgiven you! In fact i am still angry on you for what you did to Kushi. I postponed talking about it as you were already in pain. Still I couldn't believe that you did it? How can you, Arnav?"

Arnav closed his eyes in pain as tears flowed out his eyes. As Lavanya continued talking, it reminded him of every injustice he had done to Kushi which increased his pain. "I don't even remember what happened in four years? But you! You know everything! You know how much i suffered and what i actually went through! Even after that how can you even think of hurting innocent soul like Kushi?"

"I don't know whether I am worth to say this after what i done to you! But I am totally disappointed with you! You don't deserve Kushi!" Arnav shut his eyes more firmly as Lavanya's words echoed in his mind. "i feel so bad to think that i was reason behind all kushi's sufferings. You did it for me? but the Arnav i loved would have not even thought about it, forget doing!"

Arnav had some grounds to defend himself but he kept quiet as he knows he deserves it. "Okay fine, she forgives you and now you are in love with her! But what if you had not fallen in love with her? You would have left her just like that after hurting her? OMG...what about your child Arnav? Will he be happy to know his father's real intension towards his mother? Won't he be ashamed of his birth?"

Arnav flinched in pain as the words he feared to hear came in front of his face. "Don't say like that Lavanya when you don't know anything. Our child is symbol of our love; true love." Arnav and Lavanya got up hearing kushi's voice. Walking towards them, she looked at completely broken Arnav remembering the wonderful night they shared; the night when she first felt his love for her. Never in her life, will she consider it as a mistake. That night, she loved him and he loved her. and nothing ele mattered.

Kushi stopped in front of Lavanya and then looking at Arnav from corner of her eyes, she said "he loved me that night just like he loves me now. Don't talk about my child or Arnav's love for me like this again. I won't tolerate it." she turned to Arnav who looked at her without blinking and handed his mobile to him. "Di called. It seems like pia was asking for you from morning and now she is not even eating. Di wanted you to talk with pia. You call her."

Arnav nodded but stood there still not sure what to do first. Kushi added "Arnav I am fine. You first talk with her and come!" Arnav saw her assuring smile and stepped out of the room. As soon as he went out, Lavanya began talking grabbing kushi's hand.

"I am sorry Kushi. I never meant to talk about your child in that way. I know that Arnav would have never touched you if he had not loved you. But his initial intentions were wrong and you forgive him so easily even before he could regret. He deserved those words. If you had not jumped into his defence, i would have given him nicely today!" Lavanya told in one breath and Kushi nodded.

Lavanya thought this was nice time talk with Kushi. She has to stop Kushi from doing what she is doing. They both sat on the bed. "i am sorry, Lavanya." Kushi said surprising Lavanya. When enquired about reason for her sorry, Kushi stated "i know Lavanya; you tried to make my marriage work. You could have easily walked out but still you stayed and got hurt. Arnav told me that you confessed him the truth. I am sure he would have yelled at you. All because of what i did..."

Lavanya interrupted Kushi. "No, no Kushi. He didn't yell at me!" Kushi grinned hearing Lavanya before questioning Lavanya "and now who is trying to jump in his defence?" Kushi wriggled her brows while Lavanya reasoned out "come on, Kushi. He is your husband. You can't let him down in front of me. Like that he is my friend and i can't let him down in front you!"

Kushi chuckled nodding her head in all direction completely accepting what Lavanya had told. "Kushi, I really don't understand why are you doing this? I think you itself don't understand what you are doing! What about your child? Doesn't he need a father? Tell me, can anyone will be able to love him more than Arnav?"

Kushi kept mum like she always does when Lavanya advices her. Lavanya further added "You will never come to know what you have lost until you lose it. You can't even survive one day without Arnav. Don't do this because you will regret it badly later." Silence continued from other end. Lavanya held kushi's hand.

"Every girl dreams to have caring family and husband who love you more than everything. You are carrying child of the man you love and he is ready to stand by your side for eternity. You have everything a girl wants to have. Even i wanted the same. It's still a dream for me; for most of the girls. But I can't understand why you are trying to spoil your perfect life." Lavanya finished in unsatisfied tone.

"I am feeling tired. I think i should leave." Kushi got up making Lavanya to fume in anger. But next moment she sat down holding her belly. "What happened?" Lavanya asked cautiously. Kushi shook her head and smiled saying "nothing, she kicked little hard." Lavanya looked at in amusement and asked nervously "can i?"

"sure." Kushi placed Lavanya hand on her belly and smiled when Lavanya jumped feeling the baby. "OMG...he kicked." Lavanya exclaimed while Kushi shook her head. "Not he; its she!" Kushi corrected Lavanya with a pout. "Whatever!" Lavanya said trying to concentrate on movements she felt. "She is the best thing happened to me!" Kushi declared to Lavanya who was lost in deep thoughts.

"You know Kushi, i was also once pregnant!" Lavanya voiced showcased unbearable amount of pain. "i am sorry about it Lavanya! Arnav told me!" Kushi said sadly. Lavanya sobbed inwardly. She is strong but thought about her child always makes her vulnerable. "i wanted to abort the child first. But soon i realised my mistake and started loving him. Still He left me. Maybe he would have thought that i am bad mother!"

Lavanya gave sarcastic smile as tears wetted her cheeks and after that only she noticed kushi's pale face. Lavanya tried to cheer up wiping her face. "it's okay, Kushi. i am over with it. i have prem, pia and now even your daughter! Isn't she my daughter too?" Lavanya asked childishly for which Kushi nodded "she is!" Lavanya smiled "i am thinking how she will call me! May be maasi or chachi?..."

"How about maa?" Lavanya's face fell with Kushi's words. She tried to ignore it and removed her hand from kushi's belly which Kushi stopped. "i told you she is yours!" Lavanya looked at Kushi in shock. "your's and arnav's daughter."

"KUSSHIII.." The intense voice she heard from her back made Kushi to close her eyes while Lavanya immediately got up wiping her tears. Kushi cursed her fate for perfect timing and also herself for not keeping her mouth shut. Now it's just matter of weeks. She should have kept her mouth close from blabbering what she had decided earlier.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING..." Arnav stopped seeing Lavanya who was crying silently and then at Kushi who was looking down as if she is not interested in his speech. Controlling his anger, he pulled her up and dragged her out of the room. Reaching confine of their room, he twirled her.

"What the hell you are saying Kushi?" he yelled grabbing her upper arm which was already red because of earlier encounter. "Our child already has a mother. And it's you!" he barked on her face while she desperately tried to pull away from his grip. "Arnav, you are hurting me."

"That's what you are doing Kushi! Hurting me!" he left her and stepped back trying to calm himelf by running his fingers through his hair. "Do you have any idea what i actually felt when i heard those rubbish things from your mouth?" he shouted while Kushi didn't dared to look at him.

"Why are you doing this?" he turned his head to other side in frustration. "i am not able to understand you!" he declared in low tone looking at ground and shaking his head. "You say that our child is your life. But then you go to other women and say that she is the mother of your child as if you are going to die tomorrow and..." Both of their head shot up and when their eyes held each other, time stood still.

Arnav gasped breaking their contact and asked in trembled voice "it is not what i am thinking, is it Kushi?" next moment he stumbled back a little as Kushi plunged herself into his arms. He felt her stroking his back like comforting him. He didn't hug her back instead he held her elbow and pulled her away from him. Looking at her, he said "Kushi, you are scaring me! Tell me what the matter is!"

She shook her head slightly and gave him a half smile. As tears began to fill his eyes for unknown reason, he noticed there is not even trace of tears in her eyes as if telling things like this is her routine job. He gulped sensing that there was no fear or confusion or pain in her eyes for the first time in last four months. A cold sensation ran through his spines.