Chapter 11

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Hi everyone,

Thank you all for your lovely comments. Just wanted to let you know that I am unable to send PMs. The problem about PMs is that more than half of the people on my list don't read my FFs anymore and that makes it very difficult to sort out who does and who doesn’t. So please excuse me.

Harvest Moon Chapter 11

“Wow! I just loved Tanu’s character in the movie!” Anjali exclaimed as the Raizada family sat down for breakfast on Monday morning.

Anjali was talking about the movie they had watched over the weekend when she had invited the newly married couple and Manav to dinner at her house. After the movie, they had stayed back at Anjali’s and the following day Anjali had taken her for a much needed shopping spree. Later that evening, the four of them had driven back to Faridkot as Anjali had to attend a function.

“I didn’t really understand what her problem was in the first place,” Manav said in response. “There was something wrong with her.”

“Oh come on! So what if she was a little quirky?” Anjali defended the fictional character, “that’s just her nature. What do you say Arnav?”

“No comments.” He replied tersely.

“God Arnav — you are as boring as the Manu in the movie,” Anjali teased her brother playfully. “If you continue this behaviour I am sure Khushi will do what Tanu did and go back go to Delhi to meet her old boy friends.”

“Anjali bitiya!” Naniji admonished her grand daughter, “That is no way to talk. What will Khushi think?”

“That’s alright Nani!” Anjali chuckled in delight, “She knows I was just kidding.” She said without noticing the look that had passed between Arnav and Khushi. Anjali looked at Khushi. “I hope you didn't mind Khushi.”

“Of course not Di!” Khushi assured her with a tight smile.

“Why would Khushi mind?” Arnav said taking a sip of his coffee. “You spoke in her favour, didn't you?” He looked at Khushi. “It is the husband who should be worried about getting committed to the asylum for “not being upto expectations””

“Arnav please don’t subject us to your wry humour,” Anjali berated her brother, “it’s not funny.” She turned to Khushi. “Khushi, before I forget, do you think you will be able to work on that programme schedule I had asked you about? I have e-mailed you all the details.”

“Yes Di I will check my mail today.” She also had to look into her school work which was long pending.

“Oh my God!” Anjali said with a hand on her head. “Never mind. That was so stupid of me to ask you to do this Khushi. You both must have made honeymoon plans and here I am asking to you to work!” Anjali’s sudden outburst was met with silence.

She looked at her brother. “You are going for your honeymoon, aren’t you?”

“I don’t think so.” Arnav replied tersely.

“What do you mean by that?” Anjali demanded, “Married couples are supposed to go on a honeymoon!”

“I don’t think there are any such rules Di,” Arnav shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s not about rules!” Anjali was clearly surprised, “How can you let him get away with this Khushi?”

Before Khushi could say anything Arnav said, “She is the one who doesn’t want to go.”

As all face turned toward her, Khushi’s face went beet red with embarrassment. It was  week since that night of their argument and Arnav hadn't spoken a word to her, treating her with polite indifference and now out of the blue he had put her on the spot.

Khushi racked her brain for something to say. “It’s just that Nanaji isn't keeping well —“

“Come on Khushi!” Anjali exclaimed, “he was the one who wanted to you to get married. I don't think he would mind if you went on a honeymoon.”

“It would be a better idea to wait until the real wedding rituals take place,” Mamiji intervened.

“Mami,” Anjali addressed her aunt, “Arnav and Khushi are sharing a room.” Anjali pointed out embarrassing Khushi even further.

“Anjali!” Naniji admonished.

“Anju, I think we are getting late,” Manav said looking at his watch, “we have that meeting —”

“What meeting?” Anjali said, “I don't remember any meeting.”

“I must have forgotten to tell you,” Manav stood up, “Come on! Hurry up.”

“Alright alright!” She looked at her brother. “You have to convince Khushi to go.”

Arnav looked at Khushi and then back at his sister. “Di, you know very well that I can’t go anywhere as the fields are being prepared for the sowing season.”

“A few days is not going to —“

“Anjali,” Mamiji cut off  Anjali mid sentence. “Why are you forcing them? It’s obvious neither of them want to go to the honeymoon. I think we should focus on what’s more important. After years of wait we finally get to make some decision on the Residential Township Project.”

“What?” It was quiet clear that Anjali was clueless about what was being said.

Arnav’s face had turned thunderous. “I don't want to talk about it!”

“Why not Arnav?” Mamiji persisted. “After all the land belonged to us.”

“No it doesn't !” Arnav’s loud voice echoed all over the house.

“If father-in-law hadn't just given it away —-“

“That’s enough Manorama!” Naniji admonished her daughter-in-law.

Arnav walked out of the house his entire body seething with rage. Catching Nani’s eye, Anjali refrained from any question she might have had. She stood up to bid a quiet goodbye and left the house with Manav in tow.

Naniji stood up, “I have said millions of times that we don't discuss business during breakfast. Khushi bitiya — do come with me.”

As the implication of what mamiji was saying dawned on Khushi, her face went pale. It was clear that mamiji was talking about the same piece of land that was in her name. But why had she said that the land belonged to them?

“Khushi bitiya, won’t you sit down?” Naniji's soft voice brought her back to the present. The old woman took a velvet case out of the cupboard and brought it to the sofa where Khushi sat. “I meant to give you this on muh dikhayi,” she said showing a beautiful necklace in ruby and pearl with matching earrings. “But I saw you were already wearing my daughter’s necklace. So I decided to hold this until later. Do you like it?”

“It’s beautiful Naniji —” Khushi said with hesitation, “— but I can’t accept it.”

Naniji shook her head gently. “No bitiya — you shouldn’t say that. It’s tradition to give the new bride jewellery.”

“Naniji — I am sorry. What I meant was that you could give me all this after we have the real wedding.”

“It doesn’t matter if have the real wedding or not my dear,” Naniji said, “I knew you were the right girl for Arnav when I saw you at the hospital. You took care of your grandfather sincerely even though you hardly knew him. You are a good girl Khushi and that’s all matters to me.”

Once again Khushi was attacked by a pang of guilt. She would return everything before she left, she thought as she accepted the gift and touched the old woman’s feet for her blessing.

“I wish you happiness my dear,” Naniji said, “you know you can come to me if you have any problem, don’t you?”

“Yes Naniji, thank you very much.” Khushi said and then she looked up as a thought struck her. How could she have forgotten that her grandfather and Arnav’s grandfather, Arjun Singh Raizada were childhood friends ? “Naniji? Did you know my mother?”

There was a shuttered expression on Naniji’s face. “Your mother?” She twisted her eyebrows in query.

“Yes, my grandfather’s family and yours were family friends, right?”

Naniji walked to her cupboard to shut the door and locked it carefully. “We weren’t exactly family friends my dear.” She said slowly.

“Oh since grandfather and your late husband were friends, I assumed —“ She paused.

Naniji smiled. “Yes, your grandfather and my husband were childhood friends. But my husband left Punjab as a young man and went to Delhi as there were no prospects for him here. He started a small business and was doing fairly well when he married me. As the years passed our children were born and he began to prosper. Then when Mahinder was about twelve years old he felt he needed to return to his roots. We came back and settled down in Moga.”

“I am sure Nanaji was happy to see his old friend?”

“Khushi, I think you know that we belonged to a different community than your grandfather. These communities generally didn’t intermingle with each other.”

“Why not?”

“The Patials belonged to royalty and even those who didn’t really have a title were still eligible to rule the villages as Panchayat heads and landlords. On the other hand, the Raizadas were just poor farmers. The difference was like night and day.

Khushi was appalled. “But they were friends!”

“They were friends —- but not in public. Your grandmother was very proud of her royal heritage. She would never demean herself by associating with a Raizada.”

Khushi went pale when she heard this piece of information. “Oh!” she whispered.

She continued. “At first Satya and Arjun remained friends — in secret. However it didn’t last. They fell apart.”

“What happened?”

“Decisions made by Panchayat often affected the farmers adversely. Those were difficult times as that was the law of the land at the time.” With a far away look in her eyes, she fell silent for a few moments.

“Arjun wanted to patch up but before he could act upon it he passed away. That’s why I went to your grandmother’s funeral. I wanted to let Satya know that Arjun wanted to bury the hatchet.”

Naniji hadn't really answered her question but she didn't want to prod the old woman further, for it was obviously a painful subject. She only wished her grandfather had told her about all this. “I understand Naniji,” Khushi said in a low tone, “but did you hear anything at all about my mother — or about her marriage to my father?”

Naniji looked shocked. “Hasn’t Satya told you anything my dear?”

“He couldn’t remember much Naniji.” Khushi said sadly.

“I am sorry Khushi but I wasn’t in town much around the time,” Naniji took Khushi in her arms and stroked her hair. “I was in Delhi to take care of my grandkids because my daughter was traveling with her husband. I wish I could help you more.”

“Naniji, can you tell me about the land that your husband gifted my grandfather?”

Later that evening, Khushi paced the terrace lost in thought. Naniji had confirmed that the piece of land that was in her name was indeed a token of friendship from Arjun Singh Raizada to her grandfather. She didn't fully understand the on and off friendship between her grandfather and his friend fully. But she was shocked to know about her ancestors and especially about her discriminating grandmother.  She had unintentionally ended up behaving just like her grandmother had years ago. She couldn't continue with this farce of trying to act high and mighty now. The guilt had been killing her this past week whenever she was in the presence of Arnav.

Arnav had been right about one thing. She had willingly entered this relationship without any coercion and it was her fault that she had fallen in love with him and expected the same from him. Even if he had an ulterior motive in marrying her, he didn't deserve the words she had said to him.

However, she didn’t deserve a loveless marriage either. After her grandfather recovered from his operation, she would have to find a way to leave. There was no way she was going through with the wedding rituals that would be solemnised with fire. Till then, she would have to play her part with as much sincerity she could muster.

Arnav stepped into the dark poolside just as Khushi made her way down the stairs that led to the pool area. Missing a step at the bottom of the stairs, she fell as her legs gave way. She yelled out in pain.

“What the —!” Arnav was at her side in an instant. “Are you okay?” His hand froze as it came in contact with the bare skin of her thigh and he immediately drew his hand back.

Hell! She had meant to change her shorts before he came back from work.“I — I think I scraped by elbow,” she said trying to draw his attention away from her legs. She quickly jumped to her feet only to buckle with pain.

Arnav caught her and swept her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed gently. He switched not the bedside lamp. She didn't look older than a school girl in her blue denim shorts and pale yellow embroidered top. It was best to keep his eyes averted from those long legs and focus on just the ankle. Her toenails were painted hot pink. Hell! “Where exactly does it hurt?” He pressed his finger to her ankle.

Khushi tried to calm her racing heart. She had to learn to control the way her body reacted to him. The skin under her thigh was still tingling due to his touch.

“Ooowww!” All tingling flew out of the window as pain shot up like hell and pulled her feet back.

“I will be right back.” He stood up walked out of the room.

While she was fretting over him, he was probably irritated with the nuisance she had caused with her falling. He had carried her in his arms like she was a feather. She couldn't allow him to do that again. Khushi sat up and tried to put her feet on the floor and howled when the ankle hurt her badly. How was she going to manage with an injured foot?

“Give that a rest, will you?” Arnav entered the room and walked to her bedside. He leaned down and picked up her leg and put it back on the bed causing the tingling to start all over again. He placed an ice cold gel pack on her ankle.

She winced audibly, her eyes smarting with pain.

“This is what happens when you try to walk down the stairs in the dark,” He said, fastening the strap that would hold the pack in place.

She was in intense pain and all he wanted to do was run his hand up her smooth leg. He stood up and put a safe distance between them. “Why didn't you switch on the poolside light?” He said his tone laced with irritation.

“It wasn't dark when I took the stairs to go to the terrace,” Khushi grated through the pain.

“There was a two-way switch there,” he pointed out even as he unbuttoned his maroon kurta.

What was he doing? Was he going to undress here, right in front of her? “How — how was I supposed to know?” She stuttered. “I have been here just ten days!”

His brown eyes simmered as he looked at her. “Fair enough.” He turned around and walked toward the bathroom, taking his kurta off on the way. He turned around and Khushi’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of his bare chest. “Keep the pack on for sometime.” He stepped into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, when he came out of the bathroom, Arnav saw that Khushi had taken the cold pack off her ankle. He was at her side in an instant.

“I told you not to take off the pack!”

His hair was damp from the shower, the hair on his muscular chest glistened with the moisture as it tapered down and vanished into the brown towel he had wrapped low on his waist. As he sat by her bedside, his fresh clean scent reached her nostrils. “It was too cold.” She managed to say. Arnav touched the ankle gently and warmth of his palm felt heavenly.

 “I don't think the swelling is coming down. We will have to go to the hospital. Give me a few minutes to change.” He stood up.

“Hold on!” Khushi exclaimed, “I can’t go to the hospital dressed like this.”

“What do you want me to do?” He enquired his brown eyes sweeping her legs.

“I will just change into something —” Khushi tried to put her foot down on the floor.

“Don’t do that!” Arnav said angrily. “Just give me a minute.”

He went into the closet and when he came back he was dressed in jeans and a plain shirt. “I think I found something that will work.” He held out her wrap around skirt in his hand.

Khushi placed her good foot on the floor and stood up. As she teetered on one leg, he wrapped his arm around her waist and steadied her even as she clutched onto his shoulder for support with both hands.

As their eyes met, Khushi’s heart began to beat it’s erratic beat. Those caramel brown eyes, sharp nose and that stubble on his cheeks would be her undoing one day. All the pain and anger of the past few days melted in those few heart stopping moments.

“It’s done.” He said.

Khushi realized that Arnav had draped the skirt around her hips while she was gawking at him like a crazed idiot.

Later that night, Khushi sat at the dining table, her leg wrapped in crepe bandage. Luckily it was only a sprain and not a fracture as she had feared. The doctor had prescribed some pain medication so she could have some relief when she slept at night. But that pain was the least of her problem right now.

Arnav had carried her down the stairs and all the way to the car and after the hospital visit, he had carried her back into the house and seated her on the dining table for dinner — all her protests notwithstanding. She would have to do something about this situation but then when she looked at the number of steps on the staircase, she wondered how she would handle it on her own. Then an idea flashed to her.

“Naniji?” She said addressing the old woman. “Do you think I can share your room for a few days? I don’t want to trouble Arnavji every time I have to use the stairs.”

“Why would there by any need to come down at all?” Arnav said, “We could have the food sent up to you.”

“I don’t want to trouble Hariprakashji.”

Arnav raised his eyebrow.

“Khushi is right,” Naniji said looking at her grandson, “It is better if she is closer to me during the day when you are away at work. I can help her if she needs anything.” Then she turned toward Khushi. “But you don’t have to share a room with me Khushi. My mattress will be too hard for you to endure.” She chuckled, “We have a guest bedroom downstairs that you can use.”

A little later Khushi lay down on the soft bed in the small and cozy guest bedroom. The room had dark furniture like the rest of the house. There was lavender paint on the walls while the curtains were a shade of grey and white.

She sat up and just as she began to wonder how she was going to walk to the bathroom, the door opened and Arnav walked in wearing his pyjamas and t-shirt. He had a bag in his hand.

“Didn’t I tell you to stay put until I got back?” He threw the bag on the bed and came to her side. He picked up her leg and put it back on the bed. He started to take off the bandage.

“What are you doing?” Khushi demanded.

“We need to add some compression on the swelling,” he said.

He took a tube of pain-relief gel and massaged it into the ankle. He folded a sock into a horseshoe shape and applied it around her ankle bone. He then wrapped her foot with the bandage. Next he put on an ankle brace around the bandage. “This will keep your foot stable.”

“I learnt this when I used to —”

“When you used to go on your trekking trips during college.” Khushi blurted out before she could stop herself.

“So you remember?”

All the memories of the time Arnav had rescued her from the well had come back to her in the past hour.

Before she could say anything, he picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. He handed her the bag he had brought with him. “Change into your night clothes — you will find your toiletries in the bag. Will you be able to manage on your own?”

“Of course!”

 He walked out shutting the door behind him.

After completing her nightly ablutions, Khushi dug into the bag and to her horror she found that he had picked up her lingerie instead of her regular pyjama and t-shirt. He had done it deliberately, hadn't he? Just when she thought he was being so nice he had to prove her wrong. Swearing under her breath Khushi wore the clothes. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that she was bothered with his choice of clothes. Feigning nonchalance was her best option.

As Khushi opened the bathroom door, Arnav’s heart skipped a beat when he saw how beautiful she looked in the light pink night dress. The nightdress had dainty spaghetti straps, the V-neck of the bodice just showed a hint of cleavage and ended few inches above her knees. He  walked up to her and swept her up in his arms. The sooner he tucked her into bed, the better it was for his sanity.

“Why are you doing all this?” Khushi asked him when he laid her on the bed.

Arnav raised his eyebrow. “If this is your way of saying thank you — there’s no need.”

“Tell me!” She insisted, “I want to know.”

He looked down at her, his hand on his hips. “What sort of a stupid question is this ?” he said, “How the f@#$ would you have managed if I didn’t help you?”

What had she expected him to say? “I could have managed on my own.” She muttered defiantly.

He shook his head in exasperation as he made his way to the other side of the bed. Then to her shock he slipped into it and pulled out his Mac from the night stand.

“What are you doing?” She demanded, “you don't have to sleep here. You can go back to your bedroom.”

“I don’t think so.”

Arnav got up from the bed and picking up a pillow he came to her side. He lifted her leg and put the pillow under it. “Look Khushi — I am really really tired okay? I had a long day today. So enough with the histrionics and let’s just go to sleep. He came back to his side and began to work.

As he settled down on his side of the bed, Khushi realized that the bed was smaller and that he was really close. “I still think there is absolutely no need to for you to be here —“

Without taking his eyes off he screen he said, “Look Khushi, we many have had our own reasons to enter into matrimony but at the end of the day you are my wife and it is my duty as your husband to take care of you when you are in trouble. You may not want to keep up your end of the bargain but I definitely do.” He then leaned over so close that Khushi closed her eyes shut. Then she heard a click and the bedside lamp on her side went out. She opened her eyes to find his caramel eyes just inches away. “Stop breaking your beautiful head and go to sleep — princess.” He whispered before getting back to his work.

It took a while for Khushi to go to sleep for there was one thing bothering her.

You may not want to keep up your end of the bargain he had said. Did he mean what she thought he meant ?

I feel motivated to write more when I hear from you so do comment and feel free to give me your feedback.

You can also read this story here Arhi journeys