Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Khushi walked into Birendra Singh Malik’s room and found the old man rifling through stacks of books.

“What are you doing, Malik Uncle?” Khushi asked.

At the sound of Khushi’s voice, Birendra Singh Malik abandoned what he was doing and turned to face her.

"My sweet, lovely child," he gushed, and crossed the room to pull her into a hug.

"What is this for?" Khushi asked, unable to hold back a wide smile at his enthusiasm.

"For sneaking into Aamra Kunj one summer afternoon and stealing those mangoes," Malik said, pulling back and guiding her into one of the chairs.

Khushi laughed.

"I suppose that is your way of saying you are glad I am part of your life," she said.

Birendra Singh Malik shook his head.

“Not just my life! You are a part of this family. You are the daughter I never had” Birendra Singh Malik replied.

Khushi smiled widely and reached out to clasp Malik’s hand.

“I have been lucky to have you in my life too, uncle” She replied.

Birendra Singh Malik nodded and settled into the chair across from her.

“I am happy to hear that, Khushi beta. With everything that I have done lately, I thought I had lost your trust and friendship” Malik said, his voice growing more serious.

Khushi shook her head.

“Whatever you did, Malik uncle, I know you always had my best interests in mind. And everything turned out for the good in the end. I think that is what we should hold onto." she replied.

Birendra Singh Malik could not help patting her head fondly.

"Always the optimist. I do not know where I would be without you."

"We do not have to find out, because I will always be here. With you," Khushi replied, before studying his familiar face more closely.

“How have you been, uncle?” She finally asked the question that had brought her here. She wanted to meet him and see for herself how he was managing.

“Oh, it does not matter! All that matters is that I am happy” Birendra Singh Malik answered with a smile but Khushi's expression remained steady, unconvinced.

Malik held out under her gaze for a few seconds before finally shrugging.

"The radiation is keeping the tumours from growing further."

"And?" Khushi pressed.

"And I am taking more painkillers than I ever have. I feel exhausted, especially after the sessions. The next one is tomorrow. It frightens me, if I am honest. I fear the pain.

“And I am taking more pain killers than ever. I feel exhausted, especially after the sessions. The next one is tomorrow. It..frightens me. I am afraid of the pain. Kumar insists I stop moving about, stay in bed always. But, of what use is this borrowed time if I cannot use it to live how I want to live?” Malik answered in a slow voice.

“Have you discussed this with Doctor Uncle?” Khushi asked, feeling Malik’s distress.

“Discussed what?” Both Khushi and Malik turned, surprised, as Arnav walked into the room.

Over the last two days, he had accompanied Malik on his evening walks, though their conversations had remained sparse. Arnav had not known what to say to his father, and Malik, wary of overstepping, had held back his own questions.

So the two of them had shared each other's company without really speaking much at all.

Malik glanced back at Khushi and shook his so slightly that only she caught the movement.

"Nothing," Malik replied, rising to his feet.

Arnav looked at his father and then at Khushi.

“Is everything all right?” He asked again.

“Of course! Everything is perfect, Arnav” Malik trotted towards Arnav.

Arnav looked at Khushi, who nodded as well.

"I received a call from the construction site. I need to head over there. I will be back in a few hours," he said to her.

"Alright. I will be here," Khushi said.

"Why do you not take her along? Show her the site?" Malik suggested.

Arnav hesitated a beat before speaking.

“Do you want to come?”

"Perhaps next time," Khushi said, offering him a small smile, quietly setting aside the hesitation she had noticed before he asked.

Arnav nodded and walked out quickly.

"Why did you not go with him?" Malik asked, the moment Arnav was gone.

"Because it can wait. I wanted to spend some time with you," Khushi said, and settled him back into his chair.

"What do you say? Shall I read you another book?" she asked, browsing the new titles in the room.

"You never finished the last one," Malik said fondly.

"Then let us finish that one first," Khushi said.

~~**~~

By the time Arnav returned from his work, he found Akash heading in as well.

"Akash!" Arnav called out.

Akash, who was just about to step through the door, stopped and turned.

"How did the meeting with the client go?" Arnav asked, walking over.

"It went well, Bhai. All your suggestions helped a great deal. I think we may be able to acquire that piece of land without much further trouble."

"Good. Do you have a minute? I would like to talk to you," Arnav said.

"Yes, of course, Bhai."

"Not in there. Let us walk," Arnav said, making Akash curious.

Once they had left the Mahal behind, walking toward Aamra Kunj, Arnav finally turned to him.

"I am going to ask Khushi to marry me," he said, without any preamble.

Akash blinked, startled.

"When?"

"Sometime this week. I am still working out the details," Arnav said, watching his brother's face carefully.

Akash looked down at the ground for a moment, then back up.

“I want to know if you are okay with this! You are Khushi’s friend and my brother. So, I need to know if this unsettles you at all! I know you said you are okay with Khushi and me...and I believe you. But, this is a big step and if you…”

"It is wonderful news, Bhai. I am a little surprised, since I had no idea you were already thinking about marriage. It seems rather sudden. But I am genuinely happy to hear it," Akash said, smiling at him.

"Do you think I should wait?" Arnav asked.

"Not at all. If you feel the time is right, then it is right. I am certain Khushi will say yes. I have seen the way she looks at you, Bhai. And the way you look at her. The two of you were meant for each other," Akash reaffirmed his approval and Arnav finally smiled.

"Thank you, Akash. It means a great deal, hearing that from you," he said, ruffling his brother's hair.

Akash nodded.

"Let us go in, then," he said.

"Go ahead. I will follow in a while," Arnav said.

As Akash left, Arnav pulled out his phone and dialled his Nani's number, to tell her what he was planning.

~~**~~

By the time Birendra Singh Malik drifted off to sleep in his bed, Khushi realised more than four hours had passed. She rose quietly from her chair, set the book aside, and let herself out of the room.

It had been too long since she had properly sat with Malik like this, sharing their love of reading. It left her feeling calm.

Stepping back into the hall, she found Akash sprawled across the sofa with a magazine and a cup of tea.

"Let me guess, he fell asleep?" Akash said, noticing her approach.

"My voice is soothing," she said, smirking.

"Or your reading is simply that dull," Akash countered.

"You wish. Where is Arnav?" she asked.

"Outside," Akash said, gesturing toward the teapot for her to help herself.

Khushi poured herself a cup.

"What is he doing out there?" she asked.

"No idea."

"What are we going to do about Uncle?" she asked, after a moment.

"What do you mean?" Akash looked at her.

"The chemo is wearing him down."

"Yes. But it is also keeping the cancer in check," Akash said.

Khushi stayed quiet.

"Did he say something to you?" Akash asked.

"He said he wants to be able to walk around the house freely. To simply be himself," Khushi shared.

Akash shook his head.

"Stopping the chemo is far too great a risk."

"Be that as it may, you and Doctor Uncle should at least sit down and talk to him about it," Khushi said.

Akash considered that, glanced outside, then back at her.

"How are things, between you and Bhai?"

"Wonderful," Khushi answered, her face brightening.

"Just wonderful?" Akash pressed.

"What more do you want me to say?" she asked, blushing faintly, smiling despite herself.

Akash noticed and laughed.

“I never thought I would see Khushi Kumari Gupta blushing” He said.

“I am not blushing” Khushi retorted.

"You are, and it is adorable," he said, flicking her nose with a finger.

She swatted his hand away, though the smile refused to leave her face.

"Do you think it will happen for me too, someday?" Akash asked, after a pause.

Khushi took a moment to understand the question, and when she did, she scooted closer to him.

"Of course it will, Akash. And I do not simply think that, I know it. You will find someone who makes you feel like the luckiest man alive," she said, watching his expression soften at her words.

"Luckiest?" he asked her.

"Yes. Because you are the most wonderful man I know, truly extraordinary. You are caring beyond measure, and you would go to any length for the people you love. You value people, and you always look for the best in them," she continued.

"Yes. And I learned that from you," Akash said.

"Just as I learned kindness and forgiveness from you," she said in return.

Akash nodded.

"Would you mind telling me where this question is coming from?" Khushi asked, narrowing her eyes as he chuckled.

"It came from nowhere," He answered but Khushi wasn’t convinced.

"It came from somewhere, and I want to know where," she pressed.

"Well, if you truly want to know, Manorama Maami tried to set me up with her daughter," Akash said, laughing at Khushi's dropped jaw.

"What? When?"

"While I was in Delhi with you. She even sent me some photographs after I got back," he said.

"So that is why she was being so sweet to you," Khushi drawled.

"Something like that," he said.

"So?" Khushi pressed further.

"So what?"

"What did you tell her? Do you like the photographs?" Khushi's curiosity had sharpened into something eager now.

"What do you think I told her? I ignored every single hint she dropped. I have no intention of getting involved with anyone remotely connected to Manorama Maami," Akash said, shaking his head.

"Well, that seems terribly unfair. Just because Maami is a little, unusual, does not mean the daughter is the same. Did you at least see the photographs? What does she look like?" Khushi could not hold back her curiosity any longer.

Akash noticed and shook his head at her eagerness.

"She looks fine, but that hardly matters. As I said, I.."

“Fine? That means you have thought about her” Khushi grinned, making Akash scowl.

"I have not, and as I was saying, I want nothing to do with Manorama Maami's.."

"Alright, alright," Khushi said, rolling her eyes as his voice climbed a decibel.

“Yes. It’s alright. Anyway, that was when I first thought about it. That’s where the question came from” Akash said, voice back to normal.

"I see. Then I will simply repeat myself. You will find someone for yourself. Though it might take a little time, since there are very few people out there who deserve someone as good as you," Khushi said.

"Sweet," Akash said, standing.

"Where are you going now?" Khushi asked.

"Netflix," he replied.

Khushi stood too, grinning at him.

"Do not grin at me. I know you are not done thinking about this new piece of information I have just given you. But I am telling you now, do not get any ideas in your head," Akash said, though her grin only widened.

"Talk to you later, friend," Khushi called after him as he walked away.

~~***~~

Arnav finished speaking with his Nani and got caught up in another call from Aman. He was still discussing an upcoming business meeting when Khushi emerged from the Mahal.

He raised a hand toward her, and she caught the gesture.

"I will email you the rest of the specifications, Aman. And call me the moment there is word on that tender," Arnav said, and disconnected the call.

He watched as Khushi made her way towards him. He could still not get used to the fact that this was really happening. He had opened up to her about his feelings and she felt the same. It seemed almost surreal. Khushi Gupta loves him. The girl who once called him a rakshas!

The smile on his face held as he took in the delight on hers face.She looked even more beautiful when she was happy. The brightness of her spirit lived visibly in the way her eyes lit up.

"You will not believe what I just found out," she said, her voice full of amusement.

"Let us hear it, then," he said, stepping closer, drawing her hands into his.

"Manorama Maami wants Akash to be her son-in-law," she said, and Arnav's surprise, though mild, was genuine.

This was news to him, but it certainly sounded like exactly the sort of thing his Mami would plot. And it explained her warmth toward Akash.

"Who told you this?" he asked.

"Straight from the horse's mouth. Akash. He had been hiding it from all of us," Khushi said, and Arnav caught the mischief lighting up her face. She found the whole thing amusing.

It was, a little bit. Arnav thought too.

He knew Lavanya well enough to conclude it would make for a rather unusual pairing.

"I can well imagine why Akash would want to keep quiet about it," Arnav said, tugging her hand as they began a slow, unhurried walk together.

"Well, I cannot. Do you think this could turn serious? I mean, it is Maami's idea, but can you actually picture it happening? You know the girl, do you not? What is she like?" Khushi fired off the questions in quick succession, and Arnav considered each one.

“Lavanya is…tough. A lot like Maami in that regard. I have met her a couple of times but I can’t say I really know her. Never spent much time with her. She comes and goes, barely staying a week. And I spend most of my time in the office” Arnav explained.

"But why are you taking this so seriously?" he added.

"Because, for one, I think Akash needs someone in his life. His entire world practically revolves around only two men, Malik Uncle and you," Khushi said.

"And you," Arnav added.

"Yes, me too, but I am simply the friend. He needs someone else entirely. The way you and I have each other," Khushi answered, and it struck Arnav, quite suddenly, that she was right.

He wondered whether Akash had realised the same thing himself. The conversation they had shared not an hour earlier might well have been what pushed Akash to mention his Maami's matchmaking attempt to Khushi at all.

He shall think about this later.

For now, he brought his attention back to Khushi.

"I agree. But we cannot push him toward anything. I think this is something Akash needs to work out on his own," he said.

"You are right."

They walked on a while longer, Khushi sharing stories from the shop, where she had been helping her Babuji.

"You know," she said, as they rounded a corner and Arnav quietly steered her away from the garden, back toward the Mahal, "these last two days, I feel Babuji has been acting a little strange. Not strange-strange, but strange."

"Strange?" Arnav repeated, giving her a questioning look.

"Yes. I feel like something is on his mind, you know? He rarely asks me to stay with him at the shop all day. Normally I go once, either afternoon or evening, just to help. But lately it feels like he wants me there the whole day. The last two days, he even had me redo our entire year's accounts, only so I would be there with him the whole time," Khushi mused, and Arnav could easily guess this was another consequence of the decision he had made. Shashi Gupta had apparently already sensed that Arnav intended to ask Khushi sooner rather than later. The man's intuition never ceased to astonish him.

He drew a slow breath and pulled Khushi closer.

"What are you doing, Arnav? We are out in the open," Khushi chided him at once, her eyes darting nervously around them.

"I think your father is behaving this way because you spent a whole week away from him. He must have missed you," Arnav said, bringing his face close to hers.

"Yes, perhaps," Khushi said, squirming slightly as his arms tightened around her.

"And that is only natural. Anyone would miss you," he continued, tracing his nose along the line of her neck, drawing a shiver from her skin.

"You are such a.." Khushi began to complain, but the word died on her lips as he pressed his mouth to her neck and let it trail upward.

Her breath caught, and Arnav pulled back just enough to watch her face. Her eyes had gone heavy, her lips parted.

When Khushi opened her eyes she caught the amusement dancing in his eyes.

“..tease! That’s what you are” She quickly finished her sentence, stepping down hard on his foot.

"What in the..!" Arnav swore, jerking away.

Khushi laughed at the displeasure written across his face, before it eased into a smirk.

"Tease?" he repeated, the word rolling off his tongue.

"Yes," Khushi said, taking another step back, willing her racing heart to slow while Arnav's gaze swept over her, unhurried.

“Now, I need to get home” She said, whirling away from him.

He followed instantly, catching her hand.

"You cannot call me a tease and simply walk away, Khushi," he said, his voice playful.

"Well, that is exactly what we call people who start things they never finish," Khushi replied, the words coming out sharper than she had meant them to.

Arnav caught the edge in her voice and let out a small laugh.

"Things they never finish? You were the one shying away, Khushi," he said, jogging to catch up as she kept walking.

"Because I do not wish to be caught in an embarrassing situation twice in one day. Besides, you did not finish things when we were entirely alone in a room, so all of this, public display, is nothing more than teasing," Khushi said, stopping at the porch.

Arnav opened his mouth, then closed it again. He noticed her stance now, arms crossed tightly, eyes fixed on him. She was serious about this.

"You are not making any sense, Khushi," he said, not understanding where she was coming from.

"Then let me be clearer. You did not want me, when we were completely alone in your room in Delhi. So all of this, everything you keep doing now, it is only to rile me up. You are having fun at my expense," Khushi's voice sharpened into something accusatory, and hurt flashed across Arnav's face before it settled into something unreadable.

"I am having fun at your expense?" he asked, his voice suddenly inscrutable.

Khushi realized what she had said and shook her head.

"No, that is not what I meant," she said, looking away.

"Then what did you mean?" His face remained perfectly still.

"I..forget it. I do not even know why I said that. Ignore it. It does not matter," Khushi said, shaking her head again.

"It does matter, Khushi. If you said it, then you have been thinking it. I want to know what is going on in your mind. You said I do not want you. I want to know why you would ever think that," Arnav refused to let it drop.

Her cheeks flushed scarlet, and she looked away, chewing her lip. Arnav watched all of it closely.

"Come here," he said, his voice softening, and he took her by the shoulders.

He guided her off the porch and toward one of the garden benches, easing her down onto it before lowering himself onto the grass in front of her, on his knees.

"Khushi?" he said finally, gently.

"Does this have something to do with the night we decided not to make love?"

Khushi lifted her gaze and looked at him, her eyes fixed intently on his face.

"We did not decide that. You did," she said, after a beat.

Arnav found himself momentarily without words as her meaning settled over him.

That was why she thought he did not want her?

"And I understand why. You have had a great many girlfriends before me. Perhaps I simply did not measure up to the, standard," Khushi said, her voice trailing off.

Arnav had to reign in the surge of emotion rising in him at those words. He stood, exhaling slowly.

Khushi slowly lifted her eyes back to his.

"Arnav?"

“Give me a second to wrap my head around this, Khushi” He said.

But he did not take a moment at all. He sat back down at once, staring at her.

"You believe that is why I stopped? Because you failed to meet some standard?" His voice had gone rough, and Khushi felt the sting of it. He was upset now.

"Why else would you have stopped?" she asked in a small voice. Arnav looked away, running a hand through his hair, then met her eyes again.

“I stopped that night because I got scared. I couldn’t get the thought out of my head that we had to leave in the morning and I would have to face your father. And there was a very real chance that he might ask me to get out of your life. That he might want to take you away from me as punishment for hurting you. And if we had gone through with it, and your father had refused to forgive me afterward, it would have ripped my heart to pieces , Khushi. I was not prepared to share something so beautiful and intimate with you and, only to lose you all over again," Arnav confessed, his throat tightening around the words.

Khushi could still see the insecurity in his eyes, hear it woven through his voice. It broke something inside her.

"And there was another reason," Arnav continued. Khushi caught the ripple of emotion moving across his face.

"I wanted to stop long before I actually did. But I could not bring myself to. I could see that you were ready. You were offering all of yourself, and asking for all of me in return. That is when it struck me. I had wanted it all along, but that was the moment I truly understood it," Arnav said, delivering the words with complete calm.

"Understood what?" Khushi asked, held entirely by his voice.

"That I want to marry you." Arnav forgot, in that instant, every plan he had made for grand gestures and formal proposals. He needed to say it here. Now.

Khushi's eyes widened.

"I want to be yours, Khushi. In every possible way. And I want you to be mine. That is why I could not go through with it that night. I needed to do this properly. I needed to be certain I would not lose you, before I let you claim me completely. Because once I belonged to you, I could never belong to anyone else." Every word from Arnav yanked at Khushi’s heart.

"I had other plans. I did not want to ask you like this. I wanted it to be beautiful, romantic, something worth telling people about. But I cannot let another second pass with you believing you are not worth all of this. Because it is the opposite, Khushi. I am the one not worthy of you. But I will try to be. I will do everything in my power to become the man you deserve. If only..."

Khushi watched as he shifted on his knee, her tears rolling down as he patted his jacket and then slid his hand into the pocket.

She couldn’t believe it when he pulled out a small triangular box from his pocket and opened it.

“..If only you will have me. Will you, Khushi? Will you spend your life with me? Will you…marry me?” Arnav’s voice wavered on the final word, overwhelmed by the weight of what he knew was the most important moments of his entire life.

Khushi could not find her voice at all, tears streaming freely now. But she nodded, fiercely, again and again, a soft sob escaping her.

"I will," she managed, just as Arnav's own eyes filled.

A stunning, radiant smile broke across his face as she extended her hand toward him.

He could not look away from her as he slid the ring onto her finger. Khushi could not hold back either, throwing herself into his arms.

"That is the sweetest proposal I have ever witnessed!" Both of them turned at once, as Doctor Kumar's voice drifted through the air.

To their astonishment, three men stood at the porch, Doctor Kumar, Akash, and Birendra Singh Malik, all of them lit up with unmistakable joy.

Khushi pulled back from Arnav, and the two of them rose to their feet.

"Is it not wonderful that the two of us decided to join Baba on his walk today? Otherwise we would have missed this entire scene," Akash said, laughing and grinning at once.

Arnav and Khushi exchanged a glance, then looked at their unexpected audience.

"Congratulations, son," Birendra Singh Malik said, making his slow way toward them.

Arnav and Khushi started forward to meet him halfway.

As they neared, Birendra Singh Malik rested an affectionate hand on Khushi's head.

"All my prayers have been answered today," he said to her, before turning to Arnav.

"I am fortunate to call you my son, Arnav. I wish the two of you a truly beautiful life ahead."

Arnav nodded, and felt Khushi's fingers brush against his own. He understood exactly what she meant to convey.

So he drew a breath and bent down, just as Khushi did beside him, seeking Birendra Singh Malik's blessing.

They touched his feet and this time he placed a hand on each of their heads, his voice thick with emotion as he said, "May the two of you always be happy."

"Picture-perfect," Akash remarked.

"Exactly how long were all of you listening?" Arnav straightened, directing the question squarely at his brother.

"Long enough to hear that you had originally planned something far grander," Akash said, and Arnav simply shook his head.

"Now, let us go inside. It is high time we all sat down together and began planning a wedding," Doctor Kumar said.

"I need to get home, Doctor Uncle," Khushi said.

"Yes, Arnav will drop you home once we have all sat together and eaten something good. A small celebration, for the auspicious day we have all shared," Malik said, holding out his arm for Khushi to take.

"Ice cream, perhaps. I brought some today," Akash said, reaching over and clapping a hand on Arnav's shoulder.

"I thought you were going to propose in a few days," he said.

"Well, some things are better done as soon as possible," Arnav murmured to Akash, his eyes still on Khushi. She caught his gaze and smiled.

Arnav and Akash walked on ahead, while Khushi followed with Malik and Doctor Kumar.

"I thought you were taking a nap," she said to Malik as they made their way toward the Mahal.

"It was a short nap" Malik replied, and together, all of them walked inside.

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