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Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing alright and waiting eagerly for Monday like me after today's ME. Well, here I'm starting my first continuing story for ArHi. At first it was an OS, but I kept writing and writing and it got longer, so I decided to make it a SS. I hope you'll all enjoy reading this.
Here goes...
His Gardening, Her Jalebi
Chapter 1
Khushi arranged the pillows perfectly on the bed as she hummed along with the music that was coming from the huge home theater set in the corner of the room. She stood there and glanced around the room to check whether everything was perfect. The bed-cover pristine, pillows arranged perfectly, the warm rug beside the bed positioned accurately, no strewn clothes or unorganized paper...she sighed, contented. She knew how much irritated Arnav got when things were not his way and he absolutely hated it if there was even a slightest bit of mismatch or disorganization in his room.
She sat in front of the wide length mirror and started to untangle her bed hair. It was always a mess in the morning and took her repeated efforts to control the hair. That's why she hated sleeping with her hair left open. But what she can do, Arnav liked her hair open at night. And on occasions where she has braided her hair, he's gone to the extension of opening it up himself.
He always got whatever he wanted. And she wanted whatever he wanted!
It was amazing to Khushi that how in such a short period of marriage, her short-tempered, rude, demanding and slightly mean husband has become the center of her life, her being. At times she could not believe that he was the same man whose insensitivity and almost cruel attitude had once made her call him as Laad Governor or Rakshash. Truth to be said, he's hardly changed at all. He was still the obnoxious ASR, proudly atheist, claiming to write his own future. And yet, when she thought of him, she thought of a dutiful, caring and lovable husband instead of the monster she once thought he was.
Her deep thoughts were broken by the sound of her ringing phone. No, it was not her famous ring-tone of 'Chalo Maiya ke bhawan bhawan bhawan'. She has long since changed it on Arnav's instance. He's confessed that the first time he heard that tone he'd nearly dropped his own phone and promised her he'd never skip breakfast again if she changed the ring-tone! Well, she had to give in to that, right?
Pagaal! Stop thinking about your hubby and answer the phone! she scolded herself mildly and picked up the phone excitedly. "Yes, Jiji. How are the preparations going? Everything OK? Achcha, Jiji listen I was thinking..."
Khushi spent the next 10 minutes speaking with her sister on the phone. Today was her parents' 25th Wedding Anniversary and a huge bash was arranged for celebration. Payal has left Delhi two days back to prepare for the occasion and arrange everything perfectly. Her fianc, Aakash, has followed her like a love-stuck puppy. He was scared to ask ASR for the leave but Khushi had managed for him. Now as she put down the phone, she smiled thinking how different the two brothers were. Shaking her head, she got up from the stool and walked across the room to come out to the adjacent open area, Arnav's beloved garden.
As expected, she saw her husband examining the leaf of a Hibiscus with sharp attention, a frown on his face. He looked thoughtful for a while, took the scissor and cut the leaf. Then putting aside the scissor, he took his Blackberry and started to jot something in there solemnly. Khushi let out a giggle, she was sure he was putting "Check on Hibiscus" on his To-Do List. That was Arnav, too serious to ignore a yellow leaf on a single plant, and too busy to remember something as trivial as this.
Her giggle however didn't go unnoticed by Arnav, who seemed to have an unnerving sixth sense. He looked up to see his wife leaning against the huge French window and giggling to herself. "What!" he asked as he raised his eyebrows. Khushi shook her head, "Nothing, I was wondering how long would you be here? Don't you need to go to office? You'll be late if you don't go for shower now."
"I'm the boss, I can go anytime I like." He muttered in his usual low husky voice, but started to put away the scissor, spray can, watering can in their rightful places all the same.
"You leave them, Jayprakash would take care." Khushi said as she saw him neatly stack away the equipment he's used. He grunted in reply, he hated other people to touch his garden. They neither understand nor appreciate the plants. He has often told Anjali when he's been asked why he insisted on doing everything with his own hand when it came to his gardens. And when he was away on trips, it was Anjali herself who took care of his garden, he trusted none else.
Remembering Anjali, his heart ached. She was deeply hurt by Shyam's actions but insisted on staying with him only. Arnav had tried a lot to make her see sense. But Anjali was adamant, she won't divorce Shyam. And she's also left Raizada mansion to shift to Mumbai with her good for nothing husband.
Was it because of Khushi that Di left? Arnav wondered as he took the towel Khushi offered him and went into the washroom. He turned on the shower and opened the cabinet to grab his shower gel only to remember that he's used the last drop the previous day. He was halfway back to the door when he noticed the fresh bottle of familiar Adidas Ice Dive in there. A half smile appeared at his lips automatically. Does the girl ever miss a single thing?
The answer was no. Khushi was simply the perfect wife any man could want for. She was just perfect. Having Khushi in his life had solved a lot of permanent problems for him. Nani had stopped bickering about his marriage, obviously. Aakash had got the green signal now that Arnav was married. Mami could finally plan his son's wedding. Most importantly, his restless life has gotten a new dimension.
He knew his rash decision to marry Khushi was not appreciated by Anjali. Though she had said that Arnav's happiness was her happiness, Arnav knew that she was not as fond of Khushi as she was before. And he knew why. First Shyam had failed her by falling for Khushi and then Arnav had gone to the extension of marrying her. Anjali thought that she had lost the most important two person in her life to Khushi.
Arnav still loved Anjali as before and was willing to do anything for her happiness. So, he sometimes couldn't help feel a bit guilty for marrying Khushi against his sister's wish. It must've hurt her. Self defense came to him almost immediately. All his life, he's made important decisions of his life for other people. For his Di, for Nani, for a secure future of the family. Couldn't he just make one decision for himself? For his own happiness? No, he didn't regret marrying Khushi for one second. In fact, it was the best thing he's ever done for his own.
...
Khushi put on the Parathas on the plate along with the vegetables and a very hot mango pickle of which Arnav was very partial. She checked the plate once again and nodded satisfied. She was about to thank her Devi Maiya to make everything go perfectly when she heard the familiar voice.
"You are still not ready? How many times do I need to tell you that as the daughter-in-law of this house you should get up early and bath and get ready for the morning prayers?"
Precap for next Part:
He turned back at her and tilted his head, "Do you now?"
...
So how was it? I hope I haven't bored you to death..*fingers crossed* Let me know if you like it or not...
PS. Those who are new readers and want PMs, please like the PM list in thread 2 of HGHJ as I won't be checking this thread for PM requests any more, hope you understand..😛
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