True Colors : ARHI FF Thread 1 - Page 25

Chapter 13

When Arnav entered the house the next night, he was surprised to see it being opened by the maid.

"Khushi kahan hai?" he asked the maid and without waiting for an answer he screamed, "Khushi. Khushi..."

Just then, he was surprised to see his Di descend down the stairs. She said with a smile "Chote, you are back, it has been so long..."

Before she finished Arnav cut her off, "Di. Where is Khushi?"

He was even more worried to see Anjali Di glance away and then she told the maid "You go home".

Arnav asked again, "Di tell me where is Khushi... Khushi, Khushi..." he screamed and ran up the stairs and looked at all the rooms but Khushi was nowhere. He ran down with equal speed and looked at the kitchen and guest bedroom and bathrooms. But Khushi was still missing.

Something alerted Arnav to the fact that Di's presence and Khushi's absence were related. He hoped he was wrong.

He quickly strode back to where Anjali was standing and looked at her sternly this time and said, "Di what happened to Khushi. Where is she? Tell me now".

Anjali knew that tone which meant Arnav was extremely angry. She looked at Arnav and said, "Chote, I have finally removed that girl from your life. I found out from your Jiju how she had trapped him and then how you married her to save me. Chote you have sacrificed enough for me. You must now live your life. I will call Lavanya in London and ..."

"What did you say you did," Arnav asked with thunderous rage in his eyes.

Anjali was stunned to see this and said,"Chote I asked Khushi to get out of our lives, your life. You need to live it with the girl you loved ...Lavanya."

"Di, tell me what you just told me is a lie. Please Di. I don't want to hate you. Tell me you lied. You did not send away my Khushi, my wife, away from my life. Please Di."

"No Chote. I am serious. I wanted you to be happy. I just told you that I found out the truth about why you married her."

"The truth is I loved her then and I love her now. There was no one else. Lavanya knew. That's why she broke the engagement. How did you not know that Di? The whole Jiju fiasco just ensured that I married her.But I had always loved her even when I screamed at her and hurt her and pretended to hate her. I love her Di. How could you ruin my life? After a long time we had found happiness, after we cleared the misunderstanding about Jiju."

"What misunderstanding? Your Jiju is a gem of a person who..."

"Who stayed as a PG in an innocent girl's place, got engaged to her, betrayed her and her family saying that he is single and when he was found out by Khushi, she at least had the decency to break off the engagement, but that man still tried to trap her'He is a b''"

"Enough Chote. I won't hear a word about my husband'"Anjali said, though Arnav already saw the seeds of doubts in his Di's eyes.

"Oh Di. Khushi and I tried so hard to protect you from this truth. Khushi got married to me though she knew I hated her for deceiving you, as I too believed what you believe now. She did that because she wanted to save you. I gave her hell for your sake ' she took it all'she had finally found happiness after I knew the truth and you ruined it'you ruined her and me, your Chote'you have destroyed me" Arnav said with tears in his eyes.

Anjali was stunned. This could not be true, she told herself. Arnav had been deceived again she thought.

She tried again, "Forget her Chote. You can divorce her and marry Lavanya'"

"Don't you dare even suggest it! Never ever! If you do, I will forget you are my Di" he said angrily.

Anjali was stunned. Never, never, had her Chote spoken to her like this. All this for Khushi? She was amazed at how much power Khushi had over Arnav.

Bur Arnav did not care. His whole life had been for his Di. But today his thoughts were only for Khushi. Where had she gone? Where could she go? Was she all right?

His mind went crazy with the questions and he looked at his Di finally and said, "Do you know what you have done? You have taken away the only person I could love'the only person for whom I could stop breathing'the one you always said I should find'that was Khushi and when I found her you threw her out. Did you think where she would go, how she will be? Di I can never forgive you for this. I am going now and till I find her, you and I will not meet. Do you get that Di? Seeing you will make me hate you and I don't want to do that'"Arnav rushed out of the room already dialing some numbers on his phone in a frantic attempt to trace Khushi.

Anjali was rooted to the spot in utter shock. Was this really her Chote? Her Arnav? The small little child she had almost raised? How he could be so blind, she thought. But her mind brought up the disturbing thought, "But what if you are wrong?" Anjali could not imagine that her Shyam could ever deceive her'but why had he stayed as a PG within Delhi?... She was determined to get to the bottom of this without asking Shyam. She left Arnav's house without bidding goodbye, because she knew he would not want to see her.

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Arnav had called the whole world trying to locate Khushi. But she was nowhere to be found. He took his car and drove around the streets like a madman only to catch a glimpse of Khushi. But he did not find her.

When he came back it was early morning and he had still not found Khushi. 'Please come back baby. I can't live without you'" he said to the place beside him in the bed'where Khushi had once slept'and he let the tears fall.

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Khushi sat staring out of the window of her speeding train. She had been sitting in the railway station in a daze for a long time. She could not imagine not seeing Arnav's beloved face or breathe in the same air as he did'.she had been lost about where to go'She could not go to Lucknow as it would upset Bauji. She could not go to Payal as Anjali Di had warned her to stay away from everyone and she had nowhere else to go.

She had wanted to die after Anjali Di's accusations. But some part of her wanted to live for Arnav'She knew he would find her some day and she knew his lonely soul needed her'And that's when she had decided to go to Disha's house in Kolkata. Disha was Dhruv's sister and Khushi's childhood friend. She had finished college and found a job in Kolkata, where she stayed with a friend in a rented apartment. Khushi knew Disha would support her and shelter her till whenever fate brought Arnav to her'if it brought Arnav to her'she thought sadly and again sobbed.

Did he take his medicines? Did he have food? Had the food been spicy? Had he slept a little or was he still searching for her'because she knew Arnav would do that no matter what Di did'

When Khushi reached Disha's house, she was exhausted and hungry and sleepless.

Disha, as expected was shocked, happy and concerned to see her,"Khushi, tum yahan. Why? How? Where is Arnav Bhaiya? Khushi are you all right?"

Khushi did not answer the barrage of questions but looked at Disha solemnly and said "Dishu, please promise me, you will not tell anyone, not even Dhruv that I am here. Please promise me'"

Disha looked at her outstretched hand and put her hands into them, "I promise'but Khushi'"

"Don't ask me anything Dishu. Just let me live here for some time. I have some money I will share the rent and'"

"Shut up. Don't talk about money. You are more like a sister to me. Ok come and eat. I have some food ready. Luckily today is Saturday and I don't need to go to office'"She continued chatting cheerfully, trying to lighten Khushi's mood. When she set the table and turned she was shocked to see Khushi lying on the floor.

Disha frantically called the doctor, while trying to revive Khushi with water. Luckily her close friend was a doctor and she lived near by.

An hour later, after the doctor had checked Khushi and awakened her with some glucose, she said "You are tired and hungry. So, get some sleep and food. You should be fine by tomorrow'but more importantly, I think congratulations are in order. You are going to have a baby'.You are almost 2 months pregnant!"