SS: A turning.update part 16 pg 45 31/5 - Page 18

I loved the update. Anjali is so dumb. Please continue soon.

Part 12 (B)

In the next three months she had transformed, returning back to her former self but her smile never reached her eyes. Never did her face light up with a prank and never did she make Jalebis when she was upset.

In the next three months Khushi evolved as she tried to resume the normal course of life.She shied away from all the memories from the past, living in a shell. She lived with a solitary aim - her Babuji and his health. Her sister was married and she took the responsibility of her family like always. Running errands, tending to their health and even reopening the sweet shop after they had shifted to Lucknow. She had started reading in English even learning to write and converse properly at night. All the work, kept her busy and away from the hurtful memories.

She had forgiven everyone involved in the episode six months earlier, even Anjaliji but she never wanted to revisit that chapter of her life. She talked to Jiji everyday but never asked her the one question she had always desired to know; how was Arnavji?

In the past three months, her Babuji's health had improved considerably, now that the threat of Shyam was safely behind bars. He had regained a part of speech and movement. That kept Khushi hopeful and happy.

In Lucknow, everyone loved food, she reopened the sweet shop her father ran previously, borrowing money from Jiji and repaying it in installments, as her sweet shop thrived. Their products had a reputation in Lucknow and reopening the sweet shop had brought drawn all the previous customers back, rejuvenating her shop and boosting a negligent income.

One day nearly two months ago, a customer had left behind the India Today Business magazine and on the cover stood Arnav Singh Raizada. Her broken English could hardly help in reading the article and so she had started learning English again. She had noticed one thing from the image on the cover though; he was gaunt, pale and thinner, much thinner. She had the magazine with her since then. His eyes held nothing ' not happiness, not pain, not sorrow, they were blank. He was not Arnav, but he was not ASR either.

From the past fifteen days her acidity had returned. She was nervous always; her gut told her something was wrong, very wrong. She ignored the feeling first, but her anxiety continued to grow. The past week had been intolerable; it felt like a bit of her was at war within her, dying.

"Devi Maiyaa'" she had reached out to for help.

She had taken her Babuji for a checkup to confirm his health. Checked with Buaji who had visiting a friend in Noida and had called up Jiji everyday and still the feeling grew. Since yesterday, exactly six months to the event, the feeling grew in her like acute pain and for the first time in 3 months she had made Jalebis, to relieve tension.

Today, she was happy, or pretended to be, Jiji would be arriving on a few hours she told herself, need to go home early. She kept chanting it as a steady mantra as she proceeded with her work, but her heart told her otherwise.

"Dhak' Dhak' DDDhak'" her heart beat in an abnormal rhythm trying to convey a message she was yet to decipher.

Her hands faltered in the process of making ladoos as a sudden thought crossed her mind. She tried to dismiss it, but it felt like she had hit bulls-eye. No, how could it be! "Devi Mayya, please let it not be true", she prayed.

Her heart disregarded her theory and her hands instinctively dialed the home number of Raizada Mansion.

The phone rang on and her heart sank.

It was just eight in the morning; they were supposed to leave at nine. Hai Devi Mayya...

The fourth time she called in, a weak barely recognizable voice answered the phone. But, her heart stuttered erratically.

"Hello..."

The voice had her tongue tied as her heart thudded out of her chest. It had been so long, she realized, as silent tears welled up in her eyes.

The silence between them spoke volumes; words that they had never exchanged, tidings that had never been conveyed.

"Khushi..." he breathed into the phone. He did not require hearing her voice to recognize her, her memories were all that had kept him alive. Her silence spoke volumes.

Arnavji, app theek to hai na? Are you coming with them today?

"Khushi, I am sorry. Sorry for everything."

Apologizing was not difficult after living in guilt was such a long time. It came to him more naturally than before.

Arnavji...

No Khushi, I am sorry.

Arnavji, it was no one's fault, don't blame yourself.

"Arnavji, are you fine?" She asked again.

"Khushi take care of yourself." He disregarded her question again. It was time to say good-bye.

"Khushi... Be happy always. You have a beautiful smile."

"Why are you talking like that?" Her heart sank at his words, stated with a tone she did not want to comprehend.

"Khushi, I like you. Alot. Take care of yourself."

"Arnavji, app bhi bohot acche hai."

"Good-bye Khushi." Beep beep.

Each time she had dialed the number again he had disconnected and each time he had disconnected the phone, a fierce pain built inside her. It burnt her and tore through her stomach making a steady progress to her heart.

"No, nothing is going to go wrong. May be he is busy. Devi Mayyaa, maybe he left for office, he generally leaves at this time. maybe the connection is wrong, the phone lines are down I guess" she made one excuse after another, each feebler than the previous one, trying to pacify her heart. She resumed her work after a frantic half hour of pacing in the shop dismissing her feelings as negativity.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Arnav rushed out of the house calling for his driver an hour after the phone calls had stopped. He had showered in record time and rushed out of the house in a huff.

Hearing her voice had given birth to a different kind of longing in his heart, the need to see her. The need grew inside him guiding him and overpowering his sense of reason. He needed to see her just this once, hear her voice, and feel her near him before he left. Maybe he would watch from afar as his family met her, never let her know he was there and then he would leave. Nothing more, he sternly told himself as he sat at the back of the car.

In his condition driving was not his forte, he would crash the car even before he would reach the outskirts if Delhi and so he grudgingly called for the driver. He rested his head on the cold window, imaging her, her smile as she greeted her Jiji and heard the happy news. He imagined her greet him the same way as he feel into a slumber.

He did not notice the change in terrain as the car moved from the paved roads of Delhi and moved to rougher terrains of Lucknow.

Hey... Hope U like it. Next update is eventful like you guessed.

Plz leave ur comments. Like to hear ur take of the story and thank you for ur support so far. Luv u.

Devilways

Please continue. I am already hooked on how this is progressing. I want major repentance from Anjali 😡 and lots of making up between Arnav and Khushi, please, please, please 😳

beautiful.. finally he decided to see her.. i am sooo happy.. i am sure Khushi will understand Arnav's unspoken words.. even though no one seem to see or hear anything happening around them.. and almost dying Arnav..

Beautiful!

i felt like crying aftr reading this!!!!

Awesome update dear!!!..