SS: A new Cinderella- Epilogue- 23 - Page 2

She gave exactly what he wanted. His life back - before she was in it. But why didn't he feel happy then? Something was a miss. He closed his eyes and mulled over what had transpired between Khushi, Shyam and himself. He had a sinking feeling that something was not quite right.

He sat down on his bed and read the letter again. And again. And again. The question lingering in his heart kept bubbling to the surface but he had always swallowed it down sharp. Today he let it fester. Fester and burn his open wounds. "Did her silence mean something other guilt?"

For the last 6 months Khushi had maintained her silence and his Jijaji had kept his distance from both Anjali and Khushi. He had hurled abuse at her for the first few months and in the beginning she would flinch, visibly tormented by his words, but never fought him. Sometimes he could sit in a room for hours before realising he was sharing the space with her. Soon he too had stopped hurling abuse at her. There seemed no point. Even Jija-ji had seen the folly of his ways and had begged at his feet for forgiveness. The unborn child he had said was the trigger he needed. "I love Rani Sahiba and she is giving me the biggest joy of my life. I want nothing more. Khushi means nothing to me. I was maddened for a while by her simplicity, vivacity and charming beauty. But it was a moment of weakness, nothing more. I hope you forgive me." Arnav had forgiven. Not for the benefit of Shyam, but for the benefit of his sister. Besides, he was now there there to make sure Shyam Jha never strayed again.

Khushi however must have been heartbroken he had concluded. She was every bit the dutiful wife, his meals were warm and cooked to his taste. His clothes laundered, shirts pressed. Always a clean towel hung in the bathroom. Never was he out of shower gel. He never had to reach more than an arms length for a glass of water. And when even all that became too much for him to bear, she had offered her body as his stress relief.

Was she thinking of his brother-in-law then? Of what they shared? Of what they could have shared? The vileness of it all had disgusted him every time. Every time he rolled off and walked straight to the shower. His tears lost in the flow of water as he washed off her scent from him.

He breathed in deeply desperate to take in a whiff of her sweet scent. Nothing.

***

"Bacche if you sit outside all day you will be sure to catch a bad cold. Come inside."

"Nahi Masi, its nice outside. I love watching the birds flying. I love the fresh cold air. " She hugged her thin shawl a little closer to herself.

"Bacche, your name is Khushi, but we never see a smile reach your eyes. Why is this?"

"I gave them all away Masi." She replied softly to the old woman.

It had been a month since Khushi had come to find a serene monastery in the hilltops of Manali. Or rather a priestess from the monastery had found her wandering in the cold and brought her to shelter. She was now part of their little family. She helped with the chores during the day, assisting in the monastery's orphanage. She played with the children and perhaps only in those few hours did she come alive a little. She had fast become the favourite Didi amongst the kids.

But the minute she walked out the smiles disappeared. A lost look overtaking her. She would walk the meandering paths of the beautiful town till she reached her favourite spot. A big boulder on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Beas River valley. She would watch the rapids flow below in a combination of turmoil and serenity. The birds playing tag singing freely in the crisp mountain air. Here she whiled the hours away lost in no particular thought until the stars came out. She stayed to feel closer to her parents. She stayed till the cold became unbearable and then she walked to her room monastery to while away some more time under the pretence of slumber.

The old woman held her hands in her own. "Speak bachche, let it all out. Tell me child, just like you would tell your mother." The old woman drew Khushi in for an embrace resting her head on her heavy bosom.