Part 40
So I'm not liking Anjali in the show. She is portrayed as a stupid dependent weak woman. So in my story, I want her shown as a strong independent smart woman Tht doesn't need a man. Someone that is happy with just her brother and sister in law. And this part is mostly about her. Hope you like it.
Anjali woke up feeling as a new woman. For the first time she had such a peaceful sleep in such a long time, not even in her husband's arms. She woke up with the sun's rays drowning her in it's pure light, covering every inch of her body in it's brightening light. She sat up in bed with a smile as she looked out the window. She remembered how Shyam hated having the sun wake him early in the morning, therefore they had to keep the curtains closed. It had been 5 years since she had been awakened by the sun and she had missed it very much. She missed the warmth she felt, she missed the brightness, she missed the cheerfulness of the sun. She knew today would be a good day.
Anjali hurriedly dressed and went downstairs slowly. Because it was her 7th month, her stomach had gotten bigger and she moved more slowly. She couldn't see her feet anymore so she had to go slowly. She arrived at the table to see Nani, Mami and Mama, Payal and Aakash and NK sitting at the table already.
"Good morning, Anjali betiya. Did you sleep well?" Nani asked, concern laced her voice and it was visible in the look she sent her granddaughter.
"Good morning Nani, everybody else. And yes, I slept fine. In fact, I haven't had a good night's sleep in a long time." she said as she sat down. "Nani, do you know what tomorrow is?" she asked her grandmother as she put her food on her plate.
"No, what's happening tomorrow, Anjali betiya?" she asked her, not knowing what was going in this head of hers. Yesterday, she was the broken heart who was mending on her own. She was the wounded princess, who had been protected by the person who she should have been protecting, who was finally setting things right. Devyani realized what her granddaughter was doing when she saw Hari Prakash bring down a big box and Anjali come down after him. She was trying to get rid of everything that reminded her of him. She was trying to give herself a new start, give her child a new start, and last of all, give her brother and his wife a new start.
"Chote is coming home. We have to get everything ready for him. I want everything to be perfect for when he comes home. I'm going to make the calls and prepare everything. Nani, can u supervise? I wan to go visit Chote and Khushi." she said.
"Of course. That's a great idea! I'll make sure everything is perfect. You go see how Chote and Khushi are doing?" Nani replied with a smile.
"Thank you, Nani." Anjali said and started eating, thinking about the homecoming party for her her brother. Once breakfast was over with, Anjali made the calls and Nani and Payal started on the decorations. Once set, Anjali left for the hospital.
Khushi had woken up earlier than normal. She'd had a nightmare with Shyam grabbing her, holding a gun to her head, threatening to kill her of Arnav tried anything. Arnav was screaming at her to not worry about anything and that he was going to protect her. Then, all of a sudden, Shyam swung the gun away from Khushi's head and aimed it at Arnav's heart. Just as Shyam was going to pull the trigger, Khushi woke up, drenched in sweat. She frantically looked for her husband and relaxed seeing him laying in bed sedated.
Khushi got up from bed carefully and walked around the bed and sat in the chair next to Arnav, holding his hand in hers. She put her head on his heart, listening to his heartbeat, because she still could. She had almost lost him and she couldn't bear with the pain. Yes, he had hurt her, she would have never forgotten it, she would have left him when the 6 months ended, but that would be the same as death for the both of them. She had forgiven him a long time ago, but the pain he had inflicted, the verbal abuses he had thrown at her, the physical abuses he had put her through had finally broken her and she had distanced herself. Nothing and nobody mattered. But when she was kidnapped, she couldn't. She needed her husband, she needed Arnav. When she saw Shyam and Arnav fighting, she was on sticks an needles. When she saw Shyam stab Arnav, she felt as if someone had plunged the knife in her. She couldn't bear the pain of losing him, of knowing that he died because of her. Watching as he breathed his last in her lap killed her. When she saw Shyam smiling, all she saw was red, the need to end that man for everyone. She didn't even realize what happened until she fell crying into her brother-in-law's arms...
Arnav had woken up feeling someone pick his hand and hold it, a warm head on his chest and then a warm wetness on his chest, soaking his shirt, his chest and his heart, bathing it in tears of pain, fear and love. He knew instantly who it was and he put his hand on her head.
"Khushi? What happened? Why are you crying?" he asked. When she continued crying on his chest, he slowly tryed to coax her head up. "Jaan, please talk to me. What happened?" he pleaded with her and finally she lifted her head and he saw her red eyes. They held many emotions. He saw anger, pain, fear, despair and finally love. He slowly wiped away the tears that were making their way down her cheeks.
"Arnav, I can't. I couldn't do it! I love you! Please don't leave me, I can't live without you! I will die if anything happens to you. Please don't leave me..." she sobbed into his chest, inhaling his familiar scent, letting it calm her. Arnav whispered words of love and promises as he ran his hands up and down her spine, her back, her shoulders and continued to hug her.
After a while, they heard a light knock and saw the door open. Anjali and a nurse walked in. Anjali blushed at catching her brother and his wife in such an intimate position, but acted as if nothing had happened. She walked to the couple and gave each of them a kiss and hug.
"Chote, Khushi, how was your night? Everything was fine, nothing happened I hope." she said as the nurse came around and started checking Arnav's bandage and vitals and the IV.
"Yes Di, everything was fine. Did u sleep well?" Arnav asked her.
"Mr. Raizada, how are you feeling?" the nurse asked. "Sorry for interrupting." she added.
"I'm feeling fine. When will I be able to go home?" he asked. Khushi, Anjali and the nurse laughed.
"Mr. Raizada, your not ready to go home yet. We need to make sure you are ready for physical therapy. If you are, we will keep you here for another day and after that, you can go home and have to come everyday for your physical therapy or we will send a nurse to your house for a week." she replied.
"What the?! I have to do physical therapy?!?! I want to go home to my house, to my wife and family!" he yelled.
Khushi grabbed him. "Arnav, please stop. We want you to get better as soon as possible. I promise, I'll be there with you for every session and and Di and Nani and Mami and everyone will be all be there. Just one week,Ok?" she asked him. I ally he relented, not wanting to stress her or his sister. Finally the nurse left and Anjali turned to Khushi.
"Khushi, I need to talk to you. Can we go outside for a minute?" she asked and saw Khushi nod as she followed her sister-in-law out the door and closed it behind her. "Khushi, I'm planning a welcome home party for Chote. I told everyone at home and they are working on all the preparations. I just want you to make sure he doesn't find out anything. I don't want him talking to Aakash Bhai or Nani. They won't be able to keep it a secret." she said.
Khushi was ecstatic to hear about the surprise party. She couldn't wait for the party. She thought of the party Arnav had thrown for Aakash and Payal when they got engaged and how she and NK ha added a little bit of desi to it.
"Uhh Di? What is the theme for the party?" she asked uncertainly.
"Oh it's going to be kind of western. But of course the part will be small, not to big." Anjali replied.
"Oh ok. Di I was wondering, can I add a little desi mix to it? I remembered how I did that for the party Arnav threw for Jiji and Jijaji and I wanted to do the same for this. Is that ok?"
"Of course! That's a great idea! I'll make sure they make jalebi and other Indian drinks and foods."
"Ok. I also want to do a dance." she said and whispered the song title. "Can you get a couple other girls to do the dance with me? Make them learn the dance steps that background dancers do in the song and I will do the rest." she said. Anjali nodded in agreement and decided to go in.
Khushi followed Anjali in and saw her limp to the bedside and grab Arnav's hand. She took her other hand and smoothed his hair back, gently feeling the way each strand felt. She remembered when they were younger and whenever he had a bad dream or got hurt, it was always her that ended up spending the night. She would always make her parents go to bed while she would stay up the night taking care of her brother. She would do the same, hold his hand in one hand and put her other hand on his head. Tears dotted her eyes as one escaped and fell on Arnav's hand.
Arnav looked up at his sister as he felt a tear on his hand. He moved his free hand and wiped the stray tear. He couldn't bear his sister's tears. Never could. Whenever his father refused her something, Arnav would always go out in secret and buy it for her. Instead of his parents spoiling her or her spoiling him, he always spoiled her. He was always her protector and would remain so. No matter what life threw at him, he would never abandon his sister.
But that didn't mean he would ignore his wife. Ignoring his wife was as if he was ignoring himself. Hi wife was his life, his breath, his reason for living. If it wasn't for her, he would have died, he would have done anything to get her back. If he couldn't bear his sister's tears, his wife's tears would kill him. He looked at his wife and saw tears in her eyes. She looked at him and smiled her usual 1000 watt smile, brightening up the room along with his life. She nodded as if reassuring him she was fine.
"Arnav, Di, I was thinking of going home. I'll be back later and then Di can go home." she said.
"Are you sure, Khushi?" Arnav asked and saw her nod. She then left and the room, closing it behind him. As soon as she left, Arnav felt a golf open in his heart and he felt as if something was missing.
Anjali saw the effect of Khushi leaving had on her Chote. He was pained, sad and angry. "Chote? It is ok. She will go home and get certain things ready for you coming home tomorrow. Don't worry." she smiled.
Khushi walked out smiling at the brother and sister relationship between Arnav and Anjali. She was happy knowing that they hadn't changed, that they were still there for each other. She didn't want another relationship to be broken because of her. Anjali already lost her husband because of her, she didn't want her to lose her brother too. She wiped the tears and promised herself she would always make sure this family stated happy. Khushi sat in the car Anjali came in and went home.
Anjali sat next to her brother and couldn't believe what happened in the past couple days. So much had happened and she had regretted the way it happened. She wished she could go back and prevent it all, to find out about everything before anyone had gotten hurt.
Arnav knew what was happening behind her eyes. His Di had always been an open book to him. He could always tell what she was thinking, how she was feeling, what she was going to say. "Di, stop. There isn't anything you could have done to change the outcome. It would have come to this either way. Let's not think about him anymore. We have my niece and your niece or nephew to look forward too." Arnav said to her as he took her hand.
"You are right, Chote. It's just you and Khushi went through so much for me. If I had just opened my eyes sooner, this wouldn't have happened." she said and motioned to Arnav and the hospital room. "I just wish things could have been different. But enough of that. We aren't going to live in the past. We will make a new future for us. For my rajkumari and your rajkumar." she said and smiled.
"Thank you, Di. How come Aakash and Nani and Mami didn't come?" he asked.
"Oh...umm." Anjali faltered. "Aman called Aakash for an important meeting with one of your clients and Nani and Mami went to the temple to do a pooja for you to get better." she said, praying that Arnav believed her.
Arnav watched her for a couple seconds, knowing that Nani would do that. "Ok. So Di, have you chosen a name for my neice? It better be perfect like her." he smiled, trying to lighten the mood and change the topic.
"I've chosen the name Priya if it's a girl and Arpan if it's a boy." she said. Arnav nodded and the brother and sister continued talking about their new dreams and hopes.
So how was it. Hope you liked it. I know it was probably total crap. Plz leave comments tellin me what u liked and what I should change. How else can I make my story better of I don't know what u like?! So u kno what to do, press the like button and comment!!
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