Recap: Arnav goes to the orphanage and finds the kids. He becomes quick friends with them and Amber and Aditya have started calling him 'Buddy'. The kids tell Khushi about their new 'Buddy''. Khushi promises to meet their 'Buddy' the next day.
Part 15: The Confrontation
**PLEASE Read the Note at the End**
Arnav sat in his living room, immensely joyous after having spent the entire day with his son and daughter. He constantly replayed various moments and smiled to himself. His phone rang and for once he answered it without frowning.
"Hello?"
"Arnav?" Payal sounded astounded. "Wow...you...you sound happy."
"Do I?" Arnav tried to sound nonchalant, although he couldn't help but smile wider to himself.
"Okay...why are you so happy?" Payal questioned.
Arnav had given this a lot of thought already. He had decided that he wasn't going to tell the family about Khushi or the children yet. Arnav knew that he was going to have to go to the end of the world to fix things. He wasn't even sure if Khushi would let him fix things. He didn't want to give the family false hope and then have them become upset if Khushi refused to heed his attempts.
Besides, not telling them now would mean that he could surprise them if he did succeed and Khushi decided to give him another chance.
"Nothing. I just spent the day at hope center. The kids are lovely!"
"We're all waiting for you to come back with a son or a daughter...which will it be?"
"It's a surprise." Arnav dismissed the question quickly. "I'm glad that you called. I was going to call you and tell you that I'll be here for seven months. The meeting with the delegates is postponed. Until that meeting happens, I'm taking up another project."
"Oh? Akash didn't mention anything about that. What project are you taking up?"
'The pacify Khushi project.' He thought to himself. "I'll tell you about it later. The project outline is still very sketchy. Hopefully I can sort out a few details tomorrow. Tomorrow is the first meeting."
"Oh...well...good luck. I hope you have a successful meeting and that you finish the project." Payal said gently.
Arnav smiled to himself. Payal had unknowingly wished him luck for his "project". If only she knew what the project was.
That night, for the first time in the last five years, Arnav carried out a conversation that lasted more than fifteen minutes. For the first time in the last five years, Arnav went to bed feeling somewhat content, somewhat happy, and somewhat hopeful.
The next morning, Arnav sat around in his car in the parking lot of 'Hope center'. A thick envelope sat idle on the passenger seat next to him. He watched on as Khushi pulled into the parking lot and parked four cars off to the side in the line across from him. She got out the car and Aditya and Amber also stepped out and grabbed her hand instantly. The three made their way towards the entrance and at the main gate, Arnav saw Khushi bend down. The two kids on either side kissed her cheeks at the same time and ran into the playground.
After Khushi disappeared into the building, Arnav gathered his courage, determination and picking up the envelope. He stepped out of the car and walked into the building. He didn't stop or look up until he reached the door of Khushi's office.
He took another composing breath and looked towards the desk where normally, Anjali would be working away. Today, she wasn't there. He turned back to the door and pushed it open. Khushi looked up and scowled at him.
The scowl turned into a frown and she looked back at her laptop's screen. "You don't have an appointment." Khushi stated.
"No I don't. I'm not here for anything related to the adoption process. I'm here for a personal reason." Arnav spoke calmly.
Khushi stopped typing and her heartbeat raced. Was he going to legally claim Aditya and amber? He walked up to her desk and stopped. He put down a thick envelope on her desk. Khushi's heart skipped a beat.
"I thought you might want to see these." He said in a quiet voice.
Khushi showed no emotions as she picked up the package and opened the flap. From the weight of the envelope, she knew it wasn't just paper. She put her hand in the envelope and her fingers touched smooth film. Confused, she pulled out the bundle of photographs and her heart nearly stopped working at the sight of the first picture.
It was a family photograph from the days when she was there—she was in the picture.
The next photograph was of Payal and Akash. Payal was wearing a hospital gown while Akash stood next to her wearing scrubs. Both were smiling tightly—as if forced to smile.
"That was when Payal was in labour." Arnav explained.
Khushi didn't glare at him or look at him but he knew that she'd heard him because a ghost of her beautiful smile crept around her lips. She flipped to the next photo and now, Payal and Akash had their arms wrapped around a newborn and both had real, unforced smiled on their faces.
"His name is Sahil." Arnav stated, carefully watching every fleeting expression on her face.
Her smile got just a little bigger but at the same time, her eyes filled tears. She flipped through more pictures and eventually, the tears in her eyes started flowing down her cheeks. She looked at the last picture—another family portrait without her in it—a little longer than the rest. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface.
"Sahil's fifth birthday" Arnav commented.
She took a few minutes to gather her thoughts. "He looks just like Akash..." Khushi said as if she were talking to herself.
"Payal and Akash look like they've aged ten years! Sahil must have given them a hard time." Khushi paused and smiled to herself knowingly. "Of course...raising kids is no piece of cake..."
Arnav felt guilt course through his veins once again but he didn't have too long to ponder on that.
"Look at Mamiji! She hasn't changed at all! Mamaji looks like he's lost weight..." Khushi trailed off as her eyes zeroed in on the center of the photograph.
Arnav knew exactly who she was looking at. Nani.
"Nani looks...she looks unwell..." Khushi whispered to herself.
Arnav shifted uncomfortably and Khushi remembered that he was standing in the same room. Her eyes snapped to him.
"What? What happened?" Khushi shot at him worriedly.
Arnav avoided eye contact. "It was...a...a minor heart attack..." he answered her quietly. What he didn't tell her was that the heart attack happened minutes after Khushi had left. What he also didn't tell her was that Nani had been depressed ever since and that even after five years; she refused to speak to Arnav.
He wasn't here to make Khushi guilty for leaving. He just didn't want her to not know what had happened in the last five years. He wanted her to know that their nephew was healthy and looked a lot like Akash. He wanted her to know that they all loved her and how much they miss her. He wanted her to know that he had truly regretted what he had done.
Besides, no one could and no one did blame Khushi for leaving. They all knew it was Arnav's fault.
"Is she alright now?" Khushi asked, her voice sounded like it did when they'd been happily married. No bitterness, no anger—just plain love and concern. He had missed that tone of her voice.
He nodded in response to her question and his brows pulled together in a curious expression.
"Can I ask you something?" Arnav asked and much to his surprise, she nodded.
"You had every right to punish me. I truly deserved it but why didn't you keep in touch with Akash or any of the other family members?"
"Akash would have tracked me down...It would be like reminding them every time that I wasn't there anymore...I couldn't put them through that." Khushi looked at the photograph.
"Do you think they don't remember that you're no longer there? You would be reminding them if they forgot...no one has forgotten. Not a day passes by without you being mentioned."
"I don't doubt that...it would just make it that much harder for them. I know what it's like to be constantly reminded of something you want to forget. And I know that Akash would have used any hint to track me down...and I wanted to stay hidden." Khushi retorted, some of the bitterness returning in her voice.
"Why? Were you afraid that your lie would get caught? That everyone would know the truth?" Arnav's voice has a hint of an odd mix of hurt and smugness.
Khushi gave him a dirty look. Arnav pulled out a folded paper from the pocket of his suit. Khushi glanced at the paper and knew what it was without him having to open it. The papers of her abortion appointment.
"Why did you—" Arnav started but Khushi interrupted.
"Because I honestly considered it for a dark week of my life!" She slapped the photograph on the desk and stood up. "I even showed up to my appointment to have the abortion done. Seconds after the doctor entered, I revoked my consent for the process. I decided I couldn't punish my baby for what you'd done. And believe me. I didn't send the papers to make you feel guilty...it was for everyone else. I didn't want them living their lives thinking that your child is in the world somewhere and they would never get the chance to see him or her." Khushi turned away to hide her tears.
Before he could stop himself, Arnav walked up to Khushi, held her by the shoulders and turned her to face him.
"But I did feel guilty! I still do! And I will feel that way until I die." Arnav paused when Khushi looked at him. When she didn't say anything, he went on. "Do you remember what I said to you before you left? I just want you to know that I meant every word. I do love you Khushi...and I realized how much after you left. If your request hadn't bound me...I would have turned the world upside down to find you. I would have gone to the end of the world to bring you back."
Khushi turned away again and closed her eyes. Arnav didn't turn her around this time.
"I kept the promise you asked me for...I didn't stop you from leaving...and I didn't try to look for you...but now you're before me...my kids are before me...I just can't let you all go away again. That's why I'm here." Arnav's voice suddenly took a very business-like tone. "I'm sure Aditya and Amber have told you about their new buddy."
"Yes they told me—" Khushi swallowed the rest of her sentence when the reality hit her like a brick wall. She turned to face him again, fear and anger suddenly surging through her veins. "It's you! You...How dare you!?"
Arnav tilted his head to the side. "Would you have allowed me to meet them if I had asked for permission?"
Khushi avoided eye contact and decided to say no more. Arnav got the answer from her silence. They stood there like that for a couple of minutes—in silence. When he figured he wasn't about to get a response, he turned on his heels and decided to walk out when her voice stopped him.
"Are you going to take them away from me?" Her voice sounded utterly heartbreaking, full of fear and worry.
Arnav turned to face her, clearly shocked that she would even think this way. The hurt surged through him and he took quick steps back towards her. He held her shoulders and pulled her closer.
"How can you think about it like that? Of course I wouldn't take them away from you! Do you think I could live with myself if I hurt you any more than I already have? I just wanted to get to know them a little bit, that's all. How can you think that I'll take them away from you?"
"Why do you want to get to know them? They don't know who you are! I left because I didn't want them growing up under your shadow...what makes you think I'll allow that now?" Khushi retorted.
Arnav staggered back a step. Khushi wiped her tears, her angry expression back in place.
"I'm not planning on taking them away from you. I just want to get to know them...give them the chance to get to know me. I came here because I was hoping, though I knew it would never happen, that you could tell me about them."
Khushi took another step away from him and sniffed. The anger in her eyes blazed along with the obvious inkling of fear.
"It would be better if you kept off of the premises unless you have an appointment Mr. Raizada." Khushi glared at him.
It was that easy for her. Keep off the premises. She had said it loud and clear, without hesitation, with full eye-contact. Arnav's heart drowned in a sea of poison. Suddenly, he had his worst fears realized—she would never come back to him.
She watched on—void of expressions—as Arnav's eyes filled tears and as he left the cabin. She sunk back in her chair once he was gone. She picked up the frame which held a picture of her precious children and hugged it to her chest.
Arnav walked down the hallway, away from her in a trance. She was afraid that he would take her kids away from her. He knew he'd hurt her but he didn't know it was to the extent where she'd harbour fear of him even after all these years.
He could have easily hidden the fact that he'd met the children but he didn't want to. He didn't want to lie to her, didn't want to betray her. That is the reason why he had gone to speak to her in the first place. He didn't have a speech in mind and now he wished he did.
Their conversation had taken turns he hadn't expected. The fact that she was afraid he would snatch her kids from her was the most shocking to him.
"No. I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I can't let this stop me now. Not now." He thought to himself and pushed the depressing thoughts away in his mind. He began composing himself, standing in the middle of a hallway. Keep off the premises unless you have an appointment. Her words echoed in his head, starting a slight pain at his temples.
Then, like a bolt of lightning it struck him. He nearly ran to Kripa's office. He didn't stop to knock. He burst into her office and saw her glance at him.
"I want to take up the Manager's job."
Hello Guys! Please please please excuse any spelling/grammar mistakes. I've been awake since 4:30 a.m and its 11:30 p.m right now...so you can imagine what my brain is like.😆
Turns out that the clinical placement (along with my research project) is busier than normal school days. After the next few deadlines pass, things SHOULD be a little bit more calmer..meaning more frequent update but I cant promise anything! Its been so busy that I've considered discontinuing all my FFs but then decided not to. I'm sure readers appreciate slower updates more than an FF left incomplete.
Thank you for being patient/understanding and such awesome readers! I always love your feedback and I promise I've read all the comments! A few of you have questions that I'm sure I'll be able to answer through more updates.
p.s: to the person who thought Arnav seemed like a pedophile in the last part...it all depends on your viewpoint...in my POV, he was a father who desperately wanted to meet his children.😉😆
Love,
Katie <3
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