Th2(ArHi FF):Arranged Marriage Link Thread 3 added - Page 7

Part 12

"Like a compass needle that points north, a man's

accusing finger always finds a woman. Always." -

Khaled Hosseini

Yogesh observed the two children playing in the garden, their tiny hands scooping up the dirt and then letting it fall back onto the ground, their hands dirty with mud and bits of grass sticking to their fingers. He picked up the cup and sipped the hot, sweet tea, still staring at the two kids, lost in his own thoughts.

"What are you thinking, Yogeshji?"

Yogesh was brought out of his thoughts as he heard his friend, Gupta, question him kindly. His eyes looked at the big haveli in front of him which was now starting to fall apart at the corner. His eye scrutinizingly took in all the details, the magnificent handiwork of the olden times and the big verandah. He turned back to his friend and gave him a small smile, shaking his head to let him know that nothing was bothering him.

"How are your property dealings coming about?" Yogesh satisfactorily noted as Gupta's face fell at the question and he glanced back at his lap. Gupta took out his glasses and ran a tired, old hand over his face. He let out a sigh and looked back at Yogesh perching his glasses back on his nose, his face looking ten times older, as his wrinkles deepened around his forehead and mouth.

"I have been trying, but I am not able to gather the money, Yogesh" Gupta sighed, his shoulder slouching as the weight of what was to come weighed him down. Yogesh leaned forward and put the saucer and cup back on the table in front. He leant across and placed a hand on Gupta's shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"Don't worry, my friend, everything will work out. I know it" Yogesh provided kind words of comfort as he tried forming the next words properly in his mind before he said them out loud.

Gupta shook his head and kept his head bowed down, angrily pressing the back of his hand to his eyes to stop the tears from flowing down his face, his glasses falling at an awkward angle, as his shoulder shook from trying to contain his emotions.

Yogesh gave another comforting squeeze as he looked at his friend's distress.

"They will take everything away, Yogesh bhai. What will I do then?" Gupta asked, helplessly, looking up at Yogesh, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Yogesh looked back at the children playing on the ground and saw as his grandson got up and pushed the girl away from him, causing her to gasp out in pain. He saw as she got up, her face scrunched up in anger, and she angrily pushed him back, causing him to fall back in surprise. His lip twitched in amusement as he saw the classic Malik anger be subdued by the little girl, who paid no heed to his grandson, and turned her back to him, playing on her own.

"I'll save your property" Yogesh said, his eyes still trained on the two kids, his mind formulating a plan.

He slowly turned to look back at his friend, and saw the confusion etched on his face, his wrinkles deepening giving away the toll of the stress on his face, but he could see Gupta's calculative eyes slowly taking in the pros and cons of what Yogesh had just proposed.

Gupta pondered over it for a few minutes, before he looked back at Yogesh, his mouth setting into a thin line,

"What will be the terms of your deal, Malik?"

Yogesh smirked.

"Can you hurry?"

Khushi's eyes snapped up to his as he impatiently glared at her, the grip on his phone tightening. She nodded and picked up her bag, "Let's go" She said, looking down at the now empty plate, and the bowl of water next to it, in which she had washed her hands.

Arnav got up, and briskly walked towards the car, while Khushi tried keeping up. The full stomach, and the greasy food, along with the lack of sleep slowing her down, as a yawn broke past her mouth and her face scrunched up in tiredness.

"Hurry!" Arnav barked, and Khushi rolled her eyes as she quickened her speed, a hand holding onto the bag resting on her shoulder.

"I was meant to be home an hour ago" He said, and opened the door to the drivers seat, slipping in and putting on his seatbelt. Khushi sat on the passenger seat, placed her seatbelt, and chose not to comment on how he had turned up late almost every night since they had been married.

As Arnav started driving down the road, Khushi let her head rest against the cool window, watching the trees whizz past them. The comfort of having the small light emanating from the stereo system, and the lights from the street lamps outside soon lulled her into a deep sleep.

********

Khushi felt someone shaking her shoulder and she groaned in frustration, squeezing her eyes shut tight, trying to keep the dream and slumber from going away.

"Khushiji, get up" She heard someone tell her, and she frowned, swatting the hand away that was on her shoulder, and snuggling further into the seat. Instead of feeling the softness of a pillow, she felt a cool glass under her cheek, making Khushi frown in confusion, as she blearily opened her eyes and took in her surroundings.

She was still in the car and her head was resting against the glass window, as her body lay slumped against the door. She sat up, massaging away the crick in her neck at the odd angle she had slept in. She looked to the side to see Anjali sitting beside her, looking at her concerned as she shook her shoulder. Khushi's eyes widened as she looked around bewildered not seeing Arnav anywhere.

"Wh-what?" She asked, confused, and Anjali smiled softly at her.

"You fell asleep in the car. Chote said that you wanted to sleep in the car, so he came back inside" Anjali explained, and Khushi's eyes widened in disbelief, before her lips set into a thin line. She had said nothing of that sort, and she felt her cheeks flooding with colour in embarrassment.

"W-woh.." Khushi tried explaining but Anjali shook her head and said,

"Chaliye Khushiji, you can't sleep here. It must have been a tiring day for you, but you should sleep in your room" Anjali said, giving her another smile, getting out of the car, and walking to Khushi's side of the car. She opened the door, and helped Khushi take off the seatbelt, holding Khushi's hand as she stepped out of the car. Frowning, Khushi accepted Anjali's help and waked inside the house, her mind occupied with Arnav's strange behavior. Her breathing seemed to quicken the more she thought about his antics, and she had to close her eyes tight for a few seconds to contain the anger that was flaring up.

"Bitiya, remember you both were forced into this. It's up to the woman to make a marriage last. For a man, entering a marriage is a lot easier. For a woman, she has to give up her own house, accept some stranger's family as her own, accept their traditions and values. Remember bitiya, things might not be easy, but I know you. I know that you will fight whatever will come your way. Be strong Khushi. Be strong"

Her mother's words rang in her ears, and seeing the closed lights in the house, she realised Anjali had stayed up to make sure Arnav and Khushi got back safely. Putting on a smile, she bade her goodnight, and slowly made her way up the stairs, her mind still dwelling over the day's events with him ignoring her, assigning her general secretarial work, the tiredness, the hunger. She quickened her pace towards the room, her hands clenched at her sides, as she decided to confront Arnav about this.

She had to make it clear that he could not keep treating her like this. He could have woken her up, if he did not want to carry her. Was he so repulsed by her that he did not want to touch her? Taking in a deep breath, she passed a quick prayer to her Devi Maiya to give her strength and pushed open her door.

Seeing Arnav with his back to her, taking out his night, clothes, Khushi halted and stared at his back. She knew he was aware of her presence with the way his back suddenly stiffened up. Taking a step in, she closed the door behind her, and kept her hand resting on the cool glass, trying to get a control on her emotions, waiting for him to say something, to apologise, to explain why he chose to leave her in the car, instead of taking her inside. Waiting for him to explain why he lied to di that she wanted to sleep in the car. It was a petty lie, but Khushi could feel her cheeks flaming in embarrassment and anger and she spun around to see him walking towards the bathroom. Realizing he wasn't going to explain, she quickly walked towards him, and placed herself in his path, blocking him from going towards the bathroom.

He stopped, and looked at her, his eyes hardening and his mouth pulling down into a frown at the sides. He rolled his eyes as he exhaled heavily, and stepped to the side, but Khushi jutted out her arms and blocked him. She could feel his anger escalating, and she braced herself for his outburst, but he kept quiet, his eyes trained on her, the cold fury in them almost making Khushi cower in fear, but she took in a deep breath and looked him in the eye.

Blinking back the tears that threatened to fall, she frowned and asked, "Why didn't you wake me?"

His jaw clenched, as he looked away, his fingers fisting up the fabric in his hands, "move" He hissed, but Khushi stood there, staring at him.

"Why did you lie to di?" She asked, trying to keep her voice from quivering, trying to keep the fear at bay, trying to keep the anger bottled up, trying to contain herself, she knew that anger would get her no where, but she couldn't stop her face scrunching up in a deep frown as she glared at him, demanding answers. He looked at her, an eyebrow slowly raising, as his cold eyes threatened for her to move, but Khushi stood her ground.

Realizing she wasn't going to back down, he took a step towards hers, intimidatingly and hissed, "Move out of my way"

"Nahin" Khushi retorted, the adrenalin slowly pumping through her veins, making her fisted hands clench harder, her fingernails digging into her palms, drawing blood as she stood there, looking at him, "I am not moving until you answer my question. Why didn't you wake me up?" Seeing him open his mouth and assuming he was going to tell her to move, she cut him off and continued, "I told you I am not moving, Mr. Raizada. Not until you answer my questions" She told him, and took a deep breath as she spoke some more, firing questions at him, wanting him to answer everything, "Why didn't you wake me? Why did you lie to di? You could have told me that we had reached home? What was the meaning of taking me to the Dhaba, feeding me dinner, then leaving me in the car to sleep the night? Why-"

Khushi gave out a loud gasp as Arnav threw the clothes in his hands, grasped her shoulders tightly and pressed her firmly against the wall behind her, "Don't" He hissed in her face, and Khushi's eyes widened as she stared at the anger in his face, her own hands automatically clutching at his arms, wanting him to leave her and move away. "Don't you dare think that because I took you out for dinner, I care about you" He told her, and Khushi felt a chill spread inside her at his words.

"I took you out for dinner because I knew that if your health worsened I would have to face Nani and Di. I care about them, and don't want to see them upset. And if seeing you in trouble upsets them, then I did what I had to do to not make them any more upset than they already are. Our relationship, our marriage means nothing to me. Do not create any whimsical fantasies that we can be one, because I can never love you" He told her, and Khushi took in a shuddering breath, as silent tears slipped down her cheeks.

His eyes glared into her own for a few minutes, making his message clear to her before her roughly pushed himself away from her, leaving Khushi's mind reeling with the words he had just said. As he turned away, Khushi saw as he bent to pick his clothes. Just as he took a step towards the bathroom, she gathered herself and firmly placed a hand on his shoulder stopping him again.

She felt his muscles twitch and tense under her hold and she pressed down firmly, letting him know she had no intention of letting go till he heard her, "This marriage was a compromise for both of us. We did not want to get married to each other, and I am suffering in this as much as you are. I have learnt to accept this marriage, toh jitna jaldi aap accept karte hain, the better it will be for both of us" She told him the tears still fresh in her eyes, her voice not betraying any of the fear she felt at holding Arnav back. She had decided that he had to know, and she knew that whatever she said was the truth, if only he would realize that she was as much a victim as he was.

He turned around, his eyes holding hers, as he shrugged her hand off his shoulder and said through clenched teeth, "I know exactly how much you are suffering with all the wealth and name of being a Raizada bahu. Get one thing straight Khushi, I will never accept you as my wife-"

"You will" She cut him off, surprised at her new found courage, and she saw surprise flicker through his eyes, before he masked them again, his nostrils flaring as he narrowed his eyes at her and took a step forward, grabbed her shoulders and roughly brought her closer so their breaths mingled together, his harsh breaths with the soft gasp of hers, her wide eyes looking into his narrowed ones, the warm brown looking into the cold light brown of his, as his fingers held her in a bruising grip,

"I won't" He told her with such certainty that Khushi almost believed him. Khushi continued to stare at him mutely as he pushed her away and stalked to the bedroom, leaving Khushi to stare blankly at the place he had been standing not even a few moments ago, her thumb and finger sub-consciously fiddling with the simple gold ring on her ring finger.