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CHAPTER SEVEN
One perfect, kohl rimmed hazel eye (and one eye only) watched Arnav Singh Raizada as he paced back and forth in his bedroom. The face from where the eye usually twinkled at the world was currently covered by two white hands. Khushi was sitting, hunched over on her bed, as her husband muttered and paced-- and that eye was the only thing showing between the slender fingers that shielded Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada from directly looking upon her husband's wrath.
Arnav stopped pacing, and turned, just in time to see that rogue eye widen even more, then quickly hide behind the fingers, joining its fellow eye that was being shielded from making direct contact with him. Arnav found that he was struggling not to laugh, and this made him even more angry---he was fed up at himself for finding Khushi's actions So. Damn. Cute. Whenever he got upset with her, his wife still hid her face, but then peered at him like a crazy little bird. She still did this everytime they had a fight, even after so many months of being together. And, inevitably, every single damn time, Arnav wouldn't be able to help himself when she did this. Every time, he had to grab those pretty white hands, remove them from the flushed little face and kiss her senseless. But not this time! How dare Khushi be so cute when she had just sold him down the river? It was too much!
"Are you f**king kidding me, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Goddamn Raizada? Look at me in the face when you tell me how you've stabbed me in the back! My own wife! A traitor! And that too when it comes to Di, a woman who is vulnerable and soft, who does not know what is best for her, and has to be protected at all times! She has no idea how to deal with a man like that bas***d Kunal Roy!! And to encourage her to go to work for him? Its madness! She is not strong enough to handle the pressure, the stress! This is the support I can expect from my own wife? You have torn my heart into pieces, Khushi! Into pieces!"
Even as he worked himself into the dramatic finale, Arnav felt slightly ridiculous. The truth was, over the past few months, he had come to hugely enjoy himself when it came to the frequent fights and passionate clashes he had with his volatile wife. His quiet, well ordered life had gone for a toss the day this woman had entered into it, and now, he found himself sometimes, in the middle of one of their battles, speaking like an 80s Hindi film hero confronted by the villain Mogambo. Long exposure to the drama queen he had married had taught him that sensible, logical and normal ways of fighting were useless when it came to Khushi.
"Are you f**king kidding me, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Goddamn Raizada? Look at me in the face when you tell me how you've stabbed me in the back! My own wife! A traitor! And that too when it comes to Di, a woman who is vulnerable and soft, who does not know what is best for her, and has to be protected at all times! She has no idea how to deal with a man like that bas***d Kunal Roy!! And to encourage her to go to work for him? Its madness! She is not strong enough to handle the pressure, the stress! This is the support I can expect from my own wife? You have torn my heart into pieces, Khushi! Into pieces!"
Even as he worked himself into the dramatic finale, Arnav felt slightly ridiculous. The truth was, over the past few months, he had come to hugely enjoy himself when it came to the frequent fights and passionate clashes he had with his volatile wife. His quiet, well ordered life had gone for a toss the day this woman had entered into it, and now, he found himself sometimes, in the middle of one of their battles, speaking like an 80s Hindi film hero confronted by the villain Mogambo. Long exposure to the drama queen he had married had taught him that sensible, logical and normal ways of fighting were useless when it came to Khushi.
Now was the cue for his wife to rise up from the bed, raining tears, and dramatically shouting back at him. They would fight, make up, Khushi would apologize for not putting a stop to Di's insane idea of going to work for that bas***d Kunal Roy in the morning. One Khushi admitted she had made a mistake, Arnav would go, tell Di it was all finished, and she was not to even think of seeing that bas***d Roy again. Then he would come back and make love to his contrite, beautiful wife, and go to bed.
Only Khushi wasn't responding according to script. Instead, a frown marred her creamy forehead, as she sat up, looking at him directly, with a serious expression on her face. She was slowly puzzling something out, and the complete absence of any dramatic emotion or stormy tears now made Arnav feel suddenly wary.
"What makes you say that Di is vulnerable and weak, Arnav-ji? Why do you think she is all these things? Is it Shyam? The fact that her marriage was a mistake? Because do you know something? Other than choosing that man to marry, I cannot think of one other instance when Di was wrong about something, or needed protection or help. And when it comes to Shyam, I have been thinking---we were as much in the dark, you were as much taken in by that man's lies and manipulations as she was. And she is the one who lost her husband, and still moved on.
If I was in her place, I would have been a puddle on the floor, never recovering from the shock and pain of such a huge betrayal. But what did she do, Arnav-ji? Even though Shyam was a man she practically worshipped? She moved on. She was strong enough to come out of the experience with her dignity intact, and with baby Naina too, in the bargain. When she found out about him, she did not fall apart or try to kill herself. I would have done all that. But Anjali Di? She got a divorce, and got child custody, and moved on with her life, smiling, in control of herself. She even helped you and me to deal with Mr. Roy's "Love Story On Page 3" debacle, even though that was a difficult time, to say the least. She fought with Mr. Roy, she used her legal background, without giving into the intense pressure, the stress. And she was good enough in her encounters with him that Mr. Roy has come back now, to ask for her help when he needs a lawyer to help him. A man like that! And he was clearly sincere, too. What did he see in her that we don't see?
We treat her with such care----why, Arnav-ji? I have been thinking about why we do this to her, and why we don't let her...live. Why we don't trust her to make her own choices. When I went to her room, I was planning to tell her that you didn't want her to work. But you know what she was doing, Arnav-ji? She was preparing. She had her law books right there, she had her articles, her work-material ready. And she was ready to go out, to meet the challenge of working. And why not? This is just a job, after all! Nothing more than that. If you are concerned, about Mr Roy, well, you and I can always monitor things. Discreetly keep an eye on her and on him. I can take her lunch, you can drop by her office, pick her up.
It is not ideal, who she got the job-offer from. I know that, and I know Mr. Roy is a slippery customer. But Di knows that already, Arnav-ji. She has had to deal with him before, she will be careful, and he will just be her client---not even her boss, just her legal client. And she wants to work! She must feel so stifled, being such a smart woman, with so little to do. She was glowing, at the thought of going to work. You have your business, I have this house. But what about Di? So I thought, why not let her try something new, something different? Why not let her make her own decisions, and later on, if it's a mistake, if Mr Roy is actually planning something more, why not put a stop to it then?"
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Arnav sat next to Khushi on the bed, absorbing her words. The anger and panic had left him, leaving behind only worry, and a strange sense of realization. Something about Di and Roy, about their energy had made him uncomfortable. It had been so...balanced, as if it flowed from both sides. Dimly, Arnav sensed that there was more there, but what exactly that was something Arnav could not even begin to contemplate. But what he did know was that he could not bear the thought of Di being hurt again, of her being vulnerable to another bas***d, to another pain. And yet---when it came to that bas***d Roy the fact was, there, by the poolside, as Roy spoke about Anjali, he had been the one who had seemed vulnerable. He had been sincere when he spoke of needing legal help, and how Anjali Raizada fit the bill of what he needed from his lawyer. That had been the truth. And Di...her eyes, the sparkle in them, the life, as she had accepted the job offer...that had not been feigned. Now, freed from his rage and embarrassment at finding them in flagrante delicto, that bas***d Kunal Roy's final words about how he treated Anjali rankled, making Arnav uncomfortable as he recalled them.
And, whether Arnav admitted it out aloud or not, the truth, finally was --- he trusted Khushi's judgment, almost more than he trusted his own, when it came to such matters. His wife was intelligent, and perceptive, her love for her family giving her an insight that belied her innocence and her young age. Of course, she was crazy. That was a given. But, in her own strange way, Khushi saw things that others did not. Because of her empathy, her boundless love, she saw other people's feelings and needs with a clarity that he himself would never be able match. So, the biggest argument for allowing this crazy job idea of Di's, was, finally, the fact that Khushi was supporting Di's decision.
And Khushi was also being practical, thinking of his fears, addressing them, pointing out that they could in fact, keep a watch over Di and that bas***d Kunal Roy. Arnav would definitely go to see Di while she was at work, he would quiz her when she came home, follow around that bas***d Kunal Roy when he came to meet Di in the future. And Di was aware that that bas***d Roy should not to be trusted. Khushi was right---they could do all this--- and being his sweet, adorable, kind Khushi, she was also thinking of Di. About what she wanted, about how much Di maybe needed to do this for herself. Dammit!
Only Khushi wasn't responding according to script. Instead, a frown marred her creamy forehead, as she sat up, looking at him directly, with a serious expression on her face. She was slowly puzzling something out, and the complete absence of any dramatic emotion or stormy tears now made Arnav feel suddenly wary.
"What makes you say that Di is vulnerable and weak, Arnav-ji? Why do you think she is all these things? Is it Shyam? The fact that her marriage was a mistake? Because do you know something? Other than choosing that man to marry, I cannot think of one other instance when Di was wrong about something, or needed protection or help. And when it comes to Shyam, I have been thinking---we were as much in the dark, you were as much taken in by that man's lies and manipulations as she was. And she is the one who lost her husband, and still moved on.
If I was in her place, I would have been a puddle on the floor, never recovering from the shock and pain of such a huge betrayal. But what did she do, Arnav-ji? Even though Shyam was a man she practically worshipped? She moved on. She was strong enough to come out of the experience with her dignity intact, and with baby Naina too, in the bargain. When she found out about him, she did not fall apart or try to kill herself. I would have done all that. But Anjali Di? She got a divorce, and got child custody, and moved on with her life, smiling, in control of herself. She even helped you and me to deal with Mr. Roy's "Love Story On Page 3" debacle, even though that was a difficult time, to say the least. She fought with Mr. Roy, she used her legal background, without giving into the intense pressure, the stress. And she was good enough in her encounters with him that Mr. Roy has come back now, to ask for her help when he needs a lawyer to help him. A man like that! And he was clearly sincere, too. What did he see in her that we don't see?
We treat her with such care----why, Arnav-ji? I have been thinking about why we do this to her, and why we don't let her...live. Why we don't trust her to make her own choices. When I went to her room, I was planning to tell her that you didn't want her to work. But you know what she was doing, Arnav-ji? She was preparing. She had her law books right there, she had her articles, her work-material ready. And she was ready to go out, to meet the challenge of working. And why not? This is just a job, after all! Nothing more than that. If you are concerned, about Mr Roy, well, you and I can always monitor things. Discreetly keep an eye on her and on him. I can take her lunch, you can drop by her office, pick her up.
It is not ideal, who she got the job-offer from. I know that, and I know Mr. Roy is a slippery customer. But Di knows that already, Arnav-ji. She has had to deal with him before, she will be careful, and he will just be her client---not even her boss, just her legal client. And she wants to work! She must feel so stifled, being such a smart woman, with so little to do. She was glowing, at the thought of going to work. You have your business, I have this house. But what about Di? So I thought, why not let her try something new, something different? Why not let her make her own decisions, and later on, if it's a mistake, if Mr Roy is actually planning something more, why not put a stop to it then?"
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Arnav sat next to Khushi on the bed, absorbing her words. The anger and panic had left him, leaving behind only worry, and a strange sense of realization. Something about Di and Roy, about their energy had made him uncomfortable. It had been so...balanced, as if it flowed from both sides. Dimly, Arnav sensed that there was more there, but what exactly that was something Arnav could not even begin to contemplate. But what he did know was that he could not bear the thought of Di being hurt again, of her being vulnerable to another bas***d, to another pain. And yet---when it came to that bas***d Roy the fact was, there, by the poolside, as Roy spoke about Anjali, he had been the one who had seemed vulnerable. He had been sincere when he spoke of needing legal help, and how Anjali Raizada fit the bill of what he needed from his lawyer. That had been the truth. And Di...her eyes, the sparkle in them, the life, as she had accepted the job offer...that had not been feigned. Now, freed from his rage and embarrassment at finding them in flagrante delicto, that bas***d Kunal Roy's final words about how he treated Anjali rankled, making Arnav uncomfortable as he recalled them.
And, whether Arnav admitted it out aloud or not, the truth, finally was --- he trusted Khushi's judgment, almost more than he trusted his own, when it came to such matters. His wife was intelligent, and perceptive, her love for her family giving her an insight that belied her innocence and her young age. Of course, she was crazy. That was a given. But, in her own strange way, Khushi saw things that others did not. Because of her empathy, her boundless love, she saw other people's feelings and needs with a clarity that he himself would never be able match. So, the biggest argument for allowing this crazy job idea of Di's, was, finally, the fact that Khushi was supporting Di's decision.
And Khushi was also being practical, thinking of his fears, addressing them, pointing out that they could in fact, keep a watch over Di and that bas***d Kunal Roy. Arnav would definitely go to see Di while she was at work, he would quiz her when she came home, follow around that bas***d Kunal Roy when he came to meet Di in the future. And Di was aware that that bas***d Roy should not to be trusted. Khushi was right---they could do all this--- and being his sweet, adorable, kind Khushi, she was also thinking of Di. About what she wanted, about how much Di maybe needed to do this for herself. Dammit!
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Khushi's shifted to kneel behind him, her soft hands came up to his throbbing head, as she soothed him, massaging him gently, calming him down as only she could. He could feel the warmth of her body behind his own, loving the press of her soft belly where their child slept against his back. His love for his wife, his need for her, never dormant, roared back into life now, as Khushi stroked his shoulders, kneading the muscles. Her soft voice went on, persuasive, as she spoke to him about what she had seen in Di's room-her excitement, her planning.
Arnav barely listened to her, heat slowly rising within his body as her fragrance enveloped him, arousing him almost unbearably. Unaware of the beast she was awakening, Khushi kept up her massage, her breasts touching and retreating against Arnav's hard back as she leaned forward, against him, her hair sliding against his throat. Her hair always drove Arnav wild, but he held still as her arms slid along the length of his, her fingers digging into tense muscles, as Khushi spoke on.
She kept talking about Di, but since Arnav had already made up his mind to let Di go to that bas***d Kunal Roy's office for the time being, and monitor things closely to make sure that bas***d Kunal Roy didn't have anything evil planned, Arnav was no longer paying attention. Instead, he nodded, slyly indicating that he was listening carefully as he sneakily reached for his shirt buttons, undoing them one by one. Encouraged by the nod, Khushi went on talking, right until the moment her husband suddenly reared up, half naked, and attacked her open mouth with his own. Her arms went around him, holding onto dark golden skin and hard muscles, as Arnav held her steady so he could devour her mouth.
Thoughts about Di faded, as desire stormed in. The final sound that Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada made this evening was an indignant gasp that blended into a moan when Arnav Raizada, with his mouth ravaging her exposed throat, ripped apart her nightgown, as he asked her to Just. Shut. Up.
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In a luxurious high-rise apartment in Juhu a few miles down the road from Raizada House, a man with a head of silver streaked hair sat in his open balcony, watching the stars. Tension bracketed his firm mouth, as his blood raced, dread and hope playing a game with his thudding heartbeat. He had waited, all night for news. But, as the long hours had trickled by, none had come. So now sitting outside in the cool night, the man watched the stars. His heart was curiously heavy, his mind bleak and devoid of any hope. The cellphone next to his chair buzzed softly. A message arrived. "I hope you like rose pink and silver Mr Roy. Khushi says---to wear rose pink and silver." An odd sort of message one would have thought. A strange thing for a top-level journalist to stare at, re-read, and smile over as if it was the most precious of information. But then, as anyone in the field of Indian media would have told you, Mr Kunal Roy, Editor-In-Chief of The Delhi Sun was an odd sort of man. Men deeply in love often are.
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Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
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193