Arhi FS: The Perfect Family*Reposted*

Part 2

Arnav went back to the house thinking about Khushi's strange behavior. But she is always so weird so nothing out of the usual Arnav smiled fondly thinking about Khushi and collided with Mami.

"Kaahe Arnav bitwa Khushi bitya ko gaye dooee minutes bhi nahi huyi ke tum unke dreams ma lost huyi gaye. He heh he" Mami laughed loudly. Arnav left the living room in embarrassment to Akash's room to sit with the baby

He walked down the corridor toward Akash's room too excited to finally hold the baby and that also before Khushi does. He reached the room but stopped at the doorway and his heart ached at the scene being played before him.

Payal had cradled the baby in her arms, talking to about the family to him, telling each and every detail about the family, showering kisses in between sentences while Akash sat next to her admiring the baby with a fond smile on his face. Arnav's jaw clenched, he closed his eyes and turned around.

"Don't run Arnav you will fall"

"Don't touch the fire, you will get burned"

"Do you want your mother to feed you today?"

"I love you and Anjali equally"

"I will speak to your father. Don't worry"

His mother's voice echoed in his head. He stood there for a while trying to compose himself. He knocked and Payal and Akash welcomed him inside. He gave a quick kiss to the baby on the forehead, congratulated them and left immediately leaving the small family in total confusion

Arnav went to his room, opened the wardrobe and looked for the locker key in his wallet. He inserted the key in the lock and turned it slowly. He opened the locker and removed all the files immediately and reached the bottom of the locker. He picked up an inverted frame and turned it around. He caressed the picture gently as if actually touching the face of his mother. "Why did you leave me Ma? Who will love me Ma?"

In response, he heard his Ma's voice telling him "I never left you. I have just changed my form. You were always loved, are loved and will be loved." Arnav wiped the lone tear from his cheek, put everything back in the locker and shut it with the frame now on top of all the files and put the lock in its place. He looked around his room and whispered "Khushi"

Part 3

Khushi greeted a hundred people before entering the house and felt hungry immediately.

"Amma, aaj aloo puri khaane ka mann hai. Bana do na" Khushi voiced her desire to eat her favourite food.

Garima nodded and went toward the kitchen "Amma aur kheer bhi" Khushi shouted after Garima.

"Don't you want to eat jalebies?" Babuji asked. Khushi's face fell remembering the jalebies she had had in the past one year but only with her Arnavji. "Aise hi Babuji" Khushi assured.

"Buaji ask Amma how much more time she will take. I am hungry" Khushi complained rubbing her flat tummy.

"When are you not hungry Sankadevi?" Buaji questioned her while pinching her cheeks.

"Khushi get the table ready. The food is almost ready" Garima shouted from the kitchen. Khushi immediately jumped to set the table. While she was laying the fourth plate on the table she heard someone say "Keep the fifth plate too" and Arnav entered the Gupta house. Buaji got up smiling fondly at her Nand Kishore. Arnav hugged Buaji and Babuji. Just then Garima came from the kitchen and Arnav told her "I am hungry. Please get something to eat."

Garima nodded and got the food laden utensils from the kitchen. All this while, Khushi just gaped between his family and Arnav. Arnav closed her mouth and pulled her to one on of the chairs.

"Aap sab bhi bethiyena" Arnav welcomed them to their own table. Buaji and Babuji looked at their son-in-law with pride in their eyes and happiness for their daughter. Garima served Arnav a little aloo, two puris, then lifted a bowl and started filling kheer in it. Khushi immediately stopped her mother "Nahi Amma. He cannot have that" Arnav glared at Khushi and she glared back. Garima filled some kheer in a spoon, brought it to Arnav's mouth and said "It is sugar free." Arnav opened his mouth and tasted the best kheer he ever had. He asked her "How did you know I will come here?" Garima placed her hand on his head and said "I just knew." Arnav's eyes misted and he looked down to eat his food so that no one could see his tears.

After lunch everyone retired to their rooms except for one. Arnav knocked on the door and waited for the permission to enter. "Come in" Arnav entered the room and looked at everything except for the lady standing in a pale purple saree. "Yes bitwa" Garima urged him to speak. He walked toward her and hugged her "Thank you………..Ma" Garima pulled back, looked at his tear filled eyes and hugged him tightly again.

Part 4

When Arnav entered the room, Khushi pretended to be still angry with him. "Why have you come here? Can't you see your wife at peace? Khushi continued with her act not wanting him to know that she had just witnessed what he might want to keep a secret.

"I can't love anyone completely when I am myself incomplete" Arnav almost whispered. Khushi walked toward him and held both his hands in her hands and urged him to speak further.

Arnav's hold on Khushi tightened and he continued "I wanted to love Akshay today and I am really happy for Payal and Akash. But I couldn't bring myself to love him completely because you were not at my side. Also I don't know it may sound a little incorrect but I felt jealous of Akshay. He was getting all the love he deserves from everyone. And I …. I lost my mother, my father, everything. I was dejected. I went to our room and you know Ma spoke to me. She made me realized that I am loved" he cupped her face in his hands "You love me" he stated that as a fact. Khushi cried with tears of joy not interrupting his speech, his confession.

"You know Ma told me that she never left me. She just changed her form. When today your Amma knew I would be hear. When she knew what I wanted… I realized that my Ma is right here with me in the form of your mother. Thank you Khushi for giving me my parents back to me. Thank you" he kissed her palms that were holding his face and hugged her. They would have continued to hug if Arnav hadn't entered the naughty mode. "Khushi you gave me parents. Can I ask for one more favour?" Arnav asked with a puppy face. "Anything for you Arnav ji" Khushi smiled. "Can you give me a family now?" Arnav asked her innocently. Khushi stood confused for some time when her tubelight finally lit up and she blushed "Aap bhi na Arnav ji" and ran away from the room.

Everyone was feasting on the Gol Gappes that Arnav got, when the phone rang. Everyone's hands were dirty so Arnav somehow put the phone on loudspeaker.

"Chote. See I told you that you will get Khushiji back today" came the chirpy voice of Anjali from the speaker.

"No Di Khushi is not coming back" Arnav ignored the teasing.

"So when are you coming back?" Anjali enquired.

"I am not coming either"

"What?" Anjali

"Di didn't you hear me once?"

"O now I get it……." Anjali mused.

"Get what Di?" Arnav asked.

"You will get your own Akshay and come back!"

Khushi choked on her Gol Gappa while others stilled in shock.

"DI. The phone is on loudspeaker. Besides you can take your Bhabhi with you if you want. I am staying here" Arnav said with finality in his voice looking at Garima.

"Di I will stay here for a few days" Khushi leaned toward the phone to speak to her Nanand.

"Ok. As you two wish. But get me a Bhatiji ok?"

"Di!" "Di!" Both Arnav and Khushi shouted while Anjali laughed and hung up.

Buaji started laughing loudly and others joined her painting a happy picture of a perfect family

loved ur four shots,

thanks for pm