SS: His Smiling Girl Part 10 updated on Pg 108 - Page 46

Part 7

I hope to update one or more parts daily till the story is done. Please check the index. I won't be able to send PMs. Sorry.

Mishraji led Babuji, Amma, Buaji, Payal, & Khushi into Shantivan. All of them looked around, and quailed.

How would Khushi manage such a big household? What kind of bahu would she make the Raizadas? Would they feel disappointed in her? Or would they recognise her for the gem she was, understand and appreciate the purity of her heart and her immense capacity to give and receive love, value her as she deserved to be valued? These were the thoughts that fled through the minds of Amma & Buaji. Babuji alone remained calm and collected as he had recognised Arnav and the Raizadas for what they were.

Payal whispered in Khushi's ears, "Khushi, the hall looks as large as a football field, doesn't it?"

"Haan, Jiji! Wonder how they keep it so clean.", she remarked casually. Her eyes were busy searching for her Arnavji among the huge crowd of people gathered in the brightly lit home.

NK saw the Guptas first and he dropped the basket of flowers he had been holding, exclaiming, "Khushi Bhabi is here!" All faces turned towards the door, and all gazes got caught in the beautiful face and form of Khushi dressed in a gorgeous pink lehenga and Payal in a golden sari.

The Raizadas trooped to the door, welcoming the Guptas into their home with great warmth and heart-felt joy.

NK beamed at Babuji, Amma, Buaji, Payal, & Khushi. "Welcome, welcome. Aap sab ka Suhaagraat (Swagat) he!"

"Hai Re Nandkisore!" Buaji's eyes widened like saucers.

Amma stared at NK, unable to believe her ears. Nani, Mami, & Anjali flushed. Payal & Khushi giggled.

Akash hissed, "Swagat, swagat!"

"That's what I said, Aap sab ka..."

Akash couldn't take another chance on him. "NK Bhai, will you help me shift these chairs?" He dragged NK away.

"Our NK Babua doesn't knows Hindi well. Only Inglis, only Inglis...", Mami made excuses for him.

"Ji. It is alright.", said Garima. Buaji nodded.

Nani, Anjali, Mama, & Mami led the Guptas in.

The house was decorated within an inch of its life in pink and golden silk hangings. Sweet-smelling flowers covered every available space. Any spots remaining were taken over by chains and chains of fairy lights. A bower had been created in front of a big idol of Devi Maiyya for Arnav & Khushi to exchange rings.

Khushi turned around and around to admire the beauty of the interior, her lehenga skirt fanning around her in a circle. She felt Arnavji watching her. She turned around to see him in a gold sherwani, leaning against a pillar, his arms crossed, looking at her as though... How strange, she thought. ...As though she were an ice lolly and he a parched child. She must have misunderstood, she comforted herself. She smiled widely at him, delighted to see him. He looked like a prince, the sherwani accentuating his regal air.

Arnav looked at her, the soft pink dress adding a pink blush to her entire body. Her face looked rosy, the silver jewellery and silver beads on her dress glinting and glimmering as she moved. She looked like a firefly, shedding light where ever she went. The silver & blue bangles on her arms emphasised their slim length, inviting him to slide his fingers along the sensitive skin. The curve of her waist, revealed by her short choli, seemed to beg his hand to claim it. He swallowed. He looked into her eyes. They seemed confused at the expression in his eyes. As he watched, a bright smile bloomed on her face. He smiled slightly and moved forward, closer to the angel in pink who had graced his abode and life with her presence. His breath quickened with every step. She was going to will herself to him today, and take him, warts and all. He promised her silently that he would never give her cause to regret it.

Di limped towards them, NK in tow. "Chotey, Khushiji, it is time for the Roka."

She led Khushi by the arm to the specially decorated bower. Arnav, the Raizadas, and the Guptas followed. Khushi stood to the right of Arnav. First, Anjali marked a tika on her forehead, and then Buaji did the same to Arnav. She tied a raksha dagha on his right wrist, and blessed him with long life and prosperity. Then it was time for the couple to exchange rings. Arnav extended his right hand towards her, an intent look in his eyes. Khushi smiled at him, took a thin gold band in her right hand, and cupping his right hand safe in her left, slid the ring on to his finger.

Then it was Arnav's turn. He took a ring with a sparkling diamond in his right hand, and took hold of her left hand. He hesitated for a moment. Which finger was he supposed to...? All, including Khushi smiled seeing Arnav's confusion. Anjali quickly pointed out the right finger to him. She said, "Chotey, this finger is said to have a nas running directly to the heart. That is why the engagement ring is worn on this finger."

"Oh!", he said. He slid the ring onto the right finger. His education had been sadly neglected, he realised. Avoiding weddings and marriage functions over the years had left him totally ignorant of the rituals and the rules associated with them. Time to remedy that! He wondered if he could find some online tutorial or Marriage for Dummies to help him out.

Members of both families hugged and blessed them, all of them shedding tears of joy. The guests lined up to congratulate them. Arnav introduced Khushi to many of his business associates, hoping that the fuss would end soon so that he could snatch a moment alone with her. When he managed to get rid of all the guests wanting to shower their blessings on him and Khushi, Nani & Mami stole her from right under his nose to introduce her and the Guptas to their friends.

It was time for some drastic action, he decided. But before he could take a step forward, there was an ear-splitting din. A band of drummers and other musicians entered his living room. The crowd went crazy at their entry. It was time for them to dance and make merry. He looked frantically around him. Where was Khushi? She was not familiar with the layout of the house. If she got lost...

A small hand slipped into his larger one, holding him in a warm clasp.

"Shall we dance, Arnavji?"

He didn't hear her words. Her touch had deafened him to all sound. He looked at her moving lips, feeling only the tingles that her simple touch was sending through his body and heart.

Khushi misinterpreted his silence & stillness as reluctance, and slowly led him by hand to the centre of the dancing crowd. Arnav followed, lost in her eyes.

They stood facing each other in the midst of the mad, frenzied crowd of the young and the old.

Khushi stepped closer to him to shout in his ear, "Arnavji, just lift your arms in the air and move them in time to the music. Just shuffle your feet."

All Arnav could do was smell the flowers adorning her hair, drag in deep breaths of her very essence, look into her deep eyes, her plump lips, her slender neck bearing the weight of an elaborate necklace...Dancing was beyond him. Hell, even thinking was beyond him.

Khushi thought that Arnav was still because he could not hear her words over the music. She stepped closer to encourage him to dance. A girl, spinning around, knocked into Khushi's back, tipping her into Arnav's arms. Now his arms rose without her instructions and closed around her, pulling her into the safety of his hold. She lay against his heart, her right hand clutching his shoulder, her left around his slim, hard waist. She could stay like this for ever. She closed her eyes.

"Is Bhabi alright?", Akash asked him, shouting into his ear, anxious.

Arnav turned his head, looked at him, & nodded.

Akash continued to dance, his mind at rest. Arnav slowly eased Khushi away from him, both reluctant to part.

He looked at her sweet upturned face, and asked her in a voice that was not quite there, "Tum theek ho?"

She couldn't hear anything over the music, but could read his lips and eyes. She nodded.

NK threw his arm around Arnav's shoulders. "Nannav, dance! It is your tokra (roka)."

Khushi caught hold of both of Arnav's arms and slowly lifted them. He complied. She began moving to the music, slowly nudging him with her body into shuffling his feet. Slowly he began to be more comfortable, and soon started enjoying the hand waving and the feet shifting. Akash & NK came to keep them company, and the four of them danced to their heart's content.

Soon it was time for dinner, and the guests began to leave the dancing for the laden tables, lured by the appetising scent of delicious food wafting on the gentle breeze.

"Nani, Babuji, I would like to show Khushi around the house." He waited for their permission, which was readily given.

"Arnav Bitwaa, shows her your bedroom.", Mami instructed softly. Arnav looked at her, startled.

Anjali giggled. Nani hid her smile, and chided, "Manorama!"

"I mean, Sasumma, she has to lib there after a year. It is good that she knows the bay (way)!" Mami, Nani, & Anjali tittered. Buaji & Amma concealed their smiles.

Arnav caught hold of Khushi's hand, and took her over the ground floor, showing her the many rooms and the kitchen and introducing her to Hari Prakash and Laxmi. As he watched, she chatted away with Hari Prakash like old friends and kneeled on the floor in her gorgeous clothes to make a fuss of the goat who was lapping it all up. He had to drag her away from the kitchen to the top floor, Laxmi trailing behind them. He closed his bedroom door with Khushi in the room and Laxmi out, wanting desperately to share atleast a few moments with her in peace.

He turned to see Khushi looking around his room at the dull drapes, his green recliner, his big bed, the pictures on his walls, the books on his shelf... It was like a dream come true. He had imagined her in this room a million times in the last few days, dreamt that she was sharing the bed with him, standing by him at the poolside, sharing his recliner while he worked on his laptop...He had even seen her sitting in his office across the table eating channa while he did his work, sitting by him in the conference room holding his hand while he listened to his marketing manager drone on...

"Khushi!", he said as he moved towards her.

Laxmi, furious at being left out, butted the door open, and fell in.

Arnav muttered, "Unbelievable!", and escorted Laxmi out of his room and latched the door.

He turned around to find Khushi missing. The door to the poolside was open. A mild wind blew through the door to ruffle the curtains in his room. He strode to the poolside to come to an abrupt stop.

Khushi was standing mesmerised at the sight of a thousand fairy lights strung on the trees and bushes of his garden, their reflection turning the water of his pool into a dark sea with gold coins scattered on the surface. She looked like a pari, ethereal, a figment of his imagination... Scared to make a noise or a hasty movement lest she vanish, he moved on silent feet, slowly towards her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

She turned around and smiled into his eyes. "This is so beautiful! It is like a fairyland."

Arnav swallowed.

"Arnavji, I wanted to tell you something earlier, but didn't get a chance in the bustle. You look very handsome in the sherwani. It suits you very well." She smiled.

Arnav bent his head and dropped a kiss on her right cheek.

She stood shocked, still. The spot burned. Her hand crept to the cheek he had kissed, covering the burning skin. She raised astonished eyes to his melting ones.

"Why?", she whispered.

Arnav could feel his lips stretching in a smile. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For the compliment."

She swallowed hard, and brought her hand down, leaving her cheek uncovered.

Arnav bent his head and kissed her left cheek, letting his lips linger on her soft, scented, silky skin. She shut her eyes tight to contain the surge of pleasure his touch produced in her. She stayed with her eyes shut even after his lips left her cheek. Her limbs trembled, weak, almost unable to keep her standing. Her heart pumped at a mad rate and her breath almost deserted her.

"For marrying me.", he whispered.

She felt him take her left hand in his, look at the ring he had given her, raise her hand to his lips, and kiss the ring. She trembled in pleasure, her eyes still shut.

She felt him come closer still, his sweet breath brush her face, and then she felt his lips on her eyelids, first the right one and then the left. She shut her eyes tighter still.

(PinkCinderella, thanx a million!)

"Won't you open your eyes, Khushi?", he whispered.

She shook her head to mean 'no'.

She could feel him smile.

"For me?"

She slowly opened her eyes, the lashes fluttering as she looked into his burning eyes reminding her of their shared pleasure. For the first time in her entire life, she felt shy. She blushed.

Part 8: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/fan-fictions/3174896/ss-his-smiling-girl-part-10-updated-on-pg-108

What a chapter... it is dripping with romanticism... I loved it and the subtle sexual tension, the emanating love, the rituals, the merging of 2 families... it is so much what i want to see in the show... but alas...such is not my luck... so i lay down in front of my lappy, logged to IF and stalk yr SS only to appease my parched soul and mind ...which crave for ARHI romance!!! So thank you from the deepest recess of my heart for providing me with some much needed respite from my misery!!!!