Arhi: Desert Rose #2 Chapter 17 updated page 116 - Page 93

Originally posted by: onlyindiaforums

Guess who is back, my friend? :-) I think I missed around 4 chapters?! The last was their erm "morning after" where I was cribbing to you about Ria and you pacified me.. You were right, of course :P Oh well, as you anyway probably know about my life by now, work happened.. I've been living in flights and hotels and suitcases and conference rooms for a month.. i want to take time out for things I enjoy doing, but mostly I'm so dog tired that the time I get, I end up spending in the jacuzzi or in bed, sigh.

You know, the moment Anjali told Arnav the truth about Khushi asking him to take her out, I knew that somewhere this is going to lead him to ask her to marry him. Minus everything, I knew the only way this man can ask Khushi to marry him is to put a condition and also to justify (in his head) that he has reasons for it (like reputation et al). For someone like him, coming out with the truth that he wants to be with her (even if he may not realize/acknowledge the marriage bit) is next to impossible. For all his macho-ness, Arnav is one of the most vulnerable and insecure characters around :-) Adorably so, of course.

I loved their scene in the office. It was obvious that by then, he was almost relieved to hear Khushi's truth from Anjali, Now, he didn't have to torture himself with the thought that she was deceitful. Now, he could finally begin to acknowledge to himself that she herself was too vulnerable at that point to have blurted out the truth. As a much younger and completely inexperienced person, Khushi had every right to hide herself behind the bevy of lies that she blurted out so as to hide her love for the man that she had irrevocably fallen in love with. The man who didn't believe in love. After Anjali's confession, I could almost see that relief in Arnav's demeanor.

Of course, jealous Arnav is a treat to sore eyes. When Khushi spoke about Suraj-ji, I was happy for Suraj that he wasn't around. Don't know what our man would have done to him! He went to the extent of threatening to disclose their lovemaking to Suraj. To me, that is the ultimate confession of his possessiveness for Khushi. For the kind of playboy that Arnav is judged to be, he should be the happiest if the woman in question can be married off to someone else and he doesn't have to bother. But, in Khushi's case, it was so obvious that he couldn't even stand the thought of Khushi with another man. Treat, treat, treat.

I love how Khushi refuses his proposal (if you can call it that). For someone who is used to women falling at his feet, for someone who is used to being made to feel that he is God's gift to womankind, for someone who is used to being made to feel that if he agrees to marry a woman, she should faint of gratitude, Khushi is a breeze of fresh air - reality check, and just what he needs.

The scenes between Arnav and Khushi are always so full of electricity. Wish our "director" Arse()h(ole)ad Khan learnt a few lessons - from you (since he clearly isn't learning anything from Lalit Mohan). Oh well that's a painful story. Either way, that scene where he comes to "seal' his deal with Khushi had me curling my toes, sighing. I love how Mr Casanova cannot help himself when he is around Khushi. It's so beautiful to watch. He even forgets to pretend sometimes. Its' adorable how he cannot keep his hands off her - even at the cost of his ego. Usually, that's something we see with Khushi. It's a refreshing (not to mention real) change when we see that side to Arnav. Khushi, of course, is being childish and stubborn when she asks him to stay away from her - reacting to her own reaction, poor baby.

Khushi really is one of the most beautiful characters I've seen. The way, after everything, she still thinks of Arnav's happiness. She still thinks that he did it for Akash and Payal and how it's her responsibility now to rid him of this unwanted bind between them. And how Arnav thinks that she isn't happy with him. Oh, the beauty of misunderstandings - especially when it's coz each of them is thinking of the others' happiness.

Shyam is puke-worthy of course. I really need Arnav to see what Shyam is trying to do to Khushi. Unlike the serial where after everything, there is yet to be a scene where Arnav realizes and protects his own wife from Shyam. I always prayed for that scene in the serial where Shyam tries to misbehave and Arnav sees it for what it is (as opposed to a misunderstanding) and protects his wife as he should.

Arnav really needs to try to understand Khushi's perspective a little more - how it will look to her if he disappears on their wedding night. He really needs to understand her vulnerabilities and insecurities in being with a man like him. Of course, it's his character to not know all of this head-on, but it's beautiful when he realizes and somewhere feels smug about it as well. He should take pleasure in making her realize that her insecurities about him are baseless and uncalled for.

I love the scene where she stubbornly lies on the recliner and mutters about him not being home the previous night and he carries her to bed. There is something incredibly adorable about them jatao-ing haq on each other :-)

How Arnav kisses Khushi on the stage is just drool-worthy. And how she gives in. How he cannot stay away from her no matter how much he tries is so totally awesome. I love how he seems to have implicitly fallen into (and has almost accepted) the routine of being married to her as if it's the most natural thing. Trust Khushi to be worrying about letting him free - just like her. It will be awesome when he gets a wind of that and tells (or erm shows) her exactly what he thinks of being separated from her.

One of the most adorable scenes was Khushi's feelings when she heard that Arnav wanted her to have mehendi on her hand. And minutes later she is told that Arnav went to the hotel with Ria. I could almost feel her heartbreak in my own heart. Such a young, naive girl, hopelessly in love with this man, having so many insecurities about the man, then having to hear such things. Again, it's Arnav's job to make her feel confident about their relationship. I'm glad he saw the tears, I hope he realizes why she cried, I hope he realizes that he should've cared enough to seek her out to tell her his plans, to tell his wife that he is only hers.

Erm, Charlotte, is this longer than one of your updates? Apologies. Actually, I know you won't care that it's too long though, so no apologies! Kya karen, I travel too much and am stuck at all sorts of time zones for me to make any statements about my whereabouts! See you soon, my friend :-)

<3

Originally posted by: charlotte74

Welcome back! It both scares and exhilarates me when someone analyses my story to this depth. But it is good to have someone do your retrospection for you -- helps in not going astray. And in this, I have a few like you I can depend on :-)

I thought you might have been put off because I put your "vodka tonic" into Arnav's hand four chapters ago LOL.

PS: that distortion of AK's name was quiet innovative...