Learning The Alphabet... Arshi Style! [COMPLETED] - Page 13

"Humein nahin karni aapse koyi baat!" (I don't want to talk to you!)

"Khushi, please!"

"Ji nahin! Aapne vaada kiya tha!" (No! You had promised!)

"Flight delayed hogayi main kya karoon?" (What do I do if the flight is delayed?)

"Voh hum nahin jaante!" She pouted and disconnected immediately while all the guests were rejoicing in front of her eyes. "Laad Governor!" she muttered to herself. "Dekha, beta? New Year's eve bhi humaare saath nahin mana sakte!" (I don't know! Laad Governor! See, beta? He can't even spent New Year's Eve with us!)

Khushi sadly looked at all the couples gathered in the Raizada hall. Naniji had gone off to pilgrimage, so NK and Anjali had thought they could do something totally different this year. They had orchestrated everything. Everybody had agreed, but at the last moment an important meeting had come up, and according to her dear husband, it would be very difficult for Aman and Akash to handle it. So, her Arnavji had himself flown to Kuala Lumpur to finalise the so-called 'important' deal.

She crossly wondered what could be more important than your family. Knowing how her mood had denatured due to Arnav's impromptu departure and her pregnancy hormones, the family members stayed away from her. Now, Khushi Kumaari Gupta Singh Raizada was an angry fire ball which only one brand of fire extinguisher could control. And that brand's name was Arnav Singh Raizada.

Not just Khushi, all the rest of them were eagerly waiting for him to come and cool her down. She stood in a darkened corner, brooding and burning in jealousy for all those couples who had their partners with them. When she glanced at the clock, it was nearly midnight and the countdown was about to begin. A tiny smile budded on her lips as she remembered their first New Year's eve.

They had ended the year looking at each other, and started the next one in the same way. It was a tradition they had decidedly kept up after the marriage. They had not needed to tell this to each other. It had just seemed the most natural thing to do...

NK bounced on the stairs, microphone in hand and began the countdown, reminding Khushi of the moment when he had appeared at the Guptas' with a bouquet of roses, igniting Arnav with insatiable jealousy. She wanted to laugh but instead, her eyes filled up. Why wasn't he here? She'd do anything to be with him at that moment. She'd do anything to see those dark eyes darken even more. She'd do anything to see that excruciatingly slow grin spread on his lips. She'd do anything for those strong arms to wrap around her. She'd do anything for those hard but gentle lips to crush hers at midnight exactly...

A tear made its way down her smooth cheek.

"...Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Happy New Year!" NK yelled over the cheers as the lights went out.

But Khushi sort of went deaf.

Once Anjali had turned off the lights and the darkness had settled, she had not even got the time to shiver in fright of the gruesome blackness when she felt herself being swept in someone's arms. Warm strong arms, sheathing her in a tight embrace. And before she could realise, hungry lips were devouring hers greedily. Wrecking havoc. Making her heart go miles per second. Lighting up her whole world.

She didn't need the light to recognise him. A fraction of a second before he had pulled her away, behind that column, she had realised he was very near. Khushi melted against him, running her hand up to tangle them in his hair and pull him closer. She tried to stand on her tiptoes to overcome the distance her bump was putting between them...

He broke away panting slightly. The lights were back and she saw him smirk down at her. "Missed me?"

She fought the urge to pull him back down for another ferocious kiss but she refrained herself. What did he think? He'd play such a nasty joke on her, then kiss her and expect she'd go all mushy-mushy on him. Khushi scowled and punched him hard on his chest. "Aap ek number ke jhoothe hain! Humein aapse koyi baat nahin karni!" (You're such a liar! I won't talk to you!)

Arnav looked around with a large grin. They were well shielded from the mass of cousins he didn't recognise and didn't want to meet anyway. Right now, he just wanted to be with his angry little wife.

"Main mazaak kar raha tha, Khushi!" (I was joking, Khushi!)

She glared at him irately before stomping back to their room via the poolside. He followed closely, without caring to meet even his sister. Once they were in the room, he locked the doors and hugged her from behind, kissing her neck. She suppressed a sigh although her breaths hitched.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, nipping her earlobe gently while splaying his large hands on her tummy. "Di keh rahi thi tumhaara gussa kaafi flammable hokar tumhaari Chhoti si laal naak pe baitha hai, mere gusse ki tarha? Ab dekh bhi liya hai!" (... Di was saying, You anger had become quite flammable and was sitting on your little red nose, like mine? I've seen it now!)

His teasing tone melted her at once but she kept a straight face and turned in his arms. "Aapko to saza milegi hi, Mr Arnav Singh Raizada!" she hissed furiously. He only had the time to raise his eyebrows at her husky voice before she had grabbed his collar and dragged him down for another kiss. (But you have to be punished!)

***

Much later, she lay in his arms, smiling. "He Devi Maiyya!" she squealed, sitting up. "Gusse mein to hum bhool bhi gaye! Happy New Year, Arnavji!" (HDM! In my anger I had even forgotten, Happy New Year Arnavji!)

Arnav grinned at his mad wife. "Happy New Year, Khushi." He gazed at her for a few silent seconds before he sat up too, his arms encircling her and his fingers drawing invisible patterns on her bump. "Voh pehli baar yaad hai?" (... You remember that first time?)

Khushi blushed with a giggle. How could she forget? "Aap chori-chhipe humaare kamre mein ghus aaye the!" (You had sneaked into my room!)

"Mein sirf apna mobile lene aaya tha okay?" he grumbled, a bit flustered. "Tumse milne ka utna bhi shauk nahin tha!" (I just wanted to get my phone back okay? I wasn't there to meet you!)

"Lekin aap chhup-chhup ke aaye the na? Aur jab Nanheji aaye the? Aap kitna gussa hue the!" she laughed. (But you had come stealthily! And when NK had come home? You had been so angry!)

He tightened his arms protectively around her as he confessed almost embarrassedly, "Haan to? Main jealous feel karta tha. Tum usse ziaada hi attention dene lagi thi." (So what? I was feeling jealous. You were giving him too much attention.)

"Haww! Arnav Singh Raizada ko jalan? Vahi to! Humaare kamre mein jalne ki badbu aa rahi thi, lekin humne socha ki patakhon ki vajah se-" (ASR was jealous? That's why! I was thinking that it smelt of burning that day, but I had linked the reason to the firecrackers-)

"Shut up, Khushi!"

She giggled. "Aur jab Buaji ne aapko Jiji samajh liya tha?" (And Buaji had mistaken you for Payal?)

Arnav chuckled. "Tumne mujhe bed par giraaya and you made me pass for Payal! Varna Buaji ko aisa kabhi nahin lagta aur hum chaaron ka murder ho jaata! Tum kitni paagal thi, Khushi!" (You had thrown me on the bed and made me pass for your sister! Else Buaji would never have and the four of us would have been killed! You were so mad, Khushi!)

"Ab nahin hain kya?" she pouted, discomfited at his comment. (Not anymore?)

He narrowed his eyes playfully. "Thoda ziaada." (A bit more.)

Khushi laughed, but it didn't last long. Her laughter died soon and an odd look settle in her eyes, worrying Arnav.

"Arnavji? Humne jo aapse kaha tha uss din? Ke hum aapka chehra dekhna nahin chahte? Aur aapne humaara naya saal barbaad kardiya? Humaara voh matlab nahin tha..." (...What I had told you that day? That I didn't want to see you? And that you had ruined my new year? I didn't mean it...)

||

"He Bhagvaan! Sab se pehle humne kiska chehra dekh liya?" (Oh my God! Whose face have I seen?)

"S'cuse me? Maine bhi tumhaara chehra dekha hai okay?" (...I've seen your face too, okay?)

"Aapne chaahe humaara chehra dekh liya, lekin humne to aapka chehra dekha, na? (Even if you have seen my face, I've seen yours, haven't I?)

***

"Kya zaroorat thi mere saamne aane ki? Mera naya saal barbaad kardiya!" (Why did you come before me? You ruined my new year!)

"Hum? Hum aapke saamne aaye? Bade jyotshi banke bhavishyavaani kar rahe the! 'Dekhna! Ghoom-phir ke tum mere saamne aaogi!' Ab kya hua? Ghoom-phir ke aap humaare saamne aaye! Humaara naya saal barbaad karne ke liye..." (I? I came before you? You were being a great fortune teller, weren't you? 'See! You'll come in front of me!' Now what happened? You came before me! To ruin my new year...)

||

Seeing the tears fill up her eyes, he cupped her cheek in his hand immediately, his worried frown on his face. "Khushi," he crooned, nuzzling his nose against her temple. "I know you didn't mean that. Mera bhi voh matlab nahin tha... Hum bas uss vakt ek dusre ko pareshaan kar rahe the, right? Ab usska koyi matlab nahin. Hum ab ek doosre ke saath hain, na?" (...I didn't mean it too... We were just troubling each other, right? Now it doesn't matter. We are together, aren't we?)

Khushi gave him a tiny smile and sniffed, taking his hands in hers. "Hamesha." (Forever.)