Note:
hey guys thank you very much for waiting patiently, sorry i know i'm late..will try to update a little sooner next time. Hope you like this one.. Ive tried to pm as many people as possible sorry if i missed you out. I have decided to clear out my buddy list and start again so please like this chapter if you want pm reminders. p.s thank you for all your lovely comments, ive read them all and i promise to reply to all of them this time around. - Happy diwali and new year to all those celebrating - JSR
Chapter 2 of 4Silence at the breakfast table as arnav watches his family eat without a word, as each one of them finishes there respective meal and leaves the table, only person left at the table is arnav with khushi stood clearing plates from the table.
Whilst Arnav eats quietly from his plate , Preoccupied by all his thoughts and what he had just noticed about his family khushi very politely puts her words forward breaking his chain of thought. Whilst kushi spoke arnav found himself just staring into the beauty of her face, that politeness in her words and the way she deffered from look at him directly.
"
Aman ji ka do baar phone aachuka hai..woh aapke baare mein pooch rahe the.."a little lost thinking how someone could be so composed all the time, theyd been married for how many months now but he had never seen her loose her temper at him or question him ever. A little lost in his thoughts for a moment arnav takes a second or two to respond his expression creasing a little having realized that she was still waiting for a response."its ok I'll call him" Arnav watched an angelic smile draw on her face..as she left the table
Khushi waits at the entrance of the room looking into the room a little edgily it wasn't very often that arnav asked her to come up to the room. Kushi looked into the room and saw him..standing in front of his open cupboard, removing his waist coat whilst talking to what seemed like Aman over his hands free advising him that he was going to take the next few days off work. Kushi listening In unintentionally begins to wonder what this was in aid of. Before she could think on it for very long arnavs conversation with aman had finished and he had noticed kushi whilst pulling over a green shade of knitwear over his head. Kushi watched him straighten his jumper and spoke after a slight pause.
"aapne bulayay?"He casually glanced towards her folding the sleeve of his jumper whilst responding. "Yey..come in sit down" This type of thing never happened between them and so khushi a little confused walks into the room yet pauses at a little distance. A little unsure, uneasy yet animated per nature she finds herself a little out of place until arnav eyes the green recliner to his right..asking her to sit down.
As arnav finishes off perfecting the folds of his sleeves and puts his waistcoat back in its rightful place in the wardrobe he hears a slightly apprehensive tone of voice questioning him from behind. "
hamse koi galti hogayi kya..?'He pulls a slightly confused expressions he walks towards the recliner and takes a seat next to khushi. He couldn't help but notice..that khushi flinched as he approached to sit next to her even more so she stood up as soon as he had taken his seat.
"Whats wrong, sit down.." Khushi takes a second or two to process his words and then sits back down. A soft silence between the two of them Arnav senses a little awkwardness between them yet he also notices the fact that there was something going on in khushis mind.
"Tume aisa kyun lagta hai ke mein tum par ghusa kar ne wala hoon?Khushi..looks a little surprised as she looks towards him momentarily ..
"nahin datenge?? When shesrealizes that he is looking at her a little confused she drops hers eyes being a bit more composed. "
Jab ham koi garbar karte hai tabhi aap hame aise bulate ho naa isliyey."
Really? he thought to himself..maybe she was right all the times he had made an effort to speak to her It was because he was angry and when he contemplated on this he realized just how horrible that must be for her.
Khushi noticed a certain change in him since last night, he seemed to be strained or upset by something ..
Khushi
: "aap theekh toe hai naa?.."Arnav breaking his chain of thoughts looks towards khushi with a simplicity and innocence she had never seen before.
"I think so, bas tumse baat karna chahta tha.. I know ive not been the perfect husband but.." he seemed to stop there .. Almost lost for words, he was never good at expressing feelings instead he got straight to the point. "
Khushi do you love me? pyaar karti ho mujse..?"Khushi a little confused not expecting that at all looks surprised "
Ji??? Yey kaisa saval hai..Aap hamare pati hai..agar ham aapse nahin toe kisse pyaar karenge.?"Somehow her response seemed genuine to him..as soon as he looked towards her she changed the course of her sight, unsure if it was uneasiness or just discomfort one thing Arnav new is that the need to know for sure.
"Tum meri wife ho isliyey majbooran tum yahi kahogi, like the rest of the family. meine dekha niche breakfast table pein ..how each one of you changes the minute I walk into the room, aur tum mujse nazre tak nahin mila paati because of the way I am." For the first time khushi sensed some feeling within her husband, saddened by what he thought of himself kushi tries to correct him.
"Aisa nahin hai.." only to be instanty cut off by arnav..who turs to her asking her to look into his eyes the once without hesitating "
Then look at me..Dekho mujhe.." Arnav watched as khushi looked up at him vaguely only to drop her eyes back down. Proving himself correct khushi watches him stare into oblivion whilst he talks of his deepest concern. His words strained, khushi could feel the distress in his tone of voice..her eyes tearing up at the feelings she sensed.
"I know I'm not the most approachable person, I get angry easily, I'm intolerant to some things but I'm no tyrant. Kahin na khahin meri hein galti hai..muje is had tak kabhi pochne hein nahin dena chaiyey tha jaha mere appne hein mujse itna dur hojayey." Khushi had always wanted to see the softer side of her husband, for him to talk to her for them to share feelings with one and other but she was unaware that he felt this way about himself. Overwhelmed with this sudden change in him, the way he had just opened up to her, this was the first time in six months of marriage they had shared a proper conversation. Khushi was a mix of feelings. Happiness for he was finally breaking that wall that he had created around himself but hurt for she could feel his isolation.
"Kya ham kuch keh sakte hai" arnav nods slightly without moving his expression from his stare into oblivion.
Aap is ghar ke bade hai .. is ghar ke log aapki isat karte hai, une pata hai ke aapko kya pasand hai kya nahin aur woh us hisaab aapke saamne pesh aate ta ki aap naraz na ho. Yey unka pyaar, unki issat hai aapke liyey."Arnav takes an intrigued look at khushi for a moment..how was she so positive? She saw things from such a light that was never apparent to him and maybe shw was right. He watched an expressiveness take over her face as she explains herself lost in her own being. She loved to talk and there was certain craziness about her that he had noticed for the first time. A hype of excitement about her every word left him speechless her sentiments so innocent. She was so lost in her own explanation that she failed to notice him watching her intently.
"Aur jaha tak hamari baat hai..Hamari aama ne hame sikhayay tha ke.. pati ke saamne nazre jukhayi jaati hai" arnav watched the way she blushed a little when explaining so he found her explanation was full of innocence but she hadn't quite finished. He watched her carry out some expressive hand gestures as she spoke..
" lekin ... bade bade ko darayay hai hamne in badi badi akhon se..hah.!!! Arnav was a little surprised when khushi stared into his eyes demonstrating her anti afraid glare it seemed like she had got carried away and then realized it was him she was talking too and went back to being a dutiful wife.
"Maaf kijyey..hamne kuch syada hein boldiya"he replied with a casual "its ok" a few minites later she happen to glance at him to see him laughing?? It was a gental laugh, his eyes carried a certain glow..and his laughter was an innocent as a child's. Surprised, wasn't the word, she had never seen him at so much ease..it made her smile too..""
Aap par hasi bohot atchi lagti hai.."Arnav didn't realize he was laughing so openly tilll kushi mentioned it.. before he could respond the remainder of that amusement still on his expression slowly relaxing anjalis voice calling for khushi intervenes .
Lagta hai di bula rahin hai..Ham chate hai.. arnav nods in acknowledgment and watches kushi get up and walk away only to stop to say something more.
"Agar aap chahte hai ke..is ghar ke log ke saath aapki nasdikiya bade toe aap aise hein haste rahiyey..."khushi's words provoke a thought in arnavs mind..looking to back to see khushi gone arnav turns to the patio doors seeing his reflection in the glass he smiles.
..Later on in the afternoon arnav comes down to his eyes searching the lounge he asks nk who is seated at the sofa in front of his laptop about khushis where abouts. Nk replies without much moving his eyes of the laptop screen, "Khushi ji apni buaji se milne gayi hai.." arnav found it a little strange that kushi didn't mention anything to him but then thought nothing of it. He was never usually around in the day time or he never made time for her in any case so she was probably used to making these visits on her own that feeling alone for arnav was something that made him think. On the other hand arnav noticed the way nk was a little defence..a little like a child who was unhappy about something, sulking.
Arnav walking towards the sofa ..is just about the take a seat next to nk when nk leaves that particular spot on the sofa and decides to sit across from arnav. Arnav pulls a face at firs and then recalls yesterdays incident at the breakfast table when he had been blunt with nk. Nk had asked him for help with his hindi skills but arnav had been rude. Regretting his behaviour now arnav..tries to make conversation to break the ice.
"What you up to nk?"Nk peering from the top of the laptop screen gives an irritated response.. "Kuch nahin..nothing for you to worry about."Not taking this for a response..arnav waits for a moment..instead of getting angry he decides to take a slightly different approach. Following nk onto the other sofa..arnav takes a seat next to nk and looks over his shoulder at the computer screen.
Nk was trying to learn hindi with the aid of some software or the other..and he had made a spelling error which arnav notices and points out, "
That's wrong NK" Although arnav did not mean it in a spiteful way..nk had taken it to heart."
STOP IT NANNNAV..!! PHELE SHOUT KARTE HO AUR JAB MEIN LEARN KAR RAHA HOON..MISTAKES NIKAL RAHEH HO..Just leave me alone."Watching him storm off arnav finds it quite amusing as well as heart warming that nk had such an innocent streak.
A little later..arnav knocks on the door of nks room, entering after approval, arnav walks in to find nk sitting on on his bed sulking with computer on his latop. A little unsure of what to say..the only thing that comes to mind is "sorry"
"kya..?? kya kaha tumne.."arnav repeats himself..
"im sorryI shouldn't have shouted at you yesterday.."nk more than shocked..cant get over the fact that arnav had just apologized. As arnav takes a seat..on the bed..nks condition for forgiveness is arnavs help with his hindi which arnav approves of.
Both of them spend a considerable amount of time, arnav finds it hard to get nks words pronounced correctly..after lots of trial, error, laughter and irritation.. the two have them had finally reconnected. Nk was proud to see a little of that arnav that he new was always within his businessman of a brother..and arnav too enjoyed nks company.
Nks wrist watch set to an alarm interrupts there conversation and nk realizes that that it was Wednesday that too 6.30 pm which meant he was to take maami to her weekly ritual of cinema showing, arnav suggests that he take maami on this occasion, as surprised as nk is he agrees.
10. 30 pm when arnav gets home..on entering raizada mansion with maami after the film showing maami talks about how she cant get over the fact that arnav had come with her to the cinema that too to watch an Indian film..arnav sees khushi laying the table at a distance. Maami noticing the arnavs attention towards khushi makes a comment.
"Aise kya dekht ho..arnav bitwa.. phati saari.. sorry khushi ..hamesha tumara wait karat hai..sometimes toe aise hein soh jaati hai bina khayey. Hamne kitni baar bola hai usko ke yey health ke leighyey theekh nahin hai lekin woh sunnat kaha hai!!"Arnav's eyes instantly to took to a more softer shape, ever since his break from work..and realization of the distance from his family he noticed the smallest of things about khushi he had never known. All those nights he had returned home in the hours of midnight he had never given her a second thought. As retires to her room arnav walks towards the dinning table..to khushi notices him..looking up from her task of laying the table she passes a faint smile.
-
"Aap khayeyge naa?"With all honesty arnav wasn't hungry yet he didn't have it in him to disappoint her further nor did he want her to not eat because of him.
"Aap fresh hoke aayey ham khanna laga dete hai.." arnav nodding another yes.. notices something about khushi her tone of voice was much more strained than earlier on in the morning..and she deferred from looking at him a little more than usual even that smile of hers seemed to be hiding something more not thinking too much over it arnav heads towards the kitchen.
Having washed his hands and freshened up, arnav takes a seat at the table and watches khushi turn over his plate and serve food into it. There was only one plate on the table, his. Wanting to know why she hadn't bothered to set her place at the table arnav questions her casually and khushi answers whilst still busy putting food into his plate.
Arnav: "
Tumari plate kaha hai??.."Khushi: "
Ham aapke baad khah lege.." before khushi had realized arnav had called for hari prakash and asked for another plate. khushi watched arnav put food in the second plate she tried to intervene trying to explain that he didn't have to do that for her but he refused. "
Its ok khushi..sit down.."Khushi found it hard to refuse, her sentiments a mix of appreciation and respect for his action. She took a seat opposite him where he put down a plate for her..
Arnav wanted to make conversation yet something about the silence between them made him feel that it was somewhat inappropriate. Khushi hardly ate anything and it slowly became apparent to him that something had upset her. Her eyes looked dazed, he wondered whether he was the reason for this state of hers ..the way he had neglected her all this time and now this sudden change.Arnav watched her eat very little and then clear the table just as he had finished he sat there for few minuets watching her and that doubt in his mind that something was upsetting her became more significant.
Next chapterWalking into his room from the poolsdie..arnav walks into khushi..stood in front of his open wardrobe.. her back towards him, a little confused to what she was looking for ..arnav was just about to ask when his eyes happen to glance past the dressing table mirror. He sees the side profile khushis reflection in the mirror but what he sees leaves him motionless. Holding close to her face the sleeve to ones of his blazers..khushi sobs silently to herself unaware of his presence.
Edited by jagrutid - 11 years ago
317