SS: Keeping Khushi Thread 2: Part 22 in Th 3 - Page 28

women wid scarse too shld hav a life...nyc update cont sooon

😭 Ow, poor dear. She is so miserable...and he is soo happy! This part made me sad.

yar where is the update????

That was really touching! Hey, buddy I am not getting your pm suddenly for the last two updates. I am having to check myself very now and then whether you have updated. Pls do Pm me .

Waiting waiting ... Please update!!!!!

awww sweet update!!

"Can I get a hug and a kiss too?" , he asked, a devilish smirk on his face. --- Naughty boy 😛😛😛😛

😭😭😭😭
update soon buddy!!

Fantastic story. Am looking into this post every 5 minutes to see if there is an update.

Part 16

Baba looked at Khushi's wan face as she placed his cup of tea on his low table. The absence of her usual warm smile, her silence...all told him the truth. She had spent the whole night crying and worrying about Arnav and her future course of action. He sighed. Even in the most difficult situations, she always had a smile on her lips as she quietly went about finding a way out. But now... This had hit her too hard.

As she straightened, Baba said lovingly, "It is not very difficult, Taarva."

She looked at him, surprised.

"What is not, Baba?"

"Solving your problem."

Khushi looked at Baba with direct eyes.

"Tell him the truth. Let him decide what he wants."

Pain flashed across her face. Baba winced inwardly.

"If he decides to marry me out of guilt... I don't want that, Baba."

"Then what do you want?"

Khushi stared at him, finding it difficult to voice her desires.

Baba helped her out.

"You want Arnav to know about your scars and the damage to your body, and still decide to marry you because he is deeply in love with you.", he stated.

Khushi lowered her eyes. Put this way, it seemed like she was hoping for too much.

"And you don't want him to regret his decision. Ever."

Khushi had to nod. Baba was, as usual, perfectly right about her.

"But how will you know if he is capable of all this unless and until you tell him the truth? Give him a choice?"

Khushi stared at him, unable to answer him.

"Arnav has to choose his path on his own. You can't do it for him."

Khushi nodded reluctantly.

"Tell him the truth. If he is worthy of you, he will react as you want him to."

Khushi looked at Baba, scared.

"If he is not worthy of you, he will react as you fear. Either way, it will decide your future."

Khushi lowered her eyes to hide her tears, and nodded.

Baba touched her hair gently with his long fingers.

"Life is too short to be wasted in regret and worry. And no one should know this better than me, you, and Arnav, Taarva."

Khushi nodded, and caught his hand in hers to kiss his fingers.

"You are right, Baba.", she said in a choked voice. "As usual.", she tried to smile. "I will tell him the truth, as soon as I get a chance to talk to him alone. He might come here in the morning."

Baba nodded.

Khushi placed 21 boxes and bottles of water on the dining table. Her children came in laughing and teasing each other. They touched her feet, hugged and kissed her, and were hugged and kissed in return. They then collected their boxes and water bottles and left for their schools & colleges.

Chotu turned back on reaching the door.

"Di, are you alright?"

Khushi smiled. "Haan, I am alright."

"Something seems to be missing in your smile. Di, you have been looking pale for the last couple of days. What's wrong?"

Khushi smiled, trying to put on a confident air. "There is nothing wrong with me. But you will be late if you stay here any longer.", she reminded him with a smile.

"Di, let's see a doctor in the evening. I will come with you."

"Chotu!"

He touched Khushi's shoulder. "Di...", his voice was quiet, but determined. "There is something wrong. I know it. And you know it. Let's get a full medical check up done today evening."

"There is no need, Chotu. I am perfectly fine." Khushi cupped his face lovingly. Chotu was becoming a man now, willing to take on responsibility...

It was so difficult to hide her pain from her children. Chotu had already cornered her three times that morning. Akshaya, Akansha, Simi, Varun... even Vivek, calling her from Mumbai, had caught her out. She was blessed to have so many loving children.

"Then there must be something worrying you. What is it?" Chotu was insistent.

"There is.", Khushi said with a serious air.

"Kya, Di?", he looked at her, worried.

"That you will be late today."

Chotu looked at her smiling face, not fooled for a moment.

"I will go now, Di. But don't think that our conversation is over."

Khushi looked at the single lunch box and water bottle sitting on the table. Where was he?

Her phone rang. It was Arnavji.

"Hello!"

"Khushi!" His husky voice sent shivers down her spine.

"Ji?"

"I am sorry I won't be able to come to Omkar today."

Khushi swallowed her disappointment.

"I am at the hospital."

"Hospital?", her voice was thin, reedy in shock. "Kya hua? Are you alright?"

He loved it! Her concern, her worry for him...

"No, I am not alright.", he sighed.

"What... what is wrong?"

"I am upset, worried...so tensed..." He lowered his voice.

"What is wrong with you, Arnavji?" Her voice said that she was expecting the worst. "Were you... were you in an a..a..accident?"

Arnav rushed to comfort her, hating himself for having brought back bad memories.

"No, no. I am perfectly fine, Khushi. Perfectly fine. Mami twisted her foot while coming down the stairs for breakfast. We brought her to the hospital. She has a sprain. The doctor is bandaging it right now. That's all."

"Oh!" He could hear the rush of relief in her voice.

"Khushi, did you pack lunch & fill a bottle with water for me?" How could a man's voice be so warm, so full of love?

It was no use hiding from him. She looked at the guilty lunch box & bottle. "J..i..i..."

Arnav smiled. She could see him smile.

"Acha, let me cut the call. I have some...some work to do." She tried to get away from him.

Arnav let her go. For now.

"See you in the evening.", he said before ending the call.

Khushi frowned. Evening? How would they meet in the evening? She had another concert that evening.

The curtain was raised. Khushi folded her hands to honour the audience, smiling. The smile froze on her lips. In the front row were the Raizadas. Nani, Mami with her bandaged foot on a footrest, Anjaliji, Akash, NK, and Arnavji. They were all smiling at her. Mami waved her hand. Khushi smiled at them, greeted the accompanying artistes, and started her concert.

As she made her way through Bhairavi and explored the nuances of Kalyan, her eyes returned to Arnavji who had his gaze fixed on her. The look in his eyes...

Arnav looked at her with pleasure. Pink and light green silk sari, the pallu over her right shoulder, her long-sleeved blouse, her beautiful face, her well-formed fingers moving gracefully in the air as she elaborated some point in the raaga, her smiles...He could spend his whole life just basking in the open, shared pleasure that she took in singing.

As soon as the concert was over, and the curtain fell, she felt Arnavji's arms helping her to rise. She thought that he would let go of her once she was on her feet, but his fingers curled around her arms more firmly, pulling her to rest her back against his chest. She tried to free herself as the Raizada ladies, including a hobbling Mami, came to join them. His hold tightened. His family seemed to find nothing strange in his holding her so close. They paid her rich compliments, and Naniji and Anjaliji kissed her cheek.

(River, thanx!)

Mami said, "You sing well. Bahut hi acha gaawat ho! After your marrijj to hamre Arnav Bitwaa, sing Munni Badnam Hui and Second-hand jawani for me."

Part 17: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/fan-fictions/3248201/ss-keeping-khushi-thread-2-part-22-in-th-3?pn=58

Yayyy...