The door to the study suddenly opened causing Khushi to startle. She poked her head from the side of her chair closing the book in her lap.
"oh! Dad you scared me" she complained rising from the chair, only to be gestured by him to sit back.
Ratan sat across from Khushi on the table and handed her the mug,
"Just how my princess likes it"
Khushi took the coffee mug and inhaled deeply, taking in the fragrance. She took a small sip and raised her eyebrows letting the warm liquid run in her mouth.
"Just how I like it" she remarked raising the mug in the air to which Ratan chuckled.
"So I see that you are really getting along with Arnav" he spoke gravely.
Khushi suddenly looked up from her book;
"Yes, I suppose he is a very nice person dad" she tried to reassure him.
"Well I sure he is, but we don't know him much dear, nothing more than the fact that his bone marrow matched yours" Ratan walked over to Khushi's chair and sat on the arm rest taking her hand into his.
"Look sweetheart I and your mom have seen the world, and we know that most of the time things might not always be as they seem. We just want you to get hurt
"Arnav is not going to hurt me dad" she resisted staring into his eyes.
However before her could reply the door to the study opened up and in walked the maid with the phone,
"Sir it's your Mr.Mehra regarding your flight arrangements for tomorrow."
Ratan took the phone in his hand and started towards the door. But Khushi ran and hugged him tight causing him to stop in his path. He hugged her back and Khushi looked up in a childly demeanor spoke,
"I will miss you dad."
Ratan placed a kiss on her forehead and turned to exit the study.
***********************
Khushi sat on lay on the sofa with her head in her mother's lap, who was busy on the phone discussing a charity event she was suppose to visit over the weekend in France. Khushi had been use to her parent's busy life and had in fact become quite independent living by herself in the giant mansion.
However her parents never made her felt neglected. This was the family that any child would be lucky to grow up in. She had in fact often time felt bad for being a burden on her parents due to her illness. Despite the fact that her parents had made her own back account with lifetime supply of money, she wanted to support herself. She wanted to provide for herself and become a strong woman like her mother or the caring loving parent like her father.
Khushi continuously ran her fingers over the scar on her forearm that always remained hidden behind her sleeves. She had this scar for as long as she could remember but had absolutely no recollection of how she got it. She assumed that it must have been while she was young. Her parents in fact did not remember either which surprised Khushi since it has stitch marks.
Khushi was suddenly pulled out of her thoughts when her mother called her name running her finger through her hair.
"Khushi"
"Hmm" she replied absent mindedly.
"Are you sure, you wouldn't like to come with me for the weekend?" she inquired.
"No mom I have to catch up on my studying and besides what about Arnav" she replied hastily.
Her mother hung the phone and Khushi sat up. She was about to walk towards her room when her mother stopped her in the way.
"Come I have something to show you" she grabbed Khushi's arm and led her to her bedroom.
Khushi took a seat on the bed while her mother went to pull out something from the wardrobe.
Khushi's mouth fell open when her mother turned around and pulled out the fabric in front of her.
"NO way mom, your bridal dupatta" Khushi exclaimed jumping from the bed.
"Try it on" Her mother raised the red Dupatta and placed it over Khushi's head.
"Do you like it?" she questioned. Khushi looked herself in the mirror and ran her fingers across the golden borders.
"Mom its beautiful" she turned around to spot the tear in her mother's eye.
Khushi engulfed her into a hug. Tina finally pulled back and cupping Khushi's face spoke.
"I finally redesigned it for you since I know how much you loved it"
"Thank you mom." She hugged her mother once more.
After sometime Khushi got up and started up the stairs towards her room. She kept smiling looking at the dupatta in her hand. She had in fact asked her mom for this since she was a child. She remembered wearing it like a sari around the house; she had in fact torn a corner which her moor mother had fixed. And for someone reason she felt like there was a reason behind her recieving it now. the red passionate color marked the life that was being given to her once again. A chance to live and to love.
Khushi reached the final step and was about to turn towards her room when she spotted the door to Aranv's room was open. She felt a pull towards the room; she wanted to see him and therefore started towards his room. She pushed the door all the way and walked in.
Arnav was fast asleep on the bed. Curled up into a ball while his comforter was on the floor. Khushi was amused about how adorable he looked while sleeping. She walked upto the bed and placed the duppata on the bed and pulled the covers over him. She tucked it all the way to his shoulders, and as her finger made contact with his bare flesh Arnav stirred in his sleep. Khushi stepped back, but Arnav remained asleep.
However for some reason she did not want to leave. With her finger she moved the few wild strands of hair from his face. She sat down on the floor next to him watching him sleep. She smiled goofily as he slept peacefully. She was about to get up and leave when suddenly she felt his hands on her, in fact he grabbed it tightly. Khushi looked at his face and saw his eyelids shaking wildly, he was dreaming, and from the looks of it he was having a nightmare. Khushi held his hand into hers.
"Arnav" she whispered. And he suddenly sat on his bed and screamed.
"SAVE HER PLEASE"
Cold sweats running down his face and his breathing labored.
However his attention was suddenly called to Khushi's who was holding his handing and patting his back while chanting.
"Its ok! Its Ok Arnav."
He looked up at her and stared into her eyes. After so many years of having the same nightmare there was finally someone to console him and wake him up.
CID
41