SS: Keeping Khushi: Thread 6 Part 59 Pg 110 - Page 39

Part 56

Finally, a long time later, their lips parted, unwillingly. In the dim light, NK and Aarti looked at each other.

"Marry me, Aarti.", NK insisted.

Aarti sighed. "Why should I?", she asked softly.

"Two reasons. One, because I love you."

Aarti smiled at him.

"Two, because I know you care for me."

Aarti's smile vanished.

Finally, she said, "Marriage is not part of my agenda."

NK stared at her. "Agenda? You have an agenda for life? The future?"

Aarti smiled, her smile tinged with sorrow. "Yes. I have a lot to do. Lots of responsibilities."

"I won't stop you from doing what you want to do, Aarti."

Aarti looked down.

"Marriage to me need not keep you from your responsibilities, Aarti. In fact, I will help you meet them, Aarti." NK was serious and in earnest.

"No one can help me. I am beyond help.", Aarti smiled.

"Beyond help? Are you sick, Aarti?", NK was worried out of his skull.

"No. My body is healthy." Aarti swallowed, looking at him.

They stood in silence, each trying to make the other see their determination to have their way.

Then she said, all business, "I don't wish to get married. I hope I have made this clear to you."

NK stared at her, silent, determined to change her mind.

"And, please inform your Khushi Bhabi of your proposal and my refusal. I hope this will put an end to her attempts to make me like you."

"I don't intend to give up, Aarti.", NK warned. "And as long as I love you, my Khushi Bhabi will not stop trying to sell me to you. So that means you are stuck with both of us for ever."

Aarti put her hands on her hips, and sighed.

NK turned and left her.

Aarti stood there in the dim light, her mind in the past... the face of her sister as she lay dead...the helplessness she had felt each time her father had taunted their mother in their presence and the effort it had taken not to let it show...the terrible, terrible years her family had spent...the plight of her mother now...

Slowly, she began walking to the car.

Arnav Singh Raizada, on the way to the kitchen to get a glass of water for his wife, stopped short. That was Aarti, wasn't it? Why was she walking with her head down, her hands in her pockets, her shoulders hunched? Why did her face look pale, as though she had received some terrible news? As he watched, she straightened her frail shoulders and lifted her head. With her chin in the air, she walked to her car.

Arnav swallowed. For one moment, Aarti had reminded him of his Di, standing tall when her proposal of marriage to Anand, her senior in college had been rejected. The same pale face but straight shoulders. Straight spine. He almost felt proud of Aarti as he had felt proud of his Di many years ago. As though Aarti were another sister, a younger one, who needed him to keep an eye on her.

What was happening to him? Were impending parenthood and becoming Payal's brother making him see sisters and children everywhere?

The Raizadas, the Sinhas, Baba, & the children waved Payal and Akash off on their way to Shimla, the key to the cottage safe in Akash's hold. The ladies shed tears, while the men smiled and made teasing remarks.

Arnav noticed that the normally cheerful NK looked tired and dispirited. He said, "Don't worry. Akash will be safe. Payal won't eat him."

NK smiled with great effort.

"It is your turn next. We will conduct your marriage as and when you wish it. Take heart!"

NK smiled wanly, and left for his room.

Arnav frowned. What was wrong with him?

That night, as Khushi snuggled in his arms, Arnav asked her, "Khushi, why are you so friendly with Aarti?"

Khushi looked at him, surprised. "Because I like her."

"And?"

Khushi sighed. "Because NK Bhai loves her."

Arnav's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "NK?"

"Ji. Your brothers have both grown up.", Khushi smiled.

Arnav stared at her, unable to get any word out. It seemed to be his day for speechlessness.

Finally, he said, "And Aarti? Does she love him?"

"I don't know, Arnavji." Khushi was sad. Not just because she wanted NK Bhai to get his heart's desire, but also because she loved Aarti for herself, and wanted to keep her close.

"Did you talk to her?"

"Ji."

"What did she say?"

"Nothing."

"Why was she silent?"

"I don't know, Arnavji."

Arnav thought for a moment. Aarti's face and defeated posture that he had seen that evening flashed through his mind.

"What do you know about her?"

Khushi thought seriously about his question.

"Other than the fact that your devar loves her?", Arnav added.

"She has a mother."

"And?"

"She is working as a chauffeur and a mechanic at Mishra's."

"And?"

"She is very kind. Very good."

"Fine. Anything else?"

Khushi shook her head.

"Is she married?"

Khushi's eyes widened. "I never asked...Arnavji, I never thought to ask... But I think not... She would have said otherwise."

Arnav sighed.

"Khushi, will you listen to me?"

Khushi smiled. "I always listen to you, Arnavji."

But Arnav was serious. "There is something wrong in Aarti's life. Something that hurts her a lot. I have no idea what it is. But, Khushi, don't push her. Let her work it out at her pace."

Khushi nodded reluctantly.

"I don't know why, Khushi, but she reminds me of Di. And maybe, myself..."

Khushi looked questioningly at him.

"When Di was in college in Delhi, she fell in love with her senior, Anand."

Khushi stared at him. "Di?"

Arnav nodded.

"Mamaji and I went to his house with a proposal of marriage." Arnav swallowed.

"And?", Khushi's voice was a thread.

"He refused."

"He refused Di?" Khushi couldn't believe her ears.

"Yes. He said that he had never thought of marriage at that point of time... That he had never thought of Di in that light...Just as a college mate."

"He pretended to love Di, and then refused to marry her? He tricked her?", Khushi was confused.

"No.", Arnav smiled sadly. "He had never even talked to Di. She used to follow him around, walk to & fro in front of his house to catch a glimpse of him, hang around his class to see him. She...she was very interested in him, but he..."

"He loved someone else?"

"No.", Arnav smiled wryly. "He just said that he wanted to finish his education, get a job, look after his family. That he would think of marriage only in his thirties."

Khushi stared at him.

"His father was a schoolmaster. He had 3 sisters to marry off. Maybe that was why he... He was proud too. We offered him financial help, but he refused..."

"Di never married...She still loves him?", Khushi whispered.

Arnav sighed. "Over the years, many people brought proposals for her. She refused them all. Now she is 30. I don't know..."

Khushi hugged him tight.

"Each time I took a proposal to her, she would look at me in such a way that... I... I saw how devastated she was when Anand rejected her. Even today, ten years later, I can see the same pain in her eyes when I talk of her marriage. I think she still... Khushi, why are you crying? Khushi, don't cry...Please don't cry..." Arnav was upset.

Khushi wiped her tears, and bit her lips to stop herself from breaking down.

"Khushi, I didn't mean to make you cry. I just wanted you to understand that may be Aarti is hiding a lot of pain in her heart. Maybe she needs time to come out of it. Maybe she needs to do it by herself, and we shouldn't push her."

Khushi nodded.

"I am not saying that you shouldn't meet her or be friends with her. I am just saying that you should take this carefully and slow."

Khushi nodded, and buried her face in the crook of his neck.

"I promise, Arnavji, I won't hurt her. It is just that I like her very much. And I want NK Bhai to be happy."

Arnav smiled, and pulled his wife closer into his arms, and kissed her forehead.

A while later, he whispered, "We need to tell our family about the baby tomorrow."

Khushi smiled into his eyes.

Part 57: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/fan-fictions/3321019/ss-keeping-khushi-thread-6-part-59-pg-110?pn=78