SS: Keeping Khushi: Thread 7 Part 67 Pg 129

"I can imagine a mechanic or chauffeur pretending to be the owner of Mishra's, but the owner pretending to be a mechanic and a chauffeur? This is new." Arnav said softly, a while later.

There were many more knots to be untied here, he realised at that moment. He had to be careful, keep each foot carefully forward. For NK, For Khushi. For his family. For Aarti...

Aarti smiled slightly, but her eyes remained on his. "There was no pretence. I am a mechanic & a chauffeur too."

"NK, Khushi, Payal, the whole family, the guests, all have a wrong picture of you.", he said evenly, determined to plump the depths of her mind.

Aarti said softly, "I didn't paint that picture." She smiled at him, almost sympathetically. "I have always pitched in when we are short of drivers. The demand for the seventh vehicle was made at the last minute. All our drivers were otherwise occupied. So I helped out. Simple."

"NK loves you.", Arnav stated.

"He loves, or thinks he loves the picture he has made of me in his mind." She was direct, but kind.

"Khushi loves you."

Her eyes fell for the first time. Arnav's eyes sharpened with hope. She studied the fine-grained wood of the conference table for a moment. Then she looked up.

"She doesn't know me."

"Payal loves you."

"I drove her around for two days. That's all."

"My Nani, my Mami, my Di, Akash, & Mamaji, they will all love you when they meet you.", Arnav stated.

Aarti smiled blandly. "Unfortunately, the chances of our meeting are low. Very low."

Arnav nodded, a smile playing on his lips.

"If there is nothing else...", Aarti asked.

"Nothing more. Now. Can I have your phone number, Aarti?"

Aarti could not refuse such a direct request. She gave it.

They stood up to leave. Arnav opened the door for Aarti to exit the room, and walked out after her. They walked side by side, crossing the deserted hall, and out of the front door.

As they reached the car park, Aarti stopped and turned to face him.

"You forgot Buaji."

Arnav looked at her, nonplussed.

"In the list of people who love me."

Arnav raised an eyebrow.

"She thought that I was a boy."

"Your clothes, your hair...", Arnav smiled.

"The cap...", Aarti nodded. "If the size of the laddoo that she stuffed down my throat to help me grow a mush and muscles is any indication, then she loves me a lot."

Arnav had to laugh.

"Shubh Raatri, Mr. Raizada." Aarti turned to leave.

"Hey Nannav!", NK who had been about to leave after his meeting, called. He walked rapidly towards Arnav, not seeing the slight figure in black standing by him.

Arnav heard his call, and immediately looked at Aarti's face. And felt peace spread through his heart. For one second, she had been caught unawares, her face open, the longing in her eyes to see NK evident... Arnav smiled in relief.

NK reached Arnav, and saw Aarti standing by him. Delight lit his face. It was as though God had showered everything he had ever wanted on him. He walked up to Aarti, and closed his arms around her, surrounding her with his warmth and body.

Arnav watched bemused. NK was lifting Aarti in his arms in his eagerness. Her feet were off the floor. Her arms were held close to her body. As Arnav watched, her fingers clenched. Whether to stop herself from hugging NK back or from hitting him, Arnav did not know. He stood patiently, watching them. He would have a lot to tell Khushi today. He smiled.

Finally, NK let her touch the ground.

"Aarti, did you get the sweets I gave to the receptionist at Mishra's?" He was holding her by her shoulders.

She nodded, and tried to squirm out of his hold.

He held more firmly. "Did you get the letter?"

"I did.", she sighed.

"I was planning to stop by Mishra's tonight to see if I could meet you. But you came here!" NK was thrilled.

He turned to Arnav. "Nannav! Do you know Aarti?"

"Yes. I met her." Arnav smiled.

"I love her, Nannav. And would like to marry her.", NK confessed artlessly.

Aarti clenched her jaw. The last few minutes had destroyed all the hurdles she had tried placing between the Sunflower and herself. Now she would have to start all over again.

"I am glad, NK. We need to talk to our family about Aarti and introduce them to her." Arnav showed him the way ahead.

"Yes, you are right, Nannnav. Aarti, you will love my Bhabis, my 2 brothers, Nani, Maasi, Di, my parents...I will ask them to fly over..."

Aarti drew in a deep breath.

"I think it is time I left. Good bye!", she told Arnav and NK.

"Good night!", replied Arnav with a kind smile.

Arnav walked in to his house with NK by his side. Both of them had smiles on their faces, but for different reasons. NK went up to his room to dream of Aarti, and Arnav went up to share his knowledge of Aarti with Khushi.

Khushi got up from the recliner as she heard him come in, and walked to him smiling. She took his laptop bag from him, placed it on the bed, and threw her arms around him. He cuddled her close, kissing her hair and forehead.

"Had too much work today?", she asked, as he was late coming home.

"No. I finished early. I had an interesting conversation with your sister."

"My sister?", Khushi looked at him, her face cutely perplexed.

Arnav kissed the frown between her eyebrows, and said, "Aarti."

"You met her today?", Khushi was almost incandescent with joy.

"Yes."

"Did you like her?", Khushi was eager to know.

Arnav nodded. "Very much. I told you, Khushi, she reminds me of Di and myself, when we were alone and helpless, hurting... Today, I realised 3 things. One, there is something seriously wrong in her life. Or her past. It has made her wary of marriage. Maybe her parents' marriage was bad."

Khushi nodded, her eyes shadowed thinking of Aarti hurting.

"Two, she loves NK."

Khushi's face lit up.

"But getting her to admit it will be an uphill task."

"That's OK. Anything for NK Bhai & Aartiji.", Khushi smiled.

"Three, it is high time we informed our family about this. Everyone here, Baba, the Sinhas, Akash, Payal, all of them. We need to work on this together."

Khushi nodded.

Arnav decided to keep Aarti's identity to himself. She would have to clear it by herself.

"Khushi, be careful about this. Don't walk in and out of her office asking after her. Stop NK from doing it too. Don't embarrass her in front of the people working with her."

"Ji."

"Don't hound her. Don't pressurise her. Just make her feel loved. That we are waiting for her. That we accept her as she is."

Khushi nodded slowly. "Something is wrong, isn't it?", she asked, her face pale.

Arnav smiled to set her heart at rest. "Nothing serious. It is just that she might withdraw further if she feels that we are hounding her."

"Oh!"

Arnav checked his phone. Eight calls from an unknown number. Who the! There was a knock on the door. He turned around. Anjali stood there, a small smile on her lips.

"Di? Kya hua?" He walked towards her.

Anjali hugged him. He returned the hug. Khushi watched them smiling.

"Chotey, I wanted to tell you something important."

"Shall I... ?", Khushi wanted to give them privacy if they so desired.

"No, don't leave, Khushiji. I would like you too to hear this." She turned to Arnav. "Remember Anandji, Chotey?"

Arnav's face became pale. "Haan, Di." He put his hand over her shoulder. "What happened now?"

"I met him again."

Arnav's eyes widened.

"At the temple."

Arnav stood rock still as she told him everything that had happened, everything that Anandji had said, how she had agreed to marry him, and how he was going to meet Arnav to ask for her hand... The mystery of the 8 missed calls was solved.

"I hope you will agree, Chotey. Because I love him very much. I can't think of any other man in his place."

Arnav nodded, trying to hide his moist eyes from Di. The proposals that had come for her! The pressure relations had tried to put on her to marry! She had withstood all that. Held firmly to her belief in Anand. Her love for him. How could he stop his sister from finally being happy?

"Tell the others only after you talk to Anandji, Chotey.", Anjali requested.

Arnav nodded.

Anjali hugged him and Khushi, and left the room. Khushi threw herself into Arnav's arms.

"What is happening in this house, Arnavji? Am I dreaming?"

"If this is a dream...", Arnav said slowly, "..let me never wake up, Khushi." He buried his face in her neck. "You have changed our lives, Khushi. Before we met..." Arnav could not complete his sentence.

Khushi hugged him tighter. "Part of the credit goes to Payalji too. Aartiji too."

"Let's divide it among you, Payal, & Aarti. You will still have the lion's share."

Khushi bit him daintily on his chin. "I have already got my share of the lion.", she said, a naughty look in her eyes.

He trembled.

Khushi came to bed wearing the red nightgown he had gifted her on their wedding night. Arnav turned around, facing away from her, trying to fight temptation.

He heard her slipping into bed. He gulped.

"Arnavji?", she called.

He pretended to be asleep.

"He was awake a few moments ago. What happened to Arnavji now?", she muttered as she crawled closer to him.

She plastered herself against his back, hugging him. Arnav trembled.

"Khushi, it is very hot tonight." He tried to nudge her away from him.

Khushi sat up and looked at him with an open mouth. She looked at the AC. The room was cold.

"I am tired.", he said desperately, hoping that at least one of his many excuses would work.

"Who was pregnant? Arnavji or me? Is he too tired to even hug me?", wondered Khushi.

Then she saw his eyes running over her body in the night gown, and move rapidly away. She understood his problem.

"Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada?"

"Hhmm?", he looked at her face.

"You got a wife first. Me. Then you got a child. Understood?"

Arnav looked at her, astounded.

"The first haq is always mine. Your child will get his or her say only later.", she declared.

Arnav had to bite back a smile.

"The doctor told us that we can make love as long as we are careful, didn't she?"

"Yes.", Arnav had to admit.

"Then what are you waiting for?", she asked, miffed, her hormones in turmoil.

"Nothing.", Arnav smiled, and threw open his arms.

Later, she whispered, "I hope you are not too tired now."

Arnav smiled.

"Is the night too hot, Arnavji?", she asked as she curled up in his arms.

"You are hotter, Khushi.", said the shameless and incorrigible Arnav Singh Raizada.

Part 61: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/fan-fictions/3334536/ss-keeping-khushi-thread-7-part-67-pg-129?pn=20

Edited by smitar - 12 years ago

403

Quote

Frequent Posters

rulama

@rulama

Sparkler

+ 8

Posted: 12 years ago

Smita,😊

Enjoyed it very much!😛

Thanks a lot for good stuff!😉

My wedding planner thoughts are absolutely correct!!! ho!ho!! ho!!🤣

Waiting for tomorrow's update now itself!!! Unbelievable!!!

Edited by rulama - 12 years ago

Quote

Looks like you are new here. Register for free, learn and contribute.

Izadora

@izzy0502

Navigator

+ 4

Posted: 12 years ago

lovely update...

love how arnav has gotten protective of aarti.

i find aarti n her sunflower very adorable.

continue soon

congrats on the new thread

👏

Edited by izzy0502 - 12 years ago

Quote

fffan123

@fffan123

Rocker

+ 2

Posted: 12 years ago

Congrats on new thread Smita.

Loved the update. They better change the name of Shantivan to Lovers' heaven, Loved the convo between Aarti and Arnav.

Aati and her sunflower 😉

Loved the scene between Arnav and Khushi In ARHIland right now.

Edited by fffan123 - 12 years ago

Quote

JerryTheMouse

@JerryTheMouse

Dazzler

Posted: 12 years ago

Mine

Edited.

Oooh!

Hot Raizada and hormone ridden Mrs Raizada! With so much to celebrate! 😳

I'm so happy for Anjali, Anand. And NK and aarti!

this is a very heartening update Smita!

You are an amazing person and an amazing FF writer. So positive, so much love! Even when you write about Aarti's painful past, you make it up in the same update with so much more of the love from K, A, guptas, sinhas, omkar...

Yoi always leave me with a big grin on my face and a light feeling in my heart.

Thank you.

And congratulations on thread 7!

Edited by JerryTheMouse - 12 years ago

Quote

Jyothi

@Jyo.Arshi.IPK

Sparkler

+ 7

Posted: 12 years ago

OMG smita...what an update !!!

loved NK-Aarti-Arnav-khushi convo !!!!

it was nice to see arnav playing the role of aarti's bro and understand her and later relating it to khushi !!!!

happy for anjali-anand !!!!

and finally khushi !!!

she is a naughty lil vixen just like her ASR !!!!

i loved the way she said he is hers first and their child's later !!!!

loved it !!!!! hugs swthrt

Edited by Jyo.Arshi.IPK - 12 years ago

Quote

-daffodils-

@-daffodils-

Navigator

+ 2

Posted: 12 years ago

r thanks...thanks...for ur super duper update...our waiting worth...as it paid the ticket to lovers paradise...

u know...now i can sleep peacfully as Arnav...

really fantastic sis...

initially i wa bit desp...as arnav failed to find out her approach towards nk...but the cyclonic approach of our nk...changed the whole stiffened atmosphere into...

place suffered by whirlwind...as Aarti altogether whirled by NKs action...n the most glad thing is that...the peace after wind...tats Arnav able to catch her feelings for her...u know...u had made it perfectly...i never thot of NKs entry into such a tensed situation...and a sudden twist all over...u r unexpected dear...i know all my phrases are cliched...but what to do...????

then i love the way nk introduced her to Arnav...n confessed his wish to him...

it was so purely n innocently...even he is not minding her resistance towards him...really nyc...

the Anjali-Arnav...convo...also had its majestic beauty...

her happiness on regaining her true love...n the way of presenting the matter before him and khushi...was admiring...the way Arnav reciprocate to her...!!!

in the last...u really provided what u offer...

i was smiling infront of lap...thinking Arnavs situation...on distracting him from khushi...

n his poor excusess...funny...

but finally...when.. Khushi the tigress...succeeded...over her husband i was like😛😛😛

"Is the night too hot, Arnavji?", she asked as she curled up in his arms.

"You are hotter, Khushi.", said the shameless and incorrigible Arnav Singh Raizada.

dats all...dear...

thanks for this lovers paradise...i actually want one more update now...but i know it will be too cruel...if i tell u so...but what to do...???

Again thanks for ur update...thanks a lott...

Also congos for ur new thread...also...whishin n praying that...this ss...must achieve numerous thread...

Edited by -vaidehi- - 12 years ago