SS: Keeping Khushi: Thread 7 Part 67 Pg 129 - Page 83

Brilliant!!!

I'm loving Arti ...and being privy to her mental notes on the Raizadas

Arti is literally being smothered by love, isn't she? The Raizadas are one adamant bunch! 😆

Smita,😊

Here is my interpretation for Part 67.

The word is CHRYSALIS. It is a preparatory or transitional state. It leads to a change or transformation of a spectacular kind, like in the life of a butterfly. In the life of a butterfly the transformation from the caterpillar to the adult beautiful Butterfly takes place through a stage called Chrysalis.

Though Aarti thought of leaving the place just to escape from the Raizadas', the thought of having again to make time for shopping and find a helpful sales girl was not palatable. She resigned herself to being in their company. Looking at the sarees displayed by the sales girl, Kushi asked Aarti whether she was buying a saree for the wedding. Aarti's answer it was for her mother had Payal, Kushi and Aarti selecting together, while Di, Mami and Nani were looking at the wedding sarees.

Aarti who wanted to escape, was sandwiched between Kushi and Payal, with sales girl seated in the front and Her Sunflower and Arnav Singh Raizada standing behind with arms crossed and a smile adorned.

Aarti who was getting prickly and wanted to get out fast picked a beautiful pink saree lying in front of her quickly.

Both Kushi and Payal admired its design and texture and complimented Aarti on her good taste.

"It is beautiful, Aartiji...", Khushi complimented. "You have very good taste." She looked at NK Bhai, & smiled at Arnav who winked back.

Payal nodded, smiling, catching Khushi's meaning.

"I will take this.", Aarti told the salesgirl softly, pretending not to have heard or seen the exchange between the Raizadas.

The girl smiled and said, "I will bill it."

When Aarti was about to get up to accompany the sales girl she was informed that she would get the bill there itself. Seizing the chance both Kushi and Payal stopped her from getting up.

Khushi & Payal pulled her down gently from both sides, and made her sit between them. When Kushi suggested of looking at Anarkalis Aarti was firm that she didn't need them. Even giving wedding as the excuse to buy did not work on Aarti. Kushi's anxious look at Arnav was calmed by his smile. Payal clung to Aarti lest she disappeared.

Arnav stepped forward. "I was thinking, Khushi, why don't the three of you select your clothes for all the wedding functions together? Wear something similar?"

Payal, Khushi, & Aarti looked at him. The first two faces revealed delight. The third was spitting mad.

"That's a wonderful idea, isn't it, Aartiji?", Khushi asked, smiling, hugging Aarti in her delight.

Aarti whose sole intention was to escape from the Raizada's was irritated by Arnav's suggestion. He had cut off her escape route.

Aarti wanted to tell Arnav Singh Raizada what exactly he could do with his wonderful ideas, but one look at Khushiji's happy face disarmed her.

"It is a brilliant idea, Arnavji!", said Payal, smiling at her Jetji.

"What is a brilliant idea, Payaliyya?", asked Mami, half-buried under a mound of sarees.

"Arnavji was saying that Khushiji, Aartiji, & I could wear similar clothes for all the wedding functions."

Nani nodded, smiling, approving of the idea.

Once NK declared his intention of marrying Aarti and that he had his parents blessings, the entire family had started to accept Aarti as NK's wife to be. So Arnav's brilliant stroke to stop Aarti from escaping was applauded by his family members.

"That is a great idea! Chotey, aaj kya hua? What did you have for breakfast? Spinach?", Di laughed.

"Teen bahuriyaa in similar clothes! Wah! Kaa idea he!", Mami praised him. She turrned to Anjali. "Hamre Arnav Bitwaa does not need spinach to get ideas. He thinks like his Mami! Don't you, Arnav Bitwaa?", Mami smiled at him.

He bit his lip, and smiled back, nodding.

Aarti was irritated with Arnav Singh Raizada. Mentally she made a note that he needed bittergourd and not Spinach. She imagined the picture of Arnav Singh Raizada drinking with a grimace the juice of ten bittergourds and his wife making sure that he drank with a rolling pin in hand! She thought with the sort of luck she has been having of lately, may be Arnav Singh Raizada loves the bittergourd juice itself, evoking a sigh.

"Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be "~ Thomas Kempis

Aarti saw Her Sunflower whisper in her ear,

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if all three of you dressed similarly, Aarti?", he murmured.

She wondered how she did get involved in this fiasco!

Kushi and Payal got up to look into the dresses.

As Aarti watched, Khushiji placed her hands on the ground, and tried to push herself up. Before Aarti could gasp, her husband's arms were around her as he gently lifted her from the ground and helped her to stand. Khushiji smiled into her husband's eyes, leaning against him for a few seconds, before taking a few steps on her own.

"Tum theek ho?", he asked in his husky voice, his arms reluctant to leave her.

"Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

"Ji.", she said, smiling. She whispered, "How can I be anything but theek when you are with me?"

"Anne laughed. "I don't want sunbursts or marble halls, I just want you."

~ L.M. Montgomery, Anne of the Island

Kushi took Payal and Aarti to the dress section that was colorful. Aarti was pushed into a trial cubicle, with Kushi to help inside and Payal to guard outside. Aarti mortified to see a heap of clothes, both dresses and sarees with its accessories and forgot to be awkward to change in front of Kushi.Kushi expertly changed her clothes that made Aarti think,

she had sufficient practice undressing Arnavji! After dressing her up in anarkali, Kushi turned Aarti towards mirror and expressed her appreciation. "You look so beautiful, Aartiji!"

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end" ~ Seneca

"If Buaji were here, she would nazar uttarofy you!", smiled Khushi.

The dress complemented her figure, her complexion, her short hair, her shiny eyes with long lashes, and her persona. It made her look ultra feminine.

Aarti swallowed. Had Mohan Mishra been a normal man, she would have grown up to be this girl. She would have dressed like this daily. She wouldn't have held an anarkali in her hand and wondered how to get into it. Looked at a sari in fear...

"Don't let one cloud obliterate the whole sky."

~ Anais Nin

Had Mohan Mishra been a man, then she would have blushed when the Sunflower looked at her like Khushiji did when Arnav Singh Raizada looked at her. Smiled shyly like Payalji when Akash spoke to her

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all" ~ Helen Keller, The Open Door

...Maybe even said 'Yes' when the Sunflower proposed instead of saying 'No' and then peeping at him all the time, unable to take her eyes off him...

"It's not what you say out of your mouth that determines your life,it's what you whisper to yourself that has the most power!"

~ Robert Kiyosaki

Aarti who is attracted to NK all the time is unable to comprehend that she loves him and also come to terms that she has to act as per her wishes now and need not follow her late father's diktaat. But her mind is always filled with the thoughts of NK

"We tend to get what we expect"

~ Norman Vincent Peale

When Aarti thanked Kushi for her help, she was told that she is used to dressing up children at Omkar. Realising Aarti's stance of not wantin to be indebted to her she told her that she could return the favour during the last stages of pregnancy.

"And you can return the favour when I am near my term and will be laid up."

"Laid up?", Aarti frowned, anxious.

"My legs won't be able to carry my body weight towards the end of my pregnancy. That's all. Nothing serious. So I will have to take a lot of rest. "

"Oh!"

"Perpetual pushing and assurance put a difficulty out of countenance and make a seeming difficulty gives way" ~ Jeremy Collier

"You can help me dress then.", Khushi smiled, and opened the door. Payal & NK who were waiting outside, gasped.

"You are so beautiful!", the Sunflower whispered. "I..I thought you looked good in the shirt & trousers, but... but this is out of the world. You... You are so beautiful, Aarti."

His eyes said much that he couldn't speak aloud. Aarti squirmed, feeling his eyes roam over all areas forbidden to him.

"I don't go by the rule book... I lead from the heart, not the head" ~ Princess Diana

Khushi and Payal looked away to hide their laughter.

Payal and Kushi cracking jokes and giggling helped Aarti wear a saree. At times it made Aarti too join in.

When she got a chance, she asked them, "Why are you doing this?"

Payal & Khushi stared at her.

"You know very well that I have no intention of marrying your devar. Then why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?", smiled Payal.

"Showering so much love on me."

"The ancestor of every action is a thought"

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Because we like you. Very much. And would love to have you in the family.", said Khushi, pinning the pleats.

"That is never going to happen.", said Aarti seriously.

"It is your choice.", said Khushi seriously, kindly. "We hope you will change your mind and choose to marry NK Bhai."

"Change your thoughts and you change your world" ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Aarti stood silent, unable to speak.

Mami's voice came through the door. "Saasumma, does the changing roomwa have another doorwa? Have the 3 birds flown away?"

Once the saree was worn, Kushi and Payal brought out Aarti in front of the family. Arnav and Akash were not to be seen. The rest were waiting to see Aarti in saree.

"Saasumma, lagat he, changing roomwaa mein ladki hi change hui gavva. Who is this?", Mami pointed at Aarti.

All laughed.

"This is NK Bhai's Aartiji!", Di laughed, & reassured Mami.

"Hein? Hello Hi Bye Bye!" She removed her pink goggles, and peered at Aarti. "You look bootiphul in saree."

Nani, Di, NK, Payal, & Khushi concurred while NK's eyes was drinking in the beauty silently.

"Ee lo, pehen lo ee sab." She handed over the 10 sarees she had been clutching in her hands, planning to try them out. "Never let it be said that your Maasi did not give you anything!" She pulled Aarti's chin.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"

~ Margaret Mead

This whole scenario was like a boy's side going to the girls' house to see the girl and mami giving sarees was like Shagun ceremony being conducted in a casual sense. What can you say when the boy in question is NK and the girl is Aarti. After all being Arnava Singh Raizada's brother who loved to shock people can you expect anything less from NK and his love life!

It was also for the first time Aarti is aware of her beauty. She felt for the first time if only her father was a different person she would have had been enjoying wearing the colourful dresses, decking up, laughter, giggling with friends and all the things that normally girls do since long! She realized for the first time she has missed out a lot on life.

After spending another three hours with the Raizada's and with lots of effort Aarti could get out of the shop. When she asked for the bill she was informed that they had been instructed it to be added to the Raizada account.

"You cannot change what you are, only what you do" ~ Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass

Aarti quietly paid for the clothes she purchased and tipped the sales girl generously. The shop assistant was stunned by her generosity. It was equal to her two month salary and thought it'll go a long way in getting her mother's cataract surgery done!

"How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world."

~ William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

When NK was checking the bill he found that Aarti's purchases were not billed. When asked he was told that she had paid it herself and had left an extremely generous tip.

NK, Payal, & Khushi looked at each other, dumbfounded, wondering how a chauffeur/ mechanic could spend so much.

Arnav, looking at their confused faces, hid a smile.

"The caterpillar turns to liquid before turning into a butterfly. Liquid. Thus washing away any speck of his caterpillar self as he lies completely vulnerable to his environment in his chrysalis shell. One good solid gust of wind and the caterpillars boned" ~ The Hippie, Snowflake Obsidian: Memoir of a Cutter

Aarti is compared to a butterfly who was not aware of herself and is made to look into it. When she sees herself in the mirror she is unable to recognize herself and in the end without any opposition takes the clothes chosen. She has decided to come out of her shell and the first step is acceptance of the clothes chosen by Kushi, Payal and Mami. The day she starts wearing them her metamorphosis gets completed until then she is just emerging from the cocoon built around her. It is she who has to battle with herself and come out of the cocoon. The rest can only be the cheer leaders!

That is the reason for terming this update CHRYSALIS and not METAMORPHOSIS!

That's it from me! Hope you enjoy this.

Oh! You picked up a beautiful Aarti..

beautiful!!

👏👏Too good...👏👏

This was such a heartwarming update :) I loved all the scenes my favorite would have been when Khushi was helping Aarti undress and Aarti commented that she's good at it probably because of Arnav I was dying of laughter thanks for the update :)

lovely updates. Brilliant !