ArshiFF:Your Love Means Everything T#2 TSR2 150 - Page 9

Chapter Thirty Five - A Father's Daughter

There was a strange restlessness that consumed him as he drove further away from Delhi. Khushi's tear filled goodbye kept replaying in his mind. Arnav had to constantly remind himself of the reason he was leaving her. It had taken him all of his self control not to shed a few tears himself; he couldn't bare to see her hurt thus. That too because of him.

Putting down the window of the drivers seat he let the cold air ruffle his hair and bite at his skin; a welcome distraction. Breathing in deeply, Arnav allowed himself to take in the smell of his country. He smelt the exhaust from the other vehicles, the lingering smell of spice, petrol oil and agarbatti. Khushi had said it smelt like home; she was wrong. Home smelt like berry, vanilla and sandalwood. Khushi smelt like home.

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A few hours later he parked the SUV in a narrow lane; deciding to traverse the rest of the distance by foot. Vendors lined the streets, yelling out at him to invest in their wares; their voices just as loud in the dying moments of the day. Stalls offered fresh flowers, an array of colourful bangles, an assortment of food stuffs and items of clothing. In the choas, Arnav felt surprisingly calm. Here in this insanity was everything that Khushi loved. The sizzle of jalebi batter hitting hot oil garnered his attention. Pulling out his wallet from his back pocket he asked the halwai for a box full. Dripping with chashni the piping hot sweets were piled into a paper box.

The bottom of the box almost burnt his hand, so hot were the jalebi's. Walking with purpose he made his way toward the house at the end of the lane. It was an old Lucknowi home with a small iron fence and a courtyard that centred around a tulsi plant. Steeling himself, he pushed the creaky gate open and entered the property. He wondered if Khushi had ever lived here.

Buaji's shrill voice came from inside the house...

"Hai re Nand Kishore! Garima...koi aya hain. Dekho toh kaun hai!" (Oh God! Garima someone has come. See who it is!"

Her request fell on deaf ears. Arnav stood awkwardly outside waiting for one of the household members to invite him in. Sometime later Buaji came waddling out to see who the guest was herself. One hand holding her ghungat, and the other a rolling pin, she looked downward making sure not to trip on the small step that led to the courtyard.

"Kaun hai Nand Kis..." the word died on her lips as she looked up to see Arnav. The expression on her face was conflicted as she decided how to greet him. He was the future son in law of the house but he had also put their daughter in a position that tarnished her image. In fact according to her he was still holding Khushi hostage and had practically bullied her into marriage. Buaji could not, however, deny the fact that had he not offered marriage, their family would be facing shame of a nature much worse.

"Babuwa tum?" she settled for a disapproving glare as she kept her words neutral.

Arnav offered a weak "Namaste" in return. "I've come here to meet with Shashi Sir. Is he home?"

"I am."

Arnav turned around to see Shashi Gupta entering his home after a long day at work; the daily newspaper tucked under his arm. The elderly gentleman smiled at him and somehow this was much more terrifying than Buaji's disapproval.

"Hello sir, I'm Arn..." Arnav put his hand forward only to be cut off.

Shashi clapped him on the back. "I know who you are son. I've been waiting for you. Didi chai lagah doh?" (Sister put on some tea.) Buaji huffed and made her way to the kitchen. He turned to Arnav and looked at the box in his hand. "You'll have to excuse her. What have you got there?"

Arnav thrust the box forward, gulping nervously as his confidence vanished into thin air. "This is for all of you."

Shashi took the box and walked toward a set of wicker chairs and a small table. Wrapping his shawl around him he took a seat and indicated that Arnav should do the same. The lid of the paper box sprung open no longer able to withstand the pressure from the mountain of jalebi's that it held. The sweet smell permeated the air. Shashi smiled fondly and took the topmost one between his fingers chewing it delicately.

"As a halwai you learn how to savour the taste of sweets. I rarely eat them since I make them so much. I'm not sure I can say the same for my daughter." he joked. Arnav began to relax. It seemed they had something in common. Shashi nodded toward the box. "Take one."

"I... can't. I'm a diabetic."he said apologetically.

Shashi put down his Jalebi and wiped his hands, staring very seriously at Arnav. "You the diabetic. My daughter the sweet lover." His tummy started to shake and he bellowed out with unihibited laughter.

Arnav looked around on either side of him; slightly embarrassed at the man's outburst. He could see now who had influenced Khushi's behaviour. Arnav took a little piece of jalebi and munched on it waiting for his laughing to stop.

Immediately Shashi put out his hand to stop him. "No no don't ruin your health. You must ignore me."

Arnav shrugged..."They remind me of her. Plus it's only a little bit."

Buaji came with the tray of chai and began to serve three cups. Arnav nodded a polite thanks upon receiving his. "Didi, Garima kahan hai?" (Sister where is Garima) Shashi enquired.

"Woh aur Payal betiya bazaar gaye hain kuch saaman laaneh keh liye." (She and Payal have gone to shops to buy some things.) Buaji let out a long sigh as she lowered herself on to the chair; her knees creaking. "Hai re Nand Kishore..."

"So tell me what brings you here. I am sure you have not come all the way from Dehli for chai and jalebi's." Shashi sipped on his strong masala chai.

Arnav rubbed his hands together; attempting to get rid of the stickiness of the chashni. Clearing his throat he jumped straight to the point...

"I am here to formally ask for your daughters hand in marriage." his voice rang confident.

Buaji looked confused.

"Par babuwa..."

Shashi put up his hand to stop her and remained silent. Arnav took this as his cue to continue.

"I know how much Khushi values her family. I know this because I equally value mine. But Sir she holds you in particularly high esteem. The Khushi I know would never be truly happy until she had your blessing..."

Arnav paused as he tried to find the right words for the next part of the conversation.

"I know the circumstances in which the proposal was offered were not ideal and I am sorry that Khushi ever had to be put in such a position. But what has happened has happened."

He took out a small velvet box, placed in on the table and opened the lid. In it lay the most magnificent diamond ring. In the centre was a large round cut diamond that stole the show. Buaji gasped...

"I want to be able to proudly put this on her finger. I want the world to know we belong to one another."

Buaji was gaping at his audacity to speak of such feelings so openly. Shashi looked at the ring pensively and then turned to his sister.

"Didi aap humme thori der ke liya akela chod dengi?" (Sister will you leave us alone for sometime please?) Buaji nodded understandingly; some business was best left to the men.

Turning to Arnav...

"Your money doesn't impress me." The statement was almost an accusation.

"It was my mum's." he said quietly.

"Was?" Shashi picked up the past tense.

"She died a long time ago. When I was just a boy." His jaw clenched as he tried to control the wave of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him.

"I'm sorry." The mood became sombre and suddenly Shashi understood the shared experience that bound his daughter with this mysterious man.

"She was also the woman that brought Khushi to your house all those years ago."

Shashi felt a strange sense of emptiness. "Ratna Mallik was your mother? But you are Raizada's?"

"After my parent's death I took my mothers surname."He could tell there was something more to the story but let it drop. That particular matter was none of his business.

"She was a good woman." Arnav nodded and there was a moment of contemplative silence; both lost in their own thoughts of the past.

"Tell me...your not marrying my Khushi out of a sense of responsibility are you?"

Arnav frowned..."It is certainly a part of it but its not the only reason."

"Then what else... do you love her?" he probed.

"No Sir I don't love her." Shashi was taken aback by his frankness.

"Son..."

Arnav sighed. He could see that Shashi had taken what he had said the wrong way and made to interrupt him.

"What I mean to say is that I find love to be an ordinary concept. People make empty promises to one another in the name of love. The word love demeans what your daughter and I share. I do not love her because I do not believe in the notion of love. For me Khushi is my home, my life, my family. She is everything that is important to me. The idea of a life without her to me is not a life worth living. Does that answer your question sir?"

"But that was not the initial reason you offered marriage to her?" he pressed on.

"No it was not. I have grown to develop these feelings for her over the past month; or perhaps I have only come to that realisation in the past month. The feelings have probably been there since I first set eyes on her. " Shashi had never seen such honesty.

"You behaved badly with my family that day. My sister and wife were very upset." he said quietly and waited for Arnav's reaction.

Arnav who had been answering the barrage of questions in a steady voice suddenly flared up with anger..."I only treated them badly because they treated Khushi badly! How could they do that to her? Nobody asked her anything. They just started hurling accusations. Accusations that were disgusting. I will not apologise for standing up for her because that is something they should have done." He finished his rousing speech by banging his fist on the arm rest of his chair.

Shashi patted him on the shoulder. "I never wanted you to apologise. Infact I would have been disappointed if you had."

Arnav looked baffled. Shashi laughed and then became serious...

"You have my blessings to marry my daughter. You have all of our blessings. She couldn't have found a better man."

"Yes she could have."Arnav quipped.

Shashi smiled. He liked his future son in law; of that much he was certain.

"Khushi was always an exuberant child. Even as she grew up nobody ever took her seriously because they mistook her vibrant nature for childishness. But I have always had full faith in my daughter and her decisions. She was never one to compromise with her principles and if she agreed to marry you then I will support her. She trusts you enough to have said yes without asking my opinion. I do not take offence to this because to me it means I have done my job as a parent. I have raised a child who is capable of taking her own decisions and good ones at that. So no...she could not have chosen a better man."

Arnav understood why Khushi idolised the man. He really understood her.

"Now what you are going to do is cancel any hotel reservations you have and stay with us." Shashi got up and signalled Arnav to do the same.

Arnav grinned..."Good. I never made any hotel reservation."

Shashi nodded in happy acceptance. "Please call me uncle or bauji. Sir makes me feel like a school teacher. Come let's go for a stroll."

And so Arnav and Shashi wandered the street of Lucknow at dusk getting to know one another.

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Precap for upcoming chapters:

Palaces in Lucknow, childhood memories, jealousy in a nighclub?

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So I have decided from now on I shall reply to three or four readers at a time after every update.

Sonia_92: Dearest, even your short comments are super long for me. I hope you are feeling better now! Also is it alright that he left Khushi now? Haha I am glad you like. And marjaw at your comments they always make me giggle aloud. Arnav is one sexy beast isn't he? And yes I passed on the message to Anjali that you love her. Also I tease you because I can :P

Jahnvi: Ummm are you fishing for compliments? OF COURSE I MISSED YOU!!! Yes its seems Shyam being a RAW agent did take everyone by surprise. I am glad you got your laptop back I am looking forward to your stalking ablilities.

Prasoon (881876): I am not sweet. You are sweet for taking out the time to letting me know what you think. And how I do value what you think! Arnav won't be away for too long. But distance makes the heart grow fonder...or something to that affect. I'm glad you like the quotes. I try and make sure they are appropriate for the chapter.

preethi28: I love you too! I am glad I could entertain you and yay! Your semester is over. Party time!

deepti1906: I love bratty Arnav too. I guess he's allowed to be sometime since he is so serious most of the time. But I love flirty shirtless Arnav the best ;)

asr2kkg: They indeed shall be lovesick. But that is what will make the reunion so much more sweet right? As for it ending in tragedy...I haven't made up my mind yet. But speaking honestly I don't think I have the heart to do that to Arnav and Khushi. And Khushi is fully invested in whatever she does..hence she feels like she had the right to be naughty with Arnav. I like it when they are flirty too. Sigh...I miss the show so much. Especially the payash pre-wedding track. That Arnav killed me.

Thankyou to everybody else who commented or liked. I hope you guys are enjoying the story. I shall continue to write so long as the ideas flow out of me.