Vignettes -12. From ... , with love - Page 10

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Standing silently for a minute, Arnav took in the pleading expressions on everyone's face and the sight of his baby brother drawing himself up, bracing himself for the expected explosion.

His initial instinct was to stride forward, ready to be enveloped in the bear-hug that his youngest brother had had always reserved just for his Bhaiyya. As a wealth of memories washing over him, he stood erect, his piercing gaze never leaving Dhruv.

His expression hardening, Arnav looked away, ignoring his Di's, Mami's, Nani's silent pleas.

Turning around, he went up the stairs. Dhruv stood mute, his guilt overpowering his anger, watching Arnav striding up, ignoring Anjali's tearful cries, Nani's beseeching call, his Ma's sobs. Looking down in defeat, he almost missed the pleading glances everyone threw at his Khushi Bhabhi. Hearing a soft "Khushiji..." from his Bhai and Di at the same time, he looked up again to see them look at her apprehensively.

Nodding her head at them, she turned to the stairs. Halfway there, she called out softly, "Arnavji!"

It was with stunned surprise that Dhruv witnessed his Bhaiyya stop mid-stride. He, after all, was one person who knew how nothing could penetrate Arnav Singh Raizada's head once his temper flared. Not turning around, Arnav stood motionless, waiting for his wife to catch up. Having caught the anguish in her husband's eyes earlier, Khushi ran the rest of the way, after sending an apologetic gaze at her family.

As she reached him, she gently put out her hand to take his clenched fist in hers. Drawing a deep breath, he grabbed her hand and strode forward, away from the sight of his anxious family.

**************

The door banging open, the couple walked in to their room. Dropping Khushi's hand Arnav strode off to the poolside.

Turning to close the door, Khushi took a minute to take in his stance. His back to her, hands in his pockets, Arnav was staring straight ahead. She knew that attempting to talk to him now would only bring an outburst that would do more damage than good. Who knew better than Khushi Kumari Gupta what he was capable of when angry?

But she, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada, knew that her presence and silent companionship worked wonders on that infamous temper of his. Other than Anjali, there was no one else for whom he would put in the effort to calm down.

Grabbing his towel and water bottle, she walked up to her husband. Taking a deep breath, she moved in front of him. The eyes, that were busy in drilling holes in the opposite wall, flicked down at her. She stood looking up at him silently until the slight easing of the tension lines in his forehead signalled his return from whatever memory he was lost in.

Handing him his water bottle, she waited until he had had his fill and kept the bottle down. Gently mopping away the sweat from his jog, Khushi continued soothing him silently, lovingly. Drying of his hair, she took one long look at his troubled eyes and turned to go back inside, pausing a minute to drop a soft kiss on his shoulder.

Taking a shuddering breath, Arnav grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, just to stand with his arms about her waist, head resting atop hers. He wondered for a moment at the myriad shades of his wife - this mature, loving woman in his arms was the same mad-cap wife who could turn the house upside down with her child-like antics. Issko hamesha pata hoti hain mujhe kya chaahiye, he thought.

After standing quietly in his embrace for a while, she pulled back. "Arnavji, aap naha leejiye. Office jaana hain nah?"

Nodding his head, he took the towel from her and headed to the bathroom. Staring after him, she wondered whether he would come down for breakfast or whether she should bring it up. Settling for the middle-path, she decided to bring up his juice and leave the rest to him.

**************

Downstairs, the silence stretched on for a long time. Gathering her thoughts at last, Devyani turned to her younger bahu. "Payal bitiya, aap Akash ko naashta khilaayiye. Office jaana hain nah bitwa?"

Abruptly pulled out of his thoughts, Akash floundered for a second, "Ji, Dadi? ...Mera matlab hain, ji Dadi. Jaana toh hoga. Bhai...", he trailed off, looking at Dhruv.

Smiling tightly, Dhruv said, "Aap jaayiye, Bhai. Shaam ko wapas aake baatein karenge. Main bhi tired hoon, aaj rest kar loonga."

Nodding his agreement, Akash walked off with his wife. Dhruv sat down at the dining table, deciding to act normal, for the sake of the family, atleast. His issues with his brother would have to wait. Breathing a sigh of relief, Anjali and Manorama started bustling around, getting breakfast ready, intermittently shooting disbelieving gazes at Dhruv, still not able to belive that he was finally home.

Sitting down next to his son, Manohar sighed, silently praying his thanks for Dhruv's safe return and his plea for a reconciliation between the estranged brothers. Feeling a comforting hand on his shoulder, he looked left to see his mother smiling at him, her eyes telling him to trust in Devi Maiyya.

Looking around, Dhruv caught all the silent exchanges, realisation beginning to dawn on him that even though he had pretended otherwise, he had missed his home and family terribly. Being back with them lifted a weight that he hadn't known had been on his chest for years. And that brought him to the even bigger grief that he had been carrying around. Forcibly turning his thoughts away from that, he was about to get up and go to his mother when he spied his eldest Bhabhi walking down the stairs, a troubled look on her face.

Assuming that she had been the one to bear the full force of Arnav Bhaiyya's anger, he looked at her sympathetically. Not seeing him, she walked to the kitchen and started pouring juice into a tall glass. Dhruv watched Di go to her and ask her something, to which she just shook her head. Looking over at his mother, she put the glass down and went over to give her a hug. It was with extreme surprise that he saw his mother hug her back tight.

When Khushi pulled away, Manorama took both her hands in hers and said, "Khusi bitiya, Arnav bitwa bahut gusse mein the, ka?"

"Nahi, Mamiji. Thode pareshaan the, ab nahaane gaye hain." Khushi reassured her. "Hum yeh juice deke aate hain. Woh kya hain, humein pata nahin woh aaj naashta karenge ya nahin...", she trailed off.

Sniffing, Manorama nodded her understanding. Khushi was walking back to the stairs when Devyani called her. "Khushi bitiya, ee aayiye zara."

As Khushi came up, she glanced at Dhruv before asking, "Sab theek hain nah, bitiya?"

"Ji, Naniji. Woh, Arnavji nahaane gaye hain, toh humne socha ki hum yeh juice unke liye le jayenge. Bol raha tha ki ek meeting hain, toh shaayad naashte keliye waqt nahin milega."

Looking into her eyes, Devyani understood that she was giving the family an excuse to ignore it if Arnav refused to come to the breakfast table. As she watched Khushi give a tentative smile to her Dewar who was gazing at her curiously, she also understood that Khushi was making sure that Dhruv would not feel any worse if his brother left without a word.

Her heart swelling with pride and affection for the kind-hearted, mature girl standing before her, Devyani Sigh Raizada nodded her thanks to her. Seated to her right, her son smiled at his bahu, sending up a prayer to whoever it was that had sent Khushi to this family. He had full faith that she would be the one to mend the broken bridges.

"Khushi..." , a call rang out from upstairs.

"Aayi...", the answering call ringing in his ears, Dhruv watched his Bhabhi take the glass and take off at a sprint. "Poor thing", he thought as he remembered his brother's insistance on clock-work routines.

Almost crashing into Akash and Payal who were coming down the stairs, Khushi barely save the glass of juice.

"Sambhaalke, Khushi!" Payal admonished just as a second yell rang out, "KHUSHI!"

"Aa rahi hoon, Arnavji!" Khushi yelled back. Smiling, Akash commented, "Aap jaayiye, Khushiji. Nahin toh Bhai ab baaki sab ke naam leke chillaane lagenge, ki aap kahaan hain."

Grinning at her Jijaji, Khushi ran off.

As Dhruv watched Akash and Payal coming to sit at the table with broad grins on their faces, his father asked, "Kaa baat hain bitwa? Has kyun rahe ho?"

"Kuch nahin, Papa. Bus hum ye soch rahe the ki Bhai ke morning routine shuroo ho gaya." Akash replied.

"Aur ka? Khushi bitiya ke bina Arnav bitwa eke second bhi chain se kahaan rahat hain?" Manorama commented as she brought the parathas to the table, followed by a grinning Anjali.

Sending a sneaky glance at his wife, Manohar shot back, "Arnav bitwa bhi nah, apan patni ke bina ek pal saans bhi nahin lewat hain! Aur ek hum hain, humri patni humein saans hi kahaan lene det hain!"

As the table erupted in laughter at the nok-ghok between Manohar and his Mannu, Dhruv gazed in amazed silence, since when did Arnav Singhh Raizada become the target of teasing?

**************

Not turning around as he heard his wife coming in, Arnav continued buttoning up his shirt. His voice sharp enough to cut through stone, he asked, "Kahaan thi tum? Naye mehmaan ki khaatirdaari mein busy thi kya?"

Taking a long look at his tense stance, Khushi quietly replied, "Ji. Sab laute hue bete ko jee bhar dekh rahe hain."

As he stiffened further, she walked up to him and put one arm about his waist from behind, "Lekin hum toh mil hi nahi paye. Apne Laad Governor ke liye juice lene mein vyast jo the."

Moving in front of him, she held out the glass, "Leejiye. Aapka meeting hai naah? Naashta karne ke liye waqt nahin mila toh kamse kam pet mein yeh toh hoga."

Looking up at her as he fixed his tie, his tense shoulders relaxed. "She's not going to ask me anything", he thought. His face softening in thanks, he took the glass from her. Setting it down on the teapoy, he took her hands in his. Gazing deep into her eyes, he said, "Aise hamesha rehna, Khushi, mere saath."

She quietly replied, "Koi shak?"

Shaking his head in denial, Arnav stood silent, gazing at his wife.

Deciding not to question the reason behind such a request from her normally stoic Arnavji, Khushi merely said, "Hum waada karte hain."

Hugging him tight, him finally relaxing in her arms, she thought, "Aisa kya kiya tha Dhruv ne ki inko itna dukh hua? Aur hum inse kaise baat karein?"

Stepping back, Arnav gave her a tiny smile before turning to his juice. Swallowing it quickly, he handed it to her. Grabbing her for the usual goodbye-peck on the forehead, he lingered for a moment, steadying himself by breathing her in.

"Arnavji, dopahar ko hum aapke liye khana leke aayein? Meeting khatam hoga tab tak?"

Understnading her urge to be with him when he was upset, he replied, "I'm fine, Khushi. And no, tumhe aane ki koi zaroorat nahin hain. Main waqt pe khaa loonga."

Turning and collecting his laptop bag and files, he stepped out, pausing to call out a soft "bye" to his wife, who stood for a long time, gazing worriedly at his retreating back before running after him to catch up.

**************

Coming down the stairs, Arnav saw the family gathered around the dining table, an uncomfortable-looking Dhruv being the unwilling centre of attention. An involuntary smile almost broke out on his face as he thought for the umpteenth time about how much Dhruv looked like Akash and how much he resembled himself in demeanour.

Suddenly, sensing his brother's eyes on him, Dhruv looked up. The remorse on his face reminding Arnav of their falling-out, his face hardened. Coming to a stop near the foyer, Arnav called out, "Akash, are you planning to come in today?"

Scampering up, Akash replied, "Of course, Bhai. Woh UK client aa rahe hain nah, aaj." Turning to his younger brother, he added, "I'll see you in the evening. I can't move this meeting."

Looking at Arnav's stiff back, Dhruv replied, "No issues, Bhai. Aap jayiye...Bhaiyya ke saath."

The flash of pain on Arnav's face when he heard Dhruv mention him not going unnoticed by his wife, he walked forward, not waiting for Akash to catch up. The disappointed family members turned back to their food, all except Dhruv. Watching his Bhabhi curiously, he wondered why she was still standing half-way to the door, looking at her husband walking away, only to be stunned by his Bhaiyya turning at the door to come striding back and give her a tight hug, murmuring something that had her smile at him tremulously. One last lingering kiss on the forehead. Arnav walked out, not sparing even a glance at the rest of the family.

As for Khushi, she was still trembling from her husband's hoarse whisper, "Thank you, Khushi...kabhi kabhi zindagi mujhe yaad dilaati hain ki tum mere saath nahi hoti toh main kaise hota, kaise jee raha hota. I love you..."

Taking a moment to compose herself, she stood quiet, merely nodding as Akash walked past, calling out his goodbye. Turning around, she caught Dhruv looking at her, his gaze part assessing and part wonderous. She gazed back steadily, debating whether whom she should target to find out what had happened.

Decision made, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada straightened, smiling at her youngest Dewar. Dhruv Singh Raizada was going to get to know his Bhabhi very well indeed, but that, would have to wait.

I've finally decided on a number...there will be three more parts to this MS.

After that, Dhruv might or might not be a recurring character. I'm inclined to keep him around, though...I find a quieter, younger, version of our ASR very very enticing!

Let me know your feedback, please...

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