IPK 2 - It Happened This Way ... part 7 pg 18 - Page 3

(and i thought that you had forgotten)

great reading. I wish it happened like this in serial.

this is a superb story please take it to its logical end

Thanks, all, for the comments and for liking it 😃

Had written these earlier ... I will try to write more, but it will take a little while ... if the comments keep coming 😆

OS part IV - Silence

They took her home a few days later. Her husband, his Nani and her sister. Mami, Akash and Anjali didn't visit her in hospital. Naniji stayed there all the time – all the time that Arnav allowed her to, or when he himself needed to go home for the bare essentials. Payal jiji brought her clothes and toiletries, helped to sponge and change her with the help of the very expensive, very experienced nurses Arnav had engaged. And Arnav was there, of course. All the time.

Her arm hurt. A lot. The doctors and Arnav told her she was lucky. The bullet had missed her heart by bare inches. It hit a major blood vessel instead and she lost a lot of blood. She was weak as a kitten, could barely move still. Her left arm, her entire left side was one big ache, and it hurt excruciatingly whenever she tried to move her hand. But Arnav wanted to take her home. He told the doctor that he could work from home, and be with her all the time, while Akash handled the office, and she would be under the loving care of her sister and Nani. Two nurses came with them, to take care of her.

Nobody mentioned Anjali, Mami or Shyam. She tried to ask a couple of times, but it was still too much strain to talk. And when she tried, Arnav told her to shush, that she was not to worry about anything, but just concentrate on getting better. She had almost died, one of the nurses told her bluntly. She was very lucky.

She didn't feel so lucky. When Arnav was alone with her, he looked after her tenderly, gently, and it was odd. As though he was a stranger. And he refused to talk, to answer any of her questions. He told her she was not to worry about anything and just concentrate on herself, on getting well as fast as possible. She wasn't used to this gentleness from him. It made her nervous, tense, made her feel as though he was hiding something from her, and she didn't like the feeling. They had kept too many secrets from each other already, she didn't want any more. But she was just too weak to persist.

And Payal jiji, Nani and NK were the same. They told her she was to get better soon, and Arnav would answer all her questions. She knew that Arnav had told them not to tell her anything. But tell her what? What had she forgotten? The last thing she remembered clearly was the airport … pleading with Arnav not to leave for London, begging him to give her one chance to explain … waiting frantically, and then with decreasing hope for Shyam to arrive and clear her name in Arnav's eyes. And then her memory seemed to go blank … like the last reel of a film. Only disjointed mages flashed through her mind, but so vaguely and hazily, it felt as though someone had drawn a thick white cloth across her eyes, and she was struggling to peer through it and see things clearly. Scattered images of an abandoned dusty warehouse, hiding behind barrels of water … or was it kerosene … A jeep full of men … and arguing with them, a familiar face … Shyam. And then loud noises, the kidnappers, the fight … Arnavji held at gunpoint … she even remembered NK telling her frantically to stay quiet, stay hidden … but all she could see was the gun aimed at Arnavji's head … And then – the sound of shooting.

After that, it all went blank.

What had happened? And how had she gotten hurt when it was Arnav who had been fighting? Arnav who had been held at gunpoint in front of her horrified eyes?

She would find out when she got home, she decided weakly. She would ask Di. Di always told her everything about Arnav. Di always knew what went on in Arnav's life and in his mind. And so did Nani. They were the two who knew Arnav the best, they would tell her. Funny, when she was on fighting terms with him, she had no problem talking to him, shouting at him, saying whatever she felt. But now, faced with this gentle stranger, she was tongue-tied. Every time she wanted to ask him, he shushed her. Not roughly or rudely, as was his habit … no brusque "Shut up, Khushi." Only a soft, gentle "Khushi, you must rest and not tire yourself. Don't worry about anything …"

That didn't even sound like Arnavji. Not her Arnavji. He was a changed man, and she didn't know why. And it scared the heck out of her.

She would ask Di, she thought to herself. Di would know why Arnav had suddenly changed so much. Di would tell her. Di always explained to her what Arnavji felt and what he meant … Di understood the strange, silent man who was her husband.

But Di didn't want to talk to her.

Brilliant!! Love your version of the story post kidnapping.

Keep them coming Dia -- since you started!!! We are insatiable... !

Wow..this is real good stuff!!😊

I'm hoping this would be an arnav redemption story as well? Khushi has already forgiven and forgotten everything...All the torture he put her through? And I wonder what would happen when the contract marriage comes to an end...
Don't tell me akaash and maami are mad at her as well?
I hope you make arnav suffer for everything he put Khushi through...

Please PM me when you update next...I have sent a buddy request...

Great stuff. U should definitely write more. Really liked this version. Khushi forgot that Arnav said he loved her and Arnav doesn't have the courage to say it again. What is up with the rest of the family? Looking forward to reading more. Please pm me when u update next time. Sent u a buddy request :)

Wonderful! I really like this version! Please update soon! 😊

Good going ...please do continue 'cause I am going to need closure on this one at least 😆