ArShi SS: Forced Marriage ~Chapter12 Page 128 THREAD2 LINK PG1 - Page 13

Chapter Three:

Khushi wore the saari which Anjali gave her an hour ago; she looked very beautiful though her face was pale due to the crying in the last week. Arnav looked at her with those deep tender eyes loving her all the more with every passing day. Khushi wore a light make-up to hide the black cycles under her eyes, the result of the sleepless nights. The green and blue bangles she wore were matching with the colour of the saari, the mehndi was still so dark on her, palms, wrists and arms, the payals chan chaned rhythmically in Arnav's ears. Khushi looked at her reflection in the mirror; she was beautiful without a doubt, but there was something missing about her or many things; that twinkle in her eyes, that wide smile and many things were missing that Khushi did not realize. Her eyes fell on the Mangal Sutra and Sindoor which were lying on the dressing table; she looked at them for a while before losing in her deep miserable thoughts once again that she missed the light knockes on the door.

"Come in," said Arnav.

"Chotey, why are you not ready yet? I know you have a beautiful wife, but you just cannot spend the day staring at her in front of the guests too." Anjali loves teasing her brother always. "Bata hai Khushi bhabi, he does not like it when I tease him especially by calling him Chotey, but I like it very much. I love the way he suppress his anger, he really looks cute." Anjali said teasing him again before standing in front of Khushi. "Kisi ki nazar na lagi hamaare bhabi ko." Anjali put some kohl under Khushi's ear protecting her from the evil eyes.

"You didn't wear the Mangal Sutra and apply the sindoor yet! I know it's because you aren't used to that. I needed a whole week after my marriage to remember them, but Rahul used to remind me and help me till today. Why are you sitting there, Chotey? Come and help your wife." Anjali said to Arnav who was sitting on the recliner.

"It's ok, Anjali Ji."

"Don't be shy, bhabi. You're married now."

"Say that you're not that shy girl any more day. Your Rahul has spoiled you by romancing you in front of others shamelessly." Arnav smiled putting an arm around Anjali. Before marriage, Rahul used to flirt with Anjali in front of any one- except nani- which annoyed Anjali a lot because of the embarrassment she got when people had been teasing her about that, but after marriage she became accustomed to the kisses he drops on her cheeks, and the hugs in front of anyone including nani and strangers.

"You know your Jija Ji." Anjali felt embarrassed.

"Aha! Back to the famous dialogue." Arnav exclaimed while fastening the Mangal Sutra around Khushi's neck, so she wouldn't feel embarrassed, or awkward or even forced, being cautious not to touch her in the process. Meanwhile Khushi put the sindoor on her maang by herself.

"Guys, you need some romance while tying the mangal sutra, it's sacred as your rishta is. This moments reminds you of the rights you have on each other. Well, the guests started to arrive. Come downstairs once Arnav is ready."

"Ji, Khushi nodded wanting to go downstairs as soon as possible. She thought that Anjali is like her mother always preaching about the sacred relationship a married couple have!

"Di is very nice, right?" Arnav spoke once Anjali left; when he got no answer, he headed to the washroom to change in a black sherwaani for the occasion. Strangely for her, Khushi started growing a like towards Anjali. The good thing about Khushi that she doesn't judge the whole family because her opinion about a member of it; although she doesn't like one of Payal's sisters, she loves the other members of the family, and here the situation was the same, she couldn't just hate everyone because of Arnav.

It could not be unnoticed by Arnav the lost , pale expression Khushi's face wore all the time, and the cold water of his shower couldn't help him. He needed to talk with her to sort everything out, but she did not seem that she wanted to give him a single chance.

.

"My gift will depend on how much beautiful your Bahu is, Nani Ji," Said a lady in her forties.

"It will be a big gift for sure," Nani replied proudly as the woman stood in front of Khushi, who was sitting for the reception as the ladies were supposed to gift her. The lady removed the dupatta from Khushi's face revealing it.

"She is very beautiful as I've been told by my neighbours," The lady said sweetly putting her gifts on Khushi's lap.

Another lady, who was wearing a heavy make-up and heavy jewelry showing the class she belonged to, saw Khushi. "She is ok," She said unpleasantly as she was not content.

"That means you're more beautiful than Miss World, Khushi Bitya. Sundihi does not praise anyone, she also criticized Miss India of the last year!" Nani said cheerfully as the guests laughed ,and even Khushi smiled.

"Ok, your bahu is beautiful, Nani Ji."

Arnav was hoping it would be fun for Khushi to hear the remarks the ladies said about each others.

"Come here, Arnav. You're very lucky to have Khushi as your wife," a neighbor called Arnav. Arnav was loved by people very much including his neighbours and Nani's friends, yet his character was deep though he was very kind with them; they knew they have limits when speaking with him.

"And she is lucky too to have our Arnav," Sundihi spoke. She was planning to get one of her three daughters married to Arnav, but nothing worked with her and them no matter how much they had tried.

The function ended in a good affair; Nani asked Hari Prakaash- the Raizaada's loyal servant- to take the gifts to Khushi's room.

"Bua, Can I see the gifts with you before I go home?" Priya asked Khushi.

"Sure." Khushi lifted her in her arms after excusing Nani to go to her room.

"Of course, bitya. You can go. Priya is a naughty girl." No matter what the situation Khushi was in, she loves kids and their innocence. Arnav smiled seeing that as Khushi had a company. "She is your mami, Priya. Your mama's wife." Arnav corrected her.

"Oh! I forgot because I did not have a mami," Priya giggled. "Chalo, mami."

Arnav decided to leave them alone to give Khushi a space, and a chance to enjoy Priya's company. He went to Akaash's room to discuss some work related issues. When Arnav left Akaash's room, he heard his family, who were sitting downstairs, taking Khushi's name in their conversation.

"She did not make some dish today as a tradition, or can't she cook? Will she spend all the day in her room?" Manorama spoke about Khushi as she was sitting with Anjali and Nani.

"She is a bride, and it's her first day here; she still needs to adapt to our life, mami. Maybe she does not know about our traditions." Anjali replied not liking what her mami was pointing at.

"Manorama, you were twenty when you got married to my son, and yet you couldn't make the simplest dishes. Have you forgotten." Nani said sharply shutting Manorama up. "Or you still accustomed to the idea of being the only bahu of this family?!"

"Who…Sasu ma…hum" Manorama could not speak appropriately. Arnav felt thankful to his Di and Nani for their understanding, and as for his mami he knew how she is though she has a good heart, but she liked to be the centre of attention some times.

"Chotey, call Priya. I'm going home." Anjali called Arnav as she saw him walking towards his room. "Ok, Di."

Arnav knocked on the door before opening it, "Priya?"

"Mama, look, mami's gifts are wonderful…she gave me this." Priya spoke with wide eyes feeling surprise to see the gifts Khushi got before showing an expensive brooch to Arnav.

"WOW! It looks beautiful." Arnav gave a quick look at the spreading boxes on the bed before answering Priya. "Keep it with Ma lest you lose it. Di is leaving."

"But we haven't seen all the gifts," Priya made a puppy face.

"I'll open them with you when you come next time," Khushi liked the cute girl a lot.

"Pakka promise, mami."

"Pakka wala promise, Priya." Khushi assured her then bent down to kiss her cheeks.

"You will call me mama, right? Or you will forget me because e now you have mami to talk with?" Arnav chuckled hearing her.

"I can't forget you, dear. Come here." Arnav kissed her cheeks exactly where Khushi did before, then Priya kissed him goodbye and left.

"Khushi, why did you give her that brooch? It's too expensive for a kid to have."

"But it does not mean anything to me."Khushi was collecting the boxes.

"Okay…"Arnav inhaled deeply not wanting to disagree with Khushi as she finally talked, "why aren't you ready yet? You have to visit your family as per rituals, right?"

"Yes, I have to….I have to do this, I have to do that….I'm forced to do everything." Khushi gritted her teeth.

"Forced? What are you saying, Khushi?" Arnav couldn't digest anything.

"Do not act nave now! It's all because of you," Khushi said with a high pitch.

Arnav was bewildered hearing her accusing him of something he did not know about. "Me?!"

"Yes, you..because of you I'm forced to do everything…because of this forced marriage I have to live up to all people's expectations and not live my own life as I want any more." Khushi burst out.

"What? Forced marriage? I haven't forced you….I have asked you if you agree or not," Arnav was shocked; he put a hand through his hair feeling that everything was missed up. "Did anyone force you to marry me?" Khushi didn't reply; she had had enough speaking and crying about this whole thing, and he was the last one she wanted to talk with. "Khushi, who forced you to marry me?...Khushi, answer me dammit…Khushi, please say something."

"What should I say? That you're acting now to fool me, so I can say you are a good man?" Khushi shouted before turning to the other side as the tears threatened to fall down. She was thinking that Arnav made a kind of a deal or something with her parents, so that they agree blindly then force her to marry him.