May 2012 -Manali..
Banno re banno meri chali sasural ko
Ankhiyo me paani de gayi
Duaa me meethi gud dhani le gayi
Haaye.. Banno re banno meri chali sasural koAnkhiyo me paani de gayiDuaa me meethi gud dhani le gayi Re kabira maan ja, re fakira yun na jaaAaja tujhko pukaarein teri parchhayaanRe kabira maan ja, re fakira yun na jaaKaisa tu hai nirmohi kaisa harjaayiya
The sound of music chimed through the air inside the beautiful house. Women were running around getting the preparations ready while the men stood and watched wondering what to do, so like good husbands they followed their wives around, assisting them with their much needed help.
One particular girl stood in front of the mirror looking at herself doubtfully. Wearing a beautiful pink lehenga, she looked like a stunner. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and smiled confidently. She was getting married..finally...but did she want to...?
"Khushi...! Khushi..Where are you..?" a loud voice boomed through her room breaking her trance.
Khushi looked behind, and yelled out "I'm in here Jiji...!"
Her sister Payal, walked into her room, about to say something but stopped immediately assessing Khushi. She smiled through her tears and said "My baby sister's all grown up now! Look how beautiful you look Khushi!"
"Really Jiji..? Do I look okay...?" she asked nervously.
Payal walked up to her and hugged her tightly and said "Khushi, I know you're nervous but you have to let your fears go...you're getting married...and Kabir loves you so much..you shouldn't worry so much..."
"I know Jiji but I'm scared I won't be able to give him the love he deserves..not..not after..you know..." mumbled Khushi.
Payal closed the door and sat down next to Khushi and said "Listen Khushi, I know it's not easy to forget one's first love but how do you expect to live your life if you don't make an attempt to move on...? I know forgetting Arnav is difficult but at least be happy that he's probably in a good place today..."
"Jiji..you're right...I have to make an effort! Kabir has done so much for me...it won't be fair if I don't do anything for him.."
"Can I ask you something Khushi..?" asked Payal.
"Sure Jiji.."
"Do you love Kabir..?"
After a long time, Khushi was silent. Did she love him...? She knew she cared for him, he made her feel great but love...? Was it love for her or was it just an easy path to move on from Arnav...?
"I...I don't know..."
Payal looked at her sister, how strong she was! Forgetting her first love was not easy, she was suffering to this day...it had been 4 years since Khushi had come back but she still was in love with Arnav...
Payal stood up trying to change the subject, she looked at Khushi and said "Khushi...it's your sangeet in one hour, remember what I told you..."
With that she smiled and walked out the room leaving Khushi wonder about how her life is about to change this very second.
Khushi stood up and walked out to her cupboard. She opened the last drawer which in these 4 years she had never opened. She took out the picture and as she saw it, her eyes began to moisten. It was a picture of her and Arnav...together...happy as always..oh how much she missed him...his smile...his antics...his temper...everything.
She wondered how he was...it has been 4 years since she last heard from him. She had made all efforts to cut herself of from his life. She just couldn't see him in love with anybody else. Leaving the picture back in its place and closing the cupboard.
She applied her make up on, covering traces of any lost tears and walked back down. What Khushi did not realize was that her life was going to change this very moment...
"Arnav...?" She whispered, finally relieved at laying her eyes on him after 4 years...
"Khushi..?" he said, his voice breaking after saying her name..
"What are you doing here...?" she asked.
"As soon as I found out...I had to come...I just could not stay away anymore..."he said.
"It's been 4 years Arnav...what has happened to you..." she asked, still in shock with the changes in Arnav. He was so much more mature, it didn't seem as if it was good news. For as long as she has known him for, she knew he had gone through a lot of pain.
"A lot has happened that you don't know about Khushi...the pain is just too much that it almost feels as if I'm completely numbed..." he mumbled.
Placing an arm around his, she brought his chin up and said "What happened...tell me...how is your wife...?"
At that, a lone tear broke out from his eye, his jaw clenched at the sound of that name...
"She's...she's gone...she left me..." He broke.
Khushi didn't know what she was expecting, she was shocked but she felt as if there was something much more...
"Why didn't you stop her...?"
"I couldn't...I can't fight with God..."he whispered.
It suddenly registered to Khushi. Meera was dead.
Khushi held back her own tears. How much pain had he gone through? And the worst part was that she was not there with him. She turned him around and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a much needed hug.
His silent tears were wetting her top but she couldn't care less. The only thing that mattered now was him. Everything and everyone can go to hell.
"Hey..ssh. Arnav...how did..it happen?" she asked, not wanting to go into details.
Arnav took a deep breath and said "We were happy...very happy but there was something missing. Something which we both didn't understand. I thought I loved her but it was no more than friendship. It all started around 6 months after we got married, she was starting to get annoyed with everything. I tried my best to give her everything but she was never satisfied. Soon, she became pregnant...we were so happy! I figured this could be a path of reconciling what we had. I tried to look after her but I just could not protect her...One day, I was driving to office when I saw Meera outside a restaurant with this man. I didn't understand what was happening, so I followed her...Whatever I saw that day was just the most heartbreaking incident I could have ever witnessed in my life. That day, I broke all my ties with her..." he said, his pained eyes giving away all the trauma he had gone through.
Khushi let him lay down on her lap, like old times. She stroked his hair, feeling the familiar soft entangled locks. "What did she do'?"
"She cheated on me Khushi..."
"What'? But why? I thought she loved you...? And how did she'"
"How did she die..?" he said, his voice cracking. "When I confronted her, she just blew up. She yelled and screamed and told me that I was not in love with her...that it was all my fault that she wasn't happy. She told me that I would never make a good father and that her baby was cursed to get a dad like me...I asked her why she hated me so much..She broke down after that and apologized...I had to get out...so I went for a walk to clear my head...I came back home to find blood traces all over the floor. I rushed into our bedroom but I was too late. She was gone..she killed herself...I can never forget..how...she was lying there...looking as peaceful as ever...She left me Khushi..she took our child with us..."
Khushi didn't know when she started to cry. She looked down at Arnav, he was tearing. How much had he gone through..?
"Why Arnav'? Why didn't you ever leave her'?" she asked, wiping his tears.
"Because I promised you that I'd never leave her..." He said, looking directly into her moistened eyes.
She hugged him with all her might, promising to never let go...ever...
He clutched onto her as if she was his life line...she was always the one for him...he knew from the start, he was just too stubborn to accept it...
"Please...please don't leave me..." he whispered, his face buried in her tresses.
"I won't...never..." she whispered, pressing a soft kiss onto his forehead...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okay So how was it...? :) Do leave your feedback...! ;)
Last Part will be posted tomorrow..!
PS you guys can picture Meera as :
Till then,
Adios...! ;)
Itti Si Khushi Sab TV
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
6