Khushi did not know how to react to Nandini Raizada's confession. Does one's own pain warrant punishing another person, especially one's own child? Not one to mince words Khushi persisted,
'I don't think you were justified in punishing a small child for no crime of his, whatever be the reasons. Your fears and insecurities have killed him as a person-----
'But made him successful in his life,' Nandini Raizada interrupted. Surprised, Khushi looked at her. Nandini nodded and continued,
'When Dev left me my heart turned to stone. I couldn't care for anyone. Not even my own children. I felt they would do the same someday. I was scared of my love for them. I was scared of giving them the power to hurt me.
So, I shut them out, especially Arnav. But, I wasn't completely an uncaring mother. I wanted Arnav to be stronger than I ever was.
I wanted him to be prepared fo hurt, pain, rejection, hatred---because this world is all about that. Love, family and everyone hurts. What stays with us is our confidence, our own inner strength and our will power.
Everything else is useless,' she concluded.
Khushi listened in shock. Her mother in law sounded exactly like her son. These were the values she had given him? No wonder he was so bitter inside. He had been turned into a cynic and non believer in life's finer emotions at a very young age and today he was what he was because he had become even harder over the years.
Fresh anger returned with a greater vigor to Khushi.
'What a terrible view you have of life. Sure you had a terrible experience Millions of women do. I myself have a husband who doesn't love me and wants to be rid of me in a year and I am here still to fight for him, because love is a package deal. It comes with heartache too and no one knows it better than me.'
It was Nandini's turn to be shocked and she looked at the young and innocent girl in front of her. This girl had been fighting with her for a man who did not want her?
'Ma, I don't want to judge you. Just come back once and tell your son that you love him and he will not hurt people like his father.
Give him back the faith in life that he has lost,' Khushi pleaded-------
Arnav could not take his mind off Khushi. Neither work nor other distractions helped. He began to wonder where she was.
She had told she had work. But what if this was one more lie? By now he was wary of what she told him.
Each time she came up with a different version of truth. He wished he could trust her and believe she had gone for official work.
But he was almost sure she hadn't. What if she was in fresh trouble?
Picking up his phone he called her office---
'No I can't come. I don't want to go back to that life. I don't want any relationship with the normal world. I have done all my duties and I will never return' Nandini said stoically.
Feeling defeated Khushi said, 'If you think you have finished your duties, you are terribly wrong. As I said, you will never find peace anywhere, till you restore your son's faith in himself and life.
And may be if you do, someday he will love me back and have a life with me.
Anyway I won't plead. Goodbye ma and take care' she said and left the room, fighting back the tears at failing her task.
Arnav paced his room pensively. So, she had gone to Lucknow. The receptionist had refused to divulge any more details.
One more mystery!
By now Khushi was becoming a bag of secrets and he was nowhere near deciphering them. She must be back any time now.
He did not care where she had gone and what she was up to, he just wanted to see her safe and sound, back at home.
Immediately he realized, he was thinking like a husband---who wanted his wife back home---When had she made the transition from the person he couldn't tolerate to someone he cared about---
He shrugged off the thought. It was but natural to care for someone who was a part of his life---no big deal---
Khushi cried almost all the way home. She felt miserable to have failed in her mission. She had failed to bring happiness in Arnav's life. She could do nothing for him. She had only caused him pain and humiliation.
She had to go away soon. She was nothing but a burden to him. But she couldn't just leave. She couldn't put him at risk---no she had to endure a bit longer and sort out all troubles---
She stepped into the bedroom, after an ecstatic greeting from Risheek and Anjali. Her eyes had searched for Arnav, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Her eyes scanned the room for him. But he was not visible.
She dropped her bags and walked towards the swimming pool.
There he was. His head bowed. His hands in his pocket. His eyes downcast. He looked lonely and sad---and Khushi could not resist walking up to him and hugging him from behind.
Surprised he turned around and she noted his eyes were most. What had he been thinking about? She was overjoyed when he returned the hug, pressing her close to his heart.
The rhythm of his heartbeat made her feel all was well with the world. But she knew it wasn't. It never could be. Yet she wanted to believe it now. As she looked up at him, his lips came down to kiss her. No words were spoken as they lived the moment.
'Why were you upset?' Khushi asked, after a while, when he refused to release her.
'Khushi I have always been a loner. I have always tried to be free of emotional entanglements. But today, knowing you were lying about why you went to Lucknow, knowing you are lying about so many things, I still want to believe in you and take care of you. Does that make me an emotional fool that my mother always accused me of?' he asked, his vulnerability evident in his eyes.
Khushi was surprised he knew so much about her. But she did not deny it. Instead she cupped his face in her soft ones and said No. You are not an emotional fool. Just a good human being with a caring heart,' she said and kissed him again.
As he hugged her, she thought 'Before we part, I swear that all your wounds will be healed.'
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