Shock clouded his brain at the sight of his elusive mother in the plush settings of his home. He could not speak a word, as old memories of rejection and pain rushed back and clouded his mind.
As he continued to stare, his mother made the first move, 'Arnav, aren't you happy to see me? Why are you standing there?'
Was that his mother? He had never heard her address him so softly. His feet seemed to have turned to stone and he could not make the much needed gesture of touching her feet.
'Arnav beta. It's me. Your ma. I wanted to come and see you and be there for this birthday,' she said softly.
Stunned he looked at her face searchingly. Hs birthday? She had never cared abut it even when he was younger. So, why now?
His mother moved forward and came towards him, 'Aren't you going to welcome me?'
That jolted Arnav from his stupor. Moving forward,, he touched her feet and said respectfully
'Welcome home ma. But why did you suddenly think of coming?'
Nandini Raizada cast a glance towards the silent girl, standing and watching the scene. As Khushi met her eyes she silently gestured to her not to mention what had transpired between them. Nandini slightly titled her head to acknowledge the request.
Turning towards Arnav, Nandini said,
'Being a mother I have never enjoyed moments like Birthdays with you after you have grown up. Tomorrow, if something happens to me as I am getting older, I wanted to do this. I can die in peace then.'
His mother, dead? No. She may not be with him, but he was happy knowing she was alive. He said,
'Nothing will happen to you,' swallowing the lump in his throat at the sight of the regal but frail woman in front of him.
Needing to sort out his emotions, he turned around and left the room muttering under his breath, 'I will see you later .'
When he left the room Anjali came forward and hugged her mother,
'Ma I am glad you are here. I have handled your treatment much better than Chotey. You were kinder to me. Chotey has not healed. Please be here and help him heal.'
Nandini hugged her daughter back.
Risheek looked at the duo curiously and asked Khushi,
' Who is she? Why are ma and mamu so sad to see her? Is she good or bad? And what abut richeek? Will she like me? Will she want to take away my toys?'
His barrage of question made Khushi smile. Taking his hand she gently moved forward and placed Risheek in the line of vision of her mother in law. 'That's your grandson Ma. He wants to know a lot of things from you.'
Nandini smiled down at her grandson, who was looking at her curiously.
'I saw you as a baby. Now that you can speak, can you tell me your name?' she asked gently.
'Richeek. Mami calls me Richie. You can call me richeek till you become friends,' he prattled on.
Smiling, Nandini bent down and gathered her grandchild in her arms, while Anjali wiped away the tears that sprang forth at the sight of her mother with her son----a sight she thought she would never see outside the confines of the Ashram.
As Khushi watched the scene, her eyes welled up with tears. She had always wanted Arnav's family to be complete and today she felt the peace. Her Arnav would heal now---the thought brought peace to her heart and she immediately thought of her absent husband.
She had to go to him and try to gauge how he was feeling. He would surely be at the poolside.
'I will go and check on Arnav and see what he needs. You both won't need be any way. You can have your Ma beti talks while I do this,' Khushi smiled and excused herself.
Nandini and Anjali nodded their consent.
The moment he heard the faint sound of her anklets, he knew she had come to him----the only person who understood what he was feeling.
As she approached him and touched his shoulder, he turned around and opened his arms to her and she willingly walked into it.
All things in the world felt fine, when he held her. They remained silent, each soaking in the warmth of the other.
Khushi was the first to speak, still nestled to his wide chest ,' How are you feeling Arnav? Are you shocked?"
Putting her away, he turned his back to her, not willing to reveal his feelings to anyone, not even her.
' I don't know. I have developed immunity to my mother.
I try not to be affected by anything she does, be it good or bad. She is unreliable,' he concluded.
'Forget the future, the past ---everything. Just tell me, en't you happy she is here?' she asked anxiously.
He was silent for a while and then said, in almost a whisper, 'Yes. But it won't last. She will go away and she may again relapse into the bitter person I knew, while growing up,'
Moving forward, Khushi took his hand into hers and said Arnav, l
'Life doesn't come with guarantees Arnav.
People change with time. Good can become bad and bad can become good, based on the circumstances and passage of time.
So, don't think of what happened. I know it is easier said than done. But try to be happy that she is here, with you, today, to celebrate your birthday tomorrow.
Life is harsh it makes the softest people harsh sometimes. I think your mother went through a lot of things that changed her. And the fact that she is here, today, shows she has changed back to regain some of the softness and that's why she has come to you and Di.
Please Arnav. Give yourself a chance to trust, to love and to simply be happy. Let your birthday be perfect. Leave the future to the future. If she hurts you again, which I very much doubt, let's deal with it then. I will be with you still, helping you cope,' she smiled up at him.
He looked down at the smiling, sweet girl who was holding his hands and comforting him. Where did she get so much wisdom? How could someone care so much for him and his happiness and his concerns? It was too good to be true and too good to last. But just now, he followed her adivice. He wasn't going to worry about what would change tomorrow. He felt happy and loved and he wasn't going to waste it in brooding.
Drawing her close to him he smiled back,
'Yes mam. As you say mam! I am going to be a good little boy who only thinks of the present. I am going to give myself a chance to bask in the presence of my mother. I am even going to take the risk of hoping, that all this lasts,'
Delighted, Khushi hugged him close to her.
Dinner was a happy affair. Khushi had cooked up quite a meal, with the help of HP. It was a proper three course meal, from soups to starters to main course to desserts.
Khushi had made many of her special recipes. She had also made her famous Jalebis, with a special sugar free edition for Arnav.
Nandini Raizada had come down to the kitchen as she was making the Jalebis, knowing that HP was busy laying the table for dinner.
'Khushi why don't you want Arnav to know that I came here after your visit last month?' Nandini asked the younger woman as she hauled one more lot of Jalebis from the oil.
'Ma. You did not come due to my visit. You came because, somewhere deep down. You knew it was the right thing to do.' Khushi replied.
'You are wrong Khushi. If you had not come, I would have never realized how deeply Arnav is impacted. I wouldn't have realized that it is possible to love, even in the face of sure hurt, because you loved Arnav knowing that he doesn't love you and that your marriage is not going to be for long.
You, at your tender age, have more maturity than me. I took a long time to realize, that if you can do it for my son, being married to him for such a short time, I can do it too, having given birth to him,' Nandini said emotionally.
Impulsively, Khushi hugged her mother-in-law, 'Thanks for coming ma. Arnav will have the best birthday of his life.'
Nandini hugged the frail girl back. She had not told Khushi, that she was also here to save her son's marriage. After meeting Khushi, she had realized, with this girl in his life Arnav would ever have to go through his life loveless and alone, like her. She had to make sure, they stayed together---
By the time Khushi came up to bed, Arnav was fast asleep. He had been mentally and physically exhausted after all the happenings that day.
Khushi had made so many arrangements for his birthday.
She had planned for many surprises and he would receive them one by one from midnight.
Tired and happy, she fell asleep immediately. Setting the alarm for 12'o clock. It was already 10.45. She could catch some sleep till 12!
Suddenly she felt someone beating the bed agitatedly. And calling out
'Don't go Ma. Please. I promise you I am not going to be like Dad. I won't hurt you. Please stay with me.'
Fully awake now, Khushi realized Arnav was having a nightmare, like he had once in Simla.
Moving close to him she ran her hand over the unruly mop of hair that fell on his forehead. She whispered gently, ' Shhh. It's ok. She won't leave you. No one will leave you.'
Her gentle voice soothed him and lowly he woke up and then looked at her,
' What happened?' he asked.
'You had a nightmare, that your mother is leaving you,' Khushi said.
Embarrassed, he looked away.
'It's ok. It doesn't make you weak in any way. It just makes you more human,' she said.
He nodded. 'Get back to sleep,' he said, trying to put some distance between them.
She was too close for comfort. A few buttons of the top of her night suit had come open revealing her creamy breasts.
Her hair lay loose along her shoulders in a silky curtain, having come lose from her hair band. And the tempting vision was leaning down on him, half lying over him, her hand still in his hair.
As Khushi realzed, her position, she began to move away. Just them an alarm clock buzzed and something from the ceiling burst open and showered flower petals on them, with the music of 'Happy birthday to you.'
'What the hell is that?' Arnav asked, totally flabbergasted at the shower of petals on him.
Sheepishly Khushi grinned,
' It's a new birthday device. If I set it up with a timer, it showers petals with the music. By the way, Happy Birthday Arnav,' she said and pressed her soft lips to his cheek.
The kiss, the flowers, the day, its happiness, was all too much for Arnav. Suddenly, he flipped her over such that he was lying on top of her,
'And where is the birthday gift?' he asked lazily, looking at her half surprised half scared eyes.
'Mmm, its coming up tomorrow. It's a surprise,' she said.
'I can't wait till tomorrow. And what if I say I want something else?' he teased.
Khushi's slow brain was trying to comprehend the meaning as she asked 'Wh----what?'
'I want you, Khushi Kumari Gupta,' he said, even as something at the back of his mind warned him, that he was playing with fire.
But right now, he was happy scaring her and playing with her----and he just wanted to be happy----the future seemed a long way off----
Anupamaa
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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