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Chapter 40B - Seasonable
Three days later, the Raizada mansion was abuzz with the arrival of their newest member, Anya Raizada. They had all returned from the hospital, the mother and daughter both successfully discharged after everything was checked out. The excitement could not be contained from anyone in the family, they all took turns holding her and staring at her in awe, wondering how such a small thing could be so precious. She seemed to have gotten traits from both mother and father, when she was not crying and moody like Lavanya, she was a happy baby, reminding everyone of NK when he was younger.
The Raizada clan, along with Khushi, settled down in the family room of the house chattering amongst themselves and finally sitting back and relaxing after a stressful couple of days. NK was seated beside a very tired looking Lavanya, his hand around her waist.
Anya was currently in Anjali's arms, as her and Shyam hovered over the baby lovingly.
"Would you like to hold her Khushi?" Lavanya asked after some time, gaining her wits with a small smile, to which Khushi happily obliged. "Of course!" She grinned at Lavanya, making her believe that perhaps things would be okay with everyone.
It seemed Khushi was a natural when it came to kids, Arnav noticed as she fit the baby snugly into the comfort of her arms. Her smile only grew and she rocked the baby gently. "Arnav, do you want to hold her?" She asked excitedly.
"Uh...I don't really know how..." He muttered, making Khushi giggle. "Come on Arnav, try. I'll help you." She said as she slid over closer to him on the sofa. Gently handing Anya over to Arnav, she made sure he was supporting her small head with his hand, and then successfully managed to get little Anya's head comfortably into the crook of Arnav's elbow. She grinned with an unknown joy upon the image that was presented in front of her, her lips only curving upwards when Arnav smiled back at her nervously.
"See, not so bad is it?" Khushi asked, to which Arnav shook his head in the negative and awkwardly rocked the baby back and forth. Small giggles were heard from the Raizadas as they watched Arnav, with an overwhelming sense of happiness. One would have never imagined how he would look with a baby in his arms.
"I guess I'll have to learn this kind of stuff, for when our own babies come." He whispered; quiet enough for only her to hear. She smiled shyly, wanting to kiss him and refraining with much difficulty.
"There's a sight I thought I would never see. Nannav with a baby! Looks good to me!" NK grinned at his cousin, and surprisingly Arnav smiled back, cutting the remaining tension that had been in the air of the family.
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Khushi had been off to do some errands around the city due to the fact that she had been away so long, and that too abruptly. As soon as she was finished, she watched the sunset by a nearby bench as she waited for Arnav to come pick her up. She smiled, feeling the cool summer's breeze, the way it played with strands of her hair and whispered across her skin. She felt herself smiling to those around her more than necessary, a sudden sense of exhilaration overwhelming her. And she wondered, was this true happiness?It was not that Khushi was not fearful of the future, because she was. She believed that neither her future nor her past should get in the way of the present. Wherever she was lead now, she would go. She only knew that she was loved immensely. Khushi had such a beautiful family that she prayed she would not lose, she had lovely friends such as Anjali and NK, elders such as Nani and Buaji, she had just been acquainted with a wonderful little being named Anya who had stolen her heart, but mostly she had Arnav.
She had not thought it was possible to love him anymore than she already did, however as the days passed she realized that the feeling only increased. She adored him with everything she had.
A honk interrupted her thought process, as she glanced in front of her and recognized the Raizada car. It was not Arnav in the car she concluded, but a grinning and waving NK instead. He rolled down his window and ushered for her to go over to him.
"NK?" Khushi asked in astonishment. "What are you doing here!" She grinned, seeing how happy he was to see her.
"I'm picking you up, duh! Get in."
She shook her head with a smile and opened the car door, letting herself in and buckling her seatbelt in place.
"I decided I would come get you today, Arnav told me it would be easier as I was in the area anyways." He smiled warmly, as he reversed the car and glanced over at her briefly.
"Oh? And here I thought you wanted to spend quality time with me, seems that you were forced into it!" She said in a teasing tone, and then sighed in mock anger.
"Oh Khush, why would anyone want to spend quality time with you?" He chuckled at his own joke, turning to his side to see Khushi glaring at him. Moments later she could not help but join in on the laughter, feeling as if there had never been distance between them at all. It was as if they were back in university, back to being best friends. As if nothing had changed.
They spent the rest of the car ride talking, catching up on all that was missed, and listening to the radio.
About 15 minutes later, NK pulled into a very familiar street. It took Khushi a moment to realize just where they were, as she dug out the memories of when she came here everyday. He stopped the car in front of a building that gave her shivers, the well known structure leaving her recollecting old memories.
"NK...where..." She looked back and forth at the building, and then at him.
He suddenly turned his body towards her, taking her hands gently in his before looking up at her with a tender smile.
"Khushi, I know how much you've been through. I know it just as well as you. And I just want you to know, that I wish you all the happiness in the world. You deserve it the most Khush. I want you to smile and laugh everyday. And I know it hasn't been the easiest journey, but I can only hope that it will be much simpler from now on." He said genuinely, giving her hands a squeeze.
"Is it okay that I'm still confused?" Khushi asked with a nervous laugh.
He chuckled and let her go. "I think you should go now."
"But where? Why are we even here?" She asked looking around, still completely bewildered.
NK nudged his head behind her, and she turned to see a figure standing in front of the small building through the window of the car.
Turning back to NK, she saw him grin before gesturing her to go outside. "Go on now. My wife and daughter will kill me if I'm late for dinner."
"NK...thank you." She looked at him, absolutely speechless.
"Anytime Khush." He winked.
Moments later, she watched his car speed away and turned slowly to see what was truly in front of her clearly.
She was standing in front of her old high school. And in front of that stood Arnav. ---- If Khushi was confused, she did not show it. Instead she approached Arnav slowly, making sure to keep eye contact to notice the various emotions that flickered across his face. From love, to hesitance, to determination, all the way back to love.
Arnav took in her casual appearance, the flowery dress and denim jacket on top. Her hair flowed freely in silken strands, and she seemed just as young as she was when they were last here.
He looked no less, in a crisp black blazer with a white t-shirt underneath, and the casual jeans he wore for a change. He took her breath away, even after all this time.
He held a hand out wordlessly, his eyes holding an intensity that she only saw on rare occasions. He usually held a look of tender love and care; however this look managed to send her heart up to speed faster than usual.
She placed her hand softly in his, reveling in the different textures of their skin, the way it felt so right.
"Arnav..." She tried asking what exactly was going on, but he did not pay heed to her. Only brought her inside the school, avoiding the spot outside for later. He knew it held bad memories for her, and he wanted nothing more than to make up for them.
They found themselves in the hallways, as Khushi glanced at the familiar looking lockers and recalled the memories of walking down those very steps.
Arnav took a swift turn, bringing her with him, and then proceeded to open a large set of doors. Inside was their empty high school gym, the lights slightly dimmed, music playing in the background, and a large banner that held the words: prom
"I thought I'd replace the bad memory with a good one." He admitted with a small smile, waiting for her reaction as she stared around in awe.
She then looked back at him, silently questioning the man she loved so intently.
"I rented out the gym." He shrugged. "Perks for a previous scholar. Who is having a date with another previous scholar." He added with a grin.
She felt her lips curving into a big smile as she felt her heart expanding.
"I can't believe you did this." She muttered.
"Dance with me." He held his hand out, that smoldering look back in his eyes. She agreed eagerly, placing her hand in his once more as he aligned their bodies perfectly and swayed to the steady beat. One hand was entwined with hers, while he looped her other hand around his neck and then moved his now free hand to her waist.
She had no idea what the music was playing. She had no idea if there was anything else she had missed in the room. She only saw Arnav. Only felt him.
He leaned his head forward, placing his forehead against hers, his gaze moving from her lips to her eyes. "I would do anything to see this happiness on your face." He said huskily.
"Just stick around, and it will stay." She responded.
"I do intend to stick around...that is, if you let me?" He asked to which Khushi frowned and shook her head with a smile. Leaning in, she gently placed her lips against his, once, twice, and the third time lasted for moments because Arnav refused to let go.
"Let you stick around? I won't let you leave ever." She admitted with a grin.
He smiled. "Then...will you marry me?"
She stilled in his arms, her body no longer swayed with his and her hands no longer clutched him. "What?" She asked, needing to hear it again.
"Marry me." He said, simply put. "I love you. I want you with me. All the time. I want to spend all my moments with you. Will you do me the honour?" He asked again.
Arnav did not know exactly what to feel. On one hand, the happiness of being with her, showing her just how much she meant to him...he loved doing just that. However, on the other hand, he was just as nervous. He knew she loved him with all her soul, he knew she wanted no other. It would always be them. He also knew she wanted to get married and have a family some day, but was she ready at this point? He had consulted with his sister, brother in law, and even her aunt and cousins. However the fear was still etched there, somewhere in his body. What if she did not want this at the moment? And so, he waited with bated breath, realizing he had never been so nervous in his life. And then perceiving that he would keep it this way, his only reason for nervousness ever, would be Khushi.
"I..." Khushi began to say, but was at a loss for words.
"Say yes." He urged, swaying their bodies gently to the music again. Lifting his hand to her face and pushing the wayward strands away from her cheeks before using his thumb to caress her cheeks.
"Make me happier than I already am and be my wife." He said, noticing the tear that had dropped from her hazel orbs.
"Yes. Of course Arnav." She whispered anxiously, leaving Arnav letting out a long shaky breath before engulfing her in his arms. He kissed her hair, her cheeks, down her jaw, her neck, and then back to her mouth as she sighed joyfully, unable to express her delight.
"I love you too." She smiled through tears. "It's always been you." She said, stroking his cheek. He then proceeded to reach into his pocket to pull out the velvet encased box.
What happened after was a blur for Khushi, as she realized that he was holding a beautiful ring. The intricate designs and the beautiful stone, Arnav must have known her better than she did because nothing would have suited her better, she thought as she stared at it now placed snugly on her finger. He had kissed her fingertips, and then the ring as she closed her eyes to savour the moment.
Arnav had then twirled her around, her delicious laugh filling his ears, the sound resonating in the room. And he would never forget these hazel eyes, still teary eyed, but this time with happiness. And he proceeded to replace the memory of a heartbroken teenage Khushi, with this woman in his arms. He danced with her, for minutes, hours, he was not sure but it was to his heart's content. What was stopping them now? Soft murmurs, tinkling laughter, and sighs of love were only heard. All he knew was that he could have stayed there for ages, and he still would not have been ready to leave. Because when Khushi rested her head on his shoulder, her lips gently pressed against the base of his neck, he realized what he had been missing for long, and how lucky he was to have finally found it.
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It was much later when they decided that it was finally time to leave the small haven they had just been residing in. Night had fallen when they walked out the school doors, leaving someone to take care of cleaning and locking the building up.
Khushi's arm was looped around Arnav's, as she rested her head on his shoulder walking out together. It was when she spotted a very familiar looking tree, as she lifted her head she figured why exactly it was so familiar. This was the exact same spot where Arnav has left her in tears, and then received the news about her parents' death.
She felt her own feet steering away from the area momentarily, but Arnav gripped her hands tightly as they walked towards instead. He gave her a reassuring look, and she relaxed as they walked over to the tree. She realized she was no longer scared, what was there to fear now? He leaned back against the bark, bringing her with him, her back to his front as he encircled her waist with his hands.
He turned their bodies to an angle, leaving them watching a beautiful view of the sky from where they stood. The moon hid behind veils of gossamer clouds, the starry night an ocean of midnight blues and twinkling whites. While some stars were rooted into place beautifully, still and bright, there were those that twinkled more than necessary, that sought out their attention and caught their eyes.
"You once told me that you believed those we lost turned into stars. I never thought anything of them before you came along. But now, I do. You have the power to change someone like me, into a better person. To carry thoughts that are worth thinking, to value what is important." He whispered into her ear, making Khushi close her eyes.
"I want to do this in front of our parents Khushi, they deserve to see their childrens happiness with one another, don't you think?" He asked, and she nodded slowly, feeling a moist trail leave her eyes.
"Let's find them then." He suggested, making her eyes fly open as she gazed into the inky expanse before her, along with him.
She felt Arnav reach into his pocket once more as he unwound his arms from her waist, and then brought a stunning object before her eyes.
"These were my mother's. She had left them for her future daughter-in-law. Will you wear them Khushi?" He asked, as she gazed at the beautiful kangans that he held, the colourful stones melding with the gold, making the bangles look even more beautiful at night.
Arnav felt her nod, knowing that she would be very emotional at this point, and slipped them onto her delicate wrists, as an inaudible gasp escaping her lips. He placed a kiss behind her ear, and she wrapped his own arms around her tighter as she melted into him. "Ma would have loved you Khushi." He murmured, and felt her tears as they fell on his arms. She finally turned and buried her face in his neck, breathing in his scent deeply as an overwhelming wave of emotions washed over her.
Arnav wrapped his arms around her, staring at the velvety curtain above him, realizing that the stars seemed to shine brighter than before. Perhaps the sky had gotten darker, perhaps he had not noticed them enough the last time he had looked, or perhaps their parents were silently congratulating them for finding one another in this world.
As Khushi pulled back and stared into his caramel brown depths, eyes she had known for long enough, eyes she had watched from the corner of her own as a child, as a teenager, even now. And she had never known a more beautiful sight. In that very moment, she felt herself coming to terms with her own past, with the fact that everything had happened for a reason. Happiness was not about a life without struggles or worries; it was a life with all those matters and more. Maybe, they had been through a lot, however their love would not have been as strong today had it been any other way - it only managed to strengthen their bond with one another. Had they not been challenged, they would not have learned the lessons they now held so close to the soul. With that thought, she had leaned into Arnav finding his lips, recreating an image that would sear through their memories permanently. With the summer's breeze swirling around them, and the twinkling lights above surrounding them with joy, they would not have had it any other way.
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Previous : Chapter 39B Next: Epilogue
A/N : Hello dear readers! Here is the last part finally. I will save all the big thank yous and emotional stuff for my note after the epilogue😆 Therefore keeping this note short:
Cannot thank you guys enough. Hope you enjoyed the last chapter and do leave your thoughts! Epilogue coming up soon 😊
Lots of love, and happy reading!
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