Part-17
Arnav comes downstairs and sees Khushi is serving breakfast with Payel. Last night's conversation between Anjali and Khushi again flashes before his eyes and he thinks of what he has decided then. He will try not to hurt her and will spend these months in peace. At least he can try. So this becomes easy for her. She will get every comfort and convenience of a Raizada Bahu as her right starting from letting her sleep on bed. After 3 months when the time will come for their parting he will make sure that she gets all these in future too.
No he is not guilty of her condition but he doesn't want to feel guilty later.
Alas ASR in him is more powerful than Arnav which looks after a good deal and this marriage is a deal.
He sits with others to have breakfast and occasionally thanks Khushi for serving him to Khushi's pleasant surprise.
the day pass and night comes crawling.
Khushi stands in the middle of the room confused. She is not sure where to sleep? The recliner is empty but if Laad Governor wants to work late then? Last night was different but what to do tonight? Before Khushi comes to a conclusion she feels a sudden push on her back and the next moment she finds herself sprawled on ground. She turns to find Arnav standing there little surprised and concerned. He barks, why the hell were you standing in the middle of the room?
Khushi gets irked, hum khare the to kya aap dekh ke nehi chal sakte the? (I was standing but can't you see and walk?)
Arnav- "what the...? How will I know you will be dreaming in the middle of the room? I was reading this file." He points a file which inow lay scattered on the floor.
Khushi doesn't answer only glares at him.
He now stretches an arm, Let me help you up.
She takes his help and gets on her feet. without uttering a single world she goes thumping her feet towards the bed. Taking a blanket and pillow she is about to thump back but sees Arnav staring at her with narrow eyes.
Arnav- what are you doing?
Khushi- kya lagta hai. Sone ja rahe hai. (what do you think? Going to sleep)
Arnav- where?
She points the recliner
Arnav- you can't sleep there.
Khushi- keu? (why)
Arnav- I will work there. Besides this bed has enough space and you are not that fat that we can't share.
Khushi- that fat matlab hum mote hai? (what do you mean by that fat' ? am I fat?)
Arnav- little
Khushi- Hawww
Arnav nods his head pouting- I always work here at night but after you I find it difficult to work on bed. so now on you will sleep on bed and I will work here.
Khushi knows she can't win this argument with ASR , therefore defeated she goes to sleep but not before she makes a pillow wall in the middle to avoid contact with each other.
Arnav watches her huffing and puffing, muttering, looking heavenwards throwing her hands in the air, and unnecessary forceful punches to straighten the pillows (he doubts that she is imagining those pillow as his head), like he is watching a cartoon film.
He sighs in relief when she finally falls asleep.
Few days pass with Tom and Jerry maintaining an undeclared truce.
One fine morning Arnav wakes up with a smile lingering on his face. Unknowingly he has started smiling often these days. Her presence doesn't bother him anymore rather her antics and stupidity has started amusing him. He has become habituated with her presence. Though he is blissfully unaware of the fact that he has started liking her company and still stuck thinking that he has decided to behave with her and he is doing so.
Soon the reason of smile enters the room with a cup of coffee. She smiles at him too with a good morning greeting. Arnav nods in response.
Khushi starts cleaning the bed when Arnav goes by the pool side to have his coffee.
Arnav's phone starts ringing. She picks the phone to see it is flushing Aman.
Arnav has heard the ringing and come inside, so she gives him the phone saying, it's Aman.
Arnav- yes Aman
Aman- Sir I have shifted all your appointments today for tomorrow as you said. Anything else Sir?
Arnav- no Aman. He cuts the call.
The smile on his face is gone, replaced by a sever look.
Khushi has seen the change of expression of him from a little distance but before she can ask something he vanishes behind in the bathroom door. But khushi comes to know the reason when she reaches downstairs.
Anjali is preparing for some Puja. When she sees Khushi, she calls her and says, Khushi main kal raat tumhe batana bhul gayi thi, wo aaj humari maa ka barsi hai aur isi liye hum choti si puja rakhwaye hai. (Khushi I forgot to tell you last night that today is our mother's death anniversary and we have kept a small puja.)
Khushi now realizes that this might be the reason behind his change. As she goes to help Anjali she complains fondly, aapne hume pahle keu nehi bataya? Phir hum bhi aapki madat karte. (Why didn't you tell me before then I would have helped you?)
Anjali smiles and says, it's okay Khushi. choti si puja hai. Maine aur nani ne kalhi sab mangwa liya tha. Aap aur Payel aapni pag phere ke rasam ke liye gaye the to hum bata nehi paye. Par maine Payel ko bata diya hai wo aa rahi hai Akash ko leke. Aap Chotey ko bula layiye. (It's okay Khushi. it is a small puja. Nani and I have arranged everything yesterday. You and Payel went for your Pag phera so I couldn't tell you. But I have already informed Payel. She is coming with Akash you go and call Chotey)
Khushi nods and about to go when Anjali stops her and speaks almost in tears, aap ko bataya tha na ke Chotey maa se bohot pyaar karte the.
Khushi smiles. isi liye aaj ke din wo bohot udaas aur akele ho jate hai. Aaj tak hum iis din pe unhe samhal te the unke saath rahte the. aaj aap hai to humhe wakin hai aap aaj achhese unka dhayn rakhkhenge, isi liye aaj hume unki fikar nehi hai. (I have told you that Chotey used to love our mother a lot and he becomes lonely and gloomy on this day every year. Till now I used to help him to get over his emotions and used to give him company on this day. Today you are here so I am confident that you will also help him to get through this and you will take care of him well. You are there so I don't have any worry for him. not anymore.) She smiles through her tears.
Khushi feels her eyes getting watery but she doesn't let her tears fall rather she wipes Anjali's and assures, ji Di hum aaj unka pura khayal rakhenge. Aap chinta mat kijiye. (I take care of him Di. Don't worry.)
Anjali cups her face with one hand fondly and goes back to her previous preparation.
Khushi stands there for sometime lost in her thoughts before moving to their room.
Arnav, who has been standing on the stairs listening to everything also turns on his heel to climb back to his room.
He comes back to his room clinching his fists fury evident on his face. He stands by the pool side when he hears her entering the room.
Khushi finds the room empty and thinking Arnav is not there, she goes up to the cupboard to take out a wooden box from middle of her clothes. Holding the box in her hands she turns and gets startled to see Arnav. But what makes her scared is his look. His eyes are burning in rage.
Khushi tries her best to speak, wo hum tabhi aap se puchna chate the ke aap udaas keu hain par Di ne bataya ke aaj aapki Ma ki barsi hai to... (actually I wanted to ask you that time that why your mood dropped but Di told me that it is you mother's death anniversary...)
Arnav growls- so what?
Khushi stammers seeing his mood- wo hu... hum Ka... kahna chatey the... (Actually...I...I wanted to sa...say...)
He doesn't let her finish and roars grabbing her shoulder- that you are sorry to know that. You want to console me. You want to say that you understand. Don't you dare? (Khushi hics!!) Khushi Gupta don't you dare giving me false consolation. I hate that. You don't know how it feels and you don't need to. You have no rights to share my pain because you are nothing to me. You are here for 3 months so don't you dare interfere in my life. Do you get that?, and he leaves her with a jerk.
After spitting fire he leaves the room leaving a shattered Khushi behind.
Khushi slips on the ground with a thud time tears rolling down from her eyes.
No she never has never forgotten that this relation is bound with a contract. She has never forgotten the truth. But after seeing him nice to her from last few days she thought today she can share his pain nothing more but at least as a friend and give him something which is very special to her but no he doesn't deserve that. ASR doesn't deserve to be her friend.
She wipes her tear roughly and leaves the room forgetting to pick the wooden box from the floor which she has in her hand before the encounter.
The puja has started. Khushi can see the pain in Arnav's eyes when he is been staring his mother's photo and also the disgusting look whenever he has turned his head in her way. She sighs deep and waits for the puja to end so she can move away form his piercing stare.
As the Puja ends Everyone has tears in their eyes but Khushi hides hers and leaves the place after giving some excuse.
Arnav feels relived when he doesn't see Khushi anywhere near. He doesn't want to become weak before her. He leaves for office just to avoid her.
After 2 hours he returns unable to find peace in his work too. But while coming towards his room he finds that Khushi has gone out after Puja with Di, he feels glad. He throws his jacket on bed he looks around and it feels empty. Strangely he feels lonely. He has never felt alone in this room before, he frowns, rather he has liked the privacy always. What he doesn't realize that he is missing her. But he shrugs of the feeling and in that moment he looks down on the floor and his gaze fixes on the wooden box on the floor.
He recalls that he has seen the box in Khushi's hand when they have fought, well he has fought. Out of curiosity he pick the box and opens the box.
Inside a few metal golden and silver stars are lying. 2 small photos which are cut in round shapes, of a man and a woman, in between the age of 30 to 40 are pasted in 2 separate stars and 1 photo, in which they are together, is also pasted on one of the stars. Some more photos are there of same lady and the man with a little girl. those photos look quite old to Arnav. He mutters to himself, I don't think I have seen them before, who are they?
Humare amma aur babooji aur hum. (My parents and me), comes the answer from behind.
Arnav turns to see Khushi on the door step.
She slowly walks to him and takes the box from his hand to keep it in its previous place.
Arnav who is trying to register what she has just said speaks astonished, tumhare parents but...? (your parents but..?)
Khushi looks back to him before saying, ha. Wo humare asli amma babooji hai. Wo log ek bus accident me gujar gaye. and steps back to leave. But Arnav stops her by grabbing her wrist, caring to not hurt her.
Arnav- to phir Garima unty aur Shashi uncle wo kaun hai? (Then Garima unty and Shashi uncle who are they?)
Khushi frees her hand and looks out of the french window as she answere, dekha jaye to wo humare koi nehi lagte. Babooji humare babooji ke bohothi ache dost aur partner the. Amma babooji ke maut ke baad hum bilkul anaath ho chuke the. Us waqt unhone mujhe apnaaya. Unhe amma aur babooji ki kahnka haq diya. Payell jiji ke saat humko bhi aapne beti ki tarha pala. Hume bohot pyaar diya... she wanted to say something more but she chocked. She fails to stop her tears from spilling. (If you see then they are nobody to me. Babooji was very good friend of my father and his partner too. When my parents died I became an orphan. That time they adopted me, gave me the right to call them my parents and they brought me up with Payel jij as their own daughter. They loved me a lot...)
Khushi leaves the room to hide her tears.
Arnav who is completely taken aback with this new revelation and Khushi's break down stands rooted to his place for a few moments before going after her. He sees Khushi sitting by the poolside, hugging her knees. Silent tears are flowing from her eyes. Her gaze is fixed on the small ripples in the pool because of the breeze.
Arnav sits beside her dropping his leg in the pool water and says in a heavy voice, I didn't know.
hum bohot chote they, Khushi starts speaking in a trance lost in her childhood, eyes looking distant. But Arnav doesn't stop her and hear her intently, humari amma kaha karti thi jo mar jate hai wo aasman me tare ban jate hai... jab wo chale gaye tab hum maut kya hai wo samjhte to the par phirbhi bachpan me suni unki baatko yaad karke humne unhe humare paas humesha mehsoos karne ke liye ye khayal accha laga. humne unhe siataron me dhundna shuru kar diya aur sitaron me unhe aapne paas mehsoos karne lage. Har raat hume unka intejaar rahta hai. Unse baatain karke mann halka hota hai. Jis din badal hote hai aur hume wo nehi dikhte to hume lagta hai wo humse naaraaz hai par jab baarish hoti hai tab lagta hai unka pyaaar baras raha hai. aur mujhe abhi bhi bishwas hai(when I was small my mother used to tell me that who dies becomes a star... when she died I was big enough to understand death but still to feel them near the thought looked good to me. I started searching them in stars and felt them near. Every night I waited for them. I felt relaxed talking to them every night. When I couldn't see them because of clouds I felt they were upset with me. But when it rained I felt they were showering their love on me. And... I still believe...) she trails off...
Arnav only stares her unable to believe what he has heard just now from her.
How come she can manage to say her thoughts so simply? How come she manages to get a simple solution for her despair and move forward, that also as lively as possible. Why he couldn't do it? She was younger them him when she lost both her parents but she was bold enough to accept the truth and live with it where he had failed miserably and still not over with the hollowness in his heart.
She is still looking into the pool water reflecting night sky, the stars and he thinks why he thought that she is weak? She is braver and stronger than any girl, he has seen. may even stronger than Di. She is simple in her existent but her thoughts are mature. She is more than she looks.
Khushi comes out of her daze and looks at Arnav in disbelief when he says; can I get a star of yours?
She looks at him keenly to gauge his feeling... no he is not joking, she decides. His eyes are reflecting his pain; his expression says that he has believed her and his smile says that he is better.
Khushi smiles through her tears. Elated she leaves to get the box while Arnav sits there gazing up on the sky, may be in search of his mother.
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