Arhi OS - Winner takes it all

OS - Winner takes it all

Khushi stirred sleepily and rolled over in bed, her eyelids snapping open when a familiar voice catapulted her into wakefulness. "You're finally awake. I've not been able to sleep a wink last night and you sleep like a log' Arnav greeted her dourly. "It's because I won the challenge; fair and square, Arnavji and I have no reason to lose sleep over anything," she told him sweetly, tossing the comforter aside and correcting her night clothes. She looked at him with a naughty smile to add "Don't underestimate the power of a common woman." Arnav eyed her with annoyance; she had won the silly challenge and had been gloating about it the previous evening. He had to acknowledge her achievement, he had set a difficult task and Khushi had completed the job with ease. She had got Manorama Mami to spend an entire day without a lick of makeup on her face and dressed in a pale pink chikankari chiffon saree, as per the challenge he had thrown at her. He had flung the dare at her and she had accepted it with enthusiasm. Arnav had been sure about two things; one, Khushi was bound to fail at the second and important factor in the challenge; Manorama Mami would give up food and gossip for a day but not her makeup and garish clothes.

mua palle pada, paheli jaisa saiyaan
paheli jaisa saiyaan, paheli jaisa saiyaan

Arnav sat on the bed with a thud, clearly displeased with the fact he had lost and to his wife; to add to his woes, she looked beautiful that morning and he could not touch her without her permission. The loser had agreed to do everything the winner demanded for a period of one week, the time starting from when the challenge was achieved. Arnav had grudgingly accepted the fact Khushi had won the challenge the previous night, as Khushi danced with gay abandon to some pathetic Hindi film song. Exhilarated with her win, she had told him, he had to listen to her and cater to her demands for the coming week. He was not allowed to touch her without her permission; Arnav had a sullen look when she had voiced her demands. He could not go without touching her for a week and he was sure the other demands would be just as difficult to meet. He wished his wife was the diamonds and expensive cars loving kind, that would be easier to deal with, instead she had weird ideas and weirder demands.

bhoola bhoola sa rehta hai, jhoola jhoola sa rehta hai
nayi dilli main, bareli jaisa saiyaan
bareli jaisa saiyaan, bareli jaisa saiyaan
ho maine to maanga tha

Arnav got off the bed to get ready for the day which seemed daunting in parts only to be stopped by Khushi, "Wait there is more" she said with intended malice and burst out giggling when Arnav grimaced at her words. "After the movie, some more shopping and then dinner; would you be able to manage?" she threw at him and took a step back as he took a menacing step towards her. "Khushi Singh Raizada, don't act cocky because you won one challenge. I ask you to bring it on and see me meet every challenge you throw at me with lan" he said softly and smirked with satisfaction on seeing her gulp. "Now that we have that sorted, can we get on with the day? I have no issues doing nothing, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you and I am sure you want to maximize it. Would you shower and be ready in say fifteen minutes and then we can have breakfast with the family" saying that he left their room. Khushi glared at his retreating back, she was the one who had to do the ordering and he had to listen, it was clearly not happening and she had to fix it and fast.

Arnav had dismissed the driver, wanting to take Khushi around that day; he may have been sore to the core having lost the dare but he was secretly happy to be ordered around by his wife. The only flipside being her unimaginative ways of getting back at him; had he won the challenge he would have whisked her off to a resort and kept her with him for the whole week. Unfortunately he had lost the bet and was doing something as silly as playing chauffer and porter to his wife. He sat down on the chair outside the trial room with a defeated sigh; this was the third hour after their lunch and the sixth store they had entered to shop. His wife seemed to have a list she was shopping to, picking up clothes like she was going off on a beach holiday. He wished for the nth time he had won the challenge, they would be shopping similarly but he would ensure she included stuff he wanted to see her in. He refused to acknowledge the fact; she was choosing clothes he approved of and did not react when he asked her to buy something scandalous. He heard the door to the trial room open to find her step out in a floral jumpsuit; he got off the chair to take a better look. "That is cute Khushi, but what is the point of buying something you will not wear?" he asked adjusting the twisted spaghetti strap on her left shoulder. He could understand lingerie and cotton dresses but not this jumpsuit, she had gotten over her salwar kameez and saree obsession but the thigh length jumpsuit was stretching things a bit.

baawre ne hi bawari kiya, haaye maine kya panga le liya
joona bhooton ki haveli jaisa saiyaan, haveli jaisa saiyaan
bareli jaisa saiyaan, haan maine to maanga tha
saheli jaisa saiyaan

Once they left the mall, Arnav asked "Where do you want to have dinner? What about the footwear you wanted to buy?" Khushi snapped her head in his direction noting the teasing tone he used. "I don't need footwear, we can do the shopping another day; I am really hungry let us go have dinner" she said amicably throwing Arnav off guard. Narrowing his eyes he asked "Where do you want to eat?" fearing the answer even before he could hear it. "Paranthe wali Gali" Khushi answered with clear intent only to giggle when Arnav shouted, "What the f**k!!! No way," slowing the car to stop it at the side of the road. "Listen Khushi, I cannot take you there and I am not going to allow you to eat at such places. Challenge or not, there is no way I am going to listen to this" Arnav said shaking his head firmly; the idea of Khushi navigating through those streets and chances of her getting groped disgusted him deeply. Khushi sulked in answer only for her face to brighten with another idea, "Fine, let us go to Happy Singh ka Dhaba and you cannot refuse this too" she said as her smile widened when Arnav grunted in agreement.

Arnav watched with distaste as Khushi relished the greasy food, tucking away a lot like a hungry soldier. He decided to play it safe by eating roti with dal and green salad, happy to note his wife was enjoying the food. "Arnavji" he heard her take his name with her mouth full of food, seeing some gravy on her chin he reached forward to wipe it off with his handkerchief. "Khushi, finish the morsel and then speak" he chided softly and smiled when she chewed the food and swallowed it noisily to speak with him. "Arnavji, since you did not listen to me completely today" she started to be stopped by his loud "What the!!" She placed the glass of lassi on the table with a bang. "What the!! What the!! Will not absolve you Mr. Raizada, you cheated the whole day and hence this day does not count in the agreed duration of the punishment" she said waving an accusatory finger at him. "Starting from tomorrow till next Sunday, you have to do my bidding and I mean everything and no tricks will be entertained" she warned as Arnav let out a groan. "Khushi, today was not bad but doing this for the next eight days is not possible" he tried his hand at getting her to understand his stand.

baawre ne hi bawari kiya, kaise na bhala jale ye jiya
man jhele na jo daily aisa saiyaan, jo daily aisa saiyaan
jo daily aisa saiyaan

Looping her arms around his neck she confirmed "We are leaving for Seychelles tomorrow and the flight leaves at 6 am." A happy grin replaced the frown on Arnav's face "You had all this planned" he stated and she bobbed her head in answer. "The challenge, convincing Mami to comply with my request and winning; it was all planned and Amanji helped me with the travel procedures and things at work" Khushi answered with a happy smile. Arnav placed a kiss on her nose, "That is cheating Mrs. Raizada, you did not play fair" he murmured over her lips. Khushi pulled back to ask with full seriousness, "Would you have come with me if I asked to directly?" Arnav was honest to accept he would have not agreed easily citing some excuse or the other to avoid the vacation. He drew her closer to kiss her deeply to show his willingness to the idea of a week away at the holiday destination she had chosen. He pulled back to ask "How did Mami agree to the idea? She cannot do without all the paint she applies on a daily basis" he said with a sneer. Khushi laughed before replying "Don't underestimate the power of a common woman" she replied haughtily, only to giggle more at Arnav's disgusted expression. "I promised to pick up all the things foreign' she needs for six months and let me be fair to her, she thought you deserved some alone time with your lovely wife. Those were good enough reasons for her to do what she did." "Lovely wife?" Arnav drawled with amusement and Khushi bobbed her head vigorously in answer. He kissed her again to stop her giggles, "This hardly sounds like a punishment to me, so who lost or who won the challenge, Mrs. Raizada?" Khushi winked as Arnav carried her to bed "We both win and winner takes it all" were her prudent words.

Movie - U, Me aur Hum

A/N - This OS is for ...Doctor...(Alanki)...girl I hope I did not disappoint you.

Happy New Year!!!

You know what happens when we have a triumphant Khushi, who makes the best out of the bet she has won, a sporty Arnav who does not try to brush off his wife's victory but instead religiously goes through the trials and tribulations and the supporting cast who does a fab job of supporting the protagonists?

A cracking OS of course, with the readers being the winners who have it all!

I must admit that while the idea of an Arnav who was left bereft' was a bit hard to digest (for obvious reasons😳), I enjoyed that he had to dance to Khushi's tunes.😉

And tell you what; a jumpsuit shopping Khushi (nice change, by the way) had me raise doubts but I did not jump to conclusions.

The best part of the entire OS was the one wherein Arnav thought that he would be separated from Khushi for a week...hayee the panic he went through was so heartrending!

Greece in Raizada and Sons', Turkey in The pursuit of love', Egypt in In your arms' and now Seychelles in this one; you do include some exotic locations!👏

P.S. It is nice to have a Mami who wears a pink sari upon the wishes of phatti sari👍🏼

P.P.S. I hope the multiplex was dark enough☺️

lovely ... khushi winning Arnav sulking/smirking... could visualize ,Mami without makeup and zari ha ha