Arhi OS Upkaar

"Don't ask her such questions all of us know that she is committed to that single man whom her Badi Maa has chosen. She loves and adores her. And plus there always that lurking stranger who send her flowers and gift. I sometimes doubt she may also run away one day like smoke, right Khushi" her buddies having fun on her expense.

Khushi a successful co-owner of a high end home merchandise store with her best friend NK, though he also knew she is here only for just the time being because she has destinations fix but its just about for much time she resists her destiny and the inevitable. The most stricking thing about her was she was a modern girl and so she wore dresses to work and otherwise also. They varied from designs and colours but no one had seen her upper back till now, from her perfectly toned legs to her thin yet crisp hands. Even her cleavage area was beautiful with seen in some of her clubbing dresses. Today also as she joined some of her contemporaries for lunch who used to be her collage mates in simple deep necked leopard print shirt and a red knee length skirt. Her knee length hairs were tied to nice fish tail and she wore huge gold rings, her hands had few rings. With her 7 inch red shiny heels she was undoubtedly most wannabe business associate but it was not her looks but brains that everybody envied because NK and she passed college 2 years ago but their house merchandise, Nishaan was the most wanted brand in home decoration. But suddenly she felt his presence. She also felt how could she unremarkably feel his presence. So she just turned with pretext to call waiter and spot him in one of the tables with his lunch, Chinese and looking at her plate she realised even she also ate Chinese religiously.

He was sitting there in his regular 3 piece suit. And rather concentrating on his lunch to onlookers but she knew he was there for her, so she excused saying to everyone that she has an urgent meeting while passing him, she signalled him to follow, they met in parking lot where both were waiting for their cars, "Why are you here?" she asked plainly, in same tone, he replied that "We need to talk." She also answered "This is not the time or place. Meet me after my office near that caf. We will talk at home."

That evening when they met both were brimming with emotions but kept straight face. They entered a decent flat and the first thing he asked is "Do you share this flat with someone?" "No, it belonged to NK's wife, now I am renting it out."

"Won't it be a problem if we are seen here together?" he asked. "No, the only neighbours I have are 2 college students and an airhostess, so they don't mind such plus they are never here."

"If you want lets change the clothes then discuss the matter" he stated matter of factly. "Ok, and I will order for home delivery" she stated. He pulled his small leather suitcase to the opposite room. He came out of his room and while going towards kitchen from the gate he saw some really bad marks on her back, they were really bad as it looked dark cut marks in her fair skin.

It's only him that in whole world knew story behind her marks. But it is not time to look in the past but rather make future. They sat together as he saw her in a sleeveless only noodle strapped shirt and shorts while he was in his shorts and vest. They both were having dinner, she said "What made you visit me before our annual holiday." He said "Maa returned from New York last week and the maximum she has got is between one week to a month and she wants to meet you. Or rather wants that we both stay with her." "Ok, just let me call NK that I am out." They packed as fast as they unpacked. And by the break of dawn both of them were in the private jet to Mumbai. And they hadn't exchanged single word during the whole journey.

He always knew that his mother's and her reunion will be filled by tears as Maa was more attached to her than him. And Khushi also was shattered about loosing her Badi Maa. But everybody was prepared for this as she had being detected a cardical hole years back. And that's the reason they went for annual holidays to create some beautiful memories together for the one person both of them loved unquestionably.

As they proceeded to their rooms which were interconnected by a mutual study which had beautiful moments of their life as they both use to study over there, it had all the results of them struck over in walls to beat each other and high scorer use to frame his or her mark-sheet in the room, it was a warm room with single table and 2 huge leather chairs but after she was 16 and he 18, only single chair was enough, as he use to make her sit on his lap. Both the rooms were almost similar, and as she changed clothes and sat on her old armchair wrapped in the shawl and just then he brought a steaming cup. As she drank feeling the warmth of home. He sat on his chair, which was ackward as the last time was more of bad memory for both of them and he regretted it more than her.

He asked "You know what Maa wants from you. And you are ready for it. Even after all this" "Don't ask you will not understand. Its something you never felt. Ye who jagah jo hume jodti aapke maa ke pyaar se, uske upkar se, ek unchukaaye udhaar se. I will do anything in this world to make her relieved in her last moments." She said.

The next day only was the engagement party of Khushi and Arnav, though it was never a shock because it happened the way that Devyani Devi was the sole guardian of these children since decades...

Khushi was 3 when her parents were killed in a car accident when they were returning from a movie show, she had slept so she only remembers figments of it but in hospital she found a kind lady in white saree saying that from now on she is her mother, her Badi Maa, strangely she was more attached to Arnav not as sibling as would have being expected but something and Devyani never had trouble with their unconventional love story.

It was when she was 13 and he 15, Badi Maa told that the car which killed her parents was of her x-husband who also died in that accident. Though they were divorced for 3 years at the time of that accident but she felt responsible for her spouse. From that time Arnav and Khushi's bond grew strong.

Devyani was never old fashioned , so only after engagement they were allowed to share the room. So when that night when both of them stood in that room and she was undressing herself , he saw his mark on her, such a mark which will never leave her ...

It has being 7 years, that time when 19 year old Arnav had scarred to beautiful 17 year old Khushi. That incident was clear in their minds like it was still yesterday's thing, you could say it was dominance or territorizing or possessiveness gone bad...but it was when he saw her once coming out of her school with someone else smiling slightly, as he was there to pick her from school. It was the unsaid rule that both of them came together and left together from school and college respectively.

It would be wrong to say that they look just good together because when a budding 17 year old girl stepped beside brooding 19 year boy. They nothing less than spectacular together, he was in his 2^nd year of management college. So when returned home and he was screaming at her and in his anger he broke a huge 5 feet tall glass statue kept in the study room but he never would have thought or imagined, it pieces got struck to the frightened Khushi who was standing there. And it scarred her back forever. Though everybody knew that something got struck to Khushi but no one knew the whole truth.

But he took care that Khushi never needed to see him after that incident...he made whole arrangements for her study in best colleges of world but he never forgot to send her presents and they use to spend sometime together with Maa but it never left them...now years after they are life partners though not in love as it was few years back but upkaar or gratification for that one person, their Maa

Coming back from a guilt trip from past, he decided to help her settle in their room though these room since starting was designed considering both of their choices and need. But he thought its better to give it some time as these 7 years everything changed , so as he decided to shift back in his room as till now Maa would have slept, he was about to leave the room when she said "Arnav, its high time that we discuss what's between us as now we have to share a life together because we both know that its for lifetime commitment for both of us." She said pointing to her newly nested 15 carat ruby and diamond engagement ring.

After 7 years he looked to her without any presumptions, she was wearing a short blue nightie and overcoat tightly tied around her while he was still in his 3 piece suit. They both settled after locking the room as she removed her overcoat and his blazer and waistcoat , while unknotting his tie as she knew he never likes to keep them knotted, she said "You know I hated you for all college years for giving me these scars as i had to do away with all off shoulders and you knew how much I loved off shoulders and baggy t shirt. But with time as you started to keep a distance with me, these marks were a part of you which stayed with me. Whenever I looked at them I remembered you. First I resented them but with time they became my existence. We need to overlook our past and start a new future with each other."

He looked at her "Khushi I can never forgive myself for them. they are the reason of slow poison in my life, and it started the moment I gave you, seeing you in that place with your back having huge slits from broken glass, then seeing you in hospital for next 2 weeks. After that when I came to know that someone had bullied you that day in class and that guy was just trying to help you by reliving of some of your burden and after that from last 7 years...I have missed you but never could come back to you..." That night the two souls cried for their mutual pain and when early morning Arnav snuggled in Khushi in bed as a child searching for mother's warmth, a new present was written.

"Don't say a single word about the scars of my bride. These are the mark of victory. They prove that she has seen the worst and survived it." As someone commented on her bare back during one of their early post weddings appearances, where he forced her to wear a golden lace saree whose blouse exhibited her back from peek-a-boo net blouse. That night when Arnav barred that lady to be again part of any of their function, the world got the message clear and bold that Arnav wouldn't hear a word against his young wife.

It teared him to think how his one action changed their story forever. He was so close to lose her- his one and only love. How he had scarred her for a lifetime. That was something he regretted all his life. Who says love only gives you happiness, it gives you the most wrecking pain of your life and still you can't do anything because you still have to survive with that feeling because love cannot be replaced with any other emotion...so was the case with Arnav...