Arhi FF: Humsafar. Chapter 18 up! - Page 5

Arnav and Khushi were standing on the terrace having a cup of coffee and talking in between with Arnav telling her about his childhood memories when his parents and he used to visit different places and how his mother, at the end of the trip, was fed up with the father and son antics that she always promised that she would never go out with them and yet again they went on many more trips with the former incident repeating. Their one sorry and puppy dog eyes would melt her strict stance and she would get emotional and forgive them every single time. He observed the laughing face of Khushi, her cheeks flushed and her dimples peeking out but something was amiss. In between, he had always seen the devoid in Khushi's eyes for her parents, she looked like a child deprived of parental love. When he had first met Rashid uncle and Najma aunty, he found them reserved, the latter too aloof to even look at him properly which irked him. He hadn't seen Khushi's family sitting or talking together. Aaliya and Khushi shared a great bond but yet there was something like almost a cold war between the parents and children. He wasn't the one to judge people over their actions but the sadness and pain in Khushi's eyes was forcing him to think through which only concluded one thing-Khushi wasn't happy with her parents. May be there was some misunderstanding between them but whatever it was, he didn't want something to disturb Khushi. Khushi had, in a few days' time, become way too precious for him that even an ounce of pain in her eyes, he would go to any length to make things right. He was contemplating on whether to ask her or not, when his phone rang breaking his chain of thoughts. Without even seeing the caller id, he picked it up and absentmindedly said:

"Hello!"

"Hello dear son! How are you? And why are you not in your room at this time?" His father's voice boomed from the other end and he closed his eyes mentally preparing himself for another teasing session. He was about to make some rather stupid excuse when he again hear his father speaking.

"What!? ...no I was just...Abu sleep. No...fine!" Were the words Khushi heard from Arnav. She knew that he was talking to his abu and was quite irritated and was being asked to do something he didn't want to. He hung up and turned towards her and in an instant, his annoyance was replaced by a spark. Khushi was amazed at her own ability to read someone like this. Well, not someone, but her husband, she thought blushing.

"Abu wanted to go for a drive and he insisted that we go with him. He wants to have ice cream at this time. Unbelievable." Khushi heard patiently as Arnav spoke and was surprised at the odd request. Who goes out for kulfi at this time of night? She thought and voiced her question to confirm whether she heard it right.

"At this time?"

"Yeah. Welcome to the crazy family." She stifled the urge to chuckle at the exasperated tone but she thought otherwise and said: "But how can I? You guys should go. I'll stay back."

"I want you to come." She instantly looked up at him and he joked: "I can't handle him alone, you see? And besides he asked me to bring you too."

"But..." Her sentence was cut off as she felt a hand engulf her own in its warmth and drag her down with a: "C'mon!"

They met Imran waiting for them in the living room in his night wear and tapping his foot impatiently while pacing fro and back in the whole room. Upon sensing their presence, he turned around and whispered in a hushed voice: "Hi. Ready both of you?" To which both of them nodded their heads vigorously and he asked them to follow him after making sure that the coast was clear.' They walked quietly, careful not to make any noise like thieves with Imran leading them and Arnav and Khushi following him hand in hand.

Once out, Arnav started the car and together they drove off to the place where they would get the best matka kulfi even at this time of night, as Imran put it. Arnav glared at him and asked:

"What is with you and sudden cravings?"

"I don't know. I felt like eating the Kulfi." Imran shrugged and Arnav sighed at his casual behavior. Wait till mom knows, he thought.

They were back after the little stunt they had pulled out and it was close to fajar when they saw the lights of the hall switched on and Zoya standing in the middle with her arms crossed under her chest and her face giving away nothing except a stern expression with a raised eyebrow. Imran was about to sweet talk her when she raised her hand motioning him to stop and Arnav thought, oops! We're so dead! Whereas Khushi looked scared on seeing her mother in law this angry.

"Imran and Arnav Malik, how many times do I have to tell you not to sneak out like this? Will you guys ever listen to me? Such irresponsible behavior! And you have involved poor Khushi too in your little rendezvous? I'm sorry beta, these father son duo will never change!"

"Wo... Zoey we were just..." Imran tried to cajole her using her pet name which he lovingly used only when romanced with her or when he wanted to escape her punishment but this time it looked like it didn't work for she only glared at him with so much anger that Imran gulped and looked towards his son for help. A look passed between the father and son and they went to her, held their ears and putting on the best innocent expression on their faces, said: "Sorry!"

Instantly, her heart melted at this gesture and she pouted and then twisting their ears earning loud shrieks from both of them, left them and spoke: "Jao maaf kiya. It's time for fajar. We'll do the wudu and then we must pray together."

After doing the wudu, they gathered in the living room and prayed led by the men. This was the first time they were praying as a family and the thought itself made everyone's heart jump in joy. The first three at the completion of the family and the fourth one in affection she was getting and the situation which she has never seen or lived before, just dreamt of. After they were done with their dua, the elder couple left the younger ones alone to catch on some sleep.

Khushi said getting up and preparing to go: "Hum bhi chalte hain." When she felt a gentle tug at her dupatta pulling her closer that her back touched his front and her whispered in her ears: "Mat jao." Those two words made her feel wanted and the thought of going flew by the window and she nodded her head agreeing to his request when he held her hand and asked: "Come with me." He took her to the terrace and the chirping of the birda greeted her while the sky turned into a beautiful shade of orange with a hint of yellow and sky blue surrounding it. It was so beautiful and serene that she stood speechless for a few seconds taking it all in when she felt him snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her in a side hug and kissed at the top of her head to which she closed her eyes and to her surprise, she leaned her head on his shoulder, portraying the perfect couple.

"I love watching the sunrise or even sunset from here. That's the best part of coming here. Now it's spending some time with you, of course."