"Mmm."
"Will you make it for me? I love Halwa"
"Mmm."
Arnav answered as he shifted the gear and accelrated his SUV. He turned to look at his wife of 2 weeks and smiled. Khushi Kumari Gupta, no, Khushi Raizada was a little girl in a young woman's body. Ever since he had met her she had one question or the other to ask him. Her journey from being his to-be-sister in law to his wife was never filled with hesitation, shyness, protest, doubt, revolt, apprehension, disappointment or anger as one would expect, but with questions starting with "Do you know to make?" and ending with one food or the other.
"Can I call you Jijaji?"
"Well, since my marriage has been fixed with your Jiji, I guess, you can."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead".
He was fully expecting her to ask why he chose to become a culinary expert when his family was into real estate business. After all that was what everyone, from his mother Ratna to Payal, his to-be-wife had asked him too.
"Do you know to make Balushahi?"
Arnav had laughed at that as he nodded a yes. She had jumped at that excitedly and held his elbow and asked him with expectant eyes,
"Will you make some for me Jiju?"
"Only if you promise to come to my home along with your Jiji as my Aadhi Gharwali" Arnav flirted humorously.
"Why Aadhi Jiju? If you promise to make me one sweet a day, I will come as your full fledged gharwali."
Arnav was a silent but humor loving person. He had taken an instant liking for his fun filled would-be sister-in-law. But her sister did not share the sentiments for her suitor. Payal was in love with Akash Mallik, the only son of the local diamond merchant in Lucknow, Arvind Mallik. She knew that her father would never agree to the alliance owing to the rivalry that existed between the two families from the time Shashi's sister Madhumathi married Arvind's useless brother Avinash much to his displeasure and died a few years later due to heartbreak and depression. Shashi held the entire Malliks responsible for his sister's premature death. Her only son Dhruv who now grew up under the tender care of the senior Mallik, kept visiting his maternal family and during one of his visits had unwittingly become the cause of the first meeting between Payal and Akash. Love had blossomed at first sight and grew exponentially over the next year. The Malliks came to know about the affair and came to talk to Shashi to ask his daughter's hand in marriage for their son only to be shown the door. Shashi had instantly decided to get Payal married at the earliest and that was when Arnav's alliance had come from Delhi.
Arnav Singh Raizada had a flair for cooking right from childhood and by the time he finished school he knew that he had no inclination for the real estate business which was established by his father and now run successfully by his two elder brothers. When he announced his desire to his family, they were taken by surprise, yet supported his decision. The next few years saw a young Arnav learning the basics of food business and expanding his knowledge of various Indian and international cuisines, making him a connoiseur at a very young age. At the age of 29, Arnav owned a chain of multicuisine restaurants in Delhi. He never found time for romance but when his parents insisted that it was time for him to settle down in life, he had offered no resistance. That was when they came to know about Payal through one of his Nani's acquaintances in Lucknow.
Arnav came down to Lucknow with his family to see Payal and had expressed his willingness to marry her after he had spoken to her briefly. The auspicious date for the wedding was just a week away and hence the family had decided to stay in Arnav's Nani's house, complete the wedding and return to Delhi. It was during this time that Arnav's to-be-sister in law had won over everyone's heart leaving the Raizadas wishing they had another son in their family so that they could take this sweet girl with them forever. Arnav was not blind to the disinterest with which Payal participated in the ceremonies that preceded the wedding. Only a couple of days were left for the wedding when a nagging feeling took over him and he decided to put his mind to rest by speaking to Payal. He had gently coaxed her to tell her true feelings about her impending marriage to him and she had finally confessed the truth about Akash. She pleaded with him to refuse to get married to her and call off the wedding. He had adviced her that calling off the wedding was not the solution but convincing her father to a marriage with Akash was. He had taken the issue in his hands and spoken to Shashi about Payal and Akash. Shashi, as expected, was enraged at the prospects of marrying another girl from his family into the murderous family, but Arnav and Shashi's mother together made him see reason and convinced him to give his consent. Arnav had already spoken to Akash and sent him a message to bring his parents to speak to Shashi.
Amidst all these, Shashi had not forgotten that because of the turn of events the Raizadas would have to go back empty handed and with shame. A very emotional Shashi had asked Arnav if he would allow him to give his younger daughter to him in marriage. Although Arnav had no objection to the proposal, he had said,
"Sir, it is her life too and this time at least, ask her first if she is willing to marry me. Or better, let me talk to her. I don't want her to be burdened to save both our families' honor."
Shashi had agreed to it and Arnav met Khushi to speak to her. Khushi had already been inofrmed about the changes that were to happen in her sister's wedding.
"Khushi, I know this is difficult for you. You may have had so many expectations from your future husband. I am not sure if I fulfil all those. You must have seen me as your jijaji so far and now it may not look promising to look at me as a prosepctive groom. Moreover, there is a age gap of 7 years. Take your time and think. Khushi, I don't want anyone to force their decision on you. If you make a decision to marry me, it should be yours."
"Is it easy for you to think of me as your prospective bride after seeing me as your to-be-saali?"
"I cant say it is easy, but nevertheless it is not impossible."
"If it is not impossible for you, then I guess it is not impossible for me either. And to be honest, I find you quite attractive." Khushi said with her head bent.
Arnav smiled at her innocent confession and had said, "We can certainly work on that. We have the rest of the life for exploring this attraction."
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead"
"Do you know to make Pasta?"
Arnav had burst into laughter at her innocent question before assuring her that Italian was his forte. She had blushed a crimson red because of the embarrasment. Arnav had hesitantly approached his family about the crisis, but the whole family was only overjoyed after an initial brief disappointment and were thankful to God that the lively girl would indeed become their daughter in law.
The twin weddings were completed two weeks ago. While Payal settled down happily at the Malliks, Khushi had to be left behind owing to some horoscopic hindrance. Although Arnav didn't have any beliefs in these issues, he didn't want to hurt the sentiments of the elders and therefore left for Delhi half-heartedly, as his business couldn't wait for two more weeks. Arnav couldn't wait to bring his wife home where she truly belonged and spent the two weeks in anxiety and anticipation. He couldn't surely say if he was in love with Khushi as they hadnt even begun to know each other before they were tied in matrimony, but he was sure that life will never be boring in the presence of his effervescent wife. Arnav drove down to Lucknow at the end of two weeks and was on the way back home now after completing the bidaai according to the rituals.Not to forget that Arnav had brought a box full of Balushahi for her which he had made himself that had earned him an unexpected hug and a kiss on his cheek in full view of her family.
"Arnavji ! Do you know to make that round round sweet vada with a hole?"
"You mean donuts?"
"Yes yes. Donuts. I have not tasted it, but Kiran was raving about it."
"Kiran?"
"My best friend. She had gone to visit her realtives in Mumbai last year and had gone to a mall where she had tasted donuts."
"There are so many outlets in Delhi where you can donuts."
"What fun to go and taste donuts made by someone else when I have a cook as my husband, Arnavji?"
Arnav laughed and said, "You mean Chef?"
"I am no match to you Arnavji! I don't even know that you are called Chef, although I cant understand why you are not called cook. English language always confuses me."
"Its okay Khushi. Language is only a medium to communicate."
"Arnavji, do you know that I have a postgraduate degree in Hindi? Will you allow me to pursue teaching? I love to teach."
"You can do whatever you wish to. I and my family will always support you."
"You are the best Arnavji. Just like Jalebis. Do you know to make Jalebis?"
"Yes. You want to learn?"
"Arnavji! Please don't feel offended, but I don't like to cook. I love gardening, teaching and handwork, but cooking is not my cup of tea."
"That's alright Khushi."
"You know how to make garam garam pakoras? Nothing can surpass the taste of garam pakoras with tea, isn't it Arnavji?"
Khushi was a foodie and Arnav couldn't have been happier having a food lover for his wife. Arnav brought his wife home amidst celebrations and the next one week passed by in Poojas and some more rituals.
Khushi sat by the poolside of their room, with a plate of untouched samosas lying by her side. Khushi didn't have any qualms eating at any time during the day, but she cant eat when she was worried. Now the cause of her worry was happily working away at one of his restaurants.
Did he think that I live to eat all the time? Every day he comes home in the evening with something that he has made himself. But it ends there. He takes off to another of his restaurants again only to come back after I have slept due to boredom. Didnt he say we have the rest of our lives to explore my attraction? Will he really implement his statement only by the fag end of our lives? Am I not attractive enough to gain his attention? What should I do?
Khushi kept looking at her refelction in the pool water when suddenly she knew what she had to do.
Arnav came home in the evening and couldn't wait to go to his room to have a glimpse of his beautiful wife and her priceless reaction when she would see that he had brought jalebis with him. All Arnav wanted to do was to devour his wife but he had been exercising immense self control, as he did not want to scare her or give her an impression that what he had for her was not love but lust. Arnav loved everything about his wife but lacked the ability to make her understand his feelings. From what she had spoken to him over the past three weeks, he inferred that she believed that a man and a woman first bond through love and then the love progresses to the other aspects' of a realtionship. How was he to make her understand that the other aspects' were ways of expressing love? He didn't want her to feel awkward and uncomfortable but at the same time he couldn't control his raging hormones when she was around. So he did immersed himself in work at least till the time when he could get some time off from his expanding business and take her on a honey moon and confess his love for her.
Arnav entered their room to find it empty. He freshened up after placing the parcel of Jalebis on the nightstand and came back to his room, but Khushi was no where to be seen. A movement by the poolside caught his attention and the sight took his breathe away. He slowly approached the pool and there stood his khushi in a swimsuit looking every bit the sexy siren that she was, but extermely uncomfortable in the outfit and full of shyness. She met his eyes and stuttered,
"A..Ar...Arnavji ! Do you know to swim?"
Arnav nodded having lost his speaking abilities.
"I want to learn. Will you teach me?"
Arnav approached her like a predator never taking his eyes off her delectable form. Oh God! You are finished Arnav. Confession be damned.
"What will I get, if I teach you?"
"Another question for you to answer."
"Let this question be interesting Khushi."
"I will try"
Arnav slowly removed his T shirt revealing his well built torso and rippling muscles making Khushi's insides melt into jelly. The next one hour was spent in a feverish state by an Arnav who was trying to prevent himself from taking her right in the pool and a Khushi who was trying hard to make him believe that she was indeed a learner. Finally it was Arnav, who spoke.
"You really thought I wouldn't recognize that you know to swim?"
"If you knew, then why did you pretend?"
"If I had, would you have asked me that question you wanted to ask me?"
"May be, may be not"
"Now that I have taught you to swim in a way no one would have, ask me"
"Arnavji! Do you know to make..."
Arnav snaked his arm around her waist and brought her form flush against him and growled in her ears, "Not again Khushi. I know to make every damn thing on this earth."
"Even love?"
"Yes. What?"
When the implication of her question dawned on him, his eyes darkened and he said huskily,
"Why don't I show you?"
"I thought you never would"
"God knows that I have always wanted to"
"Then why didn't you?"
"I wanted to make it special for you, just the way you deserve."
"Nothing else can make it as special as your eyes do right now"
"Then its time I put my other organs to use as well"
"Huh?"
"No more questions sweetheart. Our clothes are wet and they have to go. Let me do the honors."
With that Arnav scooped her up in his arms to throw her on their bed to show her that he did know how to make every damn thing on this Earth.
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Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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