ArShi FF: The Search for Happiness Chap3 pg13 - Page 9

Originally posted by: anamnoor

Hope khushi is fine

Originally posted by: crazyforsarun

Hope Khushi is alright

It's really sad that she lost her baby too :(

That baby could have given her another reason to live another reason to smile but sadly she lost that khushi too before even knowing about it.

Hope that the future holds better things for ArShi

Update soon

Originally posted by: sarunsashasingh

Buaji should not have taken Khushi to Mumbai!!

Originally posted by: Arshika_arshi

i hav commented in the blog...as i saw this
ff there first...but i would like to read from IF...so can u pm me plzz...

Originally posted by: Sanz.

🤔

hi everyone ! Sorry this is delayed, World Cup happened, I was busy cheering for Argentina !! Then they lost 😭...

Coming to the next part, This short update is to introduce a new character: Shruti Gupta. She is Sasi and Buaji's cousin, who was adopted by their parents (much like Khushi and Payal). This is to set some premises for the time leap coming up, so bear with me !

Hope you guys like it !

☢️sageflower7☢️

O~o~O~o~O~o~O~o~O

Chapter 3 : Baby Steps

Shruti Gupta (or Shree as her family calls her) is a strong woman, much like her elder cousins Madhumati and Sasi. A classical dancer trained by her own mother in childhood, she was orphaned at age 13 years and had lived with her cousins until 5 years ago. Having always been a little different, she scoffed at a life with a husband and children, determined to be a choreographer. She wanted to have her life in her hands, fiercely independent and cynical of trappings of marriage. But she loved Payal and Khushi like her own.

Khushi and her were very similar, orphans adopted by relatives. Each were the others inspiration, Shree maasi was Khushi's example of strength and independence; Khushi was Shree's inspiration to be optimistic and see the bright side of everything.

She had trained Khushi in classical dance since she was nine. A gifted dancer she was as a child, Khushi's mischieviousness was always calmed by dance practice, like a portal for letting out all that bubbling energy. She soaked in everything Shree taught her, while Payal was much too shy to dance publicly.

When Shree left for Mumbai for a choreographer job, Khushi was terribly upset. Shree had left an open invitation for her to join their team, but events leading to Payal's stalled marriage in Lucknow made Khushi guilt ridden and determined to help her family out of the ditch her ill-fated meeting with ASR had thrown them in.

It has been six weeks since she had put up Madhumati and Khushi in her town flat. Initially very upset at the state her niece was in, Shree gave her space to grieve properly. But she saw the suppressed energy in her, the restlessness that plagued Khushi in the day, as she made sweets to be sold. The furious darting from one pot to another, as though afraid to sit down for a moment , when memories will claim her.

And the nights. Her silent weeping and alternating trips to the bus station.

Then the miscarriage happened. After which Khushi pretty much just holed herself up and cried. Or just walked around like a zombie; devoid of emotions.Something has to be done.

Shree walked into Khushi's room and found her sitting at her bed, staring out the window. She grabbed her hands and took her out for a drive. Khushi followed quietly, mildly curious to the destination. Shree led her to her dance studio, put on the lights in one of the rooms. She roughly pushed Khushi to the centre of the room and turned the spotlight on her.

Maasi?' Khushi exclaimed meekly.

Shree walked over to the Sound system and put on a song. Khushi's eyes widened as she recognized the drumbeats of her favourite song from her classes with her aunt.

Dance , Khushi. This is your most favourite song few years ago. You would wear my heavy payals and do a great imitiation of Aishwarya Rai. I know you know the steps. Now. Dance!' Shree said sternly, now in teacher mode.

No, I can't. I don't remember...' Khushi averted.

Shree walked up to her and caught her by the shoulders and shouted, DANCE! KHUSHI!!'

Khushi raised hurt eyes and took steps back.

NO! Dance ! DANCE!' Shree shouted over and over until Khushi slowly started moving her hands in a long forgotten dance step she had rehearsed with her Maasi. Shree watched as Khushi slowly got more and more into the groove and feel of the song.

Soon, Khushi and her Maasi were re-enacting their rendition of the song , Dola re Dola from the movie Devdas. Khushi was Aishwarya Rai and Shree was Madhuri. They danced furiously, smiles back on their faces as they remembered the joy they found in dance, together.

When they song faded off, they fell in a heap, exhausted after some intense moves , hearts beating fast, feet pleasantly aching. Shree panted and saw her niece come back to life.

Maasi, can I dance a bit more before we go?'

Shree nodded happily and went to put on more music, all Khushi's favourites.

And Khushi danced and danced well into the night, her suppressed frustrations and energy flowed out in her hands and feet as she twirled and stamped with the beat. Shree sat and kept her company, knowing something momentous had happened tonight.

Khushi has started to heal. They slept exhaustedly in the wee hours of the morning, after hours of dancing.

And that night, far away in Delhi, Arnav stopped hearing her answers to his calling.