SS: IPKKND Colours of Compulsion C10 P79 Conclude NEW SS PG 82 NOTE! - Page 18

Chapter 5

A couple of minutes and the drinks were ready but as Khushi brought them out to her surprise Arnav's guest was leaving.. she put down the coffee in front of Arnav but as she put down the tea in front of Maria she claimed to not be a tea drinker. Khushi was a little confused maybe she had got it wrong.

Arnav saw Maria off to the door and when he returned Khushi was about to take the cup of tea back into the kitchen but he was back just in time to stop her. He spoke from behind Khushi. "Its for you."

"Sit with me .."

She sat down a little surprised whilst Arnav took as seat on the other side of the table in front of his cup of coffee.

His eyes were ever so comforting, she just wanted to carry on looking on into them they almost cultivated kindness with every glance. Khushi had no idea what to expect but the moment Arnav extending his arm across the table and put his hand over hers Khushi felt all her thoughts vanish into thin air.

...

He was asking her to share her feelings with him, if she wanted to that was or just talk they hadn't talked properly ever since Khushi had returned home.

She didn't seemed to want to say much she looked at his hand over hers and as she did he smiled.

There was a little pause whilst Arnav watched his wife, waited and listened to what her silence told him.

"I saw what happened earlier. ..waha .." he said whilst his eyes looked towards the house's prayer room and then softly back at Khushi.

She was having trouble putting her feelings into words he could see that. He didn't want to push her to talk but he hoped she would. Waiting patiently..

"Dar lag ta hai."--. ("Guess I'm afraid, I don't know if I can invest my trust in him anymore. .")

It must have been a terrible thing to go through, certainly for someone like Khushi who had always but immense faith in god.

When she said trust she was supposedly referring to the pain in her life and Arnav didn't blame her for feeling this way. There was only so much a person could endure before they start loosing hope.

The type of husband he had been to her, the expectation of son he had put on her, then her not being able to conceive followed by this. How was he to tell her that it was okay?

"You don't have to put your faith in him not until you are ready anyway."

"You have me, you have us, me and Aditi."

"I'm not saying putting your trust in me is going to be any easier in fact its probably a whole lot worse but I am here for you and not in the way I was before."

Khushi was surprised by his last few words, her husband was always present but yes she did wish a lot of the time that he would be present more emotionally for her.

She respected those words of his and felt comforted by them too, but he was right it was as difficult if not more than that to take to this different side of his.

Khushi's silence and that look of grace in her eyes was response enough for Arnav. Before he could say anything more there was an abrupt crashing sound. When both of them turned in the direction of the lounge It was Aditi toppling over a tower of toys and then giggling at her own mischief. The baby antics surely put a smile on both Arnav and Khushi's face Arnav watched Khushi's eyes light up watching Aditi at least that was one thing he did right by Khushi.

...

Getting Khushi to rest wasn't as challenging as Arnav had anticipated she seemed to comply by her sense of health, Arnav was around the house throughout the day to keep an eye on her but he gave her lots of space. He did the cooking because standing up for too long wasn't good for Khushi. Khushi found it ever so strange to deal with and hated the idea of her husband cooking never the less he cooked healthy meals where as she would have cooked something friable. They sat down for breakfast lunch and dinner and in-between Khushi rested. Spent time in the garden, did those simple exercises the doctor had assigned and generally got used to recovering whilst Arnav worked from home and played dad to Aditi. Physically Khushi was doing great, she had put on a healthy amount of weight

Khushi was out of In the garden stretching when Arnav happened to walk past noticing signs of distress from exercising on her face his remark casual as he walked past but very much per nature. "Take it easy khushi you're not training to run a marathon!" he commented being on his way with whatever he was doing. It took Khushi by surprise, surprised that he had noticed her discomfort because it wasn't something he had always paid attention to, at least not when she had stayed quite about it.

She recalled a time when she hoped he was as observant..

...

Flashback

Being the man he was there were many a dinner party and event and naturally khushi was by ASR's side forever smiling meeting and greeting his guests but it took the toll. Especially when Khushi was feeling unwell. Being by his side all night Khushi would have hoped he would notice that she wasn't feeling so good but he hadn't.

even though others had asked If she was okay Arnav singh raizaada failed to see those tired eyes and frayed complexion.

Was it bad that she felt hesitant to ask but she did anyway. She took a moment to whisper into his ear when he wasn't busy talking to guests at the table. "Hame sirr mein dard hai..ham thodi der ke liyey ...kamre mein chalyey jaayey."

(I've got a headache Is it okay if I go to our room for a little while?)

End of flashback

...

The past was quickly brushed a side as soon as Arnav stopped to ask Khushi if she had taken her afternoon dose of medication. The man stood before her with kind eyes and a smile certainly distracted Khushi from her past. She felt like she was almost in some sort of dreamy state of mind.

...

There was only so much you could do in the house before it got boring? If that was the right word to use, Khushi had worked all her life if not by helping support her maternal family financially then looking after her in laws so when ASR seemed to needed at work one morning and Khushi saw him rushing around not only packing his back but also Aditis whilst walking to and from like daddy day care khushi was unsure but asked anyway.

I could look after her whilst you gone? ...

Actually I was going to take her with me he said whilst carrying his daughter on his shoulder. Aditi had a whole fan club at AR, ASR would take her to work happily sit in his office and entertain herself or be passed around the office by the staff who took exceptional care of her.

Arnav wasn't sure.. Khushi had just come out of hospital he didn't want to leave her alone let alone leave her with aditi but Arnav got the feeling Khushi needed this.

Her eyes were very requesting and showed she was eager to move on from the bed rest phase. As uncertain as he was about how his daughter would behave he knew Khushi would be brilliant.

They would have to bond at some point.

After making sure Khushi was aware of every last detail that would help ASR left for the office with his fingers crossed and phone switched on to the loudest setting possible.

...

Aditi was intrigued by Khushi for a couple of hours at least, she stared at Khushi distracted by the new face and happy with all the attention Khushi was giving her that was until there was a sudden surge of crying.

...

Meanwhile ASR in his office checked his phone repeatedly throughout his meetings.

...

She cuddled Aditi, checked if she needed a nappy change, sang to her, cradled her in her arms, she did everything you could think of but nothing seemed to work..she continued to cry..not a loud annoying cry but a constant unhappy cry her smile a significant frown. New to this Khushi.. wondered where she had gone wrong.

Ah hour later and Khushi arrives with an unhappy baby at AR reception but soon as Khushi approached the reception as soon as she asked for her husband at the desk Aditi seemed to go quite just like that. Almost as if she knew where she was at that point. Khushi who was holding the baby a little awkwardly looked confused and had no idea what to say for herself when Arnav walked out of his cabin after he had spotted them both.

"Aditi roh rahin thi aur..." (She was crying couldn't get her to stop so I... )

Slightly worried at first but more relaxed now knowing it was his daughter rather than Khushi that had the problem Arnav took Aditi into his arms calmly "It's okay.. Come to daddy.." There was an instant change in the baby, her eyes lit up and her arms wrapped around Arnav tighter than anything you had ever seen.

Arnav laughed.. at the cheeky smile his daughter gave him after a while and Kushi who couldn't believe her eyes just watched. Wow .. it looked like she had her work cut out to get into Aditi's favourites. When Arnav drew his attention to Khushi he noticed her stirring the palm of her hand over her stomach a little.. his eyes instinctively concerned for her.

Stepping that little closer he places his hand over Khushi's,

Are you okay?"

Khushi appreciated that and nodded, her eyes content with the care he was showing for her.

Arnav finished up at work whilst Khushi waited for him they dropped by the play centre on the way home it was Arnav's way of keeping his daughter happy and also encouraging both of mother and daughter to bond . Arnav found himself drinking coffee whilst Khushi and Aditi played, the view was two of his favourite women one of which he had a lot to express to. The way she entertained Aditi laughed and was so perfect in her ways as a mother, as a wife..as a lady and didn't even realize so had Arnav mesmerised only If he had noticed sooner.

...

The next morning as Khushi got ready in front of the mirror ASR walked into the room, approaching his cupboard he takes out a file but is very casual as walks in. "Good morning sweetheart.."

Surely that wasn't ment for her so she didn't respond, never had he spoken to her that way.

"Aditi yaha nahin hai.. "("Shes' not here") Khushi wanted to clear that up but was even more surprised by the response.

"I know, but you are " he turned to her with a smile but was thinking on and failed to notice her eyes that looked at him so awkwardly she felt a little flustered, shocked at his choice of words "sweetheart?" she wasn't going to look at him just in case she made a embarrassment of herself.

"Listen I've got a couple of important things to attend to, I've made sure there's plenty of staff around the house so you can rest and Maria is going to come around to look after Aditi."

Surely she could do that is the first thing that came to Khushi, yesterday wasn't great but it wasn't that bad surely but "Arnav explained himself sensing her feelings.

"Not because you can't manage because Maria could do with Aditi's company"

Khushi agreed with a "ji" before watching him leave.

...

That evening when ASR returned from work the house was quite, there seemed to be non of the staff he had left this morning only Maria sitting in the lounge with Aditi..

"How are my girls he said as he walked into the room." The elderly lady smiled susshing Arnav because the little one had just fallen asleep. Correcting his mistake after pulling a face, Arnav takes Aditi into his Arms to free Maria.

"Where's all the staff?"

"Khushi sent them home..speaking of home I must get going..!" Arnav's driver took Maria home although Arnav had suggested she stay with him on many an occasion Maria insisted that she had too many friends to look out for.

A few minuites later and as Arnav looked around the house little did he know that his search for Khushi would wake up his little bundle of joy..

There was a tired sigh from Arnav when Aditi began to riggle uncomfortably in his arms it wasn't all that easy putting a disturbed baby back to sleep.

...

A little later as Khushi walked out from the kitchen where she had just finished preparing an evening meal for Arnavs return she watched Arnav pace up and down the lounge in an attempt to put the baby back to sleep. It seemed to work however Khushi was more concerned about Arnav who had just got back from work this was the last thing he needed.

Arnav had smelt the home cooked aroma coming from the kitchen but by the time he had put Aditi back to sleep a sit down and last check of his emails had resulted into him dozing off.

Sometime later...and as Khushi had come looking for her husband and found him sleeping with the laptop still open and still dressed in his suit Khushi very quietly took away the laptop.

Closed it shut and put it in a more appropriate place. She did the same with his mobile phone and then turned to look at an exhausted Arnav Singh Raizada.

She took away his shoes..and softly massaged one leg of his from the knee down how she knew it was that particular leg that caused him problems was something Arnav would never know maybe that's what wifes did. They observed there husbands weaknesses and tended to them silently so they would never have to speak of them out loud. That touch in sighted Arnav to stir out of his sleep. She didn't intend to disturb him.

Maybe with the past being all she could recall Khushi expected him to ask her to leave him but he didn't. He elevated himself enough upon on the recliner to sit up and look at Khushi.

She didn't look back at him one of her hands lingering on his the material of his trouser leg. She was ever so wifely in this moment as Arnav watched and listened as she only looked up a glance or two at him.

"Office ka kaam akele sambhalna aur Aditi bhi aap, Aakaash ko kyun nahin vapas bulate" ("Looking after the business on your own, and then me and aditi too why not ask Aakaash too help.?")

That was the first time Khushi had openly questioned Arnav about the other family members.