SS: IPKKND Colours of Compulsion C10 P79 Conclude NEW SS PG 82 NOTE! - Page 21

Originally posted by: Anamikarocks

Beautiful Story...After a long time I came back and this story made my day... Do update soon!!

Thank you for all the lovely feedback on the last chapter, sorry for all the delays. (i've also posted a little spoiler for bitter sweet I will try to update asap I apologize for taking ages with that !)

Chapter 6

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 minutes 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 wife's did. They observed their husbands weaknesses and tended to them silently so they would never have to speak of them out loud. Khushi's 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 in this moment Khushi expected him to ask her to leave him but he didn't. He elevated himself enough upon the recliner to sit up and look at Khushi.

She didn't look back at him one of her hands lingered on the material of his trouser leg as she continued to massage his sore ligament in a leg he had once broken foolishly playing football, not that he had ever shared that with Khushi. She was ever so wifely in this moment as Arnav gave her all his attention and almost sat in review of his wife. She looked at him only as was necessary.

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

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

"Don't worry about me I manage just fine.." he was ever so relaxed in his reply to Khushi despite knowing that she wanted to know more from him his eyes were of a content happy sort.

Maybe he didn't want to answer to her she thought and changed the subject because that's the type of wife Khushi was the sort that understood a situation and would probably rephrase herself later in some other conversation they have later tonight tomorrow when the time is right.

"Ham aap ke liyey" ( I can bring up your food if you...)

Arnav denied the offer he was more concerned about answering his wife's curiosity, he sat up on the recliner in a more proper position and took Khushi's hand within his as a way to get her undivided attention.

"Aakash aur baaki ke ghar wale.. ---Khushi they left because they were unhappy with me.

Everyone could see what I was putting you through I guess they never had the courage to say until I pushed it to the extreme. You in hospital was the extreme.

I don't blame them in fact I'm proud of them for standing up and telling me I'm wrong I wish they had done saw earlier. I'm not sure if they would want to return."

Khushi was speechless, they all stood up against him because they felt he was responsible for her coma? That was far from the truth, even as Khushi tried to comprehend it all to reply she couldn't.

How wrong the family were.. They were faced with a distorted angle of the truth that made Arnav look like a cruel man when he was far from that. Yes he hadn't always been the perfect husband but he was far from the sort of imperfect the family were thinking of.

Maybe it was those eyes of his, soft, kind, loving, tired and still understanding eyes that were making khushi speechless, he was in this moment the nicest man on earth and it made Khushi feel horrible to think of his own family to be so oblivious of the reality.

It mattered to him even if he seemed to have made piece with the idea, Khushi could sense her husbands buried hurt on the matter her mind stopped there for a while and only broke in chain of thought when she could see Arnav asking her something.

I am hungry Khushi what's for dinner ..?"

Ji... she gave a list of the few simple dishes she had cooked and watched him smile. She had cooked to his taste. He tiredly stood up to head towards the wash room almost forcing himself awake whilst Khushi agreed to meet him downstairs at the table.

She felt relieved to finally be the one serving the food, watching him eat a proper home cooked meal. He was soon done throwing the napkin into the plate.

"I'd most almost forgotten what I was missing, it felt good to know he was content with the meal she had cooked all these little things were still so new for Khushi but he still hadnt overlooked the other part of it.

--but tumne yey nahin bataya ke tum kitchen mein kar kya rahin thi.. ( but you still owe me an explanation for why you were in the kitchen in the first place" )

she dropped her eyes momentarily to the floor, she was bored of resting..she wanted to feel at home in that more familiar way be his wife..look after his needs.

Her eyes and her silence spoke for her although Arnav didn't approve he seemed to frown upon the matter rather than put his dissatisfaction into words.

Khushi took away the plates and Arnav followed her into the kitchen.

After washing his hands he rolled up the sleeves of his knitwear. You wash I'll dry..

Aap ...Ham karlege..

He looked at her disapprovingly she had already done enough for one day and Khushi couldn't argue with him. That was a quality she never managed to master when it came to her husband.

Arnav could feel Khushi's arkwardness on the matter, and he understood why up until now she had never seen him this way. After a few minuites of Khushi washing and passing plates to Arnav Khushi spoke.

Aaage se aap yeah sab nahin karenge, yey sab aap par theekh nahin lagta

(You're not doing this again, it doesn't suit you at all)

Aur ghar walon ke saamne toh ...And in front of the family you can't

She was thinking of how ashamed she would feel if the family witnessed this, let alone that she felt ashamed right now ..

Arnav simply examined Khushi's expression for a moment and smiled.

The smile was because he knew exactly what Khushi was thinking but was going to change the subject after agreeing.

Oh.. kay.. Ek baat baton (Tell me something...)

Jab mein office se laut ta tha..aur mere paas aakar beth thi ti woh sab is liyey tha kyun ke tume mujhse baat karni thi?

When I got home from work in the past and you sat with me by the recliner it wasn't purely customary it was because you wanted to talk to me.. is that right.

Khushi was surprised at the question, It was something personal she never thought she would have to talk about. She did that because she had always been taught to look after her loved ones and he wasn't just anyone he was her husband looking after him for Khushi was obligation.

"Kuch khuch .. aap se baat karne ka mohka bohot kam milta tha..toh koshish karte they magar hitchichahat hoti thi"

(Yes a little I suppose it was difficult talking to you, you were busy most of the time and approaching you was ..difficult for me.)

Arnav had clearly been thinking about earlier and all those other times he had shrugged Khushi's care off because a part of him probably thought she was being pretentious Anjali or nani had made Khushi behave that way towards him and he didn't appreciate all that traditional wife thing.

it was only today that he realized Khushi looked for time with him in her actions and he failed to see that all along.

unapproachable ? she found him unapproachable.. he took that very seriously but he could see why that was.

He couldn't remember one time he had made the effort to sit down and talk to Khushi in a light hearted manner before the ordeal or sit down and spend time with her just casually. He only ever did that when he had something serious to discuss.

Aur ab.. ("and now") Ab bhi aisa lagta hai ("do you still feel the same ..")

Takleef hoti hai mujse baat karne mein .. ("about talking to me do you still have trouble.."?)

...

"Uni nahin jitni hoti thi..aap ko aditi ke saath dekh ne ke baad aap dono ki baate sun ne ke baad itna toh esaas hua hai ke aap hamari bate bhi sunenge ."

("Not so much after seeing you with aditi,")

Aditi ne mujhe bohot kuch sikhayay hai.. unmein se ek ankhen padna hai. Tume lafs istamal karne ki sarurat nahin hai ...

(Aditi's taught me a lot and the ability to read ones eyes is one of those things. You don't need to use words Khushi.)

He was saying this because he could see Khushi eyes wandering, the washing was done she needed a towel to wipe her hands with and Arnav handed her one before the thought could even cross her mind properly.

...

Coming up in the next couple of chapters.. --- (subject to change ..)

When Arnav arrived home from a couple of early meetings in the morning he stopped by the usual flower seller to pick up the usual pink and white roses for Khushi. Looking forward to seeing Aditi and content with the thought that he could be home to keep an eye on her Arnavs eyes search for his little Aditi as soon as he sets foot within the house but is taken by surprise by who he sees instead.

His family gathered around the baby.

...

With Aakash and his wife in the background displaying how in love they were unintentionally of course, the casual holding of hands, odd kisses and display of affection amongst the couple since they had been here was something everyone had noticed but Khushi in particular.

Arnav watched Khushi as she tried to take less notice of Aakash and his wife but she couldn't hide the workings of her mind from her husband who happened to catch Khushi's in one of those moments. As soon as she felt Arnav was watching Khushi diverted her eyes but the fact that she was disturbed was clear to him.