Chapter 13
"Her phone call came, was giving me a lecture how I have no right to break her brother-in-law's heart. I am telling you she had forgotten all her manners..." Payal said as she angrily ate her food.
"You seriously said no to Akaash?" her father said, a look of shock on his face surprised her.
"Why do you think I had to say yes?"
He shook his head. "Do you even know if he told his uncle, it could create problems."
"Whatever dad! I am not going to sacrifice my life for him..." she retorted. "And I am not going in that house at all where she is...It is also for a good, otherwise, I tell you it will only create problems. God knows how really her in-laws are tolerating her. She was a pain in an ass to us."
"Payal!"
"Dad, seriously..."
"Mr. Gupta, she is right. She has forgotten her manners. She hasn't yet learnt to behave. In front son-in-law, she behaved as I was her enemy..."
"Admit you have been acting as one," Mr. Gupta's mother spoke. Three of them fell silent as they looked at her.
"Dadi, don't tell me you think she is innocent."
"Why do you think she is not, dear? She is happy in her own house, let her be...Yesterday, you didn't need her. Today, she doesn't need you...Now the trouble as she was, is out, let her be happy. And if she was concerned you broke her brother-in-law's heart it's good that she took his side..."
Payal rolled her eyes. "Dadi, you can't be serious."
Mr. Gupta and Mrs. Gupta looked at each other.
"I am serious. The way you got her married off, any one will feel unwanted."
"Dadi, don't forget you also wanted the same."
"This was only reason so that you can live free and she can live without having to feel she is a pain or unwanted. Now please have your dinner peacefully."
***
"Best of luck, baby!" he said in a half sleep state.
"Thank you, Arnav. Take care of yourself, okay. I will be back by 2:00..."
"Hmm!" he muttered. "Take care of yourself, when are your classes starting?"
"At 8:30, I hate early morning classes..."
"Go for another timing..."
"They aren't offering any in this semester and these classes start at this time only. And I want to finish them as soon as possible...Anyways, you sleep..."
"Do you want me to drop you?"
"No, otherwise, I won't feel like going to my classes. Arnav, I will miss you..."
He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Time shall pass, baby...You won't even know...Go and we will go for a long drive later..."
"Long drive?" she said excited.
"Yeah...Long drive..."
"Okay! Bye...Do your breakfast, don't skip it..."
"I won't, now stop worrying and go!"
"Bye," she said and kissed his cheeks, and rushed out of the room.
***
Khushi nervously sat in her class in the bunch of strangers. She really wished her friends were in the same class as her. Lecture hall seemed like to be a fish market everyone were talking on top of their lungs. She for some reason was irritated with all this noise, though it was not at all new to her. Her back hurt, she cursed the seats and straightened her back. Her legs fidgeted as she was trying to cope up with the loud noise and the irritation that it caused to her. She pressed the home button of her iPhone button to see if there was any message from Arnav. But no. She started surfing the pictures on her phone. In that time her professor came. "Good morning, class!" he said.
And everyone fell silent. "Good morning!" everyone chorused.
"Hi, I am Ram, and as you know I am your Calculus professor..."
He started his introduction and what he will be teaching. Once he was done with that, he called a wrap.
"And that's it for today's class. Now I will see you in the next lecture, and do read in advance the pages 1-60 from your book."
Khushi gathered her stuff and made her way out of the lecture hall. She could now take a fresh breath of air. And now her next lecture was in next two hours. She had just decided to stay at university to study, but the feeling of nausea sickened her. The other moment she rushed to the washroom to throw.
***
"Chote, good morning."
"Good morning, ma..."
"Good morning beautiful! Mami ji, why I think you look the most beautiful lady in the world?"
She slapped his shoulder. "Chote, you are too much..."
"Are? Seriously you are looking beautiful..."
"Thanks...Nobody told me that..." Obviously that was a taunt on Mrs. Raizada.
"Bhabi, didn't I say your saree look beautiful..."
"But did you say "I look beautiful..." she asked.
"Okay; that's it both of you...Stay clam!" Nani said.
***
"You always do things wrong," Mami ji said.
"Now what did I do wrong?" Mrs. Raizada asked.
"You, put extra salt. I asked you only one spoon..."
Khushi heard both ladies arguing as she came home and had to skip her lectures. "Hi, Mom, hi, Mami ji."
"Hey, Khushi. You home, already?"
"Yeah, today classes were just for starters...They didn't teach much...Ouch!"
"What happened dear?" Mami ji asked, and went over to her.
"I don't know, I feel nauseous and stomach hurt..."
Mami ji and Mrs. Raizada looked at each other and then grinned. "Khushi, you think you are pregnant?" Mrs. Raizada asked.
Before she could say anything, Mami ji questioned. "When did this start?"
"Like just recently, a two week ago..."
They were at the top of the world. "Oh my did you get it checked?"
"No, mom..."
"What no, what's going on here?" Arnav asked. "Hey, Khushi, you are home already?" he asked, as he too just had come.
"Chote, congratulations..."
"Congratulations, for what?!"
"We think Khushi is pregnant..."
He immediately looked at Khushi who was shocked herself. He didn't know how to react. It was not something that they had been planning as for yet. Seeing her face he couldn't tell if it was true.
"Mom," he said.
She was so excited that she didn't want to hear anything. Even though it wasn't confirmed yet. Khushi seeing them happy was already afraid, afraid that their happiness might come crashing.
She looked down on the floor. "Mom, let us confirmed this first please..." he said.
Her happiness disappeared so was Mami's, as they looked at Khushi, they realised jumping to conclusion they might have hurt her or even disheartened her if there was another problem.
Khushi's bloating in the stomach, and then feeling of nausea increased. At university she had already vomited.
"Khushi, bitiya, we are sorry, chote, take her inside..."
"Khushi, let's go..." he said, and escorted her inside. She covered her mouth and rushed to the washroom. "Khushi..." he called and ran after her.
When she came out of the washroom, wiping her face with the wet towel, he asked. "Khushi, how are you feeling now? I have called the doctor she must be here anytime soon...What's wrong? Do you think you are pregnant?"
She shook her head, and broke into cries. "Khushi, please baby, what's there to cry?"
"Mom and Mami ji were so happy...I so disappointed them..."
He cupped her face, and made her look at him, and shook his head. "No, Khushi. It's not even that we have planning on to have one yet. It's completely fine. But this nausea and all?"
"I don't know it has been there for a while. I thought it will go by anytime soon, but today just after first lecture it got worst. On my way back, I got my blood test done."
"Khushi, these things you shouldn't be neglecting, pain in the pelvic region can mean anything or even in general...I do not want to jeopardise with your health in anyway. Okay, let us see what doctor says. And I really think we should go to the hospital itself."
***
"Payal."
"Yes, mom..."
"Dear, can you take your grandma to the hospital? I would have but I got some other work..."
"Yeah, sure, mom. It's alright...But what is it for?"
"She has to have her knee CT scan done. Doctors are saying she might have to undergo some surgery. She complains of having a lot of pain nowadays."
"Okay..."
"Thanks dear..."
"Not a problem, mom..."
***
"Good evening, doctor..." Arnav said as he and Khushi both walked in the doctors room.
"Hey, Mr. Raizada, Mrs. Raizada, please come in and have a seat first."
They both took a seat opposite to hers. As they both settled, doctor spoke. "Mrs. Khushi, I got your blood test reports. They are fine. There is nothing wrong in them and yes, you are not pregnant."
There was nothing wrong with the blood test reports came as a relief to them. "All I can say is may be nausea could be because of an anxiety and stress...Also, I really hope you are eating well."
"This all makes sense..." Arnav said. "She does not eat well at all...Let me tell you, doctor, she loves to take stress too..."
"Well, Khushi, you need to stop this. Here have this medication you will be alright."
"Thank you, doctor..."
As they both walked out of the clinic, they came across Payal. "Hey, Arnav," she said.
"Hey, Payal. How are you here?"
"Well I came for Dadi's checkup. She is having her test done inside...What's up with you guys?"
"Khushi wasn't feeling well so came for her check up..."
"What? What happened to you, Khushi?" she asked concerned.
"Nothing...Nausea and vomiting. Doctor said she is taking too much stress..."
"Stress and her?" she asked confused, and laughed lightly. "She loves to give stress to others..."
"Don't tell me you are starting here!" Khushi said, as she was already irked to see her there.
"No, what did I say wrong?" she asked.
"Payal, it's nothing like that. She has started uni and so that's what she had been stressing about..."
"W-what, she has started uni again, really?" she said as in a mock.
"Arnav, can you please go and get a water for me?"
"You want some water, here, have some from me!" Payal said, as she offered her water bottle.
"Arnav, can you please get me a new one?"
He wasn't sure if he should leave her alone, but before she had to ask for it again he went to get it for her.
"Payal, can't you just stay shut up..."
"I wish you could let me. I just can't believe you have decided to continue your studies...As you had already left your semester in between."
Khushi rolled her eyes.
"And please don't make fun of yourself in front of your in-laws. Keep the image that you are atleast a fun loving girl...If they got to know you are dumb that might create a problem..."
"Are you done?"
"Why? You want to hear more words of praise? And by the way, how can I forget you have a dumb brother-in-law already..."
Khushi couldn't control herself this time; and slapped her.
Payal's mouth stayed opened. "How dare..."
"You . deserved. this."
Arnav made sure he rushed to get a water for Khushi, when he returned he experienced a very silent storm.
"Don't you dare say anything about my family, I promise you will regret..."
A heated conversation in between them made him stop where he was. Matter did seem bit out of hand. In this situation he thought of staying away. He walked out of there for a while, but stayed in a reach where he had reacted if Khushi needed any help.
Payal was so furious at the moment that she would have done anything to take revenge from her for slapping her.
"Khushi, you know what? You will regret this action of yours."
"Regret my foot. And after this never ever come in front of my eyes, else I would do something really outrageous. From today you and me are no more sisters."
"Yes, from now onwards, you better not ever talk to me..."
Khushi watched her go and thought to herself that did she just do that.
She sat on the chair as her legs shook. She took a long deep breath and looked for Arnav. When she saw him standing near the vending machine, outside the cafeteria, she rushed to him.
"Hey, Khushi, you here? I was coming..." he said. She hugged him.
"Arnav, can we go somewhere at a calm place, please?"
"Sure!" he said. "We can go for a long drive."
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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