"Khushi,it's a tropical island. I doubt you will have much need for sarees and suits. Pack light please."
Khushi pouted and stuck her tongue out at his back. "I saw that" he replied and she quietly bit her tongue. They had been married a couple of months and at the insistence of his sister they were going on a honeymoon. Their first journey together as husband and wife. Their flight was the day after tomorrow but Khushi was super excited, her first journey on a plane.
"Chamkeeli, its Tahiti. Surely you arnt thinking of wearing suits and sarees in Bora Bora?" Lavanya screamed over the phone and rolled her eyes at the innocence of her sweet friend. "I'll pick you up, we'll go shoppin. Fine." She hung up.
"Suniye, who aapne hume jo credit card diya than na?" she was fiddling with the ends of her pallu, he looked up to meet her gaze,
"Lavanya ji keh rahi thi ke shopping jana hai. mujhe ek do cheez kharidna hai. main usse use kar sakti hoon kya?" Part of him was disappointed that she felt the need to ask to spend the money, but another part was very touched at her innocence at the gesture. She mistook his silence and rushed to add "zyada kuch nahi,bus kuch kapde"
A half smile played across his lips, "Khushi, that credit is yours. Spend whatever you like. Mujhe koi hissaab nahi chaiye. Lavanya bhi jaa rahi hai tumhare saat?"
"Haan. Thank you." She said softly and left the room. Arnav picked up the phone and dialled Lavanya.
"Don't worry ASR, I will make sure she gives your credit card a good workout! I swear you owe me big time. You need to find me a guy who thinks the way you do – but without the attitude."
"The attitude makes the man sweetheart." He hung up. She smiled into the phone. ASR was much better as a true friend than as a lover, she decided. For herself atleast.
The girls shopped to Lavanya's hearts content. Khushi mostly freaked out and shrieked at the dresses Lavanya made her buy. And the amount Lavanya made her spend. How would she ever explain this to Arnav. All the bags. She was in a right state.
"HELLO HI BYE BYE. What EEJ THISH? Phatti Sari going Shopping and paisa kharcho-ing. Lattery lagi hai ka?" Mami scorned at the amount of Shopping bags Khushi walked in with. Khushi's face fell at the taunt.
Lavanya had done well Arnav chuckled to himself. He saw the brands on the bags and changed his statement, Lavanya had done really well. "Mami, luckily Khushi ko lottery jeetne ki zaroorat nahi hai. Main hoon na." He smiled and walked towards Mami and whispered in a low voice in her ear so no one could hear, "Kabhi bhi, Khushi ko phirse phatti sari nahi bulana. Don't forget, Arnav Singh Raizada ki biwi hai woh ab."
"Pura dukaan kharid ke layi ho kya? Tumne to kaha tha zyada shopping nahi karna" he picked up a load of bags from her, enjoying the forlorn look on her face. "haan, main…woh Lavanya ji…"
***
Arnav had made a promise to himself while marrying her, that he would be a proper husband to her. Sure, he was marrying her for the wrong reasons, to save his own sister's marriage but he also knew that what transpired between Shyam and Khushi was not Khushi's fault. She was just as much a victim. So he had decided to marry her, to keep Shyam off her and his sister happy.
He had been a good husband so far, but she was still scared of him. There were duties she fulfilled as a wife and he as a husband. He had made love to her under the hood of darkness. Heard her moan in ecstasy, whisper his name in his ears only to wake up in the morning to watch her don the cloak of formality. He didn't get her.
She un-packed her suitcase removing all the sarees and suits, replacing them with the shopping she had done the previous day with Lavanya. She thought of her husband. She held up a pretty sun dress and couldn't help a tear down her face. She knew why he married her. She was not his type. He was used to models. The boldness, the clothes, the attitude. Ok she had some attitude, but he had sacrificed everything just for his sisters happened. Even being married to a girl like her. What did he even get out of this marriage. She remembered how her buaji had told her submit to her husbands needs. How she had described how a man did some strange things under the cloak of darkness. How to tame the proverbial snake. Her husband was no different, she blushed at intensity of her own desires. Buaji had a terrifying expression on her face when describing all the horrible things a man can do – but why then did she look forward to being touched by her husband. But she had always insisted on turning the lights off. Perhaps then he wouldn't feel that she was any less than all the other beautiful models. Perhaps then his moans of pleasure would be more real to hers. Perhaps then he wouldn't see the anguish she felt after it was all over and she lay in his arms. She would always wake up before him, shower and pretend as if nothing had transpired. To spare him the pain of having to live with a plain jane for a wife.
But in the darkness she also failed to notice the anguish her husband faced after he had put her his heart and soul into making love to her. He had expressed with his body what he never could in words. But in the dark – she couldn't see any of that.
***
"Arnav ji, yeh to bilkul ek tasveer jaisi hai" she was in shock at the crystal clear waters that surrounded the tropical heaven. She had seen many photographs,but never ever imagined that such places could actually exist. Much less that she herself would visit such a place.
She ran to the edge of the wharf as they waited for their boat to arrive. The airport terminal was on a pontoon and several honeymoon couples waited for their shuttle boats to ferry them to their respective hotels. She looked around and suddenly felt very conscious of her clothes. She was still in the sari she was wearing when she had boarded the flight. All the other ladies were in shorts, skirts or dresses. She watched her husband as he made some calls, irritated at something. She assumed it was because he was embarrassed to be with her.
"Why isn't it here yet Aman? I gave you my arrival time." Arnav was irritated because the boat wasn't there. He hung up on Aman and made a call to his sister letting her know that they had reached safely. "Chotey, relax, you are on your honeymoon with a beautiful wife who I know you love – a strange way you have of showing it, but please just have a good time. Give her as many smiles as you have given her tears in the past – make her forget all the bitterness in the next seven days. Promise me?"
He got off the phone and looked up to see his wife looking a bit uncomfortable. Not getting why he followed her eyes to see she was nervously looking at the people around her. A couple came to try and talk to her. She nervously shook her head, indicating that she did not understand. He walked up to her and asked the couple if he could help.
They spoke in Spanish. He had no idea what they were saying. Khushi looked bewildered. "Arnav ji, hume itna achca angrezi nahi ati hai. Aur inki, kya bolte hai, accent, hume samajh mein nahi arahi hai. Dheere bolte to.." she was again lost in her insecurities. He laughed. She thought it was because of her unsophisticated grasp of the English knowledge.
"Khushi –they are not speaking in English, so I am not surprised you didn't understand. Spanish. I don't know Spanish. " he shrugged his shoulders at the couple who moved on. He watched his wife lovingly as a smile spread across her face. Just then their boat decided to make a show.
Next Part: Adults Only - so Kids STAY OUT
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
