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PART 1-4 LINKS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BELOW AT THE END...
ALSO WILL BE IN MY INDEX.
PART 5 ( LAST PART FOR THIS FF)
this is the first night together after Arnav and Khushi came back to RM after the kidnapping.
Arnav left Khushi in the bathroom to get a quick shower and is waiting in front of the bathroom with a new set of kameez in hand. his hands are on the dupatta threads. playing around with the hanging loose sequin in silver, the ball near the end of the dupatta on the edge.
Arnav:
"umm..should i just put these here or ask her to let me hand it over? am i pushing the boundary a bit too much?
maybe she will need some room to get used to me being here at all time and for me to be to be open with her.
and is this what she wears at night?
i should have been more careful...
ahh...
what am i thinking?
my head seems off.
lightheaded.
will need to eat something.
i should have listened to her when she said that i need to check my blood sugar level and take my meds.
umm...
oh!"
Arnav abruptly stops in his tracks and stops the self talk about him and khushi.
( no matter how absurd the moment might be, the situation, the chaos, he feels an unknown calmness around him. his sister, who he loves more than anything. Her life just got shattered, he threw the scum bag Shyam in hands of the police, the lawyer, the doctor , the people...the family member all needs his attention , his time. he himself needs his time and concern.
But why is that he can only concentrate on his WIFE? why does he feel like SHE is the matter that seeks and needs his dire attention?
what sort of a pull is this?
what sort of a feeling is this?)
Arnav looks at his reflection in the mirror, for the first time ever in life, he feels love and dependency , the same thing he had for his sister, to be multiplied.
there is another person now.
a new person.
someone he hated with last straw of his existence.
soemone who made him repulsive.
but
now the same someone, seems to stirr up new senses, new heights of responsibility.
she fought for me.
she loves me
she was willing to give her life for me.
Arnav keeps on repeating the same lines over and over in his mind.
Nani, Mami, Akash, Mama ji, everyone has million of questions. moreover Di needs to be debriefed. every details, every angle needs to be crystal clear.
a single question, a single remark can ruin the entire balance of the house.
YES! shyam has been taken care of. The police has him and i will rest in peace tonight that, the Scum went to jail. BUT he needs to know and understood the grave mistake he has done.
the two slaps were not enough.
I should have beaten the hell out of that Looser.
how dare he?
how dare he touches my sister?
and in the same hands he touches my wife?
how dare he, lay his filthy, rotten eyes on my KHUSHI?
Damn it !"
Khushi:
"Arnav JI!
Arnav J!"
" are you there?
Jiji?"
Arnav wakes up from his trance and self talks.
he looks towards the washroom and looks at the white robe wrapped figure from the two inches slit of the door.
Arnav:
" hmm? I am here.
here is your clothes."
he hands them to her.
closes the door behind and then slumps down on the bed.
a minute passes
then another.
then five...
Arnav's leads become heavy.
the 15 days of tiredness, slams him down like a freight train.
no matter what works are pending, no matter how much he needs to do, the bed pulls him down like her own property.
an hour passes.
then two.
Arnav:
"what?
NOO!
NO
KHUSHI?!!!"
Khushi:
"Arnav JI
Arnav Ji!
I am here, see?
you fell asleep!
we did not wake you up.
you are ok?
i am fine too.
calm down. Please"
" The Doctor came, he looked at me and also he took your blood sample.
Di, came,
yes, she was here too. nani and mami ji told her, that you fell asleep.
she couldn't believe. she ran down from her room, cause you were so deep in sleep that, the doctor pinched your finger and took sample blood, you did not wake up.
i said you were fine, cause I know , you sleep very deep , normally.
but every one were very worried.
your sugar seems normal.
he told you to eat something, when you wake up.
i have food here."
Khushi has a hand on his head, caressing and weaving the strands of hair on his forehead.
the light is dimmed.
only the side lamp on the bed side table is on.
a flicker is moving along her neckline.
the small ring of her finger blinks and dances along with the light flicker.
breeze is sweeping along from the pool side.
Khushi goes on.:
"Arnav JI
Di, came, she saw you lying on the bed.
she talked with the doctor.
I did not talk to her.
she seemed upset.
I think we can both seat down and talk to her, tomorrow."
i have a cup of soup and coffee in pot if you want.
Umm..also do you want to take shower first and change the clothes?"
Arnav listens to her non stop chattering. and finally smiles.
he puts a hand on the bed and lifts himself up.
his light headed feeling seems to be a bit better.
he tried to get up and stand, but misses a step.
LIKE expected, Khushi is in front of him, holding him up with both arms.
Arnav smile widens.
rather turns into smirk.
Arnav:
"You like to hold me back right?
i was not going to fall.
my head is just a bit off.
i need to bath and then eat.
ok?
um...let go. I can walk."
Khushi blushes at his accusation and slowly takes her hands off him.
but stay close behind, every step, just in case her treasured husband falls down again.
Arnav reaches the door and turns, smiles and says:
"'Khushi!
did Di say anything?
she is still crying?
what happened? what i did, had to be done.
i really hope she realises the graveness of the situation.
i really hope. she does."
Khushi:
"umm...Arnav JI!
she needs sometime.
she said, she wishes to be alone.
but mami and nani ji is around and looking after her.
doctor said she will be fine ,soon.
she needs to rest aswell..
Go take a shower and i will get your food ready."
She smiles and turns around.
after two hours...
Nani, mami and Akash is on the couch.
anjali is upstair, alone.
Payal crying on the side.
Khushi also crying silent tears
Arnav just explained in tiny details of what happened.
after another 40 minutes of explanining and back and forth discussion.
nani ji says:
"chotey!
ok I understand.
i think we all are more or less clear on the topic.
let us stop for now and we will talk about it in the morning.
you and Khushi betia, had along day.
and you both need to rest.
have a good night's sleep and then we will meet in the morning.
I will stay with Anjali tonight.
please, everyone, try to get some sleep.
lots needs to be done tomorrow."
Arnav and Khushi's room:
Night: at 1.30 AM
Khushi sat on the faraway corner, on the side of the bed.
Arnav on the other side.
both a bit shaken.
Khushi's face, tuned red.
in the dim light, it is almost non visible.
she draws the quilt and slides inside.
keeps her held of the pillow, gathering the long locks on the sides.
face turned opposite to Arnav.
Arnav lies down
face turned towards her back.
looking and guessing her expression.
seeing her body shake up and move with each breath, with every small exhales.
a minute passes...
then a few more.
Arnav very slowly, pulls himself up on his elbow.
balances the weight and tries to get a better look at the girl next to him.
feeling the movement on the bed, Khushi thinks that, finally he has drifted to sleep and she can relax.
she closes in backwards couple of inches and with a swift, move turns towards Arnav, so before trying to fall asleep, she can steal a quick look at her husband and then close her eyes.
Khushi:
"Ahh
you...
you are awake?"
Arnav:
"yes !
why?"
Khushi
"Um..., why are you on your elbow?
i thought you were fast asleep.
i waited before i turned.'
Arnav
"what?
you waited?
what do you mean, you waited?
umm..ok let me be clear.
you waited till i fall asleep?
why?"
khushi, understands that she has said too much and confessed of trying to look like she feel asleep.
Khushi:
"nah i mean...
that..
umm..."
arnav ji!
i am off to sleep.
do not look at me, like that
Your eyes...i mean the way you look at me...now...i cannot ...
uff!!
goodnight...please..."
she turns around with great speed.
she can almost hear her heart beats drumming.
boom...boom..boom.
she places a quick hand to soften the sound.
her pulses run wild and drips of sweats starts to appear in the cold room.
the bed moves slightly again.
then a bit of silence.
then another slow movement.
Khusi feels a sudden pull and then a tug.
she is under him.
her body slanted within his,
his arms on her both side.s
Arnav looking straight into her eyes.
rather looking a open look at her soul.
she misses her heart beats,
the one that was drumming, now seems to be lost.
she holds her breathe.
he breathes down on her.
hot, humid, soft, warm breathe.
something she always dreamt of.
she herself lost count of how many times, she day dreamt and blushed on her own, imaging, staging this same scenario in her Head.
he husband
her
wrapped around in this same bed. at night, under a small flicker of light.
she under him.
he on top.
and the breathing colliding.
he brings a finger on top of her cheek and moves a single strand of hair.
he touches her eyes, her chin and glides the finger to her neckline.
her skin sears...hot sweats appear.
with another quick stroke, he glides the same finger down her neck to her collar bone.
slowly with guided passion, turns every corner of her wounds on her neck and on her cheeks.
the red marks left by the fall, by the accidents, the pebbles of the road, now after all these hours become more red, more alert.
her every single cell vibrates up...up to life...
Arnav casts an evil, lust full look on her lips.
then the samelook travels to her nose, to her eyes, to her hairline.
lastly ends on her wrists.
Khushi cements herself down on the bed sheet.
almost at the verge of fainting.
her limbs grow weak.
the spine rests on the bed.
but the spirit tries to elope from her body and mingle with the one, that is carved only couple of inches off her body.
with great care and great caution, she blinks up.
opens her eyes very slowly, too see and guage his expression.
for the first time in her entire life...she wishes that the night just halts.
the time stay stoned.
and she lives...like this forever
the anticipation
the thrill
the unknown seems to be more enticing that that actual occurrence itself.
Arnav casts his look on her eyes again.
his fire.
trailing down his touch.
she can feel sheer fabric of the kameez, burn on the sides.
the heat from his seems to erupt from within his soul.
Arnav drags his hands forward and grabs her arms with a sudden pull.
in the next instant he takes her arms in his hold and pulls her towards him.
makes her half seated on his lap.
on him
balancing her on his lap, he smiles the most crazed, poisoned, heart melting smile.
her heart beats stops.
breath halts for good.
Arnav :
"Khushi !
breathe !
the thing, i am going to do, i need you to be alive for that.
ok?"
Khushi:
aa...hmmm?
what?"
"Ar...a...r...nav...
um...Ji"
Arnav
" I said, you need to breath, do not hold your breath like this.
ok?"
Khushi:
"um...mm...
what?
i mean...i ...umm..."
A..rnav...ji"
"My head hurts...
i think i might faint..."
Arnav
"ssshhh!
if you faint, i will make you awake..then then do it.
ok?
so no fainting.
and certainly, no trying to run away or break free.
so just stay still...?"
Khushi:
"huh?"
Arnav pulls her more towards him.
his hot exhales falling on her face.
he clasps her face in his two hands and makes her face tilted towards him..
move her a slight more to the left and then lowers his face down a bit more...
Arnav:
" Khushi!'
may I kiss you?"
After the Storm 1
After the Storm 2
After the storm 3
After the storm 4
Cricket
Anupamaa
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