ARSHI TWO SHOT - YOU ARE ALL THAT MATTERS
Khushi stared at her phone umpteenth time expecting it to ring and when it didn't she steadied her gaze at his picture,she herself has pasted in place of Salman Khan ji.
Once again reading the message he has sent an hour ago saying he was caught up in some urgent meeting that has come up unexpexted and would call her as soon as he reached home.Along with it commanding her to she incase it gets very late,as if she was going to get sleep without hearing his voice she mused.
Since the day she has come to live in Buaji's house and the rituals of their remarriage has started only knew how she was faring without having him by her side.
In all these months of being married to him she has gotten so used to his presence that not being able to see his face first thing in the morning,not feeling the contentment and the pleasure that filled her heart when she did little things for him,the moments when he smiled that heartwarming smile of his.his reactions at her crazy acts,going to sleep without his face in front of her eyes and just not having him around him was unbearable.
The only reason they were able to go through it was that Arnavji made sure that they met each day,on pretext of some reason or without any,Arnav Singh Raizada did what he felt right and though it irked her at times,this time she couldn't help but admire him a little more.And then at night they would talk until sleep would evade and they both would drift into peaceful slumber hearing each other's breaths that mingled even at a distance.
She knew without an ounce of doubt that it was as difficult for him as it was for her and yet he was doing it,following each and every ritual only,agreeing on her living here until they get remarried only for her happiness.
Sighing she turned on her side and the memory of nights they have slept together in this bed made her smile. The "Arnav Rekha"he has drawn she reminisced and muttered"Laad Governor".She found him calling that really endearing not that she was going to admit it to him ever.
True she did thought he was one during the initial days but she hadn't known him then.Once she has looked beyond the exterior layers,has come to face with the side that always existed but he has been kept it hidden from the eyes of everyone and when the walls of barriers has finally crumbled and she felt his heart,she knew she has found a treasure.
When they hadn't known each other properly,had claimed to hate the sight of each other,still being alone with him in close proximities hadn't unnerved her rather she has felt the sensations his single touch had created has unsettled her leaving her wondering the reasons behind it.
But now she knew,a truth as real as her existence when he was concerned and though she hadn't realised before she now knew why has she never resisted his touch because from the first time it has felt RIGHT.
Even when they have been married he has always maintained his distance.Never crossing any lines of decency he has held her honour as a woman upright.A man of his words who commanded respect and to know he was only hers was the joy no words could ever express.
She has not even for a tiny speck of second regretted her marriage to him, it has been her Devi-Maiyya's biggest blessing in disguise,one that has bounded them forever.
She blushed remembering the way those molten caramel eyes stared at her causing her heartbeats to race million times per second,the innumerable times he has picked up in her arms,the sheer bliss of being in his arms and how he pulled her to himself claiming his right on her.
Her chain of thought broke by the vibrations of her phone and seeing his name flashing onscreen,her lips automatically curved into a heartfelt smile.Deciding to have some fun,she picked up the call muttering a sleepy "Hello".
"Khushi".Came the soft whisper from the other side.
"Kaun hai jo itni raat ko phone karke tang kar raha hai?".(Who is disturbing me at this point of night?).She bit out angrily.
Usually a swift reply would have come up straight away in response but as only silence followed she forgot all about teasing and sat up in her bed straight,her mood sombering as she felt him tense at the other side.
"Arnavji,aap thik hai,ghar pe sab-".(Arnavji are you fine everything at home).Khushi asked in deep concerned voice.
"Everything is fine ".Came the single line reply.
"Aapki meeting pe koi problem hui kya".(Did anything happened in your meeting?).She voiced out the other question.
"No,it went well".He answered assuringly.
"Phir".(Then).She prompted.
"Khushi woh main"(Khushi,I).Arnav hesitated on how to break the news to her but knowing it has to be done he took a deep breath and told her
"Mujhe kal Mumbai jaana hai ek deal finalise karne ke liye".(I need to go Mumbai to finalise the deal).
"Mumbai ,achanak aur woh bhi kal".(Mumbai,all off a sudden and that too tomorrow).Khushi spoke expressing her shock at his sudden trip.
"I know ,its impromptu but the deal has to be finalised tomorrow only. Ill be back but it will quite late at night".Arnav explained trying to sooth his heart as well who was aching at the thought of not being able to see her tomorrow.
Khushi listened quietly to him and remained silent making Arnav spoke again.
"Its really important and inevitable or I wouldn't have gone".
"Nahi Arnavji,hum samajhte hai,aap ho aaiye".(Its okay Arnavji,you go and come back soon).She said trying to sound assuring to him alongside convincing herself that it was only one day,she will see him day after tomorrow.
"Aap kaise jayenge,car se yah train se?".(How will you go by train or car?).Khushi asked wanting to know his mode of travel.
"Car or train are you serious".He asked incredously.
"Haan toh aur kaise jayenge ud ke".(Obviously or how will you go ,by flying).Khushi retorted wondering whats was wrong in her statement.
"Exactly Khushi,ill be going by flight only".Arnav answered as a matter of a fact.
"Aap flight pe nahi jaa saktey".(You can't go by flight).Khushi announced fiercely.
"Kyun nahi jaa sakta".(Why can't I go?).Arnav asked bewildered at her absurd demand.
"Bas, hum keh rah hai naa,aap nahi jaa saktey,agar aapko jaana hi hai to car yaa train se jaaye".(That's it,I said it,either you are going by car or train or you are not going at all).Khushi reaffirmed telling him it was either her way or nothing.
"Khushi car yaa train se jaane mein kitna time lagta hai ,tumhe pata bhi hai".(Do you even know how much time does it take to travel through car or train).Arnav asked trying to make her see sense.
"Woh sab hum nahi jaantey,aap bas flight se nahi jaayengey".(All I know is you are not going by flight).Khushi reaffirmed.
"This deal has to be finalised tomorrow and there is no way I could reach there on time if I don't go by flight".Arnav said once again telling her the graveness of the sitiuation.
"Agar aisa hai to jijaji ko bhej dijiye".(If its that's important than send Jijaji for the same).Khushi answered giving him an easy solution to his problem.
"Aakash can't go because its me who is required there to sign the final documents".
"Kya haa hai Khushi,tumne aaj se pehle aisa unreasonable behave kabhi nahi kiya".(What has happened ,till today you have never behaved so unreasonably).Arnav asked in the softest of whispers concerned for her at the way she was being so insistent on this thing.
His soft voice full of concern has always been her undoing as she blurted our the actual reason for her being against him travelling by air.The thought of it only sending shivers down her spine as the painful memories made their way back to her.
"Aap aisa kaisey keh saktey hai Arnavji,pichli baari job hi uske baad bhi?".(How can you even think of doing this being aware of what happened last time?).
Arnav was stunned as what Khushi was fearing and implying finally dawned on him.The last time he had been at the airport has led to both of them going through the painful period of separation,one which they never ever wished to relive again even in the worst of their dreams.
If he had it in his control he would have travelled by car or even train which he disliked for her sake or heck even cancelled the damn trip but he couldn't do that work was worship for him and the practical side of him stated that fears needs to be conquered,he couldn't let himself or Khushi always live in this fear dreading what may happen.
Hearing her ragged breaths on other side ,he spoke calmly hoping she would see his point.
"What happened last time was unfortunate but we both know the reason why it happened right and I have been travelling like this all my life.Trust me nothing will happen,you wont even realise and Ill be back".
"Toh aap nahi manangey".(So,you wouldn't relent).Khushi burst out hearing his constant refusal.
"Khushi agar yeh deal important nahi hoti,toh main nahi jaata".(If this deal hadn't been important,I wouldn't have gone).He tried once again.
"Thik hai phir kijiye jo karna hai".(Fine,then do what you want).She bit out cutting the call hastily and throwing the phone on the bed before breaking into pools of tears.
Arnav closed his eyes painfully as her broken voice resonated in his ears.She was crying,he could feel it and that was one thing he could never bear tears in her eyes.He glanced at his engagement ring she has put on him and her face revolved in front of his eyes,her eyes brimming with love looking at him with pride.
He closed his eyes once again as her name escaped his lips "Khushi" and just in that moment she herself became the answer to his dillemna.
Why hadn't he thought about it before,they wouldn't have had the argument in the first place,Arnav thought as he completed fishing out orders to Aman.But then when had they followed the quientensational route,they were different and that was the beauty of their relationship.A smile spread across his lips as he imagined her reaction while he drove to Buaji's house.
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