ArHi SS: ThE BrOkEn BaNgLeS *Chap 08* Pg 29 | 4/7 - Page 18

CHAP 7

She drapped her white saree and looked her her image in the mirror. Oh how she liked Holi. She loved colours and fate has taken away her most favorite occasion from her life. She remembered how she loved playing holi with her father. It just made her very sad thinking that no one will ever put colours on her. She was after all a widow and in hindu culture a widow didnt have any right to enjoy any occasion since she has lost her husband. Tying her long silky hair in a bun she gathered herself and exited her room to make arrangements in the puja ghar.

She slowed her step hearing the voice she didnt expect to hear at this hour in the morning. Arnav! what was he doing up so early and that too in the Puja ghar she wondered.

She made her way towards the temple to find Anjali, her daughter and Arnav already preparing for the puja.

"Chachu, see i have made langoli with the colours".

"This is so pretty my koochiepoo", Arnav cuddled his niece lovingly.

"Khushi, come and help me out with the flower arrangement", Anjali chirped finding khushi leaning on the door frame.

"Bhabhi, you should have told me that you will start the preparation so early, i would have got up much before".

"I wasnt supposed to be up so early, but Arnav, probably he didnt sleep the whole night. Did you see Krishna ji? Arnav has cleaned the whole mandir area and made him were new clothes".

Khushi looked towards her Kanha ji. He was indeed looking absolutely beautiful in blue dress. She wanted to comment something but kept quite. Nothing with Arnav went well since he has arrived and today she didnt want to get into any sort of fight with him.

Arnav looked towards Khushi. And just like every other time, his heart squeezed seeing her in white. He doesnt want to bring that feeling but he felt helpless when it came to her. He knew how much she liked dressing up. She wore traditional outfits like no other girl. He still remembers her silky long hair, her churiyon ki khanak (crinkles of her bangles), her beautiful smile and those twinkling eyes. He felt a stab of pain each time he saw her bare wrists, miserable eyes and her lifeless lips.

Yestersay night he might have said that he wont eat food made by khushi but the actual reason behind him going away from the dinning table was when Dadi informed everyone in the house that Khushi wont be allowed to join holi celebration because she is a widow. He wanted to protest then and there but then looking at his brother's picture he just walked away insulting Khushi. He knows that his behavior was uncalled for but then...

"Arrey Khushi, bolo to sahi, isnt Kanha ji looking absolutely stunning in that blue dress?"

"Ji, bhabhi he is looking beautiful today".

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Kittu sat on Arnav's lap till the puja was completed. Anjali and Khushi touched Dadi's feet after the pooja. Arnav was very reluctant about touching Dadi's feet after yesterday's incident. Khushi offered gulal (powdered colours) on Kanha ji's feet. Anjali and Arnav followed along with kittu.

"Zara humme bhi raang lagaye". (put some colours on me as well)

Anjali turned to see her husband standing with his arms spread.

"Shyam!" she flew towards him and hugged him with all her wits. "Oh my God. you are here".

"Mujhe to aana hi tha aaj", he hugged his wife tightly. "Did you miss me Anji?"

"I missed you so much hubby".

"Daddy!" kittu ran towards her father and leaped onto him. Shyam caught her mid air and smelled her hair.

"Khushi!"

"Bhaiya!", khushi ran towards him and hugged him pouring her heart out. He was the only person who knew everything about his brother's death apart from Khushi. He was the person who insisted on getting Khushi remarry but she out right refused to marry again accepting her fate.

"Happy Holi Smiley. Atleast aaj ka din itni udaas mat raho", he said rubbing her back. "you deserve better than this you know".

"Bhaiya!", mein bhi hoon yahan. Finally Arnav came and hugged his eldest brother. He didnt like the little intimacy just few seconds back.

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"Aap bohot achhi lag rahi hoon", shyam came and kissed Anjali's cheeks.

"I always look pretty in your eyes hubby".

"God it has been so long", Shyam cradled anjali in his lap and made her lie down on the bed.

"What are you doing Shyam. Everybody is waiting downstairs I have to go now".

"Not so fast wife dearest. First let me get my fill. I am not going to let you leave now".

He held her pleats and with one tug he opened it.

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"Anjali, where are you?", this woman I tell you, since morning she is in her room with her husband she blabbered on her won.

"Dadi, what do you want? she is with Shyam bhaiya".

"Kis manhus ka shakal dekhne ko mil gaya subha subha meri puri din kharab ho jayegi ab" (My enter day will be spoiled since i saw this witch's face)

"You know what Dadi? Its high time you go on a teerth yatra. Umaar to bohot ho gai hai aapki", Arnav not liking Dadi's dig against Khushi. No matter how much he hated her but his blood boiled everytime Dadi insulted her.

"Tu zada bak mat. Bara aya mujhe teerth yatra mein bhejne wala. Lagta hai iss dyaan ka jaado chujpe bhi chal gaya. Bloody characterless woman".

"Dadi, enough. You just cant demean her every damn time. She is family just like you she was also a part of Raizada family".

"Yeh ankheen yuhi buri nahi huya hai. Bas yeh bachpan ki yaari ab dildaari bohot jaldi badalne wali hai".

"Dadi, ab bas ki jiye", khushi couldnt control her emotions anymore. Yes she loves her childhood friend but once she was married she have never seen him romantically. As she wanted was to get her friendship with Arnav back.

"You better go to your room Kalmuhi. You have already eaten my eldest grandson. Now you are planing to get yourself colored?"

"My life already devoid of colours dadi. and i wish to keep it same. I dont wish to attend this function anyways". With that she ran across the house and went inside her room. She locked herself up so that even Anjali who she knows will try to come and convince her to atleast come down and sit with her friends wont be able to reach khushi.

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He felt bored. Even though most of his friends and neighbors were invited he realized that he has lost his appetite. His friends tried to get him inside the pool but his eyes only searched her honey-brown ones. He kept on glancing towards the window which was her bedroom. But she never showed up. All he wanted to see whether she is alright after Dadi's dig. An unknown feeling of sympathy washed over his heart.

"We should get her over here Arnav", anjali looped her arms around him.

"If she doesnt want to come why force her and waise bhi Dadi is misbehaving with her too much. She is better off in her room".

"Looks like someone has started feeling for his friend".

"Come on Bhabs".

"Arnav, she is very alone. I think you should atleast talk to her. She looks out for you, you know. And yesterday he injured her hand i dont know how. she never spoke about it even when i tried to get that information out. But i have a feeling that the reason is you".

"I saw the bandage but well how do you know that i was for me?"

"I know khushi too well Arnav".

Arnav felt a little bad thinking that he might the reason because Anjali never talks without any sense and yes she khushi too well now.

Just when they were about to continue their conversation Khushi screamed from the window taking kitto's name.

Arnav instantly saw khushi and then turned to what happened to kittu. she was about to fall in the pool when Shyam ran and picked her up in his lap.

Seeing Kittu near the pool khushi panicked and ran out of her room. She reached in the lawn and ran towards shyam and kittu.

"I am fine Chachi".

"I had asked you not to go near the pool Kittu".

"I am showrie", she made a cute face.

"Thanks Khushi. Now that you are here why dont you say back and enjoy?"

"No bhaiya, this celebration is not for you. You know right? I dont feel like attending these kind of functions".

"Ek baar attend karogi to kuch jayega ayega nahi Khushi. You might end up liking it mixing with new people".

"Thank you bhaiya but i really dont feel like".

Khushi kissed kittu and was about to walk to her room when Arnav's friend threw a bucket of coloured water over khushi.

She was too stunned to move from there and too stunned to realize that her white saree has become see through now. Arnav who was standing near kittu realized her state and immediately hug her to cover. All of them were too stunned to react when Dadi came and started to pass comment.

"Dekha meine bola tha this female is a snake, first she took away her husband's life aur ab apne dewar ke saath rangraliya mana rahi hi. Besharam aurat mana kiya tha tumhe bahar ane ke liye aur ab apne dewar ke saath chipak rahi ho".

Khushi closed her eyes feeling ashamed of herself but she had no other choice but to be close to Arnav who was protecting her semi nudity. She kept her hand against his chest and started crying bitterly.

The neighbours started to bad mouth Khushi despite of Anjali and Shyam taking her side.

"Bas! bohot hogaya", Arnav was raged and was still holding khushi in his arms.

"Kuch to sharam karo. Bhabhi hai tumhari", a neighbor accused.

"She is a woman first and i am protecting her. I am not doing something that i should be ashamed off".

"Aaj kalke ladke ladkiya khulleam sab ke samne ishq ladate hai. Aur isko dekho pati to hai nahi isiliye kisi saath bhi..."

"ENOUGH!", the only issue with you people is that she is a widow? No man can save her or touch her in the process because she is a widow? She cant play holi because she is a widow? And you guys want to know what am I to her? No i am not her brother in law. You want to know what am I to her? Fine"

He took the gulal from the table that was near where they were standing and applied the red powder entirely on her head.

"There you go. Now that i have legitimated the relationship get the f**k out of my house. And dont you dare talk like that to my wife", Arnav spatted in anger.

Khushi eyes went wide unable to understand what just happened. She couldnt believe that he just made her his in front of the entire society and that to just to stop them from bad mouthing her. She knew what he did was out of impulse and when he will realize what he did he will regret big time.

Arnav then looked at her and then commanded Anjali to get a towel as quickly as possible.

Dadi was trying to pass a new remake when Arnav said "Dont you dare. She is my wife now. Muh sambhal ke baat kijiyega".

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