Arshi TS : Changing Priorities - Part 3 Updated page 10 A/N on pg 9 - Page 2

A month passed by with Khushi ignoring Arnav and Arnav following her around trying to find out what had gone wrong. He tried asking her but Khushi became silent whenever he spoke about this. He saw that though Khushi acted as if he did not exist, she was attuned to every single movement of his. She made sure to take care of all his necessities. He had a theory as to what has gone wrong and he wanted to confirm it. He was missing his bubbly chirpy paagal wife.

Arnav had given her the space she needed for the first few days. Anjali had been in constant touch with both of them. She could feel that there was something wrong between them. She had seen that both Arnav and Khushi had never come together to visit her. Both have been happy around her but her mother's heart did not fail to notice the melancholy in their eyes. She could not find the elation she had seen a few months before in their eyes. She thought of talking to Khushi about it and called her one day when she could take it no more.

"Hello" Khushi picked up the call without looking at the caller id. She had been so confused for the last few days that it was difficult to pretend in front of Anjali. She felt as if Anjali had seen through her pretense when she visited her yesterday.

"Khushi it's me Anjali."

"Ji Di. Are you ok?"

"Yes Khushi. I am fine. I just..". Anjali didn't know how to put her doubts into words.

Sensing her hesitation, Khushi spoke. "Di. You can talk to me about anything you know. Do you want me to come over?"

"No Khushi. I just wanted to know if you are happy with Chotte."

Khushi froze on hearing that. Anjali had seen through her. She couldn't bring herself to reply.

The silence on the other end was an answer enough for Anjali.

"Khushi I know its between you both and I shouldn't interfere but I just want to say that Chotte really loves you."

"I wish Di." Khushi replied without thinking lost in her thoughts. Only after she heard the gasp on the other end of the phone, did she realize her folly. Before Anjali could say something, she hurriedly said

"Di I am a little busy now. I will call you later." And disconnected. And she avoided Anjali after that.

A few days after this conversation, Khushi found Arnav coming home soon someday with flowers, someday with her favorite chat. He helped her in the kitchen too.

One such weekend:

"Khushi, Khushi..." Arnav shouted from their room.

When Khushi came to their room, she was shocked to find the CDs of all her favorite Salman Khan movies on their bed.

"Come Khushi choose which ones you want to watch today."

Khushi stood shocked. Arnav dragged her to the bed and made her sit down, when she did not make a move to choose anything, Arnav grabbed a few CDs and started playing them. Khushi was stiff for some time and started relaxing seeing her favorite hero. Arnav was observing Khushi and felt a little of the weight burdening him lift off his heart. 3 movies later, Khushi looked into Arnav's eyes for the first time after her b'day. And it was then Arnav knew his wife needed not just actions but words to reassure herself of his love for her and that he would do.

It had not been easy for Khushi to ignore Arnav for the past month. What with him hovering over her all the time he was at home and his calls at frequent intervals when he was in office. He made sure that she was comfortable and kept his conversations mostly on mundane topics. He had given her the space she wanted but she craved only for his attention. And now that she is getting it, she did not know what to do. She thought a lot on why she craved for his attention. All that she could conclude was that over the past 6 months she had fallen irrevocably in love with her husband. As much as this thought gave her peace, she was nervous if her feelings will ever be reciprocated. She did have her doubts in the sudden change in Arnav's behavior. But she quickly rebuked herself saying that he was doing it out of guilt. She didn't know how far away from the truth she was.

2 days later:

"Khushi, its Di's routine checkup date today. I am going with her. I will not come home for lunch."

He observed how her face lit up when he called her and how she became dull when he took Anjali's name. Now he understood what was bothering her. He left after kissing her forehead promising himself to make everything right today.

A few hours later:

"Khushi will you do something for me?"

She just looked at him with curious eyes. He had not asked her to do anything for him in the past one month. She was happy now that he has asked her.

"Can you cook lunch and bring it to office? And ya bring it for both of us."

Khushi was confused by this request. She wanted to ask him why. But before she could utter a response, Arnav has cut the call..

Khushi reached office with lunch and went to his cabin. She knocked on the door. Arnav, who watching her coming in, went to the door and opened it. He took the lunch bag from her and made her sit on the couch. She took out the lunch and silently served him.

"Won't you ask me why?"

"Why Arnavji?" She could not hold back anymore. She started sobbing. Arnav hugged her tight and caressed her hair and back, consoling her. When her sobs died down, he said,

"Khushi, you know right I lost my maa n papa at a very young age? I promised maa that I will take care of Di and that she will always be my priority. When I was completely shattered, only Di was there for me. She is not just my Di. She is my mom too. I could not let her alone Khushi. She has been the center of my world so long that I forget everything else when it is about her. But I shouldn't have ignored you. Sorry Khushi. I won't ignore you anymore. You will be the most important person hereafter. Di has jiju to take care of her. Galathi ho gayi. Maaf kar do please.* (I made a mistake please forgive me.)"

Khushi looked up into his eyes and found them moist. Arnav Singh Raizada who never said sorry to anyone other than his Di was asking sorry to her. This was one thing she had learnt about him all these months. Khushi looked into his eyes and found that he was honest.

She cupped his face and wiped his tears.

"I am sorry Arnavji. I too overreacted. I should have tried to talk to you. It is just that I wanted to spend time with you. I wanted you to include me in your happiness. Sorry Arnavji."

"I am sorry for being so oblivious to your feelings Khushi. Just don't stop talking to me. I cannot live without you. I love you."

Khushi was overwhelmed. She hugged him tight. She had wanted to hear this from him for long. She wanted to tell him she loved him too but words failed to escape her clogged throat. After few minutes, she whispered...

"I too love you Arnavji."

He kissed her on her forehead and looked lovingly at her.

"Arnavji lets eat now. I am very hungry."

Just then his phone rang. It was Anjali. He looked at Khushi. She motioned him to pick up the call. He attended the call and put it on speaker.

"Chotte can you come for dinner tonight, wi..?" Before Anjali could finish Arnav interrupted her.

"No Di. I am going out with my wife."

"Di.." Khushi took the phone from him and could hear soft sobs on the other side of the phone...

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