Khushi woke up feeling tired and achy all over, her throat was dry and painful, even her eyes felt heavy when she tried to open them. Groaning to herself she feared she might be coming down with flu or something and with great difficulty when she managed to open her eyes, the first person she saw was her husband. Slouched on the nearby chair, Arnav was fast asleep. She smiled weakly as she felt his presence and then spent few moments just staring at him. There was something terribly wrong, the more she stared the more she felt in her gut, something was not right. Her husband, who always look sharp even when he is bone tired or jet lagged was looking dishevelled wearing casual jeans and old t-shirt that he rarely wears, the shadow of beard of his handsome face was at least two days old and his mussed up hair told another story like he had spent most of the night running his fingers through them. She itched to touch him and then frowned thinking why was he sleeping on the chair? Unaware of her own weak status, she called him anxiously. " Arnav? Arnav..?"
Arnav, who was completely intune to any slight change in Khushi's status, woke up with startle and looked wildly towards her. His panic increased ten folds when he saw anxiety and worry written all over her pale yet beautiful face. His hand went to her hair and ran in a smoothing motion as he said in barely noticeable murmur. " Khushi, you are awake?"
Finding that question extremely weird, she frowned and croaked. " But why are you sleeping on chair?" "Are you feeling alright?" In process of touching his forehead, she noticed her bandages hands and for the first time noticed the wires and the machines surrounding her. Her expressions changed and she looked terrified as she gripped on his hand and spoke in distress. " Arnav, what happened? What is all this? What happened to me?"
Arnav was left stunned by her enquiry. Confusion, fear and panic was written all over her face, hesitatingly he asked. " You don't remember?"
"Remember?" She was visibly stricken and her face paled even further. " What do you mean, what have I forgotten?" He could hardly see her in distress and as she started shaking uncontrollably, he took her in his arms with wires and all and held her slight form in his embrace, murmuring soothing words to her. But now as the realized the seriousness of the situation seeing all the machines surrounding her, she knew something was terribly wrong, but if she was feeling fine, then was it her baby. She almost convulsed with pain as she flailed her arms around in panic, her eyes welled up and she went breathless with this tearing pain in her chest as she sobbed. " Baby? Something happened to our baby, isn't it?" She was sobbing uncontrollably in his arms as he kissed on her forehead and tried to sooth her. " No, Khushi, our baby is fine. Your baby is fine." But she was in her own zone and could hardly comprehend him as she kept on sobbing in distress and muttering. " Oh God, my baby." Seeing her in this state, where she was completely inconsolable, Arnav took her bandaged hand and brought it down to her belly and then kissing on the side of her temple, he pointed towards the monitor that was showing strong and steady heart beat of their baby. "There, there, baby is completely fine sweetheart. Don't stress yourself."
He could almost weep, as he observed the bemused expressions on her face. Tears still poured uncontrollably, but there was a light in her eyes and smile on her lips as she touched the monitor and then looked towards him. " Is that our baby's heartbeat, Arnav?"
"Strong and steady." He managed somehow a mumble as his throat tightened with emotions. "Did he ever doubt her and accused her of not loving or wanting this baby? His baby?" He closed his eyes and let out a low curse towards himself. How could he ever forgive himself for doubting her love for this baby.
Her anxiety written voice drew his attention once again as she asked. " Oh, but what happened to me? How did I get hurt? Did you get hurt somewhere too?" She was more anxious for him now and he felt like lowest kind of worm, seeing such concern in her eyes as her hands explored his chest murmuring. "Arnav, you are worrying me? Are you hurt too? You are looking tired."
"Oh Khushi, how can you concern yourself for a scumbag like me." He wanted to ask her but couldn't. Finally he only managed trying to alleviate her anxiety. " No, I am fine Khushi." You don't remember about your injuries?"
She shook her head, her eyes wide and wild on her face as she looked towards him for answers. Answers, he was afraid to give her and asked. " What do you remember the last."
She frowned as she tried to think and said. " You were in Chennai for a meeting." And then looking at him she asked. " Did your meeting went well? When did you come?"
He was stunned hearing that, it only confirmed that she had erased that horrible memory of the entire day. "Khushi!" He could only whisper out a pained sound and then was startled as she started moving out of his arms, remembering something. " Oh! Arnav since you are here, would you please come with me to meet Dr.Rathore?"
As she noticed Arnav sucking in his breath, she put a soothing hand on his chest and said in highly anxious tone. " Please don't be mad Arnav, please believe me this time when I tell you, there is nothing between me and Dr. Rathore. He is my Mamaji's doctor and now Aru's fiance. He is in City for a conference and had invited us both for breakfast to discuss about Mamaji's operation this week. " She laughed in a hoarse voice trying to convince him and he paled thinking. how with her simple words she had almost wounded him mortally. His guilt piled up as she said. " You would come with me, won't you?"
"I would go anywhere with you sweetheart. But for now, you have to rest. I would arrange meeting with Dr. Rathore." He was feeling completely drained out and disgusted by himself and what he had done to her the day before when he had seen her with Dr. Rathore and attacked her so viciously. Unaware of her husband's rapidly paling face, she placed her head on his chest and smiled while voicing her fears. " Thanks for believing me Arnav. I am always afraid to mention Dr. Rathore's name knowing how you would react. " And then picking up her face, she teased him a bit and confessed shyly. " Although, I do like when you get little jealous of him. It means you care for me."
"Oh God Khushi." She was gutting him with her words and he could hardly meet her eyes as he closed his and buried his face in her hair. His deranged look from yesterday flashed in front of his eyes as that nasty scene from the morning played in his head. "What would she say once she recalls that incident?" He felt stabbing pain in his chest knowing she would hate him forever and would never forgive him for making those nasty accusations.
Can he even blame her for deciding to leave him this time. He shuddered thinking of such unthinkable thought and almost cried out in distress holding her.
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So, Khushi has momentarily forgotten about the day. Even though, Arnav may wish for it, but it is not a permanent situation 😉
Happy New Year to my BBB family 🤗
I am going to start working on next Chapter this week. 😃
Lots of love and wishes to everyone for a year 2019 to be filled with love, happiness, health and success .❤️
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