Arshi FF: Fighting Fate (TVK 2) - COMPLETED - Page 49

Dont make someone your everything because when they are gone you are left with nothing...

Parking the wheels of pristine white Honda City in the premises of AdiNav Children Welfare Society, Khushi stepped out of the car greeted by the Warden dressed in Blue crepe saree. Leading Khushi to the new family found late last night at the door steps of Government Hospital, Warden briefed her next few mins about how they had found the teenage mother unconscious with the baby crying in her hold soaked in pool of blood.

Khushi flinched for a brief moment imagining the pain the teenager mother and baby must had gone through.

Ma'm, there she is. Warden pointed the frightened figure sitting at the corner.

Sapna, this is...

Khushi raised her hand and interrupted the Warden and sighed her to leave. Once the Warden left, unstrapping her boots, Khushi sat on the floor next to the lady folding her feet back.

Sapna...Khushi tried to stretch her hand to touch the bruised lady.

The young girl, shivered, panicked and stepped back in fear.

Its OK, I am here to help you. Fear me not! Khushi tried to reach her one more time.

But the young girl repeated same, scooting back away from Khushi. Not wanting to force herself on her, Khushi shifted away little to maintain the distance.

Many moments passed but the young girl chose to remain silent continuously crying. Khushi couldnt blink her eyes in pity as she could see her ownself in the young girl, a helpless mother she had once been in the past.  

Sapna, I am not leaving this place until I make you let everything out. You can talk to me, Vent out at me. I am trying to give you free world here.

The next moment, Khushi heard a loud wail of the woman. And before Khushi could take the young girl into her arms, the teenager collapsed on the floor, her hand soaked in blood with a deep cut on her wrist.

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After Doctor had given green light to Khushi to visit Sapna in her hospital room, Khushi carried the young girl's 3 day old daughter into the room. Sitting by the bedside, holding the baby in her hands, Khushi brushed the teenager hair fondly, You are safe here.

Tears flowed down the young girls cheeks and she remained silent with her eyes glued to the baby girl sleeping cozily in Khushi's arms. After long moments, she held her hand out to take the baby into her arms. As Khushi passed on the baby, the teenager spoke her story in feeble voice.

I was r*ped by my own brother. My family didn't believe and disowned me. I fought with everyone to give birth to this child. I am scared now. I am hardly 16. How will I feed her? And make things work for her. I should have listened to my family when they forced me to abort. Sapna cried a river once again.

Khushi's heart sank hearing the innocent girl's struggles and she drew her arms around her and pulled her into comfort hug. These are one of those moments Khushi never fails to feel grateful to her husband who was with her comforting her in his embrace every step of those treacherous moments. She died every single time reliving her own pain in these victims and the battered women, taking shelter under her.

Dont give up on yourself yet! There is a beautiful world out there for you and your princess. Khushi mumbled into the girls hair, silently offering her help not sabotaging the young mother's morale.

And she went on as the teenager caressed the tiny fingers of the baby. I need you to take time and come to a decision as soon as possible. I dont see you going back to your family as an option after what they had done. That leaves you with 2 options, Fight this out along with her or Fight it alone. If you choose to leave her and fight it alone, I will not let you see the child again. She will become my child, AdiNav's child.  Whatever decision you take, I will not hold you onto that because you have every right to lead this life your way.

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It was around quarter past 12 in the midnight, Khushi returned into her house with her boots hung on her shoulders tiredly. Finding Bua sleeping in the seated position near dining table, Her heart melted and silently walked over to the kitchen and grabbed a dinner plate but not before washing her hands thoroughly.

Fixing dinner, she gently patted on Buaji's shoulder to wake her up. Buaji squinted her sleepy eyes and her expression instantly turned to anger noting the untimely hours that clocked on the wall.

What is this beta? Is this time to come home? Buaji chided only to receive a faint smile.

And in response, Khushi lifted her hand and fed the morsel of rice and curry to Buaji. This has been the routine almost every night Khushi came home late from work, which happens more than the number of weekdays a week could have.

Feeding Bua one more morsel, Khushi had her eyes fixed to the dinner plate, and Bua knew that moment that Khushi must have faced another victim of the society. Bua tried to enquire but all she earned was a pleasant smile like every other time and she sat helpless watching her daughter mask torment behind those makeup shades.

Did Kids eat dinner? Khushi asked walking over to kitchen to clean the plate, soon followed by Bua.

They did. They waited for you for long time.

I owe them quite a lot of excuses. Khushi chuckled imagining herself pleading for next few days.

Kab tak yeh sab manag...

Interrupting Bua, Khushi kissed Buaji's forehead, Good Night Bua and Thanks for waiting for me each night. Understanding and Ignoring Buaji's incomplete question, Khushi walked her to her bedroom.

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I am an interested buyer, I am considering buying your business. Said ASR in his coldest tone possible, standing in a feet distance from the restaurant entrance.

A day after landing in Belize, Arnav wandered around the streets of southernmost part of San Pedro that was buzzing with Golf carts, Bikes, Motorbikes where cars were hardly seen due to the narrow streets scattered throughout the city. Unable to sit in the 15X15 feet studio apartment, his mind constantly putting pressure on his heart not to remember a certain someone, he got busied himself by arranging clothes into small antique wardrobe, shopping for basic toiletries, and few grocery items to survive for next few days. On the way to his newly rented apartment, his eyes laid on a beachfront restaurant at the intersection, just few blocks away from his stay. The restaurant sparkled with families forming a queue at the door to enter, live spanish orchestra playing at the entrance with couple of lady dancers shaking their legs gracefully attracting customers.

The dance, the music, and the black & white checkered paint on the walls of the restaurant flashed the images of the woman who was well associated to these in the past. A stubborn itch instantly engulfed him dragging his feet towards the restaurant in an indignant riposte.

Approaching the stout native, the owner of the restaurant who stood greeting his customers, ASR shared his sudden decision to buy the place.

I am sorry Sir, You are mistaken, this restaurant is not up for sale.

Its not too late to reconsider. Taking out his pocket diary, Arnav wrote his contact information in a paper slip. I will meet you in a week. My offer is 1.5 times its worth. Said in brusque tone shoving the contact information into the chubby palms, he walked away domineeringly.

A week passed...and every time Arnav crossed the place, his closed mind, his battered heart objected the music, the dance and the paint that terribly soared his eyes. All he wanted to do was to demolish and destroy everything that reminded him of her. Sitting in the closed restaurant, with the owner in front reading through the sale deed, Arnav realized to what extent he developed aversion to the music, dance, and entertainment as a whole, as an angry restless pulse throbbed against his temple unable to tolerate the background score.

With the real estate agent pointing to the locations on the papers for both parties to sign, Arnav's mind prowled taking him back to the contract papers of Delectable Morsel, Khushi's catering business at the start of their relation. Evidently, repeatedly he shrugged his head many times, trying to brush away her thoughts from his mind. Hopelessly and helplessly lost in the thoughts of what that catering business meant to her only to be destroyed by him, Arnav unconsciously uttered Delectable Morsel when the lawyer questioned him about the Business Name rights.

ASR for the price you bought, I am quite generous to let you have the name of my business. Selando, the previous owner gleed forcing Arnav's mind back to business at hand.

Delectable Morsel, is that what you want to go for, Mr. Raizada? The attorney asked to get his confirmation one final time.   

A taunting realization struck his mind as he shut his eyes contemplating his own decision. While his heart pleaded him to change it, his mind voted for the name not out of love but to remind himself the only mistake he had done in his life. To fall in love...

And in the next few months, Arnav buried himself taking down the B&W bricks that echoed her voice calling him Black&White, and building new colorful walls.

Alas, the walls and the decor turned out to be Posy if not B&W and either way Arnav Singh Raizada was damned, the colors surreptitiously reminded him of the first time he saw her in bouquet of rainbow colors, and he only wished if there was a way to have colorless world around, like his own life...

I dont know why he is becoming very aggressive when it comes to the restaurant. He is more rude than ever, like you know it has become an obsessive compulsion to him. All he does is, work strenuously to maintain the top rank of the restaurant and lately he is unable to take anything negative against it. Anjali drawing patterns on Aman's chest snuggled closer to him.

Well does he need to?

Ofcourse there should be a balance, Mera matlab, some people come only to complain and their stomachs never get satisfied. I am just saying he shouldnt take those comments into heart.

If his heart lies in the every letter of the restaurant name, how do you expect him to take it easy when someone degrades it? Aman questioned sitting up on the bed, as Anjali moved to pillow.

What do you mean?

What do you think how he came up with the name Delectable Morsel?

I never asked.

Thats Bhabhi's catering business name which he destroyed midst all the misunderstandings.

Anjali clamped her fingers on her mouth in surprise as she listened to him. He is punishing himself yet he is not able to take anything against her or anything related to her, tabh bhi aaj bhi... Aman's eyes turned moist looking out to the balcony that displayed the luxury of the ocean waves.

I didnt know any of this. Does this mean he hasnt moved on?

He will never move on. Aman stood up from the bed to grab his shirt lying on the floor and quickly returned seeing sullen face of Anjali. Taking her hands into his, He will be fine, just let him do what he wants to do.

Anjali nodded thinking about the drastic changes in her brother. Her eyes fell on the AR Access Card that fell from Aman's trouser pocket. How is AR doing? Things settled?

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His insatiable thirst for life doesnt seem to surpass by anything he does these years. There is always an element of satisfaction missing in his existence. Flying through the busy locals and curious travelers, Arnav Singh Raizada started his journey of the night in search of calmness and eternal peace that is no where to be found these days.

Soon the land disappeared, air darkened, and the path before his eyes is filled with clear water. Jumping through the seashores, he speedily deftly vroomed through the white sands, sparkling moist under the unadulterated moonlight. His eyes focused on the dark horizon laid before him, while his mind and heart wandered around the surreal beauty that was once his, more beautiful than the celestial island he is living on. The feelings of deceit were so strong that he couldnt forget, forgive, or move on from the lady who taught the meaning of love.

Sooner than he thought, darkness enveloped him as he realized he is back to his favorite usual place - the nose tip of the island away from the buzz, hidden from the lights, deafened from the honking carts. He parked his bike, shoving the keys into the pocket, stripping his feet off the summer shoes, he walked closer and closer to the waters in attempt to reach the unreachable horizon. A practice he had been doing for last three years every night in search of something, something that belongs to him, like a child searching for the shimmering pearl in ocean of water.

From the night he had landed in this country, the receding waves, endless horizon, flashy stars, and the weeping sky had become his acquaintances, while the ocean as its whole became his best friend who understood his deafening silence, unsaid words, and brewing anger. The pain he arrested within, repressed the vastness of the ocean so much that, sometimes it calmly ebbed away, and sometimes it flowed in his veins effortlessly and overwhelmingly. Either way, he learned to float without a twitch in his face, not letting anything and anyone sink him to the bottom.

Tucking his hands in his shorts pockets, walking along the rising waves, his eyes drew along the pattern of the shoreline his feet followed, while his mind memorized every word written in her letter. As he finished reading the letter imprinted in his mind that is jammed of any emotions, he sat down remembering the last line of the letter,

BECAUSE I AM NOT THE ONE FOR YOU...

The tensed form of his muscles, the throbbing pulses against his temples, the interlaced knuckles, and the tightened jaw suggested the devastating rage rising inside him with each passing second. Resting elbows on his uprooted knees, he sat there for very long hours unmoved and unshaken, with his eyes focused on the rough waters persistently trying to cool him down.

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What are you doing with your life Khushi? Its been 2 months and you didn't even bother to touch your son. Buaji chided Khushi who lied on the floor soaked in her own her salted tears.

Ever since Khushi left Arnav with determination, all she did successfully was to hate her own scarred skin. She tried many attempts to forget and move on but his love was so overpowering that she couldnt take a step forward to the life she had chosen. She spent all her time, lying on the floor in her room, unable to repress a sharp cry of fear without him. Khushi showed cold shoulder not knowing how to react to Buaji. But then Buaji didnt stop there as she was determined to bring her Khushi back.

If you are not ready to accept this child, either leave him where people can take good care or I will take him back to Arnav. At least he seems to be more compassionate than you are.

And there began the ritual of silly threats by Bua to take Adarsh to Arnav, and again with the fear of burdening Arnav with her responsibilities Khushi possessively snatched Adarsh from Bua. From then onwards, there was no looking back though it took several months for her to regroup, in fact more than an year to embrace the child but eventually it happened on one fine night.

Kissing the already sleeping kids Good Nights, Khushi feebly exerted herself to reach her room. Opening the door her eyes fell on the part of her life she embraced wholeheartedly. Smiling with her eyes at the innocent face, she walked over to the dressing table to remove her accessories.  

Sorry sweetpea, Mama is again late tonight. You are not mad at me, aren't you? She flashed her famous grin walking over to the washroom. Few moments later, sitting before the mirror, dabbing her face with the toner, she spoke looking through the mirror. You know Adarsh, Mama saw a tiny baby today. She halted in her tracks as she remembered the overwhelming cries of Sapna. Turning behind to look at her son's face, The tiny baby reminded me of you. The days I didnt want to hold you. Walking closer and sitting on the bed, I am sorry. I am very sorry for everything I had done to you. She closed her hooded eyes resting her chin on her fisted palms, as the months when she behaved mercilessly with her own son flashed before her eyes. Taking painful swallow, she stood up to divert her mind as she walked to the other side of the bed to grab glass of water.

Turning on the bed light, she pulled the sheets over her, her eyes fixed on the man's portrait on the side table. Tracing her finger over the scar above his left eye, she whispered, How was your day?

She waited and watched him in silence hoping a miracle happens and that she would hear his voice. But like every other night disappointment, nothing of that sort happened and she went on.

Mine was not so good today. She is only 16yrs. She is a kid to herself holding another kid. How will she survive? She has no one like I had you back then. She is broken down and I am not able to do anything to make her feel better. Hugging his photograph to her heart, she whispered, I dont know for how long I will be able to do this. I am getting exhausted and feeling overwhelmed with their emotions. She took a deep sigh of frustration as she looked at his picture.

You look very tired in this picture or is it just my eyes? Tracing her finger over his face, I wish I didnt lose it all. I wish you were here with me now. I am lonely, so lonely that it seems to have embraced me for life without you. I miss you Black & White. I dont know what else to do.  

She hugged him to her heart, as tears streamed in her eyes remembering his final words...

Whatever it is you are thinking, I am with you...I just want you to be happy.

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Drooped shoulders clad in cashmere shawl, golden framed glasses hung on the wrinkled nose, eyes hooked onto the shadows of trees dancing under the dimmed street lights, Nani swung in her rocker deep in her thoughts unable to open these entangled lifeless lifes of Anjali and Arnav.

While one gave up everything he achieved, the other gave away everything she owned to correct her mistakes. Both stubborn in their decisions became pillars of support to each other in the most deserted times, but its different story that Arnav didnt let anyone into his space, yet Anjali stood behind him every step of the way hoping one day he will share his grief with her. Instead he became a complete stranger to them, even to Nani.

Hearing sound of wood creaking in distant, Nani looked in its direction to find Aman and Anjali walking towards her. You must get inside Nani, its getting cold here. Said Aman sitting by her side.

He should be home anytime soon. Will go after his return. How was your flight?

Flight was good, boring as usual. And to add more to it, the female attendants were nothing but makeup boxes. Aman tried to crack joke but Nani was no where at the receiving end to smile at it.

Taking his hand into hers, Heard you are going through rough times with the company? Nani asked fondly brushing his hand.  

Rubbing forehead with his forefingers, Aman contemplated a moment to reveal his worries but unable to contain his fears anymore, he expressed meekily, I lost all the major contracts Arnav once bagged. Clients are not happy with Arnav's replacement. Many smaller acquisitions suffered and are closed down. I am not able to handle such vast empire alone. I have changed 3 people in 3 years for Arnav's position. Problem is I am not finding anyone as shrewd, aggressive, and calculative as he is.

Why dont you talk to him? I am sure he will understand and do something about it.

No No Nani. No one should bother him. He had enough. He is doing right making his life, searching himself. He shouldnt be diverted. Let him be in peace.

What about Anjali? Nani taking Anjali's hand, asked in quivering voice tears pooling up in her sagged eyes.

Aman looked at Anjali while she lowered her eyes having no answer to Nani's question. They both shifted their focus to Nani as she went on, How long are you guys planning to sacrifice your lives and live like this? I am here enough to take care of him. Nobody's life should stop for the other person. When will you all understand and stop making these foolish decisions? Nani at once stood up and walked away angrily like never before. Aman scooted to sit by Anjali's side wrapping her in his arms, comforting her tears.

The whole conversation failed to slip through the cracks as it was witnessed by none other than a pair of molten caramel eyes.

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Hello, Many questioned if Adinav is Khushi's son's name. I clearly mentioned it as non-profit organization in the previous chap but I guess most of you all skipped through those parts jumping onto the statements painted bold. For all those readers, you are going to miss lot of past information if you jump between the bolded lines.

Answers to my Qs in previous chapter is cleared out in this chap...Kudos to everyone who answered correctly.

Many wants Arnav and Khushi meet as soon as possible. They will meet at the logical pace, please let the story build up. I havent replied or answered many of your Qs, that means I am waiting for the story to unfold as I dont want to reveal too much before hand.

A BIG SHOUT OUT TO JEET...Happy Birthday Jeet...God Bless You!