Heya Everyone!!!!!.
I know its been a very long time since I updated this story.But AD gets in between.
This is the penultimate update of this story,these are actually two updates rolled into one.And this update has little bit of everything.Hope you all like this special phase of this SS.
PICTURE CREDIT TO THE MAKERS
PART - 11
Lounging in the plush living room Arnav relished the taste of coffee made by Khushi,customised to his preference .His gaze altered between the staircase and Khushi's parents who were sitting in the corner discussing the arrangements of their wedding.
After dinner when her parents suggested that he stayed for the night,apprehension has dawned on him.He had passed a glance at Khushi only to find the same reluctance in her.And the same reluctance had led him to agreeing for staying here.Knowing Khushi the way he did,it was no brainer of him to decipher that after his departure,the relation between Khushi and her parents had been estranged.
He wanted her to have the same amiability with her parents that she shared before.It may take time but he will make it happen.As far as he was concerned, he did addressed them as Maa and Dad and by the values that were imbibed in him by his parents,he knew he would always bestow them with the respect and honour they deserved.
But noone could ever fill in the space of his parents.And this had nothing to do with the decision they took 5 years ago that caused Khushi and him the most painful separation of 5 long years.
It all has to do with him.This was him Arnav Singh Raizada.Khushi's parents have been warm and affectionate towards him all evening trying their best to make him feel home but he was his rather formal self with them.After losing his parents at a young age he had withdrawn to a shell,living a life that only had him and the memories of his loving parents.
His guards has always been up with people.He has had friends but noone that he could really call his own.He had never let anyone get close to him,hiding his vulnerable self,bottling up all his emotions and his loneliness within himself.
His life would have continued like that had Khushi not entered his life.He didn't know what has led him to take that instinctive steps towards her all those years ago.It was as if some external force has been leading him towards her.She had slowly walked into his life and made her way to his heart only to have his every heartbeat echo her name.
He shuffled a chuckle on her antics at the dinner table.She was hovering over him like a mother hen,completely unbaffled by the presence of her parents.She hadn't averted her eyes from him and it has only been after his intimidated glare that she has herself started eating.
Khushi at her dominant self was the cutest and if they would have been alone,he would have fed her himself.Not that he was shy or anything but everything about Khushi was so intimate to him that it just didn't feel right to share it with anyone else.
Like now how she has left him here handing over his coffee to personally reassure that guestroom was upto her satisfaction.His thought process came to a halt by the ring of his phone as he excused himself to take the call.
Walking down the stairs and instantly taking note of Arnav's absence,Khushi knew it was the perfect time to talk to her parents.She couldn't wait till tomorrow.Making her way towards them,she stood where they were sitting and spoke in a firm tone.
"I can't express in words the happiness that you have given today but if u still have any issues then tell me because this time now because I won't stand quiet this time if anyone said a word against my Arnav".
"Khushi.Don't you trust us
?".Her mother asked perturbed by her words.
"Its not about trust Maa but I can't forget what happened last time Arnav was here.You both didn't even made an attempt to know him.Arnav may have but I can never forget the pain and hollowness I saw in his eyes and what you called him.Ill not bear if that word is ever associated with him again because he is not one.He has ME Always".
Her parents saw their daughter's retreating form knowing it would take a long time before they got their daughter finally back and they had noone but themselves to blame for their biggest error in judgement.
The call took longer than he expected as he revealed the reason for his sudden trip to India and his impending marriage to his teammates.The congratulations flowed in one after the other as he for once gladly took all the teasings that came his way at the reason for his otherwise defiant stature that Captain ASR's was strict restricted territory as that special place always being reserved for someone came open.
The light offs indicating that everyone has retired to sleep,Arnav climbed up the stairs towards the guest room.Though his steps halted at the door that led to the open terrace,Khushi has told him about while showing him the guestroom earlier.On its own violition,his feet move in its direction only to let a deep sigh as he saw her standing in the center with her back facing him.
Walking forth,he snaked his arms around waist,hauling her petite frame to himself letting Khushi lean onto his warmth.She wound her arms over his as they both stood in amiable silence,staring the horizon ahead.
Moments later Khushi whispered.
"I used to always sit here staring at the stars and moon knowing that in some corner of the world,you were doing it too".
In response he only tightened his hold on her telling her that he understood.The pain they have bared for 5 long years would wither away slowly,their love will heal all their wounds.
"Arnav".
"Hmmm".
"Make a wish".
"There is no shooting star in the sky Khushi".
"Who needs a shooting star when we have someone else to do that for us"
.Khushi upturned her face and chided him softly as she pointed her finger at the two twinkling stars that were glued together which they regarded as his parents.
Hands entwined they both closed their eyes and made a wish.A wish that started for being grateful with a love that is so rare,the love that stood tall against all the turbulences and trials and shone through it all with the ardent and innate desire to prolong their togetherness for lifetime and beyond.
Khushi led Arnav to the extreme corner that had mattress and cushions aesthetically positioned,the moonlight making it look serene and etheral.
He passed a questioning gaze at her as Khushi spoke with tongue in cheek.
"I knew you would come".
"What are you planning Khushi?".
He asked with a mischeivous glint in his eyes.
She swatted his arm and sat on the mattress as Arnav followed suite and laid his head in her lap.Khushi ran her fingers in his hair massaging his head lovingly as Arnav closed his eyes and spoke with sheer longingness dipping from his every syllable.
"This was what I missed the most.This peace,this calmness ,the feeling of being whole that engulfs me only when you are with me".
She hesitated a bit to say what she had been meaning to.
"Arnav I-I ".
"Don't You Dare Khushi".
He opened his eyes and sat upright as he warned her in clear words.
"If you are going to apologise then think twice because you are well aware of the consequences incase I get riled up and if you are going to start about your thankyou speech,then don't even open your mouth.What happened 5 years ago was a trial our love had to go through.What matters is we are here today and nothing could apart us now".
"But how can you act like nothing happened.?"
.Khushi voiced grew a notch higher seeing him behave so indifferent about it.
"How can you so easily forget the way they treated you.They didn't made an attempt to know you and what they called you".
Her voice shook at the last words,her eyes glistening with unshed tears as she reminsced the raw hurt she saw in his eyes that night.
Arnav drew her into his embrace holding her tight and spoke with utmost conviction.
"I can because nomatter what anyone says I am not an ORPHAN".
Khushi looked up at him as he repeated her words.She could see the belief and nothing but honesty and love shining in his eyes.
Wiping her tears he kissed her eyelids and cupped her face in his palms before continuing.
"I can forget it easily because you are in my life.You are my family Khushi.The one person who loves me beyond the realms of sanity,who would fight the world for me .You filled the void that existed in my life,you made me whole and I can because I Love You Khushi".
Seeing her sniffling again,Arnav teased.
"Do you have a watertank in there that you start crying at the drop of hat".
He resumed his position as he listened while she talked.There was a lot he had to tell her but tonight he just wanted to hear her speak.How has he longed to hear her voice.For the ones who used to share even the tiniest of details with each other,one night couldn't suffice for all that has transpired in 5 years but he had no worries now.
They have their whole life ahead of them and he will make sure that they cherish every bit of it.Catching up on all they have missed in these years,turning all those dreams they have woven together in their beautiful reality.
He clutched her hand as he saw her contemplating something.He urged her to spoke out aloud what was going on in that tiny brain of hers.
"I was wondering how many women you scared with that ASR glare of yours?"
.Khushi said with hidden smile.
"I guess exactly as many proposals you rejected in the past few years.Nodoubt many men have to find their heartbroken by you".Arnav was quick to retort.
"What!!".
Khushi exclaimed."I don't even know.Forget meeting,I never paid any heed to them"
"In the same way Lazybump.I didn't encountered the need to scare anyone as my whole stance clearly screamed unavailable.I was so into you and our memories that it didn't leave any space for thought of something else.So I guess everyone knew on their own that I was taken".
"I don't get why it is difficult for people to believe that in this time and space,someone can actually be a One Woman Man".
"I don't know about others.But i feel it all depends on the foundation.Though I was very young,I could literally feel the love Mama and Papa had for each other.They could not look at anything past each other.And ME.You know it Khushi.I never thought about it until you came into my life.For me LOVE IS YOU.Without you Ill cease to exist".
At his heartfelt words,his chatterbox could only nod her head as her heart swelled with pride at her man.He was all and much more than she could ever have asked for.
"Why did this thought crossed your mind.Did something happened?".
Arnav asked after an afterhthought.
Her eyes rounded at how blatantly he has read her yet again.She should have thought before opening her mouth but when has her heart ever listened to her when it came to him.She averted her gaze but he passed her the look she was so familiar with.One that clearly spelled "I Know there is something so better be out with it now".
Knowing there was no way out,Khushi told him all about the conversation she had with her mother.She didn't find any resentment as he come to be aware of what her mother had presumed about him.He was rather cool about it as if he almost expected something like this.She finished and waited for a response as he pulled her close and took her lips in a soul searing kiss expressing his emotions that words would fall short to depict.
Khushi had fallen asleep in his arms amidst their conversations but he hasn't been able to sleep.He has stayed awake holding her close till the first rays of dawn made its presence shown to them.
"That was how every morning should be"
.Had been his first thought this morning,seeing her beautiful face .He hadn't had the heart to wake her up when she was sleeping so peacefully but he had to and so reluctantly detangling himself from her,he has woken her up only for her to huff in annoyance and leave haphazardly.
And he was here now paying the retribution.Strolling in the garden to digest the heavyduty breakfast,she has literally shoved down his throat.
"Mama told me that you are going to get marry Khushi Bua.Are you the prince she always talked about".
He turned around to the source of the voice and found a little girl holding a doll in her hand dressed in pink floral dress,looking pretty much like the doll she was holding,staring at him curiously.She must be Khushi's niece Aahana,he figured as she was pretty much the way Khushi described her last night.
He kneeled down at her level,already feeling a strange attachment to the girl in front of him,the knowledge that she had been the one reason to his Khushi's happiness in all those lonely days adding to it.
"Your Bua talked about a prince?
".He asked pertaining all his attention on her.
"Yes.But don't tell anyone"
.Aahana spoke in a hushed tones as she gestured him to come close and Arnav complied making her whisper in his ears.
"Its our little secret.She always talked about him when she used to recite me bedtime stories.She said her prince is far away for work and one fine day he is going to come and take her to their kingdom.And you know I have also seen the big teddybear in her room,she talks too".
"You want a teddybear like that?"
.Arnav asked with as much normal voice he could muster as he felt a lump forming in his throat hearing her innocent words.
Aahana nodded enthusiastically as he picked up in his arms and proceeded to inform her parents about it.Khushi watched awestruck at how easily Arnav has befriended Aahana as if he has known her for years but well he was that charming enough she thought blissfully and irrevocably in love.
CONTINUED BELOW
Edited by togetherforever - 11 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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