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Gif banner credit: my dearest friend Faiqu (ArshiHamesha) 🤗
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Dear friends⭐️
Here is the Valentine update❤️ I promised! Devi Maiyya knows it took me ages to write it! So I do hope you like it! If you guys are expecting something hot it is not! 😛😆It is only very romantic!😉
It is dedicated to my good friend Faiqu/ArshiHamesha⭐️ with warmest of wishes on her special day! 🤗
Chapter 35
Simply Valentine❤️
"Arrey O Sankadevi! "Buaji hollered at the top of her voice.
But to Khushi her voice sounded far away, in a haze because all her being was focused on Arnav's lips that were devouring every iota of her moist sweetness...and leaving her pining for more...
"Hayye re Nand kishore! Where are you Sankadevi?" the voice seemed closer.
She opened her eyes with a start! Reality struck her! What was she doing! What if Buaji saw them like this..!
And before he could realize what was happening, she pushed him away with all her might , and wriggled out of his arms!
"Dammit Khushi!" he growled, his voice husky with desire, his eyes half close. He stretched his arm to draw her back...
But Khushi was too quick for him and was already running out of her room into the living room, her heart pounding, her breath unsteady, her feet faltering...
Thud! She crashed into Buaji at full speed!
"Hayye re Nand Kishore! Sankadevi are you flying an aeroplane! Are you trying to kill me?" Buaji yelped.
"No , no Buaji ! I haven't made any plans to do away with you as yet!" Khushi tried to reassure Buaji.
"Hayye re Nand Kishore! What do you mean Sankadevi ?!!" Buaji's shrieked!
Payal and Shashi Gupta came running in at the sound of Buaji's cry!
From the corner of her eye Khushi saw Arnav sauntering out of her room casually, as if nothing has happened!
What if someone sees him! Khushi panicked.
To divert her family's attention she asked Buaji in a raised voice, "Why were you looking for me Buaji!"
"Arrey what is this?" she said waving the newspaper in her hand under khushi's nose.
"This is today's newspaper Buaji?" Khushi patted Buaji on the shoulder condescendingly as if she was a child asking stupid questions!
Buaji slapped her hand away and scowled."I am intelligent enough to know that Sankadevi, but what does this mean..its written here...Va...len..tine..Da..y!" Buaji spelt out loudly much to the embarrassment of others.
"I can't understand if people celebrate their love on this day what do they do on other days?" she continued oblivious to the smiles her family was trying to hide.
"Buaji is right!" Arnav interjected.
Everyone turned towards him in surprise!
Uff this Laad Governor, Khushi gritted her teeth! Why did he have to draw attention to himself! Narcissist!
Shashi Gupta had better things to do in life than carry on a conversation on Valentine's Day with his sister and his employer! So he changed the topic and inquired loudly,"Arrey Arnav bitwa did you meet Khushi?"
Lol! Unknown to Shashi Gupta there was no escaping romance on its special day!
Arnav's eyes clouded with desire and he said emphatically, his eyes on Khushi, "Yes I did...meet her but was interrupted rudely...!"
Tu to gayi (You are done for) Khushi she winced! Laad Governor is mad I ran away and now he is going to take his revenge on me! Well she fumed, what did he expect me to do when Buaji was calling out to me...she glared at him!
But he looked back straight into her eyes, innocently and was about to say something again when she was saved from an unexpected source! Her Buaji who exclaimed,
"Arnav babua! When did you come? Please make yourself comfortable on my favourite chair, bitwa,"she beamed at him and led him to the oldest piece of furniture in the room!
"Payaliya, " she smiled at the elder girl, "Please make a nice cup of coffee for him."
Payal nodded and turned towards the kitchen.
Shashi Gupta's phone rang and he excused himself.
"I will help Jiji," Khushi said meekly trying to escape.
But Buaji gestured to her to come near and whispered fiercely "Where is your dupatta, Parmeswari?!" Buaji.
"Oh Dupatta!" Khushi slapped her head. She had last seen it on her bed...Arnav had teased her... forbid her from wearing it...
She blushed as she saw Arnav smirking at her. He must have heard them!
Babuji called out to Buaji, "Jiji has Dholni ji confirmed the dates for Preeto's marriage? The decorator wants to know. He is on the phone."
"I am coming, I am coming, " Buaji shouted back and excused herself, "Arnav babua excuse me for a moment, there is a wedding in the neighbourhood and..,"
But before she could finish he smiled charmingly at her, "No problem Buaji. In your absence Khushi will look after me, kyon Khushi?" he winked at her.
Khushi gasped!
"What is the matter now Sankadevi...?" Buaji stared at Khushi suspiciously.
"Errr...nothing Buaji! I will just get my dupatta!" she answered.
When Buaji was out of earshot she reprimanded him fiercely, "What are you trying to do Arnav Singh Raizada?!"
"Nothing!" he drawled, "Why I am only trying to help you find your dupatta!"
"I don't need your help," she spat at him, "It is in my room!"
"But that is where you are wrong! It is with me!" he patted his jacket pocket.
Khushi gulped.
"You are doing badtameezi (misbehaving)Arnav! Give back my dupatta!" she said fuming.
"I haven't even started Khushi!" Arnav reminded her. "And anyway are you ordering me to give the dupatta back to you?" he asked her, his tone incredulous, a slow smile lighting the dark depths of his molten eyes.
"Yes!" she hissed again, glancing nervously at Buaji who was now engrossed in an animated conversation with Babuji.
"No one orders Arnav Singh Raizada!" he glowered at her but his eyes danced in amusement.
"If you want your dupatta you have to come to my house and finish what we started!" he flirted with her, his lips inches away from hers.
"No way!" Khushi stepped back and stuck out her tongue at him.
Arnav laughed throatily. "We shall see!" he whispered, tucking an errant hair away from Khushi's face even as Payal emerged from the kitchen with his coffee.
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Anjali was still grumbling as to how Chhotey had left the house without informing her when she got a call for him.
"Hello Di! I know you must be worried but I was in a hurryand left my phone behind ..." he explained over the phone.
Anjali was relieved to hear her brother's voice but that did not deter her from scolding him. "You are too much Chhotey! Do you know how paranoid I was! Don't do it again!"
"Yes Di," Arnav smiled at the other end at his elder sister's concern.
"But where did you go so early in the morning?" Anjali inquired.
Arnav took a deep breath! It was very difficult for him to lie to his Di but he had to do it for her sake!
"Actually I called you to tell you that I sent Jijaji to attend a very important and extremely urgent meeting in Stockholm! He did not want to go but I had no option so...and err... he will be back in a few days..." Phew! He took another deep breath! This was indeed difficult!
There was a long pause at the other end. "Well...you did what was best Chhotey, like you always have! But your Jijaji did not even call me..." Anjali's voice trailed off!
That piece of s***, Arnav clenched his fist! He must be too busy counting all that money to even make a phone call to Di!
"Maybe he couldn't get through to you, Di," he tried to pacify her.
"It really doesn't matter Chhotey..." Anjali said in a quiet voice.
Arnav knew his Di well. Her reaction to her husband's absence was so casual, indifferent! Something was definitely wrong! Maybe she had also perceived Shyam's real face in her own way. He had to find out what she knew...or felt.
His train of thoughts stopped numbly at her next sentence...
"Chhotey, I spoke to Nani today..."
Arnav was quiet.
"Chhotey are you listening...don't you think its time to meet her?"
"We shall see Di..." came his cold reply.
"Chhotey, I want to discuss this today itself...I will tell Aakash too and I hope you don't mind if I call Khushi...you seem to listen to her and..."
"Yes call Khushi!" Arnav rasped into the phone before disconnecting the line!
Anjali removed the phone from her ear and shook her head, "Chhotey bhi na...ajeeb hai!(Chhotey is really weird!)"
"Hey Di, was that bhai on the phone?" Aakash asked, walking up to where she was seated.
"Don't tell me you are still worrying about bhai! It occurred to me since today is Valentine's Day, he must be with his Valentine somewhere...first thing in he morning!" he guffawed, "And that is why he has left his phone behind!" he winked, adjusting his spectacles over his eyes.
"Valentine!" Anjali laughed!
"You are mad Aakash! Chottey runs miles away from such lovey dovey stuff! Anyway, he was with your Jijaji at the airport, seeing him off and now he is in his office!"
"How boring!" Aakash made a face. "I also think this is bhai's conspiracy to not let me meet Shyam Jijaji!" he said in mock anger.
But even he did not know how close he was to the truth...that his bhai wanted to protect his family from evil as long as he was able to!
But maybe he felt something for he went on his knees in front of Anjali and taking her hand into his begged, " Di I know bhai cares for his family very much...now that you have spoken to Nani, maybe you can convince him to meet her..." his voice choked.
Anjali's eyes grew moist and she ruffled his hair lovingly, "Yes, Aakash. I just spoke to Chhotey about that! We shall have a talk in the evening...And thankfully Chhotey has agreed to inviting Khushi... after all she is the one who convinced Chhotey about accepting you! "
"Great! Call her then..."Akash said at once, and then after a pause, "And...err...maybe Payalji too! I mean I did not get a chance to thank her properly for helping me...!"
Anjali looked at him curiously for a second and then grinning said,"Hey hold on! I smell a rat here!"
Aakash turned red. "Matlab! Rat what rat!?" he said trying to act casual.
"No, no, not one rat but two! And I thought my brothers did not care about Valentine's Day!" Anjali was thoroughly enjoying herself.
"What rubbish Di!" Aakash sprang up and left the room, leaving Anjali in splits!
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Khushi rang the doorbell of the Raizada mansion reluctantly and closed her eyes praying fervently,"Hey Devi Maiyya let him not be there!"
"What are you doing Khushi?" Payal nudged her with her elbow.
HP opened the door to a praying Khushi and an exasperated Payal.
"Bhagwan ne aapki sun li, Khushiji(God has heard your prayers Khushuji!),"he beamed. "The doors of Raizada Mansion have opened for you!"
Khushi opened one eye, then another and smiled sheepishly.
"Namaste Hari Prakash ji! Aap kaise hain?(How are you?) We have come to meet Anjali di!" Khushi said looking around nervously, butterflies fluttering in her stomach!
After her meeting with him in the morning she had no intention of seeing him again today! If Anjali had not called her up and requested her to come with Payal she would have not come!
No doubt he would look upon it as his victory for he had challenged her to come to his house to retrieve her dupatta! She wished she hadn't laughed at him then and scorned at the very idea of stepping into RM!
"Anjali jiji has gone to the temple for the evening aarti but she told me to make both of you comfortable. Please sit down. I will make hot tea and samosas for you!"
"No, no we are fine Hari Prakashji..."Payal started saying and then stopped abruptly as her eyes fell on a figure coming down the stairs! Aakash...her heart murmured. He was looking so fresh and... well...nice!
At the same time Aakash's eyes looked with Payal's. A slow happy smile lit his face. How pretty she looked in her simple baby pink salwar kameez. His heart skipped a beat as she smiled shyly at him.
But it was khushi who spoke up. "Are you going somewhere Aakash ji?"
Aakash answered, " I was just thinking of going to the mall to buy some sarees for my mother"
As an after thought he added, " Will you two accompany me ? You can help me choose the sarees! I am no good at this sort of thing!"
"But Anjalidi wanted to discuss something important with us and..." Khushi began.
"The mall is just 5 minutes away, We will be back before she comes, what say Payalji? " he looked at Payal expectantly.
"Uh..okay..." Payal stammered.
Khushi looked at her Jiji curiously.
An idea struck her! If everyone was out of the way she could easily go up to Arnav's room and search for her dupatta! She would show him that Khushi Kumari Gupta could take up any challenge and win it!
She brightened up immediately and literally pushed Aakash and Payal out of the house, "Okay you guys go, I will wait for Anjalidi..."
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Aman had a strange feeling that Anjali ji at the temple at this hour and surely enough there she was descending the stairs slowly balancing the pooja thali in her hand, dragging her prosthetic foot, taking one step at a time while other devotees ran up and down past her.
What if someone bumped into her and she she fell down the stairs! Aman had this urge to help her but he controlled himself because he knew she would not like it. So he watched her helplessly...
Anjali reached the bottom of the stairs and let out a deep breath. She smiled at the crimson ball of fire in the distance as she made her way towards her car.
Aman stepped out of the shadows and stood in front of her.
"Aman!" Anjali was amazed to see him here.
"Hello Anjali ji," Aman said in a nervous voice.
Anjali smiled at him, "If your ASR comes to know you visit temples your job will be at stake, you know that don't you?"
Aman smiled sheepishly. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something important...can you give me some time?"
"What about?" Anjali squinted her eyes. "Ah well alright...but don't make it too long! Even I have an important meeting at home!" she said cheerfully.
Anjali ji is in a good mood today, Aman thought sadly. But after I tell her about her husband she will be so heart broken, he grimaced.
He decided to delay the unfortunate news and clearing his throat asked, "Maybe we can sit down in some caf first."
"I prefer these road side tea stalls to cafes," Anjali smiled at him.
Aman smiled back. Anjali ji has such simple tastes, he mused.
'
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As soon as Aakash and Payal stepped out of RM , Khushi shooed HP to the kitchen and sprinted up the stairs to Arnav's room.
She pushed open the door and stepped inside.
A setting sun was casting its rays and creating a play of light and shadow in the room.
At the far end the ripples in the orange pool were lapping up the last golden rays and dancing in joy as the green plants swayed playfully in tandem to unknown desires.
Khushi stood still, only her large doe shaped eyes showcased her uncontrollable emotions!
The last time she had come to his room he had shown her proudly the magnificent pool...her imagination...his creation...their dream...her heart lurched.
And it was here that he had asked her to be his...to stay with him forever, yet laughed at her when she had asked him if he was hinting at marriage!
That rankled...she sighed.
Suddenly, a husky voice whispered behind her teasingly,"Hey beautiful!! Did you come looking for this?"
She jumped at the sound of his voice and turned around.
He was pointing at her red dupatta which he had flung round his neck!
He must have just returned from office she thought. He had done away with his suit jacket and the first three buttons of his crisp white shirt were unbuttoned, revealing his hard toned chest.
Her heart thudded against her rib cage as he removed the dupatta from round his neck and offered it to her.
"No, I told you I don't want the dupatta anymore..." she said defensively and took a step back in her confused state of mind.
Her feet caught in the rug and she lost her balance and would have fallen flat if he hadn't lunged towards her and caught her by her slim waist and drew her flush against him!
The red veil floated up in the air and as they watched transfixed landed softly on their heads, enveloping them unabashedly.
There was no escaping him! Khushi closed her eyes...
She heard the sharp intake of his breath. Then she felt his rough lips descend gently on her moist ones, brushing them softly, but not ravishing them yet...
He suddenly withdrew from her, drawing the dupatta away from her face and raising her chin with his thumb said in a strange voice,
"Khushi will you come with me, I want to show you something! I promise we will be back before Di returns!"
Khushi had already perceived a change in his mood from flirtish to contemplative. She looked at his serious face and nodded. The way he looked she would have followed him to the end of earth!
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Khushi stepped off the SUV and stared curiously at the tall building in front of her and looked at Arnav questioningly.
"I bought it recently..." he said sheepishly. And then taking her hand he entered inside.
"Be careful," he said pointing at the wires and tools and bamboos on the floor. Khushi glanced around the spacious modern office, though still unfinished it had a high class professional feel to it,
"Your new office, no doubt!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement.
"Yours too!" Arnav corrected her, pointing to the large emblem on the wall.
Khushi walked up to the emblem. "AK..." she whispred in awe as she fingered the sign.
"A and K look good together don't they?" he whispered behind her.
Khushi's heartbeat quickened and she wet her lips.
"What's on the other floors?" she asked trying to keep her voice normal.
"Most of my staff work upstairs, some who haven't got accommodation stay here too" he said taking her hand again. Khushi remembered that most of the AR employees had voluntarily opted to stand behind him and switch to AK.
"But there is something else...," he smiled as he guided her to the lift and punched the button to the topmost floor.
The lift opened to a massive rosewood door. Arnav fished the key from his trouser pocket and unlocked it.
He switched on the light button but nothing happened.
"Dammit! They are still working on the electricity..."
But Khushi had already proceeded into the huge living room. It was bare for most parts but the black marble floor and the white textured walls gave it a distinguished aura. It had ASR's personal space written all over it. The setting sun was casting its shadows mellowing with the interiors, as if tired of blazing through the day it had settled down here to rest and sleep in peace.
"Do you like it, Khushi?" he asked her in a gruff voice.
"Its grim, Arnav..." she teased him.
"The lion's lair always is!" he smirked.
"But it has all that makes me, me" he shrugged his shoulders.
Khushi smiled at him absent mindedly as her attention was drawn to a doll house that stood proudly on a intrinsically carved wooden pedestal in the corner.
"Hey Devi Maiyya!" Khushi exclaimed loudly as she stared in disbelief at the doll house which she had made with some help with Arnav so many years ago.
"Oh my!" her mouth formed a big O' as she moved forward and saw a soccer ball placed in a niche in the wall, especially carved for it! She lifted it out gingerly. It had their names scribbled over it. Oh how they had fought over its possession while playing she thought and grinned.
By this time her eyes had adjusted to the last dim lights relecting from the sun and she had sighted many other knick knacks of their childhood days!
And so many memories of Aunty Ratna! Her sketches, her doodles, some finished, some unfinished...they were all there. She hadn't seen all of them but knew they were Ratna aunty's from that distinct elegant R' sign on them.
Hey Devi Maiyya he room was not bare at all as she had thought.
It was a treasure trove, adorned with her life's best years...and his too!
Where was he! Khushi looked around frantically till her eyes rested on his tall handsome figure.
Hands folded over his chest and leaning against the door leading to the terrace, a a smile of satisfaction playing on his lips.
Her eyes moistened as she approached him, myriad emotions welling up inside her ...
She knew he did not believe in religion but to him private was sacred...
She opened her mouth to thank him for sharing his private space with her, but the emotions were too overpowering for words...
He pulled her into his arms and put his finger on her lips...
Then turning her around gently, he clasped a chain round her neck and brushed his lips on her shoulder.
Khushi looked down in a dizzy haze at the diamond and ruby R' shaped locket that rested on her cleavage.
It was his Maa's chain and locket, the one he had given her but was snatched away by a jealous Lavanya...
As if reading her thoughts he said in a strangled voice, "Please Khushi..don't say no..."
Khushi shook her head and smiled as her overwhelmed heart overflowed with love for him and dropped down her cheeks in the form of joyous tears...
She had no intention of saying no to him, ever, just because he expressed himself in a way different from the society ...just because he hadn't said those three magic words to her, it did not mean he loved her any less or just because he did not believe in marriage, it did not mean he would not cherish her and care for her forever!
The realization set her free and strengthened her trust in him. Nothing rankled anymore.
She leaned back on his chest without inhibition and tilting her head, raised her lips to him in celebration of their ajeeb(weird) love as the red dupatta fluttered in the breeze...
Arnav groaned as her lips touched his...
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Okay phew I am done for now! So how did you like the chapter? Depending on your likes and comments, I might just deepen the kiss in the next update! 😉 😆
On a serious note, I want to thank all of you friends who have given my story their personal space and helped it grow. 🤗 This is something I will cherish forever!
Love you all ❤️
wiwy
Edited by wiwy - 10 years ago
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