Arshi FF: Love Me Forever LINK #2 pg 153 dt. 21.5.15 - Page 31

Bechari khushi got scholding from Arnav every time she got hurt n was in pain as if it's her mistake. .

Update soon

Chapter 7

She pulled the curtains and opened the windows allowing sun light to enter and illuminate the room. He squeezed his eyes tightly not to let the bright light disturb his sleep even though it had been more than a week since Ganesh chaturthi had gotten over for which he had to wake up early only for two mornings to attend the arti still today he was in no mood to open his eyes.

She unwrapped the towel around her wet hair and as per her routine habit started rubbing it vigorously. The water droplets from her hair once again fell on his face, he grabbed the bed sheet firmly in his fist and groaned " do whatever you want to but I'm not getting up." Then turned his head to the other side.

She bit her tongue on realizing her mistake, why did she always forget not to dry her hair in front of him and disturb his precious sleep. She walked closed to him and covered him with the duvet properly, " No problem. I'm going down to make your breakfast, you get ready whenever you feel like." And left the room.

Two hours later he came down to have breakfast. She was pouring juice for him in the glass when his cell rang and he picked it up " hello ..namaste. I'm fine. Yes she's here." He handed over the cell to her and said teasingly," khushi, your maa is saying something." She took the cell excitedly but didn't fail to notice that he was pulling her leg.

She narrowed her eyes then brought the cell to her ear ," Yeah maa ..i'm good. How are you? ..of course I miss you ...hmm I'll come ..you take care of baba. Bye. See you." then gave him back the cell.

He chewed on the sandwich and asked " You wish to go home?" she nodded her head in response," then go for a week or so, who's stopping you?" her face beamed in delight on hearing this but the next moment it lost its color," if I'll go for so long then who'll take care of this house ?"

He knotted his brows and asked in surprise," Why? Didn't this house function smoothly before our marriage?"

She shook her head lightly in acceptance, of course this house did function before her and would continue to do so in her absence, after all she was not indispensable. His rude but honest confession broke her myth that if she was not around then it would make a difference to anybody.

She lowered her head and smiled inwardly thinking she had not been staying here forever, it had just been a couple of weeks, nor would she be in this house forever in the future, again just for a couple of months then why expect them to miss her .

He snapped her out of her thoughts," get ready fast..i have some work you're your place. Will drop you on the way."

The drive was absolutely quiet, although when alone he spoke only when it was needed but she would often initiate a conversation. Her silence was disturbing him.

The fact that her absence would not affect him somewhere did hurt her. He gave her a side ways glance, she looked upset even on being taken to her home after so many days but why? This kind of a reaction he was not expecting from her. He thought she would be overjoyed but "no" she appeared sad.

He was lost in thinking about the reason of her being gloomy when all of a sudden a small boy came on the road, he applied the brakes hard just in time and managed to avert the accident but didn't realize that in doing so she had ended up banging her head against the dashboard. He saw a cut near her parting which was bleeding. He cursed under his breath before taking out his hanker chief and pressing it on that cut.

" why didn't you fasten your seat belt? How can you be so careless dammit?" he asked through gritted teeth.

She hissed in pain as he began rubbing her wound gently. She stopped him and said " Arnav ji, don't wipe this. A mark near the parting is a good omen."

He clenched his jaw tightly and shook his head in disappointment ," khushi, don't give me this nonsense."

He gazed at the cut, thankfully it was not bleeding any more. He leaned on her slowly, she moved back in surprise and held her breath, he pulled the seat belt from her left and fixed it securely then went back to resume his driving.

He halted the car outside her house, she gave him the hanker chief back and unfastened the seat belt to get down. She shut the door and glanced at him through the open window he was busy reading a message on his cell, she lowered her head and turned to leave when he called her out from behind " Khushi !" she looked back at once.

" I hope to find you back in one piece." With that he left.

He saw her standing with a smile on her face through the rear view mirror.

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Soon the mother and daughter busied themselves in chatting. She had lots of things to share with her worried mother about her new home and family especially her husband.

Garima was relieved to know that her daughter was welcomed with open arms there, she thanked bappa for that.

In the evening khushi got a call from payal asking her to teach her how to cook daal and sabzi the way she did. Khushi was pleased to hear from her and instructed her step by step how to do so then before keeping the phone down she reminded payal about something important.

When Arnav and Aman came back from work they found the dinner laid out with all the dishes looking just the way they did when khushi cooked. Payal began serving them excitedly and informed that all this she learnt from her bhabhi today on phone. Both couldn't stop themselves further and started eating.

With the very first morsel he realized though the food looked great but taste wise it was no where close to what she used to make, he smiled within thinking " all that glitters is not gold"

Payal looked at them expectantly to know their reactions then asked " bhai, how's the food ?"

He gazed at her then nodded his head " good."

However Aman had a totally different opinion and gave his friend a surprised look when he said that the food was good. The rice were half cooked, the vegetable was over salted, the chapatti's were burnt and the dal had no spice but even then the food was good because it was made by his sister. Amazing!

He stared at payal's cheerful face and said " oh payal, the cooks are there. You don't need to trouble yourself in khushi bhabhi's absence. You chill. Okay?"

But payal felt even more proud of her cooking after hearing this and dismissed his suggestion " no Aman it's no trouble, on the contrary I'm enjoying this. And I assure you, until bhabhi returns I won't let you miss her food."

Both Arnav and Aman looked at each other helplessly on hearing this.

Payal on remembering what khushi had said slapped her forehead "bhai , bhabhi reminded me that daadi's medicines are getting over."

Aman interrupted in between and said " give me the list, I'll get them arranged."

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Arnav went back to his room and looked around, suddenly it appeared "different" without her. He didn't want to use the term "empty". He had gotten a little used to of seeing her in the room, considering she had been there for some days so it was quite natural to feel that way, his mind stated.

He tried to brush off the thought that she wasn't around and began taking out his wallet which he threw it on the recliner then unclasped his watch and dropped it on the bed. Next came his hanker chief he was about to throw it somewhere when he noticed it had blood stains, he traced his thumb over the stain and recalled how she had got hurt. She was so careful in handling Daadi and other members of the family but when it came about taking care of herself she was absolutely careless. He still remembered the scene where she had pushed him aside when he was about to collide with the lamp and in the process burnt her feet. Why was she so prone to accidents?

He sighed and hoped she began thinking about herself as much as she did about others but in no time she crashed his tiny little hope when his gaze fell on the bed side table, she had forgotten to take her ointment which she applied on her burnt feet.

He shook his head and thought she remembered that daadi's medicines were getting over but to carry her own ointment slipped out of her mind.

He bit the inside of his cheek and scanned the bed for his night clothes, they weren't out, how could they be? When she was not there, he went to his cupboard and opened it. This he was doing after a very long time, ever since they had gotten married she would take out everything he needed without him even asking for them.

He changed into his night clothes and laid on the bed gazing at the ceiling then at her side of the bed with his hands resting behind his head. There was pin drop silence in the room which would hardly be when she was there to share it, she always had some story or the other to tell him and most of them were related to her mother. He didn't know that her mother had left such a deep influence on her till one night he found her murmuring in her sleep " my maa says..." He smiled broadly on recalling that night.

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She pulled the blanket to herself and tucked it under her chin. Tonight the whole blanket was hers which was something rare because With him she was supposed to share the blanket and would often find it difficult to do so, as no matter how many times she covered both of them with it he would in the middle of the night kick it off to one side leaving her trembling in cold and if that wouldn't happen then he would end up sleeping on the blanket making it impossible for her to pull it from underneath his heavy body.

She tossed and turned on her single bed that appeared so spacious but still failed to fall asleep. With him even that large king size double bed looked small because he had this habit of sleeping in the middle of the bed leaving just that much amount of space for her where she could only manage to lay down straight on her back . Once she was even about to fall off the bed due to lack of space but survived thankfully because he always wrapped his arm possessively around her waist. This was something she was missing tonight and probably that's why she was wide awake.

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He opened his eyes lazily and looked at the watch, it was 7 AM. He still had one more hour to sleep but didn't feel like doing so especially when she was not there to wake him up by pulling the curtains to brighten the room which would make him squint his eyes. And the tinkling sound of her bangles which he could hear and enjoy whole day but in the morning they disturbed him to no extent.

The fun of sleeping more would be when there'd be someone stopping you from doing so but you'd be also determined from not letting that someone hamper your sleep.

He woke up and glanced at the empty side of the bed drowsily for a few moments then pushed himself to start his daily chores after opening the door of his room making it clear that he was awake.

He came out of the shower with the towel hanging around his neck and saw payal bringing in his breakfast tray. He sat on the couch and poured the tea out of the flask, payal picked up the watch from his bed, took out a hanker chief from the cupboard and placed them with wallet on the couch.

He gazed at his belongings and then at her, she smiled and said "actually bhabhi called up to say that you tend to scatter your things so I collect them for you." He nodded his head and thought so she had the time to call her but she should have called him instead why bother payal early in the morning.

He sipped on the tea and raised his brow if she had to tell something to payal then she should have told her to add ginger to his tea just the way she used to do at least then he could kick start his day with a nice refreshing cup of tea.

His eyes fell on the plate of half burnt toasts and then on his sister, he didn't want to dishearten her therefore had them quietly then said " next time when you speak to your bhabhi, tell her that she forgot to take her ointment .. buy a new one immediately."

He stressed purposely on the words your bhabhi'

Thanks for reading

Rose