Arshi FF:Love Me Forever #2 LINK TO# 3 pg 149 - Page 26

Chapter 17

She was really excited, finally both of them were going to visit shirdi today in the afternoon post lunch, lost in her own world she collided with Aman but steadied herself just in time from falling. Nowadays with her protruding stomach she always succeeded to get her way through people around her," careful khushi bhabhi. You shouldn't be jumping around like this?" complained aman, she quietly smiled at him and noticed that when she had bumped into him a file had dropped from his hands which had her name written on it, she bent down to pick it but aman raised his hand stopping her and said," it's alright. I'll take it"

He picked up the file and brought it close to his chest in an attempt to hide it from her but she was inquisitive to know the contents of the file especially why was her name on it and asked," Aman why are you not letting me see this file?" his face lost its color on getting caught, he knew Arnav wouldn't spare him if he disclosed his secret.

He nodded his head indicating nothing but she was adamant to know and didn't allow him to leave without telling her. At last he had to break his silence and informed her that Arnav was venturing into a new business of paper manufacturing and for that he was going to take over a loss making paper mill in Aurangabad.

He would import a high quality newly equipped plant with the help of which he would enhance and improve the current production and gradually pay off the debts owed by the mill thereafter hopefully the mill would run into profits. She was absolutely thrilled that he was taking such a huge step towards reforming himself but she was still confused as to what was her name doing in all this to which aman replied that he was starting the business on her name as she showed him this new path of life and today they were supposed to hold the first round of discussions till everything was not finalized he wanted to hide all this from her and pleasantly surprise her after completing all the formalities.

Her eyes moistened on realizing that she held such a special place in his life, she couldn't restrain herself from sharing this wonderful news with daadi and went to her room at once. As expected even daadi was overjoyed to know that her grandson was finally leaving the path of crime, all because of khushi and she hugged her warmly. She heard a knock at the door and parted with khushi, he had come to meet her before leaving for work. He frowned on seeing both of them teary, daadi walked up to him and cupped his face in her hands then kissed his forehead," chotte I'm so glad that you're giving a new direction to your life." He smiled and touched her feet to seek her blessings then shook his head knowing very well that aman must have spilled the beans.

In the mean time Khushi left the room. Daadi told him to take extra care of khushi while on their visit to shirdi, she had arranged some blankets for the poor and needy and wished them to distribute there also she had asked khushi to pack some light food for both of them which might come handy on their way back home. He shook his head silently and left the room, he was about to step out of the house when khushi called him from behind, he turned around and found her standing with a bowl of sweet curd, she offered him a spoonful and said," all the best Arnav ji." He curled his lips in a faint smile and before leaving told her," I'll be back by 3. Be ready to leave."

Shirdi was three hours away and after attending the evening arti they would come back before midnight. As told by daadi she packed some potato stuffed paranthas and mineral water bottles along with her medicines for the journey.

The car drive was smooth. He halted when the traffic light was red, a small boy selling tuberose garlands(gajra) came to their car, he waved his hand indicating that they didn't want any but Khushi stopped him and told him excitedly," please arnav ji, I want this gajra." He bought it for her, she took the garland and began fixing it in her hair, he shook his head and thought such small and simple things brought a smile on her face.

He resumed driving, the weather too was pleasant with some dark clouds covering the sky. He had arranged special passes for both of them to attend the evening arti much to her dislike, she didn't want a special treatment and desired to stand in the long queue with other devotees but he ignored her protests, it wasn't safe for her to stand for so many hours and that too in a crowd in this condition. They reached the holy place on time and stood before the big beautiful idol of Shri Sai Baba. Soon the priests began singing the arti accompanied with other musical instruments like bells, gongs and cymbals. Khushi adorned the deity with a huge garland and arnav waved of panchmukhi diya or five wicks oil lamp around His figure clockwise.

Khushi closed her eyes and silently thanked Him with folded hands for saving his life, correction her life which resided in him. She had several reasons to offer her gratitude to Shri Sai Baba an epitome of the supreme power that guided, protected and supported her till now.

Once the arti got over the priests gave them both a little bit of udi or sacred ash as a token of His love. She glanced at him, he was standing with folded hands and head a little bowed in front of the deity. She quietly admired him and noticed that this time he was praying so peacefully unlike before when he would just fold his hands and close his eyes for name sake and then leave the place but today he had lowered his head in front of the almighty, something she hadn't seen him do earlier. A lot of things were changing in their lives slowly and steadily be his forgiving his sister, leaving the world of crime and now his beginning to believe in Him.

He felt her gaze on himself and turned to look at her, she smiled warmly and felt blessed and fortunate to have him in her life as her husband, as the father of her child and above all just the fact he was around her gave her enormous happiness. She slowly began walking towards him when she felt something in her belly and automatically her hand went there, he creased his forehead and went near her. She took his hand and placed it on her abdomen, a second later he too felt something, their baby was moving and kicking her. She nodded her head assuring him that he was indeed thinking and feeling right, both were grinning brightly, she turned her neck and gazed at the deity thanking Him one more time for this day which was full of miracles.

They went out and began distributing blankets amongst the poor, it was dark and soon it began pouring hard. Before they could finish off distributing the people started running here and there for shelter. Arnav wrapped his arm around her securely and carefully took her back to the car. Such a heavy rain accompanied with storm in this month of the year was totally unexpected, they had covered only a few miles when they got stuck in the traffic, a huge tree had fallen off blocking the roads completely. It was getting late and worried about her he reversed the car and started searching for a different route. For hours he was driving cluelessly in the dark isolated place when he spotted a small hut kind of a thing. He stopped the car there and went close where a watchman was sitting under a porch, he informed him that his wife was expecting and they were stuck in this rain, if possible could they get some shelter for the night.

The watchman agreed and opened the door to a room which was actually a godown. Both of them were shocked to see the state of the room especially Arnav who was carrying the food basket and water bottle, he immediately began dialing aman to do something and take them out of here but due to the stormy weather the signals were weak and he couldn't get through him. She saw him calling and told him that the place was very untidy but still they could manage after all they only had to spend the night.

It was still raining and cool wind was blowing, she moved toward the window to admire the rain and took her hand out to feel the rain drops. The night was getting cooler she rubbed her arms to keep herself warm when a pair of hands came from behind and shut the window tightly. She turned around and saw him standing with a left over blanket hanging on his shoulder. He knew how much she loved the rains but in this chilly weather it wasn't appropriate for her to enjoy it, he wrapped the blanket around her and moved back to a fire place. There was an old cot in the room, she sat on it and observed him lighting the woods, thankfully they had a spare blanket in the car along with food and water to survive on.

When the woods were burning bright he came and sat next to her. She let out a small cry, he turned to her and raised his brow, she touched her belly indicating that the baby had kicked her. He shook his head and suggested," must be hungry." She too thought the same and quickly opened the box of paranthas then offered him, he took it with a small smile playing on his lips, she was amused to see him smiling and asked him," what happened?"

He looked at the parantha and then her," When I was a kid I needed to be fed after every four hours." She nodded her head on understanding why the baby was kicking her so much," no wonder golu troubles me. He's just like you."

He lowered his head sheepishly and began having the parantha, the dinner was a quiet one both thinking of their childhood, remembering how were they as kids. She gave him another parantha but he refused saying she must be hungrier and she should have it, he was full. She informed him that there were enough paranthas for them and the baby was no more kicking her.

" I know like you even he wouldn't complained and would manage with whatever was there." This time she had a proud grin on her face.

They had rarely talked about their childhood with each other, she was curious to know about him, she had only scene some photographs of his but beyond that she didn't know anything therefore asked him," Arnav ji, as a child were you this quiet and serious?" He twisted his lips and shook his head

" NO. I was a brat. Very mischievous. Only daadi could handle me." His face glowed on recalling his carefree and naughty childhood.

She had thought so when she had seen his photograph that time he was a cheerful lad," As a young boy I don't think you were as angry as you're now?" he turned his neck sharply and wondered how did she know?

She continued, "Actually the other day I had seen some of your childhood photographs. You seemed so happy. But one of the photographs was torn away and missing."

He ironed out his brows and clenched his fist so hard that his nails bit into his palms, the glow, the happiness and contentment on his face disappeared as he remembered that torn photograph which he had burnt into flames. He stared at the fire place with a serious expression, she realized that unknowingly she had brought out the wrong topic for discussion. He flared his nostrils and eyes burnt in fury, suddenly he got up and ordered her," khushi, go to sleep. It's already late. " she looked at him and asked," and you ?"

" you sleep on the cot. I'll take the floor."

She shook her head in protest and replied," no, arnav ji, I can't let you sleep on the floor."

He glared at her. She lowered her head and said," either you take the cot or I'm sleeping with you on the floor."

He took a deep breath, there was no point in arguing with her she wouldn't agree, he picked up a huge heap of hay and began spreading it on the floor then sat on it resting his head against the wall behind and patted the place next to him. She came and laid down near him and took out the prashad of laddoos they were carrying, may be the ladoos would calm him down. He took the laddoos silently and began chewing on them, she too had one and closed her eyes.

He frowned at her and asked softly," Khushi, as far as I know you're not fond of ladoos?" without opening her eyes she turned towards him and touched her belly,"yes I'm not but golu is."

He grinned broadly forgetting all his anger, one more habit of the child matched with him. He wondered who would the child resemble him or her? He didn't mind if the child possessed her looks in fact then the baby would look pretty like her. He gazed at her, she indeed was very beautiful and because of the pregnancy she glowed all the more. But he definitely would not like the baby to have his traits, he was rude, arrogant and short tempered where as she was soft spoken, grounded and calm totally opposite of him. He wished the baby possessed her endearing qualities. He was not one bit proud of himself and his deeds but he was proud of the fact that she was carrying his baby.

His eyes were starting to get heavy, he laid down and kept his hand on her belly wanting to feel the movement of the child just one more time. In the middle of the night she opened her eyes a bit and covered him too with the blanket which was wrapped around her.

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It was a bright sunny morning with rays penetrating through the windows, she squinted her eyes and twisted her body lazily then felt his heavy arm enveloped around her with his head resting on her shoulder. She wished she could stay in his arms like this forever, she felt desired, cherished, special and secured in his embrace. She turned her head a little to glance at him which disturbed his sleep, he opened his eyes and found her cuddled against him with her black eyes gazing back at him. He stared at her innocent face and remembered admiring it at night till his eye lids became heavy and he drifted off to sleep and now again he was unable to take his eyes off her, why? He wondered, why did it felt awesome to end the day with having her in his arms and again starting the day with her being so close to him?

He recalled those mornings when accidently water droplets from her hair would wake him up but today she herself looked pure and innocent like a dew drop, the sweet smell of the garland was drawing him towards her. He raised his hand and caressed her face with his long and slender fingers, she shivered under his touch and parted her lips, his gaze fell on them and he traced them with his thumb ever so slowly. Her heart pounded inside her chest and she clutched his shirt tightly in her fist. All this wasn't leaving him unaffected as his throat went dry and before he knew anything his lips were barely centimeters away from hers, he was about to cover them with his when his mobile started ringing. He opened his drowsy eyes and realized what he was about to do, he sprang apart at once leaving her blushing from head to toe and turned around to pick his mobile.

It was a worried Aman on the line," yeah aman we are fine..hmm we got stuck in the storm. I'll see in a few hours. Okay."

He turned back to look at her, she was standing near the window with her back facing him still attempting to calm down her nerves when she heard him from behind," let's go."

He tipped the watchman sitting outside handsomely and began driving silently searching for a place where they could have tea and snacks. Both were quiet, lost in their thoughts thinking about the same thing but differently. He pursed his lips wondering why couldn't he control his feelings? What had gotten into him? He clasped the steering wheel firmly and wrinkled his nose, he wasn't ashamed of his act but at the same time he didn't think what he did was right. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, she was staring at the road ahead blankly then gazed at the sky above, it was clear without any trace of clouds quite similar to her mind set which was earlier clouded with confusion but now everything was fine at least from her side.

He stopped the car in front of a tea stall and ordered the same for both of them and bought some biscuit packets as well. She sat on the bench with the tea cup and listened to the song which was playing on the radio there.

Hota hai jaise, neendon mein bolna

Baahon mein dolna, aankhon mein tolna

Hone laga hai, jane kyun aisa

Kuch luv jaisa, mujhko ho raha