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Dear friends āļø,
Its embarrassing for me, not being able to keep to my schedule of posting updates. So I am really thankful and grateful to all who are still following "The Seed of Passion". This is for all of you from the barun of my heart...
Chapter 42
Harsh Glow
Arnav, Khushi moaned as his tongue sought, touched and flamed every inch of her soft moist mouth, his hunger rising to a feverish pitch. Khushi trembled in sweet surrender as a honeyed languor overtook her senses...she felt her heart fill with a bliss of unknown proportions that seemed to rise above her, overwhelm her till she could bare no more...Yet she craved for more...a fulfilment that seemed to allure her. She moved restlessly in his embrace, opening herself up to him like a blooming flower...
He sucked her sweet nectar hungrily...
If only she could melt into him, become one with him... if only! She sighed in pleasure as their dhadkans beat as one, louder and louder in a passionate rhythm! She moved restlessly into his broad chest again, rubbing her breasts against his heart in the process...
He grunted between hot open kisses, "Khushi...don't...don't...stay still..."
He was afraid he was spiraling out of control but could not seem to stop kissing her! And it drove him nuts to feel her softness rubbing herself against him and ripening to a sweet hardness
"Mmm..."Khushi whispered inside his mouth... " Don't stop Arnav...Give me more..."
These words jolted Arnav out of his sinful bliss...More...She wanted more! He swallowed hard! And that is something he could never give her! Because he knew it was not just physical fulfilment she was demanding...it was those weird ideas about love and marriage, she had grown up believing in...!
And he was proved right when she sighed deeply and mumbled happily, "I..love you Arnav..."
Unbelievable! She had said it again! Those worthless words and nonsensical emotions! Dammit!
Arnav pursed his lips and leaned back, staring at her half parted lips and closed eyes... the long thick lashes grazing her peach skin. Her face was luminous with a beautiful glow and Arnav stared at her in desperation and helplessness...
Arnav shut his eyes tightly and turned his face away and said in a strangled voice, "Khushi I think we should go... Everyone is the next room..."
"Huh?" Khushi opened her eyes dreamily and smiled at him, marvelling at his profile. The dim light seemed to make him handsomer, highlighting his proud sharp features in their play of light and shadow...
And suddenly the lights came on!
Khushi blinked her eyes and held up a hand against the harsh shadow of reality...
He was no longer holding her in his warmth. Khushi shivered as he got up from the bed without glancing at her and said, " Tum theek ho? I hope you are not feeling dizzy now. Di, Nani and others must be worrying about you...lets go to the other room.."
"Hmmm..." she barely nodded, not trusting herself to speak as a cold hand gripped her heart...She knew he was confused about his feelings for her and was distancing himself from her again...Hey Devi maiyya why couldn't he understand how much that hurt her...
"No Khushi!" she reprimanded herself for thinking on those lines. He has just learnt the bitter truth about his maa's murder and I have to be patient with him in spite of his hurting rejection of my feelings, she thought biting her lower lip and tasting her blood on it.
...
The atmosphere in the living room was sad but the pain of the past revelations had brought the family close. They all sat huddled together in a sharing silence that seemed to fill their emptiness with a hope for stoically facing the future as one united family. And it was this palpable closeness that made Khushi smile again as she walked into the room behind Arnav.
"Khusi bitiya! How are you?" Nani asked with concern.
Anjali stared at Arnav Khushi. She could feel that something had happened between them. But before she could remark, Khushi said,
"Hum theek hain, Naniji. I was just feeling a little dizzy. What about you? Hope you are feeling lighter after taking the load of secrets off your chest..." She walked up to Nani and hugged her.
Arnav shifted on his feet and addressed Anjali. "Di I want to talk to you about something important..."
"What is it Chhotey?" Anjali squinted her eyes.
"I'd rather talk to you in private Di!" Arnav replied in a low voice.
"Hello hi bye bye! Another secretwa!" Manorama wailed.
"I don't want to keep any secrets from the family, Chhotey..." Anjali's forehead creased.
"Its about...Jijaji... Di..." Arnav said raking his hand through his hair.
Nani interjected, "Anjali bitiya, I think you should talk in private..."
Anjali's lips quivered and her heart started beating madly in apprehension...
"No Nani, what ever it is, I know I will not be able to face it without my family's support...Go ahead Chhotey..."
Aman had already told her that Shyam was cheating on her with another woman! Anjal's eyes stung with the pain in her heart! What can be worse than this news she thought! Yet she braced herself for the worst and gestured to Arnav to continue...
Everyone waited with bated breath...
Arnav let out a deep sigh and said in a gravelled voice, "Di...it is about Jijaji. You already know what Aman told you about him..." Arnav stopped short not willing to disclose any more to the family about how Shyam had cheated his on Di
Anjali smiled sadly and said in a strangled voice, "I know about your Jijaji, Chhotey..."
"Well that is not all Di!" Arnav's tone was rough. "He is not worth you Di and never was! Arnav gritted his teeth and clenched his fist in rage.
"Dadi got him married to you so that he could stay in our house and keep an eye on us for the Malliks. He was a scoundrel who was planted in our house by them...who cheated on you..never really loved you! Never really deserved you as his wife...so I..." Arnav stopped in midsentence panting, his eyes bloodshot! Everyone was looking at him with disbelief. Anjali said in a low shaky voice...
"So what...so what did you do Chhotey? Tell me please..."
Arnav looked at her triumphantly, " So I packed him away to Stockholm and put him in a situation where he was forced to sign these divorce papers..." Arnav withdrew a sheet of paper from his hip pocket and threw it down on the centre table!
Everyone gasped!
In the last few days Anjali had accepted in her heart of hearts that all was not well between her and Shyamji and she had become increasingly suspicious of his ways. And Aman had only confirmed her suspicions! But divorce! Oh God! The unsettling reality struck her full force and had her tumbling in an abyss...
Arnav was watching her like a hawk and in the spur of a second he sprinted towards her and held her tottering frame in his strong embrace.
"Di ! Di! Forgive me Di for breaking the news to you like this!" he cried in desperation.
He felt a reassuring touch on his shoulder and turned around with a worried look on his face.
Nani looked deep into his eyes and said in a soft voice, " It is alright Chhotey. We are all here to take care of Anjali. What you revealed was shocking indeed! But then you had to let her know sometime...and I am glad you let her know sooner rather than later..."
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The phone in the Raizada mansion rang... tring...tring...tring...
Hari Prakash ran to pick up the phone bleary eyed! Who was calling so early in the moning!
"Haaallluuu!" he whined into the phone.
"Hari Prakash!" Subhadra Mallik growled at the other end.
"Ji Dadiji!" Hari Prakash was now fully awake and alert.
"Shyam ko phone do!(Give the phone to Shyam)!" she ordered.
"Ajit's case will be in court tomorrow, where the hell has that Shyam vanished!" she muttered furiously.
Hari Prakash scratched his ear ferociously and asked, "Kya Dadiji. Kucchh sunai nahin diya! (What dadi I could not hear anything!)"
"Tumhe jo puccha wo batao! Tumhare Shyam jijaji kahan hai? (Just answer the question! Where is your Shyam jijaji?)
"Ghar par to koi nahin hai Dadiji!( But no one is at home Dadiji!)"
" Kahan gayye hain sab? (Where has everyone gone?)"Subhadra asked her voice suspicious. She had been frantically looking for Shyam but he seemed to have disappeared suspiciously.
"Kalkata gayein hain! Naniji se milne! Kitni khushi ki baat hain na! (They have gone to Kolkata to meet Naniji! It is such a happy news isn't it?)"
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The first saffron hues of the rising sun set the horizon agog with splashes of red, purple, pink and Arnav stared deep into the glow of colours beyond and sighed. He leaned against the railing of the veranda and lifted his dark brooding face towards the skies wishing it away.
In the eager glow that spread its warmth and light it was no longer possible to hide the dreading that filled him! He had failed his Di just like he had failed his maa! Face it Arnav singh Raizada! Accept it! The truth had seen the light of day! He had not been able to prevent his maa's murder, nor had he been able to give Di happiness in her life! He banged his fist on the railing, welcoming the punishing pain and closing his eyes to the spreading golden glow.
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Ajit's eyes glowed like a monster! He banged his fists against the prison bars and let out a blood curling scream! Aaa...gghhhaa!"
"Stop it Ajit. Control yourself. Have you lost it?!" Subhadra Mallik growled at him.
Ajit pounced on her, "Lost it! What do you mean I have lost it! You tell me that Arnav and Anjali are most probably in Kolkata meeting up with their Nani and her family! Moreover, there is no trace of Shyam, and you expect me to control myself!"
"There is definitely a link between these incidents!" he roared. The nerve on his face twitched madly.
Dadi held her head in her hands and whispered, "I think so too!"
"You did a great blunder Amma!" Ajit shrieked in anger at his mother.
"You should have dealt with Aakash before Arnav stepped in and took him under his protection in his house!"
"That is the least of our worries Ajit! Devyani Raizada must have told the siblings about her suspicions...that Ratna's death was not suicide... And Arnav will move heaven and hell to find out the truth.." Beads of perspiration lined Subhadra's forehead and her voice shook.
Ajit punched the prison wall above his head in frustration.
Seconds ticked by in silence, disturbed only by the cracking sound of the prison warden's whip in the distance.
Then a slow sick smile spread over Ajit's... "But how will Arnav find out anything Amma? No one knows anything except..."
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The ringing of temple bells and the chant of hymns welcoming the morning sun brought Arnav out of his reverie! He scowled and shook his head in disbelief! What the...did his family think they were doing... invoking gods who had no control over their destiny...gods who did not believe in justice...gods who let his maa die at the hand of an evil person...gods who had given his Di a living death...
His nostrils flared and his eyes spitting fire, he sprinted down the steps to the puja room with a desire to end the undesireable racket. His Di was standing in the centre of the crowd, doing aarti along with Nani! Arnav's temper rose! She had fained an hour ago. She should be taking rest. But no, here she was appeasing an idol made of stone! Unbelievable!
Khushi must be here too he thought! His eyes sought and located her standing in the corner of the room with her jiji. Khushi's eyes were closed and her hands were folded in prayer. The serenity on her face would have made many a calm oceans envious. She moistened her lips with Devi maiyya's name like raindrops on a blooming lotus. Arnav stared at her innocent beauty in wonder.
A massive guilt ripped through Arnav. He was so sorry he had dragged an innocent Khushi into the mess his life was! There was no saying what direction his life would take now...But he was sure of one thing! He could not let her get hurt again!
Khushi felt his presence around her and she opened her eyes slowly to find him gazing at her with a soft look in his eyes. Their eyes locked. And Arnav felt his control failing him. He wanted to turn his gaze away from her but her hazel eyes seemed to hold his brown ones for eternity and then her pink petals parted in a smile for him that filled her eyes with the glow of the sunlight. Arnav swallowed hard and almost sighed in relief when his phone rang.
"Hello! ASR can we talk now?
"Yes Aman. Go ahead." he breathed heavily into the phone.
"Dadi had called Hari Prakash. And he told her what you had instructed!"
Arnav smirked and muttered, "So now Dadi and Ajit chacha know that we are in Kolkata, visiting Nani?"
"Yes ASR!" Aman affirmed. However he said in a confused troubled voice, "But ASR, I can't understand why you want the Malliks to know you are in Kolkata! They might try to harm Anjali ji...I mean all of you...Nani and the family."
"Don't worry Aman! I have aready arranged for Nani's bungalow to be under surveillance 24X7 by the best security service in the world!"
" As regards the Malliks, I want them to feel that they are one up against me! Once they feel complacent, I know they will make a mistake. That is the only way I can extract the truth about our maa's death from them..." Arnav stopped in mid-sentence. He was amazed he was discussing such private matters with his employee!
He remembered it was Aman who had broken the news of Shyam's dalliance with the other woman to his Di! Although he had expressed his disapproval to Aman, he was secretly relieved that he himself did not have to break this terrible news to his sister. Aman had taken good care of his Di and Arnav was grateful to him though he was the last person to admit it! An employee had proved more loyal that his own uncle and grandmother! Unbelievable!
"ASR...are you still on the line? Do you want me to do anything else for you?"
Arnav cleared his throat and said, "No Aman...Just be there will you?"
"Yes, ASR...!" Aman mumbled before the line was disconnected by his boss!
Aman kept down the phone and sighed. He wondered how Anjali ji was! He had not been able to gather enough courage to ask ASR!
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"Chhotey! Have you finished your call?" Anjali sighted her brother suddenly and smiled. "Please come here!" she said, gesturing towards the temple.
Arnav's jaw hardened. "You know I don't believe in prayers!"
Anjali's face fell.
"Please Chhotey..." she pleaded, "It's for maa..."
Arnav's eyes flitted in the direction of the temple and his gaze stopped at the framed picture of his maa...
Maa's smile brought back such lively memories...his stomach churned...tears welled up in his luminous eyes and Arnav blinked rapidly to dissipate the moistness in his molten pools.
Of his own voilition he moved towards his maa's picture. Anjali wiped the tears in her eyes and limped quicky towards her brother with the pooja thaal. The diya on the thaal flickered...Arnav covered the distance in two strides and shaded the diya with his palm, preventing it from blowing out.
Everyone noticed the gesture. Anjal's eyes met Nani's and they smiled.
"Hello hi to diya glow, no bye bye!" Mami remarked rolling her eyes.
Khushi squeezed Payal's hand and a lone tear smeared her red cheeks and she tasted its salt on her lips as Anjali handed the aarti thaal to Arnav.
Aman and Manohar raised their hands to ring the temple bells. Everyone was watching Arnav anxiously.
Arnav hesitated for a second and then he took the pooja thaal. He hesitated. Then he started moving the thaal in slow circular motions, his eyes focussed on his maa's picture next to Devi Maiyya's. In the dancing light of the fiery diya he saw the blazinfg fire of his mother's pyre, the flames leaping to engulf her, to take her away from him forever!
"Maaa...!" his heart cried out. Suddenly the thaal clattered to the ground and Arnav walked out of the room briskly.
Before anyone could react Khushi ran out of the room after Arnav.
"Stop Arnav...Arnav please..." she called out to him, her heart bursting in pain for him, "Where are you going?"
Arnav, who had already covered the hallway in long strides, stopped in his tracks and turned about in one swift angry motion.
"I am going to kill everyone responsible for maa's death..." he vowed in a voice, raw with emotion, his eyes spitting fire!
"Don't Arnav!' Khushi's eyes opened wide in panic.
Arnav eyes clouded "Keep away from me, Khushi," he ordered, before marching away.
"I won't !" Khushi stamped her foot in frustration. I must find out what he is planning to do. I cannot let him do anything foolish, she thought as a chill ran up her spine...
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Waiting for your likes and comments as greedily as always,š my friendsš!
love
wiwy
Edited by wiwy - 10 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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