Arshi FF:Love Me Forever #2 LINK TO# 3 pg 149 - Page 55

Chapter 21

It was payal's mehendi and sangeet ceremony a day before her marriage with aakash. After getting payal ready she came into the room to dress up herself, he was busy adjusting the long stole around his neck, looked at himself in the mirror for a couple of times, frustratingly thought that the stole was not suiting him so pulled it and threw it on the bed, he turned his neck and saw her standing, their gaze met for a moment, his expressions softened a bit and she quietly went to the bathroom carrying her sari.

Minutes later she came out and found him missing in the room, probably he had left to look into the arrangements for the evening. She adjusted her yellow sari with green border and pinned it in a way that it covered her baby bump properly then tied up hair in the bun, she felt more comfortable with tied up hair. She went to the cupboard and took out her jewellery box wore the gold set and saw herself in the mirror she was about to wear the gold earrings when her gaze fell on the dressing table.

Something was wrapped in a newspaper along with it a small box was kept, she unwrapped the newspaper and gave out a thin smile on seeing a tuberose garland (gajra), she shook her head, he must have kept it.

She let out a sigh and thought should she now open her hair to tie the garland? She raised her hand to pull her hair down but stopped midway then tied the garland around her bun. She knew he liked her hair open but when in a bun she could manage them easily, she didn't want to displease him purposely by not keeping her hair open, it was just that she felt more convenient this way.

Earlier she used to go out of her way or should say dressed up only keeping him in mind but now she wished to be herself, wanted to give priority to her own preferences and would feel happy if he just liked her that way because he accepting her, she had stopped thinking about it. She opened the small box it was the same one which he had left on her bedside on her birthday night, another pair of diamond studded earrings. She took them in her hand and was admiring them along with wondering which one to wear when payal came to her room and saw them with her," bhabhi, I think the gold ones will go with your sari."

She nodded her head in agreement, payal was right, they matched well with her necklace and yellow sari. She closed the box slowly and kept it back in the drawer.

All the ladies were busy getting their hands clad in hinnah (mehndi) along with payal after which they were supposed to perform on wedding songs. She was sitting next to daadi in the hall happily watching the whole house buzzing with excitement.

Daadi noticed that she had still not adorned mehndi on her hands ," khushi beta what are you waiting for? Go and put mehendi on your hands." she nodded her head, daadi immediately called a young girl to apply mehndi on her hands. She was gazing at the design which the girl was making when she stopped in the middle and asked her," maam should I write your husband's name on your right hand?" unaware that he was standing right behind them with his back facing khushi's back, she smiled at the girl and shook her head in negation, she had already written his name on her heart infact her life belonged to him, she did not need to publicly display what she felt for him, she was shy to do so.

A minute later he turned around and saw the gajra in her hair, he smiled and thought it would have been better had she kept her hair open.

Soon the celebrations started with a bang, anjali began dancing on the song

Mehendi laga ke rakhna

Doli sajaa ke rakhna

Lene tujhe o gori

Aayenge tere sajna

Payal smiled through her tears, she was going through a gamut of emotions, she was nervous, excited, happy, sad all at the same time. Arnav noticed her tears it wasn't easy for him to let go his sister who was close to him. Daadi cupped her face and kissed her forehead to stop her from crying.

Khushi was still getting her mehndi done when anjali approached to ask her," bhabhi, we won't make you dance instead you'll have to sing for us."

Khushi was surprised to hear her request, how could she sing and that too in front of so many people, she shook her head smilingly, refusing anjali but anjali wasn't one of those who would give up so easily, she looked at her brother then at khushi and said, " okay not for us but at least for chotte you can sing?" she raised her head and gazed at him who was standing calmly with a thin smile playing on his lips and hands crossed in front of his chest, she dropped her eyes and looked down once again silently, seeing her not agreeing to sing, payal intervened and said," bhabhi, I request you please sing something for bhai." She couldn't refuse payal especially on her special day so parted her lips to sing

Kabhi neem neem

Kabhi shahad shahd

Kabhi naram naram

Kabhi sakht

Mora piya mora piya

Ruswa hui toh

Duniya hasi toh

Lajja se mere re ye jiya.

She glanced at him shyly, his eyes were glowing, the lyrics suited him perfectly, one moment he would blurt out something really bitter and harsh then the next moment he would repent seriously and try to make up for it with his sweet gestures, to the world he posed as a rough hard emotionless being but she knew he possessed a soft heart within, that was full of love for his family.

Everyone cheered disturbing her train of thoughts, in the middle of all this how could aman keep quiet, he too jumped in and coaxed arnav to sing for khushi, he glared at him to silence him but aman was relentless," no boss, today your glares won't work." He singing was out of question, he thought of leaving the place when aman asked him behind," what is this boss...tonight bhabhi is looking so pretty, can't you appreciate her?" he stopped in his tracks and looked at her, as usual she wasn't complaining neither forcing him to do something which he didn't intend to do but at least he could say something nice about her, he didn't remember complimenting her ever, not only in public but even in private too.

He paused for a while to gather his courage and confidence to do something which he had never done before then began singing slowly

Kaise mujhe tum mil gayi, kismet per aaye nay akin

Utar aayi jheel mein, jaise chand utarta hai kabhi

Haule haule dheere se

Main toh yeh sochta tha ki aaj kal , uparwale ko fursat nahin

Phirbhi tumhein bana ke woh, meri nazar mein chad gaya

Rutbe mein woh aur badh gaya

He believed in each and every word of the song, he was more than fortunate to have her around, he had committed so many crimes, done several misdeeds in his past that never in his dreams had he imagined that somebody like her would enter his life. After getting back stabbed so many times by his near and dear ones he had lost faith in relationships but her goodness, her innocence made him value people around him. She changed him, his life for the better bringing out a totally different side out of him. Someone who believed in god just for namesake seeing her devotion involuntarily began believing in that super power which brought her to his barren, isolated and lonely world, she gave direction to her aimless, fruitless, meaningless life.

He looked at her, she had moisture in her eyes, her lips trembled before giving out a weak smile, had he not sung tonight, probably he would have never said all this to her. Aman patted his back appreciating him for letting his guard down for the first time and expressing his feelings openly.

It was dinner time all the guests were enjoying the sumptuous meal especially the ladies who had mehndi on their palms and were being fed by their husbands. Arnav rolled his eyes on seeing anjali being fed by shyam, but his eyes widened when he caught aakash feeding payal, he kept on staring him when aman nudged him and said," relax. Tomorrow she'll marry him."

He softened his hard expressions and turned to aman who was holding a plate full of rice, dal and vegetables, he took it from him and began having it. Aman slapped his forehead and said," god what do I do with you? You're eating alone, won't you feed bhabhi ?" he shot aman a glare, had he gone crazy? How could he feed khushi?

In response to which aman flashed his cute dimpled smile to calm him down, khushi pressed her lips to prevent herself from smiling, he had already sung a song for her now aman wanted him to feed her like any other normal husband was doing, this was too much for him.

Daadi covered her mouth with the end of her sari in an attempt to hide her grin, she could see the hesitancy in her chotte so thought of relieving him by suggesting ," give me the plate. Today khushi will eat from my hands." He was more than happy to hand over the plate to daadi and went back with aman to take another one.

He was returning to his room after finishing his meal when he stopped outside payal's bedroom, she was admiring her palms just then a tear droplet fell on them, he walked in and stood at the edge of the bed," you're still awake?" she nodded her head, she couldn't sleep, tomorrow was the biggest day of her life making her jittery and sleepless. She stood up and forcefully brought a smile on her face,then looked around at her room where she had spent some memorable years of her life," bhai tonight is my last night in this room, in this house ..how can I sleep."

The house would be empty without her, he would miss her terribly, he glanced at her nervous face and remembered her crying during the sangeet ceremony, he gave her a sideways hug and said," don't worry, aakash is a nice guy. He'll take care of you."

She knew that aakash was a nice guy and would keep her happy still there was a certain kind of apprehensiveness in her weather things would work out well or not? Like any other girl she too had dreamt about her marriage and now when the day was just round the corner she couldn't stop herself from thinking weather her dreams would get fulfilled the way she had thought about them or not? She stood before him and said," bhai for a girl her marriage is her biggest and the beautiful dream. And to realize that dream she leaves her home, family and all relationships behind. Trusting the rest of her life with a stranger is not easy."

Her words jolted him it was indeed not easy to leave your house where you have grown up and leave your beloved family for a complete stranger, handing him over your most precious dream unaware if it would come true or get broken by his hands. He raised his hand and stroke her head," go to sleep. It's too late."

She smiled and nodded her head then asked him softly as he was leaving the room," can I ask you something?" he stopped at the door and turned around to hear her, he lifted his head gesturing her to ask him what she wanted to, she opened her mouth and said softly," tomorrow I want you and bhabhi to do my kanyadan"

Tears glistened his eyes as he couldn't believe that she wanted him to perform the most important ritual of her marriage, he shook his head agreeing to do so.

Khushi was sitting on the bed scrapping off the dried mehndi with a tissue paper, she was done with her left hand just then he came in with two cups of tea, she looked up in surprise, he gave her one cup and sat next to her, she was still frowning at him, he turned his neck to look at her and said," now tell me how's it?" she smiled and sipped it, it had ginger in it and tasted really nice, she was amazed that he had made it, she glanced at him and said," very nice."

There was silence in the room both were sharing the tea quietly, payal's words regarding marriage kept playing in his mind, for the first time he thought like any other girl even khushi must have dreamt about her wedding and the way it happened was certainly not less than a nightmare. Unknowingly or probably without sparing a thought about her expectations he had crushed her dream to fulfill his. He parted his lips to speak," I broke your dream." she stopped having tea and knitted her brows, which dream of her had he broken she wondered, he saw the confused look on her face and stated," you must have had high expectations from your marriage and I selfishly shattered them."

She lowered her head and recalled that she had indeed dreamt about her marriage, a simple home with a loving husband and kids nothing special or out of this world, a believable dream which she had thought that bappa would fulfill but in reality she got married into a lavish home with a husband who would never love her and as far as the kids were concerned she caressed her baby bump wondering what the future held for her. The reality was so different that now she was scared to dream anymore.

He kept the empty cup on the side table, took her right hand in his and began removing her mehndi with the tissue paper as she continued to sip on her tea slowly. A smile crept her lips on seeing him doing that, he always did the unexpected. While removing the mehndi he gazed at her palm carefully, his eyes searching for his name but failed to find it. He looked up at her she didn't wear the earrings too that he had got for her, it disappointed and disturbed him somewhere but later he smirked inwardly after crushing her dream into pieces after rejecting her love he still had the audacity to expect her to write his name on her palm? to dress up according to his liking? to accept what he gifted her? How insensitive and selfish could he get?

She asked softly," Arnav ji, can we sleep? I'm really tired." He nodded his head it was getting late and they should go off to sleep. She pulled up the blanket and shut her eyes, he laid sideways facing her and stared at her silently till his eye lids became heavy and dropped down.

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She went to daadi's room to give her evening tea and medicines but found her sitting with payal sharing a beautiful mother daughter moment, she remembered her time before wedding when her mother sat with her explaining the importance of marriage, the responsibilities she was supposed to discharge after marriage, tears welled up in her eyes which she pushed them back, kept the tea along with the medicines and quietly left the room.

On her way out anjali caught her and offered to help her out in getting ready. She smiled and went to her room with her, she glanced at the pink lehenga with wide eyes that anjali had brought for her, how was she supposed to wear such a heavy outfit and that too in her sixth month of pregnancy.

She rested her hand on her waist and looked at anjali pleadingly not to make her wear that lehenga, anjali smiled and shook her head," khushi bhabhi, it's not that heavy and trust me you'll look lovely in it. Please wear it for me." The emotional blackmailing worked on her and she agreed reluctantly to wear that outfit. Anjali was right, the light pink color of the lehenga matched with the blush on her cheeks, the outfit enhanced her innocent beauty all the more, she lifted her hair to tie it when khushi stopped her and said," di, I'll keep it open." So she left her hair open as she wanted.

Anjali was completing the final touches of her make up and jewellery when arnav entered the room, he saw her reflection in the mirror and was left spellbound, her cheeks colored all the more on seeing him staring at her like that, she lowered her eyes shyly while anjali coughed lightly making him realize what he was doing, he shifted his eyes and went straight to the washroom to fresh n up.

When khushi was done with her dressing up she opened the cupboard and took out the blue jodhpuri suit which he had selected when they had gone shopping. She went down the stairs with anjali and began meeting the guests, just then someone patted her shoulder from behind, she turned around and was pleasantly surprised to see her parents standing. She hugged them both when garima happily informed her," arnav beta came personally to invite us."

She shook her head and thought she was missing her parents a lot but was hesitant to invite them in this big wedding however he didn't forget and personally went to invite them, it touched her to know that he respected her family so much. She was busy talking to her mother when all of a sudden her gaze fell on the stairs, he was descending down wearing that same cream jodhpuri suit which she wanted him to buy but that time he had refused saying that its round collar would make him feel uncomfortable and now he was wearing that same suit? When did he get it? She couldn't hide her joy and smiled looking at him. He too was glad and thought he could bear with that discomforting collar if it managed to bring that radiance back to her face.

Few hours later Payal and aakash exchanged the wedding garlands and sat down in the pandal for the remaining wedding ceremonies, as payal had wanted both arnav and khushi joined them to carry out the kanyadan ritual. The priest explained them the importance of this auspicious and dutiful ritual wherein he was supposed to handover all the rights and duties related to his sister to aakash, he had to give away his beloved sister who grew up in front of him to her prospective husband. It was the biggest honor that could be bestowed on his shoulders yet it wasn't easy to part with her. Aakash touched payal's right shoulder as a symbol of acceptance promising to take care of her.

For the first time he thought as parents how difficult it must be to give away their daughter's hand to a complete stranger with the hope that he would cherish and value their priceless daughter forever. He glanced at khushi's parents who were standing along with the guests unaware under what circumstances he had married their daughter. Like any other parents they too must have handed over her to him with the blind faith that he would not leave her hand ever and would be always there for her. How would they react on coming to know that he had married her just for one year to have a child from her? How would have he reacted had aakash done the same with payal? His blood boiled in disgust with himself, he was ashamed of himself for playing with khushi's dreams, for breaking the trust that her parents must have had on him.

The priest told everybody to stand up as the bride and the groom circled around the holy fire and took vows. Arnav watched both of them walk around the fire as the priest described about the seven vows, making him remember his own wedding, the first vow to respect each other, she not only respected him but literally worshipped him, he too respected her as his wife but did he always respect her feelings? The second vow to love and trust each other, she loved and trusted him blindly nobody could doubt that, well he too trusted her in fact re learnt to trust people from her but love? He looked at her, she was wearing the diamond earrings that he had gifted her on her birthday and taken out for her on the mehndi night, he let out a faint smile. The third vow sharing sorrows and joys that he surely did with her, things which he couldn't share with anybody he did with her but did she do the same with him? He couldn't recall the last time she shared her problems with him, probably he never gave her a chance to do so, was always engrossed in his own worries and grief's without bothering about what she must be going through, the fourth vow fulfillment of spiritual obligations, again because of her he started believing that everything was not in his hands, somethings we needed to leave on that almighty. The fifth vow raising noble children, he smirked inwardly on thinking that was the sole reason why he married her, he shook his head weather his child would be noble like her or ruthless like him he didn't know, the sixth vow peaceful life, she had indeed brought peace in his life whereas his entry had turned her otherwise peaceful life up side down, he jerked on hearing the word " life" he had married her just for an year whereas marriage was for keeps, how badly had he insulted the holy institution of marriage by laying down those horrible conditions for her, once again he looked at her, she was calm and composed as always never complaining and always forgiving, he certainly didn't deserve her.

The last and the most important vow true companionship for life, could he ever ask for a better partner than her? Who understood him like nobody did, when they were quiet their silence spoke told her what was in his heart and mind. Whenever he stumbled she was there to support him, she awoke the sleeping arnav inside him, brought him to life once again. She fulfilled all the vows in a way he had never expected, he gazed at her one more time, she was bidding farewell to payal, he pursed his lips and thought how wrong was he, for long he believed that he was fair in this marriage after all he had discharged all the responsibilities of a husband, hadn't he?

He shook his head"no" he had failed big time, he was anything but fair to her, to this marriage. She stood in front of him, he appeared distressed may be payal leaving was disturbing him. He stared back at her, to get the enjoy happiness one needed someone to share it with, he had that someone but was he prepared to acknowledge, accept and value that somebody?