Chapter 20
She stared at the woman standing in front of her. To say that she was mesmerized and overcome by a deep sense of pride would be an understatement. Her expectations were trivialized by the beauty that stood before her. The heart shaped face was bordered by cascades of black lustrous hair. The flawless face got an enhancement to its beauty with the most expressive pair of lively almond colored eyes that were embellished by thick lashes and crowned by faultlessly shaped brows. The size of face was matched by a shapely nose that was bounded below by beautiful bow shaped uncreased rosy lips. She touched those petals with her dainty fingers, and the memory of a warmth exuded by another pair of firm lips that she missed everyday filled her senses with unexplainable emotions. Noticing a beautiful pink hue adorning her smooth cheeks for which only one man was responsible, she stepped back a bit and viewed her full length reflection in the mirror. She blinked her eyes a few times to make sure that what she was seeing in the mirror was not a figment of her imagination but was really her own self, who didn't look one bit like the shabby, unruly roguish, bubbly girl she was, who gave a damn for her appearance getting marred by the muddy terrain she used to play all day long. This girl, who she realized was none othan herself, was an impeccable beauty, wrapped up in the lap of modern and sophisticated upbringing, yet with a liberal touch of inherent splendor. For a moment Khushi felt that the little girl she remembered she used to be, who was the contrast to the girl in the mirror, belonged to another place and time, may be another life.
Retrospectively, did she not leave that life behind her forever, never to think or talk about it?
"Khussi!!! Tanik seedhe baiti raho bitiya" Khushi smiled remembering her Amma trying to make her sit still while she did her hair. What would she have said about her now grown up daughter, she wondered. The vague memories of her mother made her think that she was truly her mother's daughter. If not completely, Khushi noted with a pinch of pride that she indeed was nearly as beautiful as her mother.
"Khusii!! Ee dekho, hum kaa laaye hain tumre khatir" A tear rolled down her cheeks as she remembered her bauji producing a parcel of Jalebis in front of her eager eyes. She was her father's daughter in the sense that she hero wroshipped him like all daughters of her then age. And she was his life. Who better than her would know what he did to prevent that life from extinguishing.
"Poochiye mat Bhabhi!! Hum jald hi buddi ho jaayengey aapki laadli ke peeche bhaag bhaag ke" Khushi smiled through her tears as her aunt's mock complaint breezed into her ears.
As she allowed herself to be consumed by the memories of the past, her parents'smiling faces floating in the air in front of her, a wave of nostalgia of a haphazard compilation of the beautiful days that made her childhood days paraded in her mind and so did the last moments of the ill-fated day that snatched away the last remnants of her biological family. Reminiscence of that horrible night swam across her memory in a haze making her sway in her stance for a moment that prompted her to take hold of a nearby chair for support. Khushi staggered to the chair and sat down tiredly, as the last ever words uttered by her father came back to her.
"Jump out bitiya! Jump!"
Uninhibited tears poured out of her eyes as she remembered how frightened she was that night, the desperate cries of her mother and aunt seated on the rear seat at their inability to pry open their doors, filling her ears. Realizing that she was too stupefied to jump out, her father while still handling the wheel of the car, in a last desperate attempt to get her out of the racing car had pushed her out that sent her rolling out into the woods finally coming to a stop after hit by a trunk of a tree. She remembered the warm blood that oozed out of her broken skull and calling out to her amma and bauji for God knew how long until help had arrived.
"I will take you to your Amma, Bauji. Tell me your name."
The soft voice of Shyam reverberated in her ears as if it happened yesterday. As she had stammered out her name, the next thing that she knew was that she was pulled on to a warm lap that promised a lifetime of unconditional love.
Days after she had survived the accident and was slowly coming to terms with her multiple loss, she had often sat on the hospital bed and mulled over the events of that night. She distastefully had avoided going through the happenings that had preceeded the accident. She assumed that her mother and aunt never managed to open the door on their side since their bodies were recovered from the drowned car. Her father had sustained fatal injuries and had held on to the last thread of his life to hear from someone that his bitya survived, a piece of information that she had received from Shyam's uncle. That made her rememer Phoophaji's warning he had made to her the day after Shyam had promised to be her brother - a warning that sounded more like a desperate request.
"Shyam believes that it is his mother's blessings that you have come to him. As his Uncle and the eldest in my family, I have taken it upon myself to safeguard everyone's interest in my family. I spoke with your father briefly before he breathed his last. He requested me to find you and take your responsibility. My nephew beat me to it. It was your father's wish that you embrace your new life and never talk about your past life to anyone. Will you promise me that you will fulfill his last wish Khushi?"
Khushi let out a deep shuddered sigh. That day she had promised herself that she would never talk about her past life to anyone, not even her bhaiyya. But it wasn't easy to let go of the memories of the people who were tied to her in more than one ways, was it? For years that followed, the thought that she would never again get to lay her head on her mother's lap, she would never again dance around her father as he dodged a packet of jalebis in his hands, she would never ever get to feel the warmth of her bua's affectionate hand running through her hair as she slept, have had stilled her being for a moment or more knocking the air out of her lungs. The intensity of the pain had eventually decreased, thanks to the ceaseless efforts from her adopted family, yet the yearning was embedded in the deepest layers of her heart that would never get its fulfilment. Today as she saw her own reflection in the mirror, she wanted to cry her heart out at her loss all those years ago, but all she did was to swallow her pain and tears because Khushi Gupta knew that none of her dear ones - not her papa, buaji, Payal or NK, not Arnav or her Bhabhi and definitely not her bhaiyya - deserved to see her pain and see her in pain. For them, she would cross this bridge, no matter how difficult it was.
Khushi pulled out a few sheets of wet tissues from the dresser and wiped her face clean off any trace of tears and put on one of her most cheerful smiles, one that cannot be found out by her ever protective father and brother and got ready for the day. Right on cue, her brother knocked on her door to say that she was wanted in the living room. He had an announcement to make.
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"It feels so good to have you back with us Di!"
Anjali smiled and ran a loving hand on Arnav's hair reveling in the warmth of his head on her lap. It had been a day since Shyam reached New York and about two days since Anjali came to Shantivan. Both families had rejoiced at Khushi's restoration of vision. It was the night before Arnav's impending departure to London to finalize a deal and Arnav was packing for the trip when Anjali had knocked on his door. She and her husband had decided that that they will disclose their happy news to their respective families in an hour. As Shyam waited for Khushi to get ready for the day in New York, Anjali decided that she would make the announcement over dinner. But she wanted to give the news to her Chote before the others.
"Liar!! You and Akash are practically living in Gupta Mansion. Why would you miss me?"
Arnav slowly straightened himself and took her hands.
"I missed our "our time" Di. Now I have to share you with your husband and in-laws, not to forget your pyaari sister-in-law."
"And you love sharing me with her, don't you?"
Arnav didn't hesitate even for a moment. "It gives me so much happiness to see her bond with you Di. It trusly does. Yet if I have to be honest, then I miss having you all to myself, you hovering over me and all that comes under your "mother hen" characters for me." Arnav finished with a chuckle.
Anjali affectionately cupped his face and looked at him with utmost motherly love that existed for him ever since their mother had left him with her. "Then you are in big trouble chote. You will now have to learn to share me with another person who is going to monopolize me big time. What will you do then?" She asked innocently.
Arnav let an exasperated sigh and said, "I know I know, once Jijaji comes back he is going to insist on having you all for..." Arnav abruptly stopped and froze for a moment replaying Anjali's words again. Then it sank in. He sharply turned to look at her face, which wore a dazzling smile now, with a sheen of wetness filming her eyes. Suddenly she seem to have a glow that came from within. He took her hands in his ever so gently and said, "Oh My God!! Does...does that mean..."
Anjali nodded her head and uttered in a choked whisper, "You are going to be a Mama chote"
A wave of emotion hit Arnav before he readied himself. His elder sister, who was no less than a mother to him, has just declared her impending motherhood. Ideally it should have been their mother who must have been the first recipient of the happy news. But she was left with no choice but to seek him, her younger brother, who was for all practical reasons, her first son. Arnav scrutinized her face for any trace of melancholy of not having their mother beside her. He found none. Either she hid it expertly or he was too overwhelmed to identify any. The sense of responsibility that lay on his shoulder of being the immediate link for her to her mother took over his senses and the ever present brotherly instincts kicked in prompting him to take his Di in a tight embrace that promised to fulfill all her unvoiced expectations from him for her and the baby that grew within her. They stayed in the hug, too emotional to say anything, both didn't know how long. They broke the embrace only when they heard a clearing of throat announcing the appearance of the missing brother, who tried to hide his emotions under his usual wit.
"Does he get to be addressed as Chote Mama, because you call him Chote or I get to be called Chote Mama, because I am rightfully the Chote Mama?"
In no time he joined the other two for a group hug and continued his bickering, "I guess I am Chote Mamu. I will teach my nephew or niece to call you Nannav Mamaji. You just wait and watch."
"In your dreams, bacchu."
The tinkling laughter of Anjali that reverberated across the walls of Shantivan left the elders in dining hall wondering about the reason for such happiness. Little did they know that they were all going to go crazy with joy a mere few minutes later.
That night Shashi removed a photograph of his wife from his wallet and caressed her image with his fingers. He spoke with her for a long time in his mind, from his heart, crying a few happy tears at the impending arrival of his grandchild, a few sad tears at not having her by his side when he would take the baby in his hands on his or her arrival, thanking her for silently guiding him through the years to be a good father to his son, blessing their lives with his daughter first and now daughter in law and sent silent prayers to the Higher Power to keep the to-be-mother and child safe and healthy.
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It was three days since Khushi got back her sight, since she cried tears of joy in her brother's arms, since the father-daughter-son trio had celebrated the news of Shyam and Anjali, since her clinicians had told her that she can go back to India in ten days. It was also two full days since she learnt that Arnav wouldn't be able to come to New York as he was tied up in London. Worse, he wouldn't even be in India when she returned. And it was two days since she refused to speak to him and drive her point home - that she was angry, very very angry with him for not keeping up his promise.
Khushi looked on as Shyam mixed the pakora mix and dropped them expertly in hot oil. He immersed his hands in a bowl of water and wiped them dry in a kitchen towel which she handed him.
Shyam smiled at her and said, "Why don't you go and join Papa in the TV room. I will come in about ten minutes?"
Khushi nodded her head and left the kitchen slowly. She was getting used to her environment gradually and the transition from seeing through touch and hearing to recollecting to see through eyes needed practice. He peeked into the hall to see her settle down on the couch and lean on their father's shoulder. Shyam sighed deeply before turning to the frying fretter and smiled amusedly. She was upset that Arnav hadn't come. He hasn't seen his sister really getting angry with anyone and even now she didn't show any anger. Instead she sulked. The sulking avatar of his sister was new to even him, who thought knew her thoroughly. Love. That's one weird emotion that brought about weird changes in people's behavior, he mused. That thought took a little diversion towards his own love who was miles away in her home waiting for him to take her to their home. Who would have thought ten months back that he would welcome love with his both arms wide open and express his love to a woman who filled every inch of his existence with happiness and would enjoy the fruits of their love in the form of a life that now grew in her womb?
Bringing back his attention to the snack frying in the sizzling oil, he expertly removed and platted them before switching off the stove. He set the goodies on a tray and carried them to the living area where his sister sulked away to glory on their father's shoulders, paying no attention to the movie that was playing on the television.
Handing over a plate to Shashi and Khushi, Shyam asked, "Why don't you play the violin for sometime? I am surprised you didn't even open the case to see how your second skin looks like." It really surprised them that she wasn't the least curious to see her instrument, that gave her a reason to be happy, an identity. But it was her little secret, why she was putting off holding her second heart in her hands. Her hands were itching to take it in her hands and slide that bow on the strings, but she unlike HIM, was keeping up her promise.
"I am packing your violin, Khushi. Play it when you miss me. And I know when you get back your vision, you would want to see how it looks like" Arnav had said while her things were being packed for the trip.
"With you by my side" She had completed hopefully.
"With me by your side. Yes. The first time you will see your instrument, I will be with you."
She couldn't let him break his promise. So her violin had to wait, so had she too. Another week or ten days before she could see him. Four months hadn't seemed this long, she sighed. Swallowing her disappointment, she realized, she had been so open about her unhappiness on Arnav not turning up. So she brought a cheerful smile to her face and said, "Later bhaiyya. I can't wait to go home now. I am going to be a bua for crying out aloud and I don't get to pamper my Bhabhi immediately. This is so unfair."
The pretense, of course didn't work on Shyam, yet the mention of his wife was enough to carry him to his musings of this little baby that would arrive in a few months time. If this was how to-be-fathers behaved, then he already looked forward to become one soon.
Two more days passed by uneventfully for Khushi. It was a lazy afternoon and Khushi was just back from her treatment. After having a sumptuous lunch cooked by their father, Khushi was lazing around with her brother in the living room and just dozed off on his shoulder. Her session was particularly strenuous in the morning and she was tired. Shyam gently picked her up and deposited her on her bed, when he received an incoming text message. Khushi woke up after a couple of hours, hungry and disoriented. She swept her glance across her room and stopped at her violin case. And her thoughts on Arnav came back with a gusto. She felt a sudden restlessness and she got out of the bed and went to the adjoining washroom to wash off the weird feeling that she felt.
Khushi felt a mild headache making its way when Shyam urged her to snack on some goodies and take a walk with him in a park nearby. Khushi didn't want to go but not wanting to deny her brother, reluctantly got ready.
The park was less crowded. Khushi could find couples of all ages scattered here and there, kissing and cuddling. It wasn't unexpected as Khushi was aware of the Western culture through books, her chit chat with Payal and NK and a few glimpses in the past two days. But she did not expect to see such blatant public display of affection. Nevertheless she was not judgemental of the cultural difference. Shyam engaged her in some small talk, telling her about his conversation with Anjali and Naniji. Apparently Shantivan was bubbling with joy with the news of Anjali's pregnancy. She fondly remembered her conversation with Akash and his jokes on Chote Mamu and how he had riled up Arnav. Arnav. There, he was again with her in her thoughts. The restlessness from a few hours back came back with a vengeance and her heart beat increased its pace in some kind of a strange anticipation.
Shyam knew he lost her attention somewhere during the course of their conversation and smiled to himself. It was about time, he thought. Taking advantage of her lack of attention, he removed a scarf from his pant pocket and tied it around her eyes making her shriek in surprise.
"Bhaiyya! What are..."
"Trust me Chutki. Just let go of everything and count till 20."
And then there was silence with her mind counting 1...2...3...4...
The air around her changed. She could feel it.
5...6...7...8...
Her trusted senses that had compensated for her lack of sight all these years returned with elation at having found use once again, telling her that her brother was not in her vicinity.
9...10...11...12...
A familiar aura surrounded her. The shift in her surrounding was unmistakable. It was creepy, but it was what kept her insane.
13...14...15...16...
And she knew what it was. But how was that possible. She decided she had gone crazy. But no, she can't be wrong. It was one of those strange things that connected them. They always felt each others'presence.
17...18...19...
He was here.
20...
She hurriedly pulled at the scarf and opened her eyes.
Khushi turned around and looked everywhere.
He was here. He was here.
A mom ran behind her two kids near the lawns. A couple were holding hands and talking near a bush. She turned to her right and saw an elderly couple seated on a bench.
He is here, why can't I find him.
She turned around and frantically kept looking at all places when she spotted HIM.
A few feet away from her, wearing a pair of faded blue denim pant, black fitted T shirt and a black sleeveless hoody jacket, with eyes fixed on her.
Pockets thrust inside pant pockets, a little anxiety oozing from his stance, he curved his lips to a hesitant half smile. Khushi didn't realize when her feet carried her to him, when her slow doubtful walk broke into an excited inelegant run, due to being out of touch with running around. She didn't realize that she was unblinkingly drinking in his appearance, registering every single feature of his face and his personality. She had heard of love at first sight. Hers was a case of love before first sight. So when life presented her the first ever opportunity to drink in the sight of him, she forgot everything else.
That she had to crane her neck to have a look at his face spoke about his height. He was a tall man with a toned physique, as outlined by his tight fitting vest. She ran her eyes all over his face. His oval shaped face was sculpted to perfection, with eyes and nose setting the definition of how creation should be. His cheekbones were covered by the right amount of flesh making them neither too bony nor too chubby, conferring a certain manliness and innocence in the right proportion. The broad forehead was fringed by a thick mane that breezed under the influence of a gentle wind, extending a silent invitation to run her hands through it. She was magnetically drawn towards those beautiful pair of eyes. The eyes that he had come to despise so much held such power and love that she wanted to spend the rest of her life looking into them. And then her eyes came to finally rest on his sinful lips. It failed all logical reasoning as to how she, who had remained sightless all through her development from a girl to a woman could feel a strong emotion shoot up from somewhere near the pit of her stomach, which she didn't know was desire, just by the first ever closer glance at her man's lips. Was it the memory of the senses that he evoked everytime he had kissed her in the past or was it the aniticipation that would probably explode her when he she would actually see him kiss her. She continued to ogle totally frozen at the direction her thoughts travelled yet completely oblivious to the pitiable state of the man in question.
It was sheer torture. The woman he loved, now standing in front of him, who was practically seeing him for the first time, was analyzing him inch by inch, without a word. Her face spoke volumes, on the other hand. Time passed painfully slowly as she traversed from one his facial feature to another. He shifted from one leg to another, patiently waiting for her to say something, show some kind of a reaction. But she was taking her sweet time, not that he was complaining. He felt like an accused waiting in the courtroom awaiting his verdict that could make or break his life. Finally when her eyes came to a stop on his lips and continued to linger there for what seemed like an eternity, his patience finally ran out. He grabbed her closer to him in one swift unexpected motion and leaning closer almost hovering over lips said in his bone-melting husky voice, "I am going to kiss you if you don't open your delectable mouth and say something, now."
Khushi closed her eyes and reveled in the warmth of his voice for a moment and whispered his own words from the past, "Opening my mouth for another reason, instead of saying something, seems more appealing Arnav"
And for the first time in the months he had known Khushi and from the time he had started dating her, he saw her eyes darken in desire and the impact of her return of vision fully sunk in. Their first ever kiss on Goan beach played in his mind briefly and taken over by a deep sense of love that threatened to burst out of his form, he placed his lips on hers in a firm yet demanding kiss that communicated their emotions better than the best poetic words of any language of the world could ever manage to convey.
----To be continued----
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Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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