Hello. It has been a long time since I posted an OS here. It is not for the lack of trying, though. I have been experiencing a bad case of writer's block. I wrote two incomplete OSs before this one, finally got completed on account of my sheer stubbornness.
Anyway, this OS, I dedicate to that reader whom I had promised an OS weeks ago.
Readers, please do leave a word or two on what you thought about this OS. Criticism, good & bad, is always welcome.
I have proof-read & edited it fairly competently, I believe. But if you still find any typos, etc, kindly ignore if they are minor & bring it to my notice if they are major ones.
So, here goes the latest OS.
OS: True Love & Other Disasters
"Hold still, will you?" Arnav Singh Raizada said, exasperated.
"I can walk, you know, Arnav. Stop making me look like an invalid in front of my employees." Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada snapped right back at her husband.
Arnav glared at her and deposited her back on the car seat. "You can barely make it to the attached bath from the bed in our room. Fine, let's see this, then. Have it your way." he said, & turned away, walking towards the entrance of her restaurant building.
Khushi huffed. She was going to manage it & make her mollycoddling husband eat his words. She tried to get up from the car seat while the security looked on, conflicted. He didn't know whether to offer help or just wait. Khushi rolled her eyes at how scared even her own employees were of Arnav. What she didn't realise was that when she was in a fit of temper, the security thought her to be scarier. When her effort to get herself out of the car was not giving the right results, the security came forward, hovering nearby to see if she wanted help. She looked up at him in impatience.
"Well? Don't you have to act as valet, too today, what with Raj going on leave?" she snapped, effectively dismissing him. He scampered away.
Khushi finally got herself out of the car putting all her weight on her right foot. She let out a triumphant smile & turned around to take her bag when she put weight on her injured left foot unintentionally & let out a distressed groan before she could contain it.
Arnav stilled in his tracks when he heard it. The woman would be the end of him. He was fighting the urge to rush back to her & to lift her caveman style & take her inside. She had no appreciation for his civility, anyway. But if he turned around without her asking, her broken foot would be accompanied by a bruised ego, & Arnav would be in the dog house for a longer time. So, he just stood there unable to turn around & help her, & unable to simply walk away.
Khushi's breath caught in her throat as the pain shot through her leg. Her vision blurred with sudden tears. She sighed supporting herself by holding the roof of the car.
"Arnav?" she called. She didn't have to turn around to know that he wouldn't have left. He would never leave her side. She knew it.
Khushi was promptly attended to. Her husband came to her & took her left arm, winding it around his neck. He supported her weight & helped her into the building & then, the lift. She wondered from where he generated all this uncharacteristic patience everytime she was in need of it. But it seemed like she was the exception to damn near every rule he lived by.
Arnav didn't say anything at that moment, though & as the pain subsided, Khushi realised that he would be there at her beck & call, no matter how much she pissed him off, but this would be his form of protest, knowing how much she hated not being able to talk to him. Something like regret took root in her mind.
"Arnav?" she said, her pained voice laced with apology.
Arnav did not respond. He took her to her office on the first floor of the restaurant building & deposited her on the couch. He checked the cast & looked up at her, inquiry in his eyes.
"No. It isn't hurting all that much, now." she said. He placed her injured leg on the footrest. And, handed her the laptop bag that her assistant had delivered from her car. As the silence continued, it began to irk Khushi.
Arnav who had decided to work from Khushi's office set up shop at the other end of the couch. And, soon, he was completely involved in his work. Khushi's concentration, on the other hand was shot to hell. There was a wine tasting happening at the restaurant, right at that moment. And, there was a meeting with her head chef after that. If not for those two things, she would have stayed in bed, resting her foot for a few more days. Since Khushi had decided to get back to work at her restaurant, anyway, Arnav had decided to work from there, too, to be there if she needed something. He had been working from home ever since she had broken her foot a week back, except for major meetings with clients that demanded his physical presence.
The physical pain had drained Khushi of her frustration & anger. And, she felt acute guilt as she looked at her husband's profile. She had been absolutely horrid to him ever since her injury, directing all her anger at him. And, although his patience had become frayed at the edges, & he snapped back at her when she pushed him beyond his limits of tolerance, he stayed close, never more than a call of his name, away from her. She sighed as she rested her head against the backrest of the couch.
Khushi's phone beeped with a message alert. She had been communicating with Vikram Sinha, her head chef until a half hour back till the wine tasting had actually started. So, assuming it was him, giving her an update, Khushi checked her phone & looked on bemused. It was Arnav. She turned to look at him. He was still working on his laptop.
She opened it & it read:
Arnav- All good? Sure, that foot of yours isn't hurting? We could see the surgeon again.
Khushi smiled. The man was impossible. She replied.
Khushi-Very mature. Why don't you just open your mouth & ask me if you are so concerned!
Arnav's phone vibrated on receiving the message. Khushi, whose mood had elevated considerably from Arnav's message, started her work. But from then on, messages were swiftly exchanged between the silent pair sitting in the room. It went somewhat like this:
Arnav-I live with you. I have lived with you for too long to remember what maturity is supposed to be like. It has become an alien concept
Khushi-I swear to Devi Maiyya, if I could have moved without causing myself discomfort, you would have been in big trouble for that message.
Arnav-Truth is bitter. And, if you are able to grind your teeth at my messages, your foot must not be troubling you too much. Thanks for answering that question, by the way.
Khushi-My foot is FINE. And, it better be fine. I will go mad if I am confined to the room any longer than I have to.
Arnav-I thought you enjoyed being in our room. ;)
Khushi- I am showing this to Di. She never believes me when I say her Chote sends me an emoji or two, albeit once in a blue moon.
Arnav-Stop showing my messages to Di, dammit.
Khushi-Relax. It was just a thought. Anyway, it is not like you are getting any action in our bedroom, either. What are you so happy about?
Arnav-I am not happy. I am just optimistic that we'll make up for it once you're up for it.
Khushi- I am up for it. Right now. It has been so long. What say, Raizada? Let's break a bed or two? ;)
Arnav- Do NOT talk to me about breaking anything, woman. Breaking makes me think about your leg & as of now, it isn't a turn on.
Khushi-Too soon?
Arnav-You think!
Khushi- Anyway, you know, I think, you love my company quite a bit to have stayed at home, away from your precious office & Aman for so long :P
Arnav- I am going to ignore that thing about Aman. And, your company is delightful, if delightful meant ducking all those pillow missiles that you keep throwing at me. And, let's not forget the shouting matches.
Khushi stared at the message from Arnav for a long time feeling deflated. Arnav wondered why it was taking her so long to reply. He turned to look at her & saw her looking at her phone. He went back to his work assuming some work had caught her attention. A few minutes later, his phone finally vibrated on receiving a message. Khushi had replied.
Khushi- I have been horrible to you.
Arnav felt his stubbornness, to continue with the silent treatment melt away as he felt the misery in her message. He could deal with crazy Khushi. A crying one? No. He was sappy enough to be unable to bear the sight of her tears. So, he typed back a reply.
Arnav-Well, I knew what I was signing up for when we got married. And, "horrible" is too strong a word. You were just being confined "Kranky" Khushi. I can deal with that. You deal with cranky me, all the time.
Arnav hit the send button & looked at her face. She looked sullen, until she read the message. Then, she chuckled & looked at him. And, he was so relieved to not have her looking sombre that he smiled back at her, all his frustration with her forgotten momentarily under the effect of her blazing smile. Sometimes, he wondered if, deep down her joy was the secret core of his existence. And, then, he would realise that he was waxing lyrical like a sap & brush it off.
"I'm sorry I made you watch so many episodes of Koffee with Karan, this week. It has affected your vocabulary." she said, sniffling, & laughing at the same time.
Khushi stretched one of her hands to him, which he clasped on instinct. "Come here." she said, her voice barely louder than a whisper. Arnav sighed. As if he had a chance in hell of refusing her, especially when she called him in that manner.
Arnav got up and walked around the table to reach her side all the while, shaking his head at himself. She had him wrapped around her little finger. He settled on her other side, facing her.
"Talk to me." Khushi said, looking contrite & small. He felt his chest tighten at that. He had to be firm, though, at least for as long as he could. She would get her way with him sooner than later, anyway.
"What do I talk to you about? You drive me half mad with worry. All the grey in my hair is because of you, Khushi." he said with an exasperated voice that was laced with a world of affection.
"I know." she said, her face becoming smaller by the minute, one of her hands clasped in his & the other clenched in a tight fist. The sight broke his heart a little.
Arnav shook his head & gathered her in his arms before smacking a big, wet kiss to the side of her face.
"Fortunately for you, I am the resilient variety." he said even as she made a distressed sound & hid her face in the crook of his neck.
"Sometimes, I feel, I can be crankier than you." she mumbled.
"Hey!" he said, mock outraged. He smiled at the sound of her husky laughter.
"You can go back to work, you know, instead of putting up with this." she said.
"And, drive you over the edge? No, thank you. I'll have to deal with the aftermath of that, too. You'll go mad with frustration if left to your own devices & then, drive me mad, too." he mumbled into her hair. She sighed knowing well enough how true that was.
"You know, I'll be back to snapping at you by evening." Khushi said.
"I know. And, I'll deal with it. You can throw pillows at me, all you want. I should remove all solid things from your reach, though. Who knows, someday, you might throw a vase or something in a fit of temper & then, I'll join you in sick bed. Wait, is that your genius idea to keep me to yourself?" Arnav asked, teasing her & chuckling.
"God forbid, Arnav! Even I am not that crazy." she whacked his chest.
"Right. However, the only thing I can't deal with is, you going to Lucknow without me." he said.
"What!" she said, outraged & broke out of his hold.
"The relative anonymity that place gives you, goes straight to your head & you get into trouble. You broke your leg trying to drive a scooter after, what, 3yrs of not riding one? Talk about a hare-brained idea!" Arnav said, exasperated. Exasperation had been Arnav's near constant state ever since Khushi's weekend trip to Lucknow, a week back.
"It was the fault of the cow. It came out of nowhere & I lost balance. I ride the scooter, pretty well, thank you." Khushi said, huffing, indignantly.
Arnav sighed at the stubborn set of her jaw. He tried pulling her to himself. She resisted.
"Khushi." he said, in a conciliatory tone. Khushi sighed & went back to his arms. She snuggled as far as the awkward position of her injured leg would allow.
"I have been thinking. What if we make a deal?" Arnav asked.
"You & your deals! What deal?" Khushi asked warily.
"If you agree to let go of the idea of ever getting on a scooter & nearly giving me a heart attack, I'll teach you how to drive a car." Arnav said.
"You, of all people, will teach me? When will you find the time?" she asked, sceptically.
"I will make time. Then, you buy your parents a car & I'll get them a driver. And, when you are there, visiting them in Lucknow, you can take that out instead of a scooter that is older than Buaji & scaring the cattle on the street." Arnav said, smiling into her hair.
Khushi laughed. "If you are willing to uphold your end of the deal, I will uphold mine. And, look at you exaggerating! If Di heard this, she would ask, since when did the ever so pragmatic Arnav Singh Raizada start talking in hyperbole?" Khushi said lifting her head away from his chest & looking up at him.
"Ever since he met his wife who made sure he remains only half sane." he said, promptly, looking at her dear upturned face.
Khushi smiled & whacked him as he chuckled at her, tightening his arms around her.
"Good things have come your way since KKGSR happened to you, ASR. Where is your gratitude?" Khushi said, loftily, her eyes dancing with joy.
Arnav bent down & kissed her smiling mouth. "Great things, Mrs. Raizada. Not just good, but great things have come my way."
And, he sealed her mouth with his before she could say anything else & ruin a perfectly tender moment, or God forbid, bring Aman into the talk. That fellow had a sneaky way of entering the most random conversations between Arnav & Khushi.
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