He entered the room to see her sitting at the bed, crossed legged, wearing a grey loose T-shirt and a yellow short. Her guitar in her hand, pulling the string, filling the room with a soothing tune. A knot formed in his throat, making it difficult to fill his lungs with air. His tired eyes stared at her, a lovely smile playing on her lips. Her sweet face looked so pale. He swallowed. He don't know how she manages to do this, but she does. But he won't. She will have to do as he says. He wants a forever with her, not these few stolen moments.
"Khushi .."
She lifted her head to greet him and her small smile bloomed into a perfect welcoming smile.
Arnav stood in front of her and took away the guitar from her lap. "Khushi, I want to talk to you ..."
"Ya ya I know, the same old ..." she shrugged her shoulder.
Arnav gritted his teeth, his red eyes boring hole in her fragile form. The gall of this girl. "Do NOT shrug! Do you understand me, stop taking this so lightly. For God sake, stop it!" He blasted.
Khushi started at his angry form for few seconds before her lips broke into a grin. "Oh my baby , come to Mommy ..." She pulled him in a hug.
Despite of himself, a chuckle bubbled inside his chest. Noone, absolutely no one can remain angry with this utterly crazy girl. But dare he laugh. Today he will convince her. She has to understand how much she means to him. She is too precious to let go without a fight. She needs to understand this. He will shout, beg, plead, till she gives in, but today he will not back down.
"Khushi, you will have to say yes .. please .." he hugged her back, burrowing his face in her silky hair, holding her close to his chest. "Please, darling ... please ...I can't do without you, jaan ... please"
Khushi pulled away from the hug and stared at him. Arnav. Her Arnav, who loves her, who wants to marry her, grow old with her, who is not ready to let go of her. He thinks they deserve more than the few days they are left with, and she believes these stolen moments are too precious to risk for a forever which doesn't seems possible. Her heart ached for him. She knows how much he loves her, and that makes this more complicated.
"Khushi, jaan ...please..."
Khushi looked in his eyes and smiled.
[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH1q3UXJy7c[/YOUTUBE]
"Jaan?" She chuckled. "Hmm ...hmmm..hm" She hummed. Taking the guitar from beside him, she stood off the bed. "Jaan...meri Jaan.." She pulled a string, filling the room with her melody.
"Meri jaan, mujhe jaan na kaho, meri jaan.Meri jaan!"
[[My life, don't call me your life, oh my life!]]
She sang softly, her eyes staring in his tormented twins. So much pain there. She averted her eyes, the guitar becoming too heavy for her trembling hands. No she has to be strong. For him. Keeping the guitar aside, she walked towards him. Sitting on his lap, she straddled his hips and rested her forehead against his.
"Jaan na kaho anjaan mujhe, jaan kahan rahti hai sada
Anjaane, kya jaanein, jaan ke jaaye kaun bhala"
[[Oh ignorant one, don't call me your life, since life is not permanent. It doesn't stay with you forever.
So, though unknowingly people say that; knowingly no one would go down that path.]]
She threw her head back and laughed.
Arnav swallowed. She can fool everyone with her smile and craziness, but not him. The anguish was so much palpable, it crushed them both. But she was acting indifferent to it for his sake, but he can't do that. He is selfish, and he wants her. If there is a tiniest of possibility of having her in his life forever, then he will go for it. He will risk it.
Khushi saw the tear that spilled from the corner of his eyes. She lifted her trembling hand and wiped it, shaking her head.
"Sookhe saawan baras gaye, itni baar in aankhon se
Do boondein na barsein, in bheegi palkon se"
[[I've cried so many times with dry eyes,
But my moist eyelids have never allowed even 2 teardrops to escape from them.
She looked in his determined eyes and smile. She pushed him back on the bed and came over him. "Want some fun, baby?" She giggled and brushed her lips against his.
"Honth jhukein jab hothon par, saans uljhi ho saanson mein
Do judwa hothon ki, baat kaho aankhon se"
[[When your lips are near mine, and our breaths are entangled in one another's;
At such time, let the eyes speak what our (twin) lips want to say.
"Stop it please ..."
His plea twisted daggers in her heart. She sucked in a breath but didn't lift her lips from his. She nibbled on his lips, slowly, assuring him, wanting to take away his every pain.
"I won't be swayed today, Khushi ...You have to say yes ..."
"I won't..You know that. I won't risk the days I have left. I want to spend my every single day with you, so that when I leave you, you have enough memories to cherish..."
Horror and anger pummeled him at once.
And with a lighting speed, khushi found herself flat on her back. Her wide eyes stared in his ragging ones.
"Don't you understand, dammit?!! I don't want some moments to cherish, I want you. YOU!! Yes, I would better risk the days you have left than leave my whole life without you. You are going to leave me anyways, so why does it matter if you do it today or after few months! Tell me!!"
The pain in his eyes was too great to endure. She closed her eyes, and shook her head.
"Don't do this. We have limited days together, lets cherish each moment, please ..." Her voice came out soft, the fight leaving her body.
"No! No, dammit!! You have to do this, for me!! Please ..please dammit don't make me beg!!! I love you!!" He shouted, like a man desperately fighting for his only salvation.
At last the wall she was holding up with all her might crumbled and tears scoured her face. She choked. "Don't do this ... I don't want to risk the days I have left ..I want to spend it with you .."
"My God! You just don't understand, do you?! I don't want these f**king few days with you! I want all, I want forever!! And I will get it. "
"You are no God! You can't get everything you want, Arnav Singh Raizada!" She blasted back.
"I see ..." he gritted his teeth and pushed himself up. "You don't want to go with the operation? Fine .." he stood off the bed and walked towards the coffee table to pick up the knife resting in the fruit basket. He kept the knife on his wrist. "Call the shots, darling.. You want to spend the remaining days with me, I won't give it to you...You refuse to go with the operation, and I refuse to give you what you want ..."
Khushi just stared at him, wide eyed. He would do that, he would slit that knife against his wrist, she knows him too better to dare him. Her shoulder slumped, all the fight leaving her body. She will have to go with it, he won't take otherwise.
With tears clogging her throat, she nodded her head.
"Fine, I will go with the operation. If you want me to die tomorrow, so be it .. I ..I will do it ..for ..." before she can complete her sentence, she was engulfed in a warm hug.
"You won't .. I promise, you won't... God! Khushi, believe me! I know you will fight for me... You will make it ... Thank you ..thank you, Khushi.. " he showered her face with kisses, whispering his love, promising her everything will be alright.
He stood in front of the OT, his inside shaking with fear. Perspiration ran down his forehead. He had made her believe everything will be alright, but what about him? How to suppress the gnawing fear? Too much was at stake. He can't do without her, can't imagine his life without her. She will have to make it. Life has been always unfair to him, but he won't allow anyone to snatch away his Khushi. Never.
Hi breath left his body with a shudder as he saw the Doctor coming out of the OT.
"Doctor ...?" he swallowed, his throat felt too heavy.
The Doctor smile. "Tumor from her lungs is removed, and she made it ..You can meet her once she is out of the effect of sedatives" Patting his back, the Doctor left.
Arnav allowed Doctor's every word to sink in, and once it did, he sagged against the wall, relief making his whole form tremble.
He pushed the door of OT and was beside her in no time, wanting to feel her ASAP. His family followed him.
He saw her opening her eyes slowly. Taking her hand in his, he sat beside her.
"You...you look so weak, Khushi..." He managed through the lump in his throat.
She wiped the tears that slipped from the corner of his eyes. " That can be looked after, can't it, Nani ji?"
Nani ji wiped her tears and nodded her head at her. "Yes, bitiya..."
"See...she will make her delicious dishes and I will be back to normal..."
"You stayed so strong through all these, khush ..." he choked .." So strong... You made it for us ... thank you ...thank you so much..."
Khushi shrugged ..." Well I had to ...else you would have sulked all your life ...But I do nothing for free, you will have to do something for me.."
He bent and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Anything, jaan .."
"I want you to buy laylas guitar for me ...will you?"
"I will buy the whole world for you, Khushi ..."
"Oh no! Please don't do that... it will make you look like the aliens in HW movies, here on earth just to make everyone their slave... like seriously! Imagine you going out and people screaming - Oh my! ASR- the alien is here! Run everybody! Save yourselves!" She took a deep breath. " So ya, a guitar is just fine ...its anyways going to cost you millions .." and before she can say anything further, she was engulfed in a hug.
"Oh my God! What I would have done if anything... Oh my God! ..."
"Gee, such a pussycat ..." she winked at his family members, making them laugh through their tears.
And just like that, the sunshine of his life was back , this time to stay forever.
Had written this OS for a contest! Thank you everyone who had voted for this story 🤗
OS was inspired by this song... Its an awesome song ..Do listen --
Bhabhi Ji Ghar Pe Hain?
Hindi TV Shows
10