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Novel - Hearts knit together
Chapter 33
[PART 2]
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Shalini watched them kiss from afar and the sight they presented moved her to tears. To know that she was responsible for their pain, for their heartbreak and those tears, she felt weighed down under the burden of every little thing she had done to keep them apart.
She felt tears gather to her eyes yet again but she bit on them. Viciously! She recalled how earliar today when Arnav refused to meet anyone except Khushi. How his heart has called out for his love and no one else. Those thoughts made her realize that all this while, she needn't have worried about Khushi or Maya or anyone else for that matter taking her son away. After all, she had efficaciously managed to do that for herself. She had, with her very own hands, driven her children away.
She had always wanted everything to be perfect. She had gotten a perfect life with a perfect reputation and a perfect husband. She wanted perfect children too. And she had worked so hard for them. She had taught them discipline that could put the military to shame. She had taught them chivalry to match those of the noble men from an era a hundreds of years from now. She had built their personality such that their aura commanded respect, their presence demanded attention. She always believed she had moulded them perfectly. But it was only today she realized how in her need to get her children perfected; she had forgotten how to be a mother.
A mother who knows how to love unconditionally. A mother who don't need her children to be perfect to adore them. A mother who loves them for what they are. Today, she was ashamed to call herself a mother. Because a mother knows what makes her sons most happy and she is willing to sacrifice everything to give them just that. She, however, had done exactly the opposite. She had driven them to misery and fed her own misapprehensions.She had brought everyone in her family nothing but pain by her misdeeds. She had inflicted cruelty upon those who had looked at her with nothing but admiration in their eyes.
In her haste to perfect he children, she had gotten herself imperfected. The fact that her sons often got wary of her, that they never felt comfortable enough to share their heartfelt wishes with her, that they never came to her with their worries, that they preferred speaking with Arvind rather than her, proved it.
As tears rained down her cheeks, she was thankful of the fact that she had managed to send her husband and her younger sons home. She dint knew what she would have done had they seen her like this. No matter how sorry and vulnerable she felt, she cant have an audience to her pain. She had never cried like this ever before. Atleast not infront of anyone. She dint want her family's pity and that's what they would have given her had they seen her.
Thankfully however, it was just the empty walls and a glass-laced door to bear witness to her wails and cursing. The empty walls of the hospital corridor and a glass-laced door that brought the silhouette of two young lovers into a clear view.
They were smiling now, she observed. They seemed happy, blissful even and so very content. As though, the entire world's happiness had landed right upon their feets. Their faces were lit up with glee, their eyes dancing with joy, their lips stretched up in a perfect smile. She had never seen her son smile like that. Atleast not since the fateful day when her crimes had crossed every known boundary.
Looking at them now, she vowed to never to hurt them ever again. She promised to change. And to act like a mother first. Not only with with her three sons but with her two lovely daughters. The thought made her smile. Yes, the two girls were lovely. She was a fool to compare them in the past. Both were amazing in their own ways. And the best part was, they had already proved themselves as the best daughter-in-laws. Now only she was remaining to prove herself. She only hoped they allowed her to do that.
Making a mental list of the several changes she would surely bring in herself, she waited for the rest of the family to get back. They dint knew khushi was back and she realized she couldn't wait for them to find out. Oh! She was so going to love watching their reactions.
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"Khushii.." Arvind cried out unable to believe his eyes.
Arnav and khushi, who were cuddled on the hospital bed atonce sprang apart, blushing like newly weds caught romancing. But soon they realized Arvind was too overjoyed to notice them. Rushing over, he gathered his princess in his arms and thanked all the Gods for making everything alright in their world once again.
"-h princess I am so happy to have you back" He murmured over and over again. Khushi smiled when he kissed her head, letting all the insecurities she was harbouring against everyone of them, wash away.
Next, she was attacked by her two brothers who crushed her in their arms so tight, she was afraid her poor bones may not withstand it. She tried to wiggle out but to no avail. Even Arnav's fierce glare and Arvind's loud chuckles failed to make any effect. After all, it isn't every day we get our happiness back, they huffed and went back to hugging making all the others laugh whole heartedly.
Atlast, it was payal and lavanya who pushed their respective boys back and embraced khushi all to themselves. The boys let them but hovered all around her, letting her presence wash over them. No doubt, they had missed her real bad. She was their friend, their confidant, their partner-in-crime although the reluctant one but partner nonetheless. They had missed her for their bhai, their dad, the lost happiness of their house as much as they missed her for what she meant to them.
Madhumati aunty was the last one to greet her but the warmth she provided was the one khushi realized she needed very badly. After all this was her Madhu aunty, the one motherly figure she had looked upon, all her life. She had expected to find it again in Shalini, but, well everyone knew, how that thought turned out.
But things were about to change now. The silent figure by the shadows enjoying each and eveyone's reaction to the magical reunion would make sure of it, she knew. It will take time but eventually the broken relationships would be on the mend. The children would forgive their mother, the husband would get back with his wife. Their family would reunite once again in the truest sense of the word.
She knew, placing so much of conviction upon these thought could be dangerous. She shouldn't be so sure about it. But if the pleased smiles on the faces of her family members as they correctly guessed who had played a major role in bringing her back to them was anything to go by, she found no reason to doubt herself. They looked relieved and exultant and when she discreetly pointed to their silent spectator, they smiled so bright, all the darkness began ebbing away.
With a nod they let her know, they were ready to make peace. That they were ready to forgive and forget. She smiled back at them and turned to the only person in the room who she knew wasn't going to give in so easily. Her Arnavji.
She found him staring intensely at her and instantly knew he knew what was cooking in her mind. With a deep sigh, She walked upto him as waited as he told her in simple plain words, "I believe in second chances khushi, not third"
In reply, khushi stared at him for a long moment, watching his gaze flicker for a teeny tiny second and that's it! She realized his belief wasn't as strong as hers. So for the time being, she just smiled and interwined their fingers, knowing in her heart this was yet another thing about to change. Their hearts were knitted together in the same thread of love, passion and devotion. So, if hers was going to forgive and forget and move on, how could his be left behind?
~ THE END ~
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
O Humnava Tum Dena Saath Mera
Anupamaa
Arjun
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