ArHi SS: Wedding Hues LAST PG 96 *AUGUST 25* - Page 38

Rohan was in a dilemma. Yes, he had heard every single word Arnav had thrown at Khushi. His friend didn't remember to cut the call while confronting her husband. Now he didn't know how to deal with this situation. Talking to Arnav? Hell no. That would only create more misunderstanding. Talk to Khushi? Again no. She had no idea that he knew and he wanted to keep it like that because Khushi would be embarrassed. He was sure about it. He took a deep breath and sighed. He would leave things as it is. It was between husband and wife and he had no right to speak between them no matter what relation he shared with Khushi.

Relation

The word might sound very simple but it implied a lot on one's life. What Arnav and Khushi shared was a deep and sacred bond. No matter how many fights and problems they would have, he knew Khushi would take care of it. Time will heal everything. But they would need a catalyst and that catalyst would be him. No, he won't interfere at all by speaking to either of them. He would just leave. He had made his decision.

...

"Leave? But why?" Khushi asked as she placed phone between her ear and shoulder while she removed Arnav's clothes from cupboard. Rohan sighed, "It's about time. I was here for some work. Now that it is done I am leaving"

"So soon?"

"It's not soon, Khushi. I was supposed to be here for this long only"

"But I will be so alone now. You know kind of lonely without my best friend?"

"Why the hell will you be lonely? It's not that I am always near you and anyway you are married now. You have a husband to take care of. Go bug him. He won't let you feel lonely"

Khushi felt tears brimming her eyes at the mention of her husband. Her husband was ignoring her. They were not on talking terms. Actually he wasn't talking to her while she had been trying hard to get through her husband. Rohan was right. Why would she feel lonely when her best friend is gone? She shouldn't. She had a husband to take care of. She had a relation to mend. She had everything.

"Khushi? You there?"

"Yes. Yes I am here. You are right. I am not lonely anymore."

"Goodbye Khushi" he cut the call. His work was done. He knew his best friend would fix everything.

"Good luck" he whispered.

...

Arnav stopped at the door when he saw his wife caressing his shirt that she had kept for him. He could see sadness in those eyes. He felt bad. He knew he had hurt her in his heart but his mind refused to pay attention. He was about to take a step towards her when he stopped right there as soon as he remembered what happened last time. His fingers curled around his palm and turned into a fist. Once again, his mind won over his heart.

Arnav entered his room and went straight towards his cupboard. Again he knew Khushi would be hurt but right now he didn't want to think about it. He rummaged through his cupboard to find a suitable wear for his office.

"What are you doing, Arnavji?" Khushi asked

NO RESPONSE

"I have already removed clothes for you" She tried again

NO RESPONSE

"Should I help?"

NO RESPONSE

"Wait. Let me help" Khushi had just taken a step towards him when he picked up some random shirt and went to the washroom banging the door shut. Tears brimmed in her eyes. Before she could wipe, door opened again and peeped out.

"Khushi?"

Khushi smiled. Hope rose in her heart. It was the first time he had spoken to her since their fight.

"Yes?"

"I don't need your help. Don't do that again" He said pointing towards the pair of clothes that laid untouched on bed and the door shut again. That's it. This time she couldn't stop herself. Tears kept running down her cheeks. She wiped them with the back of her hand, "I won't lose hope. I won't"

...

Khushi was flipping channels on television when she heard her husband talking to someone on call.

"Yes. Yes I will come tomorrow itself. I will catch first flight to Mumbai"

Mumbai? He was going back? What about her?

...

2 Days later

It had been more than 24 hours since she had entered this house and things just seemed as bad as it was earlier. Her husband wasn't talking to her. He was ignoring her. But what surprised her was that he did ask her to come back to Mumbai. That gave her hope that everything will be alright yet it seemed somewhat difficult. Last time when she had entered this house, he had been with her at every step. But this time?

Khushi looked at the clock and saw that it was 10 at night. Her husband was still working over something. Neither her husband had eaten anything nor did she even though he would get angry when she ate late because of him. Had it been some other day, she would have been pissed if he yelled at her for not eating but today she wanted him to say something to her.

Khushi entered their room with the tray of food in her hands, "Arnavji, please eat. I have got food for you"

NO RESPONSE

"I know you are angry but don't let your anger win over hunger. Eat something and then do whatever you want" She said placing the food on nearby table.

NO RESPONSE

"Arnavji, are you listening to me?"

NO RESPONSE

"See, I have made every single dish of your choice"

NO RESPONSE

"Please. You will fall ill. Don't do..." Before Khushi could continue, Arnav's patience gave up, "For Christ's sake, ENOUGH! Stop with this drama already. Do not act like you care for me when the case is exact opposite"

Something snapped within Khushi this time.

"I am unable to comprehend what the hell is your problem" she raised her voice for the first time.

"You exactly know what my problem is"

"No, I don't. You were angry because I was ignoring you. Now when I am not ignoring' you, it still makes you angry. What am I supposed to do? Tell me. You told me I have forgotten that I have a husband. Now when I am showing you that I remember my husband, all you are doing is shouting and calling me a draamebaaz. Draamebaaz toh aap hai, Arnavji" Khushi yelled.

Arnav widened his eyes at her words. He had never seen her react that way. This is a first for him. He sighed and lowered his voice in exhaustion "Look Khushi, all I am saying is please do not do this. Don't make me believe that you care for me. That you are happy. That you like being married to me when you don't. I know you don't. I know you regret being married to me. I saw it with my eyes"

"What did you see?"

"I saw how you acted in front of him. I saw how happy you looked. I saw how you glowed when he showed up at our doorstep. I saw how you laughed when he was with you. I saw how you loved being with him. I saw how you spoke about him. I saw how..." His words died in his throat when he saw tears in her eyes. He took a step towards her but she took a step back, "Khushi, I..."

"No. No. NO! You are insane. What the hell are you talking about? How could you even think so? How could you even think that I will ignore you? That I regret marrying you? That I glow when he is around? That only he can make me laugh? That I..." She chocked on her words, "I agree I was spending too much time with him and that was one of the biggest mistake I ever did. I can't believe you just said that. Yes I spoke about him but I did that only with you because you are my husband. I wanted you to know my first half of life. I can't even bring myself to think that you..."

There was a complete silence for few seconds. It was Arnav who broke it, "I am sorry. I didn't mean to. I was angry. More than angry I was jealous. There, I said it"

"Jealous? Jealous of what? I can't believe this. Yes, he is my best friend. But you are my husband. How could you even..." she couldn't complete the sentence, "I have had it enough now. All you ever do is shout on me." She tried to walk away but Arnav held her hand, "Khushi, I..."

Khushi snatched her hand away and wiped her tears furiously, "Don't touch me. You know what? I am leaving"

Arnav froze. Leaving? She was leaving?

"Where the hell are you going? I won't let you leave this house"

"Huh? Who said I am leaving this house? I am not going to leave this house. No matter how much you hurt me, I can't leave and hurt my parents that way. I am leaving this room." She said

"The hell you will"

"Who are you to stop me?"

"Your husband"

Khushi gave him a look and turned on her heels to walk out of the room.

"Khushi, stop right there" Arnav said following her as he saw her walking out. But she ignored him and banged the door on his face.

"What the"

Did his wife just walk out of their room banging the door at his face? Oh Well. She did.