IPKKND FF: KHUSHI by JALEBI JANE Thread 1: EPISODE 001-052 - Page 55

Arnav is still insecure in this relationship. Even though Khushi has given herself to him completely yet he fears that she will leave him.

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Originally posted by: canapoem

Arnav is still insecure in this relationship. Even though Khushi has given herself to him completely yet he fears that she will leave him.

Khushi too is still unsure where all this is leading to. but she is enjoying her new found joy and pleasure.

Beautiful episode. The way you penned how a naive woman like khushi might feel after her first night with a man like Arnav is realistic and beautiful. This is how the culmination of their rabbaves should be. Arnav being insecure about khushi is realistic too. She is unpredictable unlike the women he had been with. Edited by Pari025 - 7 years ago

Episode 13

KHUSHI by Jalebi Jane (EPISODE 020)

I SUSPECT, SISTERS, you are all wondering whether Khushi missed morning aarti after such a night.

"Khushi! What is this?" scolded Payal when Khushi came down to the kitchen the next morning. "You missed aarti again---"

Khushi interrupted, "---Jiji, have you seen Arnav---I mean, Arnavji?"

Payal poked her sister's arm as a wake-up gesture. "Akaash and Arnav left for their early morning meeting. How could you forget? They were discussing it at the restaurant last night."

Of course! Khushi sighed in relief. An early meeting. What had she imagined? That he had run away from her?

"Hurry up and bring the tea," Payal instructed, leaving for the dining area.

Khushi was studying her phone. She chewed on her lower lip. 

Should she call him? Don't be ridiculous, Khushi! She put the phone down with a frustrated sigh. What will you say? How are you, Arnavji?'  Taking the sieve in one hand, she carefully poured the hot tea into the teapot. She could send a text, couldn't she?  A simple Good Morning.'  No harm in that. Khushi, you never text him! You never wish him Good Morning.' What will he think if you start this nonsense? He'll be what-the-what-the---

Do nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just go and serve the tea.

ARNAV GLANCED AT HIS PHONE. It was ten to eight. Khushi must be having breakfast with the family. He had a nagging feeling she had forgotten that he had this early morning meeting. Payal would remind her, of course, but perhaps he should make a quick call. After last night, it seemed insensitive to leave for the day without a word. But you are insensitive! She should expect it. You never inform her about anything. Nevertheless, he thought, after last night, she may harbour some new expectations of him.

His mind wandered away from the meeting at hand to memories of their first night as lovers. He had somehow always known Khushi would make an exquisite partner. And, she was. She was in bed what she was in life: beautiful, spirited, generous---and of course, a bit paagal. What had surprised him though was her openness. Yes, she had been shy and even self-conscious, but she had been receptive to all that he asked of her and had responded beautifully to his touch and guidance. In fact, he smiled to himself, his wife had proven herself insatiable. He had woken her up again in the early hours of the morning with his touch, and though half-asleep, she had reached for him, and met his every thrust with passion and---

"Bhai?"

Akaash interrupted his thoughts. "You were smiling---"

Arnav immediately frowned. "Uh---No." He looked around the conference table at the others gathered. A dozen pairs of eyes on him. Waiting. He quickly corrected himself, "yes. I was smiling."  He tapped the papers in front of him. "I was smiling because I think this schedule is laughable," he stated, rescuing himself. "If you can't do better than this proposed timeline, ARGroup will have no choice but to retender this project."

Akaash threw Arnav a skeptical glance, but said to the others, "as you heard, gentlemen."

IN THE HISTORY OF TIME, never before had a day dragged so. Khushi had never before experienced such a problem where a day was too long. Was this another ramification of last night? That herein every moment she spent away from her husband would be unsatisfying.  No!  She wouldn't allow that. She loved so many things and there were so many people at Raizada House to love---surely she could focus upon those activities and those people, rather than on a man whom she may never learn to understand.

And who may never learn to love you, Khushi. 

She put aside the phone she had clutched all morning in the hopes Arnav would think of her during his day and call. At some deep level, she knew she would be hurt if she maintained any expectations of him. She of all people knew his insensitive ways. His focus and love was always his work.

She washed and draped herself in a fresh saree. A pink and chocolate confection which had come into her hands during the Unveiling Bride rasam. It was one of the few items in her wardrobe which had not been hand-picked by Arnav. In wearing it now she felt she was making a gesture of independence. As she adjusted the pallu, she remembered his words spoken on this very spot: When you wear the saree of my choosing, it feels as though you are wrapped up in me---even when you are across the room, I am touching you...

Khushi's knees buckled at the memory of those words and she immediately had to sit. She was then transported to the memory of his caresses last night. His bold touch arousing her. His words urging her as they rushed headlong---

---She shook her head to return to the present. This empty bedroom and this quiet telephone. Could a man be with a woman as he had been with her last night and then not stop to think of her at all the next day? Yes, Khushi. Arnav Singh Raizada can. 

Yes, she loved Arnav, but her love had to exist on a practical realm. This was not the fairytale marriage of her childhood dreams. He was not the prince who would love and devote himself to her. He was a hardheaded man who conducted his personal life in a businesslike manner. And to love him was to accept that. She added a tikka and some earrings and was about to remove the hip belt when Anjali knocked at the door, and entered.

"Di," Khushi smiled, "I was just coming to look for you."

Anjali commented, "you look very pretty. Are you going out?"

"The fundraiser for The School for the Blind Mrs Mehra mentioned at the party the other evening. It's this afternoon---"

Anjali stepped farther into the room. "I'm glad you reminded me. I was going to send the driver with a cheque."

Khushi took Anjali's hand, and said, "but wouldn't the children appreciate having us admire their work, applaud their music, and then donate in person. They will feel rewarded for their efforts." And I really need to distract myself, was the unspoken tail of this speech.

Anjali was nodding as Khushi spoke. "Bilkul sahi. Let's go. I'll just change." She went out, but stopped at the door, and turned around. "You were thinking of Chotte just as I came in, weren't you?"

Khushi was taken aback by Anjali's question. She felt her cheeks flush and a small smile is all she could manage as a reply.

Anjali left with a suggestive lift of her eyebrow. She so resembled her brother when she did that. Khushi checked the phone one last time, and placed it in the wardrobe. She then went downstairs to inform Nani of their afternoon plans.

ARNAV SINGH RAIZADA was a Master at the Art of Timing. His skill was legendary. He had built ARGroup into a force because he would wait and watch---and only when the moment was ripe, would he make his move. Which is why, Sisters, it was all the more tragic to see how he was bungling up his fledgling marriage.

He knew he should have called Khushi this morning. Or he could have called at lunchtime when he received the tiffin she sent with the driver. And failing all that, he could have ordered flowers to be delivered. Or jalebi. Not a saree or jewellery of his choosing, but something that was for her pleasure alone.

But---he had done none of the above.

He had handled it badly, and he knew it.  And we all know that when a man feels he is in the wrong, he becomes more self-righteous than ever. This Raizada was no exception to this rule. So, Sisters, the entire day passed without any communication between the new lovers.

When he and Akaash entered Raizada House at six-thirty that evening, he saw Nani, Mami and Payal in the downstairs lounge. He asked after Anjali. "She has gone to a fun raiza," Mami explained.

"Fundraiser, Ma," Akaash corrected.

"Ha, voi," Mami agreed.

Arnav waited for Mami to say something about Khushi's whereabouts. Mami never disappointed his predictions. But today was clearly not Arnav's day. Mami said nothing further. He was climbing the staircase to see if Khushi was in their bedroom, when the doorbell rang. He halted to see Jaiprakash open the door. Anjali came through, and then a few steps behind her, Khushi entered the house. Her eyes were on her feet as she was carrying a large awkward package.

Khushi.

He was certain he had not spoken her name, but she looked up at his direction as though he had called out to her. Their eyes met and held. He walked back down the stairs and towards her. His eyes never left hers. He reached to take the parcel out of her hands. Their fingers touched, and Arnav heard---or rather felt---her breath catch. She immediately moved past him to where the others were gathered.

Anjali was explaining. "Bhabhi purchased some pots for Chotte's plants. The children made them."

Arnav looked at the package. Then at his wife. She who had given her most precious gift, continued to give. He who had so much to give, held everything back. He was humbled. It was an uncomfortable sensation. Not one he was familiar with and nor one he wanted to experience again.

AKAASH ANNOUNCED he was both exhausted and famished. It had been an early morning and a long day---and would love it if they could dine early. So Payal and Khushi went immediately to the kitchen to begin dinner preparations. Between the two of them---and Hariprakash, of course!---the two bahus had a lovely meal on the table by seven-thirty.

Khushi went to call Arnav down for dinner, and found him in the upstairs study with Mama and Akaash watching the evening news. His damp hair indicated that he had just showered. A provocative visual of him storming into the bathroom naked, entered Khushi's mind. It was quite funny---now.

She and Payal first served the others. She served him last, and then sat down in her usual seat to his left. She felt the warmth of his gaze on her intermittently throughout the meal. Khushi willed herself to meet his eyes, but she felt more and more self-conscious as each moment passed. This was her state, Sisters: like that of a new bride on her wedding night. Her hands trembled as she helped herself to some water, and the jug almost slipped out of her hand. Arnav caught it and without commenting, he filled her glass.

After the meal, Khushi helped Anjali in the kitchen. Payal and Akaash had already gone up to their room. And Khushi knew she would soon have to climb the stairs and go to Arnav. The awkwardness mounted.

What is wrong with you, Khushi? If you can brave him when he is ASR, and withstand him when he is Laad Governor, surely you can go and stand in front of Arnav! But the correlation failed. Arnav, the man-husband-lover, had become intrinsic to her happiness. Sometimes the source of our happiness and the source of our fear meet in one person.

But she had to leave the kitchen eventually. Anjali would not leave until she would and Hariprakash wanted them both out of his kitchen. She found Arnav in the study. He saw her, stood, and they climbed the staircase to the upper landing together and walked to their bedroom. She opened the bedroom door, and stepped through. He followed her in, and she saw him latch the door. He then turned to face her.

There was no word exchanged. There was no signal or gesture to invite what happened next.

But they both moved towards each other, silently, wordlessly---not at any great speed---and came together in a kiss. It began as a gentle kiss. One that said,' finally.' It then quickly turned into a kiss that said, 'let's remove this saree.'

Jalebi Jane

Edited by JalebiJane - 7 years ago

Incredible writing. It was mind-blowing... 👏

Loved part 20👏Edited by Lily30 - 7 years ago

That was one fine chapter describing both their feelings and inner turmoils. He didn't call her after the precisely counted three times of love making and she too went on to divert himself. Oh, that was everything else than ego I think, it was more of hesitation. But Arnav knows it was his mistake, that was the best of it. And yet I must say I loved it how in the show even if it was their wedding day, he did call her in the morning after and asked if she is ok a gesture of love and care. But loving this Arnav neverthless cause he will apologize lastly I feel. And then there is Khushi, how sweet of her to buy those pots for him.Edited by IdioTinTin. - 7 years ago

Episode 14