ARHI SS: Revival (Chapter 9 posted 08/07!) - Page 22

this kind of life still continue..
women been abuse
men who life hidden with mask..
emotional update
survival

Read the story on the blog.. loved it.. hoping for next part soon.. best wishes.. 😊

Lovely story...waiting for next update

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This story is so simple but beautiful. I would really like to read more.

Chapter 6

"Mujhse pehli si mohabbat mere mehboob na maang...

Suhana held the glass between her fingers, taking another sip of her wine as the melody played out in the background and she watched all the people who mattered to her gathered around the room, celebrating her.

The phone call from her parents that came every year for courtesy's sake had stopped affecting her, now. She had hardened herself against her mother's cold greeting and her father's apologetic plea asking her to return home. It didn't matter anymore. The only thing she allowed herself to look forward to was this annual celebratory dinner. And these people around her were her real family -- a family that had happily grown over the years.

Her gaze quietly surveyed the entire room and she felt her heart swell. Ruhaan sat on the high table and was evidently up to some mischief with Grace as she saw him snicker at her. With Grace's playful spirit and her son's childish glee, the two of them had always gotten along like a house of fire.

She smiled at the duo, her eyes shifting to Samarth who was adjusting the speaker's volume, as he barely sat on the edge of the couch. She wasn't a stranger to his love for Urdu poetry and classic songs, and her lips curved into a smile as she watched him sway his head gently to the tune.

This passion of her brother's had rubbed off on her in recent years, mostly because it brought back one of her favourite memories from her childhood -- both of them sitting in their grandmother's room, heads resting on her lap as Faiz's heart-warming lyrics played on the vintage gramophone.

Suhana found herself whispering the following lines of the beautiful poem in tune with the music as she watched Khushi and Emma engaged in a conversation with Meera. She had known how stressed the teenager had been lately about her upcoming board exams and consequent admission into the university of her choice.

They had all assumed the role of the young girl's guardians two years ago after her granfather --who had been a dear friend of Emma and her husband during the former's lifetime -- hadpassed away. And although Meera had always been a bright student and consistently marked her position amongst the high scorers of her class and that thefe really wasn't any reason for her to worry, she knew that the girl had not been able to move past the cloud of melancholy that had hung above her ever since her grandfather's death. The elderly man had been her only support after she had been orphaned at a young age.

Suhana saw Khushi place a comforting hand over Meera's as the child stood up to carefully embrace the very-pregnant woman. They had formed an instant connection, and she had seen Meera's beautiful doe-eyes brighten each time Khushi had come into view.

However, what caught her attention at present was the man who hovered protectively over the women and now observed them with visible affection in his deep, caramel eyes. The man was obviously smitten. But to her, Arnav Singh Raizada remained an enigma.

When he had first made a rather dramatic appearance into their lives, she had immediately disliked him. While she realised now that she might have been quick to judge the man, it had been her instinctive reaction as she had attempted to shield the woman who over the past months had become no less than a younger sister to her. She had wanted to keep Khushi away from the pain and the hurt, to prevent her from returning to the shattered state they had found her in.

But she knew now, that Arnav was nothing like the man who had once been trapped in a marriage with. He might have his flaws and inadequacies but he really did love Khushi and their unborn children, and he wasn't shying away from trying to win back her trust and accept the mistakes he had made.

As she watched him make his way towards the kitchen that adjoined her living room, she decided -- in the moment -- to follow him and to have the conversation that had been long overdue.

***

Arnav gingerly opened the refrigerator door, going through its contents with a rather confused look. He knew he was lost, as he started rummaging through one of the shelves and went through containers of all shapes and sizes. This was absurd. He had just needed some ice.

"What exactly do you need?"

He turned around sharply at Suhana's voice, least expecting it. He could feel his ears heat with embarrassment as he saw her give him a strange look -- eyes narrowed and lips pursed amusedly.

"Just some ice, please", he grumbled.

At that she proceeded to turn her back to him, starting to put on her oven mitts as she bent to check on the oven for a Quiche that she had baked, and replied nonchalantly, "Try checking the freezer, will you?"

Arnav pulled open the freezer door, almost sighing in relief as he spotted the ice-trays. He couldn't wait to get back to the living room. Thanking Suhana awkwardly, he started pouring the ice cubes into his drink when he heard her speak.

"You really aren't used to this?"

"What -- finding ice-cubes?" he asked, confused.

"No, this domesticity. People have done things like this for you all your life," she pointed out.

"Not all my life but --"

He paused mid-sentence, realising what she had said was in fact the truth. He had been used to a life of luxury and people cleaning up after him, literally. First it had been his mother, always pampering her younger child and putting up with his tantrums. Then it had been Anjali, even when they had left their ancestral home she had made sure to do whatever she could for him --which had included serving everything to him on a platter.

Yes, he had worked odd-jobs and sustained himself while at Harvard, but that had been a different lifestyle and much easier than the one available to the rest of his family in India. And just when he had established his company and worked to make it as successful as it had become, he had an army of faithful servants at his beck and call, and then Khushi to indulge his every whim and help him out of the emotional mess he had been for years.

Arnav glanced up at her, seeing that she had removed her oven mitts and now tapped her fingers on the granite, waiting for him to answer. However, the harsh glint that he had always seen for himself in her eyes was replaced with understanding, almost bordering on acceptance.

"Now that I think of it, I'm actually not used to this at all. But I think I'm getting the hang of it, now."

To his surprise, she smiled at him as she began to answer, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get better. I was as bad as you once, even worse actually. I'd been used to people waiting on me, before I went to the States that is."

"You lived in the States?"

"Yes, for two years. In California, she took a deep breath before she continued, "I...I was married there. I don't think Khushi has told you."

"No, she hasn't. It wasn't her story to tell."

"It isn't a story, it was a hellish truth. The truth of an abusive, unhappy and forced marriage that I was fortunate to escape."

Her tone was cold and distant, but Arnav could see the turmoil that played out in her eyes. He had seen it first-hand each time his sister had had to speak about her own broken relationship, shadowed by the crimes of the man who had once been her husband. He knew that it didn't matter whether the wounds were fresh or had withered into scars with time. The hollow, however remained and every time one pressed it even the slightest bit, it stung.

"I know you might think that I wouldn't understand, but I do. I've seen crumbling marriages around me, both abusive and with unfaithful partners. Perhaps that's one of the reasons I had always been against marriage before Khushi happened. But I'm determined to make mine work. For us. For her sake."

His voice was on the verge of cracking as he finished, looking up to see Suhana staring directly at him. It was as if her gaze was puncturing through his very soul, and he felt the urgent need to shift and look away from her. However, he saw her lips begin to curve and suddenly she was smiling a full-blown smile at him for the first time. He must have done something right.

"I trust you will, for your sake and hers."

She began to pull the Quiche gently out of the glass plate and pulled a knife out of the block as she started slicing into the tart, "You'd want to get some more ice."

"Uh...yes," Arnav realised, noticing that the ice in his glass and melted and began to refill it. Starting to walk towards the door, he paused in mid-step and turned around.

"Err...Suhana, thank you."

Suhana looked up at him and nodded, smiling softly as he began to leave. She realised that it had been easy talking to him about her past. Yes, she hadn't gone into the gory details of it but for the first time, she had been able to speak about it without the memories reeling before her eyes. Her ground had remained firm on the floor, and she hadn't felt it shift beneath her feet. She had survivsd and he hadn't looked at her with pitiful eyes or even tried to comfort her. From his reactions, she had known that he had, in fact, understood.

Or maybe it had been easy because the memories had ceased to affect her as much as they had all those years ago. She had been out of that cage for a long time now, and all those awful memories had been overshadowed with those of the beautiful people she had come across ever since. Apart from the slight sting, she had felt nothing at all. Nothing for that man, and nothing for the shackles of her relationship with him. Perhaps Raizada wasn't all the bad, after all.

She shook her head, smiling to herself and began to settle her Quiche into the tray when she heard Samarth call out to her.

"Suha what are you doing in here? We're going to cut the cake soon, old woman."

Suhana rolled her eyes at him, just as he took a seat on one of the bar-stools opposite her and began to fidget with everything and anything that was within his reach. Her eyebrows pulled into a frown as she observed how jumpy he was again.

She had noticed his odd behaviour ever since he had arrived at the cafe, that afternoon. Of course, he had flirted with the girls and played with Ruhaan through the day -- as was usual -- but she had felt him tread carefully around her, even going as far as sneaking furtive glances at her when he thought she wasn't looking. It was as if he had wanted to tell her something.

Wiping her hands with a cloth and putting it away carelessly, she crossed her arms against her chest and cut him short as he went on and on about something Ruhaan and Grace had done.

"What is it, Samarth?"

He paused mouth open as his voice left him mid-sentence. He gulped audibly, realising that she had caught on to his hesitation and began playing with the knife she had put aside, almost as if willing himself to make the confession.

"Out with it, now! And put that knife away."

Dropping the knife suddenly onto the counter, he shot his gaze at her and slowly his hand reached into the pocket of his jacket. Her eyes widened as she saw the small, velvet box that he had fished out. Samarth opened it carefully and revealed to her a beautiful diamond encrusted ring, which had belonged to their grandmother.

"I've decided that I want to ask Piya to marry me. She has waited for three years, Suha and all for me to want it as much. And I finally think that I am ready. I've finally achieved whatever I had dreamt of professionally, you and Ruhaan have all the happiness that I've wanted for you two and I'm in love with her, more than I could ever be. But I wanted you to be the first one to know and to give this your blessing."

"The ring is beautiful, Samarth."

"That's all you have to say?" he cried out, his grin replaced with outrage as he shot up from his chair.

She couldn't help but chuckle when she saw the expression on his face, before she sobered up and held his hand.

"What can I say? I am...I am just so proud of you, and the man you've turned into. This ring was dadi's engagement ring and her marriage with our grandfather was probably one of the happiest relationships I've seen. You've already got all the blessing you need. Just promise me that you'll keep your word and love and support Piya as much as you have cared for Ruhaan and me."

Her eyes shimmered with tears as she sniffed and pulled her brother into a hug. For years she'd prayed for his happiness with Piya the woman he had so dearly loved for as long as she could remember and now as he whispered his promise to her, she felt a deep sense of contentment. This was the best birthday gift she had received in all her years.

She wiped her tears and stepped back, laughing as she heard their names being called out from the living room.

"Come on, now. We've got an announcement to make."

Samarth grinned boyishly at her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and they began to walk towards the living room, the poor Quiche lying forgotten on the kitchen counter for now.

The room seemed much brighter to her as they entered, with the beaming faces radiating such affection that it warmed her heart and she sighed with fulfillment as she reached the low table that the cake had been placed on.

Kneeling down, Suhana gathered her son into her arms and glanced at the cheery faces, grinning down at her. She noticed that Arnav had pulled Khushi close to him and she briefly held the younger woman's twinkling gaze before she turned to blow gently at the candles.

She silently wished immense happiness for everyone present in the room as the clock struck twelve and the little chorus began to sing Happy birthday' to her, oblivious that the snow had started to stick to the ground outside the warm confines of her little world, marking the beginning of the glorious festive season that lay ahead of them.

A/N I'm glad to be back to writing this story, and I hope to continue and complete it in the upcoming weeks/months. For now, the update schedule won't be fixed but I'll try and post one chapter every week or even more, if possible as and when I'm able to complete them.

I hope you guys haven't forgotten me, and that you liked the chapter. Please do leave behind your reviews!

See you'll again, very soon!

reading it on the blog...such a beautiful story this is... makes me greedy for more updates...

Arnav finally gets the nod of approval from Suhana.