The best part about writing the story yourself, is that you can make everyone do what you want them to do ... or even get rid of them as and when you please 😉 anyways, you gals enjoy!
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A voice was calling out to her from afar and also shaking her shoulder … how could that be possible, Khushi thought dreamily. If the same person was shaking her shoulder then the voice should have been much closer … it sounded like jiji … Khushi opened her eyes groggily, to find jiji sitting next to her and shaking her gently.
Natural sunlight was flooding the room, and Khushi winced in pain as the sharp rays hit her sleep filled eyes.
'What happened?' she tried to sit up
'Keep lying' Payal gently pushed her back, 'you are obviously exhausted … I'll get your lunch here only'.
"Par hum …' started Khushi, when the memories of this morning came flooding back as she looked about her and her eyes fell on the red dupatta draped on a chair. She groaned and fell back against the pillow, shutting her eyes. She had fainted again, and in his arms … again … I really have to stop doing that, she chided herself silently.
'Are you alright…' jiji asked seeing her fall back on the pillows with a groan 'Khushi?'
'Yes, I am okay jiji … just getting a little used to being married,' she added cheekily, trying to cheer up herself and her sister. 'And thanks for taking off all that ...' she gestured to the side table where all her jewellery lay.
'Oh … no … that was Arnav,' Payal corrected her. 'Your jiju and I had stopped at the market and reached here much later. He had already settled you in and made you comfortable.' 'And also left you a wedding gift,' She added naughtily eyeing the ring on Khushi's hand.
Khushi lifted her hand and stared at the sparkling solitaire twinkling in the sunlight. She suddenly felt uncomfortable, thinking of him removing all her jewellery and the putting the ring on her finger all the while she was unconscious.
The ring felt strangely heavy on her finger as did the mangalsutra that was now around her neck. It was not a weight that she was uncomfortable with, Khushi realized suddenly. In fact it was giving her a sense of security that she could not understand completely.
'We need to shift your stuff into Arnav's room after you have eaten,' jiji broke her chain of thoughts as she walked in with a tray laden with food.
'Huh…' Khushi blushed again. Hey devi mayiyya, this was going to be much more difficult that either of them had imagined, she thought. Of course she would be expected to share his room, she thought, blocking thoughts of the double bed that sprang up immediately.
'I'll have to tell amma to pack your stuff also, to be brought here,' jiji continued, as if speaking to herself. 'You barely have anything to wear here. And now, you'll be expected to wear sari's … you can share some of mine for the time being … or should we just go pick up some clothes …'
Payal turned towards Khushi who was engrossed in eating the food as if she had come from a famine-ridden land. Smiling indulgently, she walked and sat at the edge of the bed and warned Khushi to eat slowly lest she choke and faint again. Khushi, with her mouth full, gave her a mock snicker and continued to eat.
**
When Arnav returned in the evening, he entered a quiet house. He had just had a harrowing day dealing with Lavanya who he had called to office. The last thing he had expected her to do was to throw the kind of ruckus she had, accusing him of not marrying her so that he could marry someone else instead. After the anger, came the wailing of how he had tricked her into a 'live in' relationship, and she in spite of warnings from everyone had agreed to it. It had finally taken his raised voice to silence her, and she had stormed out of his office in a fluster.
He had to now go to the Raizada House and deal with Di and Nani. Wanting to prolong the moment when he confronted them with his news, he had turned his car towards the farmhouse instead. He needed to be alone for a while. The Lavanya episode had left him quite stressed. He'd go there later tonight and probably sleep there, he decided, walking into his study to throw his papers and bag, before turning towards his room. He stopped outside the study door, looking towards the adjoining door, which was Khushi's room. Yes, he'd spend the night at Raizada House, so that she could also be on her own. This mornings events had obviously been too much for her. He stepped towards her door and stopped halfway to opening it. Then changing his mind he stepped back and turned towards his own room.
Something was different. That was his first thought when he flung open the door to his bedroom. There was a familiar fragrance, and a warm glow enveloped the room, and him, as the lamps were all on. On the cupboard handle there was a hangar with a sari on it, below it a pair of gold high heels. The dresser was cluttered with jewellery and some lotions etc, which looked alien next to his stark masculine bottles of aftershave.
He could hear running water in the bathroom, and before he could react the door opened and out walked Khushi in a petticoat and blouse, and towel in hand. He stood motionless as he took in her rosy scrubbed glow; wet tendrils of hair escaping her hastily tied topknot and bare feet.
'What are you doing here?' his harsh voice jostled Khushi out of her own thoughts. She nearly jumped out of her skin dropping the towel that was in her hands. It fell silently pooled at her bare feet.
Arnav swallowed uncomfortably as he started at her slim barely-clad figure looking warily at him, outside the steamy bathroom door.
Khushi watched fascinated as he slowly advanced towards her. She was rooted to the spot like a prey watching the predator coming towards her.
He stopped just inches away from her, looking down at her wide doe eyes that continued to look up at him mesmerized. His eyes traveled down her face, stopping for a few seconds at her parted lips, and then down the path were her mangasutra nestled into the low neckline of her blouse. She had not removed it, he thought triumphantly, biting back a smile.
Khushi felt her skin prickle as he watched her slowly and sensually. She felt as if she was being undressed just by his glance. There was a torrent of emotion that she could not understand as shivers ran down her body arousing her. Arnav's eyes stopped at her heaving breasts and he noted her aroused state with another elated smirk. If this was what he could achieve by just a glance, what would she do when he actually touched her, he wondered as certain parts of his body tightened involuntarily at the thought.
He had to touch her, Arnav decided, raising his hand. Holding her chin gently he tilted her head a little and very deliberately, his eyes never leaving hers, placed his lips on her rosy ones. Khushi sucked in a breath, and shut her eyes, unable to handle what she was seeing in his. Arnav deepened the kiss, pulling her closer to him till there were merged as one. She was soft and pliant, as she let him take over, placing her hands around his neck to steady herself. She felt her skin tingle where his palm was on her bare back. It was leaving a sharp imprint as it traveled up towards the hooks of her blouse, which he deftly undid one by one.
His mouth left her lips and Khushi moaned her displeasure, only to trail soft kisses down her cheek and neck and finally reach her shoulder where he nudged off the blouse with his mouth to expose the creamy skin. As his lips encountered the slim strap of her bar, his hands again reached up and undid the hooks, while his mouth made short work of removing the straps from the shoulder.
Arnav lifted his head from her shoulder to return to take her lips again, and stopped midway when he saw the sensuous picture she made – her head thrown back in passion; the top of her lush breasts exposed where the blouse had gathered below her shoulders and her slim fingers clutching his biceps as she tried to remain stead on her feet.
That was all the encouragement Arnav needed, as he bent low, swooped her up in his arms and turned to carry her to the bed to finish what he had started.
An urgent knock on the door stalled his progress and putting her down gently he pushed her behind him, his muscular frame covering her shivering figure completely from the door. He immediately took off his coat and silently handed it back to her giving her a minute to get her composure back.
'Bhai' Aakash's urgent voice came through the door, with another series of knocks. Making sure that he had completely covered Khushi's slight frame with his own, he called out to Aakash to come in. Damn, he had not even bolted the door before he had pounced on her like a teenager with over active hormones!
'Bhai,' Aakash walked in apologizing for disturbing them 'you are not picking up your phone.'
Phone, wondered Arnav, 'I must have left it in the car or study,' he added, trying to remember where it could be.
'There's been an accident, bhai…' Aakash started.
'You go to the study, Aakash,' Arnav took charge, 'I'll just join you.'
As the door shut behind a troubled looking Aakash, Arnav turned towards Khushi and asked her gently if she was all right.
She could only nod, as she snuggled deeper into his coat, embarrassed to meet his eyes. What had just happened here? She wondered, her cheeks turning a pretty pink as she recalled her wanton behavior.
'I'll just go and deal with Akash,' Arnav moved forward to touch her, but stopped when she automatically stepped backward. 'You want me to send your sister to you?' he asked instead.
Khushi shook her head mutely, eyes still downcast. God forbid, jiji would see her in his state!
'Aap jaiye,' she whispered softly, turning her back to him.
**
'Bhai, there has been an accident in Lucknow,' Aakash said as soon as Arnav walked into the study.
Khushi's parents! Was Arnav's first thought, fearing the worst.
'Shyam jiju…' Aakash told, how Shyam had been involved in a road accident and was no more. 'But what was he doing in Lucknow, Bhai?' Aakash looked perplexed.
Arnav racked his brain to come up with an answer to that, all the while a million thoughts racing through his head – Di!
'We'll have to go to Lucknow immediately,' Arnav started instructing Aakash to book tickets, 'Has anyone called nani? … Di?'
He began issuing firm instructions as he took charge of the situation. He realized that he would have to confide in Aakash the entire truth, as they both had to now ensure that no one else in the family was hurt anymore.
He would fill Aakash in on the short flight to Lucknow. They would get the body back and have the proper funeral ceremonies. No one need know the truth about Shyam Jha's real character. Yes, that would be the best for Di. There was no point in causing her any more grief, than what she would be faced with now.
He gave a cynical shrug, as he remembered all the fasts and prayers his sister did over the years for her husband's long life, and once more his skepticism in the sanctity of marriage vows was justified.
He did not have a change to speak with Khushi again, but his last instruction to Akash, as he found his phone in the study and started making calls was, to ask Payal to go and be with his wife.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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