Chapter 59
Khushi woke up in middle of the night to find Arnav not around her and the room with only one lamp on giving it a hazy glow. She suddenly felt queasy and rushed to the bathroom to wretch all her dinner out. She could not believe one news could make her so sick.
She was not able to come to terms with the fact that her mother was alive and what was she doing at Arnav's office. How did he know her? What connection they had? Was that the reason he was keeping away from her? Her mother had told him something about her to make him not want her anymore? No, that was not true, he did want her. But that was not enough. That was no where near enough.
She wanted more. She wanted his love. She wanted his trust. How could he have taken the words of a person who had left her, her father to run away with someone? How could he do that? She felt like she was again abandoned, cast away.
She could not stand it anymore. She had waited for Arnav to love her, to give her the trust that she had in him. She will have to confront him. She put on a robe on her gown and went downstairs. She was halfway down the stairs when she heard him in the hallway, saying, "I don't care, I want her found. It is a matter of life and death for me. You understand. Just get it done. Now."
He then turned to see Khushi run back up the stairs sobbing. What happened now?
He took two stairs at a time to reach the bedroom after her only to find her flinging her clothes haphazardly in a bag thrown on the bed.
"What are you doing?" roared Arnav.
"What does it look like? I am leaving. Leaving so that you can be with the person who have been dreaming about, the person who matters so much to you, you have a search party sent, a person who is a matter of life and death."
"Are you insane?" Arnav asked incredulously.
"Yes! I am insane. You have me investigated and I am insane. You dream about some woman and I am insane. You are looking for her and I am insane. You.. You' " and Khushi broke down. Sinking on her knees she sobbed with her face in her hands. Arnav knelt besides her and said, "You are wrong, so wrong Khushi. Its not like that."
"Please don't lie." she suddenly moved her head up and pushed him away. She got up and went into the dressing room and shut the door. She changed into a dress and opened the door.
He was waiting right outside and she bumped into him. She again moved to push him but this time he was more prepare and just held her arms to say, "Listen to me Khushi. You are getting the wrong end of the stick."
"Oh right!" Khushi threw back sarcastically.
"Khushi!" Arnav now almost losing his temper shook her and said, "I am doing this because... '"
"What can't find the excuses fast enough? Why did you not tell me who my mother was when you have known that for so long? Why have you kept her a secret? Why did you not tell me she comes to the office? What is your connection to her? Do you even know she is the last person I want to know about, talk to or even acknowledge and now, I have to remember that she is my mother and she is alive and Amma, Amma... is not my mother? Why did you take one family that I have away from me. Why did not keep it a secret forever. Whey did you tell me now? Why Arnav?" Khushi now exhausted after her tirade, slumped on the side of the bed. She was talking contradictory things at one and the same time and Arnav knew he would have to say everything.
"Khushi." he whispered. "I am sorry, Tanirika is not someone I wanted to talk to you about. But she has been blackmailing me and I wanted to protect you from her, from the knowledge and I failed. I failed you Khushi."
Khushi just looked at him, stunned. Was that the truth? Could she trust him? Could she believe all that he had to say?
Just then, Anjali knocked on the door and came in.
"Arnav, ye iski tasveer yahan kya kar rahi hai? Ye Tanirika kya hamari zindagi mein phir se aa gayee hai? Pehle chachaji ko phasya ab kya lene aayee hai?" Anjali walked towards Arnav without realising what Khushi was listening to.
Arnav now stuck between his sister and his wife, looked from one to other and then heard Khushi say, "Tanirika ne... yaani meri Maa ne ... aapke chachaji ke saath.. "
Anjali then just realised what Khushi had said and looked at her and Arnav winced. He realised Khushi had worked out the whole story.
"Tanirika aapki Maa hai?" Anjali spoke haltingly.
Edited by -RushTrip- - 12 years ago
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