The Unbreakable bond - Page 26

He pulled up a chair and they set there by their son's bed for another one and a half hour. Arush slowly opened his eyes "Amma!!" he cried lifting his little body towards her, she put her hand soothingly on his head. "Hush, baby Amma is here, you will be alright soon, as good as new." she crooned. Arnav's heart clenched in pain at the sound of his son's voice. He looked into the little boys eyes which were the exact colour as his. He blinked away the tears that threatened to mist his eyes.

"Amma it pains." He moaned, crawling awkwardly into her lap. Placing his head on her breast; letting his mother hold him. "I know Darling, I know we will call the nurse and she will give you something to make it stop ok." Khushi cradled him in her arms rocking him gently, she looked at Arnav with pleading eyes as if begging him to take the pain away. He put his arms around them "I'll call the nurse." He said and mover towards the door and singled to the nurse, who came in hurriedly and checked on Arush while Khushi held him still.

Arnav felt lost and helpless to watch his son whimper in pain, he wanted to badly to take it away. To make it all better but this was not in his hands. He had never felt so helpless, since his parents died. With every cry from the little boy's mouth he felt like his heart would break. He watched as the nurse gave Arush some medicine "He needs to rest, I know he will be restless and in pain but he is too small to give him strong painkillers, you will have to divert his attention from the pain, toys or something to keep him occupied." The nurse said to both of them. "I will be here; the Doctor will be around for the evening rounds." And she left.

As Khushi gently rocked Arush, she look at Arnav with pleading eyes, "does he watch TV." He asked placing his hand on Arush head and the child turned to look at him curiously his dark brown eyes teary, Arush did not shy away from Arnav's touch but watch him with curious eyes. Arnav smiled, "what is your favourite cartoon champ." Arnav asked. Screwing up his face in concentration Arush rattled of a few names that had Arnav widening his eyes in consternation "huh!!!! Aaa..is ok I'll make arrangements for Arush to be moved to the VIP section ward." He rolled his eyes and asked, "What on earth is a ben ten, and pokimon. Are you sure these things are safe for him to watch." She shook her head and smiled, "perfectly safe." Nodding he left the room.

There was so much for him to learn about Arush, Khushi thought as guilt once again washed over her. This was all her fault, she had kept Arnav and Arush apart, and she saw the hurt and pain in Arnav's eyes and knew she was responsible. She needed to speak to him. Malti came to the door. "Oh so little lard Sahib has woken up," she made a funny face at Arush, and he gave her a weak smile.

"Malti could you please sit with Arush for a while; I will be right back." Arush whimpered a little, "Beta I will be right back ok, Malti will tell you a nice story."

"Of course you go, Arush and I have lots of mischief to plan while we are here. What say Kido" she wriggled her eyebrows at him making him grin. Leaving the two together Khushi went in search of Arnav.

She found him in a little garden of the corridor from the ward. He was talking on his cellphone. He turned around after his was done talking; and looked at her with a flat look in his eyes, he's angry with me she thought. "I'm having Arush shifted to the VIP ward, he will be more comfortable there and he will have a nurse in attendance 24hrs a day. I have made arrangement for Mrs Metha to be shifted to the same room. The Doctor says that she will be discharged it 2 days, so I have also made arrangements for her to have a nurse with her at home to help her recuperate."

"I ha... thanks, you thought of everything." She said nervously. When he didn't answer she said timidly. "Your angry?"

He took a deep breath, turned around to face her; his eyes blazing. "What do you expect from me? Khushi, were you ever going to tell me? If I had not come to Udaipur and met you, would I ever come to know about my own son's existence. Khushi tell me when were you going to come and let me know that I am the father of a little boy." He said with suppressed anger his voice full of pain. She had no words to say to him.

"I was going to tell you that evening at Pallampur; but we got this news and we had to leave." She pleaded tears running down her face, begging for his understanding. "I had already decided to tell you about Arush, I was just waiting for the right time. I so sorry." She cried.

Unable to bear her tears he squeezed his eyes shut, and said in a choked voice "Right time was when? When his life was in danger, what if something worse was to happen, would I get to know my son then."

The thought made Khushi wince "don't say that," she cried "his fine, he will heal soon, he is a strong healthy child."

Arnav ran a hand through his already tousled hair, "That does not change the fact that in all these years I had no knowledge of my sons existence," He took a firm breath, his face hard and determined. "Arush is my son, and I want him to know that I am the father, under no circumstance will I have my son calling me uncle, is that understood. He is my son and he will bare my name." He went on mapping out his decision. "You and I will be married within the week, at the Shiv temple in a small ceremony, I will make all the arrangements."

"But you just can't...?"

"NO. I will and I can; Khushi you will not fight me on this." His voice harsh, "if you do not wish to make this relationship legal, and yes we are in a relationship. Arush is proof of that, and so is what happened in Pallampur between us." He said with steely eyes. She blushed remembering their love making. "I will be forced to file a paternity suit, and sole custody of Arush as his father." He said firmly.

"I am his mother; you can't take him away from me." She cried in anguish; that he could even do something like that to her. But she knew that Arnav Singh Raizada could do anything to get what he wanted; and he would never give up Arush. She knew she had no choice, in order to keep her son, she would have to marry Arnav Singh Raizada.

As if reading her mind her smiled cruelly, "that's right you have no choice Khushi Kumari Gupta." Saying so he walked away.

Two weeks had passed as if in a daze for Khushi. It was one week since she had become Mrs Khushi Singh Raizada and today would be the first night she would be staying with her husband. For the last two weeks she had spent the night at the Hospital with Arush, while still living at Malani's house.

Arnav had decided that she could continue to reside at Malini house till Arush would be discharge from the hospital. All arrangements had been made by him, with the help of Malini and Malti to have her's and Arush's belongs transferred to one of the independent villas, where they would be residing until he made arrangements for and independent house. That was one of the civil conversations between them since the wedding, besides that, he had been distant and aloof, he had spent all his free time with Arush.

When she had told Arush that Arnav was his father he had taken the news like any 3 year old, with a grave "Ok, and can I sit in his helipoptor." And "can I call him Papa." Since then the two had been inseparable.

Arnav would spent most of his days with Arush, listening to his stories with fascination, he left no stone unturned to keep his son entertained at the hospital even arranging a magic shows, and juggling acts and clowns to entertain Arush and the other children at the hospital. He had played with him with action figures toys and remote control cars.

Arnav told him about his family in Delhi his great grand Nani, and his bua Anjali and her husband, his chachu Akash and his soon to be chachi, his payal Masi. And of his Nana and Nani. Arush was so fascinated by the long list of relatives he had never heard of. This made Khushi feel guilty for never having told this to him, but he was so young and she didn't know how to answer all the questions that were bound to follow. Arush had immediately wanted to know when he would meet all of them as he wanted them to meet Malini Dadi, who till now was his only relative and he wanted to show her off.

Arush has told Arnav of all his favourite cartoon characters and the number of strange sounding super powers the possessed. All his friends at school and why he liked some and didn't like some, and a lode of trivial details, while Arnav listened attentively though his eyes would glaze over from time to time. Which Khushi found highly amusing. Taking pity on him she assured him he would get used to it.

It was quite clear father and son adored each other. Arnav was completely different with Arush, gone was the ruthless business man, and his place had been take by a man who lost all his inhibitions. Together the two of them even came up with pranks to play on the nurses and doctors at the hospital. Much to Khushi's embarrassment. Arnav never apologised and Khushi found herself constantly trying to appease some Nurse or Doctor or Hospital staff that ended up as victims to her husband's and son's pranks, with homemade sweets.

When she tried to talk to Arnav about the pranks and that they had to stop, he had simply replied "I have to do something to keep my sons mind occupied, and the pain away." He held Arush face in between his hands making him face her and as if on cue Arush made the most adorable puppy dog boy face, "see how can anyone be upset with such an adorable face." He kissed his son on the nose, "I know I can't." Arnav had the nerve to make an identical face as Arush. "Can you?" Khushi could only shake her head in disbelief as she mentally made a list of ingredients she needed to purchase for the sweets she would have to make.