SS: Those eyes (Updated Pt9 Pg 24)

His face cast in stone, ASR deflected the questions thrown his way. Their entrance had shocked everyone into silence, but now they had begun to speak up. His grandmother, his sister, his cousins. All at once, and everyone with the same question.

"I thought this was best," he said, "we can discuss this later," in his office voice, one that brooked no argument.

"Nahi Chote, aap aisa nahi kar sakat hain, apko batayeka parhi, isi bakhat, abhi," Nani's voice drowned his.

"Nani, abhi yahan nahin, maine kaha na...," he continued, telling Nani why it wasn't sensible to talk now, giving away nothing, his gaze fixed on the twisted face of the heel who was still married to his Di.

His head buzzed, ready to give way after the assaults it had faced that day, but his gaze remained unmoved.

But suddenly, amid the din in his senses, he felt a sudden emptiness. His hand no longer held hers. He turned to find her on the floor. His heart sank at the sight of her lying in a crumpled heap amidst the clamor of feet. What had he done to her? What had he reduced her to?

He bent over, picking her up. She felt light in his arms, and the many times he had carried her came back to him, making his head swim. But this time was different. She was his wife, if only in name. His wife. His heart leaped and his fingers gripped her skin of their own accord, and he had to still them before he moved forward, walking up the stairs, ignoring the chaos he left behind, the crazed screams, the bedlam of "Chote" "Nannav" "Bhai" "Khushi" "Haire NandKishore" "Hello Hye Bye Bye". He turned once, taking in the sight of Di following him, Nani quelling the bewildered Guptas, and Akash holding on to Payal. His eyes crashed against the furious ones of Shyam, who was now following Anjali.

He laid the weight in his arms on one side of his bed, and turned to his Di,"Di mujhe aapse baat karni hai. Akele me." He did not look beyond her to her husband. Anjali turned to Shyam, nodding, asking him to leave. Once he had left, ASR walked to the door, bolted it shut.

"Chote, ye sab kya hai?"

He walked back to where she lay, took water from the glass and sprinkled it on her face--remembering the other time he did the same thing that very day, to his Di.

"Khushi?Khushi!"

As she lay with her eyes closed, she looked angelic, as innocent as Di. What he had seen on the terrace came back to him in a nauseating vision, and scattered his thoughts.

She opened her eyes, "Arnavji..." and then turned to find his sister. "Anjaliji, hum..."

"Khushiji, ap theek hain?"

"Hum theek hain," she said, trying to sit up, and his hands immediately went behind her to help support her. When he realized what he was doing, he snatched himself back.

"Aap aram kijiye, Khushiji, hum apke liye kapre bhijwate hain."

ASR stood by, watching the interaction between the two women. He tried to find envy or anger in her eyes for Di, but found only pain, confusion, and softness. She acted well, he had to give her that. He would not be fooled again.

"Amma, Buaji..."

"Hum unse baat karenge.Chote, hum kal subah apse milenge," Di opened the door.

As Di left, her eyes turned towards him, pools of grief, bewilderment, a mute appeal, shaking his resolve."Lekin apne aisa kyun kiya, Arnavji?"

Part 2- Page 2

Part3- Page 3

Part 4- Page 5

Part 5- Page 7

Part 6- Page 12

Part 7- Page 16

Part 8- Page 18

Part 9- Page 24

Note: Thanks everyone who has liked this SS and commented on it. I'm quite overwhelmed by the response to what is to me essentially a distraction from everyday life. I'm not sure I can pm everyone who has asked me for it, but I'm trying my best. If you'd like a pm, send me a buddy request.

I like how you put the Raizada parampara in there.. Smooth

good one...hope she does faint admist of all the calamity there..but i doubt that asr will pick her up this time...very unlikely..hope soo..patha nahi kya honge

Loved the final question asked by khushi. Please do continue and pm me if you do. Awesome ss btw.

Originally posted by: rosette80

good one...hope she does faint admist of all the calamity there..but i doubt that asr will pick her up this time...very unlikely..hope soo..patha nahi kya honge

I have a feeling she will faint in the show as well.

Originally posted by: smitar

The million dollar question finally asked by Khushi (as usual after the deed is done).😉

Yep, per usual. Am writing the conversation that follows, and letting it take me where it will!

"Tumhare har sawal ka jawab dena zaroori nahin hai," he said, taking off his jacket and flinging it on the couch.

She remembered the last time he had said that, after she had cornered him into confessing that he bought her the bangles.

Was it just yesterday? It seemed many lifetimes ago, the smiling Arnav Singh Raizada, the one who bought her a truckload of pattal because she had fed a basketful to the cow because she'd been busy staring at him, the one who played waiter to come to her rescue, the one who had given her back her bindi. Where had he gone, and who was this he had left behind in his stead?

"Zaroori hai, Arnavji" she said, rising from the bed. "Aapne shart rakhi, jo humne puri kar di. Lekin apko batana hoga ki apne aisi shart kyun rakhi. Agar aap mujhse poochte to.."

"Kya tum mujhe har baat batati ho?" he asked,"Kyun Miss Khushi Kumari Gupta?"he growled her name, advancing on her.

But Khushi did not take a step back. She had come a long way and had nowhere to go. She needed answers she could give her parents, and she needed him to give them to her now.

"Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada,"she said, her voice trembling yet firm in its assertion. It was the first time she had said it, her new name, the name signing a bunch of papers had given her. It filled her mouth. It made her feel larger than herself, as if his name joined to hers had filled her out, completed her.

He paled at that, and paused for a moment before continuing his steps. She remembered the number of times he had stalked towards her in this room in much the same way, when she played pranks on him, when she told him about her engagement ring. And today, this tall man who made her heart restless, walking towards her with a strange spark in his eyes, was her husband. Husband. The syllables of the word settled inside her, pooled inside her stomach.

She felt the headboard of the bed on her back as he came close, and said, "Jawab kyun nahin deti, itna dar kyun rahi ho?"

His voice had none of the huskiness it carried when he had asked a similar question two days ago. It rang with steel instead.

The incident on the terrace flashed through her, and she lowered her eyes. No I haven't told you everything, but I have my reasons. She wondered what would happen if she said that aloud, and looked up to face him.

That was great👍🏼 - Please continue.

oh this is too good! can't wait for the next part. waiting with baited breath