Arhi FF:Never Gone, Never Far. link to thd 2 pg.1 - Page 45

The song which inspired me to write this update: 😳

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VU1nqRCSy4[/YOUTUBE]

Part 4:

Havisham Dance Institute, Uxbridge Street, London

"Arre. . . Bend a little more! Bend this a little more!!" Khushi said as she tickled the tiny waist of a squealing Nancy Hart. The four year old child stopped laughing, stood back and did as she was asked to do from her favorite dance teacher, and earned an appreciative look from her. Khushi hugged the child when she completed the aavartan.

Nancy Hart, Khushi's first student

'Such a sweetheart of a child. . . Deserves so much more of love than she's getting!' Khushi thought as she let go of the child who broke into the usual joyful grin and said in her British accent, "Dhanyavad Guruji!!" and kissed Khushi on her cheek, and Khushi kissed her cheek too.

It had been two weeks since Khushi had joined as the Kathak dance teacher in the Havisham Dance Institute. Nancy, who had wanted to join for ballet lessons had seen Khushi give a demo of Kathak dance style to Mrs. Havisham, and had immediately signed up for Kathak, provided Khushi was her teacher.

Since then, Khushi had started teaching Kathak to Nancy, and they both learnt ballet from Ms. Havisham. Mrs. Havisham's daughter, Ms. Anne Havisham, was a delightful young lady, who was as dainty as anyone could probably be.

As they were done for their day, Nancy hugged Khushi around her legs, resting her head against Khushi's thigh. "Practice well, child" Khushi sat down and murmured, as she smoothed Nancy's hair and kissed her forehead.

Nancy's face fell a little at the aspect of going home. She had never known who her mother was. And her dad, a rich businessman, made sure Nancy got everything she needed. But he seemed to have forgotten that it was love that any child basically needed.

After waving Nancy off, Khushi headed off to her apartment, (Well, it was Lavanya's place. But it was her's for now.) at Notting Hill. A few minutes of walk from the dance institute.

Since the last two weeks, Khushi spent her mornings teaching Kathak to a group of teenagers who attended dance school before going to their actual school. And later, she taught Kathak to a group of kids, most of them who went to Nancy's school. After that, Nancy and Khushi learnt ballet together.

Either Lavanya or Aditya would keep her company most of the evenings. It was almost like they were purposefully doing it. They'd stay until Khushi almost pushed them out herself. She'd have a peaceful dinner, a glass of wine, not taking her eyes off of Arnav, who still was there wherever she went. She'd stare and stare some more at him.

And then came her singing. She'd turn on the audio system, listen and sing a sad song about broken love, and by the end of it slept off on the couch, imagining Arnav's arms around her. This had been her schedule for two weeks, and she was sure it'd be like this for long.

---ooo---

Shantivan, New Delhi

Payal cleaned the kitchen for the day. She was about to leave, when she remembered the water jug in her room was empty, and was filling a jug, when she heard someone behind her. She turned to see Arnav enter the kitchen tentatively. She lowered her gaze, because she didn't want to look at him. Eye contact would lead to conversation, which she was in no mood to do right now.

Arnav rushed to her and turned off the tap, as the jug was about to fill up. "Oh!! Thanks. . . ." Payal murmured embarrassedly. She covered the jug with its lid and was about to leave, when Arnav decided it was too much. He could take everybody else's anger. But Payal was his last connection with his Khushi and her anger was unbearable.

"Payal, I'm sorry! I still cannot even come to terms with the fact that she has left. I loved her too, you know? More than my life." He said, his voice breaking at the end.

Payal turned and looked into his eyes as she said, "I know. Par us pyaar ka hum kare bhi kya?! The love which can give only heart ache to everybody related to it. Do you still think it has right to exist?!"

Arnav gasped as he stumbled back and took the support of the kitchen counter. He laughed an ironic laugh, as he said, "Ab dekho na, Payal? I used to think that I write my own fate? Now my luck is such that I don't even have a right to love. . . . You're right, though. I. . . . . Sleep well, Payal." HE couldn't blink back his tears and he didn't have a mind to show it to Payal right now.

"Arnavji?" Payal called, her own eyes filling up with grief. Both her's and Arnav's. "She was my baby sister. I have always loved her and protected her. And you used me as the bait to trap her, hook, line, and sinker?! You can't even imagine how sick I'm feeling about myself now. . . That I was the reason she married you and suffered so much. So much that she left me too. . . ." Payal's voice broke in the end as she started sobbing. Arnav silently hugged her, realizing in the true sense how much he had hurt everybody by taking up that rash decision.

"You will get your sister back, Payal. I'll do anything to make sure that you get your sister back." Arnav said, as he supported her physically, as Payal was too weak to stand on her feet at the moment. She pulled back and looked into his eyes, and asked, "You will?", her eyes glinting with a small ray of hope. Arnav nodded, and shared the piece of information which he had found about Khushi. "Khushi's probably in London. A ticket with her name was booked to London on the day after Di returned home from hospital."

Payal's lips lifted in an attempt of a small smile, and disappeared immediately. "But. . . What could she possibly be doing in London?! She doesn't even know anybody there!" Payal exclaimed, feeling sick with worry for her sister.

"That is what I intend to find out. . . . ." Arnav said, his face getting a grim, determined look. Arnav had decided that he had to go through this hell for his whole life to even begin the process of his redemption. But he'd be damned if he let his decision affecct everybody else like this. He had made up his mind that he'd learn everything about the whereabouts of Khushi and as a result, had obtained this information about Khushi from one of the premier detective agency in Delhi.

Payal considered him for a moment before she said, "You may think I'm very selfish. But Khushi is all what matters to me, right now. . . ."

Arnav smiled sadly as he said, "For us both, Payal. . . For us both. . . ."

Akash who had come in search of his wife, saw her talking to his brother and felt so happy at that. He hadn't liked the fact that his wife and his brother were at loggerheads. It was a difficult position to stay in the middle and not sound as if he was choosing one over the other.

He had heard all about Khushi being in London, and stood by his brother, squeezing his brother's shoulder in reassurance. Arnav sighed at this, and with as much of a stern voice he could muster, said, "Well. . . . Its late. . . . You both need to sleep. Good night. . ." He watched them both leave, Payal turning to look back at him and give him a smile indicating the white flag of peace between them. At least for now. . . . . .