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PART 6: Arnav's confession.
Both of them slept peacefully in each others arms, together they were One...and even in their semi conscious state, both of them knew, that THIS is the place where they belonged...
Arnav slowly fluttered his eyes open, the morning sun rays greeted him...and he suddenly realized that he was not able to move one of his hands, worried, he turned his face and found the reason...
Arnav(Smiled to himself...his Khushi was sleeping like a baby on his arm, all cuddled up against him, her hands balled into fists, he smiled broadly upon seeing that, and thought-'She's a fighter, even when she's sleeping, she's sleeping in the fighting mode...', he slowly opened her fists...and as soon as he did that,Khushi, in her sleep held onto his hand...now, his thoughts were taking a 'U' turn, some areas of him, going hard upon watching her sleep...he needed to get out of the bed...and as soon as he de-tangled her from himself, he tried to get up and- 'Woah! Damn this Mangalsutra! Everytime it gets stuck...' He got busy with her mangalsutra, taking it out of his way when, just like the last time they ended upon his recliner together, khushi was caught off guard, seeing them together like this...)
Khushi: What? H-how? (she was completely flustered...and got all red in the face)
Arnav( to himself-'Oh god! She is SO lovely...why do I have to leave this bed and her right now? This is not fair. Seriously..' To Khushi, he said-) "Wait! Let me do it, don't get your hands in the way."
Khushi(sat back and let him do whatever he was doing, after he was done with it, she didn't waste another second and hopped out of the bed, making her way towards the washroom)
Arnav(Sighed. He needed to talk to her. He couldn't stand it when she left him like that..)
Khushi(Came out of the Bathroom and went to help her mother in the Kitchen when she heard her amma calling out to Arnav to take the bath as now the washroom was vacant...sensing a good opportunity, she told her amma that she wanted to go to Mandir and that she'll take some time to come back as she wanted to spend some time with Devi maiyya alone today. Garima doubted that something was wrong,but didn't say anything. She allowed her to go.)
Arnav(came out looking all wet and hot, he changed into the extra clothes he always kept in the back of his car, and asked his mother in law) Where is Khushi?
Garima: She went to Mandir. She said that she'll be back after sometime. (pauses, and looks at Arnav's disturbed expression and then asks-)'Is something wrong Damaad ji? Did the two of you...h-had...a..fight?(she asked hesitatingly, she knew Arnav was a very private person, but since last night, both of them looked too upset..maybe it was just another one of those 'husband wives' fights! 'But, Damaad ji had never looked so upset before', she thought.)
Arnav: Um, no. Its nothing. Amma(he had called her Amma for the first time, and saw the pleasure on his MIL's face and remembered Khushi's words-'aapko kya pata kisi ko khushi dena ka sukh!' and he instantly felt all the more guilty) I am going back home.(He said,and Then suddenly, an idea struck him, and he felt better) Amma! I am taking Khushi's bags back to our home, and I'll pick her up on the way. You don't worry, and take care. Khushi and I will visit you all soon!
With that, he left GH...and went to the Mandir, where his Di and Khushi usually went to worship...
Khushi( She somehow knew that Arnav would come to Mandir to talk to her and now, she was ready to hear whatever he had to say in his defense..even though he never gave her a chance to say anything in her defense, but she was not like him. This is where they were both different...she had a heart, unlike him. Little did she know how Arnav's heart was hurting too, just like hers, but Arnav was a coward where emotions were into play, he ran away from every kind of emotions..he never showed them...but now, he won't run away...
Khushi sighed again. Waiting for him, he was late...she didn't know what he would say and how she would react, maybe this was the end...she thought-"Maybe this is the end...maybe...this is the last time he or I will say anything to each other"...and this upset her all the more...)
Arnav(His car screeched to a halt outside the Mandir. He ran out and climbed the steps taking two steps at a time...he looked around but didn't find her...he looked inside and around..yet he didn't find her...he got worried...then suddenly...he saw a very Khushi's duppatta like white duppatta flying behind the Banyan tree, he carefully approached the tree, half worried that he would scare away whoever was behind the tree, he called out softly-"Khushi?"...and saw her. He was speechless. Standing there...was his Khushi...a divine vision...in white. Those stupid hair pins she always clipped her beautiful hair with, were missing...and her bangs flowed beautifully about her face...those hair taking the shape of her face...his eyes traveled down and he saw...her hands...he stopped short with surprise..her hands were missing those lovely bangles...he looked up in surprise and his eyes met her. What he saw there wrenched his gut. Those beautiful kohled eyes held pain. As if reading his mind...Khushi spoke up..)
Khushi(Her voice was subdued) I don't think I now need to wear any bangles or this-(she held out her hand infront of him..)
Arnav(he was shocked. What was she doing? He thought. There, in her palm, lay her mangalsutra...the very thing which had bonded them together just this morning itself...which had always come in between their fights and awkward moments to remind both of them that they were now bonded for life...and beyond...he knew that he didn't believe in such stuffs, but somehow, Khushi taking it off and giving it to him seemed to simply throw him off balance. He didn't like one bit, where this conversation was going. He had a feeling that, now, he needed to fight.This time not, not WITH her..but FOR her.)
Khushi:(looked away from him and then back at him) A girl wears bangles, mangalsutra and sindoor(the moment she mentioned sindoor, she saw Arnav's eyes instantly looking up at her forehead, and she saw his eyes going wide when he saw that it no longer held the bright red color it used to, though she ignored this and continued saying...), because it holds some meaning. She wears it for her husband...its sacred and pure. The relationship between a husband and wife...(she suddenly stopped and shook her head, and sadly smiled) Well, I don't think you are here to listen me lecturing about something you have no interest in...its just that all these are sacred and has their own meaning, and our marriage, from the very first day, was meaningless.(She shoved her hand under his nose,as if asking him forcefully to take the mangalsutra when he didn't accept it, then she produced his mother's bangles out of nowhere and took his hand, opened his palm and placed both the mangalsutra and bangles in them. And said-) These are yours. I don't know whom these bangles belong to, but I know that they are special. I don't want to keep something special of yours...or Di..with me.
Arnav(he stood numbly...his right palm holding whatever she placed in them and questioned himself-"Meaningless? Did she just say that we had was a meaningless marriage? But why didn't I ever feel that it was meaningless...Dammit! I am such a fool...I think I should now tell her that I really love her...maybe...she'll forgive me then...he started speaking in a choked voice) Khushi...what are you trying to do? Slowly kill me? If yes, then you are mighty successful till now...I am ready to suffer..I am ready to be punished...but Khushi...I am not ready to lose my life...please...
Khushi(shocked to hear what he was saying, yet was now afraid to believe any of what he was trying to say...and his voice...oh lord! his voice sounded so...needy...and she asked him-) W-what?
Arnav: Don't you know what? Don't you know that whatever we have had since the day you came into my life was NOT meaningless...don't you know what we have together? Don't you share the same feeling..same passion...and ferocity of emotions I share with you? (his voice getting bolder, he clenched the mangalsutra and bangles in his hand...finding strength from somewhere...) Don't you know that ...that...I..I...
Khushi(she felt light headed...after all these days, she had ached to hear those words from him...and he was saying it now?) You what? (she whispered...)
Arnav: I...I..(Godammit! Why is it so HARD?! He was irritated with himself)..I..Care about you...
Khushi(Her heart shattered yet again...it was a wonder how many times a heart could break...and hope again...she sighed and said..) Even I do...and maybe that's why, its best if we don't stay in each other's lives..maybe this is what is best for us...(with a defeated look, she started to move away..)
Arnav(absolutely frustrated with himself...held her hand and moved her against him..held onto her tightly...and said) NO. you and I are not going anywhere. We are going to stay. Together.
Khushi(Absolutely tired with his games, gave a helpless shrug and didn't even try to move out of his grasp)
Arnav( worried at her expression..he asked her;) Did you hear? We are going to stay together...
Khushi( a small, sob escaped her lips...she knew this was the end, then why was he making everything so much more difficult? didn't he know how much it was hurting her...well he never knew...but...she simply wanted to end everything now...when he didn't even love her...what would she do by staying in his life? He no longer even needed her for his Di..)
Arnav(flummoxed upon hearing her cry...he gently took her face in his hands...and wiped those precious tears with his thumbs...she still didn't raise her eyes to meet him...)Khushi...please...please..
Khushi( 'enough is enough. I can no longer stand this torture', she thought and pushed him away with all her might and started to run away..)
Arnav(surprised at being pushed away, yet not deterred..he called out) KHUSHI!!!! WAIT! KHUSHI...(She kept running...and he broke into a jog)..KHUSHI WAIT!! KHUSHI..I LOVE YOU. PLEASE...DON'T GO...(He saw her suddenly stop and turned to face him...there was hope after all..)
He reached her and grabbed her hands...his eyes were moist...his expression...so tender yet so fierce...his lips trembled...and he again said.."I love you, Khushi."
Khushi( Was he kidding?! After all this time, why did he say it now? She wondered...but couldn't help hoping a little bit...okay maybe she was hoping too much, even now...she stammered out-) What? You...l-love m-me?
Arnav(smiled slightly) Only you. I've always loved you.
Khushi(now she didn't know what to say...she simply stared at him)
Arnav(he got tensed...and asked her...) Do you want...I mean, do you love me? I mean...oh god..I don't know what I mean! I know you can't love a beast like me...I know you shouldn't...I know I don't deserve someone as sweet as you...I..I...KNOW...but...yet..(he looked at her hopefully...and what he saw made his heart do cartwheels inside his chest...she was looking at him with SO much love..SO much..that he didn't even think it was possible, she didn't even need to say it out loud...but he wanted to hear it..and be sure..)
Khushi(Took his in her hands...cupped them softly and said-) You are not a beast. What you did, you did out of complete love and devotion for your Di...though I blame you for not even once giving me a chance to explain my situation...(she noticed the trace of sadness creeping back into his eyes, and she desperately wanted to remove it...So she hurriedly added...) but, if I would've been in your position, even I would've done something like that...maybe not so severe..but yes..something like this nonetheless..but that's what you are all about...severe to extreme limits....(And she smiled at him)
Arnav(Yet not fully confident...he questioned her..) So..did you...forgive me...for what...I did? (and he hung his head low..ashamed of what he had done...)
Khushi(she saw how ashamed he was...and how much he loved her...she saw it...in his eyes...felt it...form his heart...after all..their heartbeats were ONE...and she smiled and said) Yes..I did...(and the smile Arnav gave at that moment made the shining sun dim in comparison to it..and suddenly...all the clouds...surrounding her and his life..seemed to disappear...)
Arnav: So...? (He took her hand in his...and looked down at the mangalsutra and bangles in his right hand)
Khushi(confused) So..what?
Arnav: Now what?
Khushi(Gave him an exasperated expression and said) What's your problem? Why do you spoil such beautiful situation with such stupid questions?
Arnav:(faking anger) Stupid? I am simply asking..what now?(though he realized that Khushi came to know that he was faking it..as she smiled up at him)
Khushi(touched his right hand..looked up at him and said) I need a meaning in my life. And, my meaning, my path and my destination...is you.
Arnav(his pleasure and happiness knew no bound then...he felt like laughing out loud..hugging her..kissing her then and there...but he knew that this was not the place to do all that..and he bent down on one knee...took her hand and asked her) Will you marry me, again Khushi? Will you make me the luckiest man by marrying me once again?
khushi( her eyes shone bright with tears...she held him by his shoulders and asked him to get up...both of them unaware of the audience they had attracted till now, she clasped both her hand around his and said-) Yes. I will.
Arnav: Khushi, I promise to love you, forever, in this life and if there is something like having 7 lives, then in the 6 next to come and beyond that...I know I am not perfect, I have a heart which had been locked tight till you had come, its stupid and damaged, maybe its even rusted, but I swear to you, that I love you, with every nook and corner of my silly heart, and my soul.
Khushi( Absolutely surprised and heady upon hearing such emotional lines from him, smiled...a tear dropping down her cheek) I love you too.
(Then suddenly something struck her and she said-) This is the longest speech of yours. I've never seen you say so much before (And her eyes twinkled naughtily up at him)
Arnav(Sighed. Here was his Khushi, back in shape and action, living with her was going to be one roller coaster ride he's going to enjoy thoroughly, he knew...and said) And, this is the longest, I've heard you keep quiet and say such small sentences.
Khushi(Laughed her tinkling laugh, which never failed to make him happy...then, getting a bit emotional she added) Maybe, this love of ours, will always find a way in our hearts to forgive each other...
Arnav(hugged her tightly) Yes. (as he held her, something heavy from his chest seem to lift up...he felt lighter, happier than he had been in past 20 years...she was everything he needed and wanted. He closed his eyes, in a silent prayer to thank his Maa.)
Everyone around them started clapping and whistling...
Khushi(blushing furiously, said-) Arnav ji, lets go...home..
Arnav(Grinned his crooked grin...the very grin which made her stomach flip..and said..) We are getting married again, we have been already married once, we have all the right in the world to do what we are doing...
Khushi(latched herself to him,held his right hand with both her hands, which held the mangalsutra and bangles and smiled shyly and asked to leave...and as they were leaving ... she turned back just once to thank her Devi maiyya, it was the very temple which had witnessed so many of their encounters, and finally the final one too.)
They walked together in the dusk, moving together to their home, to create a place, where there would be nothing, but LOVE...the setting sun, promising them the Light of the new Dawn...
*TO BE CONTINUED*
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So, how was it guys?! 😊
In the next one, I'll talk about what happened with Shyam..their wedding and their first night and the rest of their life ahead..😊
PS: I actually wanted their unification to take place in that Lucknow's Dargah, but in this story, I didn't know where to fit Khushi taking off to Lucknow and then Arnav finding her and all, I hope someone else includes this in their FF or OS.. 😊
Drop in your views and comments! 😃 suggestions are also welcome! 😃
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