OS: Confessions Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3 (complete) - Page 15

Part 3 : Signs

"Stay with me" It was just a whisper but they felt its echo throughout the universe. They kept looking into each other's eyes. For how long? They did not know. It seemed just seconds but all they knew it could have been eternity. Arnav for the first time did not try to conceal any emotions he felt. He did not hide his face and he did not run away. However agonizing it might be, for all the hurt he had put his love through, he had to face her and he had to repent. He could see the turmoil in Khushi's eyes but only Khushi knew what was going on inside of her.

***

"Despite all the reasons I had to hate you, I still loved you" he said. He believed I was adulterous and he still loved me? "I am sorry for it". He is sorry for marrying me? He knows about Shyam? He knows I was innocent? But how? How did he find out I was innocent? And two options? Stay or leave? Does he even want me to stay now? Do I want to stay with him?

***

Arnav's eyes had started to tear up with the sheer devastation he had brought upon himself and started to move away from Khushi. No respectable woman would ever forgive a crime like the one he had committed. He had ruined her life, and in his mind he knew it for a fact that she must hate him now more than ever. Just as he was about to take a step away from her...

Khushi: (barely able to contain the panic in her voice) Where are you going?

Arnav: I thought you might need to be alone.

Khushi: You said you would answer all my questions. You've left some of them unanswered. You can't go now.

Arnav: Which questions?

Khushi: Why didn't you ask me? Why didn't you confront me on the wedding night? Even after we married and I asked you, why didn't you tell me?

Arnav: (takes a deep breath and sighs) I was scared of facing your rejection. I told you I still hoped you were innocent and not asking or telling about it gave me a sense of security. I didn't want you to confirm what I feared was the truth. I wanted that illusion very bad, I was not ready to face the truth.

Khushi: How did you find out I was innocent?

Arnav: From your father.

Khushi: (gaped at him) What do you mean? Babuji? How?

Arnav: He can talk now. He just doesn't want anybody to know he can. He told me everything when you'll were out in the afternoon.

Khushi: If he is well, why is he pretending.

Arnav: His life is in danger. Shyam had tried to kill him to get you to agree to marry him and your father faound out about his duplicity.

Khushi: What!?

Arnav: Don't worry about it. He is fine now. I have men investigating Shyam. Soon he will be behind bars for all the crimes he has committed. I just need enough proof to ensure he won't be able to get away.

Khushi: (Once she was reassured about her father) What about Di? Isn't she the reason you did all this?

Arnav: You don't have to worry about Di. She is my concern. One day or the other, she has to know about Shyam. I won't let my Di live with a murderer. Better sooner than later.

Khushi: But...

Arnav: (interrupting Khushi) Right now, I need you to think only about yourself. Forget the world. What do you want? Because in this instant, you are my topmost priority. Not even Di but you. I want to set things right with you first. Tell me what you need and its yours.

Khushi just gets up from the chair and walks towards the door leading out of the room. Arnav is left flabbergasted.

Arnav: Where are you going?

Khushi: I need to go to the kitchen. I want to make jalebis.

***

Arnav followed Khushi to the kitchen and watched as she gathered all the ingredients required to make jalebis and started with the process. Within no time there was already a pile of the sweet which she was also eating. He could do nothing but stare at her.

Khushi was lost deep in her thoughts. The decision he was asking her to take wasn't so easy. Leaving him meant leaving his family too, the family she had grown to love almost as much as her own. She wouldn't be able to part with them easily. The good thing about leaving was she got to stay with her family because he said he would give all explanations and absolve her. But staying with him was also tempting yet it was also a problem. She could have both her families with her but he was a difficult man to live with. In this case, she turned to the only person she trusted enough to guide her in taking the right decision. "Hey Devi Maiyya! Give me a sign" she prayed silently. She closed her eyes and remembered the first time they met... she falling in his arms and that intense stare... the meeting at the dargah in Lucknow... him saving her from being run over by a car... him saving her from the collapsing guest house... him breaking her fast at teej... the dupatta thrown by him veiling her... all the times he saved her from falling... the first time he said sorry to her... the weird feeling she got when he hugged Lavanya... her heartbeats going into overdrive when around him... the children thinking he was her husband during kanya pooja... the first time he laughed because of her... they playing the charade of husband and wife at the dhaba... him saving her from goons and almost killing one of them for pushing her... her hugging him in the hospital when her father was ill... him paying the hospital bills and consoling her... him taking fairy lights off of her while decorating the house for Diwali... she seeing him everywhere she went... she not wanting to marry Shyam because of Arnav... those intimate moments spent with him on Diwali night... her being heartbroken when he told her he didn't care about her... him following her to the temple to treat her wound... him talking with her about his mother and the stars... she not wanting him to know about her engagement... when he hurt his hand because she was engaged to someone else... their first date to plan bring Aakash and Payal together... him trying to convince Mami about Payal and Aakash giving filmy references only because she asked him to... him apologizing to Payal... him trying to comfort her when she found out about Shyam being Anjali's husband during the havan... Lavanya asking her to take care of Arnav... their seeing each other on New Year's eve at midnight... their dance at the sangeet, how he didn't let her lose face even when they were competing against each other... she being restless about him going missing... her hands having his name written on them using mehendi... him kissing her... him going berserk thinking that she was in an accident and lost her... him gifting her bangles... him helping her serve wedding guests at her house... him helping her select a saree... him calling her his wife after getting married... applying colour on her face playing holi and letting her do the same to him... All these memories proved to her beyond a doubt that they were always meant to be together. Devi Maiyya ahd been sending her so many signs that she stubbornly ignored just like he tried to ignore his feelings. They were so similar in this aspect. Maybe this pain they shared was something they had to go through to make their relationship stronger, just like testing a metal to see how much it can withstand. She could not see him hurt and more than that could never be the reason for his pain. So she started to speak again.

Khushi: You said you hate this place, why? Why did you bring me here then?

Arnav: (relieved that she was finally talking again) Because of all those things that happened years ago. It makes me feel like the happy time spent here was just an illusion, like I was somehow tricked, and I don't like that feeling. As for bringing you here, I thought it was high time I faced my demons.

Khushi: Why do you hate me?

Arnav: I don't hate you now. I used to before because I couldn't get you out of my mind. I still can't, but I don't still hate you. I love you.

Khushi: Hmm... what if I tell you I don't agree with any one of the options you've asked me to choose from?

Arnav: I told you Khushi, just tell me what you want and it is yours. Go ahead and name your terms.

Khushi: Firstly, I don't want half your property.

Arnav: Then?

Khushi: I want it all.

Arnav: (thinking for a while) You can have it all.

Khushi: Just like that? You won't ask me if I'm not being too greedy?

Arnav: No, Khushi. I know better than to doubt your intentions now. I've made that mistake at least thrice before, I won't do it again. Each time you proved that whatever you did, your reason what righteous.

Khushi: Aren't you worried about losing your greatest weapon, your money?

Arnav: I built this empire from scratch before, I can do it again.

Khushi: (after thinking over Arnav's answer for a while) If I choose to stay, what about the 6 months contract?

Arnav: It actually isn't valid because I never made you sign one.

Khushi: (deep in thought again, she turns off the stove and moves to stand in front of Arnav. Looking into his eyes) When you married me so ruthlessly that night three months ago you tainted one of my most cherished dreams, I want you to fulfill it. Will you?

Arnav: I will fulfill all dreams of yours. You only have to tell me and you will see it happen.

Khushi: I want to get married again, to you. I want a fairy tale wedding, all loved ones present, you coming to get me on horseback, complete with all the wedding rituals and a honeymoon in a place that has snow.

Arnav: (with a smile on his face that is slowly reaching his eyes and tears in his eyes) You are not leaving me?

Khushi: (smiling) No, I don't think you'll survive it. I want a new beginning with you. A fresh start. Do you think you will be able to handle it?

Arnav: I think I'll manage. Sorry and thank you.

And they embrace each other thinking about the happy times that are yet to come and the hurdles they are going to face. The important and satisfying thing was that they would be in this together.

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THE END