True Colors New Thread 3-Chapter 51 Updated - Page 12

Arnav had a restless sleep that night.

All he could think of was Khushi's tearful face, her immense hurt, her anguished request to hurt her so that she could hate him'.and his own battle with his past'

And in his dreams he also dreamt of that fateful day-Di's wedding day-Devesh Dubey's face-men chasing his Mom-the gunshot-Di crying-people talking'.all hell'

He dreamt of his Mom saying

"Arnav bitwa, what will you eat today. I will make your favorite food."

"Arnav bitwa'I won't tell Daddy you were naughty today'but promise you won't do it again."

"Arnav bitwa, it's your exams today...here put this tikka. May god be with you."

"Arnav bitwa'.take care of Di'please bitwa'" his mom's last words and he cried out 'Ma'.Ma'.don't go Ma. I can't be without you Ma. Please ma!'

He woke up in a cold sweat and there was Khushi right beside him,"Shhh'it's ok baby. It's ok'nothing will happen'all is fine'.Ma is safe in heaven'.it's ok baby'"

Khushi was wiping his forehead with a tissue and soothing him like a child'Arnav came back to reality with a bang.

Ma was gone'.her life cruelly cut short due to the very man whose daughter was now soothing him! How ironical!

But at that moment he did not give a damn who her father was'she was like a mother to him now'she was his best friend'she was the one who was here, at this moment loving him and caring for him like his Ma'

Khushi realized at that moment, how deeply wounded Arnav was. The little boy who had wept for his mother had never healed. He was still hurting inside, crying for the woman who had given him life and was now beyond his life'

Both of them stared each other. Khushi was still holding him in a bear hug, giving him all the strength she had'

And then the moment passed'both remembered the events, the truth of how things were between them'her Dad and his family'.Arnav blamed her, Khushi remembered.

Khushi was not responsible but his family was still shattered due to hers'Arnav remembered.

They broke apart'and both looked away and went back to bed.

But Arnav couldn't sleep again'Khushi loved him and he loved her'nothing could change that--the past, the present or the future'and he would not let anything change that'

What had changed was that now he felt guilty about that love'but why should that stop him from being good to her? He wondered.

Khushi realized too that whatever be her anger or hurt, she could never ever not love him or be angry with him'nothing could change how she felt about this man'what had changed was the fact that now she would never lay her heart bare for him to see, she would never let him reject her again.

But that wouldn't stop her from being nice to him, she resolved'.

So the next few days saw a pattern between them.

Arnav was extra nice to Khushi.

Khushi was extra careful not to show her feelings of hurt to him.

Arnav smothered her with small gifts, as if to make up for the lack of open display of love.

Khushi smothered him with small little gestures, as if to make up for her silent grievances against him.

But both felt something was not the same,

Both felt there was something very artificial between them.

Both felt there was just zero intimacy between them. The barely touched except by accident or when Khushi needed help to get up.

Both felt a widening gap'despite the desperate attempts to close the gap'.

And both knew there was a drastic change in their relationship'

One more person who knew this was Anjali. She had observed her brother and sister-in-law for some time now. She could see their easy companionship, laughter, spontaneous love, was now replaced by a layer of formality and good behavior. Unobserved by them, she had noted the look of yearning in their eyes for each other, something they hid from each other'

Anjali felt very disturbed due to this. Her own life being a mess, she had been happy to live in the glow of Arnav and Khushi's love. Now their pain reached out and made hers worse.

Anjali had managed to take off her mangalsutra and refrain from applying sindoor on one fine day. It had taken her time and she had cried, but she had done it.

She had yet to make an appointment with Dr. Karan. Thoughts of him scared her and she had been pushing away the appointment. Each time that man made her see things she did not want to see.

That day Anjali was mustering the courage to call Karan and make an appointment when the doorbell rang. To her surprise the maid ushered in Dr. Karan himself. Think of the devil! Anjali muttered to herself.

"Hello Miss Anjali Raizada," Karan said observing that she had managed to take off her mangalsutra and sindoor. In fact Anjali looked young and beautiful with her hair pulled back and wearing a casual pink salwar kameez.

'Hello Dr Karan'I 'um'was going to make an appointment to meet you this week," Anjali said. She felt nervous with him. In his jeans and casual Tee he looked very different and somehow taller and more intimidating.

"Can I sit," he asked.

"Of course'sure. Please sit. I will ask for some refreshments for you. Hot or cold?" Anjali asked.

"Anything," he shrugged, noticing how nervous she was, "Actually I am here to meet Arnav," he said.

"Oh!" she looked surprised and then felt like an idiot. Of course, why would he come to meet her? Something in her felt a little let down. But she asked, "Should I take a message?"

"Yeah I wanted to give him this invitation for our charity event. AR Designs is one of the sponsors. Arnav helped me plan the event. So I wanted him to be a part of it," he said.

"Oh sure! I will pass this on to him. He would be delighted I am sure," she said.

"All of you can come. This is a charity to help abandoned girl children. Arnav also takes a great interest in this," he said.

"I would love to come. So would my sister-in-law. She is sleeping right now," Anjali said.

"So what do you do Miss Anjali?" Karan aksed.

"What do I do? Well 'well I 'um'was a home maker," she said.

"That's correct. But what do you do now? What do you do to make yourself useful to this world and to others?" he asked her sternly.

Anjali felt very inadequate. She actually did nothing and she hated admitting it, "I do 'um'nothing."

"I thought as much. You are the poor little rich girl who has had a great tragedy in life'a rotten husband. You also have a physical handicap, which is why your family protects you. But do you know Miss Raizada, there is a world out there where there are people with bigger problems, but they still do something useful," Karan said. He knew he was being harsh. He was even a little worried if she would scream at him for this. But he had to egg her on to do something with her life so that she could increase her self-esteem.

Anjali bit her lips and looked down, hiding her tears. Did he have to put it so harshly? Her lips wobbled. She had never been good at handling rude people.

Karan sighed. He had done it again. Been cruel to be kind!

Out of impulse he reached out and took her hand, "Anjali I did not mean to hurt you. I just hate it when people give in to self-pity and ruin their lives. There are many people with problems. Helping them helps us heal. You are looking at a good example. I too had a bitter divorce. I was hurt badly. I lost my parents the same year. I turned to such charities for solace. Do something with your life. It will help you heal," he said kindly.

Anjali was surprised when he took her hand and even more surprised by his words. He was also divorced? That was sad! She was also shocked that he called her Anjali. She looked up and nodded, "Can you refer me to some charities and other NGO work. I will help," she said.

"Well, you are on then. I always need volunteers. You can call me tomorrow and I will give you some references Miss Anjali," he said.

"You can call me just Anjali," she said. He nodded and said "And you can call me Karan," he said.

For a moment both were silent. They both felt uncomfortable with this personal level of calling each other by their names.

Suddenly, Anjali thought of Khushi and Arnav. She needed some advice on how to help them. Karan being a psychiatrist might help.

So without mentioning names Anjali started, "Dr. Karan' I mean Karan'I need advice for a couple I know. They are madly in love. But recently they had some problems. Unlike other couples these two are not hurting or being mean to each other. Instead, they are being too nice to each other. They are breaking inside but pretending to each other. I don't know if you can call it a problem, but it is a problem as I can see it. They are losing the real meaning of their relationship by pretending," Anjali finished.

Karan thought for some time and then said "Well Anjali, you have to make them react. When people suppress things, it's a big problem which leads to more problems later.

You need to make them scream at each other in anger or totally give in to their love. Either ways they need to bring it out'all the emotions bottled in them."

"But how?" Anjali asked.

"Put them in conflicting situations. Put them in situations where they can't be quiet or blissfully ignorant.

Put them on opposite sides of things or high emotional situation'make them notice each other'make them lose their cool'or make them lose their control<' Karan said.

Anjali was puzzled. How would she do that? "Do you have any ideas?" she asked.

"Nope. Think of some. Usually any of these will work: jealousy, insecurity, family loyalties, children'anything which can make a person lose control. The key word is to make them drop the guard and show their real self," he said and then got up, "Ok Anjali. I will go now. Make an appointment and come. And yes don't forget about the charity work. Life isn't for moping around," he said.

Anjali nodded, a new respect for Karan stirring in her heart'

Arnav and Khushi were puzzled to see a changed Anjali. Not only was she working but she mysteriously disappeared with her mobile every now and then when she got calls.

One fine day Anjali beamed at them over breakfast and said, "Chote! Khushiji! Guess what?"

Arnav and Khushi looked at each other blankly and then back at Anjali, "What?" they chorused.

"I have arranged for Khushiji's baby shower day after tomorrow. Apart from family and friends, guess who is coming?" she asked, only to be met with blank stares from Arnav and Khushi.

"NK from Australia and Lavanyaji from London," she said cheerfully.

Anjali noted with extreme satisfaction, the look of apprehension on Khushi's face and irritation on Arnav's face'