FF: Arnav and Khushi - a timeless love story! - Page 65

"Aur yeh waali achchi hain na.. yeh bhi rakhte hain.. (And this one is nice too.. I will keep this too)" Garima was saying, folding a blue salwar and putting it in a bag. Buaji nodded. Khushi was staring at the bag, quietly. "Yeh Khushi par achchi lagegi na, Jiji (This will look good on Khushi, right?)", Garima continued, showing Buaji a red salwar. "Tumhe yeh achchi lagi Khushi? (Did you like this one, Khushi?)" She turned to Khushi and then looked confused; Khushi was still staring at the bag. Buaji looked confused too, and she put her hand on Khushi, "Ey, Sanka devi.. kya soch rahe ho (Khushi, what are you thinking?)". Khushi didn't hear her, and continued to stare at the bag. Buaji and Garima giggled. "Arre Sanka devi", Buaji shook Khushi and startled her; she looked at them confused. "Arnav bitwa ke sapne main kho gaye kya? (Have you gotten lost in dreams about Arnav?)" Buaji asked, giggling. Khushi blushed, "Nahi Buaji.. woh main..(No Buaji, I was just..)" Then she looked at Garima and her eyes teared up. "Amma, pichle baar maine aap se waada kiya tha ki main utni jaldi shaadi nahi karoongi.. aur phir.. jo hua.. main'(Amma, earlier I had promised you that I wouldn't get married soon.. and then.. what happened.. I..)" Tears rolled down her cheeks. Garima hugged her, her eyes filled with tears. "Nahi nahi Khushi' humhe khushi hain ki tumhe ek achchi parivaar mila joh tumhara itna khayal rakhte hain.. aur sabse badi baat yeh hain ki tumhe itna achcha pati mila..jo tumse behat pyaar karte hain.. (No no Khushi.. we are happy that you got a good family who takes such good care of you and more importantly, you found such a good husband who loves you a lot)" Khushi pulled away from the hug and said, "Haan.. amma.. Arnavji humse bahut pyaar karte hain.. humhe dukh hota toh unka dil toottha hain.. agar hum thodi se bhi parishaan ho gaye, toh humhare chehre main muskurahat lane ke liye woh kuch bhi karenge.. aur ab jab woh mere paas nahi hain toh aisa lagta hain ki mere saanse..(Yes, amma.. Arnav loves me a lot. His heart breaks seeing me in pain. If I'm upset, he will do everything possible to bring a smile on my face. And now that he is not near me, I feel like my breath...)" her eyes teared up. Garima and Buaji looked at each other and smiled. A few seconds later, Khushi realized what she had just said aloud; she looked at Garima and Buaji and blushed. "Chodiye amma, main Arnavji ke baare main nahi sochoongi.. aaj main apne Amma ke godh main sona chahti hoon..(Leave it, Amma.. I wll not think about Arnav.. I will sleep on your lap)" she lay down on Garima's lap and Garima caressed her hair. Slowly Khushi's eyes closed; there was a smile on her face, seeing which Garima and Buaji looked at each other and smiled. They knew that she was thinking about Arnav.

Arnav was sitting on the recliner, working on his laptop. He thought about the first time he met Khushi, when she fell into his arms, he smiled thinking about the time he gave her water on the day of Teej, how she had fed him jalebi when he fainted. He closed his eyes and leaned against the recliner, remembering the dhaba trip, how she wouldn't let him leave because she was concerned about him. He opened his eyes and chuckled remembering the pranks she played on him. He turned to look at the poolside and he remembered how they had almost kissed on Diwali and how he kissed her on the day of Payal's mehndi ceremony. He remembered how earlier that day, he kissed her when she was about to leave. Khushi, I'm getting married to you again tomorrow' I can't wait, he thought, smiling. Then his face became sad, remembering how he had thrown her out of the room on their suhaag raat. Anjali walked past the room and noticed Arnav looking sad. She walked into his room and put her hand on his shoulder. "Khushiji ko yaad kar rahe ho?(Are you thinking about Khushi?)" Arnav looked at her and smiled. He asked her to sit down next to him. He hugged her and said, "Di, I'm sorry, please forgive me.. mere wajay se jo aapko sehna pada.. (You had to suffer so much because of me)" Anjali looked at him confused. "Chotte, kya baat hain..(Chotte, what is wrong?)" Arnav's eyes teared up. "Mujhe shayad Shyam ke baare main aapko uss din hi bata dena chahiye tha.. lekin maine jaldbazi main shaadi karke aapko aur dhuk diya..(I should have told you about Shyam that day itself.. instead I got married in such a haste and I gave you more pain)" Anjali took Arnav's face in her hands, shook her head and started saying something, but Arnav interrupted her. "Aur Khushi.. pata nahi ki usne mujhe itni jaldi maaf kaise kiya... aapko pata hain.. humare suhaag raat ke din maine usse kamre ke baahar poolside main sone ko kahaa, dhand main.. aur who poolside main hi so rahi thi.. kitne din..(And Khushi.. I don't know how she could forgive me so easily.. do you know.. on our first night, I made her sleep outside by the poolside, in the cold.. and she slept by the poolside for so many nights)" Tears rolled down Arnav's cheeks.. "Maine usse kya kya nahi kahaan.. aur woh.. woh sab sehti rahi.. aapke liye.. mere liye..(What all did I tell her.. and she.. she suffered through everything.. for you.. for me)" Anjali wiped Arnav's tears and hugged him. "Chotte.. koi baat nahi.. mujhe pata hain aap Khushiji se bahut pyaar karte hain.. usse dukh main dekhkar aapko bhi kitni dard hua hoga..(Chotte, it's ok. I know that you love Khushi a lot.. you must have been in so much pain seeing her pain)" Arnav looked at Anjali, his eyes red. "Khushiji ko bhi yeh baat pata hoga.. ki aap usse kitna pyaar karte hain.. jaise mujhe pata hain ki aap mujhse kitna pyaar karte hain.. hum sabko pata hain aapne yeh sab kyun kiya.. haan shaayad aapko itne jalbazi main sab kuch karna nahi chahiye tha.. (Khushi will also know that you love her, just like I know that you love me. We all know why you did what you did. Yes, maybe you shouldn't have done everything in such a haste)" She took his hands and said, "Khair.. koi baat nahi.. ab woh sab baatein chodo.. aap aur Khushiji ne bahut seh liya.. par ab aap dono ko pata hain ki aap ek doosre se kitna pyaar karte hain.. aap dono ne ek doosre ke liye sab kuch she liya, apne pyaar ke khatir.. (Never mind, now leave it. You and Khushi have been through a lot. But now you know how much you both love each other. You suffered through everything for each other, for your love.. )".. Arnav smiled. "Ab sab kuch theekh ho jaayega.. yeh sab baatein chod do.. aur Khushiji ke saat bitaaye hue pyaar bhari pal yaad karo..(Now everything will be fine. Forget these memories and remember all those moments filled with love that you shared with Khushi)" Anjali smiled, touching Arnav's chin. Arnav blushed. Anjali stood up, "aur ab chalo.. so jaao.. kal toh tumhari shaadi hain.. tumhe aaraam ki zaroorat hain..(Now come and sleep.. you are getting married tomorrow.. you need rest)" Arnav walked with her to the bed. Arnav laid down on the bed and closed his eyes and Anjali sat next to him, her hand caressing his hair. Arnav smiled thinking about the night they confessed their love and the first time they made love.. the hugs and kisses.. the flirting.. the nights he spent with Khushi when he sneaked into her room at the Gupta house. Anjali smiled watching Arnav smile in his sleep. When he fell asleep, Anjali got up, switched off the lights and closed the door.

As Anjali walked back to her room, she felt her baby kick.. She touched her belly, thinking, I cant wait for you to come.. and when you do I will shower you with so much love.. I feel alive because of you now. Then she stopped; she remembered Rahul - how he had caught her in his arms and how they had applied haldi on each other earlier that day. She closed her eyes; why cant I stop thinking about him.. I know I love him.. She quickly opened her eyes; but does he love me? She started walking back to her room, thinking. Should I again fall for someone who doesn't love me back.. I don't think I will be able to bear that again. She got to her room and sat down on the bed. She remembered how he had looked away when she looked at him.. he doesn't feel the same way about me.. but why am I attracted to him.. why does it feel that maybe deep down he wants to be with me.. but something is keeping him away.. why does life have to be so difficult.. ? Tears rolled down her cheeks.. and then she felt her baby kick again.. ok.. I wont cry' you are worse than Chotte.. she smiled and laid down on her bed to sleep.

Rahul was awake and looking at the ceiling.. All he could see was Anjali's face.. her angelic smile, her twinkling eyes.. He closed his eyes and he still saw her. Her face was all he saw wherever he looked ever since he got back. He touched his cheek, where she had put haldi on him earlier that day. He remembered how he had opened his heart to her about Maanvi and just like she had said, he did feel much better after he shared his feelings with her. Why cant I stop thinking about her? She is so nice.. very kind and loving.. and.. I.. can I give her the love and happiness she deserves? not when I myself cannot find any happiness in my life.. how will I love her when I'm still in love with Maanvi.. but am I still in love with Maanvi? if I am, why do I keep thinking about Anjali? Should I tell her how I feel? No.. no.. what if we get married and then I can't keep her happy.. that will destroy her.. and I cannot do that to her.. she deserves a life full of happiness, a husband who can shower her with love' Rahul sighed, he closed his eyes and he saw Anjali's face, her eyes looking into his, filled with love. He held her hand and pulled her close. He caressed her hair and kissed her forehead. She smiled; her eyes had teared up. He smiled in his sleep, dreaming about the woman he had unknowingly fallen in love with.. Anjali!

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Part 37: Arnav and Khushi can't wait for their first night (https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/57955801)

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