SS*end* Her Faded Footsteps- part5 Pg 71 upd 04/07 - Page 20

It was one fine evening; warm sniffs of breeze fluttering in through the open French windows and Khushi had fallen into a deep slumber, the book she had been reading propped open beside her pillow. She was woken up to the sound of something huge and metallic falling down, the crash nearly shaking the whole house.

Khushi looked around blearily and was about to jump out of the bed to rush downstairs to see if everything was fine and for a moment tried to move her immobilized legs before realization crashed over her. She can no longer walk.

And out of nowhere tears threatened to overwhelm her to the extend she felt herself choking.

"I'm not crying, I'm won't cry" she chanted. "Tears are for weak people. I'm not weak. I'm strong. Very strong." But nothing could stop the sobs now taking over her body. All the days and valiant efforts at trying to keep those tears under check had finally broken barriers. She was weak. A very weak person but she didn't care. One cry. Just one good long cry and she'd never do it again. Promise.

Arnav's angry voice floated up from downstairs, roaring at someone, presumably the clumsy person responsible for whatever the monstrosity that fell downstairs moments back. She heard someone coming up the stairs, two steps at a time and knew from the sound of footsteps that Arnav was coming to check on her.

Being in no state to let him see her crying, she promptly fell back on to the bed, turned her face deep into the pillow so as he won't see her tears strained face, and pretended to sleep.

"Khushi did that wake..oh you're still asleep" he muttered lowering his voice. She heard him approaching the bed, felt the mattress sink a little as he sat silently beside her and for a long moment felt his eyes on her.

She felt his hand on her head, gently stroking her hair, letting his hand slide down her arm and entwining his fingers with hers before lifting her hand and kissing it gently; the poignant sweetness of it sending shivers down her spine. There was another long moment of silence and she heard him sigh heavily, gently let her hand rest back by her side, get up and leave the room.

And for the second time that day she broke down and cried, letting the tears soak the bed cloths while muffling her sobs into the pillow.

---

"Arnav ji, can we go downstairs?" Khushi asked meekly as he kept the finished tray of food beside the side table.

"There's some refurbishing going on downstairs Khushi"

"I won't mind" she said hopefully, looking into his brooding face.

"I'd take you right now hadn't it been for the dust. You might get sick"

"Oh" she said, her face falling. She hadn't left the room in ages and without his help or consent she didn't want to go downstairs.

"Ok ummm lets go to the pool side" he said scooping her to his arms, carrying her through the French windows and settling her on the comfortable arm chair.

"How did the physiotherapy session go in the morning?" he asked sitting down on the floor beside the chair and taking her feet and placing them on his lap before gently massaging her churidar clad legs in slow oval motion.

"The same old" she shrugged. "Still can't feel anything" she added lightly before asking in a more serious voice "Arnav ji what are you doing?"

"It won't hurt to get a little bit of physiotherapy from me" his deep brown eyes crinkled at the edges while he smiled at her.

"But you don't know any physiotherapy!"

"I know the basics"

Khushi gave him a suspicious look.

"I asked your physiotherapist and he said it won't hurt to massage your legs more often to get the senses flowing and I got some tips from him. Don't worry I'll be very gentle."

"I wouldn't know if you're being gentle or not, now would I?" she replied back with a smile.

"Very soon you will" he said firmly.

There was a deep silence before Khushi decided to break it.

"I didn't see Anjali di today. Where is she?"

"She had some errands" he said shortly.

There was another silence interrupted now and again by the soft song of a nightingale.

"Look at the stars" she said suddenly as she looked up into the twinkling night sky and then back at him, a world of unspoken memories flowing between them.

Those stars had a long standing history in their story. They had spoken their fears, reassured each other when they were in danger, thought about being in each other's arms, wordlessly communicated with each other and in every instance the star strewn sky had been a paradise for their unions.

The stars winked and blinked and they were lost in their own thoughts, each hoping, wishing.

"Khushi?"

She slowly looked down at him, his ruggedly handsome face, illuminated in sharp relief by the gentle hues of the twilight.

He hoisted himself up from the ground, his hands resting on the arms of her chair as he looked at her with an urgent intensity in his eyes.

"You're still not thinking of that are you?"

Khushi was silent for a moment. There was no point in refuting his words. They always know what the other think. It was an occupational hazard of being too much in love with each other.

"I've told this before but I'm going to repeat again" He took a deep breath and continued.

"I've run away from you every time but the moment you're out of sight of me, I crave for you like I've never craved for anything in my life. I don't need anything else Khushi. I don't need anything else other than you."

It was the first time he was voicing those words but she knew he had told them to her before. After all, their modes of communication were hard to comprehend.

"Don't ever think of leaving me. I've had enough of running away from you. Please don't run away from me now" It wasn't an order. It wasn't even a request. It was a plea.

He cupped her face as she stared back at him mutely; tears falling down her face, thick and fast.

---

I love you

Not everyman's like that'

She's an invalid

It's the right thing to do'

She shouldn't be selfish. He'll get over it. He'll find someone better, who will love him more than her. Three weeks from now, three weeks from now she would set him free. She took a deep breath, kept aside the bank statement giving details of her modest savings and dialed Mr Roy, the lawyer.

---

Three weeks from now, three weeks from now she'll be his for life, as how she had always wanted.