Okay, so I was so so so looking forward to the Teej this year and Cv's skipped it, seeing Aksharas, Sandhyas and Anadi's celebrating Teej made me jealous; while I understand why Cv's skipped they have limitations with anji's character in this situation, I decided to give it a try! For me this year if Teej happened, it should have been like this'
Anyways peeps, go on and let me know how crappy it is!! :P
**
The contract marriage was on! Arnav have done every possible thing to get her back home, tried all his mighty ways but she continued to protest. The one time they openly spoke about the contract thing and her reason to suddenly go out of RM, all he heard was her declarations of everything to be done with''sab kuch khatham?' He was angry, he didn't like her idea a bit, how the hell she could think she would leave him and get away from his life so easily?? Although he was determined to get her back somehow, he did not want to force her again. Not being able to decide what else to do he marched away from her room angrily.
As rushed to his car and forced open the front door all too angrily conveying his rage to her in every move, he glanced back to find his khushi standing by her window with a subtle and unreadable expression. He just wanted to know what's going on in her mind; it's getting on his nerves now. He walked back taking bigger steps towards the window. All through he had his eyes stern on that of hers. Seeing him she winced a little''now what?' she thought and started taking a step behind. Before she could move more, he reached the window and held her hand that was holding the window and pressed it harder.
"Ahh" she shrieked.
"Khushi.."
She looked in his eyes that were pleading, she knew he wanted her to give a more precise reason, but frankly she dint have one. She thought he and di would be happy if she left, but he was all the time with her these past days and di, she herself had seen her being good. Arnav also mentioned that she is fine with their relation and everything will be fine, so what now is bugging her? She isn't sure, at the same time she isn't willing to go back in his life either, she is not supposed to feel this way, right? She loved him with all her heart, but something inside her is not yet ready to accept everything. May be she needed a dhamaka as always to decide upon it and for that atleast she needed to stay away.
"Tum bas badlaav chahthee ho na?" he surprised her asking that question. He simply said it in one small sentence and that's exactly what she wanted.
"Theeke khushi, let's have it your way, raho yahin par, jitney din chahe utne din but I swear khushi contract ka bahana mat banana, don't even try to mention that 'Hamesha'sab kuch khatam' crap, alright?, tumhe sochna hai sochlo, you wanna sort out, go on, par ek baad yaad rakhna khushi kumara gupta SINGH RAIZADA, tum wapas arahee ho, is baar, zabardasti se nahin, apni marzi se aur tumhe wapas anahi hoga, I promise you will, because I know usi main tumharee khushi hai"
With that he held her hand all too protectively and kissed the tip of her fingers from outside. He then left her with her thoughts confusing her even more!
**
Next morning, Arnav woke up to an empty bed finding him on the recliner. He remembered how he hated her absence beside him last night and hated instantly not being able to wake up looking at her. He then made Aman to schedule himself a busy day and he rushed to his work with a lot of things piled up to do.
Khushi on the other hand also woke up to an empty bed wondering if she got used to waking up beside him. However, her thoughts were more pre-occupied with the day it was. It was Teej and around 5 am in the morning, since she dint not have a very good sleep, she heard her amma waking up to have food as part of Teej's preparation. She heard them coming to her room to wake her up, however, she was half asleep. Buaji dropped a hand on her temple in order to wake her up only to find her body heating up with a temperature. "Hai re nandakishore, shankadevi ko bukar huwi gawa" she heard her say.
Both amma and buaji then allowed her to rest deciding against making her to keep the fast. Khushi however had been feeling herself cold but did not think she would run a fever so early. It was 10 am now and she woke up to a rather silent home. She sat on the bed wondering about the same day least year. Without any pure intentions she did fast and without any mere information he did break her fast. She smiled sighing to herself wondering how fate could do wonders in bringing two people together. And today when things could have been completely perfect on this Teej occasion she is here in her buaji's house wondering if anyone remembered Teej in Rm'wondering how Anjali di might be feeling today, wondering if Arnav would give importance to this day, wondering if he would remember last year, wondering if he would come and break her fast although she is very sure he doesn't believe in all these things. Yes, she is fasting, she have decided as much, though she did not have the early morning food, she is indeed fasting. After what happed the past days, the kidnapping and all, it is very important for her to pray for his long life and who else than her devi mayya would ensure of this. Only difference, she would not let anyone know about this. Amma and buaji will not anyway force her given her sort of ill health and Arnavji would never even guess about all this. She let out another sigh and looked up to her devi mayya.
"Ab aap hasiye mat, hum unhe pati maanke ye sab nahin kar rahe hai, pichle saal hamaree shadi nahin huwi, phir bhi ham ne wrat rakha na? is baar bhi rakhenge, farq sirf itna hai is baar ham jaanthe hai hum kiske liye wrat rakh rahe hai, hamre pati ke liye nahin balki us insaan se jisse hum sab se zyada pyar karthe hai" she smiled and then looked up again.
"Hey devi mayya, raksha karna, poora bin bhooki rehna? Matlab itna bhi muskil nahin hai, bas aap hamare saath rehnaa, jilebiya aur golgappe aaj toh poori shehar main nahin dikhnee chahiye hame, samjhe aap?" she wished and that's when she heard the front door opened and buaji entered along with Payal.
"Khushi, ab tumharee tabeer kaise hai?" Payal asked stroking her forehead.
"Jiji, tum yahan? " she answered her usual bubbly self. "Voh khushi, dadi ji ne hame yahan pe bheja tha, theej manane ke liye"
"Teej?" she just asked wondering how it would have been if she was in RM too. "Ha khushi, aaj teej hai, lekin tum rehnedo koi baath nahin, tumharee tabeer theek nahin hai na?" she reassured and khushi just nodded.
**
It was nearly evening and Arnav had been busy all the day. He was in his office when Akash rushed in his cabin with a worried expression.
"Kya huwa?" he asked.
"Voh bhai, mujhe abhi ghar jana hai, just wanted to check with you, you know the meeting?" He hesitated.
"Ofcourse, par kya huwa, everything alright?" he inquired.
"Yeah, jus that, Main bhool gayatha ki aaj teej hai, abhi abhi dadi ne bataya tho-- mujhe buaji ki yahan jaana hoga, Payal meri wait kar rahee hogee" he said and left Arnav thinking. "Okay go on" said Arnav and Akash quickly excused himself.
'aaj teej hai? Kisine mujhe bataya kyun nahin, khus--' suddenly his eyes popped out realizing something else "Di!!" he uttered , panic taking over him suddenly. He immediately called nani'
"Nani aaj teej hai? Aapne mujhe bataya kyun nahin, di'I mean di wrat?"
"Naahin Chote, anjali bitiya theek hai, subah subah zid karath rahee wrat rakhne ki khatir, par humne jab unhe samjhaya unke bache ke bare main, unhone hamaree baath maanlee aur khana bhi khalee, hum aapko pareshaan naahin karna chahathe, isiliye--"
"Theeke nani, ab di theek hai na?" he cross checked.
"Bilkul, aap Anjali bitiya ki chintha naahin kare, aap jarahe ho na khushi bitiya se milne ki khatir?" she asked and again Arnav was shocked, can khushi fast for him? Will she?
"Chote?" she called hearing his silence. "Haa, ha nani, jana hai kya mujhe, voh wrat rakhegee? Nani aap toh jaanthe main in sab baton par vishwa--"
"Jaanathe chote, aap ko naahin toh khushi bitiya ko toh vishwaas hai na? agar unka wrat aap ke haton se naahin thoota toh bohath apsagun maana jaata hai, aap unhe dukhi naahi kijiye Chote"
He just nodded and hanged up being lost in his thoughts. There are many things going on in his mind, first--will khushi fast for him?
Two'how the hell will her fasting make his life longer?? Crap.! He thought, but then its khushi, and when it comes to such matters she is just as stubborn as di, she wouldn't give dam about his opinion. How the hell is he going to live in peace knowing she is fasting for him? But the question still stands--will she fast? FOR HIM? Keeping in mind her anger and the whole 'aapko hum apna pati nahin maanthe hai' and all will she?
He dint know what to decide but he is already on his way to buaji's house.
**
The door bell in the Gupta house was answered by Payal and welcomed a weird looking Arnav.
"Bhai, I thought you wouldn't believe in all these and I dint call you along with me" Akash immediately spoke.
"Voh nani ne---" he answering not being able gather what to answer. He sure as hell knew how much all these matters to khushi and he just needed to see her if she's fine and if he is needed.
"Koi baath nahin babuwa, bheetar aawo" buaji suggested and he was seated in the hall along with Akash and they served him tea.
All through his eyes were only and only searching for khushi but she was nowhere to be seen. "Voh khushi mandir gayee hai" Payal said observing his looks. He just looked at her and nodded.
"Bohath dher huwi hai, ab lautrahee hogee" buaji added.
"Voh Arnav beta, khushi..--" Buaji hesitated not being able to understand how to let him know that khushi is not fasting if he had come for breaking her fast.
"Kya huwa buaji, khushi?" he pushed.
"Baath aisa hai babuwa, khushi ne aaj wrat naahin rakha, voh--"
No Arnav singh Raizada was not disappointed about this, not even a bit infact he was relieved. He wouldn't have liked the idea of khushi having to stay hungry all day just for him, the idea is something he couldn't even digest it.
"Haa toh theek hai na buaji, toh kya huwa?" he asked all too coolly like he always has this kind of rapport with buaji.
"Haa buaji, bhai in sab pe vishwaas nahin karthe, aap chintha mat karo" Akash defended him and he just nodded.
"Haa, nani ne force kiya toh main yahan agaya, mujhe toh pata bhi nahin hai ki kya rasmain hotee hai, main bas khushi ke aane tak wait karoonga, tab tak tumlog joh rasme karna karlo, we will go back together?" he suggested to both Akash and Payal.
Buaji just smiled and then she remembered it has been really late but khushi didn't turn up yet. Arnav noticed the sudden panic in her eyes and asked her about it.
"Kya huwa buaji?"
"Voh, sankadevi ab tak ghar naahin lautee hai, uske tabeer bhi theek naahin hai"
"Kya huwa khushi ko" Arnav at once covered the small distance of the room and reached buaji. "Khushi ko kal raath se bhukar tha, isiliye humne use wrat nahin rakhne diya" amma said from behind and Arnav started feeling something not really good about all these. He sensed something is surely wrong.
"aapne use aise halath main bahar kyun jaane diya? Aur jab wrat nahin rakha toh mandir kyun gayee?" something hit his mind right then and he rushed at once to her room. There after looking at every bit carefully he found what he was expecting to find. He bent down and reached his hand under the bed and picked up the plates filled with food. Such a crazy thing only his khushi could do. God forbid her ego, wrath rakhna hai, par kisiko pata nahin chalna, god khushi you make me so crazily angry!! ' he murmured under his breath when suddenly remembered that she is not well too. Probably she might have also not had the early morning food in order to make everyone believe that she's not fasting. Typical khushi.
'I hope she is fine' he clenched his fist and pulled out his phone to call her. 'Switched off' "What the?" He was angrier than one can imagine.
He rushed out telling everyone behind his back that he will get khushi home and was on the road driving to the nearby Mandir in the next 5 minutes. As soon as he reached the mandir, he looked around impatiently to find her. Hell he doesn't even know what she was wearing today! He cursed his breath as he searched more trying her phone again and again.
**
Khushi was not running away, she just wanted to be alone. She decided to fast but dint know how to break it. She wanted to call him but thought against it as he would surely use this to his side saying that she agreed to be his wife. She very well knew breaking the fast without husband is not good, but then her another inner voice would say that she doesn't not accept him as her husband and she can go ahead and break the fast. Only if she could do it! She dint know what to do, she just dropped at the side of the pillar in the temple and looked at the stars above hoping for something, but not sure if she should expect what she wants to or not. She just planned to go to the nearby temple somehow ended up walking to the temple at a distance, the same place where they got married. It just happened and when she reached there she couldn't believe herself ending up there. 'Bhagna chahthee hai, khushi kumara gupta siingh raizada, par baar baar vahin par hatak jaatee hai jahan pe unke saya ho' she cursed herself and she slid against the pillar, bringing her legs to her chest and resting her head on them.
"Hey devi mayya, hume kya karna chahiye?" she asked simply but meaning a lot more with those words than they actually appear.
She felt weak, very weak, she could feel her own body heating up with temperature and all she wanted to do was cuddle up and sleep, she is not even hungry anymore. But her body and her actions seems to have a different mind of their own. Though she was constantly telling herself to move she couldn't and actually didn't want to go anywhere, she felt like waiting but not sure for what. It's getting darker and the clouds started forming in the sky. Still she was adamant to move and silently continued to sit there staring into the distance.
She silently remembered all their times in Temple together, the first time being the Teej last year. She wondered how easy it was last year to break the fast, but this time though her heart wished he would be here she couldn't be lucky enough.
"Kya?" she popped her head suddenly. "Hum yeh chahthe hai?" she asked herself "Matlab hum chahthe hai ki voh laad governer aake hamare wrat?" she cross checked herself and the thought brought smile to her face instantly.
"Ha toh theek hai na, abhi contract khatam nahin huwi aur tab tak toh hum unki patni hai na?, aur voh kya saat samundar bahar hai joh voh aa nahin sakhthe, hum unhe abhi phone karenge" she decided and have taken out her phone to call him only to find that the phone was switched off.
"Hey devi mayya, aur kitne pareeksha lengee aap hamaree?" she glanced around and there she found a public telephone booth. She at once rushed forgetting that it started raining and by the time she reached opposite temple in that dark to the telephone booth she was drenched a little. Ignoring, she quickly dialed his number and waited until it kept ringing.
**
"Unknown number?" he looked at his phone as he was searching impatiently driving his car. He halted the car to a side and attended the phone. "Hello?"
"Inti der kyun lagaya aapne phone utaane main?" she started at once.
"Khushi??" he couldn't explain how glad he was to hear her voice but in the next instant he was roaring with fury.
"What the hell khushi! Tumara phone kyun off hai, tumhe pata hai main kitnee dher se tumhe doondraha hoon, where the hell are you? Main yahan pareshaan horaha hoon aur tum' KAHAN HO TUM dammit!!??" he screamed in the phone startling her.
"Arnavji aap--" she started coughing. The fever, rain and chill mixed with an empty stomach has gotten all over her weak body. His ears suddenly clenched close to the phone and he worry reached to the peaks all of a sudden.
"Khushi, kya huwa, tum theek ho?"
She coughed more. "Arnav ji voh"
"khushi where are you?"
"Voh purani Delhi ki mandir?" she managed to say, but then she couldn't hear anything from the other end. She coughed more, the dry cough which wouldn't leave her throat. "Hello?, khuhi? Khushi???" he searched for her voice but couldn't hear anything either.
"Dammit!!" he cursed and turned the wheels of his car towards purani Delhi.
**
He pressed the breaks at the temple the same way he remembered the night of their wedding if we can call it. 'how did she come this far?' he wondered and almost jumped out of the car to look for her. He first spotted the telephone booth opposite the temple and figured she would have called from there however, couldn't find her anywhere. He directly entered the temple looking around the steps that were ascending up. It was real dark and he winced at the thought that she had been alone all evening here. What on earth is wrong with her?
His eyes searched around as he looked around the temple and then his glance landed on the pillar to which she was leaning in order to take support. As a reflex action she looked at him and a weak smile spread across her face, but she did not move from that place, her head leaning on to the pillar, her hands folded across her stomach and a legs crossed leaning into the pillar wall beside her. His anger reached heights looking at her and he rose in such rush that he was right in front of her the next moment. She smiled again content that he finally reached her.
"muskurana band karo, what the hell khushi? Pagalpan ke bhi had hotee hai. Tumhe pata hai kab se tumhe doondraha hoon? I've looked every possible place for you dammit and you're here--" he looked around the place clenching his jaw and rising on his one foot indicating his anger to her. "yahan pe kya karrahee ho?"
"Tumhara phone kyun off hai?"
"Aur tum mujhe bataye bina fast kyun rakhrahee ho? What the hell is wrong with you dammit?, I knew tum aise stupid harqad karogee, isisliye main tumhe kahin jaane nahin deta, nahin, tumhe toh bas mujhse door rehna hai, jaana hai door mujhse, tumhe pata bhi hai main kitna pareshaan horaha hoon yahan, and I said STOP THAT BLODDY SMILE!!!"
He looked right in her eyes and was amazed at her constant smile right from the time he arrived there. Her not reacting or not arguing back somehow worried him. "Kh-khushi?" he called out still looking at her all too concerned way.
She then extended her hand which seemed like with great difficulty and caught hold of his collar still smiling at him. Not being able to decide what is she up to he stepped closer and the next instant she fell into his arms with a thudding force, hugging him as tight as she can, resting her head on his chest and wrapping her hands around his waist as tight as she could. He returned the hug with the same manner and held her more closely. A thunder hit in the sky at the same moment and she shivered in his arms which made him hug her even tighter only if it's possible.
"Khushi, tum theeko?" he asked after a few seconds of holding her in his arms. She gripped her hands tighter around him and nodded against his chest which made him smile that she does not want to let go of him. "Hum'humara wrat?" she whispered so slowly that he had bend his head to make his ear reach her face.
"Huh?" he asked her to repeat still holding her close.
"Humara wrat" She said it clearly this time and he had to finally look at her, so he held her shoulders and pulled away to have a look at her.
"Kya?"
"Appko ek baar samaj main nahin aatee, hame jaldi se pani pilayi ye aur wrat thodiye" she ordered her usual way and she never fails to surprise him. Before going for anymore argument he just wanted to feed her first. One look on her pale face and week eyes worried him.
"Jaldi se batao kya karna hai" he said looking around for things that were needed. She was surely surprised at his enthusiasm but dint waste a minute. Suddenly she felt her strength came back and she started doing things faster. She gathered her thaal that was lying on the ground beside the pillar, arranged the water glass and the little sweet which she brought in and looked at him. She then glanced at the peeping moon from the black clouds and smiled broadly. If he was amused by her acts he coated it with weird expressions to irritate her more.
She then grabbed him inside the mandir and did her usual harthi to her devi mayya. He was all the way looking at her. She then took the sindoor and glanced at him. He did not understand the look in her face but one glance at her hands he understood it. He bent down holding his hair pushing away her hesitation and she smiled genuinely as she kept the small dot of sindoor on his forehead.
She then rushed to grab him outside the temple and made him stand below the moon standing right in front of him. While it was like greek and latin for Arnav he enjoyed watching her excitement. She then did all the regular rituals and finally when asked him to feed her water, he released a sigh of relief.
Carefully he held her head in one hand and made her drink the water. He then made her eat the little sweet which she brought and smiled at her urgency to eat it all.
"Ye kafhi hai tumhare liye?" he teased.
"abhi ke liye" she made a straight cute face and looked at him. "Waise humne ye sab--"
"Mujhe apna pati maanke nahin aise hi mere bhalayi ke liye kiya" he completed her sentence and she had to look at him being completely taken aback.
"Haa matlab, hum" she stammered.
"Kyun itna zid karrahee ho khushi?"
"aap kaise jaanthe ki humne wrat rakha hai?, humne toh kisiko bhi nahin bataya?" she asked him changing the topic.
"Tum pagal ho khushi, tum mujhe koi sawal kare, isse pehle main poochna chahta hoon, tumare dimaag maini kya chaltha rehtha hai?, I mean pehle sab ko yakeen dilao ki tumne wrat nahin rakha aur, uske baad yahan aake mera intezaar karahee ho, mujhe bina batake?, I mean how the hell am I supposed to know, agar main nahin apaya toh? Upar se tumhara phone band hai, itnee raath hogayee hai, tumhare tabeer theek nahin hai, tumhe kuch hojatha toh?"
She just glanced at him with lots of questions in her eyes. "Don't look at me like that khushi, kya chahthee ho tum? Itna zid? Ghar na aane ki zid, wrat rakhne ki zid, mujhse wrat thudwaane ki zid--"
"Aaap" she snapped. "Aap ka kya matlab hai, aap nahin toh aur kaun thodenge humara wrat?" he dint know if he was supposed to laugh at that but he was angry on her more than anything else.
"Funny huh? Tumhe pata hai main in sab main vishwaas nahin kartha, mera poora din kharab karke rakhdiya, ek pal bhi chain se saas nahin lee, subah se kam se kam ek call bhi--"
There he goes he hurt her again. One glance back at her and she has tears in her eyes. "Khushi main---" he reached out to her and she moved back.
"humne aapka poora din kharab karediya na? hame maaf kardijiye, ghalathi hogayee, voh'voh kya hai na, hum aapke liye wrat rakhe bina nahin rehsakthe the, aapke saath itna sab kuch hone ke baad, hum aapke bhalayi ke bare soche bina nahin rehsakhe the, isisliye, hame maaf kardijiye Arnavji, hamare wajese aapko itni taqleef utanee padhi" she said with her eyes twinkling with tears and making him regret every bit of his words.
He held her by her waist and pulled her close to him with his clenched teeth, this time the anger was more on himself'"Main bas itna kehrahatha, mujhe pasand nahin hai ki tum mere waje se bhuki rahee ho, main pareshaan hogaya that ki tumne mere khatir kuch bhi nahin khaya, tum jaanthee ho aise cheezon main vishwaas nahin raktha khushi, you dint have to do it?"
She looked at him in his eyes, still not able to control her tears; it was more like she is having a fight with herself. She knows she will not be able to stay away from him at the same time she is just scared to hurt him or di or may be even hurt her own self. Suddenly it all looked very complicated to her. She decided of the best way'to escape from the situation for now.
"Hame karna acha lagtha hai, par iskeliye hum aapse mafi--"
"Shut up khushi" he pushed her at once. Then in the next second caught hold of her shoulders. "Itna asaan hai tumhare liye maafi maangna?, Why are you being sorry dammit? Sorry toh mujhe--" he trailed off.
"Hame aapse sorry ki koi umeed nahin hai Arnav ji--"
"I'm sorry khushi" he said it in a rush but loud and clear. He held her hands in his and looked right in her eyes. He never thought he would be able to do it looking in her eyes but at the moment he just wants to.
"Isske pehle jo kuch bhi kiya ussab ke liye nahin, ab joh karaha hoon, uske liye" He confessed. "Khushi mujhe aur kuch ata nahin hai, bas yahin karsaktha hoon main, par--"
He squeezed his eyes shut getting beyond the hesitation.
"Khushi, jab maine tumhe us pahaad se girthe huwe dekhatha, I felt like I lost my world! Those few minutes, main kabhi nahin bhool sakhtha khushi. Aur jab tum mere liye maut ke mooh se waapas ayithi, usi waqt main ne decide karliya ki main tumhe apne aap se kabhi alag nahin hone doonga. Jab tum mujshe door jaane ki baat karthee ho, mujhe voh lamha yaad ajatha hai and I just feel like doing anything to not let you go!"
"Khushi mujhe pata hai ki all I did was wrong, bauji ke ghar, rent and all, but mujhe sahin ghalath kuch bhi pata nahin hai khushi, I just want you back that's it!" he said it all and sighed looking at her.
"jo kuch bhi bura kiya, us sab ka koi matlab nahin, all I want is a future with you. Uske lie main kuch bhi karneko tayyar hoon khushi, tum kitna zid karoge main utna force karoonga. Maantha hoon maine ghalatiyan kee hai, par mujhe regret karna nahin aata, bas tumhara saath chahiye, and I promise khushi, tumhe har voh haq doonga, har voh khushi doonga jiski tum haqdaar ho, ye mera vada hai tumse" he completed and felt like he said a lot, a lot more than one would expect from the ASR but he needed to.
"Tumhare paas aur koi option nahin hai khushi, tumhe wapas aana hoga, like I said I'm not leaving you any other choice" he said and she was once again taken aback. One moment he was truthful, other moment he was being his ordering self, what is she supposed to do?
"Mujhe apna pati nahin maanthi ho, to kam se kam ye toh maanthi ho ki tum mujhse pyar karthee ho?" there he goes he finally asked it. "Ab agar tumhe ye teej wali drama ko justify karna hai toh you should accept either of the one, pati ya pyar? What am I for you khushi?"
Out all the possible things she could say in this situation, she just looked at him and smiled, smiled like a crazy love struck and in the next moment she broke into his arms hugging him. It was always the same in their relation, actions always speaks more for them. Especially when her Arnavji is speaking so much and making everything so difficult for her all she wanted to do was hug him and end this topic, in a way telling him that it's the both and she can't choose'he is both her her pati and her love. He proudly wrapped his hands around all too securely and in that right moment as if fate has it, it started pouring hard. They hugged tighter with the rain pouring hard and each one embraced one another in utmost pleasure.
Love Friendship Dating and Relationships
Tum Se Tum Tak
Financial markets and global economy
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Sports
163