POST-ARSHI MARRIAGE PT 19-21 KHUSHI IS JEALOUS

Part 19 - Nothing less than royalty

It's Sunday. Khushi lazily lying still in bed, yawns and picks the phone ringing like an alarm clock. She answers the call with a lazy "Hello!"

Arnav, "Khushi good morning...you slept, didn't you miss me?... I just couldn't sleep...becoming too impatient Khushi, another week or two! I have a meeting at 9 with someone. I'll be there for lunch. Make sure you prepare the rice pulav. Love you. Bye."

Khushi surprised, "Pulav, fine...will prepare for you." She jumps out of bed and hurriedly goes about her work and gets worked up. Buaji tells her not to worry, "Sanka Devi, kyo ghabrati ho, Damadji aa rahe hain nah, kaun no baat nahi."

She first finishes her pooja. And then starts with the cooking and cleaning.

Here Arnav finishes his jog and showers and gets ready. He had to meet up with the wedding planners who were called in from Delhi. They were coming to Sheesh Mahal. He had started staying there, since Naniji and Di had come.

The event management and wedding planners and their team arrive. Anjali and Naniji were also there along with Akash and Payal. All the arrangements were chalked out, of how they wanted the wedding to be. "Nothing less than royalty", insisted Arnav. The cards, he asked for samples to be given to Khushi and her family for their inputs. Anjali informs Arnav not to worry she would co-ordinate with Buaji and Garimaji on all the arrangements.

The Raizadas decide on the engagement for Wednesday. It will be held at Sheesh Mahal. Di calls Buaji and informs her about the dates and arrangements. The Guptas all agree.

After Arnav is satisfied with all the arrangements and plans, he tells Di that he would be going to Khushi's house for lunch and he would meet them at the wedding trousseau boutiques after that.

Anjali, "Kya Chote, now you don't won't to eat at home?" Arnav answers, "Khushi is cooking something for me, so I have to go.". Anjali lovingly plays with his hair, "Chote I see you are really happy after such a long time." He nods.

Arnav drives and stops by at the florist, picks up a beautiful bouquet of red roses and reaches Babuji's place in a jiffy.

At the Gupta house, Garima informs Khushi that the Sagai (engagement) will be on Wednesday. Khushi is waiting impatiently for Arnav to arrive. Arnav rings the doorbell, Khushi rushes to open the door, he gives her the bouquet, their hands touch and she accepts it from him. She walks to her room to place them in a vase.

After placing the flowers in a vase, she turns and finds Arnav right behind her. She leans back against the table for balance. Arnav huskily drawls, "By the way I thought of something when I saw these rose bud petals." Khushi asks "kya"?

"Your soft lips Khushi!" Arnav whispers into her ear. "Ok, and so, what did you say yesterday? Saat pheras are not done? And what about this mangalsutra? What about its rights?", lifting it. She places both her hands to push him away, instead finds herself in an embrace, for Arnav had encircled her with his arms.

"Arnavji, please let me go, Amma is just outside, what if somebody comes in," says Khushi with her voice almost cracking. She couldn't even speak when he was this close to her. She wriggled to get out of his arms, but Arnav didn't let go.

Arnav, "Your gharwale are smarter than you, when I am around, they know one shouldn't enter your room without knocking okay, so don't worry, now tell me what are my rights for putting this mangalsutra on you?" He pulls her closer.

Khushi puts her head down, giving into him, ...saying softly, "You know all of the rights, you have a right to my heart, my soul, my whole being, every part of me belongs to you and you alone, you..." Arnav is choked with emotion, with her confession, so pure, so real, and so submissive to him.

"Khushi, I know...shhh, and so are you to me...you are my world"... places his forefinger on her lips, she raises her eyes to him and looks into his eyes...seeing the love he had for her. Kisses her on the forehead, loses his grip on her, holds her hand and says "Come one let us go and have lunch."

To be continued…..

Part 20 -No Sangeet!

The Guptas and all sit to eat at the table. Matters are discussed about Babuji's shop and everything. After a couple of hours, Arnav and Khushi take leave to meet up with Anjali and Payal.

Khushi realizes that they have come to the most exclusive designer wedding showrooms. Arnav tugs at her hand and pulls her in, for she is hesitant to enter. "Only the best will do for my Princess, come on...don't just stand and stare, come on Di and Payal are waiting for us upstairs.

Anjali and Payal meet up with them. They were all seated in a room waiting for the designer and her team to come. Before they start Khushi says to Anjali, "Di I would like to request something. Can we not have Sangeet ceremony? Arnav frowns at her words, why is she saying so. "Khushi why" say Di and Arnav in unison. Khushi replies, "Bus Di don't want too much of noise and celebrations, can we keep it more sacred? And we had a very beautiful Sangeet recently for Jiji. Please Di...we can have the rest of the rasams and ceremonies only not the Sangeet."

"I would like that money to be donated to a girl's school instead, in our parent's name. Actually it's my old school. It is a small school and needs financial support."

Anjali says but we can do that as well, you don't need to cancel the Sangeet. We can still donate." Khushi continues, "No Di, then the good deed has no sacrifice attached to it." Arnav at that time wanted to hug Khushi. She looks up at him and sees the sheen of tears in his eyes. He is so damn proud of her, she owns nothing yet her heart is as big as the ocean. Payal hugs Khushi and says, " Hah Di what Khushi says is right."

Whilst Arnav leaves the room, Anjali, Payal and Khushi meet up with the designer and they start choosing and selecting. Khushi chooses something simple, but Anjali tells the designer to bring out the most exclusive designs. So eventually they select the Sagai outfit, the wedding trousseau, and some beautiful saris. Of course Arnav chooses red for Khushi.

After finishing from there, Anjali says we now need to go to visit the jewelers. Arnav holds on to Khushi's hand taking her towards his car.

Once they get into the car, Arnav starts to drive and says "Khushi thank you for the wonderful gesture on the Sangeet, but you love to dance, so why not?" Khushi replies, "Arnavji, don't worry we will have many other occasions to celebrate and dance."

He clasps her hand, and drives with the other. They reach the designer jeweler stores. He knows her taste. When they arrive, they are all greeted and treated like royalty. Whatever is on display is according to Khushi's taste. Simple and elegant designs were laid out. Khushi insists that she will select only one set. So she chooses a very simple one. Khushi selects an extremely simple engagement ring. Her finger size is taken and the wrist size for the bangles. Anjali then says lets us all go to the mandir now. So they all leave to visit the mandir.

At the mandir Arnav places his offerings along with Khushi. Anjali and Payal too do the same. Anjali and Payal leave and Khushi goes along with Arnav.

Arnav says, "Khushi I am taking you somewhere, don't say no." Khushi finds they had stopped outside of a movie theatre. "Come on, he bids her let us go a watch a film. I have already booked the tickets." Khushi is dumb struck. "Arnavji aap..." "Khushi I want to experience watching a movie with you in the theatres…...and stop using ji at least when we are alone."

It is the new movie in town, the Salman Khan starrer "Ek Tha Tiger"... They enter the theatre and Khushi realizes that the seats are the exclusive box seats. She sits with a frown on her brow, thinking, "Hey Devvi Mayya, how can I look at Salman and enjoy, when my husband is sitting right next to me, Oh gosh. It may upset him!"

To be continued

Part 21 - Khushi is Jealous

Arnav asks her 'Khushi what happened, kya tension hai?" Khushi moves her head, "Kucch nahi kucch bhi toh nahi." The movie starts, and Khushi keeps her attention on the screen. Arnav looks at Khushi and leans closer and places his arm around her. Thinks to herself I will just look at Katrina Kaif.

The movie begins and Arnav is really irked by Salman's antics, he looks at Khushi and says, "Do you really like that guy, I mean he is weird Khushi? How can you like someone like him...and he is old for heaven's sake.."

"Aur Katrina, what is your opinion about her", asks Khushi out of curiosity.

Arnav, "Oh she is quite a looker, hot, tall and beautiful."

Khushi is like an injured cat now, "Kya...accha I thought you did not like watching movies. So now what happened," and hits his arm with her hand.

Arnav now knows what can get his wife mad as hell, "Jealous Khushi? I don't like the film but the girl is beautiful, you got to agree on that."

Khushi irritated by his prompting her, agrees reluctantly, "Haah she is pretty, fine, now can we watch the movie."

Arnav laughs it off and says, "So Khushi you are jealous aren't you, but why? I am not there dancing with her on the screen, it is your Salman, I am sitting right here with you!"

Khushi continues, "Ok fine you watch Katrina while I watch Salman. He dances so well, not like you!"

Arnav mad now, "What did you say, I can't dance? And what else can he do that I cannot? I need to know. For sure I don't behave stupid like him!"

"You keep kissing his picture, well I can do what he cannot to you right here and now," and plants a short sweet kiss on her lips. "See, now what do you have to say!"

"Ok I don't like Salman or any other hero anymore. Bas, happy now?" Khushi grumbles, thinking men and their insecurities!

She leans on him and watches the movie till it ends, whilst Arnav closes his eyes and leans against his backrest. He was bored with the movie, it was only to share these moments with Khushi that he had tolerated it

She loved him so much, she knew he couldn't bear to sit in the theatre and yet he wasn't irritated though he would rather be working on his laptop. He did it for her.

She nudges him at the end of the movie, "shall we go…"

They walk out of the theatre hand in hand. Stop at a restaurant and have dinner.

Arnav drops her home, he reaches her to the door, but before she enters she turns back and says "Arnav," and tiptoes and kisses him on the lips. He pulls at her arm, and whispers huskily, "Khushi!" and pushes her hair lock behind her ear and kisses her hungrily. Khushi finds herself sinking and given into him blatantly. He stops suddenly and pushes her back away from him, "go on in, before I devour you." Arnav wipes off the lipstick from his lips. Khushi is shaken, and leans against the wall, with her eyes closed. She was never kissed like this before by him. And she had behaved like this with him. What happened? She then moves and with shaky hands tries to open the door. She runs into the house and into her room. Arnav follows her, he closes the door behind him of her room and pulls her towards him. She turns and just buries her head into his chest covering her face with her hands. "Shhh Khushi. It's okay, you don't need to be embarrassed and runs his hand over her head. Hey Khushi look at me. Come on. "She doesn't move, he can hear her sobs. Tenderly he lifts her chin, "Khushi...it is me your husband...silly girl, why do you cry...it is not your fault, or something...come on." and disengages her hands from her face. She is all red and teary-eyed. He takes her by the hand and bids her to sit at the edge of the bed. Arnav sits beside her.

To be continued