Arshi SS: You, me and rabba ve!(Pt 9 Pg120 24/09) - Page 13

Part 2

Shyam rubbed his hands together and put his arms around his chest. It was freezing on the terrace. He had been sitting there for a while now. Did Khushiji not see my message? Where is she? His phone rang. He took it out smiling. Suddenly his smile disappeared. There was a horrified look on his face. "Rani Sahiba?"

"Khushi?" Payal turned around surprised as Khushi ran into the room, smiling. Khushi had a wide smile on her face and was blushing, her chest heaving with her quick breaths. "Is everything alright downstairs?"

"No, Jiji." She said, still smiling.

"No?" Payal looked confused. She shook her. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing, Jiji. You look so pretty." Khushi threw her arms around Payal and Payal smiled.

"You should get ready too. You have been running around all day, busy with the preparations. Here, come, sit with me for a while..", Payal started saying and realized that Khushi wasn't responding to her. She pulled away from the hug and looked at Khushi, she was looking far into the distance, dreamy-eyed. Payal grabbed Khushi's arms. "Khushi, what are you thinking? Is everything alright?" Khushi's eyes filled with tears and she hugged Payal again, smiling. Payal had a confused look on her face.

Arnav walked into Anjali's room, with a wide smile on his face. He saw Anjali searching for something. "Where are the garlands?" She stopped and looked up, surprised as Arnav walked in. "Chotte? Where did you disappear to earlier? and.." she paused, and smiled. "Why do you look so happy? Is there something I should know about?"

Arnav walked towards her, nodding, with a naughty smirk on his face. "Maybe". Anjali raised her eyebrows. Arnav smiled. Suddenly his smile disappeared as he watched Anjali faint. He ran to catch her.

"Nani, I have called the doctor. He will be here soon". Arnav said, standing up from the bed, so that Nani could sit down next to Anjali. Anjali was lying on the bed; Shyam sat next to her, her hand in his. Mami stood behind Nani and watched as Anjali's eyes fluttered open. Arnav watched confused, as a smile appeared on Nani's face.

"There is no need for a doctor, Chotte. I know what is wrong .."

"What do you mean, Nani?"

"In fact, there is nothing wrong with Anjali bitiya. It is all good.."

Anjali raised her eyebrows, after she slowly sat up on the bed with Shyam's help. "Nani, do you mean..?"

Nani nodded. Anjali burst into tears, with a wide smile on her face. She grabbed Shyam's arm, excited.

"What the.. what are you talking about?" Arnav was angry and confused.

"I mean Chotte, that you are going to become a Mama." Nani turned around and looked at Arnav. A big smile appeared on his face. He looked at Anjali. She looked at him. Their eyes met and they smiled at each other.

"Really, Naniji. That is such a good news. I am so happy, Rani Sahiba". Shyam threw his arms around Anjali.

"Di, wow! That's great news". Everyone turned around to see Akash walk in with NK. Suddenly Akash's smile disappeared. "Di, you have bandages on you? What happened?"

"Oh ho, Akash." NK started saying, as Khushi, Buaji, Garima walked in, with Shashi in the wheelchair. "That is old news. The breaking news is that I am going to be a Mama." Khushi raised her eyebrows. Buaji and Garima looked uncomfortable.

"But Di.." Akash started saying.

"Di.." Everyone looked up as Arnav spoke. Arnav sat down on the floor and took Anjali's hands in his. He had tears in his eyes. "Di, I don't know what to.. Di, I am so happy. I.. I" Anjali smiled and took his face in her hands. Khushi smiled, tears in her eyes.

"Chotte, I am happy too. I am going to become a mother and you, you will become a Mama. But you know what will make me happier today?"

Everyone looked confused. Anjali had a naughty smile as she continued. "If my baby had a Mami too."

Arnav smiled and looked up; his eyes met Khushi's. Her face turned crimson and she looked away. This exchange was noticed by three people. Nani and Anjali, who raised their eyebrows, looked at each other and giggled. A man in the room twitched his face, in anger.

Laxmi bleated as she trotted into the room and climbed on the bed. Anjali giggled and said. "Look, Laxmi is here. You know what she wants to tell us. That today is Akash's wedding and we should concentrate on that. Come, let's go."

Khushi slowly looked up and her eyes met Arnav's. Everyone got up from the bed and started walking towards the door. Arnav slowly got up from the floor, still looking at Khushi. Khushi stood on the other side of the bed, frozen, staring into Arnav's eyes. Arnav walked towards her slowly. Her heart started beating wildly; her breath quickened. She gulped, as he stopped right next to her. He lifted his hand to touch her face; she closed her eyes.

"Arre Sanka Devi, come, where are you?" Khushi opened her eyes wide and looked at the door, scared as she heard Buaji's voice coming from the corridor. She started moving towards the door, when Arnav grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. She looked at him, confused; he had a naughty smirk on his face. She struggled to free herself; he held her wrist behind her, his arm around her waist and her body pressed against his.

"What are you doing? Let me go. Someone might walk in."

"So?" Arnav tilted his head, smiling.

"What do you mean, so? What will they think?" Khushi raised her eyebrows.

"Let them think what they want to, Khushi Kumari Gupta. I just wanted to tell you that I still haven't asked you what I wanted to ask you". He leaned in closer. She gulped, as she looked at his lips and then at his eyes.

"Arre, Sanka Devi." came Buaji's voice again.

"Please, let me go now. You can ask me later."

Arnav smiled as he freed her. "Ok fine. I will ask you later. But next time, I won't let you go until you have answered my question. Agreed?"

Khushi lifted her lehenga and ran to the door. "We will see about that. Laad Governor kahin ke!" She giggled and ran away. Arnav smiled.

Everyone looked up, smiling as Khushi brought Payal down the stairs. Khushi smiled as Garima ran to them and blessed Payal. Garima took Payal towards Akash. Khushi started walking towards them, when she noticed Arnav standing behind Akash, a naughty smirk on his face, looking at her. His heart had been pounding in his chest, as he watched Khushi walk down the stairs. She looked breathtakingly beautiful in a simple red and blue lehenga. Khushi blushed and looked around to see if anyone had noticed him staring at her. But everyone was looking at Akash and Payal. She looked at Arnav and walked towards him, looking into his eyes. He looked handsome, as always; she thought she would melt under his loving gaze. She stopped behind Payal, a smile on her face, her eyes still fixated on his. They were still staring into each other's eyes, as Khushi threw flowers on Akash and Payal while they exchanged garlands. No one, except Shyam, seemed to have noticed this silent exchange of love; his face twitched in anger. Arnav and Khushi were lost in each other's eyes; so lost, that they didn't realize everyone had started walking towards the mandap. Shyam was going to call out to Arnav, when Anjali grabbed his hand and pulled him with her, as she walked to the mandap.

Still lost in each other's eyes..

"Khushi?"

"Hmm.."

"There is no one here. Everyone walked away."

"Where?"

"To the mandap."

Khushi's eyes opened wide and she looked around. "What?" She turned around and started to walk towards the mandap, when Arnav grabbed her hand. "Not so fast, I told you I had something to ask you."

Khushi looked around, scared. "Arnavji, here? Now? It's time for the pheras.. someone might search for us."

"So? Remember I told you I wont let you go next time, until you have answered my question". He grabbed her hand and walked towards the mandap. Khushi stared at their intertwined hands and then at Arnav as they walked towards the crowd.

"Arnavji, leave my hand. What will people think?" Khushi muttered as they reached the mandap.

"I told you Khushi that I won't let you go. You should have let me ask you the question then. But you didn't. Now I won't let you go." Arnav said, smiling, looking straight in front of him, ignoring her stare.

"Fine. Ask me then!"

"Khushi, here? Now?" Arnav said, imitating Khushi's voice. Khushi raised her eyebrows wide in shock. Arnav chuckled. "In a while. I am kind of enjoying this right now." He squeezed her hand.

Khushi opened her mouth wide and was about to say something, when Anjali said. "Arre, Chotte. Why are you standing there? Come here." She smiled, looking at Arnav and Khushi standing close to each other. She noticed that their hands were hidden and she smirked, guessing what might have happened. Khushi had pulled her and Arnav's hands behind her, so that no one standing around the mandap would see that she and Arnav were holding hands. She tugged at his hand, but in vain.

"No, Di. I want to stay here."

Anjali raised her eyebrows and said, nonchalantly. "Ok, your wish, Chotte." She turned to look at Nani and grinned. Nani raised her eyebrows and giggled.

***

I am sorry I had to stop here. I would have written more, but I couldn't. I started crying, watching the old episodes. You have no idea how much I had to control myself to think about romance and write this post! I had never seen those episodes (well not in detail, I did fast forward through the scenes!), because it was too depressing and today I had to watch them to write this part. But I promise you guys, the next part is going to be really good and very romantic. I hope you still liked this part!

In the meantime, check out this post that I wrote about the current track.

Na judaa honge hum, never khushi, always gham!