Tring. Tring.
Hari Prakash opened the front door. Khushi gulped as the door opened. She seemed relieved to find that it was Hari Prakash who opened the door. She smiled and entered. She walked to the living room; it was empty.
"Hari Prakashji, where is everyone?"
"In Anjali bitiya's room."
"And Dadiji?"
"She has gone to the temple, bitiya."
"Ok." Khushi smiled and walked to Anjali's room.
Flashback. Arnav was not at home; he had gone to visit the doctor. "You are not a part of this family. You are not married to Arnav yet. Get out!" Dadi screamed.
Khushi slowly walked to Anjali's room. Everyone in the Raizada family, except Arnav and Dadi, had gathered around Anjali and were trying to feed her.
"Please eat, Anjali bitiya. You need to eat to stay healthy!" Nani said, as she tried to feed her. NK and Akash stood by her, while Mami sat on the other side of the bed.
Khushi walked in, "Naniji, maybe I can go get fruits for Di."
Nani looked at Khushi and shook her head, "We tried that. She doesn't want to eat anything."
Khushi looked around. "Nani, Arnavji.. where is he?" Khushi had not spoken to him since she was thrown out of the house two days ago. He hadn't been home when Dadi had thrown her out of Shantivan. She had tried to call him that day, but Arnav had not picked up the phone. She wanted to see him, so she had come to Shantivan the day before, but Dadiji had opened the door and she had not let her in. Her call had gone to voicemail all day yesterday.
"Don't know, Khushi. We haven't seen him all day." Nani said, still looking at Anjali.
Khushi sat in Anjali's room, her eye on the door, waiting for Arnav to come. She felt weird; as if he was calling her name. She had heard his voice all night; something was wrong with Arnav. That was why she had decided she would come to meet him, even if she had to face Dadi.
She slowly got up from the bed and walked to the door. She looked back, no one had noticed her leaving. She walked to Arnav's room, her pace quickening with each step. She ran up the stairs and down the corridor. She knocked on the door; there was no reply. She slowly opened the door and smiled. Arnav was still sleeping. She walked to the bed and sat down next to him.
"Arnavji", she said his name softly. He didn't stir.
She smiled and brushed his hair away from his forehead. "Look at Laad Governor sleeping so soundly." She looked at the clock. It was almost 8:30am; he usually woke up at around 8am. She giggled, remembering the time she would fight with him for the bathroom. She watched him sleep, smiling.
Khushi felt a pain in her heart again, as she watched him sleep. There was something wrong. She touched his arm and shook him. "Arnavji, wake up." He didn't stir. "Arnavji", she panicked. "Arnavji", she called him, her voice louder. She shook him harder. "Arnavji", her voice was louder. Tears filled in her eyes. Scared, she put her finger under his nose; he was breathing. She ran to Anjali's room.
"Arnavji... he.. he is not waking up." Only NK looked up. No one else even heard her.
"What?" NK screamed and ran to Khushi. Khushi and NK ran to Arnav's room. They tried again to wake Arnav up. NK slowly helped Khushi walk, supporting Arnav on their shoulders, to the front door. With the driver's help, they managed to put Arnav in the car and Khushi went to the hospital, while NK went back to Anjali's room to tell everyone else about Arnav's condition.
"What?" Khushi screamed. She was standing outside the operation theatre.
"Yes, Mrs. Raizada. Mr. Raizada has suffered from an insulin shock. He hasn't had food in the past two days and had not taken his medication. He is in a coma right now. We will have to keep him under observation .."
"Doctor saab, will he be alright?" Nani asked. "I mean.. will he wake.." She looked at Anjali and stopped. Anjali was already not eating food. The last thing they wanted was to upset Anjali more, by telling her that her brother wasn't going to ever wake up from his coma.
"It's hard to say. Excuse me." The doctor said and then turned around and walked away.
Khushi closed her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek. How could she let this happen? Why did she not try harder to see him when she knew he needed her to stay by his side? NK touched her shoulder and squeezed it. She opened her eyes as she heard Anjali's voice.
"Nani, Chotte.." Khushi opened her eyes and hugged Anjali and burst into tears. She could understand what Anjali was going through. Arnav was the most important person in her life too! She opened her eyes, when she heard Anjali's voice again; Khushi realized Anjali wasn't hugging her back.
Anjali pushed Khushi away and turned to Nani, her eyes filled with tears. "Nani, now that Chotte is not at home, can we bring Shyamji back?" Nani looked at her, a tear rolling down her cheeks.
Khushi raised her eyebrows, hearing Anjali's words. Khushi understood Anjali's pain; the pain of having to spend the rest of your life without the one you loved the most. Khushi exhaled; yes, Arnavji would want his Di to be happy even after he is gone. I need to stay strong for her sake. Maybe if Di is happy, Arnavji will be happy and maybe his health will improve...
Khushi turned around and walked away.
"Shyamji", Anjali screamed as she saw Shyam walk into the living room. She ran into his arms and threw her arms around him. She looked over his shoulder and smiled; Khushi smiled back.
"Khushi bitiya?" Khushi raised her eyebrows as she heard Nani's voice. Khushi walked to Nani and hugged her.
"Naniji, Di needs Shyamji, especially since now .. Arnavji.." A tear ran down Khushi's cheek. Khushi collapsed.
In the hospital, Arnav's monitor beeped.
"Shyamji, please eat some more". Anjali smiled, as she served more puris on Shyam's plate. She turned around to look at everyone else. "Why is no one eating?"
Nani controlled her tears and nodded. They hadn't informed Anjali about Arnav's death. She was just recovering from one major incident in her life; they didn't want her to break down again. There had been no funeral.
Khushi sat on the floor, leaning against the door, her face pale. Buaji and Garima had tried to make her cry, but Khushi hadn't even shed one drop of tear, nor eaten any food. They had tried to contact the Raizadas, but no one picked up their call.
Flashback.
"Don't you dare enter this house. You are the reason Chotte..". Mami screamed, as Khushi walked into the living room.
"Mamiji.."
"Enough." Akash screamed. "You were his wife. You were supposed to take care of him."
"But Jijaji'"
"Khushi bitiya. Please leave before Anjali walks in." Nani said, her eyes closed.
Khushi took a few steps back and ran out the front door.
As she walked down the stairs, someone grabbed her wrist. Khushi turned around and her eyes opened wide.
"Khushiji, it's not too late to accept that you love me." Shyam had an evil grin on his face.
Khushi struggled to free herself from Shyam's grip. "You filthy b'., and I thought you might have changed! Chee.. let me go."
"Shyamji'" Anjali screamed. They looked up to see Anjali at the door.
"Khushiji, how could you.. I am married to Rani Sahiba. Chee.. what kind of a woman are you.."
Khushi shook her head and looked at Anjali. Anjali walked down the stairs and stopped in front of Khushi. She slapped Khushi.
Flashback.
"Please, I am his wife. Please I want to see him." Khushi had begged the morgue attendant. But he shook his head. Only family was allowed to see the body, but Khushi was not a family member.
"But I am his wife.."
Khushi screamed, "But I am his wife!" She turned and looked around. She was sitting on the floor of her room; her room was empty.
Suddenly a smile appeared on her face.
"Arnavji?" Arnav sat on his knees, kneeling in front of her. She tried to touch him. He moved away and shook his head.
"Are you alright, Khushi?" He asked, concerned.
She shook his head. "Why did you leave me alone?"
He smirked. "Why did you leave me alone? I asked you to not leave, didn't I. But you still did."
A tear rolled down her cheek. "But I wasn't married to you. I couldn't live with you."
"You aren't married to me? You are still wearing the sindoor I put on your forehead, the mangalsutra that I tied around your neck." He said, smiling.
"But we didn't complete the pheres."
"Really, Khushi? Was that so important? More important than the love that we shared?" His eyes filled with tears.
Khushi burst into tears and shook her head. "I am sorry."
"You know why I left you, Khushi?"
She looked up into his eyes. "You betrayed me". She looked at him, confused. Then she opened her eyes wide. Shyam!
"But Di needed him."
"I knew what I was doing, Khushi. You should have trusted me to make the right decision for Di."
"Arnavji.." Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"No.. I have to leave now."
"Please let me come with you."
Arnav shook his head and he started to fade.
"No, please.. please don't go. Take me with you."
"Khushi, please let me go." Arnav's eyes filled with tears.
"No, please. Remember our hearts beat as one. If your heart doesn't beat, neither should mine".
Arnav smiled. So did Khushi.
Arnav faded. Khushi leaned against the door and closed her eyes.
Arnav's body was cremated a minute later. No member of the Raizada or Jha family was present. Khushi had a small funeral the next day. No member of the Raizada or Jha family was present.
Two months later. Somewhere in Lucknow.
Payal sipped tea on the balcony. She had left Akash, the day Khushi was thrown out of Shantivan, the day before Arnav died. Akash was so occupied with Anjali and her health, like the other Raizadas, that he didn't realize his wife was missing. Akash had tried to find Payal a week later, when he realized she was not at Gupta house. Even Buaji and Garima hadn't realized Payal was missing until a week later, when Akash had come to see them. They had not let him enter the house, not after the way Khushi was treated by the Raizadas. Payal contacted them a week later, from Lucknow, where she was staying with a friend and she had broken down over the phone, hearing about Khushi's death.
Payal had now taken charge of Shashi's sweet shop, which was now called Khushi's Khushiyaan. It was famous for its jalebis. Garima, Shashi and Buaji were now living with her in Lucknow. Shashi was finally better and was able to walk.
Payal sipped on her tea and read the newspaper. Her eyes opened wide. On the front page was the news about the Raizada family.
"We are disheartened to inform you that the Raizada mansion was taken over by the bank, as the Raizadas were declared bankrupt. Ever since the death of Arnav Singh Raizada, the family had been suffering from severe loss. Akash Singh Raizada had been severely injured, after he was involved in an automobile accident, when he was driving under the influence of alcohol. He had taken to alcohol ever since his brother passed away and his wife left him. He succumbed to his injuries last night. Manohar Singh Raizada has been missing for the past one year. No one knows where he is.
We received the most shocking news last night that Shyam Manohar Jha has abandoned the family as well. Devyani Raizada spoke to the journalist, "He cheated us. He cheated our daughter, Anjali. He never loved her. He only loved our money and.. " Anjali had interrupted Devyani as she screamed, "and Khushiji." (Khushi Kumari Gupta had lived with Arnav Singh Raizada for 6 months, out of wedlock. She passed away a day after his death.) "Khushi is to blame. She seduced my husband and she is the reason he left me. Yes, she took him away from me, just like she took my brother away from me. It is all her fault. It is all her fault." A second later, Devyani slapped Anjali in front of the media. Devyani and Manorama walked away from the press conference, leaving Anjali crying.
Our special correspondent found Devyani Raizada an hour ago. She and Manorama declared that they no longer considered Anjali a part of their family. According to Devyani, Anjali Jha had been the reason for every misfortune that had happened to the Raizada family. Manorama's eyes filled with tears as she added, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada was the best thing that ever happened to us".
Breaking news. Received 5 minutes ago. Subhadra Malik was seen on a beach in Goa with Shyam Manohar Jha. The lone survivor and the only heir to the estate of Avinash Malik, her late husband and late Arnav Singh Raizada's grandfather, Subhadra had disappeared a few days after Arnav's death.
Payal closed the newspaper and walked to the kitchen, the newspaper in her hand. She switched on the stove, lit the fire and threw the newspaper on the fire. She watched as it burnt to ashes.
The end.
Wait.. wait.. not over yet.
There is more... thank Tia for this addition! 😳
Up in the heavens, Arnav and Khushi made love with no interruption!
My request to the CVs: Please kill off Arshi. I can't take this crap anymore.
😃 😳 Hate me?
Ok, so in this Arnav wasn't shown as a bad person. If I get enough comments in this, I will write another cruel one where Arnav is shown the way I see him.
I love Khushi, so I might not write an Oops moment for her, unless you guys want to see it! Of course that might give you nightmares.
And NOW, an additional treat.. only those who comment (even if you hate or love this post) below will get a pm of next mushy gushy cutie romantic update! 😆 So go ahead, comment!
This is a test of how much you love my writing! 😳
Edited by boreddamsel - 13 years ago
Avatar and Signatures Shop
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
814