Home is Where The Heart Is.
Sitting on the couch Arnav pumped some numbers into his laptop trying to concentrate on his work. If he didn't trick his mind into working his thoughts just circled back to one thing, Khushi. He could swear that, that woman made him experience emotions he did not even know existed. "Nannav.." his thoughts were interrupted by Nk's voice. "Haan? Bolo?" "Nannav tum kya kar rahe ho?" asked Nk in his usual cheery tone. Arnav looked at him and then at the laptop at then again looked at Nk and said "Kaam" with a isn't that obvious look on his face. Nk smiled. He sat down next to him. "Nannav mujhe tumse kuch gehna hai" Arnav rolled his eyes and without removing his gaze from his laptop said "Gehna nahi..kehna" "haan wohi". "bolo" said arnav. "Nannav..jab tum kidnap ho gaye the na.." Arnav's eyes shot up on hearing that. It wasn't many times when someone in the Raizada house mentioned that incident. He turned over and looked at Nk "Nannav…jab tum kidnap ho gaye the na, tab Khushiji bahut dukhi thi. Unhe tumhari bahut tension hoti thi. Who tumhe waapas lane ke liye kisi bhi limit tak jaa sakti thi." Arnav's voice was now soft, it even had a tinge of concern in it "Tum mujhe ye sab kyun bata rahe ho?"
"Nannav..tum socho. Jo khushiji tumhe is ghar main waapas lane ke liye kuch bhi kar sakti hain, kya who kabhi aisa kadam uthaengi jisse tumhe problem ho?" Arnav listened on. "Nannav, I salute khushiji. Ye jaante hue bhi ki tum unse naaraz ho jaoge, woh jiju ko is ghar main leke aayi. Unhone apne bare main ek baar bhi nahi socha. Unhone sirf di ka bhala socha aur ye step liya ye jaante hue bhi ki tum kaise react karoge." "Nannav..you're a lucky man. Duniya main itna selfless love dene waale bahut kam log hote hain"
"Arnav babua.." The conversation was interrupted as Mamiji walked towards the boys. "Nk babua bilkul theek keh rahe hain. Phati saari ne Anjali Bitiya ko bahut khushiyan lauta di hain.."
Arnav was a little more than surprised after hearing this. In all the time that he and khushi had been married not once had he heard Mami utter a praise for Khushi. He brushed away his thoughs and muttered "Mujhe ek meeting ke liye jaana hai. I'm getting late." He really had no meeting. But he just didn't want to listen to all that and deal with all those emotions.
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Arnav sat by the poolside and peacefully allowed his thoughts to wander. They always wandered to the same place. Of course!
He thought about what Nk had said to him earlier in the day. Flashbacks hit him hard. "I said go!" he shut his eyes in despair. How could she have done this? She should've understood that he hated that man. His flashbacks wandered him back to the hospital where he remembered how khushi had consoled him and given him the strength to stand. Suddenly he started feeling heavy in his chest. He remembered that this was the girl who had almost given up her own life to save him. When he had done nothing but hurt her before that. He remembered the night at the hut and the first time he told he loved her. How right it had felt. How he felt as if someone had lifted a huge weight off his chest.
He sprang up. He paced up and down along the poolside. For the first time in life he Arnav Singh Raizada couldn't decide which one to pick. His mind that told him he Arnav Singh Raizada was right in whatever decision he took or his heart that was softly telling him that he was wrong. And he may just owe her an apology. Finally a helpless Arnav Singh Raizada let his heart overpower his mind. "Face it Arnav. You love her godammit! And she is right. Even though the way she went about things may have been wrong". He grabbed his keys from the shelf and paced off.
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Khushi stood facing a poster on her wall. She looked at herself and then the man next to her. Arnavji. Or Arnav Singh Raizada. She couldn't decide which one he really was. Tears were now incessantly flowing from her eyes. "Kya aap humein itna bhi nahi samajh paye? Humne jo bhi kiya wo sirf Di ki khushi ke liye kiya. Humara yakeen kijiye Arnavji. Hum aapko chot nahi pahuchaana chahte the. Hum bhi us aadmi se nafrat karte hain. Jitni aap karte hain usse shayad kai zyada." She closed her eyes. She could feel the pain through her body. "Kash aap ek baar thande dimaag se sochte aur humein samajhne ki koshish toh karte..aap ye jaan lete ki hum kabhi aapka dil nahi dukhana chahte Arnavji. Hum aapse bahut pyaar karte hain..aur aapko dukhi nahi dekh sakte.."
Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around.."Aap?" "Aap yahan kya kar rahe hain?"
"Khushi yaad hai tumne ek baar mujhse kaha tha ki jab bhi main tumhare paas aata hoon tumhari dil ki dhadkane tez ho jaati hai?" Khushi's eyes widened. She remembered that Holi day. And all that happened between them beside the poolside flashed before her eyes. She remembered Arnavji telling her that he couldn't recall anything that happened. But he had remembered it all. "Khushi, jab tum mere paas hoti ho toh mere dil ki dhadkane bhi tez ho jaati hai. Humari dhadkane ek ho jaati hai". Khushi eyes were welling up with tears. "Arnavji.." "khushi…" Arnav said silencing her with his finger. "Khushi tumhare bina meri dhadkane adhuri hain. I need you Khushi."
"Khushi..mere mooh se ye shabd sunne ki aadat hai tumhe. Main hamesha gusse main sab kuch bigaad deta hoon. Is gusse ki wajah se maine tumhe itni baar chot pahuchayi hai. But Khushi I'm really sorry. Is gusse ki wajah se I became so blind ki mujhe ye dikhayi nahi diya ki Shyam ko waapas laakar tumne kitna bada sacrifice kiya hai."
He took her hand into his. "I'm sorry Khushi. Main shayad ye bhool gaya tha ki tum us aadmi se kitni nafrat karti ho. Apne gusse main andha hokar main ye bhi nahi dekh paaya ki tum Di ko khush karke mujhe meri khushiyan lauta rahi ho".
Arnav eyes now had tears in them. Brushing the tears aside he mustered up the courage to say the words "One last time, forgive me Khushi. Tumse alag hokar kuch bhi theek nahi lagta".
Khushi burst into tears. "Aap hamesha aisa kyun karte hain Arnavji? Aap Hamesha humara dil dukha kar usse waapas kyun jeet lete hain?" "Lekin ab nahi. Is baar hum aapko maaf nahi karne waale" said khushi trying to suppress her smile by looking away from his gaze.
Arnav smiled. He took her by the arm and turned her around. "Reaallly?" Khushi tried to free herself from his clutch. But in vain. He pulled her close and lured her into a tight hug. And they just stood there. Holding each other close and smiling lightly. Arnav Singh Raizada felt that he had finally come home.
Do leave your comments! And thank you for reading!😊
CID
