SS: Verdict. IMP NOTE on Pg 9! Ch 4 updt! - Page 3

Chapter Two: Paroxysm

-by Annie (me!)

Khushi's mind and heart were screaming to let out whatever she had bottled up. Listening to Dadi, her fists trembled as they tightened till her knuckles were white. Dadi being defensive of Shyam stirred up a sense of acute curiosity in her. How can she defend him when she hasn't met him? As far as my knowledge of her absence from the life of both Di and Arnavji, she wouldn't even have met Shyamji!

Dadi's voice broke into her thoughts, bubbling the required reaction that she was so controlling with all her might, to erupt. "What do you even know of their Love? His love for Anjali, that you have the right to throw him out of the house just because of some petty--", her eyes automatically rested on Khushi.

Khushi cut in with a louder tone than intended, "Dadiji!" She looked up and swallowed slowly as she saw a look of astonishment written all over Dadi's face, the result of her interrupting her rant.

She continued, but in a calm yet stern voice, "IF that Shyam was seriously so devoted and in Love with Di then why the hell did he not even visit this hospital to see Di?", looking straight into her eyes searching for an answer different from the old stereo-typed one, she expected. But unfortunately, she found the same rusted old piece of answer already written on dadi's face, making her groan inwardly at her oblivious state.

Before Dadi could say anything or even open her mouth, Khushi said, " If you think he didn't even know that this sort of thing would ever happen then please... No justification is required.. since his actions speak for him." nodding once and for all. "If he really Loved Anjali Di then he wouldn't have stayed quiet but fought for his Love and at least tried to win her back, when Arnavji threw him out."her hands waving wildly in front of Dadi to prove a point. "But in turn what did he do? Let Di stay back home, so he didn't have to bother about her. So he wouldn't have to spend his money on her, even for her pregnancy or his child."

Khushi paused to breath as everything was flowing out of her mouth in a manner faster than she had expected it to be. She breathed in deeply before stepping forward to meet her gaze and continue,"Did he even at least try to meet her? Ask her about her health and also about their child?", furrowing her eyebrows involuntarily for the effect, "No.. He didn't. Because he doesn't care. He never cared for her."

Arnav just couldn't believe that Khushi had said this... and said it all! As he listened, he couldn't help but averting his gaze to Dadi's face to see her reaction at the never-before-seen-Avatar of Khushi. It was as new for him, as it was for Dadi. Little did he know that the person whom he was so surprised to see in such an Avatar was herself subconsciously surprised and dreaded the consequences. He had a very strong urge to smirk hard at Dadi but he controlled it, a result of his hands balling into fists.

Dadi just couldn't believe her eyes and ears as she saw and heard Khushi. Whatever she had said was naturally the result of the secrecy with which Anjali and Shyam used to meet, and she knew that it was the time to reveal it and shut this insolent girl's blabbering mouth forever. This had given rise to anger, but her Ego was hurt too. And the latter was so, not because of what Khushi had said about Shyam, but because of the needle she had pricked in her Ego, by raising her voice a bit initially and also questioning her trust in Shyam and also the defense. The girl's audacity..?!?, she thought gritting her teeth.

Gritting her teeth, she said, "How dare you speak to me like that? Don't you know how to speak in front of your elders?", trembling with anger. "And who gives you the right to speak in our Family matters?", nodding her head in askance. "And why did you even think that I was speaking to you? I wasn't.", jerking her arm. "And who gives you the right to question his Love for Anjali? Who are you? You think that a relation with someone for months will give you the right to control their lives? Will give you the right to speak about their personal matters and make decisions for them? No!! Who are you?? You are a nobody! A nobody! A stranger to our Family! An Outsider! And bett--"

Arnav couldn't take it anymore, and burst, "Enough, Dadi!! Enough!!", setting his jaw, and glaring hard into Dadi's stony black. "You have no right to say that to her! You don't even know her, so don't say that!", trying hard not to say Don't you dare phrase, keeping her age in mind. He closed his eyes briefly and breathed in deeply and continued, "And Dadi, for your information, according to your wishes, we are already engaged, and she IS a part of our Family.. Whether you LIKE it or NOT!"

Khushi could do nothing but lower her stubborn gaze and become a sponge again absorbing the harsh words thrown out by Dadi and clutch onto her sides of her lehenga, crunching it up fully. Regret of raising her tone, unknowingly started to blur her eyes, while the puke of the disgust in Dadi's words of her being an 'Outsider' and a 'Nobody' stung every corner of her, making her tremble.

"And She is going to be my Wife.. whether you LIKE it or NOT!", his hand involuntarily moving back to clasp Khushi's now trembling hand, which he realised only after touching.

"And how come you became so Defensive of Shyam? As far as I know you've never even met him, with you being in the Ashram.", furrowing his eyebrows to study Dadi's face closely. He waited to see her face give away something. There!

"I know!", Dadi said, as she tried to keep a blank face. But she had failed, because Arnav sharp eyes had caught the slight panic and had instantly realised what the whole situation was the effect of.

"It means that you met him.. in the Ashram!", his voice dropping in utter realisation as he voiced out his conclusion. His eyes were still locked on her eyes, and it lit up in another realisation and triumph as he saw her still for a milli second and push it away by blinking hard. But the sign of triumph had been replaced by anger at Shyam for filling Dadi's ears, and he groaned inwardly realising that now Dadi's opinion wouldn't change even if the World came to an end.

Dadi was caught red-handed, more so caught like a deer in front of headlights, but she brushed it off by blinking hard and breathing in deep to meet her grandson's scrutinizing gaze. She was going to have the last word and she had something ready. She said, "I've seen the Love for Anjali in his eyes!", jerking her arm again to prove her point.

Arnav nodded in disbelief, as he saw Dadi owning it up in the most obscene manner indirectness. His whole body trembled in uncontrollable anger at the bloody A****** for using Dadi as his pawn in his Game. He opened his mouth to say something, when the thought itself disappeared as the words of the nurse registered in his mind, completely derailing the atmosphere and them.

The nurse said, "Excuse me! But the patient's health is deteriorating! She is not responding properly, and is having asphyxiation! Please come to the room!", and sped off in the same direction she had come from.