ArHi SS: Vertigo - Completed [Sequel link on Page 1] - Page 41

whatever you write is wondeful, sookie..you know am a big fan...and yes, waiting for this SS to be concluded to roll out the Maan-geet version as we discussed provided you are still ok with it.

Originally posted by: indepgal

whatever you write is wondeful, sookie..you know am a big fan...and yes, waiting for this SS to be concluded to roll out the Maan-geet version as we discussed provided you are still ok with it.

Yep...roll out Maan-Geet version after epilogue :-) After that it's your call 😊

Sad that this is ending but glad while it lasted...good luck for your next ff

Amazing story.. and love the background for it. Aww each days are special for them.. cant wait to read last part :)

waitin fr d new one egrlyyy...

Though my tryst with this FF has mainly been silent there, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this, especially the chapter titles with the songs! :) Call me naive, but I'm one person who enjoys a good twist or two but ultimately wants a happily ever after. :) This fit the bill to the T. Looking forward to the epilogue as well as the new fic Sookie! :)

Originally posted by: sonia_92

Awww, but I JUST fell in love with this story :(
but all good things come to an end and I'd rather have you end it then cry and protest for it to be dragged. Thankyou for writing something so beautiful, so magical, so uncomplicated
sometimes you just need that one story that is simple and pretty and just a beauty in its own, that holds its life, its essence in the little things, the moments, the gestures, the simple conversations, and I am glad, oh so glad that I found this.
Sometimes you just need that fairy-tale and that's what I found in the story, a soothing story. so beautiful.

p.s. do pm me when you start your next story ;)

cheers
sonia

Oops...this was a SS to start with so... :-) The next one is going to be around 30 chapters so you have enough time to critique 😆 You are right...sometimes you need something uncomplicated to unwind...to feel good and believe that certain things are still untouched in this world.

:-) Thanks Sonia...

Originally posted by: mystique_girl

This story has been short and sweet ... no extra words, no extra space for characters, no lengthening of plot and emotions - exactly to-the-point, fast and very satisfactory. Believe me, if I had to write this story I can imagine myself wasting pages after pages explaining one emotion.

Your try at romance has been very fruitful, I must say. The story has turned out beautifully.

You know...that's what I was scared of too. But then again, I personally, get bored very easily and am not a fan of long winded stories or explanation. So the romance had to be a short series where I don't deal with any other genre...it was hard but really good experience :-)

Epilogue: Tere mere milan ki ye raina...

The gazebo at the edge of the rose garden in the farmhouse had come to become his favorite place in the whole world. The garden smelled heavenly and glistened under evening sun; melancholy of the day ending had the roses in gloom. He looked at the house decked in glittering lights and bright flowers – like a new bride. He sighed deeply and the now familiar loneliness clenched his heart making him slump in his seat. He breathed deeply, trying to exhale the pain of separation, the anxiety of not seeing her everyday struck him. He swallowed thickly and wiped an errant tear from corner of his eyes when reality hit him, again. He closed his eyes and let the happy memories of them together splash on his mind. The days were uncomplicated and their love was, still is, unconditional. But fate had different plans.

"There you are," he heard a voice and string of tinkering anklets. Her feet were bare, a trait old and familiar, crunched the grass beneath her feet and the rustle of her long skirt mingled with the whispers of the rose plants. "What are you doing here?" She asked him, sliding next to him and looking at intricate henna patterns on her palm.

"I am just…sitting here," he said looking at the girl, no, woman in front of him. She was two days away from being a married woman and after which…he didn't finish the thought. He cleared his throat when he saw her peering at him with a worried frown and offered her a smile. She ignored his smile and continued to look at him. "Are you happy?" He asked her softly. Her swaying legs became motionless and her eyes held all the love in the world. She looked at her open palm resting on her lap and nodded. Her earrings jingled and the tiny bells at the end of the earring, kissed her cheek.

"I am happy and I am content," she said, her voice equally soft. "Are you happy for me?" She asked him, noting the strain on his face for past few days.

He stared at the woman sitting next to him and nodded. "For some time I had forgotten that my happiness was invariably tied with yours. If you are happy, then I am." He said. "I know I sound corny, but there it is," he added making her roll her eyes. He put his arm around her pulled her to him. She easily returned the hug.

"I am going to miss you," he said, squeezing his eyes shut and breathed raggedly.

"I will miss you so much," she said, sniffing and clutching his shirt. He patted her back to calm her down even after she did, he didn't let her go. They stayed like that till then sun was set and when the first star came out twinkling, he heard it; the crunching of grass, sweet noise of anklets and sound of bangles. Just as soon as he opened his eyes, she was standing right in front of him – hands on her hips and annoyance on her face.

"Get inside the house now. Your friends are waiting for you," she told the bride.

"See you later dad!" The bride kissed his cheeks and pinched the older woman's cheek and ran.

"Don't run so fast it's your wedding day after tomorrow and for god's sake don't ruin your mehendi…" She yelled the last part to the bride who was doing exactly opposite to what she was just told. She sighed deeply and rubbed her temple. The wedding ordeal was tiring but she was enjoying every moment of it.

"Come here Khushi," he said and patted the seat next to him. She walked inside the gazebo and sat next to him resting her head on his shoulder. His arms came around her and pulled her to him. He rested his cheeks on the crown of her head.

"Did you have a nice talk with her Arnav?" She asked him after passing several moments in silence.

"It's….hard…you know?" He said haltingly. "She is our daughter and I think…I think I will feel that she is never ready to be married. She is my little girl…" He said chuckling softly. Khushi sat up straight and looked at him.

"Arnav, she is twenty nine," Khushi deadpanned.

"Still…she is only twenty nine…" Arnav replied sheepishly. Khushi rolled her eyes. "But you have to give to us," he added. She looked at him questioningly. "We made one damn awesome kid," he grinned. She burst out laughing, pink covering her cheeks. She had gracefully accepted her age which made her look more elegant than most of her peers.

They had recently celebrated three decades of marriage – marriage which had come as a surprise to everyone. Arnav Raizada, a self-made man rising from nothing to an industrialist and Khushi Gupta, a young woman with gentle heart and intelligent mind from the opposite end of society had fallen in love; the grandness of which was in their subtlety. To a stranger of a passerby, the two looked like colleagues talking to each other or acquaintances exchanging social niceties. But in that chasm, lay their understanding. In those odd glances was their conversation.

Love was a decision. A promise made during a late supper, holding her hand next to blinking tea lights was materialized on a lazy Saturday. The day Arnav walked in to Khushi's house and made a proposition.

*****

"What is he doing here?" Payal asked Khushi who was smiling inwardly.

"He is here to keep his promise. Let's go," she replied and dragged Payal out.

The elders of the family were already seated in living room with Arnav sitting in a solo sofa and looking as if he was on a business meeting. It probably was the most important meeting in his life.

"My name is Arnav Singh Raizada and I own Raizada group of companies." He said and allowed the news to sink in. Khushi's aunt peered at him a bit awestruck while her parents looked at each other surprised at their guest.

"What can we do for you?" Khushi's aunt asked.

"I was hoping…" he trailed and cocked his head to look at Khushi who nodded at him. "I was hoping you would allow me to marry Khushi." He said plainly maintaining eye contact with her aunt.

The silence that fell after that moment was thunderous. Khushi's smile fell a little when there was no reaction from any of the elders.

"Why?" Her father was the first to break the silence? "Why do you want to marry my daughter?" His eyes were clear and voice strong. Arnav looked at the older man and smiled who strangely reminded him of his own docile father.

"Papa…" he started.

Everyone in the room stilled. Arnav raised his chin to check on Khushi only to see her leaning on the door frame, eyes glistening and lips smiling.

"I can give a thousand reasons why I want to marry her. I can sit here for years and theorize why we will be happy with each other and how much we love each other. But truthfully, it's just not about me and her. It's about us; Khushi, Payal, their parents, their aunt, my parents, my sister, my grandmother, my brother-in-law and me." He said and stopped. Khushi and Payal were standing behind their parents and looking at him. Calmness had descended their living room that morning and had kept them as its hostage. The noises of the street, the shout of the vendors were all drowned in the effervescence of his words.

"What if I decline this proposal?" Her father asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I would request you to present an argument for rejecting the proposal," he replied immediately. "I don't accept answers without hearing the process with which the answer was arrived at, papa," he said sleekly and leaned back on sofa.

The older man laughed at the reply and shook his head. He looked at his sister, the eldest in the family and questioned with his eyes.

"Keep our daughter happy, beta," Khushi's aunt said softly. "She may look brash but in real she is very sensitive." She added clenching and unclenching her fist. "Life hasn't been very fair to her," she said swallowing hard. Arnav had simply nodded.

He had spent the rest of the morning in their home, helping her mother to cook rotis and chatted about cricket and politics with her father, sitting on porch and drinking tea. He gently teased her aunt and spoke softly with Payal. Arnav and Khushi had walked around each other with familiarity – their affection wasn't a burning fire but shine of a star; cool and perpetual. He squeezed her hand and kissed her cheek before he waved good bye to everyone.

They were married four weeks later.

*****

"What are you thinking?" She asked him poking his arm.

"Memories…good ones…" He said remembering the image of her being his blushing bride. The generous white of her hair didn't diminish her beauty one bit. He tucked an errant strand behind her ears and kissed her forehead.

"We should go inside," she said standing up and pulling him along with her.

He clasped his hands on hers and they walked together, as always, hand in hand towards the house.

Day had ended, the time of twilight was nearing its end and the roses were quiet; a lifetime had passed amidst this.

They were happy. Love was them, after all.

The End.