Learning The Alphabet... Arshi Style! [COMPLETED] - Page 3

C for... Chhote ke Chhote?

"Sidhe khare rahiye," she smiled as he bent to nuzzle the crook of her neck, while she was trying to do the Windsor knot in his tie. He tightened his arms around her waist but straightened himself with a fake frown at his wife. It took some concentration before she could do it perfectly. Khushi smiled widely when she had finished. (Stand straight.)

"Now you've done this so well, don't you think you need a reward, Khushi?" he whispered as he leaned closer to her.

"Arnavji!" she hissed. The poolside door was wide open and Hari Prakaash was right there, cleaning up the mess Lakshmiji had done. And Khushi knew what happened when her loving husband got this romantic in the morning. He would get really late for work and Di, who understood why, would tease them about it for a whole week.

Sure, it never seemed to bother Arnav, he was practically always at work, but Khushi had to suffer, especially when Di did it in front of all the family members. And now that the Hari Prakaash was there... No, no, no!

He pulled back grinning with mischief. But he suddenly turned serious. "Khushi, you do remember you have an appointment with the doctor today, right?"

She sighed. "Haan haan, humein yaad hai! Kal se aapne ek hazaar baar yaad dilaaya hoga!" (Yes, yes, I remember! You've reminded me at least thousand times since yesterday!)

Arnav furrowed his brow. "Khushi, I know you. Meri health ki hamesha badi chinta rehti hai but you don't care for yourself!" (...You're always fussing about my health...)

Khushi rolled her eyes as he reached for his laptop case and walked out of the room, walking backwards so he could still see her.

"Shaam ko mujhe bataana ke doctor ne kya kaha!" (Tonight you tell me what the doctor said!)

***

Arnav stifled a yawn as he walked up the stairs in the dark house. It was almost midnight and Khushi would kill him. He expected to find her warm body curled up in bed so that he could climb in and snuggle up to her sleeping form but she was not there.

Oh right! Now he would have to face her and her long, exasperated, angry lectures about how he was never conscious about his health. He seized the opportunity of her absence and slipped into the bathroom to freshen up and change. But when he came out, she still was not there. That was strange.

He walked around with a frown, looking for her. It didn't take long, he found her sitting by the poolside, gazing at the ripples on the water surface. He noticed her tear-glazed eyes, her lost expression. Something was totally wrong here. This was not his Khushi.

She had had this appointment with the doctor today right? What had-? He hoped there was nothing wrong with her... He had already lost his mother, he didn't want to lose his wife. Icy cold fingers of fear gripped his heart and wrenched hard. Arnav sat down beside her, his heart beating eratically. He even prayed to the God she believed so fervently in, to the God he always refused to trust, before speaking to her.

Devi Maiyya... Just, please, let this be about a depressive serial she has seen on TV... I don't want to lose her...

"Khushi?" he slipped an arm around her shoulders and she tilted her head till it rested on his shoulder. "Doctor ne kya kaha?" he whispered, fear bordering on innate panic bubbling through him. (What did the doctor say?)

She looked up in his eyes and sniffed. "Humein nahin pata... hum aapse yeh kaise kahenge..." (I don't know... how to tell you this...)

Arnav cupped her cheek gently. "Khushi..." he wanted to say something to comfort her but he couldn't find the right words.

Khushi bit her lower lip and her gaze grew distant. "Aap ko jaante... pyaar ka voh pehla ehsaas?" A small smile tugged at her lips while her husband's frown deepened. "Jab aasmaan mein sitaare aur bhi chamakne lagte hain... Jab har jagah vohi nazar aate hai... Aur jab voh saamne aate hain, to phool barasne lagte hain... Aanchal mein sitaare chamakne lagte hain... Chaaron taraf sirf hassi aur khushi ka mahol rehta hain..." (You know... that first feeling of love? When stars shine brighter in the sky... When you see that someone everywhere... And when he is there, there is a shower of petals... Stars shine in your aanchal... There is a happy atmosphere all around...)

She lost herself in her dreams. Arnav stared at her in disbelief. What the hell had gotten into his wife? He did know she was paagal, but she had never acted this... delusional before, had she?

"Khushi? Tum theek to ho?" (...Are you alright?)

"Humein pyaar hogaya hai, Arnavji," she said dreamily. (I am in love Arnav ji.)

He raised a brow uncertainly. "Really?" he asked in a dead tone. What the hell was she playing at?

"Haan... aur shaayad... shaayad hum uss insaan ko aapse bhi ziaada pyaar karte hain," she raised her eyes to look at him. "Aapko boora to nahin lagega na?" (Yes... and maybe... maybe I love him more than you. I hope you won't feel bad?)

Even if it was a joke, it didn't stop the acid green snake of jealousy to bite him heart. Arnav felt his jaws clench as he drowned in envy. "Who?" he hissed through gritted teeth.

"Chhote ke chhote," she whispered with a small, budding smile. He saw a flash of mischief in her doe-shaped eyes and his heart bounced in his chest as if understanding her meaning. But his brain was slower.

He narrowed his eyes. "What the-?"

She gave a small giggled, her hands running up his jaw, feeling the scratchy stubble under her palm while her breaths grew shallow. "Laad Governor junior..." she whipered, hoping now he would understand.

Khushi felt him freeze, his eyes widened and he stared at her long. She blushed furiously, biting her lip and fidgeting her hands, scared because he did not like kids. But this one was his, he would love this one, wouldn't he?

Suddenly, she was choking in his tight embrace, laughter, his rare laughter, rumbling in his chest. She laughed too.

"Dammit! You scared me, Khushi!" he erupted as he broke the hug to look at her radiant face. "That was not funny!"

"Aapko sach mein laga ke-" (You really thought-)

"No, not that... Mujhe laga... Mujhe laga ke tumhein koyi bimaari..." (I thought... You had gotten really sick...)

He buried his face in the crook of her neck. "Aisa mazaak phir mat karna... main marjaaounga..." (Don't do such a joke on me... I'll die...)

She was about to reprimand him for speaking such things but he was quicker than her. Within seconds he was on his feet and had scooped her up in his arms, carrying her to their room.