FF|Arhi|Th4 How IPK should've been[ch22sc3 pg102 - Page 40

Loved it!!!

Res 😊

Are we not getting an English version? Please put one I only understand that!!

hayeee me dead...

Precap: Payal and Aakash return to Shantivan, Arnav and Khushi are restless thinking about each other, Arnav calls up Khushi but they don't speak anything worthwhile to each other. Arnav arrives at Gupta House the next morning to give Garima the papers for Buaji the papers of her house. Shyam is back in contact with Anjali. Nandini arrives to Delhi and stays with Khushi. Payal and Aakash decide to help Arnav and Khushi. Khushi finally unpacks her bags and discovers the red saree that she had seen in the Lucknow shop. She comes to know that Arnav has bought it for her and she also finds out what he's done for Buaji and Bauji's treatment leading to an emotional moment for her. She meets NK the next day at Shantivan and the two of them plan NK's next meeting with Nandini. Khushi then meets Payal and has another emotional breakdown asking what to do with respect to Arnav. Payal suggests her to listen to her heart rather than her mind.

Ab aage 😊

ENGLISH VERSION

Chapter 21 KARWACHAUTH MAHA EPISODE

[Gupta House, later that night]

Buaji is preparing a big wicker basket with dry fruits, sweets and other articles whileKhushi and Nandini are sitting on the dining table watching her with ill concealed interest.

"Buaji, what are you doing?" Nandini finally asks unable to control her curiosity any longer.

"I'm preparing sargi for Khusee's Amma," Buaji replies with a smile. Nandini looks even more confused.

"Sargi? What is that?" she asks wonderingly.

"Garima will fast tomorrow for karwachauth, so the food she'll eat before sunrise tomorrow is called sargi, Nandkishore," Buaji replies patiently still piling up more and more things. Now Khushi too looks confused.

"But Buaji, doesn't the mother-in-law prepare the sargi?" she asks. Buaji grunts in exasperation.

"Yes Titaliya. But since my mother is no more," she replies referring to her and Shashi's mother. "so I was thinking, this year maybe I could prepare sargi for her instead. Aeii Parmeswari, keep that fruit back! That is for the pooja," she adds reprimandingly as Khushi picks up an apple from the pile. She sheepishly keeps it down.

"But Jeeji, isn't this too much? How will I eat all this?" Garima worriedly looks at the huge pile of things now loaded on the basket. Khushi walks next to her mother and hugs her, wrapping her arm around her mother reassuringly.

"Don't you worry Amma. Gupta women are experts when it comes to eating!" Khushi says teasingly only to earn an admonishing smack from her mother and guffaws of laughter from Buaji and Nandini.

[Raizada Mansion, next day]

There is a buzz of actitivity going on in Shantivan. The lounges are decorated beautifully with strings of flowers and colourful fairylights. The Prakash brothers are flitting in and out of the kitchen, busy with the food preparations for the night's meal after pooja. The Mandir too has been adorned with flowers and lights. The sofas have been removed and instead a huge white carpet-like sheet is covering the floor with an assortment of cushions scattered on the it. There are a number of ladies sitting in the living room area next to the mandir. Naniji is sitting at one end facing the gathering.

According to the tradition of Karwachauth, Naniji being the elder of the family starts narrating the tale of Karwa Chauth called the Vrat katha. The women are looking at her respectfully, the older experienced women bearing content smiles on their faces, while the newly wed ladies fidgeting and looking slightly restless owing to their first fast.

Anjali sits at a distance watching the proceedings. Although there is a permanent smile on her face, her eyes are downcast and full of sadness. This was supposed to be her festival, her's and her husband's. Her attempts at fasting had been vehemently reprimanded by her Chotey and then by Nani and Mami too who thought it wasn't good for her to fast in such a delicate condition. And yet, unknown to anyone, she hadn't eaten any meal since morning, lying to everyone that she had, while surviving on fruits and milk the whole day. Only HP was included in her surreptitious plans.

She intended to fast today for the man she still loved from the bottom of her heart.Shyamji. In the hopes that one day things would be normal again, that he would return to her life with everyone's acceptance, that she would start her family with him again on a fresh slate. People didn't understand her love for him, but she didn't want to explain it to anyone anymore. For her, he was the only man she'd ever love.

Arnav walks up from behind her and sits down next to her. He's dressed in his usual formals. Anjali looks at him in surprise, her thoughts snapping back to reality. "Di, are you alright?" he whispers worriedly to her, the significance of the festival not lost on him. It seems he had read the sadness in her eyes that she was hiding from everyone else. Anjali smiles at him and nods.

"I'm fine Chotey," she replies assuringly and goes back to listening to Naniji's commentary. Arnav looks at her hesitatingly as if unsure how to ask her the question he's intending to ask.

"Di I needed to ask you something," Arnav ventures tentatively. Anjali looks at him and raises her eyebrows enquiringly. "Have you had any money transfered to your joint account recently?" Arnav's question throws her off for a moment. She frowns at him.

"No. I've not authorised any transfers off late," she replies in the negative. Arnav observes his sister's expressions closely. Finally, once assured that his sister was indeed clueless about the activity on her bank account, he smiles at her.

"Okay," he replies. "I've a conference call now. I'll meet you later tonight." Arnav gets up and quietly walks away.

Anjali looks back at Naniji although not hearing her words anymore. The frown remains firmly on her face as she wonders what was that all about.

[A school corridor, around the same time]

There are children wearing uniforms milling in groups, teachers walking to their classrooms, and a couple of peons carrying files. Amidst all of them, NK is walking around peering through the rooms, looking slightly lost. He finally stops a peon.

"Excuse me, brother," NK says, "can you please tell me where can I find Ms. Nandini?" the peon looks at him from head to toe, no wonder amazed seeing him in his jeans, bright green tee and jacket. He mutely points to a room at the end of the corridor. NK smiles brightly at the peon. "Thank you!"

He starts walking towards the room, his steps springing with confidence. He knocks sharply at the door. The door opens and a number of teachers walk out of the room. NK looks kinda lost again watching the rush of people with gaping eyes, all the while searching for the familiar face of Nandini.

Suddenly she walks out but walks right past NK without looking at him. NK realises she's on the phone and starts following her.

"Yes Khushi, I know," NK hears her saying. His heart leaps at hearing her sweet voice. "No, I'm not returning home tonight." Nandini continues. "Actually my mum has called me to stay with her for the weekend." NK continues walking behind her, looking slightly dazed now, a smitten smile lighting up his face. "Yeah, I'll directly head to her place after school gets over. Yeah... I'll return on Sunday evening... okay, ya it's time for my class to start now. Bye!" she disconnects the phone finally.

"Nandini ji!" NK murmurs lovingly. Nandini jumps violently and turns around to stare at NK. She's wearing a simple white kurta with dark green leggings, her hair tied up in a ponytail, holding a jute bag and register in her other hand. For NK however, she doesn't look any less than an angel.

"NK??!" she exclaims, not believing her eyes. "What are you doing here?" she asks him wonderingly. NK smiles at her reaction and brings his hand from his back to reveal a big bunch of vibrant and fresh gerberas.

"For you," NK murmurs and hands the flowers to Nandini who is looking at the bouquet in shocked silence. "Since today is the first day of your job." He explains with a smile on his face.

"Th...thanks," Nandini stutters, still looking dazed with the gesture. "But how did you know?" she asks. NK suddenly looks uncomfortable for a moment as if getting caught but then smiles and shrugs nonchalantly at her. A bell rings shrilly and the students start rushing to their classrooms.

"Uhm, I'm sorry. I've a class right now," she adds apologetically. NK raises his hand reassuringly.

"It's cool! No problem. You go. I just came to give these to you." NK replies sweetly. "Okay... I'll... go then. Bye." He turns around and slowly starts walking away. Nandini too turns around and starts walking to her class, clutching the bouquet tightly in her arms.

NK pauses for a moment and turns around to watch Nandini's retreating back with love-filled eyes. Then he turns back and resumes walking.

Nandini pauses at the entrance of her class and turns around to watch NK's retreating back, a smile finally tugging at the corners of her lips.

[Raizada Mansion, Arnav's room, later that evening]

Arnav is sitting on the recliner by the poolside, going through a file when he hears footsteps on the stairs behind him. He turns around to see a harried looking Aakash rushing down the stairs and coming over to join him.

"Hey Aakash!" Arnav keeps his file down for a moment. "What are you doing here?" Aakash pulls a chair next to him and sits down wearily.

"Payal chased me away," Aakash replies morosely. Arnav raises his eyebrow.

"Chased you away?" he repeats amusedly. Aakash looks despairingly at Arnav who immediately rearranges his facial expressions to that of concern, "Why?" he asks.

"Uhm... I was eating something in front of her and she started feeling hungry," Aakash replies sheepishly. Arnav stifles a chuckle. "These Gupta sisters are like this only, Bhai," Aakash suddenly adds. "They only seem strong. They can't fast at all and are always hungry." Arnav does laugh this time as he remembers Khushi's appetite.

"What I'm saying is true Bhai!" Aakash says insistently. "I'm sure Khushi ji must also be going through the same thing back in Laxmi Nagar." Arnav instantly freezes, his laughter dying down.

"Khushi has fasted?" he asks surprised.

"Yeah, Payal told me," Aakash replies casually, fiddling with his phone now. Arnav instinctively looks up to the night sky, where a cover of clouds were preventing him from seeing the moon. It's Karwachauth today and Khushi's fasting...

Suddenly, Aakash's phone starts ringing. He groans dramatically making Arnav snap out of his thoughts and look at him again. "Yeah Payal," Aakash mutters into the phone. "I'm at home only, where else would I be?" He replies incredulously. Then he pauses as Payal say something back. "This is good! First you tell me off and chase me away because I'm eating in front of you, and then you call me back!" he shakes his head exasperatedly at Arnav whose lips curve up in a smile. "Yeah, fine, I'm coming!" and he disconnects the call.

Arnav raises his eyebrows. "Wife troubles?" he asks teasingly. Aakash looks peeved.

"Arre Bhai, don't ask. It's Payal's first karwachauth and apparently it's a big deal for women. Only we can break their fast by giving them water and feeding them the first morsel of food. Otherwise, they can't eat till the next morning. That is why Payal asked me to come early from work." Aakash reels off. "Okay I'll leave now, else she will call me again." Arnav smiles at him and nods sympathetically.

Aakash walks back to the stairs and just as he starts walking up, he pauses for a moment looking at Arnav who now looks thoughtful as if mulling over what he heard. Aakash smiles in triumph and continues up the stairs.

[Gupta House]

A light breeze has picked up in the otherwise still night. Khushi is sitting alone on the wooden bench in the courtyard of her house, hugging her legs to her chest, resting her chin on her knees and staring up at the cloudy night sky. The chilly air is caressing her leading to a string of goosebumps erupting all over her bare arms. She looks down at her arm, momentarily distracted as if suddenly being reminded of the fact that she is cold. She absent mindedly rubs her arm with her fingers in an almost mechanical action to warm her skin.

Suddenly someone exclaims "Look! The moon is out!" leading to a sudden frenetic activity around her; excited women rush out to the courtyard of their houses, pointing towards the beautiful full moon shining down at them, talking amongst themselves happily, some getting overly dramatic with their gratitude to God for not delaying the moon from peeking out of its blanket of clouds; Old timers guide the newly weds about the rituals telling them how to do the pooja. Khushi sighs and looks away from them feeling a sadness build up inside her.

Then her gaze falls on her own parents in the front verandah corridor standing away from her. Garima had started doing the pooja while Shashi sat a few feet behind her, looking at his wife with a serene smile on his face. Then Garima picks up the sieve with the diya in it and rose it to peer at the moon, doing aarti and then praying for Shashi's long life. Then she picks up a kalash and offers it to the moon, slowly pouring it down on the ground.

Suddenly all the noise around Khushi reduces to a buzz in the background, her eyes completely focussed on what she is witnessing in front of her. Then Garima moves the sieve to face Shashi and gazes at him through it while his loving smile became even more pronounced. Garima touches Shashi's feet to seek blessing and he touches her head with his trembling hands. Then he picks up the same kalash of water and brings it to Garima's lips who takes a sip, thereby ending her fast.

Watching the loving gazes exchange between her parents, Khushi suddenly realises there's a lump growing in her throat. Tears prickle in her eyes as the crippling feeling of loneliness suddenly rises its ugly head inside her heart again. Khushi gets up from the bench and casting one final glance at the ongoings around her, she slowly makes her way inside the house.

"Buaji, I'm not feeling well, I'm calling it an early night," she morosely announces to Buaji and she continues wordlessly to her room. Buaji looks up at the clock and is surprised to see that it is merely 9:10 PM. She looks towards Khushi's retreating back to ask her to have some dinner at least before she sleeps, but by then Khushi has already shut the door of her room behind her. Buaji frowns worriedly.

Inside Khushi's room, the lights are all turned off and the only light is that streaming in from the open window at the other of the room of the full moon's rays. After standing still by the closed door as her eyes accustomed themselves to the darkness pressing down from all around, Khushi subconscious directs her feet to the window and she allows her steps to be dragged away.

As she walks dazedly, the memories of her yesteryears float into her mind... she was a teenager and had fasted for Salman Khan one year because she had felt he was the only man for him in the whole wide world. She had seen the elders of the family performing the pooja, seeing their husbands through the sieve and she had mimicked their actions to the line.

All was well, till her Amma had walked in on her just as she was going to peer at the poster of Salman Khan. Gosh what an ear boxing she had received that night! Garima had later sat the crying Khushi down in the courtyard of their home back in Lucknow and as mother and daughter had gazed up at the full moon smiling down at them, Garima had spoken to her, words which Khushi remembered till today.

"Bitiya, this fast is for the long life of a husband. And I know that you think that the guy in that poster- "

"Salman Khan ji!" Khushi had indignantly interrupted. Garima had smiled.

"Yeah, him only. I know that you feel that Salman Khan," Garima's voice had faltered slightly at the incredulity of it all, "is everything for you. But bitiya, one day a prince will come into your life, whom you'll consider your husband in your heart of heart, who will fulfill the promises of being a husband,who'll do anything for your happiness... that day, you'll realise the importance of this fast my dear," Garima had explained patiently to a wide eyed Khushi.

Khushi had still kept a fast every year since then, but not for Salman Khan anymore. Instead, her prayers changed to, "Oh God, whoever is my future husband and wherever he is, please give him a long life so that we can meet and marry each other some day."

A faint chuckle escapes the present day Khushi at the sheer stupidity of her actions. Then her smile slowly fades. As her mother's words spoken all those years echo in Khushi's ears again, she walks away from the window and towards her closet, her feet hesistant as if planning to bail and run at any moment. But Khushi knew what she was doing. She knew what she had to do.

[Raizada Mansion, around the same time]

The poolside by Anjali's room is beautifully decorated with fairylights and fresh flowers. The whole area is brightly lit. Nani is sitting in the steel chair behind them as she watches the women of the house - Anjali, Mamiji and Payal performing the pooja. Anjali is sitting on the recliner because her bulbuous belly doesn't allowing her to sit down on the floor. Aakash and NK are standing behind them, observing the proceedings with a smile on their faces.

Payal watches the reflection of the full moon in the water of the pool and then pours water from a small bronze kalash (called karva) into the pool, disturbing the surface into ripples. Then with a sieve she turns to face Aakash. Manorama Mami looks at the new couple with a small smile on her face.

Suddenly, Anjali turns around with a concerned frown on her face.

"Aakash?" she asks across the pool. "Where's Chotey?"

Aakash exchanges a conspiratorial glance with Payal and with a smile replies back, "Bhai is hopefully where he should be."

Anjali, Mamiji, NK and Naniji all look confused at Aakash's reply.

[Gupta House]

It is still dark in Khushi's room and at the first glance it looks empty, but a shuffling can be heard in the background. Suddenly, Khushi walks into the inclined moon-rays streaming in through the window. The black gota work on her blood red glints in the moonlight, but that is not all. She is also wearing red bangles, a nathni, maang tikka and the assorted jewellery. She looks incredibly beautiful, and would have looked like a bride if she had been wearing a bridal lehenga.

She slowly walks to the window sill and folds her hands in earnest prayer. If there's a man whom I've always thought of as my husband, it's only Arnavji Devi Maiyya. Despite now there's nothing remaining between us, despite us not being married now, Khushi gulps painfully, as the memory of her broken wedding threatens to tear her up again, but then she strongly plows on, ... I can only think of him as my husband."May Arnavji have a long long life," Khushi whispers out loud, "Keep him far away from every trouble and every heartbreak, Devi Maiyya." She bows her head ending her heartfelt prayer.

Then she looks down at her pallu limp by her side. She holds the ends in either hand and slowly raises it in front of her face, making it a kind of sieve. Then, with timid eyes she slowly looks up at the full moon for the first time that night from behind the diaphanous material. The delicate patterns on the pallu shadow Khushi's face as the moonlight seeping through it gets obstructed in those patterns. She slowly brings her hands down and picks up a glass of water, offering it to the moon and then pouring the water out of the window. A smile creeps up on her face as she thinks of her mother's reaction to Khushi's improvisation of the Karwachauth rituals.

Still smiling, she turns away from the window sill. But just as she takes her first step towards her bed a familiar cold breeze flows through the window and tickles the bare nape of her neck. She freezes, rooted to her spot. Suddenly, Khushi's heart starts beating hard in a familiar way. In an all too familiar way...

Dhad Dhad...

Dhad Dhad...

Dhad Dhad...

Khushi shuts her eyes tightly and clamps her hand on her chest trying to calm her heartbeats.

"Khushi..."

Did time just stop? Did the breeze just halt? Did the air just get sucked out of her lungs? Did her mouth just turn dry? Did she just hear... him?

"I think karwachauth ritual hasn't completed yet." Her eyes snap open. That voice!

"I'm dreaming," Khushi mutters to herself. "How can he be here, Khushi. The door of the room is locked from inside. Only the window is open. He's not going to come from there obviously." Khushi chuckles at the insanity of that idea. What a stupid thing to assume really! "You just prayed for him, that is why-"

Arnav jumps down from the window sill that he had been trying to climb for the past fifteen minutes. Khushi stops midway as she hears the dull thud that his feet make on contact with the floor. She still doesn't turn around, a fear clawing at her that all of this could just turn out to be a farce.

"I admit coming in from this window is lot more difficult than it looks," his calm honeyed voice does nothing better than to hike Khushi's breathing again. It is him. It truly is him...

"What happened Khushi, you were just praying for me. Don't want to end your fast now?" Arnav reminds her gently. Khushi bites her lip in trepidation, then bowing her head she slowly turns around.

Arnav feels the breath knocked out of his lungs as his eyes take in Khushi's appearance; she was a sight to behold! Did she ever look so beautiful? And with an even happier pang he realises that she was wearing the saree that he had bought for her in Lucknow! A delightful joyous feeling suddenly swamps Arnav and he feels compelled to just walk up to her and hug her tightly in his arms. But he notices she wasn't looking at him and her fidgety fingers were holding the pallu uncertainly.

"Khushi..." Arnav whispers again, this time in an awestruck voice. Khushi very slowly raises her eyelashes, taking in his appearance inch by inch, first his dirtied shoes, then his night time black pants, further up, the familiar orange jersey starting from his waist to his chest to his... Arnav suddenly grabs her wrists pulling her gaze down to her hands clearly shocked at his touch and gently lifts both her hands up in front of her face, thereby placing the veil of the pallu between their faces. Khushi immediately realises what he meant to do... you were supposed to see your husband through the same sieve that you gaze at the moon.

And then, Khushi slowly raises her gaze, slightly dazed at the incredulity of what was happening, wondering in her heart if it was a dream after all. Finally, their eyes meet and time freezes that instant. The breeze picks up again, bringing with it familiarity, tingling both of them in the awareness of their stance, right here right now. The silence hanging between them slowly fills up with the synchronized beats of their hearts. How long did they stand that way who knows. It could be a moment, it could be an eternity, for all that mattered was that two people who were not bound by the bonds of matrimony where standing here tonight, tied to each other in ways inexplicable by any logic.

Arnav slowly raises his hand and pulls down the pallu of the saree, finally looking at the pearly translucence reflecting off Khushi's face, soaking himself in it entirely. Gazing into her wide open, slightly wary eyes fills him with a happiness that he hadn't felt in too long. Gazing into his caramel orbs envelopes her with a reassuring warmth that she hadn't felt in too long.

He wordlessly retrieves something from his pocket - a small bottle of water and a small sweet box. Without breaking eye contanct, he breaks the seal of the bottle and takes a tentative step closer to her, praying in his heart that she doesn't shirk away. He gently touches the bottle to her lips, nodding his head once at her. Khushi grasps the mouth of the bottle with her lips and allows the trickle of the first customary sip of water into her mouth. He opens the sweet box next and takes out a single jalebi from it. Her eyes look down at it, registering surprise for a moment. He raises it to her mouth his eyes looking at her expectantly. She tentatively bites into it, thereby ending her Karwachauth fast.

Her heart leaps as she watches a look of pure unadulterated love flicker in his eyes, as if carrying out this small ritual had somehow reaffirmed his faith in their relation.

Suddenly, her eyes widen and the haze of dreaminess clears up from her eyes only to be replaced by abject horror.

Arnavji is in my room!! When Amma, Bauji and Buaji are in the next room! HEY DEVI MAIYYA!!

Arnav's eyebrows scrunch into a frown studying Khushi's sudden restlessness. "Khushi, are you okay?" he murmurs worriedly and walks closer to her. Khushi immediately steps back from him.

"What are you doing here?" she hisses at him and worriedly paces to the window and peers out. Then she quickly walks in the opposite direction and listens at the door leading out to the dining area. His eyebrows shoot up at her antics.

"Uhm, I came to break your fast?" he asks her warily. Khushi narrows her eyes and walks back to the bed where he was standing.

"We aren't married Arnavji!" she reminds him pointedly. "Only husbands can break this fast." Khushi sits down on her bed, folding up her knees to her chest and switches on the bedside lamp. Arnav gazes at her, feeling lost in her beauty that had maginified tenfold in the soft yellow glow of the lamp. He watches her fidgeting as she hurriedly starts removing her bangles. He sighs and walks to her.

"And only married women can keep this fast. So unless, you've married someone named Arnav outside my knowledge..." Arnav's voice trails off, but the sarcasm is not lost on Khushi. She glares at him once, obviously not amused with his choice of words and goes back to removing her bangles. Arnav sits down next to her still watching her.

"You look beautiful Khushi," he murmurs admiringly. She freezes. "I knew this saree will look beautiful on you." Khushi suddenly looks down and the bolt of realisation hits her that she was wearing the same saree that he had gifted her! She had subconsciously worn it because that was the only bridal-like apparel in her closet. But he was never supposed to know that see wore it! Damn it.

"Thank you," she replies gruffly, again avoiding his eyes. Arnav cups his ears comically at her.

"Say that again?" he says teasingly. Khushi glares at him sternly for a moment and then her eyes soften.

"Thank you," she murmurs. "for... for everything," she adds hesitatingly. Arnav straightens up, all traces of humor disappearing from his face as he realises she indeed was thanking him.

"It was all for you," he replies. Khushi looks up at him tentatitively. "Whatever I did, was for you Khushi. To see you happy." Arnav says earnestly. Both of them realise the thanks was no longer limited to the saree but to everything else that he had done in the past few days.

... who'll fulfill the promises of being a husband, Who'll do everything to make you happy...

Khushi feels a lump building up in her throat and quickly averts her eyes from him lest she broke down and goes back to detachedly removing her jewellery. Arnav sighs again, this time a little restlessly.

"Khushi, how long is this going to go on like this?" He asks exasperatedly as he watches her remove her nathni. "I mean, I don't have a problem. You'll keep running, then I'll keep running after you," he says with a conviction that makes Khushi stare at him for a moment. The lump in her throat grows.

"I'm not running!" she counters immediately. Arnav rests his hand on hers, making her look at him again. He doesn't speak a word, just raises his eyebrow enquiringly at her as if asking Really? Khushi mentally requests Devi Maiyya for some strength. "I'm not running..." Khushi repeats in a low voice, the feistiness missing from her retort this time. Arnav goes on looking at her, but shifts to sit closer to her. "I'm not running..." her voice is reduced to a murmur now and tears prickle her eyes. Mat rona Khushi, mat rona, she implores to herself. Arnav relaxes his brows and looks at her, his eyes clearing asking her who did she think she was kidding. And as the first tear trickles down Khushi's cheek, she whispers in a broken voice, "I don't want to run anymore..." Arnav feels his heart clenching in an iron grip.

Then, Khushi bends her head down on her knees, her sholders slump down in defeat and she bursts into tears; her dam of restraint finally breaks and her pain, anguish and torment, everything that was bottling up inside her since the night of her broken wedding,everything just gushes out of her, the force of it rendering even Arnav speechless for a minuscule moment. But the very next instant, he is next to her, his arms around her trembling body, shifting her head to his chest in a fluid motion, letting his jersey get soaked with her warm salty tears while holding her in a comforting embrace.

"Why Arnavji?" she asks him torturedly, "Why did you leave me all alone? Why Arnavji?" her wails were getting suppressed against the wall of his chest, but her agony was seeping through to his heart.

"I'm so sorry Khushi! I'm so so sorry!" Arnav gasps out. "I'm such an idiot! I've been such an idiot!" he curses himself. "I'm an idiot Khushi, to have hurt you every single time, to have left you alone every time, to have insulted you, to have disbelieved you, to have made you cry. I'm so sorry for every single time!" his voice breaks as well, unable to contain the guilt inside him anymore. Khushi grabs the front of his jersey in her fingers, tears still flooding down her cheeks.

Khushi I was worried that something happened to you... I've thought about you every single moment Khushi and will keep on thinking about you... If they think they can insult Khushi's character like this and get away with it, they are highly mistaken!! ... So Khushi has been lying on the floor since then?! ... After that I picked you up from the floor and brought you inside so that you could sleep on the bed... Why would I take off my ring? Khushi... are you alright?

So much had happened since the night almost a month ago, when Arnav had left her standing alone at the altar. She had accepted it, she had tried to move on with her life and to some extent she had, she had promised herself that she wouldn't be affected by him ever again and yet, all her promises had turned to dust the moment he returned to her, rescuing her, being her knight in shiny armour.

"Khushi, only you can truly understand me, only you can control my anger, only you can love me despite me being the way I am," Arnav's broken words trail away into nothingness.

Fresh tears start flowing again as the ache tears through her heart again... She wanted to hate him for leaving her and yet, she couldn't. No, she couldn't because despite what he did to her, she still loved him... Yes, with every inch of her being, Khushi loved the self proclaimed idiot: Arnav Singh Raizada.But what if it happened again? Would she be able to survive another heartbreak like that?

"But what if you left me again?" Arnav stills at hearing her scared words.Surely, she didn't mean it! Oh God please let her not mean it! Khushi withdraws, her cries now coming out as silent sobs. "Tomorrow if something happened again and you left me all alone?"

Arnav recognises the insecurity that was pouring out from her every word, her wide open eyes screaming her fear to him - How could she trust him now? How could she believe he won't bail the next time things got rough or someone created a misunderstanding between them? How could she know for sure he will be there by her side, forever? He curses himself again for making her feel this way, feeling scared to even trust him. It was all his doing.

"I'll never leave you alone Khushi," Arnav says, holding her hands in his, looking deep into her anxious hazel eyes that never failed to mesmerize him. "because without you my breaths will cease," he whispers tormentedly. Khushi stares at him, wondering if he had indeed said those words.He then places her hand on his chest directly above his heart, "because without you my heart beats will stop." She sees the desperation in Arnav's eyes, no... it was actually fear. Insecurity was throttling him as well, suffocating from all sides. "because without you," his voice breaks as he brings her closer to his face again, "without you I won't be able to live, Khushi. Because I love you..." he whispers torturedly and rests his forehead on hers, a gesture that Khushi recognised all too well.

A wonderful warmth spreads through her hearing his earnest words. Maybe, it was because he had never told her, never spoken of his feelings for her out loud, never shared his insecurities with her...

Arnav withdraws and looks at her tenderly. Gently wiping her tears, he murmurs, "But I know maybe my words won't be enough to convince you." Bowing his head he reaches into his other pocket and takes out a small wooden box with intricate carvings on it's surface. Khushi looks down at it curiously for she had never seen it before.

Arnav nervously glances at Khushi once before opening the lid. Khushi peers inside the box due to lack of light but can't see anything. His lips curve up in an affectionate smile as he sees her disappointed reaction. Then bracing himself, he takes out his mother's payals. He had thought of this ever since he had discovered them days ago in Purani Haveli and his decision had just become more resolute now.

"These are for you," he says keeping them in Khushi's palm. She looks up at him confusedly, obviously at a loss about the significance of the payals to their discussion. "These were my mother's payals," Khushi's eyes widen and she looks down at them again, this time a look of comprehension dawning on her face. Arnav continues, "These are the only things of my Maa that I have Khushi, but I want you to have these."

Khushi looks up at him, feeling a surge of love for the man who had literally run around for her seeking her out, who had struggled to correct his every folly, who had done so much for her family in the past few days without ever letting her know, who had gone through the same pain, the same agony of losing her as she had felt when she'd lost him. And going one step further to assure her, he was now giving her the last link, the only link he had to his beloved mother...

This simple act spoke volumes more than his declaration ever could. He could never part with his mother's memories and by giving her his mother's anklets, he was telling her that he could never part with her either.

Arnav is now watching Khushi, trying to gauge her reaction, all the while mentally pleading to the higher powers above not to let her slip away from him again. Khushi picks up the payals in one hand and hands it back to Arnav, bowing her eyes down. He feels the air sucked out of his lungs.

"Khushi..." he whispers despairingly. Khushi looks up again to meet his wide petrified eyes, naked horror painted all over his face. Then she gently smiles at him.

"Will you put these on my feet?" she asks, her voice coming out in a low whisper.

Arnav stares at her, stunned to hear her words. Did she... did she just accept the payals? He wordlessly takes them from Khushi, still gaping at her. She suddenly giggles and motions her head towards her feet, simultaneously raising her saree baring her ankles. Arnav dazedly slips from the bed and on to the floor, still watching the payals and her feet disbelievingly. As he touches her ankle, he feels her feet tremble slightly under his touch. He gently wounds them around her bare ankles, his heart swelling with a wild happiness with each passing second. Once he finishes, Khushi gently releases the saree and they cover her bare legs with a gentle swish.

Khushi looks at Arnav, who is still kneeling on the floor. Her smile slowly fades as she sees the tumultuous battle raging in his eyes.

"What happened?" Khushi whispers, her voice suddenly low with anxiety.

"I want to give you something else too," he replies hesitatingly. Khushi looks at him curiously and raises her eyebrows enquiringly at him. "Don't husbands gift something to their wives on Karwachauth?" He adds as he again opens the same wooden box. He reaches in slowly and picks out something held between his fingertips. The faint light of the bedside lamp is enough for Khushi to gasp in recognition, for kneeling on the ground the thing Arnav was holding in his fingertips was her old engagement ring.

"This is for you, Khushi." She looks into his eyes, a cold shiver running down her spine at the realisation of what was to follow.

Dhad dhad...

Dhad dhad...

Dhad dhad...

"Will you marry me, Khushi?"

Writer's note: I know I can't beat the ME they showed today *humbled* trust them to hit us when we are least expecting it! *sigh* anywho, the english version will be up shortly. Guys please do comment.. this took me two whole days to write, some feedback would be appreciated! 😊

cheers!

Brilliant...don't sell yourself short!

Smitzy -- that was beautiful.. you underestimate yourself!

Smitzy just luv you dear for dis cute romantiic loving update
U cant imagine hw much I wana hug u ryt now
Just loved it
And kya tum mujhse shadi karogi part!!! Wow ARnav's realy McDreamy

Thnx a lot fr dis superb update

And yeah evn I am amngst d cmplainors for sheetal trck bt me was gr8 lvd d lst prt

Awesome awesome maha update !!!

wow just amazing. Meeting of star crossed lovers. Maa's payal, Aakash and Payal working as cupid. Nandini cupid works in mysterious ways, NK is going to woo you. Just amazing update.