ArHi FF! Gravity - Thread 1 - [Completed] - Page 34

My god, the last two chapters were intensely heart wrenching. I really feel for the four people who are still suffering due to that one big mistake. Heartbreak city. I wonder how Akash fits into all this. Beautifully penned, Rockbarbie. Bravo.. 👏

Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers – Voltaire

I am aware you are not a 'quotes' person but this made so much sense for this update. That one question plaguing his mind if and when answered, would help Arnav deal with one important thing in life, himself.

Now how he intends to achieve this saving task, we have to wait and read. Every act of his from the time of Khushi's return goes to show in simple terms, she is an integral part of his being. This is way beyond complicated and yet nothing is impossible if one tries, I hope everyone involved does.

Chapter 12: Demons in the closet

"What was that all about?" Payal asked Khushi who was walking out of bathroom. Payal was getting ready for work and seemed to be in a bit of hurry.

"Anjali came by to ask me to stay away from Arnav and I said no. She and her husband of hers left in huffing at my insolence." Khushi replied nonchalantly. Payal whirled around from the table and stared at Khushi, open mouthed.

"This may sound shocking to you but I agree with Anjali on this one." Payal said tightly. She had cultivated a fierce protective instinct when it came to Arnav and her sister wasn't spared of her wrath. Khushi slung her jaw and looked momentarily stunned.

"Payal...I want to talk to him and-"

"No one cares anymore Khushi." Payal said flatly. Looking at Khushi's expression, Payal looked at her with eyes filled with apathy and ghost of a smirk morphing her features. "Have you not understood that till now? No one cares what happened anymore. We have moved on and it's time for you to move on and in the process leave us the hell alone," she murmured, throat constricting with every passing syllable and imaginary postcards depicting the tragedy floating around them.

It was f**king too late.

"But Payal I-" Words stuck, her expression froze as Payal ignored to partake in this conversation further and left her alone with her thoughts, heartbreak, misery and a tonne of guilt on her shoulder amidst the swirling mass of merciless words.

Cruelty never looked so beautiful for her before.

"I heard." Garima said simply walking inside the room with a mug of tea in her hands. "I want you to know one thing Khushi," she said sitting on the bed and patted the empty space in front of her. Khushi slowly walked towards her mother and tumbled in front of her. "You cannot expect them to pretend, to feel what you are feeling or even give you the time of the day because you are asking them to."

"What are you saying ma? I know what I did and I don't get a chance at explaining myself?" Invisible knife twisted her heart at her mother's implication. If Khushi was pragmatic, she wondered what Garima was. 'Worldly', perhaps.

"Seven years is too long a waiting period, don't you think so?" Garima said kindly. "You have always been on the side of advantage while the rest of us were left to wonder; did you go somewhere alone or did you elope with Akash-"

"Ma, wait. You thought I might have actually eloped with Akash?" Khushi demanded, frustration clinging to her voice.

"Well...you disappeared and so did Akash. So one of the theories was..." Garima trailed. Khushi could see that it was hard on her mother to be so detached and talk to her as if they were discussing a movie. Garima probably suffered the most - dealing with a daughter's disappearance, depression of another daughter and knowing society - the loud mouths and the instigating kind of folks who pricked and prodded for information and gossip.

"Akash left too?" Khushi asked surprised at this bit of information.

"So you don't know where he is?" Garima asked, all too surprised at this new revelation. Khushi shook her head slowly.

"What happened to him, then?" Khushi intoned rhetorically. Garima looked thoughtful.

****

"Sir, your-"

"Suman, I told you I don't want any meetings this afternoon," Arnav called from couch.

"Anjali is here sir," she said and waited for updated instructions.

"Do I have to?" Petulance crept into his voice automatically. Suman was a mother of a boy and girl and was used to such acts of juvenile display of rebellion.

"I will send her in," she said and chuckled when Arnav cried 'Nooo' as she closed door behind her.

"I haven't seen you in two days," Anjali said walking in.

Arnav waved thick stack of papers he was holding. "I've been busy," he said picking himself up from couch and sat unceremoniously.

"You look tired," she noted, sitting next to him.

"Exhausted, actually. But the work is exhilarating and I work with a massive bunch of brilliant people who-"

"I understand Arnav," Anjali said breaking his attempt to hold on to tangibility. Arnav flushed in embarrassment as he realized that Anjali was never interested with the mundane things of the world.

"Why are you here?" He asked putting the mask of brotherly love back on with impatience slowly creeping in.

"I haven't spoken to you or even seen you in two days Chote...I was worried," she said wriggling her fingers on her lap.

"This isn't the first time I am bunking at office, so why now?" He asked sincerely. Anjali felt tears pool in her eyes.

"I went to see Khushi today morning," she said softly.

Arnav sighed. Anjali did every possible unnecessary thing which involved him and intervened when her presence would only complicate the situation even more. She meant well, he knew that but sometimes it was necessary just to back the hell off.

"What did you tell her?" Arnav demanded.

"I asked her to keep her distance from you," Anjali said strongly. "You were a mess back then Chote and I don't want to see you going through same thing again because of that girl."

Arnav looked at her with mild annoyance. "Why is that you always found fault in everything she did?" He asked with genuine curiosity. Anjali looked scandalized at his brazen declaration.

"I never-" Anjali started to defend herself but Arnav cut her off.

"You always advised me against marrying her. You said her and my persona never really complemented each other. You called her a whirlwind and me a stagnant pond. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what you meant," Arnav said sarcastically.

"I still maintain that you two are too different to be together," she said, holding on to the reigns of her invisible chariot strongly.

"Do you remember Anjali, the day of my wedding?" Arnav asked pacing slowly in front of the couch. "The first thing you said to me that day was: 'I told you she wasn't the right one for you.' I was feeling my worst in that moment and you walked into my room and blurted out how wrong I was. Do you think that's what I wanted to hear in that moment?" His face was a mask of irony but underneath it was a huge magnitude of disappointment.

"I was angry at what she did and I was angry that you were hurt and I was just...angry." She said, crying.

Arnav didn't respond but sat on his chair and looked at his sister.

"I always felt Shyam wasn't the right guy for you but I respected your decision di. I was always hoping that you would do the same."

"Look what she did to you," Anjali said harshly.

Arnav picked up the stapled bunch of papers Lavanya had given him and walked to the couch.

"Look what he is doing to you," he said and slammed the papers on the table.

"Chote..."

"Please go." He said defeated by overplay of emotions.

On the day of his wedding, his bride had left him at the altar and his sister had pronounced a victory of perception on Khushi rather than consoling him.

Khushi had broken his heart. Anjali had broken his faith in family.