Smitar's OS2:Finding Khushi#3Part15(1-3)Pg122(1/4) - Page 52

Brilliant update!! It was very good!
Arnav was in full mode trying to increase Khushi's dhak dhak and acidity 😆
I am very glad that Arnav called up Lavanya and talked to her! Their conversation was perfectly penned:-)
The end was so sweet, Khushi is slowly giving in...
Anjali was funny!!

Cannot wait to read the next chapter!!
Keep up the great work:-)

waiting for my today's dose

that was such a cute chapter!! Loved it thoroughly, Arnav knows how to play his game!! :D

Originally posted by: bunnylovessunny

that was such a cute chapter!! Loved it thoroughly, Arnav knows how to play his game!! :D

Update fast! :D

Posted Part 14, Section 3 on blog.

Enjoy!😃

Leave (long) comments on I-F & the blog, pleejj.😆

And watch the blog for daily updates.😃

Smita😆

Smita,😊

Here is my interpretation to Section 3 of Part 14.

Arnav unsure of Khushi's willingness asked her over the phone whether she would meet him at Divine Bites at 5 in the evening? Khushi, who did not understand the meaning parroted him, Divine Bites? She in her innocent way voiced her take on it saying that Divine means to her its Devi Maiyya and Bites means.. she was stumped as to why should Devi Maiyya bite anyone!? Arnav who was listening to her ramble, giving his ASR glare to his employees while observing them from his glass cabin at the mezzanine, who were working at the lower level of his office, was tickled by her thoughts and chuckled. He explained that it was a caff where only tea and snacks were on its menu, in between his mirth. Khushi was adamant of not meeting him at any tea shop and told him in no uncertain terms that she abhored such ideas. Arnav was amused by her vehemence at it. When he said he needed to talk to her she asked him to meet her at the park near his office at five. Arnav agreed and asked her to keep her phone handy to locate one another. Khushi told him that she would be by the duck pond so all he had to do was to get himself there. And he would be able to locate her with ease, making Arnav smile at her simple but logical solution.

He was late by two minutes and when he rushed to the spot it was to see Khushi sitting on her haunches by the pond feeding the ducks while talking to them. She was in a red chudidhar set with her red chiffon dupatta was trailing behind her. She was giving those ducks a lecture on the changes in weather and its repercussion on them if due care would not be taken. She was telling the ducks and their brood, that it was likely to rain that night and it would not bode well for them if they do get drenched in the downpour. Otherwise if they caught cold, they would be helpless as they would not be able to procure the herbal concoction to tide over the cold. The duckling hid behind its mother and peeked at her. Arnav who witnessed this asked her whether those ducks too were not spared of admonition from her. Khushi who was not aware of Arnav's arrival was startled. Catching hold of her hand lest she fell into the pond he led her to the bench nearby taking up a seat by her side.

A bilious Khushi asked him why he wanted to see her. Arnav looking at his locked fingers with a deep furrowed frown on his face and his elbow resting on his knees, told her with a deep drawn breath that he met her. Khushi thought it to be Lavanya and asked him as such with a frown. With a slight smile at her confusion, he told her that he hadn't meant Lavanya but the other woman in his father's life. Khushi exhaled deeply.

Arnav withdrew a cover from the folds of his jacket and handed it to Khushi. With a trembling hand Khushi took it and opened it with utter care to see a photo in it. It was that of an ordinary looking motherly figured middle-aged lady. Khushi not understanding the implication had her forehead crunched pondering as to what it meant. With a sigh Arnav asked her that the lady in the photograph doesn't look like a candidate for an extra-marital affair, does she? Khushi concurred with him and said in a soft dazed voice that she looks like a woman with culture and one who lives as per the norms of the society. Arnav bobbed his head in agreement.

He told Khushi that the Lady in picture was Kusum Bhandari, a widow of a worker in his father's Rampur factory. Khushi had her full concentration on him. She could see and feel the depth of pain he was was in. His voice throbbed with hurt and self-disgust. Arnav told her that Kusum Bahandari had lost her husband and was left with two children and a young Devar to look after. She had begged the foremen of the factory to give her a job but was refused and was told that she could get one only with the orders coming from the owner, Mr. Mallik. Though he told her in a low voice it carried clearly over to Khushi. He continued and said that she had come to Lucknow with her family i.e. her children and her Devar to see his father on his Di's wedding day. He paused in his narration finding it difficult to continue. Khushi understanding his situation and the need held his hands tight in her warm clasp giving him the much needed sense of being together. Looking at the ducks gliding with ease over the water he continued in a whisper that she met his father in his study alone while the other three were waiting outside. This took Arnav on a trip down the memory lane that he wanted to forget. He could hear his mother's high pitched scream while the musical strains of shehnai were floating all over. Continuing his narration he told her that the lady begged for a job with his father and he had promised to look into it asking her to return the next day with the details of her husband written on a sheet of paper. As she was leaving she had felt dizzy due to fever and hunger pangs. Arnav paused once more as he found it difficult to continue the narration. Swallowing the lump that seemed to have lodged in his throat, he told her that his father had helped her to the nearby chair gave her a drink of water and some money for her expenses. He said that maybe his mother saw him helping the lady and misunderstood the situation. Arnav shut his eyes in anguish. Khushi who was also moved, held his hand tightly on his lap, biting her lip to stop herself from sobbing that was trying to break out. She felt that it was a tragedy that occurred without any reason. It took the lives of two people , changing the life of two children who were orphaned overnight and made to undergo sufferings for no reason and all that was because of a misunderstanding!

Though he was narrating what had happened he was reliving the nightmare. He felt the pistol shot sound very real and almost searched for it but for the warm clasp by Khushi.

He told Khushi that the lady returned the next day with the sheet of paper to see two bodies lying in the main hall, all ready for cremeation. Arnav lowered his head to hide the moist that had found its way into his eyelashes. Khushi hugged him with her arm around his waist, letting the warmth of her soft body seep in comfort. He told her that his Papa had already called his Foreman instructing him to give her the job and when she returned she was given. He told Khushi that the lady never knew of the misunderstanding that had led to the tragedy and he didn't have the heart to tell her about it. Khushi agreed that he did the right thing. Arnav continued to say that the lady was full of praise for his father for his kindness. A lonely tear made its way down his cheek. By then the sun had set and in the twilight, sat the man and the girl in the arms of one another, encompassed in silence. They were oblivious to the ominous dark clouds gathering and the rumbling of the thunder. Only when the fat drops of the cold rain fell on them did they rouse themselves to see that they were about to be caught in the downpour. Arnav who quickly got his bearing grabbed Khushi's arm and told her to run to his car parked nearby. Like children they ran through the rain cutting across the lashing downpour and deftly slipping past the hefty branches that were swaying to the gushing winds. By the time they reached the car park the drizzle had turned into a downpour. They stood looking at each other. Arnav whispered her name, Khushi.. that came with all the love he felt making her she just stand facing him without even being aware of the sleet. It rained cats and dogs. Thunder accompanied by lightning was at the height of its beauty, illuminating the entire scene every now and then. Khushi who was scared of thunder was brought out of her reverie when a particular huge one rolled over resonating on the land below with a flash of lightning that shot across the sky like a vine branching out every now and then along its way. Khushi felt as though someone had taken the living daylights out of her. She just jumped up and with a jerk threw her arms around Arnav and buried her face in the warmth of his body. Arnav eagerly gathered her close to his heart and reveled at this unexpected bonus. Time stood still for them. They were oblivious to their surroundings. The rain and the darkness were forgotten, thunder and lightning became distant. Not a thing had any impact on the pair.

He could feel her shivering. Again he kept calling out her name hugging her tightly. He quickly opened the door, seating her inside he rushed to to his seat. Grabbing the thick towel that was always kept in the car at Anjali's insistence he started to wipe Khushi. She sat quietly like an obedient child giving in to his ministrations. When water started to drip from his hair on to her arm she took the towel and and quickly started to dry him. He shed his coat and the waist coat of his three piece suit and rolled up his sleeves. She dried his hair, gently ran the towel over his face, neck and his bare arms.

They sat watching the rain which was pouring unabatedly. They were cocooned amidst the the downpour in a world of their own cut off from the inquisitive eyes. It gave them moments to recover from the unexpected curves of life that they had to face.

Continuing his narration of what had happened when he met Kusum Bhandari, he told her that she had his Mama and Papa's picture on the wall taking the place of pride in her home. It was just a picture of both of them cut out from the obituary column and was adorned with a garland. She had told him it was only their kindness that facilitated her to live in dignity and raise her children well. So saying he reclined on his seat Khushi listening. Khushi listened silently to what he had to say. He told her that the lady wanted to know, if they were well, His Di and himself and he had assured her that they were. Khushi gulped with great difficulty. Arnav asked Khushi in a pain filled voice that had tinged with remorse and confusion why was it so. Khushi looked at Arnav to clarify what he meant by that. Soon Arnav's thoughts became clear to her when he whispered that if only his Papa had explained and his Mama had listened to him, if only they had waited for his Di's wedding to be over, if only his Mama had walked into the study earlier. He told Khushi that he had hated his father for 14 years thinking him to be immoral, a bad example of a husband and an unfit father. Tears started to traverse through his cheeks as he said that he was ashamed of him, ashamed to be his son, he had disowned his own father and had even changed his name. He started to say his father... and was unable to continue. Khushi hugged him tight and nuzzling his face in her neck he whispered that he thought they had died because love had died. In reality it was because that had felt that they had nothing to live for, without the other in their life. Khushi understood what he was feeling nodded and rubbed his back giving him the much needed comfort that would penetrate the haze of the misery blanketing him. He told her that they took away their life only because they loved each other and not because they didn't. He told Khushi that they were so engrossed in each other that they hadn't even thought of their children or Nani, or Mama or Mami or Akash. Khushi silently nodded at his statement. He told her with heartfelt feeling that his father was innocent and asked Khushi whether his mother knew that now. He looked like a lost child finding his way through the maze. Khushi who knew that she had to reassure Arnav told him that they were now together, joined forever like they always wanted to be and that would have made them extremely happy. Arnav concurred with her saying that they would be happy but his father must have felt extremely bad for being the recipient of such bad thoughts as harboured by his son. Though he had been upright all along he had fallen in the eyes of his son and it would have been a bad blow to him. He must have felt extremely low for having his son think of him so. Arnav's voice petered out with it. Khushi assured him that his father would have forgiven him. He would never have held it against his son. She asked him can parents ever remain angry with their offspring for long? Hearing her talk Arnav felt a ray of hope sprouting within his heart. Smiling with great effort, she asked him that if their own parents would not forgive them, then who would? Arnav let out a sigh that showed up his relief. The pep talk given by Khushi had revived him and in silence holding her hands he let all that she had told wash over him and assimilate.

Breaking the silence he asked her, could he forgive her for all the things that he had done to hurt her. Whenever he had hurled abuses he had not thought properly before uttering, whenever he hurt her with deeds he had never meant it to be so. He was always doing things opposing to what he really felt and wanted to do. Even his anger was never meant to hurt her but inevitably he always ended doing that. He called her name Khushi and stammered I petering off unable to complete. Seeing the panic on his face Khushi felt all her resentment towards him washing away and bobbed her head indicating that she holds no grudges. Still, he needed her verbal communication that she had forgiven him. So he once again asked her whether she could forgive him and said that he was extremely sorry for his words, his deeds and his behaviour. Khushi pulling him into a tight hug assured him in a whisper by asking him to hush up. She told him that it was fine by her and not to be upset. She was giving the ultimate forgiveness that he had sought since she her a sermon on righteousness and made him aware of the wrong fork on the road that he had opted for. She gave him not only the forgiveness by forgetting all the abuse hurled at her but also a hope that after reforming his ways he did have something really tangible to look forward to in his life. Life for him which was money-centric and status centric now had become love centric and value centric irrespective of the wealth or status one possessed.

This update is basically about the bond, but a bond that a tie, connection or link. That is LIGATURE.

What exactly is a ligature?

In medical jargon, it is a tie or a bandage especially in surgery for a bleeding artery.

It can also be used to mean as a bond or anything that unites.

We see Arnav Singh Raizada asking Khushi Kumari Gupta to meet him at a cafe but she flatly refuses to do so but agrees to meet him at the park at the time stated by him. Though Khushi loves to defy him she doesn't like to hurt. She is against him issuing diktat. Knowing her present penchance for defying him he is unsure of whether she would agree to go to caff with him. But still for him she is an essential element, a necessity in his life. That is the bond they share.

If he issues a set of instruction she counters it and comes out with an easier and a simpler one, such as locating each other in the park. Such is the bond that it has passed the stage of taking offence by Arnav at her suggestions.

Arnav witnesses the caring side of Khushi who was seen telling the duck family to keep them warm when it begins to rain.

"When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it's bottomless, that it doesn't have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there, as well as how much space"

~ Pema Chodron

When he narrated that he met the other woman in his father's life and her theory of a different story had proven correct. The bond between the woman and her father were of just humanitarian and merely employer and employee. She as an employee was grateful for her employer for giving her a new lease in life by providing her with a job and enabling her family to come up in life.

The employer and his wife had bound that family with their generosity that they were venerated by them. Such was the bond that with just an obituary paper cutting, framed and garlanded adorning the wall in their house, the employee would remind herself everyday of the generosity of the couple.

"Give a bowl of rice to a man and you will feed him for a day. Teach him how to grow his own rice and you will save his life"

~ Confucius

A misunderstanding of the situation led to the shooting incidents. The wife, mother of Arnav Singh Raizada, under the misconception of her husband's infidelity took her life not wanting to live without her husband and without his love towards only her. The husband, father of Arnav Singh Raizada, though innocent took his life as he did not want to live without the love of his wife and her by his side. As she had taken her life out by misunderstanding a humanitarian help he felt belittled and also he knew for him to live without his wife by his side was to live like a living corpse. Since he felt his reason to live had gone he too took his life. The bond between the husband and wife was greater than their bond with their kids.

"Together we shared a bond not even death would violate"

~ Dee Remy, There Once Was A Boy

Arnav Singh Raizada who had loved his sister beyond duty felt that it was with Khushi Kumari Gupta that he wanted to share his findings first and not his Di. It was Khushi who had pointed flaws in the way he looked at the matter and nudged him to look into it as soon as possible. This was the bond he cherished and when he found what really had happened he wanted the news to be shared with her. He felt a bond between the two where he could easily open up. What she had pointed to him was indeed the truth he sought the solace only from her.

"Sometimes, reaching out and taking someone's hand is the beginning of a journey.

At other times, it is allowing another to take yours"

~ Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration

Her assurance and reassurance were like a balm and a Ligature that had him believe in true love and all the values he thought that his father had not possessed were infact shining brightly putting a halo around his father's head.

This bandage of trust, assurance and reassurance along with the confiding by Arnav with Khushi created a brand new phase in their love story, making them bound by a bond called love.

"Words are a pretext. It is the inner bond that draws one person to another, not words"

~ Rumi

The ligature called truth and acceptance helped them overcome all the difficulties and reach out for each other.

"Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery"

~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

That is why it is termed as LIGATURE.

That's it from me. Hope you enjoy it.

Smita what a beautiful update !!!!

Loved d update
tat was emotional
pls update soon
Thanx for pm