Smitar's:Finding Khushi #6 Part 21 Pg 116 (26/4) - Page 36

Originally posted by: droopy-asleep

This was lovely😃

Thanks for the pm😊

Originally posted by: Jyo.Arshi.IPK

smitaaa... 😳

Smita,😊

Here is the interpretation to Section 8 of Part 19.

The question asked by Khushi had Arnav stumped and looked as though a Gayle force had hit him! He just stared at Khushi not knowing what to answer. Looking at his stunned face for a few moments, she laid her head on her pillow unable to keep her eyes open but waiting for his response. Khushi was all that he could utter. She asked him in a slurred voice, It is not possible for everyone to be hard-hearted and emotionless in a relationship is it? Arnav looked at her lying on her Buaji's creaking teak bed, the stars representing her parents that she had hung twinkling in the lamp light. She looked very young, very vulnerable very defenseless and exhausted beyond description. She started to ponder and talk haltingly in a low voice, Girl friend, boy friend, being in a relationship, anger, love, liking, hatred, even possessiveness,jealousy. All these are felt by all humans isn't it? It doesn't make any difference between those who are skimpy or nada clothed, they too feel everything that a middle class girl like her from a small town would feel, don't they? Arnav looked with his penetrating eyes and read a feeling of helplessness in it without a will to fight out.

She asked him how could he kiss Lisaji and then be indifferent now? Though her voice was low, it reverberated to Arnav. She asked him with her innocent yet genuine curiosity, how could he kiss her without thinking of other women he had kissed? Arnav felt tongue-tied. He did not have anything in reply to her queries. All he was capable off was just to stare at her in shock and silence. After a while she told stoically that, she knew this was too good to be true. As always it was a momentary happiness that would be inevitably followed by days together of heartache. That was the pattern of her life. There was no self pity in her voice just acceptance! Arnav with great difficulty swallowed his pain amid the muscle protest.

Khushi mused aloud that their marriage would be difficult as they were too different in their outlook. Arnav could only croak, Khushi while panic spread its tentacles and managed to say don't think like that. He wondered if she walked away from him what would he do. She assured very next moment that she was not saying that she would not marry him. But their life together would be quite difficult for both. Arnav protested against her thoughts saying, Khushi. She explained that it was difficult for him because she was queer and definitely unpredictable and peculiar much more than her buaji could ever think of. Arnav told her not to say such things. She said she was more than scared of loosing him, she's scared to leave him, she was scared of finding one day that she was alone with her world shattered to pieces and to feel loneliness of having no one in this big world. Hearing the sadness in her voice, Arnav, blinking his moist eyes to see her clearly, he pledged to her holding her hand to his heart, that she would never be alone again.

But Khushi was dry-eyed. She was neither asking promises nor seeking assurances. It was a self analysis exercise that she was doing with dispassionate eyes, without shying away from facts. She told him that she was like a creeper in his garden that needed support to stand upright. Arnav refuted her remarks and told her that she was not at all weak but on other hand she was the strongest and nicest person that he ever met endowed with all the goodness at heart. Khushi giving a humorless smile, shook her head and asked, what good did the good heart and goodness do? They were only making her lacerate and bawl her eyes out. They don't help her to live. He with a glint in his eyes warned her, not to talk so and demoralize herself.

Taking her hand in his he raised it to his lips and pressed it gently showing her that he adored her. She told him that it would be a difficult proposition to be in his world where lies, women and predators were predominant. He assured her that he'll make sure that she never comes across such situations. He swore that he would definitely take such steps.

She asked him how will he ensure such things? Was it by wiping out? deliberately kill all women who are foul-mouthed or silence all the gossip mongers. She told him that she does not think that even Arnav Singh Raizada's powerful network would be capable of doing it.

All Arnav could do was just stare at her feeling helpless and terrified. His life was quickly spiraling out of control. They gazed at each other seeing their pathway strewn with bitchy ladies, insecurities, tears and anguish. Arnav's was filled with distress. Unable to see him so, Khushi got up, crawled up to him on the bed, cupping his face with her dainty soft hands, she declared that it was all her fault. If only she had accepted Kanhaiyya Lal's love letter in 7^th standard! Or Banke Bihari's love-filled missive in 10^th standard! Or Kishorilal Mathur's love note hidden in her Physics notebook in 12^thstandard! But it was too late now even to think of such things, making Arnav stare at her. Then her statements that, maybe if she had taken up all these boys declaring their love to her, she could by now have a long list of her boyfriends than his girl friends, had Arnav slack jawed. Khushi tapped his chin and told him that she knows that he takes maas machi while eating in teashops but was he used to consuming mosquitoes too? He looked at her smiling face for a second and pulled her into his arms and held her as tight as he could. She whispered her ribs, gently in his ear making him slacken his hold. Breathing in she told him or else it will be left to the guests to ponder why does the bride of Arnav Singh Raizada walk with an uneven gait? Arnav buried his head in the hollow of her neck and she felt his tears warm her silky smooth skin.

Running her fingers through the thick mass of his unruly hair, comforting him she whispered that it was alright Arnavji. They would manage somehow. They could do it as long as they loved each other and be with one another.

This update is about truth and it is straight forward, without any softening or decoration, as the plain UNVARNISHED TRUTH

Khushi's question on Lisa and Lavanya's behavior was itself a truth and was evident and also Arnav not having answers was also the truth.

"Everything you are used to, once done long enough, starts to seem natural, even though it might not be"

~ Julien Smith, The Flinch

Her stance that not everyone could be hard-hearted and emotionless in a relationship, was the truth.

Her analysis on human nature of attraction and the emotions connected with it that give out both good and bad vibes were the truth and it remained the same irrespective of class or creed was an unvarnished truth.

"Life is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel"

~ Jean Racine

Her question how he could kiss one woman later be indifferent to her and how could he kiss her now and never think of all the other women whom he had kissed, though posed with curiosity, was also an unvarnished truth.

"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference"

~ Elie Wiesel

Her stoic acceptance of how her life had been with a moment of joy to be followed by days of misery was an unvarnished truth.

"The more you know who you are, and what you want, the less you let things upset you"

~ Stephanie Perkins

Khushi stating that their marriage would not be like that of any normal couple but would be strewn with lots of difficulties and needing a lot of adjustments as they both hail from different backgrounds, both were brought up in different environment, both had were poles apart in their outlook but the only thing that bound them was their love for each other, each complementing the other with love, understanding and strength. This was an unvarnished truth.

"We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly enlightened or peaceful or intelligent. Nevertheless, we have soil good enough to cultivate; we can plant anything in it"

~ Chogyam Trungpa

Her crazy ways are bound to drive him nuts, but the fear of loosing him and waking up one day from this dream was what she was dreading. She had no such aspirations as to marry someone who was rich monetarily. Her aspirations had been for the person to be rich in feelings, who would be secure enough to give her the feeling of being loved, being a part of a loving family and ensconced in its warmth. For her more than the economic aspect it was the human relationship that counted.

She who had been orphaned at the tender age of ten found this to be a more relevant factor in life. In fact she was mature beyond her age. This was an unvarnished truth.

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead"

~ Louisa May Alcott

Khushi in her eyes was weak and knew she needed to toughen herself if she had to survive in his world. Though Arnav told her that she was strong she knew she had a lot to learn and change to be able to face his world without getting hurt. That was a fact and the need to toughen against onslaught from others was an unvarnished truth.

"Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength"

Arnav telling Khushi to be the strongest person that he came across was also a fact, but that strength of hers lay in her values and ideals. That was certainity. But while facing the vile intentions of others she was kind of a lamb, defenseless. That was reality. The goodness and her heart that always strummed to the need of others though were her plus points they became her drawback while dealing with people who were hell bent only on destruction. The need to strengthen herself was an unvarnished truth.

"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage"

~ Lao Tzu

Living with him was bound to expose her to many types of people who would not leave any stone turned to get rid of her or just for their fun or out of vengeance. Being subjected to such things, would be the hassles that come along with the perks of being Mrs. Arnav Singh Raizada. Though Arnav vowed to protect her, she knew it was impossible for him to succeed in that mission of his. Only one who could combat it, was herself. Though it would take time for her to be able to handle it, and it would take toll on their lives, them being in love and together would enable them to come out of all such perils. That was the unvarnished truth.

"Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction"

~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Khushi telling that she should have accepted the love letters from various boys and that, would have made her having more boyfriends than him having girlfriends left him slack jawed. When he realized she had said it in jest, he was a relieved man. For a moment he must have felt what exactly she feels when she thinks about or sees his ex-es. He would also have realized that life with her around would always be filled with fun along with seriousness. That was the unvarnished truth.

"When we change our thoughts, we will change our experiences"

~ Michael Thomas Sunnarborg

What an update with beads of UNVARNISHED TRUTH strung together!

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