The Trampled Butterfly #3 check index for Th4 link - Page 36

"Mamma, why are you crying?" the five year old Khushi had asked her mother as she slept on her bed, her mother beside her all ready to narrate her bed time stories, like any other day.

But she didn't know that it wasn't any other day. That this day would change the entire direction of her life.

"Mamma is not crying Kukku. Mamma is just tired of her life." Janaki Gupta, the twenty nine year old mother of one had replied, her eyes focussed on the door of their daughter's bedroom, waiting for her husband to enter.

"So will you tell me a story?" Little Khushi had asked with her squeaky voice and her mother had warmly smiled at her.

"Sure beta." Janaki had kissed her forehead, but the tears hadn't stopped rolling down her eyes, causing Khushi to be concerned about her mother. But being a kid, she hadn't realised what that fateful day would hold for her. If only, she had been old enough to understand what her mother was going through at that time'

Few minutes later, her father had walked into the room, Vishesh Gupta, just thirty years old of age, the MD of Gupta chemicals and Fertilisers in Lucknow.

If anyone looked back at them, there were a perfect happy little family. Janaki and Vishesh were in love with each other since their college days and right at the final year, they had married and six years later, they were complete with a five year old Khushi blessed for them.

Vishesh Gupta had everything in his life. A loving wife and daughter, a successful career, a posh luxury house in the heart of Lucknow.

But one moment had changed everything in his life.

Little Khushi remembered her father coming closer to her and hugging her, his eyes too, reddened with tears. He had hugged his wife and daughter and silently sobbed, confusing the little girl all the more.

"I love you Kukku. Always remember that Mamma and Pappa loved you a lot." He had whispered, brushing the soft strands of her hair with his fingers.

"And I love you too." Little Khushi had kissed the cheeks of her father and mother, making them weep all the more.

"See, I've brought you your favourite chocolate drink. Would you like to drink?" he had asked, handing over her favourite pink coloured mug and Khushi had eagerly nodded her head.

And after a long time, he had cradled her in his arms, and put her to sleep, with his wife beside him, the little girl oblivious to what fate held her for the next morning.

His voice still echoed in her ears in spite of all the years. "Sweet dreams my princess. Mamma and Pappa are going to be there right beside you."

The next morning Khushi had woken up, but only in a white room, a strange place unknown to her.

A hospital with tubes attached all over her body.

"Mamma, Pappa!" she had cried out to them, but they were nowhere to be found. Only unknown faces of doctors and nurses had surrounded her. For three days, she had been all alone, crying out for her parents, until one day Madumati Chand, her father's distant cousin, a familiar face had finally come to her aide.

"Buaji, where is Mamma and Pappa?" she had asked, her eyes reddened and swollen with all the continuous crying.

"Titaliya'" the elder woman had hugged her and cried, as she whispered. "They are gone far away and they won't come back again."

Janaki and Vishesh Gupta were dead.

The servants had found them dead sleeping on the bed, with their daughter lying between them, the next morning.

One of the fertilizers produced by Gupta chemicals and fertilisers had unfortunately led to the death of many farmers who had come into contact with it. And as the MD, Vishesh Gupta had to bear the brunt of law even though he wasn't exactly responsible for it.

With a sure shot case of being sentenced to a life imprisonment, the news spreading like fire had led the bank to suddenly withdraw their credit causing his whole business to liquidate and being the owner of the company, all his personal assets were taken over, leaving him completely bankrupt.

Ridiculed by society who shunned them and only foreseeing a bleak future for himself and his tiny family, suicide had seemed the only solution to their miseries.

And that night, Vishesh Gupta had poisoned his daughter's favourite drink and later lulling her to sleep, he and his wife had done the same, trying to escape a life of devastation.

But somehow, God had other plans and little Khushi had miraculously survived'

Only to lead a life more miserable than she had ever imagined.

With no house to live, no parents to care for and no inheritance, even her close relatives had refused to take up the little girl's responsibility.

But Madumati hadn't let go of the little girl's hand. Despite of being poor herself, she had taken the little girl under her care and together they had returned back to Mussorie where Buaji had lived all her life working as a maid in people's house.

For the next two months, little Khushi had sobbed every single night for her parents, yearning for their voices, for their warm touch, just to hear 'Kukku' from their mouths.

She had yearned for her mother to narrate bed time stories. She had yearned for her father to kiss her goodnight when she went to bed.

She yearned for pretty frocks to wear. She yearned to meet her old friends left behind in her previous school. She yearned for a big house to live in.

She yearned for so many things.

But at the end of two months, even the five year old had accepted that they would only be dreams. The reality was that she was an orphan now, with no one to love her. And Buaji was now, the only part left of her crumbled world.

Being a brave girl, she hadn't complained because her mother had taught her to be happy with whatever she had. Every night she would remember them before going to bed, their last words still echoing in her ears.

"Sweet dreams my princess. Mamma and Pappa are going to be there right beside you."

And then, one fine day, she and her Buaji had ended up in front of a big house, a house even bigger than the one she lived in lucknow.

The Raizada Manor.

Honestly, after living in a six by six feet room for the past seven months, she had forgotten how her previous life had been.

She hadn't been to a school. She hadn't eaten a single chocolate. She hadn't worn a single new dress.

But she had silently accepted the bitter truth that this was how her life was going to be.

Until'

She had met him.

A little boy named, Annyav.

Like a tiny flick of hope at the end of a huge dark deserted tunnel.

At first, he hadn't been too happy with her presence. His sister had seemed friendlier than him. But she didn't know when that same boy had encroached into her little world and when her world had started revolving around him.

Every day began with his smile and every night ended with his wink.

And for the first time in seven months, he had brought a smile on her face. Like a sunshine after a stormy night.

One fine morning, he had ended up in the little cottage that she and her Buaji lived in, while she was combing her hair all by herself, her Buaji already up in the Raizada Manor for chores.

"Can I do those coconut trees for you?" the eight year old Arnav had asked, sneaking behind her, his eyes glistening with excitement at the idea.

"They are not coconut trees. They are called pony tails." The five year old Khushi had squealed with annoyance, feeling a little hurt at his remark.

Maybe he had sensed the distress in her voice, because he had immediately replied, "I find them cute."

"Oh!" was all that she had exclaimed, the annoyance disappearing from her face as he took the comb from her hand and begun to neatly comb her hair and tie it up into two little coconut trees. And soon, she hadn't realised when her lips had curved into a sheepish smile at his antics.

"And now you look just like Chutki's dolls." He had hugged her from behind, facing her to the mirror, his own face widened with an air of pride at his work. "My own personal doll, a living talking doll!" And with that he had pulled her cheeks and kissed her sloppily, causing her to laugh with happiness.

Who wouldn't be happy? Her crumbled fragile heart had instantly melted at the first instance of warmth he provided.

"And I shall call you 'Kukku' from today onwards, because along with being cute, you are a little cuckoo too." He had announced giggling at her, going for a second round of sloppy kiss, knowing that the little girl had probably not known the meaning of 'Cuckoo' considering a lack of reaction from her side.

But only she knew what she was feeling at that time.

Kukku'

The name had been enough for her to turn around to face him and suddenly, in him, she saw the reflection of her parents.

The name she hadn't heard for nearly a year after the death of her parents.

And it was in him, that she once again found a father and a mother who cared for her, who made her happy, who made her feel wanted'

Who made her feel special.

It was in him that she found solace, she found a companion, a best friend.

In him, she found love, once again.

And he became her world, her everything.

The alpha and the omega.

Khushi gazed into those molten brown orbs as she wound her fingers into his hair and raising herself on her toes, she reached out to claim his lips, softly, gently, in slow feather strokes. The grip on his hair hardened, as she let herself melt into him.

She let herself be carried away like an icicle on a winter morning. The kiss deepened, as the thunder rumbled just above them, but she didn't stop.

She didn't want to stop.

She just wanted to freeze this moment and savour every bit of him.

His hands were now lingering over places he had never touched before. But she didn't protest. His warmth was simply welcoming to her icy heart.

And when she felt him overpower her, she simply surrendered to him, giving everything she had held back for so many days.

For so many years.

Giving in to her yearning of being loved.

By the one man who was her world, her universe.

And when the overwhelming realisation slowly sunk into her, she couldn't hold it any longer and felt herself going limp and crashing down on his shoulders, burying herself into him, holding him tightly fearing that if she let him go, he would abandon her forever.

"Kukku'" Arnav immediately gathered his arms around her, as he silently caressed her back, not waiting for any answer or explanation from her. He already knew her answer and he knew what he had to do.

Arnav Singh Raizada continued to stand under the rain, shielding his Khushi from the pounding drops, from the entire darkness surrounding her, something which he had previously failed to do.

He didn't need to hear her cry to feel her anguish. The silence buried in those few tears that stained his shirt amidst the rain simply broke his heart.

"I'm really sorry, Khushi." He whispered after what seemed to be eons that passed with both of them standing in each other's arms. How would he ever be able to confess his past mistakes to her?

He tried to pull away from her, the guilt suddenly weighing his hollow heart, but instead, her arms tugged his back harder, refusing to part away from him.

Why did that one tug swell his heart with immense happiness? Why did he feel so happy knowing that she wanted him?

Moving apart just to gaze into those hazel eyes, he cupped her wet face and raised it to meet his, but instead found her eyes lowered, refusing to meet his. He would have let her take her own time to talk to him, if it hadn't been for the sight of her shivering shoulders coming to his attention. And it was then that he was brought back to the cold freezing rain pounding over both of them.

"Let's get inside the car." Arnav said, the cold starting to slowly affect him too.

Khushi didn't say a word. Rather nodding her head, she walked after him and got into the car. Only when she had sat on the plush leather seats of the Audi, did she realise the gravity of her condition.

"Chotey Saab, the seat will get wet." She shrieked in realisation, getting ready to jump out of the car but he was quick enough to grab her wrist, holding her firm in her place.

"First of all, the seat can be dry cleaned and secondly, I'm Arnav. I have no idea who Chotey Saab is." Arnav replied, finally gazing into her eyes.

Her hair was stuck all over her face, the droplets rolling down her body and he followed the path of one of those drops, disappearing down her neck and he couldn't help notice her saree sticking to her body like a second skin, revealing more than what ought to.

Curiosity taking over, he continued to gaze her like a man gazing at his lover, a strange feeling of desire beginning to stir within him.

Until, he suddenly noticed her arms trying to cover her body, after becoming self-conscious of his gaze. Feeling instantly guilty, he looked away not wanting to cause her any sort of discomfort and let go of her wrist.

And what followed was silence, as he turned on the heater of the car to warm them both, the rain silently battering the windows.

"You remembered my birthday?" Khushi finally spoke, breaking the ice between them.

Arnav could have lied that he had indeed remembered. But something urged him to tell the truth instead.

"No, actually Dadi informed me." He said instead, earning a soft and a disappointed 'Oh!' from her.

"Even I was surprised at how you could have broken the tradition." She laughed, looking out of the window, as if remembering something.

"You spent the whole day with me and still didn't inform me!" Arnav protested, turning to look at her, only to have her turn around to face him with a strange haunt in her voice.

"I don't expect anything from anyone anymore." And hearing those words, he felt guilt flooding him all over again.

The velvet box of diamond earrings weighing in his pant pocket called his attention. What a coincidence it was that he had found the perfect gift for her birthday today. But he knew that if he gave it to her now, she would outright refuse it.

And suddenly, Arnav didn't have the courage to converse anymore, ending their conversation right then and there. Rather, after the rain subsided a bit an hour later, he started his car and began to drive back home instead.

By the time they reached the gates of Raizada Manor, evening had already set in, the clouds rendering the entire atmosphere dark. While they waited for the guards to open the gates, he suddenly felt Khushi's palm reaching out to hold his arm.

"I'" she began, her lips quivering a bit as if unsure about what to say.

Arnav sighed as he encased her hand with his other palm, assuring her to go ahead with whatever she had to say. Instead what he heard simply left him speechless.

"Thank you. For everything." Khushi said with such utmost sincerity that those four words conveyed what thousand words couldn't.

"Arnav'"

And the way she added his name with a little smile on her face simply bowled him flat, freezing the time for him, if and only if the gates hadn't swung open for them.

Pressing the pedal he drove to the main entrance, his name still ringing in his ears, only to find an anxious crowd waiting at the porch for him.

"Mom? Dad?" he whispered quizzically, finding his entire family rushing to his side as the car finally halted right in front of the door.

"Chotey, thank God you are safe. Where were you all this time? It's raining cats and dogs outside and you don't even have an experience driving in these roads in such weather." Naina spoke worriedly, pulling her son towards her. "And why are you wet?" she asked taking note of his clothes.

"Chotey, did something happen to you?" Manorma Mami was quick to rush to her nephew's aid in worry, and suddenly, Arnav found all eyes on him waiting for an answer.

"I'" it was Arnav's turn to stammer in search of words for an explanation. Turning around, his eyes went in search of Khushi, but to his utter surprise, she wasn't in the car and frantically running his eyes around in search of her, he saw her sneakily walking away in the rain towards her cottage, most probably slipping away from his family's eyes.

"Arrey! Stop questioning him and take him inside. My poor chotey is wet and cold and all you both are doing is harassing him. Come here my baccha." Devyani Pandit walked towards her grandson to pull him inside the house.

"Yeah Bhai, come in." Anjali added, pulling his attention from Khushi towards them.

However, as Arnav observed Khushi's back retreating from him, disappearing into the wet, muddy woods, the stark contrast in their two worlds didn't miss him.

He had a whole array of people worried for him, yet not a single person had bothered for her. How easy was it for Khushi to just slip from their view?

As he was pulled inside and attended to by his entire family, he couldn't help but visualise a lonely Khushi walking all by herself amidst the pounding rain back to her house and somehow the whole image shattered his heart.

Arnav got up from his place, suddenly feeling stupid and annoyed for leaving Khushi to walk home all alone, but was stopped by his father.

"Where are you going? Do you want to fall sick just before the wedding? Atleast take care of your health." Arthur warned him, before reverting back his attention to his laptop and Arnav had no choice than to sit quietly in his place as his family fussed over him.

An hour later, when the Pandits were done with him, he saw Dadi walking towards him.

"I hope you didn't spoil her day." She whispered so that only he could hear, taking a seat beside him.

"I hope I didn't." Arnav sighed and replied, only remembering their kisses under the rain, as he leaned on his grandmother's shoulder hugging her.

And he suddenly realised that he had miles to cross before he could actually reach her.

CHAPTER 19

And I love Angst. I missed this FF and I'm glad I'm back to writing it.

Amazing update. Heart goes out for Khushi her past & how she had to deal with it.

I wish Arnav gets a quick realization & Ranvijay & Dadi can help him in time too.

But Khushi & Arnav getting intimate is sort of a negative sigh right ? It might break Khushi down more na ?

OMG what a shocker that was, Khushi's parents committed suicide and also poisoned her but she survived

aww how sweet she found a mother, a father, a friend and all above love in her anyaav

hehe coconut trees

So there's suicide in the past...but does Kushi know it was suicide...? It must have been terrible...one minute so loved and next minute..deprived of evrything u old dear. Glad bua was there to help. And then Arnav ...to get over the lonely days.

Arnav is right...there is a lot of distance to cover before he can actually reach Kushi...! And I hope Dadi will be the guiding star in this mission...!

A small peek Ito Kushi's past...but the rest has to come too...there is someone in Raizada Manor who knows Kushi's past...who it is I wonder...!

Keep the earrings Arnav...the opportunity and the time will come...and Kushi will wear it...I hope..!

I missed this one...