Chapter 16: Always And Forever
One Month Later.
Time doesn't stop for anyone. Either you move with time or it leaves you behind. Shyam Oberoi was not moving with time. His mind was stuck on Khushi. His heart was still crying as he lay in bed. It had been 2 months since she left him and got married to someone else but he was still waiting for her to come back. Love had no boundaries and he took that very seriously. Shyam had lost touch with reality. It was almost maddening how his obsession grew. All he could see was Khushi, all he could dream of was her. She was the love of his life and it was probably that notion had driven him to craziness and he could go to any extent to get her back. Shyam's sanity was blinded by obsession and attraction. He needed someone to guide him, someone who could help him get over everything, but alas, he was all alone.
"The movie was not bad..." Arnav commented as they sat down in the car. "Are you kidding? It was fantastic!" Khushi exclaimed. "It's just become one of my favourites. The songs, the direction, the concept and mostly, Ranbir Kapoor!" Khushi sighed. "You really like Ranbir a lot don't you?" he asked uncomfortably. He wasn't used to talking about actors and their "hotness" with his wife. "I love him!" Khushi blurted. "Great." Arnav muttered under his breath. "Thank you so much Arnav for taking me for this movie. I totally loved it!" "Yes, this is the third time you are thanking me. The movie wasn't that nice also. It was okay-ish." He said. 'What did she love in this movie? It was ordinary. It was very similar to my life though. Only I would be Deepika and Khushi, Ranbir. I can't tell her how much I love her, though I hope she feels the same.' Arnav compared. "You find everything okay-ish! What do you like?" Khushi said exasperated. "Oh yes, your work!" she answered before he could say anything. "Okay, okay, it was a great movie. Why are you getting so worked up?" "I am getting worked up? Arnav, I don't get worked up, I get annoyed because you spend so much time at office and such little time with me!" "How did the topic suddenly change to me and my office hours?" Arnav asked perplexed. Women had a weird way of linking one topic to another. "And I have an important tender coming up Khushi!" he replied, trying to be calm and keep himself composed. "You always have something or the other. Only when I am gone, you have no work at all." She grumbled. Arnav rolled his eyes. It always came back to this. The drive back home was quiet. There wasn't much talking since both of them were quite clueless as to what started the argument.
"You have to come back to me Khushi," Shyam said out loud. He was alone at home. Anita had gone out of town for a project. "You are mine, and you have to come back to me sometime. I will earn so much money that you will fall in love with me again and then you will come back. I promise," he said as if in a trance. Shyam had literally lost his mind. Khushi had become a drug that was eating on his inside. After losing his mother and Khushi at one go he wasn't able to deal with life and his emotions had driven him crazy. Anita was very nice but she wasn't Khushi. She wasn't enough. "I love you Khushi," he said kissing one of her pictures. Shyam was ill and it wasn't long before people around him would realize it. He shut his eyes and was dreaming all of a sudden. He was smiling looking at Khushi in his arms. She was his only desire.
At night, Khushi sat beside Arnav on the bed and said, "I am sorry, I know how important this tender is, I shouldn't complain." "I am sorry too, I wish I could give you more time. There is no other place I would rather be, than with you." He replied truthfully. Their relationship had strengthened and grown through the few months they had been together. Arnav had learned to open up again and Khushi was almost herself again. They were happy. Even though they argued, they loved being with each other. Arnav just held his breath for the day when Khushi would tell him how much she loved him or that she only wanted him, always and forever. Khushi wanted to know if he was happy again, she wanted to feel his love and affection and for that she had to compete with his work, which really got on her nerves. Arnav had an idea, "After this tender, I promise we'll go for a vacation. There are so many places I would love to show you!" he said. Khushi smiled. "I would love that." She replied.
"So how are your classes going?" Arnav asked. "Great! NK is obviously fun, but there are a group of ladies who still don't like me. They think I show off." Khushi laughed. "Why do they dislike you?" "Because I'm your wife and everyone else is jealous because they aren't!" she said flattering her husband. "Ha.ha.ha." Arnav said sarcastically, "Tell me, seriously!" he asked. "I genuinely have no idea." She said. "Anyway, I think we should just sleep. I have no idea what you've planned for tomorrow." Arnav said getting inside the blanket. A couple of weeks ago, Arnav and Khushi made a deal that they would do whatever Arnav liked on weekdays and Khushi would be free to plan the weekends. At that time Arnav didn't realize what he was getting into but it was too late when he did. Khushi would make him try all sorts of things and take him to different places.
All in all, life had been good. She was finally settled and comfortable with Arnav. They would talk to each other and had become almost like best friends over this month. Both of them had learned to compromise and adjust in any given situation and that is what set them apart. Even though their outlooks were contrasting, they were compatible.
Shyam had been in bed all day. His fiance handled their business so he had nothing to worry about. Anita was very gullible and naive. She had already given Shyam the power of attorney and made him the C.E.O. She claimed to love him with all her heart but let's not get into that at this point in the story.
"What is the plan for today?" Arnav asked the next morning as they ate their breakfast. "Today we stay at home." She said. Arnav's eyes widened, "What did you just say?" he asked again. "We stay at home Arnav. I know you've been really busy and a day at home is just what you need!" she remarked. "Phew," He said relieved. "Remember, last week you took me to that pub and I had such a terrible headache later on?" he said. Khushi laughed, "You should have told me you hate loud music!" she said. "The last time I went to a pub was in college, how do you expect me to remember?" he asked. "It was funny because everyone recognized you and they wanted to dance with you." She said. "Funny, was it? I remember you telling every girl no when they asked me to dance!" Arnav commented. "That was because I didn't want to embarrass you in front of everyone, two-left-feet!" she said teasing him. "But the restaurant where we ate was superb!" he said. "Yes, I know right? NK took me there few weeks ago. I love that restaurant." She said remembering the food. 'You love everything, don't you?' Arnav thought.
After breakfast, Khushi decided that they should play Snatch. It was a game Sanjana and she would play every week. She explained the word game to Arnav and he seemed very interested. "I am really good at this game!" she said. "Oh really?" "Yes, I am unbeaten!" she said with pride. They started the game. In the beginning Khushi was winning but later on Arnav took the game away. He was a word-genius and made long words, some of which Khushi had never even heard of. Khushi scowled but accepted defeat. Arnav laughed as Khushi tried to cover up for her loss.
"Now what?" he asked. "Now I have a surprise for you!" she said. Arnav gulped. It wasn't very pleasant for him the last time Khushi said that she had a surprise for him. She had bought six coloured shirts for Arnav and asked him to try it on. When he wore one of them he looked into the mirror and genuinely thought he looked like a clown. Khushi, on the other hand, thought he looked much better in those. Arnav had to wear it for a few days to work but then he finally got rid of them. Khushi held his hand and pulled him behind her. Arnav didn't have any option except for going with the flow. Khushi entered a spare room and there it was. Khushi had taken out old photographs and albums from the storeroom. A small smile formed on Arnav's face when he picked up a picture of his parents. 'I wish you'll were hear mom and dad. You would have loved Khushi, like I do. I wish you would be here to tell me when I did something wrong or when I made a mistake. I miss you!' he shut his eyes and a tear escaped. "Hey," Khushi said softly, "Your parents are always with you." Khushi looked at the picture in his hands. She put an arm around him and said, "You know Arnav, I am sure if your parents were here today, they would be really proud of you. They would have loved you for the great person you are Arnav,"She said. "They may not be physically present but they are there, somewhere, probably talking to my parents." She said with a small chuckle and a sniff. Arnav sat silently looking at old albums and telling Khushi about his past. "I've never really shared all these things with anyone. I've mostly kept things to myself. But you know Khushi, whenever I'm feeling lonely or I'm upset I remember my parents. I can actually feel their presence around me. It's like they are protecting me from everything. When I shut my eyes I can actually feel the warmth of my mothers hug and sometimes when I'm all alone-- I-- I talk to them." He said slowly. Khushi silently listened. She was touched. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she saw a completely different side to her husband. She was speechless. Her heart pained for him. "You think that's strange, don't you?" he asked, slightly embarrassed. "Not at all," she said immediately, "I do that same, sometimes." She said. "I don't remember much of my parents actually but I know they loved me a lot and if they would be here right now, they would love you too." She said resting her head on Arnav's shoulder. Khushi could relate to Arnav's situation. Before now, she hadn't understood how similar their situations were. She was happy that she could be with a man who was very manly but at the same time so emotional and kind hearted.
They sat there for hours looking at photographs and sharing small reminisces of their childhood. It was a soothing feeling to know that someone understood how you feel, that someone could relate to it. They came closer to each other and understood each other a little better. It was only around 1 that they realized how long it had been.
Lunch was quiet. No one said much but they both knew how the other was feeling. Just the presence was enough. Their marriage had gotten off to a rough start but now things were looking up. Their journey was smoothening and they had hope that everything would be just fine. Life would move on and they would live happily every after, but is it so easy for everyone? You choose a path and move ahead but what if half way down you realize that it was the wrong path and now you're lost? What then? You just have to deal with it. Face the adversities and move on but Shyam was finding it hard to do that. He was so deeply attracted to Khushi that it would be a hard way back, especially without anyone to guide him. Life hadn't been easy on him lately. Pain had become like an everyday affair and misery was his middle name. Anita stayed away for most of the week and so he had time to cry over his destiny. Life teaches everyone how to deal with it. It's like a puzzle but with a solution. At every step of the way, there is a path that most people would choose and the path only a few would take on, and that makes the difference, like Robert Frost wrote in his poem,
Two roads diverged in the woods, and I chose the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.
****
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