Never Say Goodbye Final Part and Link to New SS - Page 78

Her heart was racing and her palm was clammy. She looked around and it was dark. She was alive? Even after the fall? She got up, trying to check if she was injured. She felt fine, and as she took a few steps forward she heard the sound again---and realized it was her doorbell.

It had been a nightmare! Arnav was safe! Or at least not dying like in the nightmare Relief swept her and she nearly collapsed. But incessant sound of the door bell gave her no time to rejoice.

She barely had time to freshen up before heading for the door.

It was the wee hours of the morning, she realized as she saw the faint crack of dawn from her French windows.

Who could be there at this time? Could it be Arnav? Her heart leapt at the thought and she rushed to the door to open it, throwing caution to the wind.

And right enough! It was him! Standing there in flesh and blood. He looked tired and a faint stubble was visible.

But her devouring eyes stopped at the bandage around his head, with stains of blood.

Arnav did not know what he had expected when he had decided to come back to Khushi.

But he certainly did not expect a weepy, clingy Khushi, who was hardly letting him breathe by kissing him senseless . She was not making much sense either, because she was crying incoherently and he could comprehend was her rather incoherent ;'Thank God you are safe,' as if he had just come back from the war.

But he did not mind it one bit. He was reveling in all the fuss, though he did not have a clue as to what had made Khushi so hysterical on seeing him.

In her pig tails and pyjama, she still looked 18 and she was behaving like an 8-year old, he observed, amused.

'Khushi----Khushi' he tried to grab her attention and tired to stop her from crying. She had already soaked his shirt.

'Khushi, shhh. It's ok. I am here. What happened? Did you have a nightmare?' he asked. Wrong question perhaps! Because a fresh round of blabbering began as she continuously traced his face and touched his forehead where the bandage rested.

Finally, she gathered herself and touching his head where the bandage rested, she asked 'What happened? How much are you hurt?

I am sorry I did not ask first,' she said apologetically.

'Can you first let me come in? I need to change and freshen up. And I want food. I had nothing all day' he said, amused at her when she looked embarrassed.

'I am such a fool Arnav,' she said and pulled him in along with her.

It was a little while later, when she sat snugly reclined in his arms, that Khushi remembered to thank God. It may have been a nightmare. But, it was obvious he had been in some kind of an accident. But he was here, with her, right now and that is all that mattered.

'How did you get hurt baby?' she asked, once again tracing the bandage.

'First you tell me what made you act like a mad woman when you saw me,'' he asked, curious about her behavior.

'I dreamt you had an accident and----' she could not stop the tears which flowed down her cheeks.

Bending down, he kissed them away whispering 'Shh it's ok. I am fine. I am here'. But he sensed whatever the nightmare had been, it had terrified her. She was trembling like a lea, as she hugged him again.

'I thought I lost you.

I thought you had gone away from me.

I would have followed you know.

I dreamt I followed you.

I can never leave you in life or death,' she said, her voice muffled by her sobs.

'Shh. I know. We can both never be apart.

In fact I tried to get away from you.

I drove like a mad man.

I thought I should not get back to you, because you would never have me.

And I almost missed the speeding truck.

It was too close, but I had enough time to swerve and miss the collision. I ended up hitting a tree, but I was not badly hurt.

A mild bruise and some bleeding.

It was a narrow escape.

Only then I realized, how futile all this was.

We never know when life comes to an end.

And when we still have it, we waste it in futile ego tussles and misunderstandings.

I did not care whether you rejected me.

I was determined I would come back and take the chance.

I did not want to live another minute of my life, without you.

I want to make the most of every minute of life with you beside me,' he confessed.

His confession was rewarded with a passionate kiss from her.

'And before you even tell me anything, I want to tell you something Arnav,' she said trying to muster all the courage she had.

'Fire away,' he said, trying to sound casual. But his eyes clouded over and lines

'I am sorry . So sorry I let you go. I did not mean a thing.

Nothing matters.

Not that you manipulated.

Not that you never said 'I love you' and proposed the right way.

Not that you once hurt me in the past.

Only you matter Arnav.

I want to be with you too, every moment of my life.

I would die if something happened to you.

I too don't want to waste another moment without you.

Please, please, marry me and I will follow you till the end of this world.'

It was his turn to be ecstatic with happiness.

Words were not needed between them for a while, as they let their hands and mouth and eyes do the talking.

Finally, Arnav said

'But I want it all.

I missed out on all this, 7 years ago.

Like a fool I was going to rob you of your dream again.

But I want to fulfill all your dreams.

I want to propose in the typical cheesy way.

Care to dine with me Khushi Kumari Gupta?' he asked.

'Yes, yes, yes,' she said flinging her arms around him.

When Arnav Singh Raizada put his mind to do things the right way, he was way better than anyone else.

So he made sure Khushi got the proposal that dreams were made of with a diamond ring, roses and candle light and flowery words of love, as promised.

They got married in a lavish, but quiet wedding, attended by friends and family.

Nk coordinated the entire wedding along with Lavanya, who had gracefully accepted Arnav's happiness.

Garima, Payal and Sashi provided all the help that was required.

Ajay Singh Raizada spared no expense to make sure that the wedding was grand.

He watched with pride as his son and daughter-in-law performed the rituals that bound them as man and wife.

He realized that they did not need the rituals at all.

These two belonged together, in a way that defied the barriers of life and fate.

They had been blessed by a love that only few found.

They were the lucky few, who could begin their day with love, go through it because of love, come home to love and look forward to a new day, no matter what, because they had each other.

They were the kind who could have endless misunderstanding and yet overcome them because of their love.

They were the kind who could go through myriad ordeals in life and overcome them together.

Ajay Singh Raizada, felt at peace, because he knew his son would need nothing and no one else to make him happy---he had his Khushi.

On their wedding night, when Arnav Singh Raizada made love to his bride, it felt almost like it was the first time with her.

It was as if that night, seven years ago, never existed.

He found novelty in everything about her.

The blush which crept up her cheeks, as he took off her jewels, his eyes never leaving hers,

Her shyness as he kissed and nibbled and undressed her,

Her passionate response as he laid her on the bed and made passionate love to her,

The arching of her body to receive his entry,

The stiffening due to the pain, almost like the first time,

Their shuddering climax---

Everything felt like the first time.

But the difference was, this time he could look at her shy, blushing face, glowing with the warmth of love making,

This time he could take pleasure in the beauty of her lips that were swollen with his kisses,

This time he could delight in her beautiful naked body and run his hands through every inch possessively.

This time they slept entwined in each other's arms.

As he fell asleep, he smiled to himself thinking of the sinful honeymoon he had planned and the many passionate nights that lay ahead---

Three years later

'Hi, NK Arnav here. How are you? How is La?' he asked.

'We are good. Has Khushi delivered the baby?' NK asked anxiously..

It had been 2 years since Arnav and Khushi had been married and settled in Mumbai.

Khushi was going to have her first baby.

It had been 2 months, since he himself had tied the knot with Lavanya.

He had met her while planning and coordinating Arnav and Khushi's wedding.

They had hit it off, from the first moment.

They had enjoyed each other's company.

This had prompted them to keep in touch through chats and calls.

They had been wary about relationships, both having a painful past behind them.

But the shared pain had made them realize each other better.

The long distance friendship had translated into visits and dates.

The friendship gradually blossomed into love.

And after 3 long years of the various stages of their relationship, they had realized they wanted to be with each other. They had finally got married in a quiet ceremony, which they held at Mumbai, so that Khushi could attend. Being in advanced stages of pregnancy she had not been allowed to travel.

' Khushi and I had a baby girl.

And you are the first person I called. I haven't even called my Dad, because if not for you, Arnav and Khushi would never have come together.

Thank you bro. Khushi and I must have done something great in our lives, to have a friend like you,' Arnav confessed emotionally.

NK smiled in joy, feeling a sense of fulfillment at the warm words from Arnav. He said,

'Arnav and Khushi would have happened anyway.

Because God knows, that he can make the world believe in love through your story------'