Smita,😊
Here is the interpretation to Section 4 of Part 2.
This update tells us about things, actions made, built or done with hopes of but no assurance of return, without commitment, in a phrase, ON SPEC.
While on their drive back home, Khushi sat looking through the glass, not for the panoramic vista of Delhi at night with the lights on that were quivering in a flowing stream, but to avoid the vision of Charmer Raizada, who was stealing glances at her lips with his enticing caramel eyes, that had gone as deeply dark as the desert skies. It was the same all through the lunch and tea. His eyes were constantly on her like two flaming stars that were unhasting, unresting, making her feel Amma's delicious cooking, stick in her throat. It was a long shot and he was trying to woo her with his eyes. This chance he was taking was unnerving her. Khushi was all jittery and worried as what to do when they reached RM? The image of his shirtless torso was popping up in front of her eyes and her minds eye was refusing to let it be shrouded, even when she was trying her level best to suppress it. She realized that she should have shut her eyes against memorizing it while massaging. She berated herself for letting him kiss and moreover for letting herself go with the flow and enjoying it. She tried to console herself, how was she to know that the lips that spit out fireballs of insult that had seared her time and again, were honeyed, capable of setting her imagination afire. She had never even thought there would even be an outside chance for it to be so. How was she to know that those thoughts were going to get her in a pretty pickle? If only she was at liberty to get away from this and be free like a bird to fly away, she would do so at the blink of an eye. But alas! her fate had not stood by her.
As soon as they reached RM, Arnav got down to open her side of the door. But before he could, Khushi taking a stab at escaping from his ministration pushed it open and ran to the front door turning a deaf ear to his call. Khushi rang the bell praying that Hari Prakashji would open the door before her Arnavji could reach her. When HP opened the door, in her impatience, she responded to his greeting with just a vague smile, before she shot into the kitchen, making HP stare after her and wonder, was Khushiji so thirsty?
Dinner was a quiet affair with Nani and Anjali having it upstairs. The rest were having their food in absolute silence. Taking the chance, Payal in a whisper, wished her, Happy Birthday, making Khushi smile and thank. Payal expressed her sadness for not being able to wish her in the morning and Khushi comforted her saying that she knew that they had no chance. Payal with a heartfelt smile told her, that she was glad that Khushi went to Buaji's house and must have had a celebratory meal with her favorites in the menu. Khushi smiled back agreeing with her. The action of Payal, feeling happy about Khushi spending her day at Buaji's reassured her, of her sister's love and actually somebody does care about her and her well being at RM that was as silent as a standing pool.
Once the dinner was over, Payal, Khushi and HP cleared the table while Mami ambled off to watch her favourite serial on TV and NK went with Akash and Arnav to check on Anjali. Soon, all retired for the day and everyone drifted off to their rooms.
Arnav who had collected the parcels that he had ordered was waiting for Khushi in vain. Fed up of pacing, frustrated with her dodging him, he ventured into kitchen to see her engrossed in narrating about an incident of her jalebi making and the dinner that followed, while shelling the peas with HP. Her voice trailed off as her eyes fell on the Raizada, who could make her heart race like a wind, was now standing looking at her like a whirlwind of the tornado. Seeing her stiffen up like a stone, HP who was enjoying the Lucknow tales, looked up to see Arnav Bhaiyya staring furiously at his wife. Hearing him thunder, Khushi, come up with me, she rumbled, that she has work in the kitchen. His howl, Khushi.., had HP hurriedly tell her to leave the peas as he would do them and her excuse to linger in the kitchen flew away along with that.
Seeing that her lone excuse had been taken away, she reconciled herself to be led out like a student chastised by a teacher. Cheesed off by his behaviour, she walked after him. Once inside the room, shutting the door after her, Arnav picked a huge bouquet of red roses and pushed it into her hands. A wide-eyed Khushi asked whether it was for her, making an already annoyed Arnav retort acerbically, that it was for Aman and not her. The knowledge that Khushi was trying her utmost to put in a distance between them did not sit well with him. This uncertainity was giving him jitters and his annoyance at the unknown vexed him so much, that it made him utter unwanted things to her. Khushi irked by his reply, risked a shot at him as to why was he pushing it to her arms when it was meant to be given to Amanji. Ignoring her jibe, with an incisive, Khushi! he wished her, Happy Birthday!
Khushi looking at his angry face, that resembled a pale moon, and the gift in her hand heaved a sigh and asked, was that the way he gives a gift? Giving a gift after shouting like a storm at the birthday girl? Arnav who was barely holding on to the last threads of the reins on anger came out with, that was the way he gives gifts. Her sharp reply, that it was no wonder, he does not have any friends except Amanji! It is astonishing that he was still sticking around. What was it that was making him do so? Was it a binding contract that he is unable to get out off? was a pot shot at him, that she thought would push him away from her. It was a long shot but Arnav, being driven up the wall, tried hard to bring his anger under control. He remembered that he had only twelve more days left, corrected himself, precisely just eleven more days, as it was nearing the dawn of the new day. His red hot temper that was raring to burst out, with just this thought cooled like nothing else could. His anger vanished into thin air, with the realization that if she left him there would be nothing else for him to live for. He realized that his words, had the tendency to make her hackles rise and his actions spoke louder than words. His softly spoken, Khushi, followed by a query, that she loves red roses doesn't she? elicited a yes, from her. His utterance, that was the reason, made her stare at him for a moment and at the fragrant flowers and whisper out a word of gratitude. It was a gamble that paid off. He had waited with bated breath to see whether she would accept it from him. Seeing that she was not averse to receiving his gifts, handing her another box, standing close by and looking at her intently, he said, that too was for her. As she took the gift box Arnav insisted on her to open it, while his eyes were on her lips that were like two budded roses. Unnerved by his gaze, with shaky fingers, she opened the box to see a red piece of cloth. She wondered, was it a hanky, or a towel? But why would he give her a towel on her birthday? Lifting the flimsy satiny claret cloth out of the box, she saw it had spaghetti straps. Why should a towel have straps were her first thought that made her frown. But as she shook it, her eyes widened in horror. It was an elegant blend of satin and lace, with lace predominant, a short claret nightie, smooth, rich colored, enticing just like the wine. Khushi looked at the eager eyes of Arnav with her mouth open wide. Her heart was beating like a jungle drum and his husky voice asked her, whether she liked it? His voice was so delectably ambrosial that it made her feel, would cause her to walk on a tight rope and to keep her sanity intact, it was mandatory to place a blanket ban on it.
When he asked her, will she slip into it tonight, though she looked defiant, her voice was soft and sad as she said, that she would wear it in front of her real husband and not the contract one who would disappear from her life in eleven days time. Her answer dealt a severe blow to him making him choke with tears. His eyes were deep wells of gloom with his thoughts reflecting in them. He had taken a shot in the dark, hoping that she would comply with his request. He knew he had done terrible mistakes. Ever since they met at Sheesh Mahal, all he had done was hurt her, destroyed her life, knowingly and unknowingly, pushing her to the precipice of crisis and each time it had ended up harming her reputation, humiliating her, maligning her character... What he had put her through would take his whole life and more, to make up for the plethora of insults he had heaped on her. Her tears on Diwali night, like drops of molten lead, had fallen on his heart in torrents, adding to its heaviness and eating it out. His whisper, that she would be wearing it one night for him, as though it was a promise to her, made her cock her eyebrow. While Arnav nodded, she stuffed it into the box and kept it aside. Taking her night clothes, she fled to the bathroom. His past actions were tightening the noose on him, while his present actions were being discredited by his past record. But being a businessman and a clever one at that, he knew he could beat the odds. He also knew that life is a gamble, so rolling the dice was the only viable option he had. The other being forfeiting, was not at all an option for him even to consider. So he had to venture out and try all possible ways. As her faith in his love had frozen out, he needed to bring in the sunshine and thaw it. His actions were based on risks and speculations and they needed to be on target. These thoughts had set the windmills of his mind in endless motion. He could not rest, until he achieved what he wanted in his life and that was her presence by his side, all through his life.
Standing under the cold shower to cool her hot skin she thought, that it was necessary to leave as soon as she could. The more she spent the days with him, weaker were her resolve sliding to. The thought, that if she tried to leave he would try to stop was whirling so much that it made her head pound. The room was bathed in darkness save for a foot lamp that was on, to help her make her way to the bed. The chaise longue was enveloped in darkness. With a sigh of relief, she slipped in between the sheets, thinking that he had given up waiting and gone to sleep. As she settled down, a warm arm settled itself on her waist, making Khushi sit up in a flash and squeal. Arnav murmured in his husky drone, sending shivers down her spine, that it was him and asked her to go to sleep. Her hissed out, what was he doing there on the bed, as soon as she recovered from the shock received, sleeping, or trying to, from him. Her attempts to release herself from his grip were futile and only brought a smile into his voice. Khushi, thinking that it was really going too far reminded him of the arrangement, of him sleeping on the chaise longue and she on the bed. He countered her with, who said so? Why should he sleep on the recliner when there was a perfectly comfortable bed available and waiting for him. As Khushi tried to slip away from the bed and occupy the chaise longue, Arnav, cuddling her tight, vouched that it was quite uncomfortable, with her on bed and he away over there. Her struggle to make him let her go, made him put to use the training at the wrestling arena. Trapping her with his arms, legs and pressing her with his body, like a lioness caught in the toils with hunter hemming her, he whispered in her ear that he would never leave her. He promised that they would be sleeping like this in one bed, in the warmth of each other's arms every night of their lives. It was a promise he made in hope, with every intention of keeping up, though Khushi had not committed to it. It was a risk he took that would make or break his love life. It was a long shot but well worth trying!
"It's possible to go on, no matter how impossible it seems"
~ Nicholas Sparks, Dear John
Thus this update is titled, ON SPEC, as all actions were based on speculation.
That's it from me. Hope you enjoy it.
Edited by rulama - 12 years ago
CID
10