ArHi FF: Here We Go Again (13/08) COMPLETE - Page 19

Thank you to all the people that commented and liked the previous chapter. As always, the green bits are meant to be Hindi. The bits in bold are the past and the bits that aren't are the present, as this post goes back and forth between the past and present, it's important that you know that. Enjoy :)

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Chapter 21: Filthy bas***d Child

20 years ago

Amba was running around the house and generally playing by herself. Nik's grandmother had come to visit them and no matter what she did, the woman seemed to hate her. But Amba was optimistic, that's what her mother always taught her to be no matter what. Nik was playing with all the new toys that his grandmother had brought him, so that gave him some time off from picking on her. She started to feel hungry so she decided to visit the kitchen. Before she could enter she heard some shouting.

"Can't you do anything right, you stupid girl?!" Amba recognise that voice to be Nik's grandmother.

"I'm sorry Mausi-" mumbled Khushi.

"You should be! You and your filthy bas***d child are wasting my son's hard earned money. What exactly are you doing to repay him besides sleeping with him?" she spouted viciously.

"Mausi, I have been brought up believing that elders deserve respect and that they know better but I'm going to have to stop you right there. First: don't ever call my daughter a filthy bas***d child. Second: I'm not sleeping with your son."

Amba didn't really understand what they were saying but she didn't want to stay and witness more shouting so she decided to go and get Karan because he was always the peacemaker in these situations. She ran to his study.

"Karan uncle-"

"Wait wait wait." Said Arnav with hope blossoming in his chest. "Karan's not your father."

"Mr Raizada it's very rude to stop a person in the middle of a story. And yes he is." Arnav gave a confused look. She sighed. "He might not be my biological father but he is my father, do you know what I'm saying?"

Arnav nodded, after all, he felt the exact same way about Aarav. Aarav may not be his biological son but damn it, he loved him all the same and would do anything for him.

"So who's your biological father?" asked Arnav in an unusually squeaky voice.

Amba sighed. "Patience, we'll come to that."

"Karan uncle, Karan uncle." Amba said and she pulled on his trousers.

Karan smiled down at her and picked her up. "Yes Pari?"

"Mum and Nik's grandmother are fighting again."

Karan frowned and gave her a disapproving look. "Am, I told you to call her Dadi ."

"I know but she told me not to."

Karan shook his head, put Amba down and went to leave the room but Amba's question stopped him. "What does 'filthy bas***d child' mean?" she asked casually.

Karan turned around so sharply he almost got a whiplash. "Where did you hear that?"

"Nik's Dadi said I was a filthy bas***d child. Is that a good thing?" she asked innocently.

Karan's heart broke at the way she was asking the question. "No it's not a good thing. Come on, I'll make it all better."

Karan grabbed Amba's hand and marched downstairs to the kitchen. He came just in time to witness his mother slapping Khushi.

"You wh**e!" she spat out.

Before any more damage could be done, Karan placed himself between Khushi and his mother. Karan's mother was breathing heavily and Khushi was clutching her red cheek.

"Mum! What are you doing?" demanded Karan.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm putting your little wh**e in her place."

"Mum, Khushi is not a wh**e. And why are you speaking so badly about her and her child? If I remember correctly, I was 18 when Nik was born and he was born out of wedlock which makes him a bas***d too."

"And don't I know it. You had to go and impregnate that s**t Priya-"

"Mum!" Karan screamed with his temper rising. No one spoke badly about his deceased wife.

"Let me finish you insolent child. She never loved you, she only wanted your money. And good riddance she's dead. You are an embarrassment to the family."

"I am an embarrassment? What about your husband? Isn't he dragging the family name through the dirt too with all his scandals?"

"Don't remind me. The only person in the family who isn't a screw up is Rohit and Nik and I'm waiting for you to screw up Nik."

"You forgot about Giya, she's a very successful lawyer."

"She's a lesbian, it doesn't count."

"Mum, homosexuals are people too."

"Not to me they're not. And we're not here to talk about our family, we're talking about Khushi and her bas***d child."

"She's my bas***d child too."

"I knew it! I knew she was yours. Karan when will you learn."

"She's not mine, at least not yet. I plan to adopt her as soon as possible."

"Why? Isn't our family impure as it is?"

Karan shook his head. "You just don't get it do you mum? It doesn't matter, you won't ever understand."

"If you adopt that girl, I will revoke the money you receive every month."

"I don't care. Besides I think dad needs every penny for that lawsuit."

"You'll regret this."

"No I don't think I will."

Karan's mother turned and stormed out of the house. Khushi approached Karan.

"That's was a really nice thing you did but you shouldn't have disrespected your mother like that."

"No one has the right to talk about others like that. Khushi, I meant what I said, I want to become one of Amba's legal guardians."

Khushi sighed. "Karan, you know how I feel about men-"

"I just want to be her dad Khushi, I won't change her last name."

"I'll think about it."

"But if you are feeling generous then I want to add a middle name."

Khushi raised an eyebrow. "Really? And what did you just say about not changing names?"

"I said I won't change her last name. I won't add Malik just Singh and who cares about middle names anyway?"

Khushi smiled. "Well you're going to have to ask Amba."

They both bent down to Amba's height. She had been biting her nails throughout the argument and now was patiently waiting to be addressed.

"Amba would you like it if I became your dad?" asked Karan. Amba nodded shyly. Karan smiled at Khushi who rolled her eyes. "And would you like your middle name to become Singh."

"I don't really mind." She replied but inside she was jumping up and down.

"Well then it's sorted. I'll get on with the paper work straight away."

"What about Nik?"

"What about him?"

"Shouldn't you ask him whether he's alright with it?" she asked anxiously.

Karan brushed off her concern. "He'll be fine."

"Nik wasn't fine. He took every opportunity to make mum and my life a living hell. I guess he felt like I was taking his dad away from him. I mean it's understandable, he had already lost his mum and now his grandma won't talk to us so he just wanted to make sure he still had his dad all to himself. But within a year, I was Amba Singh Gupta the daughter of Khushi Kumari Gupta and Karan Singh Malik."

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I'm not done with writing about the past. I thought if I write about the past all in one chapter it will take too long and I plan to update more frequently now. The next part of the past should be up maybe next week or sooner depending on my schedule.