Smita,
Here is the interpretation to Section 4 of Part 7.
This update is about a state of disturbance, confusion or uncertainity. It is TURMOIL.
Arnav opened his eyes after a good sleep that had evaded him for a long time, to see sunlight streaming into his room in its full radiance, with no shadows cast in his garden announcing that it was noon. In his restlessness,as he murmured, Khushi, he sensed his cheek was pillowed by something soft, warm, his Khushi. He lifted his face from her bosom to look at her.She was sleeping like a log, dead to the world. In her sleep her face had relaxed and there was a cherubic innocence radiating from her and it was like aphrodisiac to him. Arnav melted at the sight that greeted him as soon as he opened his eyes. With disquiet he wished, if only he was blessed with being able to welcome each new day in his life in her arms how blissful it would be! His caramel eyes softened to a dreamboat expression and his hands smoothed the wayward tress that was blocking him from appreciating the smooth fair skin and tucked them behind her ears. Khushi moved restlessly in her sleep, rolling over, swung her slender legs over his hip. Once she found a comfortable position she slipped into her sleep. An amused, tender smile played on Arnav's lips as his thoughts dwelt on her taekwondo poses while he relished the feel of her against him. A knock at the door woke him up from his reverie. It was Mamiji knocking at his door, hollering out, Arnav Bitwaa! Khushi Bitiyaa! it was nearing noon and lunchtime. Were they of no intention to get up? Already having missed their breakfast, were they both intent on missing their lunch too? An amused Arnav called out, that they would be coming. Khushi who was awakened by the din, Mami's words shook her out of her sleep and she looked into the smiling face of her husband. As he murmured, Khushi, she stared at him for a moment disoriented and jumped out of the bed, like a jack in the box, in a flurry, grabbing her clothes ran into the ensuite bathroom. Arnav gazed at the back of Khushi, who breezed into the bathroom, with a smile dancing on his lips.
Anjali joined the rest for lunch and the whole family shared the meal. It was a happy time with all laughing at NK's jokes and at the rapid flow of comments from Mami. It was noticed by Arnav, that Khushi though seated by Arnav was all smiles at the rest, while she was hell bent on evading his eyes. Being in dithers, Khushi had ensured that her glance never met his, as the revelations of the night were eating into her resolve to leave and she could not let that happen. Arnav addressing his Di told her that Mr. Roy would come over at 2 p.m. They needed to meet him. All her assets had been transferred back to her. Anjali nodded as she smiled. She had completely forgotten all about it in her distress and that was the last thing on her mind. As Arnav informed her of closure of the joint account, Anjali silently acknowledged with a nod without much ado. Arnav hesitated to continue, and all others looked at him and Anjali knowing that more pain was in store for her. When he said very tentatively, that Mr.Roy would be discussing with her about her legal status and whatever she deems fit could be made possible, Anjali in a low, yet clear and firm voice without any mix-up of emotions told her Chotey, that she wanted a divorce at the earliest, without letting Shyam Manohar Jha rip her off even a single paisa. The family collectively heaved a sigh of relief. Arnav informed her that he has availed the services of a private detective to dig into Shyam's past, open up a can of worms for him. He was confident that they could muster enough ammunition to strengthen their case and would harry, hassle and hound him if necessary. Arnav paused looking at Khushi. Khushi looked at him with a query filled eyes. Arnav in a soft voice, haltingly informed, his Di, Khushi and Payal that, when Shyam had asked Buaji for Khushi's hand in marriage, Babuji had been suspicious of him. With all eyes fixed on him, grasping Khushi's hand under the table, giving her the support to withstand the impact of what he would come out with, he continued to say, that Babuji had followed him one day to the temple and had seen both, Shyam and Di. He saw Shyam filling her maang and she had tried to seek his blessings touching his feet. That was when Babuji realized that Shyam was a married man. His words evoked loud gasps around the table. Nani exclaimed that Shashiji had knowledge of Shyam's duplicity! Mami voiced out her confusion aloud in her Hinglish, then why did he not tell them or throw him out of their house? Nani countering her daughter-in-law defended Shashi saying, how he could tell them when he had a stroke and was unable to communicate. She went further to say, that it looked as though finding out about Shyam had caused him his ailment, the stroke! Arnav corrected his Nani that, finding out the truth about Shyam had not caused the stroke. It was Shyam who had caused it by attacking him and throwing away his medicines... His words, shocked the rest just like a bird landing on a live wire would be. The silence that pervaded had a ghost like quality. They could not comprehend that such evil could exist in a man, that too in one who had lived amidst them. The distress was evident for all to see. Khushi's eyes pooled with tears and it trailed down her smooth cheeks silently. Arnav tightened his hold on her hand. Payal sobbed covering her mouth with her hand and Akash placed his hand on her leg and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Arnav narrated that Babuji knew Shyam was a married man, but what he did not know was, who was Di. Babuji realized she was his sister when she had been to Gupta House with Akash's proposal to Payal. That was the reason for Babuji getting agitated when he saw Di. All were shocked to hear it. They wondered at the capacity to damage by one rotten apple! Nani asked her Devi Maiyya, would the trials and tribulations of the Raizadas never end? Anjali, distraught at not believing Khushi and Payal, but placing her faith in her scoundrel of a husband who was silver-tongued and crooked as a dog's hind leg, apologized to Khushi and Payal. Though she was utterly tired of trying to grasp in the extent of the ever growing vicious nature of Shyam, who had been gentleness personified with them before, with disquietude, in a low voice she managed to say that, she was sorry for marrying such an excuse for a man, sorry for believing in him, sorry for not believing in them. While Khushi tried to brush her tears with a shaking hand, Payal tried very hard to stop crying but it met with very little success. Amidst her tears, Khushi managed to say in a wobbly voice, that it was not her fault. She too was as much a victim of that diabolic man as they were. Payal added to it saying, that they had not known who he was. She too was unaware of his true identity. They had never thought him to be lower than a snake's belly. He had managed to take them for a ride while they had treated him like a sibling.
As the door bell rang, HP who attended the door, came in to inform the arrival of Mr. Roy. All dispersed from the table with a heavy heart. Arnav, uncaring of being seen by the family, kissed Khushi's cheek. Akash did a double take at the sight of his undemonstrative, stringent brother kissing Khushiji, but seeing is believing, in this case! When Khushi whispered that she wanted to see her Babuji, Arnav, realizing the ferment going on inside her whispered back, to take Payal and go home. He asked her to avail the services of Mohan to drop them and he would come to pick them up later when the meeting with Mr.Roy got over. As she nodded, he asked her to inform her Amma and Buaji, as they were unaware of it. It was then Khushi realized what his talk with Babuji was about and asked him so. He affirmed her thoughts and informed her, that Babuji too had filed a case against Shyam. Hugging her close he whispered against her hair to call him once she reached home, making her bob her head in agreement. When the meeting with Roy prolonged, Akash offered to fetch Payal and Khushi as it was getting quite late. As Arnav concurred with him, Akash's phone rang. Arnav had switched off his phone after receiving Khushi's call that she had reached Laxmi Nagar safely, for he hated to be disturbed by the phone while discussing things that were pretty tumultuous, yet a relief to the family. He needed to focus himself sharply on to the work at hand for they were dealing with the trickster Shyam Manohar Jha with a legal bent of mind. The call was from Payal and Akash told her that he would come to pick them both. As Akash spoke, Arnav found his attention drift on to the call. He found the tone of Akash's voice change from enthusiasm to a resigned disappointment and ask, so she wanted to stay overnight there, is it? made him anxious. His words had Arnav turn pale. After listening to Payal for a few seconds, Akash told her that he understood and it was fine for her to stay there that night.
Feeling uncertain, gripped by a sense of restlessness,as Arnav switched on his phone, he found three missing calls from Khushi logged in. Excusing himself to Mr. Roy he called her. Khushi, who picked his call told him, that she would prefer to stay at Gupta House that night as her Amma and Buaji had been very upset after listening to Shyam being the cause for her Babuji's woes. Both had been filled with lather of indignation at not being able to see through things, had been crying since noon, blaming themselves for trusting Shyam and leaving Babuji in his care whenever they needed to go out to meet the doctor or get provisions. Arnav could only be a silent listener as he could say nothing on that. Stewing in his own juice for having added the clause of six months contract in their marriage, feeling down in the dumps with time against him, all he could say was that he would pick her up in the morning. When Khushi offered to come by rickshaw and stated that he need not take the trouble, she was cut short by his curt statement that he would come over to pick. His tone made it clear that it was not open for discussion. He was troubled that the time was ticking away while things were not set right yet.
Arnav, after dinner was on pins and needles. Pacing the room, he felt that without Khushi his room was empty. He felt stressed out at not being able to have her near and looked at his laptop that was beckoning him to work but it held no lure. Laxmi, who was wandering along the corridor, poked her snout in. At Arnav's invitation, she took a step in and looked around. Not finding Khushi who would be ready with treat for her, along with intelligent conversation, she gingerly stepped back on her four legs, turned, and left the room making Arnav stare at her retreating figure, feeling helpless, unwanted and alone. It added its bit to his already turbulent mind.
As he looked at the clock he found that it had struck twelve. So he was left with just six more days, six more days to win Khushi over, to convince her to give him a second chance, to keep her with him till the end of time. He was racing against time, and this was one time bound life-time project that he needed to clinch to survive. These thoughts made him restive. Arnav rubbed his chest feeling it constrict, an unusual tightness appearing over there. Pacing furiously, he flung himself into devising ways and means to keep Khushi with him. He looked at his neatly made bed, though tired, he did not feel like sleeping without Khushi. He continued pacing, with his mind engrossed. As he stood by the French door opening to the poolside and he watched the sleeping plants, a gentle cool breeze played with the curtains and blew it against his face. Arnav shut his eyes, feeling the soft touch, reminding him of Khushi's feather like touch that always rejuvenated him just like a fresh, cool breeze. His mind responded to his thoughts by interlacing the flickering images of various incidents. He remembered the wonderful moments of sharing a bed with Khushi on New Year's Eve, Khushi dancing to Desi Girl, Khushi in his arms as supple as the neck of a swan as they danced to Teri Meri. The song had never appealed to him before he had danced to it with her, saving her from sure defeat and public humiliation. The joyous moments of the mehendi function, returning her earring, taking immense pleasure from her nervousness at his nearness, catching her out with the 'A' written in her mehendi by the mehendi lady by mistake. The blissful memory of, the kiss he had stolen by the pool, Khushi meeting his challenge and kissing him the next day right in front of all, made a smile tease his lips. The recollection of Khushi taking the sari of his choice, and her brilliant smile directed at him, turning back to look at him, made his heart swell with love. The terror he had experienced at the thought of her being taken away in the ambulance was still capable of making his blood run cold! NK had escaped being torn in to pieces by the skin of his teeth.
Recalling her effervescent happiness in the bangles he had bought for her made Arnav smile. Clutching the curtain, he smiled at those memories that made him feel he had sprouted wings to soar sky high. Jogging the memory, surprising his family by going to Buaji's house with Payal's joda just to see Khushi, helping her serve food, his smile widened. Just the thought of the time, when the Guptas had arrived for the wedding, the blush on her face and the bashfulness in her eyes, that were sparkling like pearls, casting a heavenly light with happiness as they had wandered around to meet his eyes, made his own eyes twinkle with happiness! Reminiscing the wonderful memories where he had shown his cheekiness, making her flustered, the right with which he had demanded to talk to her, her hesitant query about what, and his authoritative answer, just need to talk, the way in which he had crowded her against the mirror and played a trick on her with her bindi... all brought in a pleasant smile on his face.
This also brought in the parallel thoughts, the bitter ones that had led to the debacle, making Arnav swallow hard. Though his happy thoughts were strong, the disorder in his life caused by the error in his judgement had much more bearing on his future. He could not let that overpower the happiness he could ever get. He wondered what if Shyam had not written that message on the mirror? What if Khushi had not gone to the terrace? What if he had got a chance to talk to Khushi? What would he have done? He asked himself what would have been the possible outcome. Arnav looked at the pool. It was reflecting the stars that were his hope, his thoughts, his reflection. He would have completed what he had left hanging on Diwali night. He would have kissed her tenderly, then hard, then slowly, then demandingly, then he would have known what bliss really was and he too had the right to it. Knowing that she reciprocated his feelings, she too felt the same as him when they were near each other as well as when away from each other, he would have declared his love to her, told her why it makes a difference and would have asked her to marry him. She would have gladly consented and both the families would have been on cloud nine and on the 15th of August, both Payal and Akash and also Khushi and he would have been celebrating six months of wedded bliss. But he was a Raizada! Happiness was something as elusive as the sheet lightning playing around the June clouds! It never came easily for them. He fervently hoped his efforts to win her back would not be like pouring water into a sieve. This thought stirred him and made him sigh and his lashes spiked wet glistened on his closed eyes.
When Khushi looked at her, Payal with a shy smile asked her, doesn't it feel strange to sleep in their old bed together, after so many months? Khushi tried to put on a smile that was reluctant to display on her face. The calmness she displayed belied the turbulence filled inside her and she knew within a few more days, she would be sleeping permanently over here alone, that was if Buaji doesn't shunt her out when her contract marriage becomes the common knowledge. Not knowing what was going on in Khushi's mind, oblivious to her distress, Payal said that she had been worried for her. She had wondered how Khushi would be able to sleep alone after her marriage, given the fact, they had not been separated since the day they had become one family. That matter never arose, as she did not have to spend even one single night alone. Arnavji saw to that. When Payal giggled, Khushi turned her face away in distress while Payal thought it was to hide her flaming cheeks!
Payal asked her, blushing herself, does she remember the time, when they had spoken about marrying brothers so that they could live together all their lives? Did she ever think it would turn out to be like now? Khushi truthfully told her that she never dreamt it to be so and sighed inwardly for her life that was rife with strife. Payal with a grateful heart admitted, it was all thanks to Arnavji that she could marry Akash. Otherwise, who would have let his brother marry a girl from a poor family like theirs? Khushi concurred that it was all due to Arnavji, but her sister had no idea what Khushi meant, she had no idea that Khushi was in fact blaming him for all the pandemonium in her life and turning her world topsy-turvy! As Payal fell into a deep slumber, Khushi got up from the bed, walked towards the window of her room. She saw the moon glowing and the stars twinkling against the backdrop of the sky. Her eyes glistened with a sheen of tears. It was a mirror reflection of the sky. Her fair face was like the moon seen in the darkness of her room and her eyes were like stars in the midnight waters glistening. For Khushi knew that her days at RM were numbered. After six days, she would be walking out of RM, as Khushi Kumari Gupta. Her love was difficult to be trusted, her future was unknown, her life was in turmoil. With a sinking heart, she wondered what the future held for her and sought the answers from the two stars that were shining brightly, looking at their little daughter who was braving through the world all alone.
"Let go. Why do you cling to pain? There is nothing you can do about the wrongs of yesterday. It is not yours to judge. Why hold on to the very thing which keeps you from hope and love?"
~ Leo Buscaglia
That is why it is titled TURMOIL.
That's it from me. Hope you enjoy it.
Edited by rulama - 12 years ago
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