Epilogue
"Jiji, doesn't it feel like it was just yesterday when we were talking about marrying two brothers and living in the same house even after marriage? And now look at us," Khushi spoke out loud as she and Payal lounged near the poolside. It was a rare night for the two sisters who got a chance to catch up without disturbances from any of the family members. They had decided to stay up after the rest of the family retired for the night, as they awaited their husbands who were set to return from an overseas business trip.
"I know, even after almost a year of you coming into this house, it still seems surreal. But honestly, I couldn't have imagined a better scenario," Payal responded.
She continued, "And so much good has happened in this time. You and Arnavji got married, Di had a healthy baby girl, Bauji is out of that rehab facility and is on his way to a proper recovery, and now this." Khushi saw her elder sister rub her swollen belly and silently thanked her Devi Maiyya for all the blessings that were bestowed on them.
Khushi wanted to add to Payal's list that one of the best things to happen during the past year was that Shyam had been officially tried for all the charges that were pressed against him and was sentenced to life in jail; effectively taking him out of their lives for good. After his initial arrest, many more witnesses sprung up providing proof of additional misdeeds; her own Bauji used the first opportunity he got after he regained some of his speech functionality to pass along what Shyam had done to the authorities. Khushi however held herself from saying it out loud as the mere mention of the man's name would dampen their spirits.
Trying to get her thoughts away from the vile man, Khushi reminisced back to the happy thoughts from the year that passed and couldn't help but smile at the memories of her life post-marriage, especially the time she spent with Arnav.
***
They had started off their marriage with a blissful honeymoon when Arnav whisked Khushi off on a private plane to a destination which was a surprise to her until the plane landed. She saw the snow tipped mountain tops when it seemed their flight was coming to an end but was not aware of where they could be. Being a novice flyer, she had no idea how to figure out where they were going from taking into consideration the length of the flight or how the time zones changed. In addition, Arnav had made sure neither the pilots nor the flight attendants on board made a mention of their final destination and also ensured that the map feature on the aircraft was turned off. Khushi hadn't lied when she told Arnav that she wanted him to pick their honeymoon location because it really didn't matter to her where they would go, but the anticipation was getting to her as she sat on the plane, cuddled up next to her husband. How she loved calling him that!
"Arnavji, you have to tell me now where we are going," Khushi pleaded as she felt the plane making its descent.
"What's the point of a surprise if you can't wait for it until the very end," Arnav retorted. He didn't really mind telling Khushi about where they were heading off to, but making her plead had its advantages; she was tempting him to spill the truth with her not so innocent grazes and kisses, which only got bolder as the flight continued. Spending the time before they had to leave for the airport confined in the privacy of their bedroom enabled Khushi to feel more comfortable with their newfound intimacy.
"Anyway, didn't you tell me during our engagement process that intezar ka phal meetha hain?" Only he knew how much truth those words held after enduring an engagement period that had felt much longer than the month it was and he made sure to make her aware of it.
"It's just not fair though," Khushi pouted. "I see a little bit of white snow down below, and you didn't even give me any notice to pack for this climate."
"I told you, I have it all covered." Then raising his eyebrows suggestively, he gave her a smirk that disarmed her completely before moving closer to whisper in her ear, "Not that you will need much of anything on this trip anyway." Moving his head away from her, he waited for the all too familiar blush that would soon crop up on her face and neck as she made sense of his words and as predicted, it came immediately.
Pulling up in a stretch limousine, Khushi gawked at the castle-like structure in front of her as Arnav helped her step out of the vehicle. She definitely was not expecting the scene that was now in front of her when Arnav had told her just as they landed that they were in Canada. At first, she was surprised at being taken to a city called Calgary as she thought Arnav would pick some place more romantic, maybe an island or something along those lines. After taking in the first scene of the city outside the airport, she was literally shocked that her Arnavji would choose this destination. But after getting out of the limo and setting her sights on the majestic view, it made complete sense to her, and she could not be happier with his choice.
Arnav had long heard of a nature's paradise nestled in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, but had never had the privilege to visit due to his hectic work life. When the opportunity of selecting a honeymoon location presented itself, his mind diverted from the tropical islands that seemed like the popular choice for a honeymoon destination and thought back to the pictures he had seen of the majestic Lake Louise, which was situated in the Banff National Park. The pristine turquoise-blue water had beckoned him in the past, and now he knew that it would be the perfect place for a getaway. They would be able to enjoy light activities around the lake and the surrounding mountains, but the romantic and luxurious ambiance of the Fairmount Chateau Lake Louise would help them achieve the ultimate honeymoon experience.
Khushi was in awe as she saw the sparkling blue water surrounded by snow-tipped mountains, creating the most picturesque of settings; the view from their suite looked straight out of a postcard. And this looked even better than the Swiss Alps that the Bollywood stars pranced around on in some of her favorite movies. Feeling a pair of masculine arms wrap around her waist from behind, she leaned back into Arnav's chest, enjoying the serenity of the outside world added with the sensation of being in her husband's arms.
"Do you like it," he murmured huskily in her ears, nipping her left earlobe slightly, setting the mood for what was to come.
"Mmmhh." Arnav didn't know if it was in agreement to his question or a reaction to his ministrations, but chose to believe the latter so he could proceed to start off their honeymoon in the right way. Trailing his lips from below her ear to her delicate jawline, he gently kissed and nipped the sensitive areas of her smooth skin, eliciting moans of pleasure from her. Continuing the assault on her senses as his lips made their way down towards her neck and shoulder area, Arnav used his hands to discard Khushi of her clothes, unwrapping each layer with an urgent need. Turning her around, Arnav pressed his body hard against Khushi, making her aware of his strong desire for her. She immediately took the task of unbuttoning his shirt on shaky limbs as he kissed her passionately, burning her with his hot touches. With the barriers removed completely, Arnav picked up Khushi in his strong arms to take her to the plush bed that centered the bedroom, the one area in which he hoped to spend the most time during their two week journey. Cheers to a propitious beginning, Arnav quickly thought to himself before covering Khushi's supple body with his hard one, entwining their bodies in the most intimate of ways, ultimately sending shots of pleasure to both as they chose the most primal way to showcase their love for one another.
A long while later, as they basked in the afterglow of their passionate lovemaking, Khushi rested her head on Arnav's chest, stroking whatever skin she would get her hands on sensuously. "Arnavji, why do I have a feeling you don't plan on us getting out of this bed too much?"
"Because I don't," he replied dryly.
Slapping his chest playfully, Khushi raised herself on her elbows and looked down at Arnav, "This is my first time abroad, and from what I have seen so far, I know that I want to explore every part of this natural wonderland. So you can't deny me."
"Trust me, I will not deny you of any pleasures here," Arnav huskily murmured as he pulled Khushi on top of him. He went on to show her how much he meant his words.
Khushi finally convinced Arnav to leave their room on their third day as she wanted to explore the lake and its surroundings. After getting a full breakdown from the concierge, they chose the activities that excited Khushi the most; Arnav was open to whatever she wanted to do as long as it brought a smile to her face. He couldn't believe it himself but just a simple expression from her was enough to make him want to do anything.
Partaking in activities such as hiking, canoeing on the lake, couples massages, travelling to nearby Peyto Lake, Moraine Lake and the infamous glacier, which were all equally as stunning as Lake Louise and even a round of horseback riding on the mountains, Arnav and Khushi enjoyed their days in the beautiful area. The outdoor activities were of course second priority to the main one taking place inside their hotel room.
Apart from enjoying all that nature had to offer and relishing in their passionate moments, one of the best parts of their honeymoon was that there were no interruptions from any family members. They kept in brief contact on the phone with their relatives back home, but other than that, Arnav and Khushi got to enjoy two weeks of uninterrupted, wedded bliss.
On their last day in Canada, Khushi moped around the room while packing her belongings. She was definitely sad that the end of their honeymoon had come so soon. To placate his disappointed wife, Arnav offered her more getaways in the near future as well as promising her that they would continue their honeymoon phase even after they returned home, earning a scandalous look from Khushi. How could they possibly do the things they did during their brief sojourn in the same house as all the Raizada's, she wondered to herself. Although her thoughts were unspoken, Arnav understood her sentiments from her vivid facial expressions. He reassured her as best he could, "Trust me Khushi, we can do anything we want, any time and definitely any place." He upheld the promise, especially taking advantage of the times when the family vacated the house for longs hours at end for satsangs and pooja's.
***
"Khushi, why are sitting with that dreamy expression on your face? Something is definitely cooking in that crazy brain of yours." Payal's words brought Khushi out of her reverie.
"Jiji, let me help you to your room. I don't want you to catch a cold out here if we sit too long." She ignored Payal's jibe and tried to change the topic. Even though she and Payal were close, there were some things one just did not mention in front of their Jiji.
"Always the drama queen," Payal admonished. "Also, I'm not sick, I'm just pregnant," she clarified, drilling home the point that she did not appreciate being treated like a sick patient from anyone, especially not from her baby sister.
"I can't have Jiju accuse me of anything while he was away. It's my job to take care of you." Khushi was ecstatic at the thought of becoming a Maasi for the first time. She was already enjoying the role of being a Mami to Anjali's daughter and was looking forward to having the second child in the house soon.
"Get pregnant yourself and only then you will know how annoying it is for people to treat you like you can't even lift a cup," Payal stated exasperatedly.
"Jiji!"
Khushi didn't have an adequate response to Payal's comment. She didn't want to tell her sister that she and Arnav were not planning on having kids for a few years, as it would sure create a ruckus within her traditional minded family. They had decided together that they wanted to enjoy their life as a couple for a few years before starting a family. They openly talked about wanting children but it was something they wanted to do in the future. Arnav was busy as ever with AR Group, whereas Khushi had just started a new job working for an event management firm. She had continued to work at AR Group for a couple of months after marriage, but it became unbearable when most employees treated her as Mrs. Raizada, the wife of their strict boss, instead of Khushi, their affable coworker. Arnav tried to persuade her to stick around for his own selfish reasons, but she stuck to her guns and made the final decision to look for a new job. Having the experience of working at a reputable firm such as AR Group helped her in procuring her new job and she was ecstatic that she was going to work primarily for wedding events; she realized what a help her own wedding planners were to her and wanted to offer the same support to other brides and grooms.
Arnav walked home and rushed to his bedroom, ignoring Hari Prakash's comment about having his food ready in the kitchen. After a week away from home, all he wanted to do was see his wife and take her in his arms. It was the longest he had been away from her; the brief separation had been tough on him even though they were constantly in contact. Unfortunately, he was welcomed with the sight of a Khushi dozed off in a seating position on their bed with a magazine in her hands. Guessing that she fell asleep while waiting for him, Arnav felt a warmth creep through him thinking that with Khushi in his life, there would always be someone waiting for him at home. Gently moving Khushi into a more comfortable sleeping position, Arnav went to take a shower to clean the grime off from the long airline flight. Emerging from the shower, Arnav slipped into bed, pulling Khushi's lithe body towards him while wrapping his arms around her waist tightly, only to fall into a deep slumber.
Feeling warm breath fan his neck as he stirred awake from his sleep, Arnav felt a slight weight settle over him. Opening his eyes slightly to block the harsh rays of the sun that were penetrating into the room, he saw the glorious sight of his wife straddling him while placing kisses all over his neck.
Arnav loved the sensual side of Khushi; she was everything in bed that she was in real life: bold, outgoing, playful, coy, innocent and adventurous, all mixed in one. And she was someone who put her all into their passionate moments, something Arnav loved. Going to sleep and waking up with this woman on a daily basis had definitely been a dream come true.
"Wow, it's good to know somebody missed me while I was away."
"Why didn't you wake me up last night?" She pouted even as she continued the sensual assault by moving her hands inside his shirt, scratching her nails slightly over his chest.
"I wanted to, so badly, but I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I disrupted your sleep, you looked too comfortable."
"I don't care about comfort, I wanted to see you. I missed you more than you can imagine," she murmured honestly.
"I missed you too. Next time, you are coming with me."
Lifting herself on him slightly, Khushi became serious, "You know I can't take too much time off work since I just recently started."
"You sure you don't want to work with me anymore? You can always come back. And you know there are certain perks available only to you exclusively at AR."
"Really? Such as?" Khushi played along as she understood his insinuation.
"Such as..." he left the words unfinished as he raised his hands to slide the silky negligee off her shoulders before flipping her over to finish what she had started.
Showing up late for breakfast, they were welcomed by their rambunctious family. Akash was fawning over Payal, Mami was upset with Mama that he wasn't treating her in the same manner Akash was treating his wife, Anjali was fussing over the new "Choti" in her life while Nani was busy feeding Lakshmi and taking care of the goats needs.
"Is this normal?" Arnav leaned over to ask Khushi.
She laughed at the bewildered expression on his face. "For our family, yes! But I wouldn't have it any other away."
"Me neither," Arnav remarked as he took Khushi's hand to lead her to the dining table.
For Khushi, the Raizada's had become her family; she accepted and loved them wholeheartedly, just as much as she did her own Amma, Bauji and Buaji. Looking at her loved ones surrounding her, Khushi couldn't help but be eternally grateful to the Goddess who opened her and Arnav's eyes about their feelings for one another.
Arnav saw his wife with a dreamy expression on her face and smirked. With the rest of the family members around them preoccupied, he quickly placed a peck on Khushi's cheek, bringing her out of her trance.
"Tum theek ho?" He whispered huskily for her ears only.
Entwining their hands under the table, Khushi smiled and assured her husband, "Yes, as long as you are with me."
"Always!"
"Hamesha."
Fin
Please check out the note in the next post! Edited by A_BA - 11 years ago
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