ArHi FF : Beauty & The Beast#2 [Thread 3 Link on Pg 148]

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Posted: 11 years ago

#441

SWEETYHEART ITS

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cupcake1234

@cupcake1234

Explorer

Posted: 11 years ago

#442

Aww, that was so cute of Adithya to bring Rocco to make his buddy feel better...

Arnav's failed attempts at making jalebis was fun to read.Oh well at least after many burnt jalebi's he learnt how to make them properly in the end😆

It seems that Kushi is becoming more and more comfortable with their close proximity, and her initiating kissing his cheeks was some progress on her part considering their past...

"Making jalebis is a lot like living life, sometimes."... come to think of it , it's so true...,how do you come up with these analogies...I would never have thought of something like that lol. So amidst the cooking lesson there was a life lesson as well huh..

If they hadn't laughed it off, Arnav tending to kushi's cut in the wrong hand situation would have turned more awkward😆

Oh wow Arnav ended up getting two cheek kisses from Kushi in one day!😳

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musicfan5

@musicfan5

Dazzler

+ 2

Posted: 11 years ago

#443

Awesome update...

Khushi found out that he too suffered a lot and is in agony over what he did...

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Katie

@love_iqbal_khan

Rocker

+ 6

Posted: 11 years ago

#444

Originally posted by: swatim318
u wont believe what happened today.. yeah so i was reading the part where khushi was thinking abt arnav in the kitchen in the morning.. and i was crying.. and suddenly my hubby wakes up next to me (oh because it was 6 in the morning when i was reading ur story), he saw me crying and freaked out..😆 like literally... and when i told him the reason, he freaked out EVEN more.. 🤣. he was like how can u be soo stupid and cry over a damn story. .AND that was the start of our morning fight.. rest is history...
Oh no! I hope you two kissed and made up.😉 I would hate to be the reason for a fight between a husband and wife...I'm already guilty of creating such a rift between Arnav and Khushi in B&B...lol Tell your hubby "the crazy girl who writes the story that made me cry said sorry!"😳

neways coming to update...

this update yet again had everything.. I actually Salute khushi's patience.. she always gives space to arnav whenever he is in any awkward situation..

She has matured into a wise woman! hehe...and you know how they say that a good couple if supposed to complete each other...Arnav's the impatient one and Khushi's a mountain of patience! But I should warn you...that patience may run out soon.😉

loved how khushi eased out his awkwardness by making him cook.. n BTW reading ur (Arnav's) description of how De-stressing jalebi making is.. i am actually planning to try this out in real when i need one...

Hahaha...trust me...only in the show and in the FFs its de-stressing. I tried to make jalebis liike four times after seeing Khushi's repeated addiction to it in the show and I failed every time. I felt so frustrated with it!

yeeeiii Arnav got the healing kiss... NOT one but TWO.. doing the chandler dance..

Yeappp😉

awww, anjali noticed the little gestures between Arhi.. but stupid girl not paying attention to aman's efforts or IS SHE??

Is she??😉😛 *hint hint*

i wish one day comes when arnav WANTS to stay at khushi's without any fear..

Dont worry Baccha...Katie Maiyya will grant your wish!😉😆

i adored the update...

Thank you!😃

wish to see more of Arhi's cute moments...

Coming up in a couple of parts!😳

thanks for pm...

Originally posted by: AnjuRish
i want them to be caught kissing each other ...smooching actually by the kids :)

super update its true if kushi knew abt nightmares he would have got a chance out of pity ...now he had earned it

nothing sweeter than what is earned due to hardwork

Haila! And how would they get out of that situation?? but I have added your suggestion to the list! Keep your eyes open for when it pops up in a random part!😆 and you're absolutely right...nothing is sweeter than what is earned due to hardwork!

Originally posted by: arnshi
Fantasitc ...love their progress...both are sensibly handling the situation...and the junior ASRs are just too cute.

Thanks! yeah, they're both trying to handle the situation to their best of abilities...Junior ASRs will keep doing things to, albeit unintentionally, bring their parents closer.😉

Originally posted by: Arnav1Khushi
nice story. read all the chapters in one way. their relationship is moving forward n glad he earned her trust . please pm me ur updates

Thanks! Welcome on board!😃 I promise, we're friendly people!😆 yeap, movingly slowly but its moving. hehe. I will gladly PM you when I update! 😊

Originally posted by: frenzyy
he earned the respect and they are progressing.. true knowing khushi she wud have given in due to pity earlier but not now! awsum update

Thank you. 😊Yeap...she gave him the chance because she wanted to. Somewhere deep down, she wants her marriage to succeed despite the past.

Originally posted by: Arilip
Beautiful update... Loved the healing kisses 😉...
More I am reading the updates, more I want to thank the writer who has opened ur eyes to our plight⭐️...

As I started reading n stalking this ff from when u had started

Thanks! I think we all loved the healing kisses.😉😆 thank the write who opened my eyes?? I'm a tad bit confused...please explain? hehe..

Originally posted by: Asrkkgsr
nice part.hope khushi will find out full secret about arnavs nightmare.anjali and aman make a lovely couple.please include raizada family life also

Thanks! She will definitely figure out the full secret of his nightmares...and he'll be the one to tell her the whole truth but its not the time yet.😊 Sure, I can add a small glimpse of the Raizada family life to show how its changed😳

Originally posted by: ifsaal044
I am so glad you decided to continue with the current pace. I for one would like the kids to ask about their dad again in front of Buddy or at least in his presence. How would Khushi react or respond?

Thank you! I'm glad I decided to stick with this pace too...😳 Ahh...its like you read my mind or got a glimpse into one of my files. 😛 What you have suggested is already a part of one of the upcoming chapters...we're on the same wavelength here.😉

Originally posted by: aayt
amazing one
khushi's behavior is very sensible n mature
she didn't even once tried to forced him for anything always waited him to come to her willingly to share what he wants n same thing happened with nightmares she let him decide if he wants to share or not at the same time felt bad for him tried to make him relax with her magic kiss ☺️
jalabi making was very cute also thoughtful from khushi's part
n yes Arnav earned this chance didn't get out of pity
loved it

Thank you! Khushi has always understood his silence and his guards...she always gives him the time he needs...though she wants to know about the nightmares, she isnt going to put him on the spot knowing that its something he doesnt want to discuss. She just gave him a healing kiss and also, through the gesture, indicated that she understood him and wont be asking any questions.

Originally posted by: badfaith4u
That's progress
Arnav is taking baby steps which is good
The cooking lesson was a good idea of Khushi's to get his mind over the nightmares

Aman and Anjali seem to be coming along nicely

Progress will be the word most used for the next few updates.😉 Arnav is taking baby steps and so is Khushi...its just that Khushi gains her balance quickly and takes the next step before he does.😛

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Katie

@love_iqbal_khan

Rocker

+ 6

Posted: 11 years ago

#445

Originally posted by: SAM32
u gave a long long update yet when it came to an end i was like ... it ended!! oh too soon :-D :-P

Hahaha...thanks?😆 I normally write 5 pages on word...I think the last update was 7-8ish.😉

Originally posted by: gifttag
Wonderful update and I loved it.
I absolutely loved the mature way Khushi handled this particular situation and if I was in her place I would have done the same..she gave the needed space to Arnav and tried to help him in that way.
Thanks! yeap, in these situations, its best not to probe...especially when you know that the person you wanna question is utterly agonized and broken.

He must have been overwhelmed with all the attention and love he hit from his small lovely family and not to forget the kisses and that too voluntarily given, shows the beginning to trust being put in him and he knows it too and is determined not to abuse it as a lot is at stake the first and foremost his sanity.

He is definitely overwhelmed and that's why the guilt weighs even heavier, right? despite all that he's done, he's gotten lucky enough to get love and affection and utter care from Khushi, and their kids. it makes him feel even worse about the whole thing. Now he's absolutely hell bent on not messing it up...but would his being too cautious piss her off eventually?

Arnav has such delightful kids and they love him unconditionally..trying their best support their buddy to get over 'bad dream'.

Yeah...the kids love their buddy...hope that the love stays once they find out who he is...

Love the way story is progressing and the pace.
Please continue soon.
Thanks for the PM.

Originally posted by: cookie-lover
Oh it evoke so many emotions... happiness,mischief, and the heart wrenching agony of Arnav...
But said that i think its high time to make Khushi know what her departure had made Arnav into... that is to make her completely aware of his nightmares...
I loved how you portray slow but steady progress be it her giving him a kiss or him collecting courage to hug on his own..
update soonish...

Thank you! Khushi will find out in bits what her departure has done...this was the first real glimpse of it...Knowing Arnav, he won't spill the beans of what he's been up to in the last five years, someone else is going to have to do that for him...who will it be?? hehe. The slow and steady progress will come to an abrupt halt at one point unfortunately, and Arnav-Khushi will have to face their own demons to overcome that hurdle.

Originally posted by: MadihaH8
So I came across this story today and have spent, no word of a lie, the past 5 hours reading the entire thing in one go. I've got a mountain of work to do but once I started it I couldn't stop. So, so excellent! I think a writer like you could give the CVs in India a run for their money, this is a TRP topper right here. Cannot wait for the story to progress and Payal, Akash and the rest of the family to find out about Kushi and her kids. And of course for Aman and Anjali to get together ;)

Thanks Madiha! :) 5 hours??😲😲 That's some awesome dedication! I'm flattered!😛 But I'm sorry that my FF made you procrastinate..😆 and OMG that is SUCH a huge compliment! my story a TRP topper???😲 I think you're too generous with your words but nonetheless, I am very touched! All that, the happy days, will happen in due time.😳 Welcome on board, I'm already very glad to have you with us!😆

Originally posted by: JRia
Awesome part Katie..
Would like to know Anjali's past and also more about Aman.. and more about the couple as such as in how they are falling for each other too. Want to know more about Angad and Kripa love story too. abt how they crossed the distances. In one of the earlier parts u had written that Kripa and Khushi talk about all things with each other so u could add it as Khushi thinking of what Kripa had said about Angad and Kripa or Kripa herself sharing about it to Arnav.

Thanks for the awesome part ❤️

Thank you! Anjali's past will be revealed in a bit...Aman, out of all of them probably has the most normal life/past.😆 I decided to have ONE normal character in this ff. 😛 Angad-Kripa's love story is the same as the show...just think of it taking off after Sur was born. Unfortunately, I won't be elaborating on their story too much in this FF...but surely, Khushi and Kripa will have a couple of chats about the situation.😳

Originally posted by: SPraba
Very nice update dear. Loved to see arshi bonding and cant wait to read more. Seems like aman interested in Anjali. Can wait to know anjali's past as well. The kids Amber and Aditya are so cute. They love their buddy a lot. Thanks for the pm dear

Thank you! You'll definitely read more about their bonding and their little advances towards each other. Anjali's past will be narrated in the upcoming few parts.😳

Originally posted by: Asiyamajeed
Hum..!!😛
~~edited~~
katieji wenevr i thought dis is the best chappy i read 2day bt u always amazd me by giving the next bestest one..😃
Amazing simply amazing chapter.!! As usuall brilliantly penned👏👏
Hehe..thank you Asiyaji! And just when I think your comments cant get any better, they do!😉 I absolutely loved how you included pictures in this one!

the startding was heart piercng...u reminded me of dat...helpless pleas of arnavji..😭😭
amby nd adi..cncern for their buddy and ricco...part..dat was sweet gestures of the kids...nd den the group hug...uff.....lovd it..!!

Arnav is so drowned in guilt at this point and at this point, Aditya, Amber, and Khushi are the twigs whose support he needs to resurface and survive.

The whole jalebi making...nd the part whr arnavji droolng over his wife instead of paying attensn to wat khush sayng...was superb...''pay attension'' hehe arnavji..😳..nd khush..☺️
jabeli making is alot like living life smetime...great analogy ji..👏

hehe...I always wanted to add a scene where Khushi is teaching arnav how to make jalebis and I found the perfect opportunity and then as usual, the random analogy just came to my crazy mind!

so missin distract nd cheer up arnavji accmplisd sucesfully...den he askd finnally wat was bothrng him since mrning...'y are'nt u questng me'..😛
nd i did knw khush wnt force him against his wil to share smethng unless nd until he himself do dat...😊

yeap, she's always been an understanding wife so why change now, right? he's already hurting as it is, why add salt to his wounds by asking questions?

and arnavji did earnd it...yipee nd we get wat we wantd nd dat to suprisingly so soon...thanx u katieji..i litteraly jump while readng khush givng kiss...😛

Ahaha...yeah, I was just as happy writing about it! I think everyone's been waiting for the healing kiss for a while now!😉

later dat lunch nd dinner...accmpaind by anjie nd aman...all chattrng nd laughtr..superb..😊
aman nd anjie closness also progresng haan...😉
chalo den biddng adue part...nd dat wrngr fingr of khush gettng special treatmnt frm arnavji...😳😳 hehe..amazng...
Last arnavji head one step nd cmpltd uncmplete hug...nd got one mre kissy...wah wah hogayi arnavji ki toh...😉

Arnavji must be in 7th heaven by now!😆😆😆 Better bring him back down to earth because this is just the beginning...aage aage dekho, hota hai kya. abhi to Arnav ji ke liye ek complication ready rakhi hai Evil katie ne.😛

ab hum arnavji ki taraf se bi chahate hain...😛 yeh...i knw hamara wishes kabi khatm nai hoge...wil be waitng fr this...

Yeh wish puri hogi...lekin thoda intezaar karna padega...abhi abhi to Arnavji ne hugs shuru kiye hai...let the man get used to that first.😆

nd would love to mre abt kids too..😊...jst gne through othrs cmments..one thing i got wat i was also wnderng if evr gnna share the incident/cnvo..which lead him act like beast..???

In part 12, (wayyy back in first thread😆) when Arnav was confessing to Payal about what he's done...Akash and Khushi overheard their conversation...so Khushi already knows that story...but I may have them discuss it at some point.

loved it..❤️❤️

Originally posted by: P4rveen12
Doing the happy dance "balle balle Shava Shava" loved the cute minion dance at the end, I absolutely love the minions.
I figured, from your display pic...hehe...I love the minions too!! *bee-do, bee-do, bee-do*

Don't you dare, I mean dare change the pace of the story it's perfect I love all the moments Arnav and Khushi share and you write them so perfectly also I'm sure the story has got like another 50+ chapters so the pace is fine.

😳Okay...I shall not dare change the pace of the story. Can I come out from my hiding spot now?😆 Sadly, no...it wont have 50+ chapters...maybe 15-20ish more? I'm not sure myself.

You have become a superwoman with the fast updating, I missed reading the teaser lol.

hehe...woot! beat ya to the teaser!😉 That's a first.🤔

Anyways coming to the update it was absolutely amazing and simply beautiful,

Thank you Honey!

Awww loved the way Khushi held on to Arnav as he will still crying from his nightmare such an emotional scene.

Right? isn't it amazing how sometimes the simplest of gestures get the point across the strongest?

The jalebie making part was fabulous and the way Khushi compared the jalebies to real life situation was brilliant, honestly loved the amazing comparison.

Thank you...that's just something my crazy mind cooked up while I was writing about Arnav and Khushi making jalebis.

Khushi asking for a hug was sweet but it's a shame it got disturbed but I love the fact she gave him a lingering kiss.

But he gave her a hug regardless right?😉 and Khushi's kisses for him...uh yes...everyone was waiting quite eagerly for those!😆

Loved all the family moments together especially with Anjali and Aman being present as well,

That will happen a lot in the future...Aman-Anjali-ishan, and our small little Raizada family.😉

Arnav finally hugged Khushi it was such a sweet and tender moment and again Khushi in return kissed him, so beautiful.

Yeap..our Khushiji always one step ahead!😉

Loved the update it was written exceptionally well,

Thank you so much Sarah!

Thanks for the PM,

Eagerly waiting to read the next part xx

Originally posted by: Arnav1Khushi
I m jus wondering would Arnav ever Tell Khushi the incident which made him rape her... The conversation at the bar with his colleagues?

Hey...Khushi already knows about what led him to do what he did...In part 12, when Arnav was confessing to Payal, Khushi and Akash ovevrheard him...so Khushi knows...😳

Originally posted by: rubikjules
Awesme chap 30 katie!!! Loved it!
I'm so sorry I cudnt post my comment earlier..I wsnt keepin well yest n so ws on hibernation mode..
I'm feelin much better today..more so aftr readin this update..!
Thank you Jules! I'm glad you're feeling better! I'm a little under the weather these days too. Winter has started here and the temperature is having a good time teasing us by changing from the negatives to the positives very rapidly...sudden temp changes give me a cold!

I loved d way u have written d nightmare scene..khushi hs handled it so well..she waited for arnav to open up..she supported him emotionally too..aditya's reaction wid ricco ws also very sweet..
D kids adore him n they wil b so happy whn they learn tht their buddy is their father :)

Yeah, that's one of Khushi's many qualities that Arnav absolutely adores...her understanding of his reservations. Kids' reaction when they find out that Buddy is actually Daddy will be something to see, wouldn't it?

Ohh n d jalebi-life analogy ws superb! I doubt even d ipkknd writers wud have thot of it this way or atleast explained it so well bout y khushi makes jalebis whn she's upset..I really hd never thot of it this way..

Hehee...perhaps...only my crazy mind can come with stupid stuff liike that...🤣. It was just my insane take on it but to be honest, in reality, making Jalebis is more stressing than de-stressing!😆

D kitchen scene wid d wrong finger ws also sweet n funny..!
N d kiss!!! Yayyy!!

lol..yeap...the much awaited kiss happens at last!😛

Overall I loved reading d entire update! It made my day much brighter!

Aw, thank you honey! Your comment made my day better too (as usual)😉. I hope you'll be feeling better when you read the next update!😳

Thks katie! :)

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Sarah

@ifsaal044

Voyager

+ 3

Posted: 11 years ago

#446

I see that your responding to all the comments. Hope that means you're going to update soon. Started reading your other work as well. I'm becoming quite the fan.

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Katie

@love_iqbal_khan

Rocker

+ 6

Posted: 11 years ago

#447

Originally posted by: Asiyamajeed
Edited my cmment on 71 page...😊
nd to my uttr suprise it turnd again long..sowwee..😛
i wantd to mentn each nd evrythng i like abt the update bt..stoppd one reasn it already turnd too long nd othr m frm mb...can't take risk to lost wat i already typd na...😉
one more thnk i forget to tell...for banner u already thank zillinth time y again nd again ji...😊
and did i told u r an outstanding writer..??? No na...aap ho katie ji...❤️ ❤️
NOW ZIPPING MY MOUTH...❤️
LOVE..!!
this was the last pic in cmment ji which is'nt shwng up nw..😔don't knw y..!!

LOL Asiyaji! You're too sweet n funny! Long comments are more than welcome, trust me.😉 hehe...and about the banner...aapne recommend kiya aur akorshi ji ne time nikal ke banaya...thanks to kahe ki padi.😉 Aw, thank you Asiyaji!! And I know I've already told you you're a sweetheart!! But I'm saying another thing now: You're a Darling!!! I love you!

Originally posted by: sutapasarbabhom
Vry butiful story u r amazing writer i am crying while reading few update u pick vry sensitive topic before read this ff i think its sum lov story but later realise its concept is totaly diferent at first i hate asr but later i sympathise to him realy apritiate the way u show his redemtion i want this at the show but they disapointed us i am glad that u fulfil our wish at this stage i heartly wish that kushi forgv n accept him and one more thing that i want to apritiate that hw butifuly u show arnav payal n akash kushi bonding aman character is also adorable i hv smal rqst pl dont mk arnav sufer more cant read with more tear dont u think he also sufer too much anyway thanx for this amazing story n thanx for pm looking for read more

Thank you so much! Welcome on board! Yeah, the topic is, indeed, very sensitive and as I've said before...I was really nervous about how people would take it but everyone has been super supportive about it! People's reactions to ASR have been similar to yours...before they hated him but now after seeing his redemption, they've sympathized with him..😳 I don't plan on adding any new sufferings to Arnav's list but for now, he's gotta deal with the guilt... I've added you to the PM list and you'll get an annoying message from me when I update.😆

Originally posted by: j44a
Lovely updates Katie!!
Loved the way how Kushi handled the questions with her kids!
Kushi surprising Arnav everytime with her with her yet so normal behavior with making a step ahead every time thats just awesome!!
Loved it!!!
update soon! =)

Thanks! Khushi will face more questions from her kids...lets see how she handles them then. Khushi, however, will continue surprising ASR...hehe...😉

Originally posted by: xxSassyxx
Good jalebi making analogy to the philosophy of life😊
Once again - Khushi demonstrates insight, compassion and wisdom - she is trying to grow his confidence in their relationship and seeks ways to get him to be less diffident - and is gradually beginning to succeed.

You captured the many different emotions experienced by Arnav really well: heart wrenching grief and regret, embarrassment, growing confidence - enough to tease her about the kiss, Progress indeed.

Thanks for the comments and the pm.

Thank you! Like I've said before, Khushi has come out of this stronger than before, wiser than before...😳 She is the main pillar upon which he's leaning to gather himself and move on...and you're right...her efforts towards their relationship, as well as his, are gradually succeeding. Arnav's progress is slow...but its still good considering the circumstances, right?😉

Originally posted by: -Farwa_Ibrahim-
loved it loved it so much the kisses Khushi's attempt to make him forget the nightmare by teaching him how to make jalebi n everything thing it was an awesome update. ... thank u for updating n pm
p.s love this pace I don't want things to b in rush slow n steady makes the best jalebi so it will b here too lol

Thanks Farwa! Khushi is his guiding light through these dark times!😳 haha..Steady and Slow it shall be then! thanks for your views!😊

Originally posted by: srat
That was a very sweet update, pun intended with the Jalebis, Love how you have created traits in the kids .. Amber hates jalebis !! Adi cannot have enough ;-)) Arnav finally gets another healing kiss that will heal many wounds not just the visible ones..

Will you bring in other characters such as Nani, Payal and Akash to visit Arnav during the separation phase? ..

Thanks! haha...I intended to use that pun in the chapter but it didn't fit well...oh well...next time..😉 Arnav's recent healing kiss will, indeed, begin the healing of more than just that cut on his finger.😳 Nani, Payal, and Akash will make a couple appearances but not physically...

Originally posted by: aquagal
It was really good. The play of emotions very well penned down. From the nightmare to the hug to the healing kiss - it was all amazing.
I agree with Arnav, its better he didn't tell her about this before - that would have been pity.
Jalebi sessions and the kiss was 😳😳
Aman & Anjali are going forward, oh no, its actually Aman right now who is heading forward. For Anjali we'll have to wait. 😛
Kids are so cute. they care for the buddy so much.
Khushi told him that he can hug her when he likes to. They are definitely moving forward.
Thank you for the double healing kisses. ☺️

Thank you so much! Yeap, and I dont think you guys would be happy with me if I made Khushi give him a chance out of sheer pity...lol...is it only Aman??😉 Amby and Adi absolutely LOVE their buddy...lol...lets hope the love stays when/if Buddy becomes Daddy. moving forward will happen up until a point and then at this particular hurdle, both will halt and struggle a bit.

Originally posted by: cupcake1234
Aww, that was so cute of Adithya to bring Rocco to make his buddy feel better...
Arnav's failed attempts at making jalebis was fun to read.Oh well at least after many burnt jalebi's he learnt how to make them properly in the end😆
It seems that Kushi is becoming more and more comfortable with their close proximity, and her initiating kissing his cheeks was some progress on her part considering their past...
"Making jalebis is a lot like living life, sometimes."... come to think of it , it's so true...,how do you come up with these analogies...I would never have thought of something like that lol. So amidst the cooking lesson there was a life lesson as well huh..
If they hadn't laughed it off, Arnav tending to kushi's cut in the wrong hand situation would have turned more awkward😆
Oh wow Arnav ended up getting two cheek kisses from Kushi in one day!😳

Haha..he's a better learner than I am...I've attempted four times and I still cant get the damned shape right! But I shall not give up! Khushi realizes that for him to be able to let go of the guilt, she's gonna have to reassure him about her decision and show him that she truly is comfortable with this...for now. So she's given him the healing kisses and the permission to hug her...that ought to show him where she stands in this situation, eh?

The Jalebi and life analogies...dont even ask..I have no idea how my crazy mind came up with that.😕

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Katie

@love_iqbal_khan

Rocker

+ 6

Posted: 11 years ago

#448

Originally posted by: ifsaal044
I see that your responding to all the comments. Hope that means you're going to update soon. Started reading your other work as well. I'm becoming quite the fan.

Sadly, not yet...I'm still working on the part...maybe another hour or so before I update.. and oohh...which other work did you start reading?

Edited by love_iqbal_khan - 11 years ago

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Sarah

@ifsaal044

Voyager

+ 3

Posted: 11 years ago

#449

Originally posted by: love_iqbal_khan

Sadly, not yet...I'm still working on the part...maybe another hour or so before I update.. and oohh...which other work did you start reading?

Always You. 😳

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Katie

@love_iqbal_khan

Rocker

+ 6

Posted: 11 years ago

#450

Previous Part:

Part 30: One Step Ahead

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/96857486

Part 31: A Woman's Opinion

Khushi's smile faded from her face and she twisted her fingers together as her kids disappeared into the building. Tears of worry rushed into her eyes, separation from Amber and Aditya hitting her like a wall. Then she felt a warm hand cover both of hers and she looked to her side to face Arnav. He wiped her cheeks with his free hand and smiled slightly.

"They'll be fine Khushi...they're going to school, not war." Arnav tried to explain calmly.

Khushi sniffed and blinked rapidly. "I've never left them with strangers...right now, they're surrounded by strangers! What if they need me?"

"Did you see how excited they were? They'll be fine Khushi." Arnav squeezed her shoulder gently.

He hated those damned tears in her eyes. He knew that being away from her kids was difficult for her. He hugged her cautiously, as always, and relaxed when he felt her hugging him back. She had been oddly silent all weekend and especially this morning.

Arnav had spent the weekend at her house again, on Amber and Aditya's request. Sunday night, he prepared to leave but Khushi had taken him by surprise and asked him to stay that night.

"I know I probably make no sense right now but please...if you don't mind staying tonight...please stay."

He looked at her with a stunned expression on his face.

"They start school tomorrow and I'm nervous about it...Besides...as their father...I feel like you should be with them tomorrow. Of course...only if you want to be there."

It was another one of their firsts and he wasn't going to miss out on this one, so he had agreed. They'd had a good week, the four of them. Arnav had ended up being at her house every day for dinner; his after dinner coffee with Khushi and then he had headed home. Friday night they had gone out to an arcade along with Kripa, Angad, and their children. There were meaningful glances exchanged between Kripa and Khushi. Angad had even taken Khushi aside to discuss something with her, though Arnav never asked. He was, however, somewhat sure that their discussion had to do something with him because she'd come back with a blush adorning her milky cheeks.

Saturday, Arnav and Khushi had spent with the kids, deciding to put off their date till a later day. Arnav hadn't been bothered by that in the slightest. He knew that she wanted to spend more time with her kids before they went off to school. Besides, the past week had been more than blissful for Arnav. Khushi had continued with her new greeting style: kissing his cheek. And he had continued with his newly found privilege: hugging her without asking for permission. Every Hello and every good bye, as long as they were alone, started off with him giving her hug, and her kissing his cheek as she pulled away.

Another silver lining was that Khushi hadn't caught him during his nightmares after that one day. The weekdays he had slept at his own house and he was thankful for the bit of distance because that meant she couldn't witness the horror again. On the weekend, when he had woken up, he had looked for Khushi in the room but he never found her. He would sigh in relief and get started with his morning routine. He would never know that both days when he had slept over at her house, Khushi had been standing right outside his door until she heard him scream out her name. Then, with a heavy heart, she would walk away, giving him the space he needed.

The hug they were sharing right now, standing outside the school building was probably the first affectionate gesture they'd shared openly in front of Kripa and Angad. Of course, like Anjali, both Kripa and Angad had noticed the sweet glances and smiles, the gentle and subtle touches on the arm and shoulders. They weren't blind! But seeing them like this made Kripa really happy and she beamed a big smile at Angad.

"I think they'll make it through this just fine." She whispered to him.

"I think so too." Angad whispered back.

"Yeah...but I think I need to have a little talk with Arnav..." Kripa whispered.

"So you noticed it too?" Angad smirked at his wife.

"Obviously...how many times have you hugged me like that?" Kripa rolled her eyes.

"Do you think I should talk to him instead of you...you know...guy to guy kinda thing." Angad suggested.

Kripa shook her head and looked at Arnav. "He needs a woman's point of view on this..."

Arnav caught Kripa's eyes and she wiggled her eyebrows at him teasingly. Arnav rolled his eyes and patted Khushi's back.

"We have audience." He murmured.

Khushi's cheeks burned red as she slowly pulled away.

"Thank you." She said quietly, wiping her face one more time.

Kripa stepped up and gave her a quick hug too.

"It happens Khushi...remember how badly I was crying when Sur started school?"

Khushi frowned. "You were crying because she was crying..."

Kripa shrugged. "That's irrelevant...the point is, most moms cry when their babies start school. Likes it's a rite of passage that we can't miss out on or something."

Kripa joked and Khushi smiled back. The two couples got into their respective cars and started driving towards the orphanage.

Once there, as Arnav had assumed, Khushi got somewhat distracted by work and by lunch time, she seemed more herself compared to this morning. The orphanage was oddly quiet and Arnav found himself getting bored at his desk. Khushi was in a meeting with a couple who wanted to adopt a young boy. Arnav sat there, trying to think of what to do for their next date. He seemed to be doing that a lot and every time he just came up with the same old thing: A nice dinner. He groaned in frustration precisely the moment Kripa walked up to his desk.

"I'm sorry to have upset you with my visit." Kripa teased.

Arnav's head snapped up to look at her. "Oh...I'm...I'm sorry...I didn't see you."

"Do you see anyone apart from Khushi these days?" Kripa raised an eyebrow.

Arnav bit his bottom lip to keep from grinning. "What's up?"

"How long till her meeting is done?" Kripa jerked her head towards the closed door of Khushi's cabin.

"Another 15 minutes." Arnav answered immediately.

"I just came to invite you two to join Angad and me for lunch. As far as I know of her schedule, it's pretty much free all afternoon. It's become really quiet here without the kids..." Kripa looked out the window to see an empty field which would be otherwise filled with a group of children running around and playing.

"I'll let her know." Arnav eyed her for a moment. "Anything up?"

Kripa raised both her eyebrows. "No. Should there be anything up?"

Arnav shrugged. "Just wondering why you've invited us for lunch..."

"we haven't really spent much time together since Angad's aunt had the attack...partly your fault...you always have her out with you!" Kripa accused teasingly.

Arnav smiled and looked at the desk. "And that's a bad thing?"

Kripa chuckled. "Of course not. How's it going with her, by the way?"

Arnav tilted his head to the side and looked at her. "As if you already don't know. I'm sure you've heard everything from her...you know...women love talking."

Kripa rolled her eyes. "Of course I know her side of things. I was asking about you. You're my friend too, you know. How are you feeling about all of this?"

"I think it's going well...I mean...she's agreeing to go out with me...on Amber and Aditya's request, she's let me stay the night at her place...she seems to be okay with this." He looked at the door with a small frown on his face.

Kripa's jaw dropped. She was appalled. "Okay?? Okay with this? Arnav...you have got to open your eyes and ears! From what I can see and from what she has told me...I think she's more than just okay with this. I know what you're doing. Angad did this too. Stop letting your guilt get in the way. It's one thing if it keeps you in check of your actions and completely another if it keeps you from expressing yourself."

Arnav looked at her with raised eyebrows as she pulled a chair from the waiting area to next to his and took a seat.

"Arnav...you need to talk to her openly. I know you've always been a man of a few words but in critical situations like these, you have to verbalize your feelings and your fears. Just like she does. Open communication is very important. Don't let guilt cloud that...may it be your body language or your verbal speech. See...Angad wouldn't hug me...let alone that...he wouldn't touch me in any physical way without asking every single time."

Arnav stilled. That fact was starkly familiar. Isn't that what he did?

"And don't get me wrong...the first few days; I was awed that he respected my space so much. When I felt comfortable, I started giving him hugs and he would still not initiate anything...at one point, it got very frustrating and I had to just ask him to stop doing that." Kripa explained further.

Arnav swallowed. Damn it. This was too familiar.

"And as if that wasn't bad...he followed suit with ever little step...holding hands, intimate hugs, kisses, you name it!" Kripa rolled her eyes dramatically.

Arnav's heart flipped at the mention of kisses. His mind automatically whipped through a number of images of Khushi kissing his cheek.

"And I understand why he did that...I understand that he was afraid of hurting me again or crossing some boundary...but you see...after a certain comfort level is reached, verbal permission is almost offensive." Kripa paused to gauge his reaction. He looked confused so she went on. "I'm not saying you just go ahead and do what you feel like but there's better ways of seeking permission. I saw it this morning. The way you hugged her. You were tensed until she hugged you back. If I sensed it being a spectator, trust me, she definitely noticed it."

Arnav wasn't sure where Kripa was going with this. He had hugged Khushi without asking for permission.

"You need to feel more comfortable and confident around her. How do you expect her to trust you if you can't trust yourself? A hint of confidence in men is attractive. Not over-confidence...that's a turn off. Shoe confidence in different ways...you know...if you know she's okay with you hugging her; hug her without being as stiff as a board. If you know she's okay with you holding her hand, reach out with confidence and take it. Khushi is very expressive...through her words and her body language. Trust me, she'll make it clear if you do something and it makes her uncomfortable."

"What exactly are you trying to say, Kripa?" Arnav cut in at last to stop her from beating around the bush more.

"I'm trying to say that she senses your nervousness and lack of confidence and even though she is alright with it now, later on, it will hold her back because she'll worry about making you uncomfortable. You've given her the liberty to choose the intimacy level she feels comfortable at...and that's good...but once you know where she has set the level...you have to make sure you're there too. You can't lag behind. It has to be equal give and take." Kripa paused again as she saw him considering everything she'd said.

Before either of them had the chance to say anything more, the door to Khushi's cabin opened and a happy looking couple stepped out. They bid Arnav goodbye after booking their next appointment and left. Khushi stepped out and was slightly surprised to see Kripa there.

"I came to invite you two for lunch...since all of us are pretty much free this afternoon; I thought we should catch up." Kripa suggested with a smile.

Khushi agreed and the three went to join Angad, who was waiting very impatiently.

That afternoon, Khushi fidgeted with her hands in the passenger seat of Arnav's SUV as he drove towards the school. Khushi was anxious to know how her twins' first day at school been. Would they step out smiling because they had had an amazing day or would they step out tearful because they missed their mom? Arnav's quietness wasn't helping either. He seemed to be lost in thoughts and Khushi didn't bother to snap him out of whatever inner monologue he was having.

Within minutes, they were parked and waiting for Amber and Aditya to step out along with Angad and Kripa who waited for Prateek and Sur. Khushi held her breath as the bell rang. A few minutes later, she saw, much to her relief, an ecstatic looking Aditya and a happy looking Amber step out of the crowd of Kids. Khushi walked up to them, beaming a smile herself, as if she'd seen her children after ages. She kneeled and both kids hugged her. As she stood up, they noticed their buddy standing against the car, with his arms crossed across his chest as he smiled at the scenario in front of him. The twins immediately ran to him and greeted him the same way they had greeted Khushi.

Most of their drive home consisted of the twins filling in Arnav and Khushi on their first day at school. They gushed about their teacher who seemed to be a sweet lady from the way the kids talked about her. Khushi had obviously met her and had liked her instantly but finding that the kids loved her too was a relief.

The kids busied themselves with some drawing the teacher had asked them to make while Khushi got started on the dinner. She was very aware of a set of eyes that followed her around the kitchen from the dining table.

Stupid Laad governor. He's been so damned quiet since lunch time. And what's with these weird looks? What's going through his mind? I thought he was supposed to be approving some designs for AR. He sure as hell wasn't going to approve anything if he didn't look at the screen. Just turn to look at him and he'll look away like he does every time. As if I'm going to kill him by looking at him. Sigh. I wish he would say what was on his mind for a change. His silence is so scary sometimes. It's so obvious something's going through his mind! Shut up Khushi and focus on the stupid pasta.

She continued cooking, trying to avoid the feel of the eyes on her.

Dinner, as usual, was a cheerful event. The kids were tired from their day at school and went to sleep early after dinner. Khushi and Arnav found themselves sitting on the bench by the rose bush instead of the couch. Arnav looked at a patch of lilies across from them as he continued to think about something.

"Are you okay?" Khushi asked, sounding concerned.

Arnav looked at her with a start. Crap. Has she been saying something to him?

"W-what?" Arnav stammered.

"I asked if you were okay...you've been quiet since lunch time."

"I was just thinking about us..." He replied, looking into the mug of coffee.

"Oh..." was Khushi's reply.

"Aren't you going to ask what I was thinking?" He said teasingly, wanting her to ask. He'd thought all day about Kripa's advice and had realized how correct she was. He'd made a resolution: he was going to follow her advice.

Khushi, in response to his question, smiled slightly. "Would you really tell me if I asked?"

"Maybe. But you'd have to try and ask." He looked at her with a glint in his eyes. He didn't miss the surprise that flickered across hers.

"What were you thinking...about us?" Khushi asked.

Arnav smiled sadly. "I was thinking how one decision can change the course of your life...my decision to not listen to you that day and go in for that meeting changed our lives...it changed everything...and my decision to come here to adopt a child changed our lives again...all it takes is one decision...I'd never really given much thought to how many lives could be connected to an individual's decision..."

A few seconds later, Khushi spoke up. "You're right...sometimes one decision is all it takes..."

He looked at her. He had the feeling that her answer wasn't referring to either of the decisions he'd referred to. He was sure, in the next instant, when he felt her free hand take hold of his, that she was talking about her decision to give their relationship a chance. The confidence she had in her decision only made him more confident about his resolution.

An hour later, when they stood at the doorway, bidding goodbye, Arnav took the first step for the sake of his new decision. He didn't stand as stiff as a board. He had easily wrapped his arms around her snugly and had immediately felt the difference in her response. He could feel her smile against his shoulder, her grip around him was tighter than usual. This felt different. It was more liberating, more welcoming. It felt as if nothing had gone wrong in their lives, it felt as if everything was absolutely normal. Life was all sunshine, rainbows, and flowers. The grey clouds which tended to hover around him had suddenly disappeared.

As they pulled apart, Khushi placed a lingering kiss on his left cheek, her arms still halfway around his torso. She looked at him with crimson cheeks and glittering eyes, a serene smile tugging at her lips.

"Goodnight Arnav." Her sweet breath fanned his face and then she took a step back.

His mind vaguely registered that his hands were still resting on her waist. "Good night Khushi."

But neither moved another inch for what seemed like a long minute. Then Arnav had reluctantly let go of a smiling Khushi and had walked to his car. He'd turned to look at her once before he got into the car and had found her smiling widely at him. With a quick exchange of waves, he had driven away, leaving a gushing Khushi behind.

Next Part:

Part 32: Hope, Dream, and An Accusation

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/97381001

And There it is my lovelies! Thank you for your wonderful comments on the previous chapter! I hope you guys liked this one...I know...not too much happened but this piece of advice from Kripa was necessary...now next part is pretty much dedicated to ArHi...lots of Arnav Khushi moments...I might send the twins away on a trip or something...haha...just kidding...

Back to the drill of comment/like/suggest/PM😉 I'm off to send PMs too!

Love,

Katie <3

Edited by love_iqbal_khan - 11 years ago

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