Part 7:
Avenging Angel will give you more context about the Arhi story if you are interested.
The way Shlok from IPK 2 is referred here comes from my only IPK 2 FF: War Path. If interested...
Sanam and Aahil looked out their respective windows as the car made its long way from Lucknow airport to the Palace of Awad (Khushi's uncle is the Nawab).
They hardly talked the entire flight. They hardly talked now.
Aahil was more used to the heavy cloud of doom around him now. There was no mystery or confusion between him and Sanam anymore. All was said and done. Now, he would have to live with her decision forever.
Sanam looked out as the greenery blurred past. Yes, he was bidding his time for the divorce. All because she had thrown a few mean words at him when he had the gall to talk to Nidha about being "what they always were to each other." That was the extent of his love - broken on the first test of it. Now he wanted out. He would barely talk to her now that there was no self-interest involved.
She looked down at the orange-pink anarkali Aahil had bought her. He was expecting her to put up and act for his cousins. Act the happy couple giving each other gifts and what not, all while knowing that their marriage was going to go up in flames soon. What had he said? As soon as Badi Ammi is doing better. As soon as she was able to take the news. A painful pang went through Sanam's chest at the thought of being thrown away like this. What had she done in her need for money? Made herself into a pawn for a rich family who only wanted to secure the trust fund.
Sanam's sniffling made Aahil look around reluctantly. He was working hard not to look all day. She was looking breathtaking in that orange-pink thing. Everyone on the plane was staring at his beautiful wife. But he had to deny himself.
What was the point of taking in what was denied to him? He knew she was lovely. Her creamy skin practically glowed in that dress. He had a glance when she fell asleep on his shoulder.
Now she was weeping tears.
Aahil, gruffly: What is it?
She burst into a full blown, pitiful cry.
Aahil resisted the urge to side near her.
Aahil awkwardly: What are you crying now? We will be there any moment.
Sanam snapped: Yes, God forbid they see your latest posession is anything less that perfectly happy to be in your presence!
Aahil handed her some tissue which she used to roughly swipe at her brimming eyes.
Aahil: Don't! (More softly now) Don't...do that.
Sanam smarted: What do you care!?
She blew her nose hard.
Aahil looked out his window again.
The Nawab
The Nawab himself welcomed them as they were dropped off at the front gates. He took in their appearance quietly. Aahil was stoic in a blue sherwani. His complementing wife was in an orange-pink dress, accompanied with swollen pink nose and eyes.
Imad came up from behind: Trouble in paradise.
Nawab Ziyad nodded: Careful now, they are coming up.
The two of them were welcomed warmly. Sanam pulled Anisha's cheeks and wished her a happy birthday. The little princess had a cotton candy dress on and was eating cotton candy too. Eating less and putting more on her dad's hair.
Imad pulled another cloud of cotton candy from his well-made hair.
Aahil forced a smile: Nice hair Imad.
Imad laughed: It's her day, she gets to have whatever she wants today.
Inside...
Aahil and Sanam congratulated Anjali who met them in the hall. The hall was buzzing with people. Everything was decorated in a child's birthday theme and the place was all excitement. It somehow made their inner silence worse.
Aahil: Where is Arnav?
Anjali: Khushi and Arnav are by the chocolate fountain there. Sanam, welcome! Thank you both so much for coming. You guy go join Chotte and Khushi, I will catch up. Have fun, okay? I have to get this cotton candy off my daughter's hands. This is all Imad's doing, who told him to get her cotton candy? Now we might have to cut his hair to get all that off...(she walked away worried).
Aahil ushered Sanam in that direction. Neither Khushi nor Arnav were looking in their direction. There were too caught up in something.
Khushi scanned the room full of people: I wonder who will benefit from my match-making next. So many prospects...
Arnav rolled his eyes: Khushi, please. Leave these poor people aloneee (he groaned)!
Khushi puffed her cheeks: What do you mean leave them alone!? People NEED my help, Arnav. Look, I listened to you and did not get involved between Shlok and Aastha even though we could all see they were in trouble. What happened? She left! And look at him now. Moping around like that! You know how much blackmail it took to get him here today?
Arnav: What the...Khushi, you cannot get involved in married people's lives.
Khushi: I am not getting involved! I will just help anyone in need of a little encouragement. WHY are you so against it?
Arnav fumbled: Because...it is...it is...
Khushi rounded on him: Yes?
Arnav: I don't know. Some are already married for one!
Khushi: Not everyone is happily married. Look at us the first time around, so much ego! You couldn't even say you loved me. We needed help. But I wasn't the outsider then, was I? I couldn't help! So now I must help other people!
Arnav shook his head: Oh God...
Khushi ignored him: Hmm...who will be next...OH! Sanam and Aahil are here!
She rushed up and hugged Sanam.
Khushi: Well, look at you! Don't you look...(she was a little taken aback by Sanam's obvious post-cry face) beautiful! Gorgeous dress Sanam. Look at mine! (She twirled around for them). It has pom poms! Arnav got it right this time.
Aahil sarcastically: Congratulations, cousin.
Khushi made a face: You don't know anything, keep quiet.
Arnav and Aahil shook hands.
Sanam: You look lovely.
Khushi: Thank you! So glad you are here! This is so cute, na? All Imad's doing. This whole theme, party, kids, everything. He wants his daughter's first birthday to be the talk of town!
Sanam smiled sadly: It looks very nice.
Khushi: Well, it doesn't sound like you are enjoying it much. What is the matter?
Sanam alarmed: Nothing nothing. Just the jet lag probably. We are very happy to be here, I promise.
Khushi: I know just the thing to cheer you up!
She dragged Sanam with her to the chocolate fountain and made a bunch of strawberry dips with her.
Khushi: Best thing in the world after jalebis.
Sanam smiled more forcefully to join Khushi's enthusiasm and tried to enjoy the strawberries.
They were good! She had to share this with Aahil.
She looked around at Aahil. He was still chatting with Arnav. They both seemed too into their conversation to interrupt.
Khushi: Laad Governor can't have it, I am afraid. He's diabetic. I promised him I will make up some sugar free ones. Great thing baby birthdays, gives us adults an excuse to be kids!
Arnav: You, an adult?
Aahil laughed and Arnav smirked as the girls swiveled around.
Sanam couldn't help but stare. Didn't he have the most genuine laugh? It warmed up something inside you. She hadn't seen him laugh...almost ever. Aahil hardly even smiled these days. Not in her presence anyway.
Khushi was red in the face: Look Sanam, your husband is making fun of me. Tell him off. I will take care of mine later.
Their eyes met. He lost his smile. It hurt to see her effect on him.
Sanam: He's your cousin, you tell him off.
Khushi: Second cousin, not the same rights. Wife, now that's different.
Sanam hesitated. What was she supposed to say now?
Aahil seriously: Don't worry, she does plenty of that at home.
The snide remark hit its mark. She looked uncomfortable. It made Aahil feel worse. Great, well done Aahil Raza Ibrahim.
Arnav: Oh, there's Shlok! Shlok, over here! He can't hear us.
Aahil: I will go over.
Arnav: Take Sanam with you. You haven't been introduced.
Aahil made a reluctant move toward her. Sanam followed quietly making her excuses to Khushi.
Khushi jumped up behind Arnav: Found 'em! My next beneficiaries.
Arnav distraught: What!? Aahil? No. Nooo...
Khushi: Yep. Unhappy little couple they are. Something happened. I mean, she already told me, rushed wedding and all. Let's face it, Aahil tries his level best with that facade of his to ruin anything and everything good.
Arnav: He loves her. He already TOLD her, okay? Leave poor Aahil alone.
Khushi giggled: He told her!? Whattt!!!? So, why poor Aahil?
Arnav looked alarmed.
Khushi: What are you hiding? What happened?
Arnav tried to walk away, but she pulled him back.
Khushi: Now.
Arnav: He told her, she was having none of it, okay? She doesn't care about him that way. I regret telling him to confess to her now.
Khushi: Well well well! My dry, cold Laad Governor gave love advice!? You tried match making and you were telling me no!?
Arnav: It's wasn't like that. Look, Khushi, just leave them alone okay?
Khushi: No way in hell. Those little birdies are my new project! I am going to find out what Sanam really feels. (She shooed away Arnav's protest) You have no idea, she blushes at his name even.
They all gathered for the cake cutting...
Sanam: Anjali Di and Imad look so perfect together. Makes you want to believe in fairy tales.
Aahil angrily: Well, that's only fair, isn't it? They are an actual couple. Not like us.
Sanam flinched: Not everything is about us, Aahil.
Aahil's sarcastic hollow laugh made her skin burn: Nothing is about "us" anymore, Sanam. Don't worry about that.
They joined the clapping as Imad and Anjali blew the candle.
That evening when the guests finally left...
Aahil and the boys had gone to Arnav's man den while the girls and NK were out in the park having tea, coffee, and snacks.
NK: Good thing Payalji is not here. Otherwise this surprise would go down the drain.
Anjali: You see Sanam, Payal and Akash's anniversary is tomorrow. You guys are already here. More the merrier. They are quite reserved, so we thought a little, private party for them.
Sanam: That is a great idea.
This place was full of lovey dovey couples. She looked around, there were women from Khushi's blood family - the royals, adopted family - Guptas, the Raizada family, essentially one big happy family. Happiness grated on her these days. She wished them well, but it just highlighted for her how hopeless she and Aahil were.
At the den...
Aahil pressed the Xbox controls frustratedly.
Shlok: I agree with Aahil, some of us are just meant to be alone, rejected.
Imad shook his head. He was by the mirror, still plucking cotton candy from his hair.
Imad spoke through the mirror: You guys are just going through a phase. Don't lose hope like this.
Shlok: Well, it is not just a phase, is it? My WIFE just left me. And his won't even accept him. These are the loves of our lives, not just another woman.
Arnav: I agree, maybe the timing was not quite right, with Aahil I mean. Aastha just needs time. You need to respect her decision to be away for a while.
Shlok: I have no choice, do I?
Aahil was biting his lips, not saying anything.
Imad: One time is not the end of this world, Aahil. Look, I blew it big time with Anjali. And she was it, I knew that. But I had to go blurt it out to her within a month of knowing her. Took her by surprise! She rejected me point blank. I knew day one and would have told her day two if Darya (Khushi) had her way. Don't let what you see now fool you.
Aahil: Well, Sanam thinks you two are perfect. And a bloody good impression you give too.
Arnav: I concur.
Imad smiled: Just be patient, that's all. It is not the end of the world that she rejected you just now.
Aahil: As I said, not everything is like you and Arnav here. Shlok and my lot is to be the rejected party. It is just that. We need to live with it.
Shlok: Not everyone gets their love returned.
Arnav: Shlok, Aastha loved you and you blew it. That's just the truth.
Shlok was silenced.
Aahil: Sanam doesn't. She was very clear. I am just going to let this matter rest now. Maybe I am not what she wants in a husband at all, she prefers the Rehan type. I got talked into this whole mess because you two. Can we just let this matter rest now and play this game?
Arnav: Sorry man, we meant well.
Imad: Patience. Both of you. And now you have Darya (Khushi) out rooting for you. It can only end well.
Aahil smiled sadly: Yes, God help us. Khushi's guinea pigs.
Arnav defensively: She's not that bad. She got Imad and Di together.
Aahil: Oh pardon me, offending your little darling. Now join the game. I don't care to talk about this anymore.
I know that was quite a lot of other characters. But it builds toward the next part! Stay tuned!
Part 8:
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/112836499 Edited by Marybarton - 10 years ago
