"No, you have misunderstood.. Why should I fast? that too for Arnav?" Sheetal argued
"Misunderstanding? you call this a misunderstanding?" Kushi called back shoving the report in her face.
Sheetal's face lost its colour. She looked timidly back at Kushi, while Kushi continued...
"Tell me... why did you fast for my husband?" Kushi shot another question "you werent married to him right?"
"What is happening here?" they both looked at the voice at Sheetal's room door.
Arnav was looking at them with confused expressions
"What happened kushi... are you both having some sort of an argument?" He asked his wife, surprised with her behaviour.. He has never seen kushi argue with anyone else other than him... and that too arguing to a guest is an impossibility.
"Whats that?" He asked her, pulling the report out of her hand easily, and one look at it, his anger shot up. She has gone ahead and again done the DNA test? Hadnt he told her enough already that Sheetal meant nothing to him?
But wait... did the report say that Arav was related to him? what is this crap now?
Sheetal could hold it no longer
"Yes, Arnav is Arav's father... I was keeping fast for him.. not only today.. but for all these years... after I found I was pregnant with his child... "
"What crap?" Arnav gritted his teeth."We never shared such a intimacy"
"we didn't?" Sheetal asked him sarcastically
"Yes, I am sure we didnt..." Arnav told her definetely and then moved tentatively towards Kushi "Kushi.. she is lying... I could have never fathered a child with sheetal.. we never did"
"Never did?" Sheetal shreiked hysterically "What about the farewell night Arnav? the day when.. when..."
"When we broke up? what about that night?"
"You dont know what happened then?" Sheetal asked "I am ashamed I have been in love with such a coward and lier"
"Stop it.. how dare you call me a lier... " Arnav screamed back somuch that Kushi was scared it will gain unwanted attention from the family
"and then?" Sheetal prompted sarcastically "then you used me when I was not in my.."
"What?" Arnav screamed again " I.. would never take advantage of any woman who is out of her senses... " Arnav cut in.. "leave alone any woman... I wouldnt even take advantage of my own wife." Arnav glared at sheetal running his hand on his hair
"But then.. Only you came in with me that night... "
"do you even remember what I did that night after I dropped you at your apartment?, I locked your front door and threw the key to you from the window.. Because you were not even able to hold the keys.. let alone closing the door"
"I.. I remember .. but the next day when I woke up, I found that I had been used Arnav... I woke up with my clothes strewn around and... months after I found out that I was pregnant..."
"I left immediately Sheetal. If I wanted such a relationship with you, I wouldnt have broken up with you.. and I still felt responsible for you that I had taken care to drop you back as you were not in your senses."
"I.. know.. But other than you.. I .."
"Are you sure you didnt give the keys to some random person that asked you to hand it over.. when you were not in your senses.. and thought or beleived it was me?"
"oh my god.." Sheetal found her knees going week thinking of that possibility as she slumped on the bed holding her head with both her hands and started crying.
Kushi felt bad for that lady, and still was in a dilemma. She did trust her husband but there was the report to be taken into account.
"Sheetal, I didnt.. And I would never do something so cheap..Do you even wagely remember anyone else that you might have allowed in that night"
"I .. I dont know..." she sobbed.
"What about the report" Kushi softly but determindedly asked them.
Sheetal stopped sobbing and looked at Kushi and then at Arnav. Arnav looked at his wife baffled.
"I dont have any idea Kushi.. But I am sure.." Arnav tried earnestly to make his wife beleive.. then stopped mid sentense
"wait a minute.. It says that I am related to Arav" He repeated lookign back at the report. While a baffled Kushi and shocked Sheetal looked at him
"that means.." he said looking at Sheetal
"No... No.." Sheetal whispered back
"It could be Sheetal.. that is the only possibility.. I am sure I didnt... and he was the only relative that I had at the city at that time"
"Oh my god.. No Arnav.. I .. it cant be.. I hate him.. No" Sheetal started sobbing again, her body shaking with tremors from crying... "it cant be Dhruv.. I dont want him to be..."
"Who is he?" She asked Arnav
"Dhruv is my cousin" Arnav told her calmly
"Cousin?" Kushi asked confused "I don't know anyone by that name.. He didnt come for the marraige also right? How is he related?"
"He is Mamaji's elder son"
"What? Akaashjijaji's brother? he has a elder brother? How come I didnt know? "
"No one speaks about him here.. He he left the house long back.."
"But why? I mean.. is he really very bad? How can Mamiji let her elder son get away like that"
"He is Mama's son from his first marraige. He was a rebellious kid.. He didnt accept Mami right from the starting. and he didnt get along well with Akaash either. He never accepted them as his family. He was ok with me and di though until we came to live with them.. "
"Then Mama thought he would be better off in a hostel and sent him to a boarding school somewhere.. That pissed him off.. He being the right ful child and he was not let to stay at home.. whereas I and Akaash were given the right we didnt even own. But still he was sent away and his hatred grew strong"
"Sheetal hated his attitude, though and In the due course, I realised I was not ready for commitment and Sheetal was angry and we broke off. She got drunk and I was worried that she might not be able to take care of herself and dropped her at her apartment.. But I guess what I had feared had actually happened"
"I am sorry" she whispered
"Wha? why are you apologising?"
"Because I .. I didn't trust you enough"
"Thats.. ok..Actually you did trust me.. You only had exhibited possessiveness which I think is normal"
"I.. I couldnt rest until I knew for sure you were only mine.. I cannot share you with anyone... I was so worried"
"Hey thats Ok.. I still think it was good in a way.. I wouldnt want you to have that blind trust like my Di.. you need to show that caution..."
"Yeah But with you.. I shouldnt have.. after knowing how you feel about me..."
"But I was wrong too.. I didnt realise that you were feeling so insecure and took you for granted. Thinking back.. I remember how I felt when NK was hovering around you... and that night when I saw Shyam with you.. It was a nightmare... But still, I was angry with you for your reasonable queries..."
"You dont have to be sorry for that.. I was in your shoes too.. I know how it feels when your love doesnt trust you enough... I .. shouldnt have.."
"drop that guilt will you? even I would have felt like that in your position... when you bump into your Husband's ex with a 7 year old boy who exactly behaves like your husband... its hard to not feel what you felt" He smiled at her.. and she smiled back, hugging him.
"however I would love to have a son like Arav.. just like a miniature you" She told him shyly
"Wow.. now this is a welcome thought.. I would love to make babies too..If it is going to be someone like Arav.. kids are not that bad.." he teased her pulling her back to look into her blushing red face. "or better someone like you"
She tried to pull away from him
"I will go and check if Sheetalji is alright.."
"She will be alright..she will take time.. it is a huge this tog digest...She requested alone time.. let her be.."
"I only.. "
"wait.." he said creasing his eyebrows looking into her face intently.
"What?" she asked touching her face again to make sure it was alright and peeping into the mirror behind him
"dont touch.." he said taking her hands off her face "I see your lips are cracked" he said with a serious face holding and pulling her lower lip sqeezing it from both the corners using his thumb and forefinger as if she could whistle
"Whaa.. eh" She tried to speak
"Shuush.." he shushed her.." when was the last time we kissed ?" he asked thinking hard "oh yeah... yesterday night.. Long gap na?"
"Long?" she spoke with difficulty as her lip was still held in that position
"You were fasting today.. and didnt let me..." he growled with animalistic hunger as she saw his eyes grow darker.
"Arnav..ji.. I .. we .. dress ..chang"
"Shusshh.." then she saw him in slow motion as his mouth replaced his hand that was holding her lip.
***
Two days later
"Sheetal ji? you are leaving somewhere? this early.. with suitcase and everything?" Kushi asked
"yes Kushi.. I and Arav are moving out"
"So the apartment is ready?" Arnav asked her
"No.. I think I will be going back to US.. Arnav"
"What? but.. "
"Arnav.. even though I thought I became pregnant because of you, I never intended to tell you that.. Until Arav started asking me questions about his dad... I came to India in search of you.. But I never realised that you would be married and all that.. when I came to know about that... I thought I should get away as quietly as possible. But.. I couldnt cheat Arav, so I thought I would show him his father silently and then get back home... But the fate had other plans... we kept bumping at eachother and finally I ended up spending time with your wonderful family"
"I am an outsider... and I think I will be atleast for some time now... I dont want to talk about that.. Arnav... It is a disappointment as such" She cut in and then walked to Kushi
"Kushi, I am sorry, I never intended to hurt you with all this... I didnt tell you... had a secret fast and all that for that sake.. but I ... I guess, I ended up doing exactly that... when I discovered that you were going for DNA, I was so scared that if you saw the results then your heart would break... But.. see the results actually broke mine.."
"thats Ok.. Sheetal ji.. I understand..." Kushi told her kindly "you take care"
"Thanks Kushi.. take care of Arnav.." she whispered then checked herself and smiled sadly "I know you will.. What am I saying.. he... he is your hu.. husband..." she said quickly to get away with the awkwardness and gulping a sob that raised to her throat as she turned back to go to Arav for whom the family had been giving a quiet farewell too.
"Sheetalji.. Shall I ask you something?" Kushi asked looking causiously over where the family was gathered. they hadnt told the family that Arav was actually the grandson of the family through Dhruv- On Sheetal's request
Sheetal nodded
"Why dont you go to UK instead... Maybe Dhruv ji is not that bad... from what I heard from Arnavji may be he was craving for love and .."
"He never loved me Kushi.. He wanted me because he wanted to beat Arnav to it.."
"But.. maybe he is changed now... This will be a chance for him to unite with the family...his son and wife too..."
"I can never forgive him for what he did to me... Maybe my opinion will change in a due course... I might introduce Arav to his father... but I dont think I can ever accept Dhruv as my better half... but Until then... Arav will be happy that he has a loving family and an Uncle that he adores.."
Arnav started to say somehting but checked himself and nodded with a small smile. "anytime..."
"He knows?" Kushi asked her
"Not yet.. But I shall tell him on the way in the flight.. now it is too risky... the family need not know.. It will break them... "
The farewell was sad and quiet. Sheetal took blessings from the elders and hugged Arnav and Kushi. Arav got a tearful hug and kisses from all of them in the family
"So Big guy see you soon!" Arnav told him softly, kneeling down giving him the last hug
" yeah.. so you would be coming to US soon?"
"Hmm yeah.. Maybe I and Kushi can plan for a trip soon"
"there is soccer season coming up.. you can plan that time... we can have fun"
"why not?"
Kushi kneeled down next to him too, smiling yet crying too. Arav looked at her for a moment and then hugged her kissing her on her cheek.
"I cant believe I am saying this.. But I will miss your craziness!" he said, making the mood lighter, everyone smiled as Arnav hugged his wife from the sidelines, smiling at her.
then they were gone...
***
"Oh.. I still hope she would get in touch with Dhruv... that could mean family reunion"
"When did you become so concerned for Dhruv" Arnav scowled at her..
"From the time, I knew that I have another devar" she said as she saw him rolling his eyes.
"stop doing that.. why dont you want your brother back in the family? Big family is fun.. Sheetal and Arav can be back too"
"If you really think that big family is fun... lets make it big another way.." he told reaching her
"Another way?"
"hmm.. this way its more exciting" he said pushing her into the bed nearby.. and soon followed her as she broke into giggles.
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