Khushi stood before the dressing table as she smoothed a brush down the length of her hair, lost in her thoughts about her conversation with Simran, just as her husband jogged back in through the poolside door.
With a smile, she turned to find him right behind her, watching her. Her eyes began to widen slowly as she sauntered towards her, caging her in against the dresser.
"Wh-what are you doing?" Khushi mumbled, as she watched a drop of sweat trickle down the side of his neck and disappear into his tee.
"Jalebis." Was his simple reply, to which he brought his hand forward to display a newspaper wrapped package.
Shocked, Khushi silently took them from him when suddenly Arnav wrapped his arms around her and began telling her about how happy she'd made him last night with her surprise visit, the dinner and more.
Strangely though, all of his words fell on deaf ears as Khushi stared up at him, mesmerized. She noted a lightness to his features as he talked about the time they spent together, the way his lips pulled back into that lopsided smile.
Butterflies fluttered and goose bumps rose as his hold unconsciously tightened around her waist, pulling her closer as he continued to speak. And as Khushi felt her heartbeat pick up, she realized that she had missed him, all of him, every fiber of his being.
She gaze shot up to his that was floating around the room and without notice tears sprouted in her eyes. Her thoughts went back to the past few days once again.
She realized how they had grown apart from each other during that time. They had been separated. More than two people living apart from each, more than two people who hadn't seen each in years... In fact, they had been right next to each other physically, but their souls had been separated.
It had been her fault, her reasons had in the end been baseless, she realized. And as she thought about it now, she realized that her heart had always known, always trusted Arnav. Then why couldn't her mind understand what her heart had already known?
Suddenly her eyes flickered down to the package in her hands, which she unknowingly had begun to crush. Staring at the package, she realized how much her husband hated this.
He hated waiting for something to be prepared, he always wanted the final product ready, be it deals or food. He hated roadside food, it was unhygienic he said. He hated sweets, not because he couldn't have them, he hated them in general.
Yet... Here she was, holding a package that came from everything he hated, given to her by the man himself, her husband, her Arnav... Because he loved her.
It was an epiphany of sorts. With a tilt in her head, she raised her eyes back to his to find him still speaking. Must be a record she thought in the back of her mind. But forgetting it all, she abruptly wondered out loud, "Why?"
"What?" Arnav answered her question with another. He had been recalling their dinner together when she had questioned him out of the blue. "Why what?"
"Why do you love me so much?" A cute pout formed on her lips as she continued to stare at him, almost as if in a daze.
In any other circumstance, Arnav would have given her the look or walked away shaking his head at his crazy wife, but looking down at her, he saw she was being completely serious, that she really wanted to know his answer.
So he decided he would give it to her. He had already spoken so much in a day so why not a little more?
"I love you, Khushi, because I know no other way. Loving you is liking breathing for me, all I can think about is doing it again and again for as long as I live." His eyes searched hers as he brushed her hair back. "The day I stop loving you is the day I close my eyes forever..."
That did it. Life sparked back from within Khushi as her mind registered his words. Her hand automatically rose and slapped his cheek for his last words, making him jerk back in shock. "What the--"
"Don't you dare, Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada." Khushi threatened. Worry engulfed Arnav at her words, she never called him by that name unless she was deeply upset, but he had just told her he loved her... Then why? "Don't you dare ever talk about dying ever again! Even in its subtlest sense!"
Arnav stared at his wife, an agape expression on his face before he tried to reason with her. "But, Khushi, I was just--"
"No! I won't hear any of it!" Khushi declared, pushing him off of her as she walked around to stand in front of the bedroom doors. "You have thirty minutes before you're going to be needed at the office so go shower and come down to have your breakfast!"
Without another word, Khushi whirled around and marched off, undoubtedly to the kitchen while Arnav could only stand and stare. As he understood what just happened, he couldn't help the wide smile that broke across his face.
His wife, his Khushi, was back.
****
A couple hours later, Khushi had taken Arnav's place as she paced the length of their room, biting her fingernails.
Somehow she knew she was this close to figuring out the situation behind the file mishap, but she just couldn't place her finger on the obvious.
Simran had said that Sheetal had promised to the files delivered safely, but she obviously hadn't gone to the conference room since no one had noticed her. Khushi was positive that if one of the top designers was found on that floor then someone would have noticed as it was floors away from her designated working station.
Then what had happened with the original files? And more importantly, how had the wrong files appeared instead?
But before she could ponder over the situation any longer, there was a small yet firm knock at their bedroom door. Hurrying over, Khushi pulled open the door to find Aarav looking up at her with a smile.
"Aarav, you?!" Khushi blurted, shocked. She hadn't been expecting him. "Why aren't you at school?"
"We had a holiday today since tomorrow is Ja-ja-jan..." Aarav struggled to finish.
Khushi broke into a smile as she recalled her "Ha-ha-ha" Arnav. Bending down, she pinched his cheek and finished, "Janmashtami!"
"Yea, that!" Aarav agreed while rubbing his cheek. Looking back at Khushi he asked, "Are you busy?"
"Not at all. Did you need anything?" Khushi's eyebrows scrunched in wonder.
"I have a project to do for school... I was wondering if you would help me... Mom is always too busy." Aarav confessed as he looked unsure and hesitant.
"Of course! I'd love to!" Khushi chirped without a second thought, pushing away all thoughts about those darn files. Following his lead, Khushi and Aarav made their way towards the room assigned to him and Sheetal.
They settled around the low table with everything from markers to glue to rulers strewn across it. "So tell me, what is your project supposed to be?"
"We've been assigned to build our family tree... But besides mom I don't know anyone else in our family..." Aarav looked down sadly.
Khushi leaned forward and cupped his face, lifting his head up to look at her. With a soft smile, Khushi promised, "You have a family, Aarav, a very big family."
Khushi's heart melted as Aarav's eyes widened in expectation. "Really? Who?!"
"Us." Khushi stated simply. She began counting with her fingers, "There's Naniji, Mamiji, Mamaji, Di, Jiju, Jiji, Arnav, and myself! Oh yes, there's also Laxmiji and the Prakash brothers!"
Next thing she knew Aarav had thrown his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly as he whispered a "Thank you."
Once he pulled back, Aarav wasted no time in getting started, his excitement tangible. Just as he finished drawing Akash, he noticed he only had one more sheet of paper, but before he could get up Khushi stood and told him she'll get it so he can continue drawing.
Reaching the makeshift desk in corner of the room, Khushi shuffled things around looking for the paper. When she found it she pulled out at reasonable stack, although in her hurried movements some other file like folders fell.
As she bent to retrieve them, she caught the distinct AR logo embedded into one of them. Picking it up, Khushi flipped open the cover only to gasp as she read the first words at the top of the page.
****
Shaking hands with Kishore Modi, Arnav welcomed them to the team. Having them escorted out, Arnav headed back to his cabin a victorious smirk on his face.
Sitting, he leaned back into his chair as his thoughts immediately went to his wife. He could just imagine the joy she'd feel when he would tell her about his success before she would run off to make his favorite Badam Kheer.
"Khushi will be jumping up and down in happiness when she finds out you got the deal, huh?" The sudden voice jerked Arnav out of his thoughts as his head swung around to find Sheetal causally entering his cabin.
A deep sense of irritation seared through Arnav, but he replied as tamely as he could, "Of course. She'll be extremely happy for me."
"Happy? Yes. For you? I don't know so." Sheetal laughed bitterly.
Narrowing his eyes to a glare, he asked, "What do you mean? What are you trying to say?"
"Don't you understand, Arnav?" Sheetal came to stand right next to him. "Khushi will be happy, but not for you. She'll be happy because you won this deal."
"Are you telling me a wife shouldn't find joy in her husband's success?" Arnav sneered.
"Not when all she cares about the profit his success will make." Sheetal laid it out on the table. Steeling, she readied herself to console a heartbroken Arnav.
But to her utter dismay, Arnav shot up from his seat and literally growled, "How f**king dare you!? Who the hell gave you any right to accuse my Khushi like that damnit!"
Shaken, Sheetal tried, "Arnav, I--"
"Don't damnit!" Arnav roared. "You obviously haven't learnt a single damn thing about my wife in the last few weeks you've been living with her in our home, have you? You're accusing Khushi of being a gold-digger? God damnit! Only I know how many times I've accused her of that when we first met and only I know how damn wrong I was!"
Sheetal tried to move forward, her hand extended to him, but Arnav quickly maneuvered himself where the entire desk stood between them. His face suddenly blank, Arnav told her, "Aman has found multiple well-settled communities with places for rent so I suggest you chose one and get out of my house as soon as possible. You may leave now."
When he saw Sheetal try to open her mouth rather than turn to leave, Arnav roared, "I said GET OUT!"
And that sent Sheetal fleeing for her life while Arnav tried to curb his urge to break something.
But this would end up being the controlled calm before a raging storm.
New thread! :D Thank for all your love and support guys!
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