A New Morning - Part 1
"and then the prince and princess lived happily ever after" she said as the little 3 year old snuggled deeper into his blanket and yawned as she tucked him in and laid a loving kiss on his cherubic cheek "but mamma...do all prince find their princesses when they grow up?" the child asked in his sweet voice full of sleep as his mother chuckled and brushed his hair away from his forehead "yes sweetheart...every prince finds his princess when he grows up..you will too" she said with a smile as the child closed his eyes before mumbling "just like papa found you.."
Khushi felt her heart stop for a second as her son's words registered in her mind...she took a deep breath and got up to to switch on the night-lamp near the bed...then she closed the curtains and picked up all the toys and books lying on the floor...she collected the mass of crayons and put them in a box before tidying up the rest of the room...what she did not see was a pair of eyes silently watching her doing her everyday chore from outside the room.
As she finally turned around to switch off the lights in the room, the person watching her walked away before she could sight him...she turned around as his presence lingered around wondering if she imagined him there...with a small smile she switched off the lights and kept the door slightly ajar before leaving for her room across the corridor.
As she walked into the room, she saw him sitting outside in the small garden beyond their bedroom...he always sat there working while she put their son to bed...he looked up and smiled at her as she returned his smile and laid down on the bed...after a few minutes he came inside and switched everything off before taking his side of the bed "good night Khushi" he said as she looked over her shoulder briefly and replied "good night Arnav" before he switched off the last lamp near his side of the bed...this is how every night was...with her husband, but not really...since the time she had married him...it all happened on that fateful day...one and half year ago...
One & a Half Years ago from present time...
"Baba, i'm soo excited to finally meet jiji and jijaji...and I truly cannot wait to see my sweety-pie nephew! Can't believe they are finally coming to India!!" khushi squealed as her father and mother joined in her joyous mood...it had been 3 years since she had last seen her sister...and that was when she was leaving for the US right after her wedding...it was an arranged marriage, with her jijaji's family being close friends of theirs...it was meant to be when the rishta had come from the Raizada's for the hand of their elder daughter Payal for their son Arnav
[Flashback to three years ago from present time...]
Arnav Singh Raizada...he was everything a girl dreamed of in a husband; smart, good looking...highly educated with a Harvard degree to boast and a top position in a very well known US based software company...every mother's dream choice for her daughter...and it was the same in the Gupta house as well...when the Raizada's had proposed the match, Payal had been very apprehensive of leaving for another country...but after a lot of persuasion and brain washing by her parent's she had finally agreed to meet him before taking any decision
Khushi still remembered the day when Arnav had come along with his parents, his sister and her husband to their house...she had gone to get sweets from the market after making sure her jiji was well dressed and perfectly groomed...she had spent hours straightening payal's hair and ironing her sari and matching accessories that she hardly had time to do anything else
She had rushed off to the market in hopes of coming back soon before the guests arrived...after all it was imperative that she tease her sister about her to-be groom before she sees him...so she had quickly bought all the stuff that her mother had asked her to get and was on her way back in her small maruti zen when she found a huge white SUV parked right in front of their gate
She had fumed at the person who had parked the car, wondering how she would get inside...she honked a couple of times but gave up when no one came...she drove past the SUV and parked her car right in front of it before getting down and unloading the things she had bought...when she came around the gate, she gave a nasty look at the SUV before kicking the bumper in anger
"Did you just kick my car?" a deep voice came from behind her making her turn around to come face to face with probably the most handsome man she had every met..his warm caramel eyes looked at her suspiciously as she kept staring at him with her mouth open...this was the man who was supposed to marry her sister?...Arnav Singh Raizada...his picture did no justice to his enigmatic personality"Uh...are you all right?" he asked her again as he looked at her in amusement making her come back to her senses
"Yes...i'm good...sorry...I had no idea it was your car...I mean I was cursing the idiot who parked in front of my gate..." she said as arnav smirked at her words making her bite her tongue "N..no...I mean...I didn't call you an idiot...I just meant that..." she started saying when he held up his hands "Its fine...it is my fault...I shouldn't have parked it there...let me move it" he said as Khushi stepped in front of him startling him "No..its fine...please...you are our guest..." she said as Arnav realized she lived here too
"You are?" he asked her as she smiled goofily and held out her hand "Khushi..Payal jiji's sister..." she said as Arnav smiled warmly and shook her hand making her arm tingle...what the hell! She thought as she quickly pulled her hand away "Uh...why don't we go in...and why were you outside?" she asked opening her big mouth again as arnav laughed, making him look more handsome than before "Its ok Khushi...I just came to make a phone call..shall we go in?" he asked her good naturedly as she smiled and walked in after him.
That day was something she will always remember...the first time she had met him...and the day the rishta had been fixed...it was always a yes from the Raizada's as Arnav had already told them he would marry anyone his parents chose for him...the fact that payal was an educated, cultured girl and would be ok staying in the US with him was only a plus point..but it did take the Gupta family some time to get payal's approval
Once the Raizada's had left, payal had taken Khushi's hand and led her to the terrace...there she had spoken of her concerns regarding the marriage...she was worried to go to the US and was far more scared about how she will live with Arnav Singh Raizada...according to her, he was not all what she had wanted in a husband...he was too strong a personality and intimidated her immensely, making her worry about how their lives would shape up if they marry
"Arre jiji...Arnav seemed like a genuine guy and I totally do not understand why you don't want to go to the US...it is such a grand opportunity jiji...just think! All the stuff you can do there...and best thing..no family to harass you!" she had giggled as payal had hit her lightly on her arm "chup pagli...then why don't you marry him? You seem to like everything about him!" payal had said making khushi giggle harder "Kya karen jiji...the rishta has come for you...alas! I wish it was for me...after all who wouldn't mind a hunk for a husband" she had said as payal had run behind her trying to hit her.
Later in the day when their parents had asked of payal's opinion...she had looked once at Khushi who had blinked her eyes and nodded, giving her silent assurance to payal, that she had said a yes albeit with a little apprehension...from then things had just been a whirlwind with the wedding being fixed in the coming month and payal's application for a dependent visa on way
They had hardly got any time to meet Arnav as he had been back to the US for his work and was going to return only a week before the wedding...but Khushi had encouraged payal to speak to him as much as they could and even chat with him whenever they got the time...this had helped in pacifying payal's fear from her disturbed thoughts as Arnav had been very understanding towards her wishes and concerns
Khushi's respect for Arnav had gone up many notches as she had seen him work very hard towards assuring her sister and also looking for various options for further studies that she could opt for when she gets there...he wanted her to study further as she was still young and had aspired to do so anyways...she had been relived to see her sister actually looking forward to going to the US and starting her new life with Arnav
The wedding had been a thing of dreams...all the functions were done splendidly with the best of everything; Khushi had hardly got a chance to catch up with Arnav as she had been busy all the while with the preparations and looking after the guests...but she had caught him many times giving her warm smiles whenever their eyes had met...it had left a familiar tingling sensation in her heart which she had all but pushed out of her mind knowing how wrong her thoughts were
Payal and Arnav had left for the US only two days after the wedding, leaving everyone in a state of sadness at their departure...Khushi had called her sister nearly everyday for the first few weeks as she was worried about her settling in...but the joy and excitement with which Payal spoke about the new city, its sights, shopping and her upcoming course had left Khushi with a satisfied mind...she had hardly spoken to Arnav since he was always at work when she called...except when they used to call during festivals and other familial occasions
It had worried her that her jiji did not speak much about Arnav and mostly changed the topic when Khushi asked about him...but then she had thought that maybe it was because she was still very shy...six months had passed like that and when one day she had asked Payal about how Arnav was she had snapped and told her to call him if she so wanted to know about him
That was when she knew something wasn't right...she had tried to speak to her mother about it as well, but her mother had laughed it off saying that these things happen between married couples...the thought had still nagged her, when a few weeks later Arnav had called them to inform them about Payal's pregnancy...and with that news, all her worries had left her...things were great between the two of them with the anticipation of the new arrival
The whole Gupta and Raizada families had been ecstatic and it was decided that Garima and Arnav's mother would be going to the US for the baby's arrival...the remaining months had passed in a jiffy as their joy had found no bounds with the arrival of their little prince 'Advait'...Khushi had connected her and her father on skype with Payal, where her mother was holding the little bundle of joy in her hands...she had seen Payal's smiling face and Arnav's teary eyes as he gazed at the little baby while holding on to payal's hand, the look that passed between the two had assured khushi that all was well in their life...that was then...
Present day
Khushi turned around to see Arnav sleeping peacefully next to her...she observed his face as the permanent worry lines were eased off his forehead and his eyes lay peaceful in his slumber...this is how she remembered him from that day when she had seen her nephew for the first time...the look of peace between her jiji and Arnav was what had kept her worries at bay and let her freely rejoice in the new phase in her sister's life
Her mother had stayed with Payal along with Arnav's mother for nearly 6 months...she would have probably stayed for longer if it wasn't for the visa terms that dictated that she could not stay for more than 6 months at a stretch...those days had been golden...they would skype as much as they could to see the little cherub...khushi and her father waited for the day when they could hold their little prince in their hands and pamper him to bits
Around the time when Advait turned one, khushi's parents had started looking for a groom for her...she was only 23 and had wanted to work for a couple of years before thinking about marriage but the fact that her sister too had married at the same age, made it difficult for her to convince her parents...she spoke of her insecurities with her sister who was vehemently against Khushi's arranged marriage...she kept telling her that it was best she found someone for herself instead of saying yes to anyone that their parents found for her
This had put khushi in a dilemma...her jiji who had herself agreed for an arranged marriage...had been happy...in fact, is happy with her husband and their child but was still telling khushi to go against everything she believed in? Those latent fears of her jiji's marriage being in trouble again crept up in Khushi's heart...but the laughing giggling face of Advait and the content look on her sisters face made her once again stash those thoughts away...but everything had changed the day they returned from the US...nothing remained the same anymore.
One and a Half Year ago from present time...
"Baba...how much time more? Call Anjali di na, she must have spoken to the driver!" Khushi whined as she waited by the front porch for the car to arrive...the car which had gone to fetch her jiji, Arnav and Advait...they had decided to come to Gupta house first to drop Payal and Advait while Arnav was going to go back to his house later...Payal was going to stay with them for a week before going to Arnav's house...her parents had thought that the arrangement had been a bit odd since Payal should have gone to her in-law's first...but the joy of having their daughter back after three years and that too with their grandson had made everything better
"I don't know Khushi...they should have got here by now" Shashi said as he dialed Anjali's number...Arnav and Payal both did not have an Indian number yet since they had just landed...the only way to get through to them had been through Anjali who could contact the driver... "I spoke to her...she said the driver is not picking up...must be driving na.." Shashi said as Garima came out from the kitchen "Khushi, did you keep the bengali sweets in the fridge? They'll go bad otherwise" she said as Khushi smiled from the porch
"Haan ma...I kept it...and how much longer are you going to be in the kitchen huh? They'll be reaching any minute...you should go and freshen up if you want to hold your grandson" khushi said cheekily as Garima gave her a smile and went back inside...they kept waiting for the car to show up with Shashi calling up the Raizada's twice...but they too were clueless since the driver's phone had kept ringing...Anjali's husband had gone with his car to check if everything was all right since it had already been three hours since their arrival at the airport.
Khushi sat at the porch with tears glistening in her eyes...'where were they?' she kept thinking as a sinking feeling made place in her heart...why was it taking so long?...she kept praying that everything was all right...even her mother sat in front of the small temple in their house while their father walked around restlessly waiting for the Raizada's to call...they knew they had left the airport since Anjali had spoken to them from the driver's phone..but after that there had been no contact
It was only when half an hour later, Shashi's phone rang that everything came to a standstill...it was Anjali's husband...he had taken the route from the airport to the Gupta house, only to find himself in between a huge accident that had taken place between two cars and truck...one of them was the Raizada's car...they had been in an accident where the truck had tried to overtake their car and the driver in order to go ahead had smashed into another car that was coming from the front...to save himself he had swerved the car to the left, thereby making the other car crash right into the back passenger seat...the seat where Payal had sat...she was declared dead on reaching the hospital.
PART 2 below!
comment:
p_commentcount