Arhi:The Sun Is Rising (ILTWIH sequel) Ch 6B&Epi Pg 56 (Complete) - Page 25

Originally posted by: _Oorja_

I love you too.

You are one of my loyal readers and I am glad that you like what you read here.

About U2 I will love to answer your queries once I come up with the new prolougue.

Crazy but Cute once this one is done.

Sorry Friends I am late by a day, but here goes the...

Chapter Five: We Share We Care

Walking on the same road that she took every day for her dance class, she let her mind drift to the memory of her visit to Shantivan a week back. It was nice to meet her in-laws. A very happy teary reunion with her Jiji. A pleasant and soothing reunion with Mamaji and Jiju. The encounter with Naniji was grave yet kind, given they didn't part in good terms. But what bothered her was the unnatural cheer in Anjali's countenance. It was forced. As if she was trying to hide or prove something. And Khushi had a fair idea what that was.

The elder woman still not had come to terms with the turn that her life had taken and now with her comeback she was even more, insecure.

Anjali was a person who was always dependent on someone emotionally. Either it was Arnav or Shyam. Moreover, she had always wanted to be a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother. To make something special out of her life was never her ambition. Nothing wrong in that. But now with one of the pillars of her very foundation lost, she was more vulnerable and dependent on the other with an added responsibility of a child to raise.

Hence, Khushi's return may have initiated the fear of losing her brother's support/attention, of course not monetary, to be left in her to her own devices.

Khushi sighed heavily. It was now on them, Arnavji and her, to give her assurance that nothing sort of that going to happen.

She also knew her achievements in last year, be it educational or financial had made Anjali feel inadequate.

Both of them were betrayed and left shattered in every sense by their husbands but while she had picked up pieces of her shattered self and tried to make it whole again albeit a few cracks, Anjali stood in same place. She never moved and nobody egged her as well. Maybe still treating her as the porcelain doll as before.

Again nothing wrong in that, but they should have also showed her a way to move forward, told her life doesn't end with a failed marriage. It wasn't her ill fate, but good fortune that she was saved before it was too late. She had hope in the form of her son, a reason enough to look forward.

Alas! That didn't happen and now it had come to this that she had become the reason of her distress again.

A humorless chuckle escaped her. Unknown to her a trail of tear flow down her right cheek as she closed them feeling tired under the heaviness of her own emotions.

She changed track and went inside the nearby park. She sat under a Gulmohar tree that was burning bright in his favorite color. The thought though failed to put a smile on her lips this time. Holding herself together, physically, with both her arms she stared far, seeing nothing.

**

Arnav clenched his fists feeling helpless and agonized. The defeated posture of Khushi making him want to go back in time and undone the past the way it had shaped their life today. Do some serious physical damage to the scumbag and as well to himself for treating her the way they did.

Leaving his cynical notion about people in general and love and marriage aside he would have done right by her if only the time machine was real.

You wish Raizada! But no such thing was possible and he would have to live with the guilt of breaking a pure heart the way he did all his life.

He knew something was amiss since the day she came to Shantivan. He understood her turmoil in entering the same place where her nightmares were born but her discomfort only grew as she talked with family. He was not sure of the reason but maybe had an idea.

Well, time to talk is here... deciding he reached her in few long strides and made himself comfortable beside her not bothering about making his presence felt because he knew her heart had already known him to be near.

**

"You need to talk"

"You need to stop following"

Both spoke at the same time and chuckled.

Revealing her face from the cover of her palms she turned to his side and found him staring intently at her and as she continued to look at him her tears resurfaced with a vengeance. She let them fall silently.

Arnav didn't try to wipe them for he wanted her to cry and let it all out before him, better than crying alone in confinements of her small PG room where there would be none to hold or soothe her.Instead, he held her close and squeezed her petite frame to provide strength and support. To let her know she was not alone this time. His own eyes filled up but he blinked his tears away. This was not the time for him to become weak rather he needed to be strong and find out what was it bothering her.

**

After a while when Khushi felt calm enough she wiped her face still resting on his chest and composed herself to face him.

Straightening back, she looked in the concerned eyes of her husband and a sudden feeling of tender love washed over her.

This was the man who killed her spirit... this was the man who took away everything dear from her... this was the man who broke her mirage of happy family life, but this was the man who repented for his deed like no other.

The king he was of his vast empire, groveled before her, the mere Khushi, whom he considered nothing until then and accepted defeat by letting her go and chose a life, spend in misery by giving her free reign to decide their future, his future. And that made him out of ordinary, a prince in the guise of a beast and there she found the heart to forgive and love this twisted man again.

She touched his lips with hers in feather light kiss and smiled taking his surprised expression. Shrugging her shoulders in answer of his silent why she leaned back on her seat deciding to talk.

Because not talking always had caused them a hefty price.

Without any preamble she asked the question that was bothering her since she visited Shanti Van, "Arnavji why never of you thought to encourage Di to do something different after... after what happened?" at Arnav's look of confusion she elaborated "Like studying further or some course of her interest or inviting her to join AR, you know she would have felt better ... moved on I mean.." she trailed off not knowing if Arnav would take offense in her giving her two cents in Anjali's life. If anything, she knew very well how fiercely protective he is for his sister and what he didn't think of himself he didn't consider good for her. Hence, she was apprehensive that her words of suggestion wouldn't be welcomed if her past was anything to go by.

**

Arnav heard it all more than what she said, he saw it too, her apprehension in saying anything regarding Anjali, her playing with her fingers, unsure about his response and it pained him to see her so uncertain about his reaction to her when it comes to Di, still.

She still thought she comes second, didn't she?

He smiled self-deprecatingly as he knew it was his own actions in past what made her believe so.Well, he can change that now, couldn't he?

He knew it couldn't be done in a day, but he was determined to let her know her worth in his life and it starts now by sharing what happened regarding Di after she left.

**

Khushi was steadfastly looking ahead to avoid any repercussion in his countess of her earlier question. She was not scared of him, just not ready to disturb the new found bond in their relation for any wrong reason. Hence, she was startled when she felt Arnav's light touch on her right hand before he took it his left and held it gently, all the while his eyes fixed in the distance where above greenery of the trees that surrounded the park a little orange of rising sun could be seen. She too looked in that direction.

It was alight around them in the dim morning light before the sun came out in full glory. Only a few more moments before the sun rose and quell any remnant of dark lurking in the periphery.

Arnav's solemn voice penetrating the surreal atmosphere reached her ears "I tried". Not expecting the answer that it was, Khushi turned her surprised eyes to him.

Arnav only nodded at her and now continued looking at her, "I did. I asked her if she was interested in joining AR rather than being the sleeping partner that she was...

At Khushi's curious probing gaze he heaved a sigh and completed "in response she gave me a weird look saying why would she need to be in office when she had her brothers working there?" Unaffected by Khushi's round eyes he continued "I suggested if she liked she could continue her study that she left before her first marriage had been fixed in past, but she refused saying she doesn't feel like studying anymore and now in her thirty-five age with her son to take care she didn't have patience or time." Turning his face towards the now crowding park with morning walkers he kept speaking in same monotone, "I offered her to organize an event for AR, something she does quite remarkably, if our house parties are anything to go by, and she outright rejected saying that she organizes parties at home because she does that for family but she did not wish to do it professionally."

Khushi opened her mouth to say something but then she chose to not comment, because she could only wonder, so many opportunities and yet so much reluctance and there she wanted to do so much and... but she stopped right there, because for one she had stopped mourning over spilt milk and second she was satisfied what she had done in her life and proud that she had done that on her own. No need of nurturing some thought about the differences in her and her sister in law's situation.

Arnav unaware of Khushi's musing was still speaking, "Nani and Mami supported her in her decision, because they found nothing wrong if their girl wanted to stay back raise her child along with taking care of the household." He shook his head thinking of the conversation where he was berated for even suggesting Anjali to go out and face the world when her situation was so delicate. "And when I tried to tell her that if she ever thought otherwise I was there to help her, she asked me outright that if I have a problem if she stays at home and don't work because she doesn't want to face the world after what Shaym did to her. She is not ready to face taunts from society that she was not enough for her husband and that he went after some other woman, and also she wanted to raise her child with full concentration that he didn't become anything like her father," Arnav breathed out an exasperated sigh for speaking in single breath and looked in Khushi's eyes only to find her face going pale.

Did she hold her responsible?

Arnav somehow understood her state of mind and tugged at her hand to get her attention. She turned her face but didn't meet his eyes. He didn't force her to and chose to speak instead because his next words may change her thoughts that he was sure often bothered her, "before I didn't but later I understood. She was my mother's shadow, more so because of her limp which bound her physical activity like other children to a limit."He looked down and played with her fingers as he shared "she was ready to get married in the age of nineteen and happily so, now if I thought of it, she always wanted that..." a tiny smile lit up his face as he looked up at her face "a fairytale life, where she would have a home to call her own, a doting husband, a lovely family, children, life spent like a dream." Khushi too smiled at that, wasn't it the same dream she used to dream, a dream every girl dream about in their teen, "you know the way she had been living since she was born, a cocooned life, where only happily ever after existed."

As both smiled on the last sentence of Arnav, he knew he had her full attention while he said next "But her dream broke when our life turned upside down on her wedding..." Both their entwined hand tightened the hold, other than nothing changed in their demur that would say they were affected by some old demon of a haunting past, "She was hysteric, on the verge of insanity, which made us more protective of her, especially, and she was again cocooned in the new family. She behaved like a mother hen around me and I let her hoping that she would come out of her gloom and she did, but I didn't realize I was making her weak emotionally until I experienced firsthand."

Khushi frowned while Arnav smiled sadly but there was naughty gleam in her eyes, "When I introduced her with my first girlfriend from college"

Khushi eyebrows shot up and then narrowed, a show that she was offended, but then shook her head smiling as if to tell I am mature than that. Arnav dropped a kiss on her forehead seeing the first genuine mirth in her eyes since they met and continued again...

"She was insecure though she tried to hide it but I could see it, hear in her comments like my chote will need me even he has ten wives running his errands, don't you chote? But then I went to Harvard and there was no time for me for any girlfriend, study and part time jobs took care of it and later when Shyam came in her life she found her fairytale again, even though it was an illusion." He looked down feeling tired not the one of talkative nature and also the emotion upheaval the whole narration was creating in his inside but he knew Khushi needed to know all, understand and come out of her guilt and also she needed to know that she had right to talk and know about every aspect of his life and the lives that are connected to him, them. So talk he would, to let her know that now he wanted to share his life with her by all means.

"And now she has Chetan... both smiled thinking about the cherubic face of the little bundle, already a handful in his ten months old self... to build her castle in the air."

"Doesn't she realize that the very society she was not ready to face, will break Cheatn's world of illusion once he goes out in the world, or she cannot avoid them for whole life" finally Khushi could not hold back and voiced her concern and for once Arnav was glad she didn't shy away.

"I don't know. But I have decided to not interfere." He shrugged.

Astonished Khushi stared at him. This might be the eighth wondrous thing she had heard.

Arnav chuckled humourlessly on her expression and clarified, "Because it was my/our meddling that made her what she is. We never let her fight and become strong herself. We were always there to help her cope. Now I cannot say for others but this time, I have decided to not hover her and let her deal with her situation. If she hears a taunt let her retort. If she faces an emotional breakdown I would rather let her cry it out ... better than holding back." And now he turned his full body and attention towards Khushi as he voiced what he wanted to tell her through this whole narration indirectly, "So if your comeback makes her insecure then it is her demon to fight out. We can help but we can't heal her. It is her who needs to find the solution in home, outside or through professional help, but let her decide herself."

Looking Khushi's tearing eyes, Arnav whispered, "We will be there to support her but not to the extent that leaves us derived. I learned my lesson Khushi, delayed but I learned and I want you to know she will never lose her importance in my life, but that doesn't mean you hold any less valued place in my life... I love you and these three words should be enough to tell you, your place in my life and in my heart. I love you."

Khushi threw her arms around his neck and embracing him with all her might and whispered brokenly "I Know ... I know... love you too Arnavji and don't worry we will be alright... we will be alright."

**

I am sorry if anyone of you thought that I have degraded Anjali here, but I have written her character from my real life experience and observation, where every girl/woman are not strong, where they are not phoenix, where they need support emotionally and financially and more so after such things happen in their life ... they are not at fault because they are raised to become so. Beliefs that run deeper in their soul and lessons that bound in only household activities they don't find the courage to go out in the world to stand on their own feet. If they have means to support them its good or else after the male member gone in their family they are only left to hear the taunts of the society and live like a creeper.

I could have made Khushi's character so, but then Khushi always had been working in and out to support her family therefore she had the spunk to face the world when she was left with nothing. So Anjali it is.

Hope you understand.

Don't forget to tell how you found this chapter...

Mou.

P.S. I have sent PMs this time but please try to drop mail id so I can mail next if you want an alert.

P.S.S. U2 readers there is prologue coming up on this Friday with Chapter 1 which I hope you will like.

AndChavu darling if you are reading this I need a new banner, please contact to know the details... *grinning*

Oh, this time, I managed to understand how to quote so replied to your comments 😳

Originally posted by: tuli_jayee

Hey Mou, a very nice chapter indeed.

I liked how you in details provided Anjali's side & I for once didn't think that you have degraded Anjali. her ideologies are not wrong - but a women whose first marriage was once broken due to her parent's death & the second one was a failure because of the wrong person she chose - when she would learn her lesson? When she would take her & her child's responsibility. After facing these two incidents, why she is allowing others to take control of her life.

It's not about being weak or being strong, it's not about being independant or dependant. It's a matter of personal choice. Women who work - have different resasons for doing so - some women work as necessity - they have to provide their family the financial support. Some women work - so they don't have to depend on their parents for their every need & requirements , while others work to create an identity. Few work to give it back to the society while others work to achieve something & few work - because what else they would do at home sitting idle .

But women who do not work - doesn't necessarily means that they are weak. They simply found pleasure & satisfaction staying back at home, taking care of family & raising children. They simply take pride in the fact that their family members are depended on them for small things .

I , myself is coming from a family, where I have seen females who takes care of family members each & every requirement effortlessly , while there are females who work so hard in their offices , that simply get too much exhausted at days end & after returning home simply have dinner & dozed off.

Anjali has always been brought up in a protective environment. Anjali - Arnav's parents death has affected both of them in different way - one was absorbed completely in the protective shield of her family members, while the other decided to take charge of everything. Since, Arnav is still there along with other family members, Anjali never felt the need to do something else in her life. & just because she hasn't developed working in such environment, so she doesn't feel confident that she can do it. Moreover there was blind support of nani & mamiji. So, even if somebody tries to convince her to do something of her own, she might think that may be Arnav was considering her as a burden , so advices her to take a job.

But another thing, I would like to share, that how long can she blame Khushi for her failed marriage. If not for Khushi, then may be for some other women , Shyam would have behaved in this way. Then whom should she blame. How long can she blame her fate. This escapist mentality will not take her anywhere. She needs to face it boldly. Afterall, every person in their life has to face the problems head on at some point of time. What if something happened to Arnav (God forbid) or Aakash, or mamaji - then who would take care of her ??

It's about taking self-responsibility. You always can't lead your life depending on others.

I didn't intend to write essay, but thought of sharing my POV. Hope it didn't offend you or bore you.

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