After receiving a teary farewell from her family, Khushi was still not ready to talk to Arnav. Arnav was bound in the web of confusion as he was not able to understand why his wife was ready to accompany him to Lucknow but is not able to speak to him. Knowing her well from observations, Arnav was more than sure that something was cooking in her sharp mind.
Khushi was lending mental support to Payal, who was depressed by the thought that her in-laws could reject her while Arnav was lending emotional support to Akash, who was broken to see his wife so depressed. Throughout the flight journey and the road journey, it was only Arnav who was continuously glancing at Khushi, hoping that at some point of time a conversation will strike between them but it was of no avail.
They had reached Sheesh Mahal while Payal and Khushi were in awe at the beauty of the palace like mansion which was owned by the Raizadas.
" I will go and call Mumma and others outside." Arnav informed while Akash stopped him and asked,
" Arnav, it will be your Grah Pravesh too, then how can you go in and call Mumma and all of them outside? We can just call them."
" No Bhaiyya. Ritualistically, it might be my Grah pravesh too but someone doesn't accept this relationship so this ritual doesn't hold any importance to me. So I will go in and call them outside, it won't look good if we call them out while standing here." Arnav smiled warmly at Akash while moving towards his house to call everyone to meet the new members of their family.
Sheesh Mahal had two doors, one small one embedded in the larger one and a door after that, which is never closed for religious purposes. Everyone was assembled in the huge living room of Sheesh Mahal, awaiting for their children when Arnav walked in, much to their shock.
" Chotte!" Everyone gasped in shock, while Arunima walked towards Arnav to question him,
" Chotte, what is this? How did you walk in just like that? We have some rituals to complete when the bride enters her in-laws house for the first time, don't we?"
Arnav bent down to take her blessings and stood up straight to answer her question,
" Mumma, if Khushi doesn't accept this relationship then I don't want to force any of these rituals on her to make her feel even bad."
Nani was overwhelmed to see Arnav's love for his wife, while Manorama was eager to see the daughters-in-law for her own selfish reasons.
Arunima patted his cheeks affectionately with a warm smile and took the ceremonial plate from their loyal servant, Chameli, as she proceeded towards the main door to welcome her daughters-in-law, guiding the rest of the family along with her.
The door was opened to reveal a nervous Akash and hyperventilating Payal, while Khushi was nonchalantly standing in her tight jeans and tight white top, which she had purposefully worn so that Raizada Family doesn't like it.
And she was right, Raizada Family was not exactly happy about her way of dressing, being the orthodox family it was. But they were mature enough to not let it show on their faces openly. After completing the rituals for Akash and Payal, Arunima turned to Khushi who wished her with a smile, while Arunima started doing rituals to her, as questioning look developed on her face. Arunima spoke to clear out her queries,
" If not as a daughter-in-law, I can welcome you as a guest who is equivalent to my daughter, right Beta?"
Arunima's warmth melted down Khushi, while she nodded affirmatively and let her do the rituals, while Arnav stood beside her, completing one of the Grah pravesh rituals.
Akash and Payal entered the house nervously as instructed by Arunima, while everyone else remained silent waiting for Nani to speak. Khushi started walking behind her sister, while Arunima signed Arnav to walk with her, to complete the Grah pravesh ritual. Just as they completed the rituals of marriage unknowingly, they had completed these rituals unknowingly too.
The elders and the couples took their seats while the serene atmosphere was created as Nani began to speak,
" I don't even know what to say, Chotte and Akash. And you both didn't leave us with an option other than accepting your marriage, so we will have to accept the marriage anyways, as Arunima believes that all the rituals have been fulfilled and there is true love between you all. However Arunima also told me that Khushi Bitiya doesn't consider this marriage as she believes that this marriage happened as a prank, as a revenge from our Chotte. Now I leave it upon Khushi Bitiya to choose whether she wants to stay here, accepting Chotte's love and us or you want to test if our family is right for you or not, or reject directly because clearly Khushi Bitiya is not at fault here and we cannot punish her for something our son has done. There is absolutely no force from our side, Bitiya. You can stay here for some days as a guest to test us all if you want or accept us making us privileged."
Arnav was so elated that he felt as if he has conquered the world and turned his face to see Khushi who was shocked that Raizada family has accepted her so openly and easily and questioned to reconfirm if she was hearing the right thing,
" Ma'am, are you sure about it? I mean you are accepting any random girl as the daughter-in-law of this house?"
" Khushi Bitiya, I wouldn't have taken this decision if Chotte didn't come here to inform his mother to complete rituals only for Akash and Payal, because you will feel uncomfortable by doing that. There was love in those words, his tone and his eyes and I trust his choice. Moreover, I heard a lot about you from Arunima and I trust my daughter's choice too. I have seen a glimpse of your strength of your character in the way you have dressed up and not feeling nervous, because I have seen people wearing various dresses forcibly just to impress someone but you chose to remain what you are, and I respect you for that, Bitiya."
Khushi just wanted to bang her head on the wall as her plan has backfired so badly. Now, she had to stay here for more days to make sure that they reject her, thought Khushi. On the other hand, Manorama was feeling intensely jealous for Khushi as she herself was never on the receiving side of warmth from her mother-in-law.
" Ma'am, if you are fine with it, I want some time to take my decision. Not that I want to test you, but I want to test my own compatibility here, so if you allow it.." Nani smiled and cut her in between,
" As I said, the choice is completely yours, Bitiya. Chameli, keep Khushi Bitiya's baggage in Chotte's room and prepare for their refreshments."
Chotte's room? She has to stay in Arnav's room?
" Ma'am, I have to stay in Arnav's room?" Khushi questioned with confusion written all over her face, while Manorama looked at her as if she was asking the most dumb question ever. Arnav stared at her questioningly thinking what problem she has with that, as she has been sharing her room since a few days.
" Actually Khushi Beta, we have not cleaned the other rooms, as we thought you will be fine in staying in the same room as Chotte's but if you want we can arrange it." Arunima informed her affectionately while Khushi didn't want to load Arunima with more work and also she had to speak to Arnav, so she decided against it.
" No problem, Aunty. I guess I will manage." Khushi answered meekly while Arnav felt happy that at least he will get to see her face, the first thing in the morning and the last thing in the night.
One side had compromise while other had pure love. Will cupid ever strike a bond of pure love between them, where both the sides will have just love, decorated with joy and peace?
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Edited by .MereRangMein. - 8 years ago
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