Chapter 4

piyaarshi

@piyaarshi

3. Pati!

Staring at the woman in yellow saree, Khushi tried hard to recollect how she knew her. Only thing that flashed in her mind was previous night. Her running away from the monster and hitting this same lady who was wearing red back then.

"Where are you lost Khushi ji?"

Anjali tried to shake her out of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry ma'am but I can't remember a single thing"

"Khushi ji... What is this ma'am and all huh? I'm your Anjali di"

"Di?"

Khushi gave a questioning look to her. Anjali nodded with a smile of approval.

"Di can you please help me? Where am I? Whose house is this? He says it's his room. Can you please ask him to leave this house if it's yours? From yesterday he's behind me and asking me vague questions"

He looked at her angrily and all she could do was hide behind Anjali once again.

"Arre Khushi ji. You don't need to be scared of him. He's my Chote after all, I know how to handle my brother and his fake anger. And this your house Khushi ji, Raizada mansion. It's your room, both of yours."

Khushi now had a more confusing look. In fact now Anjali also had the same expression.

"Why are you asking me these questions Khushi ji? Have you forgotten everything? Don't tell me you have also forgotten your pati?"

"P...Pa..Pati?"

"Haan pati! Humaare Chote. Arnav Singh Raizada? This man whom you are scared of right now. Which of course you don't need to be!"

"But I'm already married"

"Yes to my beloved Chote"
Anjali gave a teasing smile.
For Khushi, she was still grasping it all..

Di

Chote

Brother

Your house

Your room

Husband?

She was unable to accept any thing which was stated. All these revelation was too much to accept. Khushi felt overwhelmed. So much that she didn't even notice when Anjali asked her to freshen up and come down. And that they can discuss it later, pulling her along.

Khushi heard something like "All your belongings are safely locked on this side of the wardrobe. You remember Khushi ji how we set your clothes in here when you were newly married?"

Looking at the blue, green, red salwar suit in the hangar, something flashed in front of her eyes. She saw herself setting up the wardrobe with a woman. But she was not sure if the women were same.

Khushi looked at the shelf which had colorful dupattas, side jholas (bags), Lakhnowi mojri (shoes).

For a moment her conscience believed that she belonged to this place. But the thought of last night made her tremble. She started linking every dot and when she realized she might indeed be married to the moster, she shivered. Not realizing she walked backwards slowly, in denial.

As she hit his hard chest, she remembered the way her hand was twisted. How he breathed in her ear from behind and pulled down her veil. Then the Dori! Her conscience was shaken.

He felt her pause against his body and next thing he knew was a fainted Khushi near his heart. He placed his hand around her waist for support and looked up at his di.

"Blue or red? Which one Khushi j.."

Anjali paused.

"What happened to her?"

Anjali frowned with worry. Arnav placed his right palm on Khushi's forehead and felt the temperature.

"She's burning"

"Chote please lie her down. I'll call Doctor Sharma"

With that Anjali dropped the dresses in the shelf and walked passed him to take the phone. He on the other hand picked her up.

He turned to walk towards the bed but paused after realizing something.

"What happened Chote?"

"Huh.. nothing di"

"Then why are you standing. Bring her here" Anjali said sitting on the bed with the phone.

He placed her on the bed and recollected few moments from previous night till now.

When she walked on the ramp, she limped.

When he advanced towards her in the dressing room, she didn't move back. (Which is very unusual)

When she freed herself from his clutches, she could barely run.

Today when she saw his face and turned to walk away, she had the same limp.

And now when she walked back, she limped!

It suddenly dawned upon him. He had felt something under her knee when he picked her up. A hard metal like substance. She was hurt!

He panicked. But of course he could not show it to his di. He can't show up his feelings. He can't feel weak. To anyone!
They say once bitten twice shy and so was the case for Arnav.
Being a sensitive Arnav costs him. At the end he only receives pain. And so he chooses to be ASR.

Dr Sharma was checking Khushi who layed on the bed.

"She was fine for a while but then suddenly she fainted"

He heard his sister speak to the lady who was checking Khushi. His eyes were only focused on Khushi's legs one of which was not resting straight on bed.

"Yes Anjali, I think she's stressed. Plus Delhi temperature you can see, it's unbearable"

"She'll be fine right?"

"No worries at all. Good thing that you started giving her Patti (cold cloth strips). I'm writing some antibiotics and she should be good to go"

"Thank God, I was very scared" Anjali said looking at Arnav.

"Can you.."

Both the ladies turned towards Arnav and waited for him to complete.

"Can you check her leg? I think she's hurt"

"Sure"

Dr Sharma lifted the green lehnga and placed it just above her knee. Both Arnav and Anjali were shocked to see a metal cast around her left knee.
The doctor analysed it but since she's a regular physician, she can only give a standard anlysis about the knee.

"So Mr Raizada, I thought it was a fresh wound or something. But it looks like it's due to some old accident. She might have dislocated her knee and she's still in recovery. It's better to consult a physiotherapist for details"

Arnav just nodded.
Accident, dislocated knee, recovery, physiotherapist - all these words kept ringing in his head. To say he almost forgot that he's supposed to hate her.

(Hope you like this chapter. Check out my story on Wattpad please... I take time to update the chapters on IF. Click on my signature!)

-shikhapiya