Chapter 1

rima

@rima

Di I wronged Khushi for you

After the embarrassing incident when the cork of the champagne bottle hit a fellow diner and after Arnav had reassured Khushi, that she still meant the world to him despite her 1 million antics, Arnav decided to pay the bill and take her on a long romantic drive.

As it is he was finding it tough to keep his hands and eyes off her. These days leading up to the remarriage were trying times for him as he was missing Khushi more than he could say.

He missed the clutter in his room, her crazy singing, the tinkle of her anklets as she walked around him, her sweet fragrance that was just 'her', the sound of her bangles as they clinked while she charged his mobile, laid down his work clothes, fetched his towel---

Most of all he missed her close in his arms, snuggled up to him in his bed...

Arnav shook himself out of his reverie and said, 'Khushi I will check why they are delaying the bill. I will go and pay it at the desk. You follow me after you are done with your never ending ice cream. Or I will be back after paying the bill. I don't want to lose time as I want to take you on a long drive,' he said and gently squeezed her hand and got up.

Khushi watched him walk away with a dreamy expression. Laad Governor. How she had missed him and everything about him. His commanding voice, his keying away at the laptop, his teasing, his soft and tender gaze, and even his anger. She must have lost it, to miss even his infamous anger! 'Khushi Kumari Gupta, you can't be so weak or that man will eat you up,' she scolded herself, but the thought only made her blush.

As Arnav walked down the restaurant, he dropped his car keys accidentally. He quickly bent down to retrieve it. Just as he was picking it up, his eyes fell on a pair of shoes, the special kind his Di wore.

Shocked he straightened himself to catch a glimpse of the owner of those feet, and he stood frozen on the spot to see it was his Di sitting there. Her face was turned away from him and she could not see him. But he could see her. There was also a secluding partition that made it impossible for her to see him.

His Di? What was she doing here? He moved towards the secluded spot where she sat to ask her and once again he was rooted to the spot. There opposite her sat the scoundrel Shyam sliding a ring on her finger.

Arnav felt his cheeks become wet and realized he was crying, His heart felt pierced and he felt betrayed. It was almost like the night he had seen Khushi in Shyam's arms, only this time it felt worse, because this was his Di, the woman he had trusted all his life, consorting with his enemy.

Memories flashed across his mind as he started walking away.

Memories of the day he had dragged Khushi to marry her.

Memories of the day he had screamed at Khushi that he hated the sight of her.

Memories of the Heer Ranjha night when he had been brutal to Khushi,

Memories of the day he had accused Khushi of being characterless.

Memories of the day Khushi had almost died trying to save him.

Memories of the day Anjali Di had come back from the satsang and told him 'You have changed Chote' just because he had shared a romantic day with his wife.

Memories of the time he had screamed at Khushi 'I wish I had never met you' after seeing his Di trying to kill herself.

Memories of Khush's birthday, when Di had walked away with the red roses he had ordered for his Khushi

Memories of the day his Di had told him he had started lying to her...

Today she was doing the same thing, lying to him, romancing her husband behind his back, even after knowing her husband had tried to kill him. How could she?

When Arnav came back, Khushi knew something was wrong from the thunderous expression on his face.

What had happened?

Must be Aman and business.

'Arnavji can I order another ice cream?' she asked him trying to divert his attention to her.

'No Khushi. Let's leave,' he said and almost dragged her out of the restaurant.

There goes the romantic drive, she thought.

But contrary to her thoughts, Arnav sped the car away towards a distant place. They finally reached a secluded place where he stopped the car.

He turned towards her and took her in a fierce hug surprising her and constantly muttered, 'I am sorry Khushi. I am so sorry. I am sorry I always put you second,' he muttered.

'Arnavji what is wrong?' Khushi asked him.

'Khushi remember the day you were going to commit sucide?' he asked her.

'Oh about you and Lavanyaji? That was so silly of me. Arnavji let us forget all that. It is in the past.' Khushi said, alarmed that Arnav was going into the past.

'Let me complete what I am saying because I never said it before and don't know if I can say it later. You remember you made a will and left me your stars?' he asked.

'Yes,' she said, remembering that moment well, when her heart had constricted at the thought of leaving him alone in the world, and she had decided to gift him the stars which would ensure she was with him after death.

'I too had made a will Khushi. And do you know I left everything to my Di and nothing for you?' he asked.

'So what Arnavji, she is your Di. You loved and trusted her, and at that time you thought I was cheating on you' she said, trying to make him feel better.

'But Khushi, you had no money. You did not get any happiness from me. On the contrary, I only gave you grief. Even then you thought of leaving me your stars. And I had everything, money, property, family jewels. And I did not even think of leaving a single thing for the woman whose life I destroyed. It showed in my life I gave you no importance and I always put my Di first,' he said with tears in his eyes.

'So what Arnavji? Why bring all this up now?' she asked, earnestly scared about where this was headed.

'I wanted to tell you today, I have destroyed your life selfishly for my Di's life. And today I realize how wrong I am and how cruel. You loved me unconditionally and my love always had conditions.

You gave even your smallest belongings to me and I could not even part with my tiniest asset.

Khushi today I want to tell you. I must have done something very special in some life, to deserve you,' he finished, this time raining kisses on her face.

Khushi did not understand where all this was coming from.

But she was happy to comfort him and find her haven in his arms...

As he held her to him, he was determined that this time his Di would see another side of her Chote'a side she had never seen

Next chapter: Arnav and Anjali confrontation with Dadi defending Anjali and Arnav giving it back to them

rima2013-04-07 01:42:42