Chapter Sixteen

After Arnav's beautiful confession the rest of the morning went in a haze for Khushi. It was all going to be ok, he loved her. They had made it through the worst, and now things would be good from here. Payal had bought her clothes over for her and she went to change as Arnav went to deal with the formalities of her discharge. Payal had brought her, her red salwar suit, Arnav ji's favourite colour. She smiled to herself. She couldn't believe only a few days ago, actually a few hours ago, she had thought it was all over and now, now they were going to have a new beginning. They would go from the hospital, with all qualms sorted to start a new life with each other. Ok well may be all their qualms weren't sorted and they had a lot to work through, but at least they had made a start on that journey, where Arnav would finally begin to trust her and be open with her, and where she would be able to finally move on from her past and enter a new beautiful tomorrow with the man she loved.

As Khushi began hoping and dreaming new, beautiful dreams, her bubble was being burst outside by Bua ji and the family.

'I said enough is enough. We let you have your way yesterday, but our daughter has suffered enough at your hands and we will take her home with us.'

'But Bua ji, we will take care of Khushi. I promise we will. I know we have made many mistakes in the past, me, Chotey, all of us, but we want to fix that now. She is ours too, and we love her Bua ji. Please, please don't do this. Don't separate them.' Anjali pleaded with an adamant Bua ji. While the others watched perplexed wanting Khushi to come home to Shantivan too. But Bua ji did not budge from her decision.

'You and he said that before, we trusted you with our daughter but look where your so-called love landed her, our daughter could have died yesterday. I will not trust any of you with her, you who doubted my innocent bitya.'

'Madhumathi ji, your anger is just. Anjali and Chotey have commited a grave crime, for which our sweet Khushi has paid. I agree with you, for not letting them off the hook, they shouldn't be. Anjali lied and Chotey left Khushi vulnerable at the mercy of that heinous man. I will not try to cover their faults...all I say is that in your anger at the kids do not overlook their regret. They are truly sorry for their actions which has brought us all here in this hospital. They want to right their wrongs now, will you not let them. If you do not give them the chance to show how sorry they are then how will you let them redeem themselves in front of you?', Nani intervened, seeing Bua ji becoming more and more red with every one of Anjali's pleas.

'A chance to redeem themselves? Why should we give them that chance, did your son or daughter give our bitya that chance to explain herself. No. They just reached the verdict, and signed her death sentence. So why should we give them the chance?!! And tell me one thing, would you let that scoundrel of man enter your Anjali's bitya's life after he has ruined it so horribly, if he said he wants the chance to redeem himself. No, right. Then how can you expect us to let Arnav and Anjali back into Khushi's life. Look I'm not saying they are as bad as that scum of a man, but you tell me if Khushi was your daughter would you let her go back with Arnav bitwa, who has harassed her every day since they have met. Truthfully answer that question.' No one responded.

'Your silence speaks volumes. You know in your heart that if the roles were reversed you would not let Khushi go back then why are you expecting us to listen and cooperate. The only reason you are willing to overlook this right now is because Anjali and Arnav are your son and daughter so no matter what, no matter how upset and disappointed you are at their actions, at their deceit you can forgive them because they are your children, but I, we cannot. Not right now anyway. Just the way Anjali and Arnav are your children and you are looking out for them, Khushi is our child and we are looking out for what is best for her. Will you take that right away from us?!! '

Nani ji and the Raizada's were silent. None of them could counter that argument, for it was true if the roles were reversed they wouldn't have wanted Khushi to be in a house with Arnav and Anjali no matter how much they pleaded. For their lack of judgement had resulted in Khushi's near death. No parent in their right mind would give their daughter's hand in house that did not trust, respect or love their daughter.

Finally, Anjali broke the silence again, crying at Bua ji's feet, 'Bua ji, we made a mistake, a dreadful mistake I agree, but we want to fix that now. Please don't take Khushi ji away, Chotey won't survive it. He has been through so much these past few weeks, they both have. Don't separate them please. They finally have the chance now to start everything normally, don't take that chance away from them. And I know, I know I have wronged Khushi ji and Chotey horribly but I want to fix my mistake please, please just give me one chance please.'

'Enough Anjali bitya, I like you, I do. And I am not that harsh that I will overlook your pain and grief that has come your way due to that man. And I don't blame you for falling for his sugar-coated words, for I once too fell for them, he is a good manipulator. But at this moment in time my Khushi and her well-being matters to me most and it is in her interest that I have decided she will come home with us. Please don't argue further, because I will not change my mind.'

'Won't change your mind, about what?' Arnav, having paid the bills and completed the formalities for Khushi's discharge, now walked in on the conversation, having no idea that the happiness that had begun broiling inside of him at the thought that Khushi would come home with him where he could finally begin repenting, was being taken away here.

'Chotey, chotey, you try and make Bua ji understand, she won't listen to my pleas. Tell her, tell her that we are heart-broken over what happened to Khushi ji and we want nothing less than her happiness. Tell her that we will give her the happiness and care she deserves, tell her chotey.'

'Di, wha...yeah we will but why are you saying all this?'

'Chotey...chotey Bua ji wants to take Khushi ji away from us. She wants to take her to her house from the hospital. She blames us and doesn't trust us to take care of her.' Sobbed Anjali.

Arnav felt, like someone had just slapped him, waking him up from a beautiful dream to a rude reality. When would these horrible surprises end, he had had enough of this roller coaster ride, he liked roller coasters but that did not mean he wanted his life to be one, which is how his life had felt like these past three days.

He had not thought about how Bua ji and everyone would react to everything that had happened. He had been happy that Khushi was safe and that she was coming home with him. That everything would get better from now, he had never realised that what he thought was best for Khushi might not be what Bua ji and everyone else thought. Of course they would be angry at him and want Khushi to be away from him, after all he was the cause of all her misfortune. But...but even after it all he couldn't let Khushi just slip through his fingers, not now, not when he had finally gotten her. He shook his negative thoughts from his mind and tried to convince Bua ji.

'Bua ji...'

'Don't. Don't even try Aranv bitwa, I know what you want to say, your sister said it all before you, about how sorry you are and how you will take care of Khushi, but we don't believe you. There is nothing you can say or do that will change my mind. Khushi will come home with us that is final. I knew from the beginning, ever since she met you that you were bad for her, I told Shashi and Garima, but after you two got married I thought ok, let's give you a chance maybe you might surprise me, and for a moment there you did. But after yesterday my resolve is clear, I want you out of Khushi's life, you have given her nothing but distress, and enough is enough now. She deserves better.' Bua ji hollered into Arnav face, with deep hurt and contempt showing in hers.

Arnav was taken aback, he did not know how to make Bua ji understand. Make her see he truly regretted what had happened, and wanted to spend the rest of his life making Khushi laugh each waking minute and make her forget the demons of her past. But there was no point coming at Bua ji through an emotional angle as that would not make her change her mind, he needed to try something different.

'What you are saying is right Bua ji, I have hurt Khushi beyond anything and I do deeply regret it. And yes she does deserve better, which is all I want for her. But tell me Bua ji how will it not hurt her and you all more if you take her home with you, will not the society talk about you for letting your married daughter stay with you instead of with her husband. Are you not the one who has always said that a married girl's house is her husband's and not her mother's? So won't society's remarks hurt you all more.' She was silent, Arnav continued. 'That is why I say let her come home with us, you can come there too and stay until you are satisfied and see for yourself that your daughter is being treated rightly. Bua ji, I know I have made grave mistakes, no not mistakes, I have commited crime upon crime against Khushi in the past that have caused problems to your whole family, not just Khushi, but I wish to right those wrongs now. But I can't do that if you don't give me the chance, so will you not give me that chance?'

'No. You had your chance.' The reply did not come from Bua ji, but from behind Arnav. From Garima.

'Aunty...'

Garima held up her hand and spoke in a low but clear tone. 'No Arnav bitwa, we have heard enough. What you say is right, society will probably make rumours and what not, but I don't care. That is what society does, gossip, and yes my Khushi will become the talk of the town but that is something we can ignore. What I will no longer ignore is the treatment my daughter has deserved at your hands. I'm her mother, and enough is enough. You have wronged my daughter from the day you met her but I stayed quiet, instead I would scold Khushi, but now no more. My daughter is not at fault, you are. And so I will take my daughter away and that is final.'

'Aunty...'

'No. If you cannot understand where I am coming from then understand this, I have her mother, my sister to answer too, she left her most precious thing, her Khushi in my care and I will do whatever I need to, to make sure that Khushi is safe and sound. And right now my heart tells me that I should take Khushi with me, and so I will and none of you will stop me. And as for what will happen about your marriage, we can decide that later, once Khushi has recovered, and the memory of her being rolled into the hospital, bleeding, has blurred.'

Arnav was rendered speechless. There were tears in his eyes, but he could not counter what Garima had said. She was her mother and right now she needed Khushi, may be even more then he did, by her, to reassure herself that her daughter was truly safe and sound. He wouldn't take that away from her. And she was right they were all too emotional right now, after all Khushi was that sort of person who just captured your heart without you even knowing, he knew that better than anyone. He wiped his tears and then walked over to Garima. He kneeled down next to her and wiped her tears away.

'Aunty ji I won't stop you from taking Khushi with you. She is your daughter and I know there is no one better to take care of her than you. And right now that is what she needs most, good care and love. The rest can be sorted out later. But Aunty I want you to know that I will come to take my Khushi back with me. I will win your heart and hers too again. I promise.'

Garima let a small smile appear, as she thought to herself, I am counting on it Arnav bitwa.

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O note on y Garima is counting on it...bcz one does not give another the chance to redeem themselves, they have to earn it through their actions...😉

ACTywm2012-08-27 19:06:26