Chapter 29

The entire Raizada clan along with the to be Raizada brides and Mrs.Gloria spent the most adventurous time the week that followed Parimala's exit from Khushi's life.. Anjali was in her last trimester, more specifically, in her 8^th month of pregnancy and was no where bowing down to put her feet to rest given that its her Chotey's marriage.. Her hormonal mood swings only added up to grandly piss off Arnav's oh so tortuously practiced wisp of patience.. He finally got fed up with all of it and whisked away Khushi to the rocks they once sat on their way back from the Fair, which was unofficially their first date.. Cuddling her to himself, Arnav kept contemplating on how to tell Khushi what he was thinking, as she kept blabbering about how terrified she felt at the rate his Di was running around in their house..

Arnav broke out of the reverie as he felt Khushi jump in his arms and turn around abruptly, looking deep into his eyes, cupping his face.. Running her thumb along the day old stubble, loving every inch of the pricking tickling feel it gave her, Khushi kissed Arnav softly at the corner of his lips before she whispered soothingly to calm his raging heart...

"You can tell me.."

She chuckled softly as his eyes went wide before a knowing glint glowed in those chocolate orbs.. Pecking him once again, Khushi breathed into the hollow of his neck as she hugged him to her.. She knew he was disturbed and was most probably torturing himself for her sake, something which might not even be an issue of discussion to her...

"You are uncharacteristically quiet.. Not the verbally quietness, which you always are.."

She moved out looking into his searching eyes as she ran the tips of her fingers along his eyebrow, smoothly as if kissing along his Scar.. Sexy Scar...

"You do not keep your hands to yourself whenever I'm around you.. Never.. Now you have me in your arms and all you did was hold me tight and secure.. You dint draw patterns, those circular never ending spiral ones.. You dint kiss the baby hairs at the back of my neck, for whom you have kinda devilish fascination.. Neither did you nibble my earlobe, which you'd do like a child nibbling his favorite cheese slice.. Smooth and tantalizing... So, what is it dear Hubby Annie?"

And those butterflies began dancing in her tummy without any invitation.. She felt the heat rising up in her body, and was sure that her skin must be glowing like a tomato.. Heck! A stupid slow smirk was all it took to make her knees weak and her heart gallop.. Wonder what would happen on their.. Khushi chose not to go anywhere around that topic for the sake of her own health.. She was highly grateful to Arnav at his power to make her forget every sane and insane thought with just as much as a mere peck from him.. And if he'd kiss her like the way he was doing right now, then all she'd remember is him, his touch and his love.. That's it!

"Were you complaining or seducing, little lady?"

Smiling as she tried to catch her breath, Khushi spoke in giggles as she saw Arnav smiling at her in mischief and amusement..

"Trying to give a wakeup call to my Annie from within that ASR.."

Smiling as he pulled her more into him, Arnav scooped down whispering huskily...

"Well, Annie stays away from all this and ASR knows how to play his cards and would stay in his limits.. If you really wanna wake someone up to do all that you want, you better call out your Arnav.."

A wide grin replaced Arnav's shocked face that popped up instantly as Khushi whispered to his lips

"Arnav.."

Shutting her giggles in his way, Arnav cuddled her more to him as he reveled in how wonderful his life turned out to be..

Closing his eyes relishing every single second, Arnav lay in Khushi's lap as she ran her fingers through his hair...

"So what is it that is eating you?"

Arnav snapped open his eyes as he realized that he completely forgot about the burning issue in his hands.. He felt Khushi's fingers massage his temples before they ran along his scar occasionally.. By now, he knew very well that his fianc has a great fascination when it comes to his scar... Smiling at her softly, Arnav couldn't help but ask...

"Khushi.. Will it be this way? Every time?"

Though Arnav's words had no subject or object, Khushi very well knew that he was referring to the way they were handling the problem that was disturbing her Man.. Bending down, Khushi kissed his lips softly as she whispered to them..

"Every single time, always, forever.."

The following month had Gupta Mansion being registered as The Ray Of The Dawn', the home for the 27 abused children, all of them aging between 6-10 years.. They were rescued by John and his friends when they were being shipped to Mumbai for being forced into doing odd jobs... With AR sponsoring every single thing from their daily necessities to health, education, bedding, clothing and food, Arnav took The Ray Of The Dawn' on a very personal note.. He knew what it meant to be an orphan, so does Khushi.. He dint want any of them to face what they'v faced.. He wanted to bring them up and introduce them to the world as warriors.. AR would sponsor their education till every single child from them would emerge with solid jobs.. It will also provide them sufficient scope of venturing into the world and take up the course that they want to.. Arnav appointed Khushi as the CEO of this huge project and never in a single instance did she let him down.. The Ray Of The Dawn' or AR's TROTD as fondly called, though gained huge appreciation, recognition and sponsors in a very less time, was strictly a family venture.. With Mrs.Gloria as the acting CEO, Arnav with the help of Khushi motivated many of the elder women and college going students to take out their time and spend with these wonderful children and help them in becoming as normal as possible.. The medication of these children went directly under Anjali's custody, who inturn appointed a huge number of her friends in doing this blessed job for free.. With Shyaam taking care of all the legal work, Lavanya took it upon her to give the best fashioned clothes to these children, no lesser than the standards of AR.. As a supportive step, Nani along with Mami proposed to stay back in Manali, atleast until Mama returns back permanently to India from USA...

A month later, Anjali went through a safe and happy labor, giving birth to a baby boy who resembled everything like his Maamu.. Though Shyaam and Arnav hoped for the baby to be a girl, the little kid's entry made them forget everything except cuddling him into them.. A bliss of time went by when finally Anjali broke her promise of never gonna speak with you both'.. It was keeping Anjali's last stages of her pregnancy and her stubborn participation every minute thing regarding the marriage that both Arnav and Khushi decided to post pone the wedding to two months after Anjali's delivery...

"It wasn't me who asked for a pompous wedding.. I was ready for a court marriage too... All I need is you Arnav.. Nothing more, nothing less..."

But and then, he really wanted this wedding to be as fairy tale like as possible.. It was her dream that he overheard once when she was a kid.. Moreover, she is nothing less than a princess and he wouldn't let her feel any lesser.. So being adamant that he wanted the marriage to be and grand and loud as possible, though he aint a fan to all the glittering rooms and booming sounds, Arnav announced the postponement of the wedding making his Di cry out loud and stop speaking to both of them, specially him..

The Grandeur of Gupta Mansion would take your breath away but just a glimpse at it... If the Morning light beaming upon it gave such a feel, imagine what it could do if the last ray went down making the dark night come up only to get confused at finding yet another Sun shining... And why wouldn't it? The time to witness a promise made by the groom Arnav Singh Raizada to the winds of Manali, being fulfilled has come.. A promise that he'd sweep away their Princess off her feet.. And oh how majestically he did!!!

And so, finally after 4 months came that blessed time to start the wedding preparations of Arnav and Khushi... Khushi couldn't hold her tears at bay when Arnav made it clear that her bidai would happen from the Gupta Mansion itself... With Mrs.Gloria, Payal, Shayaam, Aman and Lavanya as her family and the rest as Arnav's, Khushi wept of joy when she learned that every minute detail was being checked and rechecked by her Man, starting from her hair pin to the Pandit's fee.. Her every single costume and everything regarding her were designed exclusively by Arnav and not a moment passed which dint see Khushi crying out of happiness.. She felt so happy and complete that she fainted twice in Arnav's arms.. A completely bewildered Arnav promised her sincerely that he'd try to be a bit rude from the next time, earning him a soul scorching kiss...

During the Shagun, Khushi was damn sure that Arnav was somewhere around her and was seeing her, since she could feel him.. But try as much as she did, she couldn't point out from where he was watching her... And the minute the Shagun was done, Arnav popped in stating that he technically broke no custom or tradition for which none had a valid counter debate... He pulled her up and drove her to the AR office, where he made her sign a few papers which he later revealed were the ownership of her own exhibition block for all of her paintings... His Shagun to her...

During the engagement, not only did Arnav have the audacity to hold her hand through out the ceremony inspite of the continuous teasing Khushi was subjected to, but also asked her to sign a few more papers which he later revealed that she was made holder of 80% of everything that he has till now.. Not even her slap and her tears could budge him from changing his decision... His way of saying that she's his better half...

Mehandi went dramatic with people asking Arnav to get his hand adorned with atleast a dot to which he dint relent, nor did Khushi want him to do anything he dint want to.. She silently prayed that he'd stop showering her with his gifts every time a custom pops up... But another slap landed on Arnav's face along with a drugging kiss and loads of tears when he showed her name tattooed on his ring finger hidden below their engagement ring... His way of imprinting her name on him...

Haldi was the most memorable with Arnav sneaking up into her room at the God damned hours of 4 in the morning, just after she bathed fresh.. He locked all the doors making Khushi's heart thump frantically.. As he approached her in calculative steps, Khushi closed her eyes in numbing anticipation but snapped open her eyes as she felt something cool being smeared on her face.. She saw him smirking dangerously at her as he applied haldi along her hands and legs and smearing them along her waist, neck and every inch of her bare body.. The giggled like toddlers smearing each other with the haldi.. It came as a shock to her when she saw Arnav later that morning entering the Mansion with his face still smeared with the haldi she applied.. His way of telling that no one has access to him more before she does..

The Sangeet was an altogether another level of fun.. With every single member of the family betting that the bride would have to dance with someone else for the night since the groom never as much even swayed, all it took was Khushi's one pleading look at Arnav and every single person lost their bet, which was a totally really hefty amount.. The danced really sensually not caring anyone looking at them or whistling or clapping.. It was his way of saying that he'd do anything to make her happy, even if it means going out of his comfort zone...

The Wedding is something that Khushi would never ever even dream to compare with any other feeling she has experienced till then.. The fountain park had been Majestically and artistically transformed into a huge open mandap and everything went blurred as she finally saw her Man donn a traditional wear for her.. Every single recite, every single vow, every single caress, every single glance, every single touch, every single promise, every single step, every single smile.. Everything etched straight deep into her heart.. Encasing her hands in his, he told in his own way that it'd be this way forever, hand in hand, till death do apart...

Seeking her complete attention on him as he filled her maang with Sindoor, his eyes never leaving hers, both their eyes blurring, as he kissed her red maang, he silently promised in his own way, that no matter how big the decision will be, it'l be a cumulative decision, always...

Though Khushi was leaving for the best to start a new life, she couldn't help but cry at leaving the place, the people and the home she grew in... She fit perfectly in his huge warm embrace as she clutched him hard and wept at the separation.. She felt his hands running along her back, his silent assurances as he kept his lips stuck to her head, promising sternly that this will be the last time he'd ever let her cry..

The journey went silent with the exhausted bride falling asleep in her groom's arms.. She woke up blushing and smiling gratefully as she felt his warm languid kiss on her forehead.. His way of assuring that he'd be her pillow from henceforth...

Khushi looked deep into the warm Chocolate eyes that oozed his unconditional love for her as he lifted her in his arms taking them both into their new home, to start a new life... Speaking through his eyes that he'd never let her as much as put her feet on the ground...

The games made the house roar with cheers but the couple knew what passed between them beneath that cover of milk.. Arnav let Khushi win every game, letting her know that his every success is hers and vice versa...

The neg he gave to his Di and Payal left them stunned as he handed 2 blank checks to then, silently implying that she's far worthy than anyone can ever measure...

The first night went soft and smooth with Arnav taking every damned care not to let his fragile beauty get hurt even if it was unintentional.. He introduced her to the throes of passion letting her witness how explosive their chemistry was.. With every whisper, caress, kiss, thrust and touch, Arnav profoundly showed Khushi how much he loved her, for eternity and beyond...

Princess Khushi did get her Prince Charming, her Ray of the Dawn - her Arnav, Arnav Singh Raizada...