Chapter 11

Khushi woke up groggily and looked all around her. How long had she slept? Was she late for her meeting? Alarmed she was able to get up when she remembered him----Arnav

Was it a dream? Finally, the dreams she had been dreaming for7 long years, had taken over her senses. She looked around her to make sure he was not really there. He was nowhere to be seen.

She must have been dreaming---how else would she be able to see Arnav again. She was not that lucky in her life. Hadn't she lost him seven years ago?

Slowly she tried to get up from the bed. Her head did a strange whirling. Unsteadily she stood up.

Just then Arnav entered the room and said in an angry voice,

'Where do you think you are going?'

Khushi looked up half afraid to think she was hallucinating again. It was only when he took her by the arm and made her sit on the bed, that she realized that he was very much there in flesh and blood with her.

'I have to go to work,' she said

'No. You are not going anywhere,' he said in a stern voice. Khushi froze to the spot. Even today, she obeyed him automatically, in reflex.

Then she remembered her clients and her meeting and regained her presence of mind.

'I don't have to listen to you,' Khushi said, trying to get up.

'Oh no. You don't. You are going nowhere till I am done with you. I have waited 7 long years to get some answers. If it means locking you up and throwing away the keys I am going to do it,' Arnav said menacingly.

Khushi felt drained of all energy to fight him. Tired, her shoulders slumped as she pleaded, 'I have to go to a client meeting Arnav. Moreover you have no right to demand things from me.'

But Arnav stood his ground unrelentingly. 'I have the right to know a lot of things. And you owe me a lot of explanations. After all am I not the man you ditched?' he asked cuttingly.

Khushi visibly flinched in pain. He wished he had not been so harsh. But he was in no mood to give in.

'What do you want to know Arnav?'

'All of it. 7 years. What happened in them. What have you been doing. How you got married. Where you went for honeymoon. How did your heart and body go together all these years.

And last and most important-Why the hell did you ditch me,' he bit out.

His tongue lashing had her in tears. Immediately he softened.

'Tell me Khushi. I need to know it all. Please relieve me from the agony,' he said.

'Ok let me call my clients first,' she said and made her calls to update them.

She looked at him squarely and said, 'Ok. Where do you want me to start?'

'Let's start with the day you got married shall we?' he bit out.

'Ok. I wore red lahenga. All my relatives had come. Dad and Mom were deliriously happy. NK looked handsome in a sherwani,' she said

'And?' Arnav prompted.

'And we took the pheras and he put on the sindoor and mangalsutra and then there was bidaai,' she said.

'Then,' he prompted again.

'Then we went for our honeymoon to Kulu Manali,' she said, her voice low.

'And, when he made love to you, how was the feeling? Did you feel happy? Did you feel as turned on as when I touched you,' he said, his eyes blood shot with a strange emotion.

She did not answer.

'Go on. Tel me how was your married life after that?' he asked.

'We are happy. I have built a career for myself. NK is a supportive husband. He has encouraged me to build my career and live my life,' she said.

He was silent for a while and then asked,

'So why no kids? When are you planning to have them?' he asked.

'We have been trying. At first I was too young and NK said we can have later. But now we are planning,' she said.

Again he was silent for a while.

Then he came towards her and almost loomed over her and asked,

'So you are happy. You have forgotten me completely?' he quizzed.

'Y---yes. I have moved on. So, have you,' she said accusingly.

'And you are very happy with NK,' he asked her again.

'Yes. We are one of the most amicable couples in the world,' she said.

'And you are proud to be Mrs Nand Kishore Sharma?' he asked her, his voice gruff.

'Yes. I am very proud to be Mrs Nand Kishore Sharma,' she said.

It was then that he came forward and lunged at her and pushed her back in the bed, saying,

'Well. I have news for you. And the flash news is, you are still Miss Khushi Kumari Gupta and Mr NK is not your husband now. And never was-----'