Part 21

12 days ago

manjiri

@m4manju

Garima Gupta had seen too many ups and downs in her life. Falling in love with a wrong man at tender age of 18, then losing her only family- her elder sister and brother-in-law in an accident leaving behind their 8-year-old daughter in her care and then marrying a kind-hearted Shashi Gupta and adopting his daughter from his first marriage as her own. She thought her life had already shown her enough.

She was proved wrong when her daughters- Payal and Khushi became of marriageable age and her world turned upside down once again. Payal was left at the mandap due to dowry for which Khushi somehow became responsible and it started looking like Khushi had become a reason for a lot of issues in their family. So, when Khushi eloped with Arnavji- Payal's elder brother-in-law, Garima for the first time raised her hand on her.

Eventually, she did soften towards her daughter. And again, credit for that was to her lovely daughter Khushi. She could melt a rock with her affection. Then this was her amma- regardless of not being biological. So, consequently she accepted Khushi's marriage to Arnav.

But then came that black day. 6 months after this elopement marriage. Her brave Khushi who went to save Arnav from the kidnappers, fell off a cliff and nearly lost her life...

What happened after that, was a constant battle of right and wrong in Garima's mind. On one hand, she wanted to bring her daughter to her own house so she could take care of her, give her all the love she deserved. But on the other hand, she knew Khushi was getting much better care and protection as Raizadas' daughter. She used to feel guilty whenever she met Khushi who knew her only as Payal's mother now, but the glow on her daughter's face told her, her decision wasn't wrong. Khushi had adapted to this new life she was given very well, and the family too had kept their promise. In their love and care, khushi had bloomed like a dew-kissed flower.

Until today.

Right now, as she waited outside the closed door of Khushi's room in Raizada mansion, along with the rest of the people her daughter called her family, Garima's heart couldn't stop praying. For keeping Khushi safe.

*

Khushi slowly opened eyes, feeling thoroughly rested as if she was waking up from a night of good sleep. But as she looked around to notice it was a bright afternoon and then saw Vikrant sitting by her side, the events of this morning came flooding to her. As much as she would wish it was all one of her nasty nightmares, she knew it wasn't. Strangely, despite the feeling of melancholy, she didn't find herself hating anyone of her so-called family in these 3 years.

She tried to sit up and Vikrant quickly came to her side to help her.

"Thanks, Jiju." She said, unintentionally bringing a huge relief to Vikrant's mind.

This was her first reaction after knowing the entirety of her past. The truth about her trauma-inducing love story and the truth about her not being biologically related to any of the Raizadas...

The doctor in Vikrant wanted to tread cautiously despite the brother in him wanted to keep her away from all Q&A for now. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

In the meanwhile, the Raizadas as well as Guptas were waiting outside the room. When khushi fainted, Arnav had made a panic call to him, and he had rushed to Shantivan. A quick check of her pulse and heartbeat had told him that there was nothing serious, but he had still given her a mild tranquilizer shot that would calm her nerves and not cause any stress to her brain.

He then asked all of them, including Arnav, to wait outside while he waited for her to wake up patiently for 2 hours.

And now she had. Seemingly normal. Her resilience, her composure had often made him surprised. He had been handling her case for three years, ever since she first opened her eyes after the accident that erased her past memories. From that moment to today, when she learned of her true identity, she had managed to face it all with great poise. Of course, there had been momentary reactions that anyone in her situation would have...

She smiled at him and took the glass of water kept at her bedside, taking a few sips.

"I should be angry right now. I should be livid. Everyone lied to me about who I was for so long, including you, I should get mad at all of you, hai na Jiju?" she asked, and Vikrant didn't know what to say.

She shook her head as she said, "But I don't know why, I am not. Maybe because I always knew you all had kept some of my past from me. Although I never expected it to be this. I never thought I was an outsider for my supposed family. I never imagined I was not- not their own."

"You are their own, Khushi. You are our own." he insisted.

She nodded, "I know. Everyone gave me so much love...Di, Nani, Akash bhai, Payal Bhabhi- I never suspected I wasn't their family. And now that I know it was my new life, my new identity at the cost of my old...I feel hurt." she said, closing her eyes to gather her thoughts.

Vikrant quietly sat there, recording, collecting every word she said. She then spoke in a low voice, "But I also feel grateful...for all that they all have done for me. For their love, their care...I shouldn't, right? Is something wrong with me, jiju? Is this another side effect of memory loss?" she asked, sadly.

"No! No, khushi, nothing is wrong with you. In fact, I am so proud of you. You are a very brave, kind and mature person. That is why even the cruelest blow of destiny couldn't harm you!"

Khushi didn't say anything.

"But khushi...you didn't mention Arnav."

"What about him?"

"What do you feel about him?"

Khushi sighed. This was one question, one thought she wanted to avoid. Because she was finding it hard to believe how he described himself from the past. The way he told her about their past, their marriage, his revenge against her, his inhumane behavior against her...she couldn't process that still. She was having a hard time believing it. How could Arnav be the reason she lost her identity when he gave her his identity! It was clear that he loved her so much that he gave up everything for her!

"I don't know, Jiju. After everything I've heard, I still can't remember my past. Then how can I hate him when all I remember is how he has always cared for me and treated me like a true gentleman? To me, Arnav is still the man who has shown nothing but kindness. So, I can't possibly hate him for something I don't even remember, right?" She asked a rhetorical question. And then added as an important afterthought, "That doesn't mean I am ready to live the rest of my life with him thought, I still need time to decide what exactly I feel for him- respect, gratefulness, or love. But yes, I certainly don't resent him." She confessed.

Vikrant nodded in understanding. "Very well then. Do you think you are ready to meet them? Your family?"

Khushi nodded.

*

While the rest of his family waited for the door of Khushi's room to open, Arnav had his back towards it, his eyes trained somewhere on the distant horizon. He dreaded what would happen once Khushi woke up. Will she have her memories back and then finally give him his punishment for abandoning her at the airport 3 years ago? Or will she not remember anything but still ask him to not show his face ever again after his deceit of hiding her identity? Or will she leave- no. He will not let her leave. He had given his entire world to her, so that she could have her world intact. He will ensure her world stayed aabad (thriving)!

But until that moment arrived, he wanted to live these few moments where he still had the privilege to exist under the same roof as hers.

*

The sound of the door opening made him turn back as a seemingly happy looking Vikrant stepped out.

"She is awake. And she is ok." He relayed the most critical message they all wanted to hear.

"Jai ho nandkishor." Buaji said. Nani too folded her hands in prayer.

"Kya hum- hum Khushi se mil sakte hai (Can I meet Khushi)?" Anjali asked, tearfully. And to Vikrant's affirmative nod, she didn't waste a moment to go inside.

Nani, Garima, Buaji, Akash, Payal, Manorama, mamaji and Kashish followed her.

Arnav stayed at the threshold, not knowing what to expect.

"Di." Khushi said, with a tentative smile and was engulfed in a hug by Anjali.

"Tumne humein Di bulaya, iss ka matlab tum humse naraz nahi ho (You called me Di, that means you aren't angry with me). Hai na? Thank you, thank you so much, gudiya." Anjali said, crying all over her.

"Toh hum aap ko aur kaise bulate (How else was I supposed to call you), Di?"

"Aap ko jaisan bhi thik lage, aap humein bulayiye bitiya, bass humein chod kar kahi mat jayiye (You can call us anything you want, but don't leave us)." Nani said, sitting on the bed in front of Khushi and caressing the side of her face with a shivering hand.

Khushi held her hand in hers, "I don't know where else to go, Nani. You are my family, the only family I know."

Silence spread over the room as they looked at Guptas.

It was Garima's cue to come forward.

"Bitiya." Garima softly called her, and Anjali and Nani stepped away for her to take their place near Khushi. "Will you call me Amma?"

Khushi's eyes slightly widened as she caught the meaning.

"Yes, bitiya. I am your unfortunate mother, although I have proved that I was never meant to be so." She said, taking Khushi's hand in hers. "But you are my child, khushi. Yes, I didn't give birth to you, you are my Jiji's- my elder sister's daughter. But when your parents passed away when you were just 8 years old, since then you have been calling me Amma. And after I married Payal ke babuji, he became your babuji too. We- we are also your family, Khushi. Although we failed you many times..."

Khushi looked at Payal who nodded, indicating what her Amma told her was true.

Khushi's eyes moistened. So, these were her roots, her blood relations. She had someone as her "real" family too!

"Apni bua ji ko bhi maaf kar do, titaliya (Forgive your buaji too). Our intention wasn't to hurt you, but we only wanted the best for you."

Khushi nodded.

Honestly, she had always found Payal's amma and buaji being very sweet and loving towards her. Almost as if she were their daughter. Now she knew why.

However, the truth remained, she had no memories of her past and thus couldn't reciprocate their feelings entirely.

"I- I understand." She said, nervously, "I am not angry or upset with you."

Once they all had their little reunions and interactions with Khushi, they started leaving from there, so she could take rest.

Except for him.

Arnav still stood at the door. Patiently waiting for his turn to receive a verdict on the future of his relationship with her.

Vikrant gave a gentle pat on his shoulder as he was the last one to leave, and said, "I'm just outside, if you need anything."

Arnav nodded.

He was contemplating right choice of words when she beat him to it.

"Why did you do all this?" her question made him finally meet her eyes. And he realized it was a loaded question. She wanted to know an answer to his 3 years of penance in a single sentence.

Quite luckily, he needed just one sentence to explain everything.

"Because I love you."

Her breath hitched at his words.

But she still pressed on, "What if I never remember our past?"

"That doesn't change what I feel for you." he answered without a second thought.

A hint of blush rose to her cheeks as she hid her smile.

It was then his turn to ask her something, "Do you have any questions regarding our past, Khushi?"

She shook her head in denial.

Now the next question was the most difficult one for him but he still kept a stone on his heart and asked her, "Do you hate me for the contract-"

"I can never hate you, Arnav" her answer was instantaneous. "And I think I never hated you in the past too."

She didn't know what her words did to that man standing in front of her. A huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. As if he had been wandering in darkest pits of hell for the past 3 years and she just rescued him to beautiful heaven.

But before he could bask in that joy some more, he suddenly remembered something else. Something that had stuck his mind during their conversation this morning. "Khushi, who told you about contract marriage? Hamari family me se to ye baat tumse kisi ne nahi ki, toh fir tumhe kaise pata chala? Who mentioned it to you?"

--*--

Precap - "It's clear that Shyam is roaming around you all. We need to set up a trap for him. But..." Sameer cautiously began.

"But what?" Arnav impatiently asked.

"But you may need to trust us for using a slightly difficult plan to catch him." Sameer said, throwing a quick glance at Khushi.

"What are you trying to say, inspector Sameer?" Arnav asked in a dangerously edgy tone.

"It's clear that s- shyam is– b-behind Khushi madam. So, if we take her help to lure-" he couldn't complete the sentence.

--*--

A/N – Possibly, Khushi's reaction isn't exactly what a lot of you had expected. But this is how her character is set. She is level-headed, practical and brave to embrace her present as it is. But yes, her love-confession is still a bit away and I promise it's another beautiful moment in the story, hopefully worth your wait. Btw, not a spoiler, but I hope you all are prepared for 'Snakewa ka aatank' in next one (Yes, it's a nod to 'Sarkate ka aatank' from "Stree" universe)!