Chapter 24

rulama

@rulama

[MEMBERSONLY]

[NOCOPY]

RECALLING ARNAV - II

Part 24

Section 1

Arnav looked up to see a beaming Khushi standing at the door to his office room, holding his lunch box aloft.

"Khushi!" he exclaimed, feeling his heart lighten at the glee on her face. The workers must have liked her food, he mused.

"Arnavji, the supervisor said that the men enjoyed the food," Khushi almost danced in to the office on light feet.

Arnav stood up. His arms lifted of their own accord.

Khushi abandoned his lunch on his table and leaped in to his arms.

"Arnavji, I am so happy. I can't tell you how happy I feel," she murmured against his heart.

He held her as close as he could.

She lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes turned serious as she said softly, "Arnavji, finally... I am not a burden anymore."

"Khushi?" he murmured in shock.

"I was always dependent on the goodwill of others, Arnavji. All my life I have been a burden on Babuji, Amma and Buaji. I wanted to stand on my own feet, be independent..." she smiled at him.

He caressed the strand of hair from her cheek and tucked it behind her ear, his heart aching at the tinge of loneliness in her voice.

"It is a small business, Arnavji. It is not something to boast about. But it means the world to me. It makes me very happy to cook for others, to pay my way." Khushi said softly.

"You don't have to prove anything to anyone, Khushi. You don't have to justify your existence to anyone. Just be happy. That's all," Arnav kissed her gently on her forehead.

"I don't want to take on more than one order at a time, Arnavji. Nor do I want to own a hundred branches of this catering business. I just want to cook with Jiji in Buaji's house, supervise the cooking and the packaging, ensure the supply and enjoy the feedback," Khushi said.

"Make it as small or as big as you want, Khushi," Arnav said, cradling her head against his shoulder. "I will be with you every inch of the way."

"I am so lucky, Arnavji. I have so many people ready to help me out. Jiji joined me a few minutes after you left today morning. Then Di called while we were cooking," Khushi smiled against his neck. "She wants to join us tomorrow."

Arnav smiled. "Good. It will give her a sense of purpose in life."

"Naniji and Mamiji will accompany her," Khushi laughed.

Arnav's brows hit the skyline.

"My entire family is going to cook with you?" he asked.

"Mami is really going to get her hands dirty?"

"Yes," Khushi laughed.

"Nani will faint with happiness to see Mami cooking," Arnav smiled, dropping a gentle kiss on her chin.

"Come and have your lunch," Khushi invited. "I made sugarfree halwa for you.

Arnav smiled as he sat down and dug in, licking his fingers as he finished the lunch made by his wife.

That night Arnav lay in bed watching Khushi plait her silky hair. Her slender fingers deftly twisted her hair in to a neat and orderly plait and completed the process with a band at the end.

"Khushi, I love your hair," Arnav said softly, almost involuntarily.

She looked at his image in the mirror and her lips stretched in a sweet smile that soon turned naughty. Her lashes fell to hide her eyes.

"Acha? I was thinking of cutting it off," Khushi frowned at her hair. "To look more like the ladies in your office... modern... fashionable."

Arnav paled.

He leaped soundlessly off the bed and strode towards her on silent but determined feet. He came to stand behind her. His left hand clasped her shoulder and his right hand moved over her hair, right from her head to the end of her plait, his intent eyes lingering lovingly on the silky fall.

Khushi stared at him in surprise. She had expected an outburst but not his actions.

She jerked as she felt his fingers free her plait from the dark band and then run through the knots to free the lush waterfall to fall down her back.

"Arnavji..." she whispered.

"Ssshh..." he whispered, running his fingers through her hair with abandon, enjoying his right to savour her beauty.

She trembled as his fingers massaged her scalp, sending electric currents down her spine and limbs.

Her head fell back against his chest, revealing the tender lines of her throat to the eager, loving eyes of her husband. His lips touched her hair, moved down to tease her vulnerable ear and then explore the sensitive skin of her throat.

Khushi moaned, "Arnavji..."

"Hhmmm?" he asked against her throat.

She had no answer as his marauding lips explored her nape and his fingers trailed down her arms, attacking her senses from all angles and directions.

"A... r.. nav... ji..." she cried brokenly.

"Khushi..." he whispered as his fingers drew the dupatta away from the base of her neck and threw away the wisp of cloth.

She turned and threw herself in to his arms, hanging around his neck with her slender arms.