Chapter 10

-Zesty-

@-Zesty-

Part 14

He kissed her with urgency, his tongue desperately exploring the recesses of her sweet mouth, crushing her petite form against his. He wants someone to tell him everything will be fine, everything will be alright, everything will turn beautiful like before.

"He ...he has not uttered a single word from last two days, Maria ...Khushi..she just won't open her eyes...and bhai ..he ..I just can't take this .. ... why now? why now when everything was so beautiful? ...Why, Mar? ..She was so happy ..." He cried, holding Maria close to him.

Hot tears streamed down her pale cheek as she cried along with him, not knowing what should she say to make him feel better. She is hurting too.

"Everything will be fine, Akesh...nobody is going to leave you ... Trust me ... Khushe is just weak ...remember what Doctor said? She is just weak... her body is too weak... she will open her eyes Akesh,...she will.." She rubbed his back, wanting to take away his pain. "Everything will be fine, Akesh...believe me..." she held him close, whispering soothing words to him.

His eyes were stuck at her pale face, hands cupping her lifeless hand in his. Scared, he just sat there, motionless.

"Slowly ... slowly... Slowly ... Good no English... English no good ... please.. "

"Oh ...sorry sorry ..." She looked at the men. "Tomorrow ... I will make tomorrow ...for all " she smiled, making the room soon fill with light laughter and chuckles. Her hand lifted to her mouth to cover her own giggle.

Khushi giggled again. "Now magic, please?"

Khushi nodded her head. "Yes Yes, I do... I am very intelligent, you told me yesterday ..."

Khushi sat in front of her dressing table and held her doll in her hand. " Kusi, what happened? Tell me, sweetheart. ... Are you in pain? ... Talk to me, darling "

Khushi nodded. "Yes. .strong very strong...more up please?" She asked, all excited like a child.

Khushi again shook her head, her hands resting on his shoulder. "No...I want now. ..Tell everyone to stop calling me kid."

"Make love? Then make love" She circled her arms around his neck.

"I am not lying... " she took his hand in hers and started dragging him near the Lake. "Now I will throw it in the water , and then you will never go away from me.."

He looked at her as one by one all her memories flooded his mind. Her soft voice reverberated in his head, making his heart burst with pain. He looked over her. She was looking so weak, pale, so fragile, ready to leave him. His hold on her tightened as a shaky breath left his body.

"Please ..." he pressed her lifeless hand against his cheek. "Don't leave me..." few drop of tears cascaded down his cheek, his chest hurting. He can't take this. He don't want to loose her. He had lost his Mother, and survived. He had lost his Father, and survived. But not her. God, not her! This time he will not survive.

Khushi smiled and hugged his arm. "Don't be scared... I am not going to leave you.."

"You will be breaking your promise if you leave me, Kusi... Don't leave me please ...Open your eyes, baby.." he begged, tears falling down freely.

But she didn't. She didn't opened her eye, and it angered him. After his Mother's death, slowly and steadily he had learned how to keep himself away from emotions. But then she entered his life. With her soft voice and warm touch she stirred again all the emotions he had long forgotten. And now she is here, lying in front on him, ready to leave him. How dare she?! His insides burned with helplessness and anger, urging him to break down everything in the room. But instead of that, his hold on her hand tightened more, afraid that she would leave him if he even moved an inch.

"You have to open your eyes, Kusi!" he ordered. "Else I will marry someone else...You don't want that, do you? You don't want to share me with anyone , right? Please open your eyes... please ..please Kusi ...please ..." he rested his forehead against hers, pleading and begging her to open her eyes, to not leave him. Like last two nights, he pleaded and cried till he lost to oblivion.

Everything inside her ached. She tried to stretch her body, but it felt like she has no strength in her. She felt weak. She wanted to open her eyes, but had no strength left to do that, too.

"Aa..." She tried to speak, her throat dry. With great difficulty she opened her eyes and witnessed only darkness -- It sacred her. She tilted her head to her left, and a sudden calmness overwhelmed her. She tried to stretch her lips into a smile, but it too turned out to be an impossible task. Tears burned her eyes as she felt herself to weak to do anything. Pushing back the tears, she tried to get up. Dragging her weak body little up, she lifted her hand to rest on her husband's chest. She tried to shake his arm, but instead slumped down on his chest, too weak.

Arnav frowned as he felt some weight on his chest and blinked his eyes to clear his sight. He looked down on his chest, and stilled. "Kusi ..." he held her carefully and laid her down on the bed. His whole majestic frame shook with relief as he saw her eyes open slowly and look at him. "Oh God..." His trembling hand lifted to caress her pale cheek. "Kusi... God ... darling how are you feeling? Talk to me ...please say something ... say something, love..." His shoulder shook with sobs, tears flowing down his cheek and falling on her white cheek.

"Pa..." she tried to speak, her dry throat hurting.

"Yes .. what's it ...?" he leaned down, keeping his ear close to her mouth. "Tell me , kusi..."

"Paani ..." She said, swallowing too hard.

Arnav rested his forehead against hers. Hating himself for not understanding what she said. "Sorry ...sorry, Kusi ... Tell in English , please ... I am sorry ..."

She lifted her weak hand to wipe his tears. "Water ... Don't c..ry .."

Arnav nodded his head and immediately stood up to fetch the water.

"Here ..." holding the back of her neck carefully, he made her drink the water.

Khushi drank the water slowly, her throat hurting as she drank it. "Bas ..." She laid her head back on the pillow.

Arnav kept the glass aside and came over her. "Kusi ..." he smiled. "Thank you ... Thank you for opening your eyes ...I was so scared ..I don't want to loose you, love ... You scared me ... You scared me, Kusi ..."

Khushi smiled and cupped his face. "Scared you again..."

Arnav showered her face with desperate kisses. "Yes... You scared me ... Don't you ever do this to me ... I will die , Kusi..."

Khushi shook her head. "No ... don't die ... I am sorry ..."

Arnav stopped abruptly as he heard her apologizing. Cupping her face, he made her look at him. "Don't apologize , Kusi ... I should be the one apologizing ...It's all because of me... you were so happy, and I couldn't protect you from ..." He rested his lips on hers. "Sorry ... Big sorry ..." he kissed her slowly, feeling her. As he felt her lips immobile , just resting beneath his, he opened his eyes to look at her. "Kusi?" he panicked seeing her eyes closed.

Khushi blinked her eyes at him. "Fine ...tired ..." she whispered.

Arnav kissed her forehead. "Sorry ... Take rest... I will bring something for you to eat, OK? I will tell Akash you are fine... He is so worried ..I will just be back ...OK ... Don't ..." he swallowed hard. "Don't sleep again, OK?"

Khushi nodded her head. "OK.."

Arnav left her hand with heavy heart and strode fast towards the door.

"Kushi!" Akash ran towards her. "Oh God!" sitting beside her he took her tiny hand in his. "Darling, are you OK?" He asked, his eyes misty, too overwhelmed at seeing her eyes looking in his.

She smiled at him and nodded her head. "Fine ..fine ..."

He caressed her cheek and kissed her forehead. "You scared all of us, you know? You bad girl... From last two days everyone is pleading , begging you to open your eyes, but you just won't open your eyes... You made all of us cry so much ... " he kissed her eyes. "We all love you, sweetheart ...love you so much... don't you ever leave us ...understood?"

Khushi nodded her head slowly. "Understood... but what happened?" She asked, not knowing why she was feeling so weak, why everyone was so much worried for her.

Akash caressed her hair. "You will get to know, but not now... . for now just eat loads and get well soon ... And then we have to open all the gifts you have got ..." he winked at her, making her giggle softly.

Akash made Khushi sit and supported her weak frame against his as he saw his Brother enter the room with a plate filled with fruits.

Khushi looked at her husband and smiled as he sat in front of her. "I didn't slept ..." she said.

Arnav looked up at Khushi and smiled. "Thank you... You are a very good girl ..." he lifted a piece of apple to her lips. "Eat ..."

Khushi opened her mouth and took a bite, chewing slowly. She rested her head on her brother-in-law's shoulder, feeling too weak to sit on her own.

Akash looked down at her, feeling terrible for her.

"Khushi ?"

"Kusi?"

Both of them called out in unison as they saw her closing her eyes.

"Uhh?" she tried hard to keep her eyes open. "I am sleepy ... neend aa rahi hai, Akash bhaiya ..."

Arnav kept the plate on the bed and inched closer to take her in his arms. "You are not sleepy, Kusi ... You are weak ... please eat, darling ... please?" pulling her more on his lap, he rested her head against his chest.

Khushi nodded her head.

Akash picked a slice of apple and lifted it to her lips, his throat hurting. "Here Khushi ... Eat please .."

Khushi opened her mouth, her eyes still close.

They fed her the fruit and she took small bites, chewing softly.

As she finished the plate, Arnav laid her down on the bed and covered her with the quilt. "Talk to us, Kusi ..." Arnav encouraged her. Doctor had asked them to make her active as soon as she opens her eyes , else the poison she had consumed will do more damage to her body.

"Akash bhaiya, your eyes' color have changed.." Khushi said softly, still struggling to keep her eyes open.

Akash smiled down at her. "I know ... color of my eyes changes when I cry ..."

Khushi blinked here eyes at him. "Don't cry ... I don't want your eyes' color to change ... I like them"

Akash chuckled. "Now that you have opened your eyes, I won't cry ... " he caressed the back of her palm.

Khushi looked at her husband. "You have grown your daadhi so much ... I don't like it ... Aapki daadhi chubhti hai ..."

Akash chuckled and looked at her clueless Brother. "She is saying she doesn't likes your beard, it pricks her skin..."

Arnav looked at Kusi. His hand lifted to feel his thick beard. He smiled at her. "OK ...I will shave it ... " he leaned over her. "And you have promised me to teach hindi... I want to learn hindi, Kusi ..."

Khushi nodded her head. "Yes , I will ... From tomorrow ... " she promised.

Arnav kissed her hair. "Thank you ..."

Khushi lifted her hand to caress his cheek. "You too have cried?" she asked, looking at his swollen eyes. "Will you do something for ...me?" Khushi asked.

Arnav nodded his head. "Tell me, baby...anything"

"Pathar ... Collect stone... and then we will throw that in the Lake .."

Arnav smiled, holding back his tears. "Yes .. I will do that for you..."

"Thank you ..."

"What should I do for you, Khushi? Make jalebis? Loads and loads to feed all the country people?" Akash asked.

Khushi giggled, making both the men smile at her.

Arnav looked at her as Akash talked with Kusi , and she giggled more and more. But his eyes turned cold as soon as his mind went over the reason of her state. His palms fisted as he thought of the person who was the sole reason of these two torturous day. And this time the person won't be spared.

Hope you all liked it! I dont know if it's any good