***
Arnav turned on his heels as he saw his beautiful wife, dressed in a pink saree with a golden blouse. Even she turned simple dresses into a beautiful one once she had it on herself. Her long dark hair that came down to the length of her waist, bounced softly as she moved.
She was folding clothes angrily.
He exactly knew why she was feeling edgy since last night. He was getting punishment for not picking her phone and answering to her messages. As he had put his phone on voice mail due to the meeting and messages he couldn't able to answer either. She didn't say anything to him, just served him his dinner last night and wished him good night before sleeping, but she didn't kiss him like every night she would do. As he tried to pull her towards himself, she told him she was very sleepy.
Well, he liked it, when ever she gets angry, or is upset with him he knows very well how to coax her up.
With a smile on his face he walked to her, slid his hand under her saree pallu, around her stomach, and pulled her towards himself from behind tightly. He rested his chin on her shoulder and his nose in her hair, he smelt the smell of her floral shampoo. He swayed along with her side and to side in slow motions.
"You look gorgeous in this saree!" he murmured in her ear in a husky voice. Thinking his romantic gestures and talks would work.
Khushi simply uncollapsed his hand around her, and moved him away. Arnav furrowed his eyebrows and wondered if she was fine, as she walked to the cupboard to keep the clothes that she was done folding. He followed her. And again hugged her. This time from front. Clothes that she folded fell on the floor.
"Arnav ji, can't you just see? Look what you have done?" she said angrily.
"What's wrong?" he retorted. "Why are you sulking?" he asked.
This hurt Khushi as he had no idea what he had done. "Really, Arnav ji?" she said.
"O-Kay...so you are really angry huh! I am sorry, Khushi!"
Khushi slowly sat down on her knees to pick up the clothes. Arnav held her arm and forced her to stand up. "Arnav ji, you are hurting me!"
"What about you, Khushi? You are hurting me, I am saying I was sorry, did I not?"
She freed herself from his hold. "This is good, first make mistakes and then say sorry!"
Arnav raised his hand half up in air questioningly. Then he bent down to help her. "Let me help you!" he said.
"No, thank you, because of your mistake I have to wash these clothes again."
"Khushi, nothing has happened to them? Why are you overreacting?"
"Because you deserve this!" she said. "You don't have to show you care for me. Because I know you don't. You only think about yourself and work...work...work! I am not more than a maid to you. In fact, I am a maid only. You need your bed tea at right 8:00 AM, at exact 9:00 AM you need breakfast, at 9:30 AM you need your office bag ready so that you could leave for work, I sit here alone, all I have to do is house work. And then you come at 9:30 PM, all you do is have dinner and 10:00 PM back to bed, I feel you have married your work not me."
Arnav was confused as he didn't know whether it was his Khushi speaking.
"You know what? Just go...you must be getting late for your work!" She taunted.
"Khushi, today is Sunday!"
"Oh really since when you started taking sundays off?"
Khushi was about to leave when Arnav swirled her around without any warning. Khushi lost her balance as she felt dizzy. Arnav had his arms around her so she was saved from falling.
"Arnav ji, leave me now!" She ordered.
"Khushi, what's the problem? Why are you behaving as I have done a crime? I took holiday because I couldn't able to give you the time as I did promise!"
"If you can't fulfil your promises don't make them. Simple. Please, you don't have to take a holiday especially because of me!"
"Khushi, please calm down!"
"No," she shouted despite knowing she shouldn't be.
Arnav never had seen Khushi this suppressed. She never had been this angry.
"Khushi, look you are not my maid for god sake. You are just overreacting!"
"You won't understand, Arnav ji. You would never understand. And you haven't done anything. It's all my mistake!" she raised her voice.
"Woah...something is serious...huh?!" he laughed to calm her.
"It doesn't matter to you if I cry, I shout, all I have become is a joke for you!"
"Khushi, no it's not...You are my priority!"
Khushi didn't know if she should laugh or what? "Priority? Do you really understand the meaning of priority? If I was ever your priority you should have..." she stopped.
"I have what, Khushi?"
"I don't want to talk to you, just ignore me thinking I am a fool!"
"Khushi!" he said sternly.
"Please leave me!" she cried.
Arnav was worried and furious at himself. He hugged her. "Baby, please tell me what's wrong. I am sorry!" he sincerely said. "I am sorry for making you feel this way. Your this condition is bothering me. Oh, I am a horrible man. But no you are not my maid. It has been 3-4 months we hardly spent some quality time with each other. I apologize for that."
"I don't want to discuss about it. Just focus on your work, I am sorry to bother you," she said as she pulled back from the hug.
Before she could leave Arnav held her and made her sit on the bed. "Khushi, I promise I will give you time!" he said. His heart was sinking badly in the sea of guilt.
Khushi burst into fresh tears. His phone rang. He ignored it. "Khushi, I am sorry, I know I am at fault. Khushi, I forgot that you are my responsibility as well and never tried to understand that you feel bad as I won't able to give you much time. I am sorry, Khushi!"
Khushi was hurt beyond his words could mend it.
"Khushi, please forgive me!" he said. "See I hold my ears."
"Arnav ji, you won't care!" she said as a matter of fact.
"Khushi, I am saying sorry!"
"For what? Do you even know why I am upset?"
"I know, Khushi, I didn't answer to your messages." he said.
"No, Arnav ji, you promised me that you will go out with me! And you said at exact 12:00 PM you will come to receive me!"
Arnav bit his tongue.
"I understand your work is important for you, I never complained you about it. But Arnav ji, hadn't I expected you when you promised me and at the time when I needed you the most. How many messages I sent you? Yes, you might have been busy with work, but you could have at least told me you won't be able to make up. If you were busy at least told Aman to call me."
Khushi felt sick with emotions. "Like a fool I waited for you at home, then at the hospital!"
"Hos...Hospital? Why Khushi?...Why did you have to go to the hospital?...What has happened to you?" he asked the questions one after the other.
"I am pregnant, Arnav ji!" she finally told him for which till now she was upset over. "I am going to be a mother!"
For a second Arnav thought it was his elusion and trick of his mind.
"Yesterday, doctor Sharma finally declared that I was going to be a mother. As I suspected. I wanted you to be there with me when she was going to gave me this news. I wanted the father of our child with me, but..."
Arnav's eyes weld up. He never felt at the loss then at the moment. He cursed himself. He never took time to answer her messages.
"I wanted you to be the first person, but looks like you had other very important commitments," she said helplessly. "Arnav ji, I want you on my side, but..."
His heart had swollen with happiness that he was going to be a father. But how did he end up getting the news? He felt he had been a worst husband, but now a father too?
He was sitting in her knees. "Khushi, I am going to be a father, and you a mother!" his tone was cheerful, but there was a hint of guilt in it. He touched her tummy. "My beautiful wife is pregnant. We are pregnant, Khushi."
Khushi held her face in her hands and cried until her sobs raked her. Arnav rose on his knees and hugged her. Khushi cried against his shoulder. "I don't know how to apologize for this horrible mistake, Khushi. If I had a single hint that what you had planned...You know what, I always had been a horrible husband, I admit. I am sorry, Khushi. I always said I love you, but never did anything to make you feel special. Khushi, one last time forgive me. I promise I will not only be a responsible husband but a father too. Khushi, please don't stress yourself. You can mark my words. I will not do anything to hurt you, Khushi. And our baby!"
Her sobs only worsened and yes, her heightened hormones were to be blamed. "Khushi, please!"
"It's okay!" she said. "You aren't that horrible!"
"I, am, a horrible husband!" he said. "But this will not happen again! Khushi, but when I say I love you, I really mean it. And I love our baby too. Khushi, you were to give me the best news of our life and I...I am sorry for being with you at that time, I am sorry to hurt you and our baby!"
They both pulled back and Arnav, wiped her tears.
"I love you, Arnav ji!" she said.
Arnav had said a lot it was a time to actually prove it. He slowly took her lower lips in his own lips and nibbled it. He could feel Khushi's smile, her body getting free of sobs. Seeing herself relaxing down, his soul was feeling peace too.
Starting from now he wanted to enjoy every single moment with Khushi and with their unborn. More importantly taking care of both of them.
"Khushi, what month you are in?" he asked.
"Two!" she finally answered softly.
"You should have told me about this!" he complained.
"It wouldn't have been a surprise then!"
"Khushi, this was the best surprise, but I am sorry you had to go through so much stress!" he said as he caressed her hair.
"Now I am fine, Arnav ji!"
"Khushi, next time instead of giving yourself a punishment do one thing, give a slap in my face."
Khushi giggled. "I am sorry I did overreacted a bit!" she said.
"No, it was really important!" he said and again aligned his lips on her.
***
Hope you had a wonderful and spooky Halloween! And went to "Trick or treat!" Yes, I did go for few minutes as my little brother insisted. Also, hope Pumpkin carving was awesome. I did four and they all are sitting in front of my house...So yes, it was fun.
Hope you enjoyed this one shot as well!
456