Arshi FF - Hearts Knit Together #3 - Page 11

"Arvindji, ab bohot ho gaya. Mai kuch nahi kehti iska matlab yeh nahi ke mujhe kuch dikhaai nahi deta (Arvindji, its enough now. I don't say anything that doesn't mean I am blind to what all is going around me)" Shalini could feel her anger crossing its seamless periphery. Already, she was having a hard time keeping her temper and frustration in check since the moment she came to know about arnav's hospitalized state and the apparent reason behind it.

If she would admit to herself, it wasn't really any unconceivable phenomenon. Her sons, mostly Arnav, had always managed to somehow get themselves indulged in fights, well, thanks to their overly altruistic habits. She was very much aware of their saintly nature and in most case could find herself appreciating this one quality that set them apart from the rest. She knew, they could go to any length to save a girl's honour, could even risk their lives to protect her. They won't sit back and let any infamy-of-a-man play with a girl's virtue. And this rule applied to every girl.

What she dint understood was, why on earth were they acting extra protective towards's khushi? As though, she meant something more than any other ordinary girl. As though, she mattered a lot. She couldn't exactly pinpoint what, but something about their concern for khushi was giving rise to an odd feeling in her heart. Especially Arnav's. Usne to jaise us ladki ko bachaane ka saaraa zimma apne sir le liya hai. (It was as though he had shouldered all the responsibility of saving that girl on himself)

No mother would want her child to endanger his own life to serve others and she was no different. Ever since the maya fiasco, when she had had a firsthand experience of what it felt like to even think about losing your most prized relation, she was least bit ashamed to admit that she had grown overly possessive. Though, a huge time-leap and Arnav's dejection had forced her learn to keep that dacedent streak of hers in check, time and again she had felt it bouncing back to its glory in full fervour.

The last time, she had but obviously felt it was when Arvind wanted Arnav to handle Mukesh's case. She knew with his influential dynamism and intimidating personality, Arnav could have easily handled the dealings but her fragile heart was too taken up by her predilections that she had point blank denied him the permission. The same feeling had tried raising its nasty head when Arnav had disobeyed her to save khushi at the mall. Since that was a first in a very long time, the overwhelming sense of possession had gripped her again.

Yet, she had brushed of her suspicions thinking he was just protecting her for the sake of promise which Arvind made to his late friend. But this time, she couldn't just shrug it off especially when her gut feelings were so vigorously forcing her think. Is it only his self-guarding nature that is driving him to act so possessive of that girl? Last time at the mall, he was willing to face the bullets for khushi and this time he had, in a point of fact, actually taken them.

Suddenly, the memory of his outlandish behaviour since the last few days came slinking to her mind. He had started spending more time at home, uske anger bouts bhi kam hone lage the. (His anger bouts had also lessened considerably). Whenever she would spot him amongst her busy schedule, he had seemed to be in a very good mood. Damn, maine ispe pehle gaur kyu nahi kiya? Khushi bhi toh mostly ghar par hi hoti hai. Kahi in dono ke beech kuch... (Damn, why haven't considered this before? Khushi also spends most of her time at home. Is there anything going on between these two..)

Oh God!, garib hi sahi magar shashiji ki beti hai to behad khubsurat. Tabhi toh who ladka uske peeche pada hai. Itni maar khaai, jail ke chakkar kaate magar use paani ki koshishe band nahi ki. Kain Arnav bhi...No, this isn't possible. My Arnav can't fall for her. He knows, I wont approve that. (Oh God, althought poor, but shashi's daughter is indeed very beautiful! That is why, that boy doenst stop pursuing her. He got beaten up, went to jail but never stopped his attempts. If Arnav too...No this isn't possible. My Arnav can't fall for her. He know, I wont approve that.)

She spend much of her time, speculating and condemning her own thoughts but despite her several attempts, couldn't bring surety to her convictions. Now she was realizing what a big mistake she made by letting khushi stay in her house. Daya me aakar apne hi paao par kulhaadi maar li maine. Mujhe hi socha na chahiye tha. Shashiji ki beti hui to kya hua, aakhir hai to wo ek middle class girl hi naa? And like every other, she too is trying to spread her wings and steal my son under my very nose. Uss shyam ko bhi time-pass ke liye apne jaal me phaasa hoga. Aur ab arnav ke milte hi, bechaari hone kaa naatak kar rahi hai. (Pity for that girl had made me throw an axe on my own feet. I should have thought better. So what is she's shashiji's daughter, she is still middle-class. And like every middle class girl, she too is trying to spread her wings and steal my son under my very nose. She must have trapped that shyam for mere timpass and now, infront of arnav, she is acting like a lonely distraught soul)

But if she thinks, I would let her succeed, then she is so wrong. Kahi se bhi slight inkling mil jaaye mujhe, then I will show her what I am capable of doing. But usse pehle, I need to speak with Arnav.

So in the early morning, while they were waiting for Arnav to get back to consciousness, Shalini had expressed her displeasure to her husband to which he had sighed and simply shaken his head."Dekho shalini, I understand tumhe kaisa feel ho raha hai. (I understand how you feel) Its not easy for any of us. Even I cant him in this state. But it wont be right to blame khushi for the mishap that took place. Woh bechari bhi haalat ka shikaar hai. (That poor soul is also helpless against her fate) The main culprit is shyam and this time, I will make sure he gets enough punishment to last him a lifetime"

Shalini: Aap chaahe kuch bhi kehle Arvind (no matter what you say Arvind), but the fact doesnt changes that it was only because of khushi that shyam had shot my Arnav.

Arvind was about to speak more when the OT door had opened followed by doctor's announcement of Arnav's stable state. The conversation had dropped then and there but since then, many disdainful thoughts had found a permanent place for itself in Shalini's head.

~

Five days earliar, at the hospital,

Arnav opened his eyes and the first name that softly escaped his lips was khushi. Although sedated, his subconscious was adept enough to remind him of the reason he breathed. Taking a moment to overcome the disorientation, he ran his eyes all across the room, finding his family, relatives and friends huddled all around his bed, their gazes mostly enquiring although the immense relief of finding him safe and sound was shining bright and clear.

He slowly scanned every face, wondering what was wrong with these people and finally stopped at Akash. Looking at his plaster-covered arm, the events of last night surged through his disheaveled state of mind and he immediatly tensed up, spranging up upon the bed in alarm.

Arvind and the brothers tried to calm him down but he was restlessly tugging at the numerous cables attached to him, purposely ignoring the pain that shot up his arm even when he did so. The family-dinner followed by the horrifying events of shyam attacking them, trying to harm khushi and then shoting him were flashing infront of his eyes one by one, escalating his heart beats in the process.

First and formost, he wanted to see his khushi, to hold her in his arms until he was sure enough that she was fine, to kiss her till all of her pain took a shape of overflowing happiness, to assure her as well as himself that the horrifying nightmare was indeed over. Akash and nk's silent reassurances were not just enough in putting his restless heart at peace.

Next, he wanted to kill that b**tard who according to his dad, was currently rotting in jail. The visions of his filthy arms trying to molest khushi were giving rise to red hot fury in him that, he knew won't settle unless the man in question was lying at his feet, withering away in pain, begging for his mercy.

It was only when a distraught Shalini came rushing to him, crying all over him did he realized that his mom desperately needed him at the moment. That he could handle Shyam later. That he could trust his brothers when they were ensuring so bad that his Khushi was fine. Not emotionally but physically, Yes - she was safe and fine. That he could rely on the promise they made to him to go find her and bring her safely back to him.

Since then, 4 long, moving-at-a-snail's-pace and totally exasperating days passed but his thirsty eyes remained deprived for even a single glimpse at his oasis. But he knew, it wasn't his brothers' fault. They both had tried their level best to unite them but first it was the ever-growing crowd that kept paying untimely, unwelcomed (atleast from an annoyed Arnav's side) visits and later, all day his mom would be stuck by his side, not yielding to any of the excuse which Nk and Akash made, thus successfully ruining their plans to somehow get Khushi to the hospital without catching anyone's eye.

His brothers had then tried connecting him with Khushi through phone calls, but Khushi declined that idea straightaway. She was too guilty to hear him speak or talk herself over a phone call when she wont be able to see him, touch him or feel his calming presence surrounding her. Besides, he could understand her plight. If these 4 days had felt like a forever to him, for Khushi, it would have been a journey to hell and back each time she would have held herself back from rushing to meet him. And then, a phone call would simply break her so-painstakingly-built-up restrain in a whiplash, spoiling their efforts of keeping the relationship a secret.

However, despite every reasoning, he was desperate to sooth the recurring splurges of the overwhelming guilt that, he was pretty sure, would have marred her innocent heart and consumed her whole being in his absence. His Khushi would have been blaming herself every single second, day and night along for his condition amidst crying her heads off in worry while he was busy humouring his so-called well wishers.

So the 5^th day, when Khushi was silently weeping into her pillow, he requested lavanya to place her cell-phone on speaker mode by the bed side and leave the room.

~

"Khushiii..." Painfully shutting his eyes listening to her distant sobs that seem to cut at the very core of his being, he called out for her.

"Arnavji?" Khushi jumped up from her earliar position as though a thunderbolt had hit her, her head swiweling to her left, where the mobile was placed securely. All her earliar resolutions to not speak with him over the phone drained out of her mind listening to his husky voice passionately calling out for her.

"Khushi...khushi...shhh, stop crying khushi, please. Everything is fine, I am ok" He tried to assure her but she was not listening. With shaking hands, she touched the screen, tracing his dear name and weeping all the way more.

"Sab thik kaise ho sakta hai jab aap waha...nahi Arnavji, aap thik nahi hai. Akash told me your wound is too deep. Aapko bohot dard ho raha hoga na?" (How can everything be fine when you are there...No, Arnavji, you are not fine. Akash told me your wound is too deep. It must be paining a lot, isn't it?)

Her innocently raised question soothed his heart in ways he couldn't come to define. "Ho raha tha magar ab nahi (It was, but it isn't now) "

"Acha now listen to me. I know you don't want to talk over the phone but I...I just cant stay put anymore. Koi mujhe tumse milne nahi de raha hai khushi but now thats enough. I will be seeing you today ok? Payal is there to get you, just come with her." His voice had an urgency that matched her own and she found herself nodding to his request cum order, when out of nowhere, the disturbing thoughts of his mother and her unsaid implications to stay away from him dawned upon her.

Color drained out of her face yet she bravely went on and willed her heart to deny herself the very chance of meeting him after so many agonising days. "Nahi Arnavji, I cant come, waha itne log honge aur phir aunty bhi...(Nahi Arnavji, I cant come. There would be so many people and then Aunty also)" She trailed off hoping he would understand, unable to tell exactly what she had been going through these days in terms of Shalini's behaviour.

And indeed he understood. "Mamma ne is sab ko lightly nahi liya hoga na khushi? (Mumma wouldn't have taken all this very lightly, had she khushi?)" He knew exactly how she had taken his condition, but with respect to Khushi he wanted to know if his mamma had held her responsible. His mind recollected the incident at the mall when she had attempted to stop him from saving khushi and he realized he was wasting time asking a stupid question. The answer was obvious!

"Damn it!" A soft whimper escaped his lips, clearly giving away the immense pain he felt decoding her silence that implied in affirmation. A slight tinge of disappointment and frustration at his own mother couldnt be mistaken in the way he cursed listening to which, khushi hurried to explain, "Arnavji, unka aisa bartaav laazmi hai. Woh apse behad pyaar karti hai aur aapko jisne taklif pohochaai usse unki naraazgi to jaayaz hai naa? (Arnavji her such behaviour was sure shot expected. She loves you very much so she is bound to be upset with those who had tried hurting you)s"

"Khushi stop it right there. TUMNE mujhe koi taklif nahi di hai. And I won't let anyone blame you for something that's not your fault. Even if that anyone is YOU." Taking a deep breathe, realizing he had shouted upon her, he lowered his voice and let himself calm down. Seconds later, he started again, this time in a much gentler tone "Well getting back to your original objection, aapki information ke liye bataadu ke mamma must have reached home by now aur yaha baaki visitors bhi koi nahi hai. So if madam is finally done defending my Mom, can I please have her with me in the next few minutes, please?"

Smiling amidst her tears at his attempt to lighten up the situation, she softly hmmed and was about to disconnect the phone when Lavanya and Payal barged in, smiling wide after successfully guessing from the twinkle in her eyes that their plan had worked and immedietly rushed her to get ready.

Excited at the prospect of meeting him and flushed at Payal's knowing smirk, khushi forgot all about disconnecting the call while Arnav, on the other hand, listening to their incessant teasing and imagining his sweetheart's adorable face that must have gone so red by now, was enjoying himself so much that even he dint disconnected the call from his side.

It's going to get redder once I tell her that I too was listening, he thought smirking inwardly and smiled to himself in pure adulterated joy.

It was only a while later, when she was pushing the cell-phone in her purse, she realized the call was ON till now that too on the speaker mode. Hey devi maiyya, Khushi's eyes rounded to resemble wide saucers even when she cautiously held the phone to her ears, getting off the speaker mode, hoping against hope, that Arnav haven't paid any attention to the still connected call.

But her hopes got brutally smashed when in response to her hesitant calling of his name, she recieved a hearty laughter from his side followed by a teasing, "Yes khushi?"

Khushi: Kya .aa..aapne kuch suna Arnavji? (Have you listened to anything?)

Arnav: Haan suna naa. Suna ke kaise tum neend me bhi mujhe pukaarti ho, kaise tumhe meri voice bohot alluring lagti hai, kaise mere muscles tumhe excite karte hai. Kaise tumhe meri baaho me rehna bohot acha lagta hai (Yup, I heard how you call for me in your sleep. How you think my voice is so alluring, how my muscles excite you. How you love being in my arms)

Khushi: umm...wo..oh...Arnavji...

She whined like a small baby wanting him to stop embarrassing her like this. She felt like kicking herself for forgetting to click the phone shut when their conversation was over. These things that her Arnavji was so shamelessly recounting were her deepest secrets which she must have blabbered in her sleep. Uff, now how was she to face him?

"By the way I am so sorry khushi. Lavanya thik hi keh rahi thi, I am just an idiot. Tumhe itna chahiye tha but maine abhi tak tumhe nahi diya. (you wanted it so much but I dint gave you) I think we can work that out once you reach here, what say?"

Khushi couldn't have gotten anymore redder, looking so scandalized that Lavanya and Payal who were walking alongside her burst out laughing, with Payal shouting a "Good job bhai!" on the phone!

"Waise khushi, tumhe chota pasand hai ya large? (By the way khushi, you like small or large?)"

"KYA?" Thankfully Lavanya aur payal had moved ahead, or else she had no freaking idea what explanation she was to provide for shouting like that.

"Gift khushi. Tum hi ko toh chahiye tha and now when I am offering you to decide toh tum aise chilla rahi ho. (you only wanted it and now that I am offering, you are shouting like this) Calm down sweetheart"

Arnav wanted to treat himself with Oscars for pulling out this stunt so brilliantly. Otherwise, with laughter bubbling inside of him, he was so sure to ruin it. Now, eagerly waiting for her reaction he helplessly wondered what must be going in her head. Did she really thought I was talking about 'it'.

His wait ended a few moments later, but the voice that reached across to him dint belonged to his Khushi

~

"Kaha jaa rahi ho?(Where are you going?)" A sharp voice boomed in the hallway, halting her midsteps.

Abruptly turning around, her fearful hesitant eyes met Shalini's stern distrustful ones. "wo..woh aunty..woh m..mai hospital jaa rahi thi, Arnavji se milne" The last part almost tumbled out of her mouth in a hoarse whisper, her fearful gaze noticing the sudden tightening in Shalini's jaws with deeply felt distress. No matter what, she couldn't lie.

Shalini, in the meantime was out-and-out fuming. Himmat to dekho is ladki ki, mere beta aaj agar is haal me hai toh sirf iski wajah se, pachtaana to dur ki baat, besharmo ki tarah chali hai hospital me usse milne. (Just look at the audacity of this girl. My son is in the hospital because of her and instead of feeling guilty, so shamlessly she wants to go meet him in the hospital)

"Koi zarurat nahi hai milne jaane ki. Formality hi karni hai to ghar pe kar lena jab wo discharge ho jaaega. Waise bhi waha itne rishtedaar, dost wagerah hai, tum kis rishte se milogi arnav se? kuch bhi toh nahi lagta hai wo tumhaara. (There's no need for you to go. If you were doing this only for formality, you can very well do that home whenever he gets discharged. In anyway, there are so many relatives, friends and all at hospital. Amongt them, with what relation would you meet him? After all, Arnav's is a no-one for you)"

Listening to this, Khushi's head swarmed up in astonishment, her teary gaze fixed upon shalini in acute realization. The cell-phone stumbled out of her numb fingers and fell upon the carpet with a soft thump, finally disconnecting the call with the person on the other end of the line.

Chapter 23 - Click here

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With lots of love,