SS: Sunshine After Rain - Re-posting Final Chapter page 18 Updated! - Page 4

Arshi belonged to different period..nice theme..it's sad to read about the community riots and murders...but your words did an excellent job in portraying their emotions...love between different people and their parting are really touching..watching her own people's murder in front of her eyes was the most horrible thing..both lost their family in a short span of time..liked the way you explained the characters and incidents..loved it..

Chapter 3

Khushi woke up to the melodious sounds of morning Ardaas wafting from the Mohala's Gurdwara, echoing universally in the whole vicinity. She sat up and started to recite Jap Ji sahib. Searching for her dupatta, she drew it across her chest and walked to stand beside the open window out of which flowed the pleasant tranquil air of spring morning. Over the vast green fields, was visible the rising sun. It was a yellow haze with smudged edges, spreading over the entire horizon. In the far distance, she heard the soothing voice of flowing waters over the sound of chirruping morning birds. She sucked in a deep breath and let her lungs fill with the dewy fragrance of morning air. The early rays of sun played with the virgin droplets of water settled on fresh leaves, making them glitter. The enchantments of a crisp new day inundated her senses with a piece of the kind she could only associate and get with this time of morning. The minted sunshine thawed out the edges of despair and she let a small smile settle on her lips.

Not after too long sounds of steel utensils clanking echoed announcing Babey's return from the Gurdwara. She turned and made her way to the kitchen, picking up a Neem twig on her way to brush her teeth, as per routine.

"Sat Sri Akal Babey" she wished Babey with as much liveliness as she could afford. She was slowly trying to rise above the tragedy and staying near Babey helped a lot. In these few days, Khushi had started looking up for her as a mother figure.

"Sat Sri Akal Putar ji! Kiven Hon (How are you?)?" Babey asked her politely, as she placed the yellow brass tea pan on the earthen stove which she had left to heat up before going for morning Ardaas (Prayer) to the Gurdwara.

"I am good Babey. How was the Ardaas (Prayer)? And where is my Prasad?" Khushi sat beside her on a low haywire stool, feeding chunks of charcoal to the low burning fire.

"It is kept near the Matka (earthen pot) outside," Babey told her, simultaneously sieving flour for breakfast Paranthas. "I ask you to come with me, but you being the couch potato that you are cannot get enough of sleeping until late. So many girls of your age get up early and come for Ardaas. Only I have my children sleeping away to oblivion!"

Khushi giggled and ran out to get her Halva Prasad which she adored. Filling her mouth with the gooey sweet she ran to Babey again and said between gulps "I don't like getting up early Babey. Amma used to scold me so much for this. Once she even brought up a stick to whack us all with it, but Lalaji stopped her from -"

She stopped mid-sentence remembering her parents. Tears glimmered in her eyes as her lower lip wobbled. Babey's old heart constricted at the sight of the young girl suffering from the pain she never warranted to at such a young age and her old wrinkled hands stretched to gather her closer. These now cataract eyes had seen so many despairs in the world that she with time slowly learned the doctrines of wisdom. Old age was not just with these long spans of years that withered and rusted her bones but it was due to the wakefulness towards austere veracities of life. Life wasn't always fair, it was better if one recognized this fact before getting hoodwinked at the hands of fate.

"Shh... I am with you now." She gently cooed the shaking child in her arms.

Pulling back she rubbed her tears away and said "Now run along and call Thibani for breakfast"

Khushi covered her mouth and giggled at the endearment Babey used for Babu Sahib. Slowly walking to his bedroom, her heart thudded inexplicably within her chest and her features scrunched in confusion. Why did this happen to her whenever she was near him? She'd been scared of her own responses whenever Babey sent her to call Babu Sahib. He did not scare her or intimidate her, no. He had some aura around him that made her feel safe like her mind knew something about him but her conscious couldn't remember. She had tried so many times to strain her mind to dredge up something that she was missing but she always came up blank. And that is why she would be always conscious around him. And so if she happened to be in any situation that needed interaction with him, she would start to stutter and fumble over words like a little girl and her cheeks would heat up.

As she neared his room, she heard low sounds of music flowing from his room. It was some Vilayati song she understands, but the meaning of it was lost to her. The slow music though appealed to her. Inside Babu Sahib was standing in front of his intricately designed dressing table in her direct line of vision, buttoning his pristine white shirt. He was wearing black trouser pants, as he preferred Vilayati attire over desi Khaki and Khaddar clothes, she thought with a grimace. She had noticed this a few days back and couldn't help but feel a tinge of irritation at him. Wasn't he a Hindustani? Shouldn't he support Gandhi Ji and his ideas of boycotting anything those Finrangis manufactured? He was an educated man and he must know that wearing these clothes meant they have succumbed to their ruling behavior and accepted slavery. In fact, they were Independent now. So, he should be celebrating by throwing away anything that came from them.

The song continued to flow in the background, but she was no more paying attention. Standing in the corridor following his room, she looked inside curiously. It was a very minimally decorated room, with just a single wooden bed, his study table, and a small dressing table being the furniture. Long arrays of newspaper cutting stuck to the wall above the study table; the sunlight streamed through the open windows lighting up the whole room in its shimmery hue. From these pictures she recognized most were of Gandhi Ji. So, he was a fan of Gandhi Ji. But then, why didn't he follow his principles? She scratched her head in confusion and then shrugged. What was it to her? He could follow even a buffalo and admire it for all she cared. She opened her mouth to call him when he suddenly turned around and looked straight at her.

Her breath stuck in her throat and blood instantly flooded to her cheeks as their eyes connected for a moment before she averted her own out of shyness.

"Wo, Wo... Babey was asking for you. Breakfast is ready"

Arnav looked in amusement at the stuttering mess of girl in front of him. He knew she did not remember the whole event of that fateful day when he had rescued her. He did not empathize how, but she only remembered her family being brutally murdered in front of her eyes and nothing more than that. She did not remember that it was him, who had dragged her back from the clutches of pitiless fate. He sighed inwardly as the despairing thought hit him. She was such a gullible little thing, so lost and still trying. She was strength. Just looking at her brought to his heart immense marrow of tranquility. Her innocence was the best thing about her. She would always be so shy and never look him in the eyes. Whenever Babey asked her to call him, she would look for escape routes. As if he would eat her alive he mused with a smile.

"Okay. Tell her I will be down soon" he said with a tinge of smile in his voice.

He saw her furiously nod and then turn around and almost run away from there. He chuckled at her antics and continued to get dressed; the smile did not leave his lips.

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It rained cats and dogs that evening. The early morning clear sky turned into a cluster of dark clouds during the afternoon and by evening, skies burst open. Since it was September and winter was still a good few months away, this sprinkles of cool sweet water felt pleasant on the skin. Gentle spray turned into a heavy fall in just fifteen minutes and then Babey was finding it hard to control monkey Khushi from going out and drenching herself in it.

"No Khushi! You will get wet and fall sick."

"Only five minutes Babey, please?" she pleaded, trying to pry her arm from Babey's strong clutches.

"I said no. Come back right now... Khushi I said n - "

But Khushi had already run away and Babey could only look helplessly as she climbed the bricked stairs two at a time.

After half an hour when Babey had shouted herself hoarse and Khushi paid no heed, she gathered her Dupatta and climbed the stairs herself to get Khushi down, by her ear.

"Look now, you are all wet. Go inside and change before you start sneezing! I'll get you a mug of hot ginger tea" she said raising a finger sternly at Khushi's drenched profile. She was completely wet - from head to toe - her clothes sticking to her delicate, petite form.

Babey walked to kitchen and Khushi pouted looking wistfully at still pouring skies. Before she could move, the front door opened and walked in Arnav rubbing his hair, trying to get rid of excess water.

Arnav hadn't noticed her as she stood in the low light of opposite veranda but Khushi froze seeing him, not even realizing that she wasn't wearing her dupatta and her drenched form was uncovered except for the flimsy material of her cotton suit, which was sticking to her body like a second skin.

Arnav crossed the distance pulling at his clothes and without realizing it, was soon standing within distances of mere few inches of her.

She looked at him, as her eyes roving over the muscular expanse of his wide shoulders and biceps. A little of his tanned skin was visible from beneath the transient material of his white shirt. Little droplets of waters streamed down his handsome face, to his neck and then making a long journey to his neck and then further down. All bashfulness forgotten, as she shamelessly started at him.

Arnav looked up to see Khushi's eyes on him. He was bewildered at finding her standing so close to him, but slowly after the haze of confusion wore off his eyes started drinking her in. Her face was wet and so were her long tresses, which stuck to her face now. Droplets of water perched on the edges of her long eyelashes, her sharp nose and then dropped to settle over her rosy lips. Her bosom heaved... in the cold? He wondered. She was bare to his eyes; her features looked smoky in the low, almost midnight light of the cloudy sky making her looks mesmerizing, like a water nymph. So fresh and innocent, just like the tiny beads of water on her creamy white neck.

However the inappropriateness of their situation hit him like a canon and he turned to look away. He shouldn't be looking at her like that. He had promised her father her safety and now he, himself was looking at her like some... some pervert. She was vulnerable and uncovered; he shouldn't be taking advantage of this situation.

"Go inside Khushi, you will catch a cold" he said in a low voice and waited for her to go, keeping his face still away.

As he heard the sound of her doors shutting, he let out a sigh and rubbed his face in agitation.

A/N: Hi,

Thank you everyone who left a comment. I appreciate your thoughts a lot and they make the experience of sharing this story all the more fun.

A reminder: I will upload this story regularly at around 11PM IST. I won't send out PMs, so you'll have to keep a track of this thread for a new update each night.

Please keep the comments coming.

😊

i remember reading the first part long back, later cudnt follow it...glad u are updating again.

Have read this story earlier 😆

I have not read any of your stories before and I came across this story accidentally. & I am glad that I found it. Plz repost ur old works too. I am very eager to read them. Waiting to read ur next story too.

nice update..you described the morning's beauty very well..nice to see the recovered khushi...both are attracted to each other..loved the bonding btw grandma and khushi..

Beautiful. Everything looks so natural. Haha-- first seed of attraction. Will wait for more on their future how they will fight it.

Heyy,

wow ...
bubbly khushi is back .

Nice story.i always wish to read your stories