ARHI SS: Revival (Chapter 9 posted 08/07!) - Page 9

Originally posted by: piyaarshi

I seriously don't regret coming back to reading arshi fan fictions
Loved it
The end had a slight glimpse of our khushi

Originally posted by: coderlady

Khushi was very easy on him to say the least. Lets see how they rebuild.

Originally posted by: rosalineak

So peaceful to read n it is beautifully written.

How mature Khushi is n Arnav deserves her with his sorrowful past.

Originally posted by: reshmi24

Nice one

Originally posted by: labi

Loved it.👏

A refreshing take on IPK story line regarding remarriage.

No hate, no resentment, no revenge.👍🏼

Only love, redemption and longing from Arnav's side.

Khushi is expecting twins.Wow.Loved their encounter.

Your writing style is beautiful.Waiting to read more of your imagination...

Originally posted by: Nonie12345

Fantastic chapters Navika

Originally posted by: nitritt9s

loved it nice story cant wait for next chapter

Originally posted by: 8520NK

Thank you!

As I have written in the chapter, it wasn't Arnav's choice to abandon her. Fate made that happen. Having said that, it wasn't as if he wasn't at fault. If he loved her, he shouldn't have had the moment of doubt.

But I think that everyone deserves a second chance, and Khushi is giving just that to him😊

She felt her phone vibrate vigorously against the night stand and immediately, her eyes shot open. Just as the first notes of the disturbing cacophony sliced through the silent morning air, her hand reached out towards the device, silencing it with a clean swipe of her finger.

Reluctantly, Khushi threw away the blankets lest she be tempted to bury her face into her pillow, snuggle into the warmth of her blanket and return to the peaceful world of dreams. Pushing the thought away, she sat up slowly. An ache suddenly crawled up her back, making her marvel incredulously at the position she had assumed during the course of the night.

With a shake of her head, she resolved to improve her habit -- for the millionth time -- and proceeded to carefully slide off the bed as her fingers sifted through her entangled hair and she drew them back into a loose knot at the base of her neck.

However, she felt a soft tug at her cardigan and pursed her lips to hide the knowing smile had threatened to burst out. Arnav's fingers were curled around the thick material while he continued to be lulled by the warm call of peaceful slumber. He seemed to have acquired the trait that she had trained herself to get rid of, and she had understood why.

For the past two weeks, she had felt his gaze trained at her at odd hours, in the middle of the night. She had felt his fingers hesitantly caress the bump on her stomach. Then, with a sigh he would return to sleep while he continued to hold her.

The reason was simple. It was his need for reassurance. He wanted to assure himself of her presence. And he would do that by maintaining physical contact with her. A simple touch.

Gently, she uncurled his fingers and let her own trail lightly over his stubbled jaw. In his sleep, he really did look nothing like stubborn, argumentative, arrogant idiot that he had been the previous night.

Of course, that was till she had, in clear terms told him to 'shut up'. And like the obedient sheep he seemed to have transformed into, he had zipped his mouth shut, conveying his annoyance through rather comical, disapproving glances at her.

She noticed the mild frown that marred his handsome features, and then her laughing eyes shifted to the borrowed copy of 'What to Expect When You're Expecting?' lying beside his pillow. The pregnancy books were his latest obsession, and he carried them around like damned accessories.

As he stirred in his sleep, her eyes shifted to the wall clock and realising that he would wake up soon, she traipsed towards the bathroom, ignoring her swollen limbs and the pain that shot through various parts of her body. Arnav's smug face flashed before her, and she instantly shook the image away, bracing herself for the day ahead of her.

The past week had gone by with them adapting to the unforeseen change and gradually accepting the idea of living with each other once again, as she had opened the doors of her home to him.

However, it was her heart that had protected itself against the gamut of emotions which had attacked it with massive force. She had been afraid to tear down the walls of strength that she had struggled to build over the months.

And yet, she had felt her heart beat to soft, familiar tunes as she had watched him adjust to her exhausting routine, the lines appear across his forehead at her slightest discomfort, his consistent efforts to make up for the time they had lost and the sleepless nights he had spent just to give her company during her bouts of insomnia.

She had watched him experience the first pangs of fatherhood and settle into the role as he had felt the babies move again and again, and as he had gone through the various copies of her sonograms. She had seen the tears that had caressed his cheeks as he had held on to her when their babies had appeared on the screen of the monitor.

He had struggled to contain his joy through the ride back home from the doctor's clinic. Her lips stretched into a smile as she recalled the rare smile that he had flashed at her as he had bent on his knee in his excitement, and oblivious to his surroundings he had began his first conversation with their children, proudly introducing himself as their father.

She had felt her own eyes water as she had watched his face radiate with sheer exhilaration. His eyes had glimmered as she had walked into his embrace, overcome with emotion and in that moment nothing else had mattered -- the complications, the misunderstandings, the struggle. It had only been them, their small family, and their chhoti si duniya.

Khushi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she switched off the gas burner and poured the tea equally into two cups. She hummed a random tune to herself as she covered one cup with a small saucer and placed the other one on the island in the centre of the kitchen.

Pulling one of the lighter, cushioned chairs, she sighed in relief as her aching legs found rest and with practised movements she began fixing herself a sandwich while her eyes simultaneously skimmed through the diet chart fixed on to the refrigerator door.

Just then she noticed harried movements of bright orange from her peripheral vision and as she glanced out of the window, she saw Grace shovelling the snow from her backyard. The swing of her hand was rough and irregular, a clear indication that the task was something she had been coerced into.

Khushi leaned forward and sniggered as she saw her huff in annoyance and place her hands on her hips while she sent a death glare to the snow around her. Suddenly, she looked up and as their eyes met, Grace waved dramatically at her. She then gestured to Khushi and wearily resumed her task.

Shaking her head at her antics, Khushi continued sipping her tea as she stared at snow-clad surroundings. It had snowed through a major part of the night, and she shivered as he tongue darted across the chapped lips. Rubbing her hands against the warm cup, she glanced at the heater and silently thanked Emma once again for insisting that she have it installed before the winter arrived.

Warmth surged through her heart as she thought of the Parkers. Had the ever-enthusiastic Grace not struck a random conversation with her one evening, when she had been returning home from the nearby grocery store and invited her for tea and cookies, she would have still been struggling to make ends meet from tutoring children from primary classes.

A smile spread across her face as she reminisced the day Emma had first tasted the Jalebis she had made for her. It hadn't taken long for the older woman to start teaching her how to bake and offer her a job at her cafe.

When she had been shadowed by melancholy, and had left her family fearing that they would turn her away once the truth was revealed, Emma and Grace had welcomed her into theirs. They had made sure that she had no meal alone, that she never slept in complete darkness, and they gave her the strength to grow her wings of independence.

Her chain of thoughts was broken as she heard shuffling from behind her. The footsteps paused in front of the kitchen door and she turned around as she felt him near her.

"I overslept?"

"Not really, and good morning to you too."

Rubbing his eyes, he hummed in response and set the pan on the stove as he collected the ingredients to make his coffee. All the while, her gaze followed his every movement.

"So, you are going to the cafe?"

"I thought that conversation was over."

"No, you shut me up."

She sighed, losing the will to start another argument. Her eyes shut as she tried blocking out every sound and breathed in deeply, only the soft sound of clinking metal audible in the background.

Silence pervaded the air, and she only opened her eyes as she felt him take a seat in a chair beside her. The morning paper lay ignored on the table as his gaze remained fixed on her.

"Your joints, are they still aching?"

When she nodded, his eyes softened and he shifted his chair closer.

"Then why do you insist on not taking leave?"

His tone made it evident that an explanation was inevitable, and she owed it to him. His concern for her was justified, and he had the right to know the reason behind her decision.

"Because I don't want to take anything for granted. Before you came, I didn't have Arnav Singh Raizada and his money to rely on. I had to earn to safeguard my unborn children's future. I would have worked till it became necessary for me to go on a maternity leave because I don't want to take Aunt Emma for granted. She would have allowed me paid leave whenever I decided to take it. But I didn't want to be a liability. She has helped me become independent and in every way possible. Do you think it would be fair if I lost that independence after all the struggle? Do you think it would be right if I decided to sit at home and be entirely dependent on you?"

He heard her pant as she finished speaking and immediately stood up to hand her a glass of water. As she finally calmed down, they heard the music of the wind chime and Grace whizzed past the corridor, and into the kitchen.

"Guys, I used my key. Gran will surely butcher me, if I am late today. It's Friday already and Christmas is barely a week away. Is my tea ready?"

"Oh yes!" she answered her own question, unaware of the tension between its other two inhabitants.

"Khushi, are you ready to go?"

"No!"

Both pairs of eyes shot at him as he blurted out the word. Embarrassed by the outburst, he looked away as they waited for him to explain.

"I mean Grace will it be okay if Khushi walked down with me today?"

***

Sharp, grey eyes surveyed the cafe bustling with people -- some the regulars with their usual orders and the rest, all families who had come to enjoy hearty breakfasts at her humble establishment. Laughter, milk, pancakes, and fruits all flowed in the room from one table to another as they hosted tourists and the locals for the holiday season that had dawned upon them.

Joy, laughter and the holiday cheer lit up the air, making the lights sparkle more than usual. With smiling eyes, Emma Parker realised that after years of having laboured in the corporate sector, becoming a home-maker and bringing up her children and then her grandchildren after them, she had finally found contentment in what had once been her dream.

Thirty years ago, when her husband had been sent to work in India, she had never imagined that the country would wrap her heart in her fist, and never let go. While her children had decided to return to London, she along with her husband had decided to retire to the hills and carve the path for her dream to turn into reality. She had truly believed that she would conquer the world, one dessert at a time.

And she had, she thought as her eyes shifted across the room. However, her gaze rested on a lone figure seated in the farthest corner, his head buried into a book. The man, she decided was of a peculiar kind, and hopelessly in love with her favourite employee. She noticed his legs shaking under the table, a sign of restlessness.

Her eyes lifted to his face, and glittered as she followed his gaze to Khushi, who strangely had chosen to remain behind the cash counter for the day. As she saw a break in the crowd, she walked up to Khushi who -- she realised with an amused smile -- was about to slip into light slumber. Reminded of her own difficult pregnancy, she sat in a chair beside the young girl, whose attention was now solely focused on her.

"How have you been, my dear?"

Smiling at her, Khushi replied, "Same old, same old. Swollen feet and aching joints, Aunt Emma."

"Ah! And your prince charming had nothing to say about that?"

"Oh, he did. It was exhausting to get him to agree to let me continue working."

"You know what they say, an empty mind is -- oh well, never mind. So, tell me where has the book count reached?"

"Nine-ten. I don't know, really. When I am up craving for something to eat, he's up reading these books."

"Doesn't the man have work to do?"

It seemed that Khushi was at a loss for words as her eyes rested on Arnav, glinting with an unexpected realisation. A hundred thoughts seemed to be revolving around in her head. Her eyes closed as she struggled to collect her thoughts.

As she opened her eyes, Emma noticed the determined fire in them and hid the smile that threatened to escape her lips. Absent-mindedly, Khushi asked her to manage the billing counter as she proceeded towards the corner that he was seated in.

Without a word, she slipped into a chair and waited for him to finish the page he was on. However, the book lay ignored as he finally sensed her presence.

"Khushi?"

"Why aren't you ordering around Aman?"

"Excuse me?" his lips parted in surprise at the question, as he looked at her incredulously.

"Tell me, why are you not attending meets or going through files? And why have you been reading the same book over and over again. What about AR Designs?"

As he seemed to realise the course of their conversation, he looked away.

"Aakash is handling the company."

"And it is functioning better under him?"

"Khushi, you are not making any sense."

"Oh, no. On the contrary, you are the one who isn't making any sense. What are you thinking just leaving the company you've built with your blood and sweat to its fate?"

"Khushi I--"

"What?"

"I haven't been a part of AR Designs since the accident."

She took in a harsh breath, as she watched him avert his eyes. She felt her heart twist in her chest, and involuntarily she cupped her face in her hands, making him face her.

"Then be a part of it now. No one can handle the company better than you. If I am proud of the person I've become today, it is because of what I achieved in these past months. And I will not let your hard work go to waste, even if that is what you want. Please, be the man I fell in love with. Be the man our children will be proud of. Take responsibility of what is yours. And please, please, return Arnav Singh Raizada to me."

A/N Sorry for the slight delay guys, was a little caught up. However, I have to tell you that your overwhelming response on the previous chapter pushed me to complete writing this update as soon as possible.

A little review never hurt anyone, and leave yours because I absolutely love to read your views and comments on the chapters!

Till next Wednesday! ❤️