Stone walls arose all around her & there was a faint coloured illumination on the walls caused by the stained glass windows set in arched niches high above where she lay on what appeared to be a bed, though she was on top of the coverlet, not under it & she shivered, as she was clad in only a very lacy nightie.
In a surge of panic she sat up, which proved to be a mistake as the room spun & nausea caused her to close her eyes again as she struggled to remember how she might have gotten into this strange room. Bracing herself on the softness of the mattress with one hand, that she could see was covered with mehendi to her forearm, she pushed the fall of loose hair away from her face & took a deep breath.
Think'''..
Her last memory was of the wedding, the mandap, of the pheras of being watched as she was lead around by Arnav'..she had been dressed like a bride. She remembered feeling so excited as it was so much better than her first wedding. This time it was meant to be so different''''Slowly she opened her eyes again to survey her unfamiliar surroundings.
It was at that moment that she realised that she was not alone. How she had not noticed before was bewildering, but she was hardly clear headed, & as she glanced over she wondered if she was hallucinating. After what happened after the wedding she would have expected to be waking up alone at this very moment'
He'was sprawled carelessly on the bed next to her half nude, wearing a pair of silk trousers & nothing else. It was so shocking that she blinked, her gaze travelling over the muscled contours of his bare shoulders & the flat plane of his stomach, finally shifting back to his face. His glossy black hair was dishevelled against the white pillow, & in profile she noticed his features were clean even with the characteristic stubble & very masculine :
slightly flared nose, finely shaped brows & long lashes that lay against his cheekbones & that full mouth that was parted slightly in sleep, his tall body relaxed & taking up a good deal of the bed.
The one that they shared.
The situation registered & she scrambled to her knees in scandalised horror, more confused than ever. Why couldn't she remember anything from last night. How did Arnav & she end up in bed together after the events of yesterday'and half naked at that!
He began to stir then, as if her horrified gaze had touched his psyche in some way even through his sleep, & he took a long sighing breath before moving one arm over his head in a careless arch. Even in repose he looked oh so dangerous, but he looked so at ease in his untroubled sleep without having to cope with the problems that the daylight would surely bring up.
She had no doubt at all that he was about to open his eyes & wake up & she frantically looked about her for a place to hide or at best to cover herself as she was suddenly reminded that she had on a very thin transparent garment, & upon the first perusal of the room there was nothing there that she could use. The bed sheets might have been an option, but he had been on top of them, & given his height & solidly muscled body she doubted that she could shift him even one inch.
With a true sense of urgency she wondered what had happened to all her clothes, because he was slowly surely waking up'..& she was beginning to panic even though he was now a proper husband to her 'different from last time as they had fulfilled all of the rituals.
Sure enough his eyes opened, the thick fringe of his lashes lifted. He stared in puzzlement at the stained glass window for a moment & then with a sweeping glance surveyed the entire room, arrested when he saw her kneeling there next to him. He frowned slightly looking up at her. His eyes had a soft sleepy look.
"What the''''" he muttered. She'd had the exact same reaction & a part of her was relieved he seemed as startled as she was, but another part was more puzzled than ever.
In a swift athletic movement he levered up on one elbow & shook the hair out of his eyes, his tone husky, "Khushi'.tum theek hoo?'..did I hurt you''."
She glanced up & he snared her eyes. Her soft generous mouth wobbled & her eyes were swimming in tears. She could not hold his gaze for long & looked down which meant that the tears started to trickle down her face as she softly sobbed. He could not stand to see her in so much pain & could not help but tilt her chin upwards & whisper her name softly
"Khushi'.what is it'" He could see the stark pain in her eyes as she gazed back at him with doubt & uncertainty in her eyes & it made him think of yesterday & the memories came flooding back as he realised what was causing Khushi so much grief.
He had been waiting for Khushi & the family & as soon as they arrived & were brought into RM & they were about to sit down in the mandap, Dadi had pulled him aside
"Arnav Hame Aapse jaroori batt karni hain, issi waqt"
" Nahin Dadi ' it can wait abhi mere paas time nahin hain"
"Arnav yain baat aapke Aama ki hain" ' knowing full well that it had to be a grave reason indeed for him to even entertain walking away from any wedding rituals. So he followed her up the stairs & into her room. "Kya hain Dadi 'mere paas waqt bohot kam hain, jaldi kijiye" totally exasperated wondering what she was going to come out with now.
" Dadi what is so important that it cannot wait"
"I know the identity of the other woman'..that woman that caused your mother to take her own life'..that woman that made you & your sister orphans'."
He remembered feeling numb as he felt the blood seep away from his face as he stared at his grandmother. It felt surreal- was what she was saying for real or was it another tactic to try & ruin something else. "Arnav- are you listening to me ' that aurat is in this very house today"
"WHAT'.what did you just say?" He felt hot now as he started to feel the anger build in him & he stood balling his fists as he kept his anger under control. What would this woman ' his own grandmother steep to for her own ulterior motives!! " Enough'.I am leaving & going downstairs"
" Arnav that aurat is non other than Garima ' Khushi's masi. Knowing that how can you marry her'.."
At this he clenched his teeth & felt the fury build in him as he barely contained himself & his wrath towards her, " How dare you'" He punctuated each word by pointing his index finger at her. " I cannot believe that you would come out with this today? Why do you want to sabotage the happiest day of my life'..kyun Dadi?"
"I have proof'I don't want you to go through what your father did'." " Listen Dadi- I have told you time & time again ' do not mention him in any conversation with me. As far as I am concerned I DID NOT HAVE A FATHER ' do you get that!" As he said that she held out a brown envelope to him.
"Look inside that- that will show you that I speak the truth" When he continued to stand there she pulled the picture out of his dad & Gurima taken about 15 years ago- & held it in front of his eyes with both hands. His gaze eventually fell on the photo & he reeled in shock at seeing Auntie & his dad & rendered speechless.
"Now at last you can call off the wedding Arnav- I always knew that Khushi was no good. Its in the genes you know. Her masi ruined all of our lives all those years ago & Khushi is no different. She even tried it on with Damadji & nearly wrecked your Di's marriage. Send them home'kick them out'they are all tainted'even that Payal''"
AND so her voice droned on & on until it made him snap.. "STOP IT'.now" & with that he turned around & started to leave the room & as he reached the door his gaze fell on a shadow that he could see behind the fluttering curtain & clearly feet underneath. He continued to exit slamming the door behind him as if he could not leave quick enough away from Dadi's venomous presence. He stood for a few seconds with his back to the door & he could quite clearly hear the low mummer of voices behind the door ' that of his Jijaji & Dadi. He started to walk down the corridor towards the stairs & he had flashbacks of Garima auntie & how apprehensive she had looked on several occasions recently especially at the Haldi ceremony- he also remembered the occasion recently where he knew that Shyam & Dadi had met up stairs & then he remembered all the times that Garima auntie had treated him with the utmost kindness & respect.
Then his thoughts came to Khushi who was waiting downstairs for him. Khushi that followed him blindly & put up with him right from the start. He remembered their first meeting & how his misunderstanding of her on that first occasion led to the ruin of Payal's wedding. He put her through hell at the office & he treated her really badly when she came to RM but despite all of that she started to change him. ASR who never cared about anyone except his sister had his heart melt for this petite ' full of life- chirpy ladki from lucknow. She saved his black soul & nurtured him & took care of his whole parivar time & time again. She risked her life to save him despite the ugly false accusation that he labelled her with. She saved his sister recently from sinking into the depths of despair. How can she be bad- never & how can Garima auntie be bad as after all she raised his Khushi!!!
At this point he had reached the top of the stairs & he was looking down at the gathering below. Khushi stood in the mandap looking truly beautiful in her bridal wear but clasping her hands together & looking really apprehensive. Again he was the cause of that!! Nani was asking Di whether she knew where Chote was. Everyone stood there wondering what was going on & the person that looked the most agitated was Garima auntie. As he stood looking down he could hear the bedroom door open behind him & the tread of two pairs of feet & as he hovered at the top he made a decision.
Dadi came up to them & stood in the mandap addressing the maraj (priest) " Yain shadi band karo issi waqt ' Ye ladki aur isaka parivar iss shaddi ke layak nahi hain.." with that she looked directly at Garima. The latter realised what would have happened. All around everyone looked shocked. He could feel Khushi's hand trembling in his grasp.
"Sumi bas karo'" whispered Nani'.
" Yain wahi aurat hain jisake Arnav ke pitah ke saath samand the aur jisane humse hamare bete aur bahu ko chhina'''" with which she pointed a finger directly at Garima. Khushi gasped & Garima stepped backwards in shock shaking her head in denial.
He realised that he had to take control of the situation & resolve this once & for all as otherwise it would forever ruin the person that was more precious to him then life itself. He did not care at that time who he hurt or offended. To him he had reached the end of his tether & he could not take it anymore especially from this interfering woman who had decided to come back to his life & reek havock.
" That is enough Dadi ' PLEASE SHUT UP!!!! Not another word!!! This wedding is taking place & its taking place NOW. If you do not like it then kindly leave & you can take your conspirator Damadji with you!!!" When he said this he held his right hand up straight in front of her face- a replication of the action she used on a regular basis...
Straight after the wedding he had decided to get away from the house & had asked Aakash to book this hotel. He had driven them over here & taken her upstairs to their room. He could see that she was physically & emotionally tired & she had fallen asleep as soon as she was ready & now here they were the morning after...
Khushi continued to cry as she remembered the event of yesterday. She felt his arms come about her, pulling her tight against his chest as he bent her helplessly, lost, falling, her heart half beating out of her breast. She tried to draw back, she drew her hands on his forearms trying hard to pull herself away from him. She was still hurting from Dadi's accusations. She felt a keening pain deep inside of her. He drew his arm up around her back & up to her head & drew her head onto his chest & started to stroke her hair.
He looked down at her & lifted her chin so he could look her eyes that once again swam with unshed tears. His chest squeezed hard, the first glimpse of her hurt an emotional blow. He feared that repeated exposure to this woman merely made him crave her more intensely.
He could tell that she was agitated as her chest rose & fell faster than usual. He continued to look down at her his eyes at once brooding & sad. He closed his eyes for a moment & it was suddenly there in his face: all the grief & all the pain.
"Khushi''I know that you are hurt '''but we will work this out together'"
"Arnavji'.is it true about Amma'.she was the reason that you were made an orphan with Di'why your mother was taken'" with that she gasped for air as she broke down in tears again. She could not control the flood of emotions that took over & she sobbed her heart out.
He was up & over her so fast she didn't even have time to gasp. He wound his arms around her, pinning her arms to her sides, holding her fast, & when she looked up at him . at his face she expected to see anger! Instead she saw compassion. It was too much. She inhaled, her breath searing her chest, breaking open her heart, spilling all the rage & fear & disappointment out into the open, She cried great heaving sobs, blinded by her own tears, her mouth open in a silent wail.
He gathered her close & yet closer still as if he could absorb her pain- her grief, his face against hers & rocked her in his arms as if she were a new-born babe. But his gentleness only gave fuel to the fire of her despair. She twisted, hitting his shoulders with her balled fists, convulsing in her grief.
"Stop it Khushi" He proceeded to hold her tighter, murmuring soothing sounds as she sobbed her heart out for the past few months of the ideal marriage that she had always dreamed about but that had failed to meet her expectations. The grief came boiling out of her, hot & ugly too long suppressed, too long denied. She sobbed her heart out for all those months until her eyes were swollen & she quieted as Arnav kept rocking & soothing her.
"You are so brave Khushi ". He murmured into her hair, stroking it ' "so very brave & Beautiful" He placed a gentle palm under her chin & said "Khushi ' look at me!"
" I know what you have suffered at my hands & I want you to forgive me. Can you please find it in your heart to do that? I know that I have truly hurt you. When I think of all those times & all those occasions" He gently swept his thumbs across her cheeks to wipe away at the tears that coursed down her face as he held her face in his hands.
" No more Khushi ' I know exactly what was done to you ' I can see it clearly!! But I will not tolerate the people that are guilty of trying to ruin our lives. With your Amma ' I know what my father was like & I know that she would have been duped by him. So I don't blame her at all. She has done nothing wrong'we will go & see her & clear everything up." She stared at him, stunned & laid her palm against his cheek, rough with the day's stubble. " How come you have become so wise all of a sudden?"
" Not me. You were the one who started this. You were the one that stood by me, by Di & by all the others that wronged you!! You are the one that showed me the way. With you by my side I have the strength to tackle anything." At this he was overcome & once again pulled her fiercely into his arms & hugged her really tightly flush to his torso as if he would never let her go.
"If I had lost you, do you realise I could not survive but when you are with me ' its like you are my breath & you are the reason for living ' you are my everything!!. He rolled onto his back & settled her against him. She closed her eyes & obeyed his entreaty that she sleep. She closed her eyes & started to drift off as the realization came to her. She loved this man ' now & for ever. She could hear him mummer "Khushi I love you more daily- hourly ' second by second..."
Cricket
Mahadev And Sons
