OS - Recolouring Holi!!!

"Mom, why do we celebrate Holi?" Aarav asked her as she busied herself with all the preparations for tomorrow. "Tonight's bed time story will be on Holi, ok Aarav? I just need to finish all this work now for tomorrow."

"Ok mom, I'll go see what dad is doing then" saying that he ran across the hall to Arnav's bed room only to find him typing away furiously on his laptop.

"Dad! You know it is late right. Which poor soul are you troubling now?"

Arnav stopped and looked up at his son with a quizzical look. Even though he wasn't their real child, he seemed more and more like Khushi everyday! Arnav couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Why are you still up?"

"Because tomorrow's an off and mom is still busy downstairs and I can't go to bed till I know the story."

"What story?"

"Of why Holi is celebrated! Tomorrow is Holi, remember dad!"

"Oh yeah, I remember your mom mentioning it today." Suddenly Arnav was gripped by thoughts of last year's Holi celebrations. This same pool was witness to their true confessions of their feelings even though they couldn't say it to each other. He looked at the pool almost picturing the two of them sitting there holding each other close, making promises of never letting go.

'Ahem' Aarav cleared his throat to get his father's attention. "Dad what happened?" "Nothing, I'll just go check on your mum. You get to bed; I'll send her there to tell you the story. Go!"

Arnav walked down only to find Khushi in the kitchen clearing the dishes which was clearly HP's job. Poor HP was confined to one corner as the tornado that was Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada set about arranging and rearranging the kitchen.

"Khushi" Arnav called from the entrance of the kitchen.

"Aaye" came her reply without turning around.

"Khushi, can you leave all this to HP. Your son refuses to go to bed without listening to his story and it's clearly past his bedtime and yours."

"Coming! Naniji just asked me to help HP with this so let me finish it."

Arnav stepped forward and grabbed her hand making her stop her frenzied actions and look at him. Bringing his face really close to her he whispered softly but a little too dangerously. "Khushi, you are leaving all this now and coming straight to bed, even if I have to carry you there."

Even though Khushi didn't show it, Arnav knew that all these festivals only brought back memories that she would rather forget. To the world she pretended to be this strong and completely together person, but Arnav knew her better than the rest and could her mind better than even she could at times. He understood the reasons behind her actions in the kitchen even without having to ask her. Somehow she was just trying to delay tomorrow and to having all those thoughts plague her mind again. Shyam may be away from their lives now but like the snake that he was, he's still slithers and creeps into their lives from time to time.

"Fine!" her calm voice cut through his thoughts as he looked back down at her and noticed the resigned look on her face.

"That's better! HP clear up the rest!"

"Yes Arnav bhaiya"

He led her out of the kitchen resolving to himself to make tomorrow a better day for her, filled with newer memories that will once and for all erase all the past ones. When he married her the second time around, Arnav promised himself to rid Khushi's life of all the troubled memories and heart aches of the past and to build a new life for them filled with unconditional love and trust. These were just the small steps he had to take in getting it done.

"Aarav is waiting for you. Go tell him the Holi story and come to bed soon. I'm really tired and sleep and like your son, I can't sleep without listening to your voice." Arnav was looking at her and lightly flicked her nose at the last line, just to see a small smile grace her lips. He moved forward to kiss her but found himself thrown back against the wall as she quickly ran away. Looking back before entering Aarav's room, Khushi found him looking at her with a dangerous predator look in his eyes. She knew she wouldn't get any sleep tonight.

Half an hour later, Khushi found herself opening the door to their room quietly just in case he was already asleep. She stepped into the darkened room only to find him standing at the pool side looking at the stars. She marveled at how much he had changed, he'd become so much like her, happier than before and more relaxed.

She approached him from behind snaking her hands through his and resting her head on his back. "Talking to your mother or my parents?" she asked.

"Both."

"And'.?"

"That's between me and them. Sone challe?"

"Hmmm" was all she could reply as she felt so comfortable around him, never wanting to let go.

He turned around slowly and lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the bed. This had almost become a routine for them, finding comfort and solace in each other. Laying her down, he settled beside her resting his head on his elbow and looking at her. Bringing his head down, he took her lips in a slow sensual kiss filled with promise and love, wanting to take away the pain that she keeps hidden behind her happy face. They fell asleep in each other's arms safe and secure.

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Khushi could feel soft breaths on her cheeks trying to wake her up, but so lost was she in her dreams, that she just curled herself further and pulled the blanket higher.

Arnav smiled watching his wife refuse his ministrations but that couldn't stop him. He moved higher so he could see her face more clearly and touched her cheeks lightly again. Letting his fingers just graze the sides of her face. From her temple to her cheeks, moving lightly to her ears and neck, Arnav made sure he touched every inch of his beautiful wife's face.

"Arnavvvjiii'..let me sleep'.the alarm hasn't rung yet!!" Khushi groaned in her sleep, trying to move away from him. She felt his hand move off her face almost immediately only to find it grazing her stomach the very next moment. Her husband was in the mood to play when all she wanted to do was just sleep for a little while longer knowing how tiring her day was going to be.

Giving up she opened her eyes and found him staring at her with a warm smile on his face. "Good morning" she almost grumbled at him irritated that he looked so fresh and awake when it wasn't even 6 am.

"Why are you up so early?"

"Just wanted to go out for a run before all the festivities began. By the way, do you know how beautiful you look this morning?"

"Just this morning?"

"Well you look beautiful everyday but today even more so"

"Hmmm whatever! Now let me get ready since I'm already up!"

Khushi pushed the covers aside and made her way to the bathroom. Arnav got himself off the bed and was about to put on his trainers when he heard a loud scream and the bathroom door open with a bang.

Khushi was standing at the bathroom door glaring at him. "Arnavji what is this?" she was pointing to her face which had been covered almost everywhere with a deep red powder.

"Oh that, Happy Holi Khushi!!" he said smiling at her slyly. His plans had their desired effects. Khushi was fuming but that was nothing that he couldn't manage. He started to move towards her slowly, smiling at her angry face as she stood there glaring at him hands on her hips.

"Don't come near me, Arnavji! This is not funny'.these colors are not going to come out now!!"

"Don't worry Khushi, I'll help you!"

"Stay away from me!" she rushed back inside and tried shutting the door as he lunged forward in two quick steps. He threw the door open and found himself completely drenched.

Khushi stood on the other side of the bathroom holding an empty bucket in her hand and laughing hysterically.

"Oh no you didn't!" he growled as he moved towards the hand shower grabbing it and turning on the tap. Seconds later Khushi found herself using that same bucket as a protective shield and laughing uncontrollably as Arnav kept a steady stream of water pouring down on her.

Little did they know that standing outside their bedroom door was the whole family wondering just what the commotion was so early in the morning. Aarav poked his head through the bedroom door and heard the sound of water and laughter coming from the closed bathroom.

He shook his head turning around to the family saying, "It's nothing to worry about! Mom and Dad have just started their Holi celebrations before the rest of us!"

Laughing at the madness that was Arnav and Khushi, the family made their way down to the mandir for their daily Aarti and to say a special prayer for these two lovebirds who deserved all the happiness in the world.