As the hot water dripped down Arnav’s back, seeping into each one of his wounds, soothing the stinging and bringing great relief, he slumped back in the shower as the day’s events replayed in his head....
What a day it had been....kidnapped, escaped, khushi tied on the road, khushi held at gun-point, khushi unconscious, khushi’s soft murmur...the murmur that had run through every vein in his body reviving each cell that had been on the verge of death, shrieking to them that there was reason yet to live....that life was not over but was only just beginning, that he had not lost all but gained more than he could have ever bargained for....khushi.....khushi.
...khushi....what was he to do now, how was he supposed to go on now....everything had changed....
A day....a mere day....twenty-four bloody hours....and so many things had happened....so many emotions plagued him....what would he do now....the mighty ASR at a loss to his feelings....his mind giving into his heart.....
The jingling of bangles outside snapped Arnav out his thoughts...she was outside. He had to think fast. Figure out his game plan. And stick to it, not letting her change it with her mystical ways.
Plan forming in his head he dried himself off with his towel and put on his clothes for the night.
What a day it had been....kidnapped, escaped, khushi tied on the road, khushi held at gun-point, khushi unconscious, khushi’s soft murmur...the murmur that had run through every vein in his body reviving each cell that had been on the verge of death, shrieking to them that there was reason yet to live....that life was not over but was only just beginning, that he had not lost all but gained more than he could have ever bargained for....khushi.....khushi.
...khushi....what was he to do now, how was he supposed to go on now....everything had changed....
A day....a mere day....twenty-four bloody hours....and so many things had happened....so many emotions plagued him....what would he do now....the mighty ASR at a loss to his feelings....his mind giving into his heart.....
The jingling of bangles outside snapped Arnav out his thoughts...she was outside. He had to think fast. Figure out his game plan. And stick to it, not letting her change it with her mystical ways.
Plan forming in his head he dried himself off with his towel and put on his clothes for the night.
*****
Di was ok....just shock and stress the doctor had said...rest and great care would ensure that she and the baby would be ok....so they would be ok...of course they would!!! She would make sure nothing ever came close to harming them....if anything ever tried she, Khushi Kumari Gupta – Singh Raizada would stand in between that thing and Anjali....
Sing Raizada....Khushi Kumari Gupta-Sing Raizada....no Khushi Kumari Gupta Arnav Singh Raizada......how good that name sounded....
Of course everything had to be ok, or would be ok, how could it not be....now when Arnav was back...and not only was he back but he was with her. HER!!! Of course all would be ok, she need not worry about anything now.....Arnav was here he would make things right...they together would make things right....after all when they were together nothing could ever go wrong....so yeah all would be ok....no need to worry....why should she her Arnav ji was with her.
An anxious Khushi toed into Arnav and her room. There was nothing to worry about, Arnav had understood and sided with her, getting rid of the demon from the house, so there was absolutely nothing to worry about now...yet an unsettling feeling continued to rise from the pit of her stomach.
Arnav was still in the shower when she came in the room, but the water coincidently turned off after she had entered the room, he would be out now any minute. As the minutes dragged on, her nervousness increased and she began to pace the room. What would he say? What should she do? How will it all be? Will he need her to explain more, or was no more explanation required? If he understood, and all the misunderstandings were clear between them then...then what? Would he....should she....
TRRRRIIIIICCKKK.
The bathroom door unlocked. Khushi froze. There he stood. Her rakhshas. Her laad governer. In the door frame looking as breath-taking as ever in his cream carpet slipper, black trousers and.... that white cotton night shirt of his....the shirt she had often slept in, in his abscence...the shirt that made her feel close to him, feel like she was in his embrace, safe from the world.
As she stood there, frozen, taking him in. He dried his hair and walked passed her, to the doors of the room. He threw his towel on the settee and closed the doors. Locking them in for the night.
As the locks clicked, Khushi suddenly became very aware of her every heart beat. That began increasing drastically every second. She closed her eyes. Took a long breath. And turned around to face him.
He was still facing the doors, his hand on the lock. She took another deep breath and began....
‘Arnav ji...’
He snapped up at her voice, turned round stared at her for a moment and then closed the gap between them in two short strides. Suddenly, coming dangerously close to her. He gripped her arms pulling her closer and then leaned in....
She closed her eyes. His breath, warm on her face. On her lips. On her cheeks. On her ears.... He stopped by her ears and whispered, softly but steadily...
‘I’m not going to divorce you.’
Sing Raizada....Khushi Kumari Gupta-Sing Raizada....no Khushi Kumari Gupta Arnav Singh Raizada......how good that name sounded....
Of course everything had to be ok, or would be ok, how could it not be....now when Arnav was back...and not only was he back but he was with her. HER!!! Of course all would be ok, she need not worry about anything now.....Arnav was here he would make things right...they together would make things right....after all when they were together nothing could ever go wrong....so yeah all would be ok....no need to worry....why should she her Arnav ji was with her.
An anxious Khushi toed into Arnav and her room. There was nothing to worry about, Arnav had understood and sided with her, getting rid of the demon from the house, so there was absolutely nothing to worry about now...yet an unsettling feeling continued to rise from the pit of her stomach.
Arnav was still in the shower when she came in the room, but the water coincidently turned off after she had entered the room, he would be out now any minute. As the minutes dragged on, her nervousness increased and she began to pace the room. What would he say? What should she do? How will it all be? Will he need her to explain more, or was no more explanation required? If he understood, and all the misunderstandings were clear between them then...then what? Would he....should she....
TRRRRIIIIICCKKK.
The bathroom door unlocked. Khushi froze. There he stood. Her rakhshas. Her laad governer. In the door frame looking as breath-taking as ever in his cream carpet slipper, black trousers and.... that white cotton night shirt of his....the shirt she had often slept in, in his abscence...the shirt that made her feel close to him, feel like she was in his embrace, safe from the world.
As she stood there, frozen, taking him in. He dried his hair and walked passed her, to the doors of the room. He threw his towel on the settee and closed the doors. Locking them in for the night.
As the locks clicked, Khushi suddenly became very aware of her every heart beat. That began increasing drastically every second. She closed her eyes. Took a long breath. And turned around to face him.
He was still facing the doors, his hand on the lock. She took another deep breath and began....
‘Arnav ji...’
He snapped up at her voice, turned round stared at her for a moment and then closed the gap between them in two short strides. Suddenly, coming dangerously close to her. He gripped her arms pulling her closer and then leaned in....
She closed her eyes. His breath, warm on her face. On her lips. On her cheeks. On her ears.... He stopped by her ears and whispered, softly but steadily...
‘I’m not going to divorce you.’
*****