Part 29

ASR gaped at him.
"Mr. Arnav, I know she is here. And I need to talk to you before I call her."
"Talk? Talk to me? Who are you? .. You ... you do not know who she is..? Are you going to stop me?" He said angrily. 

"Please remember, you are in my house, Mr. Arnav" Said papaji sternly. "I can stop you!" He waited for ASR's reaction and then said in a firm voice.

"Please calm down, Mr. Raizada, I know who she is. But Please tell me why are you here? Why are you so desperate to meet her?"

"Why am I desperate? Why..? Because she is my wife ....damn it!" He had lost control! He was trembling with excitement and anger. 

"I know she is your wife, Arnav ji. But you do not know many things about her. I want to enlighten you about her before I decide whether to allow you to meet her or not!" Papaji went ahead.. Arnav gaped forgetting his  rage.

"She is our family member. We are her foster parents. She is our daughter now. So I have a right to protect her, to keep her safe. Do you understand?" Every statement made by papaji left Arnav in a maze. He could not understand anything.

"She is not the same girl now with low status. She is not the same girl who was in want of money to support her family. She is not poor anymore. She is not weak anymore. She is not the one who will listen to false accusations. She is not the one who can be shouted at.."

Arnav was flabbergasted at this. Khushi seemed to be indispensable part of this family. "She had done the magic here too!" thought Arnav wondering. "She knows how to impress people. She can win anybody.."He thought.
"She has suffered a lot in these months and I will not tolerate anyone hurting her anymore" Papaji said warningly.

"You only have seen her suffering, what about me? Do you know how much I have suffered? Does anyone know the ordeal I went through in these months?" Arnav thought burning from within.

"She is not a poor girl, Mr. Arnav Singh. Soon she will be the owner of a portion of my property which is sufficient enough to buy the entire AR Group along with you, Mr. Arnav Singh Raizaka. Do you understand?" Roared papaji in thunderous voice, sensing the rising anger in Arnav's eyes.

"Arnav, stared at him. Then in the determined, calm voice said " Whatever is mine, is hers! I am ready to give away all my belongings and possessions, right here, right now..!" He stood up and so did Papaji glaring at each other.
Papaji, stared at him as if trying to read his mind. Then the stern looks changed into kindness. He came forward and keeping his hand on Arnav's shoulders said
"Khushi is lucky to have you Arnav puttar!"

Arnav stood there gaping at papaji unable to understand the change in his attitude.

Papaji called the two kids and said "Take him to Khushi Buwa's room and come back immediately!"

"Go my dear... she is waiting" He said winking at Arnav and pushing him a little.

The kids held Arnav's hands and carried him towards Khushi's room.

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Khushi went to her room at the orders of Papaji. She did not know what was happening. She only knew that he has followed her and has come to her doorsteps. She was waiting for him. Her mind, heart, brain, body , soul waiting for him. Her eyes kept looking at the closed door. She was waiting....
As the time passed she became nervous. She slowly started losing hopes. "His speech and his actions do not match. He must have said something. Papaji must have sent him away. He must have gone back. I have lost him...." Her heart ached. She looked out of window. The otherwise pleasant green garden looked gloomy. 

"There was a knock on the door. Someone called "Khushi buwa?" She heard the door open. She turned around. The kids were standing on both sides of him holding his hand. They brought him in. Pushed him laughing, turned around, ran out and closed the door behind them. He was standing before her… was it real? Or was she hallucinating? She didn’t know…..

She stood there not knowing what to do. He was at the door looking at her like never before. She sobbed. He touched his ears… “Saza Manjoor…!” He blurted with moist eyes.  She lost control and sobbed hard! He leapt forward, reached her in a couple of paces, looking at her. 

“Arnav ji…!” Next moment they melted in each others' arms. The world around them vanished. They dissolved in hug. Emotions swept away. All the bitterness, urge to punish, to take revenge, to run away from each other had gone. What remained and filled their hearts was pure love.... pure Unconditional love.

“Khushi…!” he buried his face on her shoulder hugging her tightly.  Khushi had got her Arnav ji back. 

Kids came running towards papaji, Laughing .. Tej screamed excitedly, "You know... He kissed her..." 

"And.. She was crying..." said Meera pausing.. "What..?" Papaji and Raj got up from their chairs..

"And kissed him back.." Said meera giggling. Papaji lifted the kids and took them to Mummiji’s room to celebrate, by kissing his biwi. Elsa walked in.  "Ok. Kids, now go and play in the garden... And no peeping into Khushi Buwa's room!" She ordered, giving Papaji some privacy to be with his wife. 


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