Part 82

"Ok. Now, go and get ready. We need to leave soon to avoid the rush hour traffic. So, you have one hour!" said papaji asking them to leave.

Khushi came back to her room. She still was in a trance and was thinking about Arnav and his past. "He has endured so much! And I, I just went on blaming him to be so heartless and emotionless. Arnav ji, I will make good for what I have said to you in the past. You will forget all your grief and sorrow!... Love? She stopped at this thought. Love? Is this love I feel about him? Does he love me as much as I love him? He has never said he loves me!!... ok. Hmm... I will make him confess his love!" she thought smiling to herself and kissing the Mannat Key. "Arnavji" she blurted.

Arnav came back to his room. He got ready and was in front of the mirror styling his hair. He stared at his own refection and kept his right hand on his heart blurting "Khushi..!"

"I have never ever thought that I would some day open my heart to this stupid, brainless Khushi, someone I hated most. .. hate? Did I hate her? Or was it a love I was resisting? Why did I do to her all that I did. Why could I not understand her that she loves me? .....Love? Does she love me? She has never said so. Ok....um... I will make her confess her love! " He smirked. His ASR brain started planning for his mission "Love confession!"

He hurriedly got ready and came out in the hall. He found no one. He moved towards her room. He opened his mouth to call her and raised his hand to knock on the door. But he was surprised to see that it opened silently with one little push. He peeped in. Khushi had her back to the door and she was humming happily. She was wearing her saree.

He tip toed inside. Came right behind her and placing his hands on her shoulder, whispered in her ear "Khushi...!"

"huhh..! " she shuddered startled. He slowly slid his hand around her waist. She held her breath closing her eyes. He held her tightly close to his heart and buried his face in her hair. His hand around her waist tightened and his other hand moved around her shoulder gripping her. He rested his chin on her shoulder, almost closing his eyes. She exhaled putting her hand on his around her waist. He kissed the black thread around her neck. The plaits in her hand slipped. She held her breath feeling him. He turned her around and wrapping his hands around her back, planted a light kiss on her lips whispering her name. She garlanded her arms around his neck and he lost his control! Stepping over her slipped saree, kissing her furiously ,  he moaned in pleasure. His hands tightened the grip. She lost her breath. The world around them vanished. He felt only Khushi and wanted nothing else. He felt she had submitted herself completely, unconditionally. He kissed her passionately. His hands ran over her body, feeling the contour of her body.. She had closed her eyes with a smile on her face. She wanted him to kiss her, to hold her tightly, never to leave her. She tried to close the non existent gap between them tightening her arms around his neck. He lost all his senses and gripping and wrapping her tightly lifted her off the ground. He started moving, pushing her towards her bed.

"Thud!" he knocked down the chair in front of the dressing table. The charm lifted, the trance broke! Both of them opened their eyes and immediately looking away turned their back on each other. She gathered her saree hurriedly and he, lifting the chair and keeping it on the floor, went out of the room still breathing heavily.

He closed the door behind him and pressed his back on the wall of her room. He closed his eyes holding his breath and a smile appeared on his face. He pressed his lips feeling her lips.

Khushi hurriedly wore the saree with shaky hands and tided herself. She wore a light blue saree and wore simple studded jewellery . She let loose her hair sprawling over her back and took her bag opening the door. She found Arnav standing there waiting for her with closed eyes and smile on his face. She stared at him never wanting to break his trance.

 "What was he doing? And how did I respond? He was so passionate,, if it was not the chair, I would have swayed away by the storm.." She thought blushing not noticing that he had opened his eyes and was looking at her smile. She looked away and turning her back said shakily "Let us go!" He moved and they came into the hall. They avoided looking at each other embarrassed. Her face was glowing red and she fidgeted. He tied his hands behind as if to restrain himself from grabbing her again.

Papaji came into the hall and looking at the couple smiled. "Ok. Ready? Let us go!"

They were out on the road and papaji asked "so, where do you want to go? Which market?" he asked from behind. Arnav was driving the Mercedes and Khushi was sitting next on the front seat. Papaji enjoyed sitting at the back talking to Arnav and Khushi.
*** ***
They were heading back for lunch. Papaji wanted to take them for lunch to some exotic place but both of them refused and said they wanted to have lunch with mummiji. Khushi had her wish list complete and was carrying a pile of gifts. . Arnav on the other hand refused to have anything for him saying he has everything. Papaji and Khushi pestered him to have something and reluctantly, he bought some antique vases. Papaji admired his taste. Then leaving them in the market went somewhere to come back after an hour. Khushi enjoyed moving the in market and Arnav enjoyed looking at Khushi's bright face.

"How does she find out happiness in such small things? She has endured as much as I have but she bounced back everytime....! And I...? Look at me...! I developed hatred and vengeance in my mind!" He swallowed hard holding her hand. She looked at him in surprise and he brought a fake smile on his face. She knew something was wrong and took him to the ice cream parlor. Talking and giggling relentlessly, she tried to bring smile on his face and succeeded. He started enjoying her stupid and meaningless talks, her mimicry, her animated story telling and her touch when she wrapped her arm around his while weeding out their way through that crowded market place.

Papaji joined them later and they continued their shopping. She forced papaji to buy gifts for mummiji, suggesting and imposing her choice on him. Arnav shook his head hopelessly muttering "Unbelievable!" Papaji winked at him and said "This is a lesson for you... this is what happens ... so learn to be patient and to empty your pockets...!" Khushi looked at them sulkily puffing her cheeks.

This was the happy time for them.... The bumpy road ahead was waiting for them.... !!

They reached home and gathered in mummiji's room. Again a round of discussion on their shopping took place. Papaji and Arnav tolerated her talk for a while and then papaji said looking at Arnav "Now, if you two have finished talking about this silly shopping, I want to have lunch. We are dieing with hunger." He called out for butler to bring in the lunch in the room. Khushi kept her shopping bags aside. They had a peaceful lunch with the fulltime nurse bringing in the diet food for mummiji. The door bell rang. Someone was at the door. Papaji hurriedly went out and came back immediately smiling.

"Who was it?" asked Khushi with curiosity. "Nothing.. it was someone from office!" said papaji. He exchanged looks with his wife.

"Arnavji, tell us about Anjaliji...!" Khushi could not wait. Papaji looked at her angrily and she realising her impatience bit her tongue.

They were sitting in mummiji's room. Arnav on the couch, Papaji on his rocking chair and Khushi on mummiji's bed pressing her legs and looking at Arnav eagerly. Arnav spoke..

"I was in hostel pursuing my engineering and had started my small business. Years passed. Di completed her graduation externally. Slowly she was coming out of the depression and started going out with mamiji and naniji, mainly to the temple. I used to visit them during my vacations. Aakash also had joined boarding school.

That day I received Nani's phone saying my Di is frightened and depressed. I was shocked. I told her that I would come immediately. But she said no need and now the things are ok. Di had gone out with nani that day to the temple and while coming some hooligans teased and chased Di taking mama's name and the disgrace she brought to Raizada family. Nani had tried to resist but they pushed her aside causing her fall down on the road. They pulled Di's dupatta and circled her. Crowd gathered. They had knives and sticks in their hands. She was helpless and there was no one to help her. Then a young man jumped from the crowd and fought out everyone of the gang and saved my Di... " He stopped to breath.
"What?" Khushi screamed getting up from the bed. Everyone looked at her startled. She looked aghast.

"Was that HIM?" Asked she, screaming. And without waiting for the answer, went on "That must be him. He did save me from the same situation exactly in the same manner..." she could not finish as she was lost in her thoughts of the traumatic memories coming back...

"What?" Arnav too got up. "Yes" she said!
"After the video clipping of the fashion show was aired, everyone started teasing me and jiji. We had stopped going out. We were locked inside by amma. That day babuji took us out and the similar set of hooligans encircled me pulling my duppatta and he jumped in, fighting all of them and sending them away...." Khushi said lost in thoughts and not knowing the reactions of others.

"Ok. Then what happened?" Asked papaji in a soft voice and Arnav continued.

"Nani thanked him and he escorted them to our house. Then he kept on coming and we were so overwhelmed by his help that we welcomed them wholeheartedly. He became one of the family members. Nani sensed something was surely going on between Di and him. We had no problem at all. Di loved him and he seemed to equally love her.
This went on for more than two years and I had settled in my business after graduation. I had started construction of Shantiban Raizada House in Delhi and was planning to shift to Delhi. He joined us in Delhi too saying he has a lot of work in Delhi as well. He had a roaring legal practice.
When they declared their love towards each other we were happy for Di that after such a turmoil she got such a loving and caring husband. It was grand marriage and he slowly settle in Raizada House, everyone trusting him and he giving his prudent advise in every family matter. I had kept him away from business matter." Arnav stopped to breathe.

"He did the same with us. He said he is orphan and no place to stay in Delhi and settled in our house as paying guest... and did all those nasty things..."

remembering all that she suffered because of him, she had tears in her eyes.  No one spoke for a long time and them Mummiji said in convinced tone...

"This must be his modus operandi ... I am sure he is a womanizer... And if he is, then he must not have stopped with you two but must have tried out with other women also...!" She stopped lost in her thoughts. Everybody else was shocked on this realization. That was a possibility.

"Yes, I believe my wife is right and this is how he tricks girls in distress and then...." Said papaji raking his brain for solution.

"Ok. If this is true then we have to find out who else is his victim. We have to find out. I had not thought about it. I have to do something.. I have to find out...!" papaji thought aloud.

Everyone was lost in their own thoughts and thinking on the solution. After some time, papaji spoke first...

"Ok. Listen everyone, you too my wife! Here is a plan....." Everyone listened with rapt attention.