Betrayal Part 8

~~~~~~~~~~PART 8~~~~~~~~~~~
PLEASE EXCUSE THE MISTAKES, NO TIME TO EDIT IT!!!


When Khushi woke up, she found herself on the bed. Worry on faces of people around her as she slowly opened her eyes.

"Khushi, you okay?" Khushi's mom asked softly, who sat closed to her.

Khushi looked around as she was in a very different world and as she was among the strangers. Unconsciously, her eyes searched for one and only one face, Arnav's.

"What happened to me?" she asked, was she until now dreaming, she thought.

"You had fainted, Khushi. In the washroom," Payal spoke up.

"Jiju was worried when you didn't come out of the washroom for so long, he called you, but there was no response from you. So he had to break in. But you are fine now. Doctor said, you and baby are fine," she continued.

"Where is Arnav?" she asked, her head was bursting with pain. "Has he gone?"

"No, he is downstairs. I go and call him," Payal said and quickly climbed out off the bed and downstairs to fetch Arnav.

"Khushi, I got so worried. Thankfully, you are okay," Payal's mom said.

Khushi looked at the clock. It was nearly 2:00 in the afternoon. She slept for another 7 hours.

"Now you are up, I go and get something for you to eat," she said. "But please take care of yourself don't try to get up, alright."

She nodded.

Arnav and Mr. Gupta sat in the lawn outside, enjoying the sunshine and the tea. They were talking about Aditiya but when they saw Payal coming, they fell silent.

"Arnav jiju, Khushi is up," Payal told him.

Arnav immediately put his tea cup down on the coffee table. As sudden relief rushed through this aching head. "I will be back, Mr. Gupta," Arnav excused himself.

"Yes sure," Mr. Gupta replied, with a smile. "If you see Mrs. Gupta, send her here."

"Yes, sure," Arnav replied.

On his way he saw Mrs. Gupta with food in her hands, as she was going to make her upstairs. "Son, I was going to take food for Khushi in her room," she told him.

"It's okay you give me. I will feed her. Mr. Gupta was asking about you!"

"Thank you so much son," Mrs. Gupta said and gave the food plate to Arnav.
***
Arnav entered the room. Khushi still laid on the bed, but her back towards him. Khushi heard the noise of his footsteps and looked at him over her shoulders.

"Food," he said to Khushi and walked to her side of the bed.

She tried to sat up but failed. Her head still spun and ached as the pain was injected inside her head.

Arnav set the plate on the night table and quickly held her by her shoulders to help her sit properly. Khushi held his arm as she sat up. Arnav tucked the pillow behind her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. His voice was utterly soft. His eyes full of concern. He waited for her reply as she continued to search for her eyes.

"Head hurts," she told him.

"Probably due to an empty stomach. Eat food, then you have to take medicine too."

She couldn't help looking at him and as usual he looked away from her. But she didn't feel he was dejected from her. "I help you. I hope you won't mind." His statement was innocent. And he has again looked at her but shortly moved his gaze away.

She thanked God he wasn't looking at her as her eyes watered.

She wanted to ask him, why he was being so nice to her? Was it love or out of guilt?

It shouldn't matter, then she thought. Neither she was capable of his love and guilt that he shouldn't be feeling at all.

She didn't answer, but Arnav feed her as she won't say it aloud.

With the food, she gulped her sobs down her throat with difficulty, that chocked her breath. He wasn't saying anything as he feed her so she spoke up.

"Arnav your friend isn't she coming?" she asked. She wished better she not. Thinking of his female friend made her feel sick even more. A very sick feeling grew in her chest that was worst than any pain and it hurt her. She wanted to scream, cry until she let all out.

Then thought prevailed in her mind. If she was jealous (let's put it in that words), she had slept with other man.

Darn. Her own thoughts worked against her. She felt hollow from inside. Her thoughts killed her.

"She is here, I asked Aman to get her from the airport."

"I am sorry because of me."
Because of me, he didn't go, she thought, the answers were clear.

What Arnav was doing, Aditiya could have never done for her.

He had never ever came along with her to the hospital when she was sick for a whole month. And for Arnav, she was only his priority. Aditiya had never missed his office, his any other commitment for her, and never he did.

Arnav shook his head. "She won't mind at all. She is really nice," he said bringing her back to the reality.

"Mm-hmm," she murmured.

"May be perfect for you, Arnav," she thought. It was really hard for her to think of it. He deserved a nice girl like Lavanya, this much she knew.

Such thoughts itself made her crazy. She was denying the fact, but she no longer seemed to hate him.

She had everything, a husband, who loved her, cared for her, respected her. He still did, but in the long run now she seemed to lost it. She had blinded herself that she didn't know she would end up doing something that will be lifelong guilt.

"Why didn't you go?" she asked. "I mean to receive Lavanaya, you promised her."

He stayed quite.

"Eat your medicine," he said and changed the topic.

                          * * *
"Take care, Khushi," Payal said as she came to see off both Arnav and Khushi.

"Bye jiju!"

"Do come home," Arnav said.

"Yes, yes, sure, I will come," she replied. Then she cupped Khushi's face. "Bye Khushi, please take care of yourself."

"I will!" she reassured.

"Seriously, I wouldn't have let you go. But I know beside jiju nobody else will take good care of you."

Khushi immediately lowered her eyelashes so her sister couldn't see the pain in them and nodded.

"Bye," she said and Payal stepped back. As Arnav ignited the car and pulled out of the driveway of the Gupta mansion.

                            * * *
Upon reaching RM Arnav helped Khushi to get out of the car. Khushi's heart beat had already started thumping against the wall of her heart. Why? She didn't know.

Servant had opened the door. "Good evening, sir, good evening, mam," Atul said as he bent courteously.

Arnav replied with the nod of his head and Khushi smiled.

"Sir, Lavanya mam is here," he added.

"Where is she?" Arnav asked.

"In the living room," he answered.

"Okay."

In excitement to meet his friend, he left leaving Khushi behind. But he stopped, his eyes shut. He went back and stood beside Khushi, putting his palm forward. Khushi looked at him and almost smiled. She took his hand and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"Let's go," he said. Together they walked to the living room.

"Hello there," girl stood up. Gorgeously tall, pair of dimples in her cheeks enhanced her smile. Her dark hair tied in a pony tail, dressed in a pair of dark blue denim jeans and white button down blouse.

"Hi," she then waved courteously at Khushi's direction.

Arnav had already walked towards her, his hand slipped away from Khushi's hand. Something in that made Khushi think as Arnav was...

No, she didn't want to voice it. Arnav and Lavanya hugged each other, as they were long separated friends.

"I am so sorry, I couldn't able to come and receive you," he said.

Lavanya smiled.
"As I said there was nothing to worry about, Arnav. At least you sent Aman that was more than enough. Also, you have other commitments too. You have...oh look how beautiful wife you have, won't you introduce her to me!?"

Arnav smiled, "of course."

"Khushi, she is my best of best friends, Lavanya. She is from the U.K. and she is a doctor."

"Not completely...yet a practitioner, but will soon be a specialist as a cardiologist," she corrected.

"Yes."

"And Lavanya as you know," he said enthusiastically and then his voice lowered, as he was sad "my wife..."

"And she is pregnant. How cute."

"Yes, pregnant," Arnav said as he smiled weakly.

"Hi, Khushi. Nice to meet you," Lavanya mused and came forward and took her hand in hers. "And congratulations to both of you."

"You know what I have heard lot about you. Whenever he would call me, the only name, only topic, he had to talk about was you."

It was when everything was normal as Arnav had thought. It was enough to make him sad. Despite that he smiled.

"And you look exactly as I have heard about from him."

Khushi could only smile but her heart did ugly somersault, her heart ached.

"I hope everybody took good care of you," Khushi muttered.

"Yes, yes, absolutely. I didn't even feel as I was a guest here. It's after so many years I have been here..." Lavanya's tone was sad. Khushi wondered the reason behind it. She wished she would disclose it, but she didn't mention nothing.

"Oh I am so sorry, Arnav told me, you weren't feeling well. What happened? Come sit," Lavanya said.

"Nothing I was just tired."

"Quite normal during pregnancy," she told her and made her sit.

"You need something?" Arnav asked. Khushi shook her head. "You want to change?"

"Lavanya I will be back in quick minutes. I have to change," Arnav said.

"Sure, sure, go ahead."

"I will be back, Khushi," he added. Making Khushi feel not left out.

Even Lavanya seemed to be a nice girl, in fact a very great girl. Polite in every manner, Khushi liked her. But about jealousy factor she couldn't say, her thought of Lavanaya being a nice girl would be great.

"So Khushi I actually know almost everything about you. And Arnav had already introduced me to you. I might not be much talked friend of Arnav, but I am the closest of his friends."

Could be, Khushi thought. But Arnav had never mentioned anything about her. Even when everything was fine. And guess there was so many things that she didn't know.

"You were saying you came after so many years," Khushi asked the question that lingered in her mind.

"Yes, I barely come to India. Last time I came when A..." she was going to blurt out when Arnav came and interrupted her.

"Here I am l..." he said. The look on his face didn't go unnoticed by Khushi.

"Perfect, that was quick, and you know what you look same as you did 6 years ago," Lavanya said.

"Ha ha yes, but look at you. You have changed so much. I still remember your big glasses that you used to had on and that oily braid," Arnav teased.

Lavanya laughed. To Khushi's surprise she took it as a joke. She could imagine how close they were to each other in that manner.

"Yes, and you know what, Khushi, he always used to tease me on that. Does he irritates you too?"

"No," she said.

"Arnav don't tell me you have become all of a serious businessman."

"Not at all," Khushi answered. "But he has become a very responsible person," she heard herself saying. Something that Arnav didn't expect to hear from her.

"You are lucky," Lavanya said. "Otherwise, he is such a tease."

"And yes, Arnav," Lavanya said as she turned her attention completely to Arnav. "I have to leave by tomorrow..."

"How come you could leave? You just came?" Arnav protested.

"Oh don't worry. I have seminars to attend, but I will definitely be back in two three days. Of course, I have lot to talk to you and Khushi."

"Oh alright. I will make sure there is a driver for you."

"That's very thoughtful of you," Lavanya mused.

"Arnav if you don't mind can I just talk to you, I hope you won't mind, Khushi."

"Not at all, go ahead," Khushi said as cheerfully as she could.
  
                      * * *
"So many things has changed here, Arnav," Lavanya said. "I mean after Anu's death."
Arnav nodded his head. "Everything actually," he said.

Lavanya could feel his anger, muscles tickling in his cheek as it took all his force to tightly grit his teeth.

She put her hand on his shoulder. "Arnav I know how hard is it for you, for Anjali, for me to forget all about this."

"Very," he muttered.

"Does Khushi knows about Ananaya? I don't know why I feel she doesn't," Lavanya said skeptically.

Arnav's pain was heightened again. "She doesn't," Arnav disclosed.

"She knows nothing about Ananaya di. I haven't told her she is no more."

Lavanya was taken aback. She was surprised he didn't tell his own life partner about his own sister. But she kept her shocks to herself.

She kept her hand on his shoulder. He was trying hard to not to look at her. "Arnav, why so?"

"Why would you hide this from Khushi that Ananaya is no more and the other instances? She is your wife, she should know the worst part of your life," she said softly. "I know you don't talk much about Ananaya."

"I am sorry, La. Some stories are better kept secrets."

Her question was the same, "but why?"

Arnav had her eyes squeezed shut," Arnav you looked scared when I was going to tell Khushi about Ananya. You could talk to me."

Arnav still hadn't said anything. "Alright, I won't force you. If you are hiding it from her, there must be a good reason," she said, but she couldn't any fine reason of him not telling this to Khushi.

Therewas no reason Arnav had before of not telling Khushi, perhaps he was going to tell Khushi himself - even Anjali had stayed mum as she decided his brother will tell her everything when she will be fine from her illness -but everything changed when truths had come out, of Khushi's and Aditiya's.

Lavanya studied Arnav, he looked terribly tired. She could see his broken state. She was afraid just like the reason about not telling Khushi the truth, and the reason behind his pain was a terrible thing. She stayed quite. She didn't want to force him to tell her, if he didn't want to.

"Actually, I don't want to tense her. She is pregnant. I was going to tell her, but doctor said tension is not good for her. She is a anemia patient as well as asthma patient," he told her.

His reasoning did satisfy her a little, if not completely.

"Oh no, I hope it isn't..."

"It's mild," he said instantly.

"I am sorry to hear that. But don't worry Arnav, it's normal to have these signs during pregnancy. And, as long as I am here, I will make sure she is doing just fine."

"And please make sure you don't tell her about Ananaya di," his voice was pleading.

"Sure, I will not, you don't worry, Arnav. From my side I will make sure I say nothing about Ananaya."

"Thanks la," he muttered softly.

"Always anything for you, Arnav."

"And Khushi is not only your responsibility, but mine too. As a friend, at least I could do this for you."

Arnav gave her his best smile masking his pain and hugged her. Lavanya hugged her back.

"La, I missed you," he said.

"I missed you too," she said back.

"I miss Ananaya di."

Lavanya eyes watered. "We all do, Arnav, I miss her too. Loosing her was like, loosing a very precious part of our lives."

Arnav pulled away from the hug. She hoped that his breakdown was all about him missing Ananya, nothing else.

                        ***
Khushi sat on the bed, her back leaned against the headboard. She pretended reading a book; the title read, THE SEVEN-WATERS."

With her gaze lowered to the book, but her mind pretty much at Arnav, who sat on the couch, doing his office work.

"Arnav," she said after taking a deep long breath.

"Mmm," he muttered, and kept his gaze at the papers.

"Need something?"

She was silent for a while thinking whether she should ask him question or not. Her mind was literally forcing her ask him.

"No, I want to ask something."

"Sure, go ahead."

"Arnav, if you...I mean...If I leave..."

"Would you..." she again interrupted herself. "Keep your stupid thoughts to yourself," she scolded herself.

"Actually nothing," she said, as Arnav looked at her.

Arnav didn't ask anything as he somewhat knew what she might have wanted to ask.

"I think you should sleep, I will work in the study," he said as he had already stood up from his seat.

"Please stay," she pleaded. Arnav froze ki his crouched position.

"I mean you should sleep too," she changed the topic instantly, to wave off the awkwardness.

"Sleep here," she added gesturing towards the left side of her bed, not wanting him to sleep anywhere else.

"It's quite late, do your work in the morning," sounded so as a normal wife.

Before Arnav could say anything else, she added, "Please!"

He said nothing as he pressed his lips tight again.

Arnav had no idea what he should do. But he didn't want to do something or say that will hurt her, so he obeyed her. Left off work wherever it was. More than him, she needed rest and he didn't want to give any unnecessary tension to her.

"Are you done reading the book?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered.

"Good night," he murmured.

He locked the door of the room properly, laid on the bed and switched off the light. As soon as he his head hit the pillow and he had his eyes closed, he was sleeping soundly.

He needed it. Physically, mentally, and emotionally he was completely wrecked.

He slept flat on the bed. Khushi only stared at him. She sat up on the bed, her hand unknowingly, flew in his hair. It was now she realized how much she missed running her hand in his hair as he slipped to his peaceful slumber.

Unaware of any differences, she felt good. It was him, only positivity in him. She could tell how relaxed he felt as she ran her hands in his hair.

A smile crept on her face, then sudden change.

Her hand crept away from him, his head furrowed as he could sense the loss of the touch of her hand.

"What's wrong with me?" she thought. "I shouldn't be feeling this."

                          ***

I AM READY TO BE BY YOUR SIDE. BUT I AM AFRAID YOU WILL BE THE ONE LEAVE ME AGAIN, HEART BROKEN.



PEACE OUT!