On his demand CH 44

Chapter 44.

"Payal bhabi are you serious!?" she asked.

"She is just lying, Khushi, Payal just stay quite," Akaash said embarrassed.

"Bhai tell them it's not even funny, and I never used to do that," Akaash grumped.

"I must say it's not really a lie that you used to run as a duck all around the house just in a vest," Arnav said.

Khushi and Payal cracked up once again.

"And who used to hide my pants?"

"Admit you didn't like wearing them!" Arnav said.

"Whatever!?" Akaash said. "Khushi, I was a kid back then."

"Arnav ji, how about you!?"

"Aha!" Akaash said as he took a seat on the floor. "Khushi, we were in 4th standard...Arnav bhai,"

Arnav immediately got up. "Shut up, Akaash."

"Arnav ji, this is not fair. He didn't say anything to you, when bhabi was telling about Akaash bhaiya," Khushi defended Akaash.

"Exactly," Akaash said.

"Khushi, he had a crush on a very beautiful girl in a class," Akaash managed to finish his sentence even when Arnav looked at him with a fake fumed face.

"Seriously, Arnav ji!?" Khushi asked.

"What the!? He just talking bull sh*t!"

"Common, admit it, it's a lie!" Arnav said.

"It is," Akaash admit.

"I never used to have any crush on any girl," Arnav said.

"That's true. He wasn't that naughty. Usually it would me and Anjali di..." Akaash said, but stopped.

There was a silence between them. Khushi looked around at three of them. To break the silence she asked, "Uh, Mother's Day is coming, what you are planning?" another sensitive topic. But Khushi didn't let it fade the happy moments they were sharing.

"Oh yeah, it totally escaped my mind," Payal said shortly after.

"Akaash bhaiya, Arnav ji, what about a small party at our farmhouse for mami ji and Nani!?"

"I think it will be a great idea, Khushi," Arnav said, and his voice wasn't that cheerful as it was before.

"Bhai how about just like last year a surprise party!" Akaash said. Again they were coming on track and talking as normal as they could.

But they had no idea if they should be keeping any party after whatever happened nearly weeks ago. However, there was one understanding among them, as they had said they will bring everything back on track, why just not start with appreciating these little moments.

"Sure, we will go first may be a day before and ask mom, dad, and Nani to come later. So just that we get time to prepare for the party," Payal said.

"Not a bad idea," Arnav agreed.

"Let NK and Dhruv come home, we will tell them about our plans."

"We have to work hard to make sure that NK doesn't spill the beans."

"Absolutely, Payal," Akaash agreed. "Last time he almost ruined everything."

Around 5:00 PM, Mami and Nani had returned back home, when they saw them their smiles removed all the tiredness that they had after the long day of shopping. Shortly after NK, Dhruv, and Mama ji came in.

"Did you guys just came home!?" Mama ji asked as he saw mami ji and Nani standing at the main door. Their eyes followed where Mami ji and Nani was looking at.

Lines of worries that had formed on their forehead vanished in the air when they saw foursome enjoying.

They wondered what had caused to rush home, but seeing them looked like all was fine.

"Hey dad, hey mom, hey Nani!" Akaash said.

"Good evening son," Nani said.

"Ma you sit, I get glasses of water," mami ji said.

"Mami ji, you please sit I go," Khushi said.

"Bitiya..."

"Mami ji, I am really fine. Please you guys sit..." Khushi encouraged.

"Manorama, if she is saying so sit down," mama ji said and Khushi leaves with a smile.

"How are you Arnav bitwa!?" Nani asked.

"I am good, Nani," Arnav said.

"Bhai, what was the matter. Why did you leave the office in a hurry!?" Dhruv asked. "How is Payal bhabi!?"

"What happen to Payal!?" Mami ji asked looking at Akaash and Arnav.

"Ma," Akaash said. "Payal is fine."

"Mami ji, we shall talk about if after the puja and the dinner."

"I hope everything is fine," Nani asked.

"It is!" Arnav said and he looked worried.
***

At the puja!

"Khushi bitiya, guru ji has come all the way from our village to bless you both guys," Nani ji said.

Khushi and Arnav came forward to take his blessings. He didn't say anything.

Guru ji kept looking at Khushi as he sensed something and then he looked at Arnav. Khushi maintained a smile but she was worried as she could guess he was going to say something unpleasant.

"Guru ji, please come!" Mami ji said.

Guru ji walked where mami ji had asked. He sat on one side and asked Khushi and Arnav in front of him.

"Guru ji," his follower was going to say something but he silenced him with a show of his hand.

There was a dead silence in between them.

Everyone present in the hall looked at each other in nervousness. Khushi was terrified at the way guru ji was looking at her and then at Arnav, she hoped for nothing wrong.

"You both are lucky for each other," guru ji said. One after the other Khushi's breathing came normal.

"You had seen a lot of up and downs," he said. "You have lost a very precious part of your life, recently," guru ji's voice was even, but serious.

Khushi had realized she had no time to be sad and taken up with the fact. She was looking at guru ji and unconsciously had held Arnav's hand. Whose hand was top of her.

"It was very dearly to both of you," guru ji continued and it was the fact nobody had told him. It was his telling. As he could be read their past and the future really well. It was, as he knew the whole history. "As you must think all the clouds of darkness has shed away, but it hasn't," he said.

Fear had reeled back in Khushi's heart. She gulped. Arnav was going to protest, but guru ji made him quiet. He didn't like any interruptions.

"But it will not be able to do anything to harm you. Doesn't matter hard it try. All you had lost in recent times you will get double of it."

It was as his words were magic and they filled everyone hearts with happiness. "You have fought with your destiny, and now all you have is a smooth path. But it doesn't mean without any problems, as far as I can see you will be alert."

His predictions were positive, but on the other hand terrifying. Arnav took his blessings in a positive way and was hopeful. At the back of his mind he wished guru ji was right. But the other words he had said were completely opposite what they thought. Did he really mean they should be careful of Lavanaya, Akaash and Payal thought.

"Your whole family will always be with you!" he said.

There was nothing as pleasant as that. At the end, the least they were expecting was happiness.

"Let's begin the puja," he then said.

As he ran rituals, he said," your fast will ripe the fruits," to Khushi.

Khushi was afraid to smile, she felt as her muscles were frozen. But her heart was filled with happiness and that was inevitable.

"Make her drink this water," Guru ji's assistant said to Arnav.

"Khushi, you can break your fast," Arnav said. She was deep in thoughts, Arnav had to call her twice. "Are you alright!?" he asked, when she was listening him. She nodded in a reply. Arnav saw tears in her eyes that she was trying to cover under her close lids. He could read what was troubling her. "Everything will be alright, Khushi."

He smiled at her and Khushi drank water from his hands. "With that puja is finished," guru ji said.

Mama ji got up and volunteered to lead guru ji and his assistants to the dinning area that was adjacent to the puja room and
set up especially for them.

"Khushi bitiya, you have to serve them," mami ji said.

Khushi nodded and covered her head with her dupatta and went to the kitchen to get the food that she had cooked.

Khushi was skeptical. When she and Arnav had touched guru ji's head he hadn't blessed them. She thought she was overthinking. But that was her instincts speaking and were troubling her.

After guru ji had eaten his food. Khushi was worried all this about the food. But all her worries faded as it turn out that they loved it.

After the dinner guru ji decided to leave.

"Guru ji we have set up your room, why don't you stay," Nani offered.

"I will be staying at the Ashram!" he said.

"As you say guru ji," Mama ji said.

"Thank you so much for coming, guru ji," Mami ji said. As everyone came forward, touched his feet and he blessed everyone. At last Khushi and Arnav came forward.

This time he kept both of his hand on top of Arnav's and Khushi's head. "May you live long. Forever together and grow. May you and your family stay away from any possible harm," guru ji said.

Khushi's heart relaxed. All the negative thoughts that she had was gone away.

"Nameste guru ji," Khushi joined both of her hands.

Guru ji smiled. Probably during the whole time of his presence it was the first time that he had smiled. For her that was the second biggest gift. It felt as God had smiled at her.

Everyone see guru ji off.

When they stepped back into the home there was no one who didn't feel positive energy all around them.
They literally felt as everything was going to be okay.

Mary brought a cup of tea for everyone after the dinner. They sat in the lounge area. Whereas, Arnav had made Khushi sleep and Akaash had made Payal sleep as they both were really tired after their hectic day.

***
"What were you going to tell!?" Mama ji asked.

"Dad, it was about Lavanya!" Akaash said.

"She is in the jail," Arnav said. the two brothers had volunteered to tell the untold circumstances.

"What!?" Mami ji asked. And Nani was literally shocked too not only them but NK and Dhruv.

"How and why!?"

"Ma, remember Shoan," Akaash asked.

"He was hired by Lavanya to kill Khushi."

Mami covered her mouth with her hand.

"Does Khushi bhabi knows about it!?" Dhruv asked.

"Yes, Dhruv. We thought she must know it."

"And today in the afternoon, we came to know about it, Karan has arrested her. And she has agreed that she was one of the culprit."

"It's a shame!" Mami ji said.

"I can't believe La could do anything such," NK said.

"None of us do, NK," Dhruv said.

"We didn't know that her claims that she was okay with Arnav's and Khushi's marriage were all false."

"She deserves the worst punishment," Mami ji said. "I know how much we loved her. But it doesn't mean she could harm anyone."

"She get the worst punishment, we will make sure," Dhruv said.

"Chote, you go in the room, Khushi bitiya needs you," Nani said.

Arnav kept unfinished cup of tea and left after wishing "good night," to everyone.

When Arnav entered the room, Khushi was sitting on the floor. He immediately ran to her. She was in tears. And he was thinking she was sleeping. She had their marriage contract papers in her hands.

"Khushi, you were suppose to be sleeping. And these papers!?"

He had forgotten to throw those stupid piece of papers. He took away from her.

"Khushi, these papers keep no importance," he said and was about to tear them into pieces. When she stopped him.

"Arnav ji, you hadn't extended out our contract marriage period!?" she asked.

He sat back, his hands in his, as he played with the finger. Khushi got up the floor and sat beside seeing those papers.

"I hadn't!" he said.

"Then why did you just listened all my taunts that day in the temple," she asked.

"Why didn't you tell me that Rahul had fooled me with that fake contract paper?"

"Khushi it didn't matter at that point of time, did it!?"

Khushi wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she sat beside him. "I am sorry, Arnav ji," she sobbed.

"I am sorry that I was blind and I ignored all his (Rahul) lies. Even when I was skeptical of his behaviour. That point of time I didn't see anything and for that we all had to pay for..."

Arnav unwrapped her arms around him and wiped the tears from her cheeks after he kissed her tears from her eyes.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Khushi," he said.

"Arnav ji, I couldn't understand you," she said.

He smiled. "Did I!?" he took the papers, took the candle that was burning and put those papers on fire.

Eventually, that was what the fate of those papers was. Because when two individuals are meant to meet, they will meet beyond the odds. Even if they had to through thousand huddles.

Khushi saw the green papers turning into black ashes. As they were nothing but a dirt, Khushi rushed to him and hugged him.

Arnav hugged her back even tighter. "It was something that I should have done long time ago, Khushi," he said silently. "Before it brought tears in your eyes," he added.

He carried her in his arms, made her sit on the bed. "I just go and change, Khushi!" he said and kissed her forehead.

In fifteen minutes he took a cold shower, and slipped into a night suit.
When he retuned back, Khushi was sitting the way he had left her.

Arnav smiled at her and walked to the dressing table, he combed his wet hair. Khushi stared at him.

"Did you really have a crush on that girl?" she asked.

"What!?" he said as he was asked an unbelievable question. He saw a mischievous smile on her face. "To tell you the truth, yes."

Her mouth opened in an O shape. "So you were lying to me before?"

"May be!" he said as he shrugged his shoulder.

"Why are you asking me?" he asked. "Are you jealous!?"

"Jealous, huh!? No!" she said. Drew the patterns on the pillow that she had in her laps.

"Did I tell you how beautiful she was!?" he said dreamily. With a smile on his face as he loved thinking of that girl.

"She had beautiful pair of eyes, round, brown coloured eyes. Her hair, black, shiny," he said as he walked to the bed and sat. She used to look beautiful in every coloured
dress she wore. Red, green, black, white; every colour suited her, he said.

"Her smile was one in a million."

"The way she walked, oh god, Khushi, I can't tell how beautiful it was. I thought she could beat any model," he continued to tease her. And could tell her temperature was beyond measures.

"When she use to smile, her white pearl teeth glistened."

"My name from her mouth sounded so melodious."

Khushi fisted the pillow in her laps. She huffed.

She couldn't believe he was praising a girl, his childhood crush right in front of his wife.

"Stop it," she yelled. "Just keep quite."

"But, Khushi, I am not finished," he said.

"I am sorry, but, I am not interested anymore," she said.

"Oh okay, you tell me, didn't you like anyone!? I mean your childhood crush."

"No she hadn't," she thought. But she so wanted to make him jealous just the way he had.

"Of course, I had, his name was chumpu."

Arnav almost laughed. "Chumpu, you serious!?"

"Why, you are jealous right, after knowing that I had a boyfriend."

"Jealous," he bit his lips. "No!"

"Okay tell me something about chumpu," he asked. Khushi got irritated as it didn't even matter to him.

"Correction, my chumpu," she said looking at him.

Arnav bit his lips to keep himself from laughing. "Okay, sorry, your chumpu."

"Chumpu was the most handsome boy in the school."

"Just like his name suggests right!?" he said.

"Don't go by the name okay!?" She said. "And don't interrupt me."

"Okay sorry, I won't," he said.

Khushi pretended as she was in a dream land. "Chumpu, chumpu, chumpu," she sang.

"He used to bring hot jalebi's for me, made by his own hands," she said. "He knew how much I loved them."

"Sala (slang) halwai (sweet maker) tha!?" Arnav asked. (Was he a sweet maker!?)

Khushi's mouth again opened in an O shape. "Excuse me, just remember he was my first crush. And for your information he wasn't a sweet maker his father was."

"Technically, he would have become one," he said.

"Arnav ji, you are jealous."

"Look who is saying that," he thought to himself.

"Okay, tell me more about that chumpu. Correction, your chumpu, I must say he would be a plump."

"How do you know!?" she asked.

"And you were telling me he was the most handsome guy in the world."

"So what!?" she said. "He was cute, and yes, handsome. I loved the way he was!"

"I am sorry, no offence."

"Arnav ji, you are too much. You didn't even let me finish my story on my crush. Did I interrupt you when you were telling me about your so called Ms. Whatever!"

"Well, she has a name, you know!?" he said.

"I am not interested to know her name," she blurted. But in reality she was. She wanted to know that girl was. So that one day she come in front of her and she could crumple her. [I] "He still remember her!?" [/] she fumed and turned and her back towards him.

"Of course you are, Khushi," he said and went closer to her.

"That girl was you, Khushi," he mused it in her ear. She opened her eyes as soon as she heard him. "I was praising you when I had seen you for the first time at the orphanage."

Khushi turned around and looked at him. "The first girl who awoke the feeling of love in my heart."

Khushi couldn't believe his words. It felt almost like a dream. She had forgotten this fact that Arnav had truly fallen in love with her before she even knew it.

They both looked at each other's eyes. Arnav give her small peck on her lip. "Khushi, you need a sleep. Good night," he said and laid beside her. Close, hugging her.

"Arnav ji," she said.

"Hmm."

"I had no crush on any Chumpu."

"I know," he said and had dozed off. Khushi couldn't help but smiled her best smiles looking at his face.

"I love you, Arnav ji!" she muttered.