Betrayal part 17

CHAPTER 17 (Getting you back)

"Khushi, where is Khushi?" Khushi's dad looked around and asked.

"I don't know just few minutes ago she was here with bhai. Bhai, where is Khushi bhabi you must know."

Arnav raised his eyes from his food plate at Anjali and he behaved as if was asked out of the world question or he had no idea. He simply shrugged his shoulder.

"Akaash, La, I need to talk to you guys. And if you all please excuse us for a while," Arnav said after he already stood to leave.

"Sure son, go ahead," mama ji said.

Akaash and La got up their seats and followed Arnav to the study.

Akaash and Lavanya were busied talking to each other as they headed to the study when Payal came walking from the other side and missed seeing Akaash in her way. And their shoulder hit as they bumped into each other.

"I am so very sorry," Akaash apologized.

Glass of water fell from Payal's hand on the floor. "No, I am sorry. I wasn't careful," Payal said.

"I think it was just an accident," La said with a naughty smirk on her face.

"Y...ea..h!" Payal said nervously as she saw through the nook of her eyes and Akaash staring at her.

"I think I should leave," Payal stuttered.

"Payal, where are you going even I need you to in the study right now."

"Yes, jiju, I will be back, I have to just to give Khushi her medicine."

Arnav didn't listen to her later reply and was already gone.

"I will be back soon," Payal said and ran.

For all this time Akaash didn't move his gaze from Payal, even when she was gone his eyes followed her until she was out of sight.

"She is gone," La said.

Akaash was too lost to hear her. She cleared her throat. " She is gone, Akaash."

"Huh, yes," he said, but realizing what he did his cheek reddened. "I think bhai must be waiting for us."

Lavanya suppressed her smile and Akaash rushed from there. "Looks like I have got a beautiful girl for Akaash!" she muttered.

***
"Khushi, your brother in law is really shameless!"

Khushi sat on the bed, her back against the headboard and her arms had hugged her knees when payal came to her room she wiped her tears.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Khushi, he had been only looking at me since he had come."

"Hmm!" she mumbled.

"Khushi, what's wrong with you?"

"Don't forget even you were looking at him. I saw you looking at him," Khushi said, instead of explaining the reason of her sadness. And by the way, what shall she had said anyways?

Payal smiled. "By the way, he is cute."

"So why were you really blaming everything on him?"

"I just don't like the way he looks at me."

"I doubt that, Payal. Do you even know Arnav's mama ji has already asked dad about your and Akaash's hand!"

"What the?"

"Yes!"

"How could they do that? I don't even know him!"

"Well, you know he is Arnav's cousin brother and his name is Akaash. And by the way, okay, I will tell ma and dad to say no."

"No, I didn't mean to say that."

"So that means you like him?"

"He isn't bad. I think he is just cute."

"I was just kidding your and Akaash's hand though!"

"Hell with you, Khushi!"

"First you decide what you want!"

"Well," Payal said in singing tone. "I want to be his friend first and see what kind off person he is. As far as I know he loves Arnav jiju and Anjali alot. And yes, that is pretty much I know about him, however, I still want to know what kind off person he is."

"He is a nice guy, I know him. If you think you like him I will talk to A..." she immediately stopped.

"I will talk to mom and dad."

"No, not yet," she said.

"I actually never saw you this shy before, payal."

"Because before that I never ever thought of a guy this way."

Khushi smiled.

"Opps sorry, here is your medicine, Khushi. And I have to go."

"But where are you going?"

Payal rushed out of the room and on her way said, "jiju asked me to come to the study."

"Study, but for what?" Khushi asked herself.

She ate her medicine and went downstairs to see why Arnav wanted to talk to Payal. Also, she saw Akaash and Lavanaya weren't there around either.

She made her way to the study but she was stopped by her mom who called her to join in everyone in the living room.

"Ma, I was going to see if Arnav needed something."

"Nah, don't worry, Lavanya is there with him. Now come we have to talk to you."

"Bhabi, please come. Auntie ji is insisting," Anjali said. "Don't worry about bhai. They will join us in few minutes."

Khushi looked towards the study and reluctantly went to join everyone in the living area.

Lavanya was there, she thought. Even Payal and Akaash too what he really wanted to talk about? She further thought.

After few minutes, Akaash and Payal came out of the study, but Arnav and Lavanya didn't. Khushi's heart lurched.

"What might they be doing inside?" she thought.

She got up to leave when Payal stopped her. "Where are you going, Khushi?"

"To see Arnav."

"Oh he isn't there. He and Lavanya just left for some work."

"But where. Why didn't he even let me know? I am here waiting for him and he just," she said angrily.

"Calm down, Khushi. They had some important work to do."

"Is that work more important than his own health itself?"

"Khushi, Lavanya is there with him. She will take care of him. She is a doctor. Why are you behaving as you don't believe him? Are you jealous he went with Lavanya?"

"What kind off question is that? Why would I be jealous?" She said, but left from there in tears.

"Khushi," Payal said as she ran after her.

Everyone in the hall got worried.

Akaash took his phone out of his pocket and called Arnav home. Who had went to talk to the wedding planner.

"Bhai, can you please come home soon?!"

"What happened?" he asked.

"Bhai, something is wrong with Khushi."

Arnav closed his eyes. "What happened to her?" he asked without any concern.

"Bhai, she has locked herself in the room."

Arnav now got little scared. He took a sharp U-turn and drove back home.

"Arnav, is everything alright?!" Lavanya asked.

"Yes, it is," he said.

***
"Khushi, please open the door. Look everyone is getting worried."

"Payal, what did you say to her?" Akaash said.

"I said..."

"Akaash, Payal, move," Arnav said.

"Look jiju, she isn't opening the door," Payal said nervously.

"She is fine. Don't worry," he said.

"Open the door," he said angrily. "Khushi," he added, seeing he wasn't alone but his family and Khushi's parents too.

Khushi when heard his voice got up from the bed, but she stopped.

"I am fine, just go from here," she repeated.

"Can you all just go? I will handle her," Arnav said.

"Khushi, you know that jiju has just came from the hospital, so why are doing so?" Payal said. Arnav noted the tone of anger in her voice.

"Payal..."

"No, jiju, let me talk. Khushi, just open the door."

Khushi heard Payal and she realized how stupid she had been. She forgot Arnav had just came from the hospital and she was acting as she was begging attention, especially his.
Surely, she wasn't everyone's neither his but she indeed wanted to talk to him.

She wiped her tears and opened the door.

"Here she is!" Arnav said as she smiled at Payal and didn't even bother looking at Khushi.

"La, I am sorry, we shall do the important work later," he said as Lavanya still stood near he staircase.

"Arnav, at least go and talk to her."

Arnav gritted his teeth but smiled. "That's what I was going to say," he lied. "We should go later. I think my wife really missed me."

Lavanya smiled, "Yes, she really did. Do spend some quality time with her," she further added and left joined by Payal.

Arnav still had his teeth clenched as he entered the room. Khushi got scared when he closed the door angrily.
"What the heck your problem is?" He said. "What do you really want? Can't you just give me few minutes where I had just not to see your face? And the time when I could breathe properly," he said.

"I have no problem do you get that. If you don't care why did you really come? Why just you didn't carry out with your important work (she emphasized) that was incomplete without Lavanya?!"

"Weren't you the one who did all this drama of locking yourself in the room? What do you really want?"

"What were you really trying to do? Making me jealous by being with Lavanya."

"Shut this nonsense. Do you get that? Lavanya is not a thing that I would use to make you jealous. Sorry, I won't fall this cheap. At least for god sake try to respect the fact we are good friends.

"And ever if you dare say this again I would really forget that I even hate you. If you are still here is just because of the contract. Otherwise, I wouldn't even see your face and listen to your nonsense any more that only remind what kind of woman you are...But don't ever take this as my weakness or the act of care for you. Because you have truly lost it. Do you get that you have lost everything! I just don't care about you anymore, and the fact to make you jealous is a far thing," He said and was about to leave when Khushi held his hand.

Arnav closed his eyes at the way she held his hand to stop him. Arnav, however, didn't turn. "Arnav, I know you hate me. You should be," her voice was calm, but in real her voice was betraying her and it shook.

"Arnav, I will give these babies to you..."

Arnav, immediately turned to her.

"You are expecting twins?" he wanted to ask. But he kept his mouth shut.

"Arnav, I am carrying twins," she said answering to his questions in his mind and to make herself clear. "I thought you should know that. And also, my asthma and anemia is okay," she concluded. "No harm it would be to your babies."

She didn't let go of his hand.

"Arnav, doctor Sharma said it was
because of the babies."

She took his name in every sentence as if she was devouring it.

"Are you done?" he asked. As so far what she said didn't matter to him, except the fact she was carrying twins.

Although, he stood at the angle where he can't see her face, he could tell she was shaking her head.

She wiped all her tears from her eyes and walked around to stood face to face. Arnav still didn't look at her. May be he was just scared to look tears in her eyes that he might fail to wipe. "Arnav..."

"I wanted to hurt you that's the truth, I admit," she said as she was truly regretting, however, she said it looking deep into his eyes. Although, he looked everywhere else, but her. "But, Arnav, I didn't want anything as you physically tried to harm yourself. To take revenge on you I crossed every limits, I think I was out of my mind."

"Arnav, punish me in anyway, but please do not hurt yourself."

Arnav couldn't help but smile. "So, you mean only it should be only you who should hurt me?" he asked. His tone was mocking her every emotion.

"I don't know what you really want to say..."he freed his hand from her. "I am happy for you that you are fine and so would be my babies," he said coldly.

"Thanks for not keeping this from me," he gave her the formal smile and was going to leave when Khushi, again held his hand.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Now what you want to talk?" he asked.

The way he talked to her and every word of he said did hurt her, but she knew she was tasting her own medicine.

She walked to the cupboard and gave him her sonography report to him.

"There is a CD inside. You might want to see your babies."

"Thank you," he said and took the white envelope from her. "That's very thoughtful and generous of you. If you are done shall I leave?"

"I know you have much more important task to do. But how are you?"

"Better, thanks for asking," he said and finally decided to leave as it was getting harder for him to stand there and keep his emotions in check.

"Arnav, I am sorry," she said before he could leave. She turned to look at him.

"It's too late, Khushi. Even if I want I can't forgive you," he said. "One more thing, I hope you won't do anything such what you did today. Because next time I might not just come to help you," he said over his shoulder.

She rushed to him, "Arnav please promise you won't try to take your life again. Arnav, I am ready to take every hurt from you, but please don't do that again. When you laid unconscious in the rain I was really scared."

"Why are you telling me all this now?" he asked. "There is nothing more painful for me to see you standing in front of my eyes."

"If hatred for me lessens your pain I am ready to accept it, Arnav. And I will try until, I get you and your trust in me back. Yes, in ignorance I lost you, that was my biggest mistake. But I won't let myself free. I will accept all the pain coming from you because I know the pain that I have given you is boundless. Arnav, hate me until you are satisfied. I deserve it."

***