Bonded just for a favour?! Chapter 4

PART 7
PART R (BROKEN)

After Khushi's mom death, Khushi had been really sick. She was admitted to the hospital over a week.

No one else with her, except
Arnav, who too had lost his mother, had completely taken care of her.

Also, for a week they couldn't carry out a funeral. When after a week, Khushi could barely stand forbid her mother last goodbye.

There was an aura of grey all around. Their lives had drastically changed. Because of Khushi's illness, Arnav had kept himself strong. Although, he himself was too shaken up with his sexy's death. Anyhow, someone had to be strong enough and Arnav chose to volunteer, even if it meant total heartache.

Slowly he had shoved all the pain in the corner of his heart and took care of Khushi. Who at present seemed to be affected to an extent she had lost the urge to live anymore.

She would sit in the corner of her room, hours staring outside the window. Cities lights illuminating the dark nights, but her own world a dark place, where her own shadow seemed to isolate her. She had no track of time.

She didn't care to eat, even if she was hungry, most of the times. Arnav had to plead her to eat. For quite sometime, he had taken day off or would finish his work early.

Several times, he had tried to convince her to go with him outside, just to divert her mind, but she would just ignore.

This was worrying Arnav the most. She had lost 8 to 10 pounds of her body weight. Her health reports weren't appealing at all.

Dozen times she had collapsed due to the weakness. Her mother was the only desire and looked like after her there was no desire left anymore.

At nights, she would stay awake, staring at the skies.

Sometimes, looking at the pictures of her mom. But she shed no tears anymore as she was deprived of them.

Her mom was a woman so lively, so enthusiastic, so energetic that she was never ever bothered even when she knew she had no more than 6 months, but not even that. "Everyone one day has to die, than why not today!" she had told her in the last hour.

"Please don't say so ma!" she pleaded. "Your handsome will never like that...I have called him, he is busy but once he will check his phone, he will come rushing to you!"

"No," her mom said breathing difficulty. "Don't call him, he isn't strong enough to see me going. I have spent two precious hour with him," she said.

"I will be back!" she said. "May be as your son or daughter!" she laughed.

Khushi giggled at her thought.

"Take care of him, of yourself! I love both of you! May you both love together forever!" was her last words said to her.

She was guilty, that she couldn't tell her mom it was just a drama.

PART S (Always by your side)
A weeks passed by, there was no change in Khushi.

Arnav couldn't tolerate it anymore. He couldn't see her breaking every moment of her life.

He held Khushi's arms, little tightly, because his soft way to make her understand wasn't of any good use.

"Khushi you know how much you are hurting sexy by living this suffocating life!?" he said little heatedly too.

"You don't care, Arnav she wasn't your mom!" she said. She knew she was being rude, but this time on purpose.

She wanted to remove any concerns he had for her. Because her life was nothing, but a boat without a sailor. And she thought she was a headache for him. With her he was just ruining his life.

Her words did indeed hurt him, but he knew where Khushi was coming from.

"She wasn't your mom, that's why you can't see the pain!" she repeated as she kept the stone on her heart, trying to heighten the anger towards herself, but it only did was pulled himself more to her.

Then she felt his hand slipping down her arms, but only to cup her face.

"Khushi, I know you are hurt. Look I want you to move on. We can't live in the past. I promised sexy that I will never let you feel alone, after her death. I know wherever she is, she watching us, and I won't be able to bear to see her soul getting hurt."

Fresh tears slipped down Khushi's eyes as he spoke. "She had lived in pain, for years...She didn't deserve this life full of pain...With her death she was actually released from the pain. And now do you want even her soul to suffer!!?" he asked.

Khushi immediately hugged him. Arnav welcomed her very gesture and hugged her back. She needed it.

"Arnav she never shared her pain with me. She never did!" sobs raked her body. "She never told me how much physical, emotional and mental pain she was going through!" she sobbed even harder.

"I miss her, Arnav. But you are right she needed it! She was fighting with her life, bed ridden."

Arnav couldn't help rubbing her back to soothe her.

Finally, the tears that she had been holding back, came gushing down her eyes. Arnav let her cry as long as she wanted, but he promised that it would be the last time.

Hours went by, they were still in each other's arms. And didn't once mind.

Khushi had told him about her childhood. She told him that after her father's death her mom had given the love of both mom and dad. Arnav was relieved that she was quite normal, if not completely.

He listened to her, responding whenever he thought he had too and he should.

They both sat by the window, Arnav had tucked her closer, and he was glad Khushi didn't mind.

In fact, she felt never this good. Knowing the one thing that there is someone who was there to take care of her, by her side.

Arnav had wrapped his arms around her waist and she had her back leaned against his chest. His heart beat against her back. She could feel it beating normal at times, and the other little faster.

He cuddled her close enough to provide provide her warmth.

And it was nearly, 2:00 AM and Khushi had long slept her head burried in his neck, her hot breath tickling his skin.

He couldn't stop himself looking at her. After month and a half, she had slept peacefully.

He slowly tucked his arms under her waist and her legs, as he carefully picked her in his arms, and took her to the room.

Gently laying her on the bed and covering her with a blanket, he dimmed the light of the room, before placing a deep kiss on her forehead.
A small smile tucked on the side of his lips.

It was hard to believe, but even after so long he had smiled, even though it was hardly there.

His heart had picked up the race against his chest...And he officially admitted to himself that he loved her. And wanted to make her his own, not for a year, or two or ten or twenty, but for forever. He didn't know when and how!?

May be the very first day he had seen her at the hospital.

He turned around to leave when Khushi stopped him, as she held his hand.

PART T (Can I kiss you!?)

"Please don't leave me!" her voice was pleading that made his heart jump in excitement and pain at the same time.

"I am always with you!" he said walking one step back. He sat with her. And she only gave him enough room moving to the other side of the bed. He half laid to her side, but maintaing a respectful distance between them.

He looked at her sleepy state, "close your eyes!" he murmured ever so softly, that Khushi couldn't store the warmth and the concern behind the words.

Then he was doing that she expected from him, he leaned in. "Can I kiss you!?" he demanded.

She couldn't deny and only welcomed him. His heart gushed with joy and he placed his lips on hers.

There was nothing physical in the kiss, just a promising kiss that," Khushi even if your shadow leaves you I will never ever!"

Arnav was relieved when he knew he wasn't scaring her, he was believing him. And yes, she was. She was apologizing for not believing him, and blaming him.

When she slowly snaked her long, thin fingers in his hair, only to keep him from pulling away from the kiss.

Kiss lasted longer than two minutes...And it was welcomed by both of them in their full senses...They were both mature enough to keep their feelings in check.

Somewhere, in their head they thought, may be they should give their contract marriage a chance.

"Go to sleep, doll! I am here right next to you!" he mumbled tucking the strand of her hair at the back of her ear and floating in his sweetly muttered words she drifted to sleep.

Holding his arm in his hands, as she felt safe, free of worries. The void that was created after Khushi's mom death was being filled by Arnav, or may be he was already in her heart.

_________________________________
Another week passed away, Khushi was getting better. Arnav was successful in bringing smile on her face. And sometimes, she laughed her heart out. When one day, Arnav dressed into a Charlie Chaplin look. Khushi had decorated his face with her lipstick. And Arnav did not mind at all, he had painted Khushi's face too, with big kitten moustache. Truly, the colour in their lives were returning back.

Nowadays, they were even sleep in the same room, together in the same bed, trusting each other.

This was Khushi's way to apologize. They once laid together. Tears formed in her eyes. Arnav leaned on his elbow in concern. Before, he could ask her what happened, Khushi spoke as she sat up and held her ears.

"I am sorry Arnav for not believing you!" she said in guilt.

"Really did you do anything such!?" he asked so casually as really didn't anything happened.

He laid her back on the bed before brushing her tears away, with his knuckles.

"Let's just not talk about past! And if you are still concerned I was hurt, than the answer is yes, I was, just a little!" he said adding his tint of childish nature. "But it's alright. Because we are still together," he had said and Khushi could only look at him, in his eyes.

"Did mom ever complimented your beautiful grey eyes!" she said.

"Yes, she did. That's why I love them even more!" he told her.
_________________________________
PART U (HIS TURMOIL)

Then slowly he saw her closing her eyes, and drifting to sleep, wrapped blanket tightly around herself. He couldn't resist running his hand in her hair and she seemed to liking it. Arnav could tell the way body almost relax, she wasn't at all clenching on blanket as she was afraid or missing her mother.

There was something in her that attracted him towards her, surely it was not just one thing, but he wasn't sure if Khushi has the same feelings for him.

He could read people mind, but her mind was hard to. Because she had lot more different things going in her mind at a time, that could be easily interfere in understanding how she feels for him.

But like sexy would say, "You are budhu!" in a mocking way.

"If she doesn't love you why she would let you to kiss her, cuddle in your arms, why would she get startled when you aren't around her!? Why would she impatiently wait for you when you will come from work!? Can't you just see on her face!? Remember when your hand got hurt, how worried she was!? Why would she care about your little things, let it be your socks, or do you have your wallet, your car keys always in your hand before you forget them at home. Why would every day she would stop by your office during the lunch hour to check if you ate or not, not to forget your breakfast...She gets up early even before you and prepare healthy breakfast for you...And dinner has something very special made almost every day, that also your favourite...She is aware of every little thing of you, what irritates you, what you are fond of, your likes, dislikes, name it what she doesn't," his subconscious mind spoke.

"And please don't tell me, it's just a favour after what you did for her or that you are just filling the void in her life, because that's not even a good reason when you were a part of her life already."

"Then why she isn't telling she loves me!?" Somewhere sat a question in his mind.

"Of course, you are a guy and you should proceed first, crazy!" even his mind has screamed back.

"What if she doesn't and if I will propose her, she will only hate me and distanced away from me."

"You are really foolish! If she had too she has left the day her mom died!" his soul taunted. "Be a man! A man is never scared of anything!"

"But I am, because I just don't want to hurt her!" a tear formed at the corner of his eyes. "I don't want to hurt!"

I know you more than you know yourself I know off you, and I should encourage you go and propose her...I tell you she will the most happiest person!"

"Happiest I don't know, if she really wants to live with me...And I hope she just doesn't kick my a*s!" he said.

"Don't worry she could murder you I am sure..."

"What the!?" he growled and Khushi beside him shuddered in fear.

Arnav quickly patted her shoulder and head and eased her back to peaceful slumber.

"Don't scream Mr. Raizada!" his mind said. "Listen to me first than growl...What I meant was if you didn't propose her and just let her go she will surely kiss your a** that is too eager to get a kick not to forget she will murder you!"

"Okay, I think I should go to sleep!" he said yawning.

"Yes, yes, of course! If you can take an eye off the angel in front of your eyes than you should really go to sleep!" his mind said.

Arnav blushed and smiled. He indeed was in love with her and heneeded her in his life, because already he had taken all her worries and even if she would say yes or no, he will make sure he always take care of her.

_________________________________
PART V (GOING AWAY)

After gathering the courage nearly after 7 days Arnav finally decided to tell Khushi that he loves her.

He took her to the beach, after a little dinner.

"Khushi I want to say something!" he said.

"Even I have too!" she said. Looked like she herself was having hard time to speak her mind.

"No, me first, because with the great difficulty I have gathered courage to..."

"Arnav mine is little important..." she said.

"Is everything okay!? You feeling fine!? We can go home and talk!" he said concerned.

She nodded.

When they entered the home Arnav's heart picked up the race.

"What you have to say Khushi!?" he asked his heart was drowning.

"Arnav I think it's a high time we should go in our directions. I know it's a quick decision. But I think we should..." she couldn't complete her sentence.

"I have signed the divorce papers! In just few days you will be free!"

Arnav stood like pillar, his body felt a hard blow that he couldn't revive himself from, may be never ever. A blow that damaged his heart, broke his heart into pieces, even if he tried to gather them together he want be able to.

"Arnav I will go back to India! I don't think I should really live here anymore!"

After Arnav had convinced his heart that Khushi wanted to live with him, he let all the fears flew away. But he didn't know they would come back in this way...

He didn't know that Khushi never ever had a feeling for him.

Today, even his subconscious mind wasn't saying anything.

"Sign the divorce papers!" she said as she didn't care at all.
_________________________________
PART W (Last Kiss!?)

Another month flew by, there were no major changes in Arnav Khushi's life after the storm that had swept all the happiness away from Arnav's life and only left back was sadness.

Divorce papers were signed and already filled. Arnav had no option left other than signing them. And after another 6 months passed and it was a time for Khushi's to leave.

This time Arnav didn't have ask if he can kiss her for last time because Khushi had already rose on her feet to meet his height and captured his lips.

Arnav closed his eyes in pain and tear slipped his eyes. His tears mingling with hers.

This time it was a passionate one. It was clear that they both weren't ready to separate from each other.

Separating both of them was like ripping off the hearts from their bodies and later they were nothing, but lifeless.

"Bye Arnav!" she said. Arnav felt the pain in her words, but he was just letting her go. Because if she is meant for him, she will be back to him.

If not they were just not meant to be together.

Khushi had her back against him, she didn't even look at him, even though Arnav silently prayed that she turn around, but she had continued to walk away, until she had disappeared in the distance.

***
He waited until he could hear the announcement of Khushi's flight taken off.

However, in reality he was just waiting for her and, but she hadn't returned and she was gone for...

Forever!

Leaving his heart lifeless.