Chapter
54
The
return back to India was true home coming. For Arnav it was no less than a
battle, which he had won hands down.It had been a long and tiring the journey
but he had no choice. It was matter of his survival. Khushi was his life and he
could not lose her.
After
5 months
The
time went by in speed. Khushi was pronounced absolutely fine. Even the scar was
about to diminish completely. The raizada
mansion or shantivan had got back his life. Arnav was overburned with work. His
absence and bulk of new orders had increased his workload. But the new Arnav,
unlike the older one, strictly kept work away from home. His personal life with his family had its own
time and space. He had discovered this happiness after so long and had no
intention of letting it go. His office
hours were strict and he was punctual coming back to home at time. This new
change in him had brought him under teasing scanning for a while but seeing the
happiness all dissolved. Nani was so content her family was happy. She had
fulfilled her daughter’s responsibilities.
Poorvi
had joined AR at Delhi, in the accounts and finance department. Initially Arnav
and Akash had not disclosed that she was their sister in law. Poorvi did great
work and soon was promoted. But one fine day, when Arnav’s sugar levels went
down and he almost fainted at the staircase at his office, she had called him
jijaji in panic and all was spilled out. And the best was when both Akash and
Poorvi had conviently forgotten that they were not at home and had scolded him
publicly at his carelessness at forgetting his medicine and threatened him in
name of Khushi. And Arnav had just showed his angry glare and left from there. Both of them were waiting for the consequence
of punishments but little did they knew that Arnav went away masking his
amusement at the faces of his employees who were shocked at hearing that Poorvi
was Arnav’s sister in law.
And
the even better was at the dinner table that night when Poorvi told him that
many of his employees were buttering her too much just so that she doesnot
reveal all the bitching they did about their boss and the titles they bestowed
him with.
Poorav
was shuttling between Delhi and Kanpur frequently. He had sold an old warehouse
to arranged finance which he utilised in reviving the three factories. In a
matter of several months, the factories were inaugurated and functional. Poorav
had gradually started to manage all the cloth sales and deliveries from Delhi
itself. An bond sealing Suman Textiles (Khushi’s real mom name) as AR’s sister
concern company had been signed and was catering AR with best Raw cotton in the
Market. Poorav had also filed a petition against their Uncle at the Lucknow
High Court.
One
fine day nani had called the entire gupta gang on the dinner and had expressed
her desire to have Poorvi married to NK. Initially the guptas were shocked but
the smile on Khushi’s face told them it was a good decision and it was for
good.
Poorvi
was a bit shocked. She was a very good friend of NK, infact their bond had
grown very close, but this was new. Her apprehension was clear on her
face.Khushi preceded towards her but thought that Arnav was better person to
talk to her.
NK
was happy but sobering up he told everyone.
NK:
Nani, Poorvi is a very good friend of mine and I will be lucky to marry her,
but it has to be her decision. And Khushiji please convience her because use better
nahi milegi. Aapki total charchai hai wo apki.
Akash:
charchai?
Payal:
Hain….
Arnav:
What the……
NK:
I mean shadow, clone of Khushiji
Akash:
NK bhai it is Parchai. You are impossible NK Bhai.
Khushi:
nanheji, don’t butter me, your nanav was the one who proposed this alliance and
since long. We just waited for the correct time. And today also, he is the one who is going to
get you a yes or no from Poorvi.
Khushi
had a teasing smile on her face, NK face paled several tones.
NK
approached mamiji.
NK:
Maasiji ab toh kuch nahi hoga. Nannav, ghun ghun kar badlega mughse.
Mean
while Arnav sat Poorvi down on the sofa and kneeled down before her and took
her hands in his. He could feel her nervousness. She was nervous.
Arnav:
See Poorvi, it is true that we all want to see you and NK together. But nothing
is more important than what you want. This marriage will only happen if you
want it. It is fine if you don’t want to marry NK. It is also fine if you love someone else, you
can tell me anything. I am with you,
infact Khushi is also with you. You don’t need to feel obliged. And if you
really love me and Khushi than you will do what your heart desires and not do
anything just because we or our family desires it.
Poorvi:
no jijaji, actually…………..
Arnav:
tell me?
Poorvi:
wo……it not that NK is……………………………….
Arnav:
Do you love someone else. Is there someone?
NK
heart sunk. But Arnav had asked it deliberately. He knew it was an opportunity
to tease NK and it will divert Poorvi from nervousness.
Poorvi
looked up straight in Arnav’s face, she was shocked at what he was asking.
Overcoming her shock, she realised, she must react before
Arnav:
You can tell me. We can talk to him.
Poorvi:
no no, jijaji. There is nobody. And
Nanhe is a good man, infact a good friend of mine. It is not that marrying him
is a problem but I is just too new, I mean a surprised me. I don’t know what to
say. I don’t know what to say?
Arnav:
Tell me. I can help you?
(The
entire family was watching from outside the glass, while Khushi stood at door,
hearing all. NK was pacing in nervousness eagerly waiting and hoping for a yes.
All wanted it to be a yes.)
Poorvi:
I can not say a no. Not because you and jeeji will feel disheartened but
because I don’t want to say a no. I care for him. he has been a constant support
in difficult times. And I feel there is nothing why I should say no, but my
upbringing and being orphan is…………..
Arnav:
Listen, trust me when I say this. A man who holds you in difficult time is the
one who will hold you always. NK is a
good man. He is soft, kind hearted and will always love you. I know his hindi
is pathetic but relationships require no language. And don’t think about this
bullshit that you are not ORPHAN. I and Khushi are there for you, we are a
family and whether you marry or not this shall always be yours and Poorav’s
family. Always and Always. And about your upbringing, you have no right to
question it, Khushi has been your family and if we can not trust her upbringing
than we can not trust anything.
And trust
me if you say no then also nothing is going to change. But let me tell you that
idiot NK loves you a lot and shall always love you.
Poorvi
had calmed down a lot. Her fears were similar to Khushi. And may be that’s why
Khushi had trusted him more than her to talk to her. And indeed it was true.
Khushi
knew that Poorvi’s delimma and insecurities regarding her were cleared and her
face glowed in the shyness the was present in a girl nodding a yes to her
marriage.
Arnav
was still not convinced and turned her towards him, but before he could
something else
Poorvi:
yes
Arnav:
what
Poorvi:
yes. I will marry Nanhe.
Arnav:
Really. Are you sure? I mean you can take some more time to think if you…..
Poorvi:
No jijaji. I have my answer and I am agreeing not because of anything but
myself. I want to do this. All this is so secure. All my life I have wanted to
be secured and this is what I want. I know Nanhe, I know this family. And more
than anything I have jiji, I have you. I have everything to support me. And I find
it too safe and too foolish to deny all this.
So it is a yes. And for any thing , any doubt I have you and jiji with
me always.
Arnav
was elated and a so was Khushi. They both looked at each other conveying their
happiness.
The family
outside was in tension and at the same time teasing NK.As soon as Arnav came in
followed by Poorvi and Khushi, NK approached them.
NK:
speak up Nannav? What did she say?
Arnav:
I am …………….NK, but …………………………..
NK
paled, he could not enquire much………………………..
Arnav
hid his amused smile. He was enjoying NK’s state.
Khushi:
Nanheji, I told you to not irritate Nanav, see what he has done now.
NK: It is ok Khushiji if she doesnot want to ………….
Arnav:
well I am not at all sorry that you will now be tied down for life to my Sali sahiba
and you will be much troubled. And I love this tang sichai of yours.
What
followed was round of cheers, congratulations, sweets were exchanged.
Immediately
a pandit was consulted and engagement after two weeks was fixed.
That
night Khushi had thanked Arnav is his way of liking for proposing and making
this alliance true, her happiness knew no bounds. Arnav too was so happy that
they celebrated their happiness in their way all night long till early morning.
Two
weeks later
Enagement
happened with total dhamal. All were so happy. A marriage date a year later was
fixed as NK had to go on an assignment to New York for six months. And Akash
and Arnav had teased him to no end.
Soon
after, Arnav had dispatched Payal and Akash on their long due honeymoon and vacation.
All were shocked when Arnav had granted Akash with a one month leave.
A year
later
Arnav
and Khushi had just returned from London from his second spring collection,
indian ethnic fashion show. It had been a huge success and this time Khushi had
willingly walked the ramp for ASR.
In
the year gone by Aranv had not left Khushi even for a single day. He made sure
that she accompanied him to all his business tours.And being with Khushi all his trips became a work vacation where in
working hours he worked like manincs and later enjoyed his trips like honeymoon
and true to his promises, he went places with Khushi and fulfilled all his
desires. He made love to her at all places where she could not even imagine.
And Khushi returned all his love in many folds, responding to him, his love,his
needs and desires.
They
fought but their night was always make up time, they never slept angry on each
other.
Little
Aarav and Dove had too grown in the year. While aarav had become a Khushi
chipko, dove was all over Arnav. In day time he was Khushi’s shadow as if a bodyguard
on Arnav’s orders.
