Chapter 7
Arnav sat in
the study and a chain of moments he had spend with khushi crossed his mind. He
realised that even a single day without her would be difficult. So to divert
his mind and aching heart he decided to head to his office.
Khushi was
thankful that buajii had called her, and she had decided to use this
opportunity because though she had made her decision to leave arnav at end of
contract marriage but she loves him and she knew it will break her completely
to leave him also his confession and vunerablility made it even more difficult
but to save him from more pain she had to leave him.Khushi knew arnav would
never allow her to leave him and after what he had confessed to her yesterday,
she knew that everything bad or hurtful he ever said or did was never from his
heart and it had hurt him more than her. She thanked devi maiya for the chance.
When khushi was leaving Shantivan she knew she was leaving her soul behind and
what was left was just a lifeless body.She could not control her tears on
crossing the threshold and her feelings escaped from her mouth “may be this
would be last time that I shall ever see this house,My home “. Little did she
knew that her devi maiya had different plans for her.
By the time
she reached lakshmi nagar ,she was a total mess and was thankful that soon
buajii left for the temple after greeting her. She went inside her room and
cried till she had no more strength left. She after some time wiped her tears
,gathered herself and said “Khushi you cannot break like this, and you have so
many responsibilities, so many lives depend on you, your absence should not
affect them, you have to make arrangement. She washed her face and on return of
her buajii discussed with her about the help she required. Buajii was facing
some problem with her pension , so she asked khushi for help. Khushi told her
not to worry as she will look after it. She collected her diary(the same which
arnav read) , two big gift parcels and some more documents and headed out with
her motive.
Khushi had
just 7 more days left in the contract marriage, she wished time to stop, but
she realised it never stopped, and not only that she had otherwise too very
less time. She went straight to the nearest Allahabad bank branch and requested
to break and Fixed deposit in name of her which had matured some three months
back. This fixed deposit was made by khushi’s real parents for her marriage,
but know khushi had convinced herself that though she had a contract marriage,
but for her it was a life long commitment. Even if arnav would have left her at
end of six months, she would never marry again because she was married to him
and shall always remain his, whether he wanted her or not. She was faithful. So
this money could never be used for her marriage so it was better to use this
money for her family and know she needed
to do that desperately. Once the fixed deposit was broken she got an amount of
12 lakhs. Immediately she transferred an amount of Rs.5 lakh and 70 thousand
into arnav’s personnel account not because she wanted to prove a point but
because it was the right thing to do and she was never the one to take undue
advantage of those who loved her. Then she transferred another 1 lakh 30
thousand into KKGSR dabba service account. The rest of 5 lakhs she deposited 4
lakhs into buaji’s account and the remaining 1 lakh she kept safetly into her
bag.Then from her personnel account she withdrew another 10 thousand rupees and
left the bank. She headed to her next destination the notary( legal office)
where on a 5000 ruppees stamp paper she transferred her registered KKGSR dabba
service company on her jeeji’s name. Satisfied with her work. Her next
destination was an international courier company where she handed over the to
gift parcels she had bought for her siblings poorvi and poorav for their
graduation night. She had brought a wonderful expensive designer saree from an
exclusive AR boutique for poorvi and Armani suit for poorav. She had sold one
of her jewellery set to buy this for them, because she knew they loved and
valued anything that she gave them, may be this time it was a big day for them,
so they needed to look good and lastly this could her last gift to them. So it
had to be special. After paying the charges for courier when she was heading
home in the rikshaw, she remembered how both her siblings had been asking her
to come along with arnav and attend their graduation night because it was her
who had made them what they were today, she refused them because that was just
5 days after end of her six months contract, but they were not listening to
her, but after explaining them a bit that it would be difficult they agreed but
were disappointed. So she thought may be this surprise dresses from her side
would cheer them and she hoped that they would find it suitable to wear on
their graduation night and not feel embarrassed. But she forgot that she was the one who had
raised them and instilled values in them and they both were so proud of their
jiji and were never embarrassed of her. She was their mother their source or
root and they were not the one’s who were ashamed of their traditional roots.
Then she went
to pensition office and her problem was solved in an hour with some documentation
and clarification from her side. And the pension was resumed back.
Its was late
after lunch time when she returned and buajii gave her lunch. She then asked
buajii if she could stay here for a few days and told her how shyam was exposed
and anajali ji was bit upset. Buajii was worried for her but she assured her
that no one was angry with her and everything is fine and Anjali di just needed
some time to get normal with her. Later she handed buajii the one lakh rupees
she had brought and told her that some of her Fixed deposit had matured and
since she is now well off she doesnot require this. Buajii was still not taking
the money when khushi told her “ its ok buajii, its just that babuji does not
keep well, there is no source of income except her pension, so it is handy to
keep some cash .it comes handy in times of need and unexpected circumstances. I
don’t want you and amma to get troubled for money. Its always better to have
some in access .” buajii knew she was right. Then she also told her about the
small amount she deposited in her account staying the same reason. Buajii could
not control herself and cried a little.
Later at 7
in the evening when Arnav was heading for home aman came to inform aranv about
some deal payments and then casually told him about some 5 lakh and 70 thousand
which were transferred to arnav’s personnel account today afternoon .The amount
was quickly identified by Arnav and he got angry , his temper rose but then he
realised it had always been his mistake, so he had to deal with khushi with
love and win over her love and trust back with love and passion, but there was
some serious talk with her pending for tonight and it would not wait because
khushi was at Lakshmi nagar, he had decided he had already wasted an year
fighting with her when all his heart from the first meeting at sheesh mahel
desired was to surrender in her love and make her his forever and he did not
want to waste another second . he instructed aman to get the entire details of
the transaction along with details and status of person, but the information
should be confidential and sent to him only, even aman was not supposed to see
it.
Arnav sat in
his chair thinking that this whole drama of contract marriage for six month needed
a closure today itself and knowing his khushi, he knew she would always want it
to remain it between the two of them, and he was ok with everything that
pleased her. He knew like khushi that the truth will hurt everyone and more
than that khushi disliked arnav being exposed . She had refuted shyam on the
day of confrontations when shyam told that arnav married khushi out of
blackmail. She in front of entire family had declared that her and arnav’s was
a mutual marriage out of love and no one could separate her from arnav. Her voice
contained confidence and was clear and loud. It was a clear message to both
shyam and him that the matter was strictly between her and arnav and nobody is
required to know about it. And he had decided to keep it between them that day
only because she did not know , but he knew that the whole six month contract
was just a lie he had told her to hurt her and in reality no such contract had
been made by him. There was more confessions that needed to be made to his wife
at they would be made today. Today khushi will be exposed to his love , she had
seen his hatred but she had forgotten that love is the parent of hatred and it
was much greater. Today his confessions for which she had always waited will overwhelm
her.
In thirty
minutes aman was back with sealed envelop containing the details. Aranv left the office sat in his
car, opened the envelop and read all the details. It held every single detail
about khushi’s todays transactions at the bank.
At the same
time at Lakshmi nagar ,Payal came to see buajii and was happy that khushi could
get her pension through. That when khushi gave payal the papers of KKGSR dabba
service transferred on her name before payal could refuse khushi told her “ jiji I always wanted to gift you something
on your wedding, but at that time I was short of finances, so I decided to give
you this on your six months wedding anniversary . its just that you have always
been a homemaker and I wish you never have to see some financial crises, but
its essential that you become financially independent and this company will
give you that security just like it gave me. So please don’t refuse it because
I have given you no choice you have to accept it. “ Payal was touched by her
concern and hugged and thanked her for such a thoughtful gift. When khushi left
to make tea Buajii to could not stop herself and said to payal “ I don’t
know when but this khushi became so big, we never realised that she burdened
herself so much with responsibilities that she grew older than her age. She
matured so early when it was time for her to be childish and dream for herself”.
All this was heard and seen by Arnav, though others coul not but he understood
all her intentions well and he silently promised buajii “ don’t worry buajii, I
will take away all her burdens and responsibilities and she would again re live
her child hood in my house and will agin dream within confines of my arms and I
will try to full fill each of her dream”. Arnav came to talk to khushi but
seeing all this he thought its better to leave now and go abck to shantivan,
have dinner with di and then he can secretly tell di and come and meet and woo
his wife. It sounded perfect as both di and khushi needed him, he hoped from
tomorrow both di and khushi would be together.
Unkown to
him there lay a long and painful night ahead ,which shall test his love and
priorities towards di and khushi.
To be
continued…….
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