understanding khushi (chapter 22)

Chapter 22

In the morning Arnav was late for his jog and then thought that his last night activity was enough from him. He saw her face and decided to allow her to sleep. Last night he had exhausted her. A sense of manly pride filled his senses and fuelled his passion of her more than ever. He was thrilled to know that he was the only one who could satisfy all her needs…emotional, mental, financial, spiritual and physical too.

Arnav did not go for his jog and allowed khushi to sleep in his embrace. After some time he gently laid khushi on her pillow and tucked the duvet. Khushi flinched at loss of his warmth but continued to sleep. She was looking serene. He kissed her on her forehead and got up. He saw his and khushi’s clothes all scattered around the bed. He collected them and threw them all in the laundry bag and proceeded towards the cupboard and took out fresh pair of clothes for him and his towel and went to get ready. When he came out of the bathroom, khushi was still sleeping. He brought out one of his shirt and kept it next to her, Incase she gets up and she will feel all shy in her naked state below the blanket. And he proceeded down.

When the family saw Arnav coming down they all rushed to him. Nani was first to enquire about khushi and Arnav simply answered “Khushi is sleeping right now. Let her sleep, its essential for her to rest, so I also did not wake her up.” Mamiji replied “Its ok Arnav babua. Nobody will disturb her” everyone left for their works.

At The poolside

While arnav was busy keeping his shirt for his wife, an intruder was intruding their privacy. When Arnav left his room, closing the door.The intruder peeped in more to see the status clearly. His whole frame came into picture. It was Shyam Manohar Jha. He wanted to meet khushi. He had lusted for her for too long and now wanted to have her. He knew that Arnav and Khushi’s marriage was contract and was happy that arnav had not touched his wife. He believed still that their marriage was not consummated and hence khushi will be his in a true sense soon. He somehow believed that khushi hated him and arnav too, so she would never allow arnav to touch her. So ,He will make her his, he will mark her body by force too. He will make her shout his name in pain of pleasure, he will connect to her in the most primal way a man connects to a women. He was just lurking around the house for last 5 days in order to kidnap khushi and take her away to make her his. He stood waiting for Arnav to move out. As Arnav moved out, Shyam stood staring at khushi. He took out a bottle and sprayed it on a handkerchief , he had a plan to kidnap her. As he was about to move inside he saw something which shocked him. Khushi was about to wake up and was wriggling in bed and as she turned over the duvet slipped and it exposed her naked shoulder and neck and her neck and skin over her breasts was red and blue with love bytes. Shyam slipped a bit and staggered. He observed more closely and he realised khushi was naked as all her upper shoulders, arms and even her legs out from duvet were naked. Horror crossed face of shyam. He realised that Arnav had marked his khushi. He felt defeated. Anger for Arnav rose and deepened. Khushi started to get up and shyam hid back and watched her.

Khushi woke up and peeped over other side to find it empty, she looked at the clock and then realised that Arnav had to waken her up and allowed her to sleep and had perhaps had gone for his morning jog as it was 9 in the morning.

A smile spread across khushi’s face as she remembered her husband’s  passionate  love making and instantly the colour in her cheeks rose. She sat up on the bed and realised she had nothing on her, she pulled the duvet closer and wound it around her. Then she looked over to find a shirt kept for her, the loving wore the she shirt, it was long and covered her till knees almost. She got up and tidied the bed and moved towards the bathroom to get fresh.

As she left, Shyam stood dumb. The state in which he saw khushi had electrified him. He saw his khushi all masked in passion of that Arnav. He thought “Arnav I know you have tricked Khushi. You have claimed her body, you have used her, now she is dirty to be used by me.But now I will tell her that her Arnavji wanted to use her to satisfy his sexual desires and he doesnot love her. He decided to make Khushi hate Arnav by bringing in the contract in front of her and to poison her mind against Arnav.”

But little he knew that Khushi and Arnav were bound in ways more stronger than ever before. No one and no misunderstanding could ever seprate them. They were tied together in all senses.

Shyam left making a new plan to separate Arnav and Khushi.

Khushi came out and stood looking herself in the mirror. She applied sindoor and left for downstairs.

 As khushi approached the end of stairs Arnav felt her presence and kept his newspaper down and approached her. He was about to ask her when Anjali saw them and said “ its good that you came khushi, come lets all have breakfast.” Khushi was reluctant to sit as she usually served but nani told that khushi and payal too shall sit down and so Arnav and Khushi sat together. The breakfast was simple and according to khushi’s diet prescribed by the doctor.

The breakfast was serious affair with Aranv and Akash and mamaji talking about all arrangements regarding office and security. Arnav also instructed NK to help with di’s packing and shopping.

After the breakfast was over Arnav told khushi that she had to accompany him somewhere and must get ready after an hour till then he and akash will be in study attending to a conference call.