ARSHI SS: MY LOVE, MY LIFE

Part - 5 The Proposal

PART-5

Kushi couldn't control her tears as she sat thinking about the evening. The evening has started off in a good note with her and Arnav joking around, but when the senior Jhas started speaking she couldn't believe that such vile people could exist in this world. As the evening proceeded Mrs. Jha started to speak about the rishtha.

"You would have known that we are not so rich like you people, we are middle class people but we have given our children education so they can fend for themselves. Shyam is now employed and Sheetal also will finish her studies this year. We live in a rented one bedroom apartment near the chawal and Kushi couldn't live there. So we were thinking that you could buy her a house near yours as a wedding gift or if you want to keep her with you here we will be happy to shift here. And also I want to say that we heard some rumors about these two and we are witnessing how close they are to each other, we understand that their intensions are pure but not everyone can understand that, so we want to ask for Arnav's hand in marriage for our daughter so we can shut the mouths of the society. What do you say Rathnaji?"

This question had different impact on every member of the Raizada clan. Rathna couldn't understand how a woman can sugarcoat such venom with her words. For who ever hears this speech will think this as a normal occurring in a marriage discussion, but this is a silent threat and exposed their greed for money. Arnav was stunned with the atrocity of this family who could they think of putting forward such a clause before them, but he has to thank them for the reaction he got from kushi as soon as she heard that woman proposing his marriage with her daughter Kushi had moved closer to him and clutched his arm in a death grip. Kushi couldn't control the furry that she felt at the moment her Arnavji and Sheetal she couldn't imagine that so she moved closer to him and clunk on his arms while glaring at the Jhas.

Arnav met the eyes of his mother and asked her not to interfere while he talked with the Jhas and proceed to get up, as he removed Kushi's hold from his arms he saw the panic and hurt that went through her. He stood up and faced the Jhas and started to speak

"why should we buy her a house or let you stay here?"

"Because it's a custom to give dowry to the bride during her marriage by her family or are you not willing to get us married" answered Shyam.

"No you can marry her but why should we spend money for her she is not a Raizada to get a part of our wealth, with your marriage our duty towards her is over, it's up to you to look after her and her comforts."

These words were a great shock to all the occupants the most shocked persons were Rathna and Kushi they couldn't understand why Arnav was speaking like this. Rathna was confused she couldn't understand why her son is saying all these things, he has always considered Kushi as a part of this family, then why is he speaking like this she know money is not important to him before Kushi's happiness why is he saying all this nonsense is it his plan to test the Jhas, but had not he realize that this will hurt Kushi the most. Kushi was more confused than hurt why is this man who had held her hands in his gentle grasp till some moments ago is speaking as if she doesn't matter to him anymore? She knows better than to judge him with these few words. But the Jhas are more confused with his statements, yet Mrs.Jha spoke again

"It's O.K if you are not willing to spend any money on her. But you can't deny her of her father's money. We know about the Guptas, they are rich and aristocratic so he would have definitely left a heafty sum of money for his daughter. So you can hand over that money and properties to us during the engagement. Even though its humiliating for us to stay her after the marriage we thought you would want to keep her with you since you were fond of her we suggested that."

"Shashi Uncle left no money behind for his daughter; he had given all his properties to his younger brother, So Kushi didn't inherit any money from her father or her family."