Tere Liye | ✔

Chapter One - A promise

The stars were non-existent when he reached over to the poolside, wanting and needing to seek some comfort from his mother.

He sighed with a glint of disappointment in his eyes, as he looked up at the grey blanket that had enveloped the whole sky in its gloomy embrace. He then sat down, his eyes now travelling to stare at the serene surface of the pool.

The low-pitched sound of silence spiraled around him, probing him to think deeper over the adventurous evening they all had. It still felt like a dream to be honest. The fact that Shyam was finally out from their lives was hard to believe. On top of that, his Di at last accepting that her husband was nothing but a traitor was a whole another set of shock.

Nevertheless, this shock was a pleasant one. He probably was now actually able to breathe in peace and sit calmly, without having to worry about what conspiracy might be in process in his own house, against his own family members.

He breathed out, glancing up at the sky again, wishing for that last piece of gloomy cloud to be out of his way, so that he could share this good news with his mother - to tell her that he has at last set everything right. Well, almost everything right.

But it didn't. The sky remained overcast with a vast grey cloud and he simply sat there, looking up, as if stubbornly waiting for the re-apparition of the stars.

A soft grip on his shoulder was what made him blink and look behind, to see his wife's angelic face, partly covered with her hair which played with the soft breeze of the night. His lips curved.

Holding her hand, he gently tugged her down and next to him on the recliner.

"How's Di?" She asked, her tiny voice piercing through the silence as she gathered her hair on her left shoulder before leaning against the sturdy form of her husband.

"She's fine." Arnav replied whilst resting his cheek on her head. He rubbed her arm up and down, soothing the goosebumps she had from her fresh shower. "I just tucked her in. She slept early, without much crying."

Khushi breathed in, then out slowly.

"That's because she's strong." She whispered, breaking the hug a little bit so she could see Arnav's face, which - as she predicted- was down with a sudden concern.

"She'll get through it, Arnavji. She's, she's strong enough now." She said, her palm reaching up to caress his chiseled face.

"I know." He said, his voice huskier than usual. Grasping her hand, he then proceeded to place a gentle kiss on her soft skin before giving her a small smile which she tried to reciprocate but unfortunately, that smile couldn't reach her eyes.

He noticed that, along with the fact that she perhaps hid her face in his chest the next second to hide those faint flickers of melancholy in her hazel orbs.

"Khushi?" He held her, tighter than the first time. "Are you okay?"

"Hmm." Her reply was short and surely unconvincing, causing the lines of worry marring his forehead to deepen. He held the side of her face, forcing her gently to look up at him.

"What's wrong?" He asked again, this time with emphasis in his voice. "Did anyone say something?"

He paused, feeling something click in his mind.

"Did, did Di say anything wrong when she was here?" The intensity of his concern grew and he seemed almost on the edge of shouting in exasperation if his Di has truly been blind and foolish enough to blame Khushi again.

"No, no." Khushi said, rushing to clear his doubt as she saw that first glint of anger in his eyes. "Di did not say anything wrong."

The genuineness in her voice calmed his arising indignation but at the same time, it peaked his confusion.