The Moment of Truth!!!

Time heals you...slowly and gradually!

Khushi POV
"Yes Reena Chachi I have cooked and packed everything in the Dabbas for the children. You dont worry...once the driver arrives I will go to the school function myself to monitor and check everything. Trust me, I will ensure that our catering services will be appreciated for all the hardwork that we have put in...yes. You take care. Get well soon. Bye"
It was Reena Chachi on the phone. This catering order for the school function is very important. She trusts only me to when it comes to supervising such tasks. Trust seems such a difficult word. But sometimes when someone puts his/her belief in you, one tries to respect and fulfill it.

It seems like just yesterday even though it it has been months. I have been living with Reena Chachi in Lucknow. After my fainting episode, all I remember is being in my room in Laxmi Nagar. It took me a week to recover and start speaking to my family. They were under this presumption that just because I had forgiven them, I trusted them. But thats totally wrong.
It took me a while to put my thoughts into words for them to understand. I still remember the talk I had with them.

Flashback
"Yes, I have already forgiven you all. That does not mean that I have forgotten what all I went to through because of your distrust towards me."

"I have always made sure to sacrifice my own happiness so that you all could be happy. Buaji...your taunts of me being not your own blood and flesh killed me a million times. Being an adopted child is not a crime. And who gave you the right to judge someone on the basis of their blood. Tell me you are the real blood sister of my father...right? Then how come you failed to realize what Shyamji did to him. The reason why my Babuji is paralized today is you too in a way. Your faith in your Shyam Babua created a havoc in our lives.Do you see me taunting you every second for the same?"

"Amma...I call you my mother...but you know that a mother can tell when her child is telling a lie and when he is saying something that is the truth. Even if the child is quiet, a mother can read the reason behind it just by a single glance to his face. But slapping me for no reason seemed easy right?"

"Jeeji...I did so much for you. And you failed to acknowledge the fact that I am your sister. You too mistreated me. I had no one to talk to in my marital house. Did you not realize how unhappy I was."

"I cannot forget how even though you all knew me for 10 long years you still were unable to decipher the reason behind my silence and tears. For me it is only my Babuji who matters from this day onwards. I cannot trust you all again."

And one fine day Reena Chachi our neighbor in Lucknow, called us. Her son was sick and she wanted someone to help her with her catering business. This gave me the needed opportunity to move away and start my life again.
And within a few days I was welcomed back in my city, my Lucknow.

Everyone assumes I have moved on with my life. But all that this change gave me was a chance to think clearly. It gave me the freedom and peace of mind that I craved for. All the unneccassary attention was long forgotten. I felt normal. The day time is now occupied with work. I keep myself pretty busy to avoid pondering over the past. But in the night my dreams always remind me about the love of my life. No matter the distance. He lives in my heart. I cannot runaway from my own feelings. There is no place to hide. I keep asking myself what is Arnavji doing right now? Is he missing me? Is he alright? Even after everything that happened between us...why do I still care for him? Why? I knew the answer...The heart wants what it wants.

Jeeji calls every other day. I know she feels really sorry for whatever I went through. She tells me how everyone misses me. How there is always silence and quietness in the family. No chattering and laughing. She says that Shantivan's Khushi is lost somewhere. The double meaning in her words is not unheard to me. She also told me how now everyone has become so detached from Arnavji. And he inturn is completely engrossed in his work. He comes home very late and leaves early in the morning. His health is not the same. But I have nothing to say in return. No words come out of my mouth. The calls always end with me hanging up after listening to her updates.

He messaged me once though. We shared a few words. He asked me if I am somewhat better. Am I happy now...? And I had texted only 2 words...I'm trying.

Because that is what I have been doing. I feel that in these 3 months all the hurt and pain has found a way to vent. But still something is still missing. What is that? What will bring me happiness? These questions still remain unanswered.

Third person POV
Shantivan has literally turned into Shanti-van. There is only silence to be heard. No one speaks much. Same basic day to day words are shared. Anjali no longer speaks to his brother. Mami who could not go a single day without taunting Payal, had found a friend now in her daughter in law. They spoke to each other often now. Sometimes they even talked about Khushi. Mami felt really guilty and now what hurts her the most was the missing chit chats of her Phati Saree. Akash now felt relaxed watching the bond between his mother and wife. Nani spoke very little though. She felt a strange sense of loneliness once Khushi left RM.

But the one who suffered the most was Arnav Singh Raizada. He constantly felt as if a dark cloud was hanging over his head.  He felt aweful. Each morning meant trying to forget the pain and indulging into work. And the night meant sleeplessness. Khushi's absense brought immense sadness to him. And this was his own doing. He had no one to blame. He also felt isolated now. The sense of being separated from everyone hurts like hell. He now understood what his wife went through due to his rash decisions. He could now empathize with Khushi. She too must have been through this feeling where even after being a part of a big family, one still felt lonely.
But what gave him the motivation to breath every second were two words which he checked every now and then on his phone....I'm trying.