Tere Liye | ✔

Chapter Thirty-Four - Perfect Family

Arnav and Khushi were smiling and greeting the guests who were congratulating them. It was their first wedding anniversary.

Amidst of all the mishaps which occurred, Khushi had totally forgotten about it but Arnav didn't.

She smiled as her mind drifted to how last night after the mehndi ceremony of Neha, she was held back by Anjali, NK, Akash and Payal who started talking random things to which she couldn't make head or tail and how they literally pushed her into the room after a ring on Anjali's phone.

It had all had been a plan of Arnav to surprise her, to pamper her. Since last night he has been treating her like princess. Decorated room, a promised outing, visit to temples, donations on her name and now this party. He left no stone unturned to make their anniversary special - to make her feel special.

"Happy Anniversary once again Mrs. Raizada."

Her reverie broke at his husky whisper and she glanced up into his glittering caramel orbs.

"Happy Anniversary to you too, Mr. Raizada." She whispered back with the same fervour along with a tinge of red on her cheeks. He grinned and pulled her flushed self in his arms, causing her to let out a startled gasp.

"Arnavji, what are you doing? Everyone is watching!" She wriggled whilst looking at her surroundings nervously.

"So what?" In response, came his nonchalant and carefree attitude.

"I am hugging my wife. Not someone else's. Then why would anyone have a problem with that."

She sighed at his perked eyebrows as if daring her to oppose him and simply sulked into his embrace - her pout slowly turning into a smile.

He pulled her closer.

"And besides, tomorrow you will be spending the whole day at Buaji's. At least let me use this time to be close to you."

She chuckled hearing the sad edge in his complaint and looked up at his frowning face.

"Arnavji, I am going there with Jiji only for one day and that too because Amma and Buaji will be needing help in the Haldi ceremony. You can't come because you are needed here. Haldi and wedding are held at the same day, so it's natural they will need help. And I will be back here before evening. What's there to sulk about in all this?"

"Yeah but one whole day without you." He whined, utterly displeased at the idea of not having her in front of his eyes for a whole day - something he no longer has the habit of doing. 

Ever since she woke up from coma, he would rarely let her out of his sight. Even after coming back to Delhi and resuming his normal schedule, he would make sure to either spend the lunchtime with her or wrap up his works early just so he could return back to her. And now she's telling him to let her spend an entire day away from his sight. How would he do that?

His face looked like that of an upset child and as much as Khushi wanted to tease him at that, she didn't. She knew that the residue of the past is still lingering in him in the form of an unknown fear and that's why instead of teasing him, she wrapped both her hands around him, caring less about audience that gawked at them.

"I'll come back sooner." She tried to bargain. A part of her wanted to let him tag along with her but Nanheji needed his brothers with him at such an important point of his life.

His frown faltered. 

"Promise?"

She shook her head, reaching up to place a sound kiss on his cheeks - causing the marring lines to disappear completely into a smile on his face.