Hues of Love

Part 22

Like moth drawn by the fire, Arnav felt himself being drawn to her without any restraint or constraint holding him. The way her eyes twinkled by just looking at him, the racing of her heart which was visible due to their proximity and the slight flush of her cheeks, reminiscent of her teenage love, the attraction towards the one whose hand he was holding was irresistible to say the least.

The understanding she had about him, the trust which wavered but compelled him to do everything in his control to set it right, the admiration which floated in her eyes as her pupils dilated with pure amour; Arnav knew that the only most privileged had the opportunity to be on the receiving end of such ecstatic emotions.

While Arnav's heart was throbbing in revere for Khushi, Khushi knew that she was getting more and more entangled in the intricately weaved, beautiful yet piercing, daunting yet soothing, paradoxically magical web of his love and moving away from him after everything that had eventuated and would happen was just unimaginably painful but she was equally aware that it was quintessential for her survival.

"Sir? Ma'am?" called the receptionist, pulling Arnav and Khushi out of their reverie.

"Huh?" they muttered in unison, and looked away from each other, their facial expressions revealing that the object of their thoughts was none other than the person opposite to them.

"Please follow me," instructed the receptionist as they hurried onto their feet to follow her and not lose themselves once again.

Khushi walked into the cabin first since she was the acquaintance of the doctor.

"Good morning, Dr. Geeta. Khushi Gupta," greeted Khushi, shaking hands with the doctor in front of her.

"Good Morning, Dr. Khushi," said Geeta, greeting back with a smile.

"This is.." began Khushi, pointing towards Arnav but she was cut by the other doctor.

"Arnav Singh Raizada, I know. Dr. Rachna has given me the full details of the case. There would be no hassle," assured Geeta, her eyes trained on Khushi in a manner to almost make her uncomfortable.

"So you know Rachna. That's great. She is a good friend of ours," exclaimed Arnav with a smile, unknown to the tension growing in between the ladies.

"We worked in the same hospital for sometime. Let's start with the procedure then. I am sure you would be quite eager to see your child. I heard you did not get a chance to do so till now. Not fair, Dr. Gupta," remarked Geeta with a slight roughness in her tone.

"Khushi had her reasons so it is not her fault obviously," defended Arnav, as Khushi lowered her eyes to the ground.

"So understanding of you, Mr. Raizada. Let's begin," said Geeta, pointing to the nurse attending to set up the machine to run the ultrasound.

Khushi was prepared for the scan by applying the standard jelly against her abdomen and pelvis as she rested against the bed beside the screen. It was not at all a new experience for her but with Arnav beside her, it was completely new feeling altogether.

The man himself, Arnav Singh Raizada, felt extremely anxious and delirious that he held Khushi's hand by standing on the opposite side to that of the doctor to ensure that his partner in the journey is right along his side.

The joy which splayed across his face by seeing the image of the foetus was inexplicable and the genuineness of the bliss was reflected in the way tear drops shimmered against his cheeks and the grip on Khushi's hand increased in tightness.

"Khushi, that's our baby? It looks so.....I don't even know how to describe this feeling. I just want to hold my baby against my chest and make it sleep," expressed Arnav, kissing Khushi's hand and forehead involuntarily as he went by his inner instinct, shocking Khushi completely by his gesture and by the fact that he had used her real name after months.

Fourth time it was and like every other time, it incited frenzy and myriads of emotions which trapped her effectively.

"Why don't you say something?" he asked, when she did not utter any word.

"Dr. Gupta might be a bit used to this, Mr. Raizada. You see, it is not her first time to see the image and it is your first time, so you both are not quite on the same page," answered Geeta, with a hint of sarcasm in her tone which escaped Arnav's notice as he was engrossed in appreciating the beauty of the moment against analyzing the words spoken by the doctor.

"Everything is fine right? No need to worry?" asked Arnav, caressing Khushi's hand as she stared at his arm passively.

"Nothing at all, Mr. Raizada. Just ensure that you take double care of Dr. Gupta. That would be enough," instructed Geeta, walking out with her nurse to give time to the couple.

"Thank you so much, Khoosi! I cannot tell you how happy I am!" exclaimed Arnav as Khushi rose to assume a seated position. Exploiting her position, Arnav engulfed her in an embrace as tight as it would be allowed in the situation. He felt his whole form relax holding her close to him, like she held the key of his redemption and relaxation; the nymph who could erase his every worry with her loving touch. Holding her against his chest made him feel lighter than he ever felt and he could not help but feel conflicted regarding his emotions for Khushi.

They were so close physically but Khushi knew that there were more mentally away than they ever were.

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Raizada Guesthouse,

"What did the doctor say? Everything alright?" asked Swati, concern lacing her tone.

"She is perfectly fine, Aunty. Why do you sound worried? Did you notice anything fishy?" counter-questioned Arnav, praying that Khushi's health had no problem and the unborn was completely sage.

"I am not worried, Arnav. I just felt that it was strange that she did not allow you to see the scan for five months and.." she paused, wondering how to express what was playing on her mind.

"And?" prompted Arnav.

"She seems to be more than five months pregnant. Neither in mine, or your mother's or my daughter's pregnancies, I have noticed such a development. I just hope that there is no abnormality or anything like a tumor which she is hiding from all of us," explained Swati, having recently heard of a case of a mother who needed to get operated in emergency as her cyst had burst and it could harm the unborn.

Was Swati's suspicion true?

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One thing, Khushi is not the Mahaan Ekta Kapoor Heroine(no offense intended to anyone) so what do you think could be the case?