The truth and the trust

Chapter 3

'Request? Did the great ASR request KKG just now? Hey devi maiya! Has something gone into him? Is he the same ASR I know! What is happening today? Did anyone do any black magic on him?', wondered Khushi.
(Khushi and her crazy thoughts! Her brain never ceases to fantasise things even in extreme situations)
But she kept mum letting him to continue.

Arnav slowly reached for her hands and took them in his and said, 'Khushi, I want to tell you the real reason why I forced you to marry me suddenly'.

Khushi felt as if her breath stopped. The reason she kept asking him was finally about to be revealed. She was eager to know it now. She gave a huge sigh and asked him to continue.

Arnav was not sure where to start. He had a lot to confess. But he felt he was losing his courage. He suddenly started searching for reasons to avoid this topic with her. Its high time to escape. He cant do more injustice to Khushi by hiding it. He has to tell her everything.

Finally, gaining his lost courage, he started, 'Khushi main... main... tumse shaadi...(I....I... married you...)' and stopped midway not knowing how to continue further. Tears fell down from Arnav's cheeks. Seeing this, Khushi slightly pressed his hands that were in her palms assuring him to go ahead. Arnav raised his head to meet Khushi's eyes and he could see the concern for him in her eyes. Again he cursed himself under his breath for putting this soul through so much. So finally deciding to confess everything, he started by asking her forgiveness first.

'Khushi, I am sorry. Mujhe maaf kar do please!' said Arnav with remorse.

'Forgiveness for what Arnavji? Will you tell me the reason yet? I am clueless' said Khushi slightly taken aback seeing him vulnerable.

'Khushi I misunderstood you. I actually saw you and Shyam on the terrace on the day of Akash and Payal's wedding. I heard you telling Shyam to leave my Di and also his confession that he loves you. I totally misunderstood you.'

'He saw us on terrace? And what did he mean by misunderstanding? And what wrong did I say that Shyam should leave Di? It was better if Di is away from that man' thought Khushi.

'Wait! Did he say Shyam? He respects Shyam a lot. Why dint he address him as jijaji? Does he know something?', wondered Khushi with a frown on her face.

As if reading her mind, Arnav cleared her doubts, 'Khushi I came to know today that the Shyam you got engaged to and the Shyam who lives in Shantivan are the same!'

That was it for Khushi. She felt her hands shivering under his. The secret that she dint tell him yet has been revealed. But how? wondered Khushi.

'H....Ho...how do you know?' asked Khushi, silently praying to her devi maiya that Arnav was not angry on her for not revealing this earlier.

Then Arnav narrated the whole conversation he had with Vimala mausi and also about his confirmation with the neighbours.

By this time, Khushi was in tears. She said sobbing, 'Arnavji! Please dont misunderstand me. I dint mean to hide this but I had no choice. I had to think about Di and the unborn child. I came to tell Di about it the very next day I came to know but I couldnt as I saw how much Di was attached to him. She was worshipping him. And I couldnt bring myself to reveal the truth. Later on the day of jiji's wedding, we came to know that Di was pregnant. So I thought I should give him a chance to change himself since he was going to be a father. Hamein maaf kar dijiye Arnavji. Hamaara iraada galat nahin tha (Forgive me Arnavji. My intentions werent wrong)' pleaded Khushi almost on the verge of breaking down.

'Shhh... Khushi.. I dint misunderstand you for this. Please Khushi dont cry. Please!' pleaded Arnav hugging her from the side, her head now resting on his shoulders. Arnav gently rubbed the sides of Khushi's arm for her to calm down. He whispered sweet nothings to her.

After her sobs subsided, Khushi asked confused, 'Arnavji, what misunderstanding are you talking about? How does it relate to our marriage?'

Arnav stood up slowly with his hands in his pockets and said, 'Khushi, I know I was an arrogant person, infact I am still one. The days we met initially, I used to hate you. You were fierce. You spoke more than what is necessary. You still do'. Arnav chuckled a little.

'Later when you came home to teach Lavanya, I saw a gentle and caring Khushi. My perception about you changed. I dont know why my heart aches when I see you cry. I dint know what brewed in between us but one fine day your naughtiness and chirpiness which used to irritate me started attracted me. I was thinking a lot about you. The equation between us changed. We used to spit fire at each other before but later we became cordial. I was comfortable around you. I liked the change I was going through. I realised it was something that happens in everyone's life. The one thing that I never believed.'

'On the day of Akash's wedding I decided to tell my feelings towards you. I saw you going to the terrace. When I reached there, I saw you asking Shyam to leave Di and also his confession that he loves you. And I totally misunderstood you that you were cheating on me with Shyam behind my back. I later confronted Shyam about his confession of love to you and he said that you both were in love with each other and Di is the only hurdle you have now. And I like a stupid believed his words that you too were cheating me.'

'The first person whom i really grew close to was cheating on me. This thought made me insane. I wanted to question you about it. About how could you betray me. But the fear of you confirming that you had really done all this prevented me. I am really sorry Khushi I never asked you about this. Had I confronted you, I would have known the truth then. Wish I had questioned you that day! I am really sorry Khushi. I dint trust you. I went to reveal all the actual truth of Shyam to Di but then we got to know she was pregnant. Hence I decided to marry you so that you wont become a hurdle to my Di's married life. I had put the contract of 6 months because after that Di will be having her child and I can reveal everything. At this stage I dint want Di to take any tensions. But in all this I totally took you for granted Khushi. I made a sin by forcing you for marriage'.

'After knowing the truth today, I feel a lot guiltier. Hence I decided to confess everything to you in the same place where I gave you bad memories. I accept every mistake of mine in front of your devi maiya so that atleast she would forgive me for the hardships I made you go through. I am really sorry Khushi. I know this is not easy for you to comprehend but I want to be transparent in front of you. In our relationship. I dont want any more misunderstandings between us. Please Khushi! Forgive me!' By now Arnav was kneeling down in front of Khushi, with tears in his eyes, holding her palms that were resting on her lap. She was stupefied. He was eagerly waiting for her reaction.

There I come with the next part!
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