Horizons of Love✓

Part 11

Har ek muskurahat muskan nahi hoti

Nafrat ho ya mohabbat aasan nahi hoti

Garima and Buaji made her calm and asked her to sleep. Garima patted Khushi, laid her head on her lap. Khushi asked her to sing a lullaby. Garima stared at her, surprised at this out of the blue demand. Must be hormones! One second she was angry and now wants a lullaby.  "Pagal(Crazy!). Its your turn to sing lullabies". Khushi looked up at her face in mischief and replied back, that's the reason she was asking her. How will she learn it without her mother teaching her? It is necessary to learn the whole putting baby to sleep process from her, she said coolly with a poker face.  Both then burst out laughing at this.  But it was heart-warming moment for Garima who had no child of her own. She didnt have experience of bearing a child, nurturing it full time. But she had two invaluable, precious daughters whom she loved more than anything else...a little more than the love she had for her husband, whom she loved and admired immensely.

Khushi whined to bring her out of her thoughts. Garima began patting her head again and sang the lullaby Khushi's mother(her sister) used to sing whenever she came to stay at home with baby Khushi. Garima reminisced those times when she had luxury of putting baby Khushi to sleep with the same lullaby. Khushi was asleep within five minutes. Some things never change ! She smiled and got up after covering her up with bed-cover.

Garima and Buaji were discussing about Arshi fight when Khushi woke up and came out. After she had her snacks, Garima took the bull by its horns. She scolded her, "Khushi!! Apna khayal nahi rakh sakti tum? Kya zarorat hai aise mein chillane ki ? Humein bula leti hum le jate Arnav ko bahar. Aur ye kis tarah ki baatein kar rahi thi tum? Tum mein aur Arnav mein kya fark reh jayega agar tum bhi ye behuda baatein karogi? Tum jaanti ho vo nafrat karta hai apne pita se. Kya zarorat thi uske maa-baap ko beech mein laane ki? Tum bhi ye sab kahogi to tum mein aur uss mein koi fark nahi hai"("Khushi you should take care of yourself. What was the need to shout like this. You could have called me. I would have asked him to go away. And you spoke very wrong today. Inspite of knowing how much he hates his father you brought up the topic of his parents? If you ll behave this way too, what difference would remain between you and him")

Khushi was pissed off, "Fark hai amma! Fark hai. Hum unhein vo de rahe hai jo unhone hume diya hai - dard,gussa, takleef ,nafrat!  Fark ye hai ki humein ye sab bina kisi galti k mila aur unhe kisi wajah se mil raha hai!! Amma aap bhool gayi hongi unhone kitni gandi baatein boli thi uss din mandap mein. Aapko, humein. Hum nahi bhoole hain nahi bhoolenge aur jo bhi unhone humare saath kia na, unhe bhi nahi bhoolne denge!"("Difference! There is a huge difference! Its just a payback. I got it for no mistake of mine but he is getting it all for a reason. I am just returning back his anger,hatred and pain. You may have forgotten all his bullshit, I haven't. I wont ever let him forget anything.")

Garima didn't say a word. She simply got up. It was useless trying to make her family understand things. In her quest to teach him lesson, Khushi was turning herself into him. She needs to leave this toxicity and live for herself. This cannot go on.  But this girl won't listen to her. 

Khushi understood her disappointment and her anger left her in a whoosh. She conceded from her stand and held her hand to stop her from leaving, "Acha thik hai. Hum jaante hai humne galat bola, humein unke amma babuji ke baare mein nahi bolna chahiye tha. Hum unse iske liye maafi maang lenge. Aage se aisa nahi karenge. Hume maaf kardo Amma. Please?"( "Alright. I know it was wrong. I ll say sorry and wont repeat it again. Now forgive me dear mother.")

************************************

At RM

Arnav came home and updated everyone about Khushi  not agreeing to come back with him. They were surprised at his imprudence. As if he expected something else from her. Such a dimwitted man! Arnav  asked Anjali and Nani to convince her as she was not ready to listen to him. Nani  glared at him and got up to leave to her room. Mami followed.