Baatein kuch unkahee si

Part 3

Khushi went down dressed in a pink saree and jewellery which anjali gave her. Arnav was already downstairs looking through some files when his eyes fell on her. He stopped in his tracks thinking how perfect it would have been if khushi was his wife in true sense of the term, if their relationship would have been like every other husband wife. Khushi ignored arnav completely and walked towards nani who was waiting for her with the others. She went and touched her feet and kept her head down unable to meet her eyes after yesterday's incident.

Nani lifted her chin and said: yahaan dekhiye bitiya...aap humrey ghar ki bahuriya hai..aur aj aapka ee ghar maa pehela din hai...ihiliye hum aapke chehrey pe udaasi nehi muskurahat dekhna chahat hai...(look at me...you are the daughter-in-law of this family and this is your first day in this house...so I want to see a smile on your face)

She smiled through her tears and hugged nani.

Mami made a face and said: helo hi bye bye ismilez pilij... Itna achha ischeme chalane ke baad yeh crocodile tearzz kahey bahat rahi ho phatee saree...(yes smile..after doing such a scheme whu are you shedding your false tears)

Nani rolled her eyes and said: manorama!!

Mami quitened.

Nani stroked khushi's back and said: aapka is ghar maa bohot bohot swagat hai...(I welcome you in this house)

Arnav was watching all this from a distance. One side he was feeling a bit relieved that his family members had accepted khushi, he knew for a fact that they would extend all support to her and she would not feel alone here. Immediately he got a grip on himself by thinking why the hell did he care... She is the one who tried to ruin his di's life. He was brought back to reality by nani's voice: chhotey yahaan aaiye..(chhotey come here)

Arnav went and stood infront of nani. She extended the offering tray towards arnav and khushi and said: lijiye...aap dono sath maa aarti kijiye..(come and do the prayer together)

Khushi held it but Arnav tried to protest: nani you know main yeh sab..(nani you know I don't believe in all this)

Nani looked at him with anger and then turned to anjali and said: anjali bitiya aap kaahey dijiye chhotey se ki har baat pe unki zid naahi chalegi..kaa hai ki iss ghar ke bhi kuch niyam hai aur woh bar bar usey todne ki koshish naa karey..(anjali bitiya please tell him that everytime he can't be so stubborn..there are some rules in this house and he has to abide by them)

Anjali was stepping forward to say something to arnav. But arnav just extended one hand and held the tray with khushi to stop the discussion right there. He was looking at nani when he held the tray and in the process ended up touching khushi's hand. Both shivered at the touch and looked at each other and instantly they threw angry looks at each other and looked away. First time khushi didn't pray, didn't talk to her devi maaiya. She was extremely angry with her. Immediately after the 'aarti' was over arnav said: di main office ja raha hoon..(I am going to office)

Anjali: arey chhotey tum aise kaise office ja saktey ho...kal hi tumhari shaadi hui aur tum...(how can you go like this...you just got married yesterday and how can you go to office today)

Arnav said sarcastically: big deal di! main ja raha hoon..(big deal di! I am going...)

He left for office. The others also dispersed. Khushi stood in the living area. The only other person who didn't move from the living area was payal. For the first time after marriage she got a chance to talk to her sister.

She stood infront of her and said with tears in her eyes and angry face: kyun kiya tune aisa? Bol...kyun kiya? (why did you do this...tell me...why?)

Khushi's lips trembled as she said: jiji hum...(jiji i...)

Payal: aisi kya majburi thi khushi..jo tum humse nehi kahey payi? (what was it that you couldn't even tell me?)

Khushi sobbed: jiji humey maaf kar do..humse galti ho gayi.. (forgive me jiji....i committed a mistake)She folded her hands infront of payal crying hard. Payal quickly held her hand and hugged her tightly and said: ab zyada bolegi na to humse bura koi nehi hoga... Ek to galti karti hai upar se maafi mang ke rulati hai.. She scolded her little sister while stroking her back and showering her love and care on her.(don't you dare say anything else...first you commit a mistake and then you ask for forgiveness like this and make me cry)

Khushi felt relieved. She still asked payal: jiji tum humse naraaz to nehi ho na? hum tumhari naraazgi nehi sahe sakte...(you are not angry with me na? I can't live with your anger)

Payal: naraaz to hum tujhse hai aur hamesha rahenge..(yes I am angry with you and will always be)

She wiped her tears, gave her a smile and said: arnavji se itna pyaar karti hai lekin aapne jiji ko batana zaruri nehi samjha..(you love arnavji so much but you didn't tell me)

She hung her head down and said: woh hum..(actually I )

Payal hit her on the head and said: chal pagal..ab aapni yeh roti hui shakal to thik kar aur taaiyar ho ja..buaji aati honge humey lene pag phere ke liye (now wipe off your tears and get ready..buaji must be on her way to take us home)

Khushi nodded her head. She knew that buaji was coming to take payal and would never want to take her. They have already disowned her. But she didn't say anything else to payal.

Khushi started to go when payal said: sun (listen)

Khushi turned and payal said: hum tere liye bohot khush hai..humey yakin hai arnavji tujhe bohot khush rakhenge aur hamari behen ki ankhon mein aasu ki jagah dher saarey sapne honge.(I am very happy for you and I know arnavji will keep you happy always and you will have lots of dreams in your eyes instead of tears)

Khushi forced a smile. Payal went away and a drop of tear escaped her eye recalling payal's last words.

Humne sapne dekhna chhor diya hai jiji kyunki ab haqueqat hamarey samne hai...thought khushi as she went back to her room to change her clothes. (I have stopped dreaming because the reality is right infront of my eyes now)

In a while buaji and garima came. Nani had called them up earlier and convinced them to accept this marriage and to bless the couple. Payal came and touched their feet while khushi stopped midway in the staircase looking at them. She didn't know how they will react. Every relation she had, changed overnight because of arnav.

Buaji and garima looked at her. They had tears in their eyes thinking how badly they behaved with her last night.

Buaji then said in her usual tone: hai rey nandkisore..sanka devi ab sara din waha siri main khara rehena hai kaa.. (oh God..will you keep standing on the staircase the entire day). Her voiced cracked up as she choked on her tears. Khushi ran to her sensing the familiarity in her voice. Garima pulled her in a hug and said: humey maaf kar dena bitiya..hum kal gussey mein aake tum pe hath uthaye aur..(forgive me...I slapped you yesterday out of my anger)

Khushi said: nehi amma aapko pura haq hai humey daant ne ka...maafi to humey magni chahiye(no you have every right to scold me... I should ask for forgiveness)

Buaji tried to lighten the atmosphere and said: sankadevi tumka ee sab ulta sidha kand kiye bina neend nehi aawat hai kaa.. Ab arnav babua se pyaar karti thi to bolne mein kya tha? Aisa bhagne ka kaa jarurat rahi tumka? (is it that you don't get a proper sleep if you don't create trouble? If you loved arnav you should have told us. Why did you have to run away and get married?) bilkul sanki ho tum...(you are completely crazy)

Nani and anjali exchanged look and smiled hearing buaji scold khushi.

Anjali stepped in and said teasingly: buaji sirf khushiji hi nehi humey to lagta hai chhotey bhi purey sanki ho gaye hai... khushiji ke pyaar mein (not only her..even arnav has become completely crazy....crazy for her)

Everyone laughed except khushi who only felt a sharp pain in her heart.

After a while they buaji and garima left with khushi and payal along with them.