Ek Duje Ke Vaaste

Part 62

It was evening when arnav came back to shantivan. Khushi was in her room when she saw arnav standing near the door of the room.

Khushi was surprised to the core. She had no clue that he would come back so early. She had a huge smile on her face as she saw him.

Khushi: arnavji aap!! (arnavji...you?)
Arnav's eyes started getting filled with tears seeing her and thinking of the possible fate of their relationship. He took few steps towards her and came and stood near her.

Khushi: aap to do din baad aane wale they..achanak aap...(you were supposed to come after two days...suddenly..)

Arnav said: shhh...

He couldn't control his emotions anymore. He pulled her in a tight hug as if to make her a part of his own body so that no one could separate them. Silent tears flowed from his eyes as he felt the warmth of her body. Khushi didn't understand much but definitely knew something was disturbing him. She held his head with one hand and stroked his back for a while. After sometime khushi broke the hug and looked at him and said: kya hua arnavji? Koi baat hai kya? (what happened arnavji? Did something happen?)

In reply arnav cupped her face and kissed her on her forehead. Khushi understood for some reason he was not being able to say what he wanted to. She touched his cheeks and said with a smile: koi baat nehi jab man chahey tab bata dijiyega.(no problem, tell me when you want to)

She turned to go but he held her hand and made a baby face gesturing her not to go. Khushi immediately ran back to his arms and hugged him tightly.

While staying in his arms khushi said: aapko pata hai aap jab hamarey sath nehi hotey humey kuch bhi achha nehi lagta.. then tightening her grip on him she said: aur jab aap aise hamarey pass hotey hai tab humey lagta hai ki duniya ki saari khushiyan humey ek sath mil gayi.. humey aur kisi cheez ki zarurat nehi hai (you know when you are not around, i don't like anything... but when you are near me like this I feel as if I have got all the happiness of this world..i don't need anything else)

Arnav's felt even more guilty. He said: itna pyaar karti ho mujhse? (you love me so much?)

Khushi: haan...(yes)

Arnav: khushi kabhi kabhi main sochta hoon ki kya main yeh sab deserve karta hoon bhi yaa nehi...I mean...maine tumhe itni bar hurt kiya...(khushi sometimes I think do I at all deserve so much love...I mean..i have hurt you so many times)

Khushi covered his mouth with her hand and said: aap is duniya ke sabse achhe pati hai...aur humey yakin hai ki aap zindagi bhar humse aise hi pyaar kartey rahenge... she smiled and
added: jab hum buddhey ho jayenge aur hamarey daat nehi honge...tab bhi.... Hain na? (you are the best husband in this world and I know you will always love me like this...even when I will grow old and won't have teeth...isn't it?)

Arnav smiled and nodded his head saying yes.

After a while, khushi said: chaliye arnavji ab aap hath muh dho lijiye aur neechey aa jaiye khane ke liye..thik hai? (you go and freshen up and come down for dinner...alright?

He half closed his eyes and nodded his head in agreement. Khushi gave him a quick peck on his cheek and went downstairs to make arrangements for dinner.

Arnav sat down on the bed covering his face with his palm. He was unable to gather the courage to tell khushi the truth. She was so happy with him, just his presence was enough to bring a smile on her face and how on earth could he go and tell her that he probably has failed in keeping her faith alive. He couldn't think anymore...just took his towel and went to the washroom and then went down for dinner after freshening up. Throughout the dinner time, arnav didn't speak a word. The other family members thought probably he was tired and as it is he talked less. But khushi could feel a strange change in arnav ever since he is back from mumbai or even before that. She kept looking at him trying to understand what was going through his mind.
After finishing all the work in the kitchen and giving roshni her goodnight kiss, khushi went to her room. Arnav was sitting on the bed and switching the bed side lamp on and off and was lost in some thought. Khushi didn't say anything. She went and changed her clothes, and then went and sat beside him resting her head on his chest. That is when arnav realised khushi's presence in the room. He looked down at her and put one arm round her waist. Khushi hugged him tightly by his waist snuggling deeper into him.

Arnav's innerself told him: bol de arnav...tu khushi ke sath aisa nehi kar sakta...itni bari baar tu ussey chhupa nehi sakta..(tell her arnav...you can't do this to khushi...you can't hide such a big thing from her)

He closed his eyes for two minutes and gathered all the courage that he had . He then slowly opened his eyes and said: khushi..main tumse kuch kehena chahta hoon...main nehi janta yeh sunney ke baad tum kaise react karogi...actually mumbai mein...(khushi I want to tell you something...I don't know how will you react after listening to this...actually in mumbai...)

It surprised him that khushi didn't speak a word nor did she move. He looked down at his chest only to find her sleeping peacefully on his chest. He lovingly put her hair strands behind her ears and looked at her angelic face in the light that was coming from the bed side lamp...so beautiful, so innocent, so pure...she looked just like the first day they had met. A smile crossed his lips thinking how they fought during that time and how she was sleeping peacefully in his arms. Though they belonged to two different worlds..today arnav meant the world to her and he knew that. He closed his eyes and placed his lips on her forehead and thought of all those moments when she had cried because of him. Tears rolled from his eyes as well thinking of the pain that he gave her. He again held her head with his hand placing it
on his chest and rested his cheek on her head and closed his eyes. The tears didn't seem to stop.

Suddenly he heard: laad governor kahike..samajhta kya hai aapne aap ko...humko pagal keheta hai...to kya hua hum thode se sanki hai to.... And she laughed. (laad governor...what does he think of himself...he calls me mad...so what if I am a little crazy...)

Arnav was brought back from trance with khushi's murmurs. He realised she was sleep talking and there also it was arnav who occupied her thought. A smile crossed his lips thinking how she was capable of cheering him up even when she was sleeping. He wiped his tears, kissed her forehead one more time and placed her properly on the bed and then lied down himself holding her hand. He didn't realise when sleep gradually took over.