Part 4
As Arnav finished his dinner, he sat up on the bed and waited for Khushi to come. Khushi came changing into her pink night suit and saw Arnav sitting on the bed – very relaxed – staring at her.
Arnav: (innocently) Why is only one pillow here? Are you planning to get my locks being eaten by the rats?
Khushi: No Arnavji. You please sleep on the bed. I will be sleeping on the floor.
Arnav: (exclaims) No way! What made you think I will let the rats bother you? Come on the bed.
Khushi: No Arnavji. I cannot do that. We cannot share the bed .. not anymore.
Arnav: We can use an Arnav Rekha again. Or may be you can draw a Khushi Rekha this time.
Khushi: (smiles faintly) This will not be right now Arnavji. We are not .. (pauses) .. we should not.
Arnav: (sighs) Ok then. I am joining you in the floor. I came here to sleep but wondering the whole night what the rats might be doing with you, I doubt I can have even an iota of sleep.
Khushi: You can't sleep in the floor, trust me.
Arnav: If I cant, then neither can you. Why cant we share the bed like old times??
Khushi: Because we are not married now.
Arnav: Who says so? We are still legally married and so we can still share a bed!
Khushi: (surprised) Matlab? I told you I had signed the papers ..
Arnav: (looks straight into her eyes) But I have not.
Khushi, the ever chatterbox Khushi, suddenly lost her words. She was not sure how to react to that 4 letter sentence. That sentence holds so many hopes .. yet, Khushi Kumari Gupta has promised to herself not hope anything any more – at least not from Arnav Singh Raizada.
Arnav: (relaxed) Look Khushi. You know I have never believed in marriage. Di & Nani were always pushing me to settle down and I never wanted to. But I ended up marrying you .. may be not for the best of reasons .. but I did marry you, didn't i?
Khushi does not reply. She is not even sure if Arnav is looking for a reply.
Arnav: Ok. I did marry you and .. well, in last 6 months I have realized, may be marriage is not that scary a thing. (smiles) And also I have got used to getting married to you. So I was thinking, why not make it work? In any case, Di & Nani will again start their lecture after few months to marry again. Now that I am already married .. so why go through all these one more time?
Khushi: (startled) So you want to continue being married to me because of that? Just that?
Arnav: Yes. Especially .. when I know, I will end up marrying you again. (pauses & smiles) I will find some excuse .. may be a stupider excuse, Khushi and will marry you again.
Khushi: (snaps) Why? Why will you marry me again? Thousands of classy ladies will queue up to marry you. Please don't say things you don't mean. You want to share the bed .. lets. I don't need to hear anything from you anymore.
Khushi takes the pillow off the floor and tries to arrange the bed when Arnav suddenly turns her towards him and holds her by her shoulder. He looks straight it into her eyes.
Arnav: Why do you think I really married you Khushi?
Khushi: (pain evident in her eyes) Lets not talk about this, Arnavji. We both know why you did what you did.
Arnav: No, Khushi. We don't know. Event I didn't know .. I, I just did not acknowledge. Yes, I misunderstood you. Yes, I wanted to punish you. Yes, I wanted to save Di's marriage. But do you think I really had to marry you for all that? (pauses & searches Khushi's eyes) Khushi, I married you because I wanted to be the only person who could do anything to you .. anything at all – punish you, care for you, touch you, throw you, fight with you .. anything. And I know .. I will do it again. I just can't let you go.
Khushi knows what Arnav Singh Raizada is trying to tell. But, no. She will not bow to her whims anymore. He still sounds like the one in charge – he still sounds like making a deal. Khushi wants a man, not a businessman.
Khushi: I never knew you wanted me so much, Arnav Ji. But there are things I want too. And this is not only about what you want. In real marriage, everything should be about us – not you & me. And if you want to know what I want – I don't want such a marriage where you will end up marrying me because you like having me around.
Arnav: Khushi. You know that I am sorry – terribly sorry. And I cannot even say Sorry to you because that can never make up for all the things I did to you. I really want our marriage to work. I really want you to return to Shanti Bhaban?
Khushi: Return to Shanti Bhaban?
Arnav: Yes, return to Shanti Bhaban.
Khushi: But .. I don't want to return to Shanti Bhaban.
Arnav: Why?
Khushi: You tell me .. why should I want to return to Shanti Bhaban? What is there for me?
Arnav: Everyone there loves you. Your sister is there. And that's you husband's home .. I mean, if you agree to continue this ..
Khushi: Does everyone of Shantibhaban love me Arnavji? (looks straight into his eyes)
Arnav's heart sinks. His heart has been giving him signals all this time – he knows what Khushi wants to hear. He knows what will make Khushi come to RM. Arnav forces his brains out from here. He has to do it – it is now or never.
Arnav: Yes, Khushi. Everyone in that house loves you. Every single one. Even Lakshmi ji.
Khushi feels irritated to his core. Such a Laad Governor he is. Khushi knows Arnav knows what she was wanting to hear. And this man .. this man will never utter a word. And Khushi Kumari Gupta is not going to bend tonight. Her frustration of not knowing this man's heart has always been greater than the heartache & pain he caused him. Will this man ever understand that?
Khushi: (grumbles) Great! But I did not marry Lakshmiji.
Arnav: (grins) Yes, but you have always been closer to him than your husband.
Khushi: (snaps) That's because Lakshmiji has given me more quality time than my husband.
Arnav: Your husband is willing to make up for that now, Khushi.
Khushi: If only giving quality time was enough, I would have gone back to Shanti Bhaban right now, Arnavji. And that is why.. Lakshimi ji is not my husband.
Arnav: (laughs) Wow .. Khushi! You & Lakshmiji married? (bursts into laughter)
Khushi stares mesmerized at her husband laughing like anything. When was the last time when she saw him last like that? Was it during the Sangeet night? He looks like a child – an innocent child – when he laughs like that.
Arnav: (pressing his stomach) Oh God, Khushi! My stomach hurts .. ohh. (pauses and controls) Come on, Khushi. We are talking husband & wife, where does Lakshmi come here in between? There is another reason why I want to stay married to you .. (takes a deep breathe)
Khushi awaits – eagerly.
Arnav: .. So that you can do as much prank as you want on me as a punishment for the wrongs I did. You can take your whole life doing that.
Khushi could not believe his ears. Will this Laad Governor ever say anything? Or will he just keep going around the bottom line and will never say it. Its enough!
Khushi: (her frustration was evident) It is enough, Arnavji. I am done with all your reasons but none seem good enough to continue our marriage. So lets go to sleep. You can go back home in the morning.
Arnav: (holds Khushi) You really don't want to stay married to me anymore, Khushi?
Khushi: I will respect your contract.
Arnav: Fine (releases her). Then give me back – right now – everything that you have of mine. I will went back home.
Khushi was shocked to her core – her heart, which was building up hope, suddenly felt heavy. She did not realize the conversation could suddenly turn this way. But why not? He is Arnav Singh Raizada. He has his limits. Khushi does not say anything and tries her best to control the tears that were forcing their way out from her eyes. She moved towards her closet and gathers a few things.
After 2-3 minutes when she goes near Arnav. Arnav was still sitting like before – does not seem to have move even an inch.
Khushi (in a forced stern tone): Here are your things.
Arnav eyes the things that laid in front him on the bed. 300 rupees, the red churis he brought her before the wedding, his mother's bangles, her mangalsutra … Arnav's heart sinks. But he has to get over with this.
Arnav: Are you sure you are not forgetting anything?
Khushi's brain was not really working. She still tries to remember if there is anything of Arnav Singh Raizada, remaining with her. She seems lost. She suddenly remembers something ..
Khushi: Haan. From now on, I am Khushi Kumari Gupta only. I will not use your name anymore.
Arnav: (in a nonchalant voice) Not that. You are forgetting something else.
Khushi looks clueless. Arnav looks deeply into Khushi's eyes and takes some time before he holds her by her shoulder.
Arnav: My heart.
Khushi's eyes widened trying to grasp what Arnav just said. She almost froze in Arnav's arms.
Arnav: If you really don't want to stay married to me Khushi, then I want everything back from you. Even my heart.
Khushi: Arnavji .. (her voice dims)
Arnav: You were the one who told me I was heartless, Khushi. And I finally found my heart in you. I have lived without a heart and I now know what is to live with a heart. I don't want to go back to living without my heart anymore. But if that is what you want, just give it back. I will go straight home and never bother you again.
Khushi keeps staring. She does not want to say anything. She just wants to listen. For the last six months, she has been longing to hear something .. and here it is coming, in a beautiful rhapsody.
Arnav: Khushi, I really don't have any heart. My heart is in you. And if you are not with me, I will go back to being the heartless Arnav Singh Raizada again, the man you loathed, the man you wanted to understand the value of heart. I leave it upon you Khushi .. it is your choice now.
Khushi felt a delirium forming inside her. Has the moment finally come- the moment she has been waiting for since who knows when?
Arnav: And yes .. Khushi. You always wanted to know why it makes any difference. It makes a difference because you are my heart. I did not give you my heart Khushi – I never did, because you already had it with you. Your Devi Maiya did not give me any heart Khushi – instead he gave mine to you. I am incomplete without you.
Khushi did not even feel the tears running down her cheek. All she could feel was Arnav's eyes on hers. She does not know when her arms went around Arnav's waist.
Arnav: Return to me Khushi Singh Raizada. Return to Shanti Bhaban. Because everyone in Shani Bhaban loves you .. even your heartless husband.
Khushi: Take me home, Arnavji. I miss everyone in Shanti Bhaban .. even my heartless husband. Besides .. (whimpers) I am incomplete without you too, Arnavji. How can I live without my brains?
One awkward moment .. they both broke into laughter with tears in their eyes. They have not laughed like this ever – together.
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