This is my first OS and I hope you like it😊. I have tried to keep Arnav Singh Raizada as real(????) as possible...a hard man who has fallen in love.
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The doorbell rang and Khushi looked at the kitchen clock in surprise.
"Who is at the door at this time of the day???" she mutters to herself as she wipes her hands on a towel before walking across the room to open the front door.
The doorbell peels insistently yet again and Khushi opens the door with a frown.
She starts in surprise and jumps out of the way of an impatient Arnav who stalks past her into the house.
Where is Hari-prakash??? Arnav snaps in annoyance.
"I gave HP and OP the afternoon off" says Khushi absently, surprised at finding Arnav home almost 3 hours earlier than usual.
Arnav's expression undergoes a lightening transformation. "For once, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada you made the right decision" he smiles approvingly, removing his tie in one smooth motion.
Khushi scowled at his patronising tone but at the same time was entranced. Her heart started the familiar dhak-dhak routine yet again. According to her dil, Arnav Singh Raizada was the most attractive man on earth when he smiled. Ofcourse he almost never smiled but when he did, it was like a match which lit the fire inside her. Something about his expressions & actions made her nervous.
She rushed into speech "There is nobody at home. Everybody has gone to the temple."
He comes close behind her and whispers into her ear "I know, Di called me earlier and told me about it."
She stepped back in nervousness and promptly banged into him. She stammered "You look tired, why don't you go and change I'll get coffee"
Almost as if taking pity on her state of confusion he backed off and said in a normal tone "Yeah we had a meeting which went on for hours. I missed lunch, can you serve some; I'll be down in 5 minutes."
Khushi was still bringing the dishes to the dining table when Arnav came back looking fresh and smelling good. He wore his favourite black jeans and a coffee brown V necked t-shirt. His hair which he had combed back carelessly was still wet.
He pulled out a chair and sat down and watched Khushi as she went about arranging everything according to her satisfaction. The silence was unnerving for Khushi who was frantically searching her mind for something, anything to say.
"I gave HP & OP the afternoon off" she blurted out and immediately wanted to kick herself.
"I know, you already told me" he said softly and reached out to still her hand which was stirring a dish needlessly.
With his other hand he pulled out a chair and requested "Sit with me Khushi while I eat".
Khushi's heart which had already started a steady drumming now took the form of a dance.
She acquiesced quietly and watched him eat covertly. Unlike her who relished food, Arnav barely noticed what he ate. For him food was just something which had to be taken to sustain life; she shook her head almost regretfully at yet another trait which marked a world of difference between their outlook on life.
Arnav who was watching her asked concerned "Did Dadi give you a hard time today???"
Khushi blinked and looked at him puzzled "Kyaa..."and then understanding "No, no'..she was busy with pooja preparations and I...I made sure I didn't get in her way".
Arnav ached to see the despair in Khushi's eyes. He had no clue how to ease her fears. He held out a bite of what he was eating and Khushi's mouth opened automatically to accept the offering. Arnav smothered a smile as Khushi looked comically surprised at her automatic acceptance. He took his hand back to his mouth and lightly sucked his fingers. Her eyes met his in startled reaction and dropped; a blush crawled up her neck and threatened to invade her face. Her hand shot out wildly searching for water when she found a glass of water being extended to her. She drank deeply.
Arnav placed the glass back on the table and chose his words carefully. "Dadi has seen more tragedies in her life than anybody else. She hides them all under a tough exterior and never lets anybody know how much she hurts inside. I'm her favourite grandson and I know she is pained by the fact that I got married without telling her. But that doesn't give her any right to take her anger out on you..."
Khushi reached across to place her hand on his. "Arnavji you don't have to explain anything. I can imagine how disappointed Dadi must be with our actions. It's okay."
"No, Khushi, it's not ok. Even as I ask you to display some patience with her over-bearing nature I will not keep quiet. You are my wife and I will not allow Dadi or 'anybody' to treat you without respect. It's bad enough that you had to bear the nonsense I dished out this past year" said Arnav tightly, in anger directed at himself. Unknowingly his hand was clenching tightly under Khushi's clasp. Khushi tightened her hold on his hand and then slowly opened his hand out to lace her fingers between his.
"Arnavji'.." started Khushi hesitatingly. "It's ok, she is our elder and right now very angry with our actions. Honestly I don't take all these things to heart. And anyways it's only for another 9 days and then I'll be gone''."
Arnav wrenched his hand from Khushi's and stood up abruptly. He kicked the chair he sat on aside and dragged Khushi up by her arm. His eyes burned in fury and his mouth gritted with supressed emotions.
Khushi trembled under his grasp but met his eyes with a calm she was far from feeling. Something in her gaze must have spoken to him because he then abruptly turned & strode out of the room. Khushi stood there shivering and rubbing her arm.
He came back into the room wiping his hands on a towel and Khushi watched him in hopelessness. He walked up to her, reached out to examine the arm he bruised with his man-handling. He sighed in self-recrimination and whispered "I'm sorry Khushi. I don't know why I end up hurting you when all I want to do is to give you all the happiness in this world."
Arnav then wrapped his arms around her and held her against his heart. "9 days or 90 years, I will never let you go away from me" he said with intensity. Khushi closed her eyes and leaned against him, savouring the moment. Her life was going to be like an empty shell after she left him; she needed every memory she could get.
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Sooo howz it???? To be honest I had planned a romantic evening for them alone at home. But the issues between them wouldn't let me do it and the story took its own course.
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