Posted:
Are you planning on continuing this story in this thread?
Precap On the wedding day, just before the rites of the phere, Dadiji reveals the truth linking Garima to the dreadful past of the Raizada family. Arnav in an act of rage walks away from the mandap and out of the marriage ceremonies. A heartbroken Khushi is accompanied by Payal back to Gupta House.
Chapter 2 The half truth
Scene 1
The white Tata Safari raced through the wilderness, the speedometer registering speed increasing with the passing time. The man who sat behind the steering wheel looked consumed with rage. His Dadiji's voice still echoed in his head "Garima hi woh kaaran hain ki aaj aapki maa zinda nai hain Arnav" and then he remembered the time he had spent in Gupta House. Everytime he had met Garima; she had been such a loving and caring mother figure. He slammed down hard on the brake and the SUV screeched to a halt. NO! Stop right there! Do not dare to think of her as a mother figure! You had a mother who died because of this woman. He cringed to think that she was going to make her a part of his family who so violently destroyed everything that had been close to him. His eyes bore tears of anger.
[Cut to Gupta House]
Khushi and Payal are standing at the doorway of Gupta House. NK and Aakash have left after bidding them goodbye. Khushi's eyes are red with crying and Payal is holding her by the arm as if she's too weak to stand on her own. They stand outside the door but do not ring the bell.
"Jeeji... jo kuch bhi humne Dadiji se suna, agar woh sach hua to?" Khushi's asks Payal, fear evident in her eyes.
"Bina unse pooche to tum nai jaan paogi na, Khushi?" Payal reasons. She raises her free hand to press the calling bell.
Buaji opens the door and is surprised to see Payal standing with Khushi. Her immediate though is if Payal was thrown out of RM.
"Haye re NandKishore, Payaliya tum yahan?" buaji exclaims. Payal understands the undertone of Buaji's question.
"Buaji, hum bas kuch din Khushi ke saath rehne aaye hain," she reassures. Buaji then turns her attention to Khushi's haggard figure.
"Aye re sanaka devi, aisi bhoot ki mafik kahe dikh rahi ho. Baitho hum tumhar liye garama garam chai leke aavat hain," Buaji says.
"Amma kahan hai Buaji?" Khushi doesn't want to waste a single minute on idle chit chat. She needs answers. Buaji looks at her for a moment, a sad look crossing her face. "Woo apne kamre ma hai."
Khushi walks towards Garima's room without another word. Payal silently follows her. They walk inside the room without knocking. The lights are switched off and Garima is sitting on the floor, her back supported on one of the legs of her bed. Khushi sits down next to her and puts her head in Garima's lap.
"Hum tumhar gunehgaar hain Khusee," Garima mumbled with tears in her eyes. "Humne kabhi socha bhi na tha ki hamar ateet hamari betiyon ke bhavishya pe haavi ho javega."
"Humein kuch samajh nai aa raha hai Amma. Sach kya hai, jhooth kya hai, hum kis baat pe bharosa karein?" confusion mingled with sadness is prevalent in Khushi's hurt voice.
Garima looks at Khushi for a moment before steeling herself. The time had come to spill the beans. Enough had been damaged. At least now was the time to do some repair.
"Jab humne pehli baar tumse Arnav bitwa ka naam suna, humein to janat bhi nai the ki Arnav Singh Raizada asal mein Arnav Singh Mallik hai. Agar humein pata hota to hum apni dono betiyon ko us ghar se koson door rakhte..." Garima whispered. Khushi sat up to look at her mother.
"Mallik...?"
"Arnav bitwa ke pita Rajeev Singh Mallik the. Lucknow mein unka bahut bada karobaar tha. Humar bauji - tumre nanaji - unke yahan accountant the aur woh Mallik saab ke ghar aavat jaat rehte the. Ek baar, bauji humein bhi apne saath Sheesh Mahal le gaye. Haveli ke kamron ki raunak dekhte dekhte anjane mein hum bauji se alag ho gaye aur us badi haveli mein gum ho gaye. Ek aadmi humein dhoondte hue aaye aur humein wapis bauji ke paas le gaye. Woh bahut ache the, humse bahut ache se baat kiye rahe. Unhone humse mazaak mein ye bhi poocha ki humein Sheesh Mahal mein sabse sundar kamra kaun sa laga." Garima pauses with a smile on her face, remembering their conversation. Khushi sits spellbound listening to Garima's tale.
"Hamein nai pata tha ki us din humein dhoondne Rajeev Singh Mallik aaye the. Samay beeta aur woh kisi bahane se ghar aane jane lage. Bauji ko laga account ke kaam se woo aavat hain, par sirf tumri Amma ko hi samajh aaya ki Rajeevji humse milne aate the. Tumhari amma ne to humein is baat se chidana bhi shuru kar diya tha. Humein Rajeevji pasand the par humne unse iss bare mein kabhi kuch nai kaha. Fir ek raat, woh hamare ghar aaye. Unke chehre pe humne pehli baar tanaav dekha. Woh humse akele mein kuch baat karna chahat rahe. Hum unse mandir mein milne gaye. Unhone humein bataya ki woh humein bahut chahte hain. Aur woh humse shaadi karna chahte hain. Hum bahut khus ho gaye kyunki hum bhi unhe man hi man chahte the." Garima paused again and shut her eyes, a pained look crossing her face as if remembering a cruel memory now.
"Humne unse poocha ki unka parivar is bare mein kya kahega. Unhone hamari taraf dekh kar kaha ki woh apni patni aur bachon se sare rishte tod kar aa gaye hain. Aur unhone apni mataji se bhi iss bare mein baat kar li hai ki woh hamare saath hi khush reh sakte hain." Khushi gasped loudly. This was similar to what happened with herself and Shyaam too.
"Jitne din unhone humse baat ki, ek baar bhi nahin bataya ki woh shaadi shuda hain. Par us din jab unhone humse ye kaha ki woh apni patni se saare rishte tod kar hamare paas aaye hain, humein bilkul bhi achha nahin laga. Hum unhe chahte to the Khusee, par hum kabhi ye nai chahte the unka basa basaya parivar toot jaye." Garima looked at Khushi, a pleading look in her eyes as if imploring Khushi to believe her.
"Us raat pehli baar humne unse jhooth kaha ki hum unhe nai chahte the. Aur hum kar bhi ka sakat the. Humne unse ghar laut jane ko kaha. Agar woh apni patni se maafi maang lenge to shayad sab kuch theek ho jaye. Aur unhe wahan mandir mein akela chod kar hum ghar wapis aa gaye." Tears were flowing freely in Garima's eyes now.
"Agle Din Subhadra Devi hamar ghar aai. Unhone hamein bataya ki woh hamare aur Rajeevji ke bare mein sab kuch jaanti thi. Rajeevji ki patni unke chale jane ka gum seh nai pai aur unhone khudkushi kar li. Aur Rajeevji... unhone bhi apni jaan de di kyunki unhe hamar jhooth pe yakeen hui gawa ki hum unhe nahin chahte the."
Garima choked on her own sobs, her body sagging down with the relief of the weight of the truth being lifted off her shoulders. Khushi sat absolutely still as she absorbed the truth. She remembered the night when Arnav had told her that her mother had committed suicide when he was 14. And like putting together the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle, everything now made sense to her.
"Subhadra Devi ne humse kaha ki hamari wajah se unka parivar bikhar gaya. Unhe shayad laga ki humne jo bhi kiya sirf Rajeevji ki daulat haasil karne ke liye kiya. Par ye sach nai hai Khusee! Hum sach mein unhe chahte the, "Garima's voice was shrill.
Khushi patted Garima on the head gently and allowed her to rest her head on Khushi's shoulder. "Amma, aapki galti nahin thi. Aapne wohi kiya jo theek tha. Aapne ek shaadi shuda insaan ke parivar ko tootne se bachane ki koshish ki," Garima continued to cry silently. "Aap chinta na karo Amma. Hum kal hi Arnavji se baat karenge. Unhe poori baat samjhayenge. Sab theek ho jayega Amma."Chapter 2 The half truth
Scene 1
The white Tata Safari raced through the wilderness, the speedometer registering speed increasing with the passing time. The man who sat behind the steering wheel looked consumed with rage. His Dadiji's voice still echoed in his head "Garima is the reason that your mother isn't alive today Arnav" and then he remembered the time he had spent in Gupta House. Everytime he had met Garima; she had been such a loving and caring mother figure. He slammed down hard on the brake and the SUV screeched to a halt. NO! Stop right there! Do not dare to think of her as a mother figure! You had a mother who died because of this woman. He cringed to think that she was going to make her a part of his family who so violently destroyed everything that had been close to him. His eyes bore tears of anger.
[Cut to Gupta House]
Khushi and Payal are standing at the doorway of Gupta House. NK and Aakash have left after bidding them goodbye. Khushi's eyes are red with crying and Payal is holding her by the arm as if she's too weak to stand on her own. They stand outside the door but do not ring the bell.
"Jeeji...whatever we heard from Dadi tonight, what if it turns out to be true?" Khushi's asks Payal, fear evident in her eyes.
"without asking her we can't say for sure, right Khushi?" Payal reasons. She raises her free hand to press the calling bell.
Buaji opens the door and is surprised to see Payal standing with Khushi. Her immediate though is if Payal was thrown out of RM.
"Haye re NandKishore, Payaliya what are you doing here?" buaji exclaims. Payal understands the undertone of Buaji's question.
"Buaji, I've come to stay with Khushi for a few days," she reassures. Buaji then turns her attention to Khushi's haggard figure.
"Aye re sanaka devi, why do you look like a ghost. Come inside and sit down. I'll make some tea for you," Buaji says.
"Buaji, where is Amma?" Khushi doesn't want to waste a single minute on idle chit chat. She needs answers. Buaji looks at her for a moment, a sad look crossing her face. "She's in her room."
Khushi walks towards Garima's room without another word. Payal silently follows her. They walk inside the room without knocking. The lights are switched off and Garima is sitting on the floor, her back supported on one of the legs of her bed. Khushi sits down next to her and puts her head in Garima's lap.
"I'm your culprit Khushi," Garima mumbled with tears in her eyes. "I didn't have the faintest of idea that my past will one day come to haunt my daughters' futures."
"I can't understand anything Amma. what is the truth, what is a lie, whom do I trust?" confusion mingled with sadness is prevalent in Khushi's hurt voice.
Garima looks at Khushi for a moment before steeling herself. The time had come to spill the beans. Enough had been damaged. At least now was the time to do some repair.
"when I first heard you utter Arnav's name, I had no idea that Arnav Singh Raizada was actualy Arnav Singh Mallik. Had I known then, I would have kept both my daughters miles away from that family..." Garima whispered. Khushi sat up to look at her mother.
"Mallik...?"
"Arnav's father was Rajeev Singh Mallik. He had a big business in Lucknow. My father - your grandfather - worked as an accountant for him and he constantly used to go to their house. Once father took me with him to once such visit to Sheesh Mahal. I was lost in the beauty of the Mahal that unknowingly I got separated from father and got lost in the Mahal. A man came searching for me and took me back to my father. He was a nice person, he spoke very politely with me. He even joked with me when he asked me which of the rooms was my favourite." Garima pauses with a smile on her face, remembering their conversation. Khushi sits spellbound listening to Garima's tale.
"I had no clue that that day Rajeev Singh Mallik had come looking for me. Time passed by and he started coming to our house. Father thought he came for work related issues but only your mother understood that he used to come to see me. Your mother even started teasing me about it. I like Rajeevji but never said anything to him. Then one night he came to our home. His face looked very tense. He wanted to speak to me alone. I went to the temple to meet him. He told me that he was in love with me and he wanted to marry me. I was really happy because I had been in love with him too." Garima paused again and shut her eyes, a pained look crossing her face as if remembering a cruel memory now.
"I asked him how would his family react to his decision. He merely looked at me and told me before coming here he broke all his relations with his wife and his children. He had also talked to his mother that he can be happy only with me." Khushi gasped loudly. This was similar to what happened with herself and Shyaam too.
"So many days we met but not once did he mention he was married. But that night when he told me that he had left his wife, I didn't like it at all! I loved him dearly Khushi but I never wanted that his family should break." Garima looked at Khushi, a pleading look in her eyes as if imploring Khushi to believe her.
"That was the first and the last time that I lied to him that I didn't love him. What else could I do? I told him to return back home. If he'd ask for forgiveness, maybe his wife will forgive him and everything will be alright. I told him this and left mandir and came back home," Tears were flowing freely in Garima's eyes now.
"The next morning Subhadra Devi came to our home. She told me that she knew everything about Rajeevji and me. His wife had apparently committed suicide last night after he left Sheesh Mahal. And Rajeevji... he also committed suicide because he realised that I didn't love him and he would never have me in his life."
Garima choked on her own sobs, her body sagging down with the relief of the weight of the truth being lifted off her shoulders. Khushi sat absolutely still as she absorbed the truth. She remembered the night when Arnav had told her that her mother had committed suicide when he was 14. And like putting together the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle, everything now made sense to her.
"Subhadra Devi said to me that because of me her family broke apart. She probably thought I had done all this to get Rajeevji's property, but it is not true Khushi. I did love that man, "Garima's voice was shrill.
Khushi patted Garima on the head gently and allowed her to rest her head on Khushi's shoulder. "Amma, it is not your fault. What you did was right. You tried to prevent a married man's home from breaking up," Garima continued to cry silently. "Don't worry Amma. I'll speak to Arnavji tomorrow itself. I'll explain everything to him. Everything will be alright Amma."This content was originally posted by: mz.brarAre you planning on continuing this story in this thread?
Chapter 2 Scene 2
[Cut to Raizada Mansion]
Lights have been turned off in the house and the only light is coming from the Mandir and the lights by the poolside. The clock in the main lounge reads 02:45 AM. The main door opens and a dark figure slowly walks in, trying not to make too much noise. He walks in purposefully only to pause momentarily near the lounge. Although the room has been stripped of all the decorations, the frame of the Mandap stands like an old artefact. He touches one of the pillars and stares down at the havan kund, it's flames having been put off with soil possibly a long time ago. His wedding mandap - where he had been sitting next to his beautiful bride not very long ago. He touches his forehead to the pillar, trying to rub out the last glance he had stolen at Khushi's face begging him to stay with her. Ah, why was this so difficult.
He suddenly takes a step back as if stung by something vicious before walking away once more, his unsteady steps leading him towards his room. As he opens his room, he is aghast at the scene that greets him. His bed is beautifully decked in rose petals; there are flowers everywhere; this reminds him suddenly of the way he had decorated his room on the night he was to celebrate his suhagraat with Khushi couple of weeks ago. He unbuttons his Sherwani slowly as his eyes take in the decorations of the room. He suddenly walks to his bed in a rush and brushes up all the rose petals from his bed. He rips off the other flowers and decorations in a frenetic movement till finally he stops in exhaustion and sits down on the edge of his bed, his frame sunk low and faint tears building up in his eyes.
"Khushi..." he whispers. Today could have been their union in holy matrimony. Today finally he could say it to the world that Khushi was his, truly, utterly and completely. He would have had Khushi by his side forever and nothing anyone said would have mattered at all. Arnav stares out his room towards the pool and realizes he was missing Khushi. The realization does not help him but just confirms his yearning for her.
"Jab aap gussa hote hain na, to aap apne dimag se sochna bhi band kar dete hain," a line spoken by Khushi floats into Arnav's mind. Oh, how right had she been. He looks around and sees that by his impulsive mindless decision, he had lost the one thing that meant everything to him. "Khushi!"
He wipes off his tears and stands up, his fingers now working furtively on the buttons of his Sherwani. He needed to change quickly. "Mujhe Khushi ke paas abhi jana hoga," he mutters to himself as he changes into the shirt he'd worn in the morning. "She will take me back. Woh bhi mujhse utna hi pyaar karti hai jitna main usse. She has to take me back. Main use maafi maang lunga," he pauses for a moment as his mind starts working in overdrive. Yes this made sense. "Woh mujhe maaf kar degi, main use wapis ghar leke aaunga." And by the time he is fully dressed and opens the door of his room to go out again, he stops dead in his tracks. Standing right outside his door is the imposing figure of Subhadra Devi. He looks at her cautiously.
"Dadi? Aap abhi tak soye nai?" he enquires politely.
"Jab hamara pota itni der raat tak ghar wapis nai aaya, to humein neend kaise aa sakti hai?"she counter questions him as if she waited on him every night before he came home. Arnav is a little miffed.
"Aap so jaiye Dadi," he continues as he puts on a jacket and grabs his SUV's keys.
"Aap kahin ja rahe hain Arnav?" Dadiji continues not budging an inch.
Arnav pauses and considers her. He doesn't want to say anything to her but her insistence to know everything that happened in his house makes him irritated again.
"Haan, main Khushi se milne ja raha hun," he replies. Dadiji arches her eyebrow in surprise.
"Khushi se? Par kyun? Use ghar wapis lane ke liye?" She mocks at him. Arnav looks at her in surprise.
"Dadi, main Khushi se maafi mangne ja raha hun," Arnav replies in a clipped tone. Anger is slowly creeping into his veins again. "Aur haan, agar woh mujhe maaf kar deti hai to use ghar wapis leke bhi aunga."
"Kis haq se Arnav?" Dadi questions him again.
"Woh meri patni - " starts Arnav defiantly.
"Patni thi! Ab nahin hai. Ab aapke aur Khushi ke beech mein koi bhi rishta nahin hai Arnav. Shayad aap bhool gaye par aapki shaadi aaj hote hote toot gai hai," reminds Dadi very bluntly. Arnav cringes at the memory.
"Haan toot gayi thi, par jo kuch bhi hua, use theek kiya ja sakta hai. Khushi iss ghar mein wapis aayegi," Arnav declares with a finality.
"Aur Garima?" Dadi continues relentlessly. "Jo bhi aapne aaj suna, uska koi matlab nai? Sachai ka koi matlab nai?" Arnav pauses in his tracks at the mention of Garima and his anger resurfaces. "Garima hi woh kaaran hain ki aaj aapki maa zinda nai hain Arnav." He stands at the doorway silently. His mind is torn between feelings of anger for Garima and feelings of love for Khushi.
Dadi opens the door of his room again and walks Arnav back inside. She silently glances at the ripped decorations and the flower petals lying on the floor but doesn't comment. She quietly sits on his bed and waits for Arnav to reciprocate. Arnav stands still for a moment that stretches slowly as he eyes his Grandmother warily. Then he walks to her and crumbles on the floor, keeping his head on his grandma's lap.
Dadi sighs in contentment and lets out a small smile.
"Hamari god mein sar rakhe aapko bahut saal ho gaye Arnav," she declares fondly.
"Dadi, aap bilkul sure ho?" Arnav asks, but Dadi knows he is referring to Garima. The pain in his voice tells her how much he wishes this wasn't true. Dadi fondly runs her hand through Arnav's hair.
"Jab 14 saal pehle aapke pitaji ne humein pehli baar Garima ke bare mein bataya tha, humein laga ki woh mazaak kar rahe hain. Unka apna parivar tha; patni aur do pyare bache the, itna bada karobaar tha. Aapki maa ek bahut sundar aur sushil bahu thi. Humne hi aapke pitaji ke liye aapki maa ko dhoondha tha. Anjali bitiya ki to shaadi wali umar ho gai thi. Fir us umar mein, jab aapke pitaji ne ye sab hamse kaha to hum chaunk gaye. Garima ke pita tumhare pitaji ke yahan kaam karte the. Humein samajh aa gaya ki zaroor aapke pitaji ke paison aur jaidaad ke liye Garima ne unhe apne jaal mein fansa liya tha," Arnav slowly raises his head and looks at his Dadi incredulously. Dadi nods in assent as if verifying what she just told him.
"Anjali bitiya ki shaadi ki raat, Garima ne aapke pitaji ko dhamki di ki ya to woh apna parivar chod ke uske paas aa jaye, nahin to woh apni jaan de degi," by now Arnav's senses were alert and his mind started working again. "Aapke pitaji ghabra gaye ki kahin sach much Garima aisa koi kadam na utha le aur us raat woh Garima se milne gaye taki woh unhe bata sake ki woh apne parivar ko kabhi nahin chodenge. Par is sab ke beech, aapki maa ko ye galat fehmi ho gai ki aapke pitaji Garima ke paas chale gaye aur us dukh mein unhone apni jaan le li. Jab aapke pitaji Sheesh Mahal wapis aaye to unhone dekha ki Garima ke iss poore mamle ki wajah se kya anarth ho gaya tha. Humne Garima ke Sheesh Mahal mein ghusne par pabandi laga di. Aapke pitaji aapki maa ko bahut chahte the Arnav. Woh unke bina jeena nahin chahte the aur isiliye unhone bhi aapke maa ke sirhane khud kushi kar li."
Silence descends in the room. Arnav sits completely still trying to absorb his grandmother's monologue.
"Par Dadi, aaj tak mujhe ya Di ko iss bare kabhi kuch bataya kyun nahin?" he enquires.
"Humne bahut koshish ki Arnav beta. Par har baar jab hum aapke ateet ke bare mein baat karna chahte the, aap humse mooh mod lete the," Dadi replies in a sad voice. Arnav doesn't argue because he knows it is true. He had always snubbed his grandmother at any mention of his father.
"To iska matlab hai ki pitaji-"
"Aapke pitaji ke bare mein aap aaj tak jo sochte aaye ho, woh galat hai Arnav bete. Woh aapki maa ko bahut chahte the," explains Dadi patiently. Arnav is lost in thought.
"Garima ne ek bahut hi ganda khel khela tha aapke pitaji ke saath, jiski wajah se aapne apne mata-pita ko kho diya," she continues softly, reiterating on Garima's name so that he doesn't forget the main point. Consequently as expected, Arnav's body goes rigid.
"Par Khushi ka iss sab se kya lena dena Dadi? Woh to Garima ki khud ki beti bhi nahin hai..." Arnav tries to reason with his Dadi. She fondly caresses his cheek.
"Ho sakta hai Arnav. Aap jo keh rahe hain bilkul theek ho sakta hai. Par ye bhi to ho sakta hai ki Garima ne jaan bujh ke apni dono betiyon ko iss ghar mein bahu bana ke bhejne ki koshish ki. Jo kaam 14 saal pehle woh khud na kar saki, woh Garima ab apni betiyon se karwana chahti hai?" Dadi questions Arnav in a way she knows to divert his mind.
Arnav looks shocked at this statement. "Dadi! Ye nahin ho sakta hai! Khushi aur main ek doosre se bahut pyaar karte hain!"
Dadi winces slightly at the mention of Khushi's name but she is good at disguising it. She agains sighs dramatically. "Arnav beta, ye pyaar bahut hi khatarnaak cheej hai. Aapke ateet se kuch seekhiye," when Arnav still doesn't seem to agree her reasoning, she decides to try a different track.
"Theek hai Arnav, hum iss bare mein aapse behas nahin karna chahte hain. Agar aapko wakai mein lagta hai ki Khushi aapki patni banne yogya hai aur unka iss ghar mein aana zaroori hai, to unhe keh dijiye ki woh Garima se sare rishte tod den. Agar woh aisa karne ko tayyar ho jati hain to hamara aashirwaad aap dono ke saath hai." She pats Arnav's head fondly before getting up and leaving.
At the door, she pauses and turns back to see Arnav lost in thought again, seemingly analysing what she had just told him. She smiles to herself. The cards had been dealt, now all she had to see was if the play went as she had planned.
ENGLISH VERSION
[Cut to Raizada Mansion]
Lights have been turned off in the house and the only light is coming from the Mandir and the lights by the poolside. The clock in the main lounge reads 02:45 AM. The main door opens and a dark figure slowly walks in, trying not to make too much noise. He walks in purposefully only to pause momentarily near the lounge. Although the room has been stripped of all the decorations, the frame of the Mandap stands like an old artefact. He touches one of the pillars and stares down at the havan kund, it's flames having been put off with soil possibly a long time ago. His wedding mandap - where he had been sitting next to his beautiful bride not very long ago. He touches his forehead to the pillar, trying to rub out the last glance he had stolen at Khushi's face begging him to stay with her. Ah, why was this so difficult.
He suddenly takes a step back as if stung by something vicious before walking away once more, his unsteady steps leading him towards his room. As he opens his room, he is aghast at the scene that greets him. His bed is beautifully decked in rose petals; there are flowers everywhere; this reminds him suddenly of the way he had decorated his room on the night he was to celebrate his suhagraat with Khushi couple of weeks ago. He unbuttons his Sherwani slowly as his eyes take in the decorations of the room. He suddenly walks to his bed in a rush and brushes up all the rose petals from his bed. He rips off the other flowers and decorations in a frenetic movement till finally he stops in exhaustion and sits down on the edge of his bed, his frame sunk low and faint tears building up in his eyes.
"Khushi..." he whispers. Today could have been their union in holy matrimony. Today finally he could say it to the world that Khushi was his, truly, utterly and completely. He would have had Khushi by his side forever and nothing anyone said would have mattered at all. Arnav stares out his room towards the pool and realizes he was missing Khushi. The realization does not help him but just confirms his yearning for her.
"When you become angry, you stop thinking even with your brain," a line spoken by Khushi floats into Arnav's mind. Oh, how right had she been. He looks around and sees that by his impulsive mindless decision, he had lost the one thing that meant everything to him. "Khushi!"
He wipes off his tears and stands up, his fingers now working furtively on the buttons of his Sherwani. He needed to change quickly. "I have to go to Khushi right now," he mutters to himself as he changes into the shirt he'd worn in the morning. "She will take me back. She also loves me as much as I love her. She has to take me back. I'll apologize to her," he pauses for a moment as his mind starts working in overdrive. Yes this made sense. "She will forgive me. I'll bring her back." And by the time he is fully dressed and opens the door of his room to go out again, he stops dead in his tracks. Standing right outside his door is the imposing figure of Subhadra Devi. He looks at her cautiously.
"Dadi? You haven't slept yet?" he enquires politely.
"When my grandson doesn't return home till so late, how can you expect I'd be off to bed?"she counter questions him as if she waited on him every night before he came home. Arnav is a little miffed.
"Please go to sleep Dadi," he continues as he puts on a jacket and grabs his SUV's keys.
"Are you going somewhere Arnav?" Dadiji continues not budging an inch.
Arnav pauses and considers her. He doesn't want to say anything to her but her insistence to know everything that happened in his house makes him irritated again.
"Yes, I'm going to meet Khushi," he replies. Dadiji arches her eyebrow in surprise.
"To meet Khushi? But why? To bring her back?" She mocks at him. Arnav looks at her in surprise.
"Dadi, I'm going to apologize to Khushi," Arnav replies in a clipped tone. Anger is slowly creeping into his veins again. "And yes, if she can forgive me I'll bring her back as well."
"By what right, Arnav?" Dadi questions him again.
"She's my wife - " starts Arnav defiantly.
"She WAS your wife. Not anymore. Now there is no relation between Khushi and yourself, Arnav. Maybe you are forgetting but your marriage broke today," reminds Dadi very bluntly. Arnav cringes at the memory.
"It may have, but whatever happened can be repaired. Khushi will come back to this house," Arnav declares with a finality.
"What about Garima?" Dadi continues relentlessly. "whatever I told doesn't matter? The truth doesn't matter?" Arnav pauses in his tracks at the mention of Garima and his anger resurfaces. "Garima is the reason that your mother isn't alive today, Arnav." He stands at the doorway silently. His mind is torn between feelings of anger for Garima and feelings of love for Khushi.
Dadi opens the door of his room again and walks Arnav back inside. She silently glances at the ripped decorations and the flower petals lying on the floor but doesn't comment. She quietly sits on his bed and waits for Arnav to reciprocate. Arnav stands still for a moment that stretches slowly as he eyes his Grandmother warily. Then he walks to her and crumbles on the floor, keeping his head on his grandma's lap.
Dadi sighs in contentment and lets out a small smile.
"It's been a long time since you've rested your head in my lap, Arnav," she declares fondly.
"Dadi, are you absolutely sure?" Arnav asks, but Dadi knows he is referring to Garima. The pain in his voice tells her how much he wishes this wasn't true. Dadi fondly runs her hand through Arnav's hair.
"When your father first mentioned Garima 14 years ago, I thought he was pulling my leg. He had a family; he had a wife, two beautiful children; he had a huge business. You mother was a beautiful and dutiful daughter in law. I myself had sought out your mother as a wife for my son. Anjali was almost of marriageable age. Then in that age, when your father mentioned this, I was taken aback. Garima's father was your father's accountant. I understood that instant that it was Garima's ploy to get to your father's riches by trying to lure him," Arnav slowly raises his head and looks at his Dadi incredulously. Dadi nods in assent as if verifying what she just told him.
"On the night of Anjali's marriage, Garima threatened your father that if he didn't leave back his family and come to her, she'll kill herself," by now Arnav's senses were alert and his mind started working again. "Your father got scared that probably Garima would end up doing something to herself, so he decided to go to talk to her and change her mind saying he'll never leave his family. But in all this misunderstanding, your poor mother thought my son has indeed left her and she killed herself. When your father returned to Sheesh Mahal that night he saw what a catastrophe had occurred because of this Garima-fiasco. I restricted Garima to ever enter Sheesh Mahal. Your father loved your mother Arnav. He couldn't live without her and so he too committed suicide by your mother's body."
Silence descends in the room. Arnav sits completely still trying to absorb his grandmother's monologue.
"ButDadi, why didn't anyone tell me or Di anything about this?" he enquires.
"I tried several times Arnav. But everytime I tried to talk to you about your father and about your past, you turned away from me," Dadi replies in a sad voice. Arnav doesn't argue because he knows it is true. He had always snubbed his grandmother at any mention of his father.
"So that means that my father-"
"Whatever you knew of your father is false Arnav. He really did love your mother. He was a good man," explains Dadi patiently. Arnav is lost in thought.
"Garima played such a dirty trick that caused you to lose both your parents Arnav," she continues softly, reiterating on Garima's name so that he doesn't forget the main point. Consequently as expected, Arnav's body goes rigid.
"But what does Khushi have to do with all this? She isn't even Garima's own daughter" Arnav tries to reason with his Dadi. She fondly caresses his cheek.
"Maybe Arnav. Maybe whatever you are saying is right. But this can also be possible that Garima knowingly sent her daughters to his house so that they could become daughter-in-laws here. Her incomplete task of 14 years ago to be completed by her daughters?" Dadi questions Arnav in a way she knows to divert his mind.
Arnav looks shocked at this statement. "Dadi! That is impossible. Khushi and I are in love!"
Dadi winces slightly at the mention of Khushi's name but she is good at disguising it. She agains sighs dramatically. "Arnav beta, this love is a very dangerous thing. Learn something from your past," when Arnav still doesn't seem to agree her reasoning, she decides to try a different track.
"Fine Arnav,I do not wish to argue with you about this. If you really feel that Khushi deserves to be your wife and the daughter in law of this house then tell her she needs to sever all ties with Garima. If Khushi agrees to do so, you both have my blessings," She pats Arnav's head fondly before getting up and leaving.
At the door, she pauses and turns back to see Arnav lost in thought again, seemingly analysing what she had just told him. She smiles to herself. The cards had been dealt, now all she had to see was if the play went as she had planned.
This content was originally posted by: mz.brar
nope, i was just wondering if i had to keep my eyes open for another thread😆
Amazing part 1 for chapter 2!👏
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