*None of my works can be copied without my explicit written permission. It is not polite to steal ideas*
Writer's Note: Based on the latest promos.. What started as a two shot soon became a short story LOL! This story is dedicated to my dearest KBTR because she thinks Khushi should stop being a doormat anymore 😊
EDIT: The piece of beautiful poetry is written by GodHelpUs (naam pe mat jao 😛).
Pretext: Dadi tells Arnav about Garima's truth. Arnav is too shocked to react and takes his own time to make up his mind. In the meantime, Garima tells Khushi the truth too. Khushi is equally shocked. Everything is at a standstill at the venue.
Will Arnav make a decision? Will he marry Khushi?
SAAT PHERE
Fairylights were everywhere. Red, green, blue, yellow... The colours meshed with the silver and gold sheets dangling lazily from the window panes. Alternate strands of flowers and lights draped the pillars. The entrance was decorated with beautiful bunch of exotic flowers, a bed of rose petals serving as a red carpet for the guests. Raizada House was looking stunningly beautiful although not as beautiful as the bride of the evening, dressed in an exquisite red and golden lehenga, standing in the centre of the hall.
Khushi is breathing. Yes, her mind can process that. However, what she can't register was the buzz of the people around her, what she can't register were the colours of the fairylights blinking at her, what she can't register when the pandit murmured about the auspicious time slipping away, what she can't register is how long had she been standing there, alone, clutching a garland of flowers that she was supposed to put around Arnav's neck as his brothers playfully lifted him up.
What was going on in her mind had nothing to do with the wedding that was to take place. Her mother's tearful confession was ringing in her ears. "Khushi, I am the woman who had the affair with Arnav's father. But I didn't know he was married. I had no idea Khushi! He never told me. I broke off all ties with him when I found out. I swear to you! I'm so sorry Khushi! I'm really so very sorry!" She had walked back from the antechamber reeling in shock. Everyone had noticed her blank expressionless eyes staring right ahead of her. No amount of inquisition or requests yielded any information from either the mother or the daughter. Payal was starting to feel alarmed seeing her sister standing frozen.
The pandit again motions urgently to Anjali about the auspicious mahurat passing by. Anjali immediately gets into action and stars asking around if anyone had seen Arnav. Khushi is absolutely still. Somebody says he went to the poolside. Khushi is absolutely still. Somebody says he wasn't picking up his phone. Khushi is absolutely still. Finally someone says Dadi had taken him upstairs to her room to speak to him. Khushi snaps out of her reverie and looks around. She doesn't care who said it but she immediately knows it to be true. Dadi had taken Arnav to tell him what Garima had told her. And he wasn't coming down. He wasn't coming to marry her. He wasn't coming...
Khushi slowly walks towards the mandap. Flashes of memory come back to her - Arnav's insistence on remarrying her - she slowly bows and touches the upright stage of the mandap with the tip of her fingers - Arnav interrupting her Shagun - she brings the tips of her fingers to her head, asking Devi Maiyya for forgiveness - Arnav putting the ring on her finger - "I'm disrespecting you and I'm truly very sorry for doing this Devi Maiyaa" - the tragedy on her Mehndi day, her never dying support for him - she keeps the garland on the wooden seat meant for him - his arms around her on their Haldi - she takes off the Raizada Kangan from her left hand - his revelations at his mother's garden - she takes off the second kangan from her right hand - last night they spent in the farmhouse where she finally gave him herself, body mind and soul...
The people all around are silently watching her apart from three ladies who have surrounded themselves around Khushi. But Anjali, Payal and Naniji's exclamations are falling on deaf ears. Khushi straightens up, her body absolutely rigid. Suddenly, they hear footsteps behind them. Dadi walks to the mandap and wordlessly picks up the kangans that Khushi had deposited respectfully near the havan kund. With a maddening look of triumph, Subhadra Devi stands back. Hushed conversations reeking of scandals break the deafening silence. The Raizada family members are standing transfixed, unable to comprehend the happenings around them. Dadi is ignoring all questions, but is just watching Khushi, her narrow eyes scrutinising her next move. But Khushi understands perfectly well. It wasn't real... Nothing was real... He wasn't coming to marry her... He wasn't coming...
She folds her hands as if in prayer, and bows her head each to Naniji, Mamiji, Anjali; a silent plea not to come after her. Then as abruptly as she had shed the symbols of her impending marriage, she turns around and slowly walks away. NK and Aakash immediately rush to her side, asking her what was wrong, imploring her to stop. "Jaane do use!" Dadi's harsh blunt words echo around them. Khushi pauses for a moment, not turning around to look at the people she was leaving behind and then continues to walk out. Only when she steps out of the main gate do her eyes finally betray her and the tears start flowing...
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