Not even for Rena
Arnav came in with Rena after their day out at 6. The gift that Rena had given Arnav was visible. It was some sort of scrap book. Mausi and Rena had bought it together yesterday when Khushi was in office, and Rena had refused to show it to her.
Rena raced to her room to change, while Arnav waved the gift in front of her.
"Do you know what our daughter gave to me Khushi?" Arnav asked.
"No," Khushi replied.
He put down the book on the table and gestured towards it.
"Go on take a look." Arnav said.
As Khushi opened the scrapbook, the first picture was of the three of them, Rena, Khushi and mausi. She turned the page over and found a paper cutting from her own scrapbook that she had kept of Arnav over the years. She had stored every picture of his ever been featured in papers and magazines. It was the picture of him taking the businessman of the year award 2014.
Khushi was so shocked that she forgot Arnav was looking at it from over her shoulder, but something he was saying caught her attention. As she turned towards the page 3, she felt like she was on the 404 error page of her life. There was recent picture of her and a picture of Arnav; in between the pictures was a symbol of +'.
Khushi was immobile with shock until Arnav touched her shoulder. Beside it being a first touch after long hibernation, it was the first time had touched her since they met again. It jolted her senses. When Arnav turned her around and gazed into her eyes, she felt the familiar tingling that signalled desire. She had not felt it for a long-long time. Before Khushi could process the thought, Arnav released her. Still in daze Khushi watched Arnav. He looked good. The years have been kind to him. At 21, he was still a boy but now nine years later, he was all man, from his wavy hairs to the tip of his boots. As Khushi's looked at his moving lips, she sensed he was speaking something. The next second Arnav asked, "Khushi are you listening?"
"Yes, I am Arnav." Khushi replied defensively.
"Then tell me what I was saying." Arnav demanded.
"I don't have to keep notes." Khushi said tetchily.
"Yes, you do when it concerns our daughter." Arnav said.
"What?" Khushi asked confused.
"Do you know what Rena gave to me as gift?" Arnav asked.
"It's a scrapbook." Khushi said.
"Do you know what she called it?" Arnav asked.
"No, but I bet you are going to tell me." Khushi replied.
"Family book. She gave me a family book." Arnav said.
"Do you know what we talked about?" Arnav asked.
"Is it a rhetorical question or am I supposed to answer?" Khushi asked. She was still dealing with family book'. Rena family book included a picture of her and Arnav together.
"She mentioned how all her friends have both mommies and daddies and they were their daddies little princesses. How their mommy and daddy took them to picnic, shopping and zoo. How they both came to parents teachers meeting." Arnav said.
Khushi was silent; she didn't know what to say.
"We can go to next meeting together." Khushi said offering an olive branch.
"I want more than that, Khushi." Arnav said.
"Picnics, zoo we can do that too." Khushi said.
"More Khushi" Arnav said in a tone that threatened bad things.
"Okay if you are being like that we can take her shopping together too. As a matter of fact, it will be better if we shopped together. I don't want you to spoil her." Khushi added.
"More Khushi" Arnav said.
"What more do you want Arnav? You can take her to Delhi on odd weekends and during holidays." Khushi said.
"I will." Arnav said.
Relieved Khushi turned to the kitchen and asked Arnav, "Would you like something to drink?"
"Coffee, thank you," Arnav said. "But I have not finished." Arnav continued ominously. "Kids live with their mommies and daddies."
"We can do that, we can discuss about it." Khushi said.
"Together Khushi" Arnav said.
"What do you mean Arnav?" Khushi asked.
"Rena will live with both of us together, Khushi." Arnav said.
"But how is that possible? You live in Delhi and I live in Mumbai." Khushi asked perplexed.
"We will get married, Khushi." Arnav said.
Khushi was so shocked, she dropped the hot coffee on her hand, "Ahhh" Khushi shrieked, whether from the pain or from the shock even she wasn't sure.
Arnav took the pan from her and put it down. He washed Khushi's hand under the tap, opened the fridge and put ice on the burns.
When Khushi had recovered she took the ice box from Arnav and freed her hand.
"I was sure I could do anything for my daughter." Khushi said tonelessly. "If I have to jump in a well for her I would do it. But I would not marry you again. Once was more than enough. I have heard people are punished for their sins in next life. But I was punished in this life itself, I cannot go through that again, not even for Rena."
Rena came running down the stairs. She had changed into a cute bunny nightdress. Her bunny sleepers peeped out from under the skirt.
"Ma, you got hurt, again." Rena said worried.
"It's nothing Rena." Khushi said soothingly. "Come kiss it better."
Rena kissed Khushi's injured hand and applied ice to it.
"Mommy, be careful. When will it be my turn to get kissed if you keep getting hurt?" Rena asked.
Khushi kissed Rena on her forehead and hugged her.
"Now, papa is here; he will take care of us both. He said so." Rena continued.
Khushi though disturbed by Rena's words kept caressing her head.
"Go to sleep baby. Mama will be right up and then we will read a story." Khushi said.
"I want a story from Papa." Rena demanded.
"Papa has to go, baby." Khushi was saying, but Arnav interrupted. "I can tell my princess a story. I will always have time for her." There was something in his eyes that was telling Khushi not to mess with him.
Arnav took Rena upstairs and put her to bed. When he came back, Khushi was asleep on the couch. One hand was tucked under her head and the other hand was falling listlessly to the ground. Arnav brought a pillow from the room, placed it under her head and tucked the hands safely by her side.
He looked at her still sleeping and said, "When you take a leap from reality you jump really high. But I will keep you grounded."
With one last look at her, he locked the door and left.
Thank you so much for the wonderful replies. I know everybody is confused. This is like an M&B, heroines gets tough either before or after marriage. For Khushi it would be after. Right now for two more chapters Arnav is gonna sweep the carpet.
Anvha
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