ArShi FF - It Meant something (completed)

Part 6

Khushi looked at the wall clock, which indicated it was 10 pm. Arnav was still not back. After she told him about her son being alive and almost begged him to help her find her firstborn, Arnav had left from there. And now 4 hours since then he still wasn't back. Adding to her unease, was a heavy rainfall outside along with lightening and khushi was going mad with worry.

"Please Arnav, please ghar aa jaiye (come back home)." she prayed while trying to dial his phone again, but there was poor network.

This was the first time Arnav had left like this in their 6 years of marriage. He had never ever left her alone, especially in evenings like these. He knew she feared thunderstorms, and he would always ensure that he held her in his comforting arms as a heavy downpour tried its best to scare her! Even when she had never told him about it, he had understood. and now when she needed him the most, he was not there...she closed her eyes trying to stop her tears.

--*--

Arnav was standing in his office, rather pacing in his cabin. The storm outside almost competing a storm in his own heart at the moment. The truth was too much to bear.

'her son is alive!'

'a living remembrance of her past is there'

'She wants to search for her son and take care of him'

'Where would that leave him and his daughters?'

His thoughts made him go mad with doubts on their future, their new future to be precise.

In all his insecurities, he totally forgot that the 'daughters' he was talking about were hers too! She was the one who had carried them, went through a difficult labor giving birth to them, had devoted her days and nights in taking care of them, loving them and no one better than him knew he and 'his' daughters were her entire world!

Then why he couldn't accept that her world could also accommodate another person, who was essentially her own part? Why was he feeling so threatened, so insecure by a child who was already so unfortunate that he was living a life of an orphan despite having his mother alive! He had known she had a child before marrying him, she had herself told him all those years ago but like her, he too thought it was no more. And hadn't he boasted he would have still married her even if the baby was alive? then why was it making so much difference now?

He had no answers....

--*--

When he parked his car in the huge parking garage that his mansion flaunted, rain had already subsided. It was close to midnight and his tired heart had started yearning to be in her arms, see her face, and be near his solace, his khushi. He didn't want to think anything else for now, didn't want to delve into any conversations left halfway, any shocking truths waiting for his acknowledgement, he just wanted to go back to his wife and assume life was just as it was before this evening.

He hadn't had his dinner, and he feared probably khushi didn't either. 2 covered plates on dining table almost confirmed his worry. He had left her starving! Great!

Stepping in their bedroom, a sight of Khushi sleeping in an awkward seating position near the foot of their kids' bed, broke his heart. His second mistake of the day! It looked like he was adamant of breaking his own vows of always taking care of her, always being there for her. Was this why he went against his family to marry her? His nani and his Di had been apprehensive of this alliance, when he told them he wanted to marry a girl from a middle class, modest family, they had expressed their doubts but he stayed adamant to marry her as long as khushi also agreed. And she did. And together they had created a beautiful world, which today he had so easily left behind because he could not handle one truth? 

He felt his vision blur with tears. With carefully slow steps, he walked towards her sleeping form, and bent to her level, lightly touching her shoulder,

"khushi" he whispered in lowest tone just enough to wake her but not their kids

She didn't wake up at first call so he repeated his action, this time lightly shaking her shoulder. That woke her up. She immediately came to her feet, almost stumbling and he steadied her...

"Arnav, aap, you're home! are you ok? What time is it? Kab aaye aap?" she bombarded him with questions, half relieved, half apprehensive of his mood

"shh. Let's go to kitchen, bacche uth jayenge. And I know you haven't had dinner, so let's eat." he led her out of their bedroom.

Once they were downstairs, Khushi went ahead to warm up their food while Arnav started arranging other cutlery and filled their water tumblers. For the first time since their marriage, there was a stilly silence between them.

Finally after khushi had served food for both of them, and the silence had unbearable, she decided to break the ice

"Arnav wo-"

"no khushi, please. Abhi nahi. I know we need to talk about it and we will but please give me some time. This is just so sudden for me.... I need to wrap my head around it. but trust me, I will try my best. Just give me some time" he said in a go. He knew he was being a jerk. He was asking for time not specifying if its a day, a month or years but he didnt have any other answer.

"hum samajhte hain(I understand). Hum bass ye kehna chahte the ki aap hamare liye bohot maayne rakhte hain (you are very important to me) and I can't lose you. When you left like that, i-" khushi choked feeling emotional, confessing how scared she was when he left like that and arnav felt like kicking himself for making her feel miserable...

"shh. I am sorry, so sorry, jaan, I know I shouldn't have done that. I behaved on impulse. please forgive me?" he asked in a softest voice and wiped her wet cheeks. 

She smiled through her tears and nodded. If he was there with her, she would be fine....at least she hoped because a small yet quite strong voice in her head was telling her she was once again failing as her son's mother! She had lost yet another day and still no efforts to look for him...and she hoped for a better tomorrow

At the same time, Arnav's mind was playing tricks on him, reminding him there was someone who was probably just as important for her and will soon be at their doorsteps. Was he ready to really fulfil his promise of being with her through all this?

--*--

Precap: "You told him? daamdji(arnav) knows about your child?" a shocked shashi gupta asked his daughter, Khushi.

"Haan babuji. of course he knows, I told him before we married. Do you really think I would be able to stay happily married to him all these years keeping that secret from him?"

--*--

A/N – I am so thankful for all the response I am getting on this story so far. It's an emotional ride of course and that's why all the more difficult for me to handle(write). Thanks for your support and pls keep it up.

Regarding Arnav, a lot of you thought he would accept or should accept roshan easily and honestly I would think so too. But he would be a bit too ideal for it to happen. Arnav loves khushi but he will likely struggle accepting roshan especially when his family also starts asking questions...