PHIR SE

The past

Chapter 34

The Past

Arnav and Khushi came out of the lift holding Aashi's hand.

"We had so much fun! ASR you are so cute! You should meet my friends, they will love you. You will come to play with me again?" Aashi asked making wide eyes.

Arnav bend down to Aashi's height and kissed her nose.
"Of course, Aashi!"

"Chalo Aashi, Ma must have come home by now. La too must be waiting for you." she said holding Aashi's hand.

Hearing La's name, Aashi got super excited. She quickly gave ASR a kiss on his cheek and bid him good bye, running towards her apartment.

As they saw Aashi going away, they both smiled to each other and arnav turned saying goodbye.

"Arnav, wait!" Khushi put a hand on his shoulder.

Arnav turned to her. "Yes?"

"Uh I realized I was very rude today. I didn't mean to...I wanted to ... wanted to..."she fiddled with her saree pallu.

" Khushi, I hope you forgive me and forget all that happened. I know this is difficult but you know you need to stop letting this all strangle you day by day. I am sorry for today too! In fact I am sorry for always. I need to try a lot to improvise myself and I will for you! "Arnav said solemnly looking into Khushi's eyes.

Khushi removed Arnav's coat from her shoulders and handed it back to him.

"I don't know, Arnav! You might improvise yourself but only god knows when I shall stop strangling myself... Nevertheless, thanks for spending your precious time with me and Aashi today. She looked really happy."

"I saw that. She is very beautiful and cute just like you were in childhood except that her hair is not like yours."

Khushi gave a silent goodbye and walked away to her apartment .

"If only I could get back that Khushi who would not hesitate to smile without a reason?" Arnav sighed and went to his apartment.

***************

" ASR is sooooooooooooo good, sooooooooo handsome!" Aashi said animatedly. She had really liked Arnav.
"You know he first bought me two ice creams, then he went to play in game zone with me and then he bought red roses for me! Maa, he is my favourite!"

" Aashi, you shouldn't call any uncle by his name! He is elder to you, respect him. Where did you meet ASR?" Anjali asked her in a concerned tone.

"Maa, mum had brought him with her to pick me up from school." Aashi said sitting on Anjali's lap.  "And he only told me to call him ASR not uncle because he doesn't look like an uncle na. I think I should marry him. Beautiful Aashi, handsome ASR, perfect couple!"

Anjali giggled at Aashi's cute idea. She remembered how sad Khushi looked when she came home. She decided to go and talk to her about ASR.

"Aashi beta, go watch TV for some time then I will give you dinner."

Aashi nodded and hopped her way towards the living room.

*********************

"This is sounding like a recollecting your past episode, Khushi! I hope you are fine. How will you handle ASR's presence now with your feelings bubbling over?" Lavanya asked concernedly putting her hand over Khushi's shoulder.

"What happened?" Anjali asked entering the room. "And why did you take ASR to pick Aashi? I thought someone said, it's only professional?"

"I didn't take him there! He came himself behind me." Khuhsi said.

"Why?"Anjali looked at her in confusion.

"Haw, is he stalking you? Tell me Khushi? I will break his face!" Lavanya pretended to punch.

"No, he wasn't stalking me. He just wanted to apologize to me." Khushi thought about Arnav sympathetically.

"Why? For what happened years ago? What's the use of apologizing now? This is like I will commit a murder now and then say sorry later!" Lavanya scoffed.

"He made his own assumption that Aashi was his daughter and then blamed me that I hid our child from him, like it typically happens in novels, movies , serials..." Khushi sighed.

" What kind of asshole is he? How can he blame you like that?" Lavanya made a face.

"I think he thinks about you a lot, that's why he..." Anjali thoughtfully said. " He might have come up to this conclusion after lots of thought."

" Yes, Anjali. I think so too. He was very disturbed to think that I might have hid some things from him." Khushi sighed.
"Well, leave this. I wanted to talk to you about something. Shyam jha was at the office today."

" What that *******! What was he doing there?" Lavanya ftowned.

"Shyam! Shyam is here! Khushi Aashi is fine, right? He didn't do anything to her, right? Does he know we are here? I don't want him to see Aashi ever. He hates her! Tell me khushi!" Anjali shrieked.

"No, Anjali. He didn't come near Aashi. In fact I don't even think that he knows that you and Aashi are here. He is here because going to rent the set to the company.

He was as disgusting as ever. That bloody pervert! He said it would have been better if I would have married him beacause then I wouldn't have got divorced..." Khushi said sadly.

"I will beat the shit out of him! Are you fine, Anjali? Don't be disturbed by his nasty presence."

"Khushi, Lavanya, I want to tell you guys something. As long as he is away from Aashi, he doesn't matter to me even the slightest bit. For your own safety, stay away from him, Khushi. He is the worst thing in this world. I wish I had never married him against my parents' will.

He is a closed chapter of my life now. He means nothing to me. In life, you need to forget some things for your own sanity."

" What do you mean?" Khushi looked at Anjali in confusion.

"All the bad memories I have were being a barrier against me leading a happy life with Aashi. It was very difficult to forget all those awful tortures, abortions and what not! This was so more disgusting because there was a time that I had been so stupid to like him. But then I remembered that I have to live my life ahead and these memories were strangling me.

I decided to forget everything because I want a happy life." Anjali smiled.

" Anjali! Are you indirectly trying to imply that I should forget all that happened between me and Arnav?" Khushi widened her eyes.

" That is only if if you want a peaceful life, Khushi." Lavanya added.

" Not only forget, Khushi. Forgive, Arnav. Free yourself and himself from all the guilt. Save yourself from this mental torture. He apologized, right?" Anjali held Khushi's hand.

"Forgive him? He broke my trust! He played with my heart! He planned a whole scheme of taking revenge from me without even knowing the whole truth!" Tears brimmed in Khushi's eyes.

"If Shyam would ask for my forgiveness now, I would forgive him. Only because I want peace. Do it for your own mental sanity.

In your case, don't forget ASR  cares for you. He saved you from that witch Indrani's torment, protected you from becoming another victim to Shyam and his mother and provided treatment to your father. He did all this only for you!

Aashi told me how he spent time with both of you. Do you think he is doing this just to say a simple sorry? No Khushi! He repents his mistake. Maybe, he wishes a future with you and that's why he got the thought of a child.

Think about it.

Don't kick out your fate when it at last, is offering you something good!" Anjali patted Khushi's back. Khushi looked towards the walls thoughtfully.

Did Arnav ever want a future with me?