My Beloved Jaan (ON HOLD)

Chapter Three

Kinjal and Khushi walked into their home and the workers took their bags. Khushi and Kinjal were about to sit down in the living room, when Karan popped in. He saw Kinjal and went right back to his work, Khushi noticing it all.

"Ammi," Khushi asked as they bother sat down

Kinjal looked at her. "Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Well' do you think... do-you-think-Papa-ever-loved-you," she blurted.

Kinjal just blinked once. "What?"

Khushi sighed. "Do you... do you think Papa ever loved you?"

Kinjal sighed. "Karan used to love a girl back before we were married. Due to a fatal accident, she passed away."

"Ouch."

"Yeah.... After we got married, he told me that the only reason he agreed was because he didn't have any other choice. He lost the one he loved and his parents were forcing him, so he ended up agreeing."

"But... but has he ever told you that he loves you? Or anything like that?"

Kinjal just shook her head. "On oir first night, he told me that Tania, the girl he loved, was the only girl he could ever love - no one else."

"Oh."

"But...."

"But what?"

"One night, he got drunk. ...he came home and let his anger out; saying that he hated his father and my father for ever putting this alliance down. He felt like he was trapped and then..."

"And then what?"

"He asked for pleasure."

"What?!"

Kinjal nodded. "Yeah... but it didn't happen. I was sitting down on the bed and he just ended up crashing and laid down on my lap."

"Oh."

"He apologized the next morning, and that was that."

"Then?"

"Then a couple of weeks later I asked for a baby... and you know the outcome of that."

Khushi laid down on her mother's lap, snuggling in.

"You're one of the best things I've ever gotten in life, not to mention one of the best people in my life."

"Besides me, who else is in the list?"

Kinjal sighed. "Aditya."

Khushi gave her mother a hug. "I love you Mumma."

"I love you too, baby."

The day passed and Khushi had to get back to her dorm. She had dinner before she left, asking Kinjal to feed her, like old times. Kinjal happily accepted and fed her. Karan was busy in a video conference so he wasn't there.

When Khushi arrived to her dorm, she was taken aback by all the posters hanging up on Lavanya's side of the room.

"Damn," was all Khushi could say.

Lavanya was still putting one up, the last one, and looked at Khushi. "Oh hey Chamkili!"

"Chamkili?" Khushi placed her purse down and sat on her bed. "Did you just call me Chamkili?"

"You seem like a Chamkili, so that's your nickname from me to you."

Khushi just chuckled. "Aren't you obsessed with celebs."

Lavanya smiled. "Yup. They're my hubbies!"

"Uh, Ian and Paul are my mine, as well as Zayn, Liam, and Harry."

Lavanya thought for a moment. "Fine, we'll share!"

Khushi laughed. "Oh, and Ashton is mine too!"

"Um... done!"

The two giggled and got to know each other as they got ready for bed.

"My parents are all the way at Rajasthan so visiting them is never going to happen," Lavanya said.

"No prob. But you're definitely gonna come to my place."

"Okay!"

Khushi's phone rang and she saw that it was her mom. She picked it up. "Yes Amma?"

"Khushi, don't forget about Payal's wedding!"

"Oh yeah!" Khushi palmed her forehead. "How could I forget?! I'm such a bad cousin!"

"You're so dramatic dear."

"Oh stop it mom! Anyways, I'll be there."

"What's up," Lavanya asked.

"Khushi, who's that," Kinjal asked.

"Huh, oh, no Mumma," Khushi said. "It's just my roommate."

"Really? Let me see her."

"Mom," Khushi said, slightly embarrassed.

"Oh it'll be quick. I'm going on FaceTime."

And Kinjal did and Khushi showed Lavanya to her.

"Hi sweety. I'm Khushi's mother."

"Oh, hi, I'm Lavanya... aunty. "

"Oh please sweetheart, don't call me that. Call me Kinjal."

"Oh dear god," Khushi muttered.

"Say something sweety?"

Khushi fake a smile. "Of course not."

"Khushi, you should bring Lavanya along!"

"Uh-"

"You both will have loads of fun. I know you will."

Khushi smiled. "You know me. But sure, okay."

"Good," and Kinjal hung up.

"Uh, I don't know if I wanna go," Lavnya said.

"Why not?"

"Cause A: desi party. B: dressing traditional!"

"...so?"

"So?!"

"So...?"

"So... so... I don't know how to dress good-traditional. I suck at it."

"No prob, I'll help."

"Really?"

"Yup," Khushi smiled. "Show me what you got."

"Got what?"

"Your clothes. Traditional ones?"

"Uh..."

"Lemme guess - you don't have any."

"No way! My mom would always try to get some for me but they were ugly!"

"Well I'll help you pick one out."

"Fine. So when's the wedding?"

"This Saturday. The haldi was just last week, Payal's that is. Jeejaji's was the week before."

"Oh cool. What's his name?"

"Akash. My Nana and his Dada are good friends and created the alliance."

"Your Nana? Damn."

"No joke. Anyways, in the meantime, we should worry about college stuff. Hmm?"

"Agreed."

And eventually, both girls went to sleep