KHUSHI
I stood in one place staring at the couple that was getting married, I usually made sure to stay till the end of the wedding every time I planned one or leave someone to look over things just in case something was to be changed or anything else came up.
I just loved weddings, and I think that's what really inspired me to become a wedding planner, my love for weddings and all the functions related to it, they were all happy moments and it was always such fun, everyone had their own unique things they wanted for their weddings and it was always so interesting to plan and watch it come to life.
It was because of a wedding that Arnav and I actually met, if I never had the chance to plan his brother's wedding, maybe we wouldn't have ever met. Every time I think about those times, it makes me smile stupidly, the both of us were so into each other and it was so obvious, I couldn't believe how far we had come.
Since I started planning weddings, I had always dreamt of planning my own wedding and sometimes I would just wonder how it would be or who it would be with, but since I met Arnav, I had always imagined it to be with him, and I really hoped that someday we were going to get to that point where we both would want to get married but now the thought of it kind of scared me too.
Before Sonakshi's return, I wasn't really scared about it or anything, but breaking up with Arnav kind of changed so much, it was just so hard to make it go back to the way it was, where we both were so crazy for each other, and I just blindly believed he wouldn't hurt me.
I did believe that right now too, but there was a part of me that was really scared, scared that he was going to leave again, and I didn't want to feel that way, I didn't want to keep doubting it or think that way about him, for our relationship to work I had to trust him, which I did but then this fear wouldn't go away no matter how hard I tried, maybe my therapy sessions with Neel were going to help.
I heard my phone beep so I pulled it out of my bag and checked on the message I had received, it was from Arnav.
"Hey babe... how are you feeling today?" I read the text and didn't really know what to reply so I just kept on staring at the screen wondering what I should reply to it.
It had been three weeks since Arnav and I went to see Neel, and since then he's made sure to text me the same thing every day, to check on me, to make sure I was feeling okay and I really liked how he was being so considerate and he would even show up at my place most evenings to check on me, he was putting so much efforts and I really wished that maybe all of that would help me see things clearer, it would help me stop being scared of him leaving.
"I'm okay... how are you?" I typed back a text, I really dint want to talk about how I was feeling because it was like I was feeling the same thing every day and I didn't want to complain about the same thing to him every day, all I wanted was to stop feeling that way.
"Okay too. I'll see you in the evening today?"
"Not sure, I'm at a wedding, might get home late."
"It's okay, I'll wait."
I put my phone back in my purse and looked back towards the altar wondering if these feelings were ever going to go away or they were going to ruin my life.
*****
"Khushi?" I heard a lady's voice as I felt a tap at the back of my shoulder, I turned around immediately and looked at her...
"Asha?" I looked at her in surprise, I hadn't seen her anywhere in the wedding the whole day and suddenly she was here? Why was she here?
"I thought it was you... how have you been? I haven't seen you for ages." She asked with a huge smile on her face, it seemed like she was genuinely happy to see me here.
"Just busy with work..." I shrugged.
"Is everything okay between you and Arnav now?" She asked.
I didn't know what to say to her, was she so oblivious? Was she spying? Or did she genuinely care? It was hard to tell.
"I'm sorry, maybe it's too personal, but I really hope you both would work things out. When Barkha and I set you two up it was because of what we saw, the love you two had for each other, it was after so long I could see Arnav look at someone else like that apart from Sonakshi.
I am so sorry if Sonakshi or I had anything to do with whatever it was that affected you two, but I really do hope you two would find a way to work it out... you two were meant to be together." She said.
"Maybe we weren't, maybe Sonakshi and Arnav were meant to be together and I was someone that came in between them." I said. I stared at her trying to see how she would react, I mean no one knew that Arnav and I were back together apart from the both of us and Manvi and NK, so I just wanted to see if she really cared about the both of us or she was just fishing for some information for her daughter.
Usually I wouldn't be this way, but after everything that happened it was so hard to trust anyone, it was hard to know who was genuine and who wasn't.
"Why would you say that? I mean I am more than happy to have my daughter back, it's like a miracle to me, I love her so much and it's because I love her so much that I know she and Arnav could never be happy together.
Yes Arnav loved her, but he moved on from her and he loves you, he might not know it, he might have not said that to you but I know him since he was a child Khushi, and I know what I saw, I know how he used to look at you, so there is no way I would want him and Sonakshi to be together when he's in love with you.
Sonakshi is my daughter but I've never considered Arnav any less than my son and all I want is happiness for the both of them, for Arnav it's with you, for Sonakshi it would be with someone else or just finding some other purpose with her life." Asha said.
I just stared at her blankly, after what she said I really dint have anything to say in return, maybe whatever she was saying was true, maybe she did care about Arnav and Sonakshi in the same way and if she was genuine about that then it was good, but like I said I just couldn't trust anyone so easily anymore.
"Let's see what destiny has planned for us then. If we were meant to be together maybe, we'll find a way back to each other. But don't you think maybe your daughter still loves him?"
"Maybe she does, but one sided love doesn't really help anyone does it? Anyway it was nice to see you again and I really do hope you and Arnav would find a way back to each other, you both were so happy together."
I just nodded silently, we both stood there looking at each other awkwardly until she excused herself and walked away.
*****
I got home at around 8 at night, when I walked in I found Arnav seated on the sofa watching something on TV. He smiled and came to hug me as soon as I walked in and I held on to him, it was as if this was all I needed, coming home to a tight hug from him.
"You look tired. How about you freshen up and I'll get the table ready, I made dinner." He smiled at me.
"You cooked?" I looked at him in surprise.
"Yeah, Manvi went on a date with NK so I figured you'll come home hungry and tired so I decided to cook, come on now hurry up, I'll warm up the food meanwhile."
"Okay." I nodded as I headed to my room to take a shower, I was really tired actually and if Arnav hadn't cooked, I would have just slept without eating as I didn't have the energy to cook today, I was so glad he was here though, just seeing him and knowing he was around made me feel way better than I felt the whole day.
After I freshened up, I walked back to the hall, he had set up the table and also warmed the food so we sat together and had dinner together.
After we were done, he insisted on doing the dishes and told me to go lay down on my bed silently so I did that, once he was done cleaning up, he came to my room and lied down beside me. I flinched a bit when he lied down beside me, I don't know why I did that but it may be reminded me of that day at his place, the night before Sonakshi came back.
"Hey... don't worry, I don't have any ideas in my mind." He said as he put his arm around me and cuddled me. Okay, this felt nice.
"You don't look okay and I just... I wanted to make you feel better. I'll leave once you're asleep I promise."
"It's okay, you don't have to leave." I sighed.
We both shifted around the bed so we were comfortable and then just lied there silently, just him being there for me was enough and feeling his arms around me felt kind of safe, like I was finally home, and somehow I managed to fall asleep, peacefully. It had been a while since I had fallen asleep this peacefully.