Part 81 Arnav's turmoil
Ratna could not bear the truth of Arvind framed guilty in her eyes. What a blunder of her life...! If she would have been given a chance for him to speak, or, if she had thought whether he was such a person who could cheat her or not, everything would have changed. But she didn't give a thought to this matter.
"Don't feel bad Ratna..." Nani tried to console her.
"I could not tolerate this, Amma. I thought Arvind spoilt my life. but, it was me who spoilt my own life, not trusting my husband. He had been a nice man but seeing the false witnesses, I doubted him. I won't forgive myself for what I did, Amma" she said vulnerably.
"Ratna, happened is happened... we can't change it. Just think about what's next. This is time for you to be strong"
"I'm thinking about that only. I don't know what would be the after-effect of the Pooja. Whatever it is, I'm not going to leave Maya and her family. Each one of them should die... brutally"
"Only one day is left. Everything will come to an end. Until then, be relaxed"
"No, Amma, this is all happening not to make me calm but to make me decide what should I do"
"What are you going to do?"
"I should not even think of mercy them. They don't deserve it. No one from the family should be alive at the end of the day" She sneered.
In no time, Khushi entwined her fingers with Ratna's that calmed her down. She looked at Khushi painfully.
"Don't say anything, Khushi. please don't say..." she pleaded.
Khushi nodded ok.
"I'm not going to say anything. You can do what makes you satisfied. You are free to do anything." She said.
Arnav knew why she said that. She should have remembered Guruji's words.
*Don't touch her feet to give her moksha. It's a wrath of eighteen years. Let her complete her revenge. Then only her Moksha will give her peace*
Khushi didn't want Ratna's moksha to be incomplete. That was why she was letting her do whatever she wanted.
"Khushi beta, you go to your room and take a rest. I will ask Hariprakash to bring the needed things for the Pooja"
"Guruji asked me to offer five kinds of sweets or fruits"
"We will offer fruits"
"No, Naniji. I will prepare sweets"
"No, Khushi, you should wake up earlier to prepare sweets. Don't forget you should be up for the full day. You don't have to prepare sweets and burden yourself. We will offer fruits"
Khushi nodded ok.
"Chotte, I want to ask you something," Nani said.
"Yes, Nani?"
"What about Akash? Where is he? Does he too a part of the ploy?"
"Amma, this question is unwanted. Didn't we see Sona's children? They are diabolic...! If they can manipulate Sona's children to that extent, Akash would be tenfold worse than them because he is Maya's son. She bewitched our family people. Then, how could she let Akash be against her?" Ratna asked.
"She has a valid point, Nani. I have no doubt. Akash should have known everything from the beginning" Arnav said.
Nani sighed.
"Be careful, Chotte. We can't trust anyone"
Arnav nodded yes.
"I was so worried when the saint said the mastermind is related to us. But I didn't think in this direction. I doubt only my sons and their family"
"It was because you were scared, Nani. You don't want them to be the culprit. In that tension, you didn't think differently"
Nani nodded yes.
"I will take care of Akash, Nani," Arnav said.
"Chotte, be stubborn in one thing. Don't leave RM until the Pooja is over"
"I won't go, Nani. If it's necessary, I will take guards with me"
Nani nodded ok.
Arnav walked to his room. Throwing his coat, Arnav sat on the recliner. He called Aman and he attended the call.
"Yes, ASR?"
"Where is Akash?"
"I was supposed to ask you the same. He didn't come to the office for two days. Did he talk to you regarding his leave?"
"No... he didn't"
"I called him but his phone is switched off"
"Oh..."
"Could you call his mother and ask about him?" Aman asked.
"No need, Aman. Let us wait for his call. If he didn't call us until tomorrow, we will think about what's next"
Arnav didn't want to call Maya. He didn't like to... if he called her, he could not hold his tongue. He didn't want her to know he got to know about her. He didn't want her to get alert. She might create new drama and might say, Akash was missing. If she asked Arnav to search for Akash, Arnav could not deny it. He didn't want to get into an unnecessary problem until the Pooja was over. As of now, completing Pooja was more important than anything. He thought,
"Ok, ASR..."
"Listen"
"Yeah,"
"I won't come to the office tomorrow"
"But why, ASR?"
"Will tell you..."
"Ok"
"Don't call me. my phone will be switched off"
"Oh... ok," Aman said thoughtfully.
"Bye," Arnav disconnected the call.
He leaned on the recliner and closed his eyes. He opened his eyes when Khushi caressed his hair.
"What will you do if you find a lipstick mark on my shirt?" Asked Arnav with a stern expression.
Khushi understood why he threw such a question. She sat in front of him.
"Before I conclude anything, I will listen to your side. And I'm sure you won't hide anything from me, no matter what"
"Do you trust me?"
"More than myself. I know what made you ask a question. You are not like your father but a man who faces anything face to face. If he hadn't hidden the truth from Maaji, no one could have entered between them. This is purely a misunderstanding and lack of communication"
"Khushi, I promise, I will not hide anything from you. if the situation forces you to doubt me, please get cleared right away. It's hell to be punished for the mistake they had not done. I could feel my father's pain. How would have he struggled to handle the torture...! One side, Maa, and another side, that bloody family. He lost his ability to speak Khushi when he was on his deathbed. he was unable to speak. How would have his heart wanted to tell what he was undergoing...!" Arnav choked.
Khushi pressed his hand.
"Arnavji, relax. Nothing will happen to us like that because everything is going to end. We will live happily. There won't be any conflict between us"
"I know you will make it possible"
"No, Arnavji... it's not me but GOD... with the help of God, we will conquer it"
"Are you fed up?" he asked.
"Me? For what?"
"Your horoscope is one of the superpower horoscopes in the world... maybe, it's the ONLY superpower horoscope...! Yet, you are facing a problem over a problem because of me. instead of leading a happy and peaceful life, you are facing problems more than the normal horoscope people do. Don't you feel weary?"
"What would be the use of a super special horoscope if it didn't help to make people's life happy and peaceful? God gives people power, not because he wants them to enjoy it but expects them to do something useful to others. If I don't do anything after having a super special horoscope, what's the value of it? I should be grateful to God who made me special. If I don't do it, my super special horoscope would become very normal. Right?"
Arnav was looking at her adoringly.
"You know what Khushi, I thought I'm the unluckiest person in the world. I lost my parents at a young age. I had been always surrounded by danger in my life. I never felt I had someone for myself. I thought why my life was full of tragedy and toughness. I think, to give me a precious gift only God examined me to the extent. I'm the luckiest person in the world to have you as my wife" He kissed her knuckle.
"I too feel the same. I'm so lucky to have you as my husband. I was left with no one in the world after Nanu's demise. If you and Naniji were not there for me, I don't know what would have been my condition is" she said not leaving his side.
"You are a Godly soul... your Devi Maiya would have been a great plan for you if you had not come to RM"
"That great plan is, making me a wife of Arnav Singh Raizada" She smiled.
Arnav spread his hands a little. Without thinking, Khushi shifted to the recliner and hugged him.
"Khushi I don't know what's going to happen the day after tomorrow, after the Pooja is over. It tenses me like hell"
"Don't be... no one will do anything to our Pooja. It's God's destination. Devi Maiya will take care of it. We should do what has to..."
Arnav sighed.
They heard a knock. Khushi stood up from the recliner.
"Come in," Arnav said.
HP got in with their dinner.
"Naniji asked me to give dinner to you"
Keeping the plates on the tea table, he left.
"Come on, let's eat and sleep," Arnav said.
Khushi nodded ok. They had dinner and went to bed a little earlier because they had to wake up earlier to prepare for the Pooja which was going to change everything.
To be continued...