10 minutes into the drive Khushi realized it was the way to Shantivan but to AR.
"Did you have any work at the office?", she asked.
"We are not going to Shantivan. I want some exclusive time with you.", he said winking and she looked at him with a gasp of surprise.
"Where? Actually I don't care, I just want some good food. Chole Bature.", she said licking her lips.
"Well, where we are going, there is no food there, but we can order some if you want", he said as they crossed AR.
"Waise I don't like ordered food that much but chalo teek hai.", she said taking out some chana from her bag and eating them.
"Do you always think about food?", he said looking at her making a face.
"No, I think about other things too. But I love food the most and in food.."
"Jelabi..", he said fondly and she smiled.
"Yes, I like Jelabi, but I also love Gulab Jamun, Ras Malai, Rasgulla, Peda..", she went on but stopped midway and said,"I am sorry you can't have all this.."
"I don't like sweet that much anyway, so no worries. I only like .."
"Badam Kheer that Di makes..", she completed and he smiled.
"How is Di?", she asked. She has spoken to Anjali many times but the conversations have been very brief and Anjali didn't sound like her usual chirpy self. Understandably so. Contrary her nature to push people to open up, she didn't this time knowing Anjali needs her own time to get normal again just like she is taking her own time.
"She is doing well I feel. She is not back to normal but she is not sad either. She seems very guilty and though I understand why she is, I wish she understands it's not her fault. She decided she will start therapy soon, so may be that will help.", he said.
"Therapy? What is therapy?", Khushi asked worried and Arnav took a moment to think of how to explain it to her.
"So therapy is like, going to a doctor, but like for your mind, like when you go through some really difficult times or traumatic experiences, therapists help you process your emotions. Therapy is like a safe space to vent out your emotions. Therapists are trained to teach you better ways to handle emotions and help you feel better."Khushi nodded at that.
"Have you ever been to therapy before?", she asked next.That was such a personal question he didn't know how to answer to that.
"Hmm...a couple of times.", he answered slowly then.
"How was it? When?", she asked popping more channa into her mouth and Arnav felt real uncomfortable.
"Can we talk about this later?", he asked now taking a turn into a upscale residential area that Khushi had never been before to.
"Okay..", Khushi replied looking at him wondering what was up with him.
Once they passed through the security and drove inside Khushi looked around carefully, but all she could see in the late evening light was there were only tall trees on either side of the road with a few buildings here and there.Minutes later, Arnav stopped in the middle of the road and looked at her with a boyish smile and took away her dupatta and asked,
"Can I blindfold you with this?'
"No...I know the kind of things you do when you blindfold me like this...bhoole nahi hum jaise aap me humare muh pe woh kajal lagaya tha.." Khushi said pointing her finger at him and Arnav laughed further and flicked her finger with his.
"I promise aisa kuch nahi karunga.", he said and before she could say anything further wrapped the dupatta around her eyes.
"Where are you taking me?", Khushi started yelling louder and he put a finger in his ears.His eardrums are going to fail soon at this rate.Stopping where he wanted, he got down and took Khushi in his arms, who held on to him as if he was going to drop her on to the ocean and kept yelling,"Laadgoverner this ...laadgoverneer that .."
Once he entered the security key, the door opened and he stepped inside and then made her stand.
"Kaha hai hum, kaha..?", Khushi started looking around to find him instead of pulling her blindfold and he grinned at how childish she looked.
Then holding her from behind with her back plastered to his front, he kissed her on her shoulder, then on her collarbone and then slowly started pecking her cheek.He could practically hear her heartbeats totally in sync with his.
"Open your eyes Khushi..", he whispered in her ear holding her by her waist with his chin on her shoulder and she pulled her blindfold.
"Welcome to our home.", he said interlinking her fingers with his and Khushi looked around in surprise.
"Our house?", Khushi asked looking around in disbelief.
"I bought this for us a couple of weeks ago.", he said kissing her cheek.
"Come, let me show you.", taking her hand in his.
"It is not furnished yet. I only got the guest bedroom done day before yesterday for us to stay. I was thinking we can decorate the space together as per our liking later.", he said taking her further down the hall showing her the small entertainment area, then the dining space between and then the huge kitchen.
While Khushi had a million thoughts running in her head, she shushed them aside and smiled at his excitement. Who would have thought, the man who hated her very existence would one day get a house just for him and her. Life is surprising indeed, she thought, thanking god for all the blessings, for sending Arnav.
"What happened?", Arnav asked seeing her silent and her eyes glistening with tears.
"Nothing. Just thanking god for all the blessings in our life.", she said and Arnav though sighed, nodded.
"Where is pooja room?", Khushi asked next and when Arnav didn't answer and instead turned around, Khushi turned him with such a force, his hand would have strained.
"Don't tell me there is no pooja room in this house? Such a huge space and there is no mandir? Who designed this?", she started saying when she caught Arnav rolling his eyes.
"Don't you dare!", she pointed her finger at him really scaring him this time.Then looking around, she smiled and walked to the hall in quick steps and pointed to the space right infront of the main door and looked at him.
"We will install a nice devima murthi here.", she said pointing to the wall.
"No way!", he disagreed."What no way. This is the perfect place. We can take blessings before we leave and take blessings as soon we step in. Devima is always watching us from here.", she said grinning.
"Khushi please not here. We can make some space in the kitchen.", he said.
"Why? Because you never come there?", she said taking a step towards him threateningly.
"No, because you are always there. You and your bestie. Together.", he said softly with an innocent face making her think.
"I will think about it..", she said moving back to the kitchen.
"How to go upstairs?', she asked coming out of the kitchen and he pointed to the room behind dining area which was a lounge onto itself with stairs.
"There is a lift here!", she asked looking at the small lift right beside the stairs.
"Yeah...you know if any of us are unwell or something .", he asked looking around with a small smile playing on his lips.
"Why are you smiling?", she asked and he immediately turned red.
"What?", she was more intrigued now."Nothing..", he said looking away and she turned to him and held his cheek in her hand.
"or when ..when we would fall pregnan-", he started saying and all the color drained from Khushi's face.He himself was embarrassed with his line of thoughts, he was Arnav Singh Raizada, ASR, he wasn't used to feeling all these gooey emotions or planning kids, but when he thought, even for a teeny tiny moment of having kids with Khushi..his heart legit melted.
"Arnavji..I ..",Khushi's hand dropped from his face and she looked away and he understood.
"I know...I was just saying ..I know not anytime soon...not until we get married. I promise..", he said holding her back in his arms and pecking her on the lips.
"I am sorry.", Khushi apologised and he frowned and looked at her taking her face in both his palms.
"For what?", he asked wiping a tear that left her eyes.
"for not marrying you now...I ..I just don't feel like I am ready yet..we are not ready Arnav-", she said and out finger on her lips and shook his head asking her not say anything further.
"I know..and take your time. Take all the time in the world. Just don't ever leave me.", he said taking her in his embrace.
"and Khushi...never ...I mean never apologize for doing what is right for you.", he said pulling her apart and looking straight into her eyes.
"But...", she started saying but he shushed her with another kiss,
"I love you too. I can wait. I want you to do what is right for you. Everything can wait.", he said lovingly and she felt like her heart would explode with love.
"We will have three kids.", she said hugging him tight."Sure.', he said kissing on top of her head.
"We will adopt two kids, we will have another one", she said looking at him with hopeful eyes. She would understand if he didn't agree.
"Sure..", he said with a smile and she kissed him on his heart.
"Why, you won't ask?", she asked."Kids are kids Khushi. Why would I -"
"Because we both lost our parents but someone took us in.", she said and he knew exactly what he loved the most about her.
"I love you.", he said taking her lips into a slow passionate kiss.Resting their foreheads on to each other's, Khushi looked up and saw three more floors.
"Common, show me the rest of the house..", Khushi said pulling him along with her climbing the stairs asking him to order food in the meanwhile.
.-~*~-.