Earlier comments on this chapter has been deleted as they would not make any sense with the revised version of 'Tere Liye'. Just a note to old readers, those comments are still very special for me and I have them stored with me to cherish forever. I just don't want any confusion for new readers.
Hope you enjoy! :)
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"Arnavji, how could you do that?"
Khushi whined as Arnav pulled her in his arms, tucking her close.
"Do you know how embarrassed I was? Everyone was laughing!" She complained, her small nose and ears still red from the teasing she just got after announcing at the table that she was done - all while trying but failing to hide a smile.
"I have been calling you like this the whole day. You must have gave away that this time I called you for something else. That's not my fault." Arnav replied in nonchalance as his mind racked with another thought. His eyes trailed from her eyes to her lips, creating a sudden self-consciousness in her.
"And as it is, I haven't even had five minutes alone with you today. Either Di or Payal or Laxmi, someone just had to tag along with us and you're scolding me, Khushi? Not fair."
She opened her mouth but then stood in daze as he reached to peck her lips with a sudden desperation, causing her to shut her eyes and hold on to him for dear life. His lips soon trailed from the corner of her mouth to her jaw and downwards till it rested on her neck. She gasped, tugging at his shirt as he placed a kiss there before hiding his face in the crook of her neck.
"I missed you." He said, almost whined as he held her tighter as if fearing someone will take her away again.
With her earlier stupor clearing up at his muffled voice against her skin, Khushi smiled. Her hands slide up and wrapped around his neck as she inched closer to his ears.
"Me too." She whispered before closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder with warmth surging within her. It was indeed hard today because despite being together the whole time, they barely had time to talk to each other. Everyone were swarming around them and though she did not blame them because they were just worried about her health, she hoped they would let them be for some time.
She unwrapped her arms from his neck a while later when he started pulling back and stared at him as he smiled.
"Khushi, I," He started, holding her hands, "I need to tell you something."
Confusion fused in her eyes as he looked somewhat nervous. Nonetheless, she bobbed her head, signaling him to continue. But the second he opened his mouth, they heard a knock on the door, followed by HP's voice informing them that Naniji had called Khushiji.
Khushi looked at the closed door, then, once she heard the retreating steps of HP, looked back at Arnav, guilt seeping in her hazel eyes as he closed his eyes and muttered something under this breath which sounded like a swear.
"Arnavji-"
"It's okay, Khushi." Arnav said, cutting her off as he opened his eyes and forced a smile on his face not wanting her to feel bad.
"Just come back soon." He added, placing another kiss on her forehead before giving her a slight push towards the door.
Khushi smiled. "I promise."
That promise was probably the only promise she couldn't keep. Naniji had called her and Jiji to give them some ancestral jewelry she ought to give long ago but forgot in the stir of emotions after all that happened.
She gave Payal a set of necklace her mother-in-law had once gifted her and for Khushi, she had a necklace of her daughter, Ratna. Khushi had noted how the elderly had gotten emotional as she caressed the precious possession that her daughter used to adore for it was a wedding gift from her father. That's why she kept quiet and listened as Devyani went through the sentimental values of that piece of jewelry, all while reliving the memories of her daughter.
She regretted it all, however, when by the time she reached her room after listening and comforting Devyani, Arnav had already fell asleep.
Her heart lurched when she saw him lying on the bed with his feet dangling in the air. His shoes were still on and she knew he went to sleep whilst waiting for her. Sighing, she kept the jewelry securely in the closet before taking off his shoes and adjusting him properly on the bed. She pulled the blanket up to cover him and slide in her side of the bed.
Her face towered over his as she reached to dim the lights and with a gulp, she placed a kiss of apology on his lips before keeping her head on his chest and closed her eyes to slip into a rather uneasy sleep.
She prayed for dawn to arrive quicker than usual so she could talk to him and it actually did but by the time she woke up, Arnav had already left for office.
Hey, got an urgent meeting at the office. Will be back soon. Be sure to take your medicines and rest well, I'll see you soon. Love you.
She smiled at the last bit of his note that he had tucked under the jug of water.
"And I love you too." She whispered as she held the note close to her heart, wishing it was him.
This wish gnawed at her the whole day, making her disinterested in everything and everyone. All she wanted to do was to see him, to hug him or at least, to hear his voice. But fearing that he might be angry after last night, she preferred to wait and talk to him personally instead of giving him a call
After all, he wouldn't be at fault to be angry. It's been hardly a week since they remarried and still, she feels like they haven't gotten any chance to move on from the past together. So many things are hanging between them and no matter how much they try, they couldn't find time to clear them up.
For a second she felt a burning desire to blame her family for their lack of understanding but thinking it would be unfair to some extent, she refrained and escaped for her room under the excuse of resting.
So here she was, lying on the bed and fixating the ceiling with a forlorn expression resting on her face. The ring of the phone was what made her look elsewhere for the first time in like two hours and as she rolled on her side and took the phone from the side table, she felt her heart beats quickening.
"Arnavji!"
She sat upright on the bed at once and hurriedly took the call. "Arnavji?"
Loosening his tie, Arnav laid himself against his leather seat.
"Khushi." He breathed out, his lips lifting upwards in a smile, "You took your medicines?"
Dragging her legs to rest under her, Khushi pulled a pillow on her lap and started playing with the loose threads. "Yes. I did. And you?"
Arnav nodded, as if she could see him through the phone. "I did too. What are you doing?"
"Just laying in bed. Resting." He smiled at her reply then frowned when he heard her stuttering a bit.
"A-Arnavji?" Her tiny voice called and he hmmed, suddenly worried that something happened to her.
"What happened, Khushi?"
Khushi closed her eyes, slumping against the headrest. "Woh, I'm sorry for last night. I know you were waiting for me and I came so late. I'm, I'm sorry." She apologized, earnestly.
A sigh left Arnav as he shook his head with the smile returning on his face.
"Aren't you apologizing too much these days, Mrs. Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada?" He asked, stretching her name in a comical tone like she would do.
There was a pause on the other end until he heard an audible exhale, followed by her relieved voice, "So you're not angry?"
The second sigh that escaped Arnav's lips was slow as he folded his arms on his cold desk.
"I'm not." His voice held a soothing edge and he added with a widening smile, "I understand."
Relief flooded through Khushi once again, forming a huge smile on her face and she had just opened her mouth to say something in response when she heard another voice from the other side, calling her husband and interrupting their moment.
"Arnav? C'mon the clients are here."
She frowned, hearing Arnavji acknowledge what that voice said before he resumed the conversation with her.
"Khushi, I need to go now. Got some work. You take care and I'll see you soon, okay? Bye." He said and sensing the urgency in his voice along with the fumbling sound as he probably searched for something on his desk, Khushi simply replied with a low 'bye' before the line went dead.
She sat in the same position for a while, staring at her phone pensively and thinking about who was the one who called Arnav, by his name. As far as she remembers, no one was permitted to call him by his name in the office. Everyone called him either Sir or ASR. Even Lavanyaji, despite being his girlfriend didn't have the right of calling him Arnav. The reason was that Arnav did not want anyone to take liberty of their personal relationship with him as Lavanya once told her. He did not want anyone to show that they knew him more than a boss in the premises of his office for it showed nothing but a mixing of personal and professional life.
But now someone was calling him by that name, the name that expressed a personal connection with him in his professional setting and if she's not wrong, that someone was Sheetalji.
Her frown eased as she kept her phone but her thinking did not slow down as she mused whether they were indeed such close friends in college that even after meeting after years, they still retained that friendship, to the extent that Arnav did not mind altering his own rules.
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Khushi had spent the rest of the day continuing with her wait for Arnav but this time, with a lessened burden on her heart that at least allowed her to go back downstairs and join the everyone in their conversations. She was glad she did this, for spending time with the rest as if allowed the time to pass quickly and before she knew it, it was already eight in the evening.
Sheetal had already returned half an hour ago but Arnav still in the office wrapping up some pending work which ate up all his remaining strength. Thus, as he walked into Shantivan, he almost looked like a zombie.
But as he reached the hall and saw the sight in front of him, he felt all the drowsiness that burdened his eyes leached out of his being.
Khushi was sitting on the couch with the rest and laughing her heart out at something stupid NK said, unknowingly. He watched with a smile curving his own lips as she placed her hand on her chest and gave into another gale of laughter and as she recovered from it, her eyes landed on his and crinkled instant as they took in his worn out state.
"Arrey, Chotte is here!" Anjali was the second to notice him as she stood up and limped towards him.
"You came on time, Chotte. Come, let's have dinner." She said with her usual smile and was about to head towards the table when Arnav stopped her.
"Di, um, would you mind sending my dinner to my room instead? I've got some work to do." He requested. His voice was hoarse from tiredness and his eyes were back at dropping.
Anjali rolled her eyes at her workaholic brother, then smiled and nodded. He returned her the smile with a slight turn of his lips before he flung his coat over his shoulder and trudged upstairs towards his room to review the designs he had just prepared.
However, he had just opened his files to work after a two minutes of resting his eyes when a hand snatched the papers from him and almost flung it to the other side of the bed. He lifted his hands in the air and looked at Khushi with a bewildered expression.
"What was that for?" He asked, but instead of replying, she forwarded the plate to him.
"Time for food."
Arnav shook his head and took the plate from her whilst she sat herself in front of him with her own plate of food. A smile again found it's way on his face as they silently finished their food.
"Is it hurting a lot?"
Arnav opened his eyes to see his wife's concerned face hovering over his.
"No, just a bit now." He said, indeed feeling his headache easing up at the touch of her fingers.
They had finished eating a while ago but instead of letting him work once he was done with the food, Khushi had forced him to rest and eventually, his head found its way to rest on her lap when he felt his tiredness bursting in his head.
Khushi sighed, caressing his heated forehead. "You should limit your work sometimes, Arnavji. Agreed you are ASR but that's still being a human."
A tinge of vexation was present in her voice as she spoke and as he opened his eyes again, he saw lines marring her forehead, as if it was her head that was aching so badly.
"We have an important presentation in a week, it needs attention." He tried to explained but only earned a roll of her eyes, which made her look somehow cute despite that anger of hers. He resisted a smile at that sight,
"Then you have one whole week to work. And by the looks of it, I suppose you have already completed half of the work today itself. Why do you rush so much? Why can't you just take things slowly? You can't do everything, you kn-"
"Hey, sshh."
Her ramble halted as she felt his finger on her lips and her eyes traveled from his forehead to his face that held a soft smile. Seeing her finally shutting up, Arnav's finger left her lips as he proceeded to cup the side of her face.
"I know I can't do everything but I need to continue working. Our family is growing, remember? I need to take care of everyone, including you."
The exasperation in her eyes dissolved into pride at his soft whisper and she led out a breath. Lowering her face, she then placed a fleeting kiss on his forehead. His eyes closed on their accord, feeling her touch.
"And there's nothing more we want than you being in a good health. That's all we want, that's all..I need."
He took in a deep breath as her lips moved against his skin. His eyes fluttered open and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down in his throat as he swallowed at their proximity. He felt his heartbeats quickening and he knew she was in the same state as he felt her breathing becoming more and more heavy.
Drugged in her eyes and lost in the trance that surrounded them like a halo, his hand that was earlier caressing her face trailed down her jaw and eventually cupped her neck. Khushi shivered, first as his fingers caressed the skin of her nape under her hair then as he pulled her downwards, covering the little distance that was between them and fusing their lips together.
The kiss was gentle and short and as they pulled back, they took a few seconds to ease their breaths before moving towards each other again, this time with a desire spreading through them like wildfire.
The sound of the door creaking to open however broke their trance and they sat upright, almost flabbergasted as Sheetal walked in, thankfully after they had pulled back from each other.
"Err, hey Arnav! Hi Khushi. Arnav, can I talk to you for a second, please?" Once done with the formal greeting, Sheetal asked politely, totally oblivious of the mortification she just caused the couple to feel.
Khushi looked elsewhere, still trying to quieten her crazy heart whilst Arnav gritted at the intrusion of Sheetal.
"Have you ever heard of knocking before entering someone's room before?" He asked, something akin to rage in his eyes as he felt like almost exploding in exasperation. No one can really leave him and Khushi alone, can they?
Sheetal's smiled dropped at his words and tone and she suddenly took a step back, somehow realising she entered at a wrong moment. "I'm, I'm sorry. I saw the door open, that's why I.. I should go now, I'm, sorry again."
Lowering her eyes in embarrassment, she had just turned to leave when Khushi called her.
Flashing Arnav a glare, Khushi stood up from the bed and approached Sheetal once the latter halted and looked back at her.
"It's okay, Sheetalji. Did you need something?" She asked, her voice calm and composed as she sought to ease the awkwardness in the air.
Sheetal shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'll just go."
Arnav rolled his eyes. "You're already here now, Sheetal. Just say what you wanted to say."
His irritated voice made her feel another wave of shame and she kept her head low as she spoke. "I just needed your help, on the presentation."
"I thought I was clear on the instructions." Arnav said whilst Khushi drifted to pick up the fallen pillows that they might have kicked or punched off the bed during that mini heart attack, feeling nothing concerning her in that conversation.
"You were but you know, it's the first time I'm partaking in such a huge opportunity so I'm just nervous." Sheetal floundered and once she was done, Arnav resisted the urge to roll his eyes in indignation again.
He turned to look at Khushi who was already staring at him. Her shoulders slumped as he silently apologized to her.
"Just don't tire yourself." She mouthed to him and with a reassuring nod from him, got back to setting the bed.
"Fine." Sheetal looked up from the ground that had been the object of her sight whilst Arnav and Khushi were silently conversing.
"Let's go to the study room." Arnav said and signaled Sheetal move ahead. Once she was gone from his sight, he sighed and turned around to pick his files before looking at Khushi.
"I'll be right back." He said and upon a nod from her, left the room with the intention of returning back as soon as possible.
However, as his bad luck would want it, one discussion lead to another in the study room and he found himself so engrossed in the work that he lost track of time. He did not remember anything, not even when his eyes drooped and he fell asleep in that room itself.
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