It had been nearly two months since their departure... and in these two months, there was never a day where Arnav didn't remember Khushi... He was already silent by nature and adding to it, Khushi's absence in the house made him absent minded every time... He got habituated so much to Khushi... Her smile... Her crazy acts... Her typical way of sleeping position which he got to know when they stayed in Gupta house... and not just that, the way she cared for him always... When his throat was gone... or when she didn't sleep for the whole night only to take care of him... Everything about her... He missed everything related to her... How could he misinterpret the care and the love which he always saw in her eyes for him, though he literally tortured her after marriage... He should have trusted her and asked her directly instead of blaming her... Arnav's thoughts were thus daily filled with Khushi's... He started imagining her too...
'I love you, Arnavji', she appears with a smile infront of him and then, that smile would slowly leave her face replaced by tears flowing down her eyes... 'but you broke my heart', she would utter sadly and disappear...
This guilt in Arnav never reduced... He felt suffocated with the burden carried in his heart that Khushi didn't forgive him...
As usual, he entered his room after having a late dinner as Anjali made sure about that since the time Khushi left... Actually, she waited for him to reach house everyday... Anjali is in her last month of pregnancy now... As a matter of fact, he scolded her for not sleeping till late night but Anjali argued and asked him to come home early, if he wanted her to sleep early... All the Raizada family members noticed the changes in Arnav and the way he always remained in some other world... They knew the reason... and even they felt the house to be very calm in the absence of Khushi...
Arnav went to change his clothes... Nothing changed much except the presence of Khushi... He already made Khushi not to remove those stars hung to the wall behind the bed... but after Khushi's departure, he himself had arranged all the other missing things which Khushi removed... the wind chimes... the colourful bedsheet... Salman Khan's poster... everything were same as before... Even the cupboard he used was only half occupied... Arnav turned back the room as before and the reason was simple... He wanted to feel Khushi... He wanted to live with her memories atleast...
Arnav changed to his night clothes and found his cell ringing... It was from Aman... It might be some office related thing... He thought work could be the only way to make his mind stable, but nope... He couldn't concentrate on his work properly... Initially, he didn't even go to office... He just sat in his room most of the hours, staring at Khushi's photo and asking her forgiveness silently... It was Anjali who motivated him and asked him to join the office, explaining the situation...
Arnav moved poolside, attending the call... He agreed when Aman asked whether he should fix client meeting, the next day... He finished the call within minutes and stared at the sky... After a while, he moved inside and picked Khushi's photo that was kept beside the bed... He took it and lingered his fingers over Khushi's face in the photo frame...
Arnav: I hope you are doing well, Khushi... (he talked with the photo)
He observed her face captured in the frame for few more minutes... He observed her pure smile which makes his heart to stay at peace and he too smiled...
Arnav: I wish, you come back to me...
He said and slowly placed back the photo frame on the table... He walked to the recliner and leaned back on it to sleep, still in the thoughts of Khushi... but sleep was the last thing that he could get now with his mind running with all the memories of Khushi... Sweet and bitter... Sweet because of her crazy yet innocent acts and bitter because of his impulsiveness...
***
She looked at the idol placed on the table... It was so much difficult for her to move on... No, she couldn't move on that easily... His thoughts always floated in her mind... Was he eating properly?? Was he taking his medicines or not?? How was he?? Many times, she just wished to go back to Delhi and see him but she controlled her feelings... because this time, she wanted to stay strong however difficult it might be... She doesn't know what future beholds for them... but at present, she couldn't erase his hurtful from her heart... those accusations which he threw at her... after knowing that their marriage happened on the base of hatred and mistrust... She couldn't just return to him and lead a normal life as if nothing went wrong... This time, she wanted to lead her life without letting anyone control it anymore and thus she started this sweet shop... Initially, she thought it might be difficult but there are many people in Lucknow who helped her with all the things necessary... Starting with selecting a good place for her to set up a shop, they helped her in many ways... After all, she spent her whole childhood in Lucknow till she left to Delhi... So, there are many people whom she knew and are very happy to see her reopening their sweet shop again... Especially, Vimala aunty and their family... They always were beside her...
Everything was going well except the play her heart was playing... making her remind of him everyday... Khushi looked at the Devi Maiya idol and spoke...
Khushi: why do you made me stand at this point, Devi Maiya...? Neither could I forgive him nor could I accept him in my life happily... I should be happy that the sweet shop which I started was getting good feedback... I should be happy that I could bring that glory of this sweet shop in just few months... I am doing what I wanted to... I should be happy right...then why am I not?? Why do I still think about him?? Why I couldn't erase his memories from my mind?? You know, what he done to me, right... then, why don't you help me forget him and remove him from my heart?? Why don't you erase his memories in my mind??
Khushi took a pause before continuing...
Khushi: you never care for me, Devi Maiya... You didn't stop him from marrying me forcefully, then... and now, you are not helping me in forgetting him... You are always on his side, right... (she complained painfully)
Khushi let out a deep breathe and only concentrated on the Devi Maiya idol for some more time... The same idol which he gifted her... In a trance, she uttered her next words...
Khushi: be with him and take care of him... I know, you will... Afterall, you are always on his side even if he doesn't believe in you.... Just make sure that he always stays healthy...
Khushi got up and walked towards the window... She looked at the stars shining brightly in the sky... She wondered why everything reminds her of him... Even her stars... She still felt bad whenever she remembered how she shouted at him and lashed out at him before leaving Delhi... She tried... She tried to forget him... She engaged herself with work... Initially, she had so much work... to arrange the place which she rented to start a sweet shop... to bring the necessary items to prepare sweets... to hire two more workers... to take orders for some small parties... She is sure that she would get into profits in two more months as the shop is getting popular slowly... Customers are increasing... Many customers praised the sweets they bought from her shop and thus she was slowly getting chance to arrange sweets for small small functions... Today, she got order to supply eight different sweets for a marriage... This is the first biggest offer for her... and whenever she got free, she spent time with Vimala aunty... She kept herself so busy... but however she might have been busy throughout the day, night comes and keeps her thoughts intact... His memories haunt her mind... It's hard to stay away from his thoughts... to stop feeling for him still...
Khushi leaned over the window and closed her eyes, feeling the air touching her face...
***
Next day:
Arnav is driving towards a hotel where the meeting is supposed to be held... But his car comes to a halt seeing a temple... This is the same temple where he bandaged Khushi's finger as she was hurt... Both of them decided not to see each others faces after that day but destiny had some other plans and their relation came to such a point that it looked so complex now...
Arnav got down his car and slowly started walking inside the temple after leaving his footwear... He stood at the same place where he bandaged the cut on her finger... How rude he was then... He couldn't accept his feelings for her and for that, he kept throwing harsh words at Khushi... Why was he always wrong in Khushi's case...?
Arnav remembered Khushi's words which she spoke that day...
"ek din aisa aayega jab aapko patha chalega ki aapne apne liye jo kuch bhi likha, vo Devi Maiya ne aapka hath pakad ke aapse likhvaya hey... Aap jo kuch bhi karthe hey, unki marzi se karthe hey aur aage bhi unke hee marzi hogi... lekin jis din aapko yeh patha chalega na, uss din vaha hum nahi hoge..."
("A day would come when you realize that whatever destiny that you planned to write for yourself, Devi Maiya herself has held your hand and made you write it... Whatever you do, it is with her wish only... and in future too, whatever you do it would be according to her wish only... but the day you realize this na, I won't be there before you...")
Now, he felt those words coming true... Today, he believed Khushi's words and true to her words, she was not there before him... Khushi was right... He couldn't write his own destiny... because if he could, he would have written Khushi to stay with him... He would have written to go back in time and express his feelings to her on Akash's marriage day itself without any misunderstandings in their way... or to talk to Khushi before taking such a huge step of marrying her forcefully... to get to know the whole dirty truth about Shyam on that same day... to not hurt Khushi after their marriage... He could do nothing now... He couldn't write his own destiny... Arnav Singh Raizada never wrote his own destiny... Since the day Khushi entered his life, it was all destined to happen... may be her entry in his life was to make him realize few truths of life... that he couldn't get whatever he want even if he has so much money... because this money couldn't get his Khushi back to him today... It's true whatever Khushi said... Money couldn't buy everything... definitely not Khushi's self-respect which she lost because of his allegations on her character... Money couldn't buy it or her love for him...
This time, when pandit came and offered him the theerth(holy water) and prasad, he accepted them... He could no more consider himself as the almighty... He looked inside and prayed to god silently... He never joined his hands but he prayed... for Khushi... to keep her safe and happy always... to make her succeed in whatever she starts in her life... His cell rang and he saw it was from Aman... He picked the call... Aman informed him that the clients have arrived...
Arnav(on call): you and Akash start the meet, Aman... I will join in fifteen minutes...
Aman agrees and Arnav cuts the call... He takes a deep breathe and turns to leave the place...
***
Arnav decided to return to his home after the meeting... Anjali is in her final month of pregnancy and he couldn't risk on her health... He has to take care of her at this stage...
As soon as he entered the house, he heard some unknown voice... He understood that one of their neighbours might have come and might be speaking with Nani... Folding his sleeves up, he was about to leave to his room when that lady who got seated in their hall, called his name...
Lady: Arnav babua...
He had no choice but to go there...
Lady: how are you??
Arnav just nodded his head indicating that he was fine...
Lady: but you seem very weak beta... You have become very pale and dull... Come on, sit here...
He couldn't sit there and listen their discussion which would be more like an interrogation...
Arnav: sorry aunty... but I have some work... Some other time...
He says and turns to walk but the words which he hears next, makes him stop in his path...
Lady(to Nani who was sitting there): Khushi should have stayed here... She shouldn't have left Arnav like this... She is forgetting the duties of a wife to fulfill her dreams, Devyani... How could she leave her husband and go...?
Arnav turned immediately and spoke to that lady...
Arnav: you don't have any right to say something like that about my wife... So, if you are done filling my Nani's ears, you could leave...
That lady got up and spoke...
Lady: you can't talk to me like that, Arnav... I think, your wife took away your manners along with her while leaving....
Arnav: enough... (Arnav roared) leave...
Lady: stop shouting at me and first concentrate on your wife... Don't know, what's her motive in leaving her husband and family here... What if she say that she wanted to leave her husband and go with an other guy, some day... What if she already has a...
Arnav(cutting her off): shut up... Just shut up... Not a word against Khushi... What do you know about her that you are accusing her... If anyone has to be blamed, it's only me... because I was the one who forced her into this marriage... I was the one who made a contract of six months for our marriage and blackmailed her to do this... I was the one who pointed at her character... but she was never wrong.... Never... I misunderstood her... I ill-treated her... (he said with pain, anger and regret)
Before he could say more, he heard a sound of something falling down and turned his head only to see Anjali standing there... Her eyes welled up and she seemed as if she heard everything...
Arnav: di... (he ran towards her immediately)
Nani also followed Arnav, coming out of the shocking words which she just heard from Arnav...
Arnav was about to hold her but she showed her palm, stopping him in his track... Immediately, she questioned...
Anjali: you married Khushiji forcefully on contract basis??
Arnav's heart started beating fastly as he was going to admit his sins... There is no point in hiding them now...
Arnav(nodding his head): yes... I threatened her that I would break Payal's marriage if she doesn't agree to marry me... I have made a six months contract and forcefully married her... (he said with guilt)
Anjali couldn't believe her own ears... Her brother could go to this extent?? Shyam's words rang in her ears...
'The one who plays with a woman life should be punished... In that case, what about your own brother?? You think, he married Khushiji because he loved her??'
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen and she let out a cry... Arnav got worried and tried to hold her but Anjali didn't allow him to... She pushed his hand away...
Anjali: don't... (she managed to deny and cried in pain)
***