Chapter 24
Arnav was so relieved that Khushi started to eat, that he couldn't stop himself from feeling happy. He fed her carefully, being scared that she suddenly changes her mind. Even she kept her eyes closed, Arnav could see in her face how relaxed she suddenly was. It seemed as she accepted his presence and the food that he gave her and that made him to the luckiest man on the earth.
He placed food carefully inside her mouth and wait for her to react and start to chew. His eyes followed every movement of her lips and when her throat moved he prepared the next bit for her. Every movement fit perfectly to the peace that surrounded them.
His every movement was full of care and fondness. In short time the plate became half empty and Khushi signaled him that she couldn't eat anymore. She pushed the plate softly away and leaned back, feeling suddenly tiered. Arnav took one glass of water with her meds to give it to her and poke again with much softness in his voice.
>>Pease take them. Your body needs to heal.<<
Her eyes were still closed, but big tears ran down her cheeks. Again.
Arnav understood her. He knew that she did something against her will. It wasn't fair that he tricked her, but it was needful. It was impossible to ignore this big tears, which moved slowly down her face. His tomb removed one of it.
>>Please don't cry, Khushi. I can't see them. Can't see you hurt. Everything is going to be ok. I promise. Just concentrate on getting better and leave the rest to me.<<
He caressed her face, not wanting to remove his hand because feeling her warmth was amazing. And also, Khushi was suddenly pretty welcoming for his touch. Usually she would flinch away or just push his hand away, whenever he tried to get closer to her. But now she just seemed to accept it. It was hard for Arnav to see her distanced toward him, even he could very well understand why she felt this way. Now she seems to accept him and as long she let him, he was ready for everything, she allows him to take.
One soft knock interrupted them. Arnav stopped to caress Khushis face, while she opened her eyes. The magical spell of peace and love was broken. Khushi remembered everything again. Armav knew it the moment he saw the upcoming hate and disgust in her face.
The person on the door knocked again and he stood up to open the door. He knew he deserved to see her hate and disgust. After all, it was him who brought her back to her family, lying about their marital state. Yes, it was him who lied to keep his sister safe and he will be the one who is going to pay for his deeds.
***
On the other side of the door was Akash with Dr. Dara. He didn't want to interrupt ASR but Dr. Dara wanted to see Khushi again, so has no other option than to knock on the door and disturb ASR. Arnav opened the door and let them in. Dr. Dara didn't explain herself and walked to Khushi to check her pulse, while ASR led Akash to the food.
*
Khushi looked at the doctor who was busy to check her pulse. She didn't look up because this other man was inside, but she could hear Arnav's voice. The voice she actually never again wanted to hear, but now it was there against her will and fought its way back into her heart. Khushi forced herself to ignore all feelings inside her chest. She didn't want to feel anything, so she tried hard to act as they weren't there and didn't warm her soul.
>>Akash can you do me a favor and take this bags to the poorest part of town. There are still fifty portions food left inside, so that you just need to find fifty hungry kids and distribute the food.<<
Khushi couldn't stop her eyes from moving up. He got her full attention even Dr. Dara used her stethoscope to hear her heartbeat.
>>If it's too complicated to find the children, bring this food to the next Temple and tell them this food is a donation from Khushi Singh Raizada. They can give the food to children who ask for food.<<
Khushi stopped to breathe and Dr. Dara looked up from her chest.
>>Breathe, dear!<<
Arnav tried to hear what Dr. Dara said and looked immediately to Khushi's direction. It was too late for Khushi to look away. His eyes met hers and touched the deepest place in her soul. He kept his word and send the food to poor children. Her decision to give in, felt suddenly good. It didn't felt like a betrayal to herself.
Both continued to look at each other, while Dr. Dara did her job and Akash did his, too. Words weren't exchanged, but Arnav's and Khushi's eyes spoke volumes. No matter how long their separation was, no matter how deep the pit, in this moment, they were close again.
*
Akash took the bags and wanted to leave, when a voice stopped him.
>>Oh and Akash, we are going to need fifty one portions food for dinner, again<<, Akash turned around and looked at ASR. He thought that his boss needed to eat something too. After all the stress and care, ASR shouldn't stop to think about his own health.
>>Do you want me to bring fifty two portions, Sir? I mean, one portion for yourself?<<
ASR walked to the next table where Khushi's plate was and took it in his hand.
>>No, one portion is enough for both of us. I am going to eat the rest from my wife.<<
Three persons in the room stopped with whatever they did and looked at Arnav. It took Akash few seconds to turn around and leave, the last sentence still roaming in his head. His Boss, the great, powerful ASR, eat the leftovers from his wife.
*
Khushi couldn't take her eyes from Arnav. He looked down on the plate while he ate and didn't look for a second at her direction. Was he ashamed about what he said few seconds ago, or just rethink his decision? Nothing was shown on his face. Dr. Dara stole her attention because she tried to pull her clothes up.
>>Dear, I need to hear your lungs on your back.<<
Khushi held her top down and bore her fingers inside the material. Arnav could hear what Dr. Dara said, felt how uncomfortable Khushi was because of the examination and walked out of the room to give her privacy. Again, he didn't want her to feel weird. Dr. Dara probably thought that it shouldn't be any problem for Khushi to take her clothes off in front of her husband, not knowing that Arnav and Khushi are far away from being husband and wife or even intimate with each other. That's why he waited outside for Dr. Dara to leave the room and only then, he was going to go back inside again.
*
Inside the room Khushi let finally Dr. Dara pull her top up and survey her back. She couldn't see Dr. Dara's face, but felt her laughing. She just started to ask herself what Dr. Dara found so amusing, when the Doctor spoke.
>>The husband ate the leftovers from his wife. How sweet. This is totally unusual, my dear. You are very lucky, honey. Not every man would do this. He must love you a lot.<<
Khushi refused to react listening to doctor's words, even they did something to her heart. She refused to let her heart beat faster, even it felt like the beating increased already. She refused to feel happy, even her soul danced the dance of happiness. But the feelings were there, no matter how hard Khushi tried to get them under control or to remove them.
And they stayed, even after Dr. Dara left the room and Arnav entered again. To bring her feelings finally far away from all these happy-thoughts, Khushi observed the only person in the room and find her feelings getting slowly under control. It's wasn't that Arnav drew her thoughts away. It was the things he was doing, that gave her a break from her uncontrollable feelings.
Arnav on the other side, didn't see Khushi's turmoil. He was on a mission to create a relaxing situation for her. He turned the TV on, and looked for something she liked.
>>You want to watch something on TV, or? Here are few series and here<<, he stopped switch the channels and let her look. Salman Khan showed his best moves in his new film Kick. No matter how hard her life was in the past three years, Khushi never forgot how happy series and films made her, reminding her always, how beautiful life can be. She didn't look away from the flat screen on the wall. Salman Khan brought even a smile on her face with his funny acting. Yes, there are people in this cruel world who let you forget all your pain and shadows. People like Salman. People like Arnav, before he showed his true nature. There was a time Khushi have put so much hope and trust in him, but today she knew what a huge mistake her believe in him was.
She didn't notice anything around her for a while, but when her eyes started close slowly, again and again, she looked to the person who was responsible for her permanent silence.
He sat on the table and ate the food she left behind. He ate slow and didn't use any spoon. Just his fingers. His movements have something calming. Something that let her feel secure. She decided to surrender her tiredness and close her eyes, not takin time to think why Arnav choose to eat her leftovers.
***
His plate was empty and he wasn't hungry anymore. In the last three years he learned what hunger was. What it meant to be without home and food. His uncle was a person with good heart, deep religious and a man with principles. Someone who tried to make this world better with every action in his life.
When Arnav came to him and started to work, he never thought that he will see and learn so much about his country. His uncle showed him how the purest became victims of corrupt Politicians and Industry. His uncle's biggest dream, was and is, to protect this people and strengthen India and their nation. Arnav learned that the success is not always bounded to slave-drive the own workers. You can be more successful if you create relation with your employees. One employee who feel and understand the leadership of the own company, can work more effective and is also identifying themselves with the company. They do everything possible to keep their workplace successful when the owner is ready to let them be part of the good and the bad times.
On the other side it's also important to invest in their families and especial in their children. Children are the future and refined future workers are the biggest guaranty for success. That's why his uncle's company send their employee's children to school. That's why he taught Arnav to do the same and Arnav did his best to follow his uncle's way.
But what's important for Arnav too, is to work ecologically. It's something he himself introduced to his company after he replaced his uncle. Too many Industries, from other countries open their companies in India, use Indian workers and pay them lesser then slaves, destroying the nature so that nothing stay left for the future generations. They don't need to protect the nature, because they don't have to live in India and their countries are far away. This has to stop. India needs to work for themselves and make the life for all beings livable.
But not only India is into his focus. Investors from other countries come to produce their western clothes in India and sell them for huge price in their countries. What if India start to share their traditions, styles with whole world? What if the world shows interest in Indian traditions and culture? He was sure that western women would not start to wear Saree's but if SR mix western clothes with Indian or add just a little of Indian traditional clothing style to western clothes, maybe there would be global success for the whole Indian nation.
This was why he also wanted to work together with Akash. He has the much needed know-how and Arnav wanted to use it to produce organic material. He was sure the way to global success won't be easy but he was also sure, he won't give up till he reach everything that he wanted for his company and country.
Arnav was new to this business even he was already three years part of this world. Leading his uncles and now his company for three years was already written all over the news as success but he wanted to go much higher and reach the stars. And now that Khushi was back, he has one more reason to make sure, everything will happen as he planned. Before he met her again, he was eager to get his company on top in the world but after she got hurt, Arnav's perspective on life changed in a second. He saw how short the life could be and how fast he could lose his second chance for being together with her. And what would happen to her, if he wasn't there to protect her. Khushi needed the safety and she deserved not to care about money. It was the last he could do after he put her through so much.
He looked to Khushi who slept peacefuly on the bed and realized how much his life, his plans changed since he got her back in his life. Yes he wanted to be successful but from now on not only for others. No, also for her. For her future.
***
Khushi awoke few times, but drifted back into the sleep, not being able to keep her eyes open. Few times Arnav gave her water to drink, but mostly she just looked at him and then turned to other side and fell into the next sleep. He touched her often and once she saw him kissing her fingers, but wasn't strong enough to remove her hand. The tiredness was just stronger than her will.
It was late in the evening when she awoked and feels the urgent need to use the bathroom. It was as Arnav could read her mind, because he picked her carefully up and wore her to bathroom. He left her alone but she knew he was ready not far away and ready to come inside in case he hears something wrong. He was probably on the next side of the door. Well this couldn't stop her from using the bathroom because her bladder would burst if she didn't relived herself immediately. While Khushi used the bathroom, she was extremely careful not to create some weird sound, because she didn't want Arnav to come inside the bathroom. Ending whatever she needed to do, Khushi was just happy that nothing unusual happened. On the way out she felt the strain leaving her body, but as soon she left the bathroom she found herself in Arnav's arms.
He used the same way he feed her in the afternoon, now in the evening. She didn't fight with him. Not even refuse the medicine. All she wanted now, was peace. She was so tiered, so she closed the eyes and drifted back into the sleep.
Later the voice of Dr. Dara awaked her for few seconds and she caught few words. It was Arnav's voice that she heard first.
>>I am worried about her condition. Is it normal for her to sleep that much?<<
Dr. Dara's voice resounded in the room as next.
>>Don't worry Mr. Raizada. It's totally normal. The medication is very strong and important. Did she ate her food properly?<<
Arnav answered and his voice was the last Khushi heard before she felt back into the sleep.
>>Good. I was worried. I want you to keep me informed about everything. My wife's wellbeing and health is my priority and should be yours too.<<
***
Arnav didn't gave himself any break and checked after Khushi every second. He looked after her also whenever she gave any sound from herself. Just when he felt the tiredness growing and wanted to hit the recliner, he heard how Khushi moved in her dream. She didn't spoke, but he could see that she dreamed something which upset her. He put the t-shirt on and walked barefooted to bed. Her head turned from left to right, clutched the sheets and pulled them.
He observed her for few minutes, fighting with himself to lay next to her and take her in his arms. All he wanted, was, that she stop to dream what she dreamed, but didn't know how to help her except waking her up. She needed to rest and if he awoke her to get her out of her nightmare, it could happen, that she couldn't fell back into her much needed sleep.
That's why he did the only thing he thought was right. He laid down and took Khushi in his arms. She relaxed immediately and continued to sleep peaceful. It wasn't only Khushi who felt the soothing impact of Arnav's hug. Arnav relaxed too, felling her next to him and felt into one deep, peaceful dream.
***
Khushi woked up, early in the morning, being held by strong arms. The weight of his arm pressured her injured ribs and his leg laid over hers and pressed it deep into the mattress.
She needed few minutes to realize where she was and who was next to her. Her mind replayed whole last day and her dream last night. She remembered, that she stood again on this cliff and the old woman spoke to her to jump inside the ocean.
She couldn't.
No matter what the woman said it was impossible for her to dare this step. And then as next, she found herself in front of her old house in Lucknow, with him and he told her that he loved her. This was the moment they came with their stones and sticks. Her eyes searched his and begged formally for protection, but he just turned around and left her alone.
***
Arnav woke up and wondered about how long he was sleeping. Usual he slept only five hours in the night, but in the moment he looked on his watch he realized how much he really slept.
Ten. Ten hours, full of beautiful, relaxing sleep.
Since three years he didn't sleep without horrible pictures of Khushi, but last night was full of beautiful dreams. He stretched himself on the bed and remarked that the place next to him was empty.
His first reaction was to stand up and walk to bathroom to check if Khushi was inside. Before he could even knock, he remarked that the door was open. Then he left the room and walked downstairs to search her there but she was nowhere to find.
Khushi was gone.
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