Rising Phoenix
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Lockdown...This is for our safety, for our Nation's safety... let's work together...
Be safe...keep everybody safe...
Pray for the World to recover soon...
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Chapter 17 : Unexpected Meeting
5: 30 p.m.
Park..
Mumbai..
Arnav was felling heartbroken after knowing the brutal betrayal of his sister. He was smiling ruefully.. " It's all karma.." He has broken Khushi into pieces because of his di's happiness and later on because of the lies regarding his mother's death and father's character... He had lived his almost half of the life hating his father who actually loved his mother dearly..And today, he came to know that not only dadi or Shyam, but his sister too had used him for her own selfish reason.
Arnav's thought was broken when a ball hit on his leg.. He was about to pick up the ball but a small pair of hand already had picked it up..
Both of their eyes met and a cute little voice chirped, " Bad man uncle... What are you doing here?"
Arnav looked at the cheerful boy who was looking at him with a big smile on his face... " Where have I seen him?" Arnav thought but like a thunderbolt he remembered their airport meeting..
" Hei.. How are you little man?" Arnav asked him while ruffling his hair.
" I am fine badman.. I am playing with my gulab jamoon.." The boy indicates towards his little puppy..
Arnav nodded and asked, " You alone here little man?"
" No.. aunty had came.. look there, she is resting.. old age problem you know.."The boy said while pointing out towards an old lady who was sitting in a bench while reading something.
" Ohhh... So, you live nearby?" Arnav asked further. He does not understand while conversing with this little bundle of joy he always feels contented. A certain kind of calmness engulfs him .. This is just the 2nd meet and Arnav is feeling that he knew the little boy for years.
" Yes.. Yes... I stay nearby. I come here every evening..But I did not see you before in the park? Are you new here?" The boy asked curiously.
" yes, little man.." Arnav said affectionately.
"By the way, I have a name.. Kushav.. Not little man.." The boy said with attitude.
Arnav could not help but laughed out loud seeing the boy's confidence.. He has always bring smile on his face and he make him remembered about his childhood.
" Okay, Kushav.. Tell me about yourself.." Arnav said while the boy already had sit down besides him.
" Why? Why do you want to know about me? hum?? Why should I tell you?" Kushav narrowed his eyes towards Arnav trying to intimate him while failed miserably.
Arnav chuckled a little and said, "Because we are friends."
"When this happened? When we became friends?" Kushav said while putting his hands on his hips, looking absolutely adorable.
" Well, then let's be friends.." Arnav said trying to be serious but bubble of laughter was not letting him to be so.
" Why we will become friend? Mumma said not to talk with the stranger." Kushav asked very thoughtfully.
"Are we stranger? We have met before too.." Arnav said ruffling his hair..
" Don't... don't touch me.. Mumma had taught me good touch and bad touch, you know.." Kushav said while flaring his nose and Arnav's mouth hung open..
"Okay... sorry.. I will not touch you....But I want to be your friend.." Arnav said amused.. The more he talks with this little boy the more he feels connected with him. There is something about him, which is making Arnav weak around him.
" Friend... But why? Mumma has said that don't talk with stranger.." Kushav repeated by breaking Arnav's chain of thought.
" We met twice and talk so much..and" Arnav was again cut off by the little boy,
" So what? Mumma said never trust any stranger.." The boy said thoughtfully.
"Mumma said this, mumma said that... You are such a mumma's boy.. What about your father ? What he had teaches you?" Arnav asked casually but the moment his words escaped from his mouth, the little boy's face lost all his colour..
" Hei.. What happened little man? ..Kushav ? are you.. are you okay?" Arnav said immediately watching the way Kushav's face just lost all it's colour in the mention of his father..
" Did he scare about his father? Is his father very strict? How can a man be strict with such a cute bundle of joy?" Arnav thought continuously observing the changing face colour of Kushav..
From sadness, then pain, then blank and then he quickly covered his face with a smile.
"How could it possible? This boy is way to mature than his age? Definitely he had seen some bad things in his little life.." Arnav thought mentally and his heart went for the little boy.. Before he could speak any further, Kushav said,
" Bad man uncle, You know I am God's special child. And Special child DON'T HAVE FATHER'S... and My mumma is both my father and mother." Kushav said with a big smile adorning in his face but Arnav senses the sadness which he was trying to hide in his eyes.
Without much thinking Arnav just crushed the little boy within his huge frame.
It felt serene... For a moment, Arnav totally forgot about his sorrow, his loss, the betrayal he felt, the sins he had done.. He forgot everything... he felt his soul relived again after all this years... It was the same feelings, Arnav had felt years before when Khushi was in his arms...
Arnav came back in reality when someone screamed, " Kushav.. What are you doing with the stranger my boy? And you, are you trying to Kidnap our Kushav? Oh my God... You are a Kidnapper.. help... help... somebody please help..." The old lady only screamed louder.
Khushav freed himself from a stupefied Arnav's embrace and run towards the old lady..
" Please... grany aunty... please, don't scream... all the birds will flew away from the park.. You are scaring everyone." Kushav said while putting his hands over his hips.
The old lady shook her head and caught hold Kushav hand's and turn to her heel and started to leave without uttering any further words..
" Bye... Badman uncle.. I have to go now.. bye.." and before Arnav could proceed further, Kushav was almost out of his view..
Arnav stood their stupefied, shocked..
"Am I looking like a kidnapper now? Child's kidnapper ?" Arnav wondered just what happened now...
A small smile appeared slowly in his otherwise cold face.. But soon it's vanished remembering Kushav's sad eyes.. The little boy is so jovial, full of life.. But he did not have a father?
"May be his parents got divorced. Or maybe his father died. Or maybe his father abandoned his mother and him..." the last thought boiled his blood..
Who may be the idiot man who abandoned this cute, adorable boy? Arnav felt a certain protectiveness towards the boy..
Why he is feeling so strange? So connected with this boy? Why he is feeling that Kushav's sorrow is way greater than his own misery?
Just two days, it's been just two days, two meeting.. Very unexpected and short lived meeting with the boy and Arnav Singh Raizada is a goner.
This is the first, this type feeling... Arnav shook his head negatively, no.. Whom he is lying.. This is not a new feelings...
Arnav Singh Raizada had felt the similar kind of feelings years ago, when some Khushi Kumari Gupta had fallen on his arms in the fashion show in Sheesh Mahal. The restlessness, the never ending yearning, the wild attraction and the inhuman way to hurt that pure soul to safeguard himself..
Arnav closed his eyes in despair.. His past will never live in peace .. The amounts of his sins are so huge, just like a boulder which is never going to dissolved in near future...
Arnav took a deep breath... looking at the surrounding Arnav realized that the park almost became empty and he decided to walk back towards Verma Mansion.
Surprisingly Arnav is feeling very light. The extinguishing pain which was killing him after knowing Anjali's betrayal, felt less painful. He is feeling certain kind of calm..
And Arnav knew all because of the little boy... Kushav..
He just can hope that he will able to meet him again and if they met again, he will definitely ask him about his address or any contact details.. Unknowingly the little boy acted as his medicine to his broken soul...
Arnav smile and started towards his destination..
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Verma Mansion..
Mumbai..
Arnav entered in the mansion but the thick silence in the living room and the faces of the occupants there indicates that something has happened..
" Hi.. Is there any problem? Why are you all looking so different?" Arnav asked the moment his eyes landed on Rahul, his present brother in law.
" Nothing serious ASR.. It's just that..." before Rahul could complete, Manvi said , " Anjali mami made my mother cry."
Arnav frowned hearing Manvi's words and looked at both Anjali and Nandini. It was clearly evident that Nandini was crying and Anjali too was looking distressed.
" What happened Di?" Arnav said trying hard to control his temper. He is feeling really tired by backing off his sister since forever.
" Oh.. Nothing Chotey.. Nandini was telling to go out for dinner while I just insisted that to have dinner here only. I have prepared your favourite foods." Anjali said looking at Arnav expecting his support as always.
" But we can store the foods in fridge and eat them tomorrow. Simple.. Why you every time deny Nandini's wish Anjali?" It was Rahul who replied and from his tone it was clearly evident that he is annoyed.
" And ASR, please make Anjali understand that Nandini is my sister and she is important part of my life.. And who can more clearly understand the importance of a sister in a brother's life? You are the best brother any sister can have.. We all know what extend you went through to keep Anjali's first marriage intact and make her happy..." Rahul said and Arnav felt someone had snatched the ground under him.
" Yes... we all know how you had forced a girl for six month contract marriage just to keep your sister happy.. You are the best brother anyone can get.. We all know how lucky Anjaliji is... But we are also surprised that why Anjaliji is not understanding that Nandini is also important in Rahulji's life.. and now as Rahulji is married that does not mean Nandini's importance has reduced just like the same way you always give Anjaliji priority even after your contract marriage or after your present marriage.." This was Manik, Nandini's husband spoke and Arnav felt he was smirking looking at him..
Was Manik indirectly taunting him? How much they all know about him and his contract marriage with Khushi? How much they know about the injustice he had done to Khushi?
" Yes.. and I thought Anjali will understand the bond of mine with Nandini, how important she is..." Rahul said disheartened.. " I definitely adore my sister Nandini but I never physically or emotionally manhandled you Anjali. Did I ever? Then why cannot you understand that my sister is also my responsibility like you, even after my marriage.. I thought you will understand as you have always got the same treatment from your brother even after his marriage, both time.." Rahul said looking at Anjali who is a little bit uncomfortable because truth hurts..
" And Anjali Bhabi, please don't worry.. Your place in my brother's life will always get priority. Actually my brother knew how to make a balance between his sister and wife, UNLIKE OTHERS..." Nandini said looking at Anjali but Arnav felt that it was a slap directed towards him..
How they know this much?
Who told them?
" It's okay... now, forget everything and let's go out for dinner." Anjali said finally not getting any other choice. " Chotey, you are also coming with us." Anjali said to Arnav in which he nodded his head absentmindedly.
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Arnav looks at the mirror of the guest room while getting ready. The conversation downstairs in living room pushed him in a memory lane. Bitter sweet memory of his animalistic behaviour towards his wife, scratch that, contracted wife of six months, Khushi..
The past was replying in front of his eyes like a movie...their meeting at Sheesh mahal, his abuse, her feedback, the way he had always manhandled her, taunted her, insulted her and then the force marriage...To save his sister life, he had forcefully married that innocent soul and the torture she had to bore. And finally his rejection in the day of their re-marriage, Arnav did not realized when his eyes filled with unshed tears and a stabbing pain he felt in his left side..
"Remembering Khushiji?" Arnav's thought was broken listening Anjali's shaky voice.
Arnav did not say anything and not bother to turn..From his mirror Arnav made an eye contact with Anjali whose eyes were moistened too.
" I am sorry Chotey.. I did so wrong.. Because of me you scarifies so much, even your love but I always acted like a selfish person." Anjali said while wiping her tears..
" Love ?? and Me?? No di... I am incapable of love.. I never loved Khushi.." Arnav said the last line in whisper while tears flowed from his eyes freely.
" Chotey ... please don't say like that...I know how much you loves Khushiji... You were just angry..." Anjali stops abruptly while Arnav laughed mockingly..
" Was I just angry? Just angry Di? Just because of my anger I destroyed a girl? Just because of my anger I torture Khushi day and night? Just because of my anger I tormented her by rejecting her at the altar, immediately after the night we spent together?" Arnav almost yelled while angry tears were flowing from his eyes.
Anjali covered her mouth while she sobs silently.
" It was not anger, or misunderstanding Di.. It was my ego.. I never Valued Khushi.. I took her for granted.. Did I ever took you or any other family members for granted? Never, right... But I took her for granted... it's true di, my love for her was always selfish... always comes with terms... if you and the other family members were happy, I treated her well, if any problem occurred in our family specially to you, then I had always shouted at her.. You tried aborting your child and I told her the biggest mistake of my life..But truth to be said that I am the biggest and only mistake of Khushi's life.." Arnav said choking in his breath and Anjali sobs loudly...
Both the siblings were repenting their deeds but sadly it was late..
A little too late...
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XYZ Restaurant....
Delhi....
Khushi was looking at her watch impatiently. It's already late evening and she is waiting here for someone special. She is very worried for Kushav as the boy is getting cranky at home..
Suddenly Khushi felt a gust of wind ruffle her hair.. She got alerted... infact she is not at all at peace since she had met Arnav in the office.. Her mind is getting all type of negative vive specially the way Arnav was adamant to talk with her.
There was something very intense about Arnav's approaches towards her. It's not that Arnav was remorseful for his act but Arnav was determined to break her again.. Khushi felt that he is not Arnav but the ruthless ASR whom she had met years ago at Seesh Mahal, the ASR who abuses her that night and to satisfy his own ego released that video footage in local T.V channel..
Khushi's thought was broken when someone called her from behind,
" What a pleasant surprise.. Hi Miss Sharma.." Khushi looked at the familiar face of Nandini Malhotra.
Khushi smiled brightly looking at the lady but her smile froze in her face looking at behind Nandini.
There standing Mrs Anjali Verma and Mr Arnav Singh Raizada in all their glory. Anjali had tears in her eyes looking at her while Arnav had an unusual glow in his face.
The brother sister due, once they had been the nightmare of her life..Now they have again come back...
Khushi cursed mentally herself, "Why her fate is so twisted? Why the unwanted people are coming back in her life when she had successfully moved on?"
Only time can answer what is now stored for Khushi Sharma...
To be contd......
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Author Note:
Hello my lovely readers...
Here is the next chapter of this FF....
Expecting your response ...
Please don't send PM requesting for update.. Unlike many of you, I am not in holidays... I am fighting with time in and out..
Have patience for the update..
Take care and stay safe..
Love and regards...
Your story teller
Mamree
18.04.2020