Chapter 47
Khushi walked downstairs and saw Payal smiling. To see Payal's face again brought so many memories back. Khushi didn't know what to draw a conclusion from Payal's presence here, but she didn't want to send her away. If Payal had been there that day when Arnav brought Khushi back, maybe she would have calmed her parents down. Maybe she would have spoken for her and protected her from her parent's anger?
Khushi didn't know what to think anymore and how to feel about Payal's presence.
She needed time to see and decide how to behave towards Payal and she was busy with her possible pregnancy. If Khushi was pregnant, than this would mean that she would leave Arnav very soon.
The thought alone created pain in Khushi's heart.
She didn't want to think so. She really didn't want to fell for Arnav again and that's why she needed to leave.
Payal immediately spoke as soon as Khushi walked the last step.
>>Hi.<<
Khushi knew that Arnav was standing behind her, but seeing Payal's face when she looked behind her confirmed his presence. A weird silence ruled between them all when Payal started talking.
>>Khushi. Sister. I understand it was a huge shock for you to see me and you are maybe angry with me, but I request you to give me a chance to spend time with you and explain some things.<<
Arnav placed one hand on Khushi's shoulder. It was a protective movement and Khushi must admit she felt protected and needed this touch, and this was the exact reason why she needed to leave soon. Too many feelings and too much hope can destroy her and that too beyond repair this time.
It was too much risk. Too dangerous for her heart and soul.
She smiled back to Payal, her eyes not giving away her struggle.
>>Let's have breakfast,<< came from behind. Arnav needed to work. Khushi thought about being together with Payal all the day and she admitted she was a little uncomfortable to be alone with her.
Payal turned around and all three walked to the table. It was good to get a few second to relax, but as soon as they sat both Payal and Arnav continued watching Khushi closely.
Payal didn't know that Khushi didn't want to talk to her and that she didn't have any intention to break her silence. Again, this awkward silence ruled between them. Arnav was not interested in talking to Payal and Payal looked as if she was thinking what to do next.
Khushi has known her sister since their childhood and she saw the changes in her. She was looking like a woman who has enough money. She was looking like successful in life. Khushi asked herself how her parents have been. Are they well? Payal is surely taking good care of them.
Khushi looked down on her plate and remarked the food on it. It looked like Arnav prepared it. After so many weeks, she knew him very well. The way he slept. The way he ate his food and what all he liked eating. There were so many things she discovered about him since he found her.
Looking down at the food, she realized again how dangerous it was to be with Arnav. She melted and this was not acceptable. It was too dangerous. She feared her own destruction and seeing the food prepared by him for her, made the whole situation more difficult. Khushi feared she would not be able to leave him.
The rest of the breakfast was more than silent.
Whenever Payal asked something Khushi didn't respond and Arnav gave short answers. After a while she gave up. When they ended their breakfast Arnav gave Khushi a paper and pencil and asked her if she wanted to come with him or spend some time with Payal.
Khushi wrote her answer down. She wanted to stay at home. This was all she wrote but there was more behind her decision. She wanted to stay at home to get some distance from Arnav. To have her feelings in control. It was not that she wanted to be alone with Payal. She would actually prefer some time alone.
Arnav respected her wish and prepared for the office.
The doorbell rang and Arnav walked to door. Akash and Lavanya was standing outside. While Khushi was taking care of dirty dishes in the kitchen and Payal was reading the magazine in the living room, Arnav spoke something on the door to Akash and Lavanya. Just before he was about to leave the condo, he walked to Khushi and kissed her deeply.
Whispering beautiful words on her lips, he looked lovingly in her eyes. Khushi saw that he didn't want to go and this let her walls melt again.
When Arnav finally managed to let her go and walked to the door, she saw Lavanya standing outside and grinning. As soon as Lavanya saw him looking at her, she lowered her eyes and managed to look ashamed.
Arnav passed her and said something Khushi couldn't hear and with one last glance towards Khushi, he left.
Lavanya looked behind him and then back to Khushi.
Her smile was small and then turned brighter and brighter.
Suddenly she cried.
>>Girl's Day!<<
*
Khushi couldn't help smiling. She even smiled when she left the kitchen and walked to the living room. Lavanya always managed to do this, even Khushi sometimes fought not to find her too funny.
Her excitement about girl's day griped Khushi too and lightened her mood. Just when both reached Payal, Khushi remembered that her so called sister was here, too.
Lavanya and Payal eyed each other, while Khushi took place on the table. She took her small box which Arnav gifted her for her needles and threads. Some girls would be happy to get jewelry or clothes but Khushi loved working on her embroidery and loved her needles and threads.
All this colors created good mood and hope inside her heart. She found escape from her past in her work.
While the life could be cruel, in her work was only love. Every cloth tells its own story and every story was positive. Well not every. Not her own.
She heard Payal and Lavanya heaving conversation.
>>Oh, hello. I didn't think that someone else is here.<<
>>Yeah, I am Khushi's sister.<<
Khushi remarked Payal's hard voice and also goosebumps all over her arms.
>>Oh, wow. Nice to meet you. I mean, I am really glad to meet you. My name is Lavanya.<<
Payal's voice was clearly arrogant when she replied.
>>Well, thank you.<<
Lavanya took place next to Khushi and looked at her work. Khushi didn't have any problem with Lavanya watching. In fact, she liked her presence. Whenever Lavanya could, she came to Khushi and watched her work. Even in the office she used to spend her lunchtime next to Khushi.
Khushi waited to hear from Payal, but nothing came. She continued reading magazines and ignoring Lavanya and Khushi.
There was no questions from her side. Not even talking about the past. Well maybe she didn't want to talk in front of Lavanya. It was definitely safer to keep family stories between them. Lavanya was somebody Khushi knew, but Payal didn't knew Lavanya. It was understandable that she didn't want to talk in front of a stranger. And anyway, Khushi didn't intended to talk to Payal.
They sat there for a while and nobody talked. Few times, Lavanya has tried to talk to Payal, but Payal was always gruff.
After a while Payal put her magazine down on her lap and spoke.
>>Is there some maid? I would like to drink a coffee.
Lavanya, you work for Arnav?<<
>>Yes.<<
Lavanya nodded.
>>How about you make me one coffee. After all you should do something for your money. I have never seen people earning money by sitting around. Maybe I should talk to Arnav about it.<<
Lavanya wanted to stand up but Khushi held her hand. She herself stood slowly up and put her needles and material down and walked into the kitchen. She didn't like Payal's tone. She didn't like how she spoke to Lavanya. Payal was always a little bit dominant, but that doesn't mean she could speak with everyone this way.
She made one coffee and wrote something on a paper for Lavanya.
It was time to leave. She waited for enough time to be sure Arnav left to office and didn't come back. She did it intentionally because she feared that he would come back and find out she was somewhere else. What would happen if he finds out where she was? What she did?
She gave Payal coffee and Lavanya the note. Lavanya looked up, shared a glance and spoke to Payal.
>>Emmm. Khushi and I need to go somewhere.<<
Payal placed the cup on the table in front of her and spoke excited.
>>To Arnav? Can I come with you?<<
Lavanya shared again a glance with Khushi.
>>Well, no. We are not going to office. We need to do some things in town.<<
>>Oh.<<
Payal looked away and took her cup back in her hand.
>>Then I will stay here. I am tired. I want to take a nap. You both can go.<<
*
Khushi and Lavanya left the condo and went to hospital. Khushi wrote on the paper that she needed to get her face and ribs checked and didn't want to disturb Arnav.
She was glad that Lavanya accepted her explanation without any question and somehow she knew Lavanya didn't like Payal and wanted to get away from her for a while.
Khushi understood Lavanya's feelings. She couldn't feel any bond with Payal anymore. In fact she felt closer to Lavanya than Payal.
Reaching the hospital she took Lavanya's phone and asked her to wait in the hospital canteen. She asked her also if Arnav calls that she should tell him that they are in hospital for check-up and would go to the city for shopping after that. Lavanya's face brightened up after she read what Khushi wrote on her phone.
With Lavanya it was easy. She accepted Khushi's silence. She never pushed her to talk.
That's why Khushi was glad to meet Lavanya. She was truly an angel.
The moment she reached the delivery ward, she found herself in a complicated position. She took enough money for treatment, but she didn't think about the conversation thing.
Well she would just write everything down.
One nurse came and asked her about the reason she was in delivery ward. Khushi looked around and saw papers and pencil in her hand. She pointed at it and the nurse gave it to her. She wrote that she needed a pregnancy test and also needed to know hundred percent if she was pregnant.
The nurse smiled and led her to one room. It was good that Khushi could do the test immediately and didn't have to wait for hours. The moment the nurse informed her that urine test can be done immediately, the blood test have to take one day till she gets results.
Khushi placed all her money on the table and wrote down on the paper that she needed the test urgently and was ready to pay whatever it costs. The nurse sighed and gave in after she talked to the responsible doctor.
The doctor was one old man, obviously very busy since he came in and took blood just to disappear after this. The nurse then led Khushi to the next toilet where she gave her urine.
One hour later, after she visited Lavanya in the canteen and came back, the doctor was back too and called her inside his office. He took the money and thanked and gave Khushi some papers in return. He continued talking about healthy food, sleep and other things while Khushi looked inside.
All these words and numbers didn't make any sense till the doctor remembered what he actually forgot to say.
>>Oh, by the way Mrs. Singh Raizada. Congratulations, you are expecting.<<
He continued informing Khushi about the dangers in the very early pregnancy and that she should wait to tell it to family, but this didn't reach her ears. She imagined her baby and what it will look like. She imagined holding it in her arms.
When Khushi walked out of his office she was like in trance. She never thought she could feel so happy. So in love. She was overwhelmed that she spoke her first sentence after three years.
>>I am pregnant.<<
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