A shot on Diwali night when Arnav doesn't understand Khushi's point of views regarding parenting and the importance of money and makes fun of her instead.
Requested by @prettybhawana1 and @Mehakshakir
Continuation.....
Morning Bedroom
Khushi got out of the washroom ready in her pista green silk sari. Her hair were deliberately done in a bun.
At the same time Arnav entered the room after his jogging session. He tried to smile but failed seeing her serious face. She quickly got inside the walk in closest to pick his suit for the day and quietly placed it on the bed.
Arnav walked towards her "I brought peanuts for you. I saw a vendor selling them on my way back-"
Before he could complete Khushi rudely cut him "Thanks but no thanks." She whispered looking straight into his eyes. "I wish it was that simple." She spoke softly. "I never realised that I was so easy to tame." She passed a sarcastic glance towards the peanuts then shook her head. Arnav bit his lips in shame.
As soon as she stepped towards the door Arnav held her wrist gently pulling her towards him. "Khushi I know I was extremely ru-"
Khushi "Hari Prakashji, Arnav bhaiyya's coffee is not here." She again rudely cut him in between not caring about his reaction.
HP "Coming Khushi Bhabi!" He entered their bedroom making Arnav lose his grip on her hand. She quickly walked away leaving him dejected.
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Dining room
Arav came downstairs and greeted everyone "Good morning!"
Anjali "Good Morning Arav. Slept well?"
Arnav nodded "Yeah. You?"
Anjali smiled softly "Oh I did too."
Arav inquired Arnav about Khushi. Arnav signalled him towards the kitchen.
Arav "I'll be right back." He quickly walked towards the kitchen in order to apologise for his rude behaviour.
Khushi was busy packing Arav's lunch box when she heard someone coughing deliberately. She turned around to find Arav standing behind her.
Khushi "Do you need something Arav?"
Arav "Err...Good morning?" He whispered meekly.
Khushi "Good Morning Arav. Do you need something?" She asked expressionlessly. Unlike with the father she still chose to keep a little conversation with Arav. No matter how rude he had been in the past few days he was still her son. She deeply cared about him. Yes Arav's misconduct was the soul reason behind last nights heated argument which left her extremely angry and disappointed but she couldn't deny the fact that the argument between him and Arnav was bound to happen some day or the other. She sighed seeing Arav fumbling with his fingers staring at his shoes.
Arav "Actually, yeah. I wanted your forgiveness."
Khushi shook her head "You don't want forgiveness. You ask for forgiveness Arav." She stated calmly.
Arav "Yes. Sorry! I wanted to ask for your forgiveness. I'm sorry for misbehaving last night. I should have waited for the Pooja to have laddoos. And I shouldn't have broken the vase. I promise to never repeat that mistake again."
Khushi "Hmm...who knocked sense into you cause clearly it's not your guilt Arav." She narrowed her eyes.
Arav "Dad." He replied embarrassed.
Khushi "Of course." She muttered then kneeled down to his height. "Arav. A person should apologise when he feels guilty for his mistake not just because someone asks him to. Clearly your dad told you to ask for an apology. He might've used strict tone. Agree. As a parent we have the responsibility to guide you if you've done some mistake. But that doesn't mean you have to follow each and every word that we say. You see God has given us brains." She pointed at his forehead. "Gave us the ability to think. To differentiate between right and wrong. So we should put it into use. Clearly you're not guilty for your misconduct. You apologised because you were asked to. If your Dad wouldn't have asked you, you would have least bothered about coming to me and asking for forgiveness. So....what do you think in that case should I forgive you?" She smiled politely.
Arav shook his head in denial.
Khushi "Hmm. See!" She got up and resumed with her breakfast making.
Arav "I'm really bad with temper." He whispered softly. "In ashram too I was notorious for losing my cool too quickly. And then when I met you I hated you for keeping ASR to yourself. But then you and Dad adopted me. The hard feelings that I had for you still didn't go completely. Although I tried my best. And I'm trying. And I'm sorry. For not treating you as my parent earlier. For not being grateful to have you as my family. Dad said you're an Angel. Thank you for adopting me. I promise to be at my best behaviour, Mom."
Khushi froze at his last word then turned around and bent towards him truly overwhelmed "I never forced to call me as your Mom Arav. Nor did I ever force you to treat me like one. You can take all your time to accept me as your parent. I know it takes a lot of effort to accept someone in your life who you never liked in the past in first place. If you're not comfortable that's alright. Don't look at me as your mom if you don't want. Look at me as a friend first. As your buddy. Your best friend. Try to learn to trust me. You'll see everything is going to fall back in to place. And slowly we'll both become integral part of each other's lives." She cupped his face and kissed his forehead. Handing him his lunch box she patted his shoulder "Come on its time for breakfast! Hurry!" She smiled as they both walked towards the dining table hand in hand.
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Arnav sighed in relief seeing the mother son duo bonding. "Hey Champ! Come here!" He smiled at Arav who beamed at him and took a seat beside him. "So? What's special for breakfast??" He eyed Khushi who didn't spare a glance at him.
Khushi "Nothing special. Same old boring breakfast." She addressed everyone plainly.
Anjali "Payalji made breakfast today." She smiled at Payal. "Btw Chote, I'll take the car today. Will drop Arav on my way."
Arnav frowned "Where are you going Di?"
Anjali "Some personal work. I'll be home by noon." She smiled politely.
Khushi "Arav quick. It's time for you to leave. You'll be late for morning assembly."
Anjali "Quick!" She made him wear his bag. He quickly bid the Raizadas bye, hugged Khushi and Arnav and left for his school with Anjali.
"I'll leave now." Arnav declared hoping to get a response from Khushi but alas. Deliberately leaving his car keys at the dining table he picked his coat and phone and walked towards the main entrance.
"Your car keys." Came a plain voice from behind. He smiled internally turning around to face his upset Biwi.
Arnav "Thanks." He smiled. "Khushi I'm really-"
"I'm not stupid to not acknowledge how you deliberately left the keys in order to start a conversation with me. I'm just here to say non of your tactics are going to work. I'm a grown up, not a three year old that you'll somehow tame me at the end of the day and gloat over your non-existent victory. It was nice to see you finally trying to take responsibility as Arav's father. But this won't undo what you did last night. Instead of ordering him try to make him understand that he himself needs to choose between right and wrong and not blindly follow your footsteps. Clearly then it's gonna be disastrous for him. You might have healed a part of my relationship with Arav. That doesn't mean you've healed ours. You're right on square one." She declared coldly.
"Khushi-"
"Moreover," she cut him again "I'm officially backing off from that catering business that I started at your office. I don't need your exemplary support to earn money. Anyways it would make no difference since I'm not even earning enough." She shrugged.
"Khushi I thought you loved cooking and serving others. You yourself started the business with so much enthusiasm. You wanted to support your family. Why leave now?" He was upset.
"Yes I love cooking. That doesn't mean I want to adopt it as my profession. I started the business in order to keep myself distracted from our so called contract marriage. I needed money for my family since the sweet business was no more. And clearly I didn't need any favours from you. Hence I did what I did. Not anymore. I told Mr Sharma to takeover. It's up to you who you wanted to handover the business to. I'm not associated anymore." She walked away leaving him behind completely disturbed.
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Arnav was playing with the paper weight deeply thinking about last night's events that's when Akash entered his cabin.
Akash "Bhai, you called me?"
Arnav nodded in acknowledgment "Sit. We need to talk."
Akash "Is everything okay?" He asked concerned.
Arnav "Akash how much do you know Payal?"
Akash "What?"
Arnav "I just want to know how much do you know Payal after 7 months of marriage?"
Akash "Well." He smiled. "I know everything about her. She's a talented woman. Where do I start? It's so much to tell." He chuckled.
Arnav "Do you know what has she studied? What are her likes and dislikes? Whether she wanted to be independent or not?"
Akash "With what I know. She was a pure science student. But you know something? She was enrolled in a cooking school after college. She dropped out after third year. Apparently she loves to cook that's why she decided to get admissions in a culinary school. But then she got engaged and dropped out. You know the rest."
Arnav "Did she have any aims or dreams? To be independent?"
Akash "I'm not sure Bhai. But why are you asking me this?"
Arnav "Sometimes I realise I don't know Khushi at all." He played with his pen quite upset with himself. "Yesterday I learned that she dreamt of being a successful interior designer. Her biggest dream was to be an independent self-made woman." He sighed. "All this time I thought maybe she loved cooking so I officially set her up the catering business. Today she backed off, saying she started the business just to divert her attention in the early days of her marriage and to support the Guptas not because she wanted to."
Akash gave him a surprised look.
Arnav "She loves cooking, but she never said anything about turning her talent into a profession." He sighed. "And just now I learned that it was actually Payal who wanted to pursue her career as a cook."
Akash "How? I-" he was baffled
Arnav "No one would just enrol themselves to a culinary school just for the sake of cooking food. Payal clearly wanted to do something. Perhaps start a business or help her parents with the sweet shop. It's just she wasn't strong enough to voice out her interest unlike my Khushi, who too somehow lost track of her dreams and aims once we met." He sighed. "I made life so hard for her that she was even ready to be a trainee for Lavanya."
Akash "I feel so guilty for not confronting Payal-" he sighed as the reality started to sink in.
Arnav "Then do something about it."
Akash "With what I know about Payal. She's never gonna step up herself Bhai even if I ask her to achieve her goals. She's shy. And not as confident as she should be. Plus Ma will make it even more difficult for her. Even if I try to make her understand she'll hesitate because of Ma."
Arnav "Don't worry about Mami I'll handle her."
Akash "Do you have something in mind? For Payal?" He asked eagerly.
Arnav "Why doesn't she takeover the catering business? It was her passion. She won't step out of the house much in the initial days. She can take time to learn the business protocols then once she's confident enough about her talent and profession we can you know open a restaurant for her. I bet she'll ace it. It's a great investment anyway. What do you think?"
Akash was dumbfounded "Wow. That's a great idea Bhai. Only I'm not sure how I'll get her to accept-"
Arnav "That's what you have to deal with. I've transferred the business on Payal's name. I heard Khushi telling me that her birthday is approaching. This would be a great gift."
Akash "Of course it will be!" He smiled brightly. "Thank you Bhai. You just solved the whole puzzle for me."
Arnav "Only if I could do it for myself." He huffed.
Akash "I'm there to help you know. If you need me?"
Arnav "It's.....complicated."
Akash "Nothing about you and Khushiji is simple Bhai. You should accept this first as a fact." He chuckled. "Your relationship till date has been a rollercoaster ride for everyone not just you too."
Arnav smiled "Indeed. Only if had not been a complicated personality things would have been different."
Akash "True. But remember this as another fact. Khushiji chose this. Khushiji chose You. She knew who she was falling in love with. She knew who she was going to deal with."
Arnav frowned "I don't get-"
Akash "Khushiji fell in love with the real you Bhai. She fell in love with Arnav and not ASR. It's high time you stop showing her the shades of ASR. You need to be the man she fell in love with, not the man who always disappointed her. Be the Arnav to her. You have 8 hours of throwing tantrums as ASR at this office. Can't you leave your ego, anger and attitude here in this very cabin when you leave for home? And be the loving husband she expects you to be? An understanding husband if I be specific?"
Arnav stared at his wedding band as Akash's words started to sink in. In that moment Akash knew his brother got his point.
Akash "That's all she's asking for." He smiled. "Take little steps at a time Bhai. I'm sure things will be alright." He patted his back. "I'll take my leave. And thanks for this." He smiled and walked towards the glass door.
"Akash." Arnav called him.
"Yeah?'
Arnav "Thanks."
Akash smiled warmly "No problem Bhai."
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Anjali entered Arnav's cabin abruptly surprising him.
Arnav "Di? You here? Is everything alright?" He frowned.
Anjali huffed "Yeah. Everything is okay. I'm a bit in a rush. Came to drop lunch for you and Akash. I needed to have a quick word with you before I leave."
Arnav "Sit. Breathe Di." He sighed. "What is it?" He eyed Anjali playing with her fingers.
Anjali "I want to study Chote. I've applied to different universities in Delhi." She dropped the bomb on him.
Arnav "What-"
Anjali "Before you start with your what why. Hear me out first." She took a deep breath. "Arnav never in my life I had thought of working or being an independent woman. Coming from a traditional family back then we were told to not dream big cause we eventually had to get married as soon as we complete our basic studies. At that time I had happily accepted the way things were and had soon gotten engaged as soon as I graduated from college. But now. The way things are I think I'm ready to step out of my shell and see the world from my perspective. Arnav I've tried coping up from my broken marriage when the first time my marriage was called off. And I'm slowly recovering from my recent loss, my baby and the divorce. I realised I can't sit at home and mourn over my tragic past. I need to get out do something. It's depressing me. That's when I decided to pursue my studies that I left 8 years ago. I want to graduate Arnav so that I can at least be capable of joining ARD and help my brothers. I want to be independent." she completed.
Arnav "Where is this coming from?" He asked after an awkward silence although he knew the answer already.
Anjali sighed "As if you have no clue? Well, after your argument with Khushi I realised it's high time I decide to be on my own. I can't always be dependent on you. Wait." She stopped him before he could speak. "Stop. Don't even assume that it was Khushiji who knocked some sense in to me. Don't you dare misunderstand her."
Arnav gasped "Why would I blame her Di? Am I so bad that you guys always perceive that I'm only capable of hurting her and not loving or understanding her?"
Anjali sighed "Well you almost end up doing the same thing." She shrugged. "Last night when you oh so casually hurt her feelings by indirectly telling her that she's dependent on you for everything I realised that if you can taunt her then why not me? What if in future you taunt me for just being an emotional depressed fool who's entirely and completely dependent on her baby brother? I mean come on. Some day or the other you'll get tired and frustrated of me." She whispered softly.
Arnav "You know I'd never do that." He spoke upset.
Anjali "I know. Intentionally you won't but unintentionally you do a lot of things that hurt people around you Chote. Specially Khushiji. And I'm just amazed at how she still puts up with your arrogant snobbish behaviour. It's frustrating to see someone doing the exact same things to hurt you. And I applaud her tolerance and patience level towards you. Now Arav adds to the list." She huffed.
Arnav looked away "Di. I'm extremely disappointed with myself and guilty for hurting her. I'm figuring a way out to woo her."
Anjali "There's no specific tactic or a plan to woo your wife Arnav. She ain't a child who'll come around every time you bring her jalebis after an argument. Arnav there's a limit to everything and anything in this world. There's a limit to tolerance too. What if one day Khushiji gets fed up and leaves you for good? Will you be able to live without her Arnav?" She scared him to bits.
Arnav "What?" He panicked. "Is she going to stay at Buaji's house?"
Anjali "Answer my question Arnav."
Arnav "Of course not Di. I can't live without her. She's my everything. I love her Di. And I know I've hurt her countless times in the past and present but one thing I can't do is let her go. I can't breathe without her. Like you once told me." He explained desperately like a child. "Is she so upset that she's-"
Anjali "No. She's not leaving. Chote every time leaving for Gupta house is not the solution to your arguments. Unlike before she has a son to take care of. So no. She's very much present in RM." She saw him breathe a sigh of relief. "But how long will this go?" She asked raising her eyebrow. "How long will she struggle to fight for her rights as both your wife and Arav's mom? How long will it take for you to realise her worth in not just yours but everyone's life?" She shook her head. "Do you realise she's the driving force of the whole house? Mine? Arav's. Nani's. Literally everyone's. Everyone in this house first goes to Khushi for absolutely the shittiest of problems. Have you realised why? You can't do a day without her around. You need to see her face when you wake up, you need her present when you come back from your jog, when you get ready for office. You need her beside you at the dining table for breakfast and you only have her handmade breakfast and coffee. You need her present right behind you at the door when you leave for office. Here you can't keep on working like a pro until you hear her voice after regular intervals, you'll be restless until she calls you which she hasn't done today and your face just literally screams the whole story. You need her in your arms as soon as you're back from office. You need to share about your day at office with her, have her handmade evening coffee, have her pick your outfit for the night, give you your towel, charge your and place your scattered items back in the closet just the way you like. You need her sitting beside you at the dining table you won't eat until she serves the elders and joins you. You need to hold her hand in order to get into a peaceful slumber. So tell me my dear brother, who is dependent on whom? It's completely the other way round. Like literally your whole day revolves around your beloved and you just had to mess things up by hurting her with your harsh words. It's not about money Arnav. It never was. It never is. And YOU KNOW THAT. YOU MUST HAVE KNOW THAT." She stared at him who bit his lips in shame.
"Khushi has an extremely good upbringing. Strength. Patience. Willpower. Summing it up she is just capable of so many things you can't even count on finger tips Arnav. She's an exceptional woman. And most women are born that way. Mumma was one of them." She whispered making him look up at her. "Unfortunately Dad never acknowledged that. He wasn't grateful for having someone like her in his life." She chuckled sadly. "You know all the good values inculcated in us are because of Mumma. She made sure that both you and me inherit good traits from not just her but our father as well. He was no saint I agree. But he wasn't completely a bad man either. And Khushi, yesterday was doing the same. She doesn't want Arav to copy you anymore like he was previously made to. And you've seen how perfectly he did the job proving himself to be your miniature version." She shrugged looking into his eyes "He admires you that, great. You're his role model, yes. Of course you're his dad. Someone he looks up to. That doesn't mean he has to be you. And Arav still hasn't understood. If he starts picking up the wrong traits of not just you but everyone else in this family, the outcome is going to be very difficult for you and Khushi to handle later." She explained. "And that's what Khushi was trying to do. Save you from future disappointments." She smiled.
"Arnav men think they are geniuses and they can do anything and everything in this world. But remember this for if a woman can, she can proof herself to be a successful CEO of a company and many women in this world HAVE proved it. But a man can never be a mother to his child no matter how hard he tries. He'll always remain the father."
"It's takes one word. A mere second to be disrespectful towards someone you've been respecting all your life. But that one word one second Arnav, is enough to break their hearts into millions of pieces. It doesn't go for just Khushi. It's goes for everyone." She smiled standing up seeing his brother in deep thoughts. "See! She showed him her phone screen. Despite being angry and hurt your wife still wants to make sure if you had your lunch and medicines." She huffed.
Arnav smiled sadly taking the phone from her hand "Hello?"
Khushi "H...I thought it was Di...."
Arnav "Yes Khush. It's her phone. I'm talking since you're not picking up my calls." He whispered. Anjali smiled and decided to give the couple some privacy. "Wait." Arnav pressed the mute button. "Di." He called. "You and Akash gave me such a long lecture as to what went wrong with me and Khushi. Might as well help me how I win her back? Please?"
Anjali turned around raising her eyebrow "What's goes wrong, is my responsibility to let you know. But how are you gonna woo your better half. That's your job to figure out. FYI, I'm on team Khushi so...good luck with that." She gave him a cheeky smirk and left his cabin.
Arnav again connected with Khushi "You there?"
Khushi "Yes. Did you have your lunch? Medicines?" She inquired.
Arnav "Not yet." He replied honestly. "I can't have."
Khushi "Why can't you have your lunch Arnav?"
Arnav "I miss you. I want to come home and hug you tight." He replied upset.
There was no reply from her end.
Arnav "Shall I?" He asked gulping hard at her silence. "Khush?"
Khushi "Let me know if you're. I'll make your lunch. No one's home so." She mumbled.
Arnav "I'm coming. I love you Khushi." He smiled softly. A sentence he used not-so-often.
Khushi "Hmm." Was all he heard before she disconnected the call. He chuckled at her response.
Arnav "I'll make sure we're good before we retire to bed tonight." He smiled and immediately left his cabin with his phone and car keys.
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Ok so basically initially I had planned this as a 2 shot but damn! Anjali and Akash's conversation just went with the flow as soon as I started writing. It had to be included. He deserved a piece of mind don't you think guys?
So I'll be posting the third shot during the weekend.
Do vote and comment.
✅♥️