Days rolled .Arnav got busy with his business and Anjali managed to occupy all the time he is home after work. So except for some occasional phone calls nothing changed between Kushi and Arnav. What Arnav didn't realize is that his lack of initiative in taking time out to talk to her is making khushi believe that this marriage was just for saving his face. Akash and Payal was back from their honey moon and was enjoying their new phace of life.
Khushi was to return in two days and she informed the same to both Payal and Arnav. A day before Khushi's return when Raizadas were having breakfast.
"Arnav Bai, will you make arrangements for khushi .Her train is scheduled to reach here by 10.AM tomorrow." Payal asked Arnav who was busy in his phone while having his toast.
"Ho..yah..I will go myself and pick her. Don't worry "Arnav assured her and Raizadas elders smiled thinking Arnav is taking care of Khushi.
After breakfast Raizada men left to work and Nani and Mami left to their room. Anjali alone sat at the leaving room. She was in thoughts.she can't let her chotte suffer in this marriage. He doesn't have to do all these pickup and drop as if he is Khushi's driver .She has to make sure her chotte doesn't have to do all these unnecessary things .she decided to do somethings to save her chotte from this burden soon.
Next day when Arnav came back from his jog, Anjali was all dressed waiting for him.
"Chotte, I want to go to temple, all our drivers are engaged otherwise so can you please drive me?"
Arnav looked at the watch, there was still time for him to go to railway station, so he agreed .Arnav took Anjali to temple and waited. what Arnav didn't know was that his sister's a day old plan to stop her brother from going to receive his wife. After an hour, Anjali came back only to ask him to take her to market place as she has some urgent purchases to make. Arnav who couldn't leave his sister alone went with her to the shops she took .Jeweler, saree shops and many more .In all these shopping, the time went by and Arnav forgot the fact that his wife is waiting for him at the railway station as instructed by her sister. Khushi waited for Arnav for a long time. She called him, but shown busy as he was on continuous business calls as he was no show to work .She even called her Jiji, who assured Arnav will surly come. After waiting for a long time, Khushi gave up and took a taxi and reached santhivan. HP opened the door for her. She took Nani's and Mami's blessing.
After exchanging pleasantries Nani asked
"Bitiya, Where is chotte? Didn't he come to receive you?"
"I didn't see him at station naniji, I phoned him which showed busy .I didn't get any call back too.I was so tired after travelling and last two days of winding up everything .so I came by myself." Khushi answered as if she couldn't wait there more because she was tired. But everybody there understood that their chotte forgot his responsibility. Nani was disappointed with her grandsons irresponsible behaviour . She didn't expect that from him.
"Bitiya you must be tired .Go to your room and freshen up .I will send tea with HP"
"Ji naniji" Khushi was about to take the bag and leave to the room upstairs when they heard laughing sounds. All of them saw a laughing Anjali accompanied by their chotte with lots of shopping bags.
"Di app bhi na. You never leave a chance to loot me"
"why wouldn't I chotte, I am your only sister "Arnav shook his head .He looked ahead only to see everybody at leaving room looking at them. what's that he see in his Nani's face.? 'disappointment'. But why? That's when he saw a slim figure standing beside the sofa ,with bags kept near her. Realization drown him. He forgot to pick his wife from railway station. He got so busy in his di's shopping that he forgot the time he has to go and receive her. He glanced at their faces. Nani's and Mami's face had disappointment, Payal had disappointment and anger but Khushi's face was blank of any emotions as if she expected this. She might have waited for him at station for hours and he refused to show up. He quickly took his phone to know why he didn't get any call from her when she didn't find him at the station ,only to notice some miss calls from her. He messed it all.
"Khushi bitiya, you go to your room and take some rest. Hari Prakash..."nani called loudly.
"Ji nani "Hp came running to follow the instructions of family matriarch.
"You please help her to take her luggage upstairs and get her a tea and some thing to eat.She must be tired after the journey nd her long wait at the railway station."she said giving a pointed look to her grandson.
"Ji nani ji "Hp immediately took the bags
Khushi didn't wait for more to happen and left to their room. She just wanted to sleep for some time. She was tired due to all the wrapping up and train journey and was not ready for a drama.
Living room.
"what is this chotte? How could you be this irresponsible?" nani asked
"I am sorry nani, it slipped from my mind in-between all those shopping"Arnav replayed
"That's what I asked Arnav, if you were busy with other things, you could at least have arranged somebody to pick her up"Nani was in no mood to forgive her chotte for his irresponsible behavior.
Anjali who was silent till now butted in "Ho, common nani, you can't expect chotte to remember all these trivial things. And it's not like she need assistance in everything. If she is capable enough to reach till Delhi, why can't she mange to come santhivan on her own."
Arnav was flabbergasted with Anjali's replay. How could she say something like this..?.yes, she is trying to justify him in front of his nani ,but she shouldn't have portrayed it as something so unimportant for him.It was not trivial for him to receive his wife but he made a mistake .
He quickly apologized
"I am sorry Nani, Payal .This won't happen again.It just slipped from my mind when I got busy" and quickly moved to his room to talk with his wife. What must be Khushi thinking of him? Already he is guilty for asking her to hide their relationship and not taking out time to get to know her better and above all this has to happen. How she must have felt when he didn't show up to pick her up or even answer her calls. She must have thought this relation means nothing to him...ho...God. How did he mess up things like this.
Khushi stood under shower. She was deeply hurt with Arnav's behavior. If he couldn't come, he could have at least called her and said that or at least give a message. But he was so busy in shopping and enjoying with his sister to even remember her. All his behavior clearly said "how important she is in his life?" when he didn't call her regularly, she thought he must be busy. When her calls were attended as if it was annoying and difficult task to answer, she tried to reason it as his tiredness after a busy day of work. But today all her questions were answered. She hold no importance in his life. This marriage means nothing to him. It was just an arrangement to save his face. So she decided that she won't expect anything from him from now on. Let him decide where he wants to take this relationship. She will do her part of responsibility but will expect nothing in return.
Khushi came out of bathroom to see Arnav waiting for her.
"Hi" Arnav wished awkwardly. He doesn't know how to apologize for his behavior.
Khushi gave a small smile in return without a word.
"how was your journey?"
"tiresome"came her reply.
"I am sorry Khushi..I ...it just slipped from mind...I intended to come and pick you but I somehow forgot it. I didn't notice your calls in between official calls"
"It's okay "Khushi dismissed it quickly as if it was nothing important.
"No...I am really..." before he could complete his phone rang...he gave a sigh...how come everything tends to take wrong way when it comes to Khushi...he couldn't even apologize to her properly. Khushi left to take something from her luggage the moment she saw him looking at the phone which was ringing .
Arnav didn't had any other option than to attend the phone when he saw khushi took that as an opportunity to avoid him.
"Yes Aman"
"Ok, I will be there in 30 minutes"
Arnav pocketed his phone and looked around to see khushi before going office but saw her sleeping on bed. He heaved a sigh and left for office.
Evening when he came back, Khushi brought him coffee as if she has been doing this for a long time. He took that as an opportunity to talk her.
"When are you planning to join AR?"
"I asked nani, she said I can join whenever I wish to, so I thought I will start from tomorrow itself, as tomorrow is first day of month.so"
"Yah, that's good" 'Now he has to apologize for morning incident',he thought.
"Khushi, I am sorry for the morning incident.I don't know how it slipped from my mind. we were busy shopping that it just didn't occur to me that it was time for your train"
"It's okay, yah it would have been nice if you just attended the phone or just inform me about your other plans .I wouldn't have waited there at station for hours. But I can understand you must have forgot these trivial things. You must not be used to all these picking up someone and moreover you are not used to me or my presence in your life.so it's easy to forget.so it is okay. You don't have to apologize to me .
It's time for dinner. You please Freshen up and come downstairs. Everyone is waiting for you". She gave him a half smile and left the room taking his empty coffee cup.
He didn't like it at all. Her those words carried whole different meaning. she said it was okay to forget her as she was not here. Did she mean he forgot their marriage or their relationship as she was not here physically. Her face didn't show anything, not even hurt or anger and it affects him badly .How does his one moment of forgetfulness mess things to this extent.
At dining table Payal,Khushi and Jaya Prakash was serving everyone when Shyam joined them.As usual Nani asked her both grandsons and damadji about their day.
"Damadji , you are returning late these days? Is everything Okay?
"Ji, Naniji, I have some final argument in court this week, I hope we get a favorable judgment."
"I am sure you will Damadji"
"Khushi bitiya, are you joining office tomorrow itself?"
"Ji nanij .I thought to start from tomorrow itself"
"Have you unpacked and arranged everything"
"Ji, Jiji helped me this afternoon"
"Chotte, you will take good care of her at your office.Do you get me.? I should never see you troubling her"
Anjali meddled even before Arnav agrees.
"Nani, nobody knows chotte is married to her at his office.so if he gives his attention to your Khushi bitiya don't you think they will make stories"
The way she said 'your' had so much hate which anybody could make it and it didn't go unnoticed by anybody too.
"So what Anjali ? he could any day introduce her as his wife. I don't find a problem in that" Nani wondered after giving a disapproving glance to Anjali.
"But he doesn't want that, chotte said it himself" Anjali informed her Nani and all others.
"Why? Nani exclaimed
Khushi who was patiently answering naniji and serving others got alerted. She doesn't want to hear Arnav's explanation once again. It hurts to know he give least importance to their marriage.so she quickly excused
"I will get more rotis from kitchen" and left from there.
Arnav closed his eyes in his desperateness. Why does it all ways happens to him? Why the hell his di portrayed it as if he was embarrassed to introduce her ? What's wrong with her? His self-questioning came to an end when Nani repeated her question.
"Nani, I just don't want Sharma's or his associates to create problems. The projects we are dealing now include some of them.so it will cause unnecessary rumors.And you know there are people out there who can use this opportunity "He couldn't complete even before that Nani asked
"So are you planning to hide your marriage just because you may face problems in business? Then till when are you planning to hide it chotte? You will be involved in business all the time with some or others who may be related to sharmas. so are you planning to hide Khushi life long?"
"No nani .I just need 2 weeks to make sure of her security arrangements. I just don't want her to be dragged in unnecessary rumors and speculation"
"Have you discussed about this with Khushi Bitiya? "Nani asked
"Yah, kind off" How will he say he didn't discuss anything or give proper explanation, but just asked her to hide their relationship.
"sort everything as soon as possible chotte. You should have done all these during this one month .How could you neglect this?"
"Nani, I was kind of busy"
"Really chotte. Busy that you even forgot your marriage and wife"nani shook his head in disappointment.
Arnav don't know how to answer her. silence prevailed at dining room until Payal asked
"Akashji, do you have problem in people knowing Khushi as your saali? Payal was clearly disappointed and angered with Arnav's and Anjali's behavior. First they forgets to pick her from station or send anybody for the same, then talk about it as if her sister is someone so unimportant and then as if they are disgusted or embarrassed to introduce her in his world.
"No Payal. I will take care of her" Akash was quick to respond
"Not that she need anybody to take care of . She is smart and capable enough to do that, but as a sister I wanted like to make sure she is fine in her new work environment" Payal said Akash clearly avoiding the looks all others were giving her.
""I will take care of her, don't worry" Akash had known about morning incident when he found Payal sad after his his phone call to her during office hours. He could feel the anxiety about Khushi's life in Payal's voice. He felt the need to ensure Khushi's safety to her sister.
"Payal, Bhai will take care of her. He just wanted to be sure of her security"
"Oh ,I understand Akash, But I really wonder why was he not worried about it when there was a pre planned Muk-dikayi conducted here in this house and Khushi was introduced as his bride. Why is her security i in question when it's time to introduce to the world? Any way 'I'll just go and check Khushi." saying so Payal left to kitchen to join her sister.
Even though Payal made it sound as though she was confused about the double stand Arnav took, everybody there understood the underling accusation of using Khushi when they were a threat to their family's prestige and reputation.