Part 7

"Khushi" Now Anjali stepped forward, moving towards them again. "Please answer Naniji, please. Are you pregnant? And is Arnav the father?" she extended her hand, but then brought it back.

Arnav heard a sense of hope in her voice. Was that what she wanted? His eyes searched Anjali's frantically. Would that make everything better? But at what cost?! They would accept this marriage but never again would they look at Khushi for her pureness and innocence. She would be tarnished forever, and could he, allow that. There had to be another way.

The truth?! He stared ahead at Shyam. No!!! As much as he would like to see the swine suffer, he did not have all facts. If he exposed Shyam now, Khushi would be equally implicated and tarnished. Better that they thought she was pregnant, then trying to seduce a married man and break his relationship. Anjali would be devastated and especially in her current state, Arnav would never forgive himself if something happened. Furthermore, if he was hell bent on telling the truth, why the mockery of marriage in the first place.

"Naniji," Khushi stammered.

He brought Khushi closer abruptly, causing her to gasp. He needed to distract her, to feel her, to be her pillar of support and to support himself. She raised an eyebrow, quetioning him silently. Please Khushi, no. He silently pleaded, hoping she could read his eyes. He stated that he would handle the situation and now he was going to. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing briefly on his options of telling some kind of truth. Shyam was definitely a no-no. But how Arnav felt for Khushi could be a possibility. Next to the high possibility of Khushi’s honour being tainted, surely his ruthless denial of his feelings stood no chance?

 “Naniji, you asked why we got married tonight. It is my doing." Arnav spoke softly and slowly. He needed the time to formulate what he would say next. It was going to be like building something out of Lego, he suppose. Slowly building using blocks, hoping the end result would be good and not some hideous mess. Actually he reminded himself, they were already in a pool of mess, any sort of order to the situation would have to be the best alternative.

He pulled his shoulders back and stood straight. "I’m not sure how many of you are aware but Khushi and I have been spending some time together lately and we do enjoy each other’s company.”

His eyes drifted to Anjali. “Di, you said in the morning, that if I should listen to my heart and that if I found the person I wanted to be with, I should never let them go. Remember?”

He watched as Anjali nodded. “I’ve found that person.” Then glancing at Khushi. Her hazel eyes fixed on him. “Someone whose mere thought of leaving or losing her, causes my breath to be strained. When she is upset, it hurts immensely. And when she smiles and laughs, nothing and I mean nothing, comes close to the joy I feel inside. I don’t know if this is love but it is an emotion and connection that I want to explore.” He watched as Khushi’s lips parted slightly to a smile and her cheeks tainted with a pinkish glow. 

Again he turned his attention back to the room. “I proposed a relationship with Khushi, a live-in arrangement, actually.” He stopped to let that sink in.

“Live-in arrangement?” Buaji’s eyebrows furrowed. Khushi's ammaji and Payal appeared equally confused.

“Yes. Where a man and woman live together under the same roof, in the same room and do everything that a normal couple do including a sexual relationship, without the obligation of marriage.” Arnav stated as a matter of fact. He even added the sexual relationship bit to show the seriousness of what he had supposedly proposed. For his plan to work, this had to be the crucial key. The illusion that the alternative would have been far worse. That’s how it worked in business and that’s how it would work here.

“Hare Nand Kishore. That is not a possibility. You wouldn’t have?” buaji's hands went straight to her head, holding it tightly as though any moment it would fall of from her massive body.

“That’s not true buaji. Ask my family. Ask my nani, mamaji, mamiji, Di, Akash about my beliefs on live in and they will state clearly, that I don’t believe in the institution of marriage and would easily proposed live in arrangements.”

His family stood shock for the second time but this time nodding in approval of what he was like. A total jerk when it came to women in general.

“But Khushi would not tolerate that. She said that it was the biggest insult I could do to a woman. And if I was interested in taking the relationship forward, I should do it in a respectful way. I tried to convince her otherwise. That’s why we kept leaving this evening and my apologies for that, on behalf of me and Khushi. And finally, I agreed. Watching you, Akash and Payal, on your wedding ceremony and watching how heartbroken Khushi was at the possibility of not getting that chance, I could not torelate it. I cant see tears in her eyes nor unhappiness, and so I arranged for us to get married quietly. I know I should have told you all but actually for the first time I was thinking not with my head but my heart. And as I have never done that before, I am not very good with it. So I apologise but it was not my intention to hurt anyone. I was just behaving like an irritational young boy who had his first intoxication.”

Now, Arnav relaxed. That was not that hard. He was actually amazed with himself. He had apologised more times in the last 2 minutes than his entire lifetime.  And he was pretty sure he sounded convincing.  The room was completely silent, making him more aware of his thumping heart. His awareness turned to Khushi who stood absolutely still waiting, though her moist eyes were still on him.

Would this work? Did it work?! Please make it work. His neck ached with the tension and he was at the brink of complete exhaustion.

“Chote, do you think this is a joke?” Naniji asked, shattering the silence. Her voice controlled though the anger seemed to be reaching boiling point. "its a very sweet story but dont forget Chote, I have raised you from a young boy. I know when something is amiss. And something is definitely not right here."

Naniji stepped back slightly, standing along side Anjali. "We know there is something happening between the two of you. Both Anjali and I have seen it. The way both you and Khushi look at each other, the gestures. We've had an inkling all the while. How Khuhsi is the only one who can get you to do things the rest of us can't. You could have come to us at anytime and we would have happily gone to speak to Khushi's family and asked for a quick marriage. You and I know that. But you didnt come to me. You acted on your own. So, Chote, it still does not explain why you both chose to get married tonight in secret."

Arnav stared at his grandmother and sister. His mind processing the newly known fact that his Naniji knew about Khushi and him. He guessed that the kiss by the poolside infront of the family only could have raised suspicions. But it still didn't address the question of why tonight, they got married. This was worse than his MBA finals. All to do with preparation, my son. And if this was a test, he was flunking it badly.

"I will ask you again, Chote why did you get married tonight this way? And please don't push my patience. You may be the mighty Arnav Singh Raizada, but I am your grandmother. So enough of skirting around, I want the truth."

Because tonight I had leverage over Khushi. Tonight I blackmailed her into marrying me or else I would stop Payal and Akash's wedding. She would only have said yes tonight. Another night may not have held the same possibility.

That was the complete truth but he could not come out and say that. It would be far too damaging. And if in the past, he was known to be ruthless, this would make him look worse: a complete heartless bastard, no disrespect to his mother.

"I was afraid of losing her." Arnav gave up. This was fruitless. He was no match for his Naniji when she was in this state.

"Tonight?! Was Khushi going somewhere? Garima, were you sending Khushi away?" his Naniji continued, her voice and Khushi's ammaji vigorous head shaking, now told him that he was doomed.

Arnav turned away. He had failed. His first role as a husband was to protect Khushi and tonight, he failed at the first hurdled. He allowed his shoulders to drop slightly.

"Chote. Why. This. Drastic. Step. Tonight?" Nani shouted.

Khushi watched as her husband moved from the man who had complete conviction in his ability to now, dejected. His grip on her waist had decreased. His shoulders hunched ever so slightly. A sickening feeling in her stomach raised up to her throat. She could not see him like this. She had already made up her mind about whether she was pregnant of not. And she was about to tell Naniji when he interrupted. She was curious as to what he would say. And the fact that he was telling part of the truth shocked her. She was particularly touched that his actions were motivated by his fear of losing her. He had thought that she fancied Shyam and therefore was going away from him. So the drastic action to ensure she would be by his side. She also felt a lump in her throat at his attempt, though futile, to save her from the inevitable. She was right earlier, he did not just love her, he loved her way too much. So any sacrifice that she would make would be justifiable. After all, weren't they both suppose to support each other?! He said he would handle things and he tried so hard to. Now it was her turn to support her husband.

Khushi ran her fingers along his hand and arm gently, immediately his eyes darted back to hers. Khushi smiled. His grip increased.

"You sure?" he mouthed.

Khushi could only nod. Please Devi Mayaa, I hope this is what you wanted me to do. Guide us both. Thank you.

"Because I'm pregnant Naniji." Khushi spoke slowly but loudly. She didnt want to repeat the lie again. Everyone was going to here it once and hopefully that would be it.

"And I'm definitely the father of our baby." Arnav added. If Khushi was going down, he would be alongside her.

"Hare Nand Kishore. This is definitely a joke" buaji's hand-held-head was now turning.

"No it isn't Buaji. I'm definitely pregnant. I had my suspicions for few weeks. The tiredness" due to overworking, but nevermind; "feeling sick" due to my nerves whenever Arnavji comes along. What other symptoms does a pregnant woman suffer. Oh yes fainting!

"And then I fainted the other day whilst at RM. I begged Arnavji not to call the doctor as I didnt want my suspicions to be confirmed in front of everyone. So yesterday, I took the test and it is positive. And today, I told him. That's why NK I was looking for Arnavji throughout the day." Khushi fabricated. She figured if she would incorporate actual events, at least her story would make sense. At least the lie would be less of a lie, she hoped.

"How Khushi? how could you do such a disgusting act?" her mother mouthed as tears flowed down her now whiten face. "Answer me Khushi. Was there something wrong in my parenting? We brought Payal up the same way. See how she turned out. So how did you become so cheap and low?"

"Ammaji, I'm sorry." Khushi's voice waivered. Her eyes welled up again. She tried so hard not to cry and felt the strained in her cheeks. All her false defences of mental chatter ceased. A sudden surge of emptiness overwhelmed her.

"No Khushi. I'm sorry. I should have never agreed with your babuji to adopt you. We should have left you in the orphanage where you belonged. After all, a tainted blood will always be tainted, no matter how much cleaning and scrubbing."

"Ammaji, please no." Her attempt to hold back her tears were futile. She felt her cheeks become wet and tasted the salty liquid in her mouth. The whole room ceased to exist. Her legs gave way. It was only Arnav's strong gripped that kept her barely standing.

"You are dead to us now. I'm no longer your mother." With that Garima held buaji's hand and they both walked to the lounge and sat down. "Come here, payal, join us."

Khushi's attention was no longer in the room. She could not belief that her mother had deserted her. But why would her mother stay with her anyway, she was at fault. She had married Arnavji tonight in such a manner that surely she knew was going to scar her forever. She knew that even before she said yes. She had also warned him that that was the risk she was willing to take, for him. So why did she feel so sore internally. So broken and weak. She had lost her parents when she was young and now was going to lose them again. She didn't have the strength to go through with it. But she had to. Not for her, at least for Arnavji. He was all that she had now and even that was not exactly smooth sailing. Maybe her mother was right, she was tainted completely and would stain everyone that she came across. Why didnt she die with her own parents? Even her own parents had foresaken her. She felt Arnav's grip around her get stronger and without much inner resistance, she curled herself into his chest, wrapped her arms around his body and sobbed.

"Happy now Naniji, Di?" Arnav spoke, his voice was murderously cold.

"Sorry Chote, we shouldn't have probed." Anjali spoke."We were just shocked. We didnt mean any harm."

"Shouldn't. Or just couldn't stop." His eyes fixed angrily at Anjali and then his Naniji. "I'm going to say this only once. So listen up. We got married tonight and the marriage is very real. Both registration marriage and a religious marriage. We also signed a contract stating that divorce by either party was nearly impossible. So this marriage is here to stay. I'm sorry for the way we did things but I'm not ashamed of my marriage, my wife or our child. If you are unhappy with this, we will move out from RM. Let me know in the morning what you have decided. I'm utterly exhausted and so is my wife. So please excuse us as we retire for our first, and possibly last night at RM."

"Khushi, shall we? You have to rest." he spoke tenderly. "can you walk?"

Khushi nodded. She was too weak to resist. She would now do whatever he stated. To obey wasnt it part of her vows.

He guided her slowly, painstakingly to the stairs. A large noise brought their attention back to the hall.

Khushi watched as her father was shaking his head vigorously from side to side and making strange noises. " Babuji?" Khushi ran to his side, with the little energy that she had.

"Stay away from him Khushi. Haven't you caused enough trouble? Do you want to kill him now?" Buaji's accusation filled the room.

Arnav was immediately by Khushi's side, his arm again snaking around her waist for support. Now he was fuming.

"No arnavji. Please." Khushi barely whispered, feeling more contained. "they are just angry. It's understandable. And they are older."

"That still does not give them the right."

"Leave it. For me."

Khushi's focussed returned to her father, the man that she loved more than her life as well. The man who never made her feel that she was never his. The man that loved her more than his own daughter. "Babuji?!"

Her father's hand raised jitterily, signalling for her to approach. She did slowly uncertainly with Arnav by her side. Babuji signalled her to sit. Again she obliged. He then raised his hands further and placed it on her head. A dam broke in her and she felt the tears poured out of her. "Thank you babuji" she hugged him further. He had understood. He had understood her plight and not judged her. He had not forsaken her. "Thank you babuji." Thank you Devi Mayaa.

"Babuji, I will look after your daughter. She wont lack for anything. I will love, honour, cherish and obey her completely till the end of my life." Arnav spoke, his voice wavering. He was humbled by the man, who stood by his daughter. He bowed his head to receive his blessing.

Arnav guided Khushi up on her feet. He bent, caught her behind her knees and scooped her up into his arms. Khushi grabbed his suit collar, her cheek rested against his neck. He then carried her up their bedroom.