Part 8

Arnav held Khushi longer than what seemed like necessary considering that they were already in his bedroom and next to the bed. He struggled to let her go, his hands still wanted to hold on to her next to him and to feel her soft skin. He could still hear her sobs and realised that he had screwed up big time. Here he was supposed to be a protector for his wife but in reality, she was the one that saved them. And paid a hefty price for that. How could he make it up to her? Surely, a woman that was willing to put her honour on the stake couldn't be the one to destroy someone else's marriage.  

He slided across the bed and gently released her. She continued to hold on to his shirt, frightened of letting go. He placed his hand on hers and gently released her grip. "Khushi, I'm not going anywhere."

She sat quietly. Her eyes never leaving his as tears continued to flow down her rosy cheek.

"Are you okay Khushi?" he whispered.

Khushi initially nodded and slowly shook her head, biting her lower lip.

"Stop that Khushi. It'll bleed" Arnav placed his finger on her mouth.

"It doesn't matter. I'm already bleeding." Khushi rested her head gently on the pillows. "How is it possible Arnavji? Ammaji and buaji said I was not theirs anymore. Do I mean nothing to them that they can toss me so easily away? Yes I have done wrong but surely I'm worth fighting for. Surely. Maybe buaji was right, my blood is tainted and I should have died with my parents. Even they didn't want me." Her sobs increased in intensity.

"Don't Khushi. You will only upset yourself. Your babuji understood."

"He always does. Even now. But the rest don't. And that hurts."

"Why did you say you were pregnant Khushi?" Arnav sat at the edge of the bed.

"Did we have a choice? you couldnt tell them about shyam. I know you tried to tell them what was partly the truth but Naniji was not buying it. so the only thing that seemed to make sense was that we were pregnant. Amazing isnt it, they rather believe a lie than the truth. Maybe because the truth means you have to have faith in the person"

"Maybe. But now they question your honour."

"Yes Arnavji. But any girl getting married without their parents permission will have their honour questioned. I knew that was going to happen the moment I said yes. So additionally saying I was pregnant, would just cement the whole idea of our marriage. besides, I couldnt just stand there and see them berate you."

"But what they did was still wrong."

"Was it really? Imagine if Anjali or Akash had did what we did tonight? How would the great Arnav Singh Raizada feel? You would be fuming. Threatening to destroy everything. Yet tonight, most of them stood quietly. just asking how did this happen. They were perfectly in their right to."

Khushi gently rested her hand on his and felt a sense of relief when he held it firmly. "Your brother respects you so much that he wont get married to the woman he loves if you are not there at his mandap. Your sister adores you. My sister loves me completely and what did we do? We made them strangers in a split second. I'm not blaming you. I was there too and I said yes too."

With her other hand, she gently caressed his arm. "They were right Arnavji to be angry with us. Why Arnavji did we get married tonight? Could it not have waited? Why the desperation to get married tonight?" Khushi's hazel eyes searched for an answer. "Tonight, you have to tell me. For us to have any chance, we have to be blatantly honest even if the truth hurts."

Arnav stood up and paced the distance of the bed. He then stared at her. "Tonight, I had leverage. Tonight, I could threatened Payal's wedding for you to agree to marry me."

"You could have just asked?"

"Would you have said yes?"

"In a heartbeat."

"But you were with him, hugging him. How was I supposed to know that it was his doing and not yours. I thought I had lost you, that I had misread all the signs and that you were in love with him."

"You could have asked, Arnavji."

"And what if you had said no."

"Ask your heart, do you think I would have said no? Afterall, my mehendi had your initial in it? How much more obvious could it be, the way I felt for you? The day when I said I did not want to see your face and you had gone away for your meeting, you knew how worried I was about you that I even apologised to you. Me, Khushi Kumari Gupta apologising to you, of all people. Wasn't that obvious then?"

"But you denied it."

"Of couse I would have, a girl has to have some pride." Khushi rolled her eyes up. "And you are the one with brains. God help us. No wonder downstairs, the great Arnav Singh Raizada stood speechless. It was me who got us out of that mess." Khushi smiled slightly, bringing a slight smile on Arnav's face.

"And now we are in a bigger mess. Khushi, you are suppose to be pregnant. Now if they asked us, when did we have sex, what do we say? Do you have a clue, since it was your idea. Why pregnancy, Khushi?"

"That's the only thing I could come up with for a couple to get married so quickly. Do you have a better suggestion? We could go downstairs and enlightened them with it?"

Arnav tried to think but all his mind kept coming up was blank. So he shook his head and stood silently.

"So when did we have sex then?" Khushi asked as she felt her cheeks getting hot and the room temperature rising.

"It doesn't matter. I don't think they believe us anyway."

"I thought I was pretty convincing. I remembered most of the signs of pregnancy and incorporated them. Weren't you impressed?"

"Yes Khushi. But the rate you blush even on the mere mention of sex, would immediately tell anyone who is clued up that we have not had sex yet. But don't worry, every one in this household seems to be less clued up lately. So we could get away with it temporarily until '" Arnav scanned Khushi from head to toe and then back again, and then smirked.

Khushi immediately sat up and inched her bum to the end of the bed, tossing the pillows aside. "Until what Arnavji?"

"Until we actually have sex. Remember Condition 2?"

Khushi's eyes widen. "It also says that we wont have sex until I want it. And right now I don't want it. So there."

"Don't worry, I won't touch you until you beg me, Khushi." Arnav moved slowly back to the bed and inched closer, intentionally grazing his lips on her neck and working up to her right ear. "And mark my word, my little tigress, you will beg me to make love to you." He said huskily. He felt her gulped and saw her pulse on her neck race. He straightened himself, his finger gently lifting her chin so that her eyes were locked on to him. "Until then, my control and willpower is amazing. Let's hope yours is good too." He watched as her cheeks went red and her breathing increased. A laugher escaped his lips. "Now all this talk about sex has got me starving. Are you hungry too?"

Khushi nodded.

"Good I shall arrange some food." Arnav picked up his car keys from the dresser. "In the meantime, you get ready for bed."

"I don't have anything to wear for bed"

"And the problem is?" he smirked.

"Arnavji!"

Arnav got up and opened his cupboard. He scanned his clothes for something suitable and grabbed a white cotton kurta pyjama. "Will this do? It's a bit big but comfortable."

Khushi nodded. Amazed that they seemed to be getting on. She hoped that this was not the exhaustion talking but that they had taken another step forward in the relationship. She tried to get up but felt her legs were slightly weak. Immediately Arnavji was by her side.

"Let me help. I wont do anything else, I promise. You do trust me, don't you?"

"More than my life." She closed her eyes as his hand gently caressed her neck, searching for the clasp to release her necklace. He then gently removed her earings and tikka. He removed the pallu from her head when her hand grabbed his. "Help me to the bathroom and I'll changed there, please. I'll be fine." She smiled though struggled to look him in the eye.

Arnav carried her to the bathroom. Khushi tried to protest but in vain. He let her leg go and then slided the door shut slowly. He stood by the door, and when Khushi emerged slowly, her hair loose in his kurta pyjama, Arnav struggled to breath.

"Something wrong Arnavji?"

"No everything is perfect, Khushi." He inched closer, causing khushi to inch back.

"Arnavji, if you keep doing this to me, how do you expect me to resist." Her breathing accelerating, as she struggled to push him away.

"That's the idea Khushi. But I get when I'm not wanted." He pretended to sulk. "Get comfortable. I'll get the food."

Arnav made his way to the kitchen. The whole house was eerily quiet and immediately an awful feeling in his stomach reemerged. His family were upset but he tried not to think about it. Worse would have been if he and khushi had faked marriage. Here, they actually did the right rituals and yet his family and hers behaved as though, they were caught having sex in public. Well actually they did think that, maybe not sex in public but sex somewhere else since Khushi was now supposedly pregnant.

That would be the next issue that they would have to deal with and he made a mental note to discuss that with Khushi later in the evening. They had to have a consistent information if they ever needed to relay their non-existent sex life to their families to justify how they got pregnant. He was expecting that, especially from Shyam.

"Arnavji, can I get you anything?"

"Yes, OP, are you able to make something for dinner. Khushi and I have not eaten."

"Definitely sir. There is some dhal and I can make some rotis."

"Sounds perfect. Thank you." Arnav scanned the kitchen. "Have we got some jalebis?"

"No sir."

"That's ok. Make the dinner and I'll be back soon."

Arnav headed out. He had seen Khushi nibble on jalebis whenever she was stressed, anxious or nervous. Tonight, she must be feeling far worse. Since she had saved him from getting unnecessarily grilled from his family, he could repay the favour.

He moved the gear to drive and pressed the accelerator. From his travels, he was aware of a sweetshop that was usually opened late at night. Barely five minutes into the drive, he saw a familiar male figure walking on the road gloomily. Arnav immediately stopped the car and got out. He strode confidently towards the male figure.

"Hello jijaji. Nice evening isn't it?" Arnav flashed his lovely set of teeth.

"Arnav, I know what you are doing." Shyam's voice broke.

"Really? And that would be what?"

"Khushi would never agree to marry you. You must have forced her."

"Actually, Shyam, it was Khushi's idea to get married." Arnav lied. Maybe not really lying but stretching the truth, Arnav thought. Afterall he did give khushi the option to get married or not, and she said yes. "And why do you think she would do that Shyam?"

Arnav watched as Shyam's eyes flickered left to right continuously. Khushi had told him her version and there was one way of finding out if it was true or not.

"She told me everything: how you stayed as a paying guest in her house, how you lied about not being married and then manipulated her family to get her engaged to you. And then when she found out the truth, she chucked the ring and slapped you." Arnav was enjoying this. "Must really hurt. So what do you say to that?"

"She's lying. She loves me."

"If that is love, I don't know what would she do once she truly hates you. And I guess, since she is lying, you wont mind if I ask buaji and Khushi's family about it, do you?"

"They wont talk to you. You and khushi have disgraced them."

"Yes, but now I am their son in law. They will definitely talk to me. So no objections then?" Arnav watched Shyam squirm and immediately had his answer.

"Why should we believe that you are married? You could have just tied a mangalsutra and put two garlands and pretended to be married." Shyam fought back.

"True. But we have proof that we are married. Both a registration marriage and a religious marriage. In the eyes of the law, Khushi and I are husband and wife. And now that you also know that we are expecting our first baby, she is mine, not just by name. Everything of hers ' her mind, soul and body belongs only to me and have my imprint."

Arnav edged closer. He had enough of playing nice. "Listen jijaji. No matter what you try and what plans you come up with, Khushi is my wife completely. She can't stand your touch, yet she craves mine ' always. Her eyes curse when they have to look at you, yet those same eyes search for mine constantly. She wears my mangalsutra and my sindoor. And never will I ever divorce her and her feelings are mutual. So jijaji, stay away from my wife." Arnav took a deep breath and exhaled. His voice deeper and stronger. "You have only one chance, to come to terms with your situation. Treat your wife and child nicely. Or else"

"or else?"

"Be ready for the ASR wrath. And I wont stop, even if I have to tell my sister and break her heart. If you step out of line, pray that you are in another universe." Arnav snapped his fingers to strengthen his point. "Have a good evening jijaji. I know I will. Afterall, its my suhaag-raat and my wife awaits, in our warm bed."

Arnav returned to his car. He watched as Shyam's gait faltered slightly. "You will be sorry Shyam Ja for messing with my family. I will make you pay for each tear my sister and Khushi shed."

He activated the Bluetooth device in to his ear and waited patiently as the ringing tone blared into his ear, waiting patiently for the familiar voice. "Aman? I need you to find out everything, I mean everything about Shyam Ja. I know he is my brother in law. I have a suspicion that he is cheating on Anjali. So I need the best investigator for the job. And all information on my desk in 48 hours."

'Step 1 Check the facts' was now initiated.

Arnav balanced the tray of warm rotis, dhal and two glasses of water, and a red sweet box, as he struggled to open the bedroom door. He stepped in and his eyes scanned the room. It was empty. A wave of panic hit him. Was Khushi hurt? Did Shyam get in the room? His chest tightened. Were they gone together? He hurriedly slammed the tray on the table. "Khushi?"

"I'm outside." He heard her voice and immediately breathed out in relief. 

He raced to the poolside and had to consciously remind himself to breathe. Khushi sat cross legged staring at the stars, her long hair flowingly with the breeze. He picked up the tray and placed it on the little table by the chair. "Can I join you?" Arnav didn't wait for an answer. He pulled a chair close to her.

"It smells lovely. What is it? Dhal and roti."

"Its what OP could make quickly."

"I love it. Have you had any?"

He shook his head. "No but you eat first." He watched as she broke the roti into small pieces and dipped it into the dhal. She then extended her hand with the morsel of roti-dhal to his lips. "You first Khushi."

"No. Please. You eat first. You have to look after your health especially your blood sugar. So the first burki is yours."

Khushi watched as he reluctantly agreed and opened his mouth and grabbed the food. His tongue lingered on her finger, electrifying her. She smiled.

"Now is my turn." Arnav fed her and she contemplated whether did she return the favour. Her body screamed yes but she couldn't give in so easily. But there was nothing stating that she couldn't tease as well. He said he had strong willpower and control, she would have to put that to a test. She opened her mouth and as he fed her, she licked his lips teasingly, immediately causing a slight moan to escape from him. Not that full of control afterall! She smiled internally.

They took turns to feed other, teasing each other along the way.

Arnav moved the tray when they had finished and moved his chair closer to her. He watched as she stared at the stars.

"What are you thinking khushi?"

"Nothing."

Arnav contemplated whether he told her about Shyam. He should if they were being honest with each other. But felt the timing was not right. He had enjoyed their dinner, especially Khushi's sudden strength to tease. He had to give it to her, she was full of surprises.

His eyes roamed the stars until he found a bright star "Mama, I would like to introduce my wife." His hand slipped into hers.  "Her name is Khushi and you will love her. Her innocence is breathtaking. Her naivity enchanting though that sometimes does get her into trouble. She has a gift of bringing laughter and humour into everyone's life, particularly mine. I know she loves me unconditionally and I hope I will be able to live up to that love. For her sake at least, otherwise, she will forever need to put up with her rakshas laad governor" He turned and winked at her.

Khushi's eyes welled with tears as she giggled. "My turn." She scanned the sky and found 2 bright stars sitting next to each other. "That's my ammaji and babuji." She pointed and when Arnav struggled to look at the right place, she applied slight pressure to his cheek to guide him to the right place. "Ammaji, babuji. This is my husband, the one and only rakshas and my laad governor. He may be hard on the outside but there is a lovely kind and amazing individual inside.  He is very stubborn and sometimes he manhandles me and scolds me. And makes me cry."

"Khushi you are suppose to say good things not bad things."

"I'm getting there. Be patient. And yes, he also lacks patience but when he smiles, it lights my life. When he looks at me with softness, I crumble with pure delight. And I love him, even if he sometimes doubts it. I'm not discouraged though. I will just have to love him more."

Arnav placed a soft kiss on her hand. "Thank you Khushi."

"For what?"

"For tonight. Your understanding and support when no one else did. Funny isnt it? We both are constantly fighting each other and yet, when it counts, its just two of us standing side by side."

"I'll always be by your side Arnavji. Till my last breathe. I promise."

"Enough of this emotional stuff. I've got a suprise for you. Close your eyes."

"Arnavji. I think I have had enough surprises from you today to last a lifetime."

"When I tell you to do something, do it. close your eyes." Arnav pretended to be angry. he watched as she obeyed him. He contemplated whether he kissed her or not, but felt she was right, they had too much surprises and excitement for the day. He brought the sweet box and placed it in her lap.

"Open your eyes now."

Khushi stared at the box and opened it. "You got me jalebis?! Thank you. Thank you." she inched forward and planted a kiss on his cheek. His musky cologne made her weak. She lingered for a moment before returning to sit properly.

He picked a jalebi up and fed her. "Congratulations Mrs Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada on your wedding and upcoming pregnancy. You will be a delightful wife and mother."

"Thank you. I'm not going to give you any jalebi though because of your diabetes."

"But its tradition, that I be given something sweet. you cant break with tradition Khushi."

"True. Congratulations Mr Arnav Singh Raizada. I too think you will be a splendid husband and wonderful father." Her eyes drifted on to his lips. She inched closer and then placed her lips softly on his. "I hope you like your sweet treat."

"I love it." He grabbed her tightly to him and kissed her passionately. He licked her lower lip and nibbled on them, causing her mouth to open. He slid his tongue in and began a dance with her tongue, exploring her mouth completely. His hand caressing her back and pulling her closer. Khushi responded equally, with her hands running through his thick hair. They only stopped when they needed to get air.

"Shall we my little tigress."

"Hmm"

 

"It's late and we need to get some rest. Tomorrow, i have a feeling we will have another long day."

Arnav guided her back to their room. He helped her back to the bed.

"How shall we sleep Khushi? I can sleep on the couch if you like."

"I'm afraid of the dark."

"I know. we will keep a light on."

"But you dont sleep with the light on."

"Normally i dont. but i can get used to it. Think about it. I'll get ready for bed."

Arnav emerged from the bathroom. "Decided anything."

"We are married. So we will sleep like a married couple. On one bed. I trust you. Besides with the rate we have been kissing, I think the pillows in the middle of the bed will only end up on the floor. And I can sleep in the dark if you promise to hold me the whole night"

"I promise." Arnav slipped in to bed, next to her and brought her close to him. He felt a sense that he had finally come home. He was certainly having a good night and tomorrow, he would make it a point to carry on with his plans of dealing with Shyam: "mission Shyamgate". He smiled. What ridiculous name. Khushi was certainly having an impact on him. But he welcomed it and drifted to sleep, thinking what it would be like for both of them to be parents for real.