Part 20 Convinced

Arnav broke the kiss and said,

"Don't you dare talk like that..." he said, and again kissed.

"I will not spare you if you talk like this..." he said in between kisses.

He made love to her. Finishing the kiss, he looked at her. He saw her smiling. That surprised him. He thought she would be scared by his action. But there was no such gesture on her face.

"Why are you smiling? Aren't you scared?"

"Why should I be scared?"

He sighed.

"I'm sorry for talking to you like that."

Arnav blinked slowly.

"But, I like your anger..."

Arnav flinched.

"What the..."

"I like the reason for your anger. It was for me... I liked the way you made me understand how deep your love for me is, how important I am to you, and what my role in your life is. It made me feel so special, Arnavji." She smiled.

Arnav admired her with a smile.

"Arnavji... shall I ask you something?" She asked hesitatingly.

"What? Are you going to ask me what the girl looked like?" he chuckled.

She nodded no, hurriedly.

"Then?"

"Did you love your mother so much?"

He nodded yes smilingly.

"She was a unique mother. Of course, all the mothers are unique; my mother is always special to me. She was a pillar of our family. She always held our backs."

"Did you give me her place?"

"What do you think? I tied her mangal sutra because I can't buy one?" he chuckled.

She pouted.

He sat on the bed, leaning on the headboard. He pulled her up and made her lean on his shoulder.

"Do you miss your mother?"

"A lot... I feel bad for my father. At least, I have you, but he has no one..."

"He has us..." Khushi said.

Arnav looked at her lovingly.

"You are right. We are there for him. I want to release him from Nandhini's clutch..."

"Will you do that?"

"I will surely do that..."

"How?"

"Will tell you once my plan worked..."

"Mmm..."

"Arnavji, when I wanted to ask you about your mother, you asked me if I wanted to know what the girl looks like..."

"I'm just kidding..."

"What does the girl look like?" she asked in a low tone.

"I don't know..."

Khushi pouted.

"It's true. I don't know what she looks like..."

"Why?"

"I had never seen her."

Khushi flinched.

"What do you mean?"

"Yeah, it was an interesting story. I wanted to read a storybook from our college library. The book has four parts. When I took the book, I found a chit in the book."

"What chit?"

"I love you, Arnav' was written in the chit."

"Didn't she write her name?"

He nodded no.

"Then?"

"I read the book and then took the second part from the library. I found another chit in the book."

"Mmm?"

"Didn't I tear the chit that day?"

She nodded yes.

"The chit was in the book."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing..."

"Didn't you try to find her?"

"When I took the third part, I wanted to catch her. But she kept the chit in the book in advance."

"Why did she do that?"

"She wanted to create an expectation and curiosity in my mind."

"She was succeeded, right? You were ready to meet her..."

"Somewhat...but I could not meet her."

"Can't you recognise her if you even see her...?"

Arnav sensed happiness in her voice. He rolled his eyes.

"Why are you so bothered about her?"

"It's because you are so handsome..."

Arnav rolled his eyes.

"So what if I'm handsome, would I go behind girls?"

"No... I didn't mean it. But you don't know about girls, Arnavji. They won't mind snatching others' husbands."

"What do you think of yourself? Aren't you beautiful?"

"Maybe... but I have no qualities like other girls have. They would talk English and walk stylishly, but I don't know such things..."

"You don't have to bother about those things. I like what you are..."

"Mmm..."

Arnav looked at the clock. It was 11:45 pm.

"Wait..." he went to the window and looked at the river.

Khushi came to him and looked in the same direction.

"Are you waiting for the boat?"

"Mmm..."

"Do you think it will come today also?"

"I don't know... after Nandhini went abroad, the boat didn't come here."

"Is it?"

"Mmm..."

Khushi opened the window wide open. In no time, the chilling wind caressed their faces.

"I so want to take a bath in the river..." Khushi said.

"What do you think about the Yamuna River? There are a lot of whirls in the river. It will pull you in. Only expert swimmers can swim in the river..."

"Oh..."

"I told you I bathed in the river with my friends many times. We would be so careful while getting into the river."

"Won't you save me?"

"Of course, I will, but why should we take a risk?"

"Mmm..." She sighed.

"Let's go..."

Clutching her hand, he went to bed and lay with her.

The next day

Arnav woke up from his sleep, hearing a knock on the door. He didn't find Khushi on the bed. Arnav got irritated and opened the door. His facial expression changed when he saw Nandhini's father, Mr Rishab Kapoor, standing.

"Hi, Arnav..."

"How are you, Uncle?"

"I'm fine..."

"Nandhini is not in India. She went abroad..."

"When did she go?"

"Four days ago..."

"Why didn't she tell me anything about it?"

"How do I know, Uncle? Does she tell me everything or what?" his voice was filled with annoyance.

"I hope everything is going smoothly between you two"

"How would you expect that from your daughter, like an arrogant woman, uncle?"

Rishab was silent.

"My father is in her custody. Do you know that?"

Rishab was shocked.

"Why are you reacting this way, as if you know nothing, Uncle?"

"Trust me, Arnav, I don't know about it."

"Just because my father borrowed money from you, you made his life hell..." Arnav said, gritting his teeth.

"I wanted your wedding to happen because I thought my daughter would be happy with you. I didn't expect she would turn everything upside down."

"There is no use in talking about it, uncle. Because you too are the same as me... useless..." Arnav spat fire through his words.

Rishab looked down and was supposed to leave the place, but he stopped to see Khushi coming out of the washroom. He looked at Arnav, shockingly.

"Don't look at me like I brought a girl without your daughter's knowledge and enjoying with her when she is not at home..."

"Then who is she?"

"She is the girl your daughter brought for me..."

Rishab was perplexed.

"Did she really bring a girl for you?"

Arnav nodded yes. Rishab looked at Khushi and frowned.

"What's your name?" he asked her.

"Khushi..."

"Where are you from?"

"She is from Aman's PA's uncle's village..." Arnav answered before Khushi.

There was confusion on Rishab's face.

"Why are you looking at her like that?"

Rishab nodded no and walked, thinking deeply.

To be continued...