Part 4

Khushi never said any lie. She can't take when someone wouldn't believe her when she says truth. She feels like she is not good girl and she shouldn't talk with anyone. Arnav slowly lifted Khushi from the floor and made her sit on the sofa. He wiped her tears shaking his head

"Hum sach keh rahe hai Arnav ji (I'm telling the truth Arnav ji)" said Khushi hiccupping hardly

"I know... I know... relax..." NK brought the water and gave it to Arnav "Here, drink this water. Then tell me what has happened and how you met Shyam"

Nodding her head, khushi drank the water and started telling how her family met Shyam

"Shyam ji, Jiji ki shaadi mein pehli baar hamare ghar aaye the. Woh, Abhinav ji ke ache dost hain. Jab Jiji ki baraat wapas chali gayi, mera matlab Abhinav ji ne bahut paise maange aur jiji se shaadi karne ke liye mana kiya, Shyam Ji unhe samjhane ki koshish ki par jiji ki shaadi nahi hui. Us din ke baad, Shyam Ji ne har din hamare ghar aake, bau ji ko bahut madad ki. Wo jiji ke liye aur ek rishta bhi leke aaye the. Par jiji ne kaha unhe shaadi nahi karni, kyunki bau ji ke paas paise nahi hai aur woh kaam karna chahte hai. Toh, Shyam Ji ne Bua ji se kaha woh jiji ke liye ek kaam dhundenge. Ek din, jab hum aur hamari Amma bazar gaye the, goondon ne hamari beizati karne ki koshish ki. Us waqt bhi Shyam ji ne hame bachaya. Jab hum ghar wapas aaye, hamare padosiyo ne hamare baare me bahut galat baat kahi. Jab Amma aur Bua ji rone lage, tab sab kuch dekh kar Shyam ji ne kaha, woh humse shaadi karenge (Shyam Ji, He came to our house for the first time at the time of my sister's marriage. He and Abhinav is close friends. When my sister's marriage broken, I mean when Abhinav asked for more money and disagreed to marry my sister without money, Shyam tried to make him understand. But my sister's marriage stopped. Later that day, Shyam started to come my house daily, and helped my father. He even brought one match to my sister. But my sister said, she don't want to get married because my father doesn't have money and she wants to do job. So, Shyam Ji told to my father that he will find job for my sister. One day, when me and my mother went to market, some goons misbehaved with me. At that time too Shyam helped us. After that, when we came back to home, our neighbors taunted me and bad mouthed me. hearing that my mother and Aunt started crying. Seeing us like that, Shyam told he will marry me.)" with that khushi cried more. Arnav rubbed her back to sooth her.

"Phir kuch dino ke liye, Shyam ji gayab ho gaye ..., hamara matlab, woh kahi chale gaye the aur hum me se kisi ko bhi kuch nahi bataya. Phir achanak woh wapas aa gaye aur kaha woh kuch pooja ke liye gaye the, hamari Khushi ke liye. Phir, Jab mein bauji se kaha ki mujhe Dilli mein padhna, unhone mujhe padhne se mana kiya. Woh kabhi nahi chahte the ki hum Dilli aaye. Jab se hum Dilli Aye, hamari shaadi ka joda lene, bahut kuch hua hai. Aur ab, hamari wajah se Di bahut dukhi hui hai ( Then, for some days, Shyam vanished. I mean, he went somewhere and didn't say anything to any of us. Suddenly he came back and said he went to one pooja for my happiness. Then, when I asked my father that I want to study in Delhi, Shyam ji didn't agree. He never wanted us to come to Delhi. When we came to Delhi to purchase my wedding dress, a lot things happened. And now, because of me Di is in pain.)"

Arnav tried to console her. He hugged her tightly by sideways and rubbed her back.

"Khushi betiya..." Nani came to Khushi and sat beside her other side and took her hands "Khushi betiya, you like Anjali right?" KHushi nodded her head "Then will you help us in saving Anjali from that man? I think, whatever he did was not good"

"Is mein sochne ki kya baat hai Nani ji? Unhone jo bhi kiya Di ke saath, woh bahut galat hai. Di jaisi Patni kisi ko bhi nahi milegi. Di bahut achi hai, pyaari hai, Shyam Ji ko aisa nahi karna chahiye tha (What's there to think Nani Ji? Whatever he did with Di, is completely wrong. Nobody can get a wife like Di. Di is really nice and lovely person. Shyam shouldn't have done this)" Khushi said between her sobs.

Everyone understood how pure hearted and innocent is Khushi. Anjali, who is listening everything from her room door, felt bad for slapping Khushi.

Nani ji touched Khushi's cheeks and wiped tears.

"Aap rote hue achhe nahi lagte ( YOu won't look good when you cry), don't cry dear... everything will be fine"

Khushi nodded her head.

After that Akash, NK tried their best to divert Khushi's mind where Mami, Nani ji tried their best to console Anjali. Arnav just sat on the sofa, looking at his sister. He didn't say anything, in real he couldn't.

Later that day, Arnav informed his uncle about whatever happened in their house between Anjali and Khushi and confirmed him that both the Shyam-s are same and requested him to find Khushi's family as early as possible.

In all these days, Shyam didn't fail to call Anjali and tell her that he is busy with his work in Mumbai. When the truth about him came out, Anjali refused to talk with him. But Arnav made her understand that if she don't talk with him, it will alert him in any way. So, till they find Khushi's family and caught him red handed they have to behave like nothing happened. With lots of difficult everyone in the family talked with him. IN all these days, Khushi became an inseparable part of everyone's life. Mostly, Nani and Arnav became habituated with Khushi. Anjali apologized to Khushi and asked for forgiveness. Being a happy go girl, Khushi immediately forgave Anjali and helped her to come out of the pain. Anjali thanked Khushi for being her support.

One Sunday, when everyone sitting in living room after their evening tea, Nani suddenly asked

"Khushi dear... Will you marry my chote?"

Everyone in the room sat in their places in shock.

"Nani Ma...?" But Arnav's question went unanswered

"Tell me, Khushi betiya, Will you marry my Chote?"

Everyone heads turned to Khushi and looked at her with utmost curiosity.

Slowly, understanding the question, Khushi shook her head in NO leaving everyone in mixture of different feeling and expression.

"Why betiya?"

Khushi shook her head again, but didn't say anything or didn't look at anyone. she bent her head till her chin touch her collar bone.

"Khushi...?" Mami said touching her shoulder "Don't you like Arnav?"

Khushi nodded her head in yes and shook her head in no and whispered "My Bauji, no money to dahej" tears formed in her eyes.

"What?" Arnav, who is restless to hear her answer, asked almost shouting.

Still not looking at anyone, Khushi nodded her head and said "You all people more money. My father no money. And I not want trap Arnav Ji"

Everyone looked at Khushi with shock. They can hear the insult and pain in Khushi's voice. Everyone look at Anjali, who sat like a statue hearing Khushi's words. They understood what effect Anjali's words had on Khushi. They felt bad for the innocent soul sitting in between them.

Arnav slowly sat beside Khushi's other side and held her hands in his.

"Khushi look at me" he said in low voice, not wanting to scare her

Khushi looked at him with so much pain in her eyes

"I Want go my family" said khushi, tears rolling on her cheeks. Now all of them clearly understood what khushi feeling. They might be able to help her in diverting her mind, but they failed to bring her out from her pain, insult

Arnav gulped hard and nodded his head, not able to voice out his feelings. He hugged her sideways and said "Don't ever say that you tried to trap me. Di didn't mean when she said. She was in pain and she said all those things in angry, Khushi. Believe me, Di likes you so much as we all do" Khushi looked at Anjali. But looking at tearful Anjali, Khushi felt bad and cried again. Understanding her feeling, arnav rubbed her back and said "Sh... she's not crying because of you. She is feeling bad because she was the reason for your pain. relax..." Khushi nodded her head

Everyone looked at Arnav with shock, seeing the soft side in him.

"If, Anjali doesn't have any problem with you, then will you marry Chote?" Nani don't want to lose this Angel, that too not after his grand son's confession. Nani looked at Arnav, who sat with tensed eyes.

Khushi again shook her head in NO.

Remembering her 'Dahej' point, Anjali went to khushi and sat on the tea table before her.

"After spending this much time with us, do you really think we will ask dowry from your father?" Anjali asked holding Khushi's hands in her

KHushi nodded her head in yes and said "Buaji tell, all rich log want money. They ask more dahej. My father no money to dahej"

"Khushi... we don't want money. I have so much... I'm earning so much" Arnav tried to make her understand

"You say that today. but by marriage, you ask more. I know, Abhinav ask like that"

They couldn't understand how to make her understand. everyone looked at each other with helpless expression. Suddenly, NK said

"Khushi, will you believe us if we promise before Devi Mayya in mandir?" NK really prayed God to make her agree to marry his brother.

Khushi looked at everyone, then Nani and then Arnav

"But, Arnav ji, no like God. How he promise to Devi Mayya?" Khushi asked innocently

Rolling his eyes, arnav said "I will do. You believe God, right? That's enough to take promise. No need for me to like or believe in God to promise you"

"Acha? Sach mein?" Khushi felt all these confused. She looked at everyone with the same confused expression.

"Khushi, you believe me, right? And you know that Arnav never oppose whatever I say, right?" Khushi nodded her head for both the questions. Nani continued "Then I promise before Devi Mayya, will you agree for marriage now?"

After thinking for some more time, Khushi asked "Bauji what say? hey Devi Mayya!!! Jiji no marriage now, I marry arnav ji? it not wrong?" she asked

"Unbelievable" muttered Arnav with a small smile on his lips

"Dear... We will search a good boy for your sister then you both can get married on same day" suggested Mama ji

"Sach mein? (really?)" Khushi excited hearing her sister marriage

"Yes, really..." said Mami ji

"Thank you Mama ji, Mami ji. I know, you see good man my sister"

"Not only for your sister, you also getting good boy as your husband, Khushi" said Anjali

"GOOD BOY!!!!????" Khush almost jumped from her seat. Anjali nodded her head in yes in confusion

"No... Arnav ji Good man... no Good boy" Khushi said as a matter of truth. everyone looked at Khushi amused

"Then, are you a good woman?" asked Arnav

"No... I'm good girl..." said Khushi with a shy smile making arnav Laugh out loud and pull her towards him by keeping his elbow beside her neck and making her face hit his side of chest. he kissed her temple and said "I love you..."

Everyone in the room including Khushi, except Nani looked at him with wide eyes.

Looking at their expression, Arnav smiled inwardly.

"Huh... you no say like this before all family peoples. You say in room, you and me stay" Khushi said innocently making everyone smile. Hearing their smiles, Khushi blushed and hid her face in her palms.

After that, everyone talked about so many things for long time while having their dinner. When they about to finish their dinner, Arnav's phone began to ring. Seeing his uncle's name on screen, he immediately answered the call