Part 12 Wedding

"She is my wife," Said Arnav.

"She is going to turn twenty-three in a few days. After that, everything will be alright"

Arnav nodded okay and left the place. He drove the car thinking about Khushali and her cuteness.

Flashback

Arvind rushed to the hospital with Ratna and Arnav to meet his best friend Rishi, who had been admitted to the hospital due to a heart attack. He was in the ICU. His only daughter, seven-year-old Khushali was sitting outside the ICU crying. Their servant tried to console her but it didn't work.

When she saw Arvind's family, she rushed to them and hugged Arnav. He lifted her in his arms, and in no time, she circled his neck crying.

"Khush, don't cry"

"Will Babuji die?" she asked sniffing.

"Who said? He will be fit and fine. Ok?"

"Then why is he in the hospital?"

"He has a fever... that's why?"

"But, he has been inserted with some tubes and a machine... will doctors do all these for a fever? They didn't do them to me when I had a fever"

Arnav raised his brows. Khushali was a THINK TANK... QUESTION BANK... consoling her was not an easy task.

"This is not a normal fever. That's why..."

The doctor came out of the ICU. Arvind rushed to him and Ratna followed him but Arnav stayed a little aloof as he didn't want Khushali to hear the exact condition of her father.

"Doctor, how is Rishi?"

"As of now, he crossed the danger zone. This is his second attack. He won't stand if he gets third"

"From the time, his wife left the world, he became stressed, Doctor" Arvind said helplessly.

"Yes, I know he is stressed. I tried to console him in my best but he was not coming out of the grief" the doctor said.

"He can't accept the reality that she is no more"

"No... he is not stressed about his late wife but her daughter. He is scared of his daughter's future. That's the stress that is killing him now."

Arvind and Ratna looked at Khushali who was in Arnav's arms.

"Shall we meet him, doctor?"

"Ok but please don't stress him. No advice... no anger... he is not in the condition to stand them"

Arvind nodded ok.

They came to the ICU. Rishi looked at them weekly who was breathing with the help of an oxygen mask.

They came to him. Arvind clutched his hand in which a butterfly needle had been connected with a saline bottle.

"What do you want? What will make you feel free?" Arvind asked.

Rishi nodded his head from left to right sighing.

"You don't have to bother about Khusha. We are here for her. we will take care of her. She will be with us from hereon. Is that ok?"

"I know you will educate her and get her married," Rishi said in between his hard breath.

"No... I will educate her after getting her married"

"What are you saying?"

"I decided something. We will get her married to Chotte"

Rishi looked at Arnav who was with Khushali and nodded no.

"They are kids... their interest may change in the future"

"How will they change if they stay together? We will take care of them. We will fix the wedding when you get discharged. Ok?"

"No, Arvind... this is unfair... let them be free,"

Arvind looked at Arnav.

"Chotte, Do you like Khusha? Will you be with her forever?"

"Yeah, I like her so much. I will be with her always,"

"Will you marry her?"

"Of course, I will marry her"

"Are you going to marry me?" Khushali asked, holding his chin.

"Yes..." Arnav smiled.

"How will you marry me?"

"Tying mangal sutra around your neck, I will keep vermillion on your forehead. We will circle the holy fire seven times together"

"How the Mangal Sutra would be?"

Ratna came forward and showed the mangal sutra she was wearing.

"This is how... with black beads"

"Amma also was wearing this but that was not like this. It had a different design"

"Yeah, it can be any design"

"Really?"

"Yeah, we can design it as per our wish"

"Will you design my Mangal Sutra with STAR design? I like STARS very much" She pleaded cutely.

Ratna nodded smiling.

As she promised, she bought a STAR design Mangal sutra for Khushali. The wedding was arranged. Very close friends and relatives were invited as it was a child marriage.

Aranv and Khushali got ready. Their parents brought them to the stage. The pandit started the rituals.

Suddenly, the marriage hall heated up seeing the cops entering. The parents of the groom and the father of the bride panicked. The inspector's sight fell on the bride and groom who were sitting on the stage, ready to get married. The inspector turned towards their parents.

"This marriage shouldn't take place... we won't let it happen, Mr Raizada. This is illegal"

The elders became nervous as they didn't know who informed the police about the wedding. This was why they kept it secret. Yet, it leaked. Arnav and Khushali looked at each other worriedl.

"Why should not I marry Arnav?" Khushali asked the inspector.

"Because you both are small children, beta. It's an offense to get married at this age. You can get married only after you become a major... Your parents will get arrested if the marriage takes place"

Arnav rushed to his father.

"Dad, can't I marry Khushali?" He asked sadly.

"Don't feel bad, Chotte. You will get married to Khushali for sure. So, what if it doesn't happen today? You like her, right?"

Arnav nodded yes.

"Then your wedding will definitely happen"

"He is right, Chotte. It will happen after a few years... " Ratna said.

Arvind looked at Rishi and said,

"Why not we turn this wedding into an ENGAGEMENT?"

Rishi nodded ok sadly.

Arvind looked at the inspector.

"Arnav and Khushali are engaging today... Bless them..."

The inspector smiled at him nodding okay.

Arvind gave a plate in which there was a chain being kept.

"My son Arnav Singh Raizada will marry Khushali after she becomes a major" He handed the plate to Rishi.

Rishi took it from him. After blessing the kids, the inspector left the hall. Raizadas and Guptas sighed. People started dispersing. The hall became empty.

"Chotte, go and wear this chain to Khusha"

Taking the chain, Arnav saw Khushali weeping, sitting on the stage. Ratna rushed to her.

"Why are you crying, beta?" Ratna asked.

"Can't I go with Arnav? You said I can play with him every day, staying in Sheesh Mahal..."

Ratna and Arvind looked at each other. How could they console this little soul? Arnav came to her and kneeled in front of her.

"We can play together every day no matter whether we are married or not."

"I won't talk to you... You all cheated on me... You won't marry me... you will cheat me again..." She shouted crying.

The elders stood helplessly as could not understand how to console her. After all, she was a kid. How could she understand LAW?

"Khush, please don't cry. See, I'm going to wear this chain around your neck" Arnav said.

"Go... you don't need to talk to me. I like the STAR chain so much. I don't want this one"

She shrugged the chain in Arnav's hand.

Arnav looked at the plate in which the Mangal sutra was being kept. Without thinking, taking it from the plate, he tied it to her neck, making their parents shocked. Khushali smiled immediately. They looked at their surroundings cautiously. Thank God, no one saw the scene.

"Happy?" Arnav asked her.

"You said, after tying mangal sutra, you will keep vermillion and we will circle the fire?"

She extended her hand towards the vermillion box. Small Arnav filled her partition with vermillion. Khushi stood from the small stole. Clutching her hand, Arnav circled the fire. When he completed three rounds, Ratna stopped them.

"Now, Khusha should lead you"

Khusali came forward and they completed the seven pherase. She showed the mangal sutra to Rishi.

"Babuji, Arnav is my HUSBAND," she said happily.

He nodded yes.

"Let's go to Sheesh Mahal..." Khushi said.

Rishi became embarrassed.

"You are Arnav's wife but you can't go to their house as of now..."

"Why??? " she pouted.

"Police will put us in jail. Am I right Arnav?"

"No... she can be with us in Sheesh Mahal. I will take care of her. Let's go, Khush" Arnav said.

Rishi looked at Ratna.

"Let her be with her, Bhai. She will be with us"

Sheesh Mahal

Ratna made Khushali wear a casual dress. Before going to bed, she gave milk to her and Lavanya.

"From here on, you will stay with Lavanya in her room. Ok?"

"Ok"

She didn't demand as she was not told she would be at Arnav's room. She finished drinking milk and went to the kitchen to keep the glass back as she had practiced that way. When she came to the kitchen, the servant Laxmi was talking with the other servant about the wedding.

"I don't know how they got married to the kids. They may like each other now but what if they change when they grow up? What if they like someone and hate each other?"

Khushali rushed to the living room where Arnav was with Arvind and Rishi. Ratna was confused, seeing her running toward Arnav.

"Khusha, what happened?"

She came to Arnav and asked,

"Will you change when you grow up? Will you like someone and hate me?" she asked.

Arnav looked at her frowning.

"Who said I will hate you?"

"Laxmi aunty," She said pouting.

All of them looked at Laxmi who just came out of the kitchen. She was horrified as she didn't expect, Khushali would hear her talk.

"Did you say so?" Arvind shouted at her.

She bowed down.

"Tell me, will you hate me and will you like someone?" Khushali nagged Arnav.

Arnav nodded no.

"I won't like anyone and I can't hate you because you are my wife"

"Promise?"

"Mother promise"

"Laxmi, aunty, see, what Arnav said, he will not hate me," she said.

Laxmi suffocated.

"You are expelled. Get out" Arvind shouted.

"Please forgive me, Sir..." She pleaded.

"I don't want any toxic person around my children," he left the place.

Laxmi walked out with a hung face.

Arnav stopped the car in front of AR, pressing the brake coming out of the flashback.

To be continued...