Part 29

Khushi and La were getting ready for their first night in LA's room which would become guest room again from now onwards. They were asked to wear WHITE SILK SAREE as white is a symbol of purity. LA was looking so excited while Khushi was nervous.

LA: What happened Khushi? You look tensed?

Khushi(stammering): No... I'm fine.

LA: Nervous Haan?

Khushi: Honestly... yes. She bit her lip.

LA: Don't worry... Arnav anna won't be wild. She teased.

Khushi shocked at her statement. What the hell... WILD? She gulped. God... She didn't even think about it. She was nervous about facing him in the same room. She became more nervous. What if he behaves wild? She saw Ratna coming with two glasses of milk. She handed over it to them.

Ratna: Give it to your respective husbands. He should drink only half a glass and you have to drink remaining. OK? (They nodded ok. )And after that..... (she stopped looking at them smilingly) I don't need to say...

LA: Amma, you are too much.

Ratna winked at her. She saw Khushi's hands shivering. She pressed her hand lovingly.

Ratna: Are you scared? (Khushi nodded yes pouting) Weren't you looking so brave until yesterday? What happens to you today? (Khushi hugged her tightly) Relax. This is your life, face it. Chinna is your husband, handle him. You have to. You have all the rights to do what you wish. Chinna will never go against you. So be cool. Ok? (she nodded ok) Go. (Khushi bent down and touched her feet. Ratna blessed her and kissed her forehead.)

Both Khushi and La started towards their husband's room.... towards their life... towards their future...

LA: All the best baby... Try to come out without damage. She chuckled making Khushi gulp.

They entered the rooms. Nk welcomed LA showering flower petals on her. But Khushi didn't find Arnav in the room. She sighed in relief and kept the milk glass on the table where sweets and fruits were being kept. She got rooted hearing door opening sound. She stood facing her back to Arnav. She could hear his footsteps nearing her. She knew Arnav was standing behind her so close.

Arnav (in her ear): Hi...

Khushi made up herself and turned towards him. Arnav looked at her sweaty face.

Arnav: Are you alright?

Khushi: what happened to me?

Arnav: Yeah... how brave you are... You look tired. Go and change. Take a left side on the bed.

Khushi stood there couldn't believe it. He didn't do anything... ANYTHING.....

Arnav: Whaaaaat... Go...

Khushi: Mmmm.

Khushi went to her bag which was being placed at the corner of the room. She removed her nightdress and went to the washroom to change. When she came out, she saw Arnav was doing something on his mobile. She went to bed and lied on the right side forgetting his demand.

Arnav: I said take the left side.

Khushi: What if I lie on the right side?

Arnav: Didn't dad say life is a balance sheet?

Khushi(frowning): So?

Arnav: Assets must be on the left side of the balance sheet.

Khushi(clenching her jaws): I'm not your asset.

He came to bed and sat beside her. Khushi moved to the left side hurriedly.

Arnav: You are... my registered asset.

Khushi (frowning): What!

Arnav lifted her nuptial thread which was on her neck.

Arnav: This is my authentic LICENSE.

Khushi(dropping her jaw): Is this License for you?

Arnav: Of course. It allows me to do whatever I want the things which are restricted for us until yesterday. You are lying on my bed...with me... inside the closed room. Then what's this?

Khushi's body sweated badly hearing his explanation.

Khushi: I... I'm sleepy.

Arnav(smirking): then sleep. Who stops you?

Khushi looked at him weirdly and turned opposite side. Arnav smiled seeing her.

Arnav: I have a habit... I put my leg on who is beside me.

Khushi: But until yesterday, you slept alone...

Arnav: That's why I slept alone. He said controlling his smile.

Khushi: Don't you have extra pillows?

Arnav: No, I have only two. Today I got one new. He laughed.

Khushi: Shut up. I'm not your pillow.

Arnav: I didn't say so.

Khushi: I will go back to my home if you put your leg on me.

Arnav: you already are in "your home" only.

Khushi: I said my mumma's home.

Arnav: Try if you can.

Khushi: What do you mean "try"?

Arnav: Your mom won't let you stay there and your husband also.

Khushi: I can handle my mom.

Arnav: What about your husband? Such a bad man he is.

Khushi: Don't exaggerate yourself.

Arnav: I can bet. Just try. If you stay at least for one night alone at your mother's place then I will accept my defeat.

Khushi: What if you lose? You should allow me to stay there whenever I want. Deal?

Arnav: Ok fine. If you fail then you should not stay there alone (pause) ever. Deal?

Khushi(thought for a while): Deal.

Arnav forwarded his hand to shake. Khushi turned the opposite side without shaking. Arnav pulled her hand and shook it.

Arnav: If I ask your hand for a shake then respond. Ok? Am I kissing your knuckle like this or what?

Saying, he kissed her knuckle. Her eyes went wide open and she pulled her hand off from his clutch.

Arnav(smiling): Good night.

He lied after switching off the light. Khushi couldn't believe that he really kissed her knuckle. She gulped and lied covering herself by the quilt thinking how to stay at her Mayka. At last, she slept.

Next morning.

Khushi woke up from sleep. She ran her eyes all over the room. She heard the "click" sound of the washroom. She closed her eyes and pretended like sleeping. Arnav came out of the bathroom wiping his hair. He went to the closet to take his clothes.

Khushi slightly opened her eyes and saw him. Her eyes went wide open seeing a big burnt scar on his back. Almost his lower back was being covered by the scar. What happened to him? and When? She became horrible. Seems like, there were many incidents which she didn't know. She sat on the bed thinking to ask him about it. Arnav saw her looking at him. He wore the T-shirt hurriedly.

Arnav: Good morning.

Khushi nodded her head.

Arnav: How are you? He asked huskily making her perplexed.

Khushi didn't answer as she knew he himself will continue.

Arnav: After all, we finished our first night.

Khushi's cheeks were burning like hell. She shifted her gaze to somewhere.

Khushi: Don't talk rubbish.

Arnav: Rubbish?

Khushi: Yes. because it was not our first night.

Arnav(seriously): Did you really forget everything that happened last night?

Khushi(looking at him with fear): What are you talking about?

Arnav: Thanks to my friend. He told me if you smelled it once then you will forget everything. Seems like, it worked. He said stretching his hands.

Khushi: Don't lie. I had a very good sleep.

Arnav: Of course you slept but me. He said controlling his smile.

Khushi: you are lying. She felt like crying.

Arnav: You have a mole on your right thigh. Am I right?

Khushi's eyes went wider than wider. Tears started rolling down from her eyes.

Arnav: Hey...

Khushi took a pillow and started hitting him.

Khushi (shouting): Damn you... I thought you are a good guy...

Arnav(blocking her hit): Really? I don't know that. or else...

Khushi: Or else what?

Arnav: I would not have told you what happened last night.

She threw the pillow away and pushed him on the bed. He fell on the bed and she punched him on his chest. Arnav clutched her hands. He removed Khushi's childhood pic from under the pillow and showed it to her.

                                                                   Thanks to Mayu for the MOLE edit

Arnav: See this; there is a mole which I told about.

Khushi sighed closing her eyes. Arnav smiled sitting on the bed panting.

Arnav: Relax Baby...

Khushi: Don't call me baby. She said getting down from the bed.

Arnav: Ohh ok. What about Dhadi?

Khushi slammed her feet and turned to go to the washroom. Arnav caught hold of her hand and she stood without turning towards him.

Arnav: Or should I call you TINTIN? He asked whispering.

Khushi's eyes literally got tear up. How many years???? After how many years she heard that name from his mouth? Arnav came in front of her and saw her teary eyes and got panicked.

Arnav: Khushi...

Khushi shoved his handoff and went inside the washroom without uttering a single word leaving repenting Arnav.

Kitchen

Ratna was in the kitchen. Khushi came and hugged her from behind.

Khushi: Good morning.

Ratna: Good morning.

They heard another "good morning". It was from Lavanya. She came and hugged Khushi smilingly.

LA: Do you know how happy I'm? We are in the same house with a deep relationship.

She hugged her again.

Khushi: Of course. I got my friends as my mother-in-law and devrani.

Ratna: La, you said you want to go shopping today. Are you going?

La: No Maa, how can I let the newly wedded bride do work? She winked at Khushi.

Khushi(rolled her eyes): But today I will go to my Mayka for paag perah ritual.

La looked at Ratna confusingly.

Khushi: What?

La: Khushi you should learn about our culture. There is no paag perah here.

Khushi(shocked): Whaaaat!!

Ratna: Rituals are different in our family beta. That's what La is saying.

Khushi was disappointed. She had planned something to win Arnav. But seems like, it won't happen. She should think something then.

Ratna: We will send you one fine day. You can stay there for three days. We call it "Maru veedu"

Khushi's face brightened hearing that.

Khushi: Three days?

Ratna: Yes.

Khushi: Wow. That's great. But today I will cook something for you guys.

La(teasingly): Sure but no country chicken as you shouldn't cook non-veg today.

Ratna: Yeah you can cook it some other day for your Allav.

Khushi (rolled her eyes): I will cook keer.

Ratna: Whatever you wish. but before that, both of you give coffee to your husband.

Ratna took the coffee and went to give it to Arvind.

LA(whispering): cook special keer for you Allav with a lot of almond as it will give him extra power when romancing. She winked at her. Khushi supposed to hit her, before she did that La rushed out of the kitchen taking coffee for NK.

                                                               Thanks to Mayu for THAALI edit

Khushi stuck for a while remembering La's words. Romancing? How Arnav teased her using very sensitive matter today morning? She touched her thigh. The mole. She felt her body was burning. She was not in her sense. She touched the milk vessel which was hot. She hissed in pain. Arnav who came there to get coffee saw that. He pulled her hand and kept her finger into his mouth immediately and sucked to soothe her pain. Thousand watts current passed in Khushi's body. She tried to pull her finger from his mouth but she couldn't as Arnav's grip on her wrist was tight enough. He lifted his eyelashes slowly to Khushi who was suffocating. He dragged her to the kitchen sink and put her hand under the running water. He knew Khushi was constantly looking at him. He gulped hard and left the Kitchen leaving Khushi with a wildly thudding heartbeat.

To be continued..........