Part 26 Face to Face

In the meanwhile,

Khushi felt so nervous like ever before. What will happen if Karan said the truth to Arnav? What will Arnav do? Will he snatch Abhi from her? Will he threaten her to marry him? Khushi became restless. She was scared to face Arnav. He was in love with her. he wanted to marry her. He never hesitated to tell her about what he felt for her. He even spoke about SLEEPING with her. Of course, he had guts. She didn't know what he was going to do. Khushi gulped her tears.

Taking her mobile, she dialed Preeto. Preeto looked at the phone and smirked. She attended the call making sure not telling her the truth that Arnav knew the truth.

"Tell me, Khushi"

"Preeto, does Arnavji know the truth?"

"What truth?"

"Didn't you tell me Karan is going to tell him the truth?"

"Oh... are you asking about the FATHER issue?"

"Haan..."

"Maybe... Or, may not be..."

"Didn't you ask Karan about it?"

"No, Khushi. We both are busy with wedding work. You know what happened today?" she asked seriously.

"Whaaaat?" Khushi asked hurriedly.

"My uncle slipped from the stairs... I'm the one who took him to the hospital"

"Then?"

"Then what? Nothing..."

Khushi rolled her eyes.

"Preeto, understand the seriousness of the issue..."

"Yeah... I have understood the seriousness well. That's why I asked my uncle not to walk for at least one day. after all, I'm a doctor..."

"I'm not talking about your uncle..."

"Oh... then about whom you are talking about?"

"Arnav..."

"Ok, tell me..."

"Please stop Karan from telling him the truth, Preeto" she pleaded.

"How can I tell him what he should talk about with his friend?"

"The matter is about your friend, Preeto. As per the hospital's clause, you should not tell Arnav about his son. How could you tell him that Preeto?"

"Are you talking with me as my friend or the beneficiary of the fertility center?"

"Preeto please, don't play with words..."

"You are the one who is playing with our friendship, Khushi"

"Please, don't mistake me, Preeto... try to understand me"

"You too, understand me, Khushi. Nothing is in my hand now. It got slipped from my hand already."

"Can I talk to Karan?"

"Of course, you can. I will ask him to talk to you when he comes here"

"Can't you connect me with him on a conference call?"

"Let me talk to him first. I will surely connect you on a conference call if he is ready to talk to you"

Khushi sighed.

"Ok, Khushi, I have to go... will talk to you later. Bye..."

"Bye..."

Khushi disconnected the call. Preeto smirked contently. She knew Karan had already told Arnav the truth.

On the other side,

Taking a leave from Karan, Arnav headed to Khushi's house. He was happy, curious, ecstatic, thrilled what not? Abhi was his son. Khushi was the one who carried his son in her womb. What a pleasant surprise...! He was told by the hospital management not to think about HIS child. He too didn't want to but fate brought them to him and made him love them. He always thought about his child whenever he saw Abhi. He felt something for Abhi in his heart. How great the feel was...! He wanted an understanding partner like Khushi. What will she do now? What will be her answer to his question? She didn't accept him before. Would she accept the father of her son now? What would he do if she was not ready to accept him? Would he fight for his son? He will... definitely he will fight for his son but not in the way Khushi thought.

Arnav came to her house and knocked on the door. Khushi opened the door and was shocked, to see Arnav as she didn't expect him there soon. She didn't know how to react, seeing him because she didn't know whether he got to know the truth or not. She was not sure why he was there.

Arnav got confused, seeing her bewildered expression. Why did she react this way? Had not she always gotten angry, seeing him before? Then why did she look confused? Something sparkled in his mind. Did she get to know the truth? Did she know who he was? Did she know he was Abhi's father?

Arnav moved in, which made Khushi take steps behind.

"You... here?" she stammered abnormally.

"I came to meet the mother of MY son," Arnav said reading her face that was changing second to second.

Khushi could not be normal no matter how hard she tried. Her face let out a shocking expression.

"Mother of your son...? Who is that?" She asked looking somewhere.

Now, Arnav was sure that she knew the truth. Arnav moved closer to her with a sharpened gaze. Khushi moved backward speedily.

"Don't you know Khushi?" his voice sounded dangerous.

"How... how do I know?" she mumbled.

"Didn't Preeto tell you anything?"

"P...Pree...to?"

"Haan... P...Pree...to..." he mimicked her.

She nodded no.

"Ok... Let me call her" Arnav removed his phone.

"She is a doctor. She will be busy..." she blabbered.

"Oh... how do you know about Preeto's schedule? Are you guys so close?" he asked sarcastically.

"Jee..." she said seriously.

"Yet, she said nothing to you?"

"No..."

Arnav moved again but Khushi could not as the wall was behind her.

"No Problem if she doesn't tell you the truth" he stopped and read her face.

"Truth?"

"Haan... truth... that I'm Abhi's father..." he said giving enough gap in between the words.

"Stop addressing yourself as his father..."

"I'm not just addressing myself as Abhi's father but telling the truth. It was my seed which you carried in your womb" he said gritting his teeth.

Khushi looked into his eyes panicking.

"You carried none other than my son. If that's the case, who am I to you, Khushi?" he cornered her.

"You are a donor... you got paid for that. you have no right to climb him as your son" she said firmly.

Arnav became furious even though she was not wrong.

"What will you do if I climb him as my son?" he raised the question.

"You should not do that... Abhi is my son... it's me who has all the rights on him."

"I will do that because I love Abhi and I love YOU. I want you both in my life"

"This is not love... love won't force anything..."

Cutting her,

"I will force you if needed. Abhi is my son. I can prove that lawfully."

Khushi was shocked to the core.

"What does that mean? What will you do? Will you snatch Abhi from me? Why are you doing this?"

Arnav gulped down.

"I'm not here to snatch Abhi from you, Khushi. I just am telling you the possibilities. Even though you are not ready to accept me I won't snatch him from you. Do you know why? It's because I know the value of PARENT. I just don't want Abhi to experience the same as I did. He deserves a mother as well as a father. He is my son and I'm alive. Why should he long for his father's love when I'm alive? Who are you to break his happiness? Will you use your rights only to break his happiness, Khushi? This is what you wish to give your son? Why should he stay away from his father just because his mother has some issues with him? He is a small kid. What is his mistake?"

"Why don't you understand me? Abhi can't accept someone like his father because I told him a different story. What will he think of me if we show a man as his father who he knew well already?" she pleaded.

"You know what Khushi? You are selfish... you think only about yourself. You don't mind about ME and Abhi. We love each other. We want to be with each other. Not only that... we want YOU Khushi. Just think once. What if Abhi accepts me as his father? By luck, what if he doesn't feel awkward but happy? Won't you be happy if it happens?" he put his points in front of her.

Khushi was silent. She didn't know what to answer him. Arnav lifted her chin.

"Answer me Khushi..." he sounded soft.

"I'm not single but single mother... I can't act like a single"

Arnav tightened his jaws.

"Ok, let Abhi decide," he said seriously.

"No... he should not know the truth... you should not tell him"

"Why? Who are you to stop me? What right do you have in me? Why should I listen to you?"

"I have no rights on you but on Abhi..."

"Abhi is my son... I too have all the rights on him."

"So what if Abhi is your son? I'm his mother"

Both of them were shocked, hearing,

"Mom..."

Arnav and Khushi looked at the entrance where Abhi standing with a bewildered expression. Did he hear them?

To be continued...