Part 53 Punishment

Khushi looked at Arnav who was shocked to the core. Was Heera Arnav's mother? She tried to recall something while observing Arnav. She sensed that he was absolutely shaken. Why won't he be? After all, he was raised in an orphanage without anyone to shower love on him.

"Shilpa, see, he is our Aarya..."

Shilpa nodded yes smilingly.

"My God... I can't believe this" Kunal said excitedly.

Heera cupped Arnav's face.

"Thanks to Bagvan Sir Krishna... he heard my prayer and brought my son to me," she said overwhelming.

Arnav stood like a statue and could understand nothing. He could not believe he had a family... the same family to which Khushi once belonged to. He didn't know how to react to it. In fact, he didn't know how to take that.

"I would have brought you your favorite Rasmalai if I had known you are my Aarya," Heera said.

Khushi stood silently listening to them.

"Do you know what was our family's condition when we lost you?" Shilpa asked Arnav.

"I think he didn't believe us" Kunal smiled.

"How could he believe if anyone say 'we are your family' all of a sudden?" Shilpa said.

Arnav gulped down.

"You know how much mom cried when you went lost? She didn't eat anything for more than a week. She became weak and Dad was scared like hell. We thought we will lose her if she continues starving. At last, she gained some energy only after the saline was given." Shilpa sighed.

Heera caressed Arnav's face lovingly.

"I don't know whether you can remember it or not. You were always with me as we were so close to each other." Shilpa said.

"We are happy that our *heir* is none other than our own grandson. Where is he?" Heera looked here and there in the searching manner of Abhi.

"He went to school," Khushi said.

"Oh... that's ok, we can meet him anytime," Heera said.

Heera came to Khushi and clutched her hand.

"I'm sorry, we treated you wrong in the interest of hiding our son's disability. Because of you, I got my son back today. Thank you so much"

Khushi said nothing but looked at Arnav.

"I wish you guys are with us," Heera said.

Arnav looked at Khushi silently.

"I know it will make you awkward. Please let us come here. We will be happy if we get chances to meet you guys often" Heera said.

Now, also Arnav and Khushi said nothing.

"Please bring my grandson to OUR house at least once and introduce us to him. Let my grandson know he has grandmother and aunty"

"Don't worry, Mom. Aarya will not be without meeting you anymore. Don't we know how much he had been fond of you?" Shilpa said.

"Yeah, more than Aditya, Aarya loved me so much. He never left my side when he was small" Heera said proudly.

Heera looked at Khushi.

"You don't have to sign the documents anymore. You are an essential part of our family now. You became our Bahu AGAIN"

Khushi didn't like the word AGAIN. she didn't want to remember Aditya anymore as she was Arnav's wife now.

"Won't you provide us coffee or tea Khushi?" Kunal asked with a smile.

Khushi walked to the kitchen.

"Khushiiii" Arnav stopped her.

Khushi looked at him questioningly.

"You wait. I will prepare them coffee" Arnav went to the kitchen.

"See, my son wants to prepare coffee for me," Heera said prideful which irked Khushi.

Preparing coffee for them, Arnav brought it and served them. They drank it relishing even though the coffee was average in taste.

"Khushi, get ready for the office. We have an important meeting today" Arnav said.

Khushi got stuck. She knew there was no meeting going to be held in the office that day. Yet, she went to the room and sat on the bed.

After having coffee,

"We are leaving. You have to go to the office, right?" Kunal said.

"My heart is bleeding to leave you, beta" Heera said emotionally.

Arnav smiled.

"Why are you worrying as if he is living on Mars? Start the car and you are going to reach your son within forty-five minutes" Kunal said.

"Haan, Mom. We will come here coming Sunday. What say?" Shilpa said.

"Sure... who will stop me from meeting my son?" Heera said rightfully.

Arnav ran his eyes in his room entrance and he didn't find Khushi. They took leave from Arnav. Arnav locked the door while calling Aman. He attended the call.

"Is there any important work in the office today?" Arnav asked.

"no sir, all are normal work only."

"Ok, WE are not coming today. Manage the office"

"Sure Sir"

Arnav came to the room and saw Khushi sitting on the bed. He came and sat next to her.

"Are you upset?"

Khushi nodded no.

"I know you are"

She again nodded no.

"I saw your facial expression change when I said I will prepare coffee for them"

Khushi was silent.

"Didn't you?"

"What's there to be upset? You got your family back after a long time. You wanted to treat them well. Any GOOD son would do that"

"Khushi... hold on... why are you talking non-stop?"

Khushi gulped down.

"I stopped you from preparing coffee because I don't want you to do anything for them. I know how much you hate them."

She stood up from the bed.

"But, they are your family..."

Arnav also stood up and turned her towards him.

"You are my family. I don't even remember anything they said about it. I'm not sure whether those are true or not. According to me, only you are TRUE Khushi"

Khushi looked at him emotionally and bowed down again.

"I have no problem if you want to be with your family. I can understand how much you craved to get a relationship in your life. I won't be a hurdle for you to get your share of happiness ever. You just carry on with your family. You don't have to care about US"

Arnav was looking at her tightening his jaws, controlling his anger.

"Finished? Have you done, Khushi?"

Khushi looked at him and got stuck, seeing his red-shot eyes.

"Yes, I carved for relationships in my life but not in the way you are thinking. I wanted someone for myself wholly. I thought I got ONE. I thought you will be with me forever but I didn't expect you will be ready to leave me, Khushi"

Khushi was about to say something, and Arnav stopped her, showing her palm.

"What did you say? You are a hurdle to my happiness? Like really, Khushi? I got to know what is happiness only after I met you. What's important other than caring about you in my life? Tell me Damn it..."

Khushi stood silently, bowing down. Arnav lifted her chin and made her look at him.

"You may not feel it right now but in the future, you may think differently," Khushi said.

"Will YOU (stressing) think differently about marrying me in the future, Khushi?"

"I know about myself"

"You should know about myself too. You should know what your husband will do and don't. That's called TRUST. Don't you trust me?"

Khushi was silent.

"So, you don't trust me. Ok... let it be. But listen to me. Whatever you said a few minutes ago will not happen. I always want to be with a family and my family is you and Abhi. I will definitely carry on with my family. I do care for you no matter what. I don't care anything more than my wife and son. Understand?"

"Arnavji, relax. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just want to give you a chance to do whatever you wished"

"Our lives entwined with each other. We should do anything according to another one's wish. If you think I will give you such chance, I won't. you are my wife and you have to be with me... forever. That's all. I won't get compromised in it"

Khushi hugged him emotionally. Arnav stood not reciprocating it. Khushi looked at him raising her head.

"Are you angry with me?"

Arnav nodded yes.

"What's my punishment?"

"You will get to know that soon"

"Ok, we will deal with it after coming from the office"

Khushi walked to the cupboard to take a saree to change.

"We are not going to the office today," Arnav said.

"Why?"

"I'm going to punish you for not trusting me"

Khushi rolled her eyes.

"Arnavji, don't be silly..." She tried to go to the washroom again.

Arnav snatched the saree from her hand and throw it in the cupboard.

"What do you think, I will forgive you?" he clutched her hands.

Khushi tried to push him away. Arnav tightened his grip. To her shock, he lifted her on his shoulder and walked to the bed.

"Arnavji, leave me..." Khushi shouted.

Putting her on it, he arrested her beneath him.

"How dare you think of leaving me?"

Khushi panted hard.

"You should never repeat the mistake. If you do, you will get this punishment"

Arnav tortured Khushi like hell... correction... SWEET torture. Arnav said, it was punishment but Khushi liked the punishment very much. It doesn't mean she will do the mistake again.

To be continued...