Part 35 Unique piece...

After Arnav's outburst, the dining hall became silent. Arnav went to his room, finishing dinner. Manorama gestured for Khushi to go with him. Khushi nodded ok and followed him.

*Did you see how he spoke to me? He has forgotten the respect for me which he used to show me before his first marriage...* Raveena said, looking at Ratna.

*Didn't you hear what he said? Just stay away from his matter. He wants his wife to call his name. Why do you poke your nose in that?* Arvind said.

*What wrong I said? She is a small girl that's why I asked her to call him with respect...*

*Ravi... it will be good if you stop talking about it. Khushi will call ARNAV... that's what Chotte wants* Ratna said.

*I came here to spend my daughters' holiday... but here... no respect for me... I'm going back home*

*We didn't mean it... you can stay here as much as you want without interfering in Chotte and Khushi's matter.* Arvind said.

Raveena left the dining said nothing.

...........

Khushi closed the door when they entered in.

*Wow... what an action...! I got awestruck...you know...* Khushi hoped.

Arnav smiled.

*I had never imagined I would see the real hero soon...*

Arnav sat on the recliner.

*What so interesting for you to hear your name from my mouth?* she teased.

Arnav got stuck. What could he say?

*I don't want her to poke her nose in our matter...* he said.

*Oh... by the way, what if I don't call you Arnav? What so big deal?* she was not ready to leave him easily.

*You can call me whatever you want but you don't have to do that on someone's command* he said strictly.

*Why she behaves rudely?* Khushi asked.

*I too don't know... of course, she always talks without thinking. But nowadays she crosses her limits a lot*

*Ok, ARNAV... thank you for giving my rights back*

Arnav nodded with a smile.

*Not bad...* she said sighing.

*What?*

*I thought I have to struggle a lot to make you smile... thank God, you smile often* she fell on the bed laughingly.

Arnav leaned on the recliner and closed his eyes. He opened his eyes jerking, thinking something. Didn't Khushi say once to find HIS name on her mobile? He saw Khushi going to the washroom with her nightdress.

He removed his mobile and about to dial Khushi's number, he stopped. What will he say when she asked about it? No problem, he will say, he mistakenly dialed her number.

He saw her mobile on the side table of the bed. Taking it, he lowered the volume and dialed her number. He got thunderstruck, seeing her mobile WITHOUT A PASSWORD...without a password? Was she that simple? He dialed her number and got more thunderstruck. Her phone showed his name as SOULMATE. He stood there like a statue. Deleting his number from the incoming history, he went back to the recliner, keeping her phone back on the table.

Though he was closing his eyes his mind was fully open. He couldn't believe that a girl could keep her mobile without a password. How an open book she was...! How a clean slate her mind was. Was there nothing secret on her phone? He was so impressed because his first wife Yasodha never allowed him to touch her phone. Though Arnav didn't ask her anything regarding he couldn't hold himself to thinking about it after he got to know about her... when he was in jail.

And the peak of all, she has mentioned him as her SOULMATE. How BIG that word was... what did she see in him that she considers him as her SOULMATE.

He saw her coming out of the washroom. He closed his eyes.

*Where is my diary...? Today also my husband slept before I sleep...* she said teasingly.

Arnav's lips curved into an adorable smile.

*You can smile opening your eyes...* she said standing in front of him, folding her hands.

*Good night* He said looking at her with a smile that made her wonder.

Khushi rushed to the switchboard and switched the light off.

*Thank God...* She sighed.

*What happened?* she heard Arnav's voice.

*I would have fainted if I had not switched the lights off...*

*Why?*

*I was shocked seeing you saying Good night with a smile*

The lights were being switched off. Or else, she would have seen his bright smile again. She lay down on the bed and covered herself with a quilt.

Khushi slept... but Arnav. He had many questions but he didn't find answers. How sweet this girl was...! How lucky he was to get such a clear soul as his wife...! How different she was from other girls...! She was an eighth wonder of the world...

He stood up from the recliner and switched the light on. He saw Khushi sleeping. Was not she a quick sleeper? How did she get to sleep easily? Was she fine with the life she leading? Didn't she have expectations in her married life? He was looking at her forgetting himself. It seemed he won't get bored of seeing her.

Sitting on the recliner, he closed his face with his palms. He didn't know how to take this relationship forward. Though he had a condition with Khushi he struggled to be firm in it. He was shaken to the core by the sweet gestures of a small girl. He liked her so much.

He leaned on the recliner, looking at her. He didn't know when he drifted into sleep.

The next morning

Though Arnav slept late, he woke up earlier. Taking bath, he sat on the recliner, opening his laptop and pretending like working on it.

Khushi woke up as usual. She sat on the bet and stretched her body, making Arnav gulp down. He faced a difficult time controlling his eyes from looking at her and his heart from beating hard.

Rubbing her palms together, she looked at her palms smilingly. She saw Arnav already fresh.

*Hi, good morning*

*Morning* he nodded his head slightly.

*Why did you wake up earlier? Do you have any work?*

*Yup...though I'm not going to the office I have to be updated*

*That's good...*

She got down from the bed and neatened her night suit. She went to the bathroom, taking her dress. Arnav leaned on the recliner, closing his eyes. Would she ask him to fill her partition today also? He thought.

Hearing the clicking sound of the washroom door, he sat straight. Khushi wiped her hair and combed it. Taking a very few minutes, she got ready.

He saw her taking the vermillion box from the dressing table. Arnav switched his gaze from Khushi to the laptop screen. Coming to him, she extended the vermillion box towards him. Arnav looked at her raising his head.

*Fill my partition...* she said... or we can say it is an order.

Arnav stood up from the recliner. Taking a pinch of vermillion, he filled her partition.

*Is it really necessary to take the vermillion from me every day?* he asked as if he was not interested.

*Not necessary... but yes...* she chuckled.

Arnav rolled his eyes.

*Nothing is necessary if we don't have the interest to do it*

She turned to leave the place; she stopped hearing Arnav's question.

*Did your Babuji fills your Amma's partition every day?*

Of course, it was a reasonable question because most children like to follow their parent's customs. Khushi nodded NO smilingly.

*Then how did you get inspired by the habit?*

*I didn't get inspired... but who knows... our daughter may get inspired by us...* she said smilingly and left the room.

Arnav stood and couldn't understand anything. Did she talk about their DAUGHTER? Here, he didn't even think of starting their married life, and she was thinking about their children...? Arnav got nothing. She was a unique piece from everyone in the world... what else he could think about her other than that...?

To be continued...