Part 8 Acceptance

"It's because you TRUST me," Arnav said, making her dumbfounded.

"I learned that when you got angry with Prathik... you clutched my hands tight yesterday. You didn't want me to leave you. You would not have done that without trust..."

Khushi closed her eyes slowly to remember the moment.

"I want to make you feel protective for your whole life, Khushi. I don't want you to feel it just because you are visually impaired. My life became a vacuum after my parent's demise. I want you to fill their place. I don't know why I feel YOU can do it. I don't know why I want you to become the one. I never felt with anyone like that. I don't know what you think, but I just said what I feel. It would be best if you didn't think I was taking advantage of your disability. That's why I gave you a chance to refuse me. You can marry me only if you like me."

"I like you..."

Arnav was stuck.

"You can decide about marrying me only after seeing me."

"No need..."

"Means?"

"I will marry you."

Arnav smiled.

"Don't conclude hastily...! I may not be up to your expectations..."

"You have already met my expectations."

"It may change after seeing me."

"I don't want to decide through eyes but through heart. I already saw you through my heart. You are a nice person."

"Thank you," Arnav said gladly.

"I will be here for a month to complete my project. After that,

I will go abroad for three months. In that time, your operation will take place. After I come from abroad, we will marry if you are..."

Cutting him,

"I will be fine..."

"Thanks..."

"It's me who should thank you."

"No need... I'm not doing this selflessly..."

"I didn't get you."

"I'm doing this because I like you... I want you in my life."

"Don't you have any relatives?"

"I have. My cousin and her husband are my well-wishers. They want me to settle down in my life. My jeejaji was ready to give me a job, but I was not interested in leaving India."

"But now, you are intended to go abroad... because of me..."

"No, not because of you. To settle down in my life, I'm going."

"I will have to take exams with the help of Scribe only because I already applied for my exams. So, I can get the operation done only after my exams."

"No problem... complete your exams."

"It's next month last."

"Ok... whose number is this?"

"Amma's number... it's a basic model phone with buttons. That's why I could make a call."

"Understood...and soon, you will use Android phones."

Khushi gulped down.

"Go to sleep. Good night"

"Good night," Khushi said, disconnecting the call.

The next day

Khushi came out of her room, getting fresh. Garima handed her a teacup. Akash also came and sat next to her. Khushi sipped it.

"When did you come last night?"

"I came at 12o' clock"

"Last night, did you also go for a delivery?" Khushi asked.

"Yes, it's urgent... so my boss called me."

"I will bring you tea," Garima said.

"No, Mom. Please give me something to cool my body. My stomach is aching," Akash said.

Garima nodded, sighing.

"Don't know when you will see the dawn in your life."

"If I get a good job, I will get rid of all the trouble. Until then, I have no choice..." Akash said.

Garima went to the kitchen and brought him buttermilk. Akash gulped it, sipping it little by little.

"Hmmm... I don't know how you are going to get your sister married. It's possible only if you get a job and settle down. It seems it will take at least five years. Khushi will be twenty-six at that time. After that only you can think about your wedding. Will Payal wait for you till then?" Garima asked.

"What can I do if she doesn't wait? It's all fate..." Akash said, feeling sad.

Khushi, who was listening to them till then, said,

"Amma, I will marry Arnav."

Garima and Akash looked at her surprisingly. What made her make such a decision in the night? They looked at each other delightedly.

"Are you sure?"

"Mmm..."

"Thank god you analysed our family condition and our problem."

"No, Amma, I didn't think about them..."

Akash and Garima frowned at her.

"I considered ARNAV. He is a gem of a person. I like his approach. I hope I will be happy with him."

"Of course, Khushi...! he is a gem of a person. He will make you happy," Akash said.

Khushi nodded yes. Garima thanked God for Khushi's clever decision.

"Shall we take the proposal forward?" Akash asked.

Khushi nodded.

Akash removed his phone and dialled Arnav's number. Arnav was preparing tea in the kitchen, keeping his phone on the kitchen slab. He peeped in his phone and saw Akash's number appearing. He put the stove on the sim and attended the call.

"Hi, Akash..."

"Arnav, Khushi agreed to marry you"

Arnav got stuck. He didn't expect Khushi to declare it to her mother and brother so fast.

"Did she say?" He asked as he didn't know if she had told them about their previous night's conversation.

"Yeah, just now, she told us. She likes you."

"That's great... we will take this proposal as I promised."

"Ok, Arnav..."

"We will take Khushi to the hospital for the checkup."

"Sure"

"Shall I get the appointment?"

"Yeah, sure"

"Ok, I will let you know after fixing the appointment with the doctor."

"Ok, Arnav. Thank you so much."

"My pleasure. Tell Khushi that I thanked her."

"You can tell her that directly. One minute..."

Akash stuffed his phone in Khushi's hand.

"Talk to Arnav, Khushi"

Khushi kept the phone in her ear.

"Hello..."

"Hi, Khushi."

"Hi..."

"Thank you for accepting my proposal."

"Don't talk like I did you favour..."

"You did... you gave me a reason to live."

Khushi was silent.

"I would like to tell you something, Khushi."

"Mmm..."

"I love you."

Khushi was speechless. She didn't know how to react to it. Akash and Garima were watching Khushi's face. They looked at each other, frowning. They could not understand anything why her expression changed suddenly.

"Bye..." he disconnected the call.

Khushi was perplexed. She gulped down hard.

"What happened, Khushi?"

Khushi nodded no.

Giving his phone back, she went to her room. They spared a glance.

"What happened to her?" Garima asked.

Akash nodded no.

"Would Arnav bituwa have said anything?"

Akash nodded his head from left to right with a deep thought.

"Ask him if he said anything."

Akash called Arnav again. Arnav attended the call.

"Haan, Akash..."

"Arnav, what did you say that Khushi was stunned?"

Arnav smiled.

"I told her the truth."

"What truth?"

"That, I love her."

Akash was bewildered and smiled, composing himself.

"I see... we thought something"

"Did you think I hurt her?"

"No, no... I didn't mean it."

"Give her some time. She will be all right."

"Mmm"

"Bye"

"Bye"

Arnav disconnected the call.

Akash looked at Garima and smiled. Garima raised her brows.

"He said I LOVE YOU."

"Oh..." Garima smiled.

Khushi was pressing her hands together to suppress the shiver. Though she knew Arnav like her, she didn't expect him to confess it so soon.

On the other hand, Arnav was smiling while getting ready for the office. He could not believe he had confessed to Khushi. He might have done that because he was going abroad soon and didn't want to waste time. At the same time, Khushi also said she would marry him, so he thought there was nothing to hesitate about.

To be continued...