Part 23  Open Talk

Aashi's eyes widened in excitement when she saw prawn items being kept on the dining table, a special treat she knew Arnav had prepared for her.

"Wow... Mom, look at this: four prawn dishes!" Aashi's eyes sparkled with delight.

She looked at Arnav and asked,

"Is everything for me?"

"Everything is for you only. You can eat how much you want."

He took a prawn 65 and put it in her mouth. Aashi chewed it and gestured for him, showing her fingers like, "Super."

"Eat" he kept the plates in front of her.

"Arnav, how will she eat rice if she eats so much prawns?" Khushi asked.

"Let her eat what she wants. She'll eat only as much as she can," Arnav reassured, his voice comforting them.

"Yes, Khushi beta. She is a kid, after all," Ratna said.

Aashi ate the prawns. She extended one to Khushi's mouth.

"Mom, taste it... it's so delicious" She stuffed it in Khushi's mouth.

Khushi ate it.

"Am I right?"

Khushi nodded yes. Taking another one, she fed it to Arnav. Arnav ate it smilingly.

"Do you like it?"

Aashi nodded yes, stuffing one in her mouth. Even though she liked prawns, she could not eat much, as Arnav said. After all, she was a kid. Arnav served Ratna so that he could serve Khushi, and she wouldn't take it differently.

Khushi finished the lunch and washed her hands.

"Dadi, will you tell me stories?" Aashi asked.

"Not now, Aashi. Dadi will rest at this time. You will hear the story later." Khushi said.

"I will tell you the story tonight, after the dinner. Ok?" Ratna said.

"Ok."

"Khushi, Hariprakash arranged the room for you. Please shift there."

Khushi nodded, even though she was comfortable in the guestroom, because they had already argued, and Arnav wanted Aashi to be comfortable doing her homework.

"If you want help, ask HP," Arnav said.

"That's ok. I have not removed my stuff from my bag yet. I will do it on my own."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah,"

She went to the guest room, and Aashi followed her. As she had only brought a bag, she took it to the room beside Arnav's. Khushi saw the room with more facilities, including a study table, an extra couch, and a table with a chair, as Arnav said. The room was also more prominent than the guestroom, with a queen-size bed.

"Is this our room?" Aashi asked.

Khushi nodded yes.

"Mr. Puzzle is soooo good. I like him very much," Aashi said, and she climbed onto the bed. She hopped cheerfully.

"Don't jump on the bed. Sit"

"Mom, this bed is so soft."

She sat on the bed and again jumped into the sitting position.

"OK, sleep for a while. Then only you can play in the park. Or else you will become tired."

Aashi lay on the bed without arguing. Khushi took place beside Aashi and hugged her to get a nap.

Evening

Arnav got ready to go to the park with Khushi and Aashi. He came to Ratna's room to call her to the park.

"Mom, we are going to the park. You, too, come with us."

"Chotte, what will I do coming to the park? I already have a knee pain. Because of Khushi, it has just started lessening. I will be resting. You take them to the park. Aashi will be happy."

"Will you be alone?"

"Chotte, you are talking like I have been amidst the crowd always..."

Arnav chuckled.

"Go...take them."

Arnav nodded and left. He came to the living room and waited for Khushi and Aashi. He saw them coming. Aashi rushed to Arnav, and he lifted her in his arms.

"Shall we?'

She nodded eagerly.

"Arnav put her down and let her walk."

Arnav didn't argue and kept her down. Aashi clutched both their fingers on either side and walked.

Arnav took them to the nearby park, a bustling place that was more crowded than usual because it was Sunday. After a few minutes of waiting, Arnav got Aashi a swing. She played in the swing happily, surrounded by other children enjoying their weekend.

Khushi came and stood beside Arnav. Arnav looked at her.

"Thank you, Arnav"

Arnav was silent.

"This is the unexpected helping hand for me in India." She smiled.

Arnav reciprocated her. But her next stance made him frown.

"Please don't make Aashi dependent on you, Arnav. She will struggle to get apart from you." Khushi's voice trembled with concern as she spoke to Arnav; her worry for Aashi's future was evident in her words.

"Why are you unwantedly bothering, Khushi?"

"You don't understand, Arnav. You are creating expectations in her mind. It will be hard for her to change her mind," Khushi said, her voice tinged with worry and the conflict of wanting the best for her daughter.

"Look at Aashi" Arnav said.

Khushi looked at her, who was happily sliding the slide.

"She is a kid. That's why she is enjoying the present. She doesn't care about her past or future. That's what a child's heart is. I agree she will struggle to get apart from me, but you didn't think about something."

"What?"

"Aashi's happiness. She is genuinely happy with me. Why don't you think about it? I have no commitments in my life. My mother is so glad to have you in our house. You are safe in my house. Leaving all the positive things, why are you thinking about something that doesn't make us happy?"

"Perhaps you are right, but how long can we be like this? Everything has its end, right?"

"Of course, everything has its end, and so is this issue. Till then, don't think about tomorrow. Just live today."

"May I ask you something?"

"Anything"

"Why don't you want to marry?"

Arnav turned his gaze to Aashi.

"If you are not comfortable..."

"Not like that. I made a mistake. Until I make it right, I can't think of my marriage."

"Can I help you with that anyway?" Khushi asked.

Arnav's lips curved into a smile.

"Yes, you can..."

"Really? Then tell me. I will surely help you to make your mistake RIGHT."

"Why do you want to help me?"

"It feels like I want to do something for you."

"It's because I help you?"

"No... not at all. You are a nice man. I want to make your life right. You deserve happiness."

"Thanks Khushi. I'm glad to hear this." He smiled.

"Now, tell me, how can I help you?"

"I will tell you when the right time comes. Ok?"

"Ok. I wish people would be like you with good intentions."

Arnav wanted to change the topic. He could not take her flatter.

"May I ask you something, Khushi?"

Khushi smiled. Somewhat, she understood what he wanted to ask her. She nodded yes.

"Why are you away from your family? Where is Aashi's father? Why are you alone? What made you a single mother?"

"It's my fate."

"May I do something in this? Because you, too, deserve happiness. I, too, want to do something to make you happy."

"I don't think you can do anything in that, Arnav."

"How could you measure my ability?" Arnav questioned.

Khushi sighed.

"Won't you tell me why you are not with Aashi's father?" he intentionally asked her to know her opinion about HIM.

"I'm not with her father because I don't know who he is."

"What do you mean? Please tell me what happened, Khushi."

Khushi nodded yes and told him her story.

"I was trapped in the room with a stranger. I don't know who he was. He took advantage of my state and forced me. I was not in the condition to fight with him. I could do nothing and lost my life to him." She said miserably.

Arnav gulped down hard. He didn't know how to console her when the man was himself. How could he tell her he was also forced to do something he didn't want to and could not stop himself?

"Why didn't your father listen to you? he could have given you a chance to speak..."

"They didn't let my father give me a chance and provoked his anger by raising their finger at my character."

"Don't you want to do anything to them?"

"What could I do? I can stop the marriage for what they did, all the cheap acts."

"Are you going to let this wedding happened?"

"Sheetal is an evil woman, but Aman Mathur is a nice man. He was broken down when our wedding was called off. I feel bad for giving him the same pain again."

"Do you think a nice man should marry an evil woman? He deserves better, Khushi. He should be saved from the evil Oman."

"I already hinted to him about Sheetal. If he uses his brain, he will understand who Sheetal really is."

Arnav became thoughtful.

The next day

Aashi was so happy when Arnav dropped her off at school. After dropping Khushi in the hospital, Arnav went to AR. Ratna's physiotherapy timing was changed to the evening as RM became Khushi's residence.

Mathur Hospital

Aman was on rounds. That was when he received a call from his accountant, Armaan. Aman attended the call.

"Haan, Mr. Armaan, tell me"

"Doctor, as planned, forty per cent of our hospital shares were released in the share market."

"Oh... let's see how much people respond to our shares."

"All our shares are sold out, Doctor."

"Whaaaat?" Aman looked at his watch, and the time was 10:45 am.

"How is it possible, Armaan? How did all the shares sell out in an hour?" he asked unbelievably.

"Yes, Doctor, someone bought all our shares."

"Whaaat? Did a single man buy all our shares?"

"Yes..."

"Who is he?"

"Arnav Singh Raizada..."

To be continued...