Part 14 Planning Khushi

Khushi was taken to her house in Linga's car.

"Uncle, please don't do this to me... please give him back... I want him, uncle" Khushi cried.

"I'm sorry beta... you can't get him... I will do anything for your father. He is important to me"

"But, Arnav is most important to me than anyone... what will you do if I go to him again?"

"I will kill him... simple" Linga said calmly making Khushi horrified.

Tears rolled down her cheek.

"I will definitely do that... you know that. He will be alive until you are with your parents. Listen to your parents if you want him to be alive"

Khushi cried closing her face with her palms. Linga didn't seem to be affected.

Khushi was brought to her house and locked in a room. she was lying on the bare floor, spilling tears. She didn't eat anything. She didn't feel hungry. She felt like her inner organs stopped working. She was a failure... She lost everything... She lost her happiness... She lost her peace... She lost her Arnav. She wanted to die. She didn't like to live without Arnav.

But, why should she die when these filthy-headed people were alive? Why should not she fight back for her rights? What if Arnav tried to get her? It's just forty-seven days left for her to become a major. She can go to Arnav if she passed those forty-seven days. She didn't sleep that night. Yet, the night passed.

The next day

Govind came to Khushi and sat beside her.

"Try to adopt the reality, Khushi..."

Khushi was silent.

"What was the boy's name...? ( he thought shrinking his eyes) Haan, Aman..."

Khushi looked at him, hearing Aman's name.

"I enquired about him. He belongs to our community. Instead of Arnav, you might have loved Aman. I would have got you married to him if you had loved him" he said feeling sad.

Khushi looked at him abhorrently. What kind of creature her father was? Just because Aman was his community, he wanted her to love him? What did he think of LOVE? According to him, what did LOVE mean? Was that a business that calculates profits and benefits? It was a complete waste of time to talk to this hateful creature. They won't understand her inner turmoil. They just could not...

That's when her mother Megla came there.

"Khushi, get ready " Khushi's mother Megla said.

"Go, get ready," Govind said and left the place.

Without uttering a single word, Khushi got ready. Neither she opposed her mother nor did she question her. Neya also came to their house fully ready. She and Megla took Khushi somewhere in a taxi. Khushi frowned when they got down in front of a Gynaecology clinic. She couldn't conclude why they were there. Yet, she waited for their turn.

They were called inside. Khushi went with Megla and Neya. The doctor welcomed them with a slight nod. It seemed the doctor was already informed about their arrival. The doctor asked Khushi to follow her. Khushi did. She went to the examining room. That's when Khushi got to know why she was there. The doctor tested her virginity. Khushi's heartbeat rushed faster. Why did they do this? She was married and stayed with her husband for two days. Then how could she be a virgin? Why did they want to know about that particular issue?

"Do you used to ride bicycles?" The doctor asked.

Khushi nodded yes.

"Let's go"

They came out.

"Doctor..." Megla hesitated to ask.

"No problem, I will provide the certificate you want." The doctor said.

Khushi was shocked. Was the doctor ready to give the certificate as per their wish? What did that mean, was she going to declare her as VIRGIN? But why? Neya rushed out happily with her phone. Khushi shrank her eyes. Why did Neya feel happy if she was a virgin? Something was fishy.

"Thank you so much, doctor" Megla said.

"Linga sir already told me how the certificate should be..." the doctor said with a hidden meaning.

Megla looked at Khushi with a serious expression. So, Linga was behind the scene. But why did they hell tent to get the certificate? To whom do they want to prove her a virgin? And, Khushi understood why the doctor tested her even after she insisted on how the certificate would be. Her parents wanted to know whether she was a virgin or not, she thought. But she didn't know the truth was something. Khushi was surprised as Megla didn't ask her anything regarding it. She thought her mother will scold her for losing her virginity but nope. Khushi got to know the real intention of the virginity test only when Shiv Shankar wanted to speak to her from America over the phone.

.......

Khushi was blankly looking at the floor, recalling the beautiful moments with Arnav. Neya came to her with her phone. Khushi looked at her questioningly.

"Shiv is on the line. Talk to him" she said closing the phone end.

Why did Neya want Khushi to talk to her brother-in-law? She felt something was terribly wrong. Khushi shook her head like NO, I WON'T TALK TO HIM.

"Khushi listen to me... He wants to talk to you" Neya said whispering it was indeed an order.

Without giving her heed, Khushi buried her face, circling her knees.

"Shiv, she is sleeping... I will make her talk to you tomorrow" Neya disconnected the call.

Neya left the place after throwing an angry glare at Khushi. Megla stopped Neya.

"Did she talk to Shiv?" She asked curiously.

"She denied talking to him. He must be disappointed" Neya said disappointedly.

"What harm if you talk to him?" Megla questioned Khushi.

Khushi somehow understood what these creatures were trying to do. Had they decided to get her married to Shiv Shankar? Bullshit... What the hell were they thinking about her? It's not been two days... were they making her ready for the second marriage? That was not done. It had to be stopped.

Evening

Khushi jerked, hearing Linga's voice. It was clear that he was talking with Govind. She sat on the floor and listened to their talks. Linga was a dangerous man she had ever seen.

"Ask your fellows to keep an eye on that guy," Govind said.

Khushi became alert. She knew what THAT GUY meant. They were talking about none other than Arnav.

"You don't have to worry. My brother Rudra is working as Sub Inspector in the same area police station. He always crosses his house with his patrol. If he senses something wrong, the boy will be behind bars" Linga hauled.

Khushi gritted her teeth. How dare they were talking like this? Were not they talking like dictators? Who were they to control a family? Who were they to decide what Arnav should do?

"My relative guy is coming from the US. I'm going to get Khushi married to him" Govind said

"That's great... when are you planning the wedding?"

"I want to do that this month itself," Govind said.

Khushi was horror-stuck. So, what she suspected was right. They were trying to get her married to Shiv Shankar. That was not done. She had to do something to stop this arrangement. What will they do if she opposed them? They will beat her, or maybe, kill her. let them do it. Dying was better than living with someone in the name of marriage. Her mind worked fast. She decided something. Of course, it will risk her life. But who cared? She had no choice other than to do that. Otherwise, her father will torture Arnav and his family. Whatever it was, she had to do that. Khushi was ready to put her life at risk to save Arnav and also herself from an unwanted marriage.

Khushi waited to implement her plan. She got the one the next day.

To be continued...