Part 16 Smile

Khushi controlled her bubbling anger as she sensed Fatima's gaze on her.

"Though Arnav is the sole owner of the property he never touched it. He survives on his earnings. The car he uses is also his earning only. He took Khushi's responsibility also."

They saw baby Khushi coming, getting fresh.

"I have to go..." Khushi stood up.

"Please please, be with me for some more time" Baby Khushi pleaded, clutching her hand.

Khushi looked at Fatima embarrassingly.

"Her Daddy is not at home. She will be bored..." Fatima said.

"Won't Daddy come today?" Baby Khushi asked horribly.

Fatima nodded yes.

"Khushi teacher, shall I come to your house?"

Fatima became curious to know what Khushi was going to say.

"Please please..." Baby Khushi again pleaded.

"Actually..." Khushi hesitated.

She didn't want to do this. It might make Arnav think differently. It won't be good for both them or their families. Somewhat, Fatima expected that.

"I will take you some other day with your Daddy's permission. Ok?"

"Ok..." She pouted.

Khushi left the place with a heavy heart, leaving baby Khushi disappointed.

Khushi came home all the way thinking about Arnav. Many different thoughts were raised in her mind. She could not conclude anything. Why did she meet Arnav? Why did she fall in love with him? Why did they get separated? Why did they meet again? Why did she get to know what exactly happened in his life? She was weary. In the end, she busted out crying.

How beautiful her life was when she was in love with Arnav...! How carefree she was about her future...!

Suman who entered the home got stuck, listening to a slight whimper from Khushi. Dropping his bag, he marched to the bedroom and saw her lying on the bed. Her body was slightly shaking assured him about her sob. He came to the bed and sat beside her.

"Khushiiii..." He touched her shoulder.

The time she heard his voice, she got up and hugged him. She continued crying. Suman let her cry as much as she wanted. He waited for her to finish. Breaking the hug, she looked at him with puffed-up eyes.

"What happened?" He asked with mixed feelings.

"I hate myself for hating my Arnav, Sumi"

Suman could say nothing but gaze at her.

"Why all of a sudden do you start hating yourself?"

"I... I went to Arnav's residence today"

"Oh... That sounds great... So, you guys sorted out?"

"No... I got to know the real picture that exactly what made Arnav marry that woman"

"What made him marry the woman?"

Khushi recited to him everything that Fatima told her. Suman carefully listened to her.

"What a divine character Arnav is... instead of hating the kid who is the reason for the wedding, he accepted her as his daughter" Suman admired Arnav.

"Because he is so understanding... he knew the kid could do nothing with that"

"Poor him... No one should face such a terrible situation in his life. I told you many times, there are two sides to every coin. Without confronting him, you should not conclude. Thank God, now you understood he didn't device you... In fact, there is no such kind of thought in that poor man's heart."

Khushi suppressed her sob by biting her lip.

"Just think... You have me to pour your heart out but, poor guy, he doesn't even have the option. How hell he would have felt..." Suman literally pitied Arnav.

"It's everything because of that one b**. Shamelessly sleeping with many men, she trapped my Arnav in her web..."

"No... She didn't... She hates him. She didn't give a damn about him."

"I hate that woman..."

Cutting her,

"You gave starred doing that long ago"

"Now, I hate her more..."

"It's justified..."

"I want to teach a lesson to her... And..."

"Hey, hey, hold on..."

"No Sumi, she should know what she missed in her life is nothing but a treasure... She should know the values of Arnav"

"Are you kidding, Khushi? He married her who doesn't know who the father of her child is... He is living with her without any demands... He accepted her child as his and gave her his initial... She would have understood his values now if she has some concerns. I don't think she is a human. Making her understand him is waste of time. I don't think even Arnav would like it"

"Do you want me to leave it? Doesn't he deserve happiness?"

"Touch your heart and say, will he be happy with that haughty-headed woman?"

"Does he have a choice?"

"You should not decide it, Khushi"

"How could I be sitting silent, knowing his tragic life?"

"You just do your part..."

"What's my part?"

"He is guilty of giving up on you. Just give peace to his heart that you have forgiven him. That's what he needs the most"

Silence followed his stance.

"But, he said he doesn't want me to forgive him," Khushi said with confusion.

Of course, Suman knew that. Khushi told him. He wanted to know why Arnav didn't want Khushi to forgive him.

"He would have said that in distress, seeing your avoidance towards him. It doesn't mean you should not forgive him"

"Don't you want me to do anything to Sheetal?"

"What could you do? After all, she is the owner of your school"

"She is not the owner but Arnav"

"Maybe... but,"

"She can't terminate me... it's Arnav's rights... and, I'm sure he won't do it"

"What if he does?"

Khushi was stuck for a second and replied.

"Then, I will walk out"

"Ok, cool down. She is not our concern. First, concentrate on Arnav. Then we will think about the witch"

Khushi sighed. His point made sense. She nodded ok.

"I think someone will sleep peacefully tonight," Suman said sniggering.

Khushi smiled, but his next stance made her cheek RED.

"Because Baby Khushi is not his daughter..."

Khushi bit her lip.

"You unnecessarily got angry with him. See, how deeply and madly he is in love with you that he even stopped talking to his sick mother"

Khushi nodded yes.

"I... I should not have done that..." she again choked.

"Shhh... don't cry. It was the circumstance that made you behave so. Be happy, what you thought was not true"

"Even though those are not true I could not be happy after knowing his struggles, Sumi"

"I can understand... he is genuinely in love with you... how could you be happy? You guys should not have gotten separated" he sighed.

Khushi leaned on his shoulder.

"What do you want to eat? Tell me I will cook for you"

"I have no mood to eat, Sumi"

"I know... just eat for Arnav"

"For Arnav?"

"Yeah... I can't use my usual dialogue of 'eat for ME' today because that handsome man completely occupied your heart"

"I wish... if REBIRTH is true, I want you to be my best friend in every birth because, after Arnav, you are the only one who understands my feelings," Khushi said emotionally.

"Honestly speaking, when it comes to UNDERSTANDING, no one could beat you... you are simply amazing... you understood me like anything. No one could do that Khushi... not even my parents"

"Thank you for being my protector"

"If you are truly thankful to me, tell me, what would you eat"

Khushi rolled her eyes.

"You are so mean, Sumi"

"Thanks... now tell me"

"Anything you cook"

"Done"

Suman left the bedroom.

The next morning

Arnav came home early in the morning.

"How is Ratna?" Fatima asked.

"She is fine"

"But, she was serious yesterday"

"Her BP lowered drastically... now she is alright"

"Her own mind is killing her..." Fatima sighed.

"Can't help" Arnav said heated up.

"She is not ready to come here then what would I do?" Arnav said annoyingly.

"It's not a good idea. She should not come here. She will be more distressed if she sees the way your life is going on"

"It's her choice of life that I'm living. Then what's there to be distressed?"

"She might have thought everything will change in the future"

"Change? hua... Mr. Kapoor needed my initial to save his reputation and his depraved daughter... that's all. Who cared about me? Not even my mother... everything around me seems hell" Arnav walked to his room.

Fatima was stunned. That was the first time, Arnav talked about Kapoor and Sheetal. In these years, he never uttered such outrageous words ever. Fatima felt bad, having no trouble in understanding what made him so distraught. The girl was in front of him who he loved madly. How could he be calm? After all, he was human.

Baby Khushi got ready to school and came to the dining. Fatima fed her breakfast. She saw Arnav coming fully ready.

"Dadddyyyyy" she rushed to him and hugged his knees.

Arnav lifted her in his arms.

"Are you ready?"

"Yesss..."

"Shall we go?"

"Ok..."

Arnav walked to his car.

"Daddy, you know who came to our house yesterday?"

"Who?"

Arnav opened the front door and was about to make her sit, his hand stopped in midway, hearing,

"Khushi teacher"

"Whaaat?"

"Khushi teacher came to drop me"

Arnav looked at Fatima questioningly.

"The driver went home as his wife was not feeling well," Fatima said looking at the driver who widened his eyes shock. He didn't know why Fatima lied to Arnav.

Arnav looked at him. Fatima gestured for the driver to nod yes. he nodded yes hurriedly.

"Rahimji also was ill. Manju was busy at school. So, I requested her teacher to drop her"

"Oh..." Arnav's face softened.

Arnav made Baby Khushi sit in the car and closed the door.

"Did you give her something to drink or eat?" he asked Fatima.

"Yeah... I gave her coffee... she denied having snacks"

Arnav nodded ok and took a step. He again stopped.

"Did she say anything?"

Fatima nodded no, observing his sudden restlessness.

"Ok..."

Arnav got into the car and geared it up.

"What your teacher said?" Arnav asked.

"She said nothing..." she pouted.

"Are you feeling bad?"

"I asked her to take me to her house but she denied"

"Why did you ask her so?"

"You were not at home. so, I thought to go with her"

"Mmm"

"She said she will take me to her home with your permission"

"Is it?"

"Will you permit me to go?"

"did you ask her to be your mummy?" he changed the topic.

"I asked but she didn't answer"

Arnav swallowed.

When Arnav entered the school with Baby Khushi, he saw Khushi coming from the opposite direction. She got stuck seeing him. For the first time, after a long gap, she felt something other than anger in her heart. Arnav walked, looking at her. As he didn't expect, she spilled a smile. His heart skipped a beat receiving her smile after so many years. He stood forgetting himself in her frozen smile.

To be continued...