Wedlock - Part 29

PREVIOUS PART

Chapter 29

Shantivan

“I know you are of modern culture, different thoughts and so on.. But in our tradition, a married woman always adores herself with Mangalsutra and Sindoor. I want Arnav to put those on you before me.”

Khushi grips the keys in her fists. That’s the last nail in the coffin!!! Arnav is equally shocked to hear that kind of request from his sister but he doesn’t see any harm in doing this.





“Chotte, come here” Anjali calls. Arnav reaches his sister without delay. She seems to be all set and rolling to see the two fulfilling these rituals. She opens the little box of Vermillion (Sindoor) towards Arnav. “Wish I had been there to attend your marriage. I would have ensured you both complete all the rituals as per our traditions”

Arnav fakes a smile and then his eyes glues on Khushi. She seems to be in total distress. Khushi looks down. This is not rocket science what Anjali is asking her to do, she knows. But she doesn’t want to fulfil it. She has no serious feelings for this marriage neither Arnav. She is still unclear if she has to ever think about them anywhere in the near future. Their marriage is real, she agrees and that cannot change until he decides to leave her or she makes an attempt to end this marriage. Wearing the marital jewels on her body is going to mean nothing to her until she feels that respect for those from inside her heart.

“Apply her the Sindoor” Anjali commands her brother who takes a pinch of it in his fingers and raises them to Khushi’s forehead. Khushi feels her heart flutter as he applies the Sindoor to her. She knows he cannot deny his sister at this stage. Plus, he also has shown 100% interest in progressing their marriage.

After seeing Sindoor on Khushi’s forehead partition, Anjali sighs in relief.
“She looks so pretty, doesn’t she?”
Arnav swallows hard. He can see Khushi’s mind in a huge commotion. She is being forced into this, isn’t she? And even though it makes him feel a step up in winning her attention, he doesn’t like doing it either. Anjali hands the Mangalsutra to Arnav.

“Now this” she adds. “Tie it on her” she exclaims.
Arnav is still in a fix and when Anjali notices Khushi not giving any good reactions either, she shakes her arm.
“What are you thinking so much, Khushi?” Anjali interrupts Khushi’s chain of thoughts.
“Di..” she swallows. She has to deny. “I understand your feelings and sentiments towards these traditions but, I don’t think it’s necessary. What difference will it make if I wear them or not?”

Anjali is surprised by her opinions.

“Khushi, it makes a huge difference. They will mark your relationship status in front of the society”
“The society knows we are married, isn’t that enough?” she snaps.
Anjali sighs in disappointment. Nani is glad Khushi didn’t perform this ritual. It shows how much she hates being tied up in this marriage. It will be easier to get rid of her once Arnav agrees to divorce.

“It’s not enough, Khushi. I mean.. I” Anjali feels helpless and turns to Arnav. “Chotte. ,now you explain her why this is important.”

Arnav keeps the Mangalsutra on the side table. He just wanted to hear her sentiments about this whole new fiasco and he heard it loud and clear.

"Whatever makes Khushi uncomfortable, I will never want to do it, Di"
Khushi raises her head to see him. It was so unexpected and powerful. She had never thought he would say something like that to his Di, that too taking her side and not his sister's.
"But Chotte, I am not asking you both to do anything beyond the world. If your marriage had happened with full rituals, all this would have taken place much before" Anjali explains.
"Di" he interrupts her again.  "Forcing someone to follow things they don’t believe in is not right. Khushi meri patni hai.. Woh agar mangalsutra nahi pehanna chahti toh mujhe manjur hai. That won’t change my relationship with her" (Khushi is my wife and if she does not want to wear the marital chain, I accept it)
“But”
“End of this conversation, Di” he concludes and makes his way to their room.

Khushi looks at Anjali with a hope that she will understand her point of view. But Anjali is hurt.

“Di.. I didn’t mean to hurt you” Khushi says holding her hand.
Anjali swallows the pain and nods.
“That’s fine, Khushi. Its my mistake. I shouldn’t have put you both into this situation without getting an idea from you both. I thought you both should be Okay with it. But my guess was wrong.”
“Are you angry on me?”
Anjali smiles at her.
“Just little disturbed but not angry. You and Chotte are an integral part of my life. I will be careful not to intrude and impose my sentiments on you two henceforth”

Khushi is speechless. She hugs Anjali apologetically and then walks back to her room. Shyam comes and holds Anjali, trying to soothe her from his unexpected shock.

“Rani Saheba.. I had told you to ask them first if they are interested in this or not. Now see what happened. In 2 days, we are leaving and you made them upset plus spoiled your mood too”
Anjali pouts.
“I saw no reasons why they would deny this Shyam”
“It’s okay. I am sure they will re-think on their decision some day and will be more than eager to fulfil this tradition”
“I hope so” she sighs and hugs her husband.

*********************

Arnav is watering the plants when Khushi comes to him. He stops sensing her presence behind.

“You wanted to do serious talks with me?” he asks putting the Jar down.
“Yes, and it can’t wait” she snaps. “Not after this..” she points at the Sindoor he applied to her a while ago.
Arnav gazes at the Sindoor and then his eyes fix back on hers.
“Everything happened to instantly, that I failed to read your reactions” he replies in an apologetic tone. “I didn’t see why you wouldn’t like it”
Khushi gapes at him, stunned.
“This has a lot of responsibility; Arnav and I don’t think I am ready for it”
Arnav nods.
“Heard it… LOUD and CLEAR” he snaps almost instantly.

Khushi inhales deep sensing the anger inside him.

“I will move out after Di leaves” she finally comes to the main topic.

Arnav gulps but shows no other signs of disapproving. Or maybe he is keeping it for the last.
“I don’t know where I want to go but . .. its definitely not to my father again. I will find some place to live, you don’t have to bother of that either”
Arnav is unusually quiet.
“And I am sure Nani will be more than happy to get the keys back me. She is the one who deserves to have it, not me”
Arnav’s eyes have locked with hers and she can feel his eyes radiating a strong beam of anger now.

“I know Di will keep being in touch with us. But we can always do that separately. I mean, when she calls me I can tell you are busy working and will call her later or something like that”

Is she asking or telling? She has no confidence in her words anymore. All this feels so unnecessary because its not a conversation. They are not discussing this. She is only speaking and he is abnormally silent.

“When the baby is born and Di is out of any danger, we can convince her it didn’t work and.. I hope she will understand” Tears fill her eyes imagining that day when Anjali would come to know that they are not compatible for each other. “I am sure Di will understand. She will be hurt for some time, that’s for sure. But this is nothing you didn’t anticipate before crafting that Deal between us. We cannot keep everyone happy. Someone will be hurt and even though I hate to choose this, Di will have to bear it all.”

Arnav finally speaks up now.

“There is one option which can make everyone happy. No one has to get hurt”
He starts coming closer. Khushi is rooted to the place.
“And it all lies in your efficient hands, Khushi” he adds reaching her.
“My hands?” she queries.
Arnav nods.
“One chance” he whispers. “Allow me to set this right.. To woe you… to make you feel worthy enough to believe in me, in this marriage, in love”
She feels his voice touching her soul directly.
“You can stay here, in this house. I don’t care who handles the house keys, even if you are returning them to Nani, I am okay. You want to concentrate on your Career, I am fine with that as well. I assure you I won’t be coming in between your job. You can work, be independent and do everything you want, but… staying here. In this house… with me.!!”

Khushi shakes her head in denial.

“What is this?’ she asks “Like another Deal? To show everyone that we are fine? Happy and contended in this marriage?” she steps back. “No Arnav, I cannot live my life in these terms. If I stay here, I will never be able to focus on work. The thought that you want to make our relationship work will always ring in my ears and every action you take for me I will feel is to woe me. I cannot work in so much pressure.”

Arnav retorts.
“Pressure? Damn!!” he scowls. “Marriage and Work are two different aspects of human’s life. They can run parallel Khushi”
“Yes, they can but our case if different. The only goal I have in my head right now is standing on my own feet. I don’t see anything beyond that”

He gapes quizzically at her. His expression getting dry. He raises his finger towards Khushi’s forehead and before she can measure his next moves, he wipes the Sindoor she has been wearing.

“Fine.. You are free now.. Do what inspires you, keeps you happy. You have my wishes” his eyes blaze like a turbulent Storm.

Saying that loud and clear he makes his way back inside. Khushi is baffled. She touches her forehead and tries to sense the Sindoor back on it but doesn’t feel it anymore. How could he be so rough and sensitive both at a time? He is clearly hurt and she has nothing in her will or power to get back his mood.

*********************

The next day at Work, Khushi is unable to concentrate even for a bit. She has got a severe headache from last night. She hadn’t seen Arnav in the room again after their argument. But through Hari Prakash she got an update that he was in the drawing room the whole night. He probably slept there, to take out all his frustration. She obviously had to make her point clear enough to him and she did it but is she really being rude? If she being selfish again? Is she only thinking about her choices and not his? But when have these people thought about her well-being? At least not in the right way. She is failed by both her father and Arnav. They might have loved her by all means, wanted her in their lives but none of them could protect her from the loneliness. Now its time they get the taste of their own medicine.

“Khushi” Prem comes to her desk. “I have something very important to discuss”

Khushi reads his eyes and can sense some big news coming up for her. As Prem starts unraveling that information to her, Khushi’s eyes glitter with joy.

“What? Really? Can this happen?” she asks.
“It has happened. You will soon get the official email on this and if you accept, then we will initiate your working Visa”
“Of course” she replies almost instantly. “I can never deny this opportunity”
Prem looks at her suspiciously.
“That was too quick decision making. Wont you ask your family about this?”

FAMILY!! Oh yes.. She has one now.. It is not like earlier when even after having a father, she had to take all decisions of her life, by herself, good and bad, both.

“I will talk to them today. By when do you need my confirmation?”
“Tomorrow?”
“Cool. I will let you know”
Prem smiles and shifts back to his cabin. Khushi leans back on her chair. This is such a great news and she cannot believe it has just sorted all of her problems. She cannot wait to tell this to Di tonight!!

*********************

SHantivan

“What? In San Francisco?”
“Yes Di. My Boss wants to send me there to assist our team in that Office. They have got a big deal there and finding short of Interior Designers. So me and Shikha are both invited to join that team and help”

Anjali is elated that Khushi has got such a wonderful opportunity to work on. It will get her credibility in her work profile and also good exposure.

“When they want you to join?”
“Next week” she replies. “This project is for a year and I am so excited already”
Anjali notices the happiness on Khushi’s face and why not? For a girl who was not at all serious in life so far is getting a chance to prove her worth.
“And Chotte?” Anjali queries back. Khushi’s smile fades. “To work in San Francisco for one year, you will have to sacrifice your time with him. Are you willing to do that?”

Khushi’s heart clenches, turning it upside down. She has no qualms. She had already decided to move out of this house as Anjali leaves. And based on Arnav’s decision and acceptance to her wishes, she knows Arnav wont mind it too. But why does it still ache in her heart? Why is she suddenly losing confidence?


To be Continued.


NEXT PART



READ WEDLOCK FROM THE START. HERE