He Loves Me Not - Part 52

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Chapter 52


The dinner between the Raizadas and Guptas went well. Khushi was sitting next to her father at the table whereas Arnav opposite to her. They stole glances of each other and every time he looked at her, she could feel her body burning with heat. The distance between them was finally closing down. Her father had agreed for their marriage which meant they had climbed the next step towards their togetherness. So, now anything was possible and she couldn’t wait for the date of their marriage to be fixed. After all these years, her love was winning. Could there be any more thrilling than that?

“How did you get to know me and Khushi were in Paris?” Arnav suddenly raised his query to Shashi Gupta.

Ayush had the same concern and he was glad Arnav asked this.

“There is a story behind that. And from a very interesting person” Shashi replied. “When me and Madhumati were flying back to London, we met Revati Ma’am”

Arnav was stunned. His mother went to meet the Guptas? Mike had told him that he had given his whereabouts details to Revati Raizada. So she knew they were in Paris but why would she go and meet the Guptas?

“Revati?” Ayush snapped. “She .. .she brainwashed you, did she?”

“No… No Ayush Sir. She did nothing of that sort. I felt the same when I saw her. But she was nothing what she used to be earlier”

“What do you mean?” Ayush asked.

“Means, she didn’t come to me and complain about Arnav and Khushi being in Paris.

“Then why did she meet you?” Ayush queried.

“Because she wanted to convince me to accept Arnav’s proposal”

Now that grabs attention of everyone on the table.

“It shocked me too. But she very calmly explained to me Arnav’s identity. That he is actually a Raizada’s son, your brother’s son. She told me the past, about Arnav’s real parents. I felt nothing but pain in her voice when she narrated me all of that. She genuinely wanted me to accept Arnav’s proposal for Khushi”

Ayush looked at Arnav who is equally traumatized that his mother could do this.

“She wanted to speak to Arnav too but couldn’t as he wasn’t reachable. She told me that he is in Paris and when he returns, she forced me to give another thought to my denial towards their marriage” Shashi added. “When me and Madhumati returned to London, it was Khushi’s neighbor who told us that Khushi is off on a vacation with her boyfriend. And that’s how I came to know she had joined him too in Paris.”

Khushi bit her lip. Yes, her neighbor Max might have told her father because when she and Arnav were heading to Airport, Max had met them in the elevator and even given them a thumbs up for their safe flight. How could she forget that?

“I cannot believe this” Ayush mumbled. “How did this magic happen? Revati was against Arnav and accepting Khushi as his bride is not something she would do that easily”

Aman nodded in agreement. Arnav didn’t know what to think.

“We should give her a benefit of doubt” he declared.

“Arnav wait” Ayush interrupted. “Don’t take such a hasty decision. I know why she did this. You sent her the club presidentship papers. Obviously, she cannot keep anybody’s favor on her. She returned it this way”

Arnav didn’t want to believe his mother returned his favor. It could be more. He wished so.

“Anyways, whatever happened has really been fruitful for us” Ayush stated. “The marriage is fixed and let the couple decide how soonest they wish to make this happen”

Shashi and Madhumati were glad to leave that decision on Arnav – Khushi.

“Uncle, if you ask them, they will want the marriage to happen tonight” Aman teased.

Everyone laughed except Arnav who was lost in some other thoughts. Khushi noticed that and decided to speak to him later about it.


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

The Guptas were ready to leave.

“Thank you for inviting us for the dinner, Ayush Sir” Shashi exclaimed.

“That was our pleasure Shashi and please stop calling me Sir. I feel like we are at office. Call me by my name”

“I never can” Shashi replied. “But I will still call you Ayushji”

“Fair enough” Ayush chuckled and hugged Shashi at the door. Madhumati reached Arnav and palmed his cheek.

“Decide soon on the marriage date. We cannot wait to see our Sankadevi getting married to you. And after that even if you roam with her the whole world, we wouldn’t mind” she giggled.

Sankadevi? Arnav turned to Khushi who wanted to hide somewhere. She had never told him what her pet name is.

“Jeeji.. lets get in the car” Shashi called Madhumati who hurried to him. Aman cleared his throat.

“Give goodbye kisses soon. I will handle the oldies.”

He pushed Khushi towards Arnav who held her before she could collide with him. Khushi was so embarrassed all of a sudden with the changes happening in their lives. As she met his eyes, she could see the same joy on his face too. But that grumpiness was still there.

“You are still mad at me?” she asked.

“A bit” he agreed. “Your therapy secret didn’t go well with me”

Khushi pouted.

“But” he pulled her close and kissed her nose. “I will forgive you on one condition”

“Which is?” she asked.

“I will text you” he replied, letting her go.

“What? Text me? Why not tell me now?”

“Because your family is waiting for you” he gestured her to look at the car where the Guptas had already been seated and waiting for her to join them. Khushi flushed seeing everyone noticing them.

“fine. Text me. Bye”

She hurried to the car and before getting inside she bent down to take Ayush Singh Raizada’s blessings. Ayush immediately stopped her before she could touch his feet and kissed her forehead.

“Come soon in our family” he blessed her and then opened the car door. She happily got inside and the three then waved back at the Raizadas and Aman as the car led them out of the Mansion.

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

Next Night – London - Club

Revati Singh Raizada boozed like this was the last day of her life. She didn’t care how it would affect her sanity tonight neither how she would manage to get back to the Hotel. She just wanted to drink and ease her aching heart.

“So, where was I?” she turned to the stranger woman sitting next to her, intoxicated just like she was.

“Uhh.” The woman tried hard to think and recollected it in a minute. “Your..son.. you said he is … he is cute”

“Yes” Revati smiled. “He is very cute. You know when he looked at me with those innocent eyes, I felt like … like you know… a… aa…” she was short of words but the woman listening to her, completed the sentence.

“Mother… you felt like a mother? Didn’t you?” she asked.

Revati’s eyes filled with tears. Mother.?

“Yes… maybe…” she murmured.

“I know” the woman continued to drink.. “I know what must have happened.. he might have insulted you… kicked you out of the house. That’s why you are here.. so upset and boozing”

“No” Revati nodded sharply. “He didn’t do that. He can never do that.” Revati continued gulping her drink and once it was over, she asked for a refill. “He … he loved me so much… never .. never spoke a word against me…”

“Seriously?” the woman chuckled. “Wish I had a boy like him”

Revati’s tears rolled down her cheeks. Everyone would wish a boy like Arnav.. obedient, loving, caring and she had got the opportunity to become a mother of such a nice boy but she pushed him away and used him like a commodity.

“I have sinned” Revati shouted.. “I am a sinner”

She stumbled back and, in the process, she almost collapsed on two rowdy boys.

“Watch out, oldie” they snapped at her.

Revati smiled and composed herself.

“Sorryy. Sorry boys”

“Sorry?” one of them groaned back at her. “Look what you did? You spilled your drink on my jacket”

Revati tried hard to concentrate on the boy’s jacket but couldn’t find the stain. Her watery eyes didn’t let her see clearly.

“Is it?” she laughed.. She had no control over her body and her tongue. “That’s fantastic.. You will get a new jacket”

“What the hell” the boy was annoyed at her silly comments. “You …”

The moment the rowdy boy uttered a slang word for Revati Raizada, he was punched hard on his face. The boy fell on the floor whereas Revati was unable to understand what happened. Who punched him? She gently shook her head and rubbed her eyes to see clearly.

“How dare you speak to her like that?”

Arnav Singh Raizada bent down and clutching the boy’s collar made him stand on his feet again.

“She is your mother’s age. Show some respect to a woman” he scowled. “Apologize to her”

“Arnav…?” Revati felt like she was dreaming.

Arnav didn’t pay her heed. He continued threatening the boy who abused his mother.

“I said apologize” he was about to punch him again.

“Sorry… sorry…” the boy made his apology.

Revati didn’t care, her eyes were set on Arnav and just on him. As Arnav left the boy, he and his friend ran away from them. That’s exactly when Arnav turned to his mother. She looked nothing like the woman she used to be. He had never in his life seen his mother drinking to this level. What the hell was wrong with his parents?

“Arnav… that’s my boy.. that’s my boy Arnav” Revati jumped like a kid to show her son to the stranger woman she was earlier talking to. The woman smiled at the two and continued drinking. Before Revati could express her joy further, her eyes started closing down and she collapsed on her son, falling unconscious.


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

AK Villa

Ayush checked his watch. It was 11:30pm and Arnav wasn’t home? How could that be? Had he gone out to meet Khushi? But this late? It was really doubtful. Even Aman was sleeping in the room. Then where can Arnav go alone at this hour? He had been home after work and they had dinner together. He didn’t know Arnav had any other work outside this late.

He heard the sound of the car being parked outside and Ayush rushed to check if it was Arnav. When he came out, he saw a woman in Arnav’s arms, unconscious. He was stunned as he came ahead.

“Is.. is she your would be wife?” Ayush asked.

Arnav kept walking towards him.

“She is your wife” he replied reaching closer. Ayush was startled to see Revati in that condition.

“Revati? What … what happened to her? And .. what is she doing in London?”

“I found her at a club in a completely intoxicated state. She couldn’t even stand properly”

As the two kept walking inside, Arnav told his father what had happened. Ayush was shocked. He kicked the door of his bedroom open and assisted Arnav to put Revati on the bed. Arnav removed his mother’s shoes. Ayush stopped him.

“I will do it, Son”

Arnav didn’t stop. He removed her shoes and covered her with the quilt.

“How did you get there?” Ayush asked as the two came out of the room.

“My source told me she is here”

“Source? You were stalking your mother?”

“Recently, not at all times” he replied. “Dad, what else was I supposed to do? After Shashi Gupta told us she had me him in Delhi, I wanted to ensure she is doing fine. You were ignoring her calls and so was I. How was she supposed to live with that? So, I indirectly asked my sources to keep a watch on her. Tonight after dinner I received this call and my source informed she had already reached London today morning and was staying in a hotel next to this club where I found her”

“Lord” Ayush sighed in disappointment. “I am seriously at fault here. I didn’t know she would follow me back here. But… but why did she come here?”

Arnav nodded confused. He didn’t know that either.

“We will speak to her tomorrow”

“You are right” Ayush agreed. “Thanks for getting her safe, Arnav”

“Seriously, Dad? You want to thank me for safeguarding my mother?”

Ayush chuckled and patted Arnav’s back.

“I don’t know what good me and Revati did in our previous birth that we got a son like you”

“Think about that tonight, Dad. Sleeping next to Mom. Good night” he hugged his father and then strode back to his bedroom. He eagerly waited for morning to come so that he could have a word with both his parents.


To be Continued. 

NEXT PART

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Soul laced 

It is mostly said, we realize the value of a person only after we have lost them. But what if we get a chance to rekindle our relationship after crossing the barriers of life and death? Can you change your mindset about a relationship after touching the footsteps of death? What chances you have to fall in love with someone in your afterlife?

Alisha thinks she fell in love with someone in her after life. Is that true? Who is that mystery man? Read this Short Story to find it out.



Excerpt 

“Wow. I am glad that the Creator chose you for me” I admit shamelessly.

He glances at me and then ignores my words. As if he knows I am flirting. Am I flirting? That too with the Soul Transporter? It’s insane, isn’t it? But I like his company, his way of making me understand where I stand, what I lost and what my future will be. I will be sent to Hell for sure. Committing suicide is a crime in the Creator’s eyes. I have misused the life he gave me. I have taken away my life, against his will. I am not going to Heaven for sure.

“I can recommend Heaven if you want” he reads my trail of thoughts again.

“No thank you. I hate recommendations” I giggle. “But seriously, can you do that?

“I can try”

“Why? Why are you going against all your norms for me?"

I desperately want him to reply. Will he?


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