Yaadein - Part 12

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Chapter 12 


Arnav froze seeing Aarav stopping Khushi. He hadn’t expected that to happen. But Aarav was an innocent boy who wouldn’t understand the complexities of relationships. He yearned for a mother and now that he knew who his mother was, how would he let her go? 

“Mom.. I am so happy.. I will tell all my friends that my Mom is back..” 

Aarav happiness was unmeasurable. He almost forgot his pain and had no idea he was standing on his feet, without support. 

“Mom, you will stay with us now, wont you? You, me and Dad” 

The moment Arnav heard it, he recalled Khushi’s first condition had been fulfilled which meant now the second condition was applicable too. He will have to let Khushi stay with Aarav for next one month. What would she gain out of it? 

“I will go tell Daadu and Bua that you are my Mom” Aarav added. “They will be so happy” 

His screams of joy were heard by everyone else downstairs and Ayush had come to the door to check upon them. When he saw Aarav had forgiven Khushi and accepted her as his mother, a relief coursed through the old man’s heart. 

“Daadu.. she is my Mom” Aarav exclaimed seeing Ayush at the door. 

“I know. I know that buddy.. come on .. let me take you down” 

Ayush carried Aarav in his arms and took him along. It was just the couple left alone in the room. Khushi silently thanked God for listening her prayers. 

“You are wasting your time and hurting my Boy Khushi” Arnav snapped.

Khushi took a deep breath. Her fight wasn’t over yet. Getting Aarav’s forgiveness was only the first step to reach the peak of this mountain.

“Being his mother, I want to invest my time on him and correct yourself. He is just not your boy, mine too”

Arnav’s jaw hardened.

“You are fooling yourself if you think his affection is going to be forever for you. As he grows, he will know the real you and that day he will repent why he even forgave you in the first place”

“Always ready with conclusions, aren’t you?” she interjected. “You know what your problem is Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada. You just believe what your eyes see, and what your ears hear. Sometimes we should try believing what our heart instructs and I am doing exactly the same. I do recall how much heartless I had been earlier, but the woman you see now is known for her tolerance, positivity and hard work. I will give Aarav so much love that he will never complain what happened back there in my absence”

Arnav was stunned by her determination.

“All the best then.. Because if I know you even one percent so far, I can say you are going to run away from your responsibilities very soon again. You have no idea how I have raised my son alone. You have no idea what it takes to give him love of both his parent”

“I agree I have no experience in this. But I will learn. Its either with your support or without it” she affirmed. “Choice is yours”

Saying that she made her way out. Arnav watched her angrily as she was no longer in sight. This woman had really strengthened herself or she pretended to be strong. Only time would answer that.

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

One hour had passed. Aarav kept talking to Khushi in the living room of Shantivan and soon fell asleep in her arms after taking his medicine dose. He told her almost everything he wanted to share with his mother. How his school mates teased him for not having a mother, how he missed her every night when his father sang the lullabies for him, how he woke up midnights thinking she had come to see him at the door, how he got terrified sometimes when he saw a bad dream. He told her everything. Khushi’s eyes were constantly moist as she heard him out. If her eyes teared knowing the fears he faced, she even giggled knowing Arnav Singh Raizada singing lullaby for their son. It was so against his character but that was exactly what any parent would do. Khushi’s heart swelled with pride as she realized all the pain Arnav had taken alone to raise Aarav and she wished she learned something from him in future to become as capable as him.


“Nurse, take Aarav to his room” Arnav shouted watching Aarav asleep in Khushi’s arms.

“I can take him” Khushi resisted. But though she could pick Aarav in her arms, climbing the stairs seemed difficult. Arnav rushed to her and took his sleeping boy from her. Khushi felt a sudden pang in her heart when she met Arnav’s eyes again because they mocked her for being incapable of doing this. It felt like he was challenging her that she will fail in this one month of stay with Aarav.


Khushi watched Arnav take Aarav back in the room. The nurse followed them.

“Khushi” Shashi embraced his daughter. “I am so happy for you. I think we took the right step. Aarav deserved to know”


Anjali frowned at their conversation.

“Dad, what next?” she asked her father whose smile hadn’t faded ever since he saw Aarav and Khushi chatting together on the couch.

“Let Arnav come down. We will talk on this”

Soon Arnav was back and they all gathered in the living room for discussion. Ayush discussed the options for Khushi’s proposed condition of staying with Aarav for the next month.

“Are you all serious?” Anjali growled. “I won’t let this woman stay with us again”

“Aarav can stay with me and Dad in Gupta Villa then” Khushi suggested

“That’s not happening. I am not leaving Aarav alone with you” Arnav argued.

“I think you should convince your sister then” Khushi debated.

“Convince my foot” Anjali shouted. “Dad, say something”

Ayush had heard enough of their bickering. Shashi too was pissed off by Anjali’s unnecessary taunting. He wanted his daughter to stay safe and it seemed impossible in Shantivan. Khushi stared at her father and read his worry but before she could do anything about it, Ayush decided to put an end to this argument.

“If Anjali has a problem letting Khushi stay in Shantivan and Arnav cannot send Aarav alone to Gupta Villa, then I suggest Arnav, Khushi and Aarav can stay at a different place for one month”

Arnav stared at his father for even suggesting so absurd. Even the thought of it burned his body.

“Khushi will stay with us in Shantivan for one month. That’s final” Arnav declared and slipped away.

“But..” Anjali wanted to argue but she couldn’t. This decision was far better than seeing her Chotte and his son staying separately with Khushi Gupta.


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

Gupta Villa


Shashi and Khushi were back but Khushi had no time to waste. She went straight in her room to pack her stuff. The next one month she was going to spend with her son. All her time was his. Shashi assisted her in packing.

“Dad… not these dresses” she denied her father who was going to pack her pantsuits. “I wont need my formal clothes much”

“What will you wear for work then?”

“Dad..” she smiled. “I will mostly work from home and not to mention, the first week of this month starting from tomorrow, I am officially taking leaves. I don’t want to miss the first week with Aarav. Since its his school holidays, me and Aarav can spend lot of time home together”

Shashi nodded.

“My daughter looks all set”

“I am Dad. I am going to make it worth for Aarav. I will give him all the love which he desired from me all these years. I will do anything and everything for him”

“And after that? What happens after this month?”

Khushi’s body burned imagining she separating from Aarav again. Even if she stays positive throughout, she saw no future of her and Arnav Singh Raizada together. And she had promised him the Divorce after her conditions are fulfilled. This meant, she will have to return to her father again after divorcing Arnav and she will part ways from her son again.

“Khushi” Shashi stroked her hair. “I have seen couples sharing equal time with their kids even after divorce. So what if you will not be in the same house, Aarav will come to meet you and you can go see him whenever you like. I will talk to the Lawyer and make such amendments in the divorce papers”

Khushi smiled. Yes, that was the only way to be in touch with her son. She would spend half if his holidays with Arnav, half with her. When she will take him for movies, he will take him for outing and shopping and vice versa. They will divide their time with Aarav so that he doesn’t miss love from any of them. But was that the only way?

“Don’t think so much” Shashi patted her arm to break her stance. “time will heal everything”

She hugged her father realizing this one month he will have to stay without her again. Not that he would mind but she will miss him.

“Get Aarav here sometimes. Maybe on weekends. Even I want to spend time with him”

“I will” she promised and zipped her bags. She was all set to start early tomorrow.


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

Shantivan – Same night


“Work fast Hari Prakash” Ayush scowled. “She will be here tomorrow morning and I don’t want her to wait for settling down in this room. Change the curtains as well and yes, don’t forget to put some fresh flowers in that vase tomorrow”

Anjali was heading back to her room when she saw her father giving those instructions to the servant. She stopped by the guest room and noticed how the room décor was being changed as per Khushi’s likes.

“Khushi is coming here only for one-month Dad. She should adjust” Anjali taunted.


Ayush rolled his eyes turning to face his daughter.

“Why are you always so bitter towards her? Why can’t we forget the past and live the present?”

“She made my past bitter”

“We can always make new memories” Ayush explained.

Anjali folded her arms at the front.

“She is the one why I am still unmarried. And you still want to support her not me?”

Ayush shook his head in disapproval.

“She never told you not to marry” he replied coming closer. “I know she broke your engagement but you are the one who are still stuck in the past. Move on Anjali. Me and Arnav have always encouraged you to find another man, fall in love and get married. What is stopping you?”

Anjali’s eyes filled with tears. They would never understand whats stopping her.

“I will never forgive her for what she snatched from me. And believe me Dad, neither will Chotte”

That felt like a warning to Ayush Singh Raizada. He knew his daughter’s temper and that once she considered someone her enemy, she would never change her mind.

“What happened to her?” Arnav stepped in the room after Anjali steered out. “And .. what is all this Dad?” he asked scanning the room which looked nothing less than a doll’s house at the moment. It had pink curtains, pink bedcovers and matching wardrobe too.

“I am preparing to welcome Khushi. You wouldn’t let her stay in your room, so this is where she will stay” he replied.

Pretty obvious, Arnav had decided not to let that woman step in his room, forget sharing his bedroom with her but the way his father had decorated the guest room felt weird.

“Dad, she is no longer that 21-year-old silly girl. I am sure she must have better color choices now like normal humans”

Ayush looked impressively at his son.

“Glad you noticed that change in her. It’s a good sign for your relationship”

Arnav looked away grudgingly.

“I can read what’s going on in your head Dad. You think this one month will make me fall for her. But I assure you nothing so will happen. I am ready to tolerate her for 30 days in this house and that’s solely because of Aarav. Once that period is over, we are heading for the Divorce.”


Ayush chuckled.

“A father can always have hopes, cant he? I want my kids and grandkid to be happy. Now if they are happy staying away from each other, I will accept it. But if they could find happiness staying under one roof, together, I will be the most contented father in the world”


Arnav had nothing left to argue over that. He let out a exasperated sigh and left the room.


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

When Khushi got down the car at Shantivan the next morning, she was welcomed by her father-in-law at the door. She neatened the wrinkles of her Chudidar and taking the Dupatta over her head, she bent down to take his blessings. Ayush seemed to be awestruck by her gestures and told her she didn’t had to do these formalities anymore. He loved her like his own daughter.

“I know that Uncle. But as they say, before every task if we take the blessings of our elders, it only ensures your success”

Her thoughts impressed him even more. He slid his arms around her shoulder and lead her to the door.

“Tell me honestly Khushi, where did you learn all these mannerisms and culture? Sorry to point this again, but you didn’t have it in you when you were here before”

Khushi faked a smile.

“After that accident when Dad sent me to Auckland, I joined an Indian meditation group. I needed to find myself.. to know what to do with my life which had erased my memories partially. That’s where I made friends with few Indian women who were quite elder to me. I learnt to cook, meditate and a lot about out culture and traditions from them”

“Wow.. Impressive. I wish Arnav sees this new change in you and…”

“Mom…” Aarav jumped from the couch as he saw Khushi reaching the door. He almost ran to her again, forgetting all his pain.

“Hey Mumma’s boy” she kissed his cheek leaning down.

“I am Daddy’s boy actually” he pouted.

“Oh..okay.. you are Daddy’s boy and mumma’s cutiepie..”

“Cutiepie? That’s for girls” he argued.

“Okay” she giggled. “How about Mumma’s sweetheart”

“That’s cool. I am Mumma’s sweetheart” he hugged her waist. Khushi brushed his hair and was about to step in when Ayush stopped her again.

“Wait here.. I had asked Anjali to circle the Puja thali to welcome you.. Anjali” he called out aloud but Anjali didn’t return there.

“It’s okay Uncle.. She must be busy doing some other work”

“But Khushi..”

“Its fine” she assured. “I don’t want Anjali or Arnav to think I am disturbing their routine. They can every right to ignore me”

Ayush passed her a half-hearted smile and welcomed her in the house once again.. Technically she was the main woman of this house and if God favored her, she would soon take that lead. All Ayush could do now as pray silently.


To be Continued.

 

NEXT PART
 

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Standalone Romance Book 1 from Mr & Mrs. Series

Kabier and Aashi's is a marriage of utmost convenience. Everything about the marriage is wrong yet Aashi falls for her tycoon husband who has no time for her. While Kabier is busy earning billions, Aashi battles her solitude until she decides to give up. Jealousy creeps in Kabier's heart when his wife's friend comes into the picture. Will Kabier realize Aashi's worth? How will he woo her back? 

A romantic tale of arrogant Business Tycoon Kabier Sehgal and his Former Miss India Wife Aashi Sehgal with sparks of attraction, love, jealousy and a happily-ever-after. 

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READ THE SAMPLE CHAPTER 1 HERE 

NEW EXCERPT


“You proposed me for marriage?” she came to the point.

“Yes” he kept typing.

“Why?”

Her heart pounded in her ears. This man was serious of the proposal, yet he behaved like it meant nothing.

“Why?” he asked sarcastically. His fingers paused from typing the keys on the laptop. “Why people marry?”

“I don’t know, you tell me” she snapped. “People in my world marry because they want companionship and love. But I don’t see you like me and the word love is surely not in your dictionary I suppose”

He got up from his chair and circled the desk.

“In my world, Miss Sinha” he exclaimed. “People marry for status and lifelong financial security, which I am ready to share with you”

His thoughts on marriage annoyed her.

“Then I don’t think we fit each other. Our worlds are like two opposite poles apart” she removed the pearl necklace box he sent her along with the card and placed it on the table aside. “Please give this to someone who is ready to sacrifice her dignity for the sake of Status and luxury. I don’t need it”

She turned around to leave, but he stopped her by his sharp words.

“I haven’t seen a fool like you so far”

She frowned. A fitting reply was right on her lips, but the ring on her phone intervened their argument.