Yaadein - Part 18

 

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Chapter 18



Arnav lifted Khushi in the cradle of his arms. Shashi and Ayush were staggered at his actions. Khushi was too lost to utter a word but seemed like Arnav had not even analyzed any of this. He climbed the stairs and turned to the right. Khushi wriggled in his arms when they reached the room door which he was about to push open.

“What?” he asked unable to handle her scrutiny for another moment.

Heat streaked up her body, and her cheeks flamed

“This.. this is your bedroom” she stated nervously.
Arnav instantly realized she was right. He was taking her to his room and not the guest room which she had occupied from past few days. How could he make that mistake? It got even more awkward when Aarav followed them here and asked them his doubt.

“Dad, will you let Mom sleep with you tonight? What if she feels pain again?”

Arnav froze and so did Khushi by the child’s innocence. Arnav immediately turned to take her back to the guest room. 

“Dad.. please” Aarav shouted following them. 

The door was open and Arnav could easily stride in. He placed her on the bed and once she settled comfortably, he answered his son’s queries. 

“I will ask the nurse to sleep in this room with your Mom. She wouldn’t need me then” 

Khushi blinked her eyes constantly looking away from the two, to hide her tears. She was afraid to admit it even to herself that he was the only one she needed beside her at this moment. 


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Arnav returned to his bedroom and locked the door. He punched his fist on the wall for realizing what mistake he did. How could he get Khushi to this room? It had been 7 long years now that he stayed alone here. He had even washed away all her memories of the time they had spent together inside these four walls. Today when he got that call from the clinic about Khushi’s accident, his heart had hammered the same way it did that day when she fell from the hospital stairs. Seeing blood pooled around her head, while she lay there cold and lifeless in that hospital had killed every nerve that connected to his heart. Today, he felt the same until he reached that clinic and saw her conscious. He had read her face. She was so scared of this accident that probably she wanted him to soothe her down, she wanted him to hug her, comfort her saying he was there.. and that he wouldn’t let anything happen to her.. that he will keep her safe henceforth. Yes, he had read that feeling in her eyes and God knows how he controlled himself from not revealing her the same. 


But that control slipped away when he saw Khushi asking Aarav if he ate anything. She behaved like a typical mother would and her worry for her son was so palpable in her eyes, in her gestures… in her tears. That moment when Arnav headed inside and she couldn’t walk on her own, the iron walls he had built around his heart melted and he carried her in his arms without a second thought. She was so light in weight, so delicate and hesitated to wrap her arms around his neck like she always used to do before. Probably the stony expressions on his face and the cold robotic gestures when he seated her in the car, threatened Khushi. The entire drive back to Shantivan, she had been quiet and only Aarav did the talking from the backseat. It was only after reaching home that he had wanted to know how this accident happened because he wasn’t ready to believe she was careless this time. No!! In the past few days, she had seen how much she cared for Aarav and protected him. A woman like her would not defy his orders unless it was really important. So, when Aarav confessed downstairs that she got down from the car to get his toy batteries, Arnav was more than relieved to know he was right. He hadnt wasted a single moment in contacting Aman to track the CCTV cameras of that area and let him know if that accident was genuine or somebody had tried to hurt her. 

The possibility of someone trying to hurt Khushi striked in his mind when he recalled she had visited the Hospital and threatened Shanti Jha for those tapes. The Jha’s were good people but if Shanti Jha had anything to hide, she was capable enough to hurt Khushi. It looked like he had to start tracing the old clues and see if he had missed anything to look in the past which could prove her innocence. But even if that day she wasn’t wrong, even if she might have decided to want her baby and keep her marriage too for the sake of the child, how could he forgive her for all those months.. for her irrational decisions and hurtful actions? 


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“Thank you Uncle, I am seriously feeling better now” Khushi said handing the food tray back to Hari Prakash who took it away. 

Ayush had come in her room to ensure she ate well tonight. Since her father had left back to Gupta House, her father-in-law ensured she gets everything right in the room. 

“Good, now you should go to sleep. I will ask Aarav’s nurse to sleep in your room.. She can take the couch” he insisted. 

“No Uncle. That’s fine. These medicines will give me sound sleep and I don’t want his nurse to feel burdened because of me. I will be fine alone” 

Aarav had not left her bed. He was sitting next to her and doing his homework. 

“Mom, I can sleep with you” 

“No Aarav” Ayush denied. “Your mom needs good rest. You can sleep with her tomorrow” 

Aarav pouted but when Khushi stroked his cheeks and kissed his hair, his smile was back. 

“Come on now..” Ayush stated. “Lets go back to your room. Mom needs rest” 

Aarav collected his books, gave a goodnight kiss to Khushi and left her room. 

“Khushi, if you need anything, just give a call on my number. I will send the nurse and also personally come to attend you” Ayush stated. 

Khushi was pleased he cared so much. Wish his son showed her the same affection. Soon after she was left alone, she lied on the bed and dozed off. It was midnight when the pain worsened. She felt cramps in her leg and they ached badly. Finding her alone in that room, having no one around her to care for her brought tears in her eyes. She had once a whole family.. a father…. Her in-laws, husband, son… but none of them was next to her at this instant when she needed them the most. It wasn’t that they hadn’t offered her help. Yet, it would have made such a huge difference if she had her husband beside. Nope!! He had moved on. She wanted to believe this but the way he subconsciously carried her to his bedroom today gave her some hopes. What if he was still ready to forgive her some day? Should she try? 

The pain worsened. She needed a hot water bag to massage on her feet. That should ease the cramps. She decided to go down and make a hot water bag ready. But could she walk alone? The nurse! She must be in the other room, resting. Khushi decided to wake her up for which she would still need to go to that room and knock. She gently got down the bed and took slow painful steps to the door. She opened it and the moment she stepped ahead; the cramp made her yelp. 

“Careful” he shouted and scooped her in arms again. 

Khushi froze. Was she dreaming or was Arnav Singh Raizada really here? 

Arnav couldn’t sleep that’s why he decided to check on Khushi once, but he had never expected to find her in the lobby, struggling to walk. 

“You will never learn” he growled carrying her in arms again. 

Though she was thankful he saved her from more pain, she didn’t like his comment. 

“I didn’t ask for your help. I could have managed.” 

“yea.. I saw that” he mocked placing her on the bed again. “Why did you get down? And where the hell is that nurse?” 

“Sshh” she hushed him. “You will wake the whole house” 

“You are good in that department, not me” 

Khushi was seriously angry when he taunted her for no reasons. 

“If I had to wake everyone, I wouldn’t have walked alone till the door. Your father had asked me to call him if I needed anything. I didn’t want to disturb his sleep. And your sister, she didn’t even bother to check upon me, so forget me asking her help” 

“I am not talking about tonight but the time when you were pregnant. Your unnecessary demands at midnights kept everyone on their toes” he snapped. 


Now Khushi was interested to know more. She had no memories of those days but she would loved to hear it all. 

“That’s called mood swings of a pregnant woman, Arnav” 

“Your mood swings were always rare” 

“really?” she smiled. “What did I ask for?” 

Arnav was about to share but he soon came back to the present. His face changed to stony again and she understood he was least interested in sharing that past with her. 

“What do you want now? Why were you not on bed?” 

“My legs are aching. I need a hot water bag” 

“Is there a swelling?” he asked with concern. 

“I don’t.. know..” she pouted. She didn’t feel any swelling but she couldn’t confirm it yet. 

“Let me check” he said and was about to touch her feet when she pulled her feet away from his hand. 

“You… you wouldn’t like touching my feet. I don’t want to make you do anything which you regret later” 

“With you… there was always a regret” he said almost immediately. Only when he saw tears in her eyes, he hated himself for saying that. “I.. I didn’t mean that..” 

Khushi swallowed. 

“Its fine” she wiped her tears. “I like your sincerity and honesty” 

“I will get a hot water bag for you” he turned. 

“I don’t need it anymore. I am fine. Please leave me alone. Good night” 

Arnav clenched his jaw. He knew her legs were still aching and only because she didn’t want to take more favors, she was denying him. 

“I am getting it still. Either make use of it.. or keep it aside. I wouldn’t intrude in your decision” 

Saying that he was gone. Khushi cuddled her pillow. His rudeness pricked bad. 


To be Continued.

NEXT PART 

Note: Apologize for the late and small update. I couldn't draft more. I will post another part of this tomorrow.

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