Yaadein - Part 19

 

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Chapter 19



When Arnav came back in the room, he saw Khushi all cuddled to the pillow. She looked so fragile and in pain that he wondered what best he could do to make her feel better.

“Lie on your back” he said making his way to the bed.

Khushi didn’t pay heed to his commands. Arnav placed the hot water bag on the bedside table.

“Khushi, don’t throw your tantrums again”

She lost her cool now.

“If you are going to judge me at this moment by my past, the door is open. You can leave me to myself”


It felt like a punch. But she was right. Every time they met, he had taunted her for how she behaved with him when they were together. Today, he knew she was no longer that same woman, her changes were noticeable and yet he never stopped mocking her.

“Please lie on your back, Khushi. Let me help you relieve your pain”

The softness in his tone tickled her skin and she was forced to meet his gaze. He was waiting patiently for her to follow the orders. 

“If you say so sweetly, I might even think of giving my life” she mumbled. 

These words were so sudden that she herself didn’t apprehend when those came out of her mouth. The stony expression on Arnav’s face was replaced with something else.. something desirable and… enough to heal her wounded heart. She quickly looked away and obeyed his orders. She lied on her back and asked for the hot water bag from him. He passed it to her and she pressed that bag on her aching legs but it was difficult to do it herself. Arnav snatched the bag from her and sat on the edge. He gently placed the bag on her feet.. 

“Is it paining here?” he asked. 

Was it the hot water bag or something else, she didn’t know? But her whole body was on fire. Her body burnt in a desirous flame which anyone could mistake it for fever. She clutched his wrist to stop him. 

“I don’t want you to regret” she murmured. 

Arnav recalled he had told her a while ago that everything about her was a regret. But he really didn’t mean it. 

“Helping a person in pain can never be a regret. Now stop intruding me and let me do my job” 


Job? This was just a job for him? Damn!! Why was her mind analyzing each and every word he uttered? Why was she always trying to find some hidden meaning… some clue which could prove he still had feelings for her? Her pain eased as he kept pressing the hot water bag on her legs. She admired him closely. His eyes roamed everywhere on her legs wherever the hot water bag touched. Though the cotton night pant had covered her legs enough, she still felt bare for his eyes. 

“Feeling good?” he asked raising his head. 

“Hmm.. You are doing it quite professionally” 

Arnav let out a sarcastic chuckle. 

“I thought I lost practice. Been 7 years… since I did this” 

Khushi knew he was talking about her pregnancy period. She so wished to know every detail about it. She wanted to ask him if she bothered him too much with her mood swings and tantrums but before she could, he started sharing. 

“I used to do this daily for you.. this hot water bag thing.. Your feet were swollen in your last trimester. You couldn’t do it yourself. So, that was my job.” 

A smile broke on her lips again as she tried to visualize that scene. 

“Sometimes your back ached too. This thing has always helped you relieve pain” he added. 

“You hadn’t appointed a nurse for me?” 

“I had. But only during the day when I was at work. Night.. it was my duty to look after you, which obviously I didn’t mind. You were carrying our baby. It wasn’t just you pregnant.. I felt pregnant too” 

She smiled again and tears moistened her eyes. 

“You.. you said you regret everything about me back then” she paused to gulp. “Did you regret that night too when we… made our baby?” 

Arnav was speechless. Her doubts were genuine because he made her feel so unwanted all this time. But he wasn’t going to answer that so easily. It was the only night they were so lost in each other. So, he decided to put that question back to her. 

“When you stepped in my bedroom the other day, you said you recalled some of those flashes..” 

She nodded gently swallowing the ache formed in her throat. 

“Did it look like I would ever regret it?” 


A lone tear rolled down her eye. Every scene she recalled about that night gave goosebumps every single time she played it in her mind. Khushi was glad he didn’t regret it. This was the first time they were talking about their past and clearing few doubts about each other. She would do anything to spend such time with him henceforth. 

“What kind of mood swings I had?” 

“All sorts” 

It didn’t look he was displeased to share about it. He sounded very proud of that in fact. 

“Did I eat lots of pizzas?” 

“Yes. And you demanded cold drinks too which obviously I didn’t agree. You used to fight with me on that” 

Khushi pouted. 

“And you were always glued to the Television. You watched every thriller action movie and all sorts of romantic movies too, the whole day. I was worried if you would get spectacles” 

“Well” she blushed. “I do have specs!!” Khushi admitted. “But it’s not very often that I wear. Only when I am on my Computer for long time. Now I know the reason. Did I lose hair?” 

“Not much. But you didn’t have this long hair before” 

“I know.. I loved short hair but now when I visit a salon, I instruct them strictly not to cut beyond two inches” 

They were relaxed around each other now. It felt like two old friends catching up. 

“There were bad memories too” he added getting all cold again. “You used to shout a lot when we fought and I had to keep reminding you it wasn’t good for the baby. You even had alcohol once or twice and.. obviously I was so mad that… I .. I had raised my arm to hit you” he swallowed. 

Damn!! That sounded bad. 

“Did you hit me?” 

“Never” he growled. 

“You should have. That’s not what a good mother would do. I risked my baby Arnav. I deserved that slap. Wish you had..” she fisted her fingers and her skin turned red in seconds. 

Arnav left the water bag and touched her fist. 

“I can never physically hurt the mother of my baby. Maybe your mood swings made you behave like that. It’s in the past. You were too full of yourself. But at the end of the day, I had seen you asking forgiveness from our baby, standing before the mirror and talking to your baby bump” 

Really? Her face lit up again. Aww!! She could visualize that. 

“I must have loved him Arnav… I can feel it.. No woman can hate a baby growing inside her… however bad the circumstances be.. I don’t think I could ever hate my baby” 


He didn’t know what to say. He wanted the same. 


“I can’t believe” she mumbled, holding back her tears and touching her stomach.. “cant believe our Aarav was in here.. for like nine months” 

She caressed her stomach.. so very gently as if feeling that moment… trying to relive it. Tears gushed down her eyes but they were happy tears. Arnav was so lost in her face.. in her talks… in her expressions… She behaved so different compared to what she used to be 7 years ago that, at times, he felt like drawing her closer and kissing her hard… and make love to her again. 

What? Make love to her..? He quickly withdrew his hand from hers and looked away. What the hell was he thinking? He got up to leave. 

“Go to sleep now. You don’t want to trouble others, fine. But if you need anything else again, call me” 

She liked his gentleness, his concern. She wanted him to hug her. Would he? He read her inner thoughts but and was glad they were both on the same page. He wanted that too but a part of him knew, if he did, it might not stop there. Tonight, was different. 

“Good night” he said hurrying out. Khushi sighed in disbelief. Probably it was too early to expect a hug from him.. a most… passionate and bone crushing hug.. where she could feel every inch of his muscle and bone. Shrugging those intimate thoughts from her mind, Khushi closed her eyes. Now she might get some good sleep. 


***************** 

The next morning, her legs felt better than last night. She came down with the help of Aarav’s nurse. Ayush had to leave early for work but he didn’t go without meeting her. When she told her father-in-law, Arnav had helped her with the Hot water bag massage, Ayush was excited. But they couldn’t talk over this topic much as Aarav interrupted and all her attention had shifted on her son. Getting some glimpse of her pregnancy now, her love for Aarav had doubled. 


“Morning Di” Arnav entered the kitchen where his sister was making Chocos for Aarav. 

Anjali didn’t look happy. 

“You okay?” he asked to check what was bothering her. 

“I am trying to be okay. After knowing you were massaging Khushi’s feet last night, has left a bad taste in my mouth already. Cannot imagine you falling for her tantrums again” 

Arnav was confused how did she know he was with Khushi for some time last night? 

“I overheard Khushi and Dad’s talks this morning” she clarified. “Dad was happy. I am sure so are you..” 

“Di enough” he cut her words. “I was helping her because.. she is hurt” 

“And what about the pain she gave you all these years? 7 years Chotte.. You have lived in pain, what about that? And the way you looked after your son? Who better than you know how difficult it is to be a single parent?” 

Arnav rubbed his temples. He was done having this same argument every day with his sister. She scurried back to the table outside and placed the bowl of chocos there. Khushi had already reached the dinning table. The two of them shared a cold glance. Arnav came out. 

“Let’s have breakfast” he pulled out a chair for his Di and forced her to sit next to him. Khushi took her seat opposite to them. 

“Where is Aarav?” she asked the nurse. “Go call him” 

“Yes Ma’am” 

The nurse left and Anjali realized something. While Arnav served his Di, Anjali unlocked her phone and showed it to him. 

“She is Mrinal.. my friend’s cousin. She is a child psychologist means she loves children” 

“So? Why are you showing me her picture?” 

“Because I want you to meet her and see if she is the one you can spend the rest of your life with…” 

Khushi choked. Anjali was looking proposals for him.? Arnav froze at his sister’s direct orders. He realized she purposely chose to talk about it in Khushi’s presence. 

“What happened Chotte? You don’t have to hesitate because your Ex wife is here. She too is looking for marriage proposals. Who is that guy? Tanmay” she smirked. “Khushi has still not rejected him and I heard her father saying she is still thinking about him” 


Tanmay!! The mere thought of Khushi with Tanmay annoyed Arnav and it was noticeable on his face. She knew Anjali was trying to provoke her but she couldn’t sit quiet.

“Sorry to interrupt here..” Khushi snapped. “I am still his wife” she declared glancing at Arnav and then back to Anjali. “I met Tanmay when I didn’t know about Arnav and my marriage. Please don’t speak about this as if I am not here. I have no problems if Arnav wants to move on” 

That was a lie. She was lying and that was visible on Khushi’s face which even Arnav noticed. 

“Great” Anjali laughed. “I am glad you are in no mood of spoiling his life anymore” 

Arnav pushed his chair and got up. 

“Chotte? Where are you going? Have breakfast” 

“I am not hungry” 

He strode back to his room. Khushi lost her appetite too. She was about to leave but Aarav joined them. 

“Mom.. look what I got for you” 

He had got a rose from their garden. She smiled accepting the rose and poured milk in his chocos. 

“You feed me” Aarav demanded. 

Ignoring her own pain and all the worries, Khushi fed him. She didn’t know what her future in this house was, but one thing she was confident about. She will always fulfil every responsibility as Aarav’s mother. 


To be Continued.

NEXT PART

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Standalone Romance Book 2 from Mr & Mrs. Series

Story of Neil Thakur, a Jerk Entrepreneur who gets what he eyes on. When he and his pricey girlfriend Nyra are en route to India, his life collides with 21-year-old Esha Singhal, the daughter of his rival. Whilst his mind tries to keep that baby girl out of his way, his body and heart don't approve. A romantic tale of love, betrayal and possession. Will Esha conquer Neil’s heart? Or is she on some other mission Neil is unaware of?

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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 

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