Bride of Sheesh Mahal - Season 3 - Part 22

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Chapter 22


Khushi’s POV


I am growing fond of Arnav’s kisses but I am not telling him that. After no idea how many kisses we finally doze off. Today morning when I wake up, Arnav has snuggled me to his body, like he can’t get enough of me. I take a few minutes to admire his handsome face. Last night, when the lights went off again, I couldn’t see him properly. He even told me about his birth which seems a bit scary as he born on a no moon day at midnight. Arnav loves darkness that’s something I didn’t know so far. But this man is far away from being a dark soul himself. His kindness and simplicity have stolen my heart. He’s sleeping peacefully and though I don’t want to wake him up, I can’t resist touching his handsome face. Apart from his intense eyes, it’s the shape of his jawline which I love the most. And of course his lips. He has a way of kissing and its very unique even for an inexperienced woman like me. As my finger traces his stubble, I shift closer and he inturn pulls me to him, leaving no space between our bodies even for air to pass. His hot breath fans my face as I slowly lean in and place a soft kiss on his chin. The kiss leaves a wetness on his chin which I am about to rub when Arnav holds my hand and stops me from doing so.

He’s awake? I raise my gaze to meet his and find him widely awake and staring back at me with a lopsided smile. Slowly raising my arm, he kisses the inside of my wrist and soon its replaced by a shower of kisses all over my fingers and hand. His lower body brushes with mine revealing his intentions, embarrassing me a bit. This man and marriage to him has completely changed my morning routine.


“Stop it.. You are spoiling my habits..” I say, pushing him gently to stop showering kisses on me, though he doesn't let me get away from him.

“Which habits?” he huskily asks, nuzzling his nose at the crook of my neck.

“The first thing I did every morning was pray to Devi Maiyaa for blessing me with another day.”

“Is it?” he smiles looking intensely at my face. “What else did you do after that?”


He’s interested to know my routine? I never thought he would be but I still share it anxiously with him.


“Then I used to pray to the sun reaching the window for always showering light on me and my family.”


He bites my earlobe, his fingers tracing every inch of my face and neck..

“then?”

“Then I .. showered..”

“How?”

I am about to answer that even when I suddenly realize he is just teasing me.

“What do you mean how?”


He stops kissing me and looks in my eyes again.

“How did you shower? What did you do in your bathroom? I need details.. right from taking off our clothes..”


My eyes pop out in shame and I nervously wriggle to get off his hold. Arnav pins me to the bed and hovers on top of me.

“You are not getting down the bed until you answer that.”

“That’s so personal..”

“Nothing is personal between a couple. At least not this topic… Men die to know what a woman exactly does and how when she showers.. I am asking this to my wife and I have every right to know the details.”


I realize he is not going to leave me until he gets these details so I trick him. With much confidence I manage to pull his shirt, forcing him to lean on me and I whisper in his ears.

“Why don’t you come with me inside the bathroom and find it out yourself?”


His eyes widen in surprise and his grip on me loosens..

“Are you… serious?”

“Hmm” I hold my laugh.


Then very gently I push him away and getting down the bed, take lazy steps towards the bathroom door. When I turn behind, he is still staring at me from bed.


“Are you really serious?”

“Last chance…” I say, holding the door open for him once I get inside the bathroom.


His expressions darken and the moment he gets down the bed I laugh heartily and shut the door before he can reach here. Arnav bangs the bathroom door.

“Damn Khushi, you are such a tease..”

“Learning from you..” I reply, locking the door properly before turning on the faucet to wash my face.


Can’t believe I tricked him. But that definitely needed a lot of boldness which I am yet to learn. If you have a husband like Arnav Singh Raizada who doesn't let you get down the bed, this is the only way to trick him.. Lure him.


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


When I finish my shower, Arnav is busy making phone calls to his Delhi office. He smiles at me and I smile in return. The next one hour goes in meeting the family downstairs, wishing him morning and also checking if I have to make the breakfast but it’s Daadi’s strict orders that until my Mehndi doesn't fade away, I am not allowed to enter the kitchen and cook. She wants me to rest and enjoy my married life with Arnav and the family which I think I am already doing and loving every bit of it.


When the breakfast is ready, I come back to the room to call Arnav. He is getting ready for work.


“You are going out?” I ask and he shakes his head.

“Yes, I am going to Delhi. But will be back by night.”

“Oh. With Akash and Nandakishore?”

“No, just with NK. Akash is going to meet the worker in the hospital today. So, he is not coming with us.”


Worker!! Oh yes. I am eager to meet that person too and know why he self-harmed himself?

“Can I go along with Akash?” I happily ask holding the tie for him, while he exhales audibly.

“No, I don’t want you anywhere in that hospital.”

Arnav continues to button his shirt while I hold his tie.

“But why? I have some free time after meeting Babuji.”


He takes the tie from me and starts knotting it around his neck looking in the dressing mirror.

“If you have free time, come back home and spend time with the family Khushi.”

“Arnav it’s hardly a matter of few minutes. And Akash is with me. I am not going to meet that worker alone.”


He stops tying and turns to me with a groan.

“Why are you arguing over it?”

His anger is rising and I don’t like that. But that definitely doesn't mean I am giving up this argument. So, I move closer to him and try helping him knot the tie. Neither I look at him nor I speak a word. As expected, my silence works. Arnav cups my jaw and forces me to look in his eyes.

“Promise me you won’t leave Akash’s sight even for a moment.”

“I won’t.” My face glows with joy.

“And you are coming straight home with Akash after meeting that man. No over analyzing his words on why he got electrocuted and all. You come home, we talk and then we will discuss why this happened.”

“Perfect,” I nod. When he behaves so good, I can’t express how much I like him. So, the moment he gives me a go ahead, I raise myself on my toes and kiss his cheek. “Thank you.”

I’m about to turn around and leave when he pulls me by my waist.

“What about my tie?”

“Oops. Sorry.”

I knot his tie while he plays with my freshly washed hair. This is going to be a great day. First meeting Babuji and then finding the reason why that accident happened in Sheesh Mahal.


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

Arnav drops me in his car to Laxmi Nagar. Once he parks, he turns to me and holds my hand.


“Try convincing your father to come along with us to London. I really want him to stay with us there..”


My eyes tear up as he completes that sentence. Arnav gently wipes the corner of my eye and I hold his palm to my cheek to feel his affection.

“I don’t think he will be convinced but I’ll try.”

“If he doesn't get convinced, tell him I’ll shift all my business here so that his daughter can stay close to him forever. It’s either he agreeing to come with us or we are shifting around him.”

I can’t believe he is serious about this. How much does he care for me that he is literally willing to shift his business for me? That mere thought makes me proud and I quickly lean forward to hug him. He embraces me too. Soon his fingers stroke my back and his lips graze on my shoulder blade where he places a open-mouthed hungry kiss.


We pull away and he even helps me neaten my hair.


“Go now and please stay out of trouble. I don’t want you to face any problem in my absence..”

I chuckle.

“So in your presence I am allowed to be reckless?” I mock.

“Khushi?” His tone is warning and his expressions stern.

“I am sorry. I’ll be careful at all times. You too promise me the same.”

“I promise”


He kisses my fingers before unlocking the car and I get down. Soon, he drives away and I hurry inside to meet Babuji.


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

I spend time till afternoon with Babuji, cook for him and we chat a lot about the Raizada family. Since Buaji is there too, she privately asks me how my first night went and though I shy away, she doesn't stop coaxing me to get the details if me and Arnav consummated the marriage or not.


“Buaji, we didn’t..” I look away from her, helping her with the dishes after lunch.

“You didn’t? But why? Is everything okay between you two?”

“Buaji please..” I snap. “We had an arranged marriage. We need time to know each other..”

“We need time or you? I don’t think any man is willing to wait longer than his marriage night to consummate with his wife.”

“Oh, you know all the wrong men so far then. Arnav is unlike them. He is very caring to my feelings and expectations.”

“I see…” Buaji blushes. “If he is so caring, I don’t think you should make him wait for long.”


Hey Devi Maiyaa.. What are we even discussing? I give her gentle push to stop extending this conversation when the door knocks. It’s Payal. We hug each other and she too tries to get some details on my physical relationship status. I don’t understand how I am going to ignore these two for long. That’s when my phone buzzes. It’s Arnav’s message.


‘What is my Devotee wife doing? Is she missing her devi maiyaa gifted husband?’


I hold my smile and type back.

‘Your wife is enjoying her time with Payal and Buaji. What about you? Reached Delhi?’

His reply is instant. Seems he reached Delhi few minutes back and now is heading for his office building. I ask him to finish the work soon and return home to which he orders me to wear something in red tonight.. I am about to tell him I’ll wear a red saree when he messages me that he wants me to wear red nightwear. Now I don’t remember having anything in red in my sleep wear collection. Does that mean I will have to buy one? Well, seems like I will. I ask Payal if she will come along with me to help me select and she happily obliges.


Just after that conversation, Akash comes to pick me up for the hospital. Since Payal and I have to go shopping from there, we decide to take Payal along with us. It’s obvious Akash sits next to the driver and me and Payal at the backseat and the two haven’t stopped exchanging glances from the rear-view mirror. I pinch Payal to get her attention back on me and Akash shies away looking ahead again.


At hospital, we are guided to the private room where the worker is stationed and we are also told that he is doing great now and can be discharged. Akash settles the bills and then we reach the room. Initially it is only Akash who talks to him but while they speak, the worker keeps glancing at me as if he is nervous to speak.


“We saw the CCTV footage, Soham,” Akash mentions. “You did that yourself. Plugging he fuse when you knew it would hurt you.”


Sweat beads form on Soham’s face as he is surprised by that information but he quickly joins his palms.

“I am sorry, Sir. I didn’t know what I was doing. In fact it’s a news even to me that I did something like this. I .. I have never been this careless before. Please don’t snatch my job, I promise this will never happen again.”

Akash sighs.

“Fine. But please be careful next time. We don’t want our staff to be hurt because of anybody’s negligence.”

“I assure you this wont happen again Sir. But..” he looks down.

“But what?” I query this time, taking over the conversation.

“But can you please shift me to other work.. like at your office? I .. I don’t want to work in Sheesh Mahal anymore. I am ready to do any kind of work but not… not there..”


Me and Akash look at each other and back to Soham.

“Why? What is wrong with you working in Sheesh Mahal?” Akash questions.

“I don’t know.. But .. After this incident.. I am just scared.. Please shift me to the office work. I beg.”


Akash nods.

“Fine, I will speak to Bhai and see what could be done. You take some rest. For a week you are not coming to work as is. Stay home.”


He nods happily and Akash gestures to me and Payal that we should leave. Though I walk out with them, I pause after we reach the lobby

“I forgot my phone in that room. I’ll go get it.”

“I can get it.” Akash offers.

“No Akash. I’ll be fine.. It’s hardly here.. Besides Payal is thirsty. Can you fetch her some water?”


Payal is thirsty and she had told me that when we got down the car at the hospital.

“Sure” Akash nods. “But please come soon.”

“I will”


I quickly rush back to Soham’s room. The moment he sees me again, he becomes alert.

“I know you didn’t tell the entire truth to Akash, Soham. So I am here to know that.”

“I.. I told everything I knew..” he stutters.

“Don’t lie. You can tell me anything. I saw you were nervously looking at me as if you wanted to tell something.. What is it?”


Soham thinks again if he has to share.

“Soham, if you want a job at office, I am the one who can convince Arnav. Tell me what is it that you are hiding from me?”

That finally convinces him to speak up.

“I.. I might sound foolish but trust me I saw him.. I saw him when I was working down there and I don’t remember what happened next. When I opened my eyes again I was at hospital.”

“Saw whom?” I swallow.

“Arnav Sir…” he stutters.

“What?” I snap. “That’s impossible. Arnav was with me that time when this incident happened..”

“I am sorry, Ma’am. But I really saw him down there.. but he didn’t have his normal eyes.. He had blue eyes.. and I felt like I was hypnotized by his eyes and then everything is blank in my head. I don’t remember what I did..”


Blue eyes? Arnav? That’s the same one I keep seeing often these days.. But how can Arnav be at two places? It’s impossible. And hypnotize? What was that about? In the CCTV camera, we didn’t see anyone else but only the workers doing their work. So does that mean Soham just had a visual of blue eyed Arnav in his imagination? Is that possible?


To be Continued.

NEXT PART 

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