Rabba Ishq Naa Hove - Season 3 - Part 31

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Chapter 31

Khushi’s POV

I am really overwhelmed to be the brand ambassador now of such a cosmetic product which is so famous worldwide. Today is the party thrown at a famous pub of New York where I’ve just unveiled their new launching product – a 12-hour lasting waterproof lip gloss. Becoming famous for my work is one thing which I always wanted to see and feel and tonight when people are appreciating my work, waiting to have me endorse their products and shoot ads and other commercials with me, definitely brings the joy but even then I don’t feel contented from inside. As if something is amiss!! Probably because I don’t have anyone beside me to celebrate my win. Of course my friends Pam and NK are there and we have plans of a private party for the same this weekend, but still I am looking for a family.. my family.. someone who could embrace me, pat my back, kiss me. I shut my eyes for a few seconds to avoid thinking about Arnav and the way he has always kissed me yet that’s the only thing that flashes in my head. Maybe because I’ve never let any other man get that close to me even for a kiss!! I don’t think I would like that either. With Arnav things were different. And now I was ending it all. Because that was right, isn’t it?

“Ma’am, so what other products are you endorsing this year?” one of the reporters in the party asks me and I instantly compose myself to answer him.

I reply to him keeping all my inner thoughts aside when I see a flash of him at the corner.. Arnav…?? In a grey suit, he is leaning across the wall, looking right into my eyes, with pride. Is he really here or am I hallucinating him just like I’ve been doing recently almost everywhere… right from my rental apartment to my shooting location. I see him everywhere.. Not good! But today it feels so real that he is really around me. Is he here? I try to lean my head and get to see him properly but the crowd around keep hindering my view. Damn!!

“Excuse me,” I say to the reporters before striding towards that spot where I had seen him. But he is not here. Maybe I was hallucinating him again. I reach the wall and touch it. He was right here. Right here..!! I swallow the tears which unknowingly moist my eyes. Even the thought of Arnav these days is enough to make me sad. A person who can make you sad in his absence, can he give you happiness if you happen to choose him? I’ve been desperately waiting to get an honest reply to this question from my heart and mind. But never got one.

After the event I book a cab and reach the apartment reception downstairs and I am surprised to see me Maa sitting there on a couch. The moment she sees me, she gets up and smiles.

“Maa?” I run to her and embrace her tight. Tears roll down my cheeks the moment I feel her enveloping me in her warmth. “what.. what are you doing here? I mean.. when did you come here? and .. why didn’t you tell me? I would have come to pick you up at the airport. How long have you been waiting for me here?”

“Hold on, Khushi. Just relax. Will you ask me everything right here or even take me inside your home?”

“Of course,” I chuckle. “Lets go.”

I see she has only one trolley bag which I drag and lead Maa to the elevator. We get inside my two-bedroom rental apartment which I proudly show to Maa and she is happy that I could actually rent out a place like this in such a less time. She praises me for all my hard work and also congratulates me for becoming the brand ambassador of a fashion product. The kiss she gives me on my head is my real trophy. I make some coffee for us before resting on the couch with Maa. She looks tired so I am no going to keep her awake for long.

“So, now tell me how did you come here to New York?”

She sips her coffee.

“By flight,”

“Maa.” I groan and she laughs out.

“I’d told you earlier too, Khushi. I am not going to stop looking after you. I am here to spend some time with you unless you want me to give you privacy.”

“I would love to have you here with me forever, Maa. Never ask me that again.”

I give her a hug.

“I know. It feels so good to know that all my children want me still despite standing on their own feet.”

“We will always need you no matter how old we grow.” I reply and my heart hints me to ask her that question which has been poking in my head from the time I saw her down at the lobby. “You… You flew her alone?”

Maa sips her coffee again, giving me a blank expression.

“What do you think?”

“Maa please..” I sigh. “Don’t question me in return to my question.”

“Then you ask me the right question, Khushi.”

I know what she wants me to ask her so this time I ask it openly.

“Is Arnav here too with you?”

She smiles but it’s a sad smile.

“Yes. He came along with me.”

He did? Suddenly I feel my heart dancing. What the hell! Why is it so happy?

“But he is staying with Anjali and Shyam. And in fact, they are also the reason why we are here.”

“What is that reason?” I query back, a bit curious to know. Ever since Maa left, I hardly had time to meet that couple.

“They are adopting a sweet baby girl of two-years-old this week. The adoption process nearly took them a few months but finally its done and they are bringing her home this weekend.”

Shyam and Anjali are adopting a baby?

“Wow.. That’s… that’s a good thing to do, Maa. I never knew that they wanted to adopt a child.”

“They had no choice.” Maa sadly shrugs. “They had plans to do this much before but its finally happening now.”

“What do you mean they had no choice?”

Maa stiffens.

“Anjali can never be a mother.” She admits and my heart skips a beat.

“Oh.. I am sorry.. I didn’t know that.”

Maa smiles.

“But she is happy now that finally what she always craved for, that bundle of joy is coming in her life. Shyam is a very supportive husband, Khushi. He made it possible for her.”

I nod agreeing to that.

“It’s hard to find such partners,” she adds and I am speechless for a moment. “Partners who put their spouses wishes and desires before their own. It’s hard to find,” she adds.

I swallow.

“I want all my children to find such partners. I only pray for that now.” She continues.

I look down. She means different partners for me and Arnav. Hmm!! Of course, she knows me and Arnav are divorcing so obviously now she wants us to get the right partners in our lives.

“Anyways, lets go to sleep now. The jet lag is already exhausting me.”

I agree. Getting her settled in the guest bedroom, I get on my bed under the sheets. Maa’s definition of a perfect life partner keeps poking in my head and again, every time I close my eyes, I see him. I see… Arnav.. He is here!! In New York! Means I wasn’t hallucinating him in my event. He was there to see me. Obviously, as far as I know him now, he wouldn’t miss seeing me after coming so close. He still wants me in his life, I can feel it. I can feel it..

I snuggle to the pillow, just like I would, if it had been… him.. Damn! There isn’t a single moment that I don’t relate my feelings to Arnav Singh Raizada. I wish to talk to someone about this.. to help me ease my confusion why my heart is so attuned still and inclined towards Arnav now, when I am ending up my ties with him. But I don’t want to go meet Payal again because I know she has a hint what’s happening in my heart for Arnav and I don’t want to follow her stupid homework of thinking of some other man, or going on dates. I am better alone than doing all that.

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

It’s been five days since Maa is here in New York … since Arnav is here in New York but I didn’t get to see him. The first three days I chose to stay at home as I didn’t have anything scheduled. So I spent the days with Maa, and though Anjali and Shyam came to meet her here, Arnav was missing. I didn’t know if I was even eligible to ask why he was missing here? I met the couple, congratulated them and their excitement was so evident on their faces. They really were desperate for a child. On the fourth day I’d an important shoot for the new brand of perfume which I had recently endorsed. This time I was shooting the scene with NK and hence I was too comfortable throughout. Just when I packed up I saw him again… Arnav. He’d worn casual jeans and a T-shirt but his eyes… they reflected his pain as our gazes met. He was standing at the opposite side of the road and just when our gazes met, a van stopped between us, blocking my view again. I waited for it to move and when it drove away, Arnav was gone too. He was stalking me silently but wasn’t ready to make any other move. Fine!!

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

Arnav’s POV

Sara, the two-year-old baby whom Di and Jeeju adopted was a munchkin. I recall Di telling me the moment Sara had seen Di, she had clung to her and that’s when Di decided that she will adopt her from that adoption center. Now holding her in my arms made me realize how much she already belonged to us. Sara had to be a part of our family which is why we feel so strongly connected to her. I put her down to play with the toys on the floor, and rise to my feet.

“I am going out for a few hours,” I tell Di who frowns.

“What do you mean, you are going out? We have a small get to together, Arnav, and we are introducing Sara to our friends here. You can’t leave. Even Maa is in the cab. You cannot go anywhere.” She argues.

“Di..” I interrupt. “I can’t be here. You know..”

“why not?” she angrily asks. “Only because I have invited Khushi and she too is coming here to this small get together?”

I swallow. Yes. That’s the exact reason why I don’t want to be here. Stalking her from far is better than meeting her face to face again because I know this is going to end bad for me again. Akash has strictly instructed me not to get closer to Khushi or even stalk her life anymore and he is right. Khushi has moved on. She has every right to. I cannot be a hinderance in her future this time.

“I’ll come back soon,” I declare and turn around to leave.

“Chotte.. Please don’t go. You are equally needed here in this function. Please.”

I don’t stop. I reach the door and open it to leave only to see Maa and Khushi standing there. F*ck! My heart beats like its going to burst the moment my gaze fall on Khushi’s face. She is as shocked as I am and looks like they have heard Di telling me not to leave which means they know I was going before they could show up.

“Arnav?” Maa hold my arm drawing my attention to her. “Where are you going?”

I think words have choked in my throat. I can’t speak. Why the hell am I so nervous?

“I… I… uhhh… I’ve some… work..” I stutter ensuring I don’t look at Khushi at all. But I know she is watching me. Don’t!! I warn myself not to get into this.

“Arnav you are shivering..” Maa holds my hand tighter. “What’s happening?”

I pull away my arm from her hold.

“I am fine.”

Saying that I walk out. Yes, I am shivering. It’s just because my body wants to stop and be around Khushi but my mind knows that doing so will end us both hurt again and I am done hurting her.. I prefer hurting myself, not her. Never her.. Never Khushi again. I am about to press the elevator button when she calls me..

“Arnav..”

I literally feel like the floor beneath me just cracked open. Its feels like ages since I heard my name from her mouth. My hand shivers again wanting me to turn around and face her but I don’t. I press the elevator button without turning to her. I am leaving this place right now. The elevator arrives and the doors open. I enter inside but just when the doors are about to shut again, Khushi stands between. I force myself to meet her eyes. She’s beautiful … still very beautiful.. but she looks exhausted too. Maybe work stress!!

“You don’t have to leave.” She doesn't say it, she demands.

“Let me go,” I manage to reply, curbing my urge to agree to her demand, but she keeps on arguing.

“You can stalk me everywhere but you can’t face me? What are you trying to prove here, Arnav?”

“Nothing. I am not trying to prove anything. Just giving you the space you need. Now step away and let me go.”

“No..” she shouts. “This event is important for your family. If you leave, they will all be upset. And I don’t want that blame on my head again.”

I swallow the painful knot of tears formed in the back of my throat.

“Can’t we act like two mature adults and be cordial to each other?” she queries.

“We tried that earlier, didn’t we?” I ask. “It will never work, Khushi. I become too intrusive if you let me be around you. And I don’t want to repeat that mistake again. So, please, step back from the doors and let me leave.”

“Fine..” She sounds completely pissed off now. “You leave and then so will I because I can’t take those blames on me that you had to leave because of my presence in this event.”

She steps back from the doors which are about to shut when I press the stop button again.. She is serious.. she will leave behind me if I go now. F*ck!! What the hell should I do? Khushi keeps staring at me, whilst the doors keep beeping to be closed. I have to take that decision fast. I either get away from her.. or.. I choose to be around her.. Either ways its going to be painful.. So I pick the less painful one.. To be around her. I walk out of the elevator and straight to the apartment door again, without glancing at Khushi but I know she is following me right behind. It’s going to be one heck of a night !!

To be Continued.

NEXT PART

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