Words Unsaid

Chapter 3

Note: The past of Arshi is the same. How Arshi met, Shyam fiasco, remarriage, Dadi issue, Sheetal everything is the same except the Mrs India title. Khushi never participated in that in this story. This is like a continuation of IPKKND.

It was 10 pm now and Garima walked to the door frowning at the late visitor. Opening the door she found her ex-son-in-law standing with her granddaughter.

"Nani, mamma se milna hai..." (Nani, I want to meet mamma) Mahi wailed and Garima smiled and said, "Arrey Nani se nahi milna?" (Don't you wanna meet Nani?) "Ha, but after meeting mamma" Mahi cried and ran past her to Khushi's room.

"Come in" Garima said to Arnav and he walked in silently and sat on the sofa. "Should I get you coffee?" she asked and he said, "Nahi Amma, its fine!"

The word Amma had gotten on him after his marriage with Khushi. Garima had showered all her love to her son-in-law and had compensated her sadness of not having a son. He had started calling her Amma since then. When his dadi accused her for having an affair with Arnav's dad, Arnav had rebuked dadi and believed Garima. Arshi's remarriage had strengthened the bond of Arnav and Garima.

Garima looked at the man sitting before her. She never understood why her daughter and Arnav got divorced after 20 years of their happy married life. She had confronted them, shouted at them, even slapped both of them but not a word came out. Since that day, that was a month ago, Garima had stopped talking to Khushi and Arnav. Khushi came to Gupta house after divorce with Manav who decided to stay with his mother but gave no answer to Buaji and Shashi who asked her the reason. Garima had stopped acknowledging her daughter and declared that she would talk to her the day her daughter decides to share things with her. She also stopped calling Arnav which was her routine every day.

And today, after one month, she was seeing him – her son! For unknown reasons, Garima had always loved Arnav more than Akash. Akash was also dear to her but Arnav held a special position in her heart. If she had to choose between Arnav and Khushi, one has to be afraid because may be she would choose Arnav. And when they both decided to get separated the most shocked one was Garima because she was the only one who knew them in and out, may be even more than Anjali knew Arnav. But when they refused to share things with her, their mentor, she felt offended.

"Where is Buaji and Babuji?" she heard him asking.

"Sleeping!" Garima answered sternly.

"Manav?"

"He must be up there in his room. Studying!"

"Can I go to him?" he asked.

"He is your son!" Garima said and walked away.

Khushi was lying on the bed with her eyes fixed on their family photo – Arnav, her, Manav and Mahi – which they had taken during their trip to Manali last year. Her fingers which were caressing the photo stopped at Mahi.

Tears rolled down her cheek as she recalled the conversation she had with her daughter that evening. It is been one week that she met Mahi. Her heart longed to be with her daughter but she cannot. The last time Manav had arranged her meeting with Mahi and Arnav had blasted on him. After that Khushi never dared to meet Mahi and also warned Manav not take Mahi anywhere without Arnav's permission. She never created a situation where Mahi had to choose between her father and mother. She herself gave the custody rights of Mahi to Arnav. Manav was grown up and had the right to decide for himself. He decided that he would stay with his mother because he didn't want to leave her alone.

She smiled through tears. Her children are gems. Her little Mahi who longs for her papa and mamma to reunite and her big boy Manav who is with her without caring about his happiness!

It was then she heard her baby's voice.

"Mamma"

Khushi sat up on the bed and looked to the door where her Mahi was standing.

"Mahi..." Khushi whispered.

"Mamma...." Mahi cried and ran to her mother. Khushi stepped down from the bed and hugged her daughter tight. "Mamma....I missed you...." Mahi cried and laid her head on her mother's shoulder. Khushi lifted her in her arms and hugged her tight. Tears went down her eyes to Mahi's dress. She could feel her daughter's tears rolling down her shoulder.

Making her daughter sit on the bed, Khushi kissed all over her face.

"Mamma.....please come home...." Mahi cried in her baby voice, "I want to be with you, papa and bhaiyya"

"I cannot come Mahi...." Khushi said in tears, wiping the fat tears from her daughter's face. "Kyun?" Mahi cried.

"Aisa mat ro meri bacchii.....I promise, we'll definitely get together this weekend!" Khushi said.

Mahi nodded no and said, "You're lying.....aap jhoot bol rahe hai...."

Khushi nodded no and Mahi hugged her crying, "Please mamma....please ghar aa jao....please....why did you and bhaiyya shift here? Please stay with me....."

Manav tore another page from the maths notebook. He loved integral calculus of mathematics but right now this damn problem was irritating him. He had been trying this out for the last one hour but his answer doesn't seem to adjust with the correct answer.

"Should I help?" he heard a voice and turned back to see his father. He stood up from his chair in shock. "Aap yahan?"

"Mahi wanted to come!" Arnav said and walked in. He sat on the bed and looked around the room. Posters of Zayn Malik covered every wall of the room. Typical Manav! Arnav smiled. "What is the problem?" Arnav asked.

"I don't have any problem. Problem is between you and mamma!" Manav retorted.

"I meant the maths problem Manav" Arnav said.

"Uh....no...I'll do it!" Manav said.

"I guess you have been trying to do it for the past one hour!" Arnav said with his eyes fixed on the bin filled with paper balls.

Manav flushed and Arnav walked to his study table. He sat down on the chair and Manav stood beside him and showed him the question. Arnav took out the pen and started working it out.

Manav looked at his father. Must say, his maths is extremely good! Right from his childhood his father was the one who taught him maths. It really shocked him that his father still remembers all the equations and formulas he had learnt years ago.

"What is integral of cosecycoty?" he heard Arnav asking.

"You know that don't you?" Manav asked.

"Yes but not sure whether there is –ve sign!" Arnav said.

"-cosecy" Manav said.

Arnav hummed and continued. Within some minutes he gave the notebook to his son. "Done!" and he got up.

Manav looked at the notebook and then to Arnav. Arnav smiled and took the notebook and explained the steps.

"Hmm....I guess I shouldn't have simplified it too much!" Manav said. "Yes, go for standard equations. You should be able to see the answer right from the start!" Arnav said.

"Thanks dad!" Manav said and sat down to continue. Arnav smiled and patted his back.

"Bhaiyya...."

Manav and Arnav looked to the door where Mahi came running happily. Manav laughed and lifted her in arms.

"Aap pad rahe ho?" (You are studying?) Mahi asked and Manav said, "Nahi, it's completed!"

"Bhaiyya you said na, you have a new flower bloomed here? Where is it?" Mahi asked.

"Garden main he Mahi!" Khushi who came there said.

"Chal Mahi, I'll show you!" Manav said and walked out of the room with Mahi in his arms.

And that left Arnav and Khushi in the room.

Pin drop silence prevailed in the room as both of them looked at each other.