What If? - IPKKND | slow updates

Seven

7 August 2009
Andheri West, Mumbai

Arnav frowned a little as he moved his hand across the other side of his bed. He had been sure that she should be there. His despair eased when he heard a soft groan, from the further end of the mattress as Arnav's hand settled on Khushi's neck.

His eyes flung open as he came in contact with her bare skin and stroked his thumb over her décolleté. He turned on his side to see the sheets falling off of her chest. Studying her face, he realised she looked so calm and so composed. An aberration to what she did when they were married. Shrugging his trail of thought, he brought his thumb over to her lower lip and gently caressed it.

Khushi opened her eyes and swallowed the bile in her mouth. He thought he finally saw the old Khushi, the one who would blush under her gaze and was a pool of nerves at his touch. However, he couldn't be any more wrong.

"Hey!" Khushi whispered, adjusting her head on the back rest of the bed. Arnav looped his lips to one side, in hopes of giving her a smile that was neither rude nor submissive.

Khushi rolled her eyes and turned to her left to pick up her phone from the bedside table. As she looked at the time, she sighed loudly.

"It got very late, so I decided to sleep in." She clarified while checking her mails.

"That's okay. I understand." Khushi nodded.

"What do you want for breakfast? Ramesh can whip something quickly."

She shook her head with a smile on her face but Arnav however felt his anger resurface, she was doing it again. Not looking at him when he was talking. Tugging the sheet off of, she picked up her shirt and wore her undergarments.

"I am going to freshen up and then leave. I have a meeting to get to." She told him as she buttoned her shirt.

Just as she was done tugging her jeans, she felt Arnav's hand on her wrist, holding her firmly. She turned her head and looked at him with questioning eyes.

"Don't leave." Arnav said, sitting upright.

Khushi looked at him with an indecipherable expression. She blinked her eyes and shook her head. Standing up she turned to look at him with a small smile. She went away to the washroom to freshen up and Arnav was taken aback.

Flinging the blanket off him, he dressed quickly. He called on the intercom and told Ramesh to bring two hot coffees. The help brought the mugs and kept them on the table.

"Ramesh, you and the others take the day off." Arnav told him and the house help happily obliged. The others were ecstatic at this piece of information.

Arnav sat on the foot of his bed, with bated breath as he waited for Khushi to come out of the washroom. He wanted to discuss their future. He was sure that his family still waited eagerly for the return of Khushi in their lives. She had asked to be left alone, so that she could find herself. Looking at her, he knew that she had indeed been able to do it.

His phone chimed with a message and he smiled seeing it was his sister. It had taken Anjali a lot of time to piece herself together.

The betrayal had been her doom but had also been her liberation. In some ways they had been thankful that Shyam had cheated her. His sister had blossomed.

Chote, I hope you're having a great stay! Make sure you eat your medicines on time. We are all missing you.

Thanks Di. I am having a great stay! Yes, I am making sure I have my medicines on time. :)

Arnav flinched as he realised the emoticon had been too much for him. And he instantly regretted it when his phone rang in his hand.

"Hi Di!" Arnav said, shaking his head. Anjali chuckled on the other side and commented, "Chote, what is happening?"

"Nothing Di. Just woke up. Going to have my coffee. You tell me."

"You know I didn't mean that Chote, tell me what is up? Why are you behaving so differently? Aakash told me you're struggling with the Mumbai deal, so it can't be it. What is it? Tell me? Tell me!"

Arnav chuckled over the line and Anjali gasped in shock.

"Chote? You're laughing!"

He had to put his phone away from his ear as he heard Anjali shouting to their nani in the background.

"Nani, can you believe it? Chote is laughing. My god, it has been so long since I have heard you like this."

"I think I have struck the deal of my lifetime Di. I have finally found the peace that I wanted. I didn't think that meeting her would make me so happy. I really need her in my life Di. I need her to keep me sane. I need her to complete my day. I am going to ask her to come back. I am going to ask her to marry me again."

"Chote? Khushi-Ji?"

"Yes Di. I met Khushi here. Now that I see her, I realise I haven't needed anything else in my life. I need her to wake me up everyday. I need her to bring me coffee everyday. I need her to be there when I come back from office. I need her to roam around the house, even make her jalebis when she is upset. I need her to be there for me. I need her for myself."

Anjali sighed, she knew that she finally found his solace. They all needed Khushi in their lives, to make them happy again. Her tinkling laughter was like a balm in all their lives and even though they lived their life, they needed her to help them move on.

"I am so happy for you Chote! Bring Khushi-Ji back home! We are all waiting for her eagerly!"

He nodded and smiled when he saw the reason for his smile to return come out of the washroom. She had her phone to her ear so Arnav decided to continue his conversation. He walked towards the balcony and stood at the threshold, sipping his coffee.

The sea looked stormy but he felt weirdly calm. Khushi packed her stuff quickly as she talked to her colleague. She turned towards Arnav who seemed busy. Deciding not to disturb him, she picked up a piece of paper, she scribbled a note on it.

Need to leave, have a meeting.
Give my love to Jiji and Jiju.
K.

Closing the door softly, she left.

-24.08.2020

Well. So many things I want to say, but I will wait for the next couple of chapters to clarify it. Don't keep your hopes up, either way. (: Spot the problematic dialogues and you'd get a virtual hug!

Next update will be on Friday, 28 August 2020