One-shot:
He dreaded walking back to his room which was now occupied by his few days old...wife. Khushi Kumari Gupta. He could not accept the treacherous act of this woman. And did not that vile snake admit that he and Khushi were in love with another? So the calculative ASR took control of everything to make her pregnant sister's life easier.
But after a hectic day at the office, he just wanted to retire to his room. Shaking his head Arnav Singh Raizada prepared himself to see the lady who made him a beast after her betrayal. However, as he entered his room an unexpected sight greeted his vision. He gulped watching the sensuous scene. His new wife was twirling around the room with a beautiful smile on her face. No. She was practically giggling.
Khushi??
Hehehe...Arnavji.
She welcomed him with her glowing smile. It was a change from her sad and teary face. But this drastic change made him suspicious. This morning Khushi was weeping near the poolside. Then what made her so glad? As Arnav advanced in her direction his nostrils flared in disbelief as the familiar smell of alcohol reached him.
What the? Khushi? Are you drunk?
Nai...Bilkul nahi...hiccup...nahi drunk.
(No..not at all...I am not drunk).
He could not believe his eyes. She was a vixen sent from hell to finish him off. The seduction moves were not helping his growing desires. Trying to curb the feelings Arnav grabbed her arms and tried to steady her. But alas the beauty had different plans.
Stop it. Stop dancing in circles with your dupatta Khushi Kumari Gupta. Tumhe sharaab kisne pilai haan?
(Who gave you alcohol?)
Sharaab nahi...health drink...hiccup. Nanheji ne diya.
(Not alcohol...it was an energy drink. Nanheji offered me one).
Health drink?!? What the hell! His cousin loves to create trouble. He has married Khushi but still, NK does not leaves an opportunity to hover around his wife. Jealousy rushed inside his veins making the man crazy. Why does this always happen when Khushi Gupta is concerned? This is ridiculous. Verbalizing his anger he shook his wife who was still swaying in his hold.
Sit down Khushi. Four days. Only four days of this contract marriage and you are driving me crazy.
Hehehe....gusse mein to aapki aankhen....kitni khoobsurat lgti hain....hiccup.
(When you are angry your eyes...look pretty).
She was drunk. But her words were intoxicating for even the controlled ASR. He felt something flutter inside him. His wife was flirting with him. And this made him nervous. She lifted her finger and rubbed his under-eye region. Shocked by the electrifying touch he let her go and sat on the recliner looking at the wall behind Khushi. However, his wife had other ideas. One second she stood in front of him and the next she was sitting on his lap. Astounded by the move he felt speechless. For once ASR sat very still. Unprepared for his woman's action. Gulping his nervousness he tried to frame something to distract himself. Feeling restless Arnav spoke out loud.
..what...? What are you...trying to do Khushi Kumari Gupta?
Hehe...hum to bas aapke paas baithe hain....hiccup...hehe...
(I am simply sitting on your lap).
She wrapped her arms around his neck and locked eyes with his own. Her orbs were shining with mischief. While Arnav Singh Raizada felt his anger vaporizing in thin air. Her warmth made him dizzy. The sudden proximity made him gulp. Stammering like a fool he tried to hold her by the elbow.
Khushi...stop this....just get down.
Aapko pata hai Arnavji...hehe...jab aapne humara video Lucknow mein leak kia tha na tab kuch gundon ne humein cheda tha.
(You know something Arnavji...hehe...when you leaked my video in Lucknow some goons tried to take advantage of me).
Video? When did he...? His eyes touched his forehead as blurry flashes of the past greeted Arnav. He turned pale as her words registered in his brain. Eve teasing?? Did they do something to her? OH NO. NO NO NO NO! Embracing her to reassure his beating heart he enquired about those good for nothing creatures.
What the? Oh my god. Phir kya hua?Say something damn it.
(What happened then?)
Hehehe...aapki wajah se hi to hum unse mile. Unhone hi humein bachaya...hiccup...
(...it is because of you that I met him. He saved me after all).
His mind could not grasp anything. Did he save her? He who? Arnav mused as Khushi got distracted by the poolside. He cupped her cheeks and made her face him. The idea of someone else being her saviour irked him. These riddles were annoying him. Slowly, her eyes came back to him. Unable to curb his curiosity he enquired about the man who saved his wife.
Kinhone bachaya?
(Who saved you?)
Humare mangetar ne. Phir majbooran Delhi aaye to woh wahan bhi aagaye. AR mein naukri ke liye bheja aur phir Buaji ke PG bangaye.Hiccup...he did black magic on Buaji tabhi toh majboor hokar sagai kri.
(My fiance. Then he followed me to Delhi. He even promised me a job in AR and then somehow became a PG in Buaji's house. He performed some sort of black magic on Buaji which made me get engaged to him).
The revelation made his heart sway. He could feel the rabba ve tune around him. She was coaxed by Buaji. She was not interested in that weirdo. Her confession soothed his mind like a balm. So what happened on Diwali night was more than just a passing attraction for Khushi. She was equally affected. It was never a one side thing. But the idea of a stranger being her fiance made his blood boil.
What the? You were forced?
Hmmm...hiccup...aur phir pta chala who shaadishuda hai...dhoka dia sabko...yaad hai...hiccup...pooja ke
din hum roye the aapke saamne.
(And then I got to know that he is a married man...he betrayed us...do you remember that day...I broke down in tears as you consoled me).
What the hell?!? That fraud. How dare he betray Khushi and her family. He recalled the day perfectly. She had been a mess. That is why she was so heartbroken that day he concluded. That stupid PG did not do right by her. He needs to be punished for his deeds. What was his name? Damn it. Bl**dy cheat.
Haan. Shyamji. My fiance. Your Jeejaji. Betrayed everyone.
You are really drunk huh? Kya bol rhi ho?
(What are you saying?)
He could not believe her slurred words. Khushi cannot lie in such a state. But what does she mean by Shyam being her fiance and his Jeejaji? Has he misunderstood the situation? But then what happened at the terrace? No, he heard her. He witnessed the act with his own eyes. Suddenly she stood up from his lap and turned sideways and looked towards his laptop, which was kept on the coffee table.
Hehe...rukiye. Hum abhi aapko dekhate hain ki Jeeji ki shadi wali raat unhone kya kia...hiccup...now where is that pen drive? Nanheji told me to insert it into your laptop.
(Wait. I will show you what happened on the night of Jeeji's wedding...now where is that pen drive?)
Khushi fumbled with the pen drive but was able to insert it into his device after a few attempts. He tried to hold her swaying body but his hands halted in mid-air as he saw Khushi and Shyam on the terrace yet again. Wait. Did he manhandle her? Touched her inappropriately leaving bruises on her forearms. Fear replaced her smiling form. Damn it. She is scared of that snake?)
What the?!? He hugged you forcefully?
Haan...Humein laga ki aap aaye hain chat pe humein batane ke aap bhi humse...hehe...par aap nai aaye Arnavji...hiccup...aur woh aagaye.
(Yes...I imagine that you would come to the terrace to say that you also felt....but you never came Arnavji...instead he arrived).
Arnav swallowed the rising bile inside him. The video revealed her innocence and his Jeejaji preying on Khushi as if she were a cattle. He heard the same lines that had shattered his world. But this time from a different perspective. His eyes touched his hairline as his blunder slapped him on the face. Whispering in a soft tone filled with guilt and regret he verbalized his feelings.
You told him to leave Di because you wanted to know his...real motive?
For the first time, Arnav Singh Raizada felt ashamed of himself. He claimed to be god. His egoistic side made him destroy the happiness of the woman who meant the world to him. Holding his head in his hands the man tried to overcome the feeling of nausea that threatened his sanity. His power and money were of no help in matters of the heart. As he sat on the sofa he sensed soft hands pushing his own from his face. When his wife wiped away the wetness, he realized the tears cascading down his cheeks.
Aapki badi badi aankhon mein...hiccup...mote mote aansu kya kar rahe hain?
(Ooooo such big tears...hiccup...in your eyes?)
He glanced sideways to see his innocent Khushi staring at him with a look of worry. He did not deserve such treatment from the woman whose life was now in tatters because of him. Composing himself, the man tried to handle the matter.
You...are his victim?
Haa..an...hiccup...I wanted to tell you about him. Jeeji ki shaadi wali raat ko. Par aapne toh deal krli. Aur hum bangaye 'Khushi Kumari Gupta 6 mahine ke liye Singh Raizada'.
(I wanted to tell you about all this at Jeeji's wedding but you rather made a deal with me. And here I am 'Khushi Kumari Gupta for 6 months Singh Raizada')
Giggles echoed in his room as she addressed the huge fortress between them in her drunken state. Contract marriage. Her last sentence kept ringing in Arnavs ears for a long while. He wished to hide from the bitter reality.
'Khushi Kumari Gupta 6 mahine ke liye Singh Raizada'.
'Khushi Kumari Gupta 6 mahine ke liye Singh Raizada'.
For the first time, ASR wanted to go back in time. He desired to meet Khushi on that terrace without any obstacle between them. He felt her sit beside him on the recliner.
Sniff...everybody hates me. Raizadas. Guptas. Buaji ne kaha I am not her brother's true blood that is the reason I betrayed them so easily...hiccup...not their true blood.
Rubbing his face he turned towards the poor girl who sat helplessly next to him. His Di once told him that being practical does not always work. However, then the ASR in him did not give a damn about such bits of advice. But today he desperately wanted to make amends. Caressing his wife's head he tried to console her.
Khushi...please don't cry. I am...I just. Mujhe nahi pata tha.
(I had no clue).
Yahan koi bhi humara apna nai hai. Ab sirf do dost hain humare Shantivan mein. Hariprakashji aur Laxmiji. Koi humse baat bhi nai krta.
(I have no one to call mine. There are only two friends of mine in Shantivan HP and Laxmi. Nobody else talks to me).
Khushi's breakdown made him fall in his own eyes. It was difficult for him to comprehend the magnitude of his wife's pain. It was excruciating. Rubbing a hand over his face he tried to think of something that would sound consoling. The fact that this woman felt lonely even in a house filled with so many people made Arnavs heartbreak into shards. So he spoke the first thing that came into his mind.
No Khushi. Aisa mat kaho. Main hoon na. I am always here.
(Don't say that Khushi. I am here).
Only for...hiccup...6 months. Deal hui...hiccup...hai. Phir sab khatam. Sunehre pinjare mein phasi ye chidiya ek din udd jaayegi Arnavji...hiccup...udd jaayegi.
(Once the is over this little bird in the golden cage will find her freedom Arnavji).
Saying the words her voice trailed and slowly Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada lost her consciousness. And as usual, Arnav was there to hold her. For the first time in 5 days, Arnav Singh Raizada wanted to scream out loud. His business ethics, schemes and desire to keep things under his control, all felt meaningless to him today. It seemed like he had been pushed off a cliff. The fear of the unknown was engulfing him rapidly. Leaning back on the recliner he kept staring down at his innocent wife. His insides were being dosed in fire. And he could not do a thing as he sat drowning in his hell.
Khushi's fiance Shyam. The video. The manhandling. The way Khushi screamed at that snake to leave his Di because she knew he was salivating for the Raizada wealth. Arnav hugged the woman in his arms as tears made their way down his eyes.
His cruel deeds flashed before his eyes. How he dragged Khushi to the temple only to push her into a sham of a marriage. He mocked her beliefs and morals. How he stated that she would never be able to enjoy the position of being his wife. And the way he pushed her out of his room to the poolside. His cruel and cold act and her painful tears.
As guilt consumed him Arnav Singh Raizada realized something vital. The precious bundle in his arms is the centre of his universe. She is the only person in this whole world who could love him. Who could bring back the warmth and humanity in him. Wiping a lone tear he promised to avenge Shyam Manohar Jha because of whom he destroyed the feelings growing inside him for Khushi.
Carrying her in his embrace Arnav stood up from the recliner and made her comfortable on the bed. Tucking her in, he caressed her forehead and promised to make amends. He knew he had to ask for her forgiveness. He was ready to repent. Preparing himself for the tough times ahead the man slept beside Khushi holding her hand in his own.
###
Arnav Singh Raizada was lying comfortably on the sheet surrounded by several picnic baskets. He could hear the rest of his family playing cricket a few feet away from him. He shut his eyes for a while trying to absorb the happiness that surrounded him. It has been 3 months since Khushi's drunk confession. Arnav recalled with perfect clarity how the very next day he had exposed Shyam Manohar Jha to his family. His sister did not break down surprising everyone with her strength. The rest of the Raizadas also supported Di and his wife.
He had also confessed the sin he committed at Akaash and Payal's wedding. For the first time, Arnav Singh Raizada admitted the giant mistake he made because of his folly.
And as all of this happened he did not waiver his gaze from Khushi Kumari Gupta. The woman did not react to his confession. For a long week, he was met with disappointment as his wife gave him the cold shoulder. When she did start talking, his brain registered only a few words. Live-in. Separation. Contract. Morals.
By the end of the next week, Khushi had left RM and her decision was supported by all the women in his family. She was not in Laxmi Nagar. And no one knew of her whereabouts. But a few days later, after a lot of persuasion on his part, his Di informed him that Khushi was living in Kanpur with a relative of hers.
And that was how the lover Arnav was born leaving no traces of ASR inside him. He kept apologizing to his wife in different ways. His methods were innovative and refreshing. Slowly, painstaking he worked his way up and one fine day Khushi Kumari Gupta blessed him with her forgiveness. He stopped his musings feeling two palms around his eyes. Chuckling at the familiar scent he pulled the person down and trapped her wrists not allowing her to move any further. Mrs Raizadas bright face greeted his vision. She giggled and squirmed in his arms.
Khushi Singh Raizada. You should be cuffed to me as punishment for being away from me for so long.
Smooching her cheek he wrapped her in his arms trying to understand how a blessing like Khushi has been bestowed on him. It makes him wonder whether God exists somewhere up there? And even if he does exist how can a man like him be gifted with a happy go lucky person like his wife. He wondered.
Arey Di ki dawai ka time hogaya tha. Aur phir thodi der humse door rehne ki aadat aapko honi chahiye Swami.
(I need to keep a track of your sisters meds. And you should know how to survive without me for a while at least, Swami).
Smirking at the endearment Arnav tickled her form till his wife apologized and promised to never call him Swami. He could still hear their family arguing in the background. However, Khushi's words about keeping his distance made his heart flutter uncomfortably.
Main pehle bhi tumse door hochuka hoon. Ab tumse door nai rehna chahta Khushi.
(Being without you is a curse which I have experienced earlier. Now no one can separate us Khushi).
Feeling her lips on his jaw the man tightened his arms around her. She was a strong woman who had not only forgiven Arnav but had also promised to stay with him for seven lives. In her embrace, he felt like the King of this world. Ready to conquer anyone. He shut his eyes again to bask in the glory of their love.
Ab kaisi doori. Ab to hum ban gaye hain 'Khushi 7 janmon ke liye Singh Raizada.'
(No. No separation. Now I am yours for seven lives).
Calm washed over Arnav Singh Raizada as I sponged on the words of my wife. I am a human who makes mistakes. And when he understood that God blessed the man with happiness. Immense happiness.