4. Arnav's Love

"Unhone Hamare Saath...", Khushi paused.
Arnav tamped down his fury and asked, "What did he try to do?"
Khushi stood there silently, looking at him. The memories of Arnavji apologising to his sister in the temple and telling her that she was his world flooded her mind. The love on his face, the tenderness in his eyes as his sister had tied her hand-made rakhi on his wrist...If he found out that Anjaliji's husband was a cheat, he would fall apart. And then his rage would take over. When he got angry, he always behaved rashly. He might even kill ...What would be Anjaliji's plight? His future?
"Unhone Hamare Saath Kuch Bhi Nahin Kiya", she said, a weak smile trembling on her lips.
"Khushi, did he hurt you...did he try to touch you..?"
"No, no..never...no. He never..."
Arnav let out the breath he had been holding. She was safe, not hurt. Her fiance, the son of a...
Arnav watched the pain in her eyes change into tenderness and love. She said, "Please ...don't worry about me. I was just ...just upset...over something that ...Buaji said. I...I need to ...go down. I am sorry... I walked into you...broke your cup..."
Arnav watched her turn to leave the room. "Khushi..Khushi, are you sure?" Remnants of his rage remained in his voice. The desire to tear her faceless fiance into thin strips was hard to let go. She smiled weakly, and rushed out of the room.
She had been trembling. As though in shock. She had remained silent. She had clung to his arm...He looked down at the arm Khushi had leaned against earlier, as if searching for some proof. The sleeve was wrinkled and there were tear stains. He touched the wet spot gently. Khushi in the hospital...She had come running to him as though he were her saviour. She had thrown her arms around him in search of comfort. He had failed her then. But not now. Never again.
He had hesitated earlier on, forcing himself to take his hands off her shoulders by thinking of her engagement. He had told himself that he had no rights on her. But she had given him the right. She had crossed the distance he had tried to make between them, and she had rested her head on his shoulder and wept brokenly. She needed him. And she was going to get him. No fiance was going to stop him. No one...as long as she needed him. He clenched his fists.
She had come to his room earlier. She had been worried then, but not so upset. Why did she look hunted? What had made her so weak in the last few minutes? Not some word spoken by Buaji a few hours back. That was certain. And not her fiance, unfortunately. He wasn't here... Had he phoned Khushi and said something to upset her? Impotent rage raced through Arnav's blood.
Arnav went down the stairs. The pooja was over, and Di was introducing Jijaji to Khushi. Arnav's eyes saw only Khushi. Her desperate attempts to regain her composure, her silence, her defeated posture, the way in which she looked at Di who as usual was hugging Jiju's arm and resting her head on his shoulder...Pity? Pity mixed with grief...Why should she pity Di?
Khushi would leave soon. There was no time to waste. He would dig till he got to the end of this secret. He collected his car keys and sat waiting in the vehicle.
Khushi came out of RM a few minutes later, and started walking home. As she passed by his car, he opened the door for her.
"Khushi, get in"
"Nahin..nahin..I will go home.."
"Khushi, dammit. Get in. I will drop you home."
Khushi got in. Arnav looked at her as he drove away. She was silent and preoccupied. He stopped the car halfway to Laxmi Nagar, by the side of the road. Khushi sat lost in her thoughts, unaware that the car had stopped moving.
"Khushi...What's wrong?"
She looked at him, startled. His face was serious. He wasn't going to let go. He Devi Maiyya! She smiled brightly.
"Wrong? Nothing is wrong. Why do you feel something is wrong?"
"Why did you cry?"
"Buaji...Buaji said...she called me sanka devi and parmeswari and what not. I was upset, that's all. Jiji will be leaving soon...So I was slightly...When we planned to get her married, I didn't think she would be ...leaving me...It just struck me...That's all.." She had a piece of the dupatta in her hand, almost shredding it in her anxiety. Her lips were stretched in a false smile, her eyes anxious to make him believe the lie.
"You will be leaving too, won't you? With your fiance? Will you be marrying before Payal?"
He watched her twist and turn the ends of her shawl. He swooped down and caught hold of her left hand. Arnav looked down at the bare finger where till as recently as a few hours back, her engagement ring had rested. His heart soared.
Khushi tried to pull her her hand away from him. But Arnav was in no mood to let go. He held her soft hand in his, palm to palm. He slowly traced a finger along her ring finger, lingering over the scar of her wound. He caressed the base of her digit that had been forced to carry a ring that had not fit. Her fingers trembled against his palm, unable to control their response to his touch. Elated, he looked into her eyes. She quickly averted hers, and tried to rescue her hand from his hold. Arnav held on to his prize.
"Khushi", he murmured, "Where is your engagement ring?"
"I...the ring...I must have lost it...You know..you know..how clumsy I am...how forgetful.."
"Were you wearing it when you came to RM today, Khushi?"
"Yes, yes...I..I must have...it must have fallen off...somewhere.."
"Shall we go back and search for it. Khushi?"
"No, no...Please take me home...I want to go home.."
"Aren't you worried about your ring, Khushi?"
"I...please..please take me home"
Arnav looked at the tears she was struggling so hard to control, and swallowed.
"Khushi...I will take you home. Just one more question. Give me an honest answer. Khushi, has your engagement been cancelled?"
She remained silent. Arnav waited, her hand safe in his. Finally, she said, "Yes."
Arnav let out a breath of relief. The fiance...ex-fiance could live for now...but what had happened? Something major had taken place. And it had something to do with...what was his name...yes, Shyamji. The very sound of his name irritated Arnav, even though it was his Jijaji's name too.
Arnav rested his head back against the seat, breathing deeply. She was free now. Free to be his. This time there would be no delay, no mistakes. He lifted her hand, and pressed his lips to the scar. Khushi trembled.
As he drove home, he said, "I want to meet your former fiance, Khushi. He lives in your house, doesn't he? I will meet him tonight. Now."
"No...no..You can't meet him...He is not there...Why should you...Please go home...Your family will be waiting for you...", Khushi panicked.
Arnav decided then and there that he would have another one-to-one talk with Payal about Khushi's EX-fiance as soon as he got to Khushi's house. This mystery of the absent fiance...former fiance had to be solved at any cost. It was time to collect details and find out the reason for her panic. Time to collect data, analyse it, and plan future strategy. After all, this was what he excelled in.