Link to my new short story: Taking Care of You
“I thought I was dreaming when I first saw you," he said.
“How did you know it was me?” she asked. “I could have been anybody. A thief even.”
He smiled wearily. “I don’t know many thieves who would look at me with anxious eyes and then cry because I was sick,” he mumbled.
Is it possible for love to bloom, sight unseen? Juhi and Abhay are strangers who know each other better than they know themselves. One night changes the equation and the even tenor of their lives and puts all their doubts and fears to rest.
“I thought I was dreaming when I first saw you," he said.
“How did you know it was me?” she asked. “I could have been anybody. A thief even.”
He smiled wearily. “I don’t know many thieves who would look at me with anxious eyes and then cry because I was sick,” he mumbled.
Is it possible for love to bloom, sight unseen? Juhi and Abhay are strangers who know each other better than they know themselves. One night changes the equation and the even tenor of their lives and puts all their doubts and fears to rest.
http://pothi.com/pothi/book/ebook-smita-ramachandran-taking-care-you
Link to my first e-novel; A Home for Meenakshi
http://pothi.com/pothi/book/ebook-smita-ramachandran-home-meenakshi
"I love the way you love, Meenu," he whispered, his eyes on hers. "Such loyalty, such passion..."
Meenakshi Sharma, an orphan, lives in Varanasi with her uncle, a chronic bachelor who wants her to become a professional musician. She unwillingly relocates to Delhi to study under a renowned musician for eight months. Staying for rent in the outhouse of the Agrawals, she meets Aditya Agrawal, an attractive young man brooding over the memories of his horrendous past. Pulled between her uncle's expectations of her and Aditya's love for her, Meenakshi struggles with her feelings. How can she disappoint her uncle who had devoted his entire life to her upbringing? How can she pretend to be blind to Aditya's feelings for her? A romance that moves between the alleys of the holy city of Varanasi and the modern city of Delhi.
A blog for my VMs:
http://smitarsvms.blogspot.in/
Dedicated to Supriya Sahasrabuddhe (Sups/ aniyathi). She wanted Mami and Payal to plot to bring A-K together. So here goes,
Part 28
Khushi
hyperventilated, holding the towel to her chest in a death grip.
A knock
sounded on the door.
Arnav
rolled his eyes in exasperation and went to open it. There were too many kebab
mein haddis in his house, he thought, even though they were a vegetarian family.
Anjali
stood there with an apologetic look. “Chotey, HP said he saw you going to your
room. I am so relieved to know that you are
home early. Can you please come down and help me?”
Arnav sighed.
“NK bhai
and Akash have gone to get the priest,” Anjali explained.
“Aap
chaliye. I will join you,” he mumbled.
“Now,
Chotey,” Anjali pleaded.
Arnav left
the room with her.
Khushi ran
to lock the door. She dressed frantically, desperate to be ready by the time he
returned. She slapped makeup on her face, threw jewellery on her body, brushed
her hair, applied sindoor and ran out.
“Khushi,
you are ready?” Payal asked with a smile as she met her sister in the corridor.
“Ji,” she
panted.
“Kya hua?”
Payal asked with a frown. “Were you running?”
Khushi
smiled noncommitally. How could she tell her jiji that she was running away
from her husband’s love-making because it shattered her, made her forget that
she shouldn’t fall in love with him, gave her hope that they could have a
future, made her dream he could change....
Arnav
finished repairing the faulty light and stepped down. He turned to return to
his room and saw Khushi and Payal join his family in the living room.
He pouted.
He pouted.
“Chotey,
won’t you change your clothes?” nani asked smiling.
He nodded
and went to his room. It was no use hanging around.
***
“Chotey, sit with Khushi bhabi,” Anjali instructed him. “Akash, sit with Payal bhabi.”
Arnav sat
down as close as he could to Khushi. She shifted away an inch and fiddled with
the pallu of her designer saree.
The priest
started the pooja.
Khushi sat
with her hands folded, eyes shut.
“You look
beautiful,” Arnav whispered.
“I will
show you how beautiful you are when we get to our room,” he promised.
Khushi felt
her mouth dry. "Hey Devi Maiyya," she whispered.
Nani poked
Arnav from behind and hissed, “Don’t talk.”
He shut his
trap for a couple of minutes.
Then he
muttered, “Come out with me for a drive, Khushi.”
She looked
at him, her eyes wide.
“After the
pooja,” he added.
She said
nothing.
“Khushi?”
he asked.
“Arnav
bitwaa, shutuppiya hi kar lio or the priest will throw you into the phairez,”
mami informed him in a sibilant hiss.
“Khushi?”
he asked again.
“Yes,” she
agreed to shut him up.
He sat
silently waiting for the pooja to end, cultivating patience because he couldn’t
kidnap Khushi from the function. Not that he couldn’t. He could. He most
definitely could. But he was not sure she would like it. So ASR, out of
consideration for his wife’s feelings, sat through the pooja like a good boy.
When it
ended, he asked Khushi, “Is it over?”
“Ji,” she
replied.
His fingers
curled around her wrist.
“Chalo,
Khushi,” he invited.
‘He Devi
Maiyya, why did you give him such an irresistible voice?’ she asked her friend.
“Ji,” she replied loudly.
He led her
out to his car, seated her and drove away.
***
“Shall I book a restaurant, Khushi?” he asked. “We can dine out.”
“Dine out?
But our family is at home. Unhe bhi bulana tha na, Arnavji? They will feel
bad,” Khushi replied.
He smiled.
“Khushi,” he said softly. “A married couple do many things together that others
can’t be a part of.”
Khushi
turned her red face to the window by her side.
“We can
have dinner out if we want to, go on a honeymoon, spend the whole day in our
room, watch movies, whatever,” he explained.
“How do you
know what married people do?” Khushi asked crossly. “As though he has been
married a hundred times. Laad Governor kahin ka,” she muttered under her
breath.
He
chuckled.
Khushi turned
her head away.
‘Why does
he have to marry when he can have girlfriends by the dozen?’ she asked herself.
‘Khussi, you are married to a man who has had many wife-like girlfriends. You
are so lucky to be married to a Laad Governor who is an expert on marriage.’
Her lips drooped.
Her lips drooped.
“Kya hua,
Khushi?” he asked, a frown creasing his forehead.
“Nothing,”
she replied. ‘It is all nothing to him anyway. What does it matter to him if it
is Lisa or Lavanya or Khushi? What do my tears matter? Learn to live with
disappointment, Khushi. Poochne wala koi nahi hoga if you let him into your
heart and he breaks it.’
He braked
hard.
Khushi
looked at him in surprise.
“Khushi,
come with me,” he invited, excited. He came to her door and opened it. “Come
on.”
He took
hold of her hand and led her across the road to a posh saree shop.
“Arnavji,”
she protested, looking at the hundreds of silk sarees on display.
“I want to
buy you a saree, Khushi.”
“I have
more than I can wear.”
Soon she
found herself walking out of the shop, now the confused owner of the red, the
mint green and the coral sarees on display and three anarkalis, all selected by
her husband.
He helped
the salesman load their purchases in the car.
As he turned, he saw a young girl selling red, yellow and pink roses.
As he turned, he saw a young girl selling red, yellow and pink roses.
“Bhaiyya,
buy a rose for your wife,” the flower seller suggested.
Arnav
looked at Khushi for a second and then purchased all the roses the girl had,
adding a huge tip along with it.
As the girl
stood staring at the money in her hand, he handed over the bouquet to Khushi
and opened the door for her.
“ASR,” came
a call from the dark.
Khushi and
Arnav turned to see Lisa and her fiance, a young, handsome man with a ready
smile.
Lisa threw
herself at Arnav. He staggered and moved away as soon as he could.
Khushi
stood there, watching them, numb, frozen. An ache alone was left where her
heart had been. At that moment she realised one inescapable truth—that it was
too late to distance herself, too late to protect herself from hurt, too too
late not to fall in love with him.
“Khushi,”
he called hoarsely, his eyes trying to read the blank look on her face.
“Is this
your new girlfriend?” Lisa asked, all smiles. There was nothing to hide anyway.
All the girls ASR dated knew the score. They couldn’t miss it, could they, when
ASR always dinned it into them that it was a passing, temporary relationship
and that he was anti-love and very anti-marriage. “I heard that Lavanya had
left for London.”
“Khushi is
my wife.”
The steel
in his voice didn’t register with Lisa who was reeling under the shock of
finding out that the ASR who was allergic to marriage had gotten married.
“Wife?” she
squealed.
Khushi
looked away, wishing she were anywhere, even six feet under the soil, anywhere
except here.
“I am so
happy to meet you,” Lisa said in excitement. She must be the only person in
Delhi who had seen ASR’s wife. What a coup! “Meet my fiance, Rohan Agrawal.”
Khushi
managed to nod at Rohan, thankful she didn’t have to do more, her shaking hands
being full of flowers.
He beamed
at her and shook hands with Arnav, saying, “Congrats on your marriage.”
Arnav
nodded his thanks.
“I am so
glad you sent Lisa to Paris last year. We met there,” Rohan said.
Arnav
nodded, his uneasy eyes on Khushi’s pale face.
“It was
love at first sight,” Lisa chimed in.
“We came to
get sarees for our mothers and aunts,” Rohan explained. “They are planning a
loud sangeet.”
Lisa and
Rohan chuckled.
Arnav
nodded.
“Khushi,
your saree is so gorgeous. Did you buy it from here?” Lisa asked.
“No,” she
mumbled.
“I designed
it and had our production team make it,” ASR stated.
Lisa almost
fell down in shock.
“You can design, ASR?” Lisa asked, her eyes as big as saucers. “Really? How come no one
knows? And since when has AR Designs produced Indian wear?”
“We are
trying something new,” ASR mumbled.
“You
designed it for Khushi?” Lisa asked, her eyes dancing. “How romantic. Marriage
has definitely changed you.”
Khushi
flinched. Romantic? Tragic was the word.
“Have you
finished your shopping?” Rohan asked ASR easily.
“Yes,”
Arnav replied.
“ASR, you
bought flowers for Khushi? You? You bought a gift for a girl? Really?” Lisa’s
surprise was genuine. “Decided to give Aman a break?”
Arnav
swallowed hard. “Time for us to leave, I am afraid,” he muttered.
“ASR, I
will send you my wedding card. It is on the twentieth of next month. Please
bring Khushi with you,” Lisa said. “Everyone will be thrilled to meet Khushi.”
‘Yes, they
will be,’ Khushi thought. ‘It is not everyday that people get to laugh at a
fool who threw in her lot with a man like Arnav Singh Raizada. And with my
luck, all the guests at the wedding will be his former or current girlfriends.’
“Yes, it
would be wonderful if both of you could make it,” Rohan said cheerfully.
“Let’s
see,” Arnav said. He nodded farewell to Lisa and Rohan who waved at them and
walked into the saree shop holding hands.
“Khushi,”
he held the door open for her, scared that she would bolt.
She held
out the bouquet. It seemed too heavy for her tired arms.
He relieved
her of its weight ad tossed it on the back seat.
Khushi
moved to the car on unsteady legs and slowly got in.
Arnav shut
the door and took the driver’s seat.
He looked
at Khushi’s wan face and hunched shoulders. His heart clenched in grief at the
look of devastation and loss in her eyes.
“I dated
Lisa briefly,” he said softly.
Khushi said
nothing, just looked down at her hands on her lap. What could she say? What was
left to be said?
“Last
year,” he added. “She is a model. We used to employ her.”
Khushi
swallowed through a dry throat. A model. She looked it. She was so beautiful,
so well-groomed, so slim, so tall, so well-dressed, so graceful, so
confident....everything that she, Khushi Kumari Gupta, the adopted daughter of
a Lucknow halwai wasn’t.
“When there
was an opportunity in Paris, I recommended her for the slot,” he continued,
glancing uneasily at her pasty face. “She met Rohan there, it seems. There was
no reason to stay in touch and I was surprised to see her at the Zaveri
showroom. She was shopping for her engagement ring.” ‘Please, please, Khushi,
look at me,’ he pleaded in his mind. ‘Palat, palat, please.’
She sat
there, still, silent, head lowered, defeated, not thinking of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge at the moment.
He started
the car. The earlier he took her home, the better, he realised. Khushi looked
shocked; her face was sallow.
He drove in
silence for a while, his heart beating rapidly.
He shot a
look at her. She was still looking at her fingers on her lap. Fear filled him.
What if she left him?
“Khushi, I
moved on. She moved on. It meant nothing to us,” he explained softly, trying to
make it clear that Lisa had nothing to do with him or their marriage or their
future.
Khushi
blinked.
‘Either
this world is ajeeb or I am ajeeb,’ she thought, her very soul feeling
pummelled and battered by circumstances. ‘How could he touch Lisa like he
touched me last night and then shake hands with her fiance and wish them well?
How could Lisa share her body and soul with him and then introduce him to her
fiance?’
“It was a
long time back, Khushi. It meant nothing,” he tried to impress upon her, her
silence and her deathlike stance scaring him.
Khushi saw
Arnav hugging Lisa’s slim body like he hugged hers.
Her chest
heaved, suppressed sobs taking their toll.
She saw his
face coming closer to Lisa’s, his eyes naughty, his lips smirking. She saw him
angle his head and kiss Lisa’s red lips.
Her nails
cut into the soft skin of her palms.
He died
seeing that single drop roll down her ashen cheek.
Khushi
lifted a trembling hand and shakily wiped away the betraying moisture.
Arnav
opened his mouth to say he knew not what, but was stopped by the sound of
Khushi’s phone ringing.
She looked
at the display. Buaji.
She
swallowed her tears and answered the call.
“Hello,”
she whispered.
“Titliya,”
buaji called. “Tum kaahe kal aur aaj phoone naahi kiye rahe? I was worried. You
normally call every day, Nandkisore.”
“I—I was
busy,” she mumbled. She felt homesick, desperately homesick. She wanted to
sprout wings and fly away to Lucknow, but how could she?
“Acha?”
buaji teased. “Our Sanka Devi is too busy in her husband’s house to spare a
moment for her family?”
Khushi was
beyond finding a reply. How could she return to Lucknow and shame her family?
“How is
damadji?” buaji asked fondly.
“Fine,” she
replied. “How is babuji?”
“Feeling
much better, Nandkisore,” buaji said.
Khushi drew
in a deep breath. ‘This is why you married Laad Governor, to keep your babuji
healthy and safe. Never forget it, not for a moment. Forget Lucknow, forget
your happiness. Focus only on babuji.’
“Are you
happy, Titliya?” buaji asked.
Khushi’s
voice wobbled as she said, “Yes, buaji, very happy.”
Arnav
winced.
“Chalo acha
he, Nandkisore,” buaji said laughing. “You got the badtameez groom of your
dreams.”
“Ji,
buaji,” Khushi agreed softly.
“Phoone
rakhthi hoon. Call us tomorrow, Parmeswari,” buaji ordered.
“Ji.”
“Give our
love to Devyaniji, Garima and Anjali bitiya,” buaji ordered.
“Yes,
buaji,” Khushi whispered before cutting the call.
He wanted
to talk to her, but they had reached RM. He parked the car and she left the
vehicle quietly, walking into the house, leaving behind her new clothes and the
bouquet.
Nani was
carrying a heavy tray of pooja paraphernalia. Khushi rushed to take it from her
hands.
“The guests
left just now,” nani told her with a smile. “They loved your jalebi.”
Khushi
tried to smile.
She looked around. There was a lot of cleaning to be done. She joined Anjali, Payal and HP in clearing the living room, ignoring Arnav as he walked past them to his room.
She looked around. There was a lot of cleaning to be done. She joined Anjali, Payal and HP in clearing the living room, ignoring Arnav as he walked past them to his room.
“Chotey,
the flowers? You got them for bhabi?” Anjali teased.
“Yes.”
“What is in
those packets?” she asked.
“Sarees for
Khushi,” he replied.
All
Raizadas except Khushi smiled.
Arnav
walked up to their room. Khushi remained with the others.
“Khushi
bhabi, you have changed our Chotey,” Anjali complimented her. “Full credit to
you.”
Khushi said
nothing, only smiled bitterly.
“Buying
phlowers, buying sarees,” mami shook her head in wonder. “Is it hamre Arnav
bitwaa?”
“He is
happy,” nani said slowly. “I never thought I would ever see him happy.” She
turned to smile at Khushi. “It is all because of you, Khussi bitiya.”
“Haan,
nani. Remember how he used to work till late at the office,” Anjali reminded
them.
“And his
ghooosa,” NK added.
“And his
akadwaa,” mami contributed.
“He has
mellowed, become softer,” nani said with satisfaction.
“Comejj
homewaa at six. Sharp,” mami announced.
“No anger
now, no akkad,” NK said.
Payal
smiled at Khushi in genuine delight. Khushi was a lucky girl to get such a
loving husband, she thought.
Khushi
slowly moved away. If she stayed there any longer, she would cry like there was
no tomorrow. She slipped away up the steps.
She stopped before their bedroom.
She stopped before their bedroom.
Arnav stood
waiting for her to come in, his ears trained on her footfall.
‘Should I
go in?’ she wondered. ‘I need to cry. How can I cry here when he is watching?’
Her eyes fell on the door of the room she had occupied on her last visit.
‘Can I stay the night there? Cry till I am left with no more tears?’ But then the thought of someone finding out entered her head. ‘There will be a hundred questions. The truth will out and the peace in this house will be shattered. Jiji—naniji—di—mami—Nanheji...no, I can’t take the risk.’
Her eyes fell on the door of the room she had occupied on her last visit.
‘Can I stay the night there? Cry till I am left with no more tears?’ But then the thought of someone finding out entered her head. ‘There will be a hundred questions. The truth will out and the peace in this house will be shattered. Jiji—naniji—di—mami—Nanheji...no, I can’t take the risk.’
Reluctantly
she pushed open the door of their bedroom and hesitated near the entrance.
Arnav took
one look at her face and left the room to sit in his garden. She needed privacy
to cry, to think. He was grateful she had chosen to join him in their bedroom.
Her love for their families was stronger than her sorrow, her disgust for him.
He
collapsed on his black recliner.
Had he
known he would meet a girl like Khushi, feel his heart throb for her, have his
blood rush through his veins at a single look from her, want her in his life
desperately, die to have her marry him, he would have remained celibate till he
met her. He wouldn’t have wasted even a glance at another girl.
But he
hadn’t known.
He hadn’t
known that his life was not a rudderless boat. He hadn’t known that his dard
would meet its dawa, that one day his nightmares would stop, that a day would
come when his past would lose the power to draw blood, that a guileless girl
would walk up to him, saying “Suniye, hum Khushi he.”
He shook
his head in distress.
What had he
known then of khushi, of happiness? He knew only gham, pain. He hadn’t
recognised her, hadn’t known how important she would be to his existence,
hadn’t known he would have no existence without her.
He buried
his head in his hands.
Rash's immediate, lightning-fast & insightful interpretation:
Rash's immediate, lightning-fast & insightful interpretation:
Part 28
In life only the foolish believe that words and actions go unchecked without fear of consequence or repercussion... Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the action of individuals can have far reaching effects...
Arnav had tried to expose what is wrong with Khushi when he couldn't take in what is right about her... This was the beginning of the scale getting tilted...
Seeing Liza when he was with Khushi was like being welcomed to Karma Cafe... where there are no menus but get served only what you deserve... This too added its weight to the already lopsided balance...
Khushi felt he had no compunction of having been involved with Liza and still behave just as casual friends... This was incomprehensible to her... Her mind started questioning his integrity based on values not personal gains... Nafrat paas aane na de…
When Arnav tried to strike a conversation, the monosyllable answers he used to receive got replaced by silence... for silence is the most intolerable of answers... Any amount of valuable gifts he bought turned into dross... Her silence was a statement ... your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water...
When Khushi received a call from her Buaji, she realized what her priorities ought to be and what she values the most... Khushi's actions expressed her priorities... At the enquiry of her happiness she assured her Buaji that she was very much so...When they reached home... she took to the task of clearing things and help the rest...
Actions of Arnav Singh Raizada relating to his numerous flings in the past, have come to haunt him... His one nightmare has been replaced by another of his own making... He's caught in the crossfire of his and Khushi's silent screams... He has jumped from the cozy warmth in the night of heat to the icy winds in the heat of the night... What a drastic change in his life... Her silence has evoked an unprecedented response in him... His actions of the past are bringing in him an unparalleled regret... In the heat of the night the whys’ were coming around and pounding in his head... they were looking for answers... they were relentlessly chasing him down to the brink of self loathing... His loneliness got a place to settle down... For Khushi is near yet so far... all thanks to himself... a reaction to his actions... Mohabbat door jaane na de…
The choices in front of Arnav and Khushi are... they either can let it define them, let it destroy them or let it strengthen them…
Loved the update Smita…
Part 29
Khushi
grabbed a set of casual clothes and locked herself in the bathroom. Burying her
face in a towel to muffle her sobs, she wept as if her heart would break.
After a
long time, she freshened up, changed clothes and leaned against the wall, her
eyes closed.
‘What will
I do now?’ she asked herself. ‘Can’t go back to Lucknow, can’t stay here. Kya
hoga mera, Devi Maiyya? Help me.’
She wiped
away a tear with her fingers.
‘I need to
think, to plan,’ the practical halwai thought. ‘What are the positives and the
negatives of the situation?’
She wiped
the next tear away.
‘I can’t
return to Lucknow but babuji is safe. My family is happy. Laad Governor’s
family is happy. Jiji is very happy.’
She
sniffed.
‘Lisa is
getting married. Now she can chase her own husband. She won’t need mine,’
Khushi comforted herself.
‘One year. Arnavji said she was his girlfriend last
year,’ she thought with a frown. ‘And di said at the Zaveri showroom that Lisa
had been Laad Governor’s girlfriend before Lavanya. So Lavanya must be this
year’s girlfriend. Where is she? Maybe she hasn’t heard that her boyfriend got
married. Or maybe it doesn’t matter to her. Why should it if our marriage doesn’t
affect her relationship with him?’
Khushi
dried her wet face again.
‘But Lisa
was last year and Lavanya is this year. So maybe he has only one girlfriend at
a time.’ She shrugged. ‘Who knows?’
Khushi
sagged against the wall, despondent.
‘Di will
know,’ she realised suddenly.
She moved away from the wall in a sense of
urgency.
‘I can ask her, but.’ She sagged back. ‘Why involve others in this
mess? And it is so tacky, so sordid. How can I ask her how many girlfriends my
husband has at a time?’
Khushi drew
in a deep breath. ‘But how can I live in ignorance, in fear of being hurt, always
scared?’
Her cheeks
were wet again. She dried them with a determined hand.
‘I will ask
my husband,’ she decided. ‘He will know for sure. Di might miss one or two, but
he won’t.’
She walked
to the mirror and quickly patted her hair into obedience. She washed her face
again and draped the dupatta neatly around her neck. She bit her lips to give
them colour, patted her cheeks to make them look less bloodless.
Taking a
deep breath, she slowly opened the bathroom door and stepped into the bedroom.
‘He must be
in the garden still,’ Khushi thought. ‘Or has he gone looking for more
congenial company?’
Her eyes fell on the clock. It was past midnight.
She looked
at the bed.
Her bouquet
of pink, red and yellow roses was lying near her pillow. The packets with her
sarees were placed beside it. My husband, my bedroom, my marriage, my life, my flowers, my sarees, she thought. And all were under threat.
Tears
glittered in her eyes. She blinked them away.
Khushi
slowly moved to the door leading to the garden.
A chill
wind plastered her suit to her body. She shivered and hugged herself.
Her eyes
fell on his medicine box. Had he taken his pills for diabetes?
She looked
out into the garden. Her eyes widened.
Laad
Governor was lying on the black recliner, staring at the night sky.
‘Is he mad? It is so cold. Ek kambal bhi nahi
liya, budhu,’ Khushi thought. ‘And did he have his dinner? His pills?’
She grimaced.
Of course not.
Had he ever done
anything by himself? It was always HP or di or herself running after him with
trays of food and beverages, pills and glasses of water.
Khushi
turned and walked down to the kitchen. She unlocked it and quickly made a
couple of sandwiches and brewed a pot of tea even as a hundred questions she
wanted to ask him burned in her mind.
She carried
it up, hesitated near the glass door to the garden and then drawing a deep
breath for courage, stepped out. She lowered the tray on the table by him and
straightened.
The next
thing she knew was that his arms were tight around her waist and his head was buried
against her bosom.
Khushi
clutched his shoulders to maintain her balance.
A moment
later, she said softly, “Have your dinner. You have to take your pills.”
“Khushi,”
he whispered against her chest. It was a plea for forgiveness, a cry for help.
Maybe it
was the chill wind that knocked some sense into her or the feel of him clasped
in her arms or the silence of the night that gave her courage to voice her demons.
She asked
softly, calmly, “How may girlfriends do you have right now?”
He looked
up, shocked out of his skull. “What?” he breathed.
She didn’t
bother to repeat her question, just looked at him with her big, beautiful, serious, direct eyes.
“None,” he
replied.
Khushi
looked into his honest eyes. “Lavanya?” she asked bluntly.
“No,” he
replied. “That ended before you even visited Delhi, Khushi.”
Khushi
swallowed hard. Then why had he been hugging her at Purple Orchid? She had to
ask. How else would she know what she wanted to know? “Then why were you
hugging her in Purple Orchid?” she asked directly.
He shook
his head. “I wasn’t, Khushi.
Khushi
firmed her lips. “I saw you.”
“I know.
But I wasn’t hugging her. I was dragging her along. She was dead drunk,” he
explained.
Khushi
gasped.
He found
the words without any difficulty, maybe because she was very calm about the
whole mess.
“I was at
office when she phoned. She sounded very drunk. She was doing the last week
as our employee before moving back to London.
I wasn’t sure she could make it to her flat without help. So I got her from the
restaurant, held her up as I took her out, bundled her in my
car and dropped her at her home,” he said simply.
Khushi
blinked, processing all the new information. Finally she said, “I thought—I
thought you had two girlfriends, Lisa and Lavanya....”
He shook
his head. “Only one at a time,” he stated softly. “Maybe it is because Papa was
such a—anyway, I don’t cheat. Never. Not in business. Not in relationships.”
Khushi drew
in a deep breath of relief.
“I will
never cheat on you, Khushi. Never. Duplicity of any kind is abhorrent to me. I
lose my temper, my self-control. I feel like burning the world,” he whispered
against her heart. “I will never hurt you, Khushi, never.”
Tears of
relief filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks to fall on his face.
He looked
up.
Seeing her
tears, he stood up and pulled her into his arms.
“Don’t cry, Khushi,” he begged.
“Please don’t cry.”
They stood
hugging for long.
Then Khushi
freed herself and dried her cheeks and eyes.
“Have
dinner. It is very late,” she reminded him.
He made her
sit on the recliner by him and handed her a sandwich. They ate in companionable
silence and shared the pot of tea. She handed him his pills and a glass of
water. He swallowed them.
Khushi made
to take the tray.
“Leave it.
HP will take it later,” he suggested.
She nodded.
They moved
to their bedroom.
“I will
change,” he muttered, rooting in his wardrobe for casual clothes.
She nodded.
She went
down, got a flower vase, returned to their room and arranged the big bouquet in
it. Arnav emerged from the bathroom to see her set it on the low table by her
side of the bed.
Happiness
filled his heart, flushing out despair and darkness.
He picked
up her sarees and placed them in her wardrobe.
Khushi used
the bathroom to freshen up and crawled into bed as he dimmed the lights.
They lay
staring at the ceiling, their minds and heads full of the happenings of the
evening.
Khushi
asked quietly, “You don’t design clothes?”
He sighed. “I
used to, when life was simpler, when I was starting out. I enjoyed it. But the
business got too big too soon. I had to spend every moment keeping track of it.
We have our in-house team of designers now. So I stopped designing.”
“My
clothes?” she asked.
“When I saw
you in Lucknow—pata nahi kya hua—matlab, I know I was very rude to you, but—I
began to draw lehengas...Khushi, come with me tomorrow morning? I want to show
you something.”
“Ji,” she
replied softly.
They lay in
the dim light, both of them relieved that they had managed to step back from
falling into a dark abyss at the very last moment, grateful that they still had a
marriage to work on, desperately glad that they were not alone.
Khushi’s
eyes fell on the roses.
“Thank you
for the flowers. The child was happy. I love them,” she murmured.
He smiled
in quiet pleasure.
“Lisa seemed
surprised that you had bought me flowers and clothes,” she wondered aloud. “Why?”
He
struggled to find words to explain. “I—I don’t go shopping. Matlab, di drags me
along, but otherwise I avoid it. Aman picks gifts for birthdays if necessary,”
he mumbled uneasily.
“For girlfriends?” Khushi asked, surprised.
Arnav
shrugged uncomfortably. “I rarely remember such days and dates. Work keeps me
busy. Aman takes care of all that,” he murmured.
Khushi’s
eyes widened. What kind of boyfriend was he? So unromantic, so distracted, so
disinterested? Then she frowned. If he hated buying gifts, why was he burying
her under an avalanche of them?
Rashmi's interpretation: Part 29
When Khushi let herself be submerged by the stream of tears, the raindrops from the storm inside her... it cleared her mind's eye and could see clearly what she needed to do... Still she was worried of what the answer would be if ever she posed her question... She called upon her reserves to give her the courage to confront what she has imagined her marital situation to be...
That was the turning moment… a moment when she found the courage to let go of what she can't change... She knew Arnav had his girlfriends... it was a fact and it could not be changed even if both wished... What she could do was determine whether there were any from the time she came into his life and what would be her position in his life... She saw that future was more important than the past... The past is behind and the future is ahead but the present is here... so living it fully and making it beautiful and worthwhile was important for her, for him and their family too...
Courage is simply the willingness to be afraid and act anyway... It means you don't let fear stop you... She saw that he was lying outside by the pool on the cold shivery night without any warm covering…. In her mind she berated him for being careless…. She also knew he had not had his food and medicine… Knowing whatever may be his answer her caring nature would not let him go without his daily intake of medicine. Making a snack and a pot of tea she went to him…. Gathering her wits she posed directly to Arnav about his girlfriends giving him a much needed opening… His explanation that he had girlfriends but only one at a time and to each one he had been faithful till it lasted and he abhorred duplicity be it in business or relationship… maybe it was because he loathed his Papa and what he stood for in his mind… He had come clean off the relationship with Lavanya even before she, Khushi, had visited Delhi… His repeated reassurance that he would not hurt her went a long way in assuaging her splintered heart… It made her believe that he too wanted this relationship just like her. Her heart and her mind which could only see darkness ahead could now see beautiful pictures… Beautiful pictures are developed from the negative in a dark room… When both thought that things were falling apart, they actually fell into place with just HOT…Honest, Open and Two-way communication… With this she made peace with his past and set herself free of the lingering doubts over her future… After resolving the issues that had led to the mayhem that evening, they could feel happiness by the simple gestures of the other…
When they lay down on their bed, still both had a lot to talk and the conversation led to designing clothes… His admittance, that he had given up designing due to work pressure and Khushi was his muse to take it up again in a varied line than he used to do earlier, made her happy… The knowledge that he never bought or sent things personally to his girl friends’ and those were always a part of Aman’s job had her relieved … It meant they meant nothing to him in personal sense… But it made her ponder as to why he bought so much for her personally both simple as well as expensive stuff when he hated to shop and buy gifts?... She wondered what kind of a relationship it was to have a detached unromantic boyfriend!
Happy is the person who knows what to remember of the past... what to enjoy of the present... and what to plan for the future...
Loved the update Smitha…
Awesome... Read it once phataphat...
ReplyDeleteLoved it.
One song ki kuchh lines for this update...
DeleteSau aansu roye do akhiyan
Sau aansu roye do akhiyan
Maara hai jinhe neendon ne
Kabhi na soye wo akhiyan
Wo.. o...
Kaise koi roke bhalaa
Haath laqeerein chhod gayin
Laakhon dil ke tukde kiye
Dhadkan ko bhi tod gayi
Kabhi theharega dard kahin
Koi gunjaaish dikhti nahi
Chanda bin jiya na lage
Jal kaajal si ratiyan
Sau aansu roye do akhiyan
Sau aansu roye do akhiyan
Maara hai jinhein neendon ne
Kabhi na soye woh akhiyan
Wah. Kya poetry he.
DeleteI feel bad for Arnav. Hope khushi will understand him slowly and return his love. Then there will be fireworks.
ReplyDeleteYes, they need to figure out what the heck is happening with them.
DeleteFeeling bad for them both, but I guess this was slotted to happen with the very little communication going between them. loved the update smita.
ReplyDeleteGreat things will happen soon.
DeleteNice update.. Thank you..
ReplyDeleteThank u, my dear.
DeletePoor Arnav. How is he going to convince Khushi?
ReplyDeleteDekhte hein.
DeletePoor Arnav. How is he going to convince Khushi?
ReplyDeleteThe thing is bith5are suffering because of arnav's past girl friends which can't be changed. .there is more heart ache to come in form of lavanya...I don't know how 'll both overcome this heart ache...but they love each other..let's see what hapoens..beautiful update showing there feelings. ..thanks for update smitaji..gud luck
ReplyDeleteLet's see how they manage.
DeleteIss Poojali Ko bhi abhi tapakna tha kya? Good that they ran into Lisa and Rohan at least now Arnav will get a chance to talk and clear all confusion that is in khushi's mind. Smita can't see our Titaliya in so much turmoil. Make everything ok soon
ReplyDeleteSee... pata tha aap yeh karo ge humaare saath...
ReplyDeleteEmotional wreckage...
I am clueless here... The past is the past... can not be changed... It's the future that she needs convincing of... And he hasn't found the right words yet!
Seriously all those super romantic moments wasted coz she is stuck in the quicksand of misunderstandings... Arghhh!!! Ok... I do believe in magic... I do! I do! So I will leave it to you... FIX IT!
And please some one... knock some sense into Anjali!
Unfair S ji... bahut ghalat jaga pe chora hai...
Do what I do at times like this.
DeleteStep 1 : Plajjee your handwaa on your heartwaa and say All ijj well, all ijj well.
Step 2 ; Pester Smitaji for assurances and updates.
Step 3 : Repeat Steps 1 and 2 as needed
LOL! kal update doongi
DeleteAll ijjj NOT well... Abhi La has not even made her contribution to this mess... Hai re Nandakishore!!!?
DeleteDeep breaths, SB, deep breaths; Can't have you hyperventilating like this. Otherwise how will you last till kal , which is when Smitaji has promised an update.
DeleteKnowing Smitaji, it doesn't rain, but pours ( bad eg. considering the situation I'm in but it fits) La is entering the picture even as we speak.
Re: Anjali - agree with you 200%. I'm thinking of ways to punish/knock some sense into her/ get her out of the way. How about we hide the pooja thali and make her search for it all day, then she'll be out of Arnav and Khushi's hair (hopefully)
With our luck, she will probably go to search in A&K's room at.... You guessed it... The entirely Ahem time!!!!
DeleteHa..ha..She used to leave even mangoes to dry by the poolside and walk in to get them. LOL!
DeletePoor female... means well, but cursed with such rotten timing... That is why she pairs so well with Aman... S ji, something to keep in mind...
Deleteha..ha.. I know the way ur mind works, SB. Keep Anju baby busy with Aman so that A & K can have a life!
DeleteCan you blame me... And I quote...
Delete“Aap chaliye. I will join you,” he mumbled.
“Now, Chotey,” Anjali pleaded. Unquote...
Really? Face planting into the nearest flat surface...
SB - this one is for you
DeleteASR : (on the phone) Aman, I need the Singhania file NOW.
Aman : Right away ASR.
In the mean time, ASR decides to spend some 'Ahem' time with his delectable wife.
Aman reaches RM. Rings door bell.
Anjali : (looking very pretty in pink and carrying a (wait , you guessed it - a pooja thali) Yes?? Can I help you? (insert musical notes here)
Aman : (insert little hearts floating around the head ) Errr, yes. you can. I mean yes, of course you can ....
Anjali : (looking doubtful) Poor man! Must be mentally retarted. No, Anjali, remember what Mrs. Roy from the outreach prog. said - no using words like retarted. Intellectually challenged. (Smiling sweetly and in a kind voice) continue please, I can... what?
Aman : (face palming) Get a grip you idiot! (Regrouping what little was left of his scattered senses) I I I ... ASR meet now.
Anjali : Oh! you want to meet chotey? I'm Anjali , chotey's sister. Of course, come in come in.
He must be up in his room.
Aman: I'm Aman. Please inform him right away as he wanted this file urgently.
Anjali : Oh, well in that case, just go up these stairs and knock on his door.
Aman goes up. Mean while ASR and KKGSR - beginning to ahem ahem.
Aman : (knocks - no response. knocks louder) ASR? Sir, I have the Singhania file that you wanted. ( demanded is more like it, you slave driver)
No response from the room.
Aman : Ma'am?
Anjali : Please call me Anjali or if you prefer Anju.
Aman : (in a tizzy at being given this privilege) Anju, there's no response from the room. What to do??
Anju : Yeh chotey bhi naa?? (indulgent smile) Come, let's try to gether.
Both go up and knock. Chotey, CHOTEY!!!! Amanji is here to see you.
ASR : What the @$#&**^$
Khushi : Arnavji, Chodiye hume. Di aap ko bula rahi hai.
ASR : Shut up Khushi. Don't say a word, don't even breathe. May be they will go away.
Anju: Hmmm! That'strange. He came in here, I know that. (to herself) what is going on?? CHOTEY! OPEN THE DOOR RIGHT NOW.
All is quiet.
Anju: Amanji, you continue to knock. Don't let up and as a back up keep trying his phone simultaneously. In the meanwhile I'll enter the pool side through my room and bang on his poolside door. We'll get him Amanji, don't worry.
Aman : (besotted) Of course, Anju. I'll start right away.
Anju: If all else fails, I'll use my tears and wobbly voice and use my famous dialogue " Chotey , you have changed after marriage. You don't want to talk to me or give me any answers. " You watch Amanji, it never fails.
SB, is this what you want? Aman and Anju pairing up??
Stop....Stop!!! I can't take this torture anymore... If I were ASR... I would just shoot myself... Actually even as myself... I might just shoot myself! What an imagination... for HORROR!!!
DeleteOn the plus side... all the tension has drained out... Coz I was so busy rolling on the floor laughing that I could not hold on to it...
You are CRAZY, KC... and I love you for it!!!
Nahi S ji, ignore all my future suggestions coz I obviously don't know what I am talking about... This picture will never erase from my mind!!!
DeleteKC, that was hilarious!
DeleteKC: NOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
DeletePlease make them stop .its too much, I cant take it anymore..
SB : Im sure THAT is not what you envisioned?!!
Hai... na... My retina has been damaged forever by this image... and my brain cottage cheese ho gaya hai...
Deleteyaad i maazi ( read as yeh scene ) azaab hai ya rab!
Cheen le mujh se hafiza mera....
LOL! Scary scenario, KC. Very scary. Lub isstory horror isstory banti jaa rahi he.
DeleteSince you are here Sji, any chance for an update?
DeleteFeeling sad for both of them :(
ReplyDeleteTension mat le.
DeleteFeeling very bad for both arnav and khushi..
ReplyDeleteHow is he going to make her understand..
I really really hope they sort out the matter asap
Cnt soon
Tomorrow.
DeleteAwesome
ReplyDeletepoor arnav
hello Smitha chechi.. Busy with Uni xams...Missed so many update....Haila bahuth kuch hua.....
ReplyDeleteLisa ji with her fiancee.......Lack of communication is the main problem in their relation..Arnav didnt clear his past and khushi still Misunderstanding his character..
and in all this they consummated. damn it...
I am fearing Khushis question to Arnav in Sanka style...Lavanya ke pahale aapki zindagi mein kithne saheliya thi..Arnav ji...my god Smitha chechi I hope u will not give dat type of shocks to us... With Arnav ji ki list...*horror face*
I really need spank both this thick heads....I dont know with Lavanyas entry MU will stretch a bit...
What will happen if our Payaliya and Nani too come to know abt all this.... jeth ji ki band bajega...
sry chechi for so many questions.......ur updates r so strong dat it activated my brain cells...lol
I am laughing here thinking of you spanking them!
DeleteSmitaji, you must have been one heck of a cricket or baseball player. Your googlies and curve balls are astounding. Just as I was bracing myself for various scenarios that involved La's appearance in their lives, what do I find? Limber, lithe ,lissome Lisa and her absurd, asinine assumptions about girlfriends.
ReplyDeleteWhat an intense update!! Reminds me of a line from the show. Actually, it was the only time I found myself agreeing with snakewaa : "Life has no rewind buttons" . ( I think Scrap Booker also quoted this line earlier, if I'm not mistaken)
No matter how much Arnav wants to he can't turn the clock back and no matter how much khushi wishes she can't undo her decision to marry him. Both of them have to face the truth and more importantly each other.
Hi Smitaji,
ReplyDeleteOkay so no bakwas only sidhi baat...
Hum ab kab blog pe aayenge nahi pata...take care and aap humko miss kareinge ya nahi yeh toh nahi pata but hum aapko miss kareinge.
Love hugs n chumban.
Are you going somewhere?
DeleteHetal, kya hua?
DeleteYeah... no one goes anywhere till this story is resolved...
DeleteJokes aside... are you alright?
Hetal what happened?
DeleteOf course we'll miss you..... How can you think otherwise... ! Our relation is not a few weeks old but quite a few years now...
Are you sick? Travelling? Holiday pe jaa rahi ho?
DeleteI am not going anywhere sweethearts. It's just I am going through a lot in my AD thanks to my hubby and my son ...Muje kuchh nahi hua....but haan kuchh baatein aisi hoti he jo bataati nahi ja sakti.
DeleteLove you all and miss you all.
One group hug ho jaaye !???
Itna darra denay ke baad to pehle aap ki class na le li jaaye?
DeletePar hug bhi chale ga... Hope things work out for you... Best wishes!!!
Smitaji sickness aur mera barso puraana naata hai....so its OK hota he chalta he
DeleteAnd hubby aur son ki wajah se I am much more in my senses warna ab tak jo bacha kucha mera mindwa haena woh bhi jagah se hill jaata. I will try my best to return ASAP.
God give you the strength to cope with everything. My best wishes to you. Muuuuuaaahhhs and hugs.
DeleteGROUP HUG! Hetal, blog ko goli maar. Take care of your health. When you get back to us, I want you dancing the garba. Madi tara mandiriyama. Got it?
DeleteTake care Hetal...take care... Get well soon... Will be waiting for you...
DeleteOk... I am going to be in minority here... As in all of ONE ( So completely prepared for whatever comes my way... actually I might disappear for a few days after this)... but other than the first 'cursed' meeting with Khushi... I still can't figure out what Arnav did wrong... He laid out his rules for a relationship... He didn't force anyone into it... He was more caring with his girlfriends post relationship than they deserved... Sending Lisa to Paris because she liked it there and taking care of La in the Bar... also putting up with her frequent call... ok ASR style but he could be more blunt... He respectably sent Rishta for Khushi... once again did not force her ( Unlike our hero in the original show...) Khushi agreed of her own will... whatever her reasons.... Some one tell me... What is Arnav's fault again???
ReplyDeleteKhushi is doing... Kahin ki eenth... kahin ka rorha... Bhaanmati ne kumba jorha
Meaning she has taken all these unrelated facts and come to an erroneous conclusion... Solid in HER mind... but that is KKGSR... Arnav still thinks she is only worried about his past... Which she shouldn't be... since it was NOT hidden from her... The poor guy is going nuts in love with her... his actions, as every one keeps pointing out... completely out of character... and yet!!!!
Totally confused here...
Girlfriend, you are not alone. It's not Arnav's fault. ( Actually, I might disappear too, after this) I cringe when I say this, but Khushi did walk into this with her eyes open. Communication is the key but as we all know it is not ASR's strength.
DeleteOur past shapes our future . In Arnav's case it was his father and mother and the whole sordid mess that made a disbeliever out of him. In Khushi's case it was her Bauji and what she owed him after being orphaned at such a tender age.
Previously there was a 'his life' and 'her life' now it is 'their life' that is the most important. I hope I've made sense because I've confused myself here.
I don't how I'm going to last till the next update. Already I'm tired, cranky and running low on sleep. At this rate I can go on a shopping spree with the bags under my eyes.
DeleteLOL! Just a few more hours. All ijj well. And you are both right.
DeleteOk... huge sigh of relief... No jootas or chapels have come... Few more hours it is... Thank you S ji...
DeleteKC... how are you doing over there?... I should tell you to go to sleep... but we miss you when you are not here... Stay strong!
SB...KC... we know what Arnav has done and has not done... But Khushi doesn't know... Neither he nor his family has given her any explanation but hints which could mean either way... They have not had a heart to heart conversation... Thats where the problem is... ;)
DeleteMother Nature's fury is quite something to behold. Still reeling under the impact. Still raining (I'm sick of the word 'rain' let alone the real thing) There's shortage of drinking water - talk about irony (we resemble an island for crying out loud) Right now we've grouped ourselves so that we can address different issues and then meet in the evening to compare notes. Slow but steady.
DeleteDownpour started once again is it?
DeleteHey there rulama, was wondering where you were. Yup, communication is the key -but will it happen before La enters the picture. Is La even going to enter the picture?
DeleteWohi to.... Half knowledge is a dangerous thing... And she is going down that dangerous path... Phir phatte gi volcano ki tarah... And our Boy will go all stoic... Pessimist much? KC is right...
DeleteAll ijj well!! All ijj well!!
Downpour?????? Torrential rain, deluge, cloudburst, inundation, drencher, precipitation, thundershower - you name it and it's here. And there's no question of 'started once again' - it never stopped to begin with. May be a couple of hours here and there but man , oh man , It's like the sky has a hole in it.
DeleteAll ijj well. We are so used to the clown they made K look like at the end of IPKKND that we never expect her to show the qualities she did at the beginning of IPKKND. Let's meet that original K.
DeleteKC, I was watching videos & seeing pics of the situation in Chennai. It is too much, yaar.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteNow the anticyclone rains have set in... :(
DeleteIf we keep repeating All ij well... then we will become The 3 Idiots... ;)
DeleteLa may or may not...
If La is a la carte … and comes as a la mode.. …femme fatale… it is surely L’appel du vide…
(If La is on the menu… and comes in the style of a … deadly woman all set to seduce… it is surely the urge to engage in self destruction…)
;)
Again rulama? Seriously, cyclone rains, anticyclone rains- what the heck - a pain by any other name is still 'rain'.
Deletea La carte, a La mode, - ha ha . Trust you to come up with such gems.
Smitaji, I agree. The CV's made Khushi a total clown. I think they were catering to a small group of 8 pm aunties whose idea of entertainment was the 1980's saas bahu stories. Actually I have a lot to gripe about , the only saving grace being the yummy ASR and cutie KKG.
DeleteGasp!! Is Khushi really going to shoot L or L?
"He died seeing that single drop".....wow floored by that single line.....communication gap creating problems :(
ReplyDeleteHe always felt too much and so put on ASR face to scare away the world.
DeleteHe faced what he was doing and now its effecting his wife hope khushi see through him
ReplyDeletewow brilliant update loved it can't wait for next part thank you for pm....ameena671
ReplyDeleteNice update..
ReplyDeleteHe is in a royal mess he needs to have a conversation with her tell her that he is not involved with anyone and that he married her to cherish and value her in his life ,he can write her a letter explaining the matter
ReplyDeletebeautiful update. wish arnav and khushi be together soon.
ReplyDeletewaiting for more.
"Karma cafe - where there are no menus and one gets served only what one deserves " . Life's philosophy in a nut shell.
ReplyDelete"His one nightmare has been replaced with another of his own making" - Terrific. I think he has to first reconcile ASR's actions in the past with Arnav's intentions for the present and the future.
I think I will add the following adjectives to describe your interpretation : intutive, perceptive, discerning, penetrating, astute, sagacious. Lovely, as usual , Rash.
Thank you KC...
DeleteThank you KC...
DeleteAwesome...abhi lavanya ka aana baki hai.. What about sheetal .. Kahin woh na aa jay.. Arnav ka phir kya hoga
ReplyDeleteYou gave me an idea! Thank u!
DeleteRano sweetie, don't we have enough on our plates without adding Sheetal to this mess.
DeleteAnd I am forced to repeat myself... Hai Re Nandkishore!!! Still taking deep breaths though!!!
DeleteHahahahaaha..agar sheetal bhi scene main aa jaye as one of ex gf of asr tab to it 'll all be spiced up even more. ..fir to asr ko apna Harvard brain hi use karna padega to woo his wife and make her trust him....waise kehna padega acha khasa romance chal raha tha....Lisa ki entry be usey badal hi diya...arnav's ex gfs are enjoying and here he is repenting keeping them as gfs
DeleteLet's see arnav ji ab Kya karte Hain...I am enjoying this story a lotttsssssssss
Hello Rulami Ji...
ReplyDeleteLoved your interpretation... Here's mine... not interpretation exactly... I don't know what to call it...
Something has been bothering me from the beginning of this story... Thus my frustrated question again and again... How is Arnav wrong? And this is what I came to...
This story is the flip side of the original show...
1.Arnav witnesses an 'embrace'... Khushi, here, witnesses one too...
2. Then Arnav forces Khushi to marry him... Here Khushi marries him by her own choice...
3.Arnav sees what he thinks are assignations between Khushi and Shyam... Khushi sees his meetings with his old girlfriends where they are being demonstrative...
4.Khushi did NOT want Shyam... Arnav does not want L or L
5.Khushi loved Arnav and did everything in her power to show that love... Here Arnav loves Khushi and is doing everything he can to show that love...
6. Arnav doesn't tell her what he thought was her fault and tortures her with his silences... Khushi is doing the same here...
7. We thought Arnav was 'wrong'... Then how is it Karma here?
KC... counting on you to save me if too many chapels come my way!!!
ReplyDeleteSB, remember deep breaths. First of all karma is not necessarily bad or evil. Karma is merely the consequences of your actions. If you do good then you reap the rewards and all that sort of thing.
DeleteASR was at perfect liberty to have affair(s) and that is not wrong. What was wrong however was his callous treatment of his gfs - again not that he was not upfront about his expectations of said relationship. By callous, I mean, there should be some element of friendship, involvement etc. and that was missing. His girlfriends had only one purpose and it's no wonder those relationships didn't last. It is that karma that has caught up with him. Khushi is treating him the way he treated his girlfriends - without (unwilling to ) taking into account his feelings. His relationships were business like and so is hers ( for the sake of her bauji). Except in this case, she is also in love with him.
Perhaps now, he will realise that he owes La and Lisa an apology, not for breaking up with them but for objectifying them.
I hope I made sense. It's too early in the morning here.
I too hope no chappals come my way or tomatoes or rotten eggs.
You made very good sense actually...ok lambe saans ander... or lambe saans bahar...
DeleteThanks KC... See I called on the right person to save me here...
Ok... sitting back to let Sji weave her magic...
The sense part referred to your explanation and Rulama ji's interpretation and not the deep breath part... Laughing!!!
DeleteThank again!
Karma is the sum of a person's actions, viewed as deciding their fate in future. It can be good or bad, viewed as resulting from one's actions.
DeleteRight now Arnav is bent on rectifying the mistakes he committed towards Khushi and while he is putting all his efforts... another aspect has come to play against him.. that is his GF's... There is a huge difference between Khushi's mindset on fidelity and Arnav's... He needs to make her trust in him and his actions, before he can rest in confidence that she belongs to him totally like he belongs to her... His past is not letting him out easily off the loop... This is where Karma factor comes in...
In addition to KC's hope this clears your thought...
Thank you Rulama ji... You are right... and unfortunately it seems his past is not going to be done with him anytime soon.
DeleteI really enjoy your interpretations... They are, to me, food for thought and food for debate.. Thank you for sharing.
Love and regards,
Yes, Yes!! That's it exactly. The huge difference between Khushi's mindset on fidelity and Arnav's. Bhootiphul rulama.
DeleteKaaycee... Here Khushi does not know how he has treated those girls... She does not know that those girls too were not emotionally attached... All she knows now that he is able to detach from them when he is finished... This is also lurking in her mind... She is able to see only what is happening before her eyes... She neither talks about it with others or confronts Arnav with it... Right now she is in a sort of helpless mode... Nowhere to turn to... But time and again she is fired up and is tenacious enough to hold her head high
DeleteWhen is the next update???
DeleteHi there. I am a new reader of this blog and I have to say that I am absolutely in love with this story! I have read all of your stories but this one is different. The emotions and the raw agony of Khushi and Arnav tug at my heart!
ReplyDeleteKhushi needs to speak with Arnav instead of trying to ignore and avoid him, that's the only way this can be resolved. But, I understand why she is not doing so at this point in time. Nonetheless, I feel so bad for Arnav!
Khushi is bottling up her feelings and I fear that an outburst is in the works in the near future. I hope that they resolve this misunderstanding soon!
Looking forward to your next update!
Today. So glad u are enjoying the tale.
DeleteSmitaji, update please, please. The suspense is killing me.
ReplyDeleteLikh rahi hoon meri jaan.....
DeleteI think it is high time he understands that this feeling is called 'love'!!! And then he should woo her properly! Loved the update!
ReplyDeleteEk beech mein deewaar he, ek beech mein deewaar
DeleteMein tadapoon yahaa, tu tadape wahaan, haiye chain bhi aa nahi paaye...ooooo...neend na mujhko aaye...
Poor Khushi.. Not sure if Arnav talking to her would work..
ReplyDeleteS ji, did your read KC's vision of what Aman and Anjali pairing would result in? Not to be missed...
ReplyDeleteSmitaji, have made kichidi for brunch and am out to distribute it. Am renaming Hubby dearest as 'Grumpy' (after the 7 dwarfs) 'cos that's his expression right now as he sees me putting my tablet in my backpack. Will check periodically for updates ( no rush) Grumpy not withstanding. Fellow Smitens, I'm sure you all understand how I feel. How can I miss an update?
ReplyDeleteStay safe sweetheart!!!
DeleteMay God bless you for your kind heart, KC! Aaj update pukka.
DeleteGod Bless you. With the government doing squat, imagine the suffering it were not for folks like you.
DeleteTake care KC...
ReplyDeleteHi S ji, ummm... woh... KC wanted an update... Just saying...
ReplyDeleteLOL!
DeleteNice update.so khushi don't want to trust arnav cause she is scared of getting hurt that totally right knowing his past.. In my POV arnav is always right cause it was never his intention to become asr he always protect himself from getting hurt in the mask of asr... He only need someone to understand him despite of his past flings...nice thought of arnav obviously if he knew that was going going to come in his life he would have stay away from those churails:D very nice and emotional.... Hope to get next part soon:)
ReplyDeleteHello smitaji.... I have just started reading your work and fallen in love with them totally.....wish I could get this specific "arnavji" in my life 😍keep up the good work .......😘
ReplyDeleteAwesome update Smitaji. So one (Sheetal) showed up and rocked the boat, now the second one (Lavanya) is going to show up to devastate the relationship that is budding. ASR with his talks is making it worse. What's the use now? He didn't expect an angel would cross his path calling herself Khushi and now he is dying seeing her being sorrow stricken.
ReplyDeleteI am waiting for the next update Smitaji but dreading to feel how hurt Khushi is going to be when La shows up.
You always make us expect the unexpected Smita!
Waiting...
Have to batten the hatches once again. Expecting heavy rains . Net connection is shaky. Will connect with you all later.
ReplyDeleteStay safe KC
DeleteKC, take care. Lots of love and prayers. Be safe, my dear.
DeleteSending prayers your way KC. Stay safe, girlfriend!
DeleteTake care girl... Once the rain lets... Can I suggest something to you?... To stop mosquito breeding... Can you pour a tablespoon of cooking oil into stagnant water? It kills the mosquito larvae and hence stops breeding.... Why I am asking you is because by the time Gov't agencies apply their mind to this. Mosquitoes would have spread... This oil forms a thin layer and suffocates the larvae... Kindly pass this message to others there too... Its a simple bit effective technique....
DeleteDear Kaaycee, please, take care and stay safe!! Be strong!
DeleteWill pray for your well being and those around you, stay safe
DeleteRulama,
DeleteI didnt know! That is an awesome & easy suggestion , will pass it on & since its cooking oil no harm to the environment as well. Hi5
There's light at the end of the tunnel. Every thing will fall into place now that they are having a honest conversation. Nice update Smita. Now that All IZZ Well I can continue with my Sunday in peace
ReplyDeleteOk.... This is what you have been doing that has been driving me to distraction.... You create what seems to be the 'creation of world' problem... Something that feels catastrophic... And then provide such a simple, logical conclusion... That I am left thinking... Of course! Exactly! I do believe I have said this before...
ReplyDeleteMaybe the problem is that I am programmed to expect exaggerated problems ( courtesy of the original show... Laughing... ) and you show that most of them can be solved simply... She asks... He answers... Done... So again, major hugs and kisses your way...
Her confusion at the beginning of the update was so cute... Her innocence just as adorable... My favourite line(s)
‘I will ask my husband,’ she decided. ‘He will know for sure. Di might miss one or two, but he won’t.' Unquote...
Funny, poignant... And shows her trust in him... Whether she realises it or not.
Fabulous update Sji,
Love and regards.
See SB, 'All ijj well' really works. The reason we are worked up about everything is that it's a case of once bitten twice shy. In the show things went from bad to worse to worst. Therefore we are bracing ourselves for the impact.
DeleteAs we say here...True, so very the true
DeleteSuperb smita
ReplyDeleteWow all things cleared .....me dancing with joy.....but wait .....will there be a La bomb attack.....
ReplyDeleteBrilliant one
ReplyDeleteContinue soon
Awesome updates Smitha!!! At last they both are going in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteDear Smitaji, is so beautiful...Sorry, couldn't comment later,my laptop with login and password for google was occupied, but I couldn't miss the continuation of your story and I read it via my tablet without possibility to comment((
ReplyDeleteSo, it's warm and cute and I'm so happy that Khushi at least a little more will believe Arnav...That's he is't cheating her. Hope that they will be fine soon=)))))))
Thank you very much for these updates, dear Smita=)))))
wow mind blowing update loved it can't wait for next part thank you......ameena671
ReplyDeleteFinally seeing some teeny weeny progress
ReplyDeleteAt least they're talking which is an important step towards a good, healthy relationship
I'm glad that khushi asked him directly rather than asking Anjali about It
That would have been DISASTROUS!!! Like literally, I can't even imagine what crazy scenarios his crazy family would have conjured up
Loved the update
Thanks a looot for the update Smita
You're a darling for updating so frequently
She is a true sherni ,she faced her quandary upfront and asked him outright ,he should now tell her how he has felt emotion and caring only for her ,
ReplyDeleteKhushi behaved very maturely.. Loved her for this
ReplyDeleteWell that was direct enough he don't cheat
ReplyDeleteHope she understand this cuz this is what was holding her
wonderful. finally they start discussing. Time for ASR to make things better.
ReplyDeleteThanks Smita, waiting for the next update.
Beautifully written, good they are talking Khushi behaved maturely. She perceived Arnav as a serial cheater,he hurt that he unintentionally hurt her but that was his past he can do nothing about it. He was blunt he doesn't cheat neither in relationships nor in business he's not his father. Applause to you Smitar.☺
ReplyDeleteLoved it
ReplyDeleteLoved it
ReplyDeleteHi Hema, you are in Chennai too, right?... Hope everything is ok with you.
DeleteRegards,
She is from Kanchipuram district... Neighbouring district of Chennai... Hope you are fine too Hema .. What I have posted above holds good to you too Hema.... Can I suggest something to you?... To stop mosquito breeding... Can you pour a tablespoon of cooking oil into stagnant water? It kills the mosquito larvae and hence stops breeding.... Why I am asking you is because by the time Gov't agencies apply their mind to this. Mosquitoes would have spread... This oil forms a thin layer and suffocates the larvae... Kindly pass this message to others there too... Its a simple bit effective technique.... Take care...
DeleteThank you Rulami Ji.
DeleteThank you Scrap booker, Rulama and kaycee too. She had enquired earlier somewhere. Can't find the post. Thank you all for you concern, means a lot. yes I will pour a Tbsp of cooling oil to prevent mosquito breeding. I live very close to Mahabalipuram and so far my husband and I have had no major problems. Let's hope the worst is over. Just got connectivity for my computer. Thanks once again.
DeleteHi Hema, glad to know you are safe. Welcome back.
DeleteLove and regards,
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteGlad to know that you are okay...
Deletethanks. :)
DeleteYou are OK! That's great news. The carnage in the city is unbelievable.
DeleteHema, so glad you are safe.
Deletethank you Smita.
DeleteKhushi is wise beyond her years. Her love and spirit to sacrifice everything for her family is commendable.
ReplyDeleteFinally khushi is voicing out her doubts to arnav. This is the only way in which her insecurities can be answered.
ReplyDeleteContinue soon
Awesome update. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteI loved khushi. .she is intelligent. ..she has started asking directly to her husband that's nice. ..I m waiting what 'll happen when lavanya who is very much interested in offering her condolences to asr 'll come..and what arnav wanna show to khuhsi. .what l liked is that both khushi n arnav are suffering because of his past girl friends and that khushi has to realise...all's going good..thanks for update smitaji...gud luck
ReplyDeleteI loved khushi. .she is intelligent. ..she has started asking directly to her husband that's nice. ..I m waiting what 'll happen when lavanya who is very much interested in offering her condolences to asr 'll come..and what arnav wanna show to khuhsi. .what l liked is that both khushi n arnav are suffering because of his past girl friends and that khushi has to realise...all's going good..thanks for update smitaji...gud luck
ReplyDeleteHi Smitens, I'm back. We were lucky. It was a light to moderate rain and that too sporadically. The sun is out finally but only for a short time. Thank you for all your good wishes and prayers.
ReplyDeleteSo so glad you are safe, my dear KC.
DeleteKaaycee, thank you for reaching out to me. appreciate it. It has been dry here today. Hope the rain tapers off. Saw many rumours on FB regarding more rain. Wish people would stop scaring people.
DeleteYes! I'm plenty scared already. No more rains please until next year.
DeleteSmitaji, what an update! Lots of muuuuaaahhhs to you. Loved the way Khushi took the bull by the horns. All it takes is a willingness to work out any differences and these two are more than willing. That is the foundation of a successful marriage.
ReplyDeleteLoved how she showed her acceptance by arranging the flowers. Subtle but effective.
An absolutely heartwarming update.
Rulama ji, thank you for your suggestion re: the mosquitoes. Now that many NGO's are involved in food distribution our core committee is looking into other aspects of relief and rehab. I've already forwarded your suggestion and we'll do it as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteKC do it as soon as the rain stops... Flowing water is not a problem... Its the stagnant water... You might be knowing it but still I am repeating it... At the risk of being a pest... Better this prst than the flying one I think.. ;)
DeleteLOL, Rash!
DeleteDear Smitens, as shown by rulamaji in this story n the battle against pesky pests, the simplest solution is always the best. Unfortunately, we have been brainwashed into thinking only complex n convulated methods/ ideas would ever work. Or worse, to disguise simple solutions in hyperbole to impress people. Luckily, we have smitarji to carry the torch for us. Long live Smitens!
DeleteHaven't heard from Priya in a while. What's up?
ReplyDeleteShe is on a holiday to her hometown. Will get back soon.
DeleteHey KC!!So happy that you and your family are alright.
DeleteLike Smi said, I am on the road or on the wing!!Though not sure if I should call this a 'holiday'. Just a couple of days into it and it already has become more hectic than my normal routine. :-D
Awesome chapters.........it is better to know the answers from Horse mouth.............
ReplyDeleteGlad she talked to him.. Loved the update..
ReplyDeleteNext update???
ReplyDeleteMisunderstandings almost clear:) when will u update next part???
ReplyDeleteNahi....don't clear the MU soon! That would mean the story is coming to an end soon. Nahiiii
ReplyDeleteLOL! Kamtokdin, you are so good for me!
DeleteI second that Kamtokdin. I don't want this story to end anytime soon. Don't want to get off this wonderful roller coaster ride.
DeleteThe value of story is not the time they last but the intensity with which they are appreciated...
DeleteThat's why we have unforgettable moments and unique people gathered here...
Dekho ji... Deal kar letay hain... This one gets a HEA soon... the next one can have more suspense... Yeh wale Arnav and Khushi bahut cute hain...
DeleteRulama ji, No matter how long the story lasts we appreciate it with ferocious intensity. Still find it hard to let go (again because of the intensity)
DeleteSB, are you sure you want more suspense?
Deletenahi... nahi... HEA for this one soon... please... I love this one too much...
Deletehey all 4 updates are just awesome, read all together as iam out of station ........ ahhh slowly arnav is opening and hope khushi will understand arnav completely one day ...... so sad of khushi ...
ReplyDeleteSmita,
ReplyDeleteHave been waiting patiently to get to the end of the update and then tell you how absolutely beautiful this story is. Love, love, love it. As I told you on one of my previous posts on one of your stories, stalking your blog obsessively now. Transports me to the good old days of IPKKND when life was a kaleidoscope of colour, fun, romance, drama and passion....thank you for returning the music, the Rabba vey and the truly halcyon days....waiting for the next chapter now!
Best,
Anupama
Smitaji, are you updating today? I forgot that yesterday was Sunday yet you gave us an update.
ReplyDeleteMay be...just maybe it's... .....tomorrow... Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's question... So.... Dream..dream.. Dream... Dreams transform into thoughts.... And thoughts into actions... ;)
DeletePlease update waiting eagarly :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome update... glad khushi asked her questions and cleared her doubts....
ReplyDeleteSmitaji, asking for, pleading for, requesting, entreating for an update. Please, pleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaassssssssssssseeeeeeeeeeee. NK and Preetho ??
ReplyDeleteAaj postoongi, pukka.
Deletewaitng
ReplyDeleteEagerly waiting dear smita
ReplyDeleteHum aapke update karne ka intezaar karen ge :)
ReplyDeleteWriting, my dear. Will post soon.
DeleteWaitingwa kare ka padi :)
DeleteThanks Smita, eagerly waiting :)
DeleteAwaiting, expecting, hanging around, lingering, anticipating, biding, looking for, looking forward to, marking time,standing by, sticking around, watching for, filling time, cooling heels, staying up for .................... "the update" What else??
ReplyDeleteSmitens, feel free to insert any meaning that I have missed.
I thought you were waiting for your hubby dear.... ;)
DeleteHa ha !
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete