Desert Rose Chapters 25 - Epilogue

Desert Rose – Chapter 25

KHUSHIhurried out of the lobby and found herself approached by the hotel manager asking her if they should get her car around. Khushi was about to ask him if he could get her a taxi when she heard a familiar voice from behind.

‘That won’t be necessary,’ Arnav told the manager and as the man stepped away, he turned toward Khushi, ‘I think you forgot the way back to our tab le.’ He extended his hand peremptorily toward her. ‘Shall we?’

‘I…. I need to go back home.’ Khushi said firmly, ignoring his hand.

‘Khushi, we need to talk,’ Arnav said, his mouth a thin line, ‘unless you want to create a scene here, you better walk back inside with me.’

‘I don’t care!’ Khushi shot back even though her hands were clammy with nervousness.

‘Well….’ Arnav said looking her straight in the eye, ‘neither do I.’ Before Khushi could realize what he meant to do, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

‘Arnavji! Put me down.’ Khushi begged as Arnav stepped into lobby and headed for the elevator.  People in the lobby had begun to stare at them and Khushi wished the ground would open up and swallow her.

Arnav lowered Khushi down after he stepped into the elevator already occupied by a family. ‘It’s a family tradition,’ he the onlookers who were trying hard not to stare, ‘for the groom to carry the bride on her --- first night.’

Khushi went beet red as she realized how they must look to the family, she in a bridal lehenga and Arnav in a suit.

As Khuhsi looked at Arnav she couldn’t take her eyes away from him. His suit was a black designer one and the shirt he wore inside was also black , with a chinese collar, the top two buttons undone. Though he had gelled his hair, he seemed to have mussed it so a few of the wayward strands fell across his forehead giving him a boyish look in spite of the hardness of his features. He had his customary stubble and he had never looked more handsome than he was at this moment.

Her dhak-dhak began and then skipped a beat when Arnav came toward her and picked her up again.

Khushi felt the stares of the family boring into their backs and gritted her teeth with frustration.Laad Governor was just incorrigible!

Her anger rose as the elevator doors closed and they were all alone in the corridor.

‘Put me down right away!’ she exclaimed trying to wriggle out of his arms.

His hold on her tightened, but he didn’t let her go. ‘I will put you down in just a minute.’ When they reached the room he put her down and fished out a key from the jacket pocket. When she made a move to step back he swept her up once again and entered the room and put her down on the huge bed.

Khushi was awestruck looking the beautifully decorated room, with scented candles scattered all over. She had no doubt it was the honeymoon suite.

‘Why did you bring me here?’ she asked him standing up.

He looked at the bed and then back at her. ‘Why did you think?’ Looking at her eyes flash with anger he reiterated. ‘I am kidding! I just want to talk.’

‘But, I don’t want to talk to you.’ Khushi shot back angrily.

‘Khushi,’ began Arnav, ‘please sit down and we can talk about this calmly.’

‘Calmly?’ Khushi said moving to the far end of the room. ‘What was all that back there? All that drama.’

‘What drama?’

 ‘You planned it all, didn’t you? You sent Akash pretending to have left for the US so you could trick me into working for your damn fashion event.’

‘There was no trick. I did really go to the US Khushi, but ----‘

‘There was really no show stopper was there?’ she said as realization dawned. ‘That was why the clothes fit me perfectly. I should have known.’

‘The moment you showed me the design I had made up my mind that you -- and only you would be my show stopper.’ Arnav said quietly.

‘Why did you announce to everyone that I was the designer? AR usually doesn’t do that.’

‘You deserved it.’

‘What gave you the right to announce a new clothing line with my name?’ she asked him her eyes still flashing.

‘With the right that I have as your husband!’ he bit out, his own anger rising.

‘You gave up that right when you told me you wished I have never entered your life!’ Khushi raged.

‘I am sorry Khushi,’ Arnav said his voice anguished. ‘I didn’t mean that …. I ----’

‘You said I was like ……Lavanya’ Khushi whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

‘Khushi,’ Arnav said in a strangled voice, ‘you need to understand my state of mind. The night you came into the study…..I had just found Lavanya’s letter. She was not only cheating on me but was also cheating me…….right from the beginning. Our entire relationship was based on a lie. My mind was completely messed up that night. Unfortunately, she hadn’t mentioned Shyam’s name.’ He  added.

‘As if that would have made any difference to you,’ Khushi said. ‘I don’t know if you would have believed a delusional woman like Lavanya when you didn’t believe me when I told you.’

‘Khushi…..I…’

‘I doesn’t matter Arnavji,’ said Khushi cutting him off. ‘I understand why you don’t believe me. I really do. After all I had given you enough reason in the past.’

‘Khushi, I didn’t mean that! Arnav raked his hand in frustration. ‘We have been over this and I already apologized to you for that.’

‘Yes you did and I accepted and thought you had put it behind you,’ she accused him.

‘What was I supposed to do?’ Arnav said taking a step toward her. ‘You and Manav were hiding information from me. That day in Anjali’s party, you were both talking about something very important and you refused to divulge that information. Later, at Junagarh he spoke as if you meant something to him.

‘So when I saw that video I just …..lost it.’

‘I didn’t tell you at the time because I thought you wouldn’t believe me about Shyam and the other thing was it was about…..Di.’

‘I know.’

 ‘Anyway all that is water under the bridge now. Whatever happened because of the video was Shyam’s fault. I don’t hold it against you.’

‘Khushi, listen to me,’ Arnav pleaded, ‘I ----’

‘You were right when you said marriage is about trust.’ Khushi prevaricated. ‘But our marriage wasn’t a real one, was it? We only married for the sake of Akash and Payal.’

‘When you offered to marry me I wasn’t aware. It was only after we were married I found out from Payal that the night we had spent in the desert had turned into scandal.

‘I figured that this was the reason why mamiji had opposed the marriage in turn forcing you to propose to me.

‘I had planned to leave you once Payal was settled in her household ---so you could have your freedom.’

‘How very noble of you.’He said quietly.

‘But,’ she continued, ‘I got a little selfish when I realized that Payal needed my support to handle mamiji. Thankfully you intervened and solved the problem.’

‘Always glad to be of some service.’

Khushi’s anger was rising. ‘But you no longer have to sacrifice your dreams for a marriage you were forced upon Arnavji.’

‘Now you have lost me.’ Arnav said his brows snapping together in confusion. ‘What dreams?’

‘Seven years ago, you wanted to settle down in America. But you couldn’t because of your responsibilities. Now you don’t have anything to hold you back.

‘But I do.’

 ‘I will release you from this marriage. You can go and live the life you have always dreamed of --- with Jenny.’

‘I can’t.’

‘Why not?’ Khushi said exasperated with him. ‘If you think it is because we are married, I already told you ---‘

‘He walked up to her in a few quick strides and grabbed her arms. ‘I can’t because I am not in love with Jenny. I am in love with you!’

‘What?’ Khushi couldn’t believe what she had just heard.

‘I think I have loved you for a long time now. But I hadn’t realized it until some time back. Even then it has been difficult for me to say the words. I -----’

‘I love you Khushi.’

Khushi shrugged off his hand and started pummelling his chest, tears flowing easily down her cheeks. Arnav let her continue, wanting her to vent out her feelings at long last.

‘I deserve this and more.’

Khushi stopped, the fight going out of her completely as she snaked her arms around his back in a tight embrace.

‘I can’t bear to think that I might have lost you because of my insane jealousy!’ Arnav wrapped his hands around her gingerly. ‘Love makes you do crazy things.’

‘But you came,’ Khushi mumbled into his chest. ‘You saved my life.’

‘If I hadn’t been able to save you I swear I would have killed that b@#$%&% and killed myself after that! I couldn’t have lived without you Khushi.’

‘Arnavji please don’t say such things,’ Khushi said clutching him tighter. ‘What made you come?’

‘You,’ he said softly, ‘That day I felt like you were calling out to me.

‘I had already realized my mistake and was trying to call you. But you didn’t pick up my calls. I don’t know why but I had to see you right away. I just came.’

‘I knew you would come.’

‘Khushi,’ Arnav began slowly, ‘Can I hope that you still love me after everything I have done?’

Khushi tried to keep her face expressionless. ‘Still love you? When did I say I loved you?’

‘You said that Manav … the video……’ He stopped when she saw a mischievous smile steal into her lips. ‘Khushi please…’ he begged.

‘I love you.’ Khushi said simply, putting him out of his misery.

Arnav took a step back, his chocolate brown eyes melting her insides.

He went down on his knees and took her hand in his. ‘Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada….. I love you very much. Would you please do me the honour of marrying me …..again?’

Her breath was in her throat. It was the way he stared at her. As if she was the only woman in the world.

‘Yes Arnavji,’ Khushi said smiling down at him. ‘But can I go home now?’

‘What the ----?’

‘The thing is….. this dress and jewellery are really really heavy. I want to go home so I can change.’

 ‘Now, this is the kind of problem I can solve easily.’ He swept her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed and laid her on it.

Khushi sat up startled. ‘Arnavji, what are you doing?’

‘You said the jewellery was heavy,’ Arnav said huskily as he removed his jacket and laid it on a chair, ‘as your husband it is my duty to help you take them off, don’t you think?’

Khushi blushed when she realized what he was saying.

As he had promised Arnav began by unclasping her maang teeka after lowering her chunri from her head. He kissed her forehead right next to her sindoor. Next, he took off her earrings one after the other, giving her tiny kisses each time.

Then moving so that he was sitting behind her, he took her long lustrous black braid in his hands and gently moved it to her front. He unclasped the hook on her necklace and removed it, placing his lips on her nape, he traced a line over her shoulder, down her arm and slid the bangles off her wrists.

Khushi’s dhak-dhak had started in earnest and her breast heaved up and down.

He then moved back behind her to undo the single dori that held her blouse together. Khushi clutched her blouse to her chest and gasped aloud. Arnav moved his palms down her back,the roughness of his palm creating havoc down her smooth and creamy skin. He then took her braid in his hands, unravelling it so it fell down in a dark waterfall down her back.

Arnav lay Khushi down on the pillow, her hair splayed like a cloud around her head. As he made a move to take her hands away from her chest, Khushi whispered, ‘Arnavji…..’

Arnav understood her concern and got up from the bed to light some candles before switching off all the lights in the room.

‘Is this okay?’ he asked her as he moved her hands away and peeled her blouse down her arms.

Her skin glowed like gold in the light of the candles and Khushi shied away from the look in Arnav’s eyes.

He traced a finger down the centre of her rib cage until he reached her belly button. His hand spanned the breadth of her tiny waist before he unclasped the hook of her silver waist band. As he placed feather kissed on her quivering stomach, he found the ties to her lehenga and pulled at the strings. After sliding the skirt off down her hips he disposed off with the tiny scrap of lace leaving her completely naked for his perusal.

As always her beauty never ceased to amaze him. He wanted her. All of her, not just her body, but her heart and soul and her mind. His Desert Rose.

He began to undress. It was exhilarating to watch her and simply enjoy the lush sight.  The candlelight played lovingly over the curves and hollows of her body, touching and caressing with flickering light. His hands were gentle as they shaped her, moved over her, following the playful light. ‘Do you know how beautiful you are tome, Khushi?’

She cradled his jaw between her palms and brought him closer. Her tongue darted out to trace the outline of his lips. ‘I have always wanted to do that.’ Khushi whispered in a caressing tone, ‘you have beautiful lips.’

His mouth came down on hers hot and avid. Her lips parted, eager for the kiss. His tongue sank deeply into the warm sanctuary of her mouth, and a groan escaped from his throat. Her fingers slipped into the crisp hair at the back of his head, holding it hard against hers, while she returned his kiss with equal ardour.They drank greedily of each other as his tongue explored the roof of her mouth and her tongue slid along tasting him.

Groaning, he released her mouth to bury his face in the hollow between her breasts, to breathe of her fragrance. Arching her back, she urged his mouth toward an achingly aroused nipple. Murmuring her name thickly, his breath scalding her skin, he gladly gave her what she wanted. His mouth closed over the engorged bud, and she couldn’t help letting out a moan of delight. As he began to suckle, heat pooled in the pit of her stomach and she felt a sharp answering throb deep in her core.

His hand caressed her moist entrance, long, slow strokes even as his tongue laved the clenched bud soothingly.

The wild tumult that was building inside her was spiralling out of control and it was both terrifying and too exciting to be borne.

‘Oh….oh,’ she breathed.

Khushi shivered with pleasure, as she felt the double onslaught over her skin, leisurely, casually, as if he had all the time in the world to enjoy her body. She gasped as his tongue traced a wet line down her rib cage and dipped into her belly button and then without warning he dipped lower, the sensation nearly lifting her off the bed.

‘Arrrnav…!’ she gasped tugging at his hair in shock.

‘Relax ….Khushi,’ he murmured and holding her hips firmly he continued his ministrations.

Her hands tangled deeper into his hair, her head thrown back, her back arched, her breasts jutting temptingly as she moved.

She made a sound, somewhere between a scream and a moan, and her fingers tightened in his hair as her body erupted into quake after quake. He pinned her hips, taking his time worshipping her body, heightening the pleasure in every possible way he knew.

As her eyes pleaded with him to take her, begged for his possession, Arnav settled his body over hers. Felt her softness, her skin nearly melting under his. He thrust into her in swift stroke, deep and hard. Long strokes designed to drive them both out of their minds. Take them from the reality of the world into another of heat and fire and passion where nothing else mattered and she was wholly his.

Khushi heard her own voice crying out, heard a sound in his throat as the flames engulfed them, as the world exploded around them leaving behind colours and lights and so much pleasure she could only lie there gasping for breath and staring up at his face. Wave after wave of pleasure shook her, an explosion of shocks, leaving her locked with him, sated, happy. Belonging.

She wrapped her arms around him tightly as if she could keep him there, in the same skin with her, the same body while their hearts pounded frantically.

A little later, as their heartbeats slowed down, he rolled off her and drew the comforter over their bodies.Khushi tilted her head back to look at him. Arnav smoothed her hair away from her face. Smiling she gazed at him, her eyes soft and dazed from his loving. His fingers lay along her jawline as he cupped her chin and lowered his mouth to hers. This time the kiss was sweet and tender.

‘Khushi?’ He kissed her eyes closed. His voice was thick with the swelling of emotion in his throat. ‘Did I hurt you?’

‘No,’ she murmured on a sigh and opening her eyes, she smiled at him again. She couldn’t seem to stop smiling. She lifted her hand to his cheek and whispered shyly. ‘It was wonderful.’

He pulled her closer, drawing her into the curve of his body. ‘Say you’ll never leave me again, please.’ He pleaded softly.

She understood the full meaning of his words. She rested her head on his shoulder. ‘I won’t, Arnavji.’

‘Khushi, you told me earlier that you knew I would come for you that night. After Shyam was handed over to the police and the truth had come out, why did you leave? Were you punishing me for not trusting in you?’

‘No Arnavji.I left because I didn’t want you to sacrifice your dreams.’

‘Khushi ….’ Arnav said smiling at her tenderly. ‘That was a long time ago. Di must have told you. Whatever gave you the idea that I wanted to leave now?’

‘I heard you and Jenny talking at Junagarh palace.’

‘F@#$!’ Arnav swore under his breath.

‘You said you couldn’t go and settle down in the US because you were married,’ she said in a low voice. ‘You said you had no choice.’

‘Then later Shyam confirmed my fears when he said you would leave me and go away to the US to be with Jenny.’

‘God Khushi is that why you left?  Jenny is a very good friend and that’s it. I have never ever loved her. She is the one who convinced me that the feelings I had for you is love.’

At Khushi’ s look of surprise he said, ‘Yes, if you had listened to the complete conversation you might have heard this part of the conversation as well.’

‘I think I loved you from the beginning, but I was afraid of my feelings. After what I went through with Lavanya I was scared to trust.

She held him, listening raptly as he talked.

‘I don’t know exactly when I started to fall in love with you. It could have been when I saw you dancing on the bed to “chikni chameli”….. with my sister and Payal looking on, laughing with abandon. I hadn’t seen my sister laugh like that in ages. Or it could have been when you made that sumptuous aloo-poori. Or who knows it could have been the day you barged into my gym and gave me a lashing thinking I was Akash.

He continued. ‘The day I came to the guest house, to tell you that I had decided to let Akash and Payal meet each other, it was because I wanted to hold on to you longer. I wanted you so much. But when I saw you holding Keshav’s baby in your arms I knew --- I wanted you to be holding our child.

His chest hair was rough against her cheek.‘It was the same for me Arnavji. It was when we were driving toward the desert from Keshavji’s house that I realized I loved you.’ Khushi reminisced.

‘I should have known that you wouldn’t have given yourself to me like that if you didn’t have feelings for me. I am an idiot for not having realized that earlier.’

‘You were in so much pain Arnavji and I couldn’t help comforting you.’ She said simply.

Arnav’s heart constricted at Khsuhi’s words. ‘Though I hadn’t planned what happened in the desert that night, I am glad it did happen. Thanks to that scum bag Guman and my dear own mami, I found the perfect opportunity to keep you with me.I decided to marry you. I knew you wouldn’t agree for less. When you refused I panicked. You said you’d rather marry that ……sweet stall guy. I have never ever been afraid of anyone --- let alone an unknown man in my life before. I resorted to black mail. I was desperate.’

‘Is that why you proposed to me?’ Khushi asked her eyes going wide, ‘Not because of mamiji?’

‘Khushi ---no one ever forces me to do anything – least of all mami,’ he said arrogantly, ‘with the exception of you of course,’ he added hastily.

‘And after we were married, you began to matter more and more to me with each passing day. The day you were stuck in the attic – my heart almost stopped with fear when I realized you were up there in the darkness.

‘That is what I meant by ---I had no choice. I had no choice but to love you.’

Tears welled up in Khushi’s eyes thinking about the time they had lost due to so much misunderstanding. ‘Arnavji, the last week was dreadful. I tried to convince myself that no matter how much I loved you I had to give you up. I have never been so unhappy in my life.’

He gave her a hug. ‘Me either, sweetheart.’ He closed his eyes.

‘Arnavji, I want to ask you the same question that Jenny asked you. Seven years ago you wanted to go and settle down in US. But you couldn’t. Have you abandoned that plan?’

‘When Jenny had asked me this question I told her that I was married. What I meant was --- now that I was married how could I answer that question without asking you first.’

‘Ask me?’

‘Yes, ask you if you would share my dream and aspirations and come along with me.’

‘Arnavji!’ Khushi exclaimed in surprize.

‘Don’t worry I will not keep you away from India for long. Maybe just a couple of years. I want to show you the world I left behind. We could travel. I ----’

‘Arnavji!’ Khushi said firmly holding a hand to his cheek. ‘I love you. I will go wherever you want to go.’

‘Really?’ His relief was very obvious. ‘Then before going to the US let’s go backpacking through Europe. I think that trip is seven years overdue.’

Backpacking to Europe? Hey Devi Maiyya!

‘Once we get back to Raisar the first thing we do is get married with all the proper rituals. You have no idea of the beating I got from Di and nani regarding this.’

He kissed her cheek. ‘But I am going to be doing this only for you Khushi. As I said no one forces me to do anything.’

Always the Laad Governor, thought Khushi. But the important thing was he was hers.

Khushi ‘s heart filled with joy. She heard fatigue in his voice. Her fingertips smoothed the lines at the corner of his eye. ‘You need to rest now.’

‘But we have to discuss the wedding plans.’

She laid a finger lightly on his lips. ‘Shh….later.’

‘Khushi I ---’ Arnav said drawing her closer against his side.

 ‘I know. I love you too. Always.’ she whispered.

With his warmth all around her and his scent in her nostrils, she lay in the stillness of the bedroom as Arnav slept beside her. As she moved a wayward hair from his forehead, she looked at his face. His beloved face. She loved every rugged edge, every scar, the raspy stubble he could never quite get rid of.

She thought of the long ago time in Delhi when she used to dream of a baazigar -- eyes the colour of molten chocolate that had made her heart go dhak-dhak as they burned into the very depths of her soul. At the time she had thought that she was running after a dream.

It was no longer true.

Because reality was much better than any of her wildest dreams….

Desert Rose -Epilogue

Three years later…..

ARNAV Singh Raizada had been driving for almost one and half hours..He turned his head to see Khushi dozing peacefully in the passenger seat. He didn’t know what he done to deserve Khushi. Deserve happiness. His thoughts went back three years ago….

He had managed to give Khushi her dream wedding and had whisked her away to their belated honey moon to Europe. Khushi had been enthralled by the two week trip through London, Amsterdam, Paris, Switzerland, Venice, and Rome.They had packed to the hilt for their final destination in the US. So much for a backpacking trip!

Then they had gone to the US, where they had rented a house in the suburbs close to the beautiful city of Charlotte in North Carolina known for its lush greenery.

Khushi had adapted to her new environment quickly and in her usual exuberance had earned herself friends in the neighbourhood.

She was slowly getting used to wearing western clothes and Arnav realized that except for the height, Khushi was no less than one of the models at AR.

On his birthday she had arranged for a surprise party for him with some of their neighbours and close friends present. But his gift turned out to be Khushi looking like a Barbie doll wearing a short pink dress, silver high heels and her long curled to fall delicately around her face. His stomach had done flip flops and while cutting his cake he had wished that everyone would just go home leaving him alone with Khushi.

They had travelled like crazy.

During fall they had gone ridingon a Harley-Davidson bike, through the Blue Ridge parkway to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee where they had rented a beautiful chalet up in the mountains. He remembered it had taken him some time to convince Khushi that there was no one around to see them if they wanted to use the outdoor hot tub kept on the deck. They had spent their evenings snuggled together in one comforter watching as darkness slowly invaded the fall foliage.

They had flown to Boston to spend Thanksgiving with Jenny’s family. He had taken her to the University campus and they had gone trekking in the Middlesex Fells Forest Reservation.

One Christmas was spent in Manhattan where they walked hand in hand in the snow in time square, drank coffee in the cozy coffee shops, watched the skaters in the skating rink by the giant Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center.He had taken Khushi to see the famous broad way show -- Phantom of the Opera. He remembered how Khushi had cried in the end, saddened by the Phantom’s unrequited love for the heroine Christine who loved her childhood sweetheart Raoul. In this trip Khushi had been upset that they had forgotten to take their camera but he hadn’t regretted it. The memories of this trip was etched in his mind forever.

Couple of months later they had driven to Snow Shoe mountain in West Virginia where Khushi had failed miserably in the ski lessons she took. She looked cute in her snow pants and jacket but her face was frozen and her nose had turned red in the -9 degree wind chill. After falling backward a couple of time she had given up. She had satisfied herself with sitting inside the warm hotel lounge sipping a cup of tea, watching him come down the slope. Later that night, having obtained a room with a view of the slope in the ski lodge, they had lain in the darkness, entwined in their warm bed watching skiers skiing under flood light.

This sojourn to the US had allowed him to expand AR considerably, while Khushi worked on her new clothing line, catering solely to NRI clients in the US. During one business trip to California he had taken Khushi along and they had converted it into sightseeing trip covering parts of Arizona and Nevada as well.

Last summer,their family had visited them and they had taken them through the usual sightseeing destinations like Washington DC, New York, Niagra Falls and Disney World.

At Disney World Khushi had transformed into a little girl, wanting to go on all rides, tireless and enthusiastic till the park closing time. She hadn’t allowed anyone to take a single break as they park hopped for five whole days.

Butafter they had left, Khushi had begun to feel home sick. He had realized thatit was time to go back home……

The blare of a horn brought him out of his reverie and he realized driving on the Jaipur-Delhi highway -- place which was a stark contrast to the one they had just left. The climate was dry and humid as it always was in the desert.Driving through the inhospitable landscape, with miles and miles of burning hot sands and long summers, he knew one thing for sure – this is what he identified with. This washome.

Today,on their parents’ ten year anniversary the entire family had decided to visit the memorial to pay their respects.

When Arnav passed the Reliance petrol pump, he took a U-turn to reach the road leading toward the small village of Bawal, parking the SUV a little further from the Durgamandir. He alighted the vehicle and walked around to the passenger side to open the door.

Khushi took his hand and smiled up at him. It seemed to him that she was growing more beautiful with each passing year. She glowed like a pearl in her red anarkali suit.

They were joined by Akash, Payal, Anjali and Manav --along with their little girls, two and half year old Arushi and one and half year old Manvi.

Looking at his nieces, his thoughts went back to the time Payal had given birth to her baby girl.

Khushi and he had come down from the US as Khushi had been particular about doing everything that their mother would have done if she were alive. Even though Payal had Anjali and aconsiderably subdued mother-in-law at her side, she had heaved a sigh of relief when she saw Khushi. They had named her Arushi in the honour of her aunt and uncle.

A few weeks after Arushi was born, the Haveli saw another major event – the wedding of Anjali and Manav. It had taken six months for Manav to convince Anjali to say yes to him. He hadn’t pressed her in the beginning allowing her to grieve the loss of a relationship for whatever it was worth. But when he had finally told her that he had waited more than ten years and that another ten years was not really going to be a problem for him, she had promptly accepted and put him out of his misery. The wedding took place in the Haveli, in the presence of close family and friends.

A year later, they had to make another trip to Raisar-- for the birth of their second niece.

When Anjali had found out she was pregnant she had been so shocked she had asked Manav to double check the results of the test. Manav and she had realized that the earlier reports of her inability to conceive might have been tampered by Shyam. Anjali had sent a silent prayer to the Gods for saving her from a disaster. They had both fought on the name. Manav had wanted to name her Anya and Anjali wanted Manvi. Anjali had won.

Khushi had been there for Anjali as well, as based on her prior experience with Payal,she seemed to think she was some sort of an expert in helping pregnant women through childbirth. She had been right in a way, as his nani was too old, Payal already overwhelmed with responsibility of a year old baby and his indolent mami, as usual clueless about the care of people, let alone a pregnant woman. Even Anjali had been relieved to have Khushi at her side.

After the birth of Manvi, Anjali and Manav had hosted a grand dinner at their new home they had built a short distance away from the Haveli. The look on Anjali’s face as she showed them around was absolutely priceless.

These trips to India had allowed him to see that Akash had become more responsible. Arnav didn’t know if it was fatherhood or the fact that Anjali and he weren’t around to mollycoddle him. Whatever it was, Akash had finally grown up.

Seven years ago he had come to this very same spot to achieve some sort of closure regarding his parents’ untimely death.

At the time he had thought the accident had changed the course of his life.He had been angry with God for taking away his parents and forcing him into a life of responsibilities crushing his hopes and aspirations.He had been wrong.

Nothing could change what had happened with his parents. Khushi had taught him through the purity in her heart that whatever life throws your way you handle with pride and determination, never once compromising on values. She had taught him to be more optimistic in life.

His war with God had ended so that he could have a new beginning in life – with Khushi, with his family and himself.

He looked up at the rough, gravelly path leading up to the slope, to the Desert Rose tree still and serene.Under the tree he saw his family standing together paying homage to their loved ones. Anjali and Manav holding their daughter stood on the right. Payal and Akash holding their daughter stood on the left. Khushi stood in the centre.

Though Arnav’s heart constricted wishing their parents were alive to see their grandchildren he consoled himself knowing that they were in a better place, watching over them.

He saw all them except Khushi walking back.As he watched her standing quietly, her red dupatta flying crazily, he saw her taking a step backward……

Hecovered the distance between them in seconds and his hands enveloped her from behind to rest possessively on her stomach.

Khushi’s hands covered his own. ‘Arnavji…’ Her dhak-dhak began as she felt his heart beating at her back.

‘Khushi….the first time I saw you here --- I thought you looked absolutely exquisite --- with your huge almond shaped eyes and lips as pink as the Desert Rose. I wanted to kiss you so badly.’

‘After I saw you here, I used to dream of you often.’

‘You know what I think Khushi? The moment you fell into my arms I think I was touched by an angel. Nothing bad ever happened to me after that. Thank you for saving me sweet heart.’

He continued. ‘You should never have left me. Why did you run away?’

‘I was afraid.’

‘Of me?’

‘No – of me.’ She paused.‘Because I wanted to kiss you too.’

‘Well….better late than never.’ Arnav bent his head and kissed the corner of her lips.

‘Arnavji!’ she admonished, ‘you have to remember we are back in India now. You will have control yourself.’Laad Governor!

‘Don’t worry,theyare busy with those bawling brats.’ His tone was acrimonious.

‘We could also have had one by now,’ she sighed.

‘Khushi,’ Arnav began, trying to be patient, ‘Payal got pregnant accidentally and Di…..’ He paused. ‘…. was running out of time.’

‘Did you want to be pregnant at twenty two and miss all that we were able to do together in the last three years?’

‘No,’ she sighed, ‘I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world.’

She remembered something. ‘Why did you rush up here all of a sudden?’

‘Nothing, I thought you were going to slip.’

‘As long as you are there we never have to worry about anything,’ she said rubbing her hand on her tummy.

Arnav’s heart skipped a beat when he felt the sudden movement from inside his wife’s six month pregnant belly. He was so sure it was going to be a boy. 

‘Always.’As Khushi looked up,he bent down to place a gentle kiss on her lips. ‘I will always be there for you my sweet Desert Rose.’

The End

Desert Rose Chapters 23 - 24

Desert Rose – Chapter 23

‘Shyamji!’ said Khushi, forcing a smile trying to look more surprised than scared. Her heart was beating wildly as a drop of sweat trickled down her back. ‘What ….what  are you doing here? I thought you were in Delhi.’

‘I think we can do away with all this pretence Khushiji.’ He sneered. ‘I know.’

‘Know what Shyamji?’ said Khushi hoping that her act of innocence might buy her some more time. ‘I just came here to get my cell phone. Now, that I have found it I think I will go back to the Haveli. Mohanji is waiting for me outside in the car.’

‘No he is not.’ Shyam said as a matter of fact. ‘He got called away.An accident of a relative I believe. He was joined by Hariprakash as well because they are all related you know.’

Hey Devi Maiyya! There was no one in the Haveli then. Her cell phone was dead and so was the landline. What was she going to do?

She would have to get to the green house somehow. She would be able to make a call from the land line there. There was only one thing left to do. She would have to keep him engaged in conversation and then try to find a way to escape. If only she could reach the French doors, she could take the stairs leading to the path to the green house. But there was only one problem. There were no lights there.Arnavji……

The feeling that Khushi might be in danger just wouldn’t go away from Arnav’s heart. He hoped he was wrong and that she was safe and sound in the Haveli. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to her.

Khushi decided to try a different tactic. ‘Shyamji,’ she said in a soft voice, ‘why don’t we talk about this peacefully? I …..I will not tell anyone about what you told me in the palace and we can forget about this whole thing and ---’

Shyam’s head snapped up, his eyes burning intensely with rage. ‘You think I am a fool, Khushiji?’ He took out his cell phone and showed her the video clip that Arnav had shown her a few days ago. The only difference was that this one was not doctored, clearing showing the parts where she told Manav about Shyam.

‘Oh God!’ said Khushi horrified. ‘You were the one who sent out the video to Arnavji?’

Shyam’s face twisted in an ugly sneer. ‘How else would I get the lover boy to leave your delectable body and go away?’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘That day in Junagarh palace, I saw you run away after hearing Arnav and Jenny’s conversation. After my conversation with you, I was so confident that you would make up your mind to leave him. I thought my plan was perfect.

‘But none of my advice had any effect on you at all. Arnav had said that he married you as he had no choice. I told you that he would leave you for Jenny. Why Khushiji? Why didn’t that matter to you at all? Is it because of all this fortune? Did you think that if you satisfied him with your body he would change his mind? Is that why you let him use you like that ……in the study?’

Khushi eyes went wide with shock, ‘What? How did you know that?’

He smiled. ‘Really simple Khushiji. A small microphone hooked to a radio transmitter under the study table did the trick.’ When he saw the look of derision on her face he continued, ‘I didn’t do this so I could record your moans Khushiji.’ The look on his face was really scaring her now. ‘I put that device in Arnav’s study a long time ago. ‘You see, I get paid a lot to leak out internal information of AR industries. So, if Arnav has lost out to a rival in the last few years it is thanks to me. Unfortunately it hasn’t been much because he doesn’t work out of Raisar that often.’

Khushi anger’s rose up several notches on hearing this, though she didn’t let on. There was no way she could allow Shyam to get away with this. Why did he hate Arnav so much? She had to find out.

‘But why Shyamji?’ she asked him carefully, ‘you were all friends in college. You studied with Di.’

‘You want to know why?’ he asked her, raising his eye brows. ‘Well, I guess there is no harm in telling you about it now.’

Khushi pushed away her trepidation on hearing this and decided to listen. Time. She needed time. As Shyam began to speak Khushi understood that he came from a middle class family which did not have too much money to spare to their only child. The only thing he had in abundance was the ability to charm people into doing his bidding. His cunning had managed to make him a popular boy in college and he had enjoyed all the accolades until Arnav had entered his life. He had ruined everything.

Arnav had won the student election as a fresher, taking the mantle away from him for the first time in three years.

“The best man always wins” he had said in his acceptance speech. He was the most popular boy in college– good in studies and sports equally. The rich brat spent money like water, he said, ensuring loyalty from friends. Girls were attracted to him like bees around honey.

 Ironically, the only girl who was not attracted to Arnav was his own sister Anjali. She had been crazy about Shyam. Of course he had turned on his charm, when she had entered his class as a first year student. He had claimed he wanted to be an environmental lawyer after graduation when he had found out that she herself wanted to be an environmentalist, but very soon he had lost interest in her. It was very taxing to be with her because of her high ideals.

But all that had changed when he realized he could use her to get back her brother. He had realized that Anjali was Arnav’s weakness.

Becoming the son-in-law of the wealthy Raizadas – one of the aristocratic families in Rajasthan, would be an added bonus. Coming from a middle class family, this royal association was the stuff of dreams for him.

Unfortunately, his in-laws had other ideas. Shyam ManoharJha was not good enough for their daughter. They had refused the match and had started looking for alliances in appropriate families within the community. Finally a match had been fixed and Anjali’s parents had been all set to get her married off. Anjali had cried and begged him to do something. She was ready to leave her parents’ house and go where ever he wanted. Poor girl. She was so naïve. Why would she come and live in his hut when he was ready to come and live in her palace? Something had to be done and he had done it.

Obstacles had to be removed to move ahead in life and Anjali’s parents were just collateral damage. Arranging the accident on the high way was a breeze.

Khushi began to tremble as she realized the implications of what he had just told her. Shyam had caused the accident that had killed Arnav’s parents. That would mean that he had been the one responsible for her own parents’ death as well!

As Shyam reminisced about his past, Khushi realized that Shyam’s jealousy toward Arnav bordered on insanity.Tears began to flow down her eyes as she grieved for the loss of all the loved ones because of one psychotic individual.

But unfortunately, after Anjali’s parents had died, he had realized that Anjali was actually bankrupt and had silently backed away from her as he had no use for her. Anjali’s marriage alliance had also broken and she had moved away to Delhi with her brother. Then he had found out that the, the lucky b@#$%^! had managed to erect his empire in a little over an year and he had figured it was time to make a comeback in Anjali’s life.

He had planned for an accidental meeting in a book shop she frequented and began to weave his charm all over again. She had once again fallen for it and with the parents out of the way, Anjali had no problem introducing him as her future husband to her family.

The poor girl had no idea that he had married her to ruin her life. After a year of marriage he had subtly encouraged her to stay at Raisar, freeing him to indulge in his vices in Delhi. It was the perfect arrangement.

It had not been difficult to fleece money from Anjali pretending to raise money for environmental related projects. She also funded his political aspirations, his foreign trips and all his personal expenses as well. She had also named him as the beneficiary of the property she owned.

But that was not enough for him. He wanted to own everything. Even Arnav’s share…..

That was when Lavanya had come into the picture. After Arnav had left for the United States, Lavanya had been disgruntled. He had taken advantage of her vulnerability and had a brief affair with her. But the bitch had dumped him as soon as she realized he did not have too much money to spend on her. Her modelling career had been going great at the time and she didn’t care for a poor law student. But he had continued to keep tabs on her and had found out her career was down in the dumps and was desperately trying to get an entry into movies.

 It was at this point of time that he had tracked her down and had re-kindled the old affair with her. This time he had the money to spend on her and to make sure she was completely under his control, he had introduced her to drugs. Very soon he had laid down a proposal that would benefit both parties mutually. She would get Arnav --- someone she had always wanted. But he had never really told her what he wanted in return.

To him it was pretty simple. He wanted to destroy Arnav. And what better way to do it when he would have control over the two people who would be closest to him --- his wife and sister.

Unfortunately it had not been very easy. He had managed to get Lavanya into the house by manipulating naniji but Arnav had turned out to be pretty tenacious, refusing to marry Lavanya. And then Lavanya had gotten pregnant with his baby. He had managed to convince her to trap Arnav by inviting him over to her apartment for a drink and lacing it with sleeping pills to make it look like he had spent the night with Lavanya. A month later, she had called Arnav had told him of her pregnancy forcing Arnav to propose to her.

He had almost been within reach of success. After the marriage, a small miscarriage would have done the trick. But the neurotic Lavanya had developed a sudden bout of conscience. She wanted to confess to Arnav. She had said something lame about hearing voices and that she wanted absolution from her sins and some crap like that.

On the fateful day she had made a call to Arnav asking him to come and meet her. Luckily he had overheard Arnav talking to her on the phone. Realizing that she hadn’t told him anything on the phone, he had left Raisar before Arnav and reached her way before Arnav. He had told her that he supported her decision and had requested her to have one last drink, which he had laced with high dosage of a drug he knew she wouldn’t be able to handle. And he was right. It had taken care of her.

He had hoped that Arnav would be implicated in her murder but unfortunately luck had favoured him in the form of a witness.

After Lavanya’s death, he had decided to lay low for a while. He couldn’t have the police sniffing out some clue that would eventually lead them to him.

‘But these things are easier said than done Khushiji,’ he said coming out of his reverie, ‘women can never keep their mouths shut, can they? They always want something more.’

When Shyam told her about the girl he had to kill by pushing her off from the balcony of her apartment, Khushi realized that the Raizada family had been living with a psychotic killer.

‘Do you think you will get away with all this?’

‘Of course! I have been planning this from the moment I let it slip out that Lavanaya was pregnant. I knew that it hadn’t registered in your mind but it was only going to be a matter of time.

‘I began to watch you closely and followed you when you went out with Manav. I knew you wouldn’t say anything to Arnav, but I wasn’t so sure about Manav. As I suspected, you confided in him about me but you still hadn’t realized about Lavanya.

‘The conversation brought out some interesting facts about the righteous Dr Manav having the hots for my dearest wife. He is not such a goody two shoes is he?’

‘I don’t think you have any right to say that!’ exclaimed Khushi vehemently.

‘This is exactly what I love about you Khushiji.’ Shyam said his eyes gleaming lasciviously. ‘Your fiery attitude. I have heard some of your fights with Arnav. Anjali is very dull you know.

‘Arnav doesn’t love you,’ he said continuing to stare at her, ‘I love you. We would be perfect together.’

‘No, we wouldn’t!’

‘Why? Because you love Arnav?’

‘Yes.’

‘Alright then, I have no choice but to kill you.’ he said in a very matter-of-fact voice. ‘Anything Arnav has needs to be destroyed. Even Anjali. I have very good plans for her as well.’

‘Shyamji!’ Khushi was shocked to hear that. ‘She loves you.’

‘No Khushikji, she doesn’t’ he said. ‘She loves her brother and her “best friend” Manav more. She is a good wife. No doubt about it.

‘But I don’t care about any of that. I have never cared. All I want is to destroy Arnav Singh Raizada. But before that I want to get all his money.

‘Arnavji will get you for this.’

‘He has no clue about any of this. Are you going to tell him? You are not going to be alive.’

‘He will come.’

‘You think I don’t know that he left for Delhi after he saw the video? I know about Arnav. Once he gets angry there is nothing that can calm him down.’

‘Shyamji, you don’t know this. But Arnavji had once sensed I was in danger and had come for me. You can ask Guman in Bikaner. I am sure he still remembers the lashing he got.’

Shyam stilled for a moment when he heard that. Guman had mentioned this to him. He then brushed it off.

Suddenly there was a sound of an object falling to the ground and Shyam stilled. He opened the bedroom door and stepped outside to peer down into the living room. When he turned around to look at Khushi, he found her gone. She had escaped from the French doors and remembered too late that she had taken the stairs to take the rough path leading into the woods.

Khushi ran past the shrubs and bushes her heart beating wildly, her knees threatening to buckle under as the darkness closed in her. As Khushi fought desperately with her fear of darkness, the thought of exposing Shyam at any cost kept her going.

Suddenly her flight was abruptly halted as she ran into something or …… someone. Shyam had caught up to her! She opened her mouth to scream after the initial shock wore off, butShyam’shand clamped down on her mouth shutting her off as she her felt her dragged bodily into a building. It was the green house.

He pushed her down on the floor. ‘You shouldn’t have run out here Khushji,’ he said, his mouth twisted in an ugly way. ‘Didn’t anyone tell you that there are snakes out here that can bite you?’

Khushi remembered Anjali telling her about it when she had first come to the guest house. Khushi froze with fear. The darkness was really getting to her and she began to feel out of breath. A tear trickled down her cheek as she felt helpless.

‘Your letter to Anjali will be very useful. You have told her not to come looking for you because you can no longer live with Arnav.’

Shyam pinned put her arms above her head and brought his face to inches of her. ‘Once I am done with you I will take you to the desert. They will think you were distraught, tried to leave, got abducted by miscreants who left you for dead in the desert.

‘You told me about the sixth sense crap just to fool me didn’t you Khushiji? He sneered at her. ‘Where is your precious Arnavji now?

They didn’t hear the door open. Then everything happened so fast that it was a blur. Khushi was aware of the light going on. Someone pulling Shyam off her.Seeing a fist send a bone crunching blow to Shyam’s jaw.Shyam staggering and spitting blood. The she gasped. It was Arnav!......standing there….his fists clenched….his brown eyes staring fiercely at Shyam.

‘Arnavji!’ The word stuck in her throat.

Shyam has recovered and lunged after Arnav, but Arnav’s fist slammed into his face again. Shyam struck back, but Arnav crouched like a fighter. Shyam wasn’t able to touch him, and Arnav came after him with a maniacal fury. His fist smashed into Shyam’s face again and again. Shyam stood up as Arnav pummelled into him. He tried to lash out, but his timing was off. His face was a bloody smear. Arnav’s fist smashed into his jaw again … into his stomach … back to his face ….back to the jaw ---

It was more violent than anything Khushi had ever imagined. And she stood watching it in a stupor as if she were watching a movie. It was all happening so fast. Shyam flailing out ….beginning to falter under Arnav’s merciless onslaught….Arnav pulling Shyam to his feet…his fist crashing against Shyam’s face again and again. She saw him groggily against the wall and spit out blood. Just as she thought she would faint she heard footsteps and a group of uniform clad policemen walked in followed by Manav.

‘That should be enough Mr Raizada! We will take it from here.’ One of the policemen said.

‘Are you okay Khushi?’ said Manav rushing up to her.

‘Arnavji?’ Khushi whispered.

Arnav wished the police hadn’t arrived when they did. With a final stare at Shyam, he walked up to Khushi. He lifted her up gently in his arms. ‘I will take her up to the Haveli,’ he told Manav, ‘you can examine her to see if she is hurt and needs any medication.’

‘Sure.’ Manav replied.

‘Mr Raizada, we would need Mrs Raizada to give us a statement.’ The police inspector interposed.

‘Right now, she is very shaken up,’ Arnav told the inspector. ‘You can take the statement from me. I heard everything.

He explained. ‘I went up to the guest to look for Khushi. I used the window to get into the living area. When I went up to the bedroom, I heard Shyam talking. But then he heard a noise and came out to investigate. By the time I could react he realized Khushi had escaped and went after her. I followed them.’

Khushi looked up at Arnav and tears welled up in her eyes. He had heard about his parents. Arnav looked back at her, his own eyes moist.

A little later, Arnav came out of the bedroom after making sure Khushi was fast asleep. Manav had given her a sedative to calm her nerves. As he came down stairs he saw Anjali sitting in the living room, Manav next to her. As he began to give his statement to the police Anjali began to cry. After the formalities were complete the police left leaving the trio alone in the living room.

Manav updated Arnav about the traces of arsenic in Anjali blood and also about what Khushi had been telling him about Shyam, corroborating what Khushi had told me the other day. Finally, he stood up. ‘Arnav, I know you and Anju have a lot to talk about.’ he said. ‘I will leave you two alone.

‘Anju, I would like you come and see me in the clinic tomorrow. We will need to start your treatment.’

After Manav left, Anjali began to cry harder than before.

‘Di ----’ Arnav was too chocked up to speak. He didn’t know what to say. ‘I am sorry….I ’

‘No Chotte!’ she exclaimed, ‘I am the one who should be sorry! I was the one who let the evil into this house.’

 ‘Di!’ Arnav interposed, ‘How can you hold yourself responsible? Please calm down ----’

‘Why not Chotte? I was a bad judge of character.

‘You know mom and dad didn’t approve of Shyam. I rebelled for a long time and refused to marry. But when they eventually fixed my marriage, I wanted to walk out of the house.

‘Chotte, you remember the argument you had with dad the night before they left for the wedding in Jaipur. You told him that he was forcing me to marry someone I wasn’t even interested in.

‘As soon as they left, I called Shyam. I told him they were going to Jaipur to finalize the arrangements. He told me not to worry and said everything would be alright.

‘If it was not for me dad and mom would be alive today.’

‘Stop it Di!’ Arnav took her in his arms as she began to tremble. ‘Don’t do this to yourself.’ He said his voice an anguished whisper. ‘If we go by your logic then I would be the real culprit.

‘He came into your life because of the hatred he had for me.’

Arnav looked into Anjali’s eyes as he said, ‘Di, we cannot hold ourselves responsible for the actions of a man who was mentally deranged.’

‘There is another thing. When Lavanya stayed with at the guest house, and you were traveling, I realized he had been visiting her when I was not around.’

Arnav was aghast. ‘Di….why didn’t you tell me? Or confront Shyam ?’

‘Since Lavanya was from a fashion world, I thought it was very common for her to be …..friendly. Then you suddenly announced your engagement and I didn’t want to spoil it for you. After all you had agreed to the marriage after great difficulty.

‘I just decided to push the whole thing under the carpet.’

‘God Di!’ Arnav couldn’t believe what Anjali had just told her. ‘I wish I had confided in you about Lavanya.How could he do this to you? You loved him so much.’

Anjali shook her head. ‘No Chotte, I didn’t.’ When Arnav looked at her with shock she said, ‘I haven’t love him in a long time. Definitely not since Lavanya.

‘You were right you know --- When you asked me that day if staying apart was the secret to a successful marriage.’ Anjali said, reminding him about their argument. ‘I had made a big fuss to get married to him in the first place. I didn’t want to look like I had made an error in judgement. I was determined to make it work at any cost.’

‘Di…...’ Arnav hugged Anjali.The brother and sister hugged each other, crying over their parents and others who might have lead a better life if this one individual had not entered it.

‘Di, I know it will take you some time to get over this,’ said Arnav as she sat back and looked into her eyes. ‘But just remember that I love you and will be there for you every step of the way.’

‘I know Chotte.’ Anjali gave him a small smile as she cupped his cheek. ‘How do you think I survived all these years?’

After seeing Anjali to her bedroom, Arnav came back in his ownroom. He saw his wife’s serene face in sleep and thanked God for the first time in his life that she was safe and sound. All that he wanted to say to her would have to wait until morning. He got into the bed, lay down next to her, and with his arm around her waist, he slept like a baby.

The next morning, Arnav woke up to find the bed next to him was empty. He went downstairs to get himself a cup of coffee. He found Anjali and Manav sitting at the dining table. ‘Di,’ said Arnav, ‘have you seen Khushi this morning?’

Anjali looked up at Arnav, her face a little pale. ‘I found this letter on the dresser. I think Khushi has …..left.’

Arnav took the letter from Anjali and read through it. As he reached the end of it, he crushed the letter and threw it across the floor. He raked a hand through his hair in frustration as he swore under his breath. F@#$!

Desert Rose – Chapter 24

THE day of the fashion event had finally arrived and Khushistood in the green room looking on as the models tried on their clothes for the fashion event. She had been working non-stop since morning making sure everything was in place from AR’s side. She knew AR’s competitors were also going to be part of this fashion event and that there could be no mistakes. She wondered how she had let Akash coerce into doing this fashion event with him.

Two days after she had moved back into her house in Delhi, Akash had landed on her doorstep, Payal in tow. She had just managed to bring the house to a decent state after two whole days of cleaning and scrubbing.

She had succinctly explained to them that things hadn’t worked out between Arnav and herself and that she was looking forward to an independent life in Delhi.Thankfully, they had not pushed her further with questions. Soon after Akash had left for work, Payal had come up to her.

‘Khushi, what happened?’

‘You know the circumstances under which our marriage took place jiji. There was no way it could have continued.’ Khushi had explained to her that she had come to Raisar only to make sure she settled down with Akash. And that was what mattered at the end of the day.

‘But you and Arnavji seemed to have sorted out your differences,’ Payal said holding Khushi’s hand. ‘The way he rushed up to the attic that day you were stuck there, I could have sworn he-----’

‘Enough about me jiji,’ said Khushi changing the subject. ‘I am very proud of you…’ she said, ‘…..your unwavering faith in Akashji and love helped you achieve all you wanted in life.’

Khushi thought back to that day three months ago when she had stood with Payal in the same kitchen talking about their uncertain future.

I am going to marry Akash. It may not be the life I had planned, but it’s the life I want ---the only one, now and forever

‘No Khushi,’ said Payal holding Khushi’s cheek, ‘I know that all this would not have been possible if it wasn’t for you.

‘I know it was you who convinced Arnavji to help Akash – be it with his mother, or with giving him responsibility at work.

‘Thank you Khushi -- for always supporting me even since amma and babujileft us.’

‘Don’t ever say that jiji,’ said Khushi taking her in her arms, ‘What would I have done without you? We supported each other.’

Thinking about the uncertainty they had faced, not knowing how their lives would turn out, Khushi thought things had gone pretty good --- at least for Payal. She had been re-united with her true love. Unlike her.

Contrary to what she had believed at the time, she had been destinedto find true love -- just like her parents. Unfortunately, she thought sadly it had turned out to be of the unrequited variety.

Though she was craving for news about Arnav she didn’t want to ask about him. The next day, she found out when Akash had come home asking her for a favour.

‘Khushi, you will have to come and help me with the fashion event,’ he said. ‘Bhaihas left for the States, giving me the responsibility for the entire event.’

‘But what can I do Jeeju?’ Khushi said in a low voice. So Arnav had decided to go America after all. And why not? That was where his heart lay – with Jenny.

‘You are the one who designed the entire collection.’ Akash said. ‘If you can come to the office and make sure the clothes have turned out right, then that will be one less work for me.’

When she had started the job, one thing had led to another and she had ended up co-ordinating the AR event with Akash. And she was enjoying every minute. But she knew that this was a temporary set up. Once the event was over, she would start looking for a job. She wondered if she would be able to get her old job back with Mrs Malhotra.

‘Khushi, we have a problem,’ said Akash coming up to her with a worried expression on his face. ‘The show stopper __’

‘I was going to just ask you about her Akash,’ said Khushi urgently, before he could finish, ‘she was supposed to be here like half an hour ago.’

‘She just called,’ said Akash hesitating a little, ‘she said she won’t be able to make it. She is a little …..indisposed at the moment.’

‘What the?’ Khushi blurted out unable to complete Arnav’s favourite profanity. ‘Did you call the agency? Will they be able to arrange another model for us?’

‘Do you remember the problem we had with the agency some time back?’ Khushi remembered Arnav had to come to Delhi to take care of that problem. Akash went on, ‘Looks like he hadn’t been successful. They didn’t even want to talk to me when I called just now.’

She couldn’t believe Arnav had been unsuccessful at something. ‘What are we going to do?’ she wailed in dismay.

‘You will have to do it.’ Akash said tersely.

‘No way!’ Khushi exclaimed. ‘I cannot walk the ramp. I am not used to high heels!’

‘There is always a first time for everything Khushi,’ said Anjali coming up behind Akash.

‘Di!’ Khushi said emphatically seeing her sister-in-law in the pink of health. ‘When did you come?’

‘I just came in,’ she said smiling in her usual exuberant manner. ‘Manav is sitting outside with Payal.’

‘Khushi, please,’ said Akash looking at her expectantly, ‘we are running out of time and we don’t really have a choice here.’

‘Come on Khushi,’ said Anjali in an encouraging voice, ‘I will help you get ready.’

An hour later, Khushi stood in front of the mirror. She had her makeup and jewellery on and her clothes fit her perfectly. A small nagging doubt entered her mind wondering how that was possible.

She had not realized how beautiful thelehenga would look when she had designed this on paper. It had been a dream come true for her to be able to see all her creations come to life this past week. And this bridal lehenga was the cherry on top of the cake.

It was a breathtakingly beautiful kali lehenga-- sheer elegance in pure red silk. The work on the lehenga was an antique hand embroidery –zardosi work -- done in floral and creeper design and patch work paisley motifs embellished with kundan and sequins at the bottom of the lehenga.Similar work was repeated all over the choli, with a completely open back tied together by just one dori. The chunri had work on all four sides, decorated with scattered buttis, embellished with sequins and kundan work.

‘Khushi,’ Anjali said her eyes filled tears of joy, ‘you look beautiful!’

‘But it is a little revealing….don’t you think?’ Khushi asked her doubtfully. She had designed this keeping a model in mind. Little had she known that she would be the one wearing it!

‘No,’ said Anjali dabbing a small dot of kajal behind her ear, ‘it is perfect. You look like a bride.’

Khushi looked up at Anjali’s smiling face and realized that she couldn’t postpone this any longer. She would have to talk about the events that had transpired in Raisar a week ago. She walked up to her and took her in her arms. ‘Di, I am so sorry for what happened,’ she began, ‘Payal told me about the poisoning. I wish I had told you earlier. Maybe ---’

‘I don’t know why everyone keeps apologizing to me.’ Anjali said sadly, ‘I am the one who is to blame here. If I hadn’t been stupid all this would never have happened.’

‘You can’t hold yourself responsible Di,’ Khushi said urgently, ‘you are the victim here. Shyamji was a vile insane man.’

‘This is exactly what Chotte told me when I had this discussion with him.’ she said holding Khushi’s arm. ‘I will be okay Khushi. Time heals everything.’

‘Di, I am also sorry for leaving the way I did,’ she said a little hesitantly, ‘I should have at least ---’

‘You had every right to leave, Khushi,’ Anjali interposed, ‘Chotte told me everything after he read your letter. He showed me the video which caused all the problem. The police handed over the un-tampered version from Shyam’s phone.

‘I can understand how difficult it must be to live with a person like my brother. Right after you got married I told you that I couldn’t have found a better girl for my brother. And I stand by it. But I never thought if he will turn out to be a good man for you or not. Life had made him harsh, but I thought that he would change one day --- when he found the right girl. I guess I was wrong.’

‘Di,’ said Khushi, ‘That is not the reason I left. Arnavji is a good man. Everything that has happened in the past was a misunderstanding. The death of your parents and Lavanyaji’s betrayal made him the way he was. He has even apologized for all those things.

‘I am partially responsible for the misunderstanding with Dr Manav. I shouldn’t have kept things from him ….or you. But the main culprit for that is Shyamji.

‘Having said that,’ said Khushi pausing.‘Marriage should be about mutual understanding and not an obligation. You know the circumstances under which he was forced to marry me. It was not fair to him. He had his own dreams and aspirations and marriage was not one of them.’

‘Dreams?’ Anjali said her eyebrows creased in confusion.

‘Di, you know he has always wanted to settled down in America. I have to let him go.’ Khushi said simply. ‘His sense of responsibility will never let him do it on his own. Don’t you understand?’

‘But ----’

‘Wait!’ Khushi said emphatically as something Anjali said flashed in her mind. ‘You said Arnavji showed you the video of me talking to Dr Manav?’

‘Yes.’

‘All of it?’ asked Khushi her eyes wide open. When Anjali nodded, Khushi exclaimed, ‘So you know about Dr Manav having feelings for you?’

‘Yes Khushi.’

‘What are you going to do, Di?

‘I don’t know Khushi,’ Anjali said with trepidation. ‘He is my best friend. I don’t want to lose what we have. I am not sure I am worthy of him.’

‘Di,’ Khushi said holding her hand, ‘Believe me. The video doesn’t do justice to what Dr Manav feels about you. He has been in love with since college. But maybe it was not meant to be then. But please don’t throw away this chance at happiness. No one deserves it more than you do.’

‘Thanks Khushi….. I ’

Just then Akash came into tell Khushi that she was expected backstage for her entry cutting off Anjali.

‘Don’t worry Di,’ Khushi said as she gave a quick hug to Anjali. ‘Everything will be alright.’

As Anjali watched Khushi retreating back, she thought to herself that there was indeed no better girl for her brother other than Khushi.

Ten minutes later, as Khushiwalked the ramp and stood in front the hundreds of people who had gathered there, memories of the days she would sit down with her pencil and paper and doodled designs, dreaming about making it big one day, flashed in front of her.

But right now all she could think of was Arnav. Her dreams meant nothing to her without him. She had a constant pain in her heart that she carried since the time Arnav had walked out on her. It would just not go away. She was afraid she was stuck with it for the rest of her life.

With a sigh she turned away and walked to the rear of ramp where she waited for Akash to join her so she could walk back with him. When she saw a dark profile of a man, her heart began its erratic dhak-dhak and suddenly she was wary. When he stepped out of the shadow Khushi felt like her heart had dropped to her feet. It was Arnav!

His eyes swept her from top of her head covered by the beautiful chunri, moving down to the maangteeka adorning her forehead, down to her beautiful almond shaped eyes to her lush rosy lips, quivering with trepidation. His eyes then skimmed her swan like neck was adorned by her mangalsutra interspersed into the ornate necklace stopping at the gentle swell of her breasts just above the neckline of her miniscule choli. Moving down, his eyes darkened as he saw her midriff completely exposed, emphasising the curve of her tiny waist, from the point her blouse ended to the waistband of her lehenga, just below her navel.

If Khushi didn’t know how beautiful she looked when she looked in the mirror earlier, she knew now. She could see it in his eyes.

‘Arnav….ji?’ she whispered. ‘What ….what are you doing here?’ she stuttered.

‘I believe it is customary for the owner to be present as his own fashion event.’ He said, smoothly hiding the turmoil he felt inside.

‘But ---’ Khushi said in confusion.

‘Later Khushi,’ He said holding out his hand. ‘I think everyone is waiting for us to make an appearance.’

Khushi took his hand nonplussed at the sudden turn of events, walking back with him to the front of the ramp in a daze. As the camera began flashing in frenzy, Arnav addressed the audience with the mike that had been handed over to him.

‘Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I am here to present to you, my wife, Mrs Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada – the designer of AR’s bridal collection you saw today.’

Khushi looked up at Arnav surprized at his announcement.He went on. ‘I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that she will be starting a new ethnic clothing line called ---Khushi --- I hope we will receive the same patronage we have been receiving from you so far.’

As Khushi stood rooted at the spot unable to react to the happenings, Arnav concluded, ‘Thank you for listening ladies and gentlemen. I will let you enjoy the rest of the evening.’

Arnav walked Khushi back amidst raging applause and as they stepped back stage Khushi saw Anjali, Manav, Payal and Akash waiting for them.

‘Congratulations Khushi!’ exclaimed Anjali as she took her in a warm hug. Khushi still couldn’t believe what had just transpired. Why was Arnav doing all this? They had to talk.

As the three couples sat down to dinner, Arnav was constantly hounded by the press for an interview. As he was busy answering their questions, there was an announcement.

‘This is a song request dedicated to a beautiful lady in remembrance of her favourite brown eyed hero.’ The man with the mike said. ‘I would like to request all couples to grace the dance floor with their presence.’

‘Shall we?’ said Arnav holding out his hand to her as he stood up.

As the music began wafting out into the room, Khushi placed her hand on his and shesuddenly realized that it was Arnav who had requested for the song. It was the song Saans from the new movie Jab TakHainJaan.He took her out onto the dance floor, whirling her into the mass of couples. His hand slid, fingers splayed, around her waist, intimately, possessively, on the small of her back.

Saansmeinteri

Saansmilitoh

Mujhesaansaayi

Mujhesaansaayi

Mujhesaansaayi

Khushi looked up at him as their bodies came together, touched briefly, and parted. She looked up and he stole her breath. His black hair spilled on his forehead in a free fall of silky strands. His chocolate eyes glittered with specks of gold. His body glided next to hers, barely touching, skin sliding against skin, their bodies brushing intimately.

Rooh ne chooli

Jismkikhushboo

Tujopaasaayi

Tujopaasaayi

Tujopaasaayi

Arnav’s eyes held hers captive. She couldn’t look away from him. Didn’t want to look away from him. She wanted to be lost there for all time, in the heat of his caramel orbs. The music move through them, over them, surrounded them with passion. As he whirled her close, holding her against him for several heartbeats, his hand caressed her waist, finding creamy skin along the edges of the material of her lehenga.

Fire race through her, flames licking over skin like tiny fiery tongues. He drew her close again, into the shelter of his arms, their bodies swaying in perfect accord to the music. Khushi was grateful to the pulsing light that helped in hiding the couples on the large dance floor. Her body moulded itself to Arnav’s every step they rubbed against one another, her breasts aching against the heavy muscles of his chest, as his hands skimmed around and began to caress the side of her waist.

She turned her head from his shoulder, making a move to detach herself from Arnav.

‘Relax Khushi,’ he whispered in her ear as his mouth brushed against her neck. They moved apart, swayed together, and then he pulled her into his hardness. Her entire body clenched in reaction. Her breath rushed out of her lungs.

Arnav held her there while his body moved to the lilting beat of the music. Each movement sent lightning arcing through his bloodstream as he came in contact with her soft, yielding body.

He knew he had a lot to sort out between them. Tell her everything she needed to hear. He wanted to treat her the way she deserved. But his body went up in flames the moment he was with her. Not just flames but a firestorm burning out of control. Hot and bright and dangerous.

The moment he had heard her breath catching in her throat, saw her eyes go sultry he knew he would lose every restraint, his every control around her. She was so damned sexy, so hot it was going to get dangerous…..

The music was ending, the last notes dying away, as Arnav bent his head to capture her lips. The next number was loud and noisy bringing them back to reality. Khushi stepped back, turned around and ran through the mass of bodies away from Arnav.