Dark Night Dawning Epilogue

The door bell at Shantivan chimed and Anjali rushed toward the door exclaiming, ‘It must be them!’ She opened the door to welcome the two people she owed a lot to ----her dearest brother and her sister-in-law Khushi. She hugged them both joyfully.

Khushi touched Naniji’s feet and hugged Mamiji and Payal. She enquired about her little niece who Anjali told her was sleeping.

Suddenly,Naniji, Mamiji, Payal and Anjali burst into giggles as  Akashtried very hard to keep a straight face.

‘What’s so funny?’ asked Arnav even as Khushi looked at them curiously.

‘We didn’t know that you still remembered your lines from the Heer-Ranjha act, Arnav bitwa!’ blurted out Mamiji before anyone could stop her.

‘What the _____? how did you know?’ he asked them stunned.

‘Umm….bhai…looks like there were some news reporters at the wedding at Sheesh Mahal,’ explained Akash, ‘we saw everything you said on the stage just now on TV. It has become sensational news…’

F@#$! He swore under his breath, as he looked at Khushi’swho had visibly paled. He walked furiously toward the stairs flipping open his phone, to call the news channel. There would be hell to pay before he was done with them!

‘Chotte…. what about dinner?’ Anjali asked him tongue in cheek.

‘I will be back in 10 minutes Di!’ he snapped out as he walked up the stairs.

Khushi joined Payal in the kitchen to help her set up the table for dinner. She had refused when Payal told her to go up to the room to rest. She wasn’t sure how she was going to handle being alone with him all of a sudden. She wanted to delay it as much as possible.

Anjali was impressed at the ease with which Arnav and Khushi dealt with each other. She realized that staying together in Lucknow had worked wonders for their relationship. They seemed so attuned to each other. Her brother had not looked like this in a long long time. Her papadkatukda was ukhda no more…….

‘Di, have you named your daughter yet?’ asked Khushi curiously, ‘When you came to Lucknow, you said you needed a little more time.’

‘Yes Khushi,’ said Anjali beaming, ‘in the honour of her uncle and aunt I would like to name her Arushi…..’

‘That’s a beautiful name Anjali bitiya!’ said Mamiji emphatically as other members of the family began congratulating her.

Arnav and Khushi looked at Anjali, their eyes reflecting the deep emotion they were feeling at this moment. Anjali smiled at them as if to say that’s the least I could do.

After dinner, Arnav and Khushi went up to  Anjali’s room to see their little niece Arushi.As Arnav sat talking to his sister, Khushi stepped into the pool area carrying her little niece in her arms, talking to her about stars, singing to her.Khushi felt a pang of regret for the little girl who would have to grow up without her father. As the baby slept peacefully in her arms Khushi brought her in.As she was about to hand over the bay to Arnav, he jumped up refused. He felt she was too fragile for him to hold. Khushi looked at him weirdly, as Anjali shook her head in resignation.The Laad Governor was afraid to hold a small baby?

After stepping out of Anjali’s room, they proceeded toward their bedroom. ‘I told jiji I would come and meet her after dinner,’ blurted out Khushi halting abruptly.

‘Sure …..go ahead….I have some work I need to look into anyway,’ he told her a little awkwardly raking his hand into his hair.

Khushi and Payal sat in the living room, reminiscing about how they chatted like this during their growing up years ---- until they got married. After that a weird awkwardness had developed between them because of all the misunderstanding. Soon Khushi realized that Payal was eager to join her husband as it was getting late. They hugged each other and bade each other good night.

She had one last stop before she went up. She went up to the mandir to talk to her friend, philosopher and guide with whom she had a painful conversation 7 months ago at this very spot.

‘Thank you for being with me through all my trials and tribulations Devi Maiyaa……I couldn’t have done this without you,’ said Khushi as she payed her salutations.

When Khushi entered the bedroom, she saw Arnav sitting on his side of the bed, leaning against the headboard, working on his lap top. His hair was damp from the shower. She realized that she would have to shower as well. They had driven all the way from Lucknow and she felt her clothes sticking to her.

Khushi came out of the bathroom after her shower, in her night suit. God! She looked sexy as hell with that wet hair!His eyes moved to her swan like neck, the delicate rounded shoulders, her slim hands, and the lovely curve of her waist that he could span with both his hands, flaring into rounded hips and bottom. She was beautiful!

As she stood in front of the mirror, towelling her hair dry she found herself staring at the Salman Khan poster on the wall. She turned around to find her stars hanging from her side of the bed and heard the sound of chimes. He had put back all her things! Her heart began to beat really fast. She went up to the Salman Khan poster and began to take it down.

‘What are you doing that for, Khushi?’ snapped Arnav looking at her from his position on the bed, ‘I don’t like it when you keep changing the décor of this room.’

‘I don’t need these things anymore,’ she declared as she put away the poster. She moved to the stars. She held one in her hand, and was about tug at it when she felt her hair being moved to one side and Arnav’s lips on her neck. She jumped as she let go of the star.

‘Leave them alone Khushi,’ he muttered as he began to nibble on her neck contentedly, burying his face in her hair and inhaling deeply. ‘You smell delicious. Do you have any idea how sexy you look when you come out of the shower with your hair wet like this?’

His arms came around Khushi, his hand capturing hers, playing idly with her fingers, his touch setting her skin tingling. His mouth was against her hair, his warm breath stirring it softly as he brought her flush against him.

She turned around and snaked her arms around his neck slamming her body hard against him ‘You look sexy too…..when you come out of the shower, without your shirt on,’ she mumbled into his neck.

‘Your wish is my command, my dearest wife,’ he rasped against her neck and her heart soared as his arms tightened around her.

Arnav took a few steps back and took off his t-shirt, leaving him in just his track pants, riding low on his hips revealing a tiny bit of his underwear. God! She could never get over how magnificent he looked! Arnav with the glow of the warm light painting his bold features, looked beautiful and strong and utterly masculine.Her heart began to beat very fast as she took in his lean and hard build, the play of muscles on his shoulders, biceps and chest. But what stirred her most was the sprinkling of dark hair on his chest. She wanted to go up to him and move her hands all over him. But as Arnav began to take a step toward her, a sudden bout of shyness assailed her. Khushi began to move back and ran into the pool area.

As she stood looking at the stars, Arnav came up behind her and gathered her in his arms and held her silently. This room held a lot of bad memories for them since the time they were married. This room----- which had been a silent witness to the hatred -----

 ‘Khushi, I don’t know if I will ever be able to make it up to the things I did to you, the things I said, I ____’ his voice caught as he remembered.

Is kamrekebaahar hum happily married couple ki acting karenge….per is kamrekeandar tum mere liyekuchnahiho……you mean nothing to me!

Jaannachahatihokyon main tumhe suffer kartedekhnachahatahoon….Kyonki Main tumsenafratkartahoon…..because I hate you! ……..

‘I was lying Khushi….. I tried so much to hate you …..but I couldn’t!’

‘I was lying too …… I tried not to love you either…..’ she said sadly remembering how she had retaliated in anger.

Hum bhiaapsenafratkartehain…jitniaapkartehainussekahinjyada… kyonkiaapse koi pyaarkare……uskeaaplaayak hi nahihain Mr Raizaada!Aapsirfnafratkelaayakhain…….

Arnav turned her around to face him and looking into her eye he said, ‘I love you, Khushi!’

‘I love you too…..’ she breathed, ‘much muchmore than you!’ she added impishly.

‘Really, we will have to see about that won’t we?’ he said huskily and tangled his hands in her hair, drawing her closer…..closer still, until her breasts were pulled tight against his bare chest. He slid one hand behind her head, as if to hold her steady while his mouth plundered hers.

She touched his shoulder first, running her hands across taut muscles, then wrapped her arms around him, giving her hands free rein to play across his broad back.

A moan released itself from her as his lips left hers and instead blazed a trail of fire down her jawline and into the hollow of her throat.

‘Khushi…..,’ he murmured, his breath hot against her neck.

‘Arnav…..’ she sighed, loving the sound, the feel of his name on her lips.

His hands left her hair and instead caressed down her back, unzipping her kameez and she arched like a cat beneath his stroking hand.

He kissed her shoulders, the pushed the sleeve of her kameez and bra off her shoulders in an effort to be rid of them.He reached down and grabbed the bottom of the kameez and pulled it off over her head. Then he reached behind her for the clasp of her bra and undid it with just one flick.

‘Arnavji!’ she exclaimed holding her hands in front of her, horrified, ‘we are at the pool side!’

‘So?’ he asked her raising one eyebrow arrogantly, ‘I am at my house, my pool side making love to my wife!’

Khushi realized that there was one side of him that was never going to change – the Laad               Governor side! And she didn’t want it to change, did she?

He quickly undid the ties to her salwar bottom and as it fell down in a heap he swept to her in his arms and laid her on the pool chair.

She was ready when his lips claimed hers, possessively thrusting his tongue inside as if to prove his dominance. Her hands moved all over the muscles of his back with the same possessiveness, her fingernails digging into the hard planes. He moved so he was half over the top of her, his mouth once again tasting the skin of her neck, nipping lightly over her collarbones.

When his mouth found the peak of one breast, Khushi arched with pleasure. His tongue played across her nipple and shuddering sensations of response soared through her.

She twisted her hands in his hair, loving the texture of the silken strands around her fingers. Her breath caught in her throat as his mouth left her breasts and he licked lightly down the flat of her stomach and thrust into her navel.

He paused at the lacy edge of her panties and Khushi tugged at his hair expecting him to trace his path back to her lips.

He raised his head and looked at her, his eyes filled with a need that reverberated inside Khushi. ‘Not yet.’ His voice was soft promise of pleasure to come and Khushi shivered with the heat of that promise.

He held her gaze as his hand lazily traced the waistband of her panties, dipping his fingers inside to slowly peel them down her hips, his fingers caressing her inner thighs as he slid the silk off her legs and threw them aside. Though this touch was not new to her, the look in his eyes made her shiver and she moved her hands to clutch at the handles of the chair.

Slowly he began to slide his palm up the contour of her leg caressing the back of her knee, stroking her thighs. His urged her legs apart exposing her fully to him as his fingers found her molten center.

‘Did I tell you that you’re beautiful,’ he asked, his breath a whisper against her thighs as his fingers began to stroke her.

‘Hmmm….’ she moaned breathlessly.

‘You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known,’ he said as his tongue replaced his fingers, caressing her lightly, just a taste.

‘Ar….navv!’ her body clenched, jumped.  She tried to close her legs, pushing at his shoulders as she protested, ‘stop…..don’t……!’

‘Shut up Khushi!’ he rasped huskily as he held her thighs down firmly and continued his ministrations. Khushi felt like she was spiralling down a dark tunnel uncontrollably as pressure built and built until she cried out clutching his shoulders digging her finger nails into the hard muscles. Then she found herself floating in oblivion, her entire body suffused in bewildering sensations, from her head to her toe. She held out her armsand Arnav immediately obliged as she gathered him to her. She clung to him so tightly, almost smothering him. Finally, her tremors subsided and she loosened her grip on him. But she still couldn’t get herself to look into his eyes.

‘So, my dearest wife……who loves who more now?’ he teased her.

‘If this is going to be the measure of one’s love then……’ said Khushi suddenly opening her eyes to look into his chocolate brown ones intensely,  her hands moving down in lightning speed to slip into his trousers to close over his arousal.

‘What the f@#$!’ Arnav swore, as he felt an explosion in his gut. The excitement, the sheer pleasure washed over him in such intense waves that he pulled her hand out as he stood up and quickly disposed of with his pants and underwear. He eased himself between her legs and deep within her.

For a moment neither of them moved. It was as if not only their bodies were intimately entwined, but also their hearts, their souls, leaving nothing left to do but exist in the moment, and in each other.

It was he who moved first…. A slight shifting of his hips that created hot pleasure to sear through her. As he moved again, Khushi closed her eyes and gave herself to the sheer pleasure.

Arnav wanted to go slow to make each and every exquisite sensation last endless minutes…hours. But his eager body refused to listen to his heart’s desire, wanting ….. needing to move with a frantic pace all its own.

Slow. Slow. Arnav told himself as they moved together, like one entity. But when she pushed her hips up higher, he felt himself swept in vortex of sensation and he began to move faster and faster with her…in her…. sending them both higher and higher. Her fingers gripped his shoulders nails digging into his skin. She whispered his name over and over again.

And he knew when she reached her peak, felt her body tense, then shudder and at the same time, he went over the edge, crying out her name.

Moments later, they lay in each other’s arms. Their breathing had returned to normal, their bodies had cooled, but there was fragile peace between them that had formed an intimate connection that had nothing to do with their love making.

Arnav swept her up in his arms and took her into the bedroom and laid her on the bed gently. When she made a move to scurry away, he pulled her to him and they snuggled together in the centre of the bed.

‘Khushi, what was all that earlier?’ he asked her about theemphatic expertize she had displayed earlier.

Oh God! Did he think she was too wanton?‘Uh…. The night before Palak’s wedding……she and her married friends came to the house,’ she said making small circles on his chest nervously, ‘they wanted to throw a bridal shower for her. You were the one who declared you make me feel out of his world…..Palak wanted to know how.’

‘So did you tell them?’ he asked her unable to believe what he was hearing. When did Lucknowi women get this forward?

‘Well I had to….’ Khushi blushed a deep red hiding her face in his neck, ‘then some of them explained how they do the same…..I …..I am sorry if you didn’t like it.’

Didn’t like it?……was she kidding?‘You know what Khushi?’ he told her seriously, ‘such knowledge should not be allowed to go waste……How about we put everything you learnt to practice right now?’ asked her husband giving her his famous lopsided smile ---– a smile for which this wife would agree to practicallyanything!

As the stars shone brightly in the sky, there was no bitter past between them, only this blissful present with the hope for a wonderful future.

**

The next morning, Khushi was busy in the kitchen helping with the breakfast,when she heard the doorbell. As she heard her Buaji’s voice in the hall, she rushed out to meet them. She was dumbstruck at the sight that greeted her. Her dad was walking in to the living room, slowly but surely using a walking stick for support.

‘Bitiya!he exclaimed with affection. ‘Babuji!’ Khushi ran into his arms as tears of joy flowed down her cheeks.

‘Careful ……you silly girl!’ shouted her Buaji worried that Khushi might send her brother crashing to the floor in her excitement. Payal, Akash and the rest of the family members had joined them after hearing the commotion.

As everyone settled in the living room, Buaji explained that there was tremendous improvement in her brother’s condition due to the ayurvedic treatment he was getting at the Village. He had regained the usage of his legs and was able to speak a few words. At the treatment village, they had recommended them to avail speech therapy with the help of which he might begin to talk again.

Khushi told them that they should be able to sit down for breakfast soon. Then Buaji enquired about Arnav, ‘Where is Arnav bitwa? He specifically asked us to come here this morning.’

Talk of the devil thought Khushi as she saw him coming down the stairs, and then she corrected herself ----handsome devil. He was dressed to kill in his white shirt and khaki trousers.

Arnav took in Khushi’s hot pink anarkali suit as he walked toward her. She wore a strawberry colour lipstick on her lips that seemed to beg for his attention. Siren!

After the initial pleasantries, just as everyone began to wonder what was going on, Arnav walked up to Khushi who stood next to the sofa. He suddenly went down on his knees in front of her and held out a small box in his hand.

‘Mrs Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada, will you please do me the honour of marrying me……again?’ he asked her as everyone gasped.

Khushi picked up the box and opened it. Inside it lay the two bangles she had pawned at the jewellery shop in order to buy plants for Arnav a long time ago.

At her questioning look, Arnav explained to her that during his London trip, Lavanya had mentioned to him that gifting him the plants wasKhushi’s idea. Coincidentally yesterday night, the owner of the jewellery had recognized Khushi and Arnav on TV and called the AR office. He thought that Khushi might have forgotten about the bangles.

As tears welled up in Khushi eyes, Arnav stood up. She went on her tip toes snaked her arms around and enveloped him in a tight hug. Then suddenly realizing that the entire family was around, she let him go. ‘Thank you Arnvaji!’ she exclaimed as she wore her bangles. ‘I’ll see to breakfast,’ she said to everyone’s surprise as she began to walk back to the kitchen.

‘Ah……Khushi …..you haven’t given me an answer yet,’ reminded Arnav following her.

‘No,’ she said simply as she continued walking.

‘What the ___?’ asked Arnav shocked, ‘Why not?’

‘In a few months, it will be a year since we got married. What is the need to spend so much for another wedding?’ she countered.

‘Khushi, that was not a proper wedding, don’t you want people to attend your wedding?’ he asked her.

‘A very important person was at our wedding!’ she said giving a sidelong glance toward the mandir.

‘Do you think they will keep going on like this all their lives?’ asked Anjali as the couple moved out of their view.

‘I don’t think there will be one boring moment in our lives with these two around, Anjali bitiya,’ said Naniji unable to hide her joy.

‘You are absolutely right about that samdhanji,’ agreed Buaji, ‘sankadevi will definitely make sure of that.’

The arguments continued in the kitchen, ‘Don’t you want your own haldi, sangeet and mehendi? At least you won’t have to hide my name on your palm using ridiculous excuses this time.’ Arnav smirked as he remembered the way she had said Khushi KumaaariGuptaaain the exact same spot they were standing right now.

‘Whatever it was, I did have your name on my palm, didn’t I?’ she countered,‘Why should we repeat it again?’

‘Shut up Khushi!’ he growled as he backed her up against the wall.

‘Rakshas!’ she whispered as he brought his lips down on hers silencing her in the only way he knew how.

That night as little Arushi wailed, her mother took her in her arms and told her a story ----

An angel found a devil bound in chains

They were irresistibly drawn to each other

As the devil began to slowly unwind himself from his chains to reach out to her

A storm blew in plunging them into a Dark Night…….

Caught in the storm the angel bled, cried out in agony

Her screams pierced through the devil’s heart and he broke through his chains

He jumped into the storm and fought valiantly and rescued his angel

As they walked together into the Dawn, she looked up at his face –

Without his chains, the devil had become what she always knew he was

A prince

Dark Night Dawning Chapter 26

What the _____? Arnav thought as he saw Khushi run toward the exit. He hurried down the stairs after her. He finally found her in the parking lot trying in vain to stop a rickshaw. He quickly found his car and drove right up to her. He got off the car. ‘Get in the car, I’ll take you home,’ he said.

‘I can take care of myself!’ she snapped back.

‘Don’t be silly Khushi, just get in the damn car!’ he grated out.

Before she could say anything else, she saw some of her neighbours approaching. They were trying to go back home after the wedding and were finding it difficult to avail a rickshaw or a taxi. They requested them to drop them home if it was not too much trouble. Khushi looked at Arnav uncomfortably.

‘Of course we will drop you aunty, it’s no trouble at all,’ said Arnav politely, ‘we were headed home anyway,’ he added looking pointedly at Khushi.

Arnav knew she wouldn’t make a scene in front of her neighbours. As Arnav drove, Khushi sat silently next to him. He couldn’t ask her anything with their neighbours just within earshot. He decided to wait until they got home.

After dropping all the neighbours, when they reached home, Khushi got off the car, banged the door shut and scurried into the house. As she began walking furiously toward the main house, Arnav stepped into the courtyard.

‘Where do you think you are going?’ he asked her, not able to understand her behaviour, ‘Don’t you have anything to say?’

She turned around, her eyes flashing with anger, ‘What do you want me to say?’

‘Didn’t you hear me at all, out there?’

‘Oh that speech?’ she asked her tone flippant, ‘the last time I asked you, you told me they were Ranjha’s lines.’

‘Don’t you think there is a difference ----- the last time I said it and now?’

‘Oh really,…..why don’t you enlighten me?’

Arnav’s anger rose at the taunt and he came up to her and held her by the soft flesh of her upper arms and backed her up against the wall, ‘I came back all the way from London and ____’

‘Why?’ she asked him interrupting him, ‘Didn’t it work out with Lavanyaji?’

Why was she talking about his project all of a sudden? ‘I don’t really care about that deal right now!’

Hey Devi Maiyya! How could he be so callous about it?‘Everything is a deal for you, isn’t it?  ‘How did Lavanyaji take it?’

‘What do you mean? …….She tried her best……… but then there was nothing much she could do, because I had to come back here,’ he explained to her a little confused.

‘You haven’t changed one bit, have you?’ she asked him indignant, ‘you just don’t care!’

Again, she was not making any sense. ‘You think I don’t care?’ he shot back, ‘What about you? I come back all the way from London for you and here you are ……..all dressed up and ready to go out with that that walking hindi dictionary!’

Khushi couldn’t believe him. ‘You haven’t changed at all! You have done this from the first day we met. Blast Khushi --- she crashed my fashion show! Blast Khushi ------ she is not being a good employee! Blast Khushi ------she is brainwashing my girlfriend about marriage…..and on Diwali night _____’

‘I wanted to kiss you…….. so badly!’ Arnav’s tone had gone softer. But Khushi was beyond noticing as she continued to badger him.

‘Yeah right!’ she yelled, ‘That’s why you got yourself engaged to Lavanyaji!’

‘What did you do?’ he countered, ‘You said you were happy for us and distributed sweets to everyone!’

‘You blasted me even for that!’ she continued her tirade.

‘So you went ahead and got yourself engaged!’ He blurted out before he could stop himself.

 ‘You made me organize your stupid engagement party!’ It seemed like she wasn’t really listening to him anymore. She just wanted to vent. So Arnav decided to help her get it all out.

‘Because you said……mujhe koi farak nahi padta.’

‘You gave the necklace I liked to Lavanyaji!’ she bit out.

‘When I broke it off with Lavanya ------- you gave me a lashing for that!’ he countered defensively.

‘So what was I supposed to do? Dance that you were suddenly available?’ sarcasm laced Khushi’s tone.

‘Oh no …no…. that you reserved only for NK!’ he said remembering how she  had jived to the Desi Girl beats with NK.‘You flirted with him knowing very well that it would drive me crazy!’

‘Yes….. I knew it!’ she said defiantly, ‘at least Nanheji was more open about it.’

‘Yes… he was very open when he ogled your open back as well!’ he said his tone flippant.

She shrugged off his hands from her arms. ’Oh stop it! As if it made any difference to you!’ Aapko isse kya farak padta hai?

‘I was going to tell you that night.’

‘Just forget it!’ She shouted as she pushed at his chest but he didn’t budge an inch.

‘I was going to tell you …..ki farak kyun padta hai’

‘I don’t want to know!’ She pushed him harder with all her might.

I was going to tell you kimain tumse pyaar karta hoon Khushi.’ his voice rang out crystal clear.

‘But I hate you!’ She began to beat on his chest, tears flowing down her cheeks.

‘I love you.’ he repeated like a chant.

‘Then why did you walk away from me the other night?’ she raged, ‘to go to London and meet Lavanyaji!’

‘What the _____? I went to London to meet Lavanya because AR is doing business with her company. I don’t love Lavanya. I don’t think I ever have!’

She already knew that, didn’t she? but she had wanted to ask him anyway.

‘Why did you leave me and go away ……in Musoorie…..for two whole months?’ she continued to pummel his chest as memories of that night came back to her. Why was she doing this when she knew it was Shyam who was responsible for all this?

‘Khushi….stop!’ he pleaded hoarsely, his eyes reflecting the pain – his and hers, as he pinned her hands against the wall.

‘Why couldn’t it have been you who came to meet me on the terrace that night Arnavji?’ she cried distraught, struggling against his strength. ‘Why?’

He deserved this thought Arnav. Though Shyam’s malice had created so much misunderstanding in their lives, it was his distrust that had caused her maximum pain. Was it too late? Would Khushi never be able to forgive him and give him another chance?

‘Khushi, I am sorry……I’ his voice caught as his eyes filled with tears unable to say anything else.

Suddenly her bangle snapped into pieces in his hand. He let go of her hands, horrified at the way he had pinned her hands and took a step back and whispered, ‘I am so sorry Khushi……I will never do that again. I will go away if that’s what you want…..’

Suddenly, Khushi felt bereft.

That is how we are, and have been right from the beginning……

Arnavji and I ……it is mostly fireworks. It’s a little complicated. It is difficult for people to understand…..

She knew that she had always loved him in spite of his distrust and the misunderstandings. This was because her heart had always known that she was made only for him and she had no control over it. It had started beating for him even before she could understand the meaning of love. It was her treacherous heart that made her endure every pain he inflicted on her, made her forgive him time and again. It was because her heart didn’t belong to her. It belonged to him.

‘Didn’t you know my heart stops beating when you leave me?’  Khushi lamented

Had she really said what she had just said?

Suddenly Khushi snaked her hands around his neck, clutching the hair at the back of his head almost painfully, slamming her body against his as she went on her tip-toes to capture his lips in a searing kiss…….

Arnav went absolutely still. Abruptly, Khushi drew back, her luminous eyes flashing at him, her whole body quivering with a barely controlled temper.

‘Khushi?’ asked Arnav as looked down at her trembling lips. She kissed him again, her fingers still embedded in the thickness of his hair.

Arnav then pushed her up against the wall his holding her tiny waist, his mouth capturing her lips more forcefully. Khushi opened her lips, inviting his tongue inside the warm recesses of her mouth. He moved his hands to the small of her back, bringing her softness into his hard body.As a streak of sensation shot through her body like lightning,Khushi tilted her head to one side, pushing his tongue out of the way to thrust her own to explore his mouth. Arnav became painfully aware of his throbbing arousal. He immediately swept her up in his arms without breaking the kiss and carried her across the courtyard, into the main house.

‘What about the girls?’ he asked urgently as he entered her bedroom, rasing his head for a moment.

‘They….. they are going to stay back at Palak’s ………as they are helping …….with her Suhaag Raat tonight,’ she managed to say in between his kisses.

He dropped Khushi on her feet just inside the door and then pushed her against the wall of the room to capture her lips once again. The bedroom lights were switched off, but the light from the street lamp illuminated the room with a perfect ambience.‘Khushi, do you know how beautiful you looked tonight in the red saree?’ he whispered urgently as he moved his hands up to undo the pin of her pallu.He quickly unwound her saree from around her, followed by her miniscule blouse and her in-skirt. She finally stood only in her panties. As Arnav looked at Khushi’s quivering form, she pulled him back with an urgency he had never seen in her before.His body needed hers with the same urgency. Tonight, there would be no time for tenderness.

‘You look even more beautiful without the saree, Khushi’ he said in a low growl, as he lifted her in one lithe movement and carried her to the bed. With his coat off, he reached for her, and she willingly went into his arms. His mouth possessed hers again with an urgency, a wildness that tore through her to her very core. His other hand slid up into her hair.

He raised his head and looked into her eyes. She met his gaze without fear or misgiving. Never breaking eye contact, he reached between their bodies and worked his hand inside her panties. She was damp with wanting him. He lowered his head and flicked a tongue against her parted lips. Her breath hitched at the double onslaught and her breathing became heavy and rapid.

His fingers began to stroke her while they kissed. As their tongues started sliding against each other in a mating dance, Khushi was assailed with bewildering sensations of pleasure bordering on pain in her molten core.

Maybe he took his cue from the subtle arching of her back that pressed her more tightly against his palm. Or from the moan of heightened arousal that vibrated through her throat. Or maybe his own desire caused him to wedge his knee between hers, separating them. He levered himself up so that he could unbuckle his belt, slipping his slacks and briefs and then he slipped her panties off from her.

Then in a single movement as supple as a ballet, he lowered himself onto her, pushed into her, and sheathed himself with her. She made an inarticulate sound of pleasure that he echoed, and then they were quiet except for their heartbeats which mingled with each other to beat in a single rhythm. Hamari dhadkane ek ho jaati hain.

After a time he began to move. At first it was no more than a slow rocking, his hips against hers. But then he drew out further, pushed higher. The tempo increased gradually but steadily, until with a low growl, he groaned, buried his face in her neck and came.

After a few seconds, he relaxed as she absorbed all his body weight hugging him to her. Then he levered himself up several degrees.

Watching her surprised expression with fierce intensity, he slid his hand between their bellies, into the damp where they were connected. The pad of his thumb found what it sought. His touch was delicate, but a jolt of sensation shot through her.

She almost sobbed as his thumb tantalized her with small, slippery circles. He lowered his head to her breast, raked his teeth across her nipple so she would feel the caress through her entire length of her body. Ever so slightly he increased the pressure of his thumb.

The pleasure built and built until every nerve ending in her body buzzed and tingled, from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. Her nipples strained to the point of near pain. A scream was trapped inside her throat as it arched high against his waiting lips. The walls of her body, closed tightly around him, still buried deep inside her.

The aftershocks of the ecstasy continued for several minutes. When finally they ceased, Arnav kissed her lips lightly and gathered her beneath him.

Neither made a moved toward disengaging themselves.

Not a word passed between them.

A little later, Khushi and Arnav lay in each other’s arms their bodies languid in the aftermath of their lovemaking. Khushi’s head rested on Arnav’s arm while her hand lay on his chest, her fingers caressing his hair lightly. She loved the feel of them against her fingers. Arnav’s right hand rested on her smooth waist as he looked down at her.

‘Khushi, will you really forgive me this time so that I can spend the rest of my life earning back your love?’ he asked her gingerly.

‘I don’t think that’s possible Arnavji,’ she replied softly, her hand continuing to make circles on his chest.

‘What the ____?’ he swore as he looked down at her his eyebrows raised.

‘How can you earn back something you never lost in the first place?’ she asked him looking at him with her luminous eyes.

‘Are you telling me that you still love me?’ he asked her carefully.

‘Arnavji …..you know I do! Did you think I would have …… you know….. if I didn’t?’ Arnav was amused at the way she blushed when she referred to their love making.

‘So, does it mean that you were in love with me ……..on our first night together ……in Nainital?’

‘Much before that Arnavji,’ she said sadly,‘I sometimes think it might be from the moment I saw you.’

‘Hmm…I thought you didn’t want to give a name to this thing between us,’ said Arnav recollecting what she had told Suraj a few hours ago.‘That there should be a question mark. Otherwise it will end.’

‘I said that because I thought you would never love me,’ she told him, ‘But I knew we had something between us. So I was ready to live with that without having to give a name to it.

‘Hey, wait a minute! You heard my conversation with Surajji and still spoke to me like that earlier?’ asked Khushi her eyes flashing with irritation.

‘How could I miss a chance to rile you up?’ he asked her giving her his famous lopsided smile she loved so much,‘Do you know how sexy look are when you are angry? You make me lose control.’

‘I do?’ she asked him thrilled at the knowledge.

‘Why else do you think I have been so mean to you from the first day we met?’

‘Really?’Khushi’s heart began to beat faster as she heard words she hadn’t even dared to assume.

‘I didn’t realize that then, but on the day you wore that red saree for the calendar photo shoot, I was mesmerized. I wanted you badly. Each and every time I yelled at youin the office, it was not you I was really angry at. It was at my self.’

‘In spite of that you saved me from that car in the parking lot,’ she pointed out softly.

‘Of course I did…..I would never have let anything happen to you Khushi,’ he said tenderly, ‘but holding you in my arms in that rain also confirmed what I had suspected ---that I was intensely attracted to you.’

‘Hmm you were so attracted to me that you sent me to that rundown house,’ she teased him.

‘I would have never have forgiven myself if something had happened to you,’ his voice caught as he remembered the way he had rushed to that house when he had found out that Khushi might be stuck in that house. His heart had thudded furiously against his ribcage, as he searched for her desperately. ‘That was when I realized I cared for you Khushi.’

‘Is that why you were so relieved when I told you I was going back to Delhi?’ she couldn’t help pulling his leg.

‘Well…..that didn’t happen, did it? Thanks to my overzealous sister, you were back in my life and my house torturing me day and night.’

‘Well……Di practically threatened me with your contract.’ Khushi reminded him.

‘So you took your revenge by brainwashing Lavanya to trap me into marriage.’

‘I was so naïve back then, wasn’t I Arnavji?’ she asked him solemnly.

‘Are you telling me you wouldn’t do the same thing now?’

‘I am not sure ….,’ said Khushi, ‘I started having feelings for you even when Lavanyaji was around. When I saw you hugging her after I helped you patch up, I felt so uncomfortable. Soon after that, my heart had started going dhak-dhak whenever you came near me. What does that say about me? What right did I have to advice others about morals?’

Khushi could be so damn innocent at times thought Arnav as he continued to tease her, ‘So in spite your heart going dhak-dhak for me, you decided to plan a romantic getaway for Lavanya and me.’

‘But it back fired didn’t it? Instead of Lavanyaji it was me who you were stuck with that night in that dhaba.’

‘The same dhaba where I left you all alone in the night. I can’t believe I did that, when in reality I wanted to kiss you senseless for making such scene there.’

‘You made it up by taking care of me the next morning and then later by paying the hospital bill for my dad.’

‘I really wanted to hug you back …..that day at the hospital.The days following that, you pretty much had be wrapped around you little finger. Gosh! I came down to put up the Diwali lights just because you asked me.

The day before Diwali when you got entangled in those lights, you know how you looked? I just couldn’t help coming to you, touch you. I wanted to take off more than those god damned lights off your body!’he grated.

‘What about me?’ asked Khushi thinking about that night, ‘I couldn’t breathe right. Every light touch of your finger tips on my skin seared me. But it was your eyes that affected me the most. I felt like I was melting inside.’

‘But Diwali night was worse.Seeing you in that red saree, aglow with the lights of the diyas surrounding you, you looked ethereal. I realized I was fighting a losing battle. When I almost kissed you that night it scared the living daylights out of me! I just ran Khushi…….’

‘You broke my heart into a million pieces that night Arnavji…..’

‘It was the same feeling I had when you told me that the ring I was going to put on you, was your engagement ring. I almost blurted it out when you asked me aapko kya farq padta hai…..’

‘But you didn’t …….do you ever think what might have happened if the person I got engaged to, wasn’t Shyamji?’ she asked, ‘we might have gone our separate ways --- you with Lavanyaji and I with ___’

‘Never!’ he interrupted hervehemently, ‘I would never have let you belong to anyone else!’

‘How can you so sure?’

‘The poor b#$&*^% ----- whoever he would have been, wouldn’t stand a chance!’ he said confidently, ‘I broke off my engagement with Lavanya, didn’t I?’

‘Arnavji…..’ Khushi remembered the conversation she and Lavanya had. He called me Khushi instead of Lavanya…..

‘Then that moron NK came in the way!’

‘Don’t say that, Nanheji is very nice.’

‘Khushi, your problem is…you think everyone is “nice”….but I do have to give him some credit. For the first time in my life, I was jealous.’

Khushi smiled a knowing smile and Arnav said, ‘And you knew that didn’t you? You flirted with him deliberately, knowing that it was driving me crazy.’

‘I…..I was just trying to annoy you……especially since you had me so flustered after the Teri Meri dance…’

‘Didn’t the way I held you in the dance tell you how I felt about you Khushi?’

‘It did ……but ___’

‘And then I kissed you by the pool side, didn’t that tell you anything?’

‘I kissed you back, didn’t I?’

‘The night I thought you were in that ambulance I …… almost lost it…you know?’ Arnav shuddered as he remembered the trauma he went through.

‘But you wouldn’t tell me whyeven then… you bought me those beautiful bangles ……..but you didn’t tell me why…..’

‘I was going to tell you …..the night of the wedding---- that I was deeply and irrevocably in love with you ……’

They looked at each other for countless seconds and then Khushi burst out, ‘Arnavji!’ tears welled up in her eyes as she said ‘we lost so much time….because of that vile man…..’

Arnav realized that it was time he finally acknowledged his faults, ‘Khushi, Shyam is not the only reason we lost so much time. I am to blame here as well. My ego, my angst, my distrust….. are equally responsible for causing you so much pain. Maybe Shyam is right. I am damaged Khushi. I don’t know if I deserve you.’

Khushi gently cupped his cheek as she looked into eyes with love, ‘You are not damaged. You are beautiful ---- inside and out.How can a little boy who loved his mother so much, be damaged?’

‘How did you?  ---It was Di wasn’t it?’ tears welled up in his eyes as he thought about his mother.

‘I am sorry for what happened to you mother,’ Khushi wrapped him up in her arms her heart going out to the little boy who tried fiercely to protect his mother from all harm. ‘But Arnavji, you have to forgive your father for what he did,’ she said tentatively, ‘Otherwise you will never be able to move on.’

‘I have finally understood why my mother continued to love my father till the end. I could never understand that until I fell in love…..with you’

He continued, ‘And you are right. I have let this hatred for my fatherrule my life for too long now. I have to let it go.’

‘Arnavji, it is hard for a child when he doesn’t get the love he deserved from his parent. We cannot choose our parents….but we can definitely choose to be better parents.’ She realized what she had just said and blushed deep red.

Moving his hand to her stomach, he asked her carefully, ‘Do you think I will be a good father Khushi?’

‘You will be a great father,’ she said from her heart.

‘I love you Khushi, more than you can ever imagine,’ he told her as he placed a kiss reverently on her lips, ‘I don’t know how I could have lived without you for as long as I have.’

‘I love you too Arnavji. I always have and I always will,’ she said against his lips.

They went on throughout the night, making up for the time lost, and finally slept in each other’s arms.

In the moments before day break, he woke up and looked at her, her body spent and radiant, and felt as if everything was suddenly right with the world. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled and reached up to touch his face. He put his fingers to her lips, gently, to keep her from speaking, and for a long time they just looked at one another. They had an entire lifetime to talk.

Jisko jee jaan se chaahte hain, jab use nazron ke saamne paate hai, tab aankhen bolti hai, zubaan nahi……yeh hum jaante hain, yeh aap jaante hain….isme sawaal woh karte hain, jinhe pyaar kya hai iski hawa tak nahi…..