Dark Night Dawning Chapter 14

It was a few weeks since the entire family had returned from Musoorie. Everyone had started to observe that something was wrong with Khushi. She was overworking herself taking care of the dabba business, doing all the household work and taking tuitions for the kids in the evening. She seemed to be losing a lot of weight and there were dark circles around her eyes.

One evening, Naniji and Payal sat in Anjali’s room talking to Anjali.

‘Anjali bitiya,’ said Naniji lines of worry creasing her forehead, ‘I am worried about Khushi. Outwardly, she seems normal but there is something definitely strange about her behaviour. At first, I thought that she was just missing Chotte. But it is something more than that. I see a deep pain in her eyes sometimes. I wonder if it is something to do with Chotte…..’

‘I feel the same thing Naniji,’agreed Anjali, ‘I can’t be sure, but I think something happened between them in Mussoorie. The way Chotte left the hotel in the middle of the night, I think they might have had a fight that night.Another thing is,I think he hasn’t been calling herthough he manages to make quick calls to me now and then. Payalji, has she said anything to you?’

‘No Di,’ said Payal in her soft voice, ‘She said she was fine when I asked her about it.’

‘I think I will talk to her about it,’ said Naniji coming to a decision. ‘The way she is losing weight, she will vanish into thin air one day. Anjali bitiya, I think you should talk to Chotte the next time he calls you.’

A gleam of comprehension entered Shyam’s eyes as the stood at the door eavesdropping on the conversation. His brain began to work over time. Looked like Arnav had finally revealed the truth of the marriage to Khushi.And seeing Khushi’s condition it had become very clear that he had not believed in her explanation. Khushi’s interference had ruined the wonderful opportunity he had had to get rid of Arnav. But, this information could open up new avenues for him.

That night, Payal sat in her room thinking about the conversation in Anjali’s room. Khushi was definitely in some sort of trouble. Was it something to do with Shyam?

‘Payal?’ Akash had just walked into the room, ‘What’s the matter? You look so worried.’

‘No Akash, there is no problem. Why don’t you change and I will come serve you dinner.’ Guilt gnawed at Payal at the secret she was keeping from Akash. She wondered how long it would be before all this came out and blew up in their faces.

A month later, Khushi sat in her room thinking about that fateful night in Musoorie when Arnav had walked out of their room. She had tried not to think about it in the past two months - the most agonizing two months of her life. Everything in the house reminded her about him, his clothes, his plants, his files, his towel, his recliner. She had lost her appetite and was unable to sleep well, his memories coming back to haunt her in her dreams. There were too many memories in this house. She needed to get out of here!

She had wanted to leave the very next day. But she knew she couldn’t do that to Anjali and Payal. So she had decided to wait it out for a couple of months.She had called Shuklaji and told him that he would have to manage the dabba business on his own. She would be telling her tuition students today that she was going to stop taking classes very soon.  She had removed all traces of herself from his room and had packed all her belongings. Khushi felt sad at the thought of leaving her new family. She had grown very attached to Di, Naniji, jiji, jeejaji, mamaji and even mamiji. Di would deliver her baby in another week or so. After that she would be out of his life for ever. She had never wanted to stay in a loveless marriage any way.

Her time spent with Arnav had taught her a lot. She wasn’t the naïve 22 year old who had crashed his fashion show almost a year ago. Now, she was a strong and mature woman capable of running a business however small. She had made up her mind.

She was going back to Lucknow – the place of her birth. In Lucknow,she would live in her parents’ house and re-start her dabba business. She had contacted an on old friend who had promised to help her. Her mom and Buaji had taken her dad to an Ayurveda healing village near Coimbatore in South India. Once they were back, she would ask them to come and live with her, so that she could take care of them.For the first time in months she felt good about herself.

Things had seemed a little close to normal since the Nainital trip, but Shyam’s deviousness had reared its ugly head once again. But more than that, it was Arnav’s distrust of her that was the problem. He was just not ready to believe in her. He believed that she was a gold digger, a liar and a home wrecker. He hated her.

From the first time Arnav and she had met, an unknown force had drawn them to each other, time and again. Khushi had finally understood what that unknown force was. Love.

In spite of all the misunderstandings, she had fallen in love with him, and unfortunately love was not a switch that one could turn on or off. She would never stop loving him. Her love would be enough to take her through the rest of her life. For her,love was forever.

That evening, Khushi saw that it was almost time for her tuition kids to come home. When she came down she found the entire house very quiet. She stepped into the pool side on the ground floor. No one was there either. She thought she should call Di.

‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you Khushiji.’ Khushi froze when she heard Shyam’s scary voice. He had creeped up on her so quietly that it scared her out of her wits.

‘Why not?’ she asked afraid that she was not going to like the answer.

‘They have all gone to the mandir today for a special pooja,’ he told her, ‘in fact, I was the one who suggested that they should go.’

‘It …..it’s time for my tuition class, I have to go,’ stammered Khushi, ‘Hariprakash ji!’ she began to step back.

‘Your students were informed by Mohan that you will not be taking a class for them today Khushiji,’ he told her calmly, ‘Hariprakash is out running some errands. I am afraid it is just the two of us here.’

Khushi paled on hearing this and turned around ready to run when his words stopped her.

‘I am so disappointed in your behaviour Khushiji. After all the time you have known me, do you think I will ever lift a finger to harm you?’

‘Harm me?’ she spat out, indignant at his audacity, ‘You have left no stone unturned to ruin by life little by little!’

‘What have I done Khushiji?’ he demanded, ‘Is it wrong to love you?’

‘Yes! How many times do I have to tell you that you are a married man,married to the most wonderful woman like Di. How can you ever betray her like that? Do you know how much she loves you?’

‘But I don’t love her Khushiji.’ Shyam said unemotionally. ‘I have never loved her.’

‘Why did you ever marry her then?’ she asked unable to believe what she had just heard, ‘Di told me that yours was a love marriage!’

‘It was a love marriage alright. But only for her. For me, she was only a means to live.’This revelation horrified Khushi to the core.

‘Oh my God! How could you?’

‘You wouldn’t understand that Khushiji. I will tell you one day when we have more time. I understood what love is after I saw you for the first time.’ His tone was beginning to scare Khushi.

‘Stop talking like that!’ she exclaimed, ‘I am a married woman. If Arnavji comes to know ------’

‘Oh please Khushiji!’ Shyam cut her off. ‘You and I both know why Arnav married you.’

Seeing Khushi’s shocked face Shyam continued with a derisive smile, ‘In the beginning, even I wondered about that. Until you told me that he had forced you into it. You wouldn’t remember, as you were under the influence of bhang.’

‘If I was under the influence of bhang, I could have said anything.’

‘Come on Khushiji, when he told you the truth about your marriage,you must have tried to explain yourself. He didn’t believe you, did he?’

‘It is none of your business!’ exclaimed Khushi raising her voice in anger.

‘Why has he abandoned you like this, after all that has happened between you two?’ he riled her again.

‘He is away on work, she said trying to sound calm, ‘And I said, it is none of your business.’

‘You really love him don’t you? ‘Shyam’s voice was dangerously soft.

Khushi stood there silently staring at him refusing to give him an answer but her eyes had revealed everything.

‘He will never love you the way I do Khushiji,’ Shyam tried to reason with her.’ Don’t you see he has only used you!’

‘I don’t care if he doesn’t love me, I’d rather be used by him than be loved by you!’ Khushi declared vehemently, her body quivering with rage.

‘No Khushiji! You don’t know what you are saying. You deserve better than him. That is exactly why you have to come away with me and marry me!’

‘Are you crazy?’ she whispered, his final words shocking her.

‘Yes crazy in love with you.’

‘Don’t you have any feelings at all for Di and your unborn baby?’

‘She will get over it,’ he said nonchalantly, ‘she has never really needed me in her life at all, her over possessive brother has always made sure of that.’

‘I am not going anywhere with you! Not in a million years!’

‘I was not asking you Khushiji.’ His voice had suddenly turned menacing.

‘Arnavji will come after you! ’exclaimed Khushi vehemently.

‘Don’t be so naïve Khushiji. Arnav is not going to come after us. People do that only when they care for someone. And you and I both know that he doesn’t love you.’ Shyam’s words twisted in her heart like a knife.

‘That doesn’t matter! You can’t force me to go with you!’ Khushi shouted at him.

‘I tried my best to convince you in a nice way. But you don’t seem to understand it Khushiji. If you care about the people you love there will be no more arguments.’ Shyam voice had gone dangerously soft.

‘What do you mean by that?’ Khushi asked him in a low voice afraid of what she was going to hear.

‘Accidental deaths are very common nowadays.’ His words chilled her to the bone. ‘Why don’t you ask your dad? Oh right, he can’t talk can he? In that case you might want to ask Anjali. She has had some lucky escapes in the last few months. She might not be that lucky next time.’

Khushi had gone still listening to what Shyam had just revealed.Then it hit her!

‘Oh my God!’ she whispered in shock, ‘It was you! You pushed Arnavji over the cliff in Mussoorie!’

‘I always knew you were very intelligent Khushiji’ he said with a twisted smile.

Khushi’s rage knew no bounds as she lunged at him, ready to claw his eyes out. Shyam caught her hands and controlled her but not before she had landed a good kick on his shin. Trying to control his pain he growled at her.

‘Stop these childish games Khushiji. You know I can take you away by force. But I don’t want to do that. Pack your bags, we will leave tonight.’

Khushi knew she had no choice. Shyam was demented. It would be futile reasoning with him further. ‘Not tonight. I will go with you right after Di’s baby is born. Not a minute before that.’

‘I admire you Khushiji. Even at a time like this you are thinking about others before yourself. Alright, that is not too far away. We will leave right after the baby is born. But we have to be out of here before Arnav is back.’

That night Khushi sat at the pool side of her bedroom looking at the water in the pool, as tears from her eyes fell one by one into the water. Where are you when I need you?

Shyam had entered her life and destroyed all chances at a happily married life that all girls look forward to. She had lived for months in agony desperate to know the reason why Arnav had married her. Finally when she had found out, he had refused to believe her and left her in anger. But she had decided to put all behind her take life by its horns. She was finally looking forward to a life of dignity and independence. But once again Shyam was taking it all away from her. He was taking her away from everything that was dear to her.

Why won’t you listen to me?He wouldn’t be able to hear her. Even if he were standing right next to her, he wouldn’t be able to hear her. Then she stood up slowly and wiped her tears. She would have to be brave. What choice did she have at this point of time? The lives of the people she loved was at stake.

Arnav stood in the conference room in the middle of a meeting. Suddenly, he felt a strange restlessness overtake him. Thoughts of Khushi were haunting him a little more than usual since morning. He excused himself and left the meeting. He needed some fresh air.

Later that night,Khushi went into Anjali’s room with her nightly badam milk. She found Anjali on the bed in throes of pain hyperventilating. She looked like she was having intense contractions. Khushi immediately called out to everyone in the house and rushed back to Anjali’s side, to hold her and soothe her. Soon, Akash had the vehicle ready and they were on their way to the hospital.

At the hospital, Khushi held on to Anjali until she was wheeled away by the nurses for a check-up. As the Raizada family sat anxiously in the waiting room, Anjali’s doctor who had just examined her,came out to talk to the family.

‘We will have to perform a C-section as the baby seems to be in distress,’ she explained.‘There is nothing to worry as it is a routine procedure these days.’

There had been no time to see Anjali as the nurses had taken her away immediately to prepare her for the operation. The family went back to their waiting room hoping that everything would go well. Akash had called Arnav right after they had reached the hospital. He told them that Arnav would be here the day after tomorrow.

One hour later the doctor came out and informed them that Anjali had given birth to a baby girl. The baby had been moved to the intensive care nursery for observation. The doctor also informed them that though Anjali was doing fine, she was still under the influence of the anaesthesia.

The Raizada family went to the ICN to have a first look at the newest member of their family. Khushi hugged all members of her family one by one, congratulating them.

‘Are you ok, Khushi bitiya?’ asked Naniji concerned with Khushi.

‘I am alright Naniji,’ smiled Khushi tears flowing down her face, ‘It’s just that I am so overwhelmed with happiness.’

Khushi looked at her niece’s innocent face through the glass window and thought that if her sacrifice would help this little girl’s life, it was all going to be worth it.

Couple of days later, Arnav walked into the hospital and came face to face with bad news and good news. The good news was that his little niece had come into this world healthy and thriving. The bad news was that Khushi and Shyam were nowhere to be found.

But the worse news was that after the operation Anjali had not come out of the anaesthesia and had slipped into a coma.