36. OS 18. Too Tempting to Resist (Part 36)

Part 36

Khushi woke up slowly and stretched, groaning. She had slept well and felt great.

She opened her eyes.

Wilted flowers met her gaze.

Her eyes widened. She sat up with a jerk. Suhaag raat. It had been their sughaag raat last night.

Scared, she turned her head warily to look at the pillow by hers.

All she could see was the press of a head. Arnavji had already left the bed.

She heaved a sigh of relief. Hey Devi Maiyya, shukriya, she prayed under her breath as she clambered out of bed and made her way to the washroom, carefully navigating her way through burnt out candles and floral bouquets.

As she bathed and then dressed in a pale green blouse and saree with tons of silver work done on it, she realised that Arnavji had removed her maang tikka and other ornaments so that she could sleep comfortably.

A slow flame of happiness warmed her scared heart.

She looked at herself in the mirror.

Mangalsutra around her neck, red and green bangles around her wrists. Nothing else was different. The sindoor Arnavji had heaped on her maang had been washed away.

Khushi looked at the silver pot of sindoor on the dressing table. Someone had placed it there for her. With shaking fingers, she lifted the lid and taking a pinch of the red powder, applied it in her maang.

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Now she looked different. Like a stranger.

She shook her head. ‘Don’t waste your time thinking pointless thoughts, Khussi,’ she told herself. ‘You are already late. What must your in-laws think of you sleeping in till noon. Go down and face them...and Arnavji.’

                                                               ***

“Khushiji!” Anjali called out, a big smile on her face. “Chotey said you were very tired and forbade us from waking you up.” She limped up to Khushi and hugged her.

Khushi’s frantic eyes looked for a glimpse of her nemesis even as Payal hugged her.

“Khussi bitiya, aayiye, come and have breakfast,” nani invited, her face flushed with happiness.

“How bas your phirst nightwaa?” mami asked,a twinkle in her eyes.

Nani and Anjali shushed her, scandalised.

Audacious mami continued, “Saasumma, I bas just asking her, did she sleep bell in her new housewaa.”

All smiled as Khushi blushed.

Anjali caught hold of Khushi’s hand. “Khushiji, I am sorry,” she said softly. “Yeh Chotey bhi na! He went to office, today of all days. Aisa bhi koi karta he kya?”

Khushi heaved a sigh of relief. The sword hanging over her head retreated a little.

Nani shook her head in disappointment.

Mami put it simply. “Khussi bitiya, you are hamre Arnav bitwaajj second bife.”

All gasped.

“The phirst one is his laptopwaa. You push it into the poolwaa iph you want a life,” mami advised.

All laughed.

“You will have to push Amanji too into the pool, Khushiji,” Anjali advised.

“Then hamre Arnav bitwaa bill jump into the poolwaa, Hello hi bye bye!” mami said.

Khushi smiled. The image of a young boy with his world shattered around him filled her mind. She looked down at her crossed fingers and took a deep breath.

                                                            ***

Arnav returned home a couple of hours later. He quietly handed over his coat and bag to HP and asked, “Where is Khushi?”

“Bhabiji is in the kitchen,” HP said, delighted that Arnav was taking an interest in his wife.

Arnav said softly, “Ask Khushi to come to our room.”

HP said, beaming, “Yes, Arnav bhaiyya.”

Arnav walked up the steps and HP ran all the way to the kitchen where the ladies were having fun and announced, “Arnav bhaiyya is back from office and asked me to request Khushi bhabi to join him in their room.”

There was perfect silence for one moment. Khushi could hear her heart thud like crazy.

Mami nudged nani and both of them turned away to hide their amusement.

Anjali could almost jump with happiness. She beamed at Khushi as though she had won gold in a marathon.

Payal quickly stepped in. “Khushi, take a glass of water to jetji. And bring him down for lunch in one hour,” she said easily, handing over a tray with a fine glass filled with chilled water.

Khushi nodded and taking the tray with shaking hands, slowly walked out of the kitchen.

Mami sang after her, “Abhi na jao chodkar...ke dil abhi bhara nahi...”

Khushi almost tripped on her saree.

                                                       ***

Khushi swallowed hard as she steadied herself at the door to his...no, their bedroom and slowly walked in.

Arnav emerged from the washroom. His eyes took in the trembling hands and her wary eyes and the tray. Throwing the white towel in his hands on the recliner, he walked up to her and took the tray from her, taking care not to touch her.

He placed the tray on the low table by the recliner and turned to look at her.

“Slept well?” he asked in his husky voice.

“Ji...” she stammered, her eyes averted.

“Achi lag rahi ho,” he complimented softly, sending a hundred pigeons fluttering their wings in her poor heart.

Her wide eyes met his innocent-seeming ones for a moment before skittering away.

“Sh..shukriya...” she whispered, well-mannered till the end. Never let it be said that her babuji hadn’t raised sanskaari girls.

Arnav turned and walked away.

Khushi sat on the bed, her legs giving way. She breathed in deep in relief. As long as he stayed away from her, she was fine. She could manage, maybe even breathe. Maybe she could be a reasonably fine bahu of the Raizadas. Maybe her family wouldn’t feel ashamed of her...The thoughts scrambled in her head when he walked back to her.

She sat stiffly on the bed as he placed a jewellery box on her lap. “Open it,” he said softly.

With shaking fingers, Khushi undid the clasp.

There was a beautiful emerald and diamond jewellery set in the box.

“It belonged to my mama,” he said softly. “She left it for my bride, her bahu.”

Tears filled her eyes at the thought of his mother who had missed out on most of his life and the pleasures that most mothers took for granted. She touched an emerald with a tender finger, feeling his mother’s unconditional love envelop her. The fact that a lady she had never met had thought of her and left her something moved her to the core.

Arnav swallowed past the boulder in his throat.

“May I?” he asked, taking the necklace in his hands, asking permission to touch her.

She nodded jerkily.

Arnav gently fastened it around her neck, smoothing away strands of hair and trailing his fingers down the sides of her neck to touch her shoulders.

Khushi panted, her lips parted.

“Beautiful,” he whispered, his hot breath against her ear.

Khushi shivered.

“Khushi, tum theek ho?” the devil asked, looking into her panic-filled eyes.