Khushi had eaten heartily that night, after her Jalebi-fest she ate a full dinner that could have fed three people but she was making up for like a week's worth of sickness, maybe it was morning sickness. Khushi didn't know a lot about pregnancy, she decided she'd have to buy one of those books and read up on it, like the "What to expect when you're expecting books." She'd have to go to town for that and get a rickshaw, the idea of making so much effort made her sleepy and so she went to her bed. It felt odd lying there alone, she was so used to nuzzling up to Arnav and using him as a pillow that now her bed felt cold and unfamiliar, just plain odd. She tossed and turned and tried to shake away the thoughts of Arnav but it was pretty difficult to do that considering inside her was a new little Raizada. "And Gupta." She said aloud, trying to argue with him even when he wasn't here. "Hai Devi Maiyaan." Khushi groaned and she eventually fell into a hazy sleep. Khushi woke up to the familiar sound of her phone which she'd placed on the pillow next to her, "Chaal Maiyaan ke Bhaavan Bhaavan." It chanted insessentley, she whacked her hand against the bed until she felt the object and she answered it putting it to her ear.
"Hello." Khushi groaned into her phone.
"Good afternoon Jaan, tum abhi bhi sorhi hoon?" Arnav asked and Khushi smiled at the sound of his voice.
"Kya kare, bohut achi neend ayee si bohut din ke baad." Khushi said smiling, her eyes still shut, she was still halfway between conciousness and unconsciousness. Arnav was shocked she was talking to him but decided to just go with it.
"Ucha. What were you dreaming about? Was it me?" He asked, Khushi began to laugh, when she realised who she was talking to. She sat up sharply and looked at her phone to check she hadn't dreamt this, she hoped this was some horrible nightmare, she hadn't really just given Arnav the time of day, right? "Hello, Khushi, can you hear me? Hello?" The phone murmured and Khushi groaned.
"Dekhiye tumne meri neend ko disturb kiya. Aap ko kohi kaam nahi, baas mujhe taang karta hai. Tum na, ek kaam karo, mera number delete karo kyunki mujhe kohi diljasbhi nahi hai tumshe baat karne mein. Aur ha I didn't dream about you, I dreamt about Jalebis! Namaste!" She said as she hung up the phone. Laad Governor bhi! Khushi thought to herself, he was trying to creep his way back into her heart, well we'll see how he does that when she's not talking to him or seeing him. Khushi got up and went to get her stuff together for her shower, she could hear her phone going off as she grabbed a towel and as she mulled over what to wear. She knew it was him and his anger was probably at an unmistakable high but she didn't care, actually she rather enjoyed it and grinned at the idea of him getting angry in his office, he's probably thrown his phone across the room, hopefully he didn't hit anyone. Khushi decided against a saree, "Agar woh Laad Governor phir se aya aur mujhe choone ki koshish ki toh phir garbar hojayege." Khushi said aloud as she recalled how he'd put his hand against her stomach and later kissed it. No today she'd wear a salwar kameez, that way she wouldn't be able to feel his touch as badly if he tried anything, which he would.
Arnav had lost his patience within twenty minutes. "That's it! Bachpana ki limit bhi hothi hai!" He shouted as he grabbed his jacket.
"Sir aap kaha jaare?" Aman asked and Arnav gave him a black look.
"I'm the boss here, meh jaab chahein jaasakta and I don't need to clarify that with you, is that clear?" He said and Aman nodded. Arnav had reached his limit now, Khushi wasn't answering her phone, all he wanted to do is check in with her, she's so bloody accident prone, he didn't trust her and so she left him no choice but to go check on her himself. Arnav broke almost every traffic law during his drive to Khushi's he was in no mood to get stuck in a traffic jam. He parked up outside of the house and knocked on the door. Khushi's Bua answered.
"Arre Babua, tum yahaan?" She asked and Arnav folded his hands together. "Jeete rehein." She said as she made room for him to enter.
"Khushi hai Buaji?" He asked hurriedly, normally he would try to make small talk but he was in no mood today.
"Woh kamare mein hain, patta nahi kya kari hai. Main bulaon?" Buaji offered but Arnav shook his head.
"Nahi, main khud jaata hoon." He said, ignoring the look of worry on Madhumati's face, they were still married, Arnav was counting this as a visit to her maternal home and that's it. If he wanted to visit her he could, if he needed to speak to her alone he could. He barged into her room shutting the doors behind him, locking them. He turned and was immediately disturbed by the image in front of his eyes.
"What the-" Arnav began as he saw his wife wrestling to pull down her dress past her midrif. Khushi was tugging on it but it just wouldn't go. Khushi turned to see him and fumed immediately.
"Aap yahaan kya kare hai? Nikaljaye, I'm getting dressed." Khushi said thankful her bottom half (the salwar) was already on.
"Woh toh dikahi dera hai." Arnav said with the slightest twitch of a smile playing on his lips.
"Toh jao naa! Besharam kahi ke." Khushi muttered as she went back to tugging on the dress. Arnav walked towards her.
"Oh come on Khushi I've seen more than this already and how is it besharami if we're married?" He asked and Khushi became more angry.
"Shut up! Yeh kameez fit kyun nahi horhi, uchi kassi toh thi?" Khushi wondered and Arnav sighed.
"Khushi when was the last time you wore this?" He asked.
"Shaadi se pehle, shahid sangeet ke rehersals peh." Khushi said, smiling as she recollected the memory of the sangeet as a whole.
"So that was a few months ago, you're going to experience weight gain and you're hips are bound to widen during pregnancy. Toh yeh sari tailor made kapre joh tumne shaadi se pehle bana deti tumhe abb fit nahi hoge." Arnav said and Khushi gawked, she hadn't thought of that, she'd been shimmying around in her room for the past half an hour trying to get it to fit.
"Aap ko yeh saab kaise pata?" She asked trying to change the subject from her naivety about pregnancy.
"Maine Di ki pregnancy kitaab borrow kita kaal raat, neend nahi arri thi toh maine socha khi-" Arnav was explaining when Khushi interrupted.
"Kya?!"
"Yeah." Arnav said simply, Khushi was shocked, he read a book about pregnancy, did he even...what? "Khushi its not so shocking lots of guys do it and besides you don't seem to be doing anything right now for my princess so I have to pick up the slack." He complained and Khushi boiled at the use of princess again.
"Maine tumshe kaha tah naa, yeh abhi bhi patta nahi hai ki yeh bacha ladka hai yah ladki hai. Aur tum kohi bhagwaan nahi joh bhas mere bache khi bhaagya decide karli joh tum samjo khi wohi hai. You don't know what my baby will be like." Khushi speculated.
"Our." Arnav interrupted.
"Hah, hah, tik hai, abb jao, mujhe change karna hai." Khushi said as she pulled out a light, plain royal blue saree that had previously been to big for her from the wardrobe.
"Bathroom waha hai Khushi, aur main toh yehi intazaar karoga." He said as he sat back leisurely on the bed. Khushi groaned and marched into the bathroom. She came out hoping he may have gone but no he was sat there still.
"Aapko kohi kaam hai yah nahi? Pehle jab hum ghar phar teh toh aap din raath uss laptop ki bachi ke saath thi. I could never get you away from it. Aur abb jab tumhare paas saara din hai kaam ki liye toh tum yahaan chala aya?" Khushi questioned and Arnav flashed a look of anger briefly.
"Yes Khushi I actually have a lot of work. Lekin maine sab kuch chorke yahaan aya because I needed to know how you were. You were the one who ignored my calls without hearing what I wanted to say, even though you know I hate that and its not like you're at home so I can call Payal or Di to ask them. How do I know you're okay and you're being looked after well enough?" He asked, a mix of anger and concern was clear on his face, Khushi's resolve began to falter but she strengthened it.
"Aapko kya lagta ki meri parivaar mere dekhbaal nahi karsakte?" She asked and Arnav groaned and cupped her face.
"I'm not saying that Khushi, its just Buaji and Umma need to take care of Bauji and when you get here you get caught up in that too so tell me who is looking after my Jaan and my princess?" He asked, his eyes shining earnestly, it made Khushi's heart ache. It was this bholapaan that she loved most about him. She wriggled out of his grip and turned away from him so that he could only see the back of her.
"Hum tik hai, aap jaasakte." She said bluntly and Arnav sighed. He walked towards her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled his head into her neck. Khushi sighed slightly at this, but then bit her tongue and closed her eyes. She froze for a minute letting her guard down, she'd missed his embrace, she could feel his breath on her neck, the slow rise and fall of his chest and the fast rate of his heart beat against her back. "You could come with me you know?" He asked and that snapped Khushi out of it, she tore herself from his arms, she went to the door unlocking it and opening it to hint to Arnav to leave. Arnav sighed heavily, put on his jacket and went to leave, he looked at Khushi one last time, she wouldn't make eye-contact with him.
"This isn't over yet Khushi, this is only day one, you'll be back. You'll see." He said with an air of arrogance that forced Khushi to look at him with shock. He got what he'd wanted, eye-contact, he smiled as he exited claiming that as his first victory in getting Khushi back. She shut her door and locked it feeling angry with herself. "This isn't over yet Khushi, this is only day one, you'll be back. You'll see." Khushi mimicked, "Baara ayaa!" She said angrily.
Read more of this here.
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