Khushi woke up early that morning as she knew it was her first day where she could do anything she wanted. She could get up and get ready without Payal, walk downstairs without Arnav shouting at her before hand telling her, "not to exhaust herself", she could walk wherever she fancied without someone telling her to go upstairs and rest. Khushi felt happy that now everything would go back to normal. She sat up and clipped her hair up, she went to the wardrobe and picked out a bright yellow saree and smiled to herself as she went to go get ready. By the time she got out of the shower Arnav was beginning to wake up, he groaned, frowned and then reached across the bed trying to embrace Khushi but instead he received handfuls of their duvet.
"What the-" Arnav moaned, even in his sleep Khushi couldn't believe him sometimes. He rubbed his eyes and sat up as he saw Khushi stood before him grinning, she was running a towel through her wet hair and droplets fell onto her yellow saree. Arnav smiled, he'd missed seeing his wife up and about, even if she thought he had some stupid conspiracy theory to keep her bedridden the rest of her life. He got up and walked over to her putting his hands on her shoulders. Khushi looked up at him smiling.
"Aaj aap kuch nahi kehsakte. I'm completely healthy and the Doctor gave my fever the all clear. So in the words of our favourite Mamiji, hello, hi, bye, bye Arnav. I have a lot to do today!" She said as she wriggled out of his arms. Arnav grabbed her wrist and pulled her back towards him close to his body.
"Itne jaldi kyun Mrs. Raizada? Abhi toh kuch waqt baki hai aarti se pehle, if you know what I mean?" Arnav said with a devilish grin. Khushi's eyes widened in shock and she tried to push her husband away.
"Aap bhi nah! Chi! Kaisi baatein karte." Khushi said as her cheeks blushed blood red. Arnav ran his fingers across her blush line.
"Kyun kuch galaat kaha maine? Patni ho tum meri, aur I believe this is all allowed between husband and wife varna bache kaha se aathe?" Arnav teased Khushi and she looked up at him shocked.
"Baache aur aap! HA!" Khushi said as she errupted into laughter and Arnav looked back at her bemused. He hadn't meant that they should have children he just meant that that's how they made their entry into the world but he was offended by Khushi's enjoyment at the idea that Arnav was bad with kids.
"Kyun, what's wrong with me and kids?" Arnav asked and Khushi had to force herself not to laugh.
"Aapko yaad nahi, kanyaon ki pooja mein? I had to hide all the kids just because Di was afraid your mood may go off!" Khushi said.
Arnav recalled this event and felt slightly angry, she had him there, he couldn't deny it.
"Hah toh, I could be very good with kids in the future. Just when I have work to do I don't want screaming, loud, crying children running around me." Arnav said with genuine distaste.
"Not all children cry all the time, maybe you did as a child. Lekin bohut saare baache pyaare hotein, nanehse, cutese aur pyaarese hotein. Uske chotte chotte haath, aak, naak, perh aur uske chotte chotte kaparein. Sabh kuch kitna sweetsa hai, don't you think?" Khushi asked and Arnav grimaced.
"Khushi you need a doll not a child. Tumhe aandaza bhi hai ki baache ko sambalna kitne baari baath hothi hai. I mean you have so many responsibilities with their health, education and all the other necessary needs. They are a big investment both with time and money." Arnav said and Khushi pulled away in shock.
"You think of kids as an investment?!" Khushi asked unable to fathom it.
"Logically yes-" Arnav began.
"Hai Devi Maiyaan, mein kya karu iss bholu naath ke saath!" Khushi said as she raised her hand to her forehead. Arnav shook his head.
"Whatever lets leave that discussion for another day, I'm going to go get ready, you go do your aarti and whatever." Arnav said dismissively and Khushi smiled to herself thinking of how he would never change. Khushi went downstairs and began to get things ready for the aarti when Shyam appeared behind her.
"Khushiji-" He began when Khushi simply got up and began to walk away. He grabbed her arms forcefully. "Nahi app aisa nahi karsakti! Do you even understand what I've been going through these past few months? Ever since you married him- then you had an accident and now-. Now you don't even want to talk to me. What have I done? Maine kaun sa paap kiya joh tum mere saath aisa bhartav karhi hoon?" Shyam asked Khushi. Khushi forced his hands off of her.
"Paap? Tum Mandhir mein hothe mujhse poochre ki kaun sa paap kiya? Tumhe yaad nahi voh vaade, voh kasame, voh phere jo tumne Di ke saath liye teh?" Khushi asked Shyam but he only looked away in response to her words. "No you don't do you. But I remember every single moment of my marriage to my husband, every vow, every promise and every single round we took in the Mandhir together. I love him. I do not love you. I never loved you. If anyone has the right to touch me, to look at me and to be concerned for me its Arnav not you! You mean nothing to me!" Khushi said to Shyam in a rage, she'd had enough of him. Things had settled down in her life and she did not want him to interfere anymore. Shyam looked like he was about to break down, he had already been on edge but Khushi had just pushed him off the deep end. He raised his hands to grab her once again when Anjali walked into the Mandhir.
"Arre kya hua? Tum dono tik hai?" Anjali asked as she saw the look of severity on both their faces.
"Kuch nahi Di, Jijaji was just asking how I am and I told him. Aaiye aarti shuroo karte." Khushi responded and then turned her back on Shyam and moved farther into the Mandhir, Anjali smiled and looked at Shyam.
"Chaliye." Anjali said as she went to wrap her arm around his but Shyam pulled his away.
"Aap jaayein, mujhe kaam hain." He said and then stormed out of the house.
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