Chapter Thirty One

Arnav groaned and burped.

"Arnav," Khushi scolded.

Arnav shrugged. "Sorry, I had too many luchis," he said innocently.

Khushi shook her head while Aryan chuckled.

"I love dinners like this," Aryan said. "All of us happy and kidding around. Its all thanks to you Khushi - you've brought happiness into our lives again," he winked.

Khushi blushed. "Surely I didn't do anything."

"But you have," Arnav said. "Dinner used to be dead quiet before you came. It was just awkward and weird. Thank you babe," he winked.

Khushi blushed and gaped at him while Arnav chuckled.

"You have no shame," Divya said.

Khushi looked up at her and she was shaking her head with a grin.

"Can't help it," Arnav shrugged.

Arnav caught the look on his father's face and he frowned.

"Oh don't you give me that face dad. I remember the stuff you did."

"What he did," Khushi questioned.

"I've done nothing," Aryan said innocently, taking a drink of his water.

"Counter top," Arnav said, and Aryan sputtered out his water.

Khushi looked at Aryan with wide eyes and went over to him. "Papa are you okay?"

Aryan wiped his mouth. "I thought we'd never mention that again."

Arnav shrugged. "You can't blame me for any of my actions. I just get it from my old man," he said, crossing his arms.

"What are you talking about," Divya asked.

"Busy in the kitchen," Arnav sang.

"Arnav," Aryan scolded.

Divya's eyes widened and she looked at Aryan. Khushi couldn't believe her own ears and looked at Aryan.

"Had I walked in a little later," Arnav continued, 'I probably would have-"

"That's enough Arnav," Aryan said.

Khushi pursed her lips, trying to stop herself from smiling. The way Aryan's face had turned red from embarrassment was just too cute.

"Like father, like son," Khushi said.

"Actually in our case, it's like father & mother-"

Aryan stopped himself and looked at Arnav. Khushi looked at him confusedly and then at Arnav. Arnav was looking down, the amusement on his face gone. Without a word, he got up and left.

"Arnav," Khushi called out.

She went after him but Arnav didn't stop and went upstairs. Khushi stood there, completely puzzled by her husband's actions.

Aryan came behind her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Just give him a moment."

Khushi looked at him confusedly. "Why did he leave like that? Is it because you mentioned Ma?"

Aryan nodded.

"But why? He usually doesn't react this way."

Aryan looked down. "It's Shalini's death anniversary today."

Khushi gasped. "It is? But why didn't anyone say anything?"

"Because we never speak of it."

Khushi scrunched her eyebrows. "I don't understand. And why didn't anyone mention this last year?"

"Arnav doesn't like it when we do something on her death anniversary. Ever since he was young, he hated it when we held a puja. So for his sake, we never do anything, mention it or bring her up during these times."

Khushi looked up the stairs. "He still can't get over it."

"I think he chooses not to be reminded because he wants to get over it. But no matter how many years pass, it doesn't get any easier."

"But I don't understand," she said, looking back at him "Why didn't anyone say anything last year? Or at least mention it to me?"

"Because Arnav knew you'd try to do something," he smiled softly.

Khushi pursed her lips.

"Remember when he kept going to the city for business?"

Khushi nodded and realization struck her. "He left because of that."

Aryan nodded.

Khushi's expression saddened. "Poor Arnav."

"Why don't you go on up to him."

Khushi nodded and did just that. She went on up to their room but when she entered, she didn't see Arnav. She looked around the room and froze when she saw a part of the wall open like a door.

What on earth, Khushi wondered.

She went over to it and  looked at it confusedly. Of all her time here, she had never even noticed something odd about the wall. Khushi peered in and saw a little hallway. With a gulp, Khushi entered and walked down the hall. She entered a vast room and found Arnav sitting in a chair by the fireplace.

"Arnav?"

Arnav snapped out of thought and looked at her and Khushi gaped.

Arnav was crying.

Khushi made her way over to Arnav and he took her hand and pulled her into his lap. He buried his face in her neck and Khushi held him securely.

"Arnav, are you okay," Khushi asked softly.

Arnav didn't reply so Khushi pulled away slightly and held his face in her hands. He looked down and Khushi tilted his head up so he'd meet her eyes.

"Look at me," Khushi said softy.

Arnav did and Khushi's heart clenched. She hated seeing him like this.

"Talk to me," Khushi said softly.

Arnav pulled her in closer and she laid her head on his chest. For a moment they were quiet, the sound of crackling from the fireplace echoing in the room.

"I miss her," Arnav finally said.

Khushi held his hand to her chest, waiting for him to continue.

"When I was young, I thought she would come back," he continued. "I thought since they didn't find her body, she was still out there."

Khushi bit her lip to hold back her gasp. She was surprised by the information, but she didn't want to interrupt Arnav.

"I waited but year after year passed. Eventually I realized how stupid I was being, so I left town and stayed in the city to escape it all."

"But you came back," Khushi said. "You came here in your final year, just like Ma."

Arnav nodded then he sighed. He shut his eyes and nuzzled Khushi’s hair.

Both sat there for a while, embracing the crackles the fireplace made. Khushi understood that Arnav needed this.

Arnav sighed. "Would you do something for me?"

"Anything," Khushi replied.

"Will you visit my mother's grave with me?"

Khushi caressed his face. "Of course."

Arnav kissed her forehead. "Thank you," he whispered against it.

"Anything  for you," Khushi whispered back.

Arnav gazed at her then sealed her lips with his. "I love you so much," he breathed in between kisses.

"I love you too."

*~*

Khushi looked at Arnav. "I'm ready."

Arnav reached out and took her hand.  He placed a kiss in the palm of her hand then led them out. They headed out of the house and got in Arnav's car. He drove off into town, leaving it behind to go to the cemetery. Arnav eventually stopped and the two got out of the car. Arnav took Khushi's hand and he led her up a small hill to Shalini's grave. Khushi caught her breath at the sight of the polished, black marble tombstone. 

"Because we never found her body, my dad decided to put this tombstone in," Arnav clarified. "This way if we missed her a lot, we had a place to go."

Arnav crouched down and sat by the tombstone. Khushi joined him and sat down beside him. Arnav took her hand in his then looked at the tombstone.

"Hey Ammu. I'm sorry this took so long, but I brought your daughter in law," Arnav said.

Khushi smiled softly. Although it may seem weird to some that Arnav was talking to the tombstone, Khushi didn't think of it that way.

"I hope you aren't mad that I took so long," Arnav continued. "You know how difficult it is for me. Plus, to be honest, I've been very distracted lately. Thanks to a certain someone," he said, looking at Khushi.

Khushi blushed, a soft smile playing on her lips.

Arnav continued on with his conversation with his mother and Khushi watched in awe. He was very happy, chatting away and telling his mother everything since the last time he had been here. 

Arnav sighed. "I miss you Ammu. I really wish you were here with us."

"But she is," Khushi said, taking Arnav's hand and placing it over his heart. "Right here."

Arnav smiled and pulled Khushi into his lap.

"Arnav, what are you doing? Not in front of Ma!"

"Please, she'd be happy to see us like this. Ecstatic really." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I wish she was here so she could personally meet you, see you."

"She watches over us everyday," Khushi smiled softly 

Arnav looked up at the moonlit sky. "She does, doesn't she."

Khushi nodded. "And she always wants the best for her son."

Arnav looked at Khushi. She smiled softly and he caressed her face. 

"I love you Khushi."

"I love you too Arnav."

Arnav brought his face close to hers to give her a kiss, when Khushi placed her hand over Arnav's lips.

"Arnav, not in front of Ma."

"She doesn't care," and he moved her hand out of the way and sealed her lips with his.

Khushi could feel all of his emotions pouring through thus kiss. The love, the passion, and the intensity was expressed through their kiss. She knew Arnav needed her more than ever, and she would always be there for her.

"I need you now," Arnav said in between kisses.

Khushi understood that he didn't just mean the he needed her, but that be needed her.

And Khushi did as well.

"Take me home," Khushi breathed.

Without another word, Arnav got up on his feet, picking Khushi up. He took her back to the car and drove home.

As Arnav drove away, a figure appeared behind one of the trees.

It won't be long now.

Chapter Thirty

With days passing by, AR Industries became busier and busier. Arnav and Khushi were busier than ever, as they had landed a really good deal. Khushi felt bad that she was spending most of her time on the company instead of housework, but Arnav needed her help more than anyone.

One day, Khushi had managed to make some spare time. She headed on down to the kitchen and found Dai Ma working.

"Dai Ma, do you need help," she asked.

"I'm fine," she smiled sweetly.

"You sure? And do you know where Papa is? I wanted to ask him if he wanted kheer for dessert or something else."

"I think he's in his study."

"Okay," Khushi smiled, and she turned away.

Dai Ma turned back to her work and scoffed. "Do you need help? What the hell does it look like? Do I need help," she mocked. "I still can't believe Aryan brought this random village girl into the house as Chote's wife."

She twitched her lips. "You'd think bringing in a village girl would help around the house but no! Now she thinks of herself as some Maharani," she scoffed. "I told Aryan to let me find a girl for Chote, but no! Chote will fall in love, he said. Well look at the trash he brought in."

"Dai Ma?"

She turned around to see Khushi standing there.

"Could you leave a bowl of flour and a jug of water for me, please? Arnav wants to eat luchis today."

Her eyes widened slightly, though on the inside she was relieved Khushi hadn't heard her. 

"Oh," she said innocently.

"Yeah," Khushi smiled softly. "He just asked me out of the blue."

Dai Ma smiled. "Well if that's what Chote desires to eat, then that's what will be made."

Khushi smiled. "Thanks."

Khushi walked out of the kitchen and stood by the door. She heard Dai Ma sigh and move some items.

"She's lucky Chote asked," Dai Ma said. "If that bitch decided on it, I'd just pretend to forget."

Khushi's eyes widened and she turned away to go to the study.

Oh my gosh, Khushi thought. I can't believe Dai Ma just said that! And the stuff before!

That's right, Khushi had heard what Dai Ma had said.

Why does she hate me? I never did anything to her? Is she mad that I haven't been helping her lately?

"Khushi?"

Khushi snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to see herself standing outside of the study. Aryan looked at her curiously, a photo album in his hands.

"Is something wrong," he asked.

Khushi shook her head. "No," she lied. "I just wanted to ask if you'd like kheer for dessert or something else."

"Kheer is fine sweetheart," he smiled softly.

Khushi nodded and looked at the album in his hands. "What's that," she asked curiously, going over to him.

"Just some pictures of me and Shalini," he sighed sadly.

Khushi looked up at him then looked at the pictures. Aryan handed the album over to her and Khushi took it. She looked at the pictures in front of her, gazing away at the beautiful couple in the photos.

"Ma looks beautiful," Khushi said, putting her hand on top of a photo.

"She was," Aryan smiled softly.

Khushi looked up at Aryan. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you two meet?"

Aryan chuckled. "That is actually an interesting tale. Filmy, but interesting."

"Filmy? How," Khushi wondered, her eyes beaming with amusement.

"We met here, in this town. I was at the open market in the plaza with my friends, messing around, when a beautiful someone bumped into me."

Khushi tilted her head. "Did she really bump into you," she smirked lightly.

Aryan chuckled. "No, I did since I was walking backwards, but of course I told her she was at fault. And boy did she give me a face," he chuckled.

"Oh?"

"When we bumped into each other, I turned around to see who it was and found her gaping at me. Her face scrunched up and she started to yell at me, telling me to watch where I was going."

"What did you say?"

"At first? Nothing. She was the most beautiful person I ever laid my eyes on. Eventually I spoke and told her to watch where she was going since she was walking forward and knew where she was going. And then I flirted with her saying, and I quote, unless you purposely bumped into me."

Khushi gaped. "Oh my gosh! Did you wink? And what did she say?"

"I winked alright," he chuckled. "After she stared at me for saying that, I did it. And when I did that, her jaw dropped and she tried to say something, but I just smirked at her," he grinned.

"Oh my gosh," Khushi chuckled. "Then?"

"Then she made a face and walked away, muttering under her breath."

"Just like that? You didn't say anything else to her?"

Aryan shook his head. "Nope. I just watched her walk away, huffing and looking back to scowl. She was definitely muttering under her breath and no matter how many times I asked her later on what she said then, she played it off. Well, except that one time...."

"When was the next time you saw her?"

"College. First day of our last year."

Khushi’s eyebrows shot up. "Really?"

Aryan nodded. "She had just moved to town with her family and she transferred in."

"To our college? Senior year? But that's what Arnav-"

Khushi’s eyes widened and Aryan smiled sadly. Khushi caught her breath and looked down.

So that's the real reason he came back to town, she thought.

"What happened when you saw her again," Khushi asked softly.

Aryan looked down, smiling softly. He took the photo album from Khushi and flipped back a couple of pages and showed her a picture.

"This picture was taken on our first day," he said. "And back there," he pointed, "is Shalini."

Khushi looked at the picture and saw a young Aryan with three other guys, their arms around each other's necks while they grinned away. In the background, there were people stuck in their own business and right by Aryan's finger was Shalini, dressed in a white selwar kameez, looking to her right with a paper in her hands.

"Just after we took the picture, we turned and she came bumping into me again," Aryan chuckled softly. "Her eyes had widened and she stared me in shock and the first thing she said to me was you?!"

Khushi chuckled.

"I flirted of course, asking her if she was following me and she rolled her eyes at me and walked away."

"You didn't stop her?"

"Nope. She just walked away, huffing and muttering again," he chuckled.

"I'm assuming you saw her around?"

"Definitely." He put the album down and crossed his arms. "The first time I saw her, she just... she was just so beautiful. Yet every time I saw her after that...."

"After that...?"

Aryan chuckled and looked at Khushi. "The first time I saw Shalini, she was dressed up, wearing a red selwar kameez. Her hair was done, she had all these bangles on, and she had makeup on. But when I saw her the second time, and every time after that, she never dressed that way again.

"Shalini wasn't one of those girls who wore makeup. Unless there was something to celebrate or it was a good day, then she would. I hear a lot of people say that makeup makes a woman more beautiful. But when it came to Shalini, it was the complete opposite."

Khushi smiled softly. "You loved her just the way she was."

Aryan nodded. "A woman's natural beauty is what makes her truly beautiful. Not some product that say you aren't beautiful until you put their product on."

Khushi nodded.

Aryan sighed and looked at the album. He flipped through the pages until he came to picture of Shalini.

"She had her sister take this one. She had a presentation that day, so she was really excited. Yet on the way, she bumped into me again."

Khushi chuckled. "Again?"

"Oddly enough," he chuckled. "When we bumped into each other, I said how it was weird we kept bumping into each other. Of course, she was irritated and said that I was stalking her and bumping into her on purpose."

"And what did you say?"

"I said it was a smart idea and that I'd do that," he winked.

Khushi chuckled. "Seriously?"

"Mm hmm. And did she give me a face or what! She huffed away and I called out to her, telling her that I loved her."

Khushi gasped. "You did?"

Aryan nodded. "I did. She turned right back around and gaped at me, completely shocked. I could only grin at her and then she made a face and huffed away."

"Just like that? She didn't say a single word?"

"I'm sure she did in her mind," he chuckled. "The next time I saw her she tried to turn away, but I ran up to her. I apologized for startling her but I had only ran up to her because I didn't know her name to call out to her. It took all those bump-ins to learn her name, though it wasn't easy. She didn't want to tell me, but I got it out of her," he smiled proudly. "When I did, she got mad that I got it out of her and walked away."

"Why do I get the feeling you stopped her," Khushi said suspiciously.

"I didn't exactly. I called out to her, saying that every time so far, she's always bumped into me and has always walked away from me. But one day, she'd coming running towards me and into my arms."

"And one day she did," Khushi smiled.

"Indeed she did. And like a movie, she came running in the rain, straight into my arms," he smiled softly, the memory playing in his head.

Khushi looked down at the picture of Shalini and flipped to the next page, which was filled with her pictures. "What made Ma realize that she loved you?"

"A few more bump-ins, some flirting, and saving her."

"Saving her? What happened?"

"Shalini was going home from the library and I was going out to a party. I took a detour to get some beer, when I saw some goons annoying her."

"And like a scene from a movie, you fought them off," Khushi grinned.

Aryan grinned. "I'm a hero after all."

Khushi chuckled. "I'm assuming she fell in love with you then?"

Aryan nodded. "Though she didn't understand it at the time. Every time she saw me after that, she had this gleam of wonder in her eyes. Although she hadn't figured it out yet, I could tell by that gleam in her eyes that she was in love with me."

"How long did it take for her to confess?"

"I saved her Friday night and she came running into my arms the week after."

"In only seven days?"

"Mm hmm. But that's because I approached her on Monday. I told her that I could see her feelings for me clearly. Her eyes gave everything away. She told me she didn't know what i was talking about. So I told her that next Saturday morning, I'd be waiting for her at the plaza, exactly where we first met. If she realized what she truly felt for me, then she'd come to me that morning. If not, then I'd never bother her again and she would never see me again."

Khushi gasped. "You'd never see her again?"

Aryan shook his head. "It would only keep her in peace."

"But she loved you."

"But she didn't know it yet. And if she didn't, well, I wouldn't bother her with it."

Khushi nodded, understanding his point.

"Its a good thing she came that day. I don't know how I could have ever avoided her for so long. I loved her too much to stay away from her."

"But she did come running to you."

"And we were together ever since. Every day after that, we spent it together. At first it was for a certain amount of time - I hated it."

"Hated it? Why?"

"Spending a few hours with her weren't enough. I wanted to spend every waking second with her. I even told her that and she only laughed. Then I promised her that one day, I'd have her for the entire day. Just me and her, no one else, spending a whole day together with no intrusions."

Khushi smiled softly as she remembered Arnav saying the same to her.

"My wish came true though. But instead of it being just one day, it became the rest of our lives. We were together everyday, starting and ending our days together. Our lives went on like this, happily in love together. ...then one day she was gone."

Khushi pursed her lips and looked down.

"We promised each other we'd be together forever." Aryan picked up the album and gazed away at a picture of Shalini. "Only forever got cut short."

Khushi chewed on her lip. "What happened to Ma," she asked softly. "Arnav never mentioned it, not to mention barely mentions her."

Aryan didn't say anything for a moment, quietly looking at the picture.

"It's okay if you don't want to talk about it. I understand it's difficult."

Aryan sighed. "I would tell you, but it's still hard to talk about it. Even after all these years."

Khushi placed her hand on Aryan's arm. "It's okay papa."

Aryan flipped through the pages of the album, both him and Khushi looking at the pictures. 

"Wait," Khushi said, "is that Dai Ma with Ma?"

"Yeah, this was when Shalini was pregnant."

Khushi looked at the photo. Both women were smiling in the photo, but for some reason, Khushi sensed something off about Dai Ma's smile. 

"How do they know each other," Khushi asked. 

"They were best friends after Shalini moved here. Divya was around some of the moments Shalini and I bumped into each other," he chuckled lightly.

Khushi's scrunched her eyebrows. "Divya?"

"That's her name. I guess you when you call a person by the relation you tend to not know their name," he chuckled lightly.

"Yeah," Khushi said absentmindedly, looking at a picture of Shalini  and Divya together. "How odd is it that even though I've been in this house for more than a year, I don't even know her name? It's like I don't even know her at all."

Aryan's soft chuckle snapped Khushi back to reality. "I guess. It's funny how I barely call her by her name. I just find her and ask for something, that's it."

"Hmm...."

Khushi just looked at the photo, specifically at Divya.

Dai Ma, Khushi thought, why do I get the feeling you're nothing but shady?