Chapter 4: Doubtful Minds

“Kya sach mein?!” Anjali exclaimed and the doctor nodded.

“She’s only along for a few weeks so far, but please take care of her health and if you have any questions, then just call me,” the doctor said and left.

Everyone entered the room to find Khushi sitting up on the bed. She looked up at them when they entered.

“Khushiji I’m so happy for you!” Anjali said giving her a hug.

“Yes bitiya, this is great news, finally we’ll have another child running around our house in a few months, And I’ll become a grandmother again,” Nani said.

They all congratulated her o this wonderful news. All of them carried a smile on their faces, except for one that was standing in the back of the crowd lost in his thoughts. Anjali noticed Khushi staring at Chotte, so she told everyone that they should leave and give her some time to rest. Everyone agreed and left both of them alone.

Arnav didn’t know what to make of the situation, he was having mixed emotions and didn’t know exactly how to face Khushi. Earlier he had just told her that he didn’t want to have any kids, and now he had just found out that she was having a child. Would she think that he didn’t want the child? On top of that, she had seen someone else all over him near the poolside.

Khushi kept on looking at him, different emotions occupying his face, as if he was fighting with himself. He probably needs some time alone to think, she thought. She spun her legs around the bed and tried to get up, but being the clumsy person she is, she slipped on the pallu of her sari and was about to fall head first onto the floor when a strong pair of arms caught her.

“Khushi do you need something?” Arnav questioned her.

“No, I’m just going to change my clothes,” she said and he took his grip off of her. Khushi headed towards the cupboard and removed her night clothes from there and went into the bathroom. She closed the door behind her and then changed into her clothes. Arnav hadn’t said anything to her, nor had he tried to talk with her yet. Was he even happy with the pregnancy or not? She felt a lump form in her throat at the thought of not being able to keep their child. But Arnav wouldn’t want to abort it would he? Maybe he had just been a little bit angry and not in the right state of mind when he said he was happy they didn’t have any kids. She slid down the walls of the bathroom, as her tears made their way down her cheeks; her head buried in her knees, trying to forget everything and hoping it was just a dream.

Arnav had changed into his night clothes also and went outside into the poolside to clear his mind out. He needed to confront Khushi about everything and make it all clear to her before she assumed anything. First he would have to tell her about what happened at the poolside, so that she didn’t get some cray ideas of him cheating on her. He also needed to tell her what he had said about not having kids earlier was just something that came out of his mouth according to that situation. Of course he wanted this child, it was their child, a symbol of their love. There was a knock on the door, and he went to open it. Hari Prakash had brought their dinner for them as they hadn’t already eaten, Arnav took it and put it on the coffee table. He looked around the room and realized Khushi hadn’t come out yet. Was she still in the bathroom? It had been over half an hour since she had been in their. His mind quickly panicked and he rushed to the bathroom door and knocked on it.

“Khushi are you in there?” he asked knocking at the same time, “Please open the door Khushi.” There was no response coming from her,but he could hear her sniffled sobs. Crap! What had he done? Arnav thought to himself.

“Jaan please open the door, I’m getting worried,” Arnav said again but their wasn’t any response again. He turned the door knob and realized it was open, quickly opening the door he rushed in. He found her sitting against the wall, with her head in her knees. Dropping right beside her, he touched her shoulder.

Khushi was too lost in her thoughts that she didn’t hear the knocking on the door, or when he had entered. She elt a nudge on her shoulder and looked up to find him satring at her with concerned eyes. Arnav noticed the dried tears that were now resting on her cheeks and wiped away the ones that were making their way down.

“I….I’m…s…sor…,”Khushi attempted to talk but the words go lost in her throat as Arnav picked her up and carried her back to their room. He put her on the bed, with her back against the headboard. He got the plate from the table and got into bed beside her. Moving right against her, he pulled the comfortoer up will their waist and placed the tray of food on his lap.

“Khushi have dinner,” he said looking up at her.

“Arnav I need to talk to you,” Khushi said.

“We can talk after eating, please just east first. It’s bad for your health, especially now that you have another life to take care of you inside,” he said and lifted the spoon and brought it to her lips. She opened her mouth to eat the food. Arnav fed the rest of the dinner to her while feeding himself at the same time, neither of them spoke anything and ate in silence, the only noise coming from the clanking of the spoon. He placed the tray of food on side table then turned his attention towards her again.

He lied her down, and then lied down also right beside her after turning off the lamp.Khushi turned towards him and buried her head in the crook of his neck, with her right arm going around her back. Arnav also hugged her back and placed a soft kiss on her temples.

“Khushi why were you crying,” he asked after waiting for her to talk, but she hadn’t said anything. Arnav moved his had back a little bit to see her face.

“Was this about what happened at the poolside? Because you know I would never do anything like that to you, you’re the only one I love and will love for the rest of my life,” he said in a hoarse whisper.

“I know you would never do anything like that to me,” Khushi said cuppping his face with her hand, “I had heard the conversation that she was having with you before.”

“I’m really sorry that you had to see that, I didn’t know she had been following me,” he replied again.

“Hmm I know,” she said.

“Then why were you crying? Were you feeling sick or any pain?” Arnav said.

“Arnav do you want this baby?” she asked hesitantly looking up into his eyes.

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Chapter 3: Revelations

 

Arnav steadied Khushi up to a standing position. Khushi balanced herself up and fixed her sari.

"Let's go back to the party," she said looking up at him. He nodded, put an arm around her waist and they strode out of the kitchen to join everyone else in the party. Everyone was enjoying the party and guests kept on arriving. Arnav introduced his business associates to Khushi and talked with them.

They were walking when Arnav received a call on his cell phone, he excused himself and went to the poolside in order to receive the call. But he wasn't the only one that went up there, someone else also followed. Aman had called Arnav to remind him of an important meeting that was the next day and Arnav had felt someone else enter the room. He was still on the phone when footsteps approached him ,he was sure that it wasn't Khushi because he could always feel her presence when she was nearby. He got off the phone when Aman had cut the call and turned around, Arnav came face to face with a girl he had met early, he didn't remember her clearly but was sure he had seen her before.

"Um, have we met before?" he asked her.

"Yea we did earlier, I'm Anita, my dad is a businessman," she said.

"Mr. Kapoor's daughter...?" he said.

"Yes," she replied taking a step towards him.

"But what are you doing here? The party is downstairs," Arnav said as she stepped closer, this didn't look good to him.

"Actually I wanted to meet you," Anita replied back.

"We've already met earlier," he replied back in a fierce voice.

"That was just a casual meeting, how about a personal one," she said tilting her head.

"Sorry, but it's best if you leave at this instant. I don't need your help or want to know you any better," he said, anger starting to become visible in his eyes.

"The better thing is how I can help you," Anita said standing directly in front of him and about to put her hands on his shoulders. Before she could even make contact with him, she felt a pain jolt through her arms. It was too fast for her to understand, but she found her arms in a tight grip behind her back and a dangerously angry man glaring down at her.

Before he could utter anything to her, he saw someone fall down from the corner of his eyes.

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Khushi was looking around and realized that Arnav still hadn't come down from taking his call, maybe it was really important, she thought to herself.

"Khushiji, where is Chotte?" Anjali asked coming up to her.

"He went upstairs to receive a call from Aman, but still hasn't come down," Khushi said.

"Why don't you go call him, it's time to have dinner," Anjali said.

"Okay Di," Khushi replied back to her. She made her way through the crowd and went up the stairs. She saw someone else up there also, no one from there family. Weren't all the guests suppose to be downstairs, she thought to herself. Khushi was going to call out to her, but that girl ended up entering the side door to the poolside. Why was she going there? Khushi wondered. She entered her room and saw that Arnav wasn't in there, she was about to leave when she heard him talking. Looking out the open door to the poolside, Khushi saw Arnav talking on the phone, and then another figure approaching him, the same one she had seen earlier.

She stood in her room watching the actions of the girl and listening to what she was saying. To Khushi, she just looked like one of those models who caked herself up with makeup and was very fake. The way the girl was approaching Arnav made Khushi's blood boil, what did that girl think of herself?

While being able to slightly listen to what they were saying, Khushi felt her head getting heavy. Her vision started blurring and she held the cupboard near her for support. Before she knew it, her entire vision blurred and she felt her knees go weak.

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Arnav had seen someone fall from the corner of his eyes, he looked to that way again and saw a puddle of a sari.

"Khushi!" he gasped and left Anita while he ran over to her. He quickly got down by her side and pulled her head up on his lap.

"Khushi...khushi...," he said patting her head trying to wake her up, "...baby please open your eyes...khushi...can you hear me?"

He quickly picked her up and settled her on their bed. Anjali who had been waiting for Khushi to bring Arnav down realized that neither of them had come yet, so she decided to go upstairs to call them down. Thinking that they were probably with each other and secretly romancing, but she was surprised by the sight she saw when she entered their room. Khushi was lying on the bed and Arnav was sitting on the edge trying to make cer conscious.

"Chotte what happened?!" she exclaimed entering the room.

"Di...Di...Khushi's not waking up..she just fainted," he told her.

'Hold on, I'll call the doctor right away," Anjali said. She pulled out her cell phone and immediately called the family doctor. She said that she would be here anytime soon. Anjali then told Om Prakash to bring some water.

Arnav was getting worried, what had happened to her that would cause her to faint. His thoughts went back to what had happened at the poolside, that girl. Had Khushi happened to see them together and assumed something wrong? No, his Khushi wasn't like that, she trusted him completely and would never doubt their relationship.

The thought of the girl made his anger boil, he looked back outside and found that she was still standing their, only closer to the door. He quickly went up to her, anger evident in his flaring eyes, his hands turning into fists.

"You!" he said, "Get out of here before I do something that I will regret later!"

"But'," she started off.

"SECURITY!!" Arnav yelled out loud, "SECURITY!"

The guards quickly came to their room, and so did the family members that had heard his loud voice. Arnav told the guards to take the girl away and make sure that they never saw her face here again. He turned around to his room and saw that the doctor had arrived.

"What happened Chotte? Khushi bitiya ko kya hua?" Nani asked seeing Khushi lying on the bed.

"I don't know Nani, I found her fainted in the room," Arnav told her.

"Did you call the doctor?" Akash asked.

 

"Yea, she said she would be on her way'," Anjali said, "'oh look she's here."

That doctor was standing at the door and walked inside. She asked everyone to leave while she would examine the patient. They all left the room and stood outside. Arnav was pacing the hallway worried about her, the few minutes turned into five, then ten. But for him, it felt like hours. The doctor finally came out of the room and Arnav rushed up to her.

"Doctor how is she? Is she fine?" he asked with concern.

"Yes everything is fine with her," the doctor replied.

"But why did she faint?" he asked.

"It happens in these kind of situations," the doctor said.

"These kind of situation? What kind of situations?" he asked confused.

"Oh I guess you probably don't know yet since it's only been a few weeks," the doctor said.

"Few weeks of what?" Arnav asked.

 

"Congratulations Mr. Raizada, your wife is pregnant," the doctor said.

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Chapter 2: Let The Party Begin

 

"You're so sweet Arnav," Khushi said against his neck, "But why is your coat wet?!" she said pulling away from the hug with a disgusted look.

"Oh this stupid id downstairs threw a water balloon on me. He doesn't have any manners. I'm so happy we don't have kids Khushi," Arnav said making Khushi drop the bouquet of roses from her hand and they landed on the floor.

And then he spoke again, "I would never be able to handle them." Arnav picked up the dozen roses and put them on the dresser. He came back to Khushi and looked at her, but she was frozen at the spot. He nudged her shoulder and asked, "What's wrong Khushi?" he shook her shoulder again and Khushi broke her trance.

"Arnav I need to tell you something," Khushi said, Arnav nodded telling her to say what she wanted.

"Arnav I'm---," Khushi said but was cut off by the knock on their door.

"Chotte, Khushiji! Please come on down, we're going to cut the cake!" Anjali said from outside and left.

"Khushi we'll talk later, let's got downstairs before Di gets angry," Arnav said.

"Ok, let's go," Khushi said, she looked back in the mirror and fixed the pallu of her sari; she turned towards him again and said, "Challo (come)."

Khushi put her hands around his arm; Arnav put his other hand on top of hers and they walked out the room. Khushi had really wanted to tell him now, but Di had interrupted. Maybe she should tell him after the party, she thought. They came out of the room and were walking down the hall, when Payal and Akash also came out of their rooms.

"Hey Bhai, got back from work early today?" Akash asked as they all walked down.

"Yea, you know Di," Arnav said.

"Khushi I like your sari, where did you get it from?" Payal asked.

"Oh, Arnav got it for me," Khushi said trying to smile, but Payal noticed that something was wrong. Khushi was behaving a bit strangely; she would have to talk to her later about it. They all made their way downstairs and the living room was filled with guests and kids.

"Come here guys," Anjali said when she saw them come down. They all walked to the table and stood there. Anamika, Anjali's daughter was also there standing in front of the cake.

"Ladies and gentlemen, can I please have your attention," Shyam said into the mike, "Could we all please gather around to cut the cake." Everyone moved around the table. Anjali lit the candles and Anamika blew them out while everybody sang happy birthday to you. She held the knife along with her parents' hands and cut the cake. Anjali took a piece of cake and fed it to her, "Happy 5th birthday sweety," she said kissing her cheek.

Shyam grabbed a piece of cake also and put it in her mouth, "Happy birthday princess," he said. Everyone in the family took turns and fed her cake.

"Where's my present Mom Dad?" she asked. Shyam went over and picked up a box from the die table and gave it to her. She ripped through the wrapping paper and found the doll she had wanted, "Thank you!!" she said hugging her parents.

Akash/Payal and Arnav/Khushi had all together brought a a baby convertible car for her in her size, that she could drive on the lawn. Nani gave her a golden bracelet and Mama Mami gave her new clothes.

"Om Prakash, Hari Prakash!" Anjali called out. The servants came to them and said, "Yes Anjaliji?"

"Please take all the kids outside to the tent where their party has been arranged for their enjoyment," Anjali said. Om Prakash and Hari Prakash round up the kids and took them outside, only leaving the adults in the house.

"Enjoy the party," Shyam said into the mike and the adults went back to what they were doing.

Arnav put his arm around Khushi's waist and rubbed her skin with his fingers. Khushi jumped a bit feeling his cool hands on her skin. She leaned into him and gritted through her teeth, "What are you doing Arnav?"

"Hugging my wife, why do you have a problem with it," Arnav replied back and started walking around, dragging her along.

"Arnav there are so many people here," Khushi replied back.

"So what? They have their own wives, why should it matter to them if I'm hugging my wife?" Arnav said.

Khushi was about to reply when someone approached them.

"Nice to see you here Mr. Raizada," a business associate said. Arnav shook his other hand with him and Khushi left, giving them some time alone to talk.

"Hello Mr. Khanna, nice to see you here also," Arnav said. Mr. Khanna was a man in his mid 50s, a very well know businessman. Nani had been friends with his wife, thus the reason they had been invited.

"Did you come here alone?" Arnav asked.

"No, this," Mr. Khanna said motioning to the elderly lady beside him, "Is my wife, and that's," another women standing next to them, "my daughter Anita."

"Nice to meet you also," Arnav said to the both of them. The girl eyed him up and down, he was good looking she thought. She had heard a lot about him and how he was every girls dream. Maybe she could get a chance with him tonight, she told herself.

"Enjoy the party," Arnav said and walked away, with a pair of eyes following him. Arnav looked around trying to find Khushi. She was nowhere in sight.

"Di have you seen Khushi?" Arnav went up to his sister and asked.

"No Chotte I haven't," Anjali said.

"I saw her go into the kitchen," Shyam who was standing beside Anjali said.

"Thanks Jijaji" Arnav said and headed towards the kitchen. He went in noticed Khushi standing there holding on the to counter tightly.

"Khushi are you fine?" Arnav asked.

"Khushi was a bit startled with by his presence in turned around shockingly dropping the glass of water she was holding.

"Arnav tum (you)?!" she said.

"Yea me, why did you think it would be someone else?" Arnav said putting his hands on either side of the counter, trapping her there.  He moved his face forward and nuzzled his face into her hair.

"N..n..no," Khushi said her breath quickening.

"Then what are you doing here?" Arnav asked kissing her earlobe.

"I w..was f..feel'ing diz..zy," Khushi said losing breath due to his closeness, "So I c'came to drin..k some wat..er."

Arnav moved back and cupped her face, "Are you better now? Should I call the doctor? Maybe you should go rest upstairs."

"Arnav, I'm fine now, there's nothing to panic about. You're getting worried for no reason," Khushi said.

"No reason Khushi?! This is your health we're talking about, of course I will panic," Arnav said raising his voice a bit.

"I know Arnav, but I'm better now, so let's go back to the party," Khushi said.

"Ok, let's go," Arnav said and moved back.

Khushi stepped a few steps forward, forgetting the water that had spilled there and slipped. "Arnav!" she called out in a small shriek. Arnav automatically put his arms out, catching her. Khushi's hands went to his shoulders, holding on for balance.

She looked up into his eyes and smiled, "Thanks," she said.

Arnav smirked back at her, "It's my responsibility as your husband. I would never let you fall."

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