Part 38 Khushi's stand

The villagers pitied Garima who cried clutching Akash's collar.

"Why did you do that? Is this why I wanted you to marry my daughter? She had a dream about her future... I destroyed it for you... you disappointed me... you shattered my dream... you are a scoundrel..." she slapped him again.

The president stopped Garima.

"Stop it Garima... what happened has happened... we can do nothing with it... we can't change anything... try to understand that."

Garima was horrified. She went to Arnav who was in disguise. She joined her hand in front of him, spilling tears.

"Please don't do this to my daughter... She is a small girl... she has life...just think once... how could she live with you who is your daughter's age? I believed this man (she pointed at Akash) I didn't even dream of this cheap behavior of him... Please leave my daughter..." She said shedding tears.

Arnav felt bad for Garima. The mother is begging for her daughter's life. He looked at Khushi painfully.

"No need..." Khushi shouted, understanding his gesture.

Garima looked at Khushi who uttered those words.

"You don't have to plead for me... It's over." She said with a stubborn expression on her face.

"What are you talking about?" Garima asked her panicking.

"What do you want me to do? Do you want me to marry him?" She asked raising her finger at Akash.

"Khushi... don't get angry..." Garima tried to console her.

"It's better to live with an old man than a gambler... how could you say he won't do it again? I'm not a doll to gamble on."

"I will never do that again Khushi..." Akash said making a sad face.

"Shut up... I don't want to hear anything from you." She sneered at him.

"Trust me Khushi..." Akash tried his level best.

"Trust....? Really? Who gave you the right to bet on me? Who are you to do that? Just because these brainless women did engagement, would you sell me to someone?" She spitted fire on him.

Akash bowed down.

"You don't deserve to call as a MAN... a real man won't gamble on any woman. I will die rather than marrying you."

"Khushi... you don't have to marry him... at the same time you no need to marry this old man too," Garima said.

"How could you say that?" The inspector asked furiously.

"I won't get my daughter to marry an old man. We are not responsible for Akash's act." Garima said.

"If you don't let this marriage happen then we will go to the court." The inspector warned her.

"No need Inspector... I'm ready to marry him." Khushi said sternly.

"Khushiiiii.... " Garima shouted.

"Garima, we can do nothing about it. Akash lost the bet on Khushi. If we don't agree with the marriage then they will go to court. Then our village will have a police station... "

"I don't care if our village has a police station... in fact, I want a police station in this village. If the police station would have been here, Akash like a useless fellow would not have gambled.... My daughter's life would not have spoilt..." Garima cried.

"Even though he would not have gambled my life would have been spoilt marrying a cheap man." Khushi howled.

"What are you going to do, Khushi beta?" The president asked.

"I'm going to marry this old man. This is how I would like to punish him." She said looking at Akash.

"Then what? Let them married." Shyam said.

Garima cried, hitting on her face.

"Khushi beta, look at your mother... can't you reconsider your decision for one last time?" one of the old ladies of the village asked.

"What do you want her to reconsider? She is the one who forced her to marry him. She tastes the fruit of her greediness. She has to do that. Can't help" Shyam said looking at crying Garima.

"Khushi, just to hit me back, don't take the decision of marrying him." Garima pleaded.

"I had told me decision already... and that's final."

"Tomorrow will be their marriage." the inspector said.

"We can't hurry a marriage just like that... there are many rituals to be done before marriage." The president said.

"Then fix the date now itself," Shyam demanded.

"Their marriage will happen on coming Sunday." The President assured.

Everyone agreed to it and dispersed from the president's house. Khushi was looking at Garima who was crying bitterly.

"Let's go home. I need to talk to you." Khushi said.

Garima looked at her expressionlessly. Khushi clutched her hand and started walking towards their house. Garima silently followed her as she had nothing to say. She was repenting for her decision of marrying Khushi to Akash. She had never expected Akash would stoop so low. How could he gamble on Khushi? Khushi was not wrong. The man who could gamble on a girl will do anything in the future. She felt guilty about her previous act. She should not have denied Khushi from marrying Arnav. No doubt, Arnav is a thousand times better than Akash. He thought of her as his own mother and helped her to get her vision back. Not understanding that before, she made a very bad decision about her and Khushi's life.

They reached the house. Garima joined her hands and asked,

"Forgive me Khushi... I have spoilt your life. Because of my selfishness, I made your life hell..." She cried.

"You don't have to be sorry. There is nothing to be worried." Khushi said sternly.

"How couldn't I be worried?" Garima asked her with repentance.

"Because I'm going to marry none other than Arnavji..." She said calmly.

"What.... What did you say?" Garima asked with confusion.

"The old man is none other than Arnavji..." She said whispering.

Garima's eyes widened with shock.

"You got to know about Akash. Still, do you want me to marry him?"

"No Khushi...definitely not...but is it really Arnav?"

"Haan... he is here to marry me. He already knows that Akash gambles... but I'm sure that he would not have expected him to bet on me."

"I don't know what to say... I hope I'm not dreaming." She said with happy tears.

"You are not dreaming. But, please don't say anyone about it."

"Trust me, Khushi. I won't open my mouth until you leave this village."

"What are you talking....? It's not only me... but also you are going to leave this village... forever."

"It would not be good..." Garima hesitated.

Cutting her,

"Why won't it be good? Who is there in this village for you? It's only me... your daughter... what are you going to do hereafter I leave? "

"But, how could I be with my daughter... it's not our custom."

That's when they heard,

"Throw the custom away..."

They saw Arnav standing at the doorstep in Ankit's look.

"We are not living for people but for our own selves. Please don't get confused." Arnav said.

"I'm sorry. I should not have cheated on you." She spilled tears.

"I don't think in the way you think. You too don't take it in that way." Arnav requested her.

"But, beta..."

Arnav stopped her from talking.

"I have no one in this world. I have lost my parents when I was small. You too have no one other than Khushi. Then what's wrong if we are together? Consider me as your son." He smiled at her.

As his words pricked her, Garima closed her face and sobbed. Arnav looked at her miserably.

"Please don't cry... I have forgotten everything." Arnav consoled her.

"I don't know how I would do redemption for my deeds." She wept.

"Just give your daughter's hand and come with us. That's enough." Arnav smiled, making Garima also smile.

....

At the same time, somewhere in the village, Akash knocked on a house door which was located on the outer side of the village.

A man, who was with a gigantic look, opened the door, squeezing his eyes. He widened his eyes, seeing Akash standing at his doorstep.

"Akashji, you?" he asked with surprise.

"I hope you had not forgotten about the money you borrowed from me... fifty thousand..." Akash hit the point directly, not beating around the bush.

"I have not forgotten it yet... but I'm paying the interest every month, without fail." He remembered him.

"I don't want the interest and also money..." Akash said. The man thunder stuck hearing that.

"Whaaaat!" asked him couldn't believe his words.

"But... instead of money, you have to do something for me," he demanded.

"I will do whatever you say." The man said curiously.

"I want you to kill the old dog..." He said gritting his teeth furiously.

"Whom are you talking about?" The man asked with confusion.

"Ankit Chowdry... one of the archeologists...."

To be continued...

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Lost Control

"I want you to kill the old dog..." He said gritting his teeth furiously.

"Whom are you talking about?" The man asked with confusion.

"Ankit Chowdry... one of the archaeologists...."

The man was shocked.

"But he is a government servant... it will become a big problem and our village will get affected..." the man let out his fear.