Part 45 Tackling the situation

Arnav kept Anjali on the bed. Akash passed a glass of water to Arnav and he sprinkled it on Anjali's face. She slowly opened her eyes and cried hugging Arnav.

"What's all this, Chotte? I can't understand anything"

"Di, it's all true... Shyam is not a nice man as we thought. He is a criminal-minded man...! It's not good for you to be with him, Di. That's why I threw him out of RM"

"I can't believe this, Chotte...! How could I believe all this?"

"Don't you believe me? Do you think I would lie to you?"

Anjali closed her face with her palms and cried bitterly. Arnav held her hands and wiped her tears.

"Di, please, don't cry. This is why I didn't tell you about him before even after knowing about his true color. I witnessed it in front of my eyes when he asked Khushi to marry him Di. He was cheating us. He dared to tell me you are the only hindrance for him to get Khushi. I was scared he might hurt you. How could I let him harm you? That's why I married Khushi"

Anjali cried burying her face in her knees.

"Di..."

"Chotte, leave me alone for a while" She choked.

"Di, please..."

Anjali got off the bed and sent him out of her room. She locked her room, making Arnav feel helpless.

Arnav came to his room all distraught. The whole RM became like a graveyard and it was obvious.

Akash looked at Payal with disappointment.

"Do you know about Shyam?" he asked.

Payal cried bowing down.

"You disappointed me, Payal. I didn't expect you would hide such an important matter from me"

"I didn't hide it intentionally, Akashji"

"But you hid... we could have avoided many problems if you had told me"

Before Payal said anything,

"How would you have avoided, Akash?"

Akash saw Arnav standing at his room entrance.

"I saw him forcing Khushi to marry him. I know he was a criminal. Yet, what could I do to him? Di was his strength. We could have done nothing to him. Without any proof, we could have done nothing. Didn't you see how he tried to turn the table against me?"

Akash was silent.

"Think wisely, Akash. They would have hidden it from us only to avoid problems. They didn't want to hurt us..."

"Haan, Akashji. We didn't want to ruin the happiness of our family. I know how much it would hurt all of you because it was about Di"

Akash nodded yes. Arnav turned around only to find Manorama with dissatisfaction. He knew she was not happy about him taking Gupta sister's side. He could not help. Just because Anjali was hurt, how could he abandon Khushi and Payal who were not at fault?

The next day

After Khushi asked Anjali to have food at least for the child in her womb, Anjali decided not to have the child and went to the hospital to abort the child. Arnav saw her in the most unpleasant condition and brought her home.

Arnav came to his room and sat on the bed all fed up. That was when Manorama came to him.

"Mami, what happened that Di made such a decision?"

"It's because of Khushi. She went to Anjali's room to meet her. I don't know what she talked to her. After that only Anjali made such a decision. We knew Anjali's condition. Yet, she went to her room. What's necessary for her to do that?" Manorama asked with a furious cry.

Arnav became wrathful after hearing Manorama's accusation. Arnav came out of the room searching for Khushi. When he walked fast, his leg stumbled on the carpet on the floor. That slowed down his speed...! Suddenly, he felt heaviness in his head. He stood closing his eyes. Then, he opened his eyes jerking. He remembered why Devi Maiya wanted to take Khushi away from him. What she told him before assigning the task to him. Didn't she say, he would hurt her by his words that, SHE IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF HIS LIFE? Was this the situation that would lead him to utter such bitter words? Yes, he was that angry with her. He might have uttered those killer words for sure. He was dumbfounded.

What was he supposed to do? He was about to shout at Khushi for meeting Anjali. Was that right? Was Khushi the reason for Anjali's wrong decision? Blaming Khushi for Anjali's decision right? Didn't he know Khushi? Would she do anything to harm others? Didn't she tolerate his tantrums only to save his family's happiness? Could not she have broken the secret of their forced marriage? She could have... Yet, she kept silent. She kept silent, respected his family members, and treated them like her people. How could she be wrong? Would not she feel bad if he shouted at her?

Arnav saw Khushi coming to their room. Clutching her hand, he dragged her with him to Manorama's room. Nani saw that and followed them with confusion. Manorama was stuck to see him bringing Khushi to her room.

"Khushi, why did you go to Di's room?" Arnav asked.

Khushi was perplexed as she didn't know why he asked her about it.

"Tell me, Khushi"

"To provide her food..."

Manorama was supposed to say something, but Arnav stopped her showing his palm.

"You could have sent Hariprkash or someone else..."

"No one was at home Arnavji. Haripraksh was the one who took a plate to Di's room but she sent the plate untouched. That's why I went to her room, taking her food. I thought I could make her eat something but she denied"

Arnav looked at Manorama and said,

"Khushi went to Di's room only to provide her food because she is pregnant. Starving would affect not only Di but also the baby in her womb. You guys were not at home and Di sent the food back. Khushi would not have spoken of anything that made Di take such a decision"

Manorama bit her jaws.

"Mami, you know very well how Khushi is. Not only we but also Khushi and Payal have concerns for Di. Khushi told me how you helped her in searching for me after the kidnap. You know very well she was even ready to take any risk to find me because you were the one who was with her. Still, do you think she would harm us in any way?"

Manorama was silent because she knew Khushi was not such a girl.

"Mami, she is my wife. She respects you. I know you hate her because you could not see Di in this condition. Understand one thing, Mami, Khushi is not a reason for Di's condition. It was pure and purely Shyam who ruined Di's life. You too know that. leaving the criminal who caused the damage behind, what's the justification for persecuting Khushi and Payal? They are also the daughter-in-laws of this family as same as you. if you don't understand their pain, who would do that?" he asked in a soft tone.

"But, Arnav bituwa, Anjali..."

"I know Mami. We all are equally affected...! You are a motherly figure to me. I want you to treat my wife like me. She put her life at risk and saved my life. Is this how we show our gratitude? Are not you happy for me being alive?"

"Arnav bituwa... what are you talking?"

"Shyam was supposed to kill me, Mami. If Khushi had not changed the petrol into water, you would not have even gotten my ashes...! No wife would dare to do what Khushi did for me. If she is hurt, I will feel the pain...! You are not hurting Khushi but me. I hope you understand. Her happiness means a lot to me...!"

"Arnav bituwa, I complained about her because I was under stress," Manorama sobbed.

Nani came to Khushi and clutched her hands.

"Khushi bitiya, Chotte is right. You had done something that no one could do... God bless you"

Khushi felt like choking. She could not believe everything was really happening. She didn't expect Arnav would stand for her and elaborate on her adventure to them.

Arnav looked at Khushi. Clutching her hand, he again walked to his room. When they came to their room, Khushi threw herself on his chest and cried. Arnav embraced her with painful emotions as he felt her pain.

To be continued...