It had been two months since she had first entered the house that was supposed to be her home, as a stranger to her own husband, after the initial awkwardness, Khushi had managed to yet again make a place of her own in Arnav's heart. It was almost as if they were back to the very initial stages of their relationship. Khushi was happy, at least now she was not a mere stranger to her husband. 

They were friends, he had decided for them a few weeks ago, Khushi had only chuckled with an "Of course we are friends."

And things only got better from then. She was almost back to her early chirpy self, she laughed, smiled, teased, and pulled Arnav's leg, much to the said man's annoyance, but he did secretly enjoyed all his antics. (Although he won't tell!)

***

Khushi sat in the living room, with a mug of milk between her palms. "I feel like I am the child." She pouted at Anjali.

"What makes you think you are not?" Anjali asked.

Khushi frowned cutely. 

"You are so damn cute." Anjali said pulling her cheeks, the infant lying on the couch next to her rambled in protest.

Khushi took her in her arms and started cooing to her. 

"She's really possessive of you." Anjali said rolling her eyes.

Khushi chuckled, "Exactly like her father, choti Laad-Governor." She replied, nuzzling her face.

"Laad-Governor?" Nani looked at Khushi amused.

"What kind of a name is that?" Arnav frowned throwing his bag on the couch, Khushi sighed in annoyance.

"It's what I call my husband, because he thinks he owns the whole world." Khushi said sarcastically.

"It is a weird nickname." Arnav said flatly 

"My husband loves it." Khushi said softly

Arnav smiled tightly. "Weird man."

Khushi nodded, "Very weird indeed," She agreed with him. "But he's my life." 

Arnav rolled his eyes, "Life!" He mumbled 

Khushi tried her hardest to stop herself from smiling, she could clearly see her husband's beautiful brown orbs overflowing with jealousy. 

Anjali noticed Khushi's face and raised her eyebrows at her.

"He's jealous." Khushi whispered to her.

Anjali chuckled.

"What happened?" Arnav frowned at his sister. 

"Girls talk chotte." Anjali replied.

Arnav rolled his eyes at them.

"How was office today?" Anjali asked.

"Uh, usual." He replied.

"Uh, usual." Anjali mimicked him.

“You literally have nothing better to do, do you?” Arnav asked sarcastically. Anjali shrugged in a non-committal manner

Khushi laughed.

***

Khushi was walking on the terrace with her baby cocooned in her arms, she was constantly sobbing in her arms while Khushi was rubbing her back trying to calm her down. 

Arnav entered the terrace, and smiled on seeing Khushi as she played with the little girl in her arms.

"Hey" Arnav called out in a voice that was audible to Khushi.

Khushi turned to face him, and smiled.

"It's.. three in the morning, what are you doing up so late?" Arnav asked surprised.

"Should I not be asking you the same question?" Khushi raised her eyebrows at him 

"Well.. I had a weird dream, and I woke up with a start, and now I'm not sleepy anymore." Arnav told her, "Your turn."

Khushi sighed, looking at her daughter cuddled to herself. "She's being very cranky, doesn't seem to want to sleep." She said. "I've been trying to make her sleep for hours now." 

Arnav looked at her, noticing just how exhausted and pale she was looking, and yet he could see a smile on her face as she shrugged her own tiredness off in favour of comforting her child. He felt a little pang in his heart, the reason for which he couldn't pinpoint.

"I know that look." Khushi said wryly. "I'm fine Arnav-ji"

"If fine translates into 'running on 3 hours of sleep in the last 36 hours' in your language, I might even believe you." Arnav rolled his eyes at her.

"I've handled her cranky father hundreds of times before and he is two thousand times worse, so his cranky baby is nothing. Besides I'm not running on 3 hours of sleep, I get to sleep in the afternoon when Anjali Di and Nani-ji are busy pampering her." Khushi said in a way of assurance. 

Arnav made a face at the mention of Khushi's husband, "I need to ask you this, where in hell's name is your husband?"

Khushi stiffened for a second, making Arnav rethink his words. "Rude. Sorry."

Khushi shook her head, "It's alright. He's this big-shot businessman, always busy travelling around the world and because I was pregnant I couldn't travel with him." Khushi said "Anjali di offered to bring me here till he.. returned." 

Arnav nodded. "Right."

He wanted to ask when Khushi's husband would come back, but couldn't decide whether or not he wanted that question of his answered. He gestured for Khushi to give him the child, who was still wide awake in her mother's arms.

Khushi smiled gratefully and cautiously handed (her husband) the baby.

"Do you wanna talk about that dream you had?" Khushi asked "It might help you sleep if you'd talk."

"It was nothing, shadows, voices, everything was a big blur and that's why it scared me. It was a creepy dream." Arnav said as they walked together on the terrace.

Khushi nodded.

"She fell asleep." Arnav whispered quietly a few minutes later, his eyes were shining in amazement as he secured the sleeping child in his arms

"Yeah.. Now I better get her to our room lest she wakes up again." Khushi said in a quiet whisper. "Unless you want to walk for a while"

Arnav smiles "No.. I think I'll try to sleep. You need to sleep too." he said and walked with Khushi towards the guest room that she was staying in. 

"Thanks" Khushi said softly. 

Arnav nodded, he had a sudden urge to kiss her forehead, but he ignored it and smiled at her before walking away. 

Khushi sat on the bed with a sigh. "I miss you husband." 

She took a pillow lying near her and hugged it to her chest before falling into an uneasy sleep.

***

A week later, the hall was decorated with flowers and fairy lights. Devyani Raizada and Subhadra Mallik along with their granddaughter(s) were busy in the last minute preparations of the veneration that was being held in the Raizada Mansion. Arnav and Khushi's little girl had turned 3 months old that day and the family had decided to hold a small veneration along with the girl's naming ceremony that day.

"If it were in my hands, I would have held the function on a much larger scale, trust me. If the situation would've been better.. I would've given my chotte's wife and daughter everything they deserve." Devyani said cupping Khushi's face.

Khushi smiled, "I know Nani-ji, but I don't want anything else. This is enough, you, Dadi-ji, Anjali Di and Arnav, that's all I have ever wanted.. all we have ever wanted. Meri chotti si duniya mere khadoos pati, unke pyaare se pariwaar aur humaari beti ke ird gird hi toh banaayi hai meine, mujhe aur kucch nahi chahiye. (My world revolves around my stubborn husband, his beautiful family and our daughter, I don't want anything else.)" She said softly

Subhadra smiled, "I pray to the almighty that these challenging times end soon and you get to have your happily ever after with your love and your daughter." She said softly.

Khushi blinked, "I believe in my almighty. He will never let me suffer, and I have even greater faith in my love. I am sure everything will be fine." She confidently.

"On that note, let's get the MVP of the hour here. Khushi, go and dress 'gudiya' up, Pandit-ji must be arriving shortly." Anjali said softly.

Khushi nodded. "Arnav-?" 

Anjali nodded in assurance, "I'm going to go and get chotte. You go and dress up." She said.

Khushi smiled and went to her room to dress herself and her daughter up for the function.

***

Minutes later, Khushi returned wearing a red saree, her hands clad in blood red bangles, neck adorned with a simple yet classy mangalsutra with a smear of vermillion filled in her parting. She had applied lip gloss on her soft pink lips and no other makeup. The three month old infant in her arms was dressed in a red cotton frock and was curled up against her mother's chest. Khushi smiled as soon as she saw Anjali looking at her. 

Khushi descended the stairs carefully and reached near the ladies of the family. Aman and Lavanya were standing with them and reached out to greet Khushi and their favorite little princess.

"I'm glad you could come Aman Bhai." Khushi said genuinely ecstatic.

"Of course I'd have to be here Khushi, I'm princess'  only Maama. (Uncle)" Aman said smiling at Khushi and then proceeded to coo to his niece "Right little fairy of mine?"

"Besides, Arnav would've had our heads if he had known we weren't there for his queen and princess' special day." Lavanya said sounding annoyed in an affectionate manner.

Khushi chuckled, "Where's he though?" 

Anjali sighed, "I tried to talk him into attending this.. function but before you guys came along he was never one for family gatherings and functions. He denied outright. I tried to convince him but.." She looked down guiltily. "I'm sorry"

Khushi closed her eyes, "It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself please." She said softly.

***

Arnav was sitting on the recliner, gazing intently into the still water of the pool when he felt someone's presence around him. He turned, frowning.

Anjali walked up to him and sat next to him, "Chotte, What are you doing here, all alone? Why didn't you show up for angel's naming ceremony even though you had no other work? Khushi was constantly looking for you. I.. I know that you are not a big fan of all these rituals and stuff but Khushi.. she really wanted you to be there." She asked in an almost accusing tone.

"I thought it was a women only function, and besides, you're right. I'm not a fan of all this literal madness." Arnav said calmly.

Anjali bit her lip, "Khushi.. She wanted you to be there. She wanted YOU to name gudiya." She informed her brother.

A look of guilt passed his eyes for one moment before Arnav straightened in his place. "I'm not her husband Di, and I have no right to do that.. or anything for that matter for Khushi or her daughter. Naming their daughter is Khushi's right, or her husband's, not mine. I'm a stranger." He said firmly, conflicted with his own words.

Anjali flinched at his words, if only he knew what he was to the two girls. 

If only he could remember what he and Khushi shared.

"I thought you were friends Arnav." Anjali said in a soft whisper, looking somewhat hurt.

"We are.. friends. Of course we are Di.. but--"

"But what?" Anjali asked 

"Being friends is different. I.. don't know why, or how but it is. I'm her friend, and once her husband comes I.. she has to leave with him." Arnav said with a hint of sadness, even despair in his voice.

"Chotte.." Anjali looked at him concerned, not knowing what was going on in her brother's head. "What happened?"

Arnav looked troubled. "I DON'T KNOW OKAY-- I DON'T KNOW!!" 

"Chotte.. please calm down." 

Hey fam.

I'm back.

If this updates makes no sense, feel free to  blame my exam stress. I HAVE EXAM HANGOVER. So even though I'm done with them, they're apparently not done with me. Not yet.

Makes sense?

No?

EXAM HANGOVER

So.. okay.. as you can see..  Whatever I had planned for this story has completely left me.. I had planned a short story inspired from Abhigyaan-Shakuntalam but now it seems I'm blank. (Maybe its just the "EH" but if its not) this story is staying on hold for a while till I can sit and think and write it the way I want. 

Any issues?

Next. I'll be updating TDKMDS as soon as I can figure out what to write (very soon. Maybe even this week)

Anyone who has watched SHERLOCK here? BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH'S SHERLOCK. Please do comment if you have.

Also.. I desperately want to watch a english series (Netflix or Amazon Prime Video) so any recommendations? Looking for new fandoms to be a part of.

Okay.. and so any other questions? Ask away.

Don't forget to tell me what you think of this chapter.

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