Next morning, Arnav got a call from Khushi.
“Arnav, can you come to my apartment? I would like to talk to him.”
“Yes, I will be there soon.
*****
Arnav and Khushi sat opposite to each other.
“Khushi, what I told you yesterday was true. I fell in love with you Khushi, but I do not know why you do not trust me enough to share your problems. You don’t need to afraid of your past, whatever it is doesn’t matter to me.”
“I trust you Arnav. If I trust someone in this world now, it is only you. I tried to keep you away from me, it is only for your safety. I love you too much & don’t want to lose you.” Khushi said as tears flow down to her cheeks.
“You love me?” Arnav asked her.
Khushi nodded and looked down at her fingers. She felt him sitting next to her.
Arnav cupped her face and wiped her tears.
“What is it, Khushi? Tell me. I will not let anything happen to you. Please let me in your life.”
Khushi placed her hand on his…she was in the verge of sobbing. Arnav hugged her and Khushi burst into tears. Arnav held her tight and stroked her hairs. After a few minute, her sob subsided.
Khushi sat straight and showed him a photo of a family.
“This was my family. I was seven when we took this picture. This was my babuji, shashi gupta. He was a sweet maker. In this is my amma, garima. She helps babuji and always scolds me for eating jelabies.” Khushi smiled through her tears. Arnav lightly squeezed her hand. Then she pointed at a young boy’s pic that has dimples.
“That must be your Bhaiyya.”
Khushi nodded while caring the photo.
“babuji and amma died in a car accident when I was 8. Bhaiyya was 16 at that time. After our parent’s death, we lived with our Buaji. Bhaiyya continued his studied while doing part-time jobs. He always found time for me. it was like I was his center of universe and vice versa. I was his princess .We were happy in our world. After a few years , Bhaiyya got a job in a firm. Everything was going perfect in our life. It was the first day in my college, some boys tried to behave indecent with my friend and when they made nasty comments, I slapped a person. After a few days their gang leader, Shyam Manohar Jha came to see me. He was such a spoil brat. i had an argument and he said that soon he will have a relationship with me and I will obey him. I did not take his words that serious at first. Few days later, we got a proposal from the MLA’s son who happens to be that Shyam. Bhaiyya and Buaji refused it. Later he started stalking me everywhere I go. We got their proposal every week.
Arnav hugged Khushi…..
One day, Shyam came to our house and threatened us that if we do not agree to this he will harm Bhaiyya and Buaji then marry me. I was so shocked. Bhaiyya was going to tear him, but Buaji told them that they could conduct the wedding after I finish the college. He agreed to that. Bhaiyya and Buaji had an argument regarding this. However, Buaji did this to save us from that Shyam. She suggested that with these 3 years, they can look for other proposal and marries off me to any other person. We know that, Shyam is very dangerous and have power. Shyam broken every proposals came for me. He made me look like a characterless girl in front everyone. Nobody talks to me in college…even the professors too. We tried to move from there, but could not. He was very powerful. No one helped us, all were afraid of him. Finally I completed college somehow… one day…”
Khushi choked her words.
“It’s ok… I am here Khushi…nobody will take you away from me” Arnav tried to console her.
“arnav, one day he came home drunken. He told Buaji that he was going to marry me now. Bhaiyya was on his way to home. Buaji tried to resist him but he pushed her away and tried to tie the mangalsutr. He pulled into my room and locked it. When I threw that mangalsutr away, he tried to…..”
Khushi sobbed hard. Arnav felt a rage to kill that Shyam.
“But Bhaiyya came and kicked that Shyam out. He threatened that he would surely marry me. For a week we did not had any problems. Then only the worst day in my life came.”
Arnav gave water to Khushi and pulled her to his lap. She placed her head on his chest and the last thing she heard was his heartbeat. Arnav looked at Khushi and found her sleeping peacefully in his embrace.
Arnav lifted her and moved to her room, made her lie on the bed. This is the first time he is in her room. It was a small room with a single cot. Arnav found a photo of NK near the table. He took that and looks at it. He saw the slightly opened drawer and saw an album. Arnav took the album and some paper cutting fell down. Arnav kneel down to pick up when his gaze fell on a paper cutting having NK’s pic. Arnav took and read the news heading which left him shocked. Arnav was terrified, he checked other newspapers and he was left speech less.
He heard a knock on the door and went to open it.
Arnav was shocked to find NK standing in front of him.
“I want to ask you something.”
“Can I come inside?” NK asked
“What the hell is this?” Arnav asked pointing to the newspaper cuttings.
“That’s the truth, Arnav.”
“What faking your death?” Arnav asked furiously.
“Till where did Khushi tell you?”
“That’s not the answer for my question”
“Arnav please tell me”
“That Shyam tried to harm her…he came with mangalsutr”
“One week after that I was coming back from work. Some vehicle was following me and when I reached the xyz road, a truck was coming straight to me. I tried to pull the brake, but they were broken…in fact someone damaged it. That truck kept hitting my car and last I heard was that Shyam telling me that he is going to torture my Khushi after I was gone. I kept lying on the road for an hour and someone took me to the hospital. I knew that I don’t have enough time in this world, I have to save my titaliya.”
NK remember that day,

“Bhaiyya” Khushi stood near NK who surrounded with many wires and equipment’s.
“shhh, don’t cry Khushi. You don’t look good when you cry.”
“You will be ok Bhaiyya….you have to be ok…”
“Khushi listen to me carefully….even if something happen to me or Buaji…doesn’t tell anyone that you are alone. Tell them that I am abroad and call you frequently. I know that I dint have much time in this world. Do this; I don’t want anyone to take advantage of you.”
“Nothing will happen to you.” Khushi cried.
“That’s why she told you that lie. Then I told both of them to leave from there. Both of them agreed to that reluctantly. I arranged for their stay in Kolkata. Few hours later that Shyam came to see me. I was happy that my Khushi was safe. That Shyam was so happy to saw me like that. He then took away the oxygen mask. I closed my eyes happy knowing that my Khushi is happy”

“This is not true, NK…I want the truth…not this cooked up story.”
“This is the truth. I am here only to save my Khushi. Only you can see me in this whole world. After my death, my friends buried me near to my parent’s tomb.”
Before Arnav can ask anything, he heard Khushi calling him.
“You woke up?”
“How did I reach here?”
“I took you to bed.”
NK was standing near Arnav.
“Khushi, do you see anyone other than us here?”
“Why are you asking like that? It is only us in this room.”
For Arnav it was hard to digest. He can see NK standing next to them. Then he saw NK going towards the balcony.
After having food, Khushi resumed the story. How she got the news of NK’s accident, their talk, them escaping to Kolkata, getting know about NK’s death from an old hindi paper, how Buaji fallen ill and her death, how Shyam’s men found her.
“Do you still want to be with me, Arnav? Shyam and his men will be after me. they will harm you too, like they harmed my Bhaiyya.”
“I still want to be with you forever. Marry me Khushi…let me give you a family…a mother who will be concerned for you…a father who will care you…a nani who will guide you…a sister in law who will tease you…a brother in law who will respect you….and finally a husband who will love you a lot.”
Khushi had a big smile on her face with teary eyes.
“Will you marry me, Khushi?”
“Yes” Khushi said hugging him.

“I won’t let anyone harm you,” Arnav said kissing on her forehead.
They sat in each other’s arms for a while.
“I want to ask you something Arnav”
“What is it Khushi?”
“Will your family accept me? I mean I am an orphan…” before she can finish the sentence, he interrupted her by placing his finger on her lips.
“Shhh…don’t say like that…you are not an orphan…I am there for you. Regarding my family, they will accept you as a daughter; you don’t need to worry about them.”
After spending time, Arnav was ready to leave. Before going, he checked if NK was in the balcony and he was not there.
“I don’t want to leave you like this Khushi. I wish I could take you to my home.”
“That’s ok. I know that you are there for me. so no worries.”
“Call me at any time…bye” Arnav left after giving a kiss on her cheek making Khushi to turn red.
*****
Arnav reached home and analyzed everything, his meeting with NK and their talk. It was evident that NK came to see him when there is no one around him, most of the time they will be in his car. At first Arnav thought that, NK is faking his death, but he had doubts. He decided to find it.
Next day he went to office and collected the cctv footage of parking area on the date NK came to see him. What he witnessed left him shocked. In that footage, Arnav was talking looking at the wall, but there was no one around him.
Arnav showed the pic of NK he took in his mobile from the photos Khushi showed to him. Security men told him that they didn’t saw such a man in the premises.
Arnav went to lucknow telling that he have a business meeting. What Arnav found was beyond his imagination. NK has died 3 months before he met him on that road. His car was the same one he saw on that day itself. He was buried near to his parents’ tomb. NK had his full details in his hand. Arnav got the report NK had on him from NK’s office. He was the prospective groom NK found for Khushi. Arnav remembered his mother reminding him about a proposal from the guptas. Now he understood why NK came to him, ask him to save Khushi.
*****
“I missed you a lot Arnav,” Khushi said hugging Arnav.
“Me too… Are you ready?”
“Yes”
Both of them left to the temple,
After praying, they were descending the step,
“I have a surprise for you.” Arnav said to Khushi
“What is it?”
“It’s a surprise.”
Arnav started the car and halted it in front of a house.
“Whose house is this Arnav?”
Arnav held out his hand for her. Khushi took his hand and step out. They were standing in front the door and Arnav whispered to Khushi.
“Happy birthday Khushi , may you get every happiness in the world.” He said placing kisses on her cheek.
Khushi was left stunned. She didn’t tell him that it is her birthday today. Tears filled in her eyes, which Arnav wiped away and pointed to look at the door. Soon the door gets open and there is his family shouting happy birthday to Khushi. Khushi never thought this in her dreams too. Ratna came and did arathi of Khushi.
“We were waiting to see you bitiya, welcome to the family” nani said to Khushi.
“Yes, beta…..we are so happy to see you.” ratna said.
“Mom, at least let her come inside and sit.”
“ohhh…sorry, beta” arvind, Arnav’s dad said to Khushi.
Arnav held her hand and they entered the house together.
Khushi was feeling overwhelmed with their love and concern.
“Happy birthday to you bitiya” said ratna
“Thanks aunty”
“Call me maa….nobody is there to call me that. These 3 call me mom…mommy…as if we are in Americans.”
“ji, maa” Khushi said emotionally.
“Call me papa, beta…like Arnav does.”
That moment Khushi got a maa, papa, nani, a sister, and a brother.
After a small chat, ratna invited Khushi to have food.
“We made all your favorite dishes, Arnav specially told me too make jelabies too. Hope that it is as good as one you make. Chote can’t stop talking about your jelabies.”
“Yes, Khushiji…even bhai were calling out jelabi in his sleeps too. Isn’t it,, Akash?” the twin pair Anjali – Akash teased Arnav said.
“As if you guys were observing me in my sleep, everyone know that both of you are khumbakarn when it about sleep and food.” Arnav teased them back.
Anjali made a face to his comment.
Khushi was watching their interaction and she got memories of NK.
“What happened beta?” aravind asked it.
“Nothing, papa….it is just…I miss my bhai.” Khushi said looking down at her plate. Everyone became silent. Khushi felt a hand on her hand. She looked up to find Akash.
“if you don’t mind, I can be your brother.” Akash held out a rakhi in front of her.
“Come on tie it” Akash said to Khushi.
Khushi tie that happily around his arms.
“Now you have a bhai…I hope that you are not a shopping monster like anju.” Everyone laughed at it.
“akki, you called me monster!!! Shopping monster!!!”
“Guys, stop your fight and let my girl have some food. Akki, with Khushi u have to force her to take her for shopping.”
“Your girl! When did you become so romantic bhai?” Anjali teased him.
“From the time everyone understood that you are a mental” Arnav teased Anjali.
“Mom, he is teasing me.”
“Leave that anju, sometimes he have that habbit of telling truth.” Ratna told Anjali.
“Mom…you too”
“Arnav, stop teasing Anjali please” Khushi said which he obeyed.
“At last I have someone to support me. Thank you my soon to be bhabhi” Anjali told to a blushing Khushi.
Everyone fed Khushi everything.
“Mom, I am taking Khushi to show my room.” Arnav said pulling her.
“bhai, should we too accompany you both” the twins teased.
“Ohh…no thanks…go and clean you room so that Khushi won’t run away seeing your rooms.”
*****
In the room,
"thanks a lot Arnav…I feel like I conquered the whole world.” Khushi said hugging him.
“Yeah, now I have my world in my arms.” Arnav replied placing a kiss on her cheek.
Arnav kissed Khushi on her forehead, eyes, and cheeks and finally on lips saying I love you. They break apart after a long time panting.
“How do you know about my birthday?” Khushi asked.
“I know everything about you Khushi.” Arnav said hugging her close to him.
“I have a gift for you” Arnav handed her the gift.
Khushi opened it to find a beautiful blue saree.
“It is beautiful…”
“Can you wear it for me now”
“Yes”
Few minutes later Khushi came out of the washroom wearing sari.
“You look so beautiful.” Saying this he kissed her on lips.
“When did you change to kurta?”
“Just now”
“Are we going somewhere?”
“Yes, come on let’s get you ready” saying this he took the ornaments and made her wear it.
“Now come with me”
“where are we going Arnav? Where is everyone? Let me say a bye to everyone”
“You can do that later.”
*****
After a 15 minutes journey, they reached a place.
“Where are we Arnav?”
Khushi saw the decoration and all.
“Finally, you both are here.” Ratna lead them to the stage.
There are few people in the hall who are their close relatives.
“Arnav, what is happening here?”
“Engagement.”
“Whose?”
“Ours”
Khushi was surprised. Soon the ring was exchanged. Raizadas introduced Khushi too everyone, they never let her feel uncomfortable.

In between the function, Arnav took Khushi to a secluded place.
“Khushi, are you ok with this engagement na? Are you feeling that we are rushing?”
“no Arnav, I can’t wait to get married to you” Khushi said placing a kiss on his cheek.
“So what do you prefer? A big fat indian wedding?” Arnav asked.
“Arnav, can we have a small wedding in devimaiyya temple.” Khushi asked hesitantly.
“Ok, if that is you want. I just want you to be with me…with our family.”
“Mom told me that there is a good muhurat on next week, is that ok?”
“Perfect” Khushi said.
“So be ready to be my bride soon to be mrs. Raizada”
*****
The priest announced that they are husband and wife.
Arnav kissed Khushi on her partition just above the sindoor.

*****
In their room,
“Khushi, you should change to something lighter.”
Khushi nodded and went to change.
Arnav helped her with the ornaments.
“Khushi, I know that you are tired. We have whole life ahead and there is no need to rush.”
“Thank you Arnav” Khushi kissed him on the lips.
Arnav pulled Khushi to his embrace and they slept.
*****
In the middle of the night, Arnav woke up from his sleep and moved to the balcony. He started star gazing. He found two shining stars in the sky.

“Arnav”
“NK”
“I came to say good bye. My Khushi is safe and happy. Now it’s time for me to return to my world.”
“I will always keep her happy…you can trust me.”
“I trust you Arnav”
“Are you my imagination?”
“You have to find out that Arnav. Khushi used to try to find me in the stars. From tomorrow, show her the three stars shining brightly on the northern horizon. That Shyam won’t come to hurt my titaliya ever again.”
“What do you mean?”
“You will understand everything soon. I have to go now”
“Will we meet again?” Arnav asked
“Not like this.” NK said
“Arnav, where are you?” Khushi came there and hugged Arnav.
“I couldn’t sleep, so came here.” Arnav held Khushi in his embrace. NK placed his hand on her head and walked away. He turned to look at them for a moment and vanished in the air as Arnav averted his gaze to Khushi.
When Arnav look at the direction, there was no one. He felt something in his hand and opened to see a pendent.
“Where did you get this pendent?” Khushi asked caring the locket

“What happened?” Arnav asked sensing the pain in her voice.
“I gave Bhaiyya a pendent like this when I was 10. He never took that away from his neck.”
Arnav was stunned hearing this.
“Who gave this to you?”
“A friend…”
“Let me put it on you” Khushi made him wear the pendent.
“Come let’s put you back to sleep.” Saying this Arnav lifted Khushi and made her lie on the bed. Arnav moved near to the mirror and looked at the pendent.
*****
Next day, Arnav found out that Shyam was found dead in a xyz road, the same road where he tried to kill NK.
*****
After 5 years,
“Congrats Mr.Raizada, it’s a boy.” The doctor said to Arshi as he placed the baby on Arnav’s hand.
“He is so beautiful, Arnav” Khushi said as tears coated her eyes.
“He is….” Arnav said
The baby opened his eyes and smiled showing his cute small dimples at Arnav before closing his eyes again.
*****
“So chote, what are going to name my grandchild?”
Arnav smiled at Khushi and looked at the baby lying on her lap.
“Nandkishore Singh Raizada”
Arnav wiped Khushi’s tears and kissed her on forehead.
They lived happily ever after.

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Arnav : Hey, just because the story ends here, that doesn't mean that you can't comment on the story.

Khushi : So please comment and vote. Don't be a silent reader guys.

Writer : Yeah, your words are my energy boosters, so leave a comment.

***********

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