Her Unexpected Husband- 21

Hearing a loud shriek of noise, Meera cuddled inside the blanket & buried her face into the pillow hoping the sound could disappear. But it ringed again much to her dismay sending her sleep away. Annoyed by continuous rings, she sat up and shook her sister who’s sleeping beside her in her room.

“Jiji someone is ringing bell.” She muttered lazily trying to jerk her sister.

Khushi whined and pushed her hands away not budging her calls. Frowning Meera ran out as the bell rang continuously. As soon as she opened the door, Arnav entered like a storm and disappeared to his room without giving a damn to Meera’s call. Meera glared at his retreating figure and twisted her lips in annoyance. With the same irritation she shook Khushi heavily “Jiji your husband came.”

Khushi who was sleeping after selling horses jolted upright with her statement. She threw the blanket somewhere before running out hurriedly to their room. Her eyes shone seeing the way he sleeps on his stomach spreading his long arms and limbs in an uneven position. Smiling brightly she sauntered towards him and noticed him lying without discarding his shoes and sweat-soaked shirt. Like a dutiful wife, she removed his shoes paving the way for his foot muscles to breathe.

Arnav rolled on his back sensing some touch. The moment he saw his wife with his tired eyes, he extended his arm “Khushi.”

She willingly sat near him holding his extended palm and Arnav shifted his head to her lap. Not a word transmitted between the couple. Arnav eyes drooped automatically due to lack of sleep as soon as Khushi begin stroking his scalp by spreading her fingers on his head. She further released her other hand from his hold & ran her fingers on his worried lines, perturbed by his exhaustion from the past two days. Her tender touches soothed his nerves that he snuggled more into her lap clutching her dupatta in his fist. She silently laughed at his gesture and couldn’t resist herself from bending down and places her soft petals on his cheeks. After assuring herself that he’s in deep sleep she tried to get her dupatta from his hold. He frowned at the disturbance and tightened his hold on her dupatta instead. Thinking wisely, she decided to stop fighting against the lost battle and left her dupatta with him to get ready for the new day.

Unlike yesterday, she saw him coming towards the dining table after getting ready. She quickly served his plate and hid the coffee from his sight as she feared he would take leave with coffee only like yesterday.

He smiled at her lightly and took his seat in front of the served plate “Meera?”

“She left for school.” Khushi answered, pleased with his caring nature.

“There’s no problem in her new commute right?” He further asked stuffing his mouth. She nodded her head in negative and silently watched him eating hurriedly.

“Eat slow Arnavji. There isn’t any competition happening here.”

“I’m getting late.” He reiterated the same phrase from yesterday through his stuffed mouth and that was the end of their conversation before he takes his leave without a proper bye, the way Khushi wants.

She pouted sadly at his disappearing figure and decided to ask him about his busy schedule at night. Bored out of wits, she got reminded of the books he has bought for her. Deciding to look at those, she spent some hours checking and studying and noticed a book missing from the list she has given. She spent contemplating for five minutes, whether to give him a call to remind him to buy while coming home or inform him after he comes. Though a part of her brain warned her to not disturb him, the possessive side of a wife wanted to implement her rights. Finally, the possessive wife won and she gave him a call through her old mobile.

After a good five rings, the call got attended.

“Hello…”

Khushi’s eyes enlarged in confusion hearing a lady voice and she hurriedly took the mobile away from her ear to recheck that she called the right number. Confirming it, she nervously put it back on her ear “Where’s he?” Khushi could hear some male known voice in the background but couldn’t guess whose it belongs but she can conclude that it was not of Arnav.

“Who?” A haughty remark came from the other side.

Here Khushi bit her lips in nervous “Arnav.” She herself doesn’t realise that she told his name without the suffix. Probably her inner self wanted to show her right to that unknown girl who’s answering other’s call as if she owns the phone.

“Stop calling his personal number and speak to him when he comes to office.”

The call ended even before Khushi could give a fitting remark.

‘How dare she? Who is she to order me to not call his personal number? Who’ll call his personal number if not me? Stupid.’

She angrily called his number again to give some piece of mind to that girl but got answered by the same male voice she heard in the background.

“Hello Khushi. It’s Raj here, hope you remember my voice. Arnav is stuck in some work. Will inform him to call you shortly or Anything important you wanna convey to him urgently?”

“No no… Nothing important papa. Are you with him?”

She heard some unwanted nuisance on the backdrop and the call ended abruptly.

‘What is happening there? Where is he? Papa is also with him. What they’re trying to hide from me? And who’s that girl? How his mobile reached her? Is he in his home? Is he staying there at nights? If he’s staying at his home what is stopping him from saying this to me? Ain’t I important to him? Or Is it only me who’s keeping him above everything and following him like a lovesick puppy?’

Her mind is full of confusions and her conscious blasted her with questions creating a headache. She is badly in need of a strong coffee and her hand made coffee itself doesn’t relieve her from ache. Taking medicines, she slept the whole day and woke up only when Meera pressed the bell. The evening, as usual, went gloomy. Today Meera doesn’t even try to cheer her sister mood as she realised she can uplift her mood only if her mind was with her.

As the clock twisted past nine, Khushi sat with utter displeasure and disappointment as there’s no presence of Arnav yet. No amount of self-consoling worked. Fear started to creep into her mind. She sat biting her nails keeping her vision at the main door like the day before yesterday.

And at the exact moment, the clock hands made 60 degrees, Arnav marched inside like lightning and slouched down on sofa. For a second Khushi got scared even to look at him. Giving him some time to gather himself, she bolted the door. Gulping, she further mustered her thoughts & took slow steps towards him.

Standing at feet distance for safer side, she called him “Arnavji…”

Arnav sat rigid not giving any reactions. Khushi daringly took another step and pressed his shoulder “Shall I arrange your dinner?”

He remained like a rock barely showing any emotions. Seeing him emotionless is no less than a torture for her. She can even bear his anger and leave him if it makes him happy but she cannot withstand this impassive face. His ever glowing, intense eyes is pale from past two days now it is fixed on nothing particular and looks blank.

Taking her seat beside him, she cupped his face and forcefully turned his face to her.

“What happened?” She inquired making an eye contact with his eyes. He blankly stared at her in reflex and sat unmoved.

To say her heart is stung by his unnerving form is an understatement to depict her current state. Slowly hunching forward, she placed her soft rosy petals on his forehead in a comforting way. Withdrawing her lips she searched for some reaction on his face but found none.

Pained by his immobility, she caressed his cheeks and found the muscles under her fingers moving. With a new found hope, she placed a sound peck on his another cheek and got the same reaction. Encouraged by his reactions, she moved forward and joined her lips with his to connect with him somehow and get some reactions out of him but she never thought her single move will leave a painful mark on her life.  

The moment, four petals came in contact, Arnav pushes Khushi away. Before she could collect herself from the horror, Arnav begin to shout at the top of his lungs.

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? CAN'T YOU KEEP QUIET FOR FEW MINUTES? WHY ARE YOU HELL BENT ON THROWING YOURSELF AT ME? YOUR NEEDS AND DESIRES SHOULD BE FULFILLED, WHO CARES WHAT HAPPENS TO OTHERS. YOUR LUST IS FOREMOST IMPORTANT TO YOU. COME HERE, WHAT YOU NEED- KISS or HUG or YOU WANT MORE?”

As if possessed by evil, he pulled her arms harshly “I SHOULD'VE GIVEN A THOUGHT BEFORE TYING MYSELF WITH YOU.”

The instant his tongue slipped what shouldn't have, he felt a sharp ache on his cheeks. Her five fingers unmistakably imprinted on his right cheeks. His shocked eyes met with furious misty lateritious red pair.

NEXT PART