Her Unexpected Husband- 24

“When is your son coming?” Rekha asked expectedly looking at her husband who just stuffed his mobile on his pocket dejectedly.

“He’ll not come. He wants to… ” Before Raj could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by his raged wife “I already know it. How will he come when that girl has him wrapped around her fingers? If it’s not enough, from yesterday you’re singing her praises as if she’s some maahan.”

“Stop assuming things, Rekha. He was here from the past two days right? What more do you expect from him? Will anyone willingly dig themselves leaving a beautiful family? Let him enjoy his married life. We can manage things here.” Raj spoke in favour of his son.

“I don’t think so.” Rekha reprehended hearing a loud noise near them. Raj met her eyes with shock and ran towards the source of noise taking Rekha with him.

***

“Stop your teasing Arnavji. Tell the reason fast.” She admonished his mock.

“Hey, seriously I’m starving.”

Khushi looked at him suspiciously whereas he made a sad face knowing Khushi would also be starving waiting for him. Though the urge of closing the fight is the primary concern, he couldn’t help but notice the lack of glow on her face. He knows, he was the reason for her unenergetic frame. And to his shame, he doesn’t even know she’s taking her meals at right time or not.

“Reason first, Food next.” She declared cut and dried not wanting to budge on his excuses.

He inhaled a sharp breath and extended his hands to her. She held his arms hesitantly and took her place beside him as he guided her. Engulfing her in a side hug, he kept her in his cage.

“First hear me out without interrupting. To start with,... You should be familiar with my family first. My father is an retired IAS officer and has worked on several parts of India. He has wide contacts, courtesy to his professional life. Among them, Mohan uncle is special because his wife, Ratna aunty and mom were closest friends since childhood but got separated when mom got married. Since dad used to get transfers often, we couldn’t settle in one place. We used to change cities for once in two years which took a toll on my studies. So mom decided to settle down in a place permanently where I can get a better education. Dad used to live alone wherever place he got posted. He used to come to meet us on weekends and holidays. That’s when on the new city, both friends met again and their relation bloomed again. It happened when I was roughly five. I had everything good education, a comfortable life, best friends but there’s a void. Void of not having siblings when all my friends had either an elder or younger sibling. I don’t remember much but the void started when… my sister born dead on my fourth age. I… saw her only once Khushi. Back then I didn't realise, that would be the first and last time I could see her. She’s so tiny. I… I felt I got my own personal doll to play with. But… Maybe god loved her so much that he took her back with him, that’s what dad told me that time.” He chuckled dryly and continued gulping his parched throat.

“Maybe that was the only bad thing happened with me in my entire life. Mom was declared unfit to give birth to another child. That time I completely shut down myself. Dad and Mom had a hard time coping up with the loss and they did try to cheer me up in between but nothing worked, Until a day when an angel draped in a white cloth is handed to me. She’s Ratna aunty’s newly born daughter. She’s so tiny with pink cheeks and toes, same like my sister. From then, there’s no turning back. Seeing me become lively again with Ratna aunty daughter, my family got shifted to the same building where they live. She used to smile at me whenever I took her in my arms and cries if someone else from our colony scoops her. I taught her to crawl, sit, stand, speak, walk, run and everything. I believed, my sister took birth again on Ratna aunty womb since my mom can’t carry her. All my free time are spent with her. All my holidays are for her, that even my dad got angered since he couldn’t spend his time with his son on weekends. But everything is worth Khushi. You know the first word I taught her was bhai and luckily her first word was also bhai. You should’ve really seen me at that time. I firmly believed, she’s my sister only. But suddenly I don’t know what happened that Ratna aunty scolded me for teaching her to call me bhai. Even my mom didn’t like that. And I had no choice but obey their demands. I thought, what if she stops calling me bhai, she’s still my sister in my heart. I made them admit her in my school so that I can keep an eye on her and protect her like a big brother. Life is smooth after that. Some times I asked her to call me bhai when we’re alone but she denied from childhood itself as fed by our parents. Eventually, I stopped persuading her and she was still my sister on my heart. Though I had to leave her back and join in college, I made all safety precautions. In all those years our family got close. So close that Ratna aunty trusted her daughter only with me. Like a fool, I believed everyone is viewing our relationship in my perspective.”

He stopped to take a breath while Khushi looked up at him as if understanding something.

“They took our relationship in another perspective… Only because of that, they had warned me to not teach her to call me as brother and fed her the same from childhood. I fucking lived my life not knowing what is happening behind my back. Because of dad’s stubbornness, I was not fed otherwise. Ratna aunty raised her saying, she’s going to be the daughter-in-law of Raizada’s from her teenage itself. And my mom also assured the same. It’s only because of dad who didn’t want to force their wishes on us my mom and their family kept quiet. They even hid that they're feeding their wishes on her from him too.”

“Our sudden marriage created a huge problem, Am I right?” Khushi asked processing all the information. She somehow got the pulse of the problem yet she feel something major is coming up.

He nodded and continued his explanation “Our marriage become a huge shock for them. Especially she couldn’t take it. She LOVES me dammit. I was such a stupid, that I didn’t saw it coming. Now she wants me to leave you and marry her. And our whole family except dad is supporting her.”

Khushi gently stroked his torso as it is raising down vigorously. The intensity of the truth is too hard for him to bear. The bubble he has been living was broken in such a sick way. She could fathom his pain. The pain of being loved as a lover by the person whom he loves like a sister.

He looked down at her painfully “You know what she did? She tried to commit SUICIDE by cutting her wrist. Has God had given her to me to take her back again? My little doll laid on the hospital amidst many wires like HER Khushi… SHE also laid like that before taking her first and last breath. For a moment, I thought I lost my sister again.” His hold on her shoulder unknowingly tightened in fear. Khushi wiped his sweat beads on his forehead with her dupatta. She can feel his thundering heart against her chest. She ran her hands up and down on his arm in an attempt to calm him down. Tears formed on the back of her eyes seeing him bracing himself as if he’s going to reveal something more drastic.

“As soon as she opened her eyes after treatment, she started to behave like an obsessed lover. She wants me to stay beside her always. I tried Khushi. I was with her from the past two days. I always thought I can come back to you once she sleeps but she woke up at short intervals. The doctor suggested me to stay beside her. I… How can I let her slip away from my hands again Khushi? So I tried my best to feed her the reality. But… today, she turned hysteric. I… had to take a half day leave to stay with her. I… She… When everyone went for dinner, she again persuaded me to marry her. I refused outrageously Khushi. How can I? She’s my sister dammit and you’re my wife…”

Khushi gave him a worried glance, as his jaws tightened and his eyes are closed tightly.

“Arnavji…”

She called him and jolted back in shock when he threw himself on her, burying his face on her neck.

“She… She didn’t believe me when I said I’m considering her as my sister. She said I'm on delusion since I’m married now. She blabbered, how I was forced under circumstances to marry you and How I didn't get a chance to explore my relationship with her. She told… I should give it a try and decide what I want. She believes no one could be best for me expect her. She… When I admonished her, she… gone ahead. She… I didn't expected that. I ran from there Khushi. I can never breathe the same air with her. I feel… It's disgusting. How can she do like that? I never thought she could… she could… she kissed my lips Khushi… Her actions came back to me when you… you know what I mean… I feel dirty... ” He mumbled with trembling lips.

Khushi clenched her fist hearing his words. She couldn't dare to imagine the state of him. She would puke by the mere thought of such an intimate act from the person who she considers as a sibling. He didn't give much time to her to think. He frantically rubbed his lips on her fabric as if he's reliving the moment. The recalling itself blemished his mellow down form.

“What is her name?” She asked stroking his spine.

“Lavanya.”

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