Added a song I have loved so much and reflects arnav-khushi-rohit's thoughts right now. I am not a VM maker but if i were, i would have made one on this one.
--*--
Rohit stood numb as Khushi took small, conscious steps towards him and stood right in front of him. He tried to look for any sign of hesitation on her face or in her stance but all he found was a look of determination, and was it admiration? Was she really accepting him as her husband in all senses? Was this really happening? His heartbeats were already erratic in anticipation of what will happen next. He had seen this so many times in his dreams, but now that it was happening for real, he stood frozen.
And when he felt her pecking his lips, tentatively touching them, he knew this was really happening. And he was finally having his feelings reciprocated.
He picked her bridal style and proceeded to their bed. Khushi had wrapped her arms around his neck. He gently laid her on the soft mattress and looked at her beautiful face. She was so pretty, and she was his wife! He kissed her on her forehead, her cheeks and just as his lips grazed her pulse point on her neck, he heard her whisper,
"Arnav."
For a minute they both stayed frozen, trying to understand what had just happened. Khushi seemed to gather herself first, and started apologizing.
"Oh my god, I am so so sorry Rohit. I don't know how-"
Damm! This was so difficult than he had imagined. She was trying to give him a chance, give them a chance and he should it take it slowly. He had to assure her that it was fine.
"Shh. Its ok, Khushi. We'll get there hmm? We have our whole lives. Right now, it means so much to me that you wanted to try. Thank you Khushi. I love you." He said for the thousandth time now and sighed when she just kept looking anywhere but him. He should leave her alone for now.
He was about to leave the room when khushi's phone rang, from where it was kept on the side table. He bent to look at it since he was nearby and saw it was an unknown number.
"Can you please answer it and talk Rohit? I don't want to talk to anyone right now." Khushi said, pulling the comforter till her head, dodging inside it. What had just happened had been too much for her, she felt horrible for doing that to Rohit and more so she was once again desperate to go to Arnav, no matter which world he was in right now!
Rohit sighed and answered her phone. Maybe it was from some bank or something? But when he heard a voice from other end, he was shocked for the second time that night.
"Khushi." Rohit almost gasped when he heard that voice. It eerily sounded like Arnav's. How was that possible? What should he say now? What did that mean? He had finally just gotten Khushi and she had finally started to acknowledge his love, this cant happen now.
And before he could say or hear anything further, the call got disconnected. He checked, and from the extension he understood it was an international number. When he tried to re-dial, he got a message that number was outside coverage area.
"Who was it?" khushi asked, suddenly having a feeling it was an important call
Should I tell her? Rohit was wondering and finally decided not to for the time being.
"Don't know, some spam call maybe." he said as he put the phone back on the table. His mind was a mess as he exited their room. He needed some fresh air.
Unknown to him, his mother, Mrs. Gayatri Bahl had seen him leave his bedroom at this hour of the night and sighed in sadness.
--*--
Arnav disconnected the call the moment he said 'Khushi'. He was not even sure if the number belonged to her anymore. In fact, it was a surprise that he still remembered her number after all that had happened in his life in last 4 years. But then again, khushi was all he remembered in last 4 years and her memories were what had kept him going.
His mind went back to the day his ship had an unexpected boiler-blast, causing a serious damage and before they could control, the ship had started sinking. They had tried to ask for help, sent many SOS messages but help couldn't reach on time. The ocean which he had come to love and adore so much had become his enemy! He felt heartbroken!
But then the thought that he had to go back to her, his Khushi had made him fight the death. He just couldn't die. Not now! not until he had lived his happily ever after with her, not until they had those 3-4 kids he had promised her, not until he had had his share of marital bliss with her, and not until he told her, nothing else mattered to him than being with her.
So he remembered how he had somehow managed to stay afloat using the life jacket and had been washed to a shore somewhere in Brazil. There some fishermen had found him and that's how he was rescued. However, his lower body had suffered the worst from the trauma and ocean current and he was told he could never be able to walk again. He was devastated! He remembered Khushi's tear-stricken face, her begging him to not go and he had paid no heed to her. He remembered how it was her face that had flashed in front of his eyes when he saw death in front of him, and he stayed alive for her! Because he realized no dream of his was bigger than her. Khushi was all he wanted.
But when he heard that he was paralyzed for life, did she really deserve a handicapped man? He knew if he went back, she would happily embrace him, but did he want her to suffer a life like that? No! Maybe this was his punishment. He deserved this for breaking her heart and in turn his own too!
So, he stayed in Brazil, did all small jobs, trying to teach in local school and in the evenings, took his physiotherapy sessions. He was all alone, still not alone. Khushi's love kept him going, her memories, her trust in him kept him alive. The willpower of his love was so strong that no ocean current could drown him. And maybe one day if Gods were kind enough to forgive him for leaving her the way he did, he would be given a chance to go and meet her.
For that day, for the hope to someday meet her again, he kept going, since last 4 years!
And just a week ago, he was successful to take a small step, out of the wheelchair. Doctors had confirmed there was a sensation in his legs, and maybe he could walk soon!
No sooner did he receive that news, he called her! He had to tell her, hear her voice.
But then he cut the call. Wasn't it better to meet her in person and then tell her this? See her reaction? Doctors had told him, that in 1 month's time he will be able to walk again and also be able to travel long distance flights.
He smiled to himself as he booked the ticket for Mumbai and from there to Delhi, for a date 1 month from now!
"I am coming home Khushi!" he said remembering her face that was imprinted in his mind, because he had no other physical belonging from his previous life other than that.
--*--
Precap – 1 month leap.
--*--
A/N – so? Whom do we choose? Does Khushi even have a choice? What will happen to Rohit, Khushi and Arnav? Stay tuned for next 2 chapters of this SS, don't think I can wrap this in just 1 chapter.
