Best foot forward (completed)

6. To Fix You

Payal had gotten ready to go to Gupta house that morning for her long pending Pagphere ritual and was contemplating how to approach Khushi. Truth be told, in the intervening one week from Shyam's exposure to today, she had thought numerous times to talk to Khushi and apologize for the way she had behaved on her wedding day and next few days. But she could never gather right words or courage. She still couldn't fathom Khushi's hasty decision to marry Arnav but at the same time, she knew she had left her baby sister alone when she needed her jiji the most. Not to mention, she had selfishly tried to stop Khushi from exposing Shyam's truth. Now when they all knew Shyam had tried to murder Anjali and manhandled khushi many times, she shuddered to think if Shyam could have done something more horrible to Khushi...and these thoughts made her feel more guilty than she could say.

But Khushi too had to go with her to Gupta house, after all it was her pagphere too that was pending... the same ritual for which she, buaji and amma had earlier stopped her from coming...shaking her head to remove those thoughts of guilt from her mind, she decided to approach Arnav instead. He will convince khushi and she cannot deny him either... Once khushi agreed to go with her, she will apologize to khushi on the way, Payal thought. That was easier...

.

.

"Khushi won't go with you to Gupta house." Arnav told Payal when Payal told him that she and Khushi would have to go to Gupta house. He didn't like the idea of Khushi going away, he was afraid, she might not want to come back...after all, he was yet to prove to her that he was a changed man. And just last night, he had earned another one of her disfavors.

But he didn't know Khushi herself didn't want to go there, especially for this ritual when her family had earlier shunned her from attending. She had understood they would be angry but the act of completely abandoning her, worst yet, telling her to keep quiet in shyam's matter had hurt her. She knew they wanted to make amends, but she wasn't ready yet.

At the same time, Arnav's reply to answer on her behalf also irked Khushi, "You can't tell me where I will go and where not Arnavji, I can decide that." she told him and before he could retort, turned to Payal "but yes he is right, I won't come to that house where I was disowned, without considering what I was going through, without hearing what I might have to say." she sighed and then thought something, "However, I want to meet babuji, but I will meet him outside somewhere." She told Payal and left from there leaving 2 shocked people behind.

--*--

"Khushi bitiya, what am I hearing? You won't come to our house?" Shashi Gupta asked exasperated when only Payal showed up at their doorsteps for pagphere rasam (ritual).

"No babuji, it's just.." Khushi held the phone tightly; she didn't know how to tell him.

"hmm. Samajh gaya. But know one thing, this is MY house, your babuji's. So, I will decide who stays here and who doesn't. And I am saying that I want my daughter to come to meet me here. Toh tum aaogi na (so, you will come here right)?" he asked again

Khushi had tears in her eyes hearing her father's words,

"How can I deny your words babuji? I will be there. But-" she hesitated talking about how she wasn't comfortable mingling with her amma or buaji yet. And he understood.

"Don't worry about anyone else, I will ensure they don't come in front of you when you are here. I don't think they themselves can show their faces to you...sharam sabse badi saza hoti hain Khushi (being embarrassed is biggest punishment), remember that." and with that he put the phone down, turning to instruct his wife and sister they were not to come in front his daughter when she arrives...

--*--

"Khushi, you will come back, right?" Arnav asked, as he watched her get ready to leave for pagphere. It was a stupid question, given that he himself would be going to pick her up in the evening but he still wanted to confirm.