Jaadu Hai Nasha Hai | ArShi Short Story

Chapter 5

Shashi staggered and clutched the wall, feeling his knees give way, outside his daughter's hospital room. As a father his first instinct was always to protect his daughters, from any and everything in the cruel world. But Shashi had seen enough in the world to realize that he had little control over ensuring his daughters, especially his chukti was safe and tonight was a prime example of this. His daughter was attacked in her own house, he had failed to protect his daughter from a monster. 

Not to mention, seeing his daughter seek comfort in the arms of her boss and him reassuring her that he would not leave her, that same boss who had another woman in his life, or so he was told by his older sister and wife. many questions arose in Shashi's mind. All he wanted was to safeguard his daughter from harm, he could not bear seeing her even more hurt. He knew he needed to speak with Arnav as soon as possible. He shot a glimpse at their figures inside the hospital room once more before he settled into a chair in the corridor.

A short while later, Arnav pulled away when he heard her breathing regulate. He was right, he thought; she was asleep. He gently lowered her onto the pillow and pulled the blanket over her. He caressed her hand and ran a hand through his hair before exiting her room. He was halfway down the corridor when he heard a familiar voice. "Why are you doing all of this for us?" 

He turned around to see Khushi's father standing in front of him, "Sorry?"

Shashi let out a sigh and elaborated, "Why did you do all of this? The police, the hospital bills, Khushi..." 

Arnav interrupted him, "Uncle, it is the least that I could do. I feel responsible..."

 Shashi put a hand on Arnav's shoulder, "I appreciate it, I can never repay you for saving Khushi from that man. But son, we are very simple people, you seem like a good person... as far as I understand, you are in a relationship. Khushi is employed at your house to help your girlfriend adjust to the household."

Arnav paled as the reality of the situation hit him like a ton of breaks hearing Shashi's words, "Uncle...I..." 

 Shashi continued, "My daughter is my life and she has been through enough pain. I beg you not to hurt her, she deserves the world." 

Arnav nodded, "She does deserve the world and I intend to give her that. I am going to fix this, all of it. I know you barely know me, but I promise you, I will not hurt Khushi."

On her way to the hospital accompanied by her driver, Lavanya opened her phone and began going through her photos with Arnav. She reminisced about when she met Arnav for the first time, looking back so much had changed in the past year. She had been working at AR for a few months when Arnav and she hit it off, they both wanted the same things at that point in their lives, driven by their ambition, lack of commitment yet the need for a partner at the end of the day and for social obligations. It was convenient and their arrangement worked well for a while, everyone was happy until she realised that she wanted more than Arnav was willing to offer.

Somewhere along the way she began dreaming of that white picket fence and family with Arnav, he went along with it because of his family's pressure but she knew deep down he did not want that, at least not with her. Lavanya realised that Arnav wanted all those things too and that he was capable of love, the only predicament was that she was not the lucky woman on the receiving end. 

It all started making sense a few days ago, she was not blind, she had been noticing little things and started connecting the dots. Arnav and her relationship was falling through the cracks. Arnav was trying, he really had been trying, she too, but what is not meant to be, will never be.