Nishant parked his car in the guest parking reserved for apartment 1501, Arnav's house. Arnav and Khushi's, he added in his head... Arnav's wife, who was the girl he once loved from the bottom of his heart, and dare he say, he still can't stop his stupid mind from yearning for her... for the world she was Khushi, but for him, she was always Nishi! Nishant's Nishi. He used to call her that and even though she protested; he knew those were halfhearted protests...
Flashback-
"Stop distorting my name, Mr. Shaan!" she would say, in a hoity tone, getting down from his bike, as he dropped her in front of her college, a nursing college which was just in front of his own.
"Then stop calling me Shaan." He would retort as he parked his bike, "My name is Nishant, you know?"
"humpf. It's very long name. And I like shaan better." She would cross her arms in her front
"Really? Then I like nishi better." He would effectively end the argument leaving for his classes with a small smile on his lips.
But he knew, his reason for calling her nishi, was his way of attaching his name with hers...Nishant+Khushi=Nishi!
-End of flashback
And now, she was neither his nor was he hers... then why these memories from 5 years ago still not leaving him alone?
.
.
Khushi was feeling very tired, and it was only afternoon. Taking care of their entire 4-bedroom lavish apartment alone was taking a toll on her. Cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her husband along with a toddler was something she was not used to without any house help! But since Arnav's job loss more than a month ago, and then his accident, they were in financial crisis. And they had to cut down on both the housekeeping staff as well as their maid who came to cook.
After the breakfast incident that morning, she hadn't tried to go to him until his lunch time and medicines. That too, she kept them on a bed table in front of him so he could eat himself. She knew she was probably being heartless, but she was also hurt. Besides, he himself wanted independence opposing her help... And his constant taunts and anger were making it hard for her to keep taking them in her stride...
Arnav tried to unsuccessfully wipe the dal and curry stains on his shirt as he had spilled them while having his food. Today was the first time when she hadn't fed him his food and left him alone. But he knew after his behavior with her this morning, which was uncalled for, he couldn't blame her.
He tried to wipe the stain once again but his back still being hurt, he couldn't bend that much.
That was when Khushi entered their room and rushed to him.
She took a wet clothe from the side table, wiped his mouth, his neck and then his shirt, all the while avoiding looking in his eyes. When she was doing it to avoid seeing his helplessness there, he perceived it as her disgust at his state making him feel even more pathetic at his state...
Her silence didn't help either...
He decided to apologize for his morning behavior. And just when he opened his mouth to say something, they heard the doorbell.
"Must be Dr. Nishant for your physiotherapy session." She said as it was his daily routine, and he closed his eyes in frustration.
As she was getting up, Arnav held her hand to stop her making her look at him questioningly
"Erm. My shirt. I need to change." He pointed to the soiled shirt.
Khushi realized his reason and nodded, "let me just open the door and make him wait in the hall. I will be right back, ok?"
Khushi left the room and Arnav felt every minute like an eon when she went to welcome Nishant and made him comfortable in their house and returned to help him change... He hated that she was going to be alone with her ex even for a few minutes. And he hated these thoughts, the way he was feeling insecure. why was he being so ridiculous?
.
.
"How are you, Nishi?" Nishant asked as soon as she opened the door. Dressed in a simple kurta and legging, she still could steal any man's heart away!
Khushi's face didn't give her inner turmoil away. She masked her feelings very quickly and gestured him to come in siding away from the door,
"It's Khushi, Dr. Nishant. And I am ok, thanks for asking."
Nishant awkwardly smiled as she corrected him once again. Of course, she was Khushi for him now as he wasn't Shaan either.
Once she asked him to wait in the hall and disappeared in what he knew as her and Arnav's bedroom, he sighed in sadness.
There was no use of dwelling in the past. The decisions were made 5 years ago, she was married, and they had moved on. It would be better if he stopped trying to bring out their pasts too...
But was she really happy? With her husband? Was the sadness in her eyes only due to her husband's current health condition or was there more to it? He asked himself and decided to find the answers.
--*--
A/N - I am overjoyed seeing so many people want to read this story of Khushi's past and Arnav being her second choice, and his insecurities. Hope you'll continue :) Honestly, I was tired of this one sided narrative in our tv shows & stories where only hero's past is shown (and heroine babysitting his kid with his ex- don't we have enough of it already?).
This chapter was short but was needed to introduce Nishant properly.
This story gets updated on 'IF' first- a day or 2 sooner and there might be minor differences in both sites, of a word or a line or a small scene. You can read it anywhere, but pls ensure to comment. IF link is added below for reference, part#3 will up there tomorrow and here soon after that.
