The Key to My Heart ✅

Chapter 23 Strength

(Some days later)

Arnav's POV

"It's getting late. I should get going home." I had come to Khushi's place in the pretext of handling some files.

"Or you could just stay over?" Khushi suggested surprising the hell out of me

"I had this nightmare... I really didn't want to burden you with this... but I need you." Her voice is barely above a whisper now. I haven't seen this broken side of her. My poor Khushi. I move closer to her and put my arm around her waist, and encourage her to share with me.

"You'll never be a burden Khushi. Tell me."

She takes a deep breath before spilling a lot of rather horrific images of her night terrors. The kidnapping. The mere thought of Losing our son. Losing her brother. Her new family . My anger, or should I say hate that I would still blame Khushi for my di's marriage, which I don't . Her being tied up, vulnerable in front of the man responsible for most of her nightmares, Shyam Manohar Jha. And also the thought of her being tied up, alone, with that man in the same room. I can't bear to think of it. The nightmare as a whole is so disturbing.

"Oh Khushi, I'm so sorry." And I am sorry, sorry that her subconscious would come up with this horrific nightmare. I hold onto her tightly, and she moves down in my arms and rests is head on my chest, wrapping her injured arms carefully around my waist.

"There's nothing for you to apologise for. " She muffles her words ashamed, with tears flooding from her eyes.

"We've been through this Khushi, Aarav is perfectly fine.You are the light of my world, the other half of me, and I will always love you with all that I have. You have got to get this in your head."

She doesn't respond in words but holds me closer still, and I keep stroking her hair. This is all coming from her basic fears. Her fear of losing Aarav and of meeting Shyam. Of losing her family.

"Khushi, you know what I think? You shouldn't even be worried about me, I will never leave you, I love you. And Aarav loves you too. We are here to stay. You know, we're working on our issues and we have come so far. Please, don't let this get to you. I am right here for you, always."

We both stay quiet for a little while , occasionally I see the hiccups from the crying, and I know she is absorbing my words. It pains me to know that Khushi is having these nightmares . And then it hits me, that's why she wanted me to stay, I'm sure of it. When the silence has gone long enough I prompt her to talk to me, only to find her asleep in my arms.

Tucking her in bed, I kiss her forehead and take her uninjured hand into mine and let sleep evade us.

Aditya's POV

Tara has stopped having the nightmares soon these days. I'm glad that Arnav talked to her.

Manvi's POV

Just as I am about to ask him something I have a horrid feeling coming up my throat. I make a quick run to the bathroom and make it in time.

"MANU?!" I hear Adi running behind me.

"Please go. Don't come in." I say quickly and then my stomach heaves once more, and again, and again. During that whole 15 minutes Adi is down on the floor beside me holding my hair out the way.

"Nothing I haven't seen before. You ok?" He asks, stroking my cheek with his knuckles.

"Yeah. Just morning sickness I guess." Finally after what felt like forever my stomach is empty.

"Better?"

"Not really." I stagger to my feet and lose balance straight away. Luckily Adi picks me up before I fall. He carries me to the sinks and places me on the side.

"Let me wash your face." He grabs a cloth from the shelf and rinse it in warm water. He washes my face, planting a kiss on each cheek. He goes to kiss my lips but I turn my head.

"What?"

"I need to brush my teeth again."

"Oh, Manu. It's fine."

"No, it's not." With that I jump from the side and grab my toothbrush. I hate the taste left in my mouth.

732 words!!

A/N Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts down in the comments.

A/N I'm not a doctor. All medical related scenes are a figurement of my imagination.