Silver Linings

Deliberations

Khushi descended down the stairs, a small smile playing on her lips, she could not believe that she - Khushi Kumaari Gupta -  really had behaved in that way, teasing him about seeing him naked.. and then.. wanting to kiss him. She actually wanted to kiss him.. Khushi gasped.. From where did she get the guts? If Arnav had not called out her name at that moment.. would she have really gone through with it? YES her heart answered, Khushi bit her nail.. what is it about him that makes her forget everything else. 

"Lekin hume kyun yeh sab ghalat nahi lag raha hai?" (But why do I not feel anything wrong with all this?) nothing with him ever felt wrong.. Every time he held her close as if it was his birth right - it had felt right.. The time they danced together at the sangeet - it had felt so very right.. When he kissed her after the mehendi.. when she kissed him back before the havan.. and the many times after.. every single time, it had always felt right. Being in his close proximity had always felt right. Till now their kisses have been chaste ones, on the cheeks or forehead.. but today she was about to.. Her eyes widened again when she remembered what exactly she was about to do 

"Kya socha hoga Arnavji humaare baare mai? hum kab se itne besharm ban gaye" (What would Arnavji have thought about me? Since when did I get so shameless?) Khushi thought to herself.. then remembered his words "Mere saamne tumhe sharminda hone ki koi zaroorat nahi hai Khushi... Mujh par tumhe poora haq hai" (You have no need to feel embarrassed in front of me.. You have all the rights over me) 

A smile spread across her face again.. "Hume haq hai" (I have the right) She said quietly... "Tumne abhi kuch kahan Khushi?" (Did you say something Khushi?) Khushi was surprised to hear Payal's voice.. she looked around, and then realised that she had already reached the hall, while being lost in her thoughts.. 

"Nahi Jiji.. Kuch nahi" (No Jiji.. nothing) She stealthily put the photograph back into her bag and sat down, just a few seconds later, she felt his warm presence beside her, she turned to her right and saw that Arnav had taken a seat next to her. She was confused, how come he was here so soon.. was he walking right behind her? and she had not realised?

Arnav leaned back on the sofa, and started going through the work emails on his phone, he kept an ear on the conversations that was going on among the ladies. They were discussing menus and all the other stuff for the engagement, he was really not bothered with those details, he had relinquished the decision making to his sister and grandmother. He knew they, along with his bride would do the best, he need not fret about that.

The jeweller had come exactly on time, with an array of trays holding engagement rings, Arnav had selected a ring for Khushi within the first five minutes, When he showed it to the ladies, he knew Khushi loved it from the way her eyes shone. But before she could express her thoughts, Manorama had announced that it was way too simple, and the other ladies agreed with her. Khushi pouted but said nothing, and they spent an hour trying out so many different one, the salesmen were pushing their own agenda by showing many different ones, with a much higher price tag. 

Arnav inwardly sighed so many times, watching Khushi's eye go back to the ring he had kept on the side, He could have said something and ended her misery, but he wanted to see how long Khushi was going to 'politely' listen to everyone's opinion, and not voice out her own. At the end of the hour, FINALLY Khushi had told them that she really liked the one Arnav had picked at the very beginning.

Everyone relented to the wish of the 'Bride to be'. Arnav had to stop himself for letting out a loud sigh.. Khushi's habit of being too polite was graining on his patience. The jewellers brought forward the men's rings, Arnav sat back and declared that Khushi would select his ring, and no one else was allowed to influence her choice.