Khushi stood near the window in her room. Her white colored salwar suit matching the glorious moon and its serene moonlight. A soft breeze flowing through the window played with her open hair, like a besotted lover!
It was a perfect setup to lend an ear to her mind! Her thoughts went back to the car ride she had with Arnav. Try as she might, she couldn't stop the smile that spread on her face remembering him. Yes, he was married, sure he was not hers but that didn't mean she would not find happiness in his company, did it?
He inspired her. He made her feel happy. Just being around, him made her feel...secured... and the last she checked, that was not immoral, right?
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[Image credit to the uploader. Please ignore sindur and mangalsutra]
Khushi looked at the devi maiyya idol kept on a small mahogany table in her room. Payal's amma and bua ji had gifted her this idol. The first time she saw it at their home, she had felt entranced by it, and then had asked them where they bought that idol from so she could also buy a similar one. It was then that they gifted her the same one, also mentioning she had always been a staunch believer in devi maiyya since even before her accident.
Ever since then, she had found herself confessing her deepest secrets in front of this same idol. Secrets that she didn't even tell her Di, or her doctor, Vikrant. She only opened in front of devi maiyya. Perhaps because she felt devi maiyya was guiding her life and had given her another chance for a purpose. A purpose she didn't quite understand yet. But was Arnav a part of her journey? Was it allowed to feel pulled towards him?
"Aap ko kya lagta hai (What do you think), devi maiyya? Why do I keep feeling this way about him? He has never done anything to give me such ideas. In fact, he barely talks to me. Phir bhi, I keep thinking about him so much! That too when he- he is so in love with his wife..." she sighed and then held her palm in front of her eyes. There were lines of different lengths and forms. Which one was it for love and marriage, again? And was there any chance, any remote chance that she had someone's name on those lines? To give her an indication? Maybe something like an ...A?
"I wish there was some way that I could be with him, devi maiyya. I wish that he could be ...mine... but I don't want to break someone's marriage." She looked at the idol again, "So, please, maybe, in our next lifetimes, please grant me to have his love."
She finished her prayer slash talk with devi maiyya and turned around. And there stood her Di, looking at her with worry.
.
.
Arnav parked his car in front of AR. There was still some time before the evening, so he decided to work from the office instead of heading back to the hotel. He keyed off his car and his eyes caught the ring on his ring finger that khushi was looking at with so much longing.
If only she knew.
True, she had not made him wear the ring, but it still was HERS. He had bought the ring shortly after her accident and memory loss which wiped him out of her life. She had forgotten him and their marriage, but he had not. Before her accident, it was her who always respected their marriage vows-which they didn't really take- by wearing a mangalsutra all the time. Even when he was hell bent on disassociating himself with her. So, now it was his turn to keep his commitment to their marriage by wearing this ring. He knew she did not make him wear it, neither did he harbor any hopes of that happening. But this was his way of telling the rest of the world that he belonged to someone. That Arnav Singh Raizada was a married man!
