Making Her Mine- An IPKKND story.

Chapter 35 - Illumination

Finally, everyone left. Khushi's family had brought them dinner, which was thankfully not the mushy stuff from Shantivan. Arnav felt like he really didn't need that anymore.

Khushi set the bed table over his lap and busied herself opening containers and serving food.

"You eat too," he demanded. She nodded, prepared herself a plate, and sat on the chair next to his bed.

They ate companionably, passing each other food — as if they were an ordinary husband and wife who often ate together like this. A murmur here, a word there, as if this wasn't new for them.

When they were done, she picked up the dishes, handed him a bowl to wash his hands in, and put everything away. When had they become so comfortable with each other?

She returned to his bedside. "You should sleep now."

"I'm not sleepy."

"Then, what do you want to do?"

"I don't know. Talk to you?"

She blushed a little at this. "About what?"

"Just — things... are you okay?"

She nodded. He took her hand in his. "Are you really okay?"

She lowered her eyes and nodded again.

"Khushi..." he took a deep breath. "I love you."

She looked up at him, astonishment on her face. Why, was that so hard to believe? Hadn't it always been painfully obvious? Her surprise changed into tears that pooled in her eyes. He found, suddenly, that it was he who couldn't meet her eyes. He glanced down at their hands instead.

She dragged her chair closer and lay her head down on his chest, and began to sob.

"Khushi?"

He tried to shush her, patting her hair. But she kept sobbing.

"After you left..." she said, finally, "I was angry at first... but I started getting this feeling. Her voice was soft and muffled. "I felt like — I felt so scared, I don't know why. I knew something had happened to you. And then, when they found you..." she sobbed harder. "I thought — I thought I lost you forever, Arnav-ji. You cannot imagine..."

She stopped with a loud sob, still holding on to him.

"Remember that time," he said, "I thought you had gotten into an accident — when you went to get ghee from your house with NK, for Payal and Akash's havan. I found your broken bangle and your sandal on the road. And someone told me it was a girl who was badly hurt. I ran after the ambulance..."

She raised her head.

"For a moment, before I saw you behind the car, buying channa from a roadside stall!" even the memory of the sheer relief he had felt at that moment made him weak, still. "I thought I had lost you..."

"But I was fine," she said. "You only thought that for a moment. I spent days, before they could tell me that you would be okay."

"I'm sorry."

She put her arms around his neck and clung to him.

"I left Buaji's house that day because I didn't want to win that bet against you" he said, holding her. "I didn't — I have hurt you at every turn, ever since I first met you. I don't deserve to be near you, let alone have you worry about me —"

"I love you".

"I know."

His heart felt like it was aglow with a strange warmth. Happiness, that he had not earned.