The Reveal (IPKKND Secret Romance #3) (aka Our Revelation)

Chapter 2: Di

Arnav turned to his sister. "That went well."

Di only smiled. "Give them some time. It's come as a shock to them."

"Why? Khushi and I ... didn't we seem inevitable?" he flopped, facedown, across the bed.

"Inevitable? Chhote, you brought your girlfriend to live in your house without marrying her. Why would anyone suspect that you and Khushi-ji ..." she trailed off, but Arnav understood.

"But Di, we didn't plan it. It just happened."

"I know. Payal-ji and Aakash just need some time. Payal-ji left her family two days ago and is still coming to terms with it, and you've just told her that you want to marry her sister. They're both stuck in the middle of their two families."

Arnav groaned into a pillow. His voice came out muffled when he spoke.

"But there's no conflict. Khushi wants this too."

"They'll realize this as soon as they speak to Khushi-ji," Di said, poking him in the back, "You really love her, don't you?"

Arnav flipped around to stare at the ceiling, the pillow crushed to his chest.

"I just want to see her happy. I'll do anything to see her happy."

Di came to sit beside him and Arnav twisted so he could lay his head in her lap. She stroked his hair like their mother used to.

"I can't tell you how happy I am," she said softly, "I see you smile, I see you laugh, and it's all because of her. She's brought my Chhote back to me."

Arnav reached up to wipe away her tears. "Di, stop being overly emotional. I'm just getting married."

She gave a watery giggle, nodding as she wiped the tears he'd missed.

"Khushi-ji is a little mad, Chhote. How will it be between you?"

Arnav laughed. "Like it always is, I guess. She'll do her best to drive me crazy and I'll growl at her, and then we'll make up."

His sister laughed as he told her stories. Khushi smashing into his car on a scooter; Khushi accidentally triggering the fire alarm at AR; Khushi hiding in his closet; Khushi letting the air out of his tyre.

But there was so much he didn't tell her. Khushi's tears as she told him that her parents had died in car accident; Khushi asking him if he'd ever loved Lavanya before filling his office with pot plants; Khushi pointing out the stars she believed were her mother and father; Khushi crying into his shoulder after her fiancé had broken their alliance because of Shashi-Uncle's disability.

A soft knock interrupted them, and Arnav sat up as Aakash and Payal returned. They sat on the sofa and stared at him so intently that he felt the urge to squirm.

He overpowered it.

"I'm sorry for my outburst, Arnav-ji," Payal began, "I didn't mean any disrespect. You see, I've always been protective of Khushi. She was eight when she came to live with us and I've always looked out for her. She's ... well ... this is going to be difficult for her."

"Bhai, people are going to say things ... assume things. Khushi-ji, her Amma, Babu-ji and Bua-ji ... they might not want ..." Aakash trailed off.

Payal looked at Aakash - who gave her a brief nod - and continued where he'd left off.

"But, neither of us has forgotten what you two did for us. You both helped me see that I can't live without Aakash, and we're here together because of you two. If this is what you want, then we're going to help you however we can."

Arnav walked over to them. He hugged Aakash, clapping him on the back, and then turned to Payal.

"This means so much to me," he confessed as he embraced her, "I promise I'll never let Khushi down."

"But Bhai," Aakash said when everyone was sitting again, "you still haven't explained how all this happened."

"Aakash," Arnav let out a short laugh, "what if I asked the same thing about you and Payal?"

Payal blushed and Aakash ducked his head while Di smothered her laughter behind a pillow.

"Forget all that," Payal said briskly, "We have to plan how we're going to tell the elders."

"Di can tell Nani," Arnav suggested, "and then she can ask for Khushi's hand formally. Simple."

Aakash started laughing. "Simple? Wait until Dadi realizes how long this has been going on behind her back."

Payal swatted at her husband, almost forcing him off the sofa as he ducked to avoid her hand, before turning to Arnav.

"I'm sure that everything will work out in the end," she smiled, "You've been a good brother-in-law to me and if you and Khushi marry, that relationship will only strengthen. Our parents and Bua-ji like you, they'll welcome you with open arms."

"But Aakash is right," protested Di "You're sending me into the lion's den, Chhote. What am I going to tell Nani?"

"What are you going to tell me, Anjali-bityaa?"

They all looked up to find Nani standing in the doorway.

*****

Author's Note: Yes, The Reveal is told entirely from Arnav's point of view. This is his story. The next update will be on January 14th :)