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

Chapter 9: Silence

It was almost midnight before he had a moment to himself – Nani and Di had insisted on starting the preparations for an engagement immediately. He'd pitched in without complaint, wanting everything to happen as soon as possible.

We could see each other every day before the marriage was agreed to, but we can barely spend any time together now that it's really going to happen. Ridiculous.

Arnav sat on the edge of his bed and pulled out the note Khushi had given him, smiling as he recalled that first note, tentatively slipped under his door.

.

Laad Governor-ji ... Arnav,

I can't wait to start this new journey with you. I can't wait to welcome each new day with you, to discover our future together, to live each moment of my life with you by my side.

Our journey has been fraught with hardship, I know, but something has tied us together from the moment I opened my eyes on the ramp to find you staring at me.

I love you. More than I could ever express, more than I could ever show you. Sometimes I'm afraid of how much I love you. Devi Maiyaa has blessed me by bringing you into my life. You are everything I dreamt of in a life partner, a true soul mate. My rajkumar.

Stop worrying about me. You'd never hurt me.

Stop worrying about the past. I don't regret a single moment I've spent with you. I will never regret.

Stop worrying about the wedding. I know it will be hard, not seeing each other as often as we want. But think of what we have to look forward to. We have a lifetime for everything.

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.

Yours, forever,

Khushi

PS: Don't get too excited by my using your name. I've told you already, I will not call you anything but Arnav-ji. Ever.

.

Arnav reached for his phone and dialled her number, brushing away a tear with the back of his hand. She picked up on the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Khushi ..." he tried to instil all his love, all his longing, into her name.

"You read it."

It wasn't a question. Arnav let himself fall back onto the bed.

"Khushi ..." he lapsed into silence again.

The magnitude of what he felt refused to translate itself into words, as usual. Everything felt inadequate. How could he tell her that he was sometimes terrified of what he felt for her, that she had become essential to him, more vital than the air he breathed and the blood that flowed through his veins?

"Baby, you know I'm not good with words. I just ... and you ... "

"I understand your silences too, Arnav-ji."

"Why aren't you here?" he whispered into the phone, "I want you right here, next to me."

"I'll be there soon enough. Anjali-ji just called and asked if we can hold the engagement in two days."

"Do you ... do you like the ring? Should I get a different one for you?" he raised his right hand and tried to imagine what an engagement ring would look like on it.

"I love that ring. I've been wearing it for months. It reminds me that you're mine."

"And you're mine."

Khushi giggled. "You're such a Laad Governor. Yes, yes, I'm yours."

"Khushi Singh Raizada," heat surged through him as he added his name to hers.

"Shhhhh. Arnav-ji! It's considered a bad omen!"

"Oh. Sorry."

There was a short silence on her end. He toyed with the edge of one of his pillows.

"Arnav-ji?"

"Khushi."

"I want to keep my name. I want to add Singh Raizada to the name I already have."

"Mmmmm," Arnav pretended to think about it, "I'll allow it on one condition. Call me Arnav once a day after marriage. Not Arnav-ji. Just Arnav."

"Once a month," she countered.

"Once every two days."

"Once a fortnight."

"Once a week. Final offer," he smiled.

"Okay," Khushi said, and he swore that he could hear the pout in her voice, "once a week."

"Deal. Say it now."

"No! The deal was for after marriage!"

"Well then, marry me tomorrow."

"Arnav-ji!"

He chuckled, loving her reactions as he teased her. "I wish I could see you right now. Kiss that pout of yours away."

"I'm not pouting," she huffed.

"Khushi, I can hear it in your voice. You're lying on your bed, facing your statue of Devi Maiyaa, and. You. Are. Pouting."

"How ... how did you know?"

"I love you, baby girl. I know you. And I intend to spend the rest of my life discovering everything I don't know about you."

"And you said you had a problem with words," she murmured.

"Maybe I'm learning."

*****

The End

*****

That's it for Secret Romance #3! Thank you very very much for reading it, and for staying with this version of Arnav and Khushi up to this point! And a thousand thanks to everyone who left a comment or voted :)

This was Arnav's story - his journey in addressing his fears about the future, his relationships with his family, his role as Khushi's fiance and the Gupta's son-in-law. The next instalment will be about Khushi.