Scared To Love ✔️

Part 16 (B)

Sorry  i had to unpublish Part 17 as by mistake i missed to update this part 🙄🙄

Arnav looked at Khushi from a distance as she was playing with kids running around like a butterfly he felt something beating inside him. He kept his right hand on left side of his chest and felt his heart beating.

He again looked at Khushi who have stopped running and now sitting with few elderly peoples.
He looks at her for some more time gathering some courage to talk with her about why he is here.

He was very close to Khushi when he saw her sitting in some lone corner but a faraway look in her eyes , he frowned seeing this sudden change in her. Few moments before she was laughing, playing and now! Soon he saw tears sliding her cheeks and it panicked him.

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Khushi got ready in morning and like always on holiday she was going to Aashiyana today, he place of solace. Today she wasn't feeling to have breakfast , so she just informed Madhumati and Garima that she's leaving for Aashiyana and like always they didn't cared enough. She met Kamla tai who blessed her and informing her she came here in Aashiyana.

Aashiyana is her another home, it's not any orphanage nor any old age home, it's an Aashiyana just like it's name. Here peoples of all ages resides who don't have anyone or if everyone have left them alone. Orphans lives here in the care of elders, widows or divorced, old peoples left alone by their families all stay here like a family, this place is a perfect Aashiyana for these peoples and Khushi also who is still alone even after having a namesake family.

And now sitting here alone she can't help herself but to cry, cry thinking about circumstances around her. If anything she have learnt from her life that is not to give up in any situation, she have adjusted in every situation, fought to live on her own. She have always wanted to become the strength of peoples around her but today she is unable to fight the situation and this made her cry bitterly and yearn to hear that everything will be alright.

Khushi was still crying when she felt that warm touch, she knew it. Not for a long time but she can't forget this touch. Arms of the same person in which she had cried few days ago, she turned to looks at Arnav holding her shoulder and looking at her concerned.  Next she didn't knew why and how but she found herself in his arms, crying.

Arnav looked at her concerned he have seen her crying when he was coming close to her and was shocked. Why is she crying when few minutes ago she was laughing around. He held her to himself little hesitant and tried to sush her by caressing her back.

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Arnav felt her sobs slowed down after sometime and she pulled back little looking at him. Her eyes went wide and she took steps back instantly, he also looked around embarrassed but he again looked at her to ask why was she crying.

Khushi: You here?
Arnav: umm.... Yea had some work but you were not at home , your maid told me to come here.
Khushi: Ohh.... She looked around what to say.
Khushi: Lets sit!
Arnav: yea! And they both sat down.

Khushi: What work?
Arnav: Later! First tell me why were you crying?
Khushi(fumbling): uh... Oh that's nothing.
Arnav(sternly): oh really? I am not a fool! Come with it!
Khushi looked hesitant but nodded.

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Arnav: Tum theek ho? Arnav asked to a now calm Khushi who is sitting beside him.
Khushi: yea! She said somewhat embarrassed.

Arnav: umm... If you don't mind, Why were you crying?
Khushi looked at him unable to decide, should she tell him? But than thought when he already knew about the situation, so what's problem in sharing the current changes.
Arnav: Khushi! His voice broke her thoughts.

Khushi: Lavanya is being operated today, after a pause. A final operation which'll decide her life or de.. dea..
Arnav: shh.. It's ok I understand! He said understanding her difficulty in saying death.

Khushi: She wished to meet her husband for last time before going through the operation.
Arnav: So What's the problem? Call him! I know they're not together anymore but he'll surely come understanding the situation.
Khushi laughed a sarcastic laugh making Arnav confused, before continuing.

Khushi: You think I didn't called him?
Arnav: Than?
Khushi: his family snorted saying that he is getting married and don't have time to meet her nor they want him to come near an Ill women.
Arnav: What?,and what did her husband said?
Khushi: That he's busy in marriage rituals and his fiance wouldn't like him coming to meet his ex- wife.
Arnav: what? He asked shocked.

Khushi: The guy who once used to claim that he loves his wife is today being so heartless that he can't come to meet her for few moments when maybe she is taking her last breaths.

Arnav: Therefore I don't believe in  this Love , he muttered but Khushi missed to hear it in her own thoughts.

Arnav: Umm... Khushi are not you going to meet Lavanya?

Khushi: I have met her before coming here, I wanted sometime so I came here, this is like a second home for me which gives me positive energy to face everything.

Arnav: yea I have seen it. Khushi looked at him surprised.
Arnav: I mean when I came here you were busy with them. After a pause " What place is this actually?"

Khushi(smiling): "Aashiyana" and she explained him about the place which impressed him.

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Arnav looked at Khushi who was talking with some people of Aashiyana and was confused that he should talk with her or not!
She already seems so broken because of her friend but one side he was now very sure to tell her.
This Lavanya's matter has made his decision more strong, Khushi deserves to know about his believes.

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Arnav walked with Khushi in the corridors of hospitals, the smell and surrounding of hospital making him suffocate, reliving his nightmare as he tried to get rid of his thoughts and reached at the operation theatre and met Mr. Khanna there who greeted him with the best smile he can give in that situation. Arnav can't himself but to admire the old man in front of him, he is struggling alone in this age and fighting for his daughter's life when all have left them alone "a great father indeed" and something again flipped in his stomach with this thought.

Khushi looked at an uncomfortable Arnav, she has noticed it from sometime he doesn't looks so well, so she asked him to leave back but he stayed there with them till the doctor came out of OT and told that Lavanya is out of danger now.

Arnav looked at the smiling face of the father and a true friend, their happiness was reflecting from their faces and he also felt happy.
He stayed there for some more time but when Khushi noticed his health becoming bad, she forced him to go back as Lavanya was fine also now.

Arnav left from there without having the conversation which he had intended to do.

Next day was their Sangeet and they'll meet there and he'll talk with her tomorrow , thought Arnav before closing his eyes to sleep that night.

PRESENT

Khushi caressed the picture of their Sangeet with a sad smile playing on her lips as her thoughts drifted back to the day of their Sangeet.

To be continued.......

Precap: Arshi Sangeet Day