The Time To Love

The True Beginning!

'DIVORCE'

The word resonated in her heart as she kept on staring at the paper laid on the table before her. She looked at their names written at the end of the petition.......Arnav Singh Raizada.....Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada. Oh how she loved her name......but this paper seems like the last one to print that name. She looked aside to see Arnav's signature under his name. Her heart broke into the tiniest bits as she saw it....was it so easy for him?

She looked at Arnav who was looking at her searching for something. Their eyes met and a minute later Arnav looked at the paper kept. Khushi's hold on the pen grew tighter as she felt anger raging through every nerve of hers. How could he take a rash decision like this? She wanted to shake him....ask him why this.....this out of all solutions possible. But no.....if he could take a decision like this, she too can. She looked at him once again and then signed under her name.....her eyes filled with unshed tears......her vision too blurred to see even his eyes held the same pain......the same unshed tears!

"It's very sad to see young recently married couple like you filing divorce petitions. And it is even more painful to see people who you know do it! If you want I'll talk to Aadesh, Arnav. Let the families know....see the issue may not be so serious. Couples do have fights between them but this is not the only solution. You may be able to solve with an open talk with each other.....try..."

"Uncle, we have taken this decision after a lot of thinking. This is our final decision." Arnav looked at Khushi as she said that. He really wished she asked for some time before signing the petition. He somewhere feared if Khushi never wanted this. But when he saw her signing without a second thought and now this, he knew she too wished for the same. Smiling sadly at the middle aged advocate, Arnav stood up followed by Khushi.

**********

It was decided that they would not tell about this to any of their family members. They would know it only after it is done. The reason they had found was that their families would never support them. But they knew inside their heart, they wanted to see if the other person would stop this from happening. Khushi thought that Arnav could have at least talked to her before taking the decision. She knew it was that one thing that she hid from him that triggered all this. Arnav was not at fault......but she couldn't talk to him.....maybe she couldn't face him after what she said about his family!

Arnav wanted to shout at her. He thought she would at least react when this divorce thing is put up. But now seeing signing the petition and not talking to him now, he felt helpless. He wanted to stop this but if she wished for this......how could he force her to stay with him!

Both of them wanted to clear all their problems.....they wanted their old life back. But couldn't talk to each other......

A month passed after that day. They had missed each other terribly......their routine went on as usual.......the silent breakfast, time spent alone in the cabin and home respectively, again a silent dinner.....all except that they slept in different rooms. What was wrong with them.......they didn't know!!

**********

Khushi stood looking at the mirror in 'her' room. Her gaze went down to her Mangalsutra.....and then up to the vermillion in her hair partition. Her eyes teared up realising that this might be the last day she is wearing them. Tomorrow they had to go to the court. Her hands touched her Mangalsutra and she cried. She had to remove this like Arnav said. He wanted her to burst out at least at that but Khushi took it all in the other sense. She thought he was eager for this and wanted no delay.

Looking once more at her as Mrs. Arnav Singh Raizada, Khushi's hand went around her neck and took a hold of the hook. She looked at Arnav who was looking at her from behind her. She looked into his eyes saw it dark red.....she looked at him thoroughly as she knew after this day she may not be able to look at him as his wife. She felt weak looking at him and she averted her eyes. Closing her eyes shut, Khushi tried to remove the hook with trembling fingers. She separated the hook, but she could not get it out. Tears rolled down her eyes as she tried again and again to remove it.