Incandescent

Epilogue

6 years later...

Khushi stood in her graduation robe, clutching her degree, a beaming smile on her face, directed at her very handsome husband sitting in the front row. He had flown in just in time for the ceremony today and she was glad he could make it. How could he not? Proud that he was about his wife who now held a doctorate. Beside him sat Khushi's parents and all her extended family, their faces etched with pride and she smiled down at all of them as they clicked pictures of her and then walked off stage.

Over 6 years of blissful marriage, a loving husband, adoring family, masters degree and now a PhD. She had nothing to complain but those weren't the only reasons for her beaming smile that day. She wanted nothing but to get this day over with and be alone with her husband. But the celebration had just started and she had to endure a short after party with people from the university and then a long celebratory dinner with the family before she could be alone with her husband. She loved her family but she was just impatient because she had already waited long.

After dinner that night, bidding goodbye to his family and seeing Khushi's parents off at the railway station, Arnav and Khushi got into their cars to head for their apartment. Despite their son-in-law being a rich man and their daughter having an income of her own, the Guptas refused any kind of luxury they offered and preferred to live as they've always done.

An hour later, after wading through the late night traffic, Arnav pulled the car through the electric gates of Raizada Towers and then crept up to his private entrance and parking.

Khushi, who had fallen asleep just after they left the railway station, was still asleep. He opened her door and crouched down and after undoing her seatbelt, his hands curled beneath her to lift her up in his arms in one swift movement.

"Arnavji..." she moaned in her sleepy state and he smiled before pressing his lips to hers in a fond caress but Khushi opened her mouth, turning it into an actual kiss. She lifted her hands to curl around his neck, her fingers twisting at his nape while running her hair through his hair. With reluctance, he pulled free to see that she was still half sleeping and cradled her against his chest, carrying her to the elevator that would take them to the penthouse.

By the time they reached the apartment, Khushi's sleep had cleared a little and she said, "I am awake and I can walk. But I rather like traveling like this."

He chuckled as he shouldered the door to their bedroom open and carefully placed her down on her feet.

"My pleasure entirely, Dr. Khushi," he said emphasizing on the doctor and Khushi grinned.

She was fully awake now and she couldn't wait one more minute to share her news with Arnav.

"Come here," She said pulling him by his hand and made him sit on the foot of the bed. "Arnav ji, I have something for you..." she said as she walked to the cupboard and opened her locker. While she retrieved a carefully rolled paper from it, Arnav said, "aren't you the one who should be receiving gifts today?"

"Who said it isn't a gift to me too?" She walked back to him and handed the paper to him.

He carefully unrolled it to see a message written in neat calligraphy. She had planned this for days and made a handwritten message to give it to him today. He read it and turned to look at Khushi with surprise and shock. Khushi waited patiently for him to say something while smiling nervously.

"You are... we are..." he said as if talking to himself. He kept staring at the card stock and read it again and again and closed his eyes. And when he opened it, Khushi could see a world of love written all over his face – love for her and the miracle they have created. And there were no words and she didn't need them.

She took a step toward him and he pulled her closer into his lap and his arms. He had noticed her odd sleep patterns and tiredness and always attributed it to her studies and work. That combined with all the traveling he had been doing the past month he had had no clue so this definitely was a surprise.

A pleasant one though.

He had come a long way from the Arnav he had been six years ago and so had she. And for sometime now they had been genuinely trying to expand their family.

The day indeed turned out to be full of happiness and good memories. As Khushi snuggled closer, he placed a gentle kiss on her temple. And they sat there, holding each other, their hearts filled with love and optimism that the future would definitely bring them loads of happiness.

**********************************