Chapter 20: Arnav

Arnav drove recklessly to the temple, cursing the meeting that had made him late. Khushi would be waiting for him to break her fast. For the hundredth time, he wondered at the necessity of it all.

At this stage, Teej seemed less of a blessing for their married life and more a curse. She'd struggled with the fast all day, sending message after message about how hungry she was and threatening a myriad of punishments if he was late to the temple. Wrecked with concern, he'd paced in his office in the few moments of peace between meetings. She could faint from low blood sugar, he knew too well, or become sick, or any number of other things ... all because of her silly belief that going without food somehow led to marital bliss.

Unbeknownst to anyone else, he'd kept a fast as well, unable to handle the thought of her struggling alone. His head pounded from hunger, adding to the sense of urgency that gripped him.

Arnav grabbed the gift-wrapped box he'd picked up on his way to the temple after parking the car inside the complex. He rushed up the stairs, relieved to find that the aarti hadn't begun, and searched frantically until he spied his sister in a corner.

"Di, how are you feeling?" he asked as he approached.

"Chhote! You made it! Khushi-ji will be so pleased," his sister smiled at him, trying to sidestep his question.

"How are you holding up, Di?" he asked again.

"I'm fine now, Chhote," she sighed, "I was only dizzy for a few seconds."

His anger, always brewing under the surface, flared.

"Why the hell didn't anyone call me? What happened to you? Where's Aakash, why isn't he taking care of you?"

"Calm down, Chhote. Aakash is taking care of me, he just went to get me water. And I'm fine, I was just a little dizzy."

"Yeah, right," he scoffed, "These stupid traditions and rituals Di, they're unhealthy. Aman's not even here."

"Di, Bhai!" Aakash approached them, a steel glass in his hand, "I have water."

"I can't break my fast, Aakash."

"Di, this is ridiculous," Arnav fumed as he took the glass from his brother, "Just drink it. Aman won't care."

"I care," Di frowned, "Anyway, find Khushi-ji. Aakash will take care of me."

"No. I'm staying right here. Aakash, can you please find Khushi and bring her to me?"

Aakash returned with Khushi and Payal a few minutes later, with Mama and Mami in tow. Arnav took a brief look at her, smiling as he noted that she was wearing the pink and red sari he'd sent over that morning, and then turned to his sister.

"Drink the water, Di," he urged, "Aman won't care."

"But I care, Chhote," she repeated, "It's just a few more minutes."

He started to fling the glass away, irritated beyond measure, but froze when he remembered Khushi. She gave him a tentative smile when he looked over.

Careful, Arnav.

He handed the glass to Aakash before sinking down beside his sister. Khushi approached them.

"Di," her eyes were wide in concern, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Khushi-ji, Chhote is over protective sometimes."

Arnav scowled as Khushi glanced in his direction before smiling cheekily, "Arnav-ji just loves you a lot."

There was a brief tightening in his chest as he watched his almost-fiancée comfort his sister, sidelined for the moment as they bonded. Already, it was difficult to imagine a future where Khushi wasn't standing beside him.

The temple bells rang to announce the start of the pooja, interrupting Khushi as she relayed a joke. Di smiled as both he and Khushi offered their hands to help her up. The priest greeted them with a smile as they approached - Di organised and paid for this pooja every year - and handed her a pooja thaal. Her phone buzzed as she began, and Arnav reached into her purse to answer it.

"Aman," he greeted quietly, "Di is just doing the aarti."

"Put me on speakerphone so I can hear, Arnav."

Arnav complied, turning the phone towards his sister so she could see that her husband had called. She smiled, tears running unchecked, as she completed her worship and handed the thaal to Mami. Taking the phone, Di stepped to the side and engaged in a hushed conversation with Aman, smiling widely through tears. Arnav took a few steps to stand by Khushi, where he stealthily took her hand.

"Thank you," he leaned in to whisper, "for taking care of my sister."

"She's my sister too."

He could only nod and squeeze her hand, overwhelmed by the ease with which she'd accepted him and his entire family. Khushi stepped forward when it was her turn, taking the thaal from Mami's hands and turning to the statue that towered over them all, and Arnav edged forward until he was standing beside her. She smiled up at him before turning to her aarti.

When she turned to hand the thaal to her sister, Arnav had his first glimpse of the man Payal was engaged to. Abhishek was a tall man with a rounded face, dressed in a business suit paired with a red tie. His smile was wide and open as he stood beside Payal, his eyes bright as he took in his surroundings. He seemed, in a word, nice. Payal smiled shyly at him as she completed her aarti and handed the thaal to the next woman.

At the completion of the aarti, the single women lined up in front of the dais while the others turned to their partners and husbands. Khushi collected her thaal and made her way to him, suddenly shy. Arnav looked around, disliking the lack of privacy, and quickly pulled her into a shadowed corner he'd spied earlier.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't want everyone watching us."

"No one was watching us," she argued.

"This way I can be sure," he raised his hands to trap her against the wall, "that no one can see me when I do this."

He stepped as close as the thaal in her hands would let him.

"This sari looks beautiful on you, Khushi."

She blushed at his praise, the pink of her cheeks rivalling the border of her sari. He let his hands settle at her hips, careful not to touch any of the skin left exposed by her sari, and decided to give her a break.

"Here," Arnav held the copper vessel to her lips, "Drink."

Khushi, who'd complained of being thirsty on the phone at least a hundred times, let out a soft moan as she sipped. His thoughts froze, his body reacting immediately. Desire ran like fire through his veins as he imagined her making that sound in an entirely different situation.

Get a grip, Arnav. Focus.

He reached for the sole jalebi on her thaal, his hand shaking slightly despite his best efforts to control it as he fed it to her. She took the golden spiral from his limp fingers, sighing in contentment as she scoffed it down.

"Thank you, Arnav-ji," she said around the food in her mouth.

"Can you feed me?" he asked as innocently as he could.

"Why?" Khushi eyed him suspiciously, unconsciously jerking her thaal away as if she didn't want to share her food.

"I fasted too ... I hated the thought of you suffering alone."

Her expression softened for a moment before hardening in anger.

"Why!? You have diabetes. You could've gotten sick, you could've fainted!"

"Khushi ... do you think you could yell at me after you give me water and something to eat?"

"Oh."

She quickly lifted the copper vessel and allowed him to sip. The sweet, cool water was a relief to his parched throat. His headache lessened almost instantly.

Khushi started to feed him a barfi before freezing. "It's not sugar free."

"I haven't eaten all day. It'll be fine," he assured her.

She fed him the sweet after another short hesitation, narrowing her eyes as she watched him carefully for any adverse reaction.

"Relax, Khushi. I'll be fine."

She ignored him, "Why did you fast?"

"I told you. I don't like the idea of you suffering for me. It's only fair that I fast with you. I fast with Di for Raksha Bandhan every year."

"You're so sweet," she smiled suddenly, "Salman-ji fasts for his heroines as well."

"What the-? Salman-ji? Are you thinking of another man while I'm standing right here?" he teased, "Breaking your fast for Teej?"

"Yes ... I mean no," Khushi pursed her lips, "Anyway, Salman-ji is great. There's nothing he can't do."

You shouldn't have said that baby, not when I'm trying so hard to keep myself safe.

"Really," he growled, his voice lowering with the desire that suffused it, "there's nothing he can't do?"

"N-n-no."

Arnav took the thaal from her hands and placed it on the floor before returning to her, pulling her flush against his body. She trembled, her fingers automatically tightening on his jacket as she held his upper arms. He leaned in, taking a few moments to breathe her in, before placing a gentle kiss against her cheek.

"There are a lot of things your stupid Salman-ji can't do."

Khushi's arms slid around him as she hid herself in his chest. Unsure of where to place his hands – his desire made everywhere feel dangerous – he tangled his fingers into her hair and cradled her head.

"Khushi ..." he whispered a few minutes later, "don't you want to see your gift?"

She stepped back, her eyes lighting up at the mention of a present, and squealed as her head hit the wall.

"Careful, Khushi," he bent to kiss her hair lightly.

"You already got me a sari," she pointed out, still grimacing and rubbing the back of her head.

"Mmmm, but that was because you wanted to wear the bangles," he explained, "This is for Teej."

Reaching into his jacket, he presented Khushi with the gift-wrapped box. For the second time in a week, Arnav stood inches from her as she unwrapped his gift. His pulse stuttered as she gasped.

"Arnav-ji ..."

He reached out and ran his fingers over her cheek. "You don't have to keep it ... I just thought ..."

"It's beautiful."

"It was my mother's."

"Can you ...?"

He lifted the delicate chain out of its box and clasped it around her swan-like neck, allowing his fingers to trace over her skin when he was done. Arnav admired the pendant that hung from the chain, a silver disc encircled by tiny pearls and an emerald at each compass point.

"R," she breathed.

"Rathna. But it can stand for Raizada as well."

Khushi reached for him again, hugging him tightly as he savoured the feel of her.

"Khushi ... I ... I think ..."

I think I'm falling in love with you, baby, and it terrifies me.

"What?"

"I think we should go back before they realise we're missing."