There will never be another you - Chapter 12

 "Yes Sir, I checked thoroughly , it is a maxcall sim card registered under Khushi bhabi's name. I mean someone might have used her ID copies to get the connection."

"fine. Just let me know if you get more info on this."

He hang up the call and looked at his wife. Her angelic face was filled with concern. 

He had read somewhere that trust is that foundation upon which your relationship can survive the hardest of times. In fact, without trust, you cannot sustain your relationship for a long time. Now he knew- not only he likes Khushi, he trusts her also.  He realized their relationship is stronger than he assumed. 

Taking a new sim card is very easy if a copy of ID proof is submitted. 

"What happened Arnavji?"

"Khushi your ID cards are with you only right?" 

"Haan. Its with me. Why?" 

"Other than collage did you give your ID copy somewhere else? or anyone has the copy?"

"No. No one else have the copy. At home there should be few copies available. But original is with me only."

 "The sim card which you are using now is registered under which name? Do you have any other sim card?"

"No. My current sim card is in Babuji's name. I don't have any other number. But Arnavji why you are asking all these? Is there a problem?"

"Nothing to worry. Aman just told me someone is using a sim card registered under your ID. So just asked. I will ask him to immediately report it and block the number. He will need your signature for filing a complaint."

"Oh.. Thik hai. But how did Aman come to know that someone is using a sim card in my name?"

He didn't want to make her worry. But his wife was no fool, she won't believe him if he didn't give her a convincing answer.

"Woh.. Blank calls were coming continuously to Aman's phone from this particular number so he got it checked."

"Oh.. "

"Don't worry. We will file a complaint. "

He gave her a reassuring smile and hugged her close. Who was trying to trap her? As per Khushi, her ID copies were with her family only. He need to know what is happening.

"Waise I was thinking we didn't visit your parents together after wedding. I just met them briefly at the time of Di's engagement. We will go there together and give gifts I brought from Lucknow. What's say?"

Her face broke out with a huge smile forgetting the dullness she felt.  

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    Arnav Singh Raizada was a good judge of character.  He can speak to a person for 5 minutes and decide what kind of a person s/he is. His good judgement only made him choose Khushi. 

He was sitting in the living room of Gupta house. What confused him was the behavior of Garima Aunty and Buaji. They both greeted them politely. But there was a fake sweetness associated with Madhumati Bua's words. There was anger in her eyes whenever she looked at Khushi. Even though Garima Aunty didn't show any unpleasant behavior, he could see she is not looking happy as a mother should be especially when she is meeting her daughter after many days.  Why didn't he notice all this before?

    Payal was very delighted to see her younger sister. There was something about this family which he didn't know. Or he never wanted to know before. He remember Khushi asking him to agree for a simple temple marriage. And when her reason to agree for this marriage was raised she told him she had her reasons and will share it with him if they became close someday. What might be her reason? He didn't try to know the reason until now. 

At the time of dinner, when he was seated opposite to Shashi, Buaji and Garima he told about the sim card misuse in the name of Khushi.

His sharp eyes noticed the way Buaji froze in the middle of the dinner. 

"But don't worry uncle, I have instructed Aman to file a complaint. Whoever it is I will make sure he/she won't dare to do it again."

The warning in his words were loud and clear. Shashi Payal and Garima were showing the reaction he expected. But buaji was trying to hide her nervousness. She was quite after that conversation and resigned for the day saying she was not feeling well. 

If it was buaji who took sim card using Khushi's ID, what was her benefit from it? He was already married to Khushi at that time. There was a connection which he was not able to find. 

They left from Gupta house after dinner,  instead of going back to Shantivan he asked Mohan to drive towards India Gate. Khushi looked at him with questioning eyes. 

"We can go for a walk through Rajpath, if you are not too tired. Otherwise we can go for a long drive, I can ask Mohan to take a taxi from here. What you want?"

"walk"  She replied with a smile. 

Mohan parked the car and both of them came out. When they started walking on the 1.5 km road, they found many vendors who sell many varieties of products. A lot of fast food stalls were there which included Golgappa, Chowmen, Chat stalls, Momo stalls, traditional hot corn, Ice cream vendors, Gola or Chuski vendors, drinks and many more. He bought two cups of tea and continued their walk.

"Khushi.."

"hmmm" She slowly sipped her hot tea and looked sideways.

" You remember you told me that day, If we become close to each other, you will open up to me. Why did you agree to marry me?"

Hearing no response from her end, he held her hand and said.

"Ok if you feel we are still not close enough to reveal the reason. I will wait. Its ok. "

They continue to walk holding hands. 

"I needed time ." She said after few minutes.

"Time for what?" He asked in confusion.

He looked at her keenly. The cold breeze made her dress move as if it was alive, and her hair swept across her features. She looked like an angel from heaven. But her eyes were sad. He didn't like that. He want to see her eyes sparkle with joy always. 

"I wanted to complete my studies and get a job for myself. "

"But you were younger, Payal should have got married first right?"

"Yes but when the boys family who came meet her wanted to marry me so buaji decided to got me married first."

"But.. why did they consider the proposal of someone like Shyam for you? Even if they were unaware of his true colors, he was still a divorcee and much older than you."

The tea was finished and they threw the paper cup in a trash bin by the side. They walked forward and he waited for her answer.

"Woh bauji and jiji were against it. It was Buaji who brought that rishta. And Amma convinced me to marry him saying it was for the best."

She tried to sound normal as she replied. She didn't want to think about those days in her life. She felt her life was finished at that time. But she didn't want him to see her weakness.

"What? that is ridiculous. How could she? You are her own dau... "

"I am adopted Arnavji." she cut in before he could complete.

He stopped on his track and looked at her in shock. Now it makes sense. How can he be so foolish? He never looked much into her history as Di knew her so well. For him she was the younger daughter of a retired professor. He never bothered to know more about her. 

Khushi saw different expression flashing on her husband's face. Does it bother him that she is an orphan? Maybe her background bother him. She tried to pull her hand away which was held by him. He held her hand more tightly locking his eyes with hers. 

She is an orphan like him. 

He didn't know what to say. He is not good in expressing his feelings. 

"Khushi"- he murmured her name and brought her hand to his face and nuzzled ardently, his lips brushing her wedding band. 

He couldn't say anything after that. Without leaving her hand they continued to walk. 

When they reached home half an hour later Khushi couldn't stop smiling to herself. He didn't leave her hand even after reaching home.

When she freshened up and came out of bathroom, he was waiting for her on the bed.

When she silently laid beside him, he pulled her body towards him and made her head rest on his chest wrapping both his hands securely around her form. 

Silence speaks louder than words. Just because it is peaceful, it doesn’t mean it is void, as we think. It is insightful, powerful and full of meaning.

She need to learn to listen to what he is not saying. Listen to his silence. And listen to yours, too. She understood what her husband was trying to convey. He is a man of few words.  Feeling happy and relaxed in his arms, she drifted into deep sleep.

Arnav was awake even after one hour. He need to know about her past. If he ask her directly, she will tell him but he didn't want her to reopen the sad phase of life again. He will make sure her future is filled with happiness. 

He came out of the bed and went to his garden for some peace of mind.  She saw his Di sitting on the other end of the garden grinning to herself.

He never saw her sister smiling to herself before. Not even during her short lived married life with Shyam. He cleared his throat when she didn't register his presence even after few minutes.

"Chote.. What happened? Why you are not asleep?" Her face turned serious seeing her brother's worried face.

"Nothing di, I was not feeling sleepy. When I saw you I thought will have a word with you."

Anjali observed her brother's face closely. For some reason he was sad. He always had his mask on successfully covering up his true emotions from everyone. But she knew her brother well. 

"Come sit here chote."

She pulled his hand gently and made him sit next to her.

"Di I want to know about Khushi's family. She told me she is adopted. It doesn't matter still I want to know."

Oh so that was the reason. She was expecting this question from him one day. 

And Anjali told him everything she knows about Khushi. How her parents died, how her life was after Shasi Gupta adopted her, how Shyam's proposal came, everything.

"Why you didn't tell me all these before?" 

His words were full of emotions which was very rare. He never let anyone touch him emotionally. She was right. Khushi successfully penetrated through that thick wall of his locked heart. She gave him a slight smile.

"I knew you will get to know about it eventually. And also I don't want you to feel sympathetic towards her. I was so sure that you will like Khushi for what she is, not for her background."

"Still Di.. I should have known.."

"Chote you cannot change her past, but you can definitely give her a life full of happiness. We both are also orphans but we were under the protection of own own blood relatives. But her life was more difficult. Even if Shasi uncle and Payal loved her, they had limitation because of buaji and Garima Aunty. Chote imagine the pain of an 8 year old girl who lost everything suddenly and taken in by a stranger and there she had to face discrimination until you married her. Shasi uncle is a good man that is why he didn't leave her on the road that day. But She never experienced the taste of freedom, love and happiness until now. "

"I understand Di. I know what to do. And thank you."

"I knew a girl like Khushi will give you the happiness you deserve and you will give her the happiness she was searching for. Never make her feel like an orphan again chote."

She kissed his forehead with love. 

Arnav left from there with a feeling which he never experienced for anyone else. He entered their room without making any noise. 

Khushi was sleeping peacefully. He slipped into bed near her without disturbing her sleep.

The magnitude of his feelings for her is frightening him. At first he thought its a physical attraction. But it was not.  Its like they are linked on a soul level in an extraordinary way. When he met her for the first time in hospital, he felt an instant connection. 

The image of a small girl left alone in this world made his heart weep. He is feeling her pain. He want to be the reason for her happiness. He had noticed her behavior always. She never demanded anything, whatever was given to her she accepted it gratefully.  

He want her to claim her rights on him like a wife. Somehow he need to make her understand he is not a stranger , she has right on everything he owns. When he married her he never thought she will become an integral part of his life. She fully changed his point of view towards life and relationships. 

 He still didn't believe in spending an entire life with someone but the thought of spending life with Khushi excited him. But contract.. No.. He didn't want to think about it. He will be always there for her. I promise you Khushi.. I will keep you happy. Promising to himself he drifted into sleep holding her hand.

Love,

ST