Dark Paradise Chapter Twenty

It was a little after lunchtime and Khushi was beginning to get aggitated, the Doctor had said they could start her little walks but Arnav kept avoiding it. He was sat in their room on his laptop while talking to Aman on his bluetooth.
"Yeah Aman I don't care if they're saying three weeks it should take one. Remind them that they're working with Arnav Singh Raizada." He said and disconnected the call. Khushi was nibbling on an apple, there was a random saas bahu serial on that Khushi wasn't watching. She was staring intently at Arnav.
"Arnav, can I please get up now?" Khushi whined.
"One minute Khushi just let me finish this email." Arnav said without looking up. Khushi was fuming now, he'd already said one minute to her three hours ago. First it was after he sent this fax, then after he spoke to Aman and now after this email.
"Hai Devi Maiyaa mein kya karu iss bhudoo ke saath?" Khushi said loud enough for Arnav to hear.
"Khushi." He said in a warning tone, he would take her for a walk but he knew she'd want to go downstairs. She'd then start talking to everyone for hours, she'd get overexcited and over-exert herself and get worse. Arnav was just trying to put it off a bit longer until everyone was going to leave for the Mandhir, Nani wanted to go do a pooja to thank God for giving them Khushi back. Of course Khushi couldn't go and Arnav would obviously stay back with her. If she would just wait a little longer everyone would leave and then he would take her for her exercise. Khushi didn't know this was his plan because if she did she would have created a huge drama. Arnav knew Khushi would have been fine sitting in bed all day as long as she could blabber her bakwaas to someone. That's why she was so desperate to go downstairs she wanted to let out all her silliness that she held restrained in front of Arnav. Khushi let out a large exhale, Arnav continued working, she exhaled again with more emphasis. Then she began to groan loudly. Arnav froze for a minute, he looked at her shooting a warning glance. Khushi had seen that look before and she knew to stop now before the "what the-" and the "KHUSHI!" dialogues started. Arnav's phone rang and he answered it.
"Hello, ha Akash... Tum log gaaye?... Ok, thanks. Bye." Arnav said and Khushi's interest peaked.
"Jijaji ka phone tah?" Khushi asked and Arnav nodded. "Kaha gaye?" She asked. Arnav sent his email and put his laptop away.
"Saab aaj Mandhir gaye hai." Arnav said standing over her with his arms folded.
"Mandhir gaye hai? Yannee ke neeche abh kohi nahi hai?" Khushi asked and Arnav nodded. Khushi began to sulk pouting her lips. Arnav smiled his guess had turned out right. He held his hand out towards her.
"Come on Khushi, lets go." He said softly.
"Mujhe nahi jaana kohi walk shalk ke liye. Khaas thor se tumhare saath to bilkul bhi nahi." She said and she turned her face away from his.

"Khushi don't be a child. Doctor said we have to get you up and walking again. Come on." He said again but Khushi did not face him. He walked over to the other side of the bed and she turned away again. "Khushi, stop it! If you don't get up now then I will-"
"Tum kya?" She asked turning to face him her eyes narrowed into a beady stare.
"I will tell Hari Prakash to bin all the Jalebis I had him prepare today for when we walked out to the poolside." He said and Khushi gasped. It had been so long since she'd had a Jalebi, her mouth was watering at the idea of it. But this was all part of his plan, get her to walk to the poolside and back to the bed where she'd spend the rest of the day silently watching t.v. with no one to talk to.
"Mujhe nahi jaana." Khushi said pulling the blanket over her head. Arnav sighed and pulled it off.
"When everyone gets back they can come and talk to you for a while, I'll need a break by then." He said. Khushi wasn't sure whether to be happy that she would be able to catch up with everyone or angry that he admitted he would need a break from her. She gave in, she lifted her hand and placed it in his. He crouched down and pulled her arm around his shoulders, with the other hand he slid it around her waist and began to help lift her up. Khushi's knees were shaking as she stood on her feet but Arnav held her securely. Arnav looked at Khushi's face, she seemed upset.
"Kya hua?" He asked and Khushi looked up at him helplessly.
"Hum tik hojayenge nah?" Khushi asked. Arnav sighed.
"Khushi tum bhi nah, zyada drama maath karo. Doctor neh kaha khi tum tik hogi. Shuroo main aisa hi hota. Now come." He said as he took a step forward, he waited as Khushi hesitantly put her foot forward and made her shaking body follow. Slowly but surely they made their way to the poolside, Arnav gently sat Khushi down on the lounger and he pulled a chair next to her while lifting a plate full of Jalebis and holding it out to her. Arnav could see the toll the short walk had, had on her. Her cheeks were red, her breathing deep and strained. But as soon as Khushi saw the Jalebia her heart began to soar. She grabbed them excitedly and began to eat them relishing every morsel. She even licked the syrup off of her hands, usually Arnav would have looked down on this sort of behaviour but he knew Khushi couldn't help herself. She paused for a moment.
"The last time I had a Jalebi was-" Khushi stopped as she recalled the morning of the accident when Arnav had made her Jalebis, she looked at him and knew he was remembering that also. They both became sombre as they remembered the accident. Khushi decided to lighten the mood.
"Aap nah bohut boore pathi hoon." She said and Arnav looked up at her accusingly.
"What the-? Main...aur bad husband?" He asked becoming angry, how many husbands would do all this for their melodramatic wives?
"Ji." Khushi replied abruptly.
"Ok, give me a reason why." He demanded.
"You never told me what the surprise was that day." Khushi said and she began to laugh.

"Arnav we can't always look back on that day and become sad, remember it was actually a very lovely day. We need to think hah, hadzaa hua lekin abb hum tik hai." Khushi said as she brushed her hand against his cheek, Arnav closed his eyes and nodded in agreement. "Toh bataon mera surprise kya tah uss din?" Khushi asked excitedly and Arnav rolled his eyes.
"Well Mrs. Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada. I was driving you out to a guest house we have on the outskirts of Delhi. We were going to spend the day together just you and I alone, with nobody." Arnav said as he recalled all the arrangements he'd made. "I'd asked Payal what your favourite movies were, I bought them all and they were waiting in case you felt like a movie, I had all your favourite songs on a CD if you felt like a romantic dance and I had a chef make all your favourite foods because I knew you'd want to eat." He said smiling and he looked up to Khushi who was smiling but she had tears streaming down her face.
"Hey, hey. Kya hua?" He said brushing her tears away from her soft cheeks.
"Nahi baas woh aisi." Khushi said trying to brush it off.
"Tell you what Khushi, when you're better we'll celebrate with that same surprise. I promise." Arnav said and Khushi smiled. She couldn't believe this was the same man she'd met in Lucknow all that time ago. Once you got past the hard exterior he put on for the rest of the world Arnav Singh Raizada was sweet and caring and romantic. Khushi felt so lucky, she had qualms when she first entered into this marriage with Arnav but now she felt like it was the best decision she'd ever made.

Read more of this here.