Kaisey Yeh Rishtey - 28

Chapter 28

Khushi smiled at the cheerful couple.

They were sitting in the terrace of the restaurant across the hospital grounds. It was a cheerful place, with small white tables, covered with checked yellow and white tablecloths, and chairs of wrought iron, painted white. A small garden, a riot of brightly coloured flowers and soft green creepers, was at one end of the terrace, sunken a few feet below the level of the terrace. Plants were scattered plentifully in white and sunflower yellow pots all over the terrace, all along the balcony, and along the few steps leading down to the garden. The overall effect was bright and sunny.  

At that time of afternoon, the restaurant wasn't crowded. A few tables were occupied, but the majority were deserted. Khushi, Aman and Anjali sat at a secluded table, out of the direct sunlight.The mood of the place was echoed in the faces of the couple sitting across the table from her.

"I am so happy for you," Khushi said to Anjali, and reached out a hand to cover the other girl's hand. "You must be delighted. This is really good news." 

"Yes, it is ... and we wanted to share it with you," said Anjali, pressing Khushi's hand with her own, her eyes warm. "You were there for us all along in the worst of times, we wanted to share the better times with you as well."

Khushi mock frowned at Aman. "Aman gave me a bit of a heart attack yesterday," she scolded. "He called me here urgently because he said you were upset that we had been hiding your baby's condition from you for so long ... Anjali, you know why ..."

Anjali giggled. "Khushi, I wasn't upset. I know why you did that ... I understand completely. I was a mess back then, I couldn't have taken that added stress. That was just to get you here to meet us. We haven't met you for so long, you've been busy after your marriage, you spend much less time here than you used to ... and we wanted to meet you in person and tell you this good news."

Khushi smiled. “So when did your mother come? Hadn’t she heard about the accident earlier? It’s been months since it happened! I know Aman tried to call them at the time ... what happened?”

Anjali looked a little grim. “Dad didn’t tell her for ages,” she said. At Khushi’s startled look, she went on hurriedly, “oh, not like that. Not because he was still angry. I think they had started getting over their anger quite some time back, but were hesitating to take the first step. But Mummy had been having heart problems, angina, and when Aman called to tell him about the accident, when it happened, she was actually in hospital herself. Dad was scared to tell her for ages, thinking that she wouldn’t be able to handle it. We didn’t know it all these months, but he was actually keeping tabs on my progress quietly. Then a couple of weeks ago, I don't  know what happened to Mummy ... she started getting very restless, she kept telling him that she felt I was in trouble, she wanted to meet me, what if she died without meeting me ever again … she was getting all emotional and Dad finally couldn’t keep it from her any more.”

“So last week, he told her, and then of course, she just couldn’t wait. They rushed over immediately,” went on Aman, and Anjali looked at him proudly and continued. 

“And they saw me … and Aman … and the baby … and oh, Khushi, d’you know what Dad said?! He said … in seven lifetimes I couldn’t have found a better husband for you than the one you chose yourself … this man has stuck by you through so much. Any other man I know would have left you when you lost your leg … but Aman … his love for you has grown even stronger. And he said 'sorry' to Aman, he almost wept … Mummy was in tears too …”

“In short, it was all a melodramatic filmy scenario," Aman said wickedly, and his wife aimed a napkin at him jokingly. “Anyway, after the emotional drama, Dad put his foot down, he said, your mum is staying with you as long as you need her, and I will be here whenever you need me … you are like my own son … wow, Anjali, I didn’t know your parents watched so many Bollywood films! Never heard so many dialogues before … I think I can write my own script now …”

“You’re just flying so high because they praised you so much,” said Anjali indignantly, but she was laughing and Khushi laughed with her.

“Well, he deserves it,” she said, “though I don’t want to give him a swollen head, so I won’t say more, but really, Anjali … he did look after you a lot …”

“I know,” said Anjali, smiling tearfully as she looked at her husband with shining eyes. “He’s the best … the best husband ever …”

Aman smiled back at Anjali, then looked at his watch and gave her a stern look.

"Yes, and now that you have given her the news, yourself! which you insisted on doing, it's time for your physiotherapy session, darling," he said, mock sternly, and she grimaced in pretended annoyance.

"I'm going, I'm going," she said. "Actually, I don't mind the sessions any more. Since the sensation started coming back, the pain has actually decreased. I'll see you later, Khushi. Don't be a stranger now."

She waved a cheerful bye, and left, handling her crutches deftly. Aman looked after her, his face soft. Then he looked back at Khushi.

"She's improved tremendously, hasn't she?" he asked, pride in his face. Khushi nodded.

"She has. And it's all because of you, Aman. You've done wonders for her."

Aman smiled. Khushi looked at him sternly. 

"But, Aman, you gave me a mini heart attack yesterday," she scolded. "How could you?! I spent the whole afternoon and evening worrying about how ..." 

Aman grinned. "Got you there, didn't I?" he asked, teasingly. "I couldn't resist. Told Anjali I would tell you we were hiding something about the baby ... but I knew you would think that ..."

Khushi grimaced at him and shook her head. Aman grinned back. Then he looked serious. "I know I promised not to meet you, Khushi, but this was going to be with Anjali, and she was insistent that we both give you the news together. She's been so happy since her mother came. I couldn't help it, Khushi. I couldn't refuse. She would have wondered why. I'm sorry I broke my word, but this is the first and last time, I promise."

Khushi bit her lip and looked away. Aman looked at her, and his face changed, becoming serious suddenly. He spoke hesitantly. 

"Khushi, I agreed also because I wanted to tell you something else, and I knew I might not get another chance. I have to tell you something, and it's not going to be easy. I …" he stopped and swallowed slightly. Khushi waited, her mouth dry, wondering what was coming. Aman looked away, and then back at her. He stood and looked beyond the tables towards the far end of the restaurant. The small sunken garden beyond the tiled terraced restaurant floor was still deserted.

“Please,” he said softly, motioning for her to follow him. Puzzled, she did. They moved to the far end of the garden, well out of earshot of the other diners, and he turned to face her. His hands absently twisted together as he wrestled with his words, and Khushi waited for him to speak with a sense of foreboding. 

"These last few months," he began carefully. "I haven't seen you at all, and I've spent all my time with Anjali and the baby. I did as I promised you, and I …"

Khushi went pale. "Aman …"

He held up a hand. "No, please let me finish. This is difficult enough for me, as it is."

He turned slightly away to face the creeper covered wall, and absently fingered the delicate leaves of the plants. He looked back at her, seeming to be at a loss as to what to say. Khushi waited, half –fearful at what his next words would be. Aman took a deep breath.

“Khushi, I haven't forgotten you and I never will. What you did for me at a time when I needed help and support the most - I can never forget that, or thank you enough. But … these last few months have shown me something, which I was in danger of forgetting at that time."

He turned around and looked at her directly.

"Khushi," he said, softly. "I love Anjali. I love my wife very, very much. When … all that trouble was happening, … I didn't know whether she would live or die, …whether the baby would live or die … I must have gone a little crazy. I had no right to make you all those promises, to tell you all the things I did. Anjali is my wife, and I love her very much, and I always will. She’s been with me through thick and thin, and I can never ever do anything to hurt her."

He took her hand.

"I have no right to do this, I know. Not after all that I said to you. I'm a heel, a louse, I'm a terrible husband, and more than that, I'm a terrible person. But Khushi, I know your generosity, and your capacity to forgive. Khushi, please forgive me for all that I said to you. I didn't have the right to say it. Blame it on the time, the stress I was going through. You are a very dear friend to me, and you always will be. And I promise you, that as a friend, I will ….we both will …," he corrected himself, "will always be there for you. But … Khushi ..."

Khushi smiled, and put her hand to his lips. "Are you saying," she said, mock-sternly, "that you don't love me any more?"

He looked shamefaced.

"Khushi ... I'm sorry ..."

"But I do," she said, and laughed as his face fell further, and he looked alarmed. "I love you as a friend, as the brother I wish I had, and as the husband of one of the dearest girls I have known. I value your friendship a lot, and I always will."

Aman looked at her disbelievingly.

"Khushi!" he exclaimed, and she smiled.

"Do you think that you're the only one who can pull people's legs?" she countered, and his face relaxed slowly. She spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully.

"My friend," she said, slowly, emphasizing the word 'friend'. "My very dear friend, you helped me through a very difficult phase of my life as well. You don't even know how bad things were in my life back then, and how much your support meant to me. Perhaps the fates threw us together at such a time for both of us, when we needed each other. And maybe, because the time was so difficult, and tense, and emotions were running so high, we said things to each other, which neither of us had the right to say. That was why I decided to stay away from you, that’s why I agreed to marry Arnav. I knew then, that I could never, ever break up your home, and I was afraid that I went on seeing you, it would be more and more difficult for me to stay away from you. And later I realised … that I could do that, I could make that decision and take that step, because it wasn’t really love, Aman, that I felt for you. It was affection, a deep gratitude, … a wonder that such a person had come into my life and shown me what love was all about. You restored my faith in love, a faith which had taken a beating at the time. Seeing you and your concern, your love for Anjali and your baby, you made me feel that such a love can exist in this world. You brought hope and positivity into my life, Aman, at a time when I was surrounded by so much darkness that I didn't know where to turn. If you made promises that you had no right to make, so did I. We were both wrong to do what we did, to say what we said. Don't say sorry, Aman. It was my fault as much as yours ... or maybe it was the circumstances that were at fault. I'm not sorry it happened. But I'm even more glad we stepped back when we did."

She smiled at him.

“I do love you, Aman,” she said softly. “I love both you and Anjali. For me, both of you are one. And will always be. You’re not the Aman I love without her, and I pray you will never be without her.”

“Khushi,” he said. He came up to her and held her hand. “I’m sorry …”

“For what, Aman?” Khushi asked. “For showing me what love is, how beautiful it can be? Don’t be sorry. I’m not. I can never be.”

He smiled at her.

“You’ve relieved my mind of a huge burden,” he said softly. “Thank you, Khushi. Thank you for being so generous. You're a wonderful, beautiful loving person and I hope and pray that one day you find that love in your own life …” he stopped as she flushed slightly, then his smile grew wider.

“You have,” he said. He turned her face to him. “Khushi, you have, haven’t you? Who is it? Is it …?”

He held her hands as she nodded and blushed deeply, admitting to herself in words for the first time, something she had known for a long time.

“I love Ar …”

Something, a movement behind her, made her turn. Arnav was standing on the stone steps looking at both of them.