ArShi FF: Homebound

Chapter 13: Hereafter

For how long, he doesn't know, but Arnav watches his sister weep on the floor, the family by her side. The air is heavy with silent anguish. After her sobs subside slowly, Anjali tries to stand up and Arnav walks over to her, holding her face to make her look at him. Her eyes had been blankly fixated on the scattered mangalsutra on the floor.

"Di?"

Anjali touches her forehead gently. "I... I want to rest, Chhote,"

Without a word he helps her up the stairs and into her room, lays her down and gently strokes her head for some time. After a while, he watches her drift off into a dreamless sleep. She is clearly fatigued, and she needs rest more than anything, for herself and the baby. He pulls a blanket over her and with one last look, quietly closes the door and leaves.

When he goes downstairs, he is surprised to see the Gupta family, Madhumati, Garima, Payal and Shashi all standing by his family, talking. He looks at the clock by the living room wall and realizes it's past midnight, but determines that Khushi must have called them.

"We came rushing when Titaliya called and told us what had happened," Madhumati's tears mirror Devyani's.

"We are so sorry," Garima says, her voice just above a whisper, her hand still holding onto her husbands.'

Payal walks over and takes Khushi into a bear hug, rubbing her hair in reassurance.

"It isn't anyone's fault here, this had to happen," Devyani states understandingly. "Anjali bitiya is in a state of trauma. She needs time to heal from this before we can go on with Akash and Payal bitiya's wedding preparations,"

Manorama audibly huffs, rolling her eyes. "What do you mean wedding preparations, Sasuma?! After all of this-"

"Ma!" Akash steps forward, standing tall. "Whatever has happened, or will happen," He looks at Payal, his gaze softening. "Nothing will change my feelings for Payal ji or the fact that I want to marry her,"

Manorama's face falls flat as her jaw drops at her son's decisive statement, unable to refute.

Garima can't help but smile at her future son in law, turning to Devyani. "Nothing is more important than Anjali bitiya's health and wellness right now. We should hold off the wedding for now,"

Everyone nods, murmuring statements of agreement.

Khushi's gaze then meets Arnav's, neither able to look away.

Her heart breaks.

The mask of strength he had mustered for Anjali is wearing off now, and he looks broken, almost defeated, despite knowing that the worst is over. She feels as though he is sand between her fingers, like he'll slip away if she doesn't hold on to him with all her might. She tries to ignore the itch of wanting to hold him, partly because of everyone's presence, partly because she's afraid.

Afraid of how he'll react if she does. Would he embrace her too, like she yearns to be held by him? Or would she have to relive the pain of when she ran into his arms at the hospital only to realize that he didn't respond? She still remembers the scent of his blue sweater as she sobbed into his chest, pouring out her emotions to him while she held him tight. When she regained awareness of reality she realized his arms were detached from her, his body unresponsive, his gaze direct but distant. The vividness of the memory stings her like salt on an open wound, her mind torn on the possibilities of the unknown.

Just then, another memory visits her, one where they were having lunch at a restaurant and he held her hands, his words of honesty ringing in her ears.

"I know this is a lot for me to say all of a sudden this way, but I need you to know. When I realized that you were in that ambulance, that I might have lost you forever, I couldn't help but regret not saying the things I wanted to say. The things I kept buried and pushed away in fear, in anger or just unawareness. I don't have to regret anything anymore, because I won't be repeating my mistakes this time around,"

She had felt as though she was floating inside a dream. All she wanted, all she needed, was to hear him say what she thought he was about to. She wanted to hear the words that would change their relationship forever, to convey what their whole existence had been building up to.

But she couldn't.

She had interrupted him then, because she knew that if he was being honest, she would too. She knew she couldn't build something on lies, and she knew that no matter what, she had to tell him about Shyam before it was too late.

"There's something I need to tell you. This is going to sound inconceivable but I need you to please trust me. Please believe that whatever I say is nothing but the truth and it has to be said for the greater good and for everyone involved,"

"Khushi, now you're scaring me. What the hell are you talking about?"

"Do you trust me?" She had to know.

His gaze had softened then. "Of course."

"Shyamji is not who you think he is."

Their world had turned upside down when she had conveyed the truth to him all those weeks ago. Since then, she has doubted day and night whether he still feels the same way, whether he would ever continue what he had said that day to her at the restaurant, whether she had effectively ruined what they shared by conveying the truth to him.

How can he ever feel the same, knowing that his sister's husband cheated her because of me? How can he see me the same way, knowing I was engaged to Shyam ji at one point? How can he ever want me after this?

She wills herself to look away from him, going against all of her instinctual impulses.

"It's getting late, we'll take your leave now," Madhumati joins her hands in respect, and Devyani mirrors the action in response as a goodbye.

Akash and Payal exchange a loving glance, before she turns away and walks towards her family. Khushi follows her silently, before a voice calls her from behind.

"Bye Khushi ji, take care of yourself," NK waves gently, kindness and something else she can't pinpoint in his eyes.

She manages a hesitant smile and nods, avoiding eye contact with him, who is right next to NK. She turns away and continues walking towards the door, hoping that he doesn't stop her because if he does... she won't be able to go.

"Khushi, can I talk to you?"

His voice makes her stop in her tracks. She doesn't have to turn around because he walks up to face her, sighing deeply as he slowly meets her gaze. They are silent for seconds, while she tries to anticipate his words and he memorizes the contours of her face, wondering what she would do if he reached out tucked that lone tendril of hair behind her ear.

"Khushi, I..."

Unlike a thousand times in the past, this time he knows what he wants to say, but decides that this isn't the time or place to do so, and that they need some time to process all that has transpired tonight.

"Thank you," He finally says, his voice in a sincere whisper.

Her lips form a slight, but radiant smile through her tears, unable to decipher how to respond to such an honest, simple statement. She still doesn't know whether he harbors feelings for her that reflect her own for him, but this moment isn't about that. It's bigger than just the two of them.

"Please don't thank me. Just... take care of Anjali ji. She needs you more than ever right now,"

Her every day generosities stun him. Never has he met a woman who so selflessly and without any second thoughts always puts others in front of herself. He knows she has had to go through hell as well, yet she never lets anyone around her sense her personal strifes. But he sees them, he sees her. And in that moment he promises himself that he will do everything in his power to let her know that he will always be here, right beside her.

"I will,"

As she turns to leave, she faces him one last time. "And Arnav ji?"

"Hmm?"

"Take care of yourself as well."

And with that she walks away, leaving him to look forward to a sleepless night.

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A/N: Apologies for the late update dear readers! The next chapter will be posted very soon :)

- Rain