Hues of Love

Part 31

The day of fulfillment of Khushi's teenage fantasy had finally arrived - the day which would tie her and Arnav together with a bond other than they shared between their hearts - the day of their wedding.

Their engagement, their musical night and making of the bride and the groom were hurried and completed just for the sake of completing the rituals. The occasions which Khushi waited for bated breath throughout the time she had been in love were slipping away from her fingers and she lacked even the energy to stop them from slipping away.

Convincing her parents was a herculean task, even if she had unconditional support from Rachna and Anurag, and once they had agreed and the rituals of marriage began, Khushi realized that their fears were not baseless.

She had met Arnav's extended family for the very first time and although they seemed sweet, the blame game was on between the families to shift the ball out of their court - the ball of ruining their beloved child's life.

For Arnav, the pain was no less. His marriage with Rati, her beaming face contrasting with Khushi's crestfallen one, her relatives mingling and becoming one of his relatives which was complete opposite of their present but there was one feeling which superseded every other thing he held - his excitement and his happiness for the happenings - but there was pain of guilt associated with that pain that he could not feel his love's pain or share hers.

The moment of seven vows had arrived. Seven vows which he had broken in the past despite being bound by them and the seven vows which Khushi obeyed despite not being married. The irony mocked at him mirthlessly as he felt his guilt intensifying at every moment.

They had vowed to love one another and no one else, throughout their life and cherish one another but deep down their hearts they knew that even without the fire as a witness or a priest to validate the same, they would remain true to the vow.

Khushi was the most beautiful woman of Arnav's life since he had lost himself in the ocean of her love but with the signs of a wedded woman adorning her partition and neck, she seemed to be the angel descended down to be the harbinger of love and peace and his guide in the dark path.

Khushi had visualized herself in a married look and the feeling of ritualistically being the better half of one's love was surreal than she could ever describe.She realized that her expectations had been overtaken greatly by the reality, which for the first time in months, made her smile right from within.

Alas, her reverie had to be broken as they began taking blessings from the small number of guests whom they had invited, considering that they already had children and Arnav was recently divorced.

"You know, they have twins. Poor Rati. She must be so depressed after the happenings. Whenever I saw her in the functions, she always used to search for Arnav and wait till she finds him to eat with him, no matter even if her favorite dish was getting over. This girl is a home-breaker. How easily she took Rati's place in Arnav's life," ranted one of the relatives from Arnav's side as she spit fire towards Khushi's direction.

Home- Breaker.

The title she had earned for loving someone unconditionally and forgetting everything which mattered the most to her to fulfill his most earnest wish; the honor she received for choosing the best for her children.

Arnav was about to walk up to them and give a piece of his mind when Khushi's grip on his hand stopped him.

"If you go and answer them, we will have to answer everyone present here. Just act as if you haven't heard it," she instructed, blinking away the tears which had formed in her doe-like eyes and controlling her voice which was shaking due to sorrow.