Words Unsaid

"We are masters of the unsaid words, but slaves of those we let slip out."

Winston Churchill

The nightmare shook him awake. Small beads of sweat lined his forehead and his heart was racing. The kidnapping had shook Arnav Singh Raizada far more than he had anticipated. And the reason for the said shaking was wrapped around him.

Khushi Kumari Gupta- Singh Raizada. His wife.

After much hassle and dramatic declarations Khushi had decided to share a bed him. A small smile lined his lips as he remembered that conversation.   

You will sleep on your side of the bed, samje aap?

She had then placed a rack of pillows in between them.

His wife was peculiar. Paagal hai par cute. Around mid-night the Khushi-rekha had been promptly disposed off and Mrs.Raizada had made sure that she was completely plastered against him- All this is her sleep!

He looked down to see her silky tresses sprawled on his chest as she snoozed on it. Her long eye-lashes rested against the pink of her cheeks and her lips were pouted ever-so-lightly. Suffice to say he should have definitely been given an award for Self Restrain for being a gentleman and not kissing the daylights out his slip of a wife. 

He listened to her heart-beat willing his own to calm down. He gingerly wrapped his arms around her as she shivered in the cool air of the air conditioned room. She snuggled up closer to him trying to gain all his warmth instinctively.

His dream had been about her dramatic fall from the cliff two days ago. Her cold and pale form lying unmoving. His grip on her tightened and he listened to her heartbeat some more.

More unpleasant images filled his head. Her pleading with him for her innocence, Shyam's cruel accusations- All of it plagued his mind.

She should have never pleaded, he should have never let her. But his mind was in a state of shock. So much information to take in, all in one go. Her engagement to Shyam, her plot to get him free, Shyam's advances towards her- It was like as if a cold bucket of water had been poured on him. So he let her talk. For the first time Arnav Singh Raizada had let Khushi Kumari Gupta speak. She had begged him to let her speak before they entered the house. She told him that if he broke the truth then the family would assume she lured him into it; she had to gain their trust. They were her family and she loved them.

But he regretted with every fibre of his being for letting Shyam say those things to Khushi, his patni and equal in every way.

A gentle sigh escaped him and his chest rose and along with it Khushi. She stirred and her sleepy eyes met his chocolaty ones. As she registered their compromising position her lips formed a perfect 'O' and she hastily detangled herself from him and turned the other way, muttering Devi Maiya under her breathe.

"Woh, I'm used to hugging jiji and so.. so.. I.."

"Khushi I wasn't complaining." He couldn't hide the amusement from his voice.

She slowly turned towards him and then looked past him.

Her high pitched shriek filled the room and she suddenly sat up.

"What's wrong Khushi?" He asked alarmed.

"It's raining!" Her eyes were shining brightly and a huge smile adorned her.

"Oh I know what you are thinking Khushi Kumari Gupta-Singh Raizada and the answer is No. It's barely 6 O'clock. Go back to sleep."

"Laad Governor. And when have I ever listened to you?" She quickly go off the bed before he could catch her and in lightening seed opened the French windows, jumping out into the rain.

He got up too, moving towards her, ready to chastise her but the sight before him slightly took his breath away. 

Her hands were stretched outwards catching the raindrops and her entire form was drenched. The rising sun was surprisingly still visible and it cast an unusual glow in his garden making it look almost serene. Magical.

He snapped out of his trance and made his way towards her, also getting drenched in the process.

"Are you mad?" He asked her and tugged at her hands, trying to drag her back inside.

"Laad Governor." Was her only sensible response.

"You're going to catch a cold Khushi. Don't be silly. Let's go back."

"I haven't had this much fun is a long time Arnav-ji. Let be happy for a change." Her words were light and harmless but their impact was harsh and Arnav moved back in slight shock.

She hasn't been happy in a long time and it was entirely his fault. She probably dreaded the day she fell into his arms; the day she had lost all her khushi.

Khushi's laugh stopped abruptly as she took her husband's defensive and defeated stance.

"Arnav-ji.. I didn't mean.."

"You didn't mean it Khushi but that doesn't mean it's not true."

The rain drops fell on them cascading down their bodies as they looked at each other not knowing what to say next.

"If it wasn't for me you would have never met Shyam Manohar Jha." He said quietly. "If I had never released those tapes then you would never have gone to him and you would have been happy."

He ran a frustrated hand through his damp hair.  He closed his eyes.

"If I could go back in time and change things Khushi I swear I would.."

"I wouldn't." Came her soft response.

His eyes shot open in surprise. She gently grabbed his hands in her smaller ones.

"I wouldn't change it for the world Arnav-ji."

"What.. What do you mean Khushi?"

"If none of those things happened Arnav-ji then we wouldn't be here. Right here, with your hands in mine." Her voice was firm and her chin was up as she stared into his shocked eyes.

"I really don't deserve you Khushi." He sighed and pried his hands from hers.

She determinedly held onto his hands.

"Oh really?" She asked in a typical ASR fashion.  "So you wouldn't mind if I left you right now?"

A sudden spark of anger lit up his eyes.

"I would never let you leave." He said with a definite warning laced in his voice.

"Even though you don't deserve me?"

"I'm a selfish person Khushi."

They were completely drenched now and the rain continued to fall.

"Why Arnav-ji? When you know I deserve better, why won't you let me go? Aap ko kyu farak padtha hai?" Her voice was meant to sting and it hit the mark right where she wanted.

His nose flared and he roughly grabbed her shoulders.

"Muje farak padtha hai kyuki I love you damn it."

Her entire form relaxed and a smile filled up her face.

"Exactly Arnav-ji. Iss rishthey mai sahi ya galath ka koi mathlab nahi. You said that Arnav-ji and that is the only truth."

And so they stood there as the rain finally stopped and the sun had cast a beautiful rainbow. Perhaps there was still a long way to go but for now farak padtha hai and that's all that matters.