Chapter 13

Khushi got discharged the next day and they went back to their normal routine away from Raizadas. Shyam visited them and had apologized to them .They repeated the same thing which they said him on phone And also asked him to go back to Raizada mansion. They didn't want the Raizadas to come and blame them again for Shyam staying away from them or visiting Guptas to check whether they have hided Shyam.

Weeks rolled .Arnav continued to visit to Lakshmi Nagar during Nights sitting in dark staring at Gupta home. Kushi blocked all his Phone numbers .She avoided any calls from Raizada house or AR office numbers. His every attempt to meet her was dodged. In short Khushi was successful to nip in the bud of his every attempt to reach her.

Akash was a different story. He had come again days after days to meet Payal. She behaved like he was invisible. He stopped her and tried to talk to her in market place ,Temple and many other places. She clearly told him to stay away from her and her family. But when he started coming to her work place regularly, she wanted to put a full stop.

"Akashji I am not going to let go of what happened at your home. My sister was hurt and I won't ever forget the sight where we ran with an unconscious Khushi to hospital. Your family clearly has an opinion about about our family.so I request you to stay away from me."

"Look Payal, I am so sorry for mine and my families behavior that day. But we were worried bout Di's future that why we behaved that way. I am not justifying our act, but please understand."

"Akashji you asked me to understand. But have you? You thought of your Di's future, It was natural but did it ever occur to you that if that was the case then Shyamji was the first person you should have confronted .Did you ever thought of asking us for what actually was happening. NO. You didn't. Because you and your family firmly believed my sister to be the wrong one who must have snared your sage jijaji. Isn't it. You and your family believed that my family was immoral enough to let my sister be some one's mistress. Didn't you? So why are you here now? What will your family think if you go and tell them you are in love with me? I will tell you. They will say younger couldn't trap jija so elder trapped saala.I am not strong like my sister to tolerate such abuses .so I kindly request you to leave me alone."

A devastated Akash turned to see Khushi patiently waiting for her sister to finish the talk. Khushi had come to Payal's unit to collect the cloths to be returned to Textile shops when she happen to hear their talks. Khushi had known about Akash's visits but has kept quiet and let her jiji decide what she wanted. Akash wanted to talk to Khushi, Apologize her and ask her help to convince Payal.so he went to her.

"Khushiji, I have been trying to contact you for so many days but you have been avoiding our calls."

"Why" Khushi didn't bother to explain why she was avoiding their calls.

"I wanted to apologize to you for that day" Khushi didn't let Akash complete

"Which you and your family did the next day, so why again?

"Can we go somewhere private and talk?"

Khushi nodded and took him to the corner of the tailoring unit. She won't stay anywhere with anybody from Raizada house alone. This was safe, where her Jiji and others can see her.

"Tell me "Akash didn't miss the disinterest or unfriendliness in Khushi's voice

"Khushiji ...I love your sister. I want to marry her. Can you please talk to her? Me and my family really regret what happened that day but for that I couldn't forget my love.so please talk to her. Convince her to give me a chance. She will listen to you .please"

"Believe me Mr. Raizada, I intended to talk to you after I found about your interest in My Jiji .But before that the incident at your home happened .Now I will not do anything. Not because of the hurt nor as a revenge. Just because, I don't trust you with my sister. You were standing there and listening when your family bad mouthed my sister. Tell me, will you let your sister with someone who thinks so low of her."

"NO .No Khushiji, that day I was worried about everything that I didn't realize what they were saying. Please don't judge me with one incident. That incident did so much damage that you are now formally addressing me than Akashji. But please don't think I don't love Payal."

"I am not judging you with one incident. You too know that. You yourself can think back how you have reacted in the past when similar incidents occurred. But my decision is not because of anything related to me but my sister. I don't trust your family to welcome her happily or to ensure her safety and happiness if and all she ever get married to you.so I request you please forget all this and leave her alone."

"One more thing, I don't want people to talk ill about my sister because a rich man happen to show here everyday.so I request you to don't come here again. Please let us live our life"

Khushi didn't give Akash time to say anything more. She just walked away towards her Jiji.Akash without any option left from there. He hoped Khushi to help him convince Payal. He trusted Khushi to look past her hurt and to set his love life. But she clearly denied because she don't trust him with her sisters happiness.