Chapter Six

Khushi was allowed to go home, but she still needed to treat the burns, so a nurse stayed with her. As Khushi healed, her parents were going crazy with wedding preparations. The house was perfectly fine now, and they were much more cautious.

While there was hustling over here, back at Arnav's place, there was even more bustle. There were people all over the place, working, decorating, and making food.

Arnav's bhabi, Mona, was really excited.

"How come Bhabi," Arnav asked.

"Because my devrani will be here soon! If I'm not gonna be excited, then who else will?"

Arnav was happy to see his bhabi excited.

She smiled and then frowned. "Excuse me sir," she yelled, walking over to a worker, "what are you doing?

Aditya came walking over to Arnav and shook his head. "Seriously, she sure is something else."

Mona turned around and blew him a kiss and Aditya smirked back. The two exchanged glances, coyly.

"Please," Arnav exclaimed. "Both of you just get a room!"

Mona's jaw dropped and she went over to him. "What did you say?"

"I mean it's not a big deal Bhabi. After all, you guys have your room upstairs-"

Mona pinched his ear and Aditya frowned at him, folding his arms and shaking his head.

"Ow," Arnav cried out. "Bhabi!"

"Oh sure! Now my devarji is in pain! Wait till you get married. You pass glances to Khushi like this and watch how I embarrass you," and she walked away.

A worker called out to Aditya and he left as well.

Arnav thought about what his bhabi said.

Will I ever be able to do something like that with Khushi? Will she ever love me? Will I ever love her?

While Arnav was thinking all of this, Khushi, too, was thinking the same.

Will I ever love him? Will he ever love me? …of course not. Who would ever love me?

She stood up and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

People these days only care to see how people look. No one ever cares about the inside.

*~*

"Arnav!"

Arnav snapped out of thought. "Coming Bhabi!"

He walked over to the living room and sat next to Mona.

"Arnav, help me pick out something," Mona said as she gestured at all the saris and lehengas that were all over the table.

"For what?"

"For Khushi! It's for her bridal wear."

"Oh… I knew that."

She simply shook her head and Arnav looked through all the outfits. Nothing really caught his eyes.

"What else do you have," he said to the sari guy, and he took out some other stuff.

Arnav looked through everything when one caught his eyes. It was a maroon faux georgette lehenga style sari. The blouse was sleeveless, the straps filled with sequins, stones, beads, and so much more. The front was slightly curved to shape the mounds, and came together in a v-shape so that it would expose cleavage, that is if you arranged the sari low from the front.

"Arnav, what about this one?"

Mona looked up and saw how Arnav was holding onto the sari. She grinned and took the sari out of his hands to look at it.

"Not bad devarji. I must say, you have good taste," she teased.

Arnav looked around, avoiding his bhabi's eyes. She pinched his ear and he yelped in pain.

"You think you're so smart," Mona squealed and then laughed. She turned to the sari guy. "Bhaiya, I- no... he," she pointed at Arnav, "has decided with this sari."

The guy smiled and they sealed out a deal. Sameer came in as the guy left and looked at the sari.

"Wow Arnav, nice choice."

Arnav smiled and Mona nudged him.

"You think Khushi will like it," Mona asked Arnav.

Sameer handed the sari back to Arnav.

Arnav looked at it. "I hope she does."

*~*

Gaurav arrived with Khushi's bridal wear. He handed it to Sumitra, spoke for a little bit, and then Sumitra went upstairs to give it to Khushi, while Gaurav went looking for Nayan. Khushi's haldi had just finished and was cleaning up.

"Khushi," her mother called out, and entered her room.

"Yes?"

"Look! Your bridal wear has arrived," she gushed.

She put it down on Khushi's bed and Khushi sat down beside it. She ran her fingers over it, admiring it. She opened up the folds and looked at the whole sari.

"It's so beautiful," Khushi said, gazing away at it.

"It is, isn't it?"

The two were gazing away at it, when a worker came in and said how someone came from the groom's side to give Khushi her jewelry and other accessories. Sumitra went downstairs while Khushi continued to admire the sari.

She stood up, draping it over her shoulder and admired it. But then her face fell. In her mind she thought it would look beautiful, but what would everyone else think? All they would do was stare at her burns and whisper things.

Meanwhile, downstairs Sumitra was yelling at workers as she headed to the door to find that Mona had come.

"Laado? How are you," Sumitra asked. "Come in!"

"No Auntyji, not today. I'm only here to give you all the jewelry we chose out for Khushi."

Sumitra smiled as the driver handed the boxes to Mona, and she gave it to Sumitra.

"Auntyji, did Khushi like the sari? She liked it didn't she? Or-"

"She liked it very much."

"Really?"

Sumitra nodded and Mona smiled.

"You should know, Arnav had chosen it."

Sumitra raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Uh huh," and she smiled. "Well Auntyji, I should get going. There's so much more work to be done at home."

Sumitra smiled and nodded. Mona went back to the car and the driver pulled away.

Sumitra went back to Khushi's room. "Khushii! Look at yo-"

Sumitra walked in to see Khushi sad. She smiled softly and made Khushii sit down. "What's wrong Khushi?"

Khushi simply shook her head.

"Are you nervous?"

She shook her head.

Sumitra smiled softly. "You know, back when I was about to get married to your father, I was nervous, just like you."

"Really?"

"Oh yes! I was so scared and nervous! I was about to leave my home and marry a man that I didn't know, and live with an unknown family. But within time, I was able to love your father and the family treated me as if I were their daughter."

Khushi smiled softly and looked at her hands.

"Look Khushi, I know you're nervous - it's normal. But… it's just the way life is. Within a few days, you'll be marrying Arnav and will be a part of his family."

Khushi simply nodded.

"Arnav is such a nice boy," Sumitra said, lost in thought. "You know, back at the hospital, he cared so much for me."

"Really?"

"Mm hmm. He asked me for one thing though."

"What's that?"

"If he could call me his mother."

Khushi scrunched eyebrows.

"Just you wait and see Khushi; he'll keep you happy. He's such a nice boy, and really handsome, if I do say so myself," she chuckled. She placed her hands on Khushi's head. "In time, you'll learn to love him. And I know that he'll love you too."

Khushi smiled back.

Someone called Sumitra from outside, and she got up to go see what the big deal was. Khushi looked at all the jewelry sent for her and she gazed away at it. She couldn't believe that a middle class person like her would be wearing something so expensive like these.

*~*

Back at Arnav's place, Mona was preparing to go to Khushi's house for her mehendi. In the morning she would head out with the mehendi and would be at Khushi's place to celebrate, and have some time with her soon-to-be devrani.

The mehendi went by smoothly and after the rasums, dancing, and music was done, Khushi went up to her room, taking Mona along with her.

"So Khushi," Mona began, "how do you feel?"

Khushi just shrugged and Mona smiled.

"Come on, I'm your bhabi. Well, not yet, but still, I'm your bhabi. Think of me as your older sister. Now come on, tell me," she grinned.

Khushi smiled softly. "If you put it that way, then okay… Bhabi."

Mona smiled and Khushi continued.

"I don't know Bhabi. I mean, I'm going to a new place and will live with new people."

"Don't worry. In time it'll all get better. When I got married, I was just like you, completely nervous. A new home, unknown family… I didn't know what to do. But in time I got used to it. In fact, Dad never let me get that feeling that I was just a bahu. He treats me like a daughter and watch, he'll do the same to you too - accept you like a daughter."

"Really?"

"Of course! Dad is really, really, really, infinity times really sweet. He is just so lovable! And if I'm ever upset or just down, he doesn't accept it at all. Last time he even yelled at Aditya and it was too funny."

Khushi laughed.

"Watch Khushi, you won't have that feeling that you're away from you're family because Dad would never let you. As for Arnav…."

Khushi looked down at her hands.

"You know Khushi, Arnav is a really sweet man, and I'm not just saying that. I really mean it. My devarji is… one in a zillion. I always give him so much love and if he's ever in trouble, I always watch out for him."

Khushi looked at her. Mona continued.

"I don't know what relation I had with him, but I think that in another life, he might have been my son. He's just so sweet… and watch, he'll give you so much love, you won't ever feel down."

"You think so?"

"I know so. My Arnav is a very loving boy. A lot of girls have fallen for him, but he never showed them any interest. All he's ever cared about in his life is making Dad happy. That's all he can ever think about. In school he did his best to be the top student. You know, he's been valedictorian in elementary school, junior high, high school, and in college."

"What? Wow, really?"

"Yeah and his number one reason was for Dad."

"That's so sweet of him."

"I told you. He would win so many awards and bring them home. Dad is really proud of him. And when Arnav said he was going to marry you… Dad could've exploded from happiness!"

Khushi's clock beeped off and Mona was getting late, so she left.

That night, Khushi thought of what Mona had said, just before she left:

"Just watch Khushi, Arnav will shower you with his love."

And she could only think of one thing.

Will he truly love me, even after the way I look?