Chapter 4: Understanding

Arnav was shocked for a second time this day. Both times because of Kushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada.


Shiv. The minute Khushi had taken him into her arms from Hari Prakash, Arnav thought he had lost the challenge. There was no way he told himself. Not while she was still married. It's Khushi, he thought then. She always surprised him. He thought the child's father was the "important news" Khushi had to share with Nani. With the entire family.

Shiv Singh Raizada. Arnav's knees felt weak. He understood everything. "He's my five month old son," Khushi had said. It echoed in Arnav's ears as his eyes froze on the tiny human being clutching to his mother's shoulder. His family said nothing. He said nothing. The child's father wasn't the important news Khushi had to share, it was the child. There was no need to present the child's father. Everybody knew who it was.

"Matlaab, this is... this is..." Anjali stuttered in realization.

"Meaning this is Arnav Singh Raizada's son also." Khushi said softly and finally looked at Arnav.

Arnav looked up suddenly at Khushi as if it had just struck him. He knew it. Yet, hearing it said out loud shook him to the core. He didn't know what to say. He didn't know whether to be angry or happy. He didn't know if he should ask questions or let Khushi tell everyone everything. He didn't know whether to hold his son in his arms or walk away from it all. So he stood there, staring at Khushi, who had looked down.

"But... but you never told us! You never told anyone!" Nani-ji accused Khushi with tears as she reached for Shiv. Shiv cooed and went with Nani without hesitation.

Arnav looked at him. The baby was chubby and happy with a head full of curls and eyes just like Khushi. He looked at Khushi as she stood there with tears streaming down her face.Tears entered his own eyes and he blinked them away. The rest of the family stood smiling through tears as they all went up to hold Shiv.

"Why don't we all go inside now?" Akash asked. "And once we sit, Khushi-ji can..." Akash shot a look at Arnav. "Khushi-ji can explain."

Arnav silently thanked Akash and walked to Khushi. The family froze with tension.

"Come." Arnav said taking hold off her elbow. It wasn't a command, tt wasn't a request. It was a plea. Slowly but steadily, the pieces were falling together in Arnav's head. Why she left Delhi, why she accepted the money, why she never asked for a divorce...

"Look at him! Bilkul like our Chote. He has his mother's eyes though!" Anjali praised her nephew as she held Shiv.

"Khushi betiyan, you have a lot to tell us." Nani reminded her.

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When Arnav stood silently as she explained who Shiv was, Khushi knew that he understood. When he held her elbow in his Laad Governor way and asked her to come, she knew he wanted to know. He wanted to understand.

She didn't know how to begin, or where to begin. Anjali held Shiv and he seemed at ease. Everyone in the family had by now reached for Shiv and held him. Everyone except Arnav. Arnav stood watching Khushi. She took a seat as Nani, Anjali-ji, and everybody else settled around her. Arnav remained standing eager to know everything.

"I didn't know." Khushi started and whispered. "If I knew, I would've never left."