Chapter 4

The doctor hands over Khushi’s discharge papers to Arnav.

Buaji asks Arnav: Bitwa, I think we should take Khushi with us to our home. She doesn’t remember that she is married, so she might get uncomfortable at Shaantivan.

Arnav tells Buaji: Buaji, Khushi needs urgent care. She needs to have the comfort of Shaantivan. We will take her there and tell her that Payal wants to have Khushi with her. She can stay in the guest room and we will all take care of her.

They agree to that solution.

Khushi is discharged from the hospital and taken to Shaantivan with Lacy as her nurse.

When she steps out of the car and sees the imposing structure of Shaantivan, her eyes widen. She whispers to Payal: Jiji, is Jijaji very rich?

Payal gets surprised at her question. But Aakash gently smiles and answers: We have money, but Khushiji most of these are all the results of Bhai’s hard work.

Arnav comes behind Khushi just in time to hear her reply: If he has so much money, then why are his eyes so sad?

Arnav smiles sadly to realize that how easily Khushi can read his mind just by looking at his eyes even after losing her memory.

Payal and Aakash look at Arnav in sympathy and take Khushi inside. Nani stops them at the door as Anjali brings a thaali of Aarti to welcome Khushi again in the house.

Khushi gets surprised at such an elaborate welcome for a mere guest. But she gets happy thinking that her Jiji got such a lovely family to get married into.

As she enters Shaantivan, she keeps looking at everything wide eyed.

Anjali smiles at her child like wonder. She comes forward and says: Khushiji, I’m Anjali. Arnav is my brother and Aakash is my maternal cousin. But you can call me Di like everyone else.

Khushi smiles at her.

Naniji comes forward with a smile: Khushi bitiya, I’m the eldest in the family. I’m Arnav’s Nani and Aakash’s Dadi. You can call me Naniji too.

Khushi bends down to touch her feet.

Mamiji comes forward: Hello hi bye bye. Phatti saree, I mean Khushi bitiya, I’m Aakash bitwa’s mother and Arnav bitwa’s mami. You can call me Mamiji too.

NK comes forward and introduces himself: Hi Khushiji. I’m Nandkishore. But everyone calls me NK. Aakash and Arnav are my cousins.

Khushi’s eyes brighten up. She moves her hands: Oh wow… Then Buaji will like you very much. But I will call you Nanheji. Okay?

NK’s eyes widen at Khushi’s same reaction to his name almost half a year ago. His eyes fill with tears and he slowly nods unable to speak.

HP, OP, JP come there and say: Khushiji, we are Hari Prakash, Om Prakash and Jay Prakash. We are very glad you are here.

Khushi smiles at them too.

Suddenly, Khushi frowns and asks: Naniji, do you have a swimming pool here surrounded by plants?

Arnav was about to go to his room but stops in his track at Khushi’s question. He turns and sees that Khushi is frowning and trying to think.

Naniji nods with happy tears in her eyes: Yes, bitiya. We have a pool upstairs. It’s attached to Chotey’s room. But you can see it from guest room too. Your room is right across from Chotey’s room facing the poolside.

Khushi nods with a smile. Lacy comes forward and informs everyone that it’s time for her rest. She takes Khushi upstairs to the guestroom.  

Later in the night:

Khushi gets up from the bed suddenly restless and goes to the window. She sees the moonlight shimmering in the poolside creating a magical place.

Khushi suddenly feels this unknown pull towards that place.

She walks towards Arnav’s room and knocks. But there was no one.

She slowly walks in and goes to the poolside. She was wearing her white salwar and her dupatta was left loose over her shoulder. The moonlight covers her in a white shimmery glow. She looks up to see a blanket of stars twinkling around the moon.

ASR comes out from his washroom wiping his face with a towel when he feels Khushi’s presence. He drops the towel on the recliner and walks up to the glass door to the poolside. He sees an angel standing in the midst of moonlight glowing like a moon beam.

His heart sighs and whispers her name which vibrates through his soul: Khushi.

Khushi suddenly turns to the glass door where Arnav was standing and asks in clear voice: Yes? Did you just call me?

Chapter 3

Khushi snatches her hands back and rubs it: Sthir Vidyut…

Arnav (bewildered): Sth… What?

Khushi explains: Sthir Vidyut… You know like you get shock when you rub your hand on wool in winter? Makes your hair stand?

Arnav (understanding dawns): Oh, you mean static electricity.

Khushi (nods her head): Yes. That…

Arnav chuckles and thinks to himself: Well, darling… There are more where that came from…

Khushi looks suspiciously and thinks: Why is he smiling so much? Am I looking weird in this hospital gown?

She looks around discreetly to locate a mirror.

Arnav sees Khushi’s eyes are roaming all over the room, trying to find something sneakily (or so she thinks but couldn’t be more obvious).

He sighs and asks: Khushi, what are you looking for?

Khushi’s eyes widen in surprise: How did you know I was looking for something? Are you a psychic or something?

Arnav shakes his head mentally and says: No Khushi. I just felt as if you need something.

Khushi still wide eyed nods her head: I need a mirror.

Arnav surprised: What? Mirror?

(Mentally thinks, “Women, Really… She just came out of coma and what she is looking for is a freaking mirror”)

He continues: Why?

Khushi blushes and scratches the back of her head: Errmmm… No reason. So do you have one?

Arnav (sarcastic): Yeah, I’m carrying a mirror around in a hospital because I gotta see my face every 10 minutes to ensure I look the same.

Khushi (wrinkles her brow): That’s quite a vanity. But just for your information, you were looking the same for the last 10 minutes. (Holds out her hand) So can I have your mirror?

Arnav looks up for a minute asking for patience, then looks at Khushi and enunciates each word very slowly: No Khushi. I’m not carrying a mirror. But I can ask the nurse to bring one if you tell me why you need it.

Khushi mutters: Then why did you say you had one? Honestly. (Loudly) I need a mirror for the same reason everyone needs a mirror. To see how I look.

Arnav smirks and bends down to her eye level making her breath catch in her throat: Well, then why didn’t you ask me? I can tell you how you look.

Khushi’s eyes widen: You?

Arnav’s eyes soften in love, he looks deep into her eyes and says with all the sincerity of his heart: You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

Khushi blushes and tries to look away: You are lying.

Arnav holds her chin gently, raises her face to his and asks: Look into my eyes Khushi. Am I lying?

Khushi’s soft moss green eyes meet his molten caramel ones and she looks in wonder her reflection in those deep eyes.

She whispers: No.

Arnav can’t look away from those wide deep eyes which always made him lose his senses and always will.

Khushi whispers: Laad Governor…

Arnav’s eyes widen, he grabs Khushi’s arms and asks: Do you remember, Khushi?

Khushi suddenly feels a flash of light pass behind her eyes and she flinches away at the sudden pain in her head.

Arnav gets alarmed at her sudden pain. He asks urgently: Khushi, are you okay?

Khushi shakes her head trying to get away from the pain.

A lot of jumbled up images keep crowding in her mind and she slumps forward in a sudden faint.

Arnav quickly catches her and calls out for doctor while the family rushes in.

The doctor comes in and sends them out.

Arnav runs his fingers through his already disheveled hair and paces in the corridor.

The doctor comes out of Khushi’s room.

Arnav rushes to him: Doctor, I don’t know what happened. Why did she suddenly react like that?

The doctor says: I think Mr. Raizada, she suddenly had a flash of memory which her brain is resisting. I have given her sedative to put her to sleep. However, my recommendation is let her memory take its time to come back. Don’t press her to remember. Her brain is already at a fragile state, it needs time to recoup its strength.

Arnav nods slowly: Doctor, can we take her home?

The doctor thinks for a moment: Well, I suppose you can. But you should get a nurse for her medication and urgent care.

Arnav nods: Don’t worry about that. If you recommend a nurse, we will hire her. Don’t worry about money. Khushi will get the best care possible. It’s my responsibility.

The doctor nods his head: I’d recommend Lacy D’Souza. She is the best in the department.

Arnav agrees: Thanks doctor. Please arrange for Khushi’s discharge. Also, Lacy’s appointment letter as Khushi’s nurse.

The doctor shakes Arnav’s hand: No problem. I’ll prepare the discharge papers and the rest of the documents.

Arnav shakes his hand: Thanks.

After the doctor leaves, he walks to Khushi’s room to see her through the small glass window on her door. He vows: Khushi, I promise you, nothing is going to hurt you from now on, not even the past memories, even if it means that I have to wipe myself from your mind.

Chapter 2

Arnav stumbles back in shock as Payal calls out for the doctor.

As the doctor arrives, Aakash tells him in whisper about Khushi’s response.

The doctor instructs everyone to step out for further checkup.

Arnav slowly stumbles out and sits down on one of the hospital chairs.

Anjali assure him: Everything will be all right. Khushiji must be in shock. Once she gets her bearing, I’m sure she will remember you.

Nani agrees: Yes, Chotey. After all, she loves you so much. She even risked her life to save you. She can’t forget you so easily.

Arnav closes his eyes in pain and thinks to himself: How can I tell you Nani. I’m not in pain because she forgot me. Its better she forgets what I did to her. I’m in pain because she has lost her memory because of me. I can’t bear to see her in this condition.

The door opens and the doctor comes out.

Arnav rushes to the doctor: Doctor, is she all right? She doesn't have any health concerns, is she?

The doctor says: Mr. Raizada, she is perfectly fine health wise. But for some reason, she has lost her memory of last year of her life. Usually head injuries cause partial amnesia. But she doesn’t have any head injuries. So we are actually surprised how she got partial amnesia.

Garima asks the doctor: Doctor, other than head injury what else can cause this?

The doctor says: Well, Mrs. Gupta… Other then head injuries, we have reports of people suffering from major trauma in life sometimes block out unpleasant memories. Human brain has built-in defence mechanism. When it encounters unbearable pain or trauma, it can block those memories to maintain sanity.

Garima wrinkles her brow: But how that can happen with Khushi, doctor? She is married to this family who loves her and she herself told me that he is the best husband in the world and very loving and caring.

Buaji says to Garima: But Garima, remember Arnav babua got kidnapped a few days ago. May be the trauma she went through during that time caused this?

Nani and Anjali nod their head.

Mami sniffs: Hello Hi Bye Bye. I know what phatti saree went through to rescue Arnav bitwa. That must be it.

Arnav closes his eyes in pain because only he knows the reason for Khushi’s trauma and it was none other than himself. He opens his eyes and asks the doctor: What do you recommend we do now, doctor?

The doctor said: You have to behave normally with her. Since she has forgotten her memory, it might take her time to understand and accept what happened this past year. You have to give her time and don’t force her to remember because that might have a reverse effect. Be supportive, give her time… And she should remember everything eventually.

But I’d suggest, don’t try to remind her anything right now. Give her time to heal.

Arnav nods his head in agreement. 

Then he walks into Khushi’s room where she was sitting up watching tv.

As he enters, Khushi looks at him in surprise.

Arnav removes all expressions from his face and holds out his hand to her: Hi, I’m Arnav Singh Raizada. My brother Aakash is married to your sister.

Khushi smiles tentatively and slowly extends her hand for shake: Namaste.

Their hands meet and sparks shoot through both of their bodies instantly catching Khushi by surprise…