#giftsformen

They were led to their table and Arnav pulled out a chair and gestured her to sit with a flick of his eyebrow and a nod. She sat but immediately got up and rushed to do the same for him…it touched something deep in him as he got what she was trying to do…this was her attempt to be a part of his world…how she managed to disarm him each time is something he will never understand but always appreciate…

Finally, they were alone and he had his thundering heartbeat under control he uttered the words he had thought of the moment he saw her

“Hi!” said Arnav with a lopsided grin.

She smiled back with “Hi” of her own

“Khushi …” his voice dropped a few decibels, “yeh rang” he paused echoing words from Akash’s sangeet and she gasped “Hawww” anticipating a backhanded compliment, mouth open, eyes wide with mild outrage.

“Khushi…ye rang to mera hai ..toh tumne kyun pehna”

“Toh..!Hum bhi toh apke hi hain” She said incensed and then realizing that she fell for his ploy gave him a steely stare whose effect was ruined by her smiling eyes.

“Really” asked Arnav with his eyebrow raised and the lopsided grin that never failed to set her nerves on fire.

“Koi shak...” she replied joining in the spirit of the banter.

“Khushi ..ye rang tumpe bahut acha lag raha hai..you are beautiful” he whispered leaning over the table slowly moving his hands towards hers as he continued “tumne isliye pehna because it’s my favorite color” stated Arnav with a cocky grin.

“Nahin, humne isliye pehna kyunki aj hum Arnav Singh Raizada hai” she replied, taking her hands off the table and putting both of them on her waist, elbows bent in what she thought was an ASR imitation.

“WHAT!!!!” blurted Arnav perplexed, all thought of flirting wiped out of his mind.

“What nahin, What the!!!” she replied cheekily.

Arnav sighed and taking her hand in his and asked gently, “Khushi, ye kya kar rahi ho tum?”

“Ap hamare liye itne badal gaye, Arnav ji... sab parampareyin dil se nibhayee, ritee riwaz se sab karne ke liye man gaye, mandir aye, itne tohfe diye humein..toh hum bhi apke liye kuch karna chahte the..agar ap hamare liye itna kuch kar sakte hain to hum bhi aisi mehengi jagah akar dating kar sakte hain” Khushi explained.

“Okay!!! said Arnav a little gobsmakced and then smiled feeling the emotion behind all that has happened today..."So what’s the plan…order karien” he asked opening the menu. Khushi nodded, opened her’s and gestured the waiter to signal that they were ready to order. Noticing her confusion with the menu Arnav was about to offer his help when he hears her tell their waiter to bring in “Number 4, 6 and 8”. Arnav read the dishes corresponding to those numbers and was surprised to see that they were all his favorite dishes and a warm feeling washed over him. She chose an Italian restaurant, a cuisine she is not fond of, and is ordering his favorite food. All his adult life he had been surrounded by family who have loved him, unconditionally …Di, Nani, Mami, Mama, Akash…all of them accept who he is but have never tried to be a part of his world and constantly question him and his tastes… that Khushi was embracing his choices without losing her essence touched him in places he didn’t even know existed in his heart till now…

He was unsettled, he was staggered, overcome with a tide of ....never had anyone gone to so much trouble for him....he was the one who gave surprises to people he cared for...was he blushing...NO...clearing his head with a shake ..he took a sip of water and looked up to Khushi with a teasing smile “So you have done your homework, haan, Italian restaurant, my favorite dishes, aur kya surprises hain Khushi?” he asked, his voice a tad husky and raw

She blushed prettily, then shaking her head to regain composure stared right into his eyes and said in clipped tones “Aranv Singh Raizada ka har kaam perfect hota hai” then falling back into Khushi mode “who kya kehte hain…top notch ..top notch”

Arnav is mesmerized by the tinkling of her jhumkas as she moves her head in sync with her to hand signify a top notch arrangement…and it is top notch…the waiter arrived with their food followed by a bottle of Champagne. Khushi popped the bubbly perfectly, poured it and offered him the flute. He was so engrossed in simply observing her that it took him a moment to accept it and ask, “Tum nahin logi?”

“Haan lenge na, bilkul”

“Khushi tumhe Arnav Singh Raizada banne ki koi zaroorat nahin. Maine woh sab cheezein ki kyunki I don’t have a probem with them, but you don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable… I love you just the way you are…”

Her eyes glisten at the emotion in his voice, “Hum, wo bas apke liye kuch karna chate they, par hum samjhte hain ki aap kya keh rahien hai…waise bhi hum advitiya hain..zyada badalna nahin chahiye” a teasing tint appeared in her stance.

“That’s true…You are unique”

“hawww …ap kab se inti hindi samjhne lag gaye” she asked surprised.

“Ab thoda KKGSR toh main bhi ban hi sakta hoon” he replied smugly and then gesturing towards the forgotten food he asked “shuru karein?” but as she was about to dig in he stopped her, added seasoning to her serving and in response to her startled “What the?!!!” replied gently “Trust me, It will taste better this way,” and her “mmmmmmm” with eyes closed as she savored the first bite was all he needed to feel utter bliss and contentment. Watching her enjoy her food has always been a double edged experience for Arnav, he loves the unabashed joy that lights her up when she eats something she likes and he can just feast on that sight all day but the little moans of appreciation stir another hunger in him, he aches for her, he burns for her…

“Arnav ji”

“Hm!!?”

“Dekh kar hi santushti kar lenge ya khuch khayenge bhi... lijiye na?”

Unable to deny her and unable to look away from her, Arnav ate his food distractedly as she excitedly talks about the upcoming days and tells him about the plans she has made and he just takes her all in, he has had her all to himself after a very long time... his smile broadened with each passing moment and he reaised... He was Happy...

As their table was cleared up Arnav handed over his card to the waiter but Khushi stopped him her hand on his arm, “Nahin!!! hum denge, nyota hamara tha na Arnav ji”

“Khushi, mujhe karne do” and he handed over the card a little anger seeping into his mien.

“Aap aise kaise kar sakte, hum paise de rahe they na” she asked, hurt.

“Biwi ho tum meri, main bhi de raha tha” realizing his tone, Arnav reigned in his anger and softly cajoled “Khushi, it’s the least I could do, aur agar tumhare liye itna imprtnat hai, toh next time you pay”

“Pakka?” She asked, mellowing a little.

“Sure” he replied and then got up to help her out of her chair and they walked out of the restaurant holding hands “Seedhe ghar, ya thoda drive pe chalien?”

“Mmm... apse kuch bat karni hai, toh lambe raste se cahlte hai..drive bhi ho jayegi”

They get into the car and Arnav sees her fumbling with her seat belt and leans over to help…her aroma invades him and he is hit by wave of desire …he looks up to see her eyes reflecting the full force of what they both are feeling…she is ready but he knows with all that he has felt today, it will take just a caress for him to unleash the full force of his longing and he will not be able to stop. So he tries to lighten the heavy expectation floating in the air by muttering

“Ye gadi change karni padegi, iski seat belt hamesha tumhe pareshan karti rehti hai”

“Khabardar!!! ye gari shuru se hamari choti si duniya rahi hai..ap isse hath bhi mat lagaiyega” she warned, turning towards him index finger raised.

“Tabse?” Arnav asked smilingly, eyebrow raised, head titled , his index finger pointing back over his shoulder, reflecting the question but understanding the meaning behind her words and love hidden in them,

“Tabse” Khushi answered with a smile of her own and interlocked their fingers together. He turned towards her, looked down shyly and then back up, "Arnav ji, Chodiye na" he said in a poor imitation of khushi...and then a teasing smile appeared on his face.

"Hamari awaz aisi nahin hai" huffed Khushi in mock affrontry.

"I know" winking at her he started the car. The stopped on a clearing overlooking a ridge which showed a beautiful visual of the city.

“So, kya bat karni thi?” Arnav asked after a while looking over at her

“Who, apne humein choodian di thi aur, phir abhi kuch din pehle bhi itne sare tohfe, toh hum bhi apke liye kuch laye hain, kitaab hai” she said handing over a neatly wrapped, beribboned package.

“Ek aur Car maintenance manual hai, seat belt nahin theek hogi use” he asked, incredulously.

“I just want ki tum jaldi se ghar wapis aa jao, bahut papad belne pad rahein hain, You are all the gifts I need, Khushi”

She leaned over and put her hand on his chest, looked up and whispered coyly “Toh sochiyega ki ye hamare liye gift hai, bahut dhoondne pe mili aisi kitab, isme kafi ache sujhaav hain, agar ap unme se kuch try karenge to humein bahut acha lagega”

“Okaaaay, lemme see” he wrapped his one hand around her and pulled her closer to gently place her head on him and with the other tried to open the wrapping.

“Nahin” Khushi got back up and stopped him “Abhi nahin, ghar jake kholiyega..hum nahin chahte ki ap soche ki hum apko badalna chate hain…bus kuch sujhav hain, unme se jo apko achein lagein ap azamiyega... toh humien bhaut acha lagega, who kya kehte hain… it will spice things up”

Now very intrigued, Arnav couldn’t wait to see what she had chosen for him… “Okay…mmm.. Khushi ..Thanks…for tonight…” he looked down and then back up his throat clogging with the some unnamed feelings about how she had gone out of her comfort zone so he could be comfortable. Something no one had ever done for him.

“Hum samajhte hain, apko kuch kehne ki zaroorat nahin, but agar thank you bolna hi hai toh, please inme se kuch try kijiyega” she urged, pointing towards the book.

“Okay” he started the car and drove towards Laxmi Nagar.

As Khushi got off, this time the seat belt gave her no grief, something she regretted immediately, she turned to wave him off “Bye Arnav Ji, aur ramnchi mat kariyega..ghar jake hi kholna”

“Okaaaaaayyy…bye”

He drove off speeding a little in his hurry to reach home and for a moment decided to open it now but then dropped the idea... he did say he will wait till he was back home and Arnav Singh Raizada was a man of his word.

Arnav ripped open the gift paper as soon as he entered the room and what he saw made him go week in the knees…Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James…”Whaaaat” he is freaked out...he was flabbergasted…

He goes from super excited to super angry and back to thrumming anticipation in a matter of seconds

“She wanted to me try this stuff?”

“How the hell does she know about this book? ”

“She did say, it will be a gift for her”

“Who told her about this book?”

“She said she would like it”

All this yo yoing had him light headed and he thought it best to call her. She picked up the first ring

“Hel…”

“Ye kya kiya tumne? “he interrupted her mid greeting, his voice dangerously low

“Arnav ji, sirf sujhaav they… nahin ache lage to rehne dijiye”

“Aur agar ache lage toh” he asked filled with anticipation

“Mmmm dekha humein pata tha aise ho hi nahin sakta ki apko hamara tohfa pasand na aye” she said in self-congratulatory tone.

“Khushi, tumhe pata hai ki iss book me kya hai” He asked, just to be sure

“Isme pata hone wala kya hai Arnav ji, naam se hi clear hai... aur agar apko nahin samjh aye toh photo bhi toh bani hai…” she replied matter of factly.

“Photo... what photo?” Aranv was enraged that Khushi might have seen something she might not like and then intrigued that she did say she liked it

“Ohho, lagta hai hamare sath reh reh ke apki English khrab ho gayi hai…Fifty shades of Grey, Arnav ji...apke sabhi suits ek hi rang ke hain, toh mujhe laga is book se apko alag alag shades ke ideas mil jayenge…zada rang biranga to ap pasand nahin karenge, isliye bas thoda sa change…bola toh tha it will spice things up”

Arnav was speechless and then just kept on laughing...shoulders shaking, uncontrollably... laughing out loud...something only she had the ability to make him do.

“Isme hanse wali kya bat hai, hum jante hain apka apna fashion hopuse hai par, ap kaha wahan se ideas lete hain... isliye hume apko di ye book..wo mmmm... han inspiration ke liye…aur tie aur suit ki photo toh bani hain uspe..itna simple hai….”

Arnav bit his lips and shook his head to control his mirth and said “OH Yeah!!!... pretty straight forward”

“Aap karenge na” she asked softly, a little unsure...

“Tumne kaha i toh karna hi padega...Saadi ke bat dhekta..saat me decide kargenge...OK?" he replied hopeful, teasing and happy

"Arre wah" Ye theek rahega" she said totally oblivious of the roller coaster Arnav just went through.

"Thanks Khushi …mujhe tumara gift, aur aj ki ye sham dono bahut pasand aye…”

She smiles into her phone and he sense that she is about to say something so he adds

“Ab so jao..kal sangeet me milte hai…good night and Khushi..”

“Hmm”

“I will wear some shade of grey as a gift for you…” he promised smiling wickedly imagining the fun he will have teasing her sometime far away or may not so far in future about the suggestions she wanted him to implement

She smiled and went to sleep with dreams of a Arnav who was happy because of her.

He stayed awake smiling whole night, he couldn’t wait to start the rest of his life…with his wife.

The pic has been taken from www.amazom.com