Chapter Four

Khushi woke up and felt the hardness around her. She looked down and saw Arnav's chest and looked up at him. He was asleep and looked adorable. She felt a breeze and felt chilly immediately. She looked down at herself and realized she was naked.

Khushi thought about the night before. They made love to each other and Khushi remembered every intense moment. She blushed at the thought of it and looked back up at Arnav. He was breathing lightly and Khushi didn't want to bother him.

She carefully moved his arm aside and got up. She got her clothes and took out an anarkali from the wardrobe and headed to the bathroom, taking one last glance at Arnav and then walked in.

When she got out, he was still asleep. Khushi carefully crept out of the room and carefully shut the door, not wanting to wake Arnav up. She headed down to the kitchen and helped Hari Prakash out with breakfast (omg, just imagine Hari Prakash dressed up in pants and button down shirt - improvement!). She sent him to the table to set it up and finished up, now making the tea.

"Oh… so you're Chote's wife?"

Khushi turned around and saw a woman. She was older, but she dressed like she was young. Her eyeliner was heavy and her eyes seemed to go through you.

"Of course, you don't know who I am. I'm Arnav's Masi."

"Masi?"

"His father is my brother. Chote just calls me that & that's always how it's been. Even Anju does too."

Khushi got confused.

"Anjali. We call her Anju."

"Oh," Khushi shook her head, feeling silly for not realizing.

"It's okay. I knew you'd be slow."

Khushi scrunched her eyebrows.

"I knew that marrying some traditional girl from back home would mean getting a slow, un-smart girl like you."

Khushi looked down at the floor.

"Typical desi girl. No class, no taste," she remarked on Khushi's clothes.

While Masi's were designed clothes by her bhabi, Khushi was wearing something she got as a gift from her parents.

"Whatever," Masi said. "Anyways, I came to apologize. I was out of town and had stuff to do so I couldn't come to the wedding." She sucked her teeth. "What's the word? For forgiveness?"

"Mafi?"

"Yeah, that's it, "mafi". I guess you do understand English. Good, otherwise, who knows how you'd survive out here."

Khushi just looked away.

"I just hope your English isn't bad. If it is… oh dear!"

Khushi looked at her. "It's okay Masiji. My English is perfectly fine."

Masi was surprised. Khushi was speaking fluent English.

"And it's okay Masiji, I don't mind if you didn't come. I'm sure you had very important work to do."

Masi didn't say anything and the tea was ready. Khushi poured it into the teapot and got a cup ready for Arnav. She took some sugar with her, not sure how much he needed, and headed upstairs, Masi watching her as she left.

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Khushi opened the door and saw Arnav still asleep. She shook her head and set the tray down. she walked over to the huge windows and spread the curtains apart, sunshine pouring in. It hit down on Arnav's face and he recoiled.

"What the," Arnav said in a tired voice.

He slowly opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was his wife, his newly wedded wife, who was only his, with her arms crossed, shaking her head and smiling. She looked beautiful in her royal blue anarkali.

He sat up and Khushi picked up the tray, and Arnav moved aside to let her put the tray down on the bed.

"How much sugar," Khushi asked.

"Um, none."

"You don't like sugar?"

"I'm diabetic."

Khushi gasped. No wonder her mother had told her to also make sugarless sweets, back when him and his family were coming.

"Oh… I'm so sorry," Khushi said softly.

"Why are you sorry?"

"You can't have sweets!"

"Yeah I can. Sugarless ones."

"But it's not sweet, it's bitter."

"Why do I need anything sweet tasting, when I have someone sweet as you?"

Khushi looked at him and then away and blushed. Arnav hadn't even realized what he had said. He looked away and then looked at her. She was red, no doubt, and she looked even cuter.

"Um, I'll go wash up," Arnav said.

Khushi nodded and Arnav got up and headed to the bathroom, taking his clothes. Khushi smiled and noticed something from the corner of her eyes. It was his clothes from last night. They were all on the floor, each in a different place. Khushi blushed at the thought of the night before and she got up and picked up his clothes and put it in the laundry basket.

Arnav eventually came out and Khushi handed him his tea. He drank a little bit and then looked at Khushi. "Wow, tea in my room? This is a first."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Usually we're all together, whenever everyone is here, at the table."

"Oh." Khushi felt a bit stupid.

"Relax Khushi," Arnav smiled. "I think I like this treatment better."

Khushi looked up at him. "Really? Or are you pulling my foot?"

"Serious."

Khushi smiled and Arnav smiled back and finished his tea. Khushi took his cup and went over to the tray to put it down. Arnav watched her and wondered, she seems… so normal… after last night.

Khushi was about to pick up the tray, when Arnav made her face him. He pulled her right into his chest and Khushi just looked up at him, wide eyed. Arnav smiled down at her and Khushi's breathing intensified.

"Khushi, from now on, every morning, I want something," Arnav said huffily.

Khushi scrunched her eyebrows.

"I want a kiss every morning."

Khushi went red and she blushed, looking away. "yeh… yeh aap," but Khushi couldn't finish her sentence, blushing too hard.

"Please Khushi, no formalities."

Khushi looked up at him.

"Just say my name, okay?"

"But… but I can't."

"Why not?"

"It's not right to bring my husband's name to my mouth."

"What? That's ridiculous? What is this? The 1500s?"

Khushi couldn't help but laugh.

"Khushi, just say my name."

"But… no, I can't."

"Please Khushi? Say my name?"

"Uh…."

"Come on, what's my name?"

"I…."

"What's my name?"

"Um…."

"What's my name?"

"Uh… I… I can't say it."

"Why not Khushi? You said it last night?"

Khushi's eyes widened and she looked at him. She remembered the night before and how she was moaning his name out every now and then. Her face turned as red as a tomato and she looked away. Arnav liked seeing her like this, thinking she looked really cute. He didn't realize he was dazing away at her and she released herself and tried to run away, when Arnav caught her dupatta.

Khushi froze and stood still, her heart racing. Arnav entangled her dupatta around his hand, causing Khushi to move back. He kept doing it until her back was on his chest. Khushi had her eyes shut, her chest heaving, and Arnav rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Khushi," he whispered into her neck.

Khushi gulped down her last bit of confidence.

"Khushi," he whispered again.

Khushi thought she was going to drop dead if she kept breathing like this.

Arnav got caught away and without thinking, he began to nibble on her neck. Khushi clutched her anarkali and her breathing paced up more.

"Arnav," Khushi whispered out.

Arnav stopped and looked at Khushi. She had her eyes shut and she was breathing heavily. Arnav smirked and moved to her ear.

"Don't tell me that I have to do this all the time just to get you to say my name," Arnav whispered.

Khushi's eyes popped open, thinking of what he said. She imagined him romancing with her in front of everyone and she got nervous, a bit scared.

Khushi tried to run away, Arnav's grip on her dupatta loose, but at the last second he grabbed it. Khushi paused and looked down at her hands. Arnav walked over to her and placed his hands around her waist.

"I'll be more than happy to do that," Arnav whispered in her ear.

"Khushi didi," Hari Prakash called out.

"I have to go," Khushi said, but Arnav didn't let go.

"Not letting you," Arnav said.

"Please?"

"No Khushi," he said, emphasizing her name, making Khushi shiver.

"Khushi didi," Hari Prakash hollered again.

"Coming," Khushi called out. "Please let me go!"

"No Khushi," he said again with that thing in his voice.

"Arnav, please let me go!"

Arnav let go of her and Khushi stood still, realizing what she just said. She turned and gasped, covering her mouth.

"I'm sorry," Khushi said.

"Why? Khushi listen, I want you to say my name. Okay? WANT. I can't get to know you if you don't even say my name."

"What? That makes no sense."

"But it does to me. Go ahead downstairs, I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Better."

"I will," Arnav smiled.