Chapter 1

These days Khushi was extremely happy like she was living her dream life.

She got everything she could wish for. A caring and lovely family and a husband who loved her to death.

These days after prayer she just kept praying one thing that she could live like this till the last breath of her life.

☘☘

It was late at night. Khushi was studying as her semester final exams were going on. Arhaan wasn’t at home. He was out of the town for a business trip.

Areesha entered the room with a cup of coffee and some snacks. Khushi was so lost in her studies that she didn’t even notice it until Areesha announced her presence.

“Have this while reading, dear.” 

Areesha she put the tray on the table.

Khushi got somewhat startled at that. When she caught the sight of Areesha,  she smiled a little.

Caressing her hair, Areesha got asking, “How much is left?”

“Not much, api.”

“You should sleep now, dear. This way you will get sick.” Areesha spoke up with uttered concern.

Khushi turned to face Areesha and spoke up, “I should be the one to say this to you, api. You keep running after Esha all day, cooking and all and on top of that you are doing this waking till late for me.”

Areesha just shrugged off that smilingly only to get Khushi uttering as she took a snack, “You go, sleep api. I am taking this and will sleep after some time.”

Areesha got uttering then, “Okay. I am going. You too sleep soon. Okay?”

Khushi nodded at her and she left.

Khushi was feeling guilty for this somewhat. For Khushi, Areesha kept waking, giving her coffee, snacks and all and sometimes kept sitting beside her as she kept studying till late at night though Areesha was always busy in the day time.

Khushi was really worried that Areesha might fall sick like this. Tomorrow was the last exam and this thought got her relieved. And she was waiting for tomorrow very impatiently.

Not only because it would be her last exam day but Arhaan who was supposed to be back home the next day.

Though it had been just one week, Arhaan wasn't home, Khushi was missing Arhaan very badly.

She couldn’t get to have a proper sleep as she had gotten a habit of sleeping snuggling into him where she felt her home. 

☘☘

Though Khushi didn't want but Areesha made her take breakfast forcefully and then Khushi left for college with Muhib.

Leaving her at college gate and wishing her luck, Muhib forwarded towards his office.

After getting done with her paper, Khushi got out of the hall room. Rifan was waiting for her at the entrance. Seeing her, he spoke up, “How did it go?”

Khushi uttered happily, “Alhamdulillah. It went all well. What about yours?”

Rifan responded in the same way as they forwarded towards Rifan’s car.

In these days Rifan got quite friendly with Khushi and her family. Though Arhaan wasn't much happy about it but he let it went this way as he needed someone beside Khushi in college to get relieved and Rifan seemed a good guy to him and committed to Sara, his girlfriend as well.

Getting in the car, Rifan spoke up seeing Khushi’s happy face, “What’s the matter? You seem to be very happy today.”

Khushi tried to look normal as she uttered, “Nothing. I am just happy that exams are over.”

Rifan got uttering sensing something, “No. Okay let me guess. Arhaan vai must be coming back today, right?”

Khushi acted like she got caught red handed and kept avoiding his gazes. Rifan laughed at that and uttered, “Khushi, just look at you. It’s all over the face.”

Coughing a little, Khushi tried to sound serious, “Rifan, concentrate on the road.”

Rifan smiling a little uttered, “Okay, ma'am.” getting Khushi smiled also.

Arriving at Khushi’s place, Rifan also got inside. Staying there for a while, Rifan left for his house.

Just when he got into his car, his phone rang off. Seeing the caller ID, he smiled a little as he uttered, “Hey, Vai.”

The person from the other side of phone got uttering something and Rifan got somewhat confused as he uttered, “Sara and Me?”

Listening to the person for a minute, he again got uttering, “Really? Okay, then. See you.”

At night when Khushi was done with her prayer, her phone rang off.

It was Arhaan. Khushi immediately pressed the accept button and pressed it against her ear, got uttering, “When will you come back?”

Arhaan smiled a little and spoke up in a teasing tone, “Why? Missing me?”

Khushi didn’t mind it anyways and spoke up, “Yes. Now tell me when are you coming back?”

Arhaan got uttering in a little sad tone, “I will be late, Khushi. Don’t wait for me. Take your dinner and sleep.”

Khushi got little disappointed and kept quiet.

Understanding her, Arhaan got uttering in a serious tone, “Wifey, you kept waking till late for exams for this whole month. Your exams are over now. So take rest. Okay?”

Khushi knew if she would keep quiet or say No, Arhaan would get ordering or start another lecture. So she just agreed to him and uttered, “Okay.”

“Okay then. See you.” uttering this, Arhaan cut off the line.

Khushi took dinner with everyone as Areesha also got forcing and then got back to her room early as everyone kept asking the same to take some rest.

Though it got her somewhat confused but she listened. She kept trying to get some sleep but as expected couldn’t.

Then thinking of something, she took a magazine and tried to read it leaning against her back against the bed while waiting for Arhaan but at some point fell asleep.

She was sleeping somewhat peacefully until something started haunting her in her dream. She started shaking her head right and left and at some point got up with a jerk.

She was sweating badly. She gulped down some water taking the jug from the bed side table trying to calm herself.

She looked at the clock which showed it was 1 by night. She was sleeping on the bed properly and a comforter was on her which got her confused. She thought Arhaan was back and looked hopefully to the other side of bed to find Arhaan but got disappointed.

Her eyes wandered on their own all around the room to find him but he wasn't in the room also.

She got down from the bed and searched the poolside and then wash room while calling out his name, "Arhaan?"

But no. There was no response.

When she didn't catch his sight anywhere, she got somewhat worried.

"Isn’t he back yet?" uttering under her breath, she was about to get on the bed again but stopped as she heard a weird sound which was possibly from hall room. Something blasted like balloon or something.

Being confused, she got outside of her room. The whole place was plunged into darkness which seemed somewhat odd to her.

She wasn't afraid of darkness but today she was getting somewhat afraid given the dream which she dreamt a little ago but couldn’t remember. She was sure about something that someone got hurt.

While holding herself together, she kept descending the stairs as she kept calling, "Arhaan?"

When she was on the last stair, suddenly a spot light fell on her getting her all startled. She closed her eyes immediately while covering them with her hand. After a moment she opened her eyes slowly but again closed them as a reflex due to light.

As her eyes adjusted themselves with the light, a gasp escaped her mouth getting her pupils widen to their full length.

She put her palm on the mouth to hide the shock.

There before her eyes everyone stood with smiles on their faces. Not just family members but Preety, Abeer, Mahin, Rifan and Sara was also there.

But what got her attention was the all those balloons, balloon arch, tables covered with gifts, buffet system and most importantly those big posters in which it was written in big block letters.

While she read it, everyone screamed with joy..

"Happy Birthday Khushi."

She couldn’t remember whether she celebrated her birthday before nor she even remembered it was her birthday today.

That frightened dream and then all these got her all ready on the verge of breaking down but then she saw the person whom she was longing to see, getting near her with a smile on his face....

"Happy Birthday, Wifey.”