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“What are you doing here?” she was gazing him suspiciously.  He looked away trying to recollect himself.

“What do you mean, what am I doing here?!! Can’t you see I am on phone? And why did you come out of the bed? ” he retorted. 

She looked more suspicious… He continued… “Damn it! Next time I will tie you down on the bed, Khushi…! You slipped from those damn stairs, Khushi…! Can’t you be careful?” he yelled forgetting the time.  She had slipped alright, but his strong arms had saved her in time, scooping her above the ground..! She blew her top, snatching the phone from his hand, she boomed.

“One more call in the middle of the night and I will throw it in the pool…” 

“Oh! Yeah?” he challenged her clasping her wrist…! Her eyes flashed malice… she just dropped the cell on the floor releasing her grip and he looked ghostly gaping at the shattered phone.

“How dare you, Khushi?” he came on to her… She stood her ground.

“No more phone calls... See?” she pointed at the broken phone on the floor.  He clenched his fists and picked up the pieces, carefully removing the SIM and the SD card.  She thumped her hands on her hips…! 

“Lady ASR…!” he smiled wickedly and she turned ghostly…!

“How do you know?” she asked pressing her hand on her mouth…!

“You think aloud, Khushi…!” he actually grinned.  She lost her heart..!

“He reads my mind…!” she thought and he grinned again…

“Yes, I do!” he pulled her closer..!

“Remember? I threw your cell from the car…?!!” he said holding her hand and she lost herself in the memory lane…!

“Chaliye…!” she pulled him along …  !! 

“Let us go on a  drive…” he said dreamily and she looked at him surprised.

“At this hour of the night?” she asked. He just held her hand and she walked with him….

They drove silently.  She kept glancing at his grim face.  He was lost in his thoughts…

“Its about Shamji…” She spoke finally, gravely.  He looked at her startled.  She smiled faintly…

“I know…” she said while he pulled over the car.  

“Khushi….” He sounded scared for the first time… She looked at him and as if reading his thoughts, said…

“Everyone thinks he is dead… but he is not… and now… may be… he… he…” he held her hand tightly.

“Khushi…. We have to be more careful… I am worried about Di…!” he said gravely.  She nodded and asked..

“Did you get any news…?” he hesitated for a moment and then said affirmatively…

“He has come out of coma…” She gaped in disbelief and then slowly shaking her head said…

“Wrong…!” he just gaped…

“False news… He is dead… I know… he is dead… That Krishna Kant is playing games… I know, he is dead…!” his mouth fell open… he was surprised by her confidence…

“He was dead, when he was shot in that Thakur mansion….” She again said with confidence…

“Chaliye.. wapas chalatain hain… Lets go back…” she said holding his hand.  He took a U turn and drove off silently.  She had closed her eyes… 

“How do I tell her, that the news is not false… he is alive..” Arnav kept glancing at Khushi..! Khushi was confident that Sham was dead…! “Ignorance is bliss…” he gazed at his wife’s smiling face.

By the time they reached home, she was fast asleep.  He picked her up in his arms and walked into the house….! 

“Don’t worry… He is … dead… th..they can’t do anything…” She blabbered in her sleep wrapping her arms around his neck.  He pulled her closer putting off the lights, badly wanting to believe her…!