Chapter Twelve

Arnav asks Khushi why it matters…

Khushi came down the stairs with a slow pace. Her heart was heavy… her face was gloomy… her eyes were full of disappointment. Everyone in the lounging area looked up at her… Khushi and gloomy… everyone got worried... arrangement for sitting stopped halfway as they all got worried about what happened to Khushi... Mami poked Anjali. Anjali looked at dejected Khushi walking down the stairs. Then she looked at Nani… they both shook their heads with worry. Payal got worried. Anjali and Payal rushed to Khushi as Lovely and Karan followed with Mami.

“Khushi ji, what happened?” Anjali asked worried sick.

“Khushi, please tell us!” Payal pleaded as if the sky was falling down.

Khushi just looked at them… her eyes were full of disappointment…

She kept walking... Now Nani ji got worried… she walked over.

Anjali asked again, “Khushi ji, did Chhotey get angry with you? Yeh Chhotey bhi na… This Chhotey… he will never learn to…”

“No, Di, don’t say anything to him...” Khushi blurted in an exhausted tone.

“Arey, why won’t we say anything? Every time… with you… he...” Anjali looked at Lovely… then at Karan... realized it was better not to say anything in front of them.

Payal asked, “Khushi, are you alright?”

Aakash said, “Khushi ji, don’t take anything Bhai said to heart… don’t feel bad… you know him…”

Khushi immediately became lively…she said loudly and confidently..

“Why should I feel bad? …especially when he agreed!” she announced with a wide smile on her face.

Everyone screamed at the top of their voice, “Yehhh… “

Everyone clapped... Payal said as she hit Khushi affectionately, “You scared us...”

Aakash immediately wrapped his arm around Payal, and said, “Khushi ji… you are just too much…” as he smiled.

Karan said, “Wow, you are just fantastic! Jawab nahin aap ka, Khushi ji!”

Lovely gave her a high-five… Mamiji said to Mama ji, “Now the mehfil will be fun!” “Yes, Mannu!” Mamaji agreed.

Anjali gave Khushi an affectionate hug and said, “I knew it!… only you could get Chhotey to agree! Well done!”

Khushi‘s eye wandered up the stairs… as her gaze rested… her eyes got wider…

Arnav stood on the stairs, watching everything… listening to everything... Khushi lowered her gaze… embarrassed she held Anjali’s hand… she could not say a thing… then she looked up again… Arnav’s gaze was steady on her face... a deep smirk on his face and a mischievous smile in his eyes… Anjali’s eyes followed Khushi’s gaze to see Arnav’s smiley, relaxed face… she looked back at Khushi… Arnav and Khushi were oblivious to Anjali’s prying eyes… Anjali smiled to herself happily.

Arnav blurted to himself...”Drama...Queen… crazy girl… Pagal hai yeh ladki!”

He turned around and went back to his room...

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There came a knock on the door… Arnav looked up..., “Come in!” The door opened slightly...then wider... Lovely came in, said, “ASR… will you come downstairs…. With everyone... we all will enjoy... together…”

Poor soul... she did not know yet well that Arnav Singh Raizada did not deem any enjoyment was his right or his cup of tea!

He said, “No, Lovely! I am alright here… I need to prepare for the meeting anyway...”

“Oh, come on ASR! Even I have to be at that meeting...but... look at me… I’m enjoying… Arey bhai, we are your guests... at least for your guest’s sake!” Lovely said chirpily.

Arnav said, “No, No...No... I am not falling for this... I agreed to the mehfil… but I never said that I would participate.”

Then he looked at Lovely and said, “Listen, don’t feel bad… I really don’t enjoy all this… So please, carry on… you guys enjoy! Everyone is there...”

Lovely gave him a disappointed look... “Please...” she pleaded...

Arnav nodded a firm ”No...”

Just then Khushi entered… looked at them...

Lovely said to her, “Come soon, Khushi… we will be waiting for you…”she turned around and said, “Good Night, ASR!” and left.

Khushi closed the door behind her... turned around... went to the closet as she grabbed a change of clothes... she then looked at Arnav before going to the bathroom… said, “Won’t you come downstairs?” her voice was soft, her gaze was slightly pleading to Arnav to answer in positive...

Arnav gave her a quick look then focused on his computer... said in a dry voice, “You know, Khushi, I have a lot of work to do!”

Khushi curled her lips in disappointment… as she entered the bathroom.

*****

When Khushi came out of the bathroom, all dressed up for the evening, looked as ravishing as she always did when dressed simple and elegant... her face tender and beautiful… she looked stunning... in  a soft magenta chiffon saree.. With a golden blouse…. Her hair flowing freely… few loose curls playing over her face…  As Arnav’s eyes moved from the computer at the sound of closing the bathroom door… his gaze stayed glued to Khushi’s face… his heart skipped a beat… Those few curls were tempting Arnav to touch her face and tuck those behind her ear… Just then Khushi twisted her ankle and slipped on the floor – Arnav jumped to his feet and sprinted to catch Khushi in his arms before she fell down….. Rabba Ve…

It took few moments for Khushi to realize that she was saved once again by Arnav… both looked at each other… mesmerized Arnav’s eyes looked deep in to Khushi’s eyes…  Khushi’s eyes got bolder… she did not lower her gaze… she held on to his tee shirt… both their hearts were beating faster…louder…

 Just then came a voice… over airwaves… ”Khushi ji..are you coming?.. we are waiting for you... we are going downstairs… come fast…..hurry up!” It was Anjali…calling Khushi before going downstairs..

Arnav let Khushi out of his arms...”Khushi, sambhal kar chalaa karo! Tumhari aadat hai humesha…walk carefully… you always seem to….”

“Lekin aap bhi toh humesha hote hai.. humare liye.. hume sambalne ko…But.. you are always there… for me.. not to let me fall down…” Khushi blurted in an affectionate and trustworthy voice… before she could even think, those words were out of her mouth…. She struggled to put her bangles on… then she looked at herself in the mirror...realized what she just blurted out!

Arnav said in husky voice… ”Khushi…” his eyes tender..his gaze affectionate.. As if he knew what’s going on in her heart, her mind… his heart longing for her… his eyes not making any attempt to hide his longing…

Khushi quickly gathered her thoughts... said, “It would be nice if you came... Lovely ji will be so happy... after all she is your friend!”

Arnav said curtly, “You don’t need to tell me what to do! I am not coming and that’s final!”

 *****************************************

Buaji and Garima walked in with Shashi in the wheel chair. Manorama’s eyes widened with shock… surprise… Mama ji happily walked over… and welcomed them.

Payal looked surprised. She ran to hug them.

“Buaji!” “Amma!” “Babuji..”

Payal became emotional… her eyes moist…

Buaji said to Nani ji, “Well, we could not say no when you sent Aakash to pick us up…”

Nani ji smiled as she said in her dignified way, “Madhumati ji, it’s more fun when the whole family enjoys together… gets together…. Thank you for respecting my invitation!”

“Well said, Nand Kisore!” Buaji said.

Mami chirped in her own style, “Hello Hi Bye Bye... hope you remember... your failed dance… in Aaaksh bituwa’s marriage.. “

Buaji replied, “Don’t challenge me, Nand Kisore..! Something went wrong that day…. I just was not myself... otherwise… I would show you...”

Garima tried to make peace, “Jiji...let it be...”

Shashi smiled at everyone...

Mami stretched it, “Today we will see!.. Which party wins! Hello Hi Bye Bye!”

Everyone settled in... Garima asked, “Where’s Khushi bitiya?... she is nowhere to be seen….”

Anjali said, “She should be here soon... “

Nani ji asked Payal to introduce the guests to her parents.

 Payal said, “This is Lovely ji… Arnav ji’s friend from America… they were in business school together.”

Nani added, “And we have known each other since she was a child...”

Everyone greeted each other with a polite “Namaste..”

Then Payal introduced Karan, “And this is Karan ji... Cousin of Lovely ji...”

Karan, in his jovial style, came forward... he actually bowed to touch their feet...”Paiiri pouna… Touching your feet…” as Garima..Buaji..looked at him wide eyed... Shashi blessed him with a smile...

Buaji got overwhelmed at his gesture…

“Haye re Nand Kishore… Bituwa jug jug jiyat raho…Long Live, dear… I am Madhumati…. from Lucknow...”

Karan said enthusiastically, “Really? Looks like whole Lucknow has gathered here! I am the only one who is from Mumbai... that too going to be from Delhi soon....”

Everyone got a hearty laugh at his effervescent behavior...

Nani ji led them all to the sitting area...

 **********************************************

Upstairs….In Arnav’s room... Khushi was all ready to come downstairs... looked at Arnav... he was busy on his Bluetooth... she came and stood in front of him… he looked at her asking her with his eyes, “What?”

Khushi just stood... pointed at his Bluetooth...

Arnav said on the phone, “Hhuhh... yeahh…. Yeahh... keep all those files ready…

.. yeah... fax all those designs first thing in the morning… well before the meeting... I don’t want any delay!... OK, Aman!” He switched off his Bluetooth... looked at Khushi… ”What..?”

Khushi said in a soft voice, “You should come too…”

“Khushi, don’t get started…” Arnav said in a warning tone…

Khushi moved closer to him… her voice low, soft… drenched in emotions... her eyes innocent yet had a twinkle in them… ”You forgot so soon... you made a promise to me…”

“Yes, I did… but this has nothing to do with that promise...” Arnav said in a stern voice.

Khushi said in a calm voice as her soft gaze scoured his face, “Yes, it does… “

Arnav said, “No….Khushi! Not again...”

Khushi now almost whispered gathering her courage, “I still have to prove the truth!”

She looked him into the eye… expecting him to explode with anger…

Arnav’s face changed... his jaw firmed up... his eyes got cold... supressed pain reflected underneath that cold gaze as he said “Khushi, please… no need to remind me over... and over... how many times...”

“It’s necessary, Arnav ji... very necessary…” Khushi cut him off as she said in a sad voice, eager to get her point across… “I cannot breathe easy until you have this misconception cleared out of your mind…. I did nothing wrong, Arnav ji,… what you think about me matters... a lot…” Khushi said with tearful eyes...

Arnav looked at her... intense pain reflected in his eyes as he watched Khushi in pain...”Khushi..” his voice became soft… he took couple steps forward…

“Yes, Arnav ji... to me... it matters… a lot…bahot firq padta hai…”

“Kyoun, kyuon firq padta hai, Khushi?…Why? Why does it affect you, Khushi? Why does it matter so much to you?” Arnav asked her in a heavy voice, his gaze penetrating... his eyes searching through her eyes... his hands moved to hold her by her arms as he gazed deep into her eyes…

 

Khushi lowered her gaze for a moment... then she looked up... her gaze soft... pleading... she whispered, “If you come downstairs with me then I can tell you... why it matters….”

Arnav blurted with disbelief in his eyes, “What the…”

“Let this ‘What the’ be... and come with me...” Khushi pleaded in a sweet voice...

Arnav swiftly pulled her close, whispered in a deep husky voice looking deep into her eyes, “You better, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada! You better! Bahot intezaar karwaya hai tumne!... it has been a long wait…”

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