Chapter 1- Love can reduce anyone...to anything

"Love can reduce anyone...to anything"

Khushi took advantage of the drinks being served and slipped away from the group of women surrounding her.

She hid behind one of the temporary pillars erected in the living room for the sangeeth.

She had kept her emotions in check for the past hour but now, in this moment of solitude, she set them free. They came down her cheeks in streams but unlike in the past, these tears didn't sting her eyes.

From her vantage point, she looked around the room. Amidst the guests, she spotted Jiji helping Amma with Babuji's dinner, Buaji and Mamiji bickering as usual and Akash Jijaji leading some of AR's clients towards the dining area.

She felt her heart warm at the sight of her family.

Earlier, she had overhead one of the guests saying, "Kitni ajeeb shaadi hai, pata hi nahi chal raha ki ladki waale kaun hai aur ladke waale kaun hai. Sab ek parivaar jaise hain"

"Ek parivaar" Khushi repeated to herself, her eyes now seeking the one person who had made this possible. The one who had made this unlikely dream of hers a reality.

And she found him standing between Di and Naniji, the other two women in his life.

She couldn't hear what Naniji was saying but she looked ecstatic. And Di reached forward and pinched his cheeks.

She let out a small giggle as she watched him duck to avoid Di getting hold of his other cheek.

"Love can reduce anyone to anything"

His words echoed in her mind.

Yes, she understood the simultaneously destructive and liberating power of love. She had experienced it first hand and suspected that he had understood it a long time ago even though he chose tonight to voice it.

If she were a spectator of her own life, she'd be laughing heartily. To think, the mighty ASR had danced like Salman Khan for her, to ask for her hand in marriage.

It was unbelievable and yet Khushi realized she should have known.

Ever since he came back home from the kidnapping, Khushi suppressed the shudder that always accompanied her thoughts of the time,  he was a changed man.

He wasn't always good with words but he had tried his best to show her that. He trusted her and that should have been enough.

But Khushi had wanted more, blinding her to all his gestures-big and small.

Ultimately, she had frustrated him into spelling it out for her. The rare glimpse of ASR on the terrace that night had brought back bittersweet memories.

Today, she smiled as she remembered it. Even though she was sure of his love now, he still managed to surprise and overwhelm her. And with each passing day, she became surer that this wasn't just remorse for his earlier deeds. She didn't want remorse, she wanted this- unconditional love and trust.

There was nothing in the world she wouldn't do for him, for Arnavji.

She saw Di say something and all three looked up and around the room.

Khushi knew they were looking for her.

She turned away to give herself a few more minutes with her thoughts. Her thoughts which now turned to her parents and his.

Surely, they were looking down upon this night with happiness and contentment. For in her heart of hearts, Khushi believed that they had conspired to bring Arnavji and her together. How else could anyone explain how they had reached this night, against all odds.

"Khushiji"

Khushi heard Di's voice and felt her soft hand on her shoulder.

"Aap yahan hai, hum aapko kabse dhoond rahe hai"

Khushi wiped away her tears hastily and turned around with a smile on her face.

"Khushiji, kya baat hai?" Di asked at once, not fooled by her smile. "Aap theek to hai na?

Khushi nodded, the lump in her throat preventing her from speaking.

Looking at Di, she was forced the confront the one fear left in her life.

"Haan Di" she said, even as a traitorous tear leaked out of her eye.

Di smiled understandingly and raised a hand to wipe away the tear before Khushi could do it.

"Hum sab samajhte hain" she said. She paused and peered at Khushi closely before taking her hand. "Aap humare saath chailye, hum aapko kuch dena chahte hain"

"Ji Di" Khushi said, faintly surprised.

With one last look at Arnavji who was now being greeted by his employees, she followed Di to her room.

"Baitiye" Di said, gesturing to the bed.

Di opened her wardrobe and returned with a small wooden box in her hands.

"Yeh kya hai Di?" Khushi asked, as Di handed it to her.

"Waise to yeh bahut pehle se aapka hai" Di said, sitting beside her. "Par humne aapko dene me itni der kar di, hume maaf kar dijiye"

Confused, Khushi opened the box and found a single sheet of paper inside.

"Yeh humari Mamma ne apni bahu ke liye choda tha" Di said, touching the box fondly. "Kangan tho chotey aapko de chuke, yeh khat reh gaya"

"Kangan?" Khushi said, trying to recall. "Acha! Who muh dikayi ke din'who aapki Mamma ke kangan the?"

Di nodded.

Khushi wished Arnavji had told her before, she would never have taken them off. She promised herself that she would put them on first thing after going home and treasure them as she did her own mother's anklets.

She unfolded the letter and began to read.

Di read it over her shoulder too and when they finished, both women had tears in their eyes.

"Aapko pata hai, hum hamesha Chotey se kehte the ki ek din unki zindagi mein ek aisi ladki ayegi jiske bina unki saansein ruk jaengi aur woh" Di said, sniffling and smiling.

Khushi found herself smiling too as she imagined Di saying those words to ASR.

"Aur who has dete they aur hume daant bhi dete ki, 'Di, aap fir se shuru ho gayi' par jab who London se waapis aaye unhone khud humse kaha ki who baat sach ho gayi" Di said, cupping Khushi's face. "Aapne use sach kar diya"

Khushi couldn't think of anything to say and hugged Di instead. Amidst everything else she had said, Khushi didn't miss the London reference which reminded her of how deep Di's delusion was ingrained.

"Arey" Di said, surprised. But she hugged Khushi back saying, "Ek aur baat bataye? Aaj ke pehle humne chotey ko kabhi itna khush nahi dekha!"

Khushi pulled back and saw Di wiping her eyes.

"Lekin aaj thoda darr bhi laga" Di said, looking away. "Aaj tak hum yehi chahte the ki chotey ko who ladki mil jaye aur ab jab who mil gayi hai, hume darr bhi lag raha hai kyunki chotey ki zindagi ab aapke haath mein hai"

"Di, yeh aap kya keh rahi hai?"

Di shook her head and took Khushi's hand in hers. "Isliye aap humse vaada kijiye ki aap dono hamesha saath rahenge"

Khushi made the promise without the slightest hesitation.

"Di, Khushiji" NK bhai's voice broke into their moment. "Aap dono yaha pe hai aur dinner ke liye sab aapka wait kar rahe hain"

"Arey haan" Di said, "Hum aapko dinner ke liye bulane aaye aur baaton-baaton me wohi bhool gaye"

"Chaliye, chaliye" NK bhai said, "Nannav bahut uthmukh ho raha hai"

"Uthsukh, NK bhai" Di said, correcting him with a patient smile.

Khushi folded the letter and placed it back in the box with a deep breath. Ok, enough crying for tonight, she told herself. Otherwise Arnavji would surely notice and get upset.

"Khushi, Di?" Arnav said, striding in. "Aap log yahan kya kar rahe hai?"

He looked from Khushi's tear stained cheeks to Di's wet eyes and his eye-brows furrowed together.

"Sab theek tho hai?"

"Haan chotey" Di said, standing up. "Hum toh bas yeh dekhne aaye the ki Khushiji theek hai ya nahi"

She winked at NK behind Arnav's back.

"Kyun, kya hua Khushi?" Arnav said, his eyes widening with concern.

"Who kya hai na Nannav" NK bhai said, putting his arm around Arnav's shoulder. "Khushiji ko bahut bada padma pahuncha hai"

"NK bhai ka matlab hai sadma" Di said, coming up beside his other shoulder.

Arnav looked confused and Khushi had to bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Kya'"

Arnav's words were drowned by NK bhai.

"Raat ko aaonga main" he sang, "Tujhe le jaaunga main"

"Filum dikhaunga main'aur kya tha chotey?" Di said, joining in as NK tried imitating Arnav's dance steps.

Arnav looked embarrassed.

"Boliye na chotey" Di said, prodding his arm.

"Sair karaunga main" Arnav said in a mortified whisper.

"Haan" Di exclaimed, "NK bhai, from the top"

NK bhai began singing in his off-key voice again and Khushi couldn't help laughing aloud especially when Akash jijaji joined them too and all of them started circling Arnav, mimicking his moves.

"Ok, enough" Arnav said, finally when NK bhai shouted 'From the top again.

"Sab dinner ke liye wait kar rahe hai, hume neeche jaana chahiye"

They trooped out of Di's room still singing 'Mujhse shaadi karogi'.

"Khushi" Arnav said, pulling her back so they trailed behind the others.

"Sach batao, Di aur tum'ro rahe the?"

Khushi smiled at her husband's perceptive and sensitive nature.

"Ji haan" she said, with a teasing smile. "Aapko dance karte dekh toh kisi ko bhi rona aajae"

"Oh, really?" Arnav said, quirking up one eye-brow.

Somehow, that expression on his face succeeded in making her heart race.

"Sach me, aapko dance karte dekh hi hum dono ro pade" Khushi said, lowering her voice and changing the meaning of her words.

She stopped and made sure everyone else had already made their way downstairs before throwing her arms around him.

"Shukriya" she said, aware of how inadequate the words were and hugged him hoping to convey her feelings better.

He was momentarily surprised but hugged her back.

When they arrived downstairs a few minutes later, most of the guests had left.

Much to Arnav's chagrin however, the family was still discussing his dance performance as they ate.

Di passed them both plates too as the discussion moved towards the sangeeth ceremony as a whole.

"So guys, aapko kya lagta hai? Kaunsa sangeeth better tha?" NK asked, "Akash bhai aur Payal bhabhi ka ya Nannav aur Khushiji ka?"

The family spent some time debating it and reminiscing over the other sangeeth.

"Khushiji, who 'Jiji tere jethji' gaane ke lyrics kya the?" Di said, with a teasing smile. "Zara hume yaad dilaiye na"

Khushi blushed, remembering that dance and that evening.

"Yes, yes Khushiji" NK bhai said.

Soon everyone was requesting her to sing a few lines.

She turned to Arnav who was struggling not to smile.

"Jiji tere jethji deewane, kya kare yeh hasna bhi na jaane" Khushi sang, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Next line kya tha, kuch laptop something?" Di prompted.

"Di, hume yaad nahi hai" Khushi lied, pink turning crimson now.

Everyone tried to recall but no one remembered the words exactly.

"Laptop se inki tum kardo sagai, office ke fir ye ban jaaye jamai"

Arnav's voice was clear and the lyrics flawless.

Everyone started cheering as Khushi turned to him, her mouth open.

In one instant his blazing eyes scorched her and in the next his open smile melted her heart. Hey Devi Maiya, Khushi thought, why did he have such beautiful eyes?

She could spend the rest of her life trying to decipher all the emotions that were reflected in them.

"Toh Khushiji, iska matlab hai ki aap Nannav ki laptop hai" NK bhai said, "Aur Gupta parivaar Nannav ki office hai"

Everyone laughed at that.

"Di, you know what?" Akash said, "Shaadi ke baad hume ek din 'video night' rakhna chahiye"

Hello hi bye bye" Mamiji said, excitedly. "Kya idea diye rahe tum Akas bitwa. Home theater pe papkaran (popcorn) ke saath dekhbe karenge"

"Waise, hume ab samajh aa raha hai ki Khushiji ko uss raat ki koi baat yaad kyun nahi aa rahi" Di said, her teasing smile in place again.

"Haan Di" Jiji said, joining in. "Hume toh tabhi samajh lena chahiye tha. Arnavji ke saath dance karne ke baad Khushi ko yeh bhi yaad nahi raha ke agle din humari shadi hone wali hai, kyun Khushi?"

"Jiji" Khushi said, mortified.

"Arey haan Payal bhabhi, main kaise bhool saktha hoon" NK bhai said, clearing his throat. "Teri meri, meri teri prem kahani hai mushkil"

"Do lafzon mein yeh, bayan na ho paaye" Akash chimed in.

Arnav rolled his eyes as everyone lapsed into giggles again.

"Hum bhi naahi bhule NK babua" Mamiji said, throwing Buaji a contemptuous look. "Arnav bitwa ke baje se humri jo nose cutting hui gayi, hume aak tak yaad hai"

"Manorama, uss din chotey haar diye ihiliye toh aaj hum Khushi bitiya jaisan bahu jeet liye" Naani said, "Kyun bitiya?"

As the conversation moved on to NK's brilliant performances in both ceremonies, Khushi overhead Hari Prakashji informing Naniji that he had taken Daadiji's dinner to her room.

Khushi's face fell at the mention of Daadiji.

She could now see where Arnavji got his temper from. If only Daadiji she didn't respect her for her age, she wouldn't have hesitated to take her down a notch like she had Arnavji when they first met. She didn't understand Daadiji's prejudice and nothing she did seemed to warm Daadiji's feelings towards her.

"Khushi, iske pehle ki tum apne aap ko blame karne lago, I wanted you to know ki Dadi ko shor-sharaba acha nahi lagta" Arnav said, in a low voice. "Isliye who apne kamre me dinner kar rahi hai"

Khushi nodded and tried to smile.

"Tum unse itna kyun darti ho?" Arnav said, with a laugh. "I mean, why are you so scared of her?"

"Dar ki baat nahi hai Arnavji" Khushi said. "Hum bas chahte hai ki who hume dilse apnae. Haan, hum jaante hai ki unhone kal hame yeh choodiyan di aur ashirvad bhi lekin pata nahi kyun hume aisa lagta hai ki'"

Khushi trailed off, unable to find words to express her anxiety accurately.

But Arnav seemed to understand.

"Don't worry Khushi, sab theek ho jaega" he said, "ek baar shaadi ho jae, fir Dadi bhi'"

He stopped, unable to complete his sentence but Khushi too understood what he was trying to say and smiled back.

 "Pata nahi yeh kahan reh gaye" Di said, looking towards the door. "Inhone khana bhi nahi khaya ab tak"

Anger flashed in Arnav's eyes at the very mention of Shyam.

Khushi balanced her plate in one hand and touched his arm. She wanted to tell him not to worry, that they would deal with this problem. That as long as they were together, no problem would be too big.

But with everyone present, Khushi had to settle for squeezing his arm reassuringly.

He took a deep breath and nodded to show her he was ok.

With dinner done, Buaji was suggesting they make a move.

"Kal jaldi bhi toh aana hai na Nandikishore" she said.

"Buaji, main aap sab ko drop kardunga" Arnav said, "Let me just get my car keys"

With one last look at Khushi, he headed upstairs for his keys.

"Actually bhai ko aaj raat rest karna chahiye" Akash said, "Main aapko drop kar deta hoon"

"Haan Akash" Di said, "yehi theek rahega"

Akash went after his brother as Khushi and her family trooped into the living room.

Labourers were re-arranging the stage into a mandap, removing the old flowers and decorations to make way for fresh ones in the morning.

"Hume pata hai aaj raat aapko zyaada neend toh nahi ayegi lekin fir bhi'" Di trailed off when she saw Dadi descending the stairs.

Khushi followed her gaze and her heart began to beat faster.

Dadi joined them in the living room. She stopped near one of the workers and said, "Ek minute"

Everyone turned to face her.

"In phoolon ke saath, baaki saari sajavat bhi yahan se hata dijiye"

"Kya baat hai, Sumi?" Nani asked, hurrying towards her. "Yeh sab toh mandap banae khatir jagah'"

"Devyani, in sabse keh do ki yahan koi mandap nahi banegi" Dadi said.

Khushi felt a chill run down her spine. She could understand neither Dadi's words and nor why she was staring at Amma with such hatred.

"Yeh kya keh rahi ho Sumi?" Nani asked, "Kal chotey ka byah'"

"Nahi hai" Dadi said.

There was a collective gasp in the living room.

"Kal kuch nahi hai" Dadi said, "Yeh byah nahi hoga"