Chapter 17

Part 17

[NOCOPY]

Armaan raised his eyebrow: personal? Aisa kya kaand kiya aapne ki kuch bhi nahi bata sakte? (Arjun rolled his eyes) bhai kahi aisa toh nahi na aapne already apna sansaar basa liya hai aur bhabhi aur bachon ke saath aane waale hai, ya fir kahi aisa toh nahi ki (whispering) ho gaya toh urgent hai?………………………..

Arjun(scandalized): hey bhagwan! Chup kar! Aisa kuch bhi nahi hai!!!

Armaan: pakka?

Arjun: Armaan!!!!!

Armaan: acha sorry bas confirm kar raha hun

Arjun shook his head in disbelief: tu meeting fix hone par bol mujhe, okay? Bye!

Armaan: are bhai…

But he disconnected the call.

Arjun: paagal! Ye bacha ka bacha hi rahega

He drove back home. Throwing his keys on one side, he went into the bedroom to get changed. After freshening up, he throws himself on the bed and checks the time. The formalities at the NGO must have been over by now. He reaches for his phone and calls up Riya.

On the other hand-

Riya is in the garden, swinging with her thoughts running through the day’s events. Her lips had a smile and her cheeks had a tint. The sound of her phone ringing breaks her trance. She puts her feet on the ground to stop the swing. Her blush increases as her brain processes the name on her screen.

Riya: hello?

Arjun grins: hi!

Riya: hi!

Arjun: ho gaya kaam?

Riya: ha

Arjun: kya kar rahi ho?

Riya: bas yu hi garden mein hun

Arjun: ooh, acha suno na ek kaam tha as in ek baat batani thi

Riya: ha bolo na

Arjun: woh actually mein tumhe ghar le jaana chahta tha, maa aur Armaan se milane

Riya(surprised): kya?

Arjun: ha actually Dad se bhi…as in thoda, I am not exactly keen on that but papa hai toh, nibhana toh padega na thoda? Aur utne bhi bure nahi hai, apart from the fact ki he hates my job aur uska gussa woh mujh par nikalte hai… anyway maine Armaan se baat ki, usne kaha ki woh mujhe thoda safe timing batayega toh bas socha tumhe bata du, tum busy ho gayi toh puch nahi paaya us time, mujhe Sameer se milne ke baad yaad aaya toh isliye

Riya: koi baat nahi Arjun, main bas…soch rahi thi ki, woh kaise react karenge?

Arjun: ab shaadi karni hai toh batana toh padega hi na ki hum saath hai

Riya blushed a little: woh us baare mein nahi, obviously batana padega, I was talking about the fact ki unhe mere ateet ke baare mein pata chalega toh…main nahi chahti ki tumhe dukh pahunche

Arjun: Riya shaadi hume karni hai

Riya: ha par, woh tumhari family hai, unka bhi haq hai tum par

Arjun: ha but ye hum dono ke beech ki baat hai, unhe kaise handle karna hai main ache se jaanta hun, ab samjhi ya samjhau?

She smiled: samaj gayi

Arjun: Riya?

Riya: ha?

Arjun: ek baat puchu?

Riya: pucho na

Arjun: tumhe jaate waqt kaha tha ki ab tumhe dar nahi toh…tum mujhse firse door hone ki koshish nahi karogi na? main tumse bahot pyaar karta hun Riya, nahi reh sakta tumhare bagair

His words tugged at her heart: kabhi nahi, I promise, chahe kuch bhi ho jaaye…main kabhi bhi tumhe khud se door nahi karungi (he felt relieved)….. aur Arjun? (her eyes moistened) I’m sorry

Arjun: tum sorry kyun keh rahi ho?

Riya: aaj jo maine tumhare saath kiya I… (she closed her eyes) I didn’t, I didn’t mean to hurt you, main bas ye chahti thi ki tum apni life khushi se jeeyo, you deserve the best Arjun, aur main…(A tear rolled down her eye) main bas, tumne mere liye itna kuch kiya hai, mujhe jeene ki nayi wajah di hai, main bas nahi chahti thi ki tumhe meri wajah se problem ho

Savita Tai’s words played in his head, “agar Riya tumse pyaar nahi karti toh kya woh ye sochti ki uski wajah se tumhari life mein problem ho sakti hai? ulta woh tumhari feelings ka faayda uthati in fact, ab tak utha chuki hoti”

A smile appeared on his face: Riya, tum hi meri best ho, mujhe aur kuch nahi chahiye

Riya is overwhelmed but manages to control herself: I love you

Arjun: I love you too

She smiles: par

Arjun: par kya?

Riya: par apne ghar par woh accident waali kahani mat sunana, kahi rishta tay karte-karte sab maatam na manane lag jaaye

Arjun chuckled: are woh kahani sunaunga toh woh hi tumhe adopt kar lenge (dramatically) aur tum meri behen?!?.......NAHI!!!!!!!!

Riya laughs: Arjun you’re a drama queen

Arjun: kya karu? tumhe patana zyaada zaroori tha na

Riya: baat agar patane ki hi hai toh woh tumne bahot pehle kar diya tha

Arjun complains: fir bhi itni mehnat karwayi tumne mujhse

Riya: ha woh trauma ne gift diya hai rumination ka

Arjun(taken aback): oh god! Riya please…..bhaari joke mat maaro

Riya: joke nahi, fact hai

Arjun: galti meri hi hai tumse uske baare mein baat karna hi khatarnaak hai

She giggles: acha? Tum policewaale ho na? abhi tak is sab se used to nahi hue

Arjun: mujhe khoon aur laashon ki aadat padi hai, tumhare in jokes ki nahi

Riya: are baba, joke thodi hai, fact hai

Arjun: maaf karo meri maa, please baksh do mujhe (she laughs) khaana khaaya?

Riya: bas abhi jaungi, tumne?

Arjun: are banane mein bore ho raha hai, soch raha hun baahar se mangwa lu

Riya: zyaada junk mat khaana, apni sehat ka khayal rakho

Arjun: rakhunga

Riya: pata hai Arjun, kabhi-kabhi mujhe lagta hai ki agar woh sab na hua hota toh kya tum mujhe milte?

Arjun(firmly): Riya agar mere milne ke liye tumhe us sab se guzarne ki zaroorat hai toh main hazar janamo tak tumhara saath chodne ke liye taiyaar hun

Riya gets taken aback by the answer. She hadn’t expected such a sentence, leave alone with the determination in his voice. It made her both proud and overwhelmed with love.

Riya: main tumhe kabhi nahi samaj paungi

Arjun: pyaar karta hun tumse Riya, tumhe takleef mein kaise dekh sakta hun? Tum bhi toh usi wajah se mujhe chodna chahti thi na? toh kya ye sacrifice ka tokra sirf tum utha sakti ho? rishton ki dor toh do taraf se bandh ti haina? Agar tum use pakadne ke liye aandhiyon mein khadi ho sakti ho toh fir main toofano mein kaise chod du?

Riya pursed her lips to prevent a sob: ab bhaari baatein kaun kar raha hai?

Arjun smiles: tumhari bhaasha mein, joke nahi, fact hai

They burst out laughing. The topic shifted to randomness again as the lovers poured their hearts out unaware that their love had one more test to take.

Arjun and Riya basked in their new found or rather newly expressed love. There was no limit to their happiness. Rathore publicly announces the union in ETF two days later after he met Riya the previous night to congratulate them.

Rathore: chalo sab log Arjun sir se party maango

Arjun who had just entered the conference room with his tea is confused.

Chotu: Arjun sir party dijiye

Shree taps his head: are bhukad ram, kyun toh puch

Liza: ha, sir kya hua? Arjun sir se party kyun maangni hai? aur sir ye saare kaam aapke hai, hum toh jo mila usi mein khush hai, aap hume kyun (nervously) bali ka bakra bana rahe hai?

Rathore: are baba, tum sab ke pyaare se Arjun sir ki pyaari si love story set ho gayi toh tum log party bhi nahi maangoge?

Arjun blushed as he sipped his tea.

Shree(shocked): love story?! Lekin…lekin hume toh laga…ki woh already set hai

Liza : are idiot, officially set ho gayi, haina sir?

Arjun turned red but nodded.

Sakshi ran to him: Nahi!!!! aisa nahi ho sakta! bol do ki ye sab jhoot hai!!

She faints in his arms.

Arjun somehow catches her without dropping his glass: Sakshi! kya kar rahi ho?

She opens one eye: tumne finally Riya ko propose kar diya, ye baat mera dimag seh nahi paa raha, kya haina? Tumhari rate par mujhe laga ki tum pyaar is janam mein karoge fir himmat agle mein jutaoge aur teesre mein propose karoge, fir shaadi chouthe mein tay karoge, paanchve mein shadi karoge, chatte mein room mein jaoge aur saatve mein suhag raat manaoge 

Arjun rolled his eyes and forced her straight: shut up!!!

The others smile afraid of laughing at their boss but Rathore had no such reservations.

He starts laughing uncontrollably: ha Sakshi bilcul sahi hai

They high-fived in jubilance.

Arjun looks at him flatly: atleast mera rate itna toh nahi hai ki ye bhi na pata ho ki suhag raat government property par nahi manate

Rathore shut up immediately and he and Ayesha turned red with embarrassment.

Sakshi: matlab?

He winks at her and leaves to his cabin.

Shree: Rathore sir? Arjun sir kya keh rahe the?

Rathore: kaam karo sab apna!!!!

Disappointed and confused they get back to work. On the other hand, Arjun takes his seat. He sips his tea again before keeping the glass on the table and picking a file. His phone rings. Seeing the name, he immediately picks up.

Arjun: ha Armaan, meeting fix hui?

Armaan: hi hello kuch mat bolo aap

Arjun: are yaar tu fir shuru ho gaya

Armaan: gaali khaoge bhai

Arjun: ha waise bhi sab dete hi rehte hai, tu bhi de-de lekin pehle kaam ki baat bol

Armaan: aapse toh na…chalo chodo, bhabhi ki baat hai toh jaane deta hun, mujhe bhi meri bhabhi se milna hai

Arjun: woh toh tab milegi jab tum mujhe time bataoge

Armaan: batata hu baba, dekho, kal raat meeting hai ek client ke saath toh aap bhabhi ko lekar parso subah 7:30 baje aa jaana, okay?

Arjun: done!

Armaan: ditch mat karna mujhe! Main wait karunga

Arjun: are mere bhai, tujhe ditch karunga toh main khud ditch ho jaunga

Armaan: aap ditch ho jaayenge? Kaise? (sternly) bhai sach-sach bolo aap hone ke baad toh nahi aa rahe na? ki aap nahi milayenge aur woh chod kar chali jaayegi?

Arjun: Armaan!

Armaan: ha?

Arjun: shut up!!

Call disconnect

Armaan mv “are ajeeb hain, main toh bhale ke liye puch raha tha.”

Here Arjun is excited. He punches the air in happiness.

Arjun: YESS!!!!

He dials Riya’s number and then immediately cuts it, recollecting she was going to go to office. He leaves her a message to be ready at the designated time so he could pick her up…………………………