Chapter 5

KHUSHI looked at Sammy as she tried on necklaces at Panna Lal Roshan Lal jewelers in Chandi Chowk. When Sammy had called her in the morning to help her chose her wedding jewelry Khushi had gladly agreed.

"Just couple of weeks ago, I was in Chandni Chowk and I thought about how we used to come here during our college days," Khushi said, "so much happened since then." Suryaprakash Raizada's 13th day ceremony had taken place just the day before.

"I know --" Sammy agreed with a sigh, "Let's take a break -- go back to my room and order some Chinese for dinner." She said brightly.

A little later they sat on Sammy's bed in her small studio room and after they had ordered their food, Sammy turned toward Khushi. "How do you feel after meeting your Abhay after so many years? I'd hoped you would call me and tell me but you have been avoiding the topic on the phone as well as the past couple of hours since we met."

Khushi looked at her friend in surprise. "I haven’t been avoiding it Sammy," she said defensively, "there is nothing much to tell –"

"Come on Khushi," Sammy prodded her friend, "do you want me to buy that cock and bull story? I remember how affected you were during your first year of college."

"Alright," she conceded, "the truth is that – I am confused."

"What do you mean?" Sammy asked her, her eyebrows twisted in confusion.

"When I met Abhay in Sikkim – he looked like the hero of a romance novel. We had a brief conversation – I blabbered something I shouldn’t have and he came across as someone who was worldly. I was just an 18-year old naïve girl who got carried away --"

"Carried away to sleep next to him," Sammy reminded her with a mischievous smile.

"He was just being kind to me," Khushi said softly, "I am sure he would have done that for anyone."

"I don’t think so. Are you telling me that you don’t feel anything now?" Sammy asked her directly.

"I had feelings for Abhay but he doesn’t exist. The person who exists is Arnav Singh Raizada – an amazing architect I admire. He also happens to be a relative. This is the reality."

"Don’t you think you are overthinking this?" Sammy asked her, "he is one and the same person Khushi."

"It doesn’t matter," Khushi shook her head, "I am with Rohan now."

"I am sorry Khushi, but I don’t think Rohan is the right person for you." Sammy declared, "I have wanted to tell you this –"

"Ah there's the food!" Khushi ran to the door. She paid the delivery boy and brought the cover inside. "Ready for Chinese?"

They opened the boxes and began to eat. Sammy continued. "After you met him at the reunion -- I can understand that you accepted his friendship despite what he had done all those years ago. But why did you have to be something more?"

"Why not?" Khushi asked defensively, "he is affable, comes from a good family, we are in similar fields of work."

"Khushi – at my engagement didn’t you find out that he had been having a crush on Lavanya Kashyap for so many years?" she asked her, "that's the reason they kissed during the farewell party."

"I heard that Lavanyaji had done that on a rebound," Khushi explained, "Rohan also told me that he was over her by the time he met me."

"Did you believe that?"

"The incident happened a long ago Sammy." Khushi reasoned.

Sammy looked frustrated. " Rohan isn’t your type. What's going on with you?" Sammy persisted.

"Last year I was paying off loans, I had joined a new job at AR --" Khushi said, "I was going through a lot of stress and I was feeling lonely."

"Why didn’t you tell me all this Khushi?" Sammy asked her, "I am your bestie for God's sake!"

"You and Anirudh had just found each other after so long," Khushi's eyes moistened, "I didn’t want to bother you will all my troubles. Rohan came along as a respite from all the trouble. He showed me some attention when I needed it."

"But –"

"Not everyone can have a perfect love story like yours Sammy – sometimes being in a safe and comfortable relationship is good enough."

Sammy hugged Khushi. "Khushi, I am sorry. I was just concerned for you."

"I know." Khushi held on tight. She already knew what Sammy was trying to say but knew better than to ponder on it. After all this, she didn’t have the courage to tell her about Rohan's skittish behaviour off late.

"Khushi, I am really sorry I am unable to help you with your loan." Sammy apologized.

"Don’t be silly," Khushi admonished her friend, "you have your own wedding expenses which I am proud that you are paying for yourself."

"That's true," she agreed, "at least my brother hasn’t asked me for money and has managed to revive the homestay on his own." Her face fell. "Sorry Khushi I didn’t mean to offend–"

"None taken!" Khushi exclaimed, "enough with all these apologies."

"Okay – are you sure you don’t you feel anything for Arnav?" Sammy asked her with a mischievous smile, "he is so handsome."

"Does Anirudh know what you think?"

"I am not married yet." She winked.

As the room was filled with sounds of their joy, Khushi was glad to have ignored Sammy's question. How could she answer something which would only complicate matters if addressed?

Arnav sat in his room lost in thought. Khushi had avoided him since the night on the terrace and even during the 13th day ceremony she had kept her distance. He didn’t blame her for there was no excuse for his unforeseen outburst on a girl who had been nothing but trusting of him since the moment he had met her. But that was what scared him. Her unconditional trust in him. It was easier with those other women who always treated him with a little wariness. People who trusted unconditionally were a lot of responsibility and he didn’t want any of that right now. But he didn’t have to worry about it because she was with someone else. For some reason, that thought didn’t comfort him.

He walked up to the study room and knocked on it. Anjali looked up from her laptop and waved him inside.

"What was Nanaji thinking?" Arnav said. Mr. Sethi the family lawyer had read Suryaprakash Raizada's will just that morning.

"Why are you so surprised?" Anjali asked him as she leaned back in her chair.

"How can you say that Di?" he asked her, "I am not only surprised but I am shocked."

"There is nothing to be shocked about," she said, "it was his decision."

"Didn’t you see how upset Mamaji, Mamiji and Akash were?" he asked her.

Surprakash Raizada had left the Raizada house, an ancestral house in MP to his wife and had also provided her with an income from a rental property, he had left another house in Delhi to his son along with a brick factory, he had left his first company SP Builders to Akash, AR Interiors to Anjali and finally AR Constructions to Arnav.

Mamaji was upset that his father had left Akash the subsidiary company SP Builders, while Arnav had inherited the main company AR Constructions.

"SP Builders may be small but it is doing decently well," Anjali said, "It is AR Constructions that needs help."

"Fantastic!" Arnav said under his breath, "So did he do this to punish me or something?"

"Don’t behave like you don’t get it Arnav!" Anjali exclaimed, "Akash can't handle AR Constructions. SP builder's revenue is not bad and that should be enough for him to have a decent life if he doesn’t manage to bring it down somehow.

"On the contrary -- Nanaji believed that you will be able to save AR Constructions."

"Well, he thought wrong," He raked a hand through his hair. "I won't do it. I prefer to go back --"

"Didn’t we have this conversation before?" Anjali demanded, "I already told you –"

"I agreed to work at the company, but that was supposed to be for a little while –owning it is a huge responsibility. You know I have never wanted it even before."

"Yes I know -- you left the house to start off on your own. After things didn’t work out with the company you didn’t come back. You left for the US.

"But I stayed here and did as I was expected to," she said, "I worked for the company, got married according to Nanaji's choice."

After a long engagement, she had eventually married Shyam just before Arnav had left for the US. Back then, he had wondered why she had agreed to an arranged marriage but had never broached the subject with her. Was she having regrets?

"Di, what's going on?" Arnav asked her gently.

"You have always done what you liked!" Anjali exclaimed, "Even as a boy you did you own thing without thinking about the consequences."

Arnav was taken aback by his sister's tirade. "Di – you know why I did that-- "

"I know that – but as a result, you got sent away. I too was a young girl who had lost a mother. I needed you by my side. How do you think I felt each time you left?" she asked him.

His usually composed sister was expressing herself for the first time, and he could see that any explanation from his side would only upset her more. "Di, I am sorry you felt that way –"

Anjali raised her hand. "Arnav I have a headache – I want to go and rest." She stood up and walked to the door. Then she turned around. "I am going to the US for a conference," she said, "I will announce it in tomorrow's meeting. I will see you there." She walked out.

The next day at the AR office, Anjali addressed the team at the weekly meeting.

"Let's discuss the projects we talked about in the previous meeting," she began, "for the renovation project, Arnav has given me his initial plan for the restoration."

Khushi was surprised to hear that Arnav had worked on the project when he had told her two weeks ago that he planned to reject it. He was as unpredictable as the weather, she thought.

"But I don’t have good news on Mr. Singh's project," she said looking at Rohan, "Mr. Singh has told me that the meeting was postponed twice. What is going on Khushi?"

Khushi looked at Rohan hoping he would explain the situation but he remained silent.

"Rohan?" Anjali looked at him.

"I sent the designs to Mr. Manjit Singh," he said, "but he hasn’t responded."

"Of course -- he hasn’t responded," Anjlali's tone had a hint of anger, "until the client approves a design you aren’t supposed to communicate via emails. You must go and meet him so that you can discuss the pros and cons. You can only start sending emails later and that too only if he consents to that method."

"I am sorry m'am," Rohan's face went red with embarrassment, "but I did discuss this with Khushi."

Khushi was shocked that Rohan had turned the tables on her. She had clearly told him not to send the designs via email. After having worked with Mr. Mann earlier, she was aware of the expectations of the older and traditional clients.

"What about the design that was finally sent to Mr. Singh?" Arnav asked, "was that up to his expectations?"

"Mr. Singh did not like it at all," Anjali replied, "he was considering pulling out of the project but Khushi requested Mr. Mann to intervene and give us one more chance. He has agreed."

"Khushi and I will go and meet him right away --"

Anjali raised her hand and cut off Rohan. "Mr. Singh doesn’t want to work with you. I will have no choice but to ask Arnav to take over from here."

    "Arnav -- you will have to go there as soon as possible." She told her brother and then looked at Khushi, "You will be able to brief him about the project, won't you?"

"Yes ma'am," Khushi said wondering how she was going to handle working with Arnav.

"Rohan – I will give you the plan for the renovation project submitted by Arnav. Go through them and understand what needs to be done further. Mr. Kashyap has already okayed them but you will have to work with his daughter and see if she likes them."

"Yes ma'am," Rohan said in a low voice.

"Another very important announcement," she said, "Arnav will be taking over as head of AR Constructions."

As all the team members looked at him with their eyes wide open, Anjali spoke again. "I am planning to take some time off to go to the US. Arnav will be handling everything including AR Interiors while I am gone."

Khushi looked at Rohan's pale face. Just before the meeting he had complained to her about Arnav, wondering when he would be returning to the US.

Couple of hours later, Arnav and Khushi sat in the living room of the farm house, waiting for Mr. Manjit Singh's arrival. He had messaged Khushi that he was caught in a meeting and would be delayed by an hour.

 Khushi wore a light pink floral kurta with white ankle length palazzo pants and kolhapuri footwear. She wore large oxidised earrings and had let her long hair loose.

"Let's look around the property," Arnav suggested abruptly.

They took a narrow unpaved path into a wooded area with big trees and shrubs. The chirping of birds sounded melodious in the otherwise silent atmosphere.

"This will turn out to be a beautiful farm house for Mr. Singh," Arnav said, "this property is amazing."

"I thought the same when I came here the first time," Khushi agreed, "but it could be a little lonely as there is no other property nearby."

"Are you afraid?" he asked her.

"Well, I grew up in apartments," she said, "what do you expect?"

"I can understand," he said.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, Khushi said, "I wanted to say congratulations."

Even as a boy you did you own thing without thinking about the consequences.

"What for?" his tone was brusque.

"Anjaliji said that you are the owner of AR –"

I too was a young girl who had lost a mother…. I needed you by my side.

"I don’t need your congratulations!" He said gruffly.

"Fine!" Khushi began to walk back toward the house, "l will wait for you at the house."

"Hey Khushi! Wait up." Arnav ran behind her.

As she increased her pace, his hand caught her arms and stopped her and before she could say something, he covered her mouth with his hand and indicated with a movement of his head to look to the side of the path ahead of her. She froze when she saw a cobra, with its head raised.

  When he saw fear in her eyes, he slowly removed his hand. "Don’t worry. It is planning to attack that bird," he whispered in her ear, "they should be gone soon. Let's wait."

When Khushi turned around and inched closer to his chest, his heart began to race. He wanted to wrap his hand around her protectively but he thought the better of it.

Just as he had predicted the bird flew away just as the cobra struck at it and moments later, the cobra slithered away from the path, vanishing into the woods.

"It's gone," he said softly.

"What happened to the bird?" She mumbled without raising her head.

A small smile stole into his lips. "It escaped."

Even as Khushi raised her head and smiled, she seemed to be shaky. Before he did something stupid he decided to take her back.

"Come on." He caught her hand and began to walk briskly until they had reached the house. He went up to the car and brought a bottle of water as they continued and entered the house.

After he had seated her on the sofa he handed her the bottle of water. "Drink."

Khushi gulped down half a bottle and slowly regained her composure.

"You went pale back there. I take it you haven’t seen a snake before?"

"Not like this – a few meters ahead of me with its hood open," she said in a rush, "have you?"

Arnav walked to the window and stood looking outside. "I have actually," he said, "when I was studying in Mangalore, the campus was quite close to Kundel forest. Moreover, I have been on several treks where we spotted snakes a few times."

"That's a pretty adventurous life," she commented shakily, "my college life was quiet boring."

"Looks like you had your own adventure during a farewell party." He reminded her.

Khushi's face fell. How dare he remind her of that fateful evening? She decided it was best to ignore him. She took out her notepad and began to think about design ideas.

"Tell me about your previous meetings with Mr. Singh." He said suddenly.

As Khushi spoke Arnav listened intently, interrupting her a few times to ask her relevant questions.

He came up to her, took her notepad, walked to the sofa opposite to her and began to draw. Khushi couldn’t resist walking over to him to peek at the drawing. She sat next to him with a look of awe on her face. He drew walls, doors, windows, balconies and a porch. The sketch of a beautiful Spanish house was complete under fifteen minutes.

"How do you do that?" she asked him.

"Going on that walk and seeing the snake got my adrenaline running I guess," he said, "Did you like it?"

"I love it!" she breathed as she touched his arm in an unconscious gesture.

He glanced at her hand, and then looked up at her, his eyes simmering with intensity, his face a serious mask.

Her heart was beating loudly in her chest. She should be angry with him for the way he behaved with her, but for some reason she found that she couldn’t be.

As they heard footsteps, Khushi started and stood up just as Mr. Singh entered the house.

"I am so sorry to keep you both waiting for so long," he apologized as he walked up to them.

"That's alright sir," Arnav said, "the time was well-utilized." He showed the older man his sketch.

As she had expected, Mr. Manjit Singh was as enamoured of Arnav's sketch of the house as she had been. After listening to Arnav's ideas about the house, he was completely bowled over.

"This is fantastic Mr. Raizada!" the older man exclaimed, "if you had just come here instead of the other young man – we could have saved a lot of time and effort."

"I am sorry you were inconvenienced sir," Arnav apologized humbly, "Going forward, I will make sure you are not disappointed."

"I know that now," he said, "if it wasn’t for this young lady here, I wouldn’t have waited but I am glad I did. She kept showing her designs for the interiors and I was already hooked."

On the way back, Khushi looked out of the window trying not to think about the moment between Arnav and her. As her phone beeped, Khushi checked her messages. It was Payal asking her if she would be able to get the rest of the money. It was time to get back to reality she thought in dismay.

That night Khushi tossed and turned in her bed as thoughts of the loan kept whirling in her head. She stood in the terrace, thinking about the conversation with Shyam a few hours earlier.

"I wanted to know if the rest of the money can be arranged?" Khushi asked Shyam tentatively.

"Did you find out about the store?" he asked her in return.

"I have had no time to work on that," she said, "Is there some way I can get the money?"

"That's no good Khushiji." He shook his head.

"Payal was very desperate Shyamji," she begged, "it seemed more urgent that before."

"That's because they didn’t get the inheritance they were expecting."

"Excuse me?" Her eyebrows twisted in confusion.

"Even if you manage to get this collateral -- are you sure it is worth 50 lakhs?" Shyam asked sharply.

"I don’t know –" she muttered feeling foolish.

"It doesn’t work that way Khushiji," he said, "this time these people who give me money will definitely expect it to be paid back."

"Please --" she implored.

"But there is one who got an inheritance he didn’t expect."

"I don't understand --" Why was Shyam talking in riddles?

"Arnav has inherited AR -- all your problems will be solved if you marry him." He stated blandly.

Khushi was about to laugh when she saw the seriousness in his face. "Shyamji – please don’t joke."

"Believe me – your situation is not a joke. I told you before, didn’t I?" he said, "only a rich husband can solve your problem."

"Shyamji – please. I promise to get the collateral," she said firmly, "please arrange for the money as soon as possible."

"Don’t worry Khushiji. I will get you the money. But you have one month to provide the collateral or some sort of assurance that the money can be paid back. I hope you understand what I mean."

Khushi sighed deeply. She couldn’t let her parents find out about the documents as her father was still going through lot of stress paying off the loans incurred from the wedding. The document was only going to be used as collateral that could be retrieved once Akash repays his loan. Shyam had said that Akash hadn’t received the expected inheritance. What did that mean? She would have to talk to Payal about it. But what scared her the most was what Shyam had suggested.

Arnav has inherited AR -- all your problems will be solved if you marry him….

She had questioned herself as to why she had agreed to this and the answer had come in the form of a black and white ultrasound image of a little baby that Payal had shown her earlier in the evening. She prayed to God for strength.