Chapter 10

"Di!" The call rang out from the direction of the stairs, echoing in the almost empty house.

Akash had taken his parents and Payal out to meet a friend and Nani had gone over for a satsang at a neighbour's house. NK as usual off to meet one of his innumerable Australian pals, Anjali had planned a quiet dinner at home with her brother and sister-in-law and was busy making their favourite things, having given strict instructions to Khushi to not help with the cooking. It was her treat. She had been about to call her brother to ask when he might reach home when she heard Khushi call out.

Coming out of the kitchen to invesitgate, Anjali saw Khushi rushing full tilt down the stairs, calling out again, "Di, where are you?"

"What happened, Khushiji? Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Di, I want a doorabin ...Do you know if there's one in the house?"

Gob-smacked, Anjali asked, "You want a what?"

Hopping with impatience, Khushi replied, "Doorabin, Di...woh..haan, telescope... I want a telescope. Do you know if there's one in the house?"

"Telescope, no, I don't think therre's one here. But why do you need one now, Khushiji?"

"For stargazing, Di. Why else?" Walking around impatiently, Khushi asked, "Where can I get one?"

"Khushiji, where will you get one at this late hour? Why don't you ask Chotte.."

"Don't even take his name in my presence! Laad governor kaheenke! First he said that he would come early today, and when he didn't and I called, he didn't answer his phone. And now, he's cut my call twice! Let him come!"

And the Khushi express rushed upstairs again. Halfway up the steps, she paused, "Di, your dear Chotte, he's totally useless! Whenever I need his help in some urgent matter, he will never be around!"

Almost choking with laughter on hearing her formidable brother being casually called 'useless' by his slip of a wife, Anjali walked back to the kitchen.

Chuckling, she thought, "Arnav Singh Raizada has met his match indeed...who would believe if it were known that he's just been called useless by his own darling wife?!"

Khushi's habit of talking to the stars was known to her but why a telescope, she wondered as she paused in her stirring, "Doorabin...didn't even know that such a word existed! But why the sudden urge to see her stars through a telescope?"

Remembering that she had been about to call her brother, she reached for the phone. Just as she was about to dial, the phone rang.

"Di, I'm sorry, but I'll be a bit late. Maybe another hour. Why don't you guys go ahead and have dinner? I'll have it when I reach."

"No problem, Chotte. We'll wait till you come. The whole idea was to have dinner together, so one hour is not a problem at all."

Turning back to walk back to his conference room, Arnav asked, "By the way, Di, where's Khushi ? I had to cut her calls earlier and now when I called back, she's not answering her cell."

Tucking the phone between her shoulder and ear as she got back to cooking, Anjali replied absently, "Must've gone to search for a Doorabin ..."

"Doora...what? And where did she go?"

Laughing at his startled tone, Anjali said, "Telescope! I don't know, Chotte. She was asking me earlier whether there's a telescope in the house. Do you know why she would need one now?"

Chuckling, her brother replied, "Di, you know her. Must be cooking-up some weird plan in that mad head of hers. Okay now, I've got to run, see you soon. And please keep an eye on Khushi, you never know what she would have gotten into."

"Ohhkay, baba. Now go, and finish your work quickly. See you soon", smiling, Anjali kept the phone down.

Finishing up quickly, she went upstairs to Arnav and Khushi's room to see what her darling sister-in-law was up to. Not seeing her in the room, she was about to turn back when she spotted Khushi sitting by the poolside frowning up at the sky. Walking to her and sitting down on the lounge chair, Anjali said tongue-in-cheek, "I'd heard that married couples sort of start resembling eachother in their looks, and now I've seen proof. Your expression reminds me of your Arnavji!"

Turning to her, Khushi whinned, "Di! Already I'm worried, and you're teasing me?"

Stroking her hair, Anjali asked, "What's the matter, Khushiji? Tell me, maybe I'll be able to help?"

Leaning back against Anjali's legs, Khushi looked up at the sky again, "It's my Babuji's birthday tomorrow and I wanted to wish him at midnight. But look how cloudy it is! I thought if I look through a telescope, I might be able to see the stars."

"Ohh, this is the problem. Calm down, Khushiji. There's a while yet left for midnight, it might clear by then. Now, come inside. Chotte will kill me if he finds out that I left you out in the cold.."

Getting up to go downstairs, Khushi gave her a hug, "Do you think I'm being childish?"

Cupping Khushi's cheeks, Anjali replied, "No, Khushiji. Who knows better than me how rare it is that we get a chance to be close to the ones who've left us forever." Smiling at her young sister-in-law, Anjali took her hand to lead her down.

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

Reaching home a little after nine, Arnav found his favourite ladies comfortably sitting and chatting away. Depositting his coat and bag on the couch, he crashed next to Anjali, reaching over to give a quick poke at his wife's nose. "Ahh...that was a long day! Sorry I kept you both waiting. Dinner?"

Jumping up, Khushi exclaimed, "What else? Devi Maiyya ka lakh lakh shukar hain, you've reached. I'm dying here!"

Seeing his wife literally sprinting to the kitchen, Arnav gave one of his rare laughs and told his Di, "Di, just look at her. Will anyone believe that she's the Mrs. ASR?!"

Smiling back at her brother, Anjali replied, "If Khushiji had been of typical Mrs. ASR material, would you have fallen for her?"

Face reddening, Arnav got up to and escaped to the dining area, pretending not to hear Anjali's delighted giggles.

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

The dinner passing in a riot of laughter and leg-pulling from all three parties involved, they settled down to watch the late night news. No sooner had she settled back that Khushi fell asleep, tired out from her cleaning spurt of the day. Not noticing that his wife was asleep until Anjali poked him, Arnav got up, chuckling at her light snores.

Bidding his sister a good night, he was about to carry Khushi off to bed when he remembered that his wife had been searching for a telescope. Turning to Anjali, he asked, "Di, did you find out why Khushi was searching for a telescope? Some mad idea?"

"No, Chotte. Khushiji wasn't able to see the stars since it was very cloudy. She wanted to wish her father on his birthday. It is tomorrow, by the way."

His smirk getting replaced with a tender smile, he looked down at his sleeping wife, "But Di, if it's cloudy, a telescope won't work. I'll take her to the observatory tomorrow. Good night, Di"

Watching her brother carrying his wife up the stairs, Anjali smiled fondly. But the smile faded as she remembered Khushi saying that she had wanted to wish at midnight. Thinking of her soft-hearted sister-in-law, Anjali said to herself, "Poor Khushiji, she won't be able to wish at midnight..."

Deciding to watch TV till the rest of the family came back, Anjali sat back.

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

Nani came in first followed by NK and by the time the rest returned, it was 11 o'clock. As she walked back to her room, she peeked outside and noticed that the sky was clearing up a little. On a whim, she waited up for a couple of hours and by about 1 o'clock in the morning, the stars were out.

Smiling to herself, she quietly walked up the stairs. Hoping that the door wasn't locked and that she wasn't going to end up seeing anything embarassing, she gently pushed at the door of her brother's room. Peeking in, Anjali spotted Arnav sleeping right at the edge of the bed while Khushi slept in one of her now-famous Taekwondo poses.

Walking up to her sister-in-law, Anjali gently shook her awake. Bolting upright at the sight of Anjali in her room, Khushi was about to speak when Anajli shushed her, nodding at the sleeping Arnav. Eyes wide as she nodded her understanding, Khushi got up and moved next to Anjali. Puzzled as she as was when Anjali gestured to the poolside, she quietly walked with her Di to the poolside window.

Pointing outside, Anjali whispered, "Look Khushiji, the clouds are gone. You can wish your Babuji now."

Jumping with glee, Khushi made to rush outside when she realised that Anjali had waited up just to see if the sky would clear enough for the stars to come out. Eyes tearing at the sweet gesture, Khushi hugged her tight and whispered, "Di, you're the best sister-in-law in the world! Why did you have to take the trouble?"

Hugging her back, Anjali smiled, "As I said, I understand, Khushiji, how important this is to you. Now go and wish your father, I'll let myself out."

Hanging on to her arm, Khushi shook her head, "No Di, how can I let you go just like that? Come with me, I'll introduce you to my Babuji."

The happy duo walking outside didnot see a smiling Arnav who decided to let his girls have a moment before joining them.

Author's note:

Originally scheduled to be out on Monday, it is making a delayed appearance. For those who're wondering what I did on Monday, here's the link

The earlier OSs can be found at my Index :