Chapter 1

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Hi everyone,

Thanks to all those who write comments. Extra special thanksto those who write detailed ones.

Note: Khushi is 23 and Arnav is 29 

Harvest Moon Chapter 1

Delhi, Eight Years later

KHUSHI walkedon the non-existent sidewalks of Khanna market, her entire body quivering withrage. As she maneuvered through the throng of people, she blinked her eyesseveral times to quell the tears that threatened to fall.

When will you getserious in your life Khushi?

Asher dad's voice echoed in her head, Khushi walked past the small shops andrestaurants and turned into Lodhi gardens. Tears rolled down her eyes as herthoughts went back to the time her parents had brought her sister Payal and herto a similar park in Canada years ago. Her father had admonished Payal for notplaying with her and she remembered how Payal had pouted while she had baskedin her father's affection.

Herfather had always pampered her, had given in to her demands, made sure that shewouldn't lack for anything in her life. Growing up, she had been his favourite.But all that had changed in the last two years - since they had left Canada.

Twoyears ago, Shashi Gupta had decided to come back to India to take care of his ailingmother, who lived with his sister Madhumati. Payal had moved away to the UnitedStates for a software job and Khushi who had just completed her Bachelors inComputer Science, had come back with them.

Herdad had been disappointed when she hadn't made it for the Engineering courselike Payal but he had consoled her or rather himself that a Bachelor's degreesupported by a Master's later would measure up to an engineering degree even ifit took longer. Just like that he had planned the next five to six years of hereducation.

Unfortunatelyfor him, she hadn't seen it that way.After completing her degree, she had skippedapplying for her Master's course.When her father had found out he was livid ather negligence.

You just have a basicdegree Khushi...these days every Tom Dick and Harry has one

Onlyher mother's intervention had saved her from his wrath. She had managed to convincehim that she needed a break and that it would be a good idea to apply next year.Little did her mother know that she had no such intentions, whatsoever.She hadno idea why but she had wanted to come back to India rather than continuing herstudies in Canada.

Afterthey had come back to India, she had found a job at a nearby school where shetaught kindergarten kids. Now two years later she had become the head of thecultural department, responsible for organizing the school's annual functionsthrough different grades. She had been busy designing the children's costumeswhen her father had found her this morning --

You could have so muchgoing for you, but all you want to do is just doodle away ...

But dad -

Your one year break hasturned into two!

I wanted to talk to youabout that dad

I don't think there isanything to talk about --- maybe we should just look for an alliance

Thatis when she had walked out the house.

Whydidn't her dad understand that she would never be what he wanted her to be?

She was not Payal.

Payalwas so sure of herself. She had always known she wanted to be in the sciencestream right since her school days and had chosen IT as her field of study. Shehad not only completed her Computer Science engineering from University ofBritish Columbia, Vancouver but had also followed it up with a Master's degreein the same field.

Unfortunatelyfor Khushiher family was full of academicians. Her dad Shashi Gupta who worked asa manager in Private Company was an aluminus of BITS Pilani. His brother was adoctor in the United States and her maternal uncle was an IAS officer.

Khushididn't mean to be a rebel but her Bachelors course had made it clear to herthat her heart was not in Science. The only problem was that she wasn't surewhat it was she wanted to do.She was ashamed of herself for being the onlynon-achiever in the family.With a heavy heart, she turned around and made herway back to the house.

Alittle later, Khushi took an elevator up to the apartment where she lived withher parents. The front door was ajar and as she quietly slipped inside, sheheard voices from the living room.

"Howcould your uncle make such a major decision about Khushi without consulting us?"Her dad's voice sounded a little agitated. Khushi stopped in her stride when sheheard her name, not wanting to reveal her presence until she could hear somemore.

"Pleasetry to understand -" Garima began.

"Heis the Khushi's grandfather Shashi ---he has every right - as per law." It washer aunt Madhumati.

Grandfather? She didn'thave any grandparents alive. What the hell were they talking about?

"Ishould have known that the sly old man had an ulterior motive!"

"Shashiplease -" Garima implored.

Sheknew eavesdropping was wrong but she didn't seem to be able to move.

"Idon't know why you are fretting so much Shashi," Madhumati said, "You should behappy you are getting rid of your responsibility."

"Jiji!" Shashichastised his sister.  

What did she mean by"getting rid of" ?

"What'swrong in what I have said?" Madhumati asked her brother, "That child has beenquiet a handful since the day she came into this house.

"Khushihas always lagged behind in studies. She is sitting at home from the past twoyears doing nothing. Would this have been the case, had she been your own fleshand blood? Look at your own daughter Payal. She is in the USA fulfilling yourdream."

Khushi'seyes welled up. Buaji had always discriminated between Payal and her and eventhough she hadn't understood it at first, she had eventually found out that notall people accepted an adopted child with open arms. But this was the firsttime Khushi had heard Buaji spell out her resentment in plain words.

"Stopit jiji!" Shashi stood up angrily and began walking toward the foyer, "I don'tcare whose blood she is! She is mydaughter. Period."

"Sheis very much my blood!" She heard hermother's vehement voice, "Khushi is my sister's daughter!"

Khushifelt her heart stop for a moment and she held onto the wall for support. Her adoptive mother was actually her aunt!

"Exactlymy point!"Buaji continued. She looked at her brother. "Her grandfather hasarranged a marriage for her. You should agree before she  --"

Marriage!

"Jiji!"Shashi'sloud voice echoed through the house. He froze when he saw Khushi walking intothe living room, her face ashen.

"Khushi!"Garimastood up from the sofa chair. "Khushi -- when did you come?" She asked herweakly.

"Icame at the right time." Khushi walked toward her mother. "Why didn't you tellme?" Khushi looked at her mother, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Hermother stood silently, her face stricken.

"Wewould have told you at the right time." Shashi answered from behind her.

"Ineeded to know!" Tears streaming down her cheeks, Khushi ran up the stairs.

**

Thatnight Khushi sat at her desk working on the programme schedule for the impendingannual day at her school. Her stomach rumbled with hunger but she ignored it.She was unable to concentrate as thoughts reverberated through her mind.Heradoption had never been a secret to her but why had her parents hidden thetruth that she was their own niece? She had often wondered how her birthparents might have been like not knowing how close to the truth she was.

Sheheard a knock on her door and the next moment her parents walked in.

"Ibrought you some hot chocolate," her mother smiled at her tentatively.

Hotchocolate! How did she know that she was craving for one? Of course she knew.She was her mother.

"Khushi--" her father began brusquely, "We want you to know one thing. In spite ofwhat jiji said, your mother and I have never ever differentiated between Payal andyou - and we never will. Do you understand that?"

WhatBuaji had said was not far from the truth. She had always felt in her heart,that the reason for her disinterest in academics was because of her differentlineage. Tears trickled down in a continuous stream, choking her so she was unableto speak. Garima went up to her daughter and took her in her arms.

"Khushi -- stop crying!" Shashi exclaimed, " --we are trying to talk here."

AsKhushi sobbed uncontrollably, Garima turned to her husband. "Khushi needs sometime. Maybe it is a good idea if I talked to her alone." When Shashi hesitatedshe implored to him, "Please." He left the room quietly.

Garimastroked her daughter's hair gently.  Alittle later, Khushi sat up and wiped her tears.

"Amma,I am sorry," she said, "I know I have been behaving like a brat - pleaseforgive me?" She touched her ear.

Garimasmiled at Khushi's childhood habit. It was time to let Khushi know about herbirth parents.

Shetook a deep breath."Khushi -- your mother Gauri was my cousin sister - her dadand my mom were brother and sister," she said.

"Aftermy mother married my father, she moved away to Kolkata. I was born there. Iremember playing with your mother when we visited my grandmother's house duringsummer holidays. Once my grandparents died the visits almost came to a stand-stillas my mami didn't like my mother too much - the age old fight." She smiledwistfully.

"AfterI got married to your father we moved to Canada and I completely lost touchwith your mother." She paused.

"Youare a splitting image of your mother in her younger years," Garima touchedKhushi's cheek.

"Whatabout my father?" Khushi asked.

Garima'seyes became shuttered. "I am sorry Khushi ---" She looked at Khushi sadly, "Yourgrandfather hadn't kept it touch with us."

"That'sit?" Khushi was disappointed that there wasn't too much information about herparents. It was obvious she hadn't come from an orphanage as she had been ledto believe and so she asked the inevitable question. "How did I end up withyou?"

"Yourgrandfather brought you to us when we here visiting in Delhi," Garima recalledthat night when her uncle had brought Khushi bundled up in a cashmere shawl."He told us that your parents were killed in a car accident in which you hadmiraculously survived." She said, "He wanted us to raise you."

"Why?"Khushi whispered and then when she saw the look on her mother's face shecorrected herself. "I meant -- why didn't hewant to keep me?"

"Hewas all alone Khushi," Her mother explained. "He probably thought it was bestfor you to grow up with a family."

"Butwhy keep all this from me?" Khushi demanded."And why didn't he keep in touch?"

"Yourgrandfather had his own reasons."

"Somy grandfather just dumped me on you without giving you any explanations."Khushi said with disdain.

"Khushistop!" Her mother said her eyes blazing. "Don't talk like that. He didn't dumpyou on us. We were blessed to have you with us.

"Ishould also let you know he has signed a plot of his land in your name. He hadauthorized it such that we could sell it anytime we needed the money. Howeverwe have never had to use it."

"Iagree with you about one thing Amma. I am truly blessed to have been brought upby you and dad and not by a man who hasn't even bothered to keep contact allthese years.

"Andsigning a plot of land in my name doesn't give him the right to choose my groomfor me!"

Aweek later Khushi sat at the restaurant in ITC Sheraton listening, as Sam sat infront of her talking about some movie he had recently watched. She was usuallya good listener but today was not one of those days.

Shehad met Sam - Samarth Sachdev when her family friend's daughter Sanchita hadtaken her to a nightclub one night. Sam had pursued her from the moment he mether but she had refused to accept a date, being sceptical about gettinginvolved with someone who was way above her league.

Shefelt like little people were standing inside her head, beating really louddrums. She had to get out of here - fast!

Somethingabout her expression must have given it away for he suddenly took her hand inhis and looked into her eyes. "Khushi, are you okay?"

Samwas a handsome man with average height, possessing the arrogance that came frombelonging to an affluent family. He had told her that he wasn't keen to joinhis dad's business and was figuring out what to do making her realize he notmuch unlike her.

Khushigently extricated her hand from his and looked at her watch. "Sam - I am notfeeling too well. I have to go now."

Sam'seyebrows creased with concern. "I am sorry Khushi - why didn't you tell me?"

"Don'tworry about it!" She waved her hand as she stood up from her chair. "I reallyhave to go."

"WaitKhushi!" He called out. "I will drop you."

Inthe car Khushi was lost in her own thoughts. When the car stopped a little waysfrom her house, she turned toward Sam. "Thanks." She smiled.

Samlifted his hand and placed it on her cheek. "What's going on Khushi? You havebeen so quiet."

Khushiwondered how to extricate herself politely when he suddenly leaned forward.Khushi turned her face in reflex and Sam's lips came in contact with her hair.

"Goodnight!" Embarrassed to say anything else, she unlocked the car with lightningspeed and hurried out.

Laterthat night, Khushi tossed and turned in her bed unable to sleep a wink. Shedecided to go down to the kitchen to get a glass of milk, when she saw thelight on in the dining area. She halted on the stairs when she heard hermother's voice.

"Khushiis very upset that we never told her that she is our niece. She has been veryquiet since the night I told her everything."

"Andwhose fault is that?" Her dad had returned for his business trip! "I was neverin favour of keeping this information from her."

"Iwasn't either -but my uncle wanted it that way and  heisher grandfather - not her enemy."

Theywere discussing the very thing she didn't want to hear. She was about toretreat but she stopped when she heard her mom's next sentence. "You said youmade enquires?"

 "Yes I did. "I will admit that I wouldn't havefound a better alliance even if I had searched for one.  The Raizadas are a very affluent andprominent family in Faridkot. They own land and business."

"Isee." Garima gave her husband a tight smile. Garima's brows creased withconcern as she thought of Khushi's reaction to the marriage proposal the othernight.

"WillKhushi fit in there?" She whispered.

"Khushiwill have to fit in." Buaji had joined her parents. "You don't seem tounderstand a simple fact that this marriage is also in your best interests."

"Ifyou are going to repeat what you said the other day - save your breath as Ihave no inclination to hear those things again." Shashi Gupta's voice wasstern.

 "You may not like to hear certain facts oflife but it is my duty as an elder in this family to tell you." Buajipersisted. "My brother is a man and doesn't understand all these things Garima.But you do don't you? You know why it would be in Payal's best interest ifKhushi got married and left the house first."

"Whyare you talking in riddles jiji?" Shashi said.

"Iwill be forthright then," Buaji grated. "It would be difficult to find a matchfor Payal with Khushi around in the house." She said her voice laced withscorn.

"Idon't think there is anything wrong with Payal's looks!" Garima's saidhorrified.

"Inever said there was something wrong with Payal's looks  --' Buaji stressed, "What you both don't seem to understand is that Khushi'slooks are extraordinary. Don't tell me you both haven't thought of that."

"ForGod's sake jiji!"Shashi lamented. "Marriages are not settled just based onlooks ---"

"That'swhat you think!" Madhumati said emphatically.

"Pleasejiji! I don't want to hear another word. I request you to please leave usalone."

"Fine!I am leaving. You will understand all this when Payal gets rejected thanks tothe beauty queen -"

Unableto hear anymore Khushi ran back up the stairs to her room, her entire bodysuffused with anger.

Khushipaced her room thinking about what she had heard downstairs.

You will understand allthis when Payal gets rejected thanks to the beauty queen

Whythe hell did Buaji have to spew such venom ? How could she say such thingsabout her sister?

Whyhad her world had turned topsy-turvy all of a sudden, she rued. Why couldn't itgo back to being the way it was before? Why ? Why? Why?

Sheknew the answer to that one, didn't she? It was thanks to this grandfather whohad appeared out of nowhere.Not only had her grandfather appeared, but he wasalso exercising his rights by making a life changing decision for her.

Totop that, her father seemed to be quiet impressed with the match as well. Maybethey did want to get rid of her as Buaji had suggested.

Sobe it, she thought. It was time to meet this imperious grandfather of hers soshe could tell him that she had no intention of letting him control her life.

There was no way she wasgoing to get hitched to some farmer in Faridkot!