Chapter 2

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Harvest Moon Chapter 2

KHUSHIsat in the Volvo bus that would take her from Delhi to Jalandhar. She hadcontemplated taking a taxi but she had lived in India long enough to know thatit was probably not the best option for a woman travelling alone.

Shechecked her phone to see that her travel time had been about three hours and therewas another four hours left to reach her destination. She wondered what herstudents were up to back in her school. The principal hadn't been too happywhen she had asked for an extended leave especially since she was in charge ofthe annual day function. The older woman had reluctantly agreed after she hadpromised her that she would work on it remotely and would be back in time totake care of the organization.

Lookingout of the window she saw yellow mustard fields, alternating with green and againstthe backdrop of light blue sky, the scenerywas a sight to the sore eyes. As thebreeze blew her hair in all directions, she took a whiff of the fresh air andshook her head in delight. It reminded her of Victoria, a beautiful city inCanada she had visited often with her parents.

Shemissed the place where she had lived most of her life but not as much as herparents had expected. They had been surprised at how well she had adapted toher new surroundings. On one level it was because her parents, not unlike manyothers who had migrated abroad, had made sure that Indian culture and valueswere well imbibed in their daughters. On another level, Khushi had always feltthat she had this inexplicable affinity toward the country of her birth. It wasprobably because as she had grown older, she had begun to nurturea fantasy ofmeeting her birth parents someday, however remote the idea was.

Khushi'seyes welled up when she thought about how that fantasy would always remain whatit was --- just a fantasy.

Shespotted a little girl on a bike sitting between her parents and thoughtwistfully about what it would have been like if her real parents were alive.Would they have taken her on a bike like this? Her heart felt heavy thinkingabout the young couple whose life had been taken away from them by the quirk offate. They hadn't even had the chance to see their little girl grow up. Lifehadn't been fair to them -and in some ways to her as well.

Buaji'swords came back to her ---

Khushi has always laggedbehind in studies.

She is sitting at homefrom the past two years doing nothing.

Would this have been thecase, had she been your own flesh and blood?

Look at your owndaughter Payal. She is in the USA fulfilling your dream

Buaji'sharsh words were nothing if not the truth.

Shehad struggled through college and then later, to figure out a clear career pathfor herself, and even though she was finally content at the school, she hadn'tbeen able to convince her dad about that.

Toadd to her already existing problems, she had to face another shocking truthabout herself.Even though her mother had told her all that she knew about herpast, there were too many pieces of information that was missing. She wanted toknow more about her parents.

Khushistood at the bus station holding onto to her luggage when a man came up to her.

"Helloji!"TheSardar said affably. "Do you need a taxi?"

"Yes-Do you know Patial haveli?" She said tentatively.

"Thatfar?" he grimaced.

"Yes."She said looking around to see if she should find another vehicle.

"Comealong," he said grimly, "I know the place."

Asthe taxi weaved through the city traffic, passing regular markets area andmalls, Khushi settled back in her seat and rubbed her clammy hands on herjeans. She felt an odd restlessness in her heart wondering what lay ahead ofher. What was her grandfather going to be like? What was she going to tell hergrandfather when she met him?

"Haveyou come from outside India?" The taxi driverbroke into her thoughts.

Khushiwasn't very surprised by the question having faced that a lot owing to thefaint accent she hadn't been able to shrug off yet. Her extremely faircomplexion was another deterrent in the matter.

"No."She said tersely. She had no intention of giving any of her details to astranger.

Itwas almost an hour later when the taxi dropped her off at the house. Khushistood in awe of the haveli that loomed large in front of her. It was abeautiful biscuit coloured stone structure with artistically designed windowsand a huge ornate door. She hadn't seen anything like that before and she stoodabsorbing the beauty of the architecture.

Suddenlythe door opened and a middle aged man wearing a kurta and pajama stood lookingat her.

"Iam here to meet Satyaprakash Patial," Khushi said tentatively. "I am his -"

"Namaste- you must be Khushiji!" the man gave her a broad smile. "My name is SatpalSingh. Paji has been expecting you." He ushered her inside."Please take a seatand I will inform him."

Khushilooked around the living room and realized that the interiors matched theexterior for the furniture made of dark colored wood, displayed typicalRajasthani workmanship. There was a lovely diwan with deep maroon mattressflanked by two oblong pillows on each side. Behind it was a wall where lovelyRajasthani artwork was framed and hung. She was sure the artefacts in the roomwere antique pieces. Persian carpets with intricate designs decorated the whitemarble flooring. Scattered across the light blue walls were pictures of peoplewho seemed to belong to royalty. She stared in awe.

Sheremembered what her mother had told her about her grandfather.

Your grandfatherbelonged to a royal Rajput clan called the Raghuvamshis that had migrated fromRajasthan, refusing to accept the Mughal supremacy. They came to Punjab andruled at Patiala for a while - hence the name Patial. Then the Sikhs oustedthem from Patiala forcing them to move to other cities. His ancestors came andsettled down in Jalandhar generations ago, and down the years, neither thekingdom nor riches remained but the royal pride was something ingrained in theblood.

"Iwill take you to Paji now."Satpal said coming up to her.

Whenshe stepped into her grandfather's room she was in for a shock --He was just afrail form lying on the bed albeit in an immaculate white dhoti and kurta.

"Heis down with fever Khushiji." Satpal informed her. "He has cough as well but hedoesn't want to see a doctor."

Khushiwalked up to the bed and as she touched his feet, his eyes fluttered open andhis lips moved in a feeble smile. "Titli ..." He whispered and held out his hand,indicating her to come closer.

Khushi'seyes filled with tears. Is that what he had called her when she was a baby? Shewalked up to him and just stood looking at him.

"Howare you Nanaji?" She whispered her throat choking. His hair was grey and thin,his face gaunt but he had the kindest eyes she had ever seen. She took hiswrinkled hand in hers and smiled at him.

"Youlook just like my titli," he said softly.

Khushirealized he was talking about his daughter - her real mother.

"Howare you?" She repeated.

"Iam fine --" He began to cough.

Listeningto the sounds emanating from his chest, Khushi could say that his cough wassevere. "Satpalji, I think we should call a doctor." She said anxiously.

Satyaprakashwaved his hand. "I am okay. I just need to rest that's all. You must be tiredafter your long journey," he said, "have something to eat and then get somerest." He nodded toward Satpal.

"Iwill take care of that right away." Satpal said before leaving the room.

Khushilooked at her grandfather who had closed his eyes. There were so many thingsshe wanted to ask him but she could clearly see that it was taking him a greatdeal of effort to talk.She walked out of the room quietly.

Thenext morning Khushi woke up ravenously hungry. After her snack last evening,she had been so tired that she had dozed off and slept through the nightwithout even waking up for dinner.

Shequickly showered and went out to see her breakfast was kept ready for her onthe dining table. She opened the lid of the hot box to see delicious parathaswith curd and pickle and a glass of lassi. She took one butter laden paratha onher plate thinking she would tell Satpalji to avoid butter on her parathas inthe future.

Afterbreakfast, she went upto her grandfather's room and stood by his bedside."Nanaji?"

"Khushi,"he opened his eyes and smiled, "did you sleep well?"

"Verywell thank you Nanaji." Khushi was glad to see he looked much better than hedid the previous day.

"Comehere and sit by me," he said feebly, "I want to show you something I know youwill like." They were albums that had photos of her mother from her childhoodtill her teens. She poured over it greedily and realized that she did resembleher biological mother a lot. However, she was disappointed when she couldn'tfind her parents' wedding album.

Whenshe had asked her grandfather about that he looked a little confused and didn'tseem to remember where it was.

"Canyou tell me about my father? What was his name?" she said, "How did mother meethim?"

"Hisname was Ishwar. After their marriage they went away to Himachal Pradesh."

Heseemed to be equivocating. "Was my father from Himachal Pradesh?" she prodded.

"Yes."He said with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Wherein Himachal Pradesh, Nanaji?" She persisted.

"Itwas called -" He paused trying to remember, "I think it was a small villagenear Manali. That is where the accident occurred."What he told her next waspretty much what she had heard from her mother.

"Ammatold me you couldn't take care of me as you were all alone," she said lookingat him, "But Naniji was with you, wasn't she?"

Satyaprakashwas silent for a few seconds. "Your nani was ill Khushi. I couldn't take careof you because I had to take care of her."

 "What was wrong with her Nanaji?" sheenquired.

"Shewas paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury."

Khushi'sheart began to hurt when she realized she had attended her own grandmother'sfuneral unaware of that fact.

"Khushiji,your lunch is ready," Satpal stepped in with a plate of food for hergrandfather and Khushi left the room deciding to let him rest.

Thatevening Khushi walked toward the garden. The lack of upkeep was quiet evidentwith overgrowth of weeds. Huge trees stood majestically, having withstood thetest of time. She walked toward a small clearing and sat on the short parapetwall. She heard her phone ring and saw it was her sister.

"Jiji!How are mom and dad doing?" Khushi said in a rush. "Was their journey alright?"

Herparents along with Buaji had left for the States to attend the wedding of herdad's brother's only daughter who lived in Wilmington in North Carolina. Sincethey were traveling all the way, her dad had taken an extended time off fromwork so they could go sight seeing along the East Coast of America.

Andsince she was supposed to join them on this tour, it had become a big ordealwhen she had announced that she was planning to go to Jalandhar instead. Herdad had been dead against it. As usual it was her mother who had intervened andconvinced her dad to let her go. She was lucky to have a mother who always tookher side.

Payaltried to mask it but her words mirrored her dad's. "Jiji, how could I just gooff on a tour when I had just found out I have a grandfather I didn't knowabout? I had to come here, don't you understand?" She implored. "Don't worryabout me, alright? I can take care of myself," she assured her sister, "Talk todad when you see him at the wedding - please?"

Payalworked in Raleigh in North Carolina and was planning to go to Wilmington a fewdays before the wedding. After updating Payal about her grandfather's healthshe hung up with a heavy heart.

She was terriblyhomesick.

Khushiburied her face in her hands. She had come here thinking she could fight withher grandfather for abandoning her all these years. But after meeting him thismorning,she had begun to wonder if her eighty year old grandfather wassuffering from memory loss. He didn't remember too many details of the past andat times he wasn't very coherent about what he said.

Laterduring lunch, Satpal had mentioned that her grandfather was prone to go into a depressedstate for many days. Her mother had also told her that he had cut off ties withhis only sister and the other relatives as well.

Whathad driven her grandfather to close himself off from the world to live a lonelylife like this? She hadn't expected this when she had decided to come toJalandhar.

God give me strength ---

AsKhushi stood up in a rush, her feet slipped on loose gravel and her bodypitched backward. Herheart skipped a beat and as her arms began to flailhelplessly, she closed her eyes bracing herself for the impact. It never came.

Instead,she felt a touch as soft as feather on her temple that sent a jolt rightthrough her body.She flicked her eyes open to see a bearded man with locks ofhair covering his forehead. But it was the caramel brown eyes that flusteredheras they stared into her hazel ones intently.

Itwas only when she tried to move away from him that she realized that she wasensconced in his armsin vice like grip.

"Letme go!" She snapped.

Hewas dressed in dark blue denims and a short white kurta with a collared neck,the sleeves of which were folded back to revealed tanned forearms. Two of hisfront buttons were undone revealing a light sprinkling of hair.

Itwas obvious he belonged to this land, for his attire was quiet similar to manyothers she had seen including a metal bangle on one of his wrists. However, onhim it looked different.

Heatcrept up her neck when she saw his eyes move lazily over her V neck peach knittop down to her blue skinny jeans.

"Whoare you?" Khushi demanded her tone laced with irritation.

"Arnav."He replied laconically, his eyes trained on her."Your grandfather wants to seeyou." His lips twisted in a smirk.

"Ok-"A flash of memory assailed her but she wasn't quiet able to remember what itwas. As a prickle of apprehension shot up her spine she turned around andwalked back toward the house as quickly as she could.

Khushiwent into her grandfather's room to see him sitting up on his bed, resting hisback against a pillow.

"Didyou meet Arnav?" He said and then looked up to see Arnav entering the roombehind her. There he is." He smiled feebly.

"Oh."She said when the name suddenly rang a bell. Arnav Singh Raizada -- The farmer! Never in a hundred years hadshe imagined he would look so -attractive.

No!She stemmed her thought right away when she realized why he was here. He didn'tseem to have wasted any time showing up here, Khushi thought exasperated. Shehad just come a day ago for God's sake! She hadn't even had a chance to sitdown and talk to her grandfather.

"Khushi-- I think Satpal is out on an errand -- could you please make some tea?"

"YesNanaji."

Alittle later Khushi came back with a tray loaded with cups of tea.

"Howdid you manage to find your way to the house Arnav beta? Her grandfather said.

Asshe began to pour the tea into a cup, Khushi got the feeling that hergrandfather had abruptly changed the topic. Shebrought the tea to Arnav.

"Ididn't have any problem finding the way because I had come here many years agowith my grandmother - for Mrs Patial's funeral. You may not remember because Ihadn't come inside. I stayed back in the garden."

Khushilooked up to see Arnav's eyes trained on hers as old memories came crashingback in her head. A tremor went through even as her face turned a deep red.Shedidn't realize when the cup dropped from her hand spilling the contents of thecup down the front of his shirt.

"F@#$!"he swore under his breath even as a muscle twitched in his jaw.

"Ohmy God!"Khushi held a hand to her temple. "I am so sorry!" She said looking atthe big spot of tea stain on his shirt.

"Areyou okayArnav beta? Satyaprakash Patial asked in concern.

"Iam fine!" He grittedtrying not to lose his cool. "It's just that I have animportant call in a few minutes."He looked down at the stain.

"Youcan make your call in privacy," Satyaprakash said, "Khushi, can you please takeArnav to the other room?"

Khushinodded silently and lead the way so Arnav could follow her. The "other room" inthe house was her room as her grandfather was using only a small portion of thehaveli for his habitation. She showed Arnav in and rushed back to hergrandfather's room.

"Khushi,did you give Arnav a change of shirt?" her grandfather said.

"No-- Nanaji-" Khushi shrugged, "I don't think that's necessary ---"

"Khushi- how can he go back with a stained shirt? Ask him to give you his shirt so youcan remove the stain," he said in a rush. "You can give him my shirt to wear ifhe doesn't mind." He began to cough.

"Nanajiplease don't strain yourself ---," Khushi rushed to give him some water, "Iwill take care of it." She said once he had settled back down on his bed,

Asshe looked for a shirt in the cupboard, Khushi wondered if her grandfather hadOCD. Why did he have to worry about a stained shirt so much? Holding a shirt inher hand she went to the room and froze.

Arnavstood at the bathroom door, shirtless, clutching a hand towel to his chest. Amatt of hair covered a good part of his muscled chest, tapering down hiswashboard abs to vanish into the waistband of the jeans sitting low on his narrowhips.

Thisman standing in front of her was a far cry from the lanky young man she had meteight years ago. Now there was no denying that he was very much a man -stronger, harder and the beard that covered a good part of his face, made himlook older. That is exactly why she hadn't recognized him at the garden.

Butone thing that hadn't changed in all these years was his molten chocolate eyes.Her heart began to beat in a strange erratic pattern.

"F@#$!"He mouthed wincing with pain. Khushi looked down to see that the frontof hischest had turned an ugly red. The hot tea had scalded him badly.

"God!"Khushi exclaimed in horrorand hurried out of the room.

Alittle later when she came back withcool waterand some cream,she saw himstanding with his back facing her, the phone plastered to his ear. She couldsee a clear outlines of his broad shoulders, the bulging biceps and the corded musclesof his back rippling with strength as he moved. She changed her earlier opinionof him. He wasn't just attractive -- Hewas utterly sexy.

Withshaky hands, she put the bowl of water and cream on the table and picking uphis soiled shirt, she hurriedly left the room as her heart once again began itserratic rhythm.

Asshe cleaned out the stain from his shirt,she felt a churning in her stomacheven as her body felt feverish. What was going on with her?

Shethought of how they had met earlier in the garden - in exactly the same waythey had met eight years ago. It felt so surreal. Don't Khushi - don't go there, she admonished herself.

Shequickly ironed the shirt and went back into the room to see he was still on thephone, still shirtless. She put the shirt on the bed and turned around toleave.

"Thankyou," he said from behind her, "for fixing my shirt."

Khushiturned around to see Arnav shrugging his arms into the sleeves of the shirt, thefront of his chest glistening with ointment and guilt washed over her onceagain. "I am very sorry."

"And?"he said pinning her with his chocolate brown orbs.

"What?"Sheshrugged her shoulders.

"Youhaven't thanked me for saving you -" He took a step toward her. "Earlier --  in the garden." He reminded her.

"Ohright!" Khushi acknowledged with a nod of her head. "Thank you !" She reallywished he would button up his shirt.

"Iliked it the way you said it eight years ago." He stood in front of her.

"What?"Khushi's eyebrows twisted in confusion and then as realization dawned her mouthgaped open and her eyes went wide with shock even as her face flushed a deeperred. "Oh!"  He was talking about her peckon his cheek years ago. Was this his idea of a joke?

"I... I was just a kid," she stuttered and took a step back only to realized shehad hit the side table.

"That'sexactly what you wanted to disprove when you kissed me." He drawled taking astep toward her even as he put his hand on the wall next to her.

"Iwas very immature back then --I did a lot of silly things." Khushi looked up athim, refusing to be intimidated by his proximity.

Itwas a mistake. Up close, she could see gold flecks in his caramel eyes. Theywere mesmerising.

"Iagree the kiss was silly," he said his eyes dropping down to her lips,"you aregrown up now. Would you like to improvise?"He said huskily.

Heatspread like wildfire through her veins and pooled in the pit of her stomach.As herbreath caught in her throat, she licked her dry lips.

Heleaned in.

Khushiclosed her eyes, melting as the heat threatened to consume her.

Aphone rang shrilly making her jump and she opened her eyes wide.

Arnavpicked up the phone from behind her."Who's Sam?" He said.

Khushilooked at him her eyes going wider. "My - my boyfriend!"

AsArnav stepped back, his face hard as granite Khushi heard Satpal's panickyvoice. "Khushiji!Come here fast - Paji needs help!"