Chapter 4

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Harvest Moon Chapter 4

THEnext morning, Khushi wore her light blue jeans and a navy blue polka dotted topas she came down for breakfast. She heard a noise downstairs and her heartbeatquickened in anticipation. As she ran down the last few steps she stopped shortwhen she saw a man and woman in the kitchen.

Thewoman was tallwith straight shoulder length hair, twinkling eyes and a smilethat reminded one of a child's. She wore jeans and a lovely orange printedkurta which Khushi was pretty sure was purchased at Fab India.

"Hi!"The woman said with a huge grin plastered on her face. "You must be Khushi."She stepped forward and threw her arms around her.Before Khushi could ask hershe said. "Oh I am Anjali by the way - Arnav's sister. And this is Manav Shergill."

"Herboss."He quipped, tongue in cheek. Manav was dressed casually in blue denim andgreen t-shirt.

"Businesspartner." Anjali corrected.

"Oh- hi!" Khushi said stepping back. "I am sorry I didn't recognize you."

"Howcould you?" Anjali said affably,"I don't keep any pictures around the house,"she said setting the plates on the table, "please come and sit down."

"Thankyou," Khushi complied by pulling a chair and taking her seat. Where was Arnav? Shelooked up the stairs expecting him to come down any time.

"Arnavisn't going to come," Anjali corrected her "he has gone back to Faridkot."

"Oh."She nodded nonchalantly hoping her disappointment wasn't evident on her face.

"Khushiji,"Manav addressed her, "I will be dropping you off at the hospital."

"Thatwill not be necessary Manavji," Khushi assured him, "I can manage."

"Iam sure you can Khushiji," Manav said, "but Arnav won't spare me if he foundout I let you go on your own."

Ifhe was so concerned he would have stayed back himself and made sure of that andnot delegated the job to someone else.

She is coming backtomorrow and after that I will be gone alright?

Hehad said he would be gone and he really had left --- without saying a word. Shestemmed her anger with a bright smile. "Let's go."

Khushilooked out at the moving traffic as she sat in the passenger seat while Manavmanoeuvred the vehicle in a slow and steady manner. Arnav drove a little fasterthan that but it was no way rash or jerky. He had the steadfastness of anexpert driver and ----Stop thinking about him Khushi, she admonished herself.

"Don'tworry Khushiji," Manav said affably, "only the best doctors will be attendingyour grandfather. Arnav made sure of that."

"Heseems to have a lot of clout at the hospital."

"Well---" Manav paused, "he is one of the trustees of the hospital."

"Ah!"she said, "No wonder people fall all over themselves to please him. One must beso lucky to be born into money."

"Don'tbe too hasty in judging him." Manav defended Arnav vehemently, "It hasn't beeneasy for him."

"Hasn'tbeen easy?" Khushi remembered what her dad had said. "His family owns landdon't they?"

"Whichthey almost lost when Arnav's grandfather got old. Unfortunately Arnav's unclewasn't capable enough to manage the lands. Then thanks to Arnav, the lands cameback to their former glory. So you see Khushiji, born into money doesn't reallyensure a lifelong comfort."

Itwas clear to Khushi that Manav was close to Arnav."Have you been friends a longtime?" She asked him.

"Youcould say that I suppose. Our mothers were best friends. We were born a monthapart at the same hospital."

"Evenyou names rhyme!" Khushi exclaimed. The comparison ended there Khushi thought. Manavwas a handsome man, but he didn't have the muscled build that Arnav had. He hadsmaller eyes, shorter hair and was clean shaven. He did smile more often thanhis friend though.

"True,many of our friends thought we were brothers." Manav said as a sense ofnostalgia assailed him."He would come from Delhi every summer during theholidays and when he was eleven he moved here for good."

"Youmust have been thrilled when he moved back from Delhi."

Manav'sface turned sombre. "He moved herebecause his parents died."

"Ohmy God!"Khushi was shocked to know that Arnav had lost his parents at thetender age of eleven. "I am sorry I didn't know that," Khushi said her eyesreflecting her regret.

"Thehospital is here Khushiji," Manav said.

"Thankyou for the ride Manavji." Khushi said before getting off the car.

Thenext few days were uneventful for Khushi as her grandfather's health improved,making it possible for him to be moved out of the ICU into a regular room. Buthe still needed a ventilator to breathe as he hadn't regained complete lungfunction yet.

Shesat reading a book but she was just not able to concentrate, her thoughtsmeandering toward the man with the caramel brown eyes. The hospital roomreminded her of the night he had held her in his arms, crooning words tocomfort.Then everything had blacked out as she fainted in his arms. When shehad come to, he had yelled at her for not eating breakfast that morning,telling her he was sure she wouldn't have had a morsel even for lunch.

Have you thought aboutwhat will happen to your grandfather if you fall sick?

Onlythe doctor's appearance to inform her that her grandfather was out of dangerhad saved from his tirade. And then he had taken her out to dinner at thedhabha...

"Khushi?"

Thehusky voice broke through her reverie and she stilled wondering if he wasimagining it.

"Khushi!"

Itwasn't her imagination - he was really standing there in a blue kurta and blackdenim. Then a woman old enough to be her grandmother appeared next to him, abright smile plastered on her face. She was dressed in an elegant beige saree,embroidered with Lucknow chikan work, accessorized with a string of pearlsaround her neck.

"Don'talarm the poor girl Arnav," she rebuked him and turned back to Khushi, "I amDevyani, Arnav's grandmother."

Khushi walked up to her and touched her feet.

"Godbless you my dear."Devyani said. She turned to Satyaprakash Patial. "I wouldhave been here sooner to see you Satya, if I was not sick myself." She walkedby his bedside.

"Areyou feeling well now aunty?" Khushi enquired politely.

"Yesthank you dear and please call me Nani." She turned toward Satyaprakash Patial,"You are lucky to have such a sweet granddaughter to take care of you Satya."She smiled at the sick man. "No no don't say anything now. There will be plentyof that when you feel better."

Alittle later as Devyani was ready to leave, Khushi walked with her to theentrance. "Khushi," Naniji said, "We have bhandarafor ashtami. I would like to invite you for that."

Khushihad already learnt from Anjali that during Navratri people went on fast forseven days and then on the eighth day the fast was broken by organizing feastcalled bhandara. On this they alsoinvited nine little girls and performed kanya pooja.

"Nani,don't you think Khushi is a little too old?" Arnav said.

"Don'tbe silly Arnav!" Nani rebuked her grandson fondly.

Khushi'sface twisted in consternation. "I won't be able to leave Nanaji -"

"Isn'tSatya supposed to be discharged tomorrow?" Devyani said, "We could bring Satyato our house where he can convalesce in peace. You will have plenty of help ifyou are there."

"That'svery kind of you Naniji --" Khushi hesitated, ""but Nanaji may prefer going tohis own house."

"Youdon't have to worry about Satya -"

"Nani,"Arnav's cool voice cut in, "I don't think we should force Khushi if she is notcomfortable with it."

Devyanilooked at her grandson sharply and then she touched Khushi's cheek. "Alright,"She smiled, "if you do change your mind, come with Anjali tomorrow."

"SureNaniji." Khushi smiled and then turned toward Arnav. "Arnavji - can I talk toyou for a minute?"

"Nani,"Arnav said, "will you please wait for me in the car? I will be there soon."

AsDevyani walked away from them Khushi turned on Arnav."Why did you clear thehospital bill?" She demanded, "Did you think I was not capable of paying?"

"Loweryou voice!" Arnav took her hand and pulled her to a corner of the room so theycould speak privately. "I haven't cleared anything. I only asked the admin tohold off on the payment."

"Why?"Khushi demanded.

 "Have you ever thought that your grandfathercould have health insurance we don't know about?" He demanded, "I will have theadmin prepare the bill once we have a confirmation on that."

"Whenyou could go to such length to think of all this, couldn't you have instructed thatbimbo--  admin to explain all this to me?"

Theadmin at the payment counter had informed her that her that the bill was beingtaken care of by Mr Raizada and that she needn't worry about it. When she hadenquired further the girl had told her that when "Sir" told her something shedidn't ask questions.

Arnavstepped back with a smile. "What's gotteninto you all of a sudden?" he saidsearching her face, "you weren't singing this tune during dinner the nightbefore I left."

Khushiavoided his eyes. "I don't understand what you are saying."

Arnavraised his eyebrow. "You don't remember?"

"Rememberwhat?" Khushi shrugged her shoulder.

"Nevermind." He walked away from her, his body language clearly indicating hisannoyance.

AsArnav passed a dhabha on the outskirts of Jalandhar, his face hardened withanger. So she didn't remember anything, did she? He wished he had recorded herantics on his phone. In fact he wouldn't be surprised if he found a video onYoutube. His thoughts went back to that night when he had taken her to "Happyda dhabha" straight from the hospital.

The dhabha on theoutskirts of the citywas well lighted creating a pleasant ambience. Other thanthe traditional choir cots, it had several wooden tables and benches scatteredthrough the area.The owner Happy Singh welcomed them with gusto and seated themat table on Arnav's request.

Khushi ordered vegetablefritters, makkiki roti, sarson da saag and lassi while Arnavasked the waiter tobring the house special chicken dish. He also ordered vodka with sprite andturned toward her.

"What would you like todrink?"

"Whatever you arehaving." She said before she lost her nerve. She had tasted a little bit ofalcohol during her earlier visits to the nightclubs with her friends but hadnever ventured to try one complete drink. But she felt the ordeal she was goingthrough in the past few days, called for one.

He didn't lookconvinced. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"I see," He looked ather for a moment and then he looked at the waiter, "get the same."

He had stepped out toattend a phone call and by the time he had returned he saw that the drinks hadbeen served and Khushi's glass was almost empty.

 "You gulped that down pretty fast," Arnav saiddoubtfully.

"I was thirsty," Khushishrugged. "I feel really warm."

Khushi began to talkabout her life in Canada, her school, her friends and soon Arnav realized that the"drink" was having quiet an effect on Khushi.  

When the music startedwafting out Kushi stood up. "They are playing London Thumakda!" She exclaimed.

He was clueless. "What?"

"The song from the hindimovie Queen." She ran to the centre and began to dance.

A hindi movie calledQueen? He shook his head. He took one sip of his drink and realized that Khushihad just consumed his drink, for he was holding the glass of virgin drink hehad asked the waiter to bring for her when he had stepped out for the phonecall.  F@#$! No wonder the drink had gotto her.

Just when he thought heshould drag her back, the owner Happy Singh stopped him. "It's alright sirji --we get this all the time. Moreover, your wife is a really good dancer."

He started to correcthim and then thought otherwise.  What didmatter what the man thought? He was right about one thing at least - Khushi wasindeed a very good dancer. Soon a group of youngsters joined her.

As Khushi continued todance shaking her hips vigorously every time the word "thumakda" came up, herdark pink top hugged her curves sinuously, emphasising the roundness of herbreasts, her tiny waist and the flare of her hips...

"Stop!"Nanisaid breaking into his thoughts. "You missed a turn Arnav. I told you I want togo to the market before going home."

"SorryNani," Arnav said, pulling over to the side of the road so he could take aU-turn.

"Whatwere you thinking about so deeply?"

"Iwas thinking about how pushy you were being inviting Khushi over." He saidcurtly.

"Iwas pushy, is it?" Nani turned to him, her eyes wide, "I wasn't the one whospent two nights alone with her."

"Whotold you that?" He said, embarrassed at the way his Nani had said it.

"Imay be old but I am not stupid," she said smugly, "You called me after youadmitted Satya to the hospital. Then I didn't hear from you until you came backto Faridkot the day after. I know when Anjali returned from Chandigarh. I cando the math."

"Alright-" Arnav conceded, "you are old  but unlikemost of your age -- you are not old fashioned."

"Don'ttry to flatter me Arnav," Nani admonished, "I am not that modern either.Nothing has been finalized yet and if people found out - " She paused, "youbetter remember that it's not Delhi."

"GodNani!" Arnav chuckled,"Please don't be so dramatic. It doesn't suit you."

Thatnight Khushi sat in her room looking through her mother's photo album absently.Asshe flipped through the sheets, one picture caught her attention. It was theone in which her mother stood next to a friend at the entrance of a collegewith the name of the college on an arch behind them. It was called SD College,Moga.

Hermother's college was in Moga, which meant her grandparents had lived in Moga andnot in Jalandhar, at that time.Going to this college was the only way offinding her mother's friend who could give her some information about hermother's life. Her grandfather hadn't told her much and now his condition hadrendered him a little confused and disoriented. She opened the nightstanddrawer and took out the map of Punjab which she had picked up at the busstation.

Mogawas closer to Faridkot than it was from Jalandhar. If she went to Faridkot shewould get a chance to go to Moga and visit her mother's college, while hergrandfather was being taken care of. She would have to accept Naniji's offer togo to Faridkot.

Sheknocked on Anjali's door a little later.

"Comein Khushiji!" Anjali invited her inside her room. "Glad you came. I wanted tocome over myself."

"Anjaliji,"Khushi said, "I wanted to thank you for letting me stay in your house."

"Myhouse?" Anjali grinned, "Ah my brother told you that, didn't he?" She waved herto sit on the single sofa chair.

Khushiwas surprised by Anjali's words. "Yes."

"Thishouse belongs to both, actually," she explained, "we inherited money after ourparents death. This house was bought with that money. Arnav doesn't wantanything to do with it and has written the house over to me. But I refuse toaccept that. So our war continues as to who this house belong to." Sheconcluded with a smile.

Itwas clear to Khushi how much the brother and sister loved each other. It wasalso clear there was more to the family history she didn't know about. But itwas not her nature to pry.

"Anjaliji- I wanted to also let you know that I have decided to take up on Naniji's offerand come to Faridkot with you."

"Awesome!"Anjali threw her hands around Khushi in glee. "Actually, I was going to comeover to your room to convince you to come. I am so happy Nani found a girl likeyou for Arnav!"

Khushididn't know how to phrase her words. "Umm Anjaliji I am not sure that'spossible ---"

"Ohno!" Anjali exclaimed in dismay.

"Anjaliji---"

"Youdon't have to tell me anything," Anjali raised her hand, "My brother told youthat he can't marry you, didn't he?"

"It'snot like that Anjaliji -"

Anjalicontinued. "We always knew he wasn't interested in marriage -."

Khushiwas surprised with this piece of information and before she could stop herselfshe said, "Arnavji isn't interested in this marriage?"

Anjalishook her head, "Nani and he have had heated arguments about this issue in thepast. However, Arnav has always been very firm about his decision."

Nowshe was curious. "Why?"

"Ihave a feeling it is because of me," She became sombre. "I am divorced Khushi -for the past three years."

Thiswas something she hadn't expected at all. "I am sorry Anjaliji!"

"Don'tbe sorry Khushiji," Anjali consoled, "I am not sorry at all. I am happy to beout of a wrong relationship which would have ruined my life had I continued.

"Thanksto Manav who gave me this job at a time when I was down in the dumps, I am anindependent woman."

Notknowing what to say, Khushi held Anjali's hand comfortingly.

"Anddon't feel bad for my brother either. Just because Arnav has decided not tomarry it doesn't mean that he is leading the life of a monk. He is very privateabout these things and hasn't told me anything, but I think he has a girlfriendback in Delhi."

Khushi felt like someonehad twisted a knife in her heart.

Backin her room,Khushi felt angry and confused. If Arnav hadn't been interested in the marriage, what was all that backin her room at the haveli? She couldn't have mistaken the desire she had seenin his eyes then, nor later after dinner.

She had been dancing infull swing when Arnav walked up to her and caught her arm roughly. "I thinkit's time we go back home Khushi."

"But they are playingLovely now!" 

 "I will play it for you at home." He rasped.

Khushi looked at him consideringwhat he had said. "Alright."

When they reached home, Khushigot off the car as her knees buckled Arnav's hand snaked around her waist whilehers clutched at his shoulder.He swept her up in his arms and carried her allthe way up to her room and placed her on her bed. He had just stepped back alittle to switch on the bedside lamp when she clutched at the lapel of hiskurta and pulled him closer.

"Arnavji?" Shewhispered, "I don't want you to play Lovely. You should play Manwa Laage."

"Uh?"

Manwa laage, oh manwa laage

Laage re saanvare

Laage re saanvare

Le tera hua jiya ka jiyaka

Jiya ka ye gaanv re

Khushiremembered seeing the gold flecks in his eyes sparklingjust before they droppeddown to her lips. As a jolt went searing down to her core, she had closed her eyes,opening her mouth on a gasp as his breath touched her lips. But moments laterwhen she heard a soft sound of a door closing, she had flicked open her eyes tosee that the room was empty. He was gone.

Howthe hell could she tell Arnav that she remembered dinner when she had made athorough fool of herself?