Chapter 5

"What the hell is this? I asked for coffee not juice!"

Everyone looked up from their respective work to see Arnav fling away the glass which Hari Prakash had brought him. It crashed to the floor and shattered into many pieces. Khushi flinched at the tone of his voice and coldn't help feeling a litle frightened of him. She saw Anjali's face sadden and Akash gave her a reassuring nod. Normally Anjali would have cheered up at this action but Khushi was shocked to see tears welling up in her eyes. She rushed out of the living room and went upstairs. Khushi looked at Akash questioningly but he was too busy watching Anjali go up the stairs, his own face losing it's cheerfulness.

...

Khushi went into the kitchen to find Akash drinking some water. She wondered what the matter was and decided to tackle him about it.

"Akash? Can I ask you something? What's wrong? Why is everyone so upset?"

Akash paused for a bit, searching for the right words to explain to her.

"Well Khushi... You see... Actually... Today's Bua's birthday."

That's when realisation hit her. It all made sense now! The gloomy atmosphere of the house inspite of all the wedding preparations, Anjali bursting into tears, Akash's disheartened manner and Arnav's edgier-than-usual temper.

How could she forget? It was Asha aunty's birthday today and it was very normal for them to be feeling like this. Her thoughts wandered over to Arnav and she realised that he must be feeling terrible at this moment. He had been tremendously attached to his mother and surely today was a day when painful memories of her would be flowing through his mind.

She walked out of the kitchen wondering how she could make him feel better.

...

"Akash, are you okay?"

Akash looked at her and smiled sadly. He nodded his head half heartedly. She took his hand in hers and spoke to him again.

"Don't worry Akash, I'm here with you. If there's anything you want to share with me, don't hesitate ok?"

Akash smiled genuinely this time and gave her a small hug.

"Thank you so much Payal. I'm feeling much better now. But it's really Di and Arnav I'm worried about."

Payal nodded her head, understanding his concern. Even though it had been many years since they had passed away Arnav had still not come to terms with his parents' death. Anjali was not in such a bad state but seeing her brother in so much pain didn't help much either.

"I don't think I can do anything about Arnav but let's go and talk to Anjali di. That might cheer her up a bit."

Akash nodded his head and gazed at Payal warmly. She was a quiet girl and didn't say much but her heart was full of warmth and kindness.

They went over to Anjali's room and proceeded to make her feel better.

...

Arnav was not in a good mood. Everyone and everything around him was irritating him and he had already broken two glasses in his frustration. So naturally he was not pleased to hear Khushi's voice asking him whether she could enter. He clenched his fists and turned his back towards the door hoping that she wouldn't provoke him and make him say something he'd regret later.

"Come in."

Khushi walked in and was not surprised to be greeted by Arnav's rigid and tense back. She sighed and slowly went over to the table next to the recliner.

Arnav heard the sound of something being placed on the table and then the closing of the door, signalling her exit. He let out the breath that he had been holding and turned around only to stop short at seeing what lay on the table.

...

Khushi stirred the water and artificial sweetener in the pan over the high flame. As soon as it had acquired the desired consistency, she took a bowl full of crushed cashews and stirred it in. Once it was completely mixed, she laid it out on a tray and let it cool before cutting it into precise diamond shapes.

...

Arnav stared at the dish before him and blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't imagining it. He slowly lifted a piece from the plate and bit into it. He was instantly transported back to a time he sorely missed.

Khushi glanced nervously at the clock. It had been half an hour since she had left the barfi in Arnav's room. She wondered if he liked it. She wasn't as concerned about the taste as she was about the gesture. That was a sensitive issue for Arnav and she had boldly decided to make him his favorite sweet which only his mother used to make for him. She had tasted it herself and had been satisfied with it.

In all the years of struggling in Lucknow and fighting against the odds, she had religiously practiced this dish because it always reminded her of his ecstatic face. But now that she was turning over the idea in her head, it didn't seem like a very wise move. She gulped a few times and entered his room, bracing herself for the impending storm.

She was greeted by a completely different sight altogether. There was Arnav, sitting on the recliner, head buried in his hands and formed slumped in defeat. Worry engulfed her and she rushed over to him and shook his shoulder lightly. She was stunned to see him look at her, eyes red and pleading.

"Arnav? What's wrong? Y-you didn't like the barfi? I'm sorry. I-I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt... Arnav?!"

She was shocked out of her wits when he embraced her. He was sobbing into her shoulder as he held onto her tightly as if his entire life depended on it. Khushi wasn't sure of what to do and patted his back uncertainly. When she felt his grip around her tighten, she took it as an encouraging sign and slowly stroked his head, whispering soothing words into his ear.

After some time she felt him calm down. He slowly moved away from her and looked at her with his tear stained face. Khushi was immediately reminded of the small boy who had been her best friend. Without all the gel in his hair, anger in his eyes and rigidity in his features, one could finaly gauge how old he really was. A young man, barely older than a boy, trying hard to come to terms with an incomparable loss in his life.

"I miss them."

"I know. I'm really sorry Arnav."

"Why did she leave us Khushi? Ma... Why did she leave me all alone... I-I..."

Khushi could see the tears threatening to spill from his eyes again. She couldn't bare to see Arnav broken and defeated. She slowly wiped away the fresh tears with her thumb and spoke softly.

"Shh... You're never going to be alone Arnav. I'll always be here for you. Don't worry."

Those few words seemed to be exactly what he needed. Her soft voice, laced with concern and warmth, comforting him was all he needed. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off his chest. He hadn't shed a single tear during there long ten years but today after experiencing Khushi's thoughtfulness, he couldn't keep it in any longer. She had achieved what even his Di had not been able to do. Her small gesture had helped him finally come to terms with his past. She really had no idea how greatly she had helped him.

Even after all these years, it was still Khushi Kumari Gupta who managed to have the maximum effect on his life.

...