Chapter 13
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OS 2: Finding Khushi
Part 8
Tears filled Khushi's eyes.
She pulled her hand out of his, and tried to jump down from the table.
"Wait.", he said.
He caught her by the waist and helped her down'. slowly'.. sliding her against his body...
Her feet touched the floor, but his hands remained on her waist, and he held her close to him, looking down at her face.
"Come back to RM."
"N..no'."
Khushi pulled back.
"Why did you get the bangles and my payal from Kishorilalji? I didn't ask you to do it.", she asked.
Arnav squirmed.
He said, with pretended anger, "You can ask questions, but I don't have to give you answers."
He turned and walked away before she could insist on an answer he didn't have.
Khushi returned home, keeping the bangle and the payal wrapped in a piece of paper in her bag. If her Buaji or Amma saw them, she would find it impossible to find answers for the questions they would ask.
Who had returned the jewellery? Why? Who was the owner of Amezing Developers? Why was he insisting that Khushi return to RM when her work there was done?
What could she say when she herself did not know the answers to these questions? Could she tell them that the root of the problem was her dhak dhak and acidity when he came close to her? That she felt butterflies in her tummy when he looked at her? That his smile made her feel as though she had been let into heaven? That his touch''..
Khushi buried her face in his coat.
"Where did you get this coat from, Khushi?", asked Payal.
Khushi looked at her, discomfited, her fingers clutching the coat.
"Err'woh'.Jiji''I was wet'..so he gave it to me to wear'.", Khushi felt herself tremble.
"Who? Munshiji? How kind of him!" Payaliyaa folded the dupattas she had washed and dried earlier in the day, and placed them in the cabinet.
Khushi panted in relief, wiping the sweat off her forehead.
"Khushi!", Payal called as she was about to leave the room. "Wash it and return it at the earliest!"
"Ji, Jiji!", Khushi murmured, pulling the coat closer to her heart.
Arnav stared at the laptop screen, his mind still lingering in Khushi's room.
His coat was under her pillow. And the way her heart raced when he came close to her'' Why couldn't she come back to RM? To him?
He had apologised for causing her pain. He had returned her payal and bangle. Why was she still trying to go away from him?
She would intensify her attempts to shift out of the house in Laxmi Nagar. If he knew anything about her, he knew this. Her self-respect. Her dignity. Her self-worth. She would not compromise on these.
Where would she go? Another house in the locality? Then he would have to buy that house too. It was better that he found out at the earliest.
He called her.
Khushi looked at the display of her phone. 'Arnavji.' Her heart began thundering.
"Hello.", she said.
"Khushi, when are you vacating the house?", he asked. And then felt like kicking himself. In his anxiety to find out how much time he had to persuade her, he had made it sound as though he wanted her out at the earliest.
"Don't worry. We will be leaving at the end of this month.", Khushi said, bitterness coating her words.
Arnav said past the lump in his throat, "Have you found another house, Khushi?"
"We don't need to find another house. We are returning to Lucknow at the end of the month.", she said.
Arnav heard Buaji call, "Titliyaa! Where are you, Nandkisore? It is time for Sasi babua's medicine."
"Coming, Buaji!", she replied. She spoke to Arnav, "Hum phone rakhte he!".
"Khushi!", he called.
"Ji?"
"How can you'?"
"Ji?"
"How can you go to Lucknow? How can you leave'. leave the j..job?"
Khushi frowned. "I am not the only person in Delhi who can enter the details of a room full of files in a spreadsheet!"
"But'but what about.. your co-workers?"
"Co-workers? There is only one elderly Munshiji!", Khushi's forehead creased in a perplexed frown.
"What about him? How can you leave him alone?", Arnav asked.
"Suniye! Munshiji has been working in that office even before I was born. I am sure he will manage to work even after I am gone!"
"Titliyaa! Where is this girl? Has she flown out through the window like a butterfly, Nandkisore?", Buaji asked aloud.
"I need to go." She cut the call.
Arnav stood shocked, the dead phone in his hand, staring at the wall. Lucknow! She was leaving him to go to Lucknow! How could she? Panic spread its octopus-like tentacles through his mind.
What could he do now? Go to her house and carry her home? Demand the rent and force her to pawn her jewellery again? No'No'. He was running out of time' and options'' His chest hurt.
He sat down, his fists clenched, his face pale, his head lowered, his brain working furiously to devise new ways of stopping her from leaving him.
"Bhai!" He heard the knock on the door as though it were coming from a great distance.
"Uuhh?", he managed to say.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?", Akash entered the room.
"Sure.", Arnav mumbled, his mind still on Khushi and Lucknow.
"Bhai, I need'"
"Sure. Take whatever you want'"
"Bhai, I want to get married."
"Of course. Take it. You don't have to ask'.WHAT?" Arnav stared at Akash.
Akash's face turned red. "Bhai'."
"You..you want to'. marry?", Arnav clarified.
"Haan, Bhai!", Akash blushed.
"OK. That's fine. Whatever you want'", Arnav comforted him. "What is the problem?"
"Mate won't like it. She'the girl..", Akash blushed again, "'is not very well off'."
"That's OK. Don't worry about all that. Do you like her?", Arnav asked, standing up.
"Ji.", Akash's bashful visage was a sight to see.
"I will talk to Mami, and fix it.", Arnav promised rashly.
"You will, Bhai?", Akash's eyes shone.
"Sure.", Arnav said.
"Thank you so much, Bhai.", Akash threw his arms around Arnav, who hugged him back awkwardly.
"Who is the girl?", Arnav asked, rather late in the day.
Akash's face brightened. "You know her, Bhai."
"I do?", Arnav frowned.
"You do. Remember Khushiji who came to train Lavanya Kashyap?"
Arnav paled. "Khushi! You'you want to m..marry Khushi?", he whispered. He sat on his bed, his legs weak. This seemed to be the day for shocks.
Akash laughed. "No, Bhai. I don't want to marry Khushiji. I want to marry Payalji, Khushiji's sister."
"Payal! You want to marry Payal'.", Arnav made sure.
"Haan, Bhai."
Arnav nodded, relief letting him breathe. "Consider it done."
"Really, Bhai?", Akash could not believe his ears.
"Really. I will fix it with Nani, Di, Mami, & Mamaji tonight." Arnav smiled at Akash. Now he would see how she would go to Lucknow! With her sister marrying into his family, Khushi would be always with him. She would never be able to leave him and go away!
Akash threw himself at his Bhai in gratitude. Arnav patted him on his shoulder, his devious mind examining all possibilities and advantages of this timely lifeline.
He owed Akash one.
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