Chapter 115
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[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
[NOCOPY]
(Thanx a million, Naughtymallu!)
FINDING KHUSHI
Part 27
"Do you think Anamikaji loves Ganeshji?", Khushi whispered in Anjali's ear as they sat in Gaurav's hospital room.
Buaji, Mami, NK, Nani, Amma, Payal, & Akash were sitting around the bed, asking after Gaurav's health.
Arnav was seated near Anjali, and looked at Khushi with a resigned sigh and a smile on his lips.
Anjali looked at Anamika. She was standing near Gaurav, her arms crossed, watching him chat with the Raizadas and the Guptas, a small smile on her normally expressionless face. Ganesh was seated in a chair near the wall, behind Anamika.
"After you leave the hospital, maybe we can play chess together.", NK suggested to Gaurav. "You know, chess makes your dabaang grow."
"Hai Re Nandkisore!", Buaji exclaimed.
"Dimaag, NK Bhai.", Akash said, smiling nervously at Anamika & Ganesh.
"Wohi, wohi..", NK said, putting the lobe of his right ear to beg pardon.
Anamika turned to look at Ganesh with merriment dancing in her eyes, sharing her amusement with him silently. Ganesh was chuckling soundlessly, his twinkling eyes on Anamika's face.
Anjali clutched Khushi's hand. "Yes. Yes, Khushiji. I am sure they love each other.", she declared softly.
Arnav shook his head, accepting his fate. Now he would have to keep his eyes on Di & Khushi. There was no telling what they would get up to, once let loose.
Khushi hugged Anjali. "We need to do something.", Khushi whispered.
Anjali nodded enthusiastically.
"Why?", asked Arnav, trying to rain on their parade. "They are adults. If they want to get married, they will. They don't need you to remind them.", he said mildly.
His sister and Khushi turned to glare at him.
"You don't have to help us if you don't want to, Arnavji.", Khushi fumed. "But let us do this in peace."
Anjali nodded. "You bury your head inside your musty file and your black laptop, Chotey! We will manage everything."
"That is what I am afraid of.", Arnav muttered.
"Kya kaha aapne?", Khushi asked, her head tilted.
"Haan, kya kaha apne, Chotey?", Anjali joined ranks with Khushi.
"Nothing.", Arnav muttered weakly.
He sat watching Anjali & Khushi whisper and giggle together, smiling inwardly. Anamika wouldn't know what hit her! He could almost find it in himself to feel pity for her.
Nani, Buaji, Amma, Payal, and Mami looked at Anjali and Khushi, big smiles on their faces. They were in RM's living room, having tea & snacks.
"Tip taap (tip top) idea he, Anjali Bitiyya! Let's get Ganesh & Anamika married!", Mami declared.
Nani nodded. Amma and Payal smiled.
But Buaji frowned. "What if Anamika Bitiyya is already married, Nandkisore?", she asked.
The smiles fell away in a second.
"Then where is her husband?", Nani asked.
"Bhy did she say that she has only her son, Gaurav, Hello Hi Bye Bye?", Mami asked.
"If she has a husband, why didn't he come when Gaurav Bitwaa was in the hospital, Jiji?", Amma asked.
"Maybe she is a widow.", Payal suggested.
All ladies looked at each other.
"We have to find out.", Nani said, finally. "We can't proceed otherwise."
"Maybe I can ask Koelji.", Khushi said.
All faces lit up.
"Do it now.", Mami instructed. "A good thing, then why ask, ask? Bhy postponiyaa (postpone)it?"
All nodded.
Khushi called Koel. She greeted her, and asked her, "Koelji, can I ask you something?"
Koel paused, her fingers over the keys of her laptop. "Yes, Khushi."
"Is Anamikaji married?", Khushi asked.
Koel's voice and face iced over. "Why do you want to know?"
"Woh kya he, Koelji, Anamikaji has helped me even though she didn't have to. I would like her to be happy. As happy as she has made us.", Khushi confessed artlessly.
Koel smiled slightly.
"I was thinking, Koelji, if Anamikaji is not married, we can get her married off to Ganeshji. I think she likes him. Very much.", Khushi said.
Koel smiled. "Anamika Madam does not have a husband."
"And she likes Ganeshji, doesn't she?", Khushi asked, just to be sure.
Koel smiled. "I have seen her smile only at Gaurav and Ganesh. No other man."
Khushi clapped her hands in excitement, and her phone fell into Anjali's lap. Anjali grabbed it and returned it to Khushi.
"And Gaurav likes Ganeshji, doesn't he?", Khushi asked, knowing the answer.
"Gaurav thinks that Ganesh hung the moon. If Ganesh tells him that he is supposed to walk on his hands and not his feet, Gaurav will do handstands all his life.", Koel's voice was dry, but laced with genuine love for Gaurav.
Khushi let out a cry of victory.
"Ab dekhna, Koelji, Gaurav will get his father soon.", Khushi proclaimed.
Koel smiled, but said softly, "Khushi, Anamika Madam & Ganesh have known each other for 20 years. If in these 20 years they haven't thought of each other in a romantic light, then'"
Khushi frowned, but her face soon cleared up. "Devi Maiyya he na? Aap fikar mat kiijiye, Koelji! I will tell her everything, and ask for her help. And give one kilo of my jalebis as prasad."
Koel smiled and nodded, hoping that Khushi's jalebis were good enough for Devi Maiyya to heed her pleas.
"We need to get Anamika Bitiyaa and Ganesh Babua here together, Nandkisore!.", Buaji said.
All nodded.
"What about a satsang, Nani?", asked Anjali.
All nodded, pleased expressions on their faces.
"We won't invite outsiders.", Nani said. Mami and Anjali nodded. "Especially not your kitty party friends.", Nani added.
Mami pouted.
"If they say something nasty to Anamika Bitiyya'", Nani's voice trailed away.
Mami nodded quickly. "That ijj true, Saasumma. They are not sweet like me, Hello Hi Bye Bye!"
Nani & Anjali hid their smiles. Payal looked away to control her blooming smile. Buaji looked at Garima, and then away.
Khushi phoned Arnav late at night.
"What are you doing, Arnavji?", she asked, smiling, knowing that he must be working in his garden.
He looked at the data on his laptop. He had been staring at the same page for the past few minutes, dreaming about Khushi.
"Thinking about you.", he said briefly.
Khushi blushed. "Truly?"
"No, I am lying.", Arnav retorted.
Khushi pouted. "Woh kya he, Arnavji, it is difficult to think of you as a..."
"As a ...?", Arnav asked, smiling, stretching out his legs.
"As a romantic hero, like Salman Khanji. Or Shahrukh Khanji...", Khushi muttered.
Arnav smiled.
"Why, Khushi? Are only your heroes supposed to fall in love?", Arnav asked.
"No...", Khushi said. "Ordinary people fall in love. But you are not ordinary."
"Then what am I?", Arnav asked, smiling tenderly.
"You are Arnav Singh Raizada!", she said. "You should be khadoos, angry, with smoke coming from your nostrils, with angry eyes capable of reducing others to ashes..."
Arnav laughed out aloud.
"Instead, you are talking sweetly, you are thinking of me, you are smiling, and you are never angry! What happened to you, Arnavji?", Khushi asked anxiously. "Tabiyat theek he na?"
Arnav burst out laughing.
He managed to say between guffaws, "Do.. do I have... to be ill..., Khushi..., before I... can love... you?"
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