Chapter 53
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[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
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Part 11: Day 3
Section A
Arnav, who was supposed to be working on his laptop, stole glances at Khushi. She was drying her long hair with a towel, rubbing the wet strands. She threw the weight of her wet hair over her shoulder, and Arnav felt a couple of drops of water fall on his face. He looked at her, bewitched by her beauty.
The phone rang.
Khushi picked up her phone and answered the call.
Arnav watched her face pale, and heard her stammer "Ji" and "shukriya" at regular intervals. A sense of foreboding sent a shiver down his spine.
She cut the call.
Arnav asked, "Kya hua, Khushi?"
"Woh... woh... I had applied for a few jobs..." Khushi muttered.
Arnav paled.
"I wanted to work after the 15th. So I applied early." Khushi explained.
Arnav swallowed hard, and nodded. With great difficulty.
"One of them called to say that... that the job is mine." Khushi said, looking away from his face.
Arnav opened his mouth to speak, and shut it without speaking. He didn't know what to say.
Khushi looked at his books arranged neatly in the small rack built in to the wall.
Finally, Khushi said, "It is a school. With children..."
"You... you are going to work in a school?" Arnav asked.
"Ji..." Khushi whispered.
"Oh... Err... Khushi, what will you teach there? I mean..." He didn't want to ask her how she could teach students when her own educational qualifications were almost non-existent.
Khushi smiled wryly, "I am not going to teach anyone, Arnavji. It is a boarding school. For girls. I am going to cook in their kitchen for them."
He stared at her, his mouth open, his eyes wide. Finally he said, "Khushi, if you want to work...Khushi, you can always work in my office..." he offered, desperate.
"No, thank you. I had enough the last time." Khushi smiled. But her smile did not take away the sting of her words.
Arnav frowned. Which Delhi school was she going to work in? It was highly possible that he knew the owners or the trustees... or they knew of him. Maybe he could smooth her way for her if she was determined to take up the job.
"Which school is it, Khushi?" he asked.
"Mangaldas Memorial School." she replied.
Arnav frowned. He had never heard the name before. Was there such a school in Delhi, or was someone making a fool of Khushi?
"Khushi, I have never even heard the name before. Are you sure...?" he asked doubtfully.
"Ji. It is run by Girija Deviji." Khushi explained.
Arnav frowned. Who the hell was she? And why the hell did she have to start a school and take his wife away from him?
"Khushi, give me the address. I will get Aman to check it out." Arnav looked expectantly at Khushi, a pen held over his note pad.
"Ji." Khushi agreed. It was better to agree with him than to explain to him that the school was well-known in her circle, that Girija Deviji was a figure to be reckoned with in the field of women's education.
"Mangaldas Memorial School, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Shivdaspur, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India." Khushi said in one breath.
The pen fell to the ground, sounding like a bomb going off in the perfect silence. He stared at her, seeing all his hopes crumble in to dust.
Finally, he said, "Varanasi... Benares..."
"Ji."
"You are going to Varanasi..." Arnav could not believe his ears.
"Ji." Khushi admitted. She explained, "I can't stay forever in Buaji's house, Arnavji. People will start asking Amma & Buaji why I am not staying with my husband."
Arnav stared at her.
"Our relations from Lucknow had come for Jiji's marriage. They saw our wedding too..." her voice faltered.
Arnav felt a hand close around his heart.
"If I go to Lucknow, they will ask me where my husband is. They will call Buaji and ask why I am working in Lucknow when my husband is in Delhi..." Khushi looked away. "I have given my family a lot of trouble, Arnavji. I don't want to trouble them anymore. So it is better I go to Varanasi. We don't have any relations there."
What had he done to her? Arnav asked himself. He had thoughtlessly destroyed everything she held dear, her family, her peace, her security, her future... he had made it impossible for her to live with dignity. He had taken away her options. He had tied her hands...
"I wanted a job that would give me a safe place to stay. And a reasonable salary so that I can send some money home." Khushi continued, trying very hard to make her voice cheerful and care-free. "That is why applied at this boarding school. It is safe, and the candidate hired to help the main cook has to stay on the campus. Food & accommodation are free." She smiled.
He couldn't take his eyes off her.
"I have no previous experience at such a job, but Girija Deviji considered my application because she has heard of Babuji and our Satwik Mishtan Bhandar. Hamare Babuji is well-known in Lucknow and nearby areas for his honesty and the high quality of sweets he used to sell."
He stared at her.
Khushi smiled. "Girija Deviji wants me to start on the 16th. I will go to Buaji's house from here on 15th morning, and then go to Varanasi."
Arnav stared at her, his eyes aching with unshed tears.
Khushi tried very hard to keep the smile on her face from dimming.
"Khushi, you will leave me and go to Varanasi?" he finally asked, his voice a mere whisper.
Part 10: 90926176 Part 11: Section B: 91018731
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