Chapter 69
Font:
Text Size:
Theme:
[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
(Thank you, Naughtymallu, for this wonderful banner!)
(Thank you, RabbaVe for the banner!)
Part 18
Arnav left the dining table. All looked at his plate, worried frowns on their faces. It was untouched.
Seeing that Arnav Bhaiyya had not eaten a morsel, HP ran to get a glass of milk for him.
Weary beyond belief, Arnav dropped his head on his pillow. Khushi... Her jasmine scent seemed to fill the room. He turned his head to look at her pillow. He pulled it in to his arms and hugged it, trying to sleep. She must have finished her work now and returned to her room. How could he call her and disturb her? As he buried his face in to its softness, a tear left his eyes, fell on the pillow, and got absorbed in the fabric.
Khushi fell in to bed, exhausted. Twelve at night. Arnavji must be asleep now.
She picked up her phone. Unable to control herself, she called him.
Arnav snatched up his phone.
"Khushi...?" his voice carried his eagerness to the girl listening to him, far away from him.
"Arnavji... Are you alright?"
"Yes, tum?" Arnav asked.
"I am fine. I am getting used to the work now." Khushi tried to smile. "Naniji, Buaji, Anjaliji, Nanheji, Jiji, Jiju, Mamiji, Amma, & Babuji called me today."
Arnav swallowed.
"They... they apologised... Arnavji, they think I left because of them..."
"Hhmm..." Arnav replied.
"Arnavji, please tell them that I didn't leave because of them." Khushi pleaded.
Arnav said, "You left because we made it impossible for you to stay, Khushi. Especially I."
"Arnavji...!" Khushi protested.
"Khushi, are you happy?" he asked.
Khushi could not find words to answer him. She parted her lips twice to tell him that she was very happy, but the lie just would not leave her mouth.
Arnav smiled sadly.
Khushi turned from side to side, trying hard to find a comfortable place in her bed to sleep. She was exhausted, but sleep evaded her. Her small bed felt too large for her, her arms felt empty, she felt cold...
She shut her eyes and hugged herself, imagining that her arms were Arnavji's. She imagined she could feel his warmth behind her as he spooned her, the weight of his hard arm around her waist, his warm breath against her ear...
"Arnavji..." she whispered as she fell asleep.
NK drove his family to Varanasi at the end of the first week. Akash was driving the car with Buaji, Payal, Amma, & Babuji. They had made it clear to Arnav that they did not expect him to accompany them to Varanasi.
Girija Devi watched the large group of people wait for permission to meet Khushi, get it from her office, and then enter the building housing Khushi's room. Girija Devi took her place in a room in the next building, and watched & heard the tearful reunion. All the ladies hugged Khushi and Khushi hugged all of them, smiling through her tears. Girija Devi sighed seeing the smile on Khushi's face, a smile that had been missing for one week.
Finally, the family went inside Khushi's room to check it out.
They looked around. She had added four pots of flowering jasmine bushes to her balcony.
"Woh... the mali said I could have them." Khushi said. She didn't have to tell them that she was trying to keep Arnavji close by surrounding herself with plants.
They nodded. No one spoke of Arnav.
Finally, as they were about to leave, Khushi asked Payal, "Jiji, how is Arnavji?"
Payal frowned. "He is alright."
"Jiji, were they very angry with him when he told them the truth?" Khushi's heart thudded in fear.
"Very. He deserved it." Payal said bluntly.
Tears filled Khushi's eyes.
She went to Naniji, & said, "Naniji, please don't be angry with Arnavji. All of it was not his fault. The circumstances, my silence... any one would have misunderstood me..."
Nani looked at the pale girl in front of her with fond eyes. Chotey was so lucky to get a wife who loved him inspite of his nasty tongue and cruel ways.
"Dekho, our Titliyaa is defending Arnav Bitwaa, Nandkisore!" Buaji exclaimed, a small smile on her lips.
"Chotey was wrong, Khushiji. He has to face the punishment for his mistakes." Anjali was very firm.
A tear trailed down Khushi's pale cheek. The Raizadas sighed inwardly.
"Saasumma, I can't bears this anymore!" Mami exclaimed. "Here, Khussi is crying like a leaky Corporation tap and there, Arnav Bitwaa is on bhook hartal!"
"Manorama!" Nani chided softly. Khushi's eyes widened.
"Hamre Arnav Bitwaa loves Khussi. She loves hamre Arnav Bitwaa. To problem kya he, Hello Hi Bye Bye?" Mami asked.
"Mami!" Anjali protested.
"Ab aisan to naahi he na, ki hamre Arnav Bitwaa pretended to be nice but was bad? He was always bad." Mami explained. "He was always khadoos, always angry. If he looked at a pot of milk, we could makes paneer from it!"
"Maate!" Akash said.
"Kyun Maate! Maate! kar rahe ho? Truths is truths. Khussi Bitiyya phell (fell) in love with Shatrugnan Sinha. Now bhat (what) ijj the ujj (use) of expecting Shatrugnan Sinha to become Rishi Kapoor?"
Her family bundled Mami out of the room. They didn't notice Girija Devi frowning.
Part 17: 91262280 Part 19: 91325650
Your reaction
Nice
Awesome
Loved
LOL
OMG
Cry
Post Your Comment