Chapter 7
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[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
MARRYING KHUSHI
(Thank you nishu_shorna for the lovely Banner)
Part 9
Section 1
Anjali phoned home.
"Nani, I have some good news for you!"
"Good news? Kaa he, Anjali Bitiyaa?" Nani asked, a smile on her face.
"Good newjjj? Saasumma, phonewaa speaker pe lagayi dio! Humka bhi sunne do yeh good newjjj! Anjali bitiyaa, are you comings home with my shopping list?" Mami asked.
"No, Mami. That is not the good news. Chotey has fallen in love!" Anjali's glad laughter could be heard by Nani & Mami in Delhi.
"Chotey! Fallen in love?" Nani gasped.
"Saasumma, lagat he we heard Anjali Bitiyaa wrong. Hamre Arnav Bitwaa must have phallen (fallen) down! Kono banana peel tha phloorwaa (floor) pe, Anjali Bitiyaa? How ijj he now?" Mami asked.
Anjali chuckled."Chotey has fallen in love with Khushi Kumari Gupta."
"Devi Maiyya ki jai ho!" Nani prayed fervently.
"Khushi Kumari Gupta? Who ijj she?" Mami asked.
"Daughter of a halwai, and so beautiful, Mami, that you will stand staring at her if you see her." Anjali smiled.
"Halwai?" Mami's painted eyes widened as far as they would go. "Par hamra Arnav Bitwaa to diabetic he, Hello Hi Bye Bye!"
"Manorama!" Nani chided her with a smile.
"And she is not in the least scared of Chotey, Nani. She fights with him and argues with him as though both of them were in nursery!" Anjali laughed.
"Iss namoone ko dekhna hi hoga, Saasuma." Mami said in wonder.
"Anjali Bitiyaa, we are coming to Lucknow tomorrow." Nani began. "We can talk to her parents..."
"Not now, Nani. The thing is, Khushiji does not see Chotey as husband material yet. To her, he is Laad Governaar and Rakshas."
Nani and Mami gasped.
"Let her fall in love with him. Then we can approach her parents." Anjali said. "Give them one month."
After dissuading Nani & Mami from rushing to Lucknow, Anjali cut the call.
Nani said, "Manorama, after one month, what is the guarantee that she will fall in love with Chotey?"
"No guarantees, Saasumma. The more she knows Arnav Bitwaa, the more she will runs away." Mami collapsed in a chair, fanning herself.
"Kya hua, Maasi? Chakki (chakkar) aa gaya?" NK asked, chips in his mouth, an open packet of chips in his hands.
Mami stared at him for a moment, her mouth wide open.
Then she said, "Haan, chakki aa gaya. I am going to pees aata in it. Call Akass bitwaa from his room now, NK bitwaa. Jaldi."
NK ran up the steps.
"Akash, Akash, come down. Maasi wants you to pees chakki in her aata! Come down."
"What?" Akash pushed his specs further up on the bridge of his nose as he left his room to join NK. He looked down at his mother and grandmother. "What is wrong?"
"Akas Bitwaa, packs your bagswaa. Take this NK bitwaa too with you. Go to Lucknow now." Mami declared.
"Why?" Akash was a study in confusion.
"Arnav Bitwaa has phallen in love with Khushi Kumari Gupta." Mami began.
Akash almost swallowed his teeth. "Who? When? Why? Where? I mean... what?"
"Bhat nahin, hau (how). Phind (find) out hau he fell in love, and learn from him. Then helps hamre Arnav Bitwaa get his girl." Mami ordered.
"Manjuji, I won't be able to come to work tomorrow. Aap please hamein maaf keejiye." Khushi said, taking her eyes away for a moment from the cauldron of soup she was stirring, unaware that Laad Governaar's brothers were travelling in her direction to help her fall in love with their brother.
Manju looked at the girl who had stolen ASR's... no, Laad Governaar's heart. Beautiful inside and out. Dressed simply in a pale green anarkali, she outshone every model dressed in designer bridal lehengas and expensive sarees.
And she was a hard worker too. Manju was yet to hear a word of complaint from her about the long working hours or the backbreaking work she had to do or the new recipes and dishes and equipment she had to familiarise herself with.
Manju drew in a deep breath. Khushi could use a break.
"It is fine with me." Manju said, a small smile on her lips. She turned away to check on the pie in the oven.
Khushi breathed a silent sigh of relief. One more day of not seeing the Laad Governaar would be a relief. She hadn't laid her eyes on him after last night when he had dropped her home at the end of their midnight tryst, smiling at her with those eyes...
"Woh kya he, Manjuji, my friend, Preetho is getting married next week." Khushi confided, smiling from ear to ear. "It is her mehendi and sangeet tomorrow. Jiji and I will go to Preetho's house early in the morning and help Chachiji with the arrangements. Then we will have fun."
Manju looked at the joy on her face. It was as though she were the bride!
"Khushi, what about you? When are you going to get married?" Manju asked, her sharp eyes on the blush on Khushi's face.
"Amma, Babuji, & Buaji will decide all that." Khushi said, looking down in bashfulness.
ASR, you have your work cut out for you! Manju smiled inwardly. "Have you found a boy yet?" Manju asked. Never let it be said that she did not contribute to the tightening of the matrimonial noose around ASR's neck.
"Find a boy?" Khushi asked, her eyes wide and honest. "Why should I go and find a boy when I have my family to do all that for me?"
Manju looked at her.
"And anyway, Jiji is older than me. Her wedding will take place first." Khushi smiled away to glory, looking in to the vat of bubbling soup.
So ASR, you are in the queue. Kripaya intezaar keejiye, till the said Jiji is off the shelf! Manju looked away to hide her smile.
"Manjuji, I think the soup is done. Shall I take it off the fire?" Khushi asked.
Manju nodded.
"Aap ko pata he, Preetho has a pet parrot..." Khushi began as she took a heap of vegetables and started peeling and dicing them.
The rest of the day was devoted to Preetho and her wedding. Manju heard and learnt more about Preetho than she knew about herself!
Arnav walked to the outhouse at noon the next day, missing Khushi like crazy. He had been so caught up in work yesterday, having to monitor the functioning of his Delhi office and ensure that work did not suffer due to his absence, that he had not been able to stop by the outhouse or summon her to his study.
He walked in to see Manju Singh sitting in a chair, her feet up on a stool. Manju stood up as ASR approached her.
She saw his eyes darting here and there, trying to get a glimpse of his Khushi.
Before he could ask her for Khushi's whereabouts, Manju began, "ASR, do you know Mittu?" Her face was serious as she pulled his leg.
ASR frowned. "No."
Who was he? Some rival for Khushi's affection? A local Romeo?
"You don't know MIttu?" Manju was scandalised. "How can you stay in Lucknow and not know Mittu?"
ASR frowned, his eyebrows bunching together in rising fury. "Who the hell is Mittu?" Was he a paanwala or a halwai or a chudiwala...?
"Preetho's pet parrot." Manju smiled at him.
ASR's face was a picture of confusion and rising anger. "Who the hell is Preetho?"
"A beautiful girl getting married next week." Manju smiled.
"So?" ASR asked.
"So nothing." Manju smiled. "Just that she is a friend of one of our employees, and our employee is on leave today to attend Preetho's mehendi and sangeet. How could I refuse permission? I did right, didn't I?"
"That's fine." ASR ratified her assent for the request for leave of absence, impatient. "Where is Khushi?"
Manju smiled, an evil light in her dancing eyes. "Having fun with Preetho and Mittu."
"What the!" Arnav bit out. "Why did you grant her permission to leave me... I mean, stay away from her work? Why does she have to attend some girl's mehendi and whatever? She should be here..." He sounded weird... even to himself.
"Nannav!"
The call made ASR turn around in shock. NK & Akash were standing near the door of the outhouse, smiling at him. Anjali & Aman were right behind them.
As ASR stared at his brothers, they rushed to him and hugged him.
"Nannav, don't worry. We are here to help you!" NK comforted him.
ASR frowned.
"Is this Khushiji?" NK asked slowly, pointing to Manju. "She is very beautiful, but... don't you think she is too old for you?" he asked, a confused look on his face.
Anjali, Aman, & Manju guffawed.
"What the!" ASR hissed in to NK's face. "That is Manju Singh, my canteen manager."
NK pulled his ear. "Sorry." he said in Manju's direction.
Manju managed to nod, a difficult task when she was clutching her stomach and laughing.
"What the hell is going on, Akash? What are you doing here?" ASR asked, his face stern.
"Bhai, Dadi & Mate want us to help you get Khushiji." Akash smiled happily.
ASR looked at his brothers and then at Anjali's smiling face, his eyes wide in horror.
Akash & NK watched ASR measure the length and breadth of his study in quick strides. His fists were clenched, his jaw hard, his eyes spitting fury.
How dare she leave him and go away? How could she consider Preetho and Mittu's claims on her time more important than his? Didn't she know that he had been eager to see her, not having gotten even a glimpse of her yesterday?
Anjali & Aman looked at each other and away to hide their intense amusement at the plight of the great ASR.
Finally, NK said, "Nannav, stop. You are giving me a headache!"
ASR turned fiery eyes on NK, ready to blast him till nothing of NK remained.
Anjali quickly intervened. "Chotey, why don't you take Akash and NK Bhai around Lucknow, and introduce them to the Guptas?"
ASR stared at his Di, struck by her brilliant idea.
"Yes, ASR. It is only right that the Guptas should meet your brothers." Aman said. "I mean, they will be reassured that Khushiji is working in a safe establishment where family values are promoted..." It was a battle not to burst out laughing.
ASR parked his car near Gomti Sadan, looking around with astonished eyes. It was evening. The entire street was decorated with marigold flower chains and rows and rows of lights. The house next to the Guptas' was decorated like a bride, and men and women were walking in and out of the haveli. Loud laughter, music, and chatter could be heard.
ASR dragged his eyes from the festivities and led his brothers in to Gomti Sadan.
Buaji and Garima were on their way out of the house, pulling the door close behind them. They turned to see Arnav standing in their courtyard with two other boys.
"Arnav Babua! Aap yahan?" Garima was delighted.
"Come inside, Nandkisore!" Buaji made to open the door.
"No, it is fine. We will visit another time." ASR said, stepping back.
"How did she know my name?" NK asked Akash, astonished.
ASR quickly introduced his brothers to Buaji & Amma, who pinched their cheeks.
"Hai Re Nandkisore, he is sweet like jalebi!" Buaji praised an NK who was rubbing his bruised cheek.
"And he is so handsome!" Garima praised Akash with all the fervour of a mother with no sons.
"Ram, Laxman, & Bharat! What a jodi, Nandkisore!" Buaji praised them as Arnav & Akash blushed.
NK looked around to see who those men were. Were they the Guptas' neighbours?
"Bitwaa, why don't you come with us to our neighbour's house?" Garma invited them.
"Oo kaa he, Bitwaa, Preetho is having her sangeet now." Buaji inclined her head towards the house next door. "Payaliyaa and Titliyaa are already there. Sasi Babua will come there later from his shop. Let's all go there and watch the dances."
"Yes, yes. I want to see Kh..." NK said, only to be stopped by Akash stamping him on his foot.
"Ouch! Akash! What is wrong with you? I just..." NK protested. Akash pinched him to silence him.
The need to see Khushi overcame his manners and his dislike of crowds. Arnav nodded.
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