Chapter 6
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[MEMBERSONLY]
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rulama 2013-11-07 09:15:53
[NOCOPY]
MARRYING KHUSHI
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(Thanks a million for the gorgeous banner, Akorshi)
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Part 10
Both ASR & Khushi looked up at Mittu, who stared back at them with beady eyes.
Khushi could not control herself anymore. She burst out laughing, her mirth infectious. ASR's smile made its rare appearance, and he had to fight not to engage in a belly laugh.
Khushi had no such issues. Caught against the hard frame of ASR, her arm twisted behind her, there was nowhere she could go. She fell against the hard, muscled chest of her captor, laughing hard. He could feel the soft lines of her stomach move against him as laughter rumbled within her. He too began chuckling, unable to hold back his amusement.
Without volition, his fingers released her arm, and his hands joined to gather her closer to him. Her arms decorated with mehendi rose and her fingers clutched his sleeves. Her temple fell against his collar bone as she collapsed weakly against him, still chuckling.
Slowly the laughter died down.
Mittu flew away to another perch, carrying a red chilli in her beak to feast on.
The silence between them, in the midst of the noise of a house with hundreds of guests, grew. They stood locked in each other's arms.
"Man mein laddoo phoota..." Mittu announced.
Khushi realised that she was hugging the Rakshas, letting him support her body weight, clinging to his arms as though she were a creeper and he the trunk of a tree... His right hand was around her waist... Khushi gulped. His left was between her shoulder blades, cuddling her close... Her head was beneath his chin... she was surrounded by him, his warmth, his musky scent... His heart beat against hers, both galloping like wild horses, out of control...
"Man mein doosra laddoo phoota..." Mittu sang.
Khushi shuddered in reaction. Slowly, she loosened her hold on his arms, feeling her fingers linger on the expensive material that did little to hide the sinewed lengths. She tried to insert her red mehendi-covered hands in between them, but to no avail.
"Khushi..." they heard Payal call.
Khushi jumped.
"Khushi... Khushi..." Mittu began.
Khushi looked at ASR with wide eyes.
Reluctantly, ASR lowered his arms, and let Khushi take a step away from him. He moved back in to the darkness.
Just in time.
Payal came in to the changing room.
"Khushi, kya hua? Why are you so late? Buaji and Amma are looking for you. Waise, did you see Raizadaji? His brothers are with Buaji, but he is not to be seen. They said that he had gone to attend a phone call, lekin... I hope he has not lost his way."
"Jiji..." Khushi gasped, short of breath. Her nervous fingers smoothed away strands of hair that had fallen on her cheek. "Shall we join them?"
"Haan, chalo." Payal moved away, but the frown on her face remained. "But where is Raizadaji? He is not familiar with Preetho's house..."
"Jiji, please don't worry about him. Woh chota bacha thodi na he!" Khushi sent one glare at the Raizadaji skulking in the shadows.
"Khushi!" Payal lovingly knocked on Khushi's head with a knuckle. "He is a guest. We should take good care of him."
"Hhmmmpppfff..." Khushi snorted. "I am feeling hungry, Jiji. I am going to have my dinner." she declared as she left the room and ASR behind.
"Aaj khane mein meeta kya he?" Mittu screeched.
ASR joined Buaji, Amma, Payal, Khushi, and his brothers. The Guptas were too well-bred to ask him where he had vanished off to. They quickly helped the boys to seats. Male members of the family began serving food to them on dried leaf plates.
ASR looked to his right. NK. And next to him was Khushi. How to get NK out of his seat? he wondered.
Meanwhile, Khushi was having a wonderful time chatting with a friendly NK.
"You are Laa... Arnav Singh Raizadaji's brother?" she asked doubtfully. "Really?"
"Yes. I am Nannav's brother. That is, my mother is his aunt's sister. That is, Akash & I are first cousins." NK explained.
"Acha." Khushi nodded.
"Lattoo! I love lattoos." NK said, smiling at the big platter of laddoos waiting to be served.
ASR watched Khushi laugh. "Laddoo, not lattoo!" she laughed.
Buaji, sitting to ASR's left, heard NK & exclaimed, "Hai Re Nandkisore!"
NK leaned towards Khushi and asked, "Why does Buaji keep calling my name?"
Khushi burst out laughing. ASR grit his teeth. How dare NK monopolise her attention?
"I will call you Nanheji." she declared. "Buaji is calling Lord Krishna, not you." she explained. "You happen to be named after Him."
"Oh!" NK was one relieved man.
"Why don't you have the pulao, Nanheji?" she asked.
"Yes, yes." NK tried it and loved it. "It is good!" he mumbled.
"And the shahi paneer." Khushi suggested.
She frowned. What was that sound? She looked up. The Rakshas' jaw was clenched. He looked furious, his eyes burning with a fire that could burn the whole tent down. He is so funny when he gets angry, Khushi thought.
The plate in front of him was untouched.
NK finished his pulao. "I love it, Khushiji. I want more." He stood up to go and fill his plate again.
"Nanheji! They will come and serve you..." Khushi began, but he had already moved away.
She looked warily at ASR's face. Why was he angry? She thought furiously and came up with the perfect answer.
"Aap khayenge nahin?" she asked slowly. "Are you angry with the food?"
ASR looked at her.
Khushi moved in to NK's seat to speak confidentially to him. "I know that you like to eat geela geela pusta and your soup and your sandwiches and all the strange things that we, normal people, don't eat. But there is no choice here. In a wedding function, you will get served paneer and dal and kadu ki sabzi and aloo mewawale and bhindi and parwal and khoya makhana matar and kachori and poori and moong dal ka halwa... Aap please adjust kar leejiye. Otherwise Preetho's parents will feel bad."
ASR stared at her in shock.
Khushi pushed his plate closer to him. "Please, khayiye na!" she hissed.
ASR ate, as though reluctant. That kept her by his side, persuading him to try this or that.
NK returned and slipped in to Khushi's seat, his mind totally on the food.
Akash made sheep's eyes at Payal over Amma's head.
Payal blushed and lowered her head to look at her patal.
At the end of the lengthy meal which ASR had stretched as far as it would go, the boys had to bid goodnight to the Guptas, including Sasiji who had joined them halfway through dinner.
"Payalji, goodnight." Akash blushed.
"Shubh raatri." whispered Payal, her eyes lowered in shyness.
The boys moved away to their car. The Guptas were busy wishing many of the guests goodnight. Khushi was standing away from them, in the courtyard of her house.
"I will see you tomorrow." ASR told Khushi.
Khushi looked suspiciously at his face. There was nothing in his words to alarm her. After all, she would have to go to Sheesh Mahal to work the next day. But the way he said it... and the look in his eyes... as though he were inviting her to an elopement or something clandestine... as though there were secrets between them that no one knew anything about...
"Why should you see me tomorrow? My job is in the kitchen and yours is inside the house. Aap apna kaam keejiye, and let me do mine." Khushi made her feelings clear. She didn't know why, but this Shaitan was dangerous. Especially when he demanded a kiss... and looked at her with eyes that seemed to see through her clothes.
Khushi quickly pulled the dupatta more firmly over her bosom, stepped back, and turned her cheek away. What if the Rakshas gave her a jhappi?
"Shubh raatri. I am sure you will have good dreams. Bad dreams won't dare to disturb you." Khushi said, sorry that he would have a good night's sleep while she would toss and turn thinking about what had happened in the changing room...
"I will have lovely dreams." ASR declared. "Of a bhootni."
Khushi gasped and looked around nervously. If Amma or Buaji heard the Rakshas!
"Bhootni Khushi Kumari Gupta... who wanders on strange grounds at midnight... singing old Bollywood songs..." he raised his voice slightly.
Khushi silenced him, her hand over his mouth. "Aap chup rahiye! He Devi Maiyya, this Delhi Rakshas will get me killed by Buaji!" She looked around nervously.
ASR put his lips to good use and gave her palm a loud smack.
Khushi fell back, holding her palm to her as though she had received a jolt of electricity.
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