Chapter 38
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[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]
MARRYING KHUSHI
Part 33
Section 2
The next day, Anjali took Khushi & Payal to her Chotey's office.
Dressed in a red and white anarkali, Khushi looked ethereal. The sindoor in her maang, the red bangles on her arms, the diamond managalsutra around her neck " all made her look like the bride she was. Payal was in dark green, and Anjali was in a blue sari.
Anjali phoned Chotey as soon as the car halted at the entrance to the huge building.
"Chotey, we are here."
"Akash & I are in the office. Come up, Di." ASR said. "Aman will escort you."
As soon as she cut the phone, Aman was before Anjali. Greeting all three of them fondly, he led them up the steps to ASR's cabin.
Khushi looked around.
It was so big. Full of glass and red colour. Too many employees, many of them girls. And all the girls were dressed in short clothes, had short hair, and were made-up. She swallowed nervously. She was better off making jalebi in Lucknow, teasing the small children of her locality, running after crows who came to steal the mango pieces drying on her terrace, fighting with her Chachas and Mamas, riding high on the swing in Preetho's courtyard... What was she doing here?
They reached ASR's office.
He left his power seat and came up to them. Akash smiled and moved towards Payal.
"Di, Bhai, shall I show Payal my office?" Akash blushed.
ASR & Anjali nodded, hiding smiles.
"Khushi, come, sit down." ASR held out chairs for her and Anjali. They sat down.
ASR took his seat.
A pretty girl in a pastel pink top and blue mini-skirt came to the door holding a file.
"Aman Sir, is the boss free? Can you get his signature...?" Her request remained half said as she spied ASR's family in the room.
"Boss is busy..." Aman began.
ASR looked at Khushi. She was looking at the girl.
"Aman, send her in." he said.
Aman's eyebrows went flying. Normally, no employee had sanction to approach ASR directly. Aman was the only person permitted to submit documents to ASR.
He motioned the employee in, sharing a worried glance with Anjali. What was ASR up to?
"I am s...sorry, Sir." the girl stammered. ASR's temper was legendary and little was needed to trigger it off. And why had he invited her in? All employees had to go through Aman Sir to reach ASR.
"That's OK." ASR was affability itself. The employee's eyes popped out. Aman looked at Anjali in wonder. What was going on?
The girl placed the file on the table before him. She bent to open it to the page she wanted him to sign, forced to stand close to his left shoulder to get her job done.
Khushi felt her heart skip a beat. Anguish filled the space in her chest that was supposed to hold her heart.
ASR signed one page. The girl bent to turn the page.
Khushi looked down at the engagement ring on her finger, the mehendi with 'Arnavji' written on it, the mangalsutra lying against her heart... She had made a terrible mistake in marrying him. She should never have left Lucknow for Delhi. She should have married some halwai, paanwala, chudiwala, or channawala and lived happily in her small world.
But Jiji... Khushi's heart grew heavy. And how could she return to Lucknow three days after the wedding? How would Amma, Babuji, & Buaji face the world if their married daughter came home with her tail behind her legs, a failure at marriage, unable to please her husband, unable to win his heart?
"Thank you, Sir." the girl said. ASR had not screamed at her. She could not believe her luck!
ASR nodded. The girl scurried out of the room.
Anjali & Aman looked at ASR. ASR looked at Khushi's pale face lowered to inspect the floor.
Had his attentions to the employee made her jealous? At least a bit? Her face was blank as she raised it to answer some comment Di made. Didn't she care? he fretted.
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