Chapter 12
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[NOCOPY]
RECALLING ARNAV - II
Part 11
Arnav parked the car before a huge apparel store with wedding sarees and lehengas displayed for the buyers to marvel at.
He slipped his fingers in to hers as he led her up the steps to the shop. She pulled her hand free, uncomfortable holding hands in public.
He pushed open the massive glass doors and cool air enveloped them. A sales assistant came rushing to them.
"How can I help you, Sir, Madam?" she asked.
"Khushi, do you want a lehenga or sari for the wedding?" he asked.
"A lehenga," she said.
Arnav looked at the sales girl and said, "We want a bridal lehenga."
"Of course, Sir," the girl smiled. "Please come with me," she said, leading them to the bridal section.
Khushi drew in a deep breath as she saw an entire floor of expensive lehengas. Around her were silk lehengas in many colours, studded with pearls, sequins, small gems and stones.
"Is there any colour you prefer, Madam?" the assistant asked.
Khushi parted her lips to reply and then fell silent in the face of such extravagant and lavish display of clothes.
The assistant led them to a mannequin wearing a turquoise blue lehenga. It was beautiful and studded with silver crystals. Rich. And heavy. Khushi gulped thinking about its price.
"Would you like this, Khushi?" Arnav asked.
Khushi looked at the man leaning over her shoulder to examine the fabric with ASR's expert eye.
"No," she whispered. "It is too heavy."
Arnav nodded.
The assistant led them to a blue and yellow lehenga with elaborate work done on it. Khushi shook her head in the negative at Arnav's look of enquiry.
This went on for one full hour. Khushi's eyes ached as she looked through hundreds of lehengas. Red, green, white, pink, magenta, lavender, burnt orange, coral, sky blue and many lehengas in combinations of these hues. The colours began to dance before her eyes.
"Arnavji..." Khushi whispered. He was not known for patience. "We have been here for one hour. I can't seem to pick anything. Why don't you select one for me?"
"Don't worry about the time, Khushi," he whispered. "The first time we got married, you were in red and blue, dressed simply for Payal's wedding. You had no idea you were dressing for your own wedding. And when you actually picked a lehenga and dressed up for your groom, I failed to appear. What was the colour of your dress that day?" he asked.
"Pink and pastel green," Khushi said softly.
"Khushi, we are not having the roka, mehendi, sangeet or haldi this time. So I want you to enjoy the few things we have a control over. Don't worry about the time, Khushi," he said, his earnest eyes on hers.
"Will you wear a sherwani, Arnavji?" she asked.
"I will wear anything you select for me," he replied.
Khushi smiled and turned her head away. Suddenly her eyes fell on a gold and red lehenga...and stayed there.
"Do you like it?" Arnav asked, putting his arm around her shoulder.
Khushi nodded. "But the price?" she whispered.
Arnav smiled.
"We will take that," he told the sales girl.
"We can stitch the choli for you, Madam. Just give us two days," the girl smiled.
"We are getting married tomorrow morning," Arnav informed the girl.
The poor assistant gasped.
"Can you get the choli stitched in a couple of hours? I am willing to pay extra for the inconvenience," Arnav asked, the soul of politeness.
Khushi stared at him. Arnavji could speak so kindly? she thought, her eyes round in wonder.
"I will enquire and let you know," the poor girl said as she ran to the stitching section.
They moved to the sherwani display and began inspecting the many designs available. Soon they were neck-deep in male attire.
The sales girl approached them. "It can be done, Sir. If Madam will come to the stitching section to get herself measured, the choli will be ready in two hours," she said.
Khushi beamed at her.
"Excellent," Arnav said, pleased. He watched Khushi going away with the assistant, his eyes tracing her figure till she vanished from his sight.
He checked his phone for messages while he waited and soon Khushi and the assistant joined him.
"What about the black one, Sir?" the boy in charge of the display asked.
"No, not black on his wedding too. As it is he lives in black," Khushi pouted.
Arnav smiled, his eyes resting on Khushi's lips and expression with love.
The female sales assistant sighed. Where could she get a man willing to look at her like that and throw thousands on a dress for her? she wondered wistfully. Some people had an easy life, she sighed.
"What about the white?" the boy asked.
"No," Khushi said, looking around. Her eyes fell on an embroidered beige sherwani that would make Arnavji look regal.
"Arnavji, that one," she pointed out.
"I will take that," Arnav said immediately.
"Try it out, Arnavji. Otherwise you will get a nasty surprise when you wear it tomorrow morning," Khushi warned.
Arnav smiled. "I will," he agreed and let the boy take him to the changing room for men.
They left the shop. As they walked side by side, Arnav caught her fingers in his. She threw a scandalised look around and tried to free herself but he held on firmly.
With no recourse left, Khushi let her hand remain in his. Hand in hand they walked to a jewellers nearby.
"We want to buy a mangalsutra," Arnav told the owner.
"Please sit down," the man beamed. He pulled out tray after tray of mangalsutras made of diamonds and black beads and placed them before the couple.
Khushi's eyes widened at the amounts written on the tags hanging from the pieces. She could feed her family and fund her Satwik Mistaan Bhandaar for one full year for the amount a slender mangalsutra cost! She looked around to see if she could locate a tiny, miniscule piece.
"What is wrong, Khushi? Didn't you like any of these?" Arnav asked in her ear.
The owner moved away to get the next tray.
"Arnavji, look at the price! They are so expensive," Khushi's eyes were like saucers, round with indignation.
Arnav smiled and put his arm around her waist hauling her closer to him.
Khushi squirmed, her eyes darting around the room to see if anyone was watching them.
"This is our last and final marriage," Arnav whispered in her ear. "So let's not count the cost."
"But," Khushi protested.
"You are marrying a very rich man, Khushi," he continued.
"So?" she frowned.
"What is the use of my money if I cannot spend it on you?" he asked, his eyes serious.
She looked in to his eyes for a long moment and then nodded.
"Now will you take a piece you like?" he asked softly.
Khushi nodded reluctantly. She looked at the new tray and picked a mangalsutra with diamonds arranged in the shape of a pair of peacocks, averting her eyes from the price tag with difficulty.
Arnav smiled, relieved that he was finally doing something right, finally in a position to make her happy.
Clutching the jewellery box, they walked hand in hand to the dress shop, collected their sherwani and lehenga and began the drive to their hotel.
Khushi looked out of the window to see a golgappa stall by the road. The next thing she knew, the car was shuddering to a stop by it, Arnavji was alighting and opening her door and they were walking towards the stall.
"Will Arnav Singh Raizada eat in public? And that too from a wayside stall?" Khushi asked in shock.
"Arnav Singh Raizada will eat from where his wife is eating," he smiled.
"But you don't like to eat this snack," Khushi hissed, tugging at her hand.
He tightened his hold and said, smiling,"I love it, but only when you feed me."
Khushi gaped at him. Slowly she said, "Arnavji, what is wrong with you? What have you done with ASR?"
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