Chapter 30

The day of engagement dawned beautifully. But...?

Bani: Akash... Did you get in touch with the florist?

Akash: haan maa. They will come by afternoon to arrange everything... Even the buffet. Relax maa

Lavanya: Maa.. Chill! We will take care!

Bani& Akash: Nope. You are not doing anything here.

Jai: you and bani both can relax while we arrange everything. So ladies go watch your daily soaps!

Bani and Lavanya gave the boys A mocking look but they were unaffected and gave just a shrug and ran for life as bani started chasing them and lavanya stood chuckling.

Laughing Akash ran straight into Arnav who was coming down from his room.

Arnav: what the!

Akash: Uh..Bhai!

Jai: Good Morning Chote! So at last had the thought to wake up leaving the dreams of certain someone?

Arnav: Mamu! What is all these? Are you both kids? Running around the house like this?

Bani: Ahaan! Get used to this chote. Now these both are running. Soon you will be running.

Arnav: I don't run Mami!

Bani: Not even to chase your Khushi? Lavanya told me about her. Looks like the silence will be shortage in this house soon! Adding Cherry to the cake comes our Lavanya's Baby whom Khushi has swore to spoil to hell.

Arnav: Are you trying to give me nightmare before I even get engaged?

He asked raising his eyebrow. Others chuckled. Though he frowned, he remembered how Khushi used to give him run for his life throwing one of her royal tantrum and he smiled thinking about her crazy ways of thinking and her non stop talking, not forgetting her JALEBIS!

Akash silently approached Arnav and tapped his back.

Akash: Abhi bhi Der nahi hui hai Bhai. Once you are married, You are stuck life long. Soch Lijiye!

Arnav: Shut up Akash!

Lavanya: Acha? Stuck? You better take that back Mr. Akash Walia. Else you will see the consequence when you will have to.

Akash: Uh oh! No no. Lavanya.. Baby.. darling. Listen to me. I was talking about Khushi. Not you.

Lavanya: Oh really? Am I to believe this? You are done here! You may go and check the arrangements for now. Better don't come in my way till I call you. Else I will eat you alive!

Ahh! Mood swings. God save Akash was all Bani and Jai could think between their chokes of Laughs. But Arnav did not have any problem in laughing out loud. Akash went out with a very sorry face making Arnav double with laughter.

Arnav: How did you find this woman for him? Is she even a woman?

Bani: Akash found her for us Chote. Second part of question.. You better ask Akash!

Arnav: No thanks! I love my life.

Jai: But whatever it is. These two are just perfect. When both are responsible and mature, life turns kinda boring. This makes life a bit balanced.

Arnav: Really? Among the two of you, who is the kid and who is mature? Ahh Dont even answer it please. I have had my dose of drama already from Akash and La. So not you both too. By the way, did Khushi or anyone from there call? They must be here in(checking his watch) what.. about 2 hours? We planned lunch together right?

Jai: Hmm.. Yup, we did plan as it might be too much to cook and eat among all the engagement arrangements. But, they never called since the morning! May be they are busy.

Bani: Why should we wait for them to call. We will call them and send out car to pick them up.

Jai: Aha!

Arnav: All right! You be on that. Meanwhile I will arrange my cupboard. Thanks to your stubbornness of shifting me here. Since then I never had time to arrange my things in the room. My room looks like some warehouse!

Bani: Stop complaining kid! Yesterday Khushi was arranging your stuffs. You never noticed?

Arnav: Did she? It doesn't look like though!

Now both bani and Arnav were frowning. but Jai managed the situation.

Jai: Uff Oh Bani! Bachi se kal yeh karwaya aap ne? Arey yaar, they were here for something more important!

Bani: Don't you put the finger on me! She was very much willing to. I thought it will make her get used to this. Arranging his stuffs. Chote is all well organized in business managing, but when it comes to his wardrobe managing.. He is.. Well..!

Arnav: Hello! I am still here! Remember?

Jai: Off course. Nowadays, you don't go to office!

Arnav: Time up! That's enough Mamu! So I am going to check on my room and then I will drive Khushi and her family here. Arrange beauticians to come here to get her dressed.

Bani and Jai first chuckled and then doubled with laughter making Arnav frown!

Arnav: What is going on here?

Jai: We knew that you are going to do this. So arrangements are already going on and Our backwing is getting cleaned for the same!

Bani: So much for being the Ruthless ASR!

Arnav: Urhh.. hopeless you both! Bye!

Saying he moved to his room and started unpacking the boxes and arranged them in his room as he liked. All the necessary stuffs were already arranged in his room. Only certain books and DVD's were to be moved to their places and Arnav had to separate what he wanted and the waste that had to go the store room. As he was doing that, his hands caught his old scrap book which brought a mysterious smile to his face. He started flipping the pages but not before checking his mobile for zillionth time for any message from Khushi!

Meanwhile in Rockstone Apartments Living room...!

Sasi(Restless): It's already 10 in the morning. In 2 more hours we are supposed to be in Shantivan for lunch and in few more hours it is Khushi's engagement.

Ashwin(cool): Noted in diary Bauji. So what is the point?

Sasi(Angry): Shut up Ashu. I am not in mood for your stupid jokes.

Garima(Anxious): Relax sasiji. Ashu don't irritate him more. Did you both try Khushi's number?

She asked trying to get the things on the dining table straight so that she can find her phone. Not everyday, their daughter goes missing a few hours before her engagement. So bichare were tensed as they should be.

Sasi: Out of reach!

Ashwin: No use Amma! don't you remember the day?

Garima: Kya day?

Sasi: Konsa Day?

Ashwin: The same day Jiji goes missing every year for past 8 years jab woh bhaag ke Meerut chali jati hai!

That's when it dawned on Garima & sasi that it was the same day on which Khushi escapes to Meerut giving some lame friend as a reason. But something else too popped on Garima's mind.

Garima: But Ashu, Khushi ne toh.. she said that it was over. Remember the day she returned from the party..

She shivered just remembering the day and how Khushi came home as white as paper and how she cried all night getting sick for next 4 days! Even Sasi and Ashwin trembled remembering the events.

Ashwin: Jiji ne kaha aur humne maan li? Come on. Do you believe even if there was this "friend" for real?

Sasi and Garima frowned.

Sasi: So you are saying that Khushi has been lying all these years to us and was going to meet someone.. like..

Garima: NO!

Ashwin: Relax! I am saying that Jiji used to go to Meerut. True! But not to meet someone else. It is all together something different story bauji!

Sasi: And you are saying that now? That she was loves someone else. She is to be engaged to get married in few hours for godsake.

Ashwin: No Bauji. She loves ASR for sure. But Meerut ki kahani... Alag hai! Even I don't know what it was. But I for sure know that it was not some friend or Nanu ke pyaar.

Sasi: Whatever Ashwin. It's too late now. I am going to find her and bring her back. Bahut kar li apni Manmani!

Garima: Lakin Sasiji! We should call Jai and Bani ji. Unhe batana padega else they might be waiting for us and wondering without any news from us.

Ashwin: I am on that. I will call ASR. But first clear all that Fatso's pictures that you have spread on dining table so that you can pack them to Shantivan.

Garima(Admonishing): Ashu! Give some respect. She is elder to you!

WHY CALL ME AND TELL ME WHAT?

That moment they heard Arnav standing there with the spare key to their apartment which he used to get in.

Arnav: And why are all these pictures spread like this?

No one spoke. THey all stood like statues irritating Arnav more than he already was as the result of Khushi not returning his calls and messages.

In Shantivan, when Arnav was arranging his things his hands caught his scrapbook. WIth a smile he started flipping pages.

As he was flipped the pages with the pictures of Swarna raj Mahal and reached reached Hawa Mahal, Hajipur, Meerut pictures, Bani called him. But his eyes caught the picture of the hall leading to the stairwell and in out of focus the image of a chubby silhouette.

Something snapped in his mind. But before he could understand what it was, Bani's voice disturbed him again. He went down leaving the scrapbook and rushed down to see what it was. There he saw a very tensed and restless Bani.

Arnav: What happened Mami? Where is Mamu and others?

Bani: They are busy with arrangements. You tell me what happened. Did you try calling Khushi or anyone else in the family?

Arnav: I.. I.. I did. But she is not picking up!

Bani: Why didn't you tell me Chote?

Arnav: I just thought that they were pretty with preparations or one of her new dramas. You know she is a dramaqueen!

Bani: NO! I never thought you could be so irresponsible!. There is something seriously wrong there! I called them and at last managed to get Ashwin on line. But that kid instead of hanging my call, answered it and left it open. From whatever I heard Khushi is missing.

Arnav: WHAT? you are kidding right?

Bani: NO! I am serious. Now will you go and check?

And before she could complete, Arnav's car zoomed out of the mansion and landed straight inside Gupta house with his spare key. That is when he heard Sasi telling them to call him while he can bring Khushi back. But now that he was here asking what the matter was, everyone stood there looking at him as if he were conjured out of smoke. HELL!

Arnav: Will anyone speak?

Arnav raised his voice. Sasi came close to him. Did he look a little guilty?

Sasi: Please get in first Arnav bitwa. I will explain everything to you.

Saying he made Arnav sit on one of the chairs of the dining table while Ashwin went to lock the door and Garima went to bring water for Arnav.

Sasi: Arnav bitwa.. Do you remember me telling about a small palace that our family owned, actually inherited at Hajipur, Meerut?

Arnav remembered Sasi mentioning Hajipur but before he could say anything Khushi bumped on Arnav with the designs.

Arnav: You mentioned the place with we were at AR but we were interrupted by Khushi.

Ashwin: did anyone think that could have been deliberate?

Sasi: Shut up Ashwin! you are not helping.

Arnav(restless): Uncle you were saying something?

As a gesture of his restlessness Arnav's knees started hitting the table from the beneath. Seeing that Sasi and Ashwin narrated the whole tale of how right from the age of 17, Khushi has been visiting that palace on this one particular day every year.

Then Garima told him how broken Khushi had come home one day saying that the reason for her going to Meerut was over and ended up sick for days.

Ashwin: And again she goes missing today, the very same day of the year.

Arnav: Basically you are saying that this particular day she goes to a palace at some godforsaken place for some reason and says the reason is no more one day and today she is again missing?

Ashwin: In short Yes!

Arnav: Will you please use your smartass mouth to help me understand this dramatic sister of yours Ashwin?

Arnav banged his fists on the table making the pictures on it fly and making people around him flinch.

At that bang, among all the pictures, one particular photo landed on his fist. Arnav was about to throw it back when a face caught his eyes. Arnav took a closer look at the picture. There was a girl with chubby physique laughing at the camera lens as the breeze pushed the swing she was sitting in, forward.

That something that snapped when he was looking at his scrapbook back at his mansion snapped again

Arnav(breathless): Princess...!!!???

Meenu: Evil Me😈😆

BYE😛