Chapter 14

The Morning After The Night Before

Chapter 14

Seven months had passed ,Khushi had grown in more ways than one, she had made a niche for herself in the Raizada household. As they had come to know her they had grown to love her. Everyone had found something to like about her even Mamaji.

Shashi had been right all the original hostility from Arnav s family had vanished. They had grown to know her and love her mad sense of colour and humour. They had seen beneath the surface to find a very intelligent knowledgeable individual. One who found happiness in the simplest of things like the taste of jelabi and ice cream to the complications involved in solving complex mathematical equations for fun.

She would watch the latest masala film with Mamiji , whistling at the the hero hers as well as Mami Ji s to sneaking out with MamiJi and Di to eat chaat from a local vendor.

She would sit with Nani discussing her days in Lucknow and the various dishes from there. Then proceed to try and cook those dishes some not to much success whilst others to perfection much to the jubilation of Nani and Mami Ji.

Khushi avoided Di's trip to the mandir they were far too long and she grew uncomfortable sitting in the positions for so long.

She turn up to work late and leave early without any recriminations from her boss or PA. They gave her enough work to keep her occupied but not enough to overwork her.

Khushi sat in on negotiations that Gupta industrieswas involved in but none of AR designs.

But late afternoons she trundle across to AR Designs and say Hi to Arnav and Akash and then pop upto to their penthouse siute and have her afternoon snooze. Before Arnav coming to wake her up to take her home.

The suite had slowly seen signs of Khushi especially in their bedroom her love of colours soon became evident as different types of cushions, fabrics, textures and designs amalgamated to remove the austere design of black and white chosen by Arnav.

On the door to the balcony she had placed a colourful wind chime traditionally woven multicoloured abstract designs with little bells.

Today she was feeling exceptionally tired and left a message with Arnav's PA that she was here as he was in a meeting.

Khushi slept in an exhausted sleep till the early evening. She looked outside to find that the sun had almost set. Surprised that Arnav had not come to wake her up she checked her phone for any missed messages. Nothing from Arnav but one from her father.

Maybe he didn't get the message that she was here or maybe he was still in a meeting.

Khushi knocked on Arnav's office finding no amswer she checked on the adjoining conference room. Finding a sight that she wished that she had not heard nor seen. She stared uncomprehendingly at what greeted her " Our friendship includes fringe benefits it doesn't bother me that you're married "

Arnav had felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as she entered but he was busy trying to fight of the piranha who was hell bent on investigating his mouth with her tongue. He had very civilly already told their top model that he was happily married and didn't play around.

Sheetal reply had been " From the rumours that I heard that there was a bun in the oven so marriage was expedited and you and Shashi Gupta wanted to join forces to become a power to be reckoned with."

Arnav s reply was simple "I married out of choice Sheetal not because society demanded it or Shashi Gupta - Nobody could have forced me into marriage -you know that better than most. I have no feelings for you in that department and had I know that this contract would raise these kind of problems, I would not have considered you for the fashion show. So unless we have a completely professional relationship consider your contract terminated forthwith from AR Designs. I have a very pregnant wife waiting for me whom I am late meeting this evening but I felt I had to resolve this issue before you tried to pursue this further.

Khushi had not been privy to the conversation only the last desperate attempt made by Sheetal to try and convince Arnav that she was right. She didn't want to lose a very generous benefactor. She had come up to Arnav and clasped her arms around his neck like an Octopus ,whilst her lips suctioned on his with more suction than a vacuum cleaner.

All Khushi could whispered was "Arnav?" as she turned and ran .

His only concern was Khushi how much had she seen and heard -obviously not enough otherwise she would have stayed. But for her to run out like that it must have been Sheetal kissing him. He forcefully removed Sheetal from himself using more force that initially intended, ordered security to his office and asked them to escort her from his offices and in no uncertain terms ensured that she was not allowed access to AR Designs. Arnav rang up his lawyers and advised them that termination notice of her contract should be with her lawyers by the morning listing irreconcilable artistic differences should she question it he was happy to state sexual harassment of himself by her and he had the evidence as they had been in the conference room adjoin his office where all conversations are taped and filmed for security purpose.

Now he had to find Khushi. First stop home no sign -umpteen calls later all he got was her answer phone. Next stop Dad. She had not been there. He ummed and aaahed and eventually confessed that Khushi and him had had a falling out .

"How bad am I allowed to ask ?"

"Depends on the point of view ?"

"Well Arnav if you are looking for my daughter and not the other way round I would guess you're at fault ! Care to share ? I might just be able to help you or point you in the right direction -and here was I thinking things were going really well."

"So was I . But she doesn't trust me completely like she does you !"

"You are a class A idiot - she will never trust you like she trusts me, the trust will be 100% but in different way, I am her father -she and I have history since birth , I have been there since she was born, I have to held her when she cried , caught her when she fell , I was there at her first birthday , her first prom, her first rejection. I was her mother and father and best friend and employer all rooled into one. If you can handle the conversation -your her husband , and lover married because of circumstance trust will take time coming and not happen overnight. Want to tell what happened ?"

Arnav hesitated and thought the best person to advise him was her father. He recalled the events of the evening with Sheetal telling him that he thought that Khushi only saw the last part not the entire conversation the way she left.

"You didn't go after her?"

"I had to get rid of the she cat first so she never comes back again and a message is sent to one and all don't even try and mess with me."

"Well the good news is I'm on your side the bad news is it's looking bad. Ok where would she go if she is not here. Try Lavanya's and then Lotus temple. They are the only two places I know that she would be at if she was really really upset. But here s something for you to think about - she's not here ! That means her trust in you is there she doesn't want to share your possible infidelity with me..."

"I was not unfaithful!"

"I didn't say you were - I know her better than she knows herself - If she thought you were unfaithful she would be here asking you for a divorce kids or no kids. The fact that she is not here means there is doubt in her mind. She doen't want to believe she is looking for another explanation -she is trying to work out the combinations. Go to Lavanya's and try the Lotus temple you could be a long time them ring me whether you find her or not. I'll pop into the office and check her rooms but I don't think she would be there. I know check The Milky Parlour - she loves there chocolate icecream ! If I find her I'll text you and bring her home. You know it's supposed to get easier as children get older I swear that girl has given me more grey hairs in this last year than in her entire life - what will my grandchild do to me ? "

"Did you say grandchild Dad ?"

"Yes ! between Khushi and my grandchild I don't know if I'll make the year out"

"Oh I think she has a few more shocks lined up for both of us - and Thanks dad bye"

Arnav put his car into gear and phoned Khushi to no avail. Three and a half hours later

Having visited all the places her dad had told him he phoned -explaining that he had not found her.

"Arnav How stupid could I have been. You asked what places were special to her but what you should have asked is what places are special to both of you?"

"The lake house"

"The lake house ? where's that ?"

"You know quite often we go away at the weekends we go to our lakehouse the rest of the family don't know about this property it used to be my hideaway, now it's our sanctuary, everyother weekend we are there. Please don't tell Nani or Di , godforbid Mami Ji"

"Are you going there ?"

"On my way already - it will take about 45mins I'll ring you once I am there"

A while later he entered the lake house to find it empty.

"Khushi , Khushi where are you , give me a clue"

The house was dark and empty and there was a knock on the door.

"Arnav Saab aap ? Khushi Bitia is gone, She didn't look so good but she insisted that she was fine I, I rang you three times but I didn't get an answer. She said she wasn't feeling well because she ate the whole tub of ice cream . But i explained that I couldn't let her go on her own so Altaf is going to drive her home to Shantivan and catch a bus back in the morning. Is that alright ? I know I shouldn't have let her go but she was getting really upset so we made a deal. Sorry Saab if I have overstepped my mark but I couldn't let her go on her own"

"How come you have known her less time than me yet she is Kushi Bitia to you but I am Arnav Saab ?"

"err ,umm, I tried to call her memsahib but she said no She said she would treat me like her uncle so there was no way Iwas calling her memsahib."

"So Kaka you should call me beta then shouldn't you and you did just the right thing sending Altaf with her. Does he have a mobile?"

"Yes Saab ... Beta"

Arnav dialled the number -no service typical when you really need to get hold of someone -nothing .

"Kaka if he rings give him my number and tell him to ring me straight away -how long ago did they leave for Shantivan ?"

"About an hour ago"

Arnav jumped back in the car and rang Nani - Khushi wasn't home.

Arnav was getting increasingly worried by the second firstly about exactly what Khushi had witnessed and secondly by what Kaka had said .

It was after midnight and there was still no sign of Khushi at least she was with Altaf Kaka'son. Soon he would find out where she was.