Chapter 22

Hi

Take a quick look at this one -the begining looks a tad boring but it actually turned out to be quite funny :-

SS - Getting to Know Khushi

http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4084217&PID=109555541&#p109555541

Also if you feel a little naughty and you want something with a tad more spice to let your imagination flow read

OS - Khushi gets her Icecream

http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4077003&PID=109227991&#p109227991

Back on this one , I thought I could continue their journey -let's see what you think

The Morning After the Night Before

Chapter 22

Arnav sat in his office playing with a piece of paper and a pen. How many times had he started crossed out, screwed up the piece of paper and thrown it across the room.

Aman walked in and looked around the disaster site which in the morning had been ASR's office now looked as though a paper fight had ensued in his absence.

"ASR have the boys been around without Khushi Ji " as he looked around the room.

"No Aman this is all my own handy work! For once it's not the boys but I have to say that I have created an impressive mess all by myself!"

" Designer's Block ?"

"Far worse - its our seventh wedding anniversary coming up and I am at a loss as to what to get Khushi. I thought I might design a special outfit -but I design a lot of clothes for her so that won't be special. She has more jewellery than I can even remember and she doesn't wear most of it.

She has got everything -shoes bags perfumes , she has visited most places in the last seven years"

"ASR may i suggest that you are going about this all wrong -you are trying to give her what everybody thinks should be given on a wedding anniversary. What you need to do is give something she would never expect as a present from anyone let alone you."

"That's the most perfect idea -now leave me I need to think !"

"Actually I came in fro a job ...I'll come back later"

"No Aman it might actually distract me"

Khushu sat on her bed staring down at the envelope, chewing her nails. She had already downed a tubful of ice-cream and was n her second box.That envelope had seemed to grow disproportionally since it's arrival. Initially she had hidden at the bottom of her draw thinking she would deal with after Arnav had left and the kids had gone to school. The kids ! what was the time , they would be back soon -demanding expecting and generally causing mayhem as only boys can do. She had about fifteen minutes before they came tumbling through the doors creating their own style of havoc. Khushi quickly put away her letter to deal with the impending chaos commonly known in RM as Raizada one ,two and three. Ayaan, AAshish and Akhil.

There door flung open and three boys came tumbling in laughing Aashish and Akhil were carrying Ayaan into the house by his arms and legs.

Khushi covered her eyes with both her hands and peeped through her fingers splaying them one at a time. She had already had had a stressful morning and now this -her boys were on form.

"Mohan Ji -what ?"

He fully understood what Khushi ji meant -these boys were loveable rogues -they got into mischief on a daily basis and were daily taken to task for it by their mum. If Arnav Bhaiya ever got involved in the discipline process there would only be two reasons -one the boys had crossed some unwritten line in the rule book which allowed them to be naughty up to a certain level after which he took over and that was not nice. The only other time was was when one of the boys said something to bring tears to Khushi Ji eyes . That was a horrible week he had never known a week like that.

Gone was Arnav the father and ASR had appeared and he had launched into those boys as if they were fully grown adults.

He had no concern for who was there or who was watching, their boys had the audacity to think they could speak to their mother like that and behave in a manner, that brought tears to her eyes.

He had not allowed anyone that right, not her father nor him, since she had become his wife . No one but no one was allowed to upset Khushi or say a wrong word against her. And here were her children playing up. They got the message loud and clear no one hurt Khushi not even them. They were lucky that they were standing there -had it been anyone else Arnav explained in no uncertain terms to them that he would have ripped them apart limb from limb leaving no evidence of the crime. It was his job and there's to keep there mad mother safe, from all things that might hurt her or make her sad. That was a lesson that they would carry into adulthood and long after. No one messed with Khushi Raizada not even dad. That day a mutual pact was made between the four boys -naughtiness allowed ,to an extent ,teasing mischief allowed -but the first one of them or anyone else to cause tears in their mums eyes would pay a huge price ,even their dad. No one was excused from that rule.

"There was a minor disagreement at school and Ayaan to the other persons side, not Akhil's hence he has to be punished-something about a promise that they made and Ayaan has broken it."

"Boy's put Aayan down wash your hands change your clothes and come and eat and we will discuss the breaking of another Raizada law of which I have no knowledge and then we will find a suitable punishment which does not involve the dislocation of arms from their shoulders and me spending the rest of the afternoon in the emergency ward."

"Mom we were carrying him properly! we were not going to dedocate.. sisdocate...lateosis...remove his arms from his shoulder. I would have tied him proper mom if I had had a big stick and some rope, like they do when the hang up an animal from a big stick. Mom can you really remove someones arm as from their shoulders if you carry them like that ?"
"Yes you can and the word is DISLOCATE"

"I'll remember that for the next time"
"Akhil please don't -you get into the most trouble out of the three you really don't need any advice from me -it come to you naturally"

Akhil grinned up at his mom "Come here "

Khushi bent down to her son's level and received a big kiss -"Dad say's i get 70 % of my genes from you thats why I get into so much trouble -he says it shadows me like it does you. I told him That I must have got 100% of my genes from you, as I keep getting into trouble with everyone...Dad said that was not possible ...I had to have got some genes from him...I told him I like to be the top at everything so 100 % must have have come from you. ... sooo...if you are thinking of punishing me remember your only punishing yourself since i am 100% you!"

Khushi looked at him in disbelief at the logical argument, well as logical as an argument that you can get from a six year old.

"Akhil the way you have just put forward your argument stems from your fathers logic so you have to be carrying some of his genes! Go and change so that I can find out what you boys have been up to before I get a call from the principle or an irate parent complaint about the lack of manners and what kind of wild animals am i raising !"

As they all sat down to lunch Akhil gave his version of events - "Aayan took the girls side after I took the ball from her. I asked her nicely to give our ball back and she said only if she could play football with us. I said no and took the ball."

"No mum , he snatched the ball and pushed her over. I took the ball back from Akhil and gave it back to Rhea.I also let Rhea play with us -tow of us against Ashish and Akhil."

"Who won ?"

Akhil replied in a sullen voice "They did but mom its the family rule raizada'z against everybody we never split up we always support each"

"Akhil -not if you were being mean to Rhea -you pushed her and almost made her cry"
"She's a girl -she doesn't count!"

"Mum's a girl and dad said he would tear us from limb to limb and bury us alive if we ever made her cry!

"Ayaan that's meant to be a secret between the men of the family -dad said mum was not supposed to find out!"

"in this case Akhil ,Ayaan is right- you shouldn't push anyone let alone girls"

"Well I said that she could play with us tomorrow because she doesn't play like a girl and she can kick like a boy she like you mum!"

"I'll take my compliments where i find them -you think I'm like a boy !"

She smiled she had to tell Arnav she had officially been designated as an honorary boy -how did he feel about that.

Ashish joined the conversation -"she not like mum, mum's pretty and smells like mum! Rhea smells like a girl!"

Khushi replied "I think that's a compliment you boys had better stop while I'm ahead.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a flurry of activity till six o'clock when Arnav arrived home.

Khushi loved watching him and the kids. Around them he became one. Before he would play with the boys he had a rule tea or coffee with mum and then he was theirs to command.

It was finally that Khushi spoke to Arnav later that night after everyone had gone to bed.

"Do you know that I have been given honorary status of being a boy and not smelling like a girl"

Arnav laughed "I'm dammed glad that your not a boy and don't smell like a girl -you smell like my Khushi"

You know that we will have been married seven years next week "

"I know"

"If i ask you for some things will you do it for me?"

Arnav was perplexed "What's going on in your bran Khushi? Not something stupid?"

"err no , well at least I don't think so!"

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Not have a party this year -please -just let it be us! Lets send the kids over to Dad and Payal ans Akash. Is it really bad that I don't want to share the day with any body except you?"

"Khushi shall I translate what you have just asked ? No its perfect that you want to spend the day with means I would love it. I always do but what you're really asking me to do is take the flack from all the family when I tell them that we are going away for one of our weekends. You also want me to bribe the boys into behaving so that we can go away without to much headache...you know they will have a list of demands that I am going to have to comply with"

" Mav it's such a good job that you are an excellant negotiater. You have to watch out for Akhil -the way he seys his arguments out is actually quite clever"

"So if I do all this what are you going to give me ?... oh...mmm...I wasn't expecting a return so soon ...mmm ...that's so... Khushi ...stop...no don't stop!...just slow down ...or I'll be done before ...yyyou ...have begun ...Slowly ...what the ...hell...jjjust ...carrry ..on"

"Shut up Mr Raizada and enjoy"

Khushi thought to herself about the letter that still lay unopened in her draw -that letter might lead to a barren period for both of them. She would look at it tomorrow

harrybiggins2014-07-13 12:19:40