Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Arnav had been thinking a lot about what to do. He knew he had to start to make things right between him and Khushi. He started his car and headed back home.

1 o'clock

Finally Arnav had got home. He went straight to his room not noticing Khushi asleep on the dining table. He went upstairs to his room opened the door and closed it. He turned around and Khushi wasn't there. He thought WHAT THE….? Where is she? He went to the bathroom. She wasn't there. He opened the poolside door to look outside. She wasn't there. He was getting frantic WHERE IS SHE? was all he could think about. He knew he couldn't ask anyone. Everyone was fast asleep. He went up to the terrace to see if she was there. He went back downstairs and started looking around. He looked around the living room. No sign of her. He went to the kitchen and looked around. He saw the pile of jalebi's next to the cooker. She was here. He walked over to the jalebi's and remembered she only makes them when she was stressed. Why? he thought.

He walked out of the kitchen and didn't know where he was heading. He looked up and saw her asleep on the dining table.(Rabba ve in the background). He slowly walked up towards her. He walked around towards her. He sat right next to her looking at her asleep. He was mesmerized. He had always known her to be beautiful but for some reason she looked more beautiful tonight. He saw a strand of hair on her face. He slowly moved the strand of her hair behind her ear making sure not to wake her up. He didn't notice the food on the table. He didn't even think if he was hungry or not. He was looking at the beautiful girl who had her head on her arm asleep on the table. He got up of his chair and knelt down on one knee. Slowly and carefully trying not to wake her up he took her left arm which was by her side and placed it around his shoulder. He then with great care placed his left underneath her head and moved it and placed her head on his right hand. He took her right hand and placed it on his shoulder. Softly he moved forward and placed her head on his other shoulder just near his neck. He wrapped one arm on her waist and the other underneath her knees and lifted her up in one swoop. Khushi was still fast asleep unaware of what was going on. Arnav then moved away from the dining table with Khushi in his arms and went upstairs to their room. He walked into the room and slowly placed her on the bed. As he was about to move away he felt her hand was holding his shirt tight. A sweet habit he had known her to do a few times. He sat next to her and remembered them. The time she had fainted after the guesthouse disaster and also the time in nainital when she was ill. This one gesture seemed to prick at him. It was move telling him not to leave her. He just sat there looking at her. He moved her hand of his shirt and stood up. He went to the bottom of the bed, took the duvet and placed it on top her making sure she wouldn't feel cold. He looked at her for a moment then walked over to the poolside windows and was staring outside contemplating what to do next and how to resolve all the issues he had created. He turned and looked at her again. How could I have doubted you again Khushi? How could I have? I wished I had listened to you. I wish I had never done this to you. I wish…….He felt another tear leave his eye and he put his head back against the window. He was hurting badly and feeling really guilty. His head was starting to hurt. He felt a headache coming on. He opened his eyes, looked at Khushi and vowed to straighten to sort this mess out.

He turned around and closed the curtains. In the dark he carefully moved the recliner towards the bed. He placed it almost next to Khushi. He knew if he slept on the bed there would hell to pay. So this was the next best thing. He lay down on the recliner and looked at Khushi who was facing him. He thought this is the beautiful face I want to see first thing in the morning, Khushi's my wife and with that thought and a slight smile he fell asleep.

It was morning and Anjali went downstairs to sort out the small temple in the house for the early morning prayers. As she was walking towards it she noticed the food still on the table. She was shocked. She walked over to the table and realised there was enough food there for two people. Did neither of them eat last night? she thought.

Anjali: Hari Prakashji can you take all this food from the table and throw it away.

What a waste she thought.

HP: Anjali Di there are a lot of jalebi's in the kitchen. What should I do with them?

Anjali: Jalebi's? Oh god! Show me.

They head to the kitchen. Anjali walks in and sees a huge pile of jalebi's on a tray. She thinks that means Khushiji must have made them last night. She was worried about something or was it someone. With a slight smile on her face she asks HP to store the jalebi's away. She went back to what she was doing.

Arnav was the first to wake up. He couldn't sleep much that night. The previous day's events were still buzzing through his head. He opened his eyes and saw Khushi still asleep. It was around 6 in the morning. He decided to get and go for a jog and clear his head. As he was going downstairs he started to feel a bit dizzy. Knowing full well he hadn't had anything to eat since lunch time the previous day his sugar levels were going down. He remembered Khushi had made jalebi's last night. He headed towards the kitchen. HP was the only one present. Arnav looked around to see if he could find the jalebi's. They weren't there.

Arnav: HP where are the jalebi's that were here last night?

HP: Anjali di asked me to put them away.

Arnav: Where are they?

HP showed Arnav where they were. He looked at HP and warned him not to say a word. He took one out of the box they were in and started eating it. He felt as though he was in heaven. Now he realised the fascination Khushi had with jalebi's. Although he had had them before having sweets made by Khushi was something different. He finished one and then had another just to be on the safe side before he went for a run. He went out of the kitchen and went out. Anjali at the time had gone to speak to nani.

Back in Arnav and Khushi's room Khushi was opening her eyes and started to stretch. All of sudden she saw she was in her room. She sat up wondering how she got upstairs in the first place. The last thing she remembered was she was downstairs waiting for Arnav to get back home. She started looking around to see where Arnav was but the recliner was not in front of her. She pulled the duvet of off her and was about to get out when she turned and saw the recliner right next to her. She thought what was going on and why the recliner was so close to her. She was really confused but then she remembered she needed to talk to Arnav urgently about last night. She got up out of bed and went to get ready.

Arnav came back from his jog and was heading back to his room when Anjali called him.

Anjali: Chote can you come here please I need to talk to you.

Arnav: What is it Di?

Anjali: Why didn't you eat last night?

Arnav just looked at his Di and was shocked. How did she know he thought.

Khushi who had been up and had gotten ready fast heard this conversation while walking down the stairs.

Khushi: Di he had had dinner while he was out.

Arnav who had had his back to her turned and looked at her. He knew she was lying but wasn't quite sure why.

Anjali: Oh. So he did phone you in the end did he?

Khushi: Of course di he did.

Anjali: Then why did you make all those jalebi's last night?

Khushi became tensed. She knew was going to get caught. Arnav saw the look and turned to and looked at Anjali.

Arnav: Di when I got home we had a fight and because of that Khushi ended up making jalebi's.

Anjali smiling: God. When do you two never fight? That's all you seem to do.

She looked at one to the other and went to carry on doing her work. Arnav turned and looked at Khushi.

Arnav: I need to talk to you alone.

Saying this he went back to their room. Khushi thought Hey devi maiya! Now I'm in trouble.