~Part 12~
Khushi and Arnav walk out of the house and Arnav was getting into the car when he sees Khushi walking past the car.
"Ab kahaa jaa rahi ho? 9 baje tak office pahunchna hai aaj" he says.
Khushi turns around and says "Pataa hai. Hum pahunch jayenge!"
"Thanks for the assurance! Jaldi gaadi mei baitho Khushi."
"Hum aapke se saath aayenge?"
"Nahi toh kya Arjun aa rahaa hai tumhe lene?"
"Kya?! Ye baar baar unka naam kahaa se aa jaata hai?"
"Jahaa se baar baar Lavanya ka naam aa jaata hai" said Arnav before he could stop himself. Khushi and Arnav both look flustered. He continues "anyway, baaki kaa behas gaadi mei kar logi? Jaldi jaake baitho!"
They both get into the car and Khushi starts off.
"Hum riksha lene jaa rahe the"
"Jab maine kahaa tha ki hum saath mei jaayenge toh tumhe samajh nahi aaya?"
"Woh toh aapne Anjali ji ke saamne kaha na. Aur gharwaalo ke saamne toh aap kuch aur hi kehte hai aur karte kuch aur hi hai."
"Oh achcha? Kaafi achche se samajh gayi toh tum mujhe"
"Isme samajhna kya hai. Pichli baar Naani ji se aapne kahaa ki hum saath mei jayenge aur bahar pahunchte hi hume suna diya. Toh humne socha ki aap iss baar bhi.."
"Mere baare itna zyaada sochna band karo"
Khushi looks up "Ji? Ji woh hum.. humaara matlab hai ki.."
"Whatever" His phone starts ringing so he switches on his bluetooh.
"Haan Jijaji"
Shyam says "Saale saab hum kuch dino ke liye sheher se bahar jaa rahe hai. Mann toh tha ki aapse milke jaau. Lekin abhi jalde mei hai toh bas aapki Di se milke nikal rahaa hu."
"Arre Jijai aap ghar par hai toh mai abhi aa sakta hu aapse milne"
"Nahi nahi saale saab. Aapki Di bas humaara bag tayyaar kar rahi hai. Phir hum nikal rahe hai. Kuchi hi dino mei waapas aayenge. Aake milenge aapse."
"Theek hai Jijaji. Bye"
Arnav dials another number and tells the driver to go to the model's house and pick up Lavanya. Then he calls up Lavanya.
"Hi ASR! I was missing.."
"Lavanya, listen to me. Mai abhi driver ko tumhaare paas bhej rahaa hu. Tum uske saath ghar chali jaana. I'll be home during lunch. Tab mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hai."
"But ASR.."
"I'm driving now, I'll see you at noon. Bye."
He hangs up. Khushi was looking at him, so he turns to her and says "Kya hai?"
"Ji kuch nahi. Uss din toh Anjali ji bataa rahi thi ki Lavanya mam aapke ghar pe rehti hai."
"Haan toh?"
"Matlab woh dikhi hi nahi. Hum do din se aapke ghar par hai aur woh abhi tak nahi dikhi."
"Kyu tumhe koi kaam tha usse?"
"Nahi woh.."
"Lunch ke liye jab ghar jaayenge toh mil lena wahi hogi. Isse pehle ki tum ye pucho ki lunch ke liye hum saath jaayenge, mai bata du ki haan Di ne kahaa hai aane ko toh hum dono jaayenge"
"Lavanya mam ka ghar kahaa hai?"
"Kya?"
"Unka ghar nahi hai yahaa? Woh kyu aapke ghar mei rehti hai?" She, of course, wished she hadn't asked this, but couldn't stop herself anymore.
"Issliye ki woh mera ghar nahi dharamshaala hai. Homeless ke liye dharamshaala chalata hu mai. Isiliye toh tumhe bhi uthaake le aaya mai apne ghar"
Khushi turned to him in anger "Kya kahaa aapne? Aap hume ghar issliye le aaye kyunki humaara ghar nahi hai? Ye mat sochiye ki koi ehsaan kiya aapne humpe. Hum Lucknow jaane waale the. Aapne roka hume kyunki aap hume woh funtion attend karvana chahte the."
"Relax Khushi.. Mai.."
"Aur vaise kehna kya chahte hai aap? Jiss vaje se aap Lavanya mam ko apne ghar pe laye the kya usi vaje se hume laye the?! Nahi naa? Issliye do logo ki tulna karne se pehle socha kijiye."
He stops the car. "Bas Khushi. Tum over react kar rahi ho. I was just kidding. Vaise bhi tumne ye conversation shuru kia. Lavanya ke baare mei puchne ki kya zarurat hai tumhe? It's none of your business. Office aa gaya, now get the hell out of my car!"
They get out of the car and Arnav walks away in anger. Khushi was still reeling from what just happened. He's right, she thought. "Hume kya zarurat thi poochne ki? Lavanya mam kahaa rehti hai kiske saath rehti hai kyu rehti hai isse hume kya. Hume unse aisa savaal karna hi nahi chahiye tha."
She walks into the office wondering what to do. She wanted to talk to Arnav, but then she chided herself wondering since when she cared about clarifying things with him. She wasn't sure why she got so upset when she heard him tell Lavanya to be at home for lunch. Shaking herself she walked towards what used to be her desk. The peon came to her and handed her her phone and said "Khushi madam, ye lijiye aapka phone. Theek karva diya humne."
"Arre ye kaam kar raha hai?"
"Ji Khushi madam. Woh Arnav Sir ne storeroom se nikaalke theek karvake aapko dene ko kahaa tha."
Khushi looked up to his cab "Oh achcha? Theek hai, shukriya."
She could see him walking around inside his cabin talking on his phone. She fleetingly wondered if he was talking to Lavanya. "Ye hum kya soch rahe hai?! Hume kya farak padta hai" she thought.
Suddenly, someone tapped on her shoulder "Miss Gupta? Good morning."
She turned around to see Arjun Malhotra smiling at her. "Oh namaste Arjun ji"
"Good to see you again. Mujhe laga mai jaldi aa gaya. Aap toh mujhse pehle aa gayi."
"Ji woh Arnav Sir jaldi aa jaate hai na. Vaise woh upar hai apne cabin mei."
"Yes yes, maine dekha. Before I go meet him, I was going to get a cup of coffee. Aap chalengi mere saath?"
"Ji woh.."
"Hey Arjun," Arnav called out from his cabin.
"Hey Arnav" replied Arjun looking up. "Mai upar aa hi rahaa tha. Usse pehle, I was just going to get some coffee with Miss Gupta."
Arnav starts walking out of his cabin and says "Coffe ke liye mai company de deta hu. Khushi bas apne desk ka samaan storeroom se laane waali thi. She can't start her work before that. Hai na Khushi?"
She looks a bit confused, but says "Ji Sir. Mai bas abhi laati hu."
Arnav turns to Arjun and says "Chale? I wanted to talk to you about the post-launch stuff too"
"Sure, after you."
They walk off together. Khushi too starts walking towards the store room muttering to herself "Ye Arnav Sir ko kya ho jaata hai. Din bhar toh hume Arjun ji ke baare mei taane maarte hai lekin khud ek minute bhi unse duur nahi reh sakte."
Arnav and Arjun have a busy morning discussing all their work. Arjun gets a call in between and he informs Arnav that he has to step out for the meeting that was supposed to happen in the morning.
They walk down from Arnav's cabin and stop at Khushi's desk.
Arjun looks at the two of them and says "I guess I'll see you guys later?" Arnav nods and Arjun looks at Khushi "Ab tak aapse theek se baat nahi ho paayi, Miss Gupta. This Arnav makes both of us work too hard, I think."
He continues "Mai soch toh rahaa tha ki Anjali ko bhi yahaa bula lenge aur chaaro milke lunch karenge lekin kuch kaam aa gaya and I have to go." Khushi smiles at him. Arnav sees this and scowls.
He tells Arjun "Koi baat nahi Arjun. Vaise bhi Khushi aur mai abhi ghar jaa hi rahe the lunch ke liye. Di humaara intezaar kar rahi hogi."
"Oh Miss Gupta bhi aayengi lunch ke liye"
"Of course. Khushi stays with me. So, Di insisted ki hum aaj ghar pe hi lunch kare" Khushi looks at Arnav, flustered.
Arjun looked between them. "Oh er .. oh ok. Well, that's great. I didn't know that. Er.. anyway, I'll head out. See you guys soon"
Arjun leaves and Khushi turns to Arnav "Sir aapne aisa kyu kahaa unse?"
"Kya kaha maine?"
"Ki hum aapke saath rehte hai?"
"Kyunki tum mere saath hi rehti ho."
Khushi blushes a bit. "Haan.. humaara matlab hai ki.. hum.. woh"
Arnav looks at her very seriously "Haan bolo Khushi. Kya matlab hai?"
"Matlab jis tarah aapne kahaa"
"Kaise kahaa maine?"
"Ki hum aapke saath rehte hai"
"Toh rehti ho na?" Arnav was loving this.
"Ji rehte hai par.. matlab.."
"Toh?"
"Matlab jaise aapne kahaa, unko laga hoga ki.. ki.."
"Ki kya?"
"Ki hum.. matlab aap.. matlab aap aur hum.."
"Tum aur mai?"
"Ji.. matlab..ki.."
"Haan bolo Khushi. Kya laga hoga Arjun ko?"
By this time, Khushi was slowly turning red. She stamps her foot and says "Kuch nahi laga hoga. Chale?"
Arnav smirks and says "Chalo" and walks out followed by Khushi.
~End of Part 12~
Edited by Janet.Das - 14 years ago
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