Chapter 18
His mind whirled. No. This was the ultimate betrayal. His heart had betrayed him too. He could not have fallen for one woman who should be bearing the brunt of his hatred. Who was Khushi Kumari Gupta? His heart's desire or what his heart should be shunning as she was part of someone he hated with his guts. He had been too young at the time to kill Tanirika. But today, he had Khushi Kumari Gupta to vent his hatred out at. He was going to subject Khushi to what should have been the fate of the likes of Tanirika.
About to throw the file, he saw a report added on Tanirika and how she had betrayed the man whom she had married and borne a child named Khushi and left them to be a mistress of a wealthy royalty of Lucknow called Mr Samar Chand Mallick, his Chachaji. The father had died in a car accident and Khushi was taken to an Orphanage by a neighbour where she had spent four years before finding home with Garima at age twelve.
He realised Khushi was not at fault but he would only see the woman's face in Khushi now, the object of his hatred and he knew now what he had to do. Khushi Kumari Gupta was part of his past that he would never want to encounter.
He then made up his mind. He was going to move on with his life. He was going to stick with his decision. He was going to put Khushi in the drawer never to be opened just like the file on her. He promptly went to his study and opened the safe to put the file in there and shut it close with a resound bang to put an end to a chapter in his life.
Khushi had not heard from Arnav and she thought good riddance. He was better to be put away in farthest corner of her mind and concentrated on the job she had to do and move on. She had congratulated Lavanya but had gotten the strangest looks from her. She had been invited to the wedding almost two weeks back and was mulling if she should go or not. Lavanya had become a friend and a colleague who now fielded her from Boss. She hardly ever heard about Arnav or what he was doing from Lavanya other than in relation to the wedding preparation which was minimal.
To Khushi it looked like Lavanya was going through the motions herself and was overwhelmed with the whole wedding. But work seemed to be going smoothly and the biggest relief was that there was no sign of Arnav in Lucknow. Lavanya told her one evening that the designs that she had made had been submitted for the upcoming World Wearable Art Awards organised by FDIC and the function was to be held in Delhi.
Khushi was elated and dreaded the event at the same time, for she might encounter Arnav. But it seemed the Event was in three weeks and at the time both Lavanya and Arnav would be on their honeymoon so she would be going to the event with either Anjali and her husband or another senior in the company.
One day last week she had come home to find hectic activities going on in the house. It had been two weeks and three days since her fight with Arnav not that she was counting but there had been nothing that had lifted her listless spirit and the activity was probably the diversion she did need after all.
She went to find a dignified lady in elegant beige sari, silver hair that did not just speak of age but wisdom. Huge diamond studs in her ears spoke of wealth that was part of heritage and a sapphire ring on her ring finger that was the only color that did not match with the rest of her but showed a spark where there seemed only neutral tones.
An autocratic lady who seemed to sit ramrod straight in their not so plush sofa with folded hands in her lap and Amma and Babuji sitting at her knees.
Looking at the scene, Khushi frowned at the absurdity. Payal was scuttling around like a headless chicken not wanting to be caught but the calm chaos go to Khushi instantly.
She went up the lady and said, "Namaste, mein Khushi Kumari Gupta."
The lady nodded and then looked at her Amma.
Garima then said, "Ye Khushi hai, hamari choti bitiya, Amma."
"Amma?" Khushi's mind screamed. Amma called the lady Amma? Who was she? she looked quizzically from one another and then questioned her Babuji silently. He just bowed his head to give a sign as if to patience and Khushi went and sat in a chair was at right angle to the lady and observed her.
"Mein, Naani hoon, tumhari naani. Smt. Nirmala Devi. Garima meri beti hai."
Puzzled Khushi again looked from her to her Amma and frowned. She saw her mother's red eyes and the way her Babuji had placed a placating hand on her shoulder.
Where was she all these years? Why had Amma never mentioned she had a mother alive and from the looks of it very wealthy for there was a car outside which she would have worried for, incase it got a dent in their small street.
Not wanting to start the barrage of questions, she went into the kitchen excusing herself and cornered her sister.
"Jiji, ye Nirmala Devi, Naani hain hamari? Toh ab tak kahan thi?" Khushi asked anxiously.
"Woh mein baad mein batati hoon, abhi mujhe unke liye kuch banana hai. Tu hut raaste se."
It was Buaji who came to the rescue for her disturbed mind. She said, "Nirmala Devi, Raizada khandaan se hain. Unhone apni beti ki shaadi apne hisaab se tayy kar di thi par tumri Amma aur hamar Babua dono ek doosre ko chahat rahin jab oo ihyan aayat rahin ischool ki chuttiyan maa. Oke Mahal maa hamre Chachaji mali rahin aur, Shasi Babua uke madad karne chuttiyan mein jawat rahin. Duyee jan ma pyar hui gawah aur jab Garima kis saadi pakki hui toh oo bhag kar aaye gayee Shasi ke saath Delhi se ihyaan. Tab se, tohar Naani Lucknow chorr chaadd ke Delhi maa rahat rahin aur, apni bitiya se rishta bhi todd layee. Ab aayee hain, sulaah kar khatir. Hai re Nand Kisore, Ka jaane ab kaa chahat hai. Garima bitiya toh jab se roh roh ke apna bura haal karat rahi. Uh toh Sasi babua sambhal payo hai abhai. Jaa tu jaa apne kamre maa." Buaji shooed her away.
Her "Naani" left after couple of hours and she learnt that her mother was very happy to have finally buried the hatchet with her mother. She had learnt that her twin sister had passed away and had left two children behind whom she had met when they were very young. It seemed the daughter was married and the son was getting married now. And it was the son who had found out about her and arranged for this meeting.
Garima said, "woh uss din aaya tha na idhar, Arn'"
Not wanting to hear his name she just got up and went to her room. Payal asked if everything was alright in their nightly session sitting next to her on her bed. Of late Khushi had pretended to be asleep by the time her sister had had her shower and came to the bed. But today, Payal had come to sit next to her lying form and shaken her to ask if she was already asleep. Not wanting to be too obvious, she had gotten up and sat with arms wrapped around her knees and nodded.
"Naaniji, bol rahi thi wahan Delhi mein hamare bhai ki shaadi hai aur usme hamein jaana hai." Payal shared the news.
Khushi's head jerked up and said, "Woh mera bhai nahi hai. Aur mujhe kisiki shaadi mein nahi jaana."
"Tujhe kya hua hai? Jab se Naaniji aake gaayee hain, teri toh hawaiyaan udd gayee hai. Ab bol rahi hai Arnav apna bhai nahi hai toh phir kaun hai woh?"
"Woh aapka bhai hai Jiji, mera nahin. Mein Arnav Singh Raizada se koi rishta nahi rakhna chahti. Bas bol diya toh bol diya." Khushi then put her head back on the pillow, turned her back to her sister and switched off the night lamp on her stand.
Payal tutting at the vehemency of her tone crossed over to her bed and slept. Payal knew that her boss who now happened to be their relative had always rubbed Khushi the wrong way, but to deny any relation with him was not in Khushi's nature. She wondered what had happened between them for her sister to be so adamant. She decided she would tackle that situation a little later.
It had been a week since her Naaniji had come and made peace with her daughter and now her mother seemed very happy to be part of a family again and they were to go to the wedding ceremony in Delhi which was a week's affair. Khushi had tried to get out of it pleading the upcoming event but had been vetoed by Buaji and her Babuji and now they were all leaving for Delhi in the afternoon.
On reaching she had found the same driver that had picked her up the first time waiting for them and on recognising her had come forward to take their bags. They were informed on the way by him that they were to be put up in the Raizada Mansion itself. Once there, her family seemed to be struck by the grandeur of the place including her. She had not seen a more magnificent structure than this in her life despite living in architectural wonder called Lucknow.
The grey stone building looked like a fortress with creepers on the walls giving it a less harsh or sterile look. The vast stone archway leading to the steps that were made of marble were glistening. She gaped as the huge doors were thrown open by two man servants from inside as they had gotten out and were waiting in dignified stance on the side of each door with bowed head in a welcome.
About to step in, Anjali and Naani came with a thali to welcome the daughter of the house with an aarti and rice confetti. Anjali gave Khushi a warm hug of welcome and told her it was lovely to know that she not just worked for them but now they were related. Khushi opened her mouth to say that she was not when Payal elbowed her. Glaring at her sister she walked into the house dreading any moment to come face to face with Arnav.
She gave a mental sigh of relief when in conversation, Anjali mentioned that Arnav was busy at office and often worked late due to the upcoming wedding. Though he had been given directive by Naani to stop work from tomorrow as the Pooja starts then, Arnav who did not believe in rituals was going to the office till the eve of his wedding day. Lavanya had been put up in the Guest House, as her family is from Chandigarh and they have been given the place for their exclusive use.
Khushi was about to ask if she could go and be with Lavanya and help her with the wedding when Anjali informed that Arnav was also not following the tradition of not visiting the bride after the haldi ceremony which was the day after.
Khushi stuck with staying here under the same roof as Arnav was busy devising ways to escape meeting Arnav when she wandered to the upstairs terrace garden and was enthralled by the rose bushes. She was about to pick a rose when a voice from behind distracted her and a thorn pricked her.
Yelping, she turned around to find Arnav standing in front of and say, "Khushi,"
Before she could react, he stepped closer took her index finger that had been hurt and he put it in his mouth.
Indian Mythology
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