OS - Dupatta, Part XIV, posted on 1/11 - Page 6

Just then Lavanya came out pulling her bags, Khushi turned and ran out of the main door…

++++++++

Payal sat consoling Khushi, areh why are you crying Khushi it is their affair, tujhe kya? For one think the little I heard about them from Akashji I am sorry to say mujhe kuch theek nehi laga…..

Akashji? Khushi raised her face….where does Akashji come in from……

Errr actually Khushi he wanted my help, it seems he was given a task to buy dupattas like ours….toh wanted me to accompany him…..

Bua stood at the door hearing the sisters….idhar kya chal raha hai mujhe kuch samaj me nehi a raha hai, something is terribly wrong somewhere, why is she spilling her tears over the upstart boy and good for nothing girl…and Payal bhi…..bazaar jane ki naam pe kaha jati rehti hai….yeh Akash isn't he the son of that hello hi bye bye……babua babua things are not right here, Buaji went and picked up the mobile ….do do jawan beti, ek Khushi akeli hi kya kum hai…..

++++++++++

Nani watched Miss Kashyap leaving the house, she was not unhappy that the girl atlast was leaving, there was no love lost between them, watching her go, Nani should be more than happy but then it seems things are much deeper…Anjali was glaring at Chhote, saying something to her in undertone, Chhote looked helpless, Nani overhead him saying Di I did not ask her to leave to which Anjali replied Chhote any self respecting girl would do what Lavanya has done, tum sudhar jao is all I can say…..

Chhote, nani called out….seeing Nani both brother and sister collected themselves, dekho Chhote what happened now is not good, I am not saying I am unhappy to see Miss Kashyap leave the house for everybody knows I did not like her lekin Chhote remember one thing, this is your house, you have built it with a lot of hard work and we are your family, we do have some emotions, likes and dislikes……

Naniji if I cannot live the way I want in my own house, Arnav started to speak only to hear Anjali saying that is enough Chhote, no more argument on this, Nani is right, galati tumhara hai, it is better you reform …..

Dekho beta, tum khush raho in your own house is what we all want but then yeh bhi koi baath hui…..

Raising his arms mumbling somethings under his breath, Arnav picked up his files and walked out of the house……

+++++++++

Khushi and Payal were sitting on the dining table making list of things pending like paying the telephone bill etc etc., now that Khushi will not have her job for sometime they were weighing pros and cons what was important and what to curtail…..Anjali ji has called me to bring the salary cheque from her but then Jiji we have to be very careful about spending it till I get something….

What about Home Delivery service Khushi, we can send lunch / dinner to people who stay alone hate to cook…..

Hey nandkishore another business venture? Buaji exclaimed….who will go for delivery, hope you are not expecting me….ek mai hi bacha isiliye……

Buaji aisa kuch nehi, we are just discussing……

Kuch discussions kum karo and do something worthwhile, I have already telephoned Babua, he says he can give another 15 days maximum for Khushi to do koi jadoo, after that bag and baggages we go back to Lucknow, enough of working and being self sufficient……

Khushi and Payal looked at each other, when there was a brief knock on the door, may I come in….

It was Arnav……

Hai nandkishore abh kya huwa? Bua asked watching him……

Khushi why didn't you come to work today he asked Khushi who was busy looking outside trying to see his car, how come she did not hear it……

Ji…ji mai….

Hai nandkishore kahe ke liye jayegi, jiske liye jati woh toh tumhe chhor kar chali gayi beta, toh udhar jakar kya karegi….

Arnav gave Bua a furious glance, what does she mean that Lavanya ditched him?

Ji aisa koi baath nehi hai and I have to discuss something with Khushi after all I pay her salary, Khushi can you come with me for a moment, I have to discuss something important with you…..

Khushi knew what was coming, she glanced at Payal, Payal knew about Arnav and his temper and if it burst before Buaji tabh toh ho chukka kaam….Payal pleaded Khushi with her eyes to do something….

Khushi got up, tell me what you want to say, shall we sit here….

Not here lets discuss it outside….I want no disturbance…he replied looking hard at buaji…bauji turned her face away…

Jiji I will be back…Khushi replied stepping out of the house, Arnav followed her, Buaji went upto the veranda hovering after them….

My car is that side we will sit in the car and discuss, Arnav said it loud enough for Buaji to hear him clearly….

Hmmm hai re nandkishore, how do people bring up their children nowadays, no manners, he is paying her salary, behaving as if he owns her….

Buaji aap andar ayiye na please, stop bothering them, you are making the matters worse…Payal pulled her buaji inside….

Beta I don't like the haughty look on his face, wish could wipe it in one stroke…..

+++++++

Khushi walked fast through the crowd dodging them, because of office time the locality was busy, as soon as they went out of sight of her house beyond Bua's view, he grabbed her hand….

Areh aap kya kar rahe hai, chhoriye mujhe lokh dekh rahe hai….

Ha chhor du and you run away, no mood to chase you all over this place…kaha jake chhip jaogi mera kya mati mari gayi ki mai guli guli phiro? He dragged Khushi towards the park at the other side, as it is I had to walk down knowing you seeing my car, you would have hidden and with your Bua on guard my visit would have been futile….

Khushi rolled her eyes but it had no effect on him….

Opening the front door, pushing her in the passenger seat, he climbed into the driver's seat and started the car….

Hey hey I thought you said we will discuss inside the car….

Ha so we are inside only but we do not want to get distracted with people peeping in all the time, wanting to find out if I am raping you….

Can't blame them really, Khushi muttered to herself…

I heard that, he snapped, listen you definitely know more than them about me….he reversed the car and zoomed through the lanes and byelanes till they came to a quiet park with a big banyan tree in the centre, the place looked cool and tempting, Arnav got down, Khushi followed him….

I never knew about this place being close to my house….Khushi observed as she sat on the stone bench beneath the tree….

Humph he grunted scanning the area, stood observing the place for sometime, Khushi watched him, after sometime he sat down next to her, the stone benches are new he observed, as if he had many things to say Khushi felt but as usual did not want to speak about them……

The sat watching in silence which was obviously killing Khushi, agar chup hi baithna hai toh why come here she thought but decided to keep her mouth shut for sometime, see what is he upto, not used to such quietness, she fidgeted, he remained still, Khushi followed his gaze, she saw two stray dogs trying to make friends, they must have had a fight before…Khushi bit her lips….

I was thinking that in the house Nani has a lot of reservations about dos and don'ts, though the house is mine, they do not have any other place to go, why don't you and I shift into an apartment……

Khushi sprang up, I was expecting something like this from you but not so soon, so Lavanya out and Khushi in, Khushi clicked her fingers glaring at him…..He pulled her down, sit down…..

Listen to me for heaven's sake…La and I were not a couple for quiet sometime, I mean before she checked into my house, to counter Nani's bickering I gave her a proposal and she accepted it thinking it will bring us together once again, otherwise do you think I would have agreed to a separate room arrangement….

Oh so in the apartment we will share a bedroom you mean? Khushi asked…..

Arnav nodded Obviously, that's why an apartment and not the house as because andhi raat ko chhup chhup ke I would hate to visit your room…..

And in the apartment what do I do….Khushi could not believe the guts of the man….

Obviously 'live together' just like many couples do, I do my work, you can also do what you want, learn something, work somewhere etc., but be rest assured you do not have to worry about money and supporting your family, that will be taken care by me….

You know what Mr Raizada I am already scared to imagine the face of my father accepting money which I will earn by selling my body….keya kehte hai, haram ka paisa…

Khushi I think you are taking it too far….we will be living together, equal partners, I will help your family as and when needed because today I can, in such a relationship the financially stronger partner often support, even girls do….what is the big deal….

Nothing, stood up with her hands on her hips, kabhi kata huwa bakri dekhe hai aap hanging in the shops, now if I go and tell my family I am 'living in' with you, meri halaat kuchh waisahi hoga, aap akar le kar jana and then do whatever you want….have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner distribute to friends….baath karta hai, itna dur laya yeh kehne ke liye….

Khushi I think you are making it sound too crude, what is wrong in a man wanting a woman….Arnav pulled her, to make her sit once again….

Khushi pushed him with her hands on his chest…..Kuch nehi, there are many women wanting to lie with you, some men too for I have seen the other day….so leave me alone….

I am not attracted to them….he took the opportunity to hold both her hands and pull her closer to him, trapping her loosely between his legs……

With her hands on his shoulder, looking deep into his eyes Khushi replied, Mr Raizada I do not belong to your world nor you do to mine, I am young, I too have dreams like any other girl of a husband and children so please, you do not have any right you snatch it away from me….

Don't you feel anything towards me, suddenly Arnav asked in a very solemn voice….his eyes, oh his eyes fleeting was filled with so much of pain and loneliness…..Khushi hesitated…swallowing hard she replied….you are very attractive man but I guess we are not meant to be together for to make you happy I have to hurt a hell of a lot of other people, saying so Khushi released herself, his grip fell away, Khushi ran out of the park…

Phirse bhag gayi, Arnav thought staring at her retreating back, his eyes filled with tears and he clenched his jaws….

Hithero unfelt and unknown feelings
Come,mend and soothe this yearnings

Look into my tear stained eyes
Can you see my love that cries?

(from Maris08 peom "Tear Stained Eyes)

+++++++

Seeing Khushi entering the house with stomping feet, Bua asked, so kaya bola us nawabzaida ne?

Offered me a job….Khushi replied in an irritated voice, though she has turned him down, she was not feeling good about it….but I turned him down…..

Haire aisa kya naukri diya that you too had to say no….

Khushi lowered her face and stood clenching her jaws, Payal realized something is not right….

Khushi I think you better pay the telephone bill quickly, otherwise Bua will have an heart attack seeing her mobile bill, lets go and you show me too where to do it…..come lets get out of the house and have a heart to heart chat, Payal whispered pulling her outside once again…

+++++++