OS: ASR's new clothes (Part 2, pg 10) - Page 7

Since many of you asked, and since I found this OS was judged best OS of the week, and since I promised someone I'd finish it with a happy ending, here it is...Part 2 (The last and final part) Very different in tone from the first part, but what the heck...I'm a woman, I'm entitled to mood swings. 😊 This one's for you Shalu (sharneil 92).

Part 2:

5 years later

"What the'" ASR stared at the package that had been delivered for him. HP had signed for him and bought it up. One look at ASR's face and he broke into a sweat.

"Sorry Bhaiya. I only brought it up to you. I don't know who it's from." HP made good his escape before ASR could erupt, engulfing him in the volcanic ash that emerged.

ASR opened up the package, a crease furrowing his brow. He pulled out a blue tee shirt that said, "Behind every great man is a woman rolling her eyes!" and a pair of blue jeans. "Who the hell would'" he wondered out aloud.

"Di! Nani! Akash! Payal! Mamiji! Did someone think this was funny? I don't get this joke," he yelled, bringing the clothes down to the living room.

"Errr..what is it Chotey? Why are you yelling?" asked Anjali exasperatedly.

"Look at this Di," he said tossing the Tee shirt at her. "Did you do this?" he asked suspiciously, watching her smile as she read the slogan on it.

"Me? I don't have a death wish Chotey. Besides, this brave person seems to be functioning under the assumption that you have a sense of humor. Which is obviously untrue," she said laughing out loud now.

"Whatever Di. When I find who sent this to me, I'm going to make sure that person'" before he finished Nani and Akash came down to the living room.

"What is it Chotey? Why are you screaming? I was watching Sex and the City and you interrupted," said Nani crossly.

"Nani, did you send me this as joke?" asked ASR, showing her the Tee.

"Me, send you a shirt? As a joke? If I wanted a joke, I'd rather ask Lakshmi why the chicken crossed the road. She's funnier than you are. You could make milk curdle with that expression on your face. Now, stop asking me stupid questions. Samantha has breast cancer, and I need to find out what happens!" said Nani huffily, walking away.

"Don't look at me," said Akash throwing up his hands. "And definitely don't look at my poor wife. She's petrified of you and would rather eat nails than buy you a Tee shirt. Even one without a funny slogan on it," he said, his eyes twinkling.

"I think Mamiji can be ruled out. She's too cheap to buy you a piece of gum. Let alone a tee shirt," said Anjali furtively after Akash had walked away. "Maybe there's a note Chotey. Look carefully," she said. ASR rummaged around in the package and found a piece of paper in it. "Ha! Di, you were right," he said, fishing it out triumphantly. He read it through quickly. It was short.

"Roses and red

This tee shirt is blue

Wear it to work tomorrow

If your love for me is true."

It was unsigned. "What the'" said Arnav, enraged. "I am not wearing this Tee shirt to work tomorrow. In fact, I am not ever wearing this Tee shirt. Not ever!" he said furiously.

"Not even for your true love?" asked Anjali slyly.

"My whaaat?" asked ASR incredulously.

"You true love, Khushi Kumari Gupta. Maybe she sent this note. Have you considered that possibility?" asked Anjali.

"Khushi? Really?" ASR's face brightened. He hadn't heard from or seen Khushi in the last 5 years. Since the days she'd stormed out with Lavanya. He knew from Payal of course that she was in London. She was happy. She was in school. He'd never enquired further. And Payal had never volunteered any information. "You think it could be from Khushi?" he asked.

"Don't know. And you'll never know if you don't wear it to work tomorrow Chotey! Do it. Take a risk. For once in your life, do something impulsive, even if it's something as silly as wearing a funny Tee shirt. You'll enjoy the feeling of freedom. Take it from me. I enjoyed that feeling after I divorced Shyam the Sham and went bungee jumping in New Zealand. Never felt so free and happy in my life!" She finished.

"Hmm. I'll think about it Di. But if this is a joke, I'm going to hunt the prankster down and make them suffer," he said direly.

The next day

ASR walked into his office feeling extremely self-conscious. He'd worn the Jeans and Tee that had been sent to him. But his innate sense of self-preservation made him wear a jacket that he zipped up over the Tee. Inspite of the fact that it was a warm June day in Delhi. He sat down at his desk and unzipped the jacket, though he didn't take it off. He had no meetings with clients today. So, he was safe. All he had to do was get through the day without letting anyone get a glimpse of his shirt, and he'd be fine. And maybe, somewhere in the midst of all this drama and intrigue, she would emerge.

He'd just had lunch, when a note was delivered to him.

"Roses are red

And so is your face

It's too hot for that jacket

Off with it, your grace!"

He smiled wryly, and took the jacket off. This person meant business, clearly. And now that he was in the game, he decided to see it through.

Half an hour later, another note arrived.

"Roses are red

Arnav's been a good boy

This is on the up and up

I'll see you soon, until then-enjoy!"

With it came a packet of Jalebis that said they'd been made with sweetener instead of sugar. Tagged on to it was another note.

"I love Jalebis

And I know you do too

'Cos you love everything about me

'Cos your love is true"

Your

Jalebi Bai

It was her. A smile spread on ASR's face. It was Khushi. Khushi.Kumari.Gupta. She was back. And she was coming to see him. He bit into a jalebi, and let the sticky, sweetness melt in his mouth. He couldn't wait to see her.

40 minutes later, he'd eaten 3 more jalebis, and begun to wonder if someone was playing a cruel joke on him. He was tired of waiting and couldn't shake off the fear that she wouldn't come. There was a soft knock on his door.

"Come in!" he said striding to the door himself. The door opened quickly. In walked Khushi Kumari Gupta, looking like a million bucks. She wore a pair of skinny jeans and a cute pink boat neck top. Her hair was piled on top of her head in an untidy heap that she'd pinned in place. Long earrings dangled from her ears. She wore a pair of low heeled slingbacks and carried a white Birkin tote. No braid. No bindi. No nose ring. No pom poms. And yet, here she was. Khushi Kumari Gupta, in the flesh and fabulous with it.

"Hi ASR! How've you been?" she asked, speaking fluent English with a faint British accent.

"Errr. Well. I've been well," he said," not knowing what to make of this gorgeous creature that stood in front of him. He was a little bedazzled, honestly. "I see you've become a prolific poet!" he said, making a comeback of sorts. "I've been seeing examples of your work since yesterday."

"Oh that! I was just being silly," she said, waving a hand airily.

"Sit down Khushi. How've you been? Long time, no see." Said ASR.

'Yes, well. I didn't particularly want to be seen, you see!" she said softly, smiling at him.

"And now you do?" he asked gently.

'Now I do what?" she asked.

"Now you want to be seen?" he asked impatiently.

"Depends"

"On?"

'On who's doing the seeing!" she smiled.

"OK. Stop playing mind games with me Khushi. Why are you here?" he asked.

"OK. I'll stop. I'm here to ask you two things. 1). Will you give me a job at AR? 2). Will you marry me?" she said, looking him straight in the eye.

"What the!" said ASR, lost for words.

"Is that a yes?" she winked at him.

"No!" he said violently.

"No? You don't want to employ me? Or marry me?" she pouted.

"Err..I don't know what kind of job you're looking for, and I thought you hated my guts," he said weakly. "Any moment now," he thought, "I'll wake up and find myself lying on my bed, and this will all have been a dream. A very weird dream."

"I have a degree in Fashion Design, so I'm looking for a designer's position. And of course I don't hate your guts. I never hated your guts. Quite the contrary," she finished.

"OK. You can have a damn job. Be head designer for all I care. I'm more interested in your feelings," said ASR, throwing his company to the winds.

"My feeling? Oh yes. I love you. Always have. Always will. Want to marry you and have your babies? Will you kindly oblige?' she asked merrily.

"Certainly, I'm sure we'll make the world's scariest babies together. They'll have your kickass attitude and my temper and brilliance. They'll pretty much take over the world" he said. She rolled his eyes at the 'brilliance' bit. "There's a reason I bought you this particular Tee, ASR. More and more, you vindicate my decision", she said.

"Seriously Khushi. You want to marry me? 5 years ago you left saying you didn't want to be with me. It hurt too much. You wanted to study, see the world, travel, have a career and all that. What's changed?" he asked.

"Nothing. But I've done much of that," she said. "I went to school and graduated second in my class. Every summer I've traveled round the world. I spent 3 months volunteering in Liberia last year, before that it was the Australian Outback and before that I backpacked across Europe with a friend. I'm coming to you after 2 months hiking in the Himalayas and Tibet. So, I'm traveled out for the moment. And since you just made me head designer, I believe I have a stellar career ahead of me. So, that's all taken care of!" She finished.

"OK. And it won't hurt to love me anymore?" he asked quietly.

"Hurt much more to love you and not be with you," she replied. "I've studied, I've traveled. I've fulfilled some of my dreams. If you don't give me a job, I'll find another. My qualifications are good. But I want to come home now. It's time to come home. Take me home Arnav?" she asked.

"Let's go, Khushi!" he said grabbing her arm.

See...I can do happy endings! 😊 Let me know what you think...