"Ash, did you look at the files?"
"Yes sir!" she handed him the files "Here are the notes."
"Wonderful!" he said as he looked at her notes. "You may go!"
"Yes sir."
*****
"Khushiji, take these clothes into your room." They were from the dry cleaners.
"Ji, Anjaliji." Khushi was lost Arnav hadn't called her all day and she was worried that he might have not eaten. Anjali took notice and asked her questions right away, "Khushiji, are you okay?"
"Anjaliji, Arnavji ne hume abhi tak fone nahi kiya. Hume chinta ho rahe hai!"
"Khushiji, woh bhul gaye hoga, Chottey ko waise sirf apni kam ki chinta hoti hai. Agar, aap ko itni chinta ho rahe hai, toh aap une phone kardijye."
"Arey ha, humne toh yeh socha hi nahi! Hum bhi kitne buddhu hai na."
"Khushiji, aap buddhu nahi hai, aur ab aap hume Anjaliji mat boliye!"
"Then how should I address you?"
"Sirf Di!"
"Theek hai Anja- mera matlab hai Di!" They laughed and then Khushi walked into her room to call Arnav!
*****
'Ring, Ring'
"Hello, Khushi?"
"Arnavji, did you eat? I have been so worried but you don't care about anyone but your stupid work and laptop! Why didn't you call? Are you alright? Hay Devi maiyya, hope you are feeling alright! If you're not feeling well please come home."
"Khushi, calm down! I'm perfectly fine. I forgot to call because I have to finish an important project!"
"Thank god! Anyways, did you eat?"
"No, I was just about to order something."
"I made some food, I will bring it to you; you don't have to order food from outside you will get sick."
*****
"Can I help you?"
"I'm here to see Arnavji, I bought his lunch!"
"Who are you?"
"I'm his- -" Ash cut her off
"You must be his maid, yeah you can go in."
"MAID! I look like a maid to you?"
"Well, your clothes express maid but who knows and who cares just go bring his food to him!"
"Who are you anyways?"
"Ash, I work here! What are you going to do? Complain to ASR? Go ahead it's a challenge!"
"I'm his WIFE! Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada!"
"Yeah, and I'm the first lady of the United States of America!"
"I'm serious!"
"Look anyone would die to be in Arnav Singh Raizada's wife just like you!"
"I'm not pretending he really is MY husband."
"Just go ahead, I really can care less about who you are!"
*****
"Arnavji I see how big of a pain Ash is!"
"Did she say something to you?"
"Nothing at all she just wouldn't believe we were married!"
"Yeah, but anyone could've made that mistake! After all who knew the great Arnav Singh Raizada would marry Khushi Kumari Gupta!"
"Oh, yeah you're so great!" sarcasm dripping from every word! She walked over to him and hooked her hands onto Arnav's.
"May I come in?" asked Ash waiting for permission.
Khushi jumped at Ash's words and turned to the door.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were busy!"
"It's okay Ash you can come in."
"Sir, I'm finished with my work may I go home?"
"What the. . ."
"Arnavji, calm down I will talk to her!" Khushi turned to Ash "It's not 5 o'clock yet so you can't leave but if you are done you can just relax."
"But, Ms. . ."
"Mrs.Raizada!" Arnav screamed
"Mrs. Raizada, it's my little sister's birthday and I promised her I would come home early to celebrate!"
"Really? Well then you can leave and wish her a happy birthday from the two of us."
"But Khushi. . ." Arnav was angry at his wife's declaration but calmed down when she grabbed his arm and looked into his eyes. She would be equally angry at Arnav if he didn't let Ash go! "Fine!"
"Thank you sir, and Thank you ma'am"
Khushi smiled and Ash left.
*****
"Happy Birthday Jia!" Ash smiled
"Di, you know I hate this day! June 14th is the worst day of my life! I don't want to celebrate the day when that woman left us! And I really don't want to think about that disgusting man who ruined your life!"
"Jia, it's your birthday! Don't think about her or him!"
Flashback*****
"Mom, please don't leave us!"
"Don't call me your mom! I have no relationship with you!"
"Mom where will Jia and I go? She's only 5! She doesn't know anything about this world! Mom, it's also her birthday please don't leave us!"
"You will stay in the orphanage where every bin maa-baap ka baacha stays! And as for Jia, I don't care about her!"
*****
"Di, why did mom leave us?" Jia was completely unaware of why their mom left them. She only knew that she left them on her birthday.
"It's not important to know why! That woman didn't want us, we were a burden so she left us but it doesn't matter! And that man is now my past I need to move on Jia! We should both move on, enjoy the rest of our lives we are young and YOLO (you only live once)!"
"You're right Di! Sh- - I mean that man means nothing!"
Flashback*****
"Di, you are looking beautiful! What is the time of the wedding?"
"Jia, it's at 6:30pm! Where is he? It's already 5:45!"
It was Ash's wedding day and she was getting ready. Jia was helping her and she was actually more concerned about him then about getting ready!
"Ring, Ring"
"Hello?" Ash answered.
"Hi, is this Ashlesha Mehta? The money in you joint account has been withdrawed by your partner. Are you okay with this?"
"My partner withdrew all my money?"
"Yes, ma'am Mr.Jha has withdrawn all the money!"
"It's okay!"
"Yes ma'am have a good day!"
The phone call ended and she waited at 6:15 she had had enough of waiting and she called her fianc constantly. All in vain, voicemail over and over again. At 6:30 she was crying. When everyone was laughing, Jia was the only one to support her, "Di, he's gone! I called his office today and they said he left for Delhi in the morning flight."
"Jia, there has been some misunderstanding! He will be here in a little bit!" She was sobbing her eyes welling with tears.
*****
K, so now you guys know the first link between Arnav and Ash!
Buddy me for PMs!
Arjun
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