Part 1:
Arnav: Who the hell asked to open the Curtains.. Close it.. At once..
Asha: Chotte.. Open your eyes.. And dont dare speak to me like that again..
Arnav opened his eyes.. He was so damm sleepy.. And his mother always woke him up at the wrong timings..
Arnav: That was my dialouge Mumma.. You dont dare to copy that again from me..
He hugged the Pillow beside him and then closed his eyes once again. Asha came and sat beside him on the bed..
Asha: Arnav.. Look at the way you sleep. You almost need the entire bed.. After you get married... Where will your wife sleep?
Arnav smiled.. He then placed his head on his mothers lap.
Arnav: Below me Maa.. Why she needs a seperate space..
Asha smiled and then she hit his lightly on his cheek.. She then saw some lipstick Marks on his cheek..
Asha: Arnav.. What marks are these?
Arnav: Lipstick marks Mumma.. What else? Well now dont think I just got physical with any girl. I was in the party yesterday and somewhere suddenly a freaking girl came in and hugged me. Before I could push her she kissed me on my cheek.. I dont understand why these girls do such things..
Asha: Arnav.. Do you even know how handsome you are..? Ofcourse no doubt you have so many fans.. Arnav Singh Raizada is the Hottest Tycoon in the town.. All know that..
Arnav: Hmm.. Whats the time?
Asha: Its almost 09:00 now..
Arnav: Ohh Shit Man..!!!
He got up from the bed and rushed inside the shower..
Asha: What happened Arnav..
Arnav: I have a meeting at 10:00.. I need the breakfast at the table in next 30 minutes..
He said that and left for Shower.. Asha removed his clothes from the Closet and then kept them on the bed. She moved down. Anjali was in the Kitchen and assisting Payal for the breakfast. Asha came in..
Anjali: Mumma.. You know what date is today?
Asha: Its 21st September.. Why?
Anjali: Its her birthday today Mumma..
Asha understood what Anjali was highlighting..
Asha: So..?
Anjali: Dont you think we should send some flowers at their place?
Asha: No Anjali.. No need. You know very well why..!! Anyways Chotte is going to Office,.. Is the breakfast ready?
Anjali was nervous.. She smiled and noded a yes. Asha went out of the Kitchen..
Payal: Di.. Its ok.. You know your Mumma... She will never agree..
Anjali: I know Payal Bhabhi.. But till when? She needs to understand at least now..
Payal: We cannot do anything.. Afterall everything depends on Arnav and Aunty..
Anjali moved out with a sad face.. Arnav saw her coming out of the Kitchen. He hugged her..
Arnav: Di.. Anything wrong?
Anjali: No.. Nothing.. Its better I dont tell you.. I dont want to spoil your mood too.. Like I spoiled Mom's mood...
Arnav: Ohh .. Ok.. I know which topic you Upset on.. Come on Di.. We dont look at the Past.. And specially when it was so horrible.. I dont even want to believe it.. And Mom.. Well She has lost a lot many things then.. So stop all that crap and serve me the breakfast. Ok?
Anjali knew it was so damm difficult to make these 2 understand what she felt..She served him his breakfast and he started having.. Akash and Arnav left for their Office..
IN Gupta House..
It was 10:00 Now and Khushi was getting ready to go out for some shopping with her Mother.. Today Shashi had arranged a Party at their Club House and all her friends and their relatives were invited.. Khushi came down and then heard her father talking to her mother..
Shashi: Should I invite them too?
Garima: No.. Not today.. And even if you did.. They would never come..
Shashi: I know.. But still
Khushi: Who wont come Dad?
They were shocked to know Khushi heard something..
Shashi: Well no one.. I mean my business clients..
Khushi: Dad.. You lieing to me?
Shashi was quiet and so was Garima..
Khushi: Is it something related to that truth which you supposed to tell me today?
Shashi: Yes..
Khushi: I cannot take this suspense so much Dad.. Please.. I can handle worst situations but not such secrets anymore.. Please tell me what you wanted to tell me from so many years.. Please Dad.. You have my promise..
Shashi couldnt hide it anymore.. He finally wanted to let this truth out from him.. He held Khushi's hand and then took her to their room. Garima also followed.. He then opened their closet and then removed a Family photo from a file..And then showed her.. It was an old picture.. Taken almost 12 years back..
Shashi: Can you identify who all are there in this picture?
Khushi started weeping.. This picture had many known and many unknown faces..
Khushi: Its my real mamma, daddy, me, you , Maa, and others I dont know..
Shashi: You sure you dont know them Khushi?
Khushi: No Dad.. (She wiped her tears). They dont look part of our family..
Shashi: Well.. They too are part of our family Khushi..
He then pointed on every unknown individual on that picture and introduced her..
Shashi: This is Mr Aarav Singh Raizada, your Dad's best friend, this is his wife Mrs Asha Singh Raizada, this is Anjali their daughter and this is their son Arnav Singh Raizada..
Khushi: Ok.. So who are they? I mean I never met them these years..
Shashi: They are the Big Shots of Delhi Khushi... Your family, we and Raizada family were Business friends.. And this picture was taken a week before the Accident of your Mom and Dad..
Khushi looked at Shashi..
Khushi: What happened then?
Shashi: I and Garima had to go to Lucknow for some work. And what we heard later was that these 2 families met with a terrible accident..
Khushi: You mean.. Even they were there that night with me and mom dad?
Shashi: Yes Khushi.. Aarav was driving the Car. It was a monsoon night. The road was slippery.. And you all were returning from the celeberation when this Accident took place. Your mom, dad and Aarav died on the spot.. Others were slightly injured... Including you..
She started weeping imagining the accident scene..
Khushi: What celeberation?
Shashi held her hand..
Shashi: Your Marriage celeberation Khushi..
Khushi was shocked to death. Marriage? Her Marriage? When she was a Kid? With whom? And why?
Khushi: Marriage? What are you telling me Dad?
Shashi: Yes Khushi.. You got married when you were almost 10.
Khushi: What? With whom Dad? Who is my husband?
Shashi: Arnav SIngh Raizada..
She looked back in the picture.. Yes.. She could see him. He was almost 15 when she was 10..Tears started rolling down her cheeks.. She threw the picture aside and hugged Garima..
Garima tried to console her.. But she was weeping badly.. Garima made her sit on the bed and sat beside her.
Garima: Look Khushi.. Please dont cry like this.. I know this is all so strange for you.. But thats the truth. It was your marriage day.. 6th June and this Accident happened on that same day. But it changed a lot after the accident.. Asha .. denied of accepting you as her bahu since she considered you as a bad fate in their lives.. She considered this marriage responsible for the Accident.. And she still feels the same.. She never accepted you even after knowing that you were left alone in this world.. So we adopted you.. And got you here.. In Lucknow.. And since then though your Dad had business in Delhi, he never took you there.. Because he never wanted you to face these people again.
Khushi was blank. She could still not believe she was married.. This marriage was not even legal in todays terms.. What should she do?
Khushi: Why did Maa and Pappa got me married so early Dad?
Shashi: Because Aarav had Cancer.. And Aarav really wanted to extend this friendship which he had with your dad to a Relationship.. He knew he would not be alive for long to see you two kids growing up and getting married. It was his last wish.. And thus they got you both married..
Khushi: I dont know Dad.. What to believe and why to believe this? I am so damm confused.. I cannot clear my mind at all.. I cannot believe this fact Dad..
Khushi was so lost in all this.. She kept on weeping and then she slept on her mothers lap.
To be continued
Pocket Mein Aasman
Cricket
Ganesh Kartikeya
272