The take-off: Part 2: preparing for Take-off
Arnav and Khushi walked hand in hand to the boarding gate and joined the queue. Khushi clung onto Arnav's arm worried, as she glanced around.
What a strange place... she thought to herself. Khushi had never travelled by plane until now, and when she looked outside, she saw the giant planes outside.
Arnav felt khushi squeeze his arm as they slowly moved forward in the queue, he looked down at his wife and saw that she had shut her eyes tightly.
"Khushi?? What's wrong??" Arnav was worried. He slowly took his hand out of her clutches and put his arms around her. Khushi fell into his arms, and she squeezed her husband.
"Khushi?? What happened?" Khushi's silence was beginning to make him panic.
"Arnavji... I'm scared.." Khushi hugged her husband even tighter.
Arnav was relieved but confused.
"Scared of what?" He wondered out loud.
"I've never been by plane before. Look how big it is!! We're going to die... there is no way that that big metal thingy will stay in the air... I want to go home... Take me home"
It's just one hurdle after the other today... I just can't catch a break! Arnav inwardly sighed. There was a loud sound of one of the airplanes passing overhead.
"AAAHH!!" Khushi half screamed. She hid her in face in arnav's chest.
"I want to go home!" Khushi sounded as if she was about to cry.
"Khushi, Calm down, that was just a plane taking off!" Arnav stroked his wife's hair as he held her in his arms trying to reassure her. He tried to shuffle her forward as the queue moved on ahead. Nothing's going to happen, I've been by plane plenty of times and nothing has happened. Everything will be fine, I'm here with you. Come with me,we'll go together okay?"
"But it's too big! How are we going to stay in the air??" Khushi was becoming frantic with worry.
"It will. Don't worry, we're going to be together. Plus, when they build the airplanes they make sure everything is safe for travelling."
Khushi looked up at Arnav and blinked.
"You're telling the truth na?"
"Someone told me long ago ke Baat sach ya jhoot ki nahi hai. Baat yakeen ki hai." Khushi smiled and nodded. She rested her head on her dear husband and began to relax.
Phew! Arnav thought to himself he felt khushi slowly relax in arms. That was close...
"Excuse me sir, can I have your boarding passes please?" The flight attendant asked interrupting their nice warm snuggly hug.
Arnav grudgingly let go of his wife, and took out the boarding passes as well as the passports.
"Here you go, sir, enjoy your flight"
Arnav took the tickets back, a bit disgruntled, It was such a comfy hug...
He sighed and took khushi's hand as they walked through the tunnel and boarded the airplane.
Khushi looked around the airplane in awe as she followed Arnav to her seat. Arnav had booked two first class seats. One window seat and one aisle seat, both next to each other. Khushi sat down in the window seat while Arnav put his bag into the overhead baggage space. Arnav sat next to her, put his seatbelt on and sank into his seat. He could finally begin to relax.
"Now what??" Khushi asked.
Arnav looked at his wife and raised an eyebrow
"What do you mean "now what?" " Arnav wondered out loud.
"Well, what do we do now?" Khushi asked. She was beginning to get excited.
It's never easy is it?!? There's always something, first the departure lounge, then the being scared of airplanes. Sigh. I deserve a medal. No not a medal, a trophy. Arnav thought, getting lost in his trophy/ medal dreams.
"Arnavji!! Arnavji!" Khushi shook her husband. Arnav came out of his reverie.
"Huh?? What??"
"What do we do now??" Khushi repeated her question. She was bubbling with excitement.
Arnav sighed.
"Well first, Khushi, you have to put your seatbelt on."
"What?!? A seatbelt?!?" Khushi was confused. Arnav's patience was getting thin
"Yeah, here one second let me help you'"
Khushi could sense that her husband was getting annoyed.
"No! It's okay I'll do it myself!" Khushi picked up the two ends of the seatbelt and examined them and tried to figure out what went where. Arnav watched her exasperated, and continued to watch her until he could bear it no longer. He took the seatbelt from her and started to help her out. Khushi looked at him annoyed.
"Leave it!! I said I would do it!" Khushi whined. That did it. Arnav was close to losing his patience. He counted to three and took a deep breath. Khushi tried to take the seatbelt back.
"Khushi! Stop it!" Arnav scolded her. Khushi held onto her seatbelt stubbornly.
"Khushi let go!"
"No! I can do it!! I'm not a child!!"
"Khushi, Shut up and give me the seatbelt" Arnav glared at his wife
"Nahin! Nahin! Nahin! " Khushi shook her head, looking everywhere but at her husband. She could feel him glaring at her and she knew that if she looked at him, he would win. That was one thing she wasn't going to let happen. He had already won twice that day. First he got her to pack in fifteen minutes and then he somehow got her into the airport.
She was not giving up without a fight.
Arnav groaned in frustration and suddenly stood up. Khushi jumped, tightly closed her eyes and shrank back into her seat. Meanwhile Arnav reached into the overhead baggage area and took his bag out. He put the bag on the chair and took out a tin. He closed the bag and put it back in the overhead baggage locker. He picked up the tin and sat back down in his seat. He looked at his wife and smiled.
I am going to win this round as well or my name isn't Arnav Singh Raizada. Arnav thought to himself. Arnav opened the tin, and waited.
Khushi could smell something familiar, something sweet and mouth-watering. Suddenly she knew what it was. Her eyes flew open.
"JALEBIS!!!" Khushi squealed in excitement. There in her husband's hand was a tin of jalebis. Khushi looked at the tin hungrily. Her mouth started to water. She reached out to get the jalebis. Arnav quickly moved the jalebis away.
"Nuh-uh-uh-uh!" Arnav wagged his finger at Khushi. "First, put your seatbelt on."
Khushi pouted. "Arnavji! That's not fair!"
Arnav grinned. He picked up a jalebi and started to put it in his mouth.
"WAIT!! ARNVAJI!!" Khushi almost yelled. "You're diabetic!!!"
"So?!? These are sugar free." He winked at his wife. Khushi bit her lip in disappointment. Arnav bit the jalebi and started to chew.
"Mmm!" Arnav was enjoying the jalebi. Khushi bit her nails. "Man, this is YUMMY!!"
"Arnavji! Stop it!" Khushi was getting jittery.
"Put your seatbelt on and you can have some'Oh this is good'Mmm!!"
Khushi frantically tried to put her seatbelt on. Arnav watched her from the corner of his eye, waiting for her to admit defeat.
"Arnavji'" Khushi started to say in a tiny voice
"Ji Khushiiji'" Arnav teased.
"I can't do it'" Khushi held up the seatbelt in defeat.
Arnav grinned, he wiped his hand on a napkin put the jalebis down on the side of the seat where Khushi couldn't reach it, and closed the seatbelt for her. Once that was done he picked up the tin again, and started to eat some more. Khushi smiled in glee and reached out for the jalebis. Arnav quickly moved it away from her reach.
"Arey?!? Arnavji, I put my seatbelt on!! Let me have one!!"
"Nope' the deal was you would put on the seatbelt' I had to put the seatbelt on for you, therefore I get the jalebis."
"Arnavji, that's meeeaaann!!" Khushi whined. "Give me one at least!" She started to tug on his sleeve
"Okay, okay, okay, you can have them, only if you admit you were wrong and say sorry"
"I was not wrong!!" Khushi started to protest loudly. Arnav started to bring another jalebi towards his mouth. Khushi started to bite her nails.
"OKAY OKAY!!" Khushi couldn't take it anymore. "I'm sorry! I was wrong! Please give me some jalebis"
Arnav grinned and gave the tin to his wife. Khushi squealed in delight.
"Save some for when we take off otherwise your ears will pop." Khushi nodded as she ate a jalebi, she closed the lid and smiled in delight
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