I'M REALLY SORRY FOR THE DELAY IN UPDATING GUYS?..FIRST I HAD A MINOR ACCIDENT AND THEN WHEN I WROTE THE UPDATE 4 DAYS AGO?.I WAS JUST PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO IT WHEN MY LAPPY DECIDES TO SHUT ITSELF AND WHEN I TURN IT ON AGAIN, THE ARTICLE WASN'T AUTO-RECOVERED?.TWO HOURS OF WORK DOWN THE DRAIN?.THAT PUT ME OFF SO BADLY THAT I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE REWRITING IT AGAIN TILL TODAY?.AND SO WELL?AND TO MAKE UP FOR THE LATENESS I WROTE A LOOONG UPDATE?..SO NOW WITHOUT FURTHER ADO?.I GIVE YOU?..
CHAPTER 5
"SURPRISE!!!!!!!" a lone voice rang out loud and clear?.Suraj looked at eveyone wondering why no one else had shouted with him?he pulled at his mother's sari but got no response?..the eight pairs of eyes looked at the new-comers?shock registered on all ten faces?.
An hour ago, at RM
Anjali paced the hallway, waiting for Rahul to arrive with the cake?.Aakash and Payal entered in?.
"Di you sure na Bhai won't turn up unexpectedly?."
"No Aakash?..Chotte told me he'll return very late?."
"Where does he go to so late at night???"
"To his office ofcourse?.where else will my workaholic chotte go?."said Kriya Raizada as she entered with Mama and Mami?..
"But how are we gonna call him back?.I mean we can't just sit here waiting?."Payal asked?.
"I've the perfect plan for that" said Aakash with a smirk?..he narrated the plan to everyone?.Kriya did not like it?.she knew how Chotte was about her health?but they did not have any other option?no other back up plan and so she decided not to spoil it for everyne?..Anjali on the other hand voiced her concerns?.
"I don't really think it's a good idea?.chotte will be very upset and angry?."
Aakash who was very excited didn't want to hear a no?.."Oh come on Di?.this is the first time we are getting to give Bhai a surprise?.every other year he was either abroad or sitting by the poolside working and so in neither case could we surprise him?.please Di?.Don't be a spoilt sport?.."
After much consoling from Aakash, Payal and Rahul who had now returned?.Anjali agreed?..they all set about to arrange the room?.they used minimal set-up knowing that Arnav wasn't one for hi-end decoration?.Just a few flowers, music and a sugar-free cake?.
Now it was time for THE phone call?..Anjali nervously picked up her cell and placed the call?..it continued to ring and she prayed to god that Arnav didn't pick up?but her hopes were shattered as her brother's voice rang out from the other end?..
"Di?.."
Anjali wasn't able to string her words together?.Aakash egged her on?."C?.cho?tte?.woh?..e?ek bahut badi pr?.problem Aa gayi hai??"
" di?.tell me what happened?."
"chotte?.woh?.woh ma?.ma?tum bas jaldi se ghar aa jao?.."
Aakash snatched the phone out of her hand?..she could still hear her brothers desperate pleas calling her?.Aakash cut the call and switched off her phone?.Payal hugged a trembling Anjali?"Di you were great?.I know you don't like Lying to Arnav Ji?.believe me?if there was any other way we wouldn't have made you do this?.."
Anjali nodded?.everyone took their places?.they suddenly remembered Suraj who was sleeping upstairs?.Rahul rushed and got him and all sleep went from his mind as he was told what to do?.and so a hyper-excited suraj took his place and everyone readied themselves?.Aakash switched off all the lights and they began their patient vigil??
After about ten minutes they heard the scratching of the key on the front door and all hushed conversations were brought to a standstill with immediate effect. Everyone readied their vocal chords ready to scream their hearts out and stood patiently?.after a momentary delay they heard the door open and heard his voice?.they were waiting for him to switch on the lights when a lone female voice fell on their ears and then they heard the conversation which ensued between the two new entrants in the house.
Kriya was heart broken hearing her chotte talk like this?.the worry and desperation in his voice ate up on her insides?.here her chotte was helpless and hurt and she was just standing there?.she had to speak to him?reassure him that she was alright?.to hell with the surprise?.
Anjali was pained by the fear in her chotte's voice?.her small lie had caused her younger brother so much misery?..what use was such a surprise if it made him sad instead of happy??she was about to speak out when she felt Rahul's reassuring hand on her arm?.
Rahul was concerned hearing his sale saheb sound so miserable?.maybe the plan just went a little too far?.and who was the girl speaking to him so freely to him?and he was actually listening to the girl?.hanging on to her every word?he knew seeing her brother in such a form would break the fragile Anjali who already wasn't happy with the plan?.he touched her hand letting her know he was there?.
Aakash gulped?.he was done for?.judging by the current state of his cousins voice, Bhai was gonna raise all hell when he came to know this was a lie?.and when bhai found out it was his plan?.. Aakash shuddered to even think what he was in for?..he just wished that the girl had as much influence on bhai's anger as she did on his fears??
Manorma mami being her usual pompous self, the only thing that registered in her mind was the presence of a girl in the RM at this time of the night?..Hello hye bye bye?.Arnav bitwa bringings femaleswa to gharwa at midnightswa?..what isss?..konho chakkar to pukka happenings?.humka find outs karibe padi?.
Payal was flabbergasted?.she felt like she was in some parallel dimension?she had heard her brother-in-law shout mercilessly at his staff, she was even used to the somewhat watered down loving version of his at home?..but this scared and vulnerable Arnav was an entirely new species?..something that wasn't listed in her books yet?.
Mamaji was worried about his nephew?.he hadn't heard him so anxious and helpless since he was 16?and who was this girl?.sure he knew about the casanova image of his nephew but he hadn't expected Arnav bitwa to be this dependent on any girl?.he was behaving like a kid asking for his mother's reassurance and begging her to stay with him as he was scared of the dark?.this was so unlike him?..
Suraj was too excited to register any other fact except that his arnie mama was back?..now they would give him a big shout out and then his mama would be happy?.then they would all have cake and probably his mama would convince his mom to let him stay awake and play with him?yay?..
In this way when the light came on everyone was busy in their own musings and didn't shout like they were supposed to?.only poor Suraj went as planned?..
PRESENT
Arnav looked at his family members shocked?.his eyes went from one person to another, taking in the mixed variety of expressions potrayed on each face?.finally his sight stopped on the one person he had done all this for?.she looked at him sadly?.worry and pain etched in every orifice of her face?he walked to his mother?.
"Ma?.are?are you ok???"
"Ha chotte?hum theek hain?who bas hum aapko surprise?.hume aapko pareshan nahi?."
Arnav was really angry now?.he was like a bull and right now he saw only red?.in one swift motion he turned to his di?.she looked at him with pure guilt in her tear-filled eyes?.but nothing could cool down the raging volcano today?..
"Di?.how could you do this to me?.do you have any idea how freking worried I was?all this for the pathetic excuse of a surprise?for heaven's sake?are you all bloody crazy?.whose idea was this?.??"
A pin-drop silence followed his outburst?.finally Aakash spoke up?.
"B?Bhai who?I just?"
But an angry Arnav silenced him?."I should have known?.who else would think of such a pathetically dim-witted plan?..you are a limit Aakash?.and how can you all agree with him?.ma?di?mamaji?I thought I'd left behind perfectly sane people when I went out?.i return to a bloody collection of mental-asylum runaways??don't keep quiet Aakash?.answer me damn it?."
But no one dared to speak now?.silence was the only answer ASR got today?and this made him even more angrier?.he just turned and stormed out of the house?.dragging a clueless Khushi with him??
A deafening silence followed the bang of the door?..Suraj was still looking at evryone hoping someone would explain to him why his mama had left angrily?..Aakash looked at everyone's shell-shocked faces and grinned?.he shrugged and said?.
"It could've been a lot worse?.."
That got him a smile from Rahul and Payal?..Rahul went to Anjali who had finally succumed into tears hearing Aakash?.he hugged her tight and wiped the tears off her face?.
"It's ok anji?..he'll be fine?and anyway he can't be angry for too long,?it's his birthday?"
Payal tried to console her too?."Ya di?.all's not lost?.like Albus Dumbledore said?Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times?if only one remembers to turn on the light?. "
Aakash rolled his eyes?.trust his wife to quote fictional characters at a time like this?"Come on di?.it's not his worst you know?.i think we got off pretty easily?."
Anjali had had enough?"My brother was worried sick because of a lie that I told him?.he went through so much anguish because he believed me?.he is currently so angry at me that I doubt if he'll speak to me today?he just left the house after midnight and if he drives in so much anger god knows what will happen?.I'm currently desperately worried and you tell me to see the brighter side?.where is the silver lining in all of this?tell me?"
Not one to be left out for long, Mamiji jumped straight to the point as usual?."Hello hye bye bye?Anjali bitya?.tum dekhat nahi rahi ka?..Arnav bitwa beeutifool females wa ko home lawat rahe hain?..woh bhi isss times mein?.humka toh pukka doubts hoi rahi hai ki ihn dunho ke beech kucho chal raha hai?.tumri kya feelings hai?.tell?.tell?."
Anjali stopped crying and looked thoughtful?.now that they all mentioned it there was something definitely fishy here?.she went to the window to calm herself down?what she saw there left her amazed?.she quickly beckoned the others to join her in the watch?..
Outside RM, Five minutes ago
Arnav had stormed out of the house angrily and was making his way to the car when Khushi stopped him?..
"Arnav?listen to me?.calm down?."
Arnav jerked her hand away and moved to the drivers side??"Not now Khushi?.."
Khushi being khushi caught him back and turned to face him?."Listen Arnav?.i know what they did was wrong?they shouldn't have made this excuse?.but well their intentions weren't wrong you know?they just wanted to surprise you?.."
"To hell with their surprise khushi?.do you think I care about their intentions?.I was worried to death Khushi?and how can di lie to me?.and ma?what if something had really happened to her?.I would never have forgiven myself Khushi?." And with those words Arnav Singh Raizada let his exterior tough shell fall and broke down into tears?tears of worry for his mother?.tears at being betrayed by his sister?.tears of anger at his cousin?.tears at his own helpless state?.Khushi just hugged him close and he buried his face in her hair?.she just held on to him being his pillar of strength?she knew she would take him back in?she knew the situation would be awkward with his family having never even heard of her before?but that would've to wait?.just now Arnav was weak and helping him was the most important thing?..
PRESENT
Meanwhile this was the scene that the Raizada Pariwaar saw?.and their minds were already racing at lightning fast speeds?..in the wrong direction of course?.Anjali could already hear the wedding bells while Kriya had finished mentally preparing the list of guests to be invited at the ceremony?.Suraj being too short to look out of the window just gave up trying to get anyones attention?all the elders had gone mad?.first they don't shout?then they don't cut the cake?.now they are staring outside the hall window?..he just went and sat by the couch hoping that maybe someone would remember he was there?.!!!!
THERE YOU GO GUYS?..I HOPE YOU LIKED IT?.PLEASE COMMENT?...SORRY BUT MY LONG ARRAYS OF DOTS HAVE BEEN CONVERTED TO QUESTION MARKS BECAUSE I WROTE IN WORD 2007 AND POSTED FRM WORD 2003...SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION...
WAITING FOR YOUR BRIC AND BRATS,
LOVE,
PRINCESS
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
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