Vignettes- 18. Hai re Nandkishore! Thread 1 - Page 15

Eyes blazing, Arnav stalked in, "Are you kidding me, NK?", he thundered, "That girl got you arrested! And you want to give her a job! That too after I threw her out?!"

Leaping up as if he'd been shot, NK stammered, "Nannav, main bus...I mean, she was crying and...No, nothing, bilkul nahin..."

"Unbelievable, NK! She gets you arrested, then you don't tell anyone about it, and then manages to botch up her interview in time and now, you want to call her back?", Arnav snarled, ignoring the concerned looks his Di and Dhruv were shooting at his wife.

Seeing her husband working himself up to an almighty temper, Khushi got up and went to him smiling, "Arre Arnavji, aap Nanheji ko aur unke naram dil ko achchi tarah se jaante ho naah? Koi bhi lakdi ki takleef inse dekha nahin jaata, chahe woh pari ho ya chudail!"

Reaching down to take his briefcase clenched in his stiff hand, she rubbed his fist once gently before he handed it over. Taking a deep breath, he turned to look at his wife, his eyes telling her that he knew what she was doing, the expression in them reproaching her at her defence of NK's mad ideas.

Smiling at him, she continued, "Aap yeh sab chodiye aur chaliye, kapde badal deejiye aur hum aapka black coffee kamre mein abhi leke aate hain."

Seeing his saviour lead her volatile husband away, NK sighed in relief, but his mind was still relentlessly replaying the utterly shattered look on Pooja Yadav's face when his cousin had ordered her to leave the office. "Khushiji, aap theek keh rahi thi. I do have a naram dil, I guess", he murmured, rubbing a hand over his chest.

**************************

The next couple of weeks passed uneventfully, NK slowly but surely getting into the rhythm of work, much to Arnav's satisfaction. "Atleast he's not wandereing around mooning over his lakdis", he thought to himself as he watched NK in his office, handling multiple phone calls at the same time, looking a bit more distracted than usual. "I should send him out to site soon", he decided, already having started getting NK's cabin ready at their Gurgaon hotel.

Reaching home late one day, he walked upstairs in search of his wife, leaving Akash and NK in Payal's capable hands, declining her offer of tea. Not seeing her in their room, he wandered out to the next possible haunt, the terrace next to Akash's and Dhruv's rooms, and sure enough, found her there, deep in conversation over the phone while Dhruv lounged against her legs, jotting notes on some report while Anjali sat in rapt attention, her eyes focussed on her Khushiji.

Seeing him, Khushi's face lit up for barely a second before falling, much to his concern and before he could voice it, his Di put up a hand, motioning him to stay silent.

"Ji, Amma, hum uski madad karne ki koshish zaroor karenge, lekin pehle yeh pata lagaana hoga ki woh hai kahan. Rakhti hoon." Putting down the phone, Khushi sighed heavily, making Dhruv look up, and catching sight of the pained glance she sent to his Bhaiyya, scrambled up, letting Arnav come and crouch down in front of her.

Cupping her cheek, Arnav murmured, "Kya hua?"

Placing her palm over his, Khushi sighed, "Humse bahut badi galti ho gayi, Arnavji. Ab hum kya karein?"

Concerned by the regret clouding her face, he persisted, "Baat kya hai, Khushi? We'll deal with it, I promise. Ghar mein kuch problem hai, kya?"

Catching hold of his hand and squeezing it, she answered, lips trembling, "Aapko woh ladki yaad hain? Pooja Yadav?" Seeing lips tighten at the memory of the girl who had troubled his cousin, she rushed on, "Nahi, Arnavji! Uske baare mein aisa mat sochiye. Haan, usse ek galti toh ho hi gayi, lekin iske liye usko kya sahna pada, yeh sunke toh humse saha nahin jaata!"

"Whatever it is, Khushi, tumhara isse kya lena dena hai? Apna mood kyun kharab kar rahi ho tum?" Arnav muttered, strightening, not interested in hearing about a person who was already out of his mind.

"Hai, Arnavji. Hum Amma ko kaha tha ki woh ladki humare purane gaon ki hain, aur Amma abhi abhi humein phone kiya, pata lagaane ke baad. Ab suniye, please," Khushi looked up at him and pleaded, knowing how Arnav would block out people the minute he took a dislike to them.

Her gentle plea disarming him as usual, Arnav sighed and settled down on the chair next to her and took her hand in his again, "Theek hai, bolo."

Looking around at the attentive faces of her dewar and Di, Khushi replied, "Humare Babuji ke saath kaam karnewale the unke Pitaji." Focussing on Arnav's tightening grip on her hand, she continued, "Pooja ki padhaayi ke liye woh apna ghar girvi rakh di aur jab Pooja ko Mumbai mein naukri mili toh woh iske upar apne bete ki padhaayi ke liye ek aur loan le liya. Ab woh bahut badi museebat mein hain, kyunki Pooja ki naukri chali gayi, Nanheji ke giraftar hone ke chakkar mein aur yahan humare yahan doosri naukri mili bhi nahin. Yeh khabar dene ke liye Pooja roti huyi ghar phone ki thi, do-teen hafte pehle, aur phir kuch dinon se koi khabar nahin hain."

"Hey Bhagwan, humare vajah se ussko itna nuksaan sahna pada?" Anajli murmured, already ready to jump to the girl's rescue.

"Ek minute, Di." Dhruv said, "Bhabi, you mean it's been two weeks since they heard from her? Police mein complain kyun nahi kiya woh?"

Looking up at him, Khushi replied, "Hey Devi Maiyya, yeh toh humne poocha hi nahi! Ek minute..." After talking to her mother again, she kept the phone down and turned to them, "Woh, kya hain naah, Amma ki ek saheli hi hain jinki iss parivaar se jaan-pehchaan hain. Toh unse iss Aunty ki baat ek hafte pehle hi hua tha, toh shayad uske baad Pooja ghar pahoonch gayi hain ya nahin, isska koi khabar nahin hain. Ab yeh Aunty gaon se kayi aur gayi hain, toh unko bhi nahin pata!"

"Then what's bothering you you, Khushi?" Arnav asked, his irritation at having to spend so much time deliberating over a girl he disliked showing in his short sentences.

"Woh...Arnavji...woh parivaar humare Amma-Babuji ke itne kareeb the, aur unki ab ki mushkil humare wajah se hain. Maana ki uss ladki se galti ho gayi, par jo saza hum use diya, woh kuch zyada nahin tha?" Khushi whispered, her sweet soul in torment at the thought of the hapless family.

Understanding her plight, Arnav sighed and leaned across to hold her close in his warm protective embrace. "Khushi, agar tum chaaho toh mein usko wapas bula loonga." Seeing her thrilled look, he shook his head, "But first, I have to check with NK. Afterall, he is the aggrieved party here. If he's ok with ARH offering her a job again, I'll do it."

Leaping up after giving her husband a crushing hug, Khushi exclaimed, "Nanheji toh maan jaayenge...hum manaayenge unhe...", before running off in search of him.

Taking in Arnav's bemused but fascinated, loving look, Dhruv murmured to his Di, "Di, in the US, we use a word to describe this look - 'whipped'! Bhabi has him whipped! And wrapped around her little finger!"

Giggling, Anjali looked up, to see Arnav staring at them both, "I heard that!"

His younger brother grinned back at him unabashed, "But didn't deny it!", leaving Arnav glaring at him, his face a mix of expressions, embarassment, irritation, amusement and acceptance.

**************************

Meanwhile, Khushi had run down and grabbed hold of NK. Dragging him back to the terrace, she said, "Nanheji, hum jaante hain ki aap saaf dil ke insaan hain. Aur jab humein kisi ki madad karne ka mauka mile, toh chodna nahin chaahiye."

His confused response brushed aside, she pulled him to her husband, who was still glaring at his giggling siblings, but turned around as she screeched to a stop. Once Khushi updated NK about all that happened, Arnav asked, "NK, is it ok with you?"

Lost in thought, NK asked, "Huh?"

"NK Bhai! Dhyaan kahan hai, aapka?", Anjali interrupted, bring NK back, his face paling a bit as he repeated Arnav's last sentence, "You mean, calling her back? The girl who got me arrested? Woh lakdi?"

Moving next to him and taking his hand in hers, Anjali said, sending a sideways smile at her sister-in-law, "NK Bhai, zara sochiye naah, uss parivaar ke baare mein. Bahut badi baat hain, yeh naukri, unke zindagi sudhaar dega. Haan kar do naah, aapke Khushiji ke liye hi toh sahi!"

Still staring at Arnav, NK replied, his voice almost inaudible, "OK, then. As you wish", before turning away abruptly, alomost running away from them.

Even as Khushi and Anjali wondered if he was upset that his 'tormentor' was being called back, and Arnav and Dhruv were exchanging glances at this entirely un-NK-like reaction, NK was rushing to his room, "Oh God! What'll I do now? Yeh kaisi test hain! Oh my God!"

Eyes blazing, Arnav stalked in, "Are you kidding me, NK?", he thundered, "That girl got you arrested! And you want to give her a job! That too after I threw her out?!"

Leaping up as if he'd been shot, NK stammered, "Nannav, I just...I mean, she was crying and...No, nothing, nope..."

"Unbelievable, NK! She gets you arrested, then you don't tell anyone about it, and then manages to botch up her interview in time and now, you want to call her back?", Arnav snarled, ignoring the concerned looks his Di and Dhruv were shooting at his wife.

Seeing her husband working himself up to an almighty temper, Khushi got up and went to him smiling, "Arre Arnavji, you know Nanheji and his kind heart! He is just not able to take it if a girl cries, she be the devil itself!"

Reaching down to take his briefcase clenched in his stiff hand, she rubbed his fist once gently before he handed it over. Taking a deep breath, he turned to look at his wife, his eyes telling her that he knew what she was doing, the expression in them reproaching her at her defence of NK's mad ideas.

Smiling at him, she continued, "Leave it now, and come, by the time you change, I'll bring your black coffee to our room."

Seeing his saviour lead her volatile husband away, NK sighed in relief, but his mind was still relentlessly replaying the utterly shattered look on Pooja Yadav's face when his cousin had ordered her to leave the office. "Khushiji, you're right. I do have a bleeding heart, I guess", he murmured, rubbing a hand over his chest.

**************************

The next couple of weeks passed uneventfully, NK slowly but surely getting into the rhythm of work, much to Arnav's satisfaction. "Atleast he's not wandereing around mooning over his lakdis", he thought to himself as he watched NK in his office, handling multiple phone calls at the same time, looking a bit more distracted than usual. "I should send him out to site soon", he decided, already having started getting NK's cabin ready at their Gurgaon hotel.

Reaching home late one day, he walked upstairs in search of his wife, leaving Akash and NK in Payal's capable hands, declining her offer of tea. Not seeing her in their room, he wandered out to the next possible haunt, the terrace next to Akash's and Dhruv's rooms, and sure enough, found her there, deep in conversation over the phone while Dhruv lounged against her legs, jotting notes on some report while Anjali sat in rapt attention, her eyes focussed on her Khushiji.

Seeing him, Khushi's face lit up for barely a second before falling, much to his concern and before he could voice it, his Di put up a hand, motioning him to stay silent.

"Ji, Amma, we'll help her, of course, but first we have to locate where she is. I'll talk to you soon." Putting down the phone, Khushi sighed heavily, making Dhruv look up, and catching sight of the pained glance she sent to his Bhaiyya, scrambled up, letting Arnav come and crouch down in front of her.

Cupping her cheek, Arnav murmured, "What's wrong?"

Placing her palm over his, Khushi sighed, "We made a big mistake, Arnavji. What'll we do now?"

Concerned by the regret clouding her face, he persisted, "What is it, Khushi? We'll deal with it, I promise. Anything wrong at home?"

Catching hold of his hand and squeezing it, she answered, lips trembling, "Do you remember that girl? Pooja Yadav?" Seeing lips tighten at the memory of the girl who had troubled his cousin, she rushed on, "No, Arnavji! Don't think like that. Yes, what she did was worng, but what she had to suffer because of it, I just can't bear it!"

"Whatever it is, Khushi, what do you have to do with it? Why are you ruining your mood?" Arnav muttered, strightening, not interested in hearing about a person who was already out of his mind.

"I do, Arnavji. I'd told Amma that she's from our old village, and Amma just called back, after asking around about her. Listen to me, please," Khushi looked up at him and pleaded, knowing how Arnav would block out people the minute he took a dislike to them.

Her gentle plea disarming him as usual, Arnav sighed and settled down on the chair next to her and took her hand in his again, "Fine, tell me."

Looking around at the attentive faces of her dewar and Di, Khushi replied, "Her father used to work with mine, apparently." Focussing on Arnav's tightening grip on her hand, she continued, "He pledged his house to fund Pooja's education adn when she finally got a job, took another loan for her brother. And now, her job in Mumbai's gone because of Nanheji's unfair arrest and she didn't get the job offered by ARH either. She had called home a couple of weeks back, crying about her fate, and they hadn't heard from her since."

"Hey Bhagwan, the poor thing suffered a lot! And because of us?" Anajli murmured, already ready to jump to the girl's rescue.

"One minute, Di." Dhruv said, "Bhabi, you mean it's been two weeks since they heard from her? Why haven't they called the Police?"

Looking up at him, Khushi replied, "Hey Devi Maiyya, I didn't ask! One minute..." After talking to her mother again, she kept the phone down and turned to them, "Amma doen't know them personally, her friend does. That Aunty talked to them a week ago, so the news is a week old. And she's not at home now, so she doesn't know if they've found Pooja yet."

"Then what's bothering you you, Khushi?" Arnav asked, his irritation at having to spend so much time deliberating over a girl he disliked showing in his short sentences.

"Woh...Arnavji...that family was once friends of Amma-Babuji, and their troubles now are connected to us. What she did was wrong, but wasn't the punishment a bit too much?" Khushi whispered, her sweet soul in torment at the thought of the hapless family.

Understanding her plight, Arnav sighed and leaned across to hold her close in his warm protective embrace. "Khushi, if you want, I'll call her back." Seeing her thrilled look, he shook his head, "But first, I have to check with NK. Afterall, he is the aggrieved party here. If he's ok with ARH offering her a job again, I'll do it."

Leaping up after giving her husband a crushing hug, Khushi exclaimed, "Nanheji will agree...I'll make him...", before running off in search of him.

Taking in Arnav's bemused but fascinated, loving look, Dhruv murmured to his Di, "Di, in the US, we use a word to describe this look - 'whipped'! Bhabi has him whipped! And wrapped around her little finger!"

Giggling, Anjali looked up, to see Arnav staring at them both, "I heard that!"

His younger brother grinned back at him unabashed, "But didn't deny it!", leaving Arnav glaring at him, his face a mix of expressions, embarassment, irritation, amusement and acceptance.

**************************

Meanwhile, Khushi had run down and grabbed hold of NK. Dragging him back to the terrace, she said, "Nanheji, I know what a helpful soul you are. And when we get a chance to help someone, we should never let it go, right?"

His confused response brushed aside, she pulled him to her husband, who was still glaring at his giggling siblings, but turned around as she screeched to a stop. Once Khushi updated NK about all that happened, Arnav asked, "NK, is it ok with you?"

Lost in thought, NK asked, "Huh?"

"NK Bhai! Are you listening?", Anjali interrupted, bring NK back, his face paling a bit as he repeated Arnav's last sentence, "You mean, calling her back? The girl who got me arrested? That lakdi?"

Moving next to him and taking his hand in hers, Anjali said, sending a sideways smile at her sister-in-law, "NK Bhai, think about that poor family. For them, this job is their sole hope. Please say yes, atleast for your Khushiji!"

Still staring at Arnav, NK replied, his voice almost inaudible, "OK, then. As you wish", before turning away abruptly, alomost running away from them.

Even as Khushi and Anjali wondered if he was upset that his 'tormentor' was being called back, and Arnav and Dhruv were exchanging glances at this entirely un-NK-like reaction, NK was rushing to his room, "Oh God! What'll I do now? What new trial is this! Oh my God!"