ArHi FF:Adaptation Note Page 35 - Page 4

Chapter II: Acceleration

The city overwhelmed her. The number of people overwhelmed her. Traffic scared her. The concoctions of smells of food sent her to a tizzy. There was so much the city offered with its vibrant personality and aristocratic arrogance that started to miss her quaint boring lifestyle.

She and her parents moved with her aunt who had a small house in Delhi. Through old acquaintances, her father, Shashi, secured a job as a priest at a nearby temple. He had quit being a priest a while ago keeping his faith in the boundaries of his house and had picked up making traditional sweets on daily basis. The business was good and helped their ends meet but the rapid growth of city had them cornered as many more businesses mushroomed across the city. Still, Shashi, Payal and Khushi managed to run the store and make decent profit. With Payal's wedding, Shashi had to forgo the shop and had again picked up faith as his profession against the willingness of his heart.

"Did you call Payal, Khushi?" Garima asked Khushi who was getting dressed.

"I did but we couldn't talk much. She was busy," Khushi maintained a neutral tone. In reality she had received a short text as an answer to her call but her mother didn't need to know that now.

"I haven't spoken to her in almost two weeks now," Garima whispered to herself. Khushi was suddenly annoyed.

"Will you stop smothering her? She just started a new life you know? She is dealing with seven new people including her husband right now and she shouldn't have your emotional baggage heaped upon her. " Khushi's arms flailed around her.

Garima frowned. "I am her mother Khushi. You will never understand what a mother goes through when her daughter-"

"Aaarrrgghhh!" Khushi groaned.

Khushi's patience was immense when it came to her parents but the stress had been building around her weeks before Payal's wedding. Her mother's constant insistence about discussing Payal's wellbeing didn't help her case.

"Ma, what is that you want?" Khushi asked sitting on the floor in front of her mother.

Garima sniffed. "I just want to talk to my girl. Is it so wrong?" She asked blotting her eyes.

Khushi kept her face neutral. "No, it isn't wrong. She doesn't have the time at the moment to call and this might not also be the last time it would happen."

"I know that Khushi, but it-"

"Hurts, isn't it?" Khushi interjected. "It hurts me too ma. But we need to give her space. We need to allow her to grow and settle in her new house. This isn't about us ma. This is about her." Khushi broke down the situation for her mother.

Garima maybe a simpleton but she wasn't an idiot. She bit her lip and nodded her head conveying to her younger daughter that she wouldn't push it more.

"I hope I am not disturbing you ladies." The mother daughter duo turned around to see Shyam Jha, a lawyer and their new friend standing in doorway. Khushi stood up and welcomed with an easy smile as did Garima. They had met Shyam when they were travelling to the city and he had helped the family during the transition. He was charming, kind and approachable – the qualities as per Khushi's aunt, an extinct blend of traits. She had her own reservation about the man but by the end of their train journey, she couldn't help but smile at his charming ways.

"Have you settled in Khushi?" He asked warmly. Khushi nodded and walked towards sofa motioning him to sit. "I don't see your father around…" He trailed looking around the house.

"He is now one of the priests in a nearby temple." Khushi replied with a smile. She wasn't very happy at first that her father had picked up his old profession after experiencing a doubt in his faith but her father was determined to search for the lost faith and restore it. She had felt pride swelling in her whenever her father spoke about his experiences with God in sincerity and honesty.

"Which temple is it?" Shyam asked leaning forward.

When Khushi told him the address, the calmness in his face cracked a little. "You should have consulted me before taking such a decision Khushi. If your father wanted a job, he could have gotten something really good not this…priesthood." His nose flared and his breathing accelerated.

Khushi shrugged. "My father was a priest before he sold sweets Shyam." She replied lazily keeping her voice abrasive. Shyam reeled in surprise.

"Then work at a better temple! Not that one!" He stood up and raised his voice. Khushi stood slowly and exchanged glances with her mother. She didn't understand why Shyam was getting so worked up about the small job her father held.

"Why do you say that?" Garima asked, worried about her husband. Khushi rubbed her temples as various scenarios ran through her head and each of this scenario somehow ended up hurting her father. The throbbing behind her eyes, accelerated.

"The temple has its share of scandals and such ma. And the people who are the primary donors and the owners aren't really good people." Shyam reasoned looking at Garima. "I am just worried papa might get caught in all that nonsense." He said softly. Khushi had observed that within a week of knowing them, Shyam had picked up her way of addressing her parents. Her parents had found it endearing, seeing a son in Shyam while it had only tickled her. She hadn't bothered to perform a Freudian analysis on it.

"Maybe it is God's way of testing papa, Shyam. He did let go of his faith midway." She replied, raising an eyebrow demanding him to challenge her.

"You don't know what you will be getting into if your father continues his job in the temple, Khushi." Shyam said defeated.

"What do you mean?" Khushi asked, confused.

"Arnav Raizada, is a monster. He is the main contributor, donor etc. of the temple. He owns the land on which the temple stands today." Shyam said with a strange sense of urgency. "You have to convince papa to quit that job Khushi." He practically begged her.

"How do you know so much about him?" Khushi asked trying deviate the topic in a more sensible direction.

"I know it Khushi because I am a lawyer. Please trust me on this one." Shyam took her hands in his and squeezed it. She gently untangled her hands from his and missed the frown forming on his face at her action.

Khushi looked at Shyam neutrally and wondered the reason behind his anger masked as pleading.

"I will talk to papa. Let's see what happens." She decided.

She didn't understand why Shyam looked relieved more than happy at her declaration.

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