ArShi : Drabble Series #9: Traffic

Iridescent - displaying a play of lustrous colors like those of the rainbow

Was it the colour of her clothes or was it her never ending shenanigans or was it the hideousness of those pompoms hanging off her ridiculous stole, or was her infectious smile or the way she would chew on her fingernails?

He couldn't decide.

Perhaps it was her idiotic ideas that always landed her in trouble or in his closet or in the back of his car while eating pakoras!!

Maybe it was the those awful, caloric jalebis that she was always munching on!

Perhaps it was the way her face showed her emotions; no facade whatsoever. It was surprising how without uttering a single word she could make him feel like the shittiest human being to ever walk on this planet.

Perhaps it was the way she would creep on him slowly from behind, trying to guess what was playing in his head. At times he had caught himself watching her from afar trying to guess whether she possessed mind reading powers.

Perhaps it was the way she would blush at suddenly meeting his eyes, and catch her lips in those pearly white teeth. Only he knew how he controlled himself from pinning her against the wall, and kiss her senseless.

He couldn't decide.

His fingers coiled in frustration when the thought of her jumping in joy, rejoicing happily when selling one of her idiotic ideas to that love sick NK.

But, something about her was iridescent. And nothing else in the world compared to that feeling.

"Yeah, Aman just get these documents sent to my email," Arnav spoke to his assistant on his iPhone as the driver opened the door after reaching home.

Arnav gave him curt nod as he exited the back seat of his car, and handed his office bag to his help.

No soon had he exited his car his nose was assaulted with a foul stench. He scrunched his nose and confusingly asked, "what the hell is that smell?"

"Sir, it's Khushi madam," spoke his help in an exhausted and terrified manner as he pointed towards to garden in front of the house.

"Come on girls! Attack!" he heard someone shout.

He knotted his brows and quickened his pace towards the front lawns. He stopped his stride and halted his steps a few feet away from the scene. He couldn't believe his eyes nor could he believe his nose. Oh, the stench assaulted his American bred senses and he blinked at least ten times.

The arena was set in a circular shape, all in dirt where once stood was his lush, and pristine garden.

"Come on!!!" yelled Khushi as she clapped her hands. Arnav coughed loudly when the dirt from the impact billowed towards him.

"Khushi!" he spoke loudly to get her attention.

Khushi was distracted from giving out instructions to the women and smiled at Arnav.

"Arnav Ji." She ran towards him and excitedly attempted to hug him but he was quick and deflected her hug, holding her shoulders seeing her dirty, dhishelved appearance.

"What are you doing?" he asked as he tried to understand what exactly was going on. "Who are all these women?" he probed her.

Khushi's smile tripled in a matter of seconds. "Oh, this," she turned and gestured at the arena.

"Yes, this," asked a frustrated Arnav.

"I am teaching self defence classes," she spoke in an idiotically proud tone.

"WHAT!!" shouted Arnav. Khushi was the most fragile person Arnav knew. When he had reprimanded her for not working out or lifting weights she had avoided his advice to the point that she almost moved out of their bedroom.

"Yeah, I am teaching free self defence classes to all of the neighbouring servants," she clasped her hands together, brought them closer to her chin and smiled at her handy work.

"I am calling it Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada's Dhakad Girls."

Arnav swallowed nervously and saw how the women were dressed in big t-shirts and sarees or salwars and pushing each other in the dirt. He could count at least thirty women of the top of his head.

"All these are servants?"

"No, that," she pointed at an old lady plonking one of his male servants in the dirt, "is one of the vegetable sellers in the market. I dragged her here along with a couple of beggars. I sent the car to get them, you know."

"WHAT!!" he yelled yet again. "YOU DID WHAT!!"

"Why are you getting so agitated? I even gave them your old shirts to wear," she spoke innocently.
Arnav, angry beyond anything, controlled his breathing. Yes, just like Dr. Rajan taught him.

"Why are you doing this, sweetheart?" he spoke sweetly.

"Well since you forgot... this is dangal, a form of wrestling. Remember the Amir Khan movie... if he can do it then why can't I! she explained to him.

Arnav's mouth was left hanging in shock at his mostly sweet and sometimes frustrating wife.

"You know how crime against women has gone up like crazy in Delhi. I am equipping them with the tools for survival," she finished.

"Yes come on aunty... flip him!!" Khushi was distracted yet again until Arnav held onto her shoulders and spun her to face him.

"Khushi! This isn't a shelter home. And look at the poor male servants... they won't survive this kind of attack. Stop this!!" he demanded.

Owing to his roaring tone everyone stopped and his male servants thanked their stars. Finally their master would talk sense into their mistress and stop this torture.

"No, you stop this Arnav Ji and don't interfere in women safety issues!" roared Khushi back. This muted Arnav's next argument and he knew that he couldn't win against Khushi.

Arnav rolled his eyes, shook his head at the dramatic display of Khushi's outburst.

"Fine, do whatever," he spoke as he turned his back to go back into the sanctuary of his house.

All he heard in the background was, "Mogambo is gone... let's go back to it girls!!"

As he loosened his tie he cursed himself. Serves him right for suggesting movie date nights, and letting Khushi pick the first movie. True, he had slept throughout the entire movie since he had no interest in watching Bollywood movies. When Khushi had tried to discuss the movie he Wikipedia the entire story never knowing what was cooking in his wife's head.

A few days later Arnav bore the burnt of his mistake when his servant sent a legal notice accusing the billionaire tycoon of running illegal, torturous fights in his backyard.

"f**k!" he growled at himself regretting falling asleep during the movie, and forever banning movie nights in the Raizada house.

Arnav Singh Raizada was a shrewd, manipulative, calculative person. He was also very sharp and noticed even the slightest changes around him. So, it was natural that this mere mortal, who sometimes mistook himself as a decibel higher than others, noticed her. More importantly, he noticed how she ate anything and everything when she was stressed or tensed or upset or even happy.

It happened during his unusual trips to the kitchen. Their forever faithful servant, Hariprakash, was accompanying his sister and Nani to the temple therefore he was stuck fending for himself. He was thirsty and needed to replenish his sugar levels so ventured into the kitchen and he saw her. She was nervously munching away on jalebis, and samosas without a care in the world.

He later overheard his sister mentioning how Khushi needed to complete some sort of order before the end of the week.

Next time, he was dropping off stuff at Khushi's house at his sister's request. He could never say no to her. Khushi's parents requested that he drink some tea before he left, and he politely accepted. He saw Khushi enter the house at the speed of light, dripping in sweat, and hand over medicines to her mother. Then, she grabbed onto the pakoras in front of her, and gobbled them in an instant. Of course, she dropped it later when she saw him perched in the living room as well.Arnav and Khushi played hide and seek for the next few weeks as he was away for business.

When he returned, she was working in his office. Of course, his anger surpassed higher than ever and he cowardly didn't interfere when Lavanya drowned Khushi in callous insults.

When he reached home he found Khushi aiding his sister, and later, as if he knew, she ventured into the kitchen. This time there were no nonsense snacks for her, nor the ingredients since the entire family was on a health binge.

Fully knowing her he called his servant and quietly informed him to bring the ingredients for samosas, pakoras, and jalebis. And keep them stocked, indefinitely.

It never occurred to Khushi how afterwards she could always find ingredients to make her favourite snacks. It never occurred to her that no one else in that house ever ate these snacks. It never occurred to her how the pantry was always stocked.

Next time, Khushi called about Payal and Akash's relationship, or lack thereof. He could hear her eating in the background as she talked to him to explain the plan in order to get the lovebirds together. Unknowingly he smiled, silently congratulating himself at knowing her enough, or at least her habits.

He was never involved in the wedding festivities, nor the planning. But as always he made sure that her favourite stuff was ordered. When she served others, for the first time, he was upset at his own dietary conditions and how she would never serve him so sweetly. Later on in the evening he let his feelings for her boldly take over and spoke, "leave your hair open, you look breathtaking with it open.

After changing out of her clothes he saw her stuffing an entire samosa before leaving with her family. He smiled knowing he was the cause.

But that was short lived because he found out about Shyam and Khushi. His felt his heart shatter a million pieces and prick his chest. In that venomous rage he dragged her to the temple and married her. She needed to stay away from his sister's life. This woman, who he once was falling hard, she turned out to be a wretched home wrecker.

That night the entire house was against them but he stood next to her like a shield. But, the wrath that she experienced from her parents truly shamed the mere silent disapproval from his family. Too distraught to eat they both fell asleep in wrinkled clothes, and on empty stomachs. Next few days he avoided her like a plague, but finding some excuse, he would go to the kitchen and see left over dishes of her snacks.

One evening when she prodded him so much, wanting an answer for the sudden, hasty and quite frankly distasteful wedding, he lost his temper. He just wanted to drown her questions so he banged the sliding door shut. He never wanted to hurt her, and seeing her in pain, bruise forming on her velvety smooth skin made him cringe at his own lack of self control. That evening he asked the servant to deliver her food up to the room.

His sister complained how she gained so much weight because of the constant snacks, riffraffs and other sugary goodies always stocked in the kitchen. He quickly left the dinning table before it could lead back to him.

Khushi went back home for the day, and even though everyone was highly upset with her, even her family did not have the heart to despise her. They made sure another favorite of hers, golgappas, were available. Of course, Payal was the ruse. But seeing her sigh, close her eyes, even if temporarily gave him five sane minutes where he wasn't this big, bad monster spewing hate on this pure, innocent and gentle beauty.

For he hated her, hurt her over and over again. But he made sure she ate, and felt better even only for him to hurt her again.

Drabble 4: Snapchat

Khushi turned the volume higher and shook her hips at the beat.

"Move my lak baby... saari raat se morning tak baby, she crooned while dancing seductively as she gazed into the mirror that encased the entire wall in their walk-in closet.

Wrapped in a feathery white towel and hair still dripping wet she slid slightly across the wooden flooring in sync with the beat. She knew that the sound would never leave the massive, sound proof walk-in closet.

She shook her butt and turned around reaching for her phone. She opened Snapchat and started recording.

"Ni Sehlian de naal baith ke, tu lagi rehndi Snapchat te, she winked into her phone and licked her lips innocently. She recorded herself twerking while pulling her towel almost high enough but ended the video.

She sent the video, however, crinkled her eyes in mischief, opening another app and started the countdown.

Diljit Dosanjh continued to swoon her with words in the background. In an instant she was lifted off the ground as a pair of familiar, strong arms encircled her from the back.

She yelped at the sudden head rush. She lifted her phone with her left arm, "wow, that was 20 seconds from the study to our room... new record, baby.

Arnav grazed his teeth roughly on her sensitive spot just west of her collarbone, "You need to stop distracting me. I have a major merger going down in two days.

He licked a trail towards the back of her left ear from her collarbone. Khushi closed her eyes, lifted her left arm aggressively pushing his face closer to neck.

"Fine, she mumbled, "leave. She ended her sentence by slowly grazing her bottom against him.

Arnav groaned.

"f**k it.

He pulled her towel off her frame, lifted her as she locked her legs behind him while he kicked the closet door shut.