OS: Khushi's Secret Friend

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Khushi's Secret Friend

It was the second day after Arnav and Khushi's wedding at the temple. All the members of the Raizada family have just finished with breakfast. Hariprakash, the RM servant came to clear away all the breakfast dishes. Everyone went away to do their own chores or work; everyone except Khushi. She did not know what to do or where to go. Her mind was burdened with confusion and despair. So she decided to go out into the garden in the front yard of the house in order to distract herself.

She walked in the garden, deeply immersed in her thoughts without really noticing her surroundings. Just then a small chirping sound from a bird brought her thoughts back to earth. She looked around and saw a brown dove, on the ground next to a large tree. She bent down for a closer look at the bird and noticed that the bird's wings were injured. 'Oh you poor little bird!' Khushi exclaimed. 'How did you get hurt?' She immediately went inside the house and into Arnav's room to fetch the first aid box. She tended to the bird's wings using the little first-aid knowledge she knew; she has had experiences of tending to hurt birds with her babuji during her childhood days. She then set the bird on the ground next to the tree and she sat on the ground leaning against the tree.

She looked at the bird and said, 'How did you get here? How did you reach into the yard?' She looked up around her and continued saying,

'Did you fall into here from somewhere?' She again turned to face the bird and said in a more softened voice, 'How did you get hurt? Did you hit onto something? Or did some animal or someone hurt you?' As she stared at the bird while saying all this, a strange realization struck her. I myself don't know what had happened that has caused me to end up over here. And here I am trying to think what might have happened to this bird...

'You know, birdie', Khushi said softly to the bird, 'I too seem to have ended up here in RM all bruised up like you. Just like you are not able to fly out over the yard, I too am stuck over here.' She saw that the bird was looking at her intently. The bird gave a low chirping sound and she felt as though the bird understood what she said. Did the bird really understand me or is it just my imagination?

'Little birdie, I have no one to talk with in this house; no one with whom I can share my feelings and by the looks of it, even you don't have any bird friends to talk with right now,' Khushi said to the bird. A small smile formed over her lips and she continued saying, 'So how would it be if we become friends? Think about it... I would be able to tell you about myself and you too can tell me about yourself. But yeah, if I am not able to understand you, don't blame me.' The bird just kept staring at her. Khushi's smile vanished and tears started to form in her eyes. No one seems interested in talking to me. Amma, jiji, and buaji are not talking to me anymore. Even though naniji and Anjaliji accepted me into their family, they are still upset with me. Tears started to pour from her eyes. Why did all this happen to me? Was it really just two ago that I got married to Arnav? she wondered as more tears fell from her eyes. The bird then twitched its head slightly and gave another low chirping sound.

That chirp was enough to coax Khushi to wipe off the tears and pour out her heart's sadness to the bird. 'Two days ago, it was my jiji's wedding day.There was just happiness surrounding me; everyone was immersed in the happiness of the wedding. But by the end of the day, all the happiness was extinguished. The day had began very well; I was busy with preparing food for the wedding guests. Even Arnavji had come to help serve the food. I couldn't believe that Arnav Singh Raizada was helping me serve food; it was all like a beautiful dream from long ago.'

'Yeah, everything was going on fine... like a beautiful dream. Arnavji even said he wanted to say something to me. I was even wondering whether he was finally going to tell me that…' But no…

Marry me... for six months... or else your sisters's wedding won't happen. Of course, that was the something he had finally said and I kept thinking he was going to... No, I had been stupid to think that... 'But after hearing Arnavji utter those words, it was as if the beautiful dream had turned into a nightmare.'

But how did such a perfect day just change and become the worst day ever? 'Everything went fine until...,' Khushi said aloud and then a realization struck her. '...Shyam... everything went fine until I met Shyam at the terrace. That was when things went wrong.' Its like as though he has jinxed my life... as though he has cast an evil eye on me that day at the terrace and everything went wrong for me.

'Yes, that was when things went wrong. I went to the terrace hoping to meet Arnavji, but I met Shyam instead. And then hearing all the things Shyam said I had realized that he was a much worse person than I thought. I had decided to tell all the truth about Shyam to Arnavji but I couldn't find Arnavji anywhere. And when I did find him, I also found out Anjaliji is pregnant. And then later Arnavji forced me to agree to the marriage... the marriage that seized all my happiness... the marriage that has wreaked my life... the marriage that has made me an orphan once again.' And tears started pouring from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands and cried. She cried till she could cry no more. The bird gave a slightly louder chirp when she became quiet. She felt there was something comforting in that chirp. She felt much better at having shared her grief with someone, even though that someone was just a bird.

Khushi suddenly started to feel that all hope is not lost; she can still try and mend atleast some things. 'That is it! I am done with crying. I am not going to just sit by and weep anymore,' she said out aloud. 'Instead I will try to get answers from Arnavji. I will try to make jiji talk with me and I will keep telephoning amma and buaji until they forgive me and talk with me.'

She then looked at the little creature that gave her this hope and consolement and she said, 'But what about you, birdie? What will you do now? How will you get out from this place? You can't even fly. I think you should stay here till your wings get better. Maybe I can take you inside the house...' But where in the house? And what would I say if anyone asks me? I don't think anyone would object to helping the hurt bird but…' No birdie, I'm sorry I can't take you into the house. When everyone is so upset with me... I can't... no, I don't want to ask favours. I guess its better if you are out here in the garden.'

Suddenly an idea came into Khushi's mind. 'Wait here, birdie... I'll be back,' she said and rushed into the house. She went into the store room and took an empty, cast-away shoe-box. She ran back into the yard and collected some dried leaves and lined the box with the leaves. She put the bird inside the box without the lid and placed the box in between some bushes. 'There... how is it, birdie? Do you like it? You can stay here and I'll be there to look after you. What do you say?' The bird gave a chirp that sounded like an affirmative.

******

After leaving the bird by the bushes, she had informed the watchman about the bird and had asked him to make sure that none of the servants or anyone else do not scare the bird away. Khushi is a member of the Raizada family and she knew that the watchman wouldn't dare to defy her orders. She also knew that the watchman wouldn't bother any of the Raizadas with this trivial matter. Khushi also knew that none of the Raizadas spent much time in the yard; there was no way they would notice the bird hidden among the bushes. Birdie would be my secret from everyone… my little secret friend, she thought cheerfully. The thought of having a secret friend seemed a bit silly to her but it was the only cheerful thing to look forward to.

******

Three days later:

It was evening. Khushi went into the kitchen muttering loudly, 'I didn't realize the time fly away while praying to DM. And now I'm late for meeting my secret friend.' She had been meeting her secret friend the past few days when others were busy with their work after lunch time and just before dinner time. These were the times when she was alone; actually she was alone most of the times and no one particularly bothered about where she might be or what she might be doing. Even Arnav goes to the office in the morning and comes back late in the night. So whenever she has nothing else to do, she chatted with her bird friend and she would feed it raw rice grains that she took from the kitchen.

She never told anyone about the rice she took; she just did not know how to broach such a topic with anyone when no one wanted to speak to her more than what was necessary. Everytime she took the rice grains she wondered whether it was all right to take it without anyone's permission. But everytime she dismissed her thoughts by convincing herself that she has a right to do so. After all that Arnavji has done to me, I have a right to expect him to provide meals for my friend!

*******

Arnav had come home early on that evening. He had been spending way too much time in the office the past few days. He did this because he wanted to avoid everyone's questions and most importantly, he wanted to avoid Khushi's questions. No, not just her questions but I want to avoid her as well, as much as I can. But that evening he came home early because of the terrible headache he had. He went into the kitchen on his way to his room to see if HP was there and to ask for a cup of coffee. But he saw Khushi go into the kitchen and he heard her say to herself something about being late to meet a secret friend. Secret friend? What secret friend? He then saw her take out a handful of rice grains and she came out of the kitchen. 'What do you mean by secret friend?' he asked aloud, startling Khushi. 'And where are you taking that rice?'

Khushi was surprised to see Arnav early today. Oh no, did he hear me say about my secret friend? What else did I blabber about and how much did he hear? But out loud she replied, 'Secret friend? What secret friend? I don't have any secret friend. And this rice... its for me.'

Arnav could clearly notice that she was hiding something. 'Its for you, is it?' he asked her.

'Yes, its for me,' Khushi said, trying to sound confidently. 'Why? Am I not allowed to eat a bit of rice? Are you planning to starve me?'

'No. I don't want to starve you but... Uncooked rice? Are you really thinking of eating that? And you didn't answer my question about the secret friend' Arnav said, raising one of his eyebrows.

Khushi had no answer. She wondered how to get out of this. Just then Arnav's phone rang and he picked up the call. Seeing that he was busy with the call, Khushi quickly ran out, fed the bird and came back as quickly as she could. She did not have time to chat with her bird friend; she didn't want Arnav to find about the bird. And why should I tell him about my friend? He never gave me the answers I want... he never told me the reason for marrying me like this! And anyways, after the discord he created between me and my family, he has no right to know about my friend!

******

Arnav knew that Khushi was trying to hide something. Something about a secret friend... who is this friend? And why is the friend a secret? And was she going to meet this secret friend? If only his phone had not interrupted him, he could have questioned her further. But it was an important phone call from one of his clients and he could not avoid it. He wondered who this secret friend is. For a moment, he wondered whether it was Shyam. But he knew that was not possible because Shyam had gone with Di to the hospital for Di's check-up.

Later, when his Di returned, he enquired from his Di whether anyone has been coming to the house to meet Khushi or whether Khushi has been going out somewhere. 'No chote, no one has been coming here. Why do you ask? And now that I think about it, Khushi hasn't gone out anywhere!' Anjali replied. She couldn't understand the reason behind Arnav's questions but her last statement made her think that her chote needed some sisterly advice. So she said, 'I think you should take Khushi out somewhere, chote. I'm still disappointed in both of you for your hasty decision. But now Khushi is your wife. And I think you should spend some time with her. Take her out somewhere... maybe to the temple. I know you don't like going there but she would like it. And it would be good to get DM's blessings for your marriage life.'

'Err... right, Di.' Arnav replied absentmindedly. He wasn't really paying much attention to what his Di was saying. So who is this friend that Khushi is secretly meeting? Arnav wasn't bothered to know about Khushi's friends. It was the word 'secret' that made him curious. But thinking about all this, made his headache worse. He decided he would retire for the night and think about all this the next morning.

The next morning, Arnav woke up late and came down for breakfast late, owing to the headache he had the previous night. Everyone were done with their breakfast. He saw Khushi again take a handful of rice grains and go out of the front door; she didn't seem to have noticed him. He quietly followed her out into the yard and saw her feeding a bird and talking to it. What? Is this the secret friend?! He was totally shocked to realize that this is the 'secret friend.'

*****

Khushi went to feed the bird after breakfast. Since she couldn't talk with her bird friend the previous evening, she decided to come here early. She knew Arnav was still in the house but he was still asleep. So she knew that it was safe to come here now. 'I'm sorry I couldn't talk with you last night,' she told the bird. 'Arnavji had come home early. And you know that I don't want him to know about you. What if he says you can't stay here?' she said.

She sat down leaning against the tree and she continued saying, 'You know, birdie... I phoned amma today as well and like always she cut the call as soon as she heard my voice. And jiji is still upset with me and wouldn't talk with me. I tried a lot to cheer her and make her talk... but she didn't. When will they talk to me? Birdie, I can't bear this anymore,' Khushi said to the bird and tears started to drop from her eyes.

*****

Arnav heard all that she said to the bird. He felt really hurt to see her in tears. He immediately went into the house. He remembered the words she said to him in his room after they were married... Because of you, my family hates me... because of you, I have become an orphan once again... And today, after hearing all the words she said and seeing the pain in her eyes, Arnav was in a dilemma. He really wanted to think that she deserved it for trying to ruin his Di's happiness. But he couldn't; instead he felt like wanting to try and do something to comfort her. No, I can't become weak. I need to get a grip on myself. Khushi wanted to wreak my Di's happiness... everything else was just a pretense.

*****

Later that afternoon:

Arnav went to the Gupta's house to have a talk with them. He wanted to sort out the problems between Khushi and her family. Although he had decided against it in the morning, Khushi's words were haunting his mind throughout the day. So he decided he might as well settle the matters and give some peace to his mind. He tried to reason with himself: Its just that being separated from Shyam and not being able to be with Shyam itself is the greatest punishment for her. So why should she be separated from her family as well? Of course, that is just it... its not because I'm weak and not that I care for her...

So he went to the Gupta house and he explained to Khushi's mother and buaji that Khushi had agreed to this hasty wedding only upon his insistence (Of course he did not tell them that he made Khushi agree to wedding by using Payal's wedding as an excuse and he did not tell them about the six month clause). But he did try to tell them that Khushi was not at fault and that if anyone is to be blamed for this hasty wedding, it had to be him. It had been his decision and Khushi had merely agreed to his decision. He told them that he would be more at peace if they accepted Khushi; he did not want to be the one to separate Khushi from her family.

Since it had been almost one week after the wedding, buaji and amma's anger did subside slightly. And after hearing Arnav's words, their anger vanished. They were still upset with the way things had happened but they decided to forgive Khushi. Arnav was glad to hear this. He also had a similar talk with Payal later on. And he had also told the Guptas and Payal not to mention about his talk with them to Khushi.

*****

That evening Khushi went out into the yard to talk with her bird friend.

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