Vignettes - Koi Hai?! Part 2, Pg 2. ~~English Version - Pg 3&4~~ - Page 2

Congratulations for the award. Very spooky. Loved it.

Congratulations on winning the contest.

I enjoyed it reading during the voting time and loved it even today when I read it again.

What happened next? Are you planning on continuing it?

Congratulations Aparna for winning. I loved the story and voted for it (as ilfordian)> I screamed too.

Hope you are enjoying your return to IPK Forum.

Congratulations for winning the contest!

The story was really nice and spooky.

Eagerly waiting to know what happens when Khushi finds out, there were two Arnavs and one of them is not a human. Or was it just a prank?

Cheers...

Part 2

Leaping out before his SUV came to a complete stop, much to Mohan’s distress, Arnav ran in, slamming the door open. He was about to run upstairs when he saw everyone gathered around Khushi and Dhruv. Khushi, white-faced, eerily still, was held in an iron-grip by his Di on one side and Payal on the other, while a thoroughly shaken Dhruv was being fussed over by his Mami and Nani.

Rushing over to them, Arnav crouched in front of Khushi, and grabbing her ice-cold hands lying limp in her lap, asked urgently, “What was that, Khushi? Mera toh jaan nikal gaya tum donon ke screams sunke. Aur kisi ki bhi phone nahi lag rahi toh mujhe Hari Prakash ko call karna pada, aur usne bola ki tum donon kuch dekhkar darr gaye! Seriously?!”

Looking at him blankly for a minute, her eyes unfocussed, Khushi flinched, and with a look of immense fear, pulled back her hands from Arnav’s. Shrinking back into Di’s side, she looked at him in blind panic, leaving Arnav stunned, his very breath stopping at having Khushi moving away from him in fear, something she had never done since the very beginning of their contract marriage.

Looking at his Di and seeing her slight shake of head, he gulped, and glancing over at Dhruv, who was looking on, his eyes moving over Arnav’s face frantically, he turned back, and kneeling now, he said softly, “Khushi… main hoon… dekho meri taraf…”, gazing at his wife steadily, heartbreak evident on his face.

Jerking involuntarily as that beloved voice penetrated her fear-fogged brain, Khushi looked up, her gaze slowly focusing on her Arnavji’s face, awareness returning to them. With a cry of relief, she almost leapt at him, sending them both crashing back to the floor, Arnav leaning a hand back to keep them both steady.

Burrowing as close to him as possible, Khushi sat, half on his lap and half on the floor, sobbing out, “Arnavji… woh… humare kamre mein… aap the.. nahi… aap jaisa koi… behroopiya…”

Sitting flat on the floor and cradling her now, drawing her on to his lap fully, he replied softly, “Shhh… Khushi. I’m with you … you’re safe now… please ro mat… shhh….”, even as he looked up in confusion, at Di and then at Dhruv.

Voices shaking, Dhruv and Anjali updated him on what had happened, Anjali saying first what she had been able to piece together from Khushi’s panicked version, of how she had been aware of Arnav sleeping next to her till late afternoon, and how she had been sitting with him on the poolside. Dhruv, still shaken, told him how he had seen his Bhabi sitting talking to Arnav who had been doing some gardening; and how he had thought Arnav was joking when he called and had gone upstairs to see what was what.

Hugging him even more tightly, Khushi whispered, “Aur jab Dhruv aaya, hum aapke paas chali, aur jaise hi humne aapke pass aayi, toh aap mud gaye aur fir…”, her voice trailed off, blanching again, eyes tighly closed.

“Whatever it was, Bhaiyya, or rather whoever it was, looked just like you from behind, but the face was fully decomposed, sort of oozing, the front of his shirt and trousers muddy and wet and stinking”, Dhruv mumbled, staring straight ahead, “I just remember that we both screamed, and I rushed forward to grab Bhabi, before that thing could hurt her, and just as that face looked towards me, it vanished. But we could still smell it, Bhaiyya!”

Half-sceptical and half-stunned, he looked at the others, only to have them nod their heads in confirmation, and Payal spoke up, her voice shaking, “Arnavji, hum upar humare kamre me thi, Dhruv ke upar jaane ke baad, aur inke cheeken sunkar hum daudke gayi aur uss cheez ki ek jhalak hume bhi mili.”

“Aur toh aur Arnav bitwa, woh simell ab bhi prejent hai tumhre roomwa me!”, Manorama too contributed.

Hugging his still-shaking wife close, Arnav whispered, “Khusi, ek minute Di ke paas baitho, Mai dekhke aata hoon”, only to have her clench him in terror. “Nahi Arnavji! Aap mat jaayiye, aapko koi haani pohonchaaya toh?! Mat jaayiye!”

“Shh… akele nahi jaaoonga, I’ll take the Prakashs with me, par dekhna toh hai na, Khushi. Humara ghar hai, jaanna toh hai ki ye kya tha aur andar kaise aaya?”

Looking up at him in fear, she replied, “Aapko yaad hai, kal uss hotel me bhi humko laga tha ki koi hume dekh raha hai? Ajeeb si darr lagi thi hume uss jagah. Shayad wahan se humare sath aaya hoga, Arnavji! Koi bhoot hi hai ye!”

Shaking his head, Arnav was about to give his standard reply, when he saw how fearful she was, and gritting his teeth in a sudden flare of anger at whoever or whatever had made his wife so upset, he stroked her hair, and managing to speak in a normal tone, said, “Jo bhi hai, dekh ke aata hoon.” Turning to his Nani who had been quietly praying, murmuring shlokas under her breath, he asked, “Nani, aap bhi aayenge mere sath?”

Looking at him in surprise, she nodded and got up, waiting till Arnav deposited Khushi near Anjali and called all three Prakashs to come upstairs. After a thorough search of his room revealed nothing, no presence, no lingering smell, he directed the Prakshs to do a check of every single room, while he turned to his Nani.

“Nani, mujhe aapki salah chahiye. Khushi nadaan hai, lekin iss tarah respond kar rahi hai toh sachch me kuch scary dekhi hogi, aur toh Dhruv bhi bol raha hai, and he is a very practical person. Aapko kya lagta hai, kya hua hai yahan?”

Looking around, Devyani replied, “Humri iss lambji jindgi ma humko bahut kuch dikhne ko mile hai, bitwa. Kuch isan bhi cheeze hovat hain jisko hum vyaakhya naahi kar sakat hai. Humko laagat hai ki iyaan kuch aloukik hi hua hai.”

“Matlab, aapko sach me lagta hai ki something supernatural is going on?” Arnav asked, his logical side at war with what people around him had experienced.

“Aur ka jawab doon, bitwa? Kya kya hua hai iyaan?”, she asked, showing fear for the first time. “Bitwa, hum panditji ko bula lete hai kal hi. Pooja karne khaatir.”

Holding her close, Arnav replied, “Ji Nani.”

It took all his efforts to get Khushi calm and settle down to sleep, which came to no one at Shantivan that night. Dozing and spending the whole night in semi-wakefulness, Khushi held Arnav in an iron-grip, his efforts at soothing her to sleep going futile. Breakfast being a subdued affair, everyone waited for the Panditji to come and do the necessary poojas to remove the evil spirit, heaving a sigh of relief as the poojas got over before nightfall.

Exhausted, everyone headed off to bed, Khushi almost asleep on her feet. Getting her settled, Arnav stayed with her until she fell asleep, before going to the study where Akash had been waiting to discuss a few urgent office matters, seeing how they both hadn’t gone to work that day. It was in the middle of their discussion that a loud scream rang out, “Arnavji!!!!!”

Bolting upstairs, Arnav came to a sliding halt at their room, to see Khushi sitting curled up against the headboard, white with fear. Frantically looking around, he saw nothing, but noticed a musty smell, as he ran to her. With great gulping sobs, Khushi told him how she had felt a hand slipping into hers, and assuming it was Arnav, she had squeezed it, only for that hand to dissolve into pulp, along with the air permeating with the musty smell that she had now come to recognize as what signaled the presence of the supernatural.

Thus proceeded another sleepless night for the Raizada family, everyone having woken up at Khushi’s scream.

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

The pattern followed, with the Presence making an appearance whenever Arnav was not around Khushi, leading to Dhruv making a half-hearted joke, even in the tense atmosphere that permeated the house, “Ajeeb insaan hai! Naa ki logon ko, balki bhoot-pret ko bhi Arnav Singh Raizada se darr hai kya?!”

While said in a lighter vein, that got Arnav thinking, as he sat next to his wife, who was trying to remain as cheerful as possible, going about her daily routine, while the underlying uneasiness drained away her energy day-by-day. Watching his Khushi going through the motions daily, his helplessness eating away at him, Arnav was ready to try any means to get rid of whatever was haunting Khushi.

The seed planted by Dhruv growing stronger every passing day, as he noticed that the Presence, as they had started referring to it, would appear only in front of Khushi, but wouldn’t go away of someone walked in after it appeared. But never, ever, was not felt in the house if Arnav was present. As the frequency of incidences started increasing, with Khushi living in perpetual fear, he went to talk to the Panditji who had done the initial poojas with his Nani and Mamaji.

Examining Arnav’s Janam Kundli and talking to him in detail, and still not able to make a connection with Arnav being able to ward of the presence, the Panditji said, “Aap sabke baatein sunke humein ye gyaat hua hai ki ye koi aisi aatma hai jo Khushi bitiya ki maasoomiyat se aakarshit hoke unse judne lag gaye hai. Aur jab ki iss aatma ko sirf Khushi bitiya se lagaav hai, kisi aur ke hone ya naa hone se issko koi farak nahi pad raha, sivaay aapke, Arnav bitwa. Aapke kundili se hume kuch gyaat nahi ho raha, lekin kuch toh taakat ya maano ishwar ke aashirvaad hai aapke upar ki aapke saamne koi bhi duraatma prakat nahi ho paa rahe.”

Drawing a deep breath, the Panditji thought a while and continued, “Ek aakhiri kriya kar sakte hain hum. Ek aisi pooja jisme aap donon ko prastut hona hoga, aur hum uss aatma ke aavahan karenge. Uske baad hum usske upashtiti mein aap aur aapki patni, donon ko ek atut bandhan me jodenge, taaki jo bhi hai, jiski wajah se aap par aisi dusht shakti ki prabhaav nahi pad rahe, usski faayda aapki patni ko bhi mile. Kya aap raazi hain, iss kriya ke liye?”

“Jo bhi aap bole, Panditji. Whatever it takes! Mujhe bas Khushi ko normal karna hai. Usski iss halat mujhse dekha nahi jaa raha”, Arnav replied, his voice husky from his distress on behalf of his wife, and then lapsing into his usual silence, while his Mamaji and Naniji talked to the Panditji in detail to arrange everything for the Pooja that was to take place in the evening.

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

Walking in to the house, he found Khushi waiting for him anxiously, as she was wont to these days, unable to be away from him in peace for even a minute. Flanked by Dhruv and Akash, she was sitting in the family lounge, with Anjali and Payal keeping watchful gazes on her from the Kitchen. Mami was sitting close by, her head swiveling in every direction, keep close watch, with NK walking around the room continuously.

His heart constricting at the look of fear on his wife’s face, and filling to the brim at the same time as he watched how the entire family was standing guard around her, he smiled, bracing himself to catch her as she got up and ran to him. Catching her up in a tight hug, he said, “Sab theek ho jaayega, tum worry mat karo. Mai, Mamaji aur Nani Panditji se milke pooja ki taiyyaariyaan karke aaye hai.”

Feeling Khushi going still in his arms, he leaned back, trying to see her face, only to stop in confusion at the stunned expression she sported, her mouth open in an ‘O’. He was about to ask her what had happened, when he noticed that the whole room had gone silent as well. Looking up, he saw the entire family at a stand still, their expressions exact copies of that his wife had. Gently keeping her down, he looped an arm around her waist as he asked, “What? Aise kyu dekh rahe hai sab?”

“What nahi Nannav, What the!” NK said, “Tum Panditji se mile? Apne aap? Without Di forcing you to? Aur pooja fix karke aaye ho? Who are you and where is my Nannav?!”

“That’s enough, NK!” Arnav muttered, his expression a copy of the old ASR, but his tone much milder, a slight sheepish tone having entered into it.

Starting to laugh, even in the middle of the tense atmosphere that held firm over the house, Akash said, “NK bhai… aapke Nannav toh apne Khushiji ke liye kuch bhi kar sakete hai. Panditji se milna toh maamuli si baat hai unko, jisne saikadon logon ke saamne apne Khushiji ke liye naacha ho!”

The family dissolving into laughter at the memories, Arnav looked down at his laughing wife, and smiled, his heart lightening at seeing the old Khushi-sparkle back in her eyes.

While Nani updated everyone about the Pooja over tea, it was Dhruv’s turn to pull his Bhaiyya’s leg. Smirking at Khushi after giving a slight nod to his brother, he said, “Waise toh Bhabi, mujhe lagta hai ki in sab happenings me koi conspiracy hai. What do you think, Bahi?”

Playing along, Akash replied, taking care to avoid his wife’s suspicious look, “I agree. Warna aise kaise ho sakta hai ki sab kuch Bhai ke iraade ke anusaar ho raha ho?”

“Wohi! Exactly!”, Dhruv exclaimed, keeping an eye on his Bhaiyya’s reactions, “Matlab, ye jo bhi aatma hai, woh Bhaiyya ke hote hue nahi aate. Aur ab ussko hataane ki chakkar me, ye ho raha hai ki Bhabi ko Bhaiyya se koi atut bandhan me bandhi jaa rahi hai. I mean, it is going to be some sort of linking of souls ritual! I smell an ASR touch in this whole thing!”

“Dhruv! Akash! Chup! Aisi baaton ko leke mazaak kar rahe ho?” Anjali said, worried now that her Chotte, already stressed beyond all limts, would explode at this leg-pulling, only to do a double take as she looked over at him. Instead of responding, he was gazing steadily at his wife, who was looking back at him, teary-eyed and smiling.

At Arnav’s nod, whatever silent communication had been happening apparently over, Khushi replied, “Hum toh jude hue hi hai, Dhruv... koi bhi pooja ya kriya ho ya naa ho, hum aur tumhare Bhaiyya hamesha se, hamesha ke liye jude hue hi toh hai…”

This, delivered in utmost seriousness, unlike Khushi’s usual jovial tones, was enough to silence everyone, with Nani, Anjali and Payal finding themselves teary-eyed, as the couple’s past trials flashed before their eyes. Dhruv, while aware of their bond, but having never seen all that they had been through, was about to reply, when he found his hand pressed slightly by Akash, whose subtle nod of head tuned him into the mood that everyone had descented into. Looking at his Bhaiyya, Dhruv was once again reminded of his utter devotion to his Khushi, by the tender expression he saw there. Dhruv was the only one who saw the silent “Hamesha…” that Arnav whispered to his wife, making her face light up in a tremulous smile.

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

By evening, the Pooja was happening as per Panditji’s instructions, and by the time the aavahan of the aatma started, a somber mood prevailed, everyone jittery and on the edge, expecting something super natural to happen. However, in spite of many tries, the aatma;s presence wasn’t being granted, until suddenly Naniji said, from the corner that the rest of the family excluding Khushi and Arnav were sitting, “Shayad Chotte ke iyaan hone se naahi aa rahe toh?”

Seeing him about to oppose vehemently the idea that he leave her alone, Khushi took his hand in hers and said softly, “Arnavji, agar isse ye museebat hamesha ke liye door ho gayegi toh ek baar koshish toh karte hai. Aap fikar mat keejiye, sab hai yahan, Panditji bhi. Aur ye bhi hai ki aaj tak uss aatma ne hume koi takleef nahi pohonchaayi, bus hum hi darr jaati hai, har baar.”

Pressing tightly on her hand, he replied urgently, “But who knows aaj kya hoga, Khushi? Agar mere na hone se kuch kiya ya tumhe kuch hua toh mai….”

“Shhh… shubh shubh sochiye, Arnavji. Hume kuch nahi hoga. Aap bus thodi der ke liye bahar jaayiye.”

Leaving reluctantly, Arnav paced along the driveway, waiting for someone to come and call him back, while the Panditji tried the ritual again. Everyone seated at a distance felt that nothing had changed, and Akash was about to ask when he saw Khushi stiffen, and the Panditji, his eyes still closed, raised a warning hand, sensing the Presence. Looking at the corner doorway towards which Khushi was staring, no one could make out anything, but slowly became aware of the musty smell.

Trembling, but sitting steady, Khushi prayed with all her might, until the Panditji finished the imbibing ritual where the aatma was enmeshed in a gold-leaf figurine. At his nod, Akash went to call Arnav in and the rest of the ritual went on flawlessly, with the binding ceremony too carried out. At the completion of that, when Arnav and Khushi clasped their hands over the ritual fire, there was a flare in all the lamps and fires lit, and then the flares dimmed into a soft steady glow, making the Panditji smile in pleasure, and bestowed his heartfelt blessings on the couple.

Heaving a sigh of relief and satisfaction, he said, “Sab shubh hua. Ab hum madir jaake baaki pooja aur karam karenge jisse iss aatma ko mukti praapt ho jaayegi. Aap sab nishchint rahiye, aage se aisa kuch bhi nahi hoga isss ghar me aur iss parivaar ke sadasyon ko. Jo bhi siddhi hai Arnavji me, jisse iss aatma unki patni ke paas inke hote hue aa bhi nahi sake, woh hi siddhi ke chaaya me rahenge sab.”

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

It was a happy dinner that everyone finished late into the night. The atmosphere of the house itself feeling lighter and brighter, one by one everyone wandered off to bed. Waiting by the poolside for Arnavji to some after his bath, Khushi looked up at her stars, marvelling at the experience they all had had, unbelievable though it seemed now. She was thinking of the rituals that had bound their souls and spirit together, smiling softly at the continuous loops in which life wound them together, when a hand slipped around her. Almost jumping out of her skin, she was about to turn when a voice as familiar as her own heartbeat said, his smile evident in the voice, “Shh… Main hoon, Khushi… aur Koi nahi hai….”

Author’s Note:

And phinis!!!!

Hope I did justice to this story!!!

Res.

This time pakka reading and editing this immediately 🙈😂.

Edited :

Wow! Khushi ke liye Arnav is willing to go to any and all lengths 😆. I was surprised when he asked Nani about her opinion and later said yes to the Puja. But when he went to Panditji himself, I was literally 😲😲.

So the jokes of the family were instantly relatable for me 🤣.

Whoever or whatever the presence was, is afraid of ASR too 🤣. And now Mrs. ASR as well after the soul binding and stuff. They were already bound but the rituals were just for making it official 😉.

The last part was cute 😳. Arnav bitwa, even if it's you, don't startle your wife for a few days please 😳. She had to go through sleeping with that presence (twice), hand holding and what not . Although the presence was not an evil one (thank god for that) but it doesn't have manners 🤔. Aise thodi na kisi ke bhi room me enter hoke unke bed pe so jaate hai 🤔.

Bad presence. No gifts for you this Christmas 🤔.

I know I'm going nuts here 🤣. That indicates my current brain status 🙈😂.

Will read and comment on Tujhpe Kurbaan Dil soon (hopefully 🤞🏼).

Love,

Stuti

P.S. A doubt. Why could others not see the presence at the end? Hadn't Dhruv and Payal seen it earlier? So this presence can choose whom to be visible to at a particular time? 😲

Originally posted by: ssttuuttii

Res.

This time pakka reading and editing this immediately 🙈😂.

Edited :

Wow! Khushi ke liye Arnav is willing to go to any and all lengths 😆. I was surprised when he asked Nani about her opinion and later said yes to the Puja. But when he went to Panditji himself, I was literally 😲😲.

So the jokes of the family were instantly relatable for me 🤣.

Whoever or whatever the presence was, is afraid of ASR too 🤣. And now Mrs. ASR as well after the soul binding and stuff. They were already bound but the rituals were just for making it official 😉.

The last part was cute 😳. Arnav bitwa, even if it's you, don't startle your wife for a few days please 😳. She had to go through sleeping with that presence (twice), hand holding and what not . Although the presence was not an evil one (thank god for that) but it doesn't have manners 🤔. Aise thodi na kisi ke bhi room me enter hoke unke bed pe so jaate hai 🤔.

Bad presence. No gifts for you this Christmas 🤔.

I know I'm going nuts here 🤣. That indicates my current brain status 🙈😂.

Will read and comment on Tujhpe Kurbaan Dil soon (hopefully 🤞🏼).

Love,

Stuti

P.S. A doubt. Why could others not see the presence at the end? Hadn't Dhruv and Payal seen it earlier? So this presence can choose whom to be visible to at a particular time? 😲

Wow!!! You've really gone bonkers!!! 🤣

Thanks for that entertaining evaluation, Stuti...😃 and btw, the presence was not seen by other coz it was being summoned and not appearing on its own volition... so only the most perceptive ones, Khushi and the Panditji could see it.

Wow! The last part is here. I almost missed it.

So, there is really something paranormal exists. I thought it was all a prank to get them into unbreakable bond.

But, one thing I liked and I used myself is, these beyond the world things are wary of Arnav. They don't want to ruffle Arnav's feathers for some reason.

I must say that the members of Raizada family are very practical and brave. They did not panic or refuse to live in the house where a paranormal thing is appearing and disappearing as it pleases. I know it only appeared in Arnav and Khushi's room and poolside.

Of course, Khushi is the bravest. Bravely sleeping in the same room in spite of feeling presence again and again.

Loved the final part.

Cheers........

Loved the second part. Arnav doing everything for Khushi.

English Version - Part 1

Koi Hai?!

“Arnavji, I've been telling you, I'm not completely sure. Last time you were asleep and I think I must have been lost in thought, and not noticed anything”, Khushi wrung her hands.

Staring at the long road being swiftly eaten up by their GLA, Khushi exclaimed again, “Hey Devi Maiyya, what sort of confusion is this? We haven't seen even a single light in so long!”

“Shh, Khushi, don't worry so much. I'm here, we’ll figure it out. I just wish we manage to connect to some network”, Arnav reached over to rub over her tightly clenched hands. “Actually,I figured that we’re not on the main road anymore because we lost network connectivity long back. I was fast asleep last time, so nothing looks familiar anyway.”

It was close to 11pm on a moonless night, and the road was empty. The couple were on their way back home from Malihabad, where they had gone to help get Pooja’s family get settled into their new house. NK and his wife Pooja had gone to Australia on an extended visit when a sudden emergency repair that had to be done at their home. With Pooja's brother BIttu away at college, and her father Diwakarji recovering from a sprained back had thrown the elderly couple into total confusion and helplessness. Akash and Payal had immediately volunteered to go, considering how close they had grown to them. However, Manorama had fallen ill with a sudden fever, and Payal had wanted to stay with her so badly that Arnav and Khushi decided to go in their stead. It could have been easily handled by the multitude of AR's minions, but family was family, and one of the Raizadas would go anyway.

Having driven down the previous day and stayed the whole day today to make sure the couple were comfortably settled, Khushi and Arnav decided to drive back to Delhi in the evening rather than Arnav sacrificing one more working day. However, somehow or the other, talking and laughing, they had missed a turn, and instead to nearing Delhi after 6 hours of driving, they were still somewhere in the hinterland. The total lack of people, traffic and lights on such a well-laid out road was surprising, Arnav thought. Looking left to his jittery wife, he frowned. “I better divert her, else she will worry herself thin!”

“Waise how do you know I haven't planned a detour?”, he grinned. “Maybe I wanted to get a romantic night with my wife, without a hundred odd people hovering around constantly.”

“Haww! Laad Governor kaheenke! Everything is a game to you!”, she shot back, delivering a light smack on his arm. “I know this is not something you planned, else we would have reached a hotel or a resort long back”, she quipped, well-versed in her husband’s rare weekend getaway ideas.

“Point acknowledged, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada”, he grinned, even as he spotted a landscaped campus looming up on his right. Slowing, he saw the signage proclaming it to be a resort, and thanking fate, he turned to Khushi. “I spoke too soon, I think. If I had waited a minute, I could’ve passed this off as a getaway!”

“Aahaha! Stop joking around and ask them for the route! Don't you want to reach home?”

“Nahi Khushi, I’m tired, actually. Let’s sleep here and leave in the morning.”

Gazing at his tired eyes, and seeing how he grimaced as he stretched his cramped muscles, Khushi smiled, “Ji Arnavji. I think so too, let's get a room and get some rest.”

The lush greenery, the smiling valet, the grand lobby and the cordial desk manager impressing even ASR, they checked in quick, after a cursory discussion on the route, Arnav learning that they had missed a highway exit about an hour back. Requesting an early wake-up call, Arnav grabbed Khushi’s hand and turned to follow the bell-boy, when he was pulled up short by his wife. Leaning close, Khushi murmured, “This place feels a little weird, Arnavji.”

At his questioning look, she continued,”Things are a little too nice... like a film set .”

Smirking, he countered, “Have you ever thought if people find you a little weird?” Gathering her close, he walked forward, “You’re tired Khushi, and it is late, let's just sleep. We need to leave at 6 .”

“But Arnavji, this place…”

“Shhhh….”

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

Freshening up and settling quickly, Arnav sighed and had just leaned back to wait for Khushi when the room phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Sir, you left your ID at the reception. Shall I bring it up?”

“Nahi, I’ll come down. I need to ask you for directions anyway. Was planning to do it in the morning. It'll be tough if we don't get time in the morning.”

Walking up to the bathroom door, he called,”Khushi, I'll just go down to the reception and come. You settle down, just don’t lock the door. I'm leaving the key .”

“Ji, Arnavji, go and come. I'll be out in a minute.”

Khushi heard the door close as she finished brushing her teeth. Rinsing, she got out, brushed her hair and got into bed. She was luxuriating in the soft mattress, slowly slipping into slumber when she heard the door open. Smiling, she turned over, squinting at her husband's form outlined against the light from the corridor. “Huh, when did I switch off the light?”, she wondered.

Holding out her hand, she called, “Everything okay? Come let's sleep.”

She could hear the tired rasp in his voice as he whispered back,”Sleep. I'll come.”

Watching him walk out into the balcony and pacing a little, she drifted off. Feeling the mattress dip, she jerked awake, and was about to turn around when his hand came around her, slipping into her hold.

Holding him close, Khushi slept, not noticing a musty smell that permeated the room, or the fact that the door opened and closed gently a little while later, followed by Arnav’s soft laugh as he came in, having had to spend a while at the reception, and looked down at his wife sprawled in a Taekwondo-pose wife.

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

The shrill ringing waking them both up, Arnav turned off the wake up call and pulled his drowsing wife up. “Wake up, Khushi.. we need to leave soon. Catch up on your sleep in the car. I have to reach office as soon as possible, an urgent meeting as come up”

Snuggling close for a second, Khushi stretched and leaning up to give him a quick peck, rushed off,”I get to bathe first!”

Laughing at her childish antics, wondering how the polished, graceful Mrs. ASR was still the same old madcap Khushi, Arnav called the reception to keep their checkout form ready. Getting ready and leaving within half an hour, Arnav had just buckled in when he noticed Khushi looking around to the back.

“Forgot anything?”

“Nahi Arnavji, it was a weird place. I felt the whole night as if someone were watching me.”

“Haan, there was.”

“What?!”, Khushi blanched.

Reaching over to tweak her nose, Arnav grinned,”Me!”

Smirking at his sputtering wife, Arnav drove on. Khushi turned around once more to stare at the receding building, rubbing of the sudden goosebumps on her arms.

The ride going uneventfully, they reached Shantivan in a couple of hours. Dropping Khushi off, Arnav drove off, promising to get back as soon as his meeting was over, and instructing her to sleep during the morning.

“Laad Governor, he just wants to give orders and be in control of everything, even in his absence!”, Khushi smiled fondly and headed in, laughing at the wide wave of welcome Dhruv sent her from the breakfast table. Settling down with the family and regaling them with the news of Pooja’s parents and the adventurous trip of the night before, Khushi stayed there till Anjali sent her off to bed, taking note of the increasing frequency of her yawns. Telling everyone that she would have her lunch late and not to wait for her, Khushi gladly trooped up, to catch up on her disturbed sleep.

Falling asleep promptly, she came semi-awake once when Arnav came to bed, quietly so as not wake her up, and hugging her from behind, slipped his hand into hers. Semi-asleep, she wondered why there was a musty smell in the room, as if she was in a bat’s cave, she wrinkled her nose and snuggled into her pillow, making a mental note to do a thorough airing soon. Pulling him close, she slipped into a deeper sleep, comfortably spooned against him.

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Waking up in the late afternoon sun, she stretched, shifting around to face her husband. Finding the side of his bed empty, she spotted his shadow out by the poolside, tending to his plants. Walking up, she settled down to watch him quietly, knowing how he found his time gardening meditative. Half-asleep still, she wondered why his movements looked sluggish, sighing at how he frequently tired himself out with overwork.

Passing by, Dhruv looked over to see his Bhabhi snuggled down in the deck chair, watching his brother potter around with his plants, and softly talking to him. Not able to make out his brother’s replies, seeing only his shadow at the far end, he realised it was one of their private chats, and deciding to leave them to it, he jogged downstairs, wondering when his Bhaiyya had come home and slipped upstairs without anyone noticing.

A while later, Dhruv and Payal were happily chatting about Dhruv’s latest expedition when his phone rang.

“Ji Bhaiyya,” he attended the call, wondering why his brother was calling on the phone.

“Where is everyone? Not one phone is connecting.”, Arnav’s grumbling voice came over the line.

Before giving Dhruv a chance to reply, he continued,” Tell Khushi that I wanted to come home early, but I’m swamped with work. Tell her not to wait for me and have her lunch. By the way, is she still asleep? She's not answering her phone .”

“What are you saying, Bhaiyya, are you trying to pull my leg? I saw you with Bhabi”, Dhruv quipped, shaking his head at Payal. “Nice try! Pranking me is way out of your league, Bhabhi might be able to train you.”

“What the! Dhruv, I’m stuck in meetings and I don’t have time to waste. Just tell Khushi I’ll be home when I can.”

Staring at the dial tone as his brother cut the call, Dhruv grinned. “Payal Bhabhi, Bhaiyya is getting training to pull my leg, from Khushi Bhabhi. Let me go up and meet ASR. Who knows what he actually wants!”

Trotting upstairs, he knocked and upon hearing Khushi’s voice, he entered. Surprised that the light had become dim this early in the evening, something he hadn’t noticed sitting downstairs, he wrinkled his nose at a musty, earthy smell. Shrugging it off, knowing how gardening could sometimes make Arnav drag all sorts of organic compounds up into the garden, he turned to his Bhabhi.

Looking up at him, Khushi smiled, “What a surprise dewarji, you thought of visiting me?”

Dropping down next to her, he bumped her shoulder,”Nahi Bhabhi. I'm here to check on that weird husband of yours.”

Turning to Arnav, who was now at the far end of the courtyard, he raised his voice,”What sort of craziness is it to call me from here?”

Looking at him strangely, Khushi said,”Arnavji? He hasn't made or received a single call in all this time. I was just telling him how peaceful it is.”

“I just spoke to him, Bhabhi!”

“Badmaash! You pull your Bhaiyya's leg a little too much, haan!”

“No seriously….”, Dhruv trailed off as his phone rang again. Glancing sideways at his Bhabhi, who had gotten up to walk over to his brother’s side, he drew out his phone from the pocket.

Looking at the caller image, he paused, a shiver going down his spine. Slowly looking up, he spotted his brother at the far corner, in the same position, bent over the plants, both hands deep in his pockets.

“Hello…”

“Dhruv! Don't tell me she's still asleep? I thought I’ll get an immediate call back from Khushi.”

“Who is this please?”, Dhruv too got up, slowly walking behind his Bhabhi.

“What the hell! Quit fooling around and give the phone to Khushi!”

Staring at his Bhabhi, who had paused, looking out of sorts, and covering her nose with her duppatta, and about to reach out to pull Arnav around, Dhruv rasped,”Bhabhi, wait!”

But it had turned around by then, or rather, what was left of it.

Miles away, Arnav leapt up from his chair at the double screams that rang out from his phone.

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