Part- 29
Arnav looks at the screen of his cell... an unknown number flashing. He mutters to himself, 'this is from India but...'
Anyways he takes the call,
Hello,
Hello Arnav? (Arnav feels that he knows this voice)
Yes... who is this? (His voice is doubtful)
Arnav , NK, NanadKis****...
NK... (Arnav thinks what the...? NK after so long... why? And his thought reflects in his voice.)
Arnav I know you are surprised but I had to call you... I have something very important to tell you?
What? (Arnav asks uninterested)
Khushi is alive, Arnav...
WHAAAT? (Arnav almost springs up from his seat in shock)ARE YOU KIDDING? YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED 3 MONTHS BACK AND YOU ARE SAYING SHE IS ALIVE... ARE YOU NUTS...? THIS IS SICK JOKE AND YOU KNOW IF YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN BEFORE ME I COULD HAVE KILLED YOU... (Arnav shouts on top of his voice making NK deaf for a while)
Arnav calm down... you know I love her too much to crack this kind of sick joke... she is alive Arnav... she is... I know it is hard to believe but I have met her and she is very much alive...
Wh... Where... where is she? How do you know? Ca... Can I ta... talk to her?... (Arnav stutters, his heart beats 200/m, his legs are in the verge of giving away his weight, and he sits back to his chair with a thud)
Arnav she is in India and I am here too with her... there is lot to tell you but can't say over the phone. Come back...
Where in India? (Arnav now is little composed)
Shimla... I am staying here and she is with me. Come as soon possible.
I am leaving now.
Arnav cuts the call and mutters dialing some number, you better be saying the truth or else you will be a dead man tomorrow... Hello, Aman, book the next flight to India and arrange a car in airport, Do it now.'
In the next few hours Arnav is in London airport waiting for his flight to Delhi...
pacing up and down...
Should I believe him... how is it possible? She fell right in front of my eyes and we searched every corner but couldn't find a single sign of her and he is saying she is alive and he has met him...no she is with him... how? If she was alive then why didn't she come back? Is she still angry with me? But her parents, Di, Nani, Payel... what was their fault? I can't wait anymore...
Arnav's chain of thought breaks with the announcement of his flight.
...His car is speeding with every second on the way to Shimla.
Aman who is sitting in passenger seat praying to save the car from fleeing out of the road to the abyss beside it... and trying to trust on Arnav's great driving skill but isn't helping much. He clutches the door handle for support.
Arnav has no idea of anything... his eyes are fixed on road but his mind is lost in thoughts... he hasn't been able to close his eyes since the call and is getting impatient by every passing moments. Still an hour left to reach Shimla. In between he has confirmed the address with NK.
He is thinking of the time when was in hopeless condition after reading the diary and left for London. Khushi's memories and her words haunting him everywhere. But he was wrong to think that he will be able to run away... she was everywhere, in every corner of his life...
His family was not ready to let him go but Di supported his decision because she knew that he needed some time to recover. Then he left and was living and working there more than a month now and had no wish to come back but the call has dragged him here.
Now all his answers are lying in Shimla.
Arnav's car stops before the gate of a bungalow.He throws the car key in Aman's lap and storms inside.
Aman sighs in relief. They are alive and safe, phew!
This bungalow has been rented by NK as he told.
Arnav is about press the door bell but the door opens noiselessly and NK comes out.
He opens his mouth to question him but NK pulls him towards the lawn signing to stay quiet.
Arnav is completely taken aback! What the...? This guy has called and dragged him here form London. He has passed a day and half sleepless and restless, and has driven a car on a road by the cliff like a maniac and now this guy is acting all weird... what the hell is wrong with him?
He controls his rage as this man can only enlighten him about the mysterious truth of Khushi's being alive.
Finally when NK checks that they are in a safe distance from the house he speaks, Now we can talk...
Arnav now comes to the point and asks, What is wrong NK? Where is Khushi?
NK smiles and answers, inside...
Arnav looks at him as he is an alien and then turns back to go in the house to see his Khushi but NK grabs his shoulder before he can move an inch.
Now Arnav gets irked and frees his hand with a jerk and then almost shouts, Why are you stopping me? Do you know what I am going through since you call? My Khushi is alive and I have been suffering all the while thinking her dead, and now when I know she is alive and just 10 feet away from me then I do not have any mood of playing hide and seek... not anymore. So many questions are bothering me all this time while I was in flight, while driving... No I can't wait anymore... I have to meet her at this instance.
NK now stops him with a press on his shoulder and says, Calm down... She can't answer any of your questions...
Arnav stares him as id he has said the most foolish thing he has ever heard.
Yes, NK continues, Calm down and sit here... (He indicates to a bench and Arnav robotically goes and sits) Arnav I know you have too many doubts and I will clear everything but you have to be patient and listen to me carefully... (Arnav only stares him)... before you meet Khushi, you have to know about her present situation. (Arnav leans forward, he can't wait anymore but he needs to know what NK has to say)
NK sits beside him and looks ahead the scenery before and speaks while roaming in his memory...
About 2 weeks ago I got a call from a hospital near the spot (where the accident happened). It was a junior doctor and he told me that they have a patient whom they think is related to me. I was not sure who is it and why they were calling me ... but he said he has sent me a picture of the patient in my mail ID. I was again confused how he got my ID but he told me from a social networking site from where he got my number too. Everything was very confusing; still I checked my mail box and saw this picture... (He held his phone before Arnav and he almost snatched it)
Arnav is seeing the picture and it is Khushi... smiling to him... few tear drops fall on the screen. He comes out of his trance with a firm touch on his upper arm and he looks up at NK who is nodding sidewise, advising not to cry. He controls his emotions and scans the photo... few cuts and bruises are still visible on her face and her face looks so pale...
NK again starts telling his experience, I was shocked beyond limit. Next thing I did... I boarded the earliest flight I could get... I reached the hospital a day after the call and met the doctor who called.
The doctor took me to meet her...
NK recalls the exact incident happened that day...
The white door opens and there his princes is sitting on a bed and talking with the other patients in the room. He walks in daze to her. He cannot believe she is alive and smiling before his eyes.
He recalls the day Buaji called him to give him the news... the mobile has slipped from his hand and broke into several pieces, his vision blurred with tears... he has tears in his eyes now also but they are tears of joy...
He calls, Princes...
Khushi turns her head to him and her smile faints slowly. She just stares him and then gets unconscious.
Nervous he turns to the doctor, who assures him that it is because of sudden shock and she will be around in a while.
The doctor takes him to the cafeteria to talk to him over a cup of coffee. NK too also needs it.
The doctor now tells him everything from the time Khushi has arrived in this hospital.
At dawn some locals were passing when they heard a shrill voice coming from somewhere. They searched and found a girl severely injured, hanging from a tree little deep in the trench. They managed to rescue her and brought her in this hospital. By the time they came here the girl was no more in her senses. By the grace of God she was saved but laid in coma for 45 day. When she came back in her senses she couldn't recall anything not even her name.
With time she remembered a few names and incidents. But none of them were adequate to find her identity.
Some 25 days back someone was talking about calling Australia to talk to a relative and was asking about the ISD code when much to their shock the girl told him the code.
Then the junior doctor made a list of the names taken by her in some point of times and searched in a social networking site if anyone he could find from the list living in Australia and... Bingo!!... He found NK's name there and called him and also sent a picture with a hope that her would know her. This brought NK here.
After hearing the whole incident NK's face turns gloomy and the doctor understands what he must be thinking so he says, Don't worry with time she might be able to remember everything...
NK smiles faintly with crossed fingers.
After that NK shifts Khushi to a private room and doesn't leave her side without some unavoidable reasons.
By the time he tries to call Guptas but no one picks up and he has lost every other numbers with the old phone (which has broken when Buaji called).
After 2-3 days Khushi starts to get easy with him and also recalls their moments together, not all but enough to recognize him.
A week passes and Khushi now is in much better state and can remember a little about her old life.
She already has asked about her parents and Payel.
Doctors discharge her after another 3-4 days confirming her stable condition.
NK takes Khushi to a hotel and stays there for few days. He takes her to the point where that accident happened in her insistence. But that turns out to be a big mistake. Khushi gets hysterical reaching the spot and faints. He rushes her to the hospital.
That time the doctors alert him that she shouldn't get stressed or forcefully reminded about her past or it might cause a severe brain damage.
NK gets an assignment of photo shoot in Shimla while his stay and comes here with Khushi. He finds out Arnav office phone number and comes to know that he is in London.
Now he remembers how much he has to convince them to get his London number... the instance he has got the number in his hand he has called him...
NK stops here with the end of the story and looks at a bewildered Arnav,
Arnav closes his eyes and the tear drops make their way down his face.
Everything is crystal clear now.
That night because of the darkness they couldn't find her and the next day they took her before Arnav and others reached there.
Guptas and his Nani have gone for pilgrimage together. That is why NK hasn't been able reach them. If NK would have tried Raizada house also no one is there too, as all of them have gone to attain a relative's wedding in Canada.
NK's voice brings him from his thoughts, Arnav now she almost remembers everything but... he trails off
Arnav eyes shots towards him with anticipation but the look in NK's eyes makes him apprehensive, and he hears him say hesitantly, but... the last two years of her life... have got completely wiped out from her memory.
Arnav's back hits the wooden rest, shocked, shattered, agonized... breathing heavily he stares NK but not really seeing him.
K understands his situation and pats his back ensuring everything will be fine.
Arnav raises his hand to wipe the tears flowing unchecked and asks in a very unlikely hesitant voice, can I see her now?
NK nods affirmative smiling softly.
Arnav walks towards the bungalow like pulled by a magnet and finally rings the bell and WOOF!!
AARRRF!! WOOF!!
What... Before Arnav canfinish the door opens...
Khushii!! A whisper escapes from his mouth.
But before anyone of them can say anything a far ball rushes to Arnav and runs pass in between his legs. Arnav is about to fall when a hand comes for his rescue and breaks his fall. only for him lose his senses as he stares at those black orbs after so long.
Before Khushi can pull him up that round thing tries to bite Arnav's leg which makes him tremble and imbalanced both fall on the ground, Khushi on top of him.
Arnav is looking at his life just an inch away from his face. She is looking gorgeous as ever.
Khushi's gaze is also fixed on those honey eyes which seems known to her forever.
Arnav feels a wet touch in his cheek which brings him back from his ecstasy and comprehending the reason of the wetness a what the...?' escapes from his mouth which also brings Khushi back in reality.
Arnav is glaring the thing which has spoiled his romantic moment (though it is the reason also).
A possessive golden retriever puppy, which is now pulling his jacket with his small teeth to free his beloved mistress.
Khushi hurriedly gets up and spreads her hand to help him. Arnav feels the softness in his palm making Khushi shiver and gets up with a lopsided trademark smile. Khushi gulps seeing him smiling.
why she felt that she had see this face before, this smile?
WOOF!! the pup reminds his presence to them and Khushi picks him up with some pampering words, Aww my sweeetoo!! Gusssa hai baby... she rubs his back and it curls in her arms...hum aapke saath bohot shara khelenge... gussha nehi hote...(I will play with you a lot... don't get angry)
She completely ignores Arnav while talking to the pup and Arnav fumes at that blasted huffing thing.
But all his anger poofs away when she turns with a smile playing on her cherry lips and says apologetically, maaf kijiye ga, ye Dabbu bohot shaitan hai... isse mere paas Nanheji ke iilawa kissi aur ki aadat nehi hai na... (Please forgive him... this Dabbu is very naughty... he is not used to of anyone else near me than Nanhe ji)
Arnav feels a pang in his heart when she says Kissi aur'. He not just another guy, he is her husband... Ow wait ex-husband...but in his heart he still believes her his wife and she will always be.
Khushi now looks at him questioningly and asks, Kya hum aapko jante hai? (Do I know you?)
His heart pains again but his brain is racing to find a logical answer.
NK comes to his rescue , He is a good friend of mine.
Khushi lowers her head to greet him as her hands are occupied.
Arnav does the same, smiling in his usual way making Khushi's heart flatter again.
He has some 4-5 days works here... I thought when we already have vacant rooms then why will he stay in hotel', Nk makes an excuse for Arnav to stay over there.
Khushi now smiles broadly and says, bohot achha socha Nanhe ji (You have thought the right thing)... aapka swagat hai(welcome)... (Last part she says looking at Arnav)
Arnav is getting trouble to hide his grin. So he uses his ASR formula and curses some stupid client in his mind which helps him to subside his sudden burst of joy and he walks behind Khushi much to Dabbo's annoyance, who says...WOOUFF!!
Arnav walks in the living room after Khushi.
In these 4-5 steps he recollects all the romantic memories with Khushi with the D day too. He can't just have enough of seeing her. He thinks of asking NK to pinch him so that he can believe it is not a dream. But her sweet voice and the bark makes him believe that this reality.
Khushi goes to get something hot to drink for them. Arnav and NK try to get comfortable on a sofa.
Daboo has freed himself from Khushi and again comes back dancing to them from kitchen.
NK knows his intentions so he folds his legs on sofa. But Arnav is yet to learn. He feels something is pricking in his shoe and looks down.
It is Daboo chewing his right shoe with pleasure.
What the...?' He is almost about to kick him away, when NK shushes him and says, Don't even think of touching him or else Princess will make you forget everything and your dream of getting her back will go by the gutter in no time.
Arnav again says, What the...? but this time it is from his amu****t. He now frees his leg from that little devil and sits like NK.
he says, irked, What this irritating thing doing here?
NK picks Daboo up in his lap and tells, when I got Khushi here, she was really upset... she wanted to talk to her parents and Payel but as you know that didn't happen But looking at her stricken face I thought it is better to distract her mind into something so I gifted this pup to her, which now is very much her life.
Arnav glares at the fluffy thing... her life... hmm now he always have to conceal the wish of kicking it out of his sight.
Khushi brings coffee for both of them and Arnav gets shocked when he sees the black coffee in his cup. A sip and he knows it is his regular... but if she has forgotten everything then how she knows this.
Unable to control his eagerness he asks, how do you know the way I like my coffee?
Khushi first smiles at his question but in a moment it fades. She doesn't know. She searches in her mind through and through but it is same... blank. She cannot find a reason behind her action.
NK and Arnav both notice the sudden change in her expression and Arnav kicks and curses himself for his stupidity in his mind. But what to do to control the damage?
Arnav sees Dabbu is spinning to catch his tail near his legs. Idea!! He pokes him a (well not so little)with his pointed Gucci shoes which results a yelp from him end and that is enough to bring Khushi back from her thinking process.
She runs to his aids and asks in pampering tone, Aww babu... shona... kya hua? Bacche ko laga gayi? Kaise baba? (you got heart baby? how?)
Arnav s blood boils to see the attention that frigging thing is getting from Khushi but at the same time gets nervous to hear her quarries... thank God he doesn't speak or else... he recalls NK's admonition and stutters.
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