Dear friends😃
Chapter 18
Wait for me...
She was the solution of all problems. Devi Maiyya was. Khushi thought as she climbed the stairs of the temple.
"Raah dikha de mori Maiyya! (DM show me the way!)" she prayed under her breath.
She hadn't slept a wink last night but had come to the conclusion that she could not really get engaged to Pankaj ji ! She had said she would to Buaji but that was earlier, to get back at Laad Governor! How dare he dictate to her who to marry or not!
But now things were getting serious. Pankaj ji's mother was in hospital and she wanted to see her sons get engaged. Breaking off the engagement at this stage would however mean jeopardizing her Jiji's betrothal to Pankaj ji's brother, Niraj ji. Her forehead creased as she rung the bell of the temple and walked up to her beloved deity.
"Raah dikha de mori Maiyya (DM show me the way!)" she whispered again to Devi Maiyya fervently.
She gritted her teeth,"And tell that Laad Governor I hate him! Hum usse nafrat karte hai! If it hadn't been for his exasperating pompousness and threat to harm Pankaj ji if he married me I wouldn't have agreed to marry him in the first place!"
She looked up into Devi Maiyya's eyes and a calm descended on her. With Devi Maiyya's blesings she would find a way out !She would!
She was about to turn back when she noticed a familiar figure sitting right in front of the goddess.
"Anjali di!" she exclaimed happily. But the smile on her face faded as she knelt down beside Anjali and saw her bloodshot teary eyes.
"What's happened Anjali di? Why are you crying?" she said putting an arm around her.
Anjali stared at Khushi for a moment and then reaching out hugged her tightly, sobbing on her shoulder.
"Wo Chhotey..." she hiccupped.
An unknown panic gripped Khushi's heart. She had been cursing Arnav in front of Devi Maiyya...Oh no! No no Devi Maiyya don't let anything happen to him...
She asked Anjali in a hoarse whisper, "Is Arnav alright? Where is he?"
Anjali raised her head from Khushi's shoulder and shaking her head whispered, "I can't tell you or anyone else...Chhotey said..."
"I don't care what your Chhotey said Anjalidi," Khushi's voice rose in panic, "Is he in danger? Please please Anjali di, wo theek hai? I know someone had tried to kill him...the hot air balloon thing was not really an accident..."
"What are you saying Khushi?" Anjali eyes widened, "Was Ajit chacha responsible for that too?! Chhotey only told me that he had tried to shoot him in Sheeshmahal..."
Khushi jumped up like a spring in desperation. "Shot Arnav? Ajit chacha shot at Arnav? If Arnav knew that his chacha was behind all this why did he go to Sheeshmahal? Is he mad? I want to see him now..." Khushi choked on her words.
Anjali wiped her tears and said, "Help me Khushi to save him. He is hell bent on teaching chacha a lesson! He does't realize he is putting his own life in danger! He went away to Sheeshmahal without telling me anything! If anyone can make him see sense, you can...If Shyamji had been in town..."
Khushi's sixth sense said Shyam Manohar jha was not arnav's well wisher. She remembered how in the farmhouse he had tried to warn her off him, implying that Arnav was not a good man.
Before she could stop herself, she blurted instinctively, "Anjali di there is no need to tell Shyamji anything now...I don't think Arnav would want that..."
"Yes, okay," Anjali sighed getting up with Khushi's help. "Lets go to the airport. His helicopter will be landing soon. I was on my way when I stopped at the temple. Thank Devi Maiyya I did, I found you to share my anxiety with..."
"He is coming from Lucknow?" Khushi guessed, helping Anjalidi down the stairs.
"Yes, Khushi. He had called me early morning. He said he would land at Delhi as soon as he had lodged a complain at the Lucknow police station against chacha. Dadi will not like that at all, I know! Oh what will happen now?"A tear rolled down Anjali's cheek again.
"Don't worry Anjalidi. We...you and I will not let anything bad happen to Arnav..."
Anjali patted Khushi's head as the driver Mohan brought the car to a halt in front of them.
----------------------------------------------------
Khushi's eyes darted from one face to another restlessly. Where was he in this sea of people at the Delhi airport. She was about to tell Anjali di to call him when she felt him...a warm breeze enveloped her and her world came to a standstill as she sighted him behind her. Files in hand, he was in a deep conversation with Aman.
He felt her presence too and his eyes strayed away from Aman and locked with hers at a distance.
Arnav's heart did a slow somersault as he drank in her simple beauty in a sunshine coloured churidar. He had been missing her and here she was her large hazel eyes staring at him...was she okay? Something in her eyes, the slouch of his shoulders disturbed him.
And suddenly his temper rose! Why was she here! Didn't she understand it was dangerous for her to be seen with him. She had already been involved in the hot air balloon accident and it was imperative for him that no harm came to her anymore because of him. Ajit chacha might be arrested but Dadi would definitely bail him out. There was no saying what he would do after that.
Had Di brought her here, he grimaced glancing at Di who was hobbling towards him with Khushi's help.
"Chottey!" Di s voice broke as she hugged him with all her life.
It took Khushi all her control not to fling herself at him...rest her head on his warm hard chest, to feel his strong arms around her...
But he was glaring at her angrily and Khushi gulped.
Yet the tone he used to reassure Anjali was most gentle "I am fine Di. Its my enemies who need to worry not you. While I am away, Aman will be there for you 24x7..."
"You are going somewhere Chhotey?" Anjali was astonished.
"I am going to take the next flight to London and from there to Stockholm to meet the Swedes to set up my own company. You remember them from the farmhouse party don't you Di?"
"Yes I remember them Chhotey but I am not letting you go anywhere..." Anjali was in tears.
"Khushi tell him..." she appealed, turning to Khushi.
But before Khushi could say anything Arnav snapped, "What will she tell me Di? Why is she here?"
"Chhotey I met Khushi at the temple. She was so worried about you, she wanted to meet you so badly ..."
There was a sharp intake of breath as Arnav heard of Khushi's concern. His resolve to push her away from him weakened, but only momentarily.
"Is there a tamasha(show) going on here that she has come to see it?" Arnav's voice was cold and disdainful.
But his rude behavior did the trick as he was expecting.
"I am going away Anjali di," Khushi piped up immediately, trying to keep her anger and pain in check.
But she could not prevent the tears that rolled down her white cheeks and dropped on her bosom.
A drop of her tear was sharp enough to break Arnav's heart into a million pieces.
"Really Chhotey!" Anjali reprimanded him, "The girl was just trying to help me and you..."
Arnav made a quick decision as he saw her proud retreating back moving away from them.
"Aman take Di to the car, tell her to wait for Khushi. I am getting her. Bye Di! I will keep in touch," he said giving Anjali a quick warm hug and sprinting after Khushi.
He caught up with her and pulled her towards him by her arm.
"Leave me alone you...you Laad Governor," she hissed at him, her eyes misty, her heart bursting with pain...
"Khushi please listen to me I did not mean to hurt you..." Arnav pleaded.
"Let me go or I will call the guards!" Khushi rasped her eyes flashing daggers at him.
"Khushi don't create a scene here," Arnav growled into her ear and dragged her into a waiting room, just across from where they were standing.
Thankfully the room was empty Arnav sighed in relief as Khushi struggled to free her hand from his grip.
Arnav put his arms round her waist and drew her close to him.
"Khushi I am sorry okay? I just don't want you to get hurt again because of me. Please understand," Arnav said softly.
Khushi stopped struggling and suddenly her dam of tears burst.
"I was so scared for you," she said between sobs and shivers.
"My Khushi..." Arnav groaned and cupping her face he kissed away her tears, slowly and gently till she shuddered against him spent and calm.
"Now go Khushi and promise me you will stay safe for me" he said holding her close.
Khushi stared into his molten pools and said mesmerised, "Yes... I will stay safe... for you..."
"And wait for me, Khushi, won't you?..." Arnav persisted.
It then occurred to Khushi why she did not want to get engaged to Pankaj ji . She wanted to wait for her laad governor...though he did not believe in the relationships set by society...but she would wait for him.
Only Devi Maiyya knew what the future held for her.
His face was inches away from her. She closed her eyes and breathed in his smell.
"Khushi..." Arnav kissed her forehead softly.
"You will be successful in whatever you do, I know. All the best Arnav."she said backing away from him, her face flushed.
"Khushi," he advanced towards her, "Is everything okay with you? I sense something wrong," he said endearingly, raking his fingers through his hair.
Khushi stopped in her tracks and wondered how does he know! On an impulse she rushed back to him and tiptoeing brushed her lips against his.
"It is now," she whispered, retreating shyly.
At the door she turned to go but looked back at him over her shoulder and winked.
His face lit up in a rare precious smile. Nothing can stop me now...
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