Arshi FF#3 The Seed of Passion, Chapters 17 to 23 - Page 29

Chapter 20

Arnav returns

"Hello hi bye bye! Sasuma kahe calling rahi! Subah subah daant drinking ka man kari hai kya!(Why is mother in law calling! Does she want to scold us first thing in the morning!) Manorama grumbled as she waddled into the living room of their bungalow in Kolkata.

Her son and husband were already there.

"Bhat is theze phaamily meetingz? (What is this family meeting all about?)" Manorama asked.

Devyani Raizada looked ruefully at Manorama and said misty-eyed,

"I wish it was a family meeting...and my entire family was here...I think its time now to tell Arnav and Anjali that their Dadi, Subhadra Mallik threatened me to leave Lucknow and forbade any contact with them for their own good."

"Sach sasuma?! (Really mother in law?!)" Manorama said excitedly.

"Why does Arnav's Dadi hate you so much Nani?" Aakash asked shaking his head

A tear trickled down Nani's cheek. "She hated Ratna, my daughter and their mother and she believed that Ratna had destroyed her son when in reality my son in law completely ruined my daughter's life," Nani choked on her words...

"Bhy Arnav Anjali believes you sasuma, itne saal baad?(Why should Arnav and Anjali believe you, after so many years ?)" Manorama pulled a face.

"Because if Arnav has got Ajit arrested, I believe they will soon see through the mask worn by Subhadra...I wouldn't have left Arnav and Anjali if she had not threatened me...That woman is capable of anything..." Devyani Raizada shivered.

Manohar Raizada held his mother's hand and said, "Maa we must approach Arnav and Anjali now...no harm will come to them I promise..."

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Yes! He had done it! He had worked non- stop for five days, not bothering to sleep or eat or rest. Even Aman who had joined his boss after a day had never seen him working in such a frenzy. Arnav was like a man possessed and now finally his hard work had paid off and the deal was his!

Arnav looked at his watch as his car speeded to the airport... Aman had stayed back to tie up some loose ends and then they would soon go into production in Delhi and Stockholm simultaneously. His designer house would go places...places where AR was yet to make an entry ... his jaw hardened in determination. He would show the Malliks what stuff ASR was made of!

The Swedes were impressed by his business acumen when they had come to Delhi and now watching his brilliance at close quarters they had realized that only he had the efficiency to take AR ahead. Without him the huge ship was bound to sink and so they after careful analysis they decided to go with Arnav's new company AK instead of AR !

AK! Yes that is what he had named it, he brooded, gazing at the sun which never set! AK would be a sun that would never set too!

AK...he wondered why he had called it that, he thought staring out into the orange night...

No he knew why he had called it that.

Aman had not looked surprised by the name suggested by Arnav though he had not dared ask him what K' stood for. He had merely nodded with a thoughtful look in his eye. Not that ASR cared a damn who thought what! He just liked the idea of associating her name with his! Hope Khushi wouldn't mind...

Arnav looked out of the window of his car at the beautiful Malaren lake and sighed. It reminded him of Khushi's warm sparkling laughter. He leaned his head on the plush back seat of the car and closed his eyes. He missed her so...

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Khushi tossed on her bed. Sleep was eluding her...His flight would land at 12.30 in the night Anjalidi had said. He had been successful in his mission she had told Khushi excitedly this morning. That was only expected Khushi smiled and turned on her side again.

"Uff Khushi, so jao (go to sleep")...Payal muttered in her sleep.

"Haan Jiji," Khushi said and hugged Payal.

She smiled widely at the stars hanging over her bed and remembered how Jiji had seen through NK's disguise as Nand Kishore Maharaj a few days ago!

Buaji on the other hand was totally fooled and was all over her Nand Kishore baba! Poor fellow, Khushi giggled into her pillow!

NK had looked really cute in his false moustache and beard and his saffron dress with big black beads hanging round his neck, Khushi grinned! I am so glad I stashed away all the wigs and costumes from my school plays in my big trunk. It had come so handy to dress up NK!

NK whose Hindi was most atrocious had surprisingly faltered only once...that is when he had referred to Buaji as budiya (old) instead of badhiya (good)! The expression on Buaji's face had been priceless!

NK is really such a sweet friend, Khushi smiled! If it hadn't been for him I would not have been able to convince Buaji to talk to Babuji and Pankaj's mother and postpone the engagement for the time being, Khushi sighed!

Jai ho Devi Maiyya! All in all everything had worked out according to her plan! Much to Buaji's consternation and Khushi's delight Nand Kishore Maharaj had exited the house before Babuji returned from the hospital!

The only problem was providing an explanation to Jiji who had not spilled the beans in front of Buaji but had twisted Khushi's ears behind closed doors and demanded,

"Ab sach sach bata Khushi kya baat hai! NK sadhu banke kyon aaya tha? (Now tell me the truth, what is the matter? Why did NK come disguised as a sage?)"

"Aww! Jiji! Kaan chhodo! Batate hain, batate hain! (Aww! Jiji! Leave my ear! I am telling you!) Khushi shrieked.

"NK had come in disguise on my request Jiji!"

" I don't want to get engaged to Pankaj ji,"she told Payal, a distressed look on her face. "I want to wait...I need some time to be sure of what I want..."

"However, my main worry is that your engagement with Pankaj ji's brother might be jeopardized due to my decision."

Payal ruffled Khushi's hair and said lovingly,

"Khushi you have every right to reconsider such an important decision of your life. You can't be blackmailed into this just because Pankaj ji's mother wants it her way. I wish you had told Babuji Khushi. He would have never forced you."

"Yes i know Jiji," Khushi said holding her ears, a rueful expression on her face.

Payal guffawed "But if Khushi did not come up with weird ideas she wouldn't be Khushi, would she?" and pulling Khushi's cheeks said,

"And don't worry about me. If Niraj ji decides not to get engaged to me because you have refused Pankaj then he is not worth marrying anyway! So don't fret! "

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

My Jiji is the best sister in the world Khushi thought hugging her sleeping sister again.

And the smartest for seeing through NK's act!

Suddenly the image of Buaji stuffing a ladoo in NK maharaj's mouth with her patent Hayye re Nand Kishore', rose unbidden to Khushi's mind and she giggled loudly.

"Khushi! Tumhe kya paagalpan ke daure aa rahen hain? (Khushi! Are you getting fits of madness?) Payal mumbled angrily in her sleep.

Khushi stuck her tongue out.

Devi Maiyya what has happened to me today? Why can't I sleep she grumbled.

Perhaps I should take a walk on the terrace, she thought. Maybe that will help me sleep. She slid off the bed soundlessly and tiptoed up to the terrace.

As the cool and crisp night air hit her she shivered. She took a deep breath and looked up as an aircraft droned in the night sky, its lights twinkling like stars and Khushi's heart lurched. Was that Arnav's plane?

No silly! She chided herself, Arnav's plane must have already landed...he must have reached home by now. Maybe he was fast asleep. It was nearly 2 am!

Her phone rang and she picked it up absent mindedly.

"Khushi!" Arnav's husky voice washed over her

"Arnav!" she gasped! He was back! Her heart did a somersault. Her throat dried up.

"Khushi? Tum theek ho?!" he asked sensing her sudden quiet.

Khushi sat down shakily at the edge of the old charpai (traditional Indian bed) on the terrace

She found her voice at last and tonnes of questions tumbled out of her mouth "How are you? Was your trip successful? Did you form the new company? What is Stockholm like? Was your flight on time?" she rattled off.

"Shut up Khushi," Arnav growled at the other end in anger, "Tell me is it true you are getting engaged to that nincompoop Pankaj?!"

Khushi was taken aback. How did he know?

"Yes the engagement was fixed but..." Khushi chuckled thinking how she had thwarted it...

But before she could finish her sentence he hung up on her and Khushi was left staring at her phone in disbelief!

The Laad Governor! How dare he call her so late at night and then disconnect the line abruptly!

She paced up and down the terrace infuriated, contemplating whether to call him or not! Why should I? she fumed and lay down on the charpai! He is so ajeeb(weird)!

She jumped up at the sound of a revving engine in a sleepy Lakshminagar! Tyres screeched in front of the Gupta house and she peeped over the ledge.

Her eyes nearly popped out and her mouth involuntarily formed an O' to see Arnav's tall lean frame emerging from his SUV.

In the quiet of the night he heard her gasp and looked up.

He saw her framed against the darkness of the night and whispered fiercely, "Open the door Khushi! I want to talk to you now! Now! Samjhi tum?"

"Arnav tum pagal ho kya?!(Are you mad Arnav?!)" Khushi whispered back, leaning over the ledge. "You will wake up everyone in the house. Go away! I don't want to talk to you, why did you cut me off in the middle?!" she pouted angrily.

Arnav's eyes flashed furiously in the dark. "Khushi if you don't open the door immediately, I will bang it down and wake up the entire neighbourhood! Would you like that?"

Khushi stared at his silhouette aghast. He would deliver on his threat she knew. On that cue she ran down the stairs. She tiptoed to the door and opened it just an inch and peeped outside in the dark shadows cast by the dim street light outside.

Arnav jabbed his shoe in the crack and pushed it open wide. Khushi almost toppled with the impact but he grasped her waist just in time and drew her close against him, at the same time closing the door shut with the back of his shoes.

Khushi's heart skipped a beat at his proximity ...

Arnav felt her quivering in his arms and swallowed hard as she licked her pink lips!

Oh! How he had missed her! Her sweet smell invaded his senses.

Her hazel doe shaped eyes had a strange light to them. She seems to have changed somehow in the last five days he thought...strange and beautiful...

Arnav tightened his hold on Khushi's waist and lashed out, "Why did you agree to this engagement? Did that b****** Pankaj force you...

Khushis eyes widened as his voice rose and before he could utter another word she put a delicate finger on his lips and whispered, "Shhh...!"

Arnav's anger melted at her touch. Khushi gestured to him to climb up the stairs to the terrace. She drew him inside the terrace and closed the door panting.

"Look Arnav I don't know why you are making such a big deal about this but I am not getting engaged to Pankaj...

"You are not!" Arnav said disbelievingly, "but Di had met your Babuji and he said that..." Oh! That is how Arnav knew about this she thought. Babuji must have mentioned something to Anjalidi.

Khushi spread her arms."Okay okay well you can say I put the matter in back gear by telling Buaji it was an inauspicious time for engagement ! NK dressed up as Nand Kishore maharaj and..."

"What the!" Arnav interrupted her incredulously. "You could have just told your family the truth..."

"The truth?," Khushi blinked at him confused.

"Yes," Arnavs voice was husky. He advanced towards her slowly...

Khushi heart started doing slow somersaults...

"Wh..wh..what is the truth?" she asked him in a hushed voice, as she retreated towards the wall.

"You tell me..."Arnav said softly his eyes clouding with a strange emotion .

"I ...I don't kn...know," Khushi whispered, refusing to meet his eyes.

"No?" Arnav drawled closing the gap between them.

He lifted her chin with his thumb, raising her confused hazel eyes to his smirking brown ones.

"This is the truth," he murmured, and brushed his lips against hers.

A tremor of pleasure raced down Khushi's spine and her lips parted...yes she was waiting for him...that was the truth!

Arnav groaned and crushed her pink juicy lips with his rough ones.

Khushi gasped as his tongue entered her mouth with great urgency and waves of giddy pleasure hit her...

Involuntarily Khushi's arms went around his neck and her fingers laced inside his wavy hair, thrilling to the touch. Her breasts heaved and she arched her back to give him full access to her...

Arnav groaned and drew her flush against him...every inch of his touching hers...

Continued on Chapter 21