Hey friends, 😃
Eid Mubarak in advance to those celebrating!
Some of you have been with me since my first FF The Broken Bed and recently many of you have been referring to it . I felt nostalgic. The first part of this update was the result! As for the rest, you will find the answers to these questions:
Did Buaji see Arnav on he terrace? Did Aman finally tell ASR about Shyam?!
Read on! Thanks!😃
Please do not copy my work without my permission. Thanks.
banner credit dearest Soni⭐️
Chapter 22
Getting involved
"Hayye re Nand Kishore! Who has broken my favourite charpai (bed)? Arrey Sankadevi why have you shut your eyes?!?" Buaji screamed into Khushi's ears.
"Hain Buaji!" Khushi's eyes snapped open. "What are you saying? The charpai is broken?"
"Yes see for yourself, Parmeswari!" Buaji pulled her by the ear!
Indeed the wooden frame of the old charpai had split open at the back from both the sides and was hanging down lamely.
"Hayye Devi Maiyya when did this happen!" Khushi blinked rapidly!
She immediately defended herself fearing Buaji's wrath.
"I did not do anything Buaji, I promise! How can I?I am so thin. It must have broken under Arnav's weight! Laad Governor kahin ka! He is the one with the doley sholeys (muscles)!" Khushi blurted breathlessly her hand on her hips.
"Hain! Arnav?! Where is Arnav?" Buaji scrunched her eyes incredulously!
"That is what I am thinking Buaji," Khushi bit her lower lip and stared at the empty charpai (bed), "Where did Arnav go?"
"What are you saying Sankadevi? Arnav Singh Raizada was sleeping here? On my charpai !" Buaji almost had a heart attack!
Khushi suddenly realized the faux pas she had made! Her eyes widened like saucers and she clamped her hand to her mouth! Hey Devi Maiyya please let Buaji forget what I said about Arnav and think that I have gone madder than usual!
As if on cue Buaji shook her head gravely,
"Sankadevi your sanak (madness) is increasing day by day! How will Arnav come here? Are you seeing ghosts now?"
A small movement behind Khushi's back made her turn around.
To her great astonishment and disbelief she saw Arnav leaning on the door of the terrace shaking with silent mirth!
He must have hidden behind the door befor Buaji had entered the terrace! But why in Devi Maiyya's name hadn't he slipped down the stairs? Khushi panicked! All Buaji had to do was turn around and see him and she would be dead meat!
She quickly glanced in Buaji's direction. Buaji was now wringing water out of the washed clothes and muttering about the growing sanaks of Sankadevi...
Khushi turned towards Arnav again, she folded her hands and voiced siently, "Please go!"
But Arnav shook his head vigorously and pointed at the broken bed. Khushi stared at him and the bed and back again!
He looked worried and his lips moved as if to say "Maa!(Mother)"
Maa?! What is he trying to say! Khushi thought her frustration rising!
She noticed something glittering under the charpai ! She scooped down quickly under the bed. It was a gold chain with a beautiful diamond and ruby R' shaped locket! Khushi clasped it in her fingers.
Oh so this was what Arnav was pointing at! Had he worn this chain to Stockholm? Was it his lucky charm?! It no doubt belonged to his mother...R...Ratna.
Ratna aunty... Khushi smiled, a sudden surge of emotion sweeping through her at the thought of the woman she loved like her own mother! How good she had been to a 8 year old Khushi, she sighed!
She was about to turn back to Arnav to assure him she had found his mother's chain when she received a tight smack on her back!
"Buaji!" she shrieked!
"You have crossed all limits of your pagalpan(madness), Sankadevi! What are the new theatrics you are upto now! This time under the bed! Hayye re Nand Kishore!
"N...nothing Buaji," she muttered, getting up abruptly and hitting her head on the edge of the broken charpai.
"Ouch!" she yelped rubbing the top of her head.
"Sankadevi let us go downstairs immediately! Let me put some ice on your head and calm you or you will bring the whole house down with your morning madness!
"But Buaji!" Khushi protested, trying to see where Arnav was from the corner of her eye.
He was moving towards the edge of the terrace, away from the door.
And in the blink of an eye he was gone! He had coollyjumped off the terrace to the ledge below!
"Naaahiii !!!! (No!)" Khushi screamed in fear.
Buaji stopped in her tracks and glared at Khushi! Had the girl gone totally bonkers!
Khushi closed her eyes tightly and sent a quick prayer to Devi Maiyya for Arnav's safety!
Then giving Buaji a bear hug, said,
"Lets go down Buaji, I am feeling very hungry!"
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Preeto's mother, known in the neighbourhood as Dholni chachi, was chanting the gayatri mantra and pouring water on the tulsi plant in her courtyard when she noticed a sudden movement on the upper ledge of the Gupta house. She stared in disbelief, shaking in fear as a suited booted young man jumped from one ledge to another and then with a huge leap landed in her courtyard with a perfectly balanced gait!
Dholni chachi could now see him clearly. What a good looking thief he was she thought, forgetting in her admiration that she should scream for help!
Arnav brushed the dust off his expensive coat and suddenly noticed an elderly lady staring at him her eyes wide open!
"Good morning, Ma'am!" he said with a charming smile.
He took out a pair of black sunglasses from his pocket and adjusted them on his eyes and smiled lopsidedly at her.
Dholni chachi responded by opening and closing her mouth like a goldfish!
He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and sauntered out of her gate to the main road where his SUV was parked.
Dholni chachi was known in Lakshminagar for her sharp mind and tongue! She came to an important conclusion! This guy was too stylish to be a thief! So what then was he doing in the Gupta household so early in the morning, jumping off their terrace...that was the mystery that had to be solved...she must ask Madhumatiji !
She rubbed her hands in glee! She was now armed with today's quota of neighbourhood gossip!
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Subhadra Mallik's huge room in Sheeshmahal reverberated with the sound of her banging down the phone! She was furious! Ajit was not likely to get bail till his next appearance before the magistrate after two weeks! That was a long time behind bars for her son!
Dadi sat down on her old ornate rocking chair trying to rock away her woes. She had chosen Shyam as Anjali's husband to maintain her control over Anjali and Arnav! But Shyam was useless! He was now more interested in saving his own back! Anjali was no doubt a devoted wife but Shyam had not been able to override her bond with her brother. And that bothered Subhadra.
Arnav was a rebel like his mother. Years ago when his parents had died, he had mourned only for his mother and blamed his father for cheating on her. He had then deliberately dropped the Mallik surname to adopt Raizada, his mother's maiden name.
Dadi had never forgiven him for that and never could! If only she could make Arnav and Anjali her own, like their father who used to follow her every command! But Arnav had turned against them, yet he had the claim to AR property thanks to her husband's will, Dadi thought frustratingly!
"You have spoilt both your sons Subhadra," her husband's voice rang in her ears. "They dont deserve to be my heirs. I will leave all my assets to Arnav and his children. If required Arnav will take care of his sister, I know."
Dadi winced. Everything was slipping out of her fingers like sand. She needed to clear her mind and think how to get back her cards in her hand again!
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"Aakash Singh Raizada? Aakash..." Anjali repeated the name as if in a trance.
"Yes Di," the genle voice at the other end answered.
Anjali's grip on the phone tightened and tears stung her eyes.
"Is it really you Aakash? After so many years? How are Mami and Mamaji? How is Nani?
"We are all fine Di! I called because Nani wants to talk to you and bhai urgently!"
"I really can't believe its you, Aakash, " Anjali cried. " Chhotey is not at home! You must be a strapping young man like him! How I wish I could see you this very moment!" Suddenly the yester years came rushing back to her and her heart filled with pain and hurt.
Tears streaming down her face, she said in a choked voice,
"You remembered us after so many years! Why did you leave us alone? What happened Aakash...?" she sobbed.
Aakash was silent for a second. Then he said in a hushed voice,
"You and bhai were always in our prayers Di! Please tell bhai about our conversation. Be warned Di no one else should know I had got in touch with you or that Nani wants to meet you...Your Ajit chacha and Dadi especially should not know..."
"I have to go Di. I will call you again, later. Take care." And the line went dead.
Anjali suddenly started convulsing.
Aman who had been sitting quietly on the couch sprang up and ran to her,
"What is it Anjaliji? Who had called?" He asked kneeling besides her in concern.
Anjali's heart was bursting, the need to share great, words tumbled out of her mouth,
"It was my other brother, Aakash Singh Raizada! After nearly 9 years! Can you imagine! Aakash said Nani wants to meet me and Chhotey ...Oh but I was not supposed to tell anyone..." Anjali said holding her head between her hands.
Aman was too shocked to comment. But he recoverd quickly and said, "Its alright Anali ji! I wont tell anyone."
" Did Mr Aakash specify any names?" Aman asked her on an impulse.
"Aakash said not to divulge this news to Ajit chacha and Dadi..." Anjlai trailed off, stupefied! "But why...?!!"
Aman heard footsteps on the stairs above. He looked up. Shyam was descending the stairs. Aman's sixth sense told him that no information however unrelated should be divulged to Shyam at present. Aman decided he had to act fast.
He whispered urgently "Anjali ji you must not tell anything about this phone call to anyone, do you understand!"
" No one should know, I mean no one ," Aman said glancing at Shyam nervously as he approached them.
Anjali followed his gaze. Shyam ji?...What was Aman implying!
"What do you mean?" she stared angrily at Aman.
"No one!" Aman said again in a quite but definitive tone.
"What is it Rani saahiba? Why are you crying?" Shyam approached Anjali.
He noticed that Aman looked nervous. What was he doing here and what had he been whispering in Anjali's ear?! Something was certainly wrong! It would not be dificult to pry it out of his gullible wife.
Ignoring Aman, he pulled her in his embrace, kissing her hair lightly, "Tell me Rani saahiba!"
"Wo...wo Shyamji..." Anjali sniffed.
"What the Di! Why are you crying!" Arnav's voice rang out from the doorway.
Arnav rushed to his sister and hugged her.
Aman sighed in relief while Shyam gritted his teeth in frustration. What was Rani saahiba about to say, he needed to know...
"Saale sahab, I will take her to our room. She's not feeling well," Shyam intervened
"No Jijaji, its alright, I have been away from Di for so many days and now I want to be with her if she is unwell," Arnav said and slowly led his restless sister away.
At the foot of the stairs he turned to Aman and beckoned him to follow them which Aman did gladly.
Arnav took Anjali to his room and insisted she lie down on the bed.
He gently wiped her tears away and asked,
"Now tell me what is bothering you Di?"
"Chhotey," Anjali put her hand on his, searching his eyes, "Promise that you won't be angry!"
Arnav's body stilled but he nodded.
"Aakash had called. Nani wants to talk to us!" Anjali said in one go and stopped to see her brother's reaction.
Arnav looked at his Di incredulously and then in spite of his promise to stay calm, his temper soared.
"What the! Aakash! Nani!? What are you saying Di! Do they think they can disappear from our lives without so much so as a goodbye and return whenever they feel like...?!" He clenched his fist, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Please Chhotey...can't we meet Maa's family again and start again from where we had left off..." Anjali pleade,d clutching her brother"s hand tightly.
"Impossible Di!" Arnav fumed.
"Chhotey...I think it is important...I feel it!"
"Does Jijaji feel the same?" Arnav questioned his sister.
Anjali bowed her head guiltily.
"I did not tell him. Aman was acting so weirdly..I got confused, but call your Jijaji I will tell him now."
"Aman was acting weird?" Arnav looked at her astonished
"Okay then let me talk to Aman first!" he said sliding off the bed.
Aman was pacing outside the door nervously.
"How is Anjali ji? He asked when he saw ASR.
"Di is okay now! But what is up with you? Are you coming straight from the airport? It must be important then."
"Sit down Aman," he said pointing at the couch outside "and tell me."
Aman dared not disobey his boss. He sat down at the edge of the couch and cleard his throat...
Aman said in a low nervous voice, "ASR to cut a long story short, Sheela is at present working in Lucknow for ...for Shyamji !"
"What crap!" Arnav raised his eyebrows.
"Its true ASR! I have confirmed it," Aman said in a quiet voice looking up at him.
Arnav brought his hands down on Aman's shoulders and his eyes smouldering shook him roughly,
"Are you trying to tell me Aman that my Jijaji is involved with Ajit chacha ? After all Sheela had been planted by Ajit chacha to keep an eye on me in AR!
"Yes Sir," Aman shifted his weight from one feet to another uncomfortably, sensing the anguish his boss was going through.
However he continued, " That is why Sir, I thought it best not to disclose any information about your Nani's family to Shyamji at present."
Arnav moved away from Aman as if he had bit him and ran his hand through his hair.
"This can't be true, can't be..." he muttered, his eyes bloodshot. "Jijaji cant be involved!"
"What are you saying Chhotey? What is your Jijaji involved in?" Anjali's whisper fell upon them like a hush! She had walked up to them silently and was staring at them aghast!
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Khushi closed the door of her room and leaned against it. She had called Raizada mansion to inquire if Arnav had returned safely. HP assured her he had.
Khushi opened her fisted palm slowly.
Arnav's chain and locket sparkled in her white palm.
On an impulse Khushi wore the chain. It slided down her slender throat and settled between her breasts.
Khushi closed her eyes as her chest heaved and her breath came in shallow pants.
Arnav had found his sukoon (peace and calm) with her...
Her heart leapt with joy...dhak,dhak,dhak...a smile flitted across her lips at the thought of him in her arms, his head resting on her bosom! Sheer bliss!
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Thank you so much for your feedbacks as they help me shape my story. Please continue to give me suggestions and comment on the update.
And please do press 'Like' if you liked the update😃 Thanks a tonne! See you on 09/08/2014. Till then take care and Eid Mubarak!
Edited by wiwy - 11 years ago
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