Arshi FF : An Unforgettable Night LINK #2 pg 152 dt.4.2.15 - Page 29

Chapter 9

Knocking at the door, exchanging pleasantries were not part of my personality. I stood in front of the table where a middle aged woman sat with the daily newspaper, I cleared my throat to let my presence felt. She looked up from the newspaper expecting an introduction.

"Arnav...Arnav Singh Raizada"

She knotted her brows, not recognizing me.

" Actually I'm ..khushi's.." I paused, her eye brows ironed out as she understood who I was.

" so you're khushi's husband ." she said while removing her spectacles. I took a seat as my gaze fell on the name plate ' Manorma '. She had a welcoming smile on her face.

" you called up that evening, right?".

I nodded my head in agreement, I just wanted to ensure that she was properly taken care of, nothing else.

"what would you like to have, tea / coffee?" she offered, before I could refuse she had already picked up the intercom and ordered the peon to get coffee & snacks.

" I've come here to pick khushi." I informed about the reason behind my visit. She turned her neck to the right where a huge wall clock hung, it showed quarter to one," yes. Today is her last exam. She'll be here in a while" She replied. There were still fifteen minutes left for her exam to get over, I guessed I had driven a little faster and ended up reaching earlier. I scanned the room silently waiting for her to come.

" khushi has settled down in life. I'm pleased to know that." She said, initiating a conversation. I shook my head quietly.

" she's a wonderful girl." She described khushi cheerfully, I too gave out a forced smile, agreeing with her, she was indeed nice and simple.

" happy and full of life." She added further, this time I frowned a bit, as far as I could remember I had never seen her happy and full of life, though I wished she was.

Her warden read my mind and explained her remark," I know that one incident has drastically changed her."

I didn't know whether she was attempting to clear my doubts or confuse my already confused mind more. What incident was she talking about that had changed khushi's life completely? I knew she had a past where she was and still in love with somebody but beyond that I had no clue. She'd never thrown light on her past and whenever I'd asked out of curiosity, she'd either kept quiet or changed the topic.

It felt strange to know about your wife from a complete stranger but I assumed even I was a stranger to her and probably that was why she didn't share her feelings with me. I pursed my lips and decided, I would not inquire about her past from a third person. It wouldn't be fair to her and to our relationship even if it was a compromised one. I trusted her and hoped that one day she'd tell me everything on her own.

" are there any dues to be cleared or formalities to be fulfilled?." I said changing the topic moreover the formalities needed to be completed so why not now?

She nodded her head and took out a form, I was going through it when the peon came in with coffee and a whole lot of snacks like puranpoli, chivada, idli, vada, sambhar etc. my eyes widened on seeing the spread out.

" listen, go to hall no.6, if exam is over then get khushi here."

I glanced at my watch it was one.

" though it's not lunch time but still please have something ." she said while offering the snacks, her hospitality touched me and I smiled back at her," you didn't need to take so much trouble."

I filled in the form and cleared all the dues, now only khushi needed to sign the document. Silently sipping on my coffee my ears heard that familiar tinkling of bells and bangles. The door knocked, I didn't have to turn around to recognize her, I knew it was her.

She came and stood next to my chair. I lifted my gaze to look at her, the shawl hung loosely on her right shoulder. Our gazes locked. She seemed surprised.

And then she smiled.

I smiled back.

She appeared tired and exhausted after giving so many exams.

"khushi, sign here and pack your bags. He's come to fetch you.". She nodded her head and extended her hand to take the pen, I passed it to her and our hands brushed slightly. Her skin was soft as cotton.

I continued to sip coffee and glanced at the document from the corner of my eye. She signed 'Khushi' just a simple' Khushi' no Gupta' no Raizada'.

Was I expecting something else?

" now you too quickly eat something. The journey back home is pretty long." Her warden said offering her a plate of idlis. Her gaze shifted from the plate to my face. I picked up a piece of vada silently, she took an empty plate and placed two idlis on it.

Some things don't change so easily, my mind said while watching her exit the room quietly.

"maami, my bags are packed. I'll just get them " with that she exited the room.

" It's nice." I heard her say and turned my neck to look at her. I raised my brow, questioning what did she like? Manorma maami if I could call her, smiled at me and completed her sentence," to see the way you care for khushi."

Allowing her to study, ensuring that she was comfortable here and then coming to pick her up were small little things. Why was she making a big deal about all this?

She might have been really close to khushi but her poking into my personal life was getting on to my nerves now. However my irritation didn't last too long when she added further."When she talks about you, her dull eyes tend to sparkle."

I sat there listening to her in surprise, did her eyes really sparkle at the mention of myself?.

" don't ever leave her. She might not admit but she needs you." She said with motherly affection reflecting in her eyes. Even if she had not asked me, I would have still supported khushi at every step but the way she said it made me worry.

" till here I've handled her, however from here on she's your responsibility." I nodded my head after hearing her out. Khushi was a strong and tough girl then why would she need me to handle her? I sighed deeply as one more question added to the list of already unanswered questions by her.

After ten minutes or so khushi came in with her bag packed, I stood up and said," whatever you've done for khushi means a lot to me. Thanks." I paused and thought, did I actually thank somebody right now? And that too not for myself?

I took the bag from khushi as her warden came out to see both of us off. I glanced at them through the rear view mirror, they hugged each other warmly after having a brief conversation.

She fixed her seat belt and gazed at her college building as we left the campus. It was a warm winter afternoon, with not much traffic on the high way, we crossed several small villages and fields in no time. I stole a glance at her, as always she was lost in her thoughts with her eyes fixed on the road ahead. The long and deep silence in our relationship and between us came to surface once again. Words, opinions and views were hardly exchanged between us and I wondered would ever a day come when we would share our thoughts openly and freely with each other? Though we've had our share of conversations but it always felt that we were holding something back.

Her bangles let out a soft sound as she raised her hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. She caught me looking at her, she followed my gaze and saw me staring at the bangles which I had given her. She brought her hand down slowly and turned her neck to look out of the window. Maybe she was avoiding my sharp gaze.

We had covered more than half the distance still not a word escaped her lips, not that I was dying to talk to her but still we were meeting after fifteen days so something could be exchanged. I shook my head and kept driving quietly.

" naani ji, how's she?" I looked at her in surprise, did she actually speak?

" she's good." I said

" and payal? How about her?"

" as usual busy with her oil painting.'

"Aakash?" she smiled slightly and asked about him. I shook my head, how would he be? The same.

" and you.." finally my number came, I parted my lips to reply but once again she proved me wrong when she completed herself, " you're here, how come?"

I rolled my eyes and thought, wow, instead of asking how was I ? she was asking how was I here? Great !

" I had some work here." I replied dryly and honestly, coming to pick her up was also work so if I did it what was the harm in it?

After a few minutes she spoke once again," Arnav ji can we stop somewhere for five minutes?" I pulled up the car under a shady tree. She took water bottle from the back seat and stepped out of the car. I too came out and stretched my arms and back a bit. She had a few sips of water then splashed some on her face as I called up naani to inform that in another one hour we would be home. She wiped her wet face with her dupatta , when I asked her," hungry? Should I get you a sandwich or something?" she nodded a no and replied," no, thanks I have my box."

I frowned at her, she was carrying a dabba with her?

" maa had packed halwa for me..there's still some left. I'll take it out." She said then began struggling with the car door, it wasn't locked how could it be? She should have realized but no, she pulled open the door with so much force that it hit her forehead.

"Aah." She cried out.

I clenched my jaws in irritation and walked up to her, how could she be so careless? I thought after seeing the bump on her forehead.

I pressed it hard with my palm while supporting her head with my other hand. She winced in pain and closed her eyes," why are you so clumsy?" I asked her angrily. Slowly I removed my palm and noticed she had a small cut that was bleeding. I grabbed the bottle from her and took out my handkerchief to soak it. As I cleaned the bruise with it her eyes stared at the letters 'ASR' on the handkerchief, she then lifted her eyes and looked at me in bewilderment, wasn't the handkerchief for me? So if I was using it then what was there to be surprised about?

The cut was still bleeding a bit and the area had turned into a deep shade of pink. I blew on it slowly.

Did she just gasp?

Peering down I saw that she"d closed her eyes in response, after a while I asked her," better?" she opened her eyes and nodded a yes, then asked softly," halwa, you'll have?" I tried not to smile, How could she be stupid and innocent at the same time? I shook my head gesturing, I didn't want, then handed her the handkerchief to press her cut lightly. I poured lots of water on my face, she raised her hand to give the handkerchief back but I showed her my palm to indicate, no need.

I brought the bottle up to my lips to drink when she interrupted," arnav ji, it's my jhoota." Turning my neck and lifting my brow I said," so?" now she was having problems with my having water also? Amazing. I finished drinking it then threw the empty bottle in a nearby bin.

She was already seated when I came back, the water was still dripping from my face, she called me out," arnav ji" her eyes travelled to her dupatta then came back to my face. I picked up her dupatta slowly, the bells tinkled as I wiped my face with it. Did I miss their soft tinkle?

Unwillingly, the whole conversation that I had with manorma maami played in my mind as I resumed driving. Where was the spark that she was referring to? even I felt that after getting her degree she'd feel happy and relaxed. That was the reason why I had wanted her to continue her studies but the glow I was expecting on her face was clearly missing, no doubt she looked better than before but still something was missing. Something she was hiding and What incident was she talking about and why would khushi need my support? We hardly exchanged our anxieties and apprehensions with each other, though some communication had started between us but still we had a huge distance to cover for which we both seemed not prepared at the moment.

I switched on the stereo as we didn't have anything to talk about. The song played

Karte toh hain saath safar

Faasle hain phirbhi magar

Jaise milte nahin kisi dariya ke do kinaare

Pass hain phirbhi pass nahin

Humko yeh gam raas nahin

Sheeshe ki ek deewar hai jaise darmiyaan

I gave her a sideways look, so true. We were close yet so far, were together yet distant. Travelling together but with different destinations in mind. Would our paths cross ever? would we ever stand face to face? Would this silence always be there between us? Would we always remain strangers?

My life was an open book but hers was still well guarded and protected. I believed I knew a lot about her but I was wrong. There was still something that was unspoken and unheard between us. There were still some hidden chapters that needed to be disclosed. Would they ever come to light? Would the unshared ever be shared?

She was gazing at the letters 'ASR' I smiled inwardly and concentrated on the road ahead.

thanks for reading

Rose