
CHAPTER 10. LET THE SWEET SCENES BEGIN!
Khushi woke up feeling very fresh and rested. She took a deep breath as she stretched her arms. Still feeling a bit sleepy she closed her eyes for few seconds and once she felt the last remnants of sleep vanishing, she opened her eyes and looked around, as was her usual routine, to check the time by looking at the clock. At first, she panicked when the time told her that it was 10 o'clock. She was late! Arnav Sir would kill her! She got out of the bed in hurry and that is when her brain fully woke up and pointed out to her one thing she had yet to notice in her anxiety. It was dark outside!
Khushi was aghast at the picture the window outside was portraying. It was dark! Hey Devi Maiyya! Dark at morning 10? Yeh kaise anarth hai! What kind of catastrophe is this? And that is when she remembered all that happened till then. She had collapsed! She was ranting about Mr. Raizada and then had felt the room spinning and after that it was darkness which means she had collapsed. Wait! That was in the morning! Does that mean it is 10 at night? Finally, she pulled out the second hand mobile she had bought ages ago from her meager salary and checked the screen. It said 10 PM! Khushi heaved a sigh of relief. She did not miss any of her training session. Thank you Devi Maiyya! You saved me from Sir's wrath!
As Khushi placed her mobile on the bedside table she saw three notes lying there. In confusion she reached towards the first one and saw that it was Anjali explaining her collapse and her exhaustion and also explaining that she had to eat the medicines kept in a small pouch nearby as Doctor had told them to feed it to her the moment she wakes up. Khushi smiled at Anjali's concern for her and kept that note safely in her drawer. Then she picked the next note which was Aakash who was concerned for her health and as Anjali had banned him from entering the room and disturbing her, he was leaving her a note. She smiled at the sweetness of Aakash and also at the P.S. at the end of the note reminding her to down her medicines.
Khushi grinned widely. It seemed that in her mission to get herself a better job she found herself two new friends. Hey Devi Maiyya! Please keep my new friends happy and safe! Then she looked at the final note and wondered who it was from. Any other person would have guessed it was from Arnav, but Khushi was sure that Arnav did not care for her and think of her anything more than a bet. She had accepted that and had moved on; after all she was here to fulfill her dream, not to win people and make friends with everybody. But this left her with only one question. Who sent the note?
Khushi finally opened the note and looked at it with trepidation which soon turned into astonishment. The note was from Arnav Sir! Hey Devi Maiyya! When did Arnav Sir actually gave a damn about her? It took a while for Khushi to wrap her head around this latest development. The note was pretty short. It read "Eat the medicines or else..." Or else? Or else kya? Khushi wondered in confusion. Then she saw the small P.T.O in the Bottom Right corner of the paper. Rolling her eyes, she turned the page and right away burst out laughing. Written on the back side was, "Or else I will make you read you Sherlock Holmes' Books!" It took Khushi a while to stop laughing and then looking at the paper with smile she shook her head. Yeh Arnav Sir bhi na! Ajeeb hain! What is that word used for ajeeb in English? Weird? No! Khushi shook her head. Weird seemed a bit insulting when comparing to Arnav's behaviour. No! Eccentric! Unique! Then she shook her head. Forget it! I can spend the whole night thinking up adjectives for Arnav Sir's nature and yet the words would not end. But one thing is sure! He does care about me!
As Khushi had her medicines and tried to relax, her stomach grumbled. Giggling at the noise, Khushi got up and softly treaded out of her room. She walked down the stairs heading towards the kitchen not noticing the shadow near the study.
Arnav frowned as he noticed someone pass by the study. As his door was closed, he could not see who it was and neither did the person passing know that someone was in the study. When he opened the door and checked outside, he saw Khushi sneaking downstairs. Where is she going at 10 in the night? He walked downstairs and followed Khushi right towards the kitchen.
Khushi checked the fridge and then pulled out some biryani which, she was sure, was cooked in dinner just for Aakash. She looked around curiously and then noticed the microwave oven. She had seen Anjali use it many times and tried to use it. She opened the oven and placed the bowl in it. And then she frowned. How to adjust the settings for the oven?
Arnav rolled his eyes at the way Khushi was inspecting the microwave oven. By the time she figured out the settings, Arnav was sure that it would already be morning. Deciding to do something about it, and of course denying in his heart that he was doing this because he cared for Khushi, he marched ahead and stood beside Khushi.
Khushi jumped at the sudden arrival and gave Arnav a hesitant smile. Arnav did not react and simply grabbing her arm, he gently dragged her to the dining table outside the kitchen and made her sit there. For few minutes, Khushi was confused but confusion cleared when she noticed Arnav operating the oven and then pulling out a plate and spoon for her. She smiled widely and waited for her dinner.
Soon Arnav was out with biryani served on a plate with some raitha in a cup. The moment the plate and the cup were placed in front of Khushi, her smile slowly dimmed and then vanished. She gulped as she stared at the plate. The plate was filled with biryani. Literally filled! Her eyes continued to widen till it looked like they would pop out of their sockets. Itna saara biryani! Khushi squealed in her brain! How could Arnav expect her to eat so much? What did he think she was? A bottomless pit? She gave Arnav a horrified glance but seeing Arnav's concerned look, she smiled. Arnav did not notice how strained her smile actually was! He was just happy that his guilt at making her faint from exhaustion was lessening. He was also happy because he had made her starve and now he had made upto her by feeding her.
Khushi looked back at the food and gulped again. Was Arnav trying to feed her or kill her by excess eating? She slowly started to eat accepting to herself that she will have to finish the whole food even if she had to sit and eat for another three hours. "Khaana achcha haina?", Arnav asked after she demolished quarter of the plate. Luckily, she was still hungry and she was sure that she could demolish another quarter before her stomach was full.
Khushi nodded and continued to eat. Arnav continued to speak, "Eat Khushi! Enjoy! I know you haven't eaten for last two days! This will go a long way in bringing your strength back!" Khushi looked at Arnav incredulously. Just because I did not eat for last two days, you will feed me this much! How much would you have fed me if I had gone empty stomach for four days? Hey Devi Maiyya! She looked at the food and bit her lip at the thought of eating so much.
Another quarter was demolished and Khushi had enough of biryani. As she leaned back from eating, Arnav piped up, "Khao Khushi! Ruk kyun gayi? You need to eat more! You need your strength back!" Khushi looked at Arnav and took in his concerned expression. He cared for her! Arnav Singh Raizada actually cared for her, Khushi realised. As she took in the food in front of her, she informed her Devi Maiyya silently that if this was the way Arnav Singh Raizada cared for people, she wanted the rude Arnav back! She preferred his shouts, his anger, his punishments over death by overeating any day!
Two hours passed before Khushi finished the dinner. Arnav smiled at her proudly as if she was some kindergarten student who had just finished eating without anyone's help. Seeing she was done, Arnav said his good night and walked off but not before warning her to hit the bed right away as she needed her full night sleep. Khushi rolled her eyes at that.
As Khushi washed her dishes, she looked up with a miserable face and complained to her Devi Maiyya. Hey Devi Maiyya! This is too much! I want the rude Arnav back! I can't handle this caring one! Please bring back the sadu, akdu, khadus man back! Please! Please! Please! Hoping that the next morning she met the old Arnav back, she trudged towards her room to get some sleep.
Khushi huffed as she tossed and turned on her bed but unfortunately not a single position was comfortable enough to go to sleep. She sat up in a huff. This is all thanks to you, Mr, Raizada! Itna khilaaya, itna khilaaya that I cannot lie down properly! My stomach is that full! Uff! I promise you Mr, Raizada! One day I will feed you khaana itna jyaada that you will be remember your daada! Hindi mein kehte haina Naani yaad dilaayenge! Rolling her eyes she got up from the bed.
Walking out of the room, Khushi wondered what to do next. After thinking for a while she decided that the best course of action was to walk till her dinner was digested. But I cannot roam around the hallways like ghost, can I? What to do? As she looked around, hoping for some kind of clue her eyes fell on the study. She grinned. Why don't I read a book from the study and walk in my room while reading it? Walking ki walking and I will get to try a new book too! Very smart Khushi bitiya! Patting herself on the back, Khushi trudged on to the study.
The moment she entered the room, Khushi made a beeline towards the shelf behind Arnav's desk to find a book to read. As she browsed through the collection, her eyes fell on the Sherlock Holmes Books. Seeing it, she was reminded of Arnav's note and she burst out laughing. While laughing out loud, she looked around the room and her eyes fell on the table. Her laughing stopped and horror took place on her face as she took in the mess on Arnav's table. Hey Devi Maiyya! Yeh table hai ya kabaadkhaana! (Is this a table or a junkyard!) No one would believe that Mr. Raizada is a businessman after seeing this mess!
Shaking her head, Khushi decided that enough was enough. No one should be subjected to this mess, not even Mr. Raizada! She tied her duppatta to her waist and got down to work. She removed all the papers strewn across the table and kept it aside. Grabbing an old cloth from another room, she wiped the whole table clean, after which she stacked the files in a neat and orderly manner. Once the table was clean, Khushi sighed in relief. Finally, the table looked like a businessman's table. Now where is that Sherlock Holmes book that Mr. Raizada was threatening me about? Might as well check it out!
"Bhai! I am telling you! I did not find the file! Spent the whole evening searching it! And tell me Bhai, how is a person supposed to find anything in that mess called your table?", Aakash griped and groused as he and Arnav walked towards the study. It was early morning and the moment Arnav came out of his room to head to the dining table for breakfast, Aakash had accosted him and practically demanded that Arnav hunted down his file. Sighing in reluctance and mentally grumbling about annoying younger brothers who cannot even find a file on a table, Arnav headed towards the study along with Aakash.
"And I am telling you Aakash, it is right there! How can you not see it? And my table is not that bad!", Arnav retorted as they neared the study. Arnav knew that his table was a mess and you cannot find a file there right away but Aakash spent the whole evening searching for it. He should have found it by now! Arnav was annoyed at Aakash for not even allowing him time to eat his breakfast especially when he knew that Arnav had not eaten dinner last night.
"And I am telling you Bhai ki...", Aakash trailed off as he stood at the doorway of the study in shock.
Arnav almost crashed into him, "AAKASH! Move!"
Aakash stepped aside silently and now it was Arnav's turn to be surprised. His eyebrows rose as he took in his table. Everything was neat and tidy and in order! What the!
Slowly Aakash spoke, "Bhai! Did you hire a PA?"
Arnav rolled his eyes, "What? When do you think I had the time to hire a PA? When Di was shouting at me or when I was exercising in the morning? Use your brains! Di must have done the cleaning!"
Aakash frowned but remained silent. They reached the table and Arnav pulled out the file and handed it to Aakash who grinned widely and walked off to the dining table. Arnav turned to walk away too when his eyes fell on a note hidden in one of the files. He picked the note and read it. It said, "Keep your table as clean as it is now from today onwards or else...P.T.O." Arnav blinked in surprise. Khushi ne yeh kiya? For me? He smiled softly and turned the note around. As soon as he read what was written at the back, he burst out laughing. Written on the back was, "Or else I will assault you with more hindi tongue twisters, Samjhe Mr. Nasamajh?"
And that is when Arnav knew that Khushi was not angry at him for working her too hard and everything was alright between them!
PRECAP:
Naaniji ki entry! Hey Devi Maiyya!
Thank you for reading, take care and have fun,
Kalpana
Edited by Kalpana_Writer - 10 years ago
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