ONE CHANCE GIVEN 2.8
GEETU & KICHDI 1.8
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Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai - 02 August 2025 EDT
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Makers mission to prove Navri incompetent in all aspects.
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A joke called National award
Asli Gunehgar
Congratulations National Award Winning Actress Rani Mukerji
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If Vanga directed Saiyyara
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CHAPTER 11. ARNAV BITWA! IS THIS MY BAHU?
Khushi looked on worriedly as Arnav and Aakash came down from study to the dining table for breakfast. She wondered whether she went too far by cleaning Arnav's table. Did she cross her limits by arranging his table? After all, she was just his student. She did not want to anger the man who gave her a chance at getting a better life for herself. She bit her lip nervously just as Arnav glanced at her. He gave her a smile making her heave a sigh of relief. He was not angry! And he was smiling too, which meant he was alright with her action. She smiled back at him just as he reached the dining table.
Soon the breakfast was done and the time came for Khushi's daily training session. Just as Anjali, Aakash and Khushi got up for the training session Arnav spoke up without looking at them, "There will be no training session today!" Anjali, Aakash and Khushi's jaw dropped open. They looked at each other just as Arnav who was wiping his mouth, spoke up without looking at them, "Khushi collapsed yesterday due to exhaustion and I think it is better that she takes break for another day!"
Finally Arnav looked up and blinked in surprise at the shocked expression the other three had on their faces. "What?", he muttered in confusion. Anjali and Aakash looked at each other in shock. Their workaholic brother was giving Khushi a break? Khushi's jaw dropped open. Till yesterday the person who was making her study so hard was giving her a break today!
"Bhai! You alright?"
"Chote! You are alright, na?"
"Hey Devi Maiyya!"
All three exclaimed one by one as they continued to stare at Arnav in shock. Anjali stepped ahead and checked Arnav's forehead. Other two waited with bated breath. Anjali looked back at the other two after the check up and shook her head, "Bukhaar toh nahi hai! No fever!" Arnav looked at Anjali in shock. Fever? What? But before he could say anymore Aakash stepped ahead and examined the back of Arnav's head by pressing it all over. After few seconds on examining, he turned to wide eyed Khushi and worried Anjali, "I checked his head. He does not have any bump. He has no concussion!"
Arnav's jaw dropped open and he stood up in shock. Concussion! What! What the hell is happening here? But before he could open his mouth, Khushi opened hers, "Kahin aatma waatma ka chakkar toh nahi?" Khushi took a step back when the Raizada siblings turned towards her looking at her incredulously. She nodded vigorously, "You know!... Aatma Waatma!... Ghost Shost!"
"What the!", Arnav gritted his teeth.
"Kya?", Anjali spluttered in surprise.
"Is it possible?", Aakash asked eagerly.
Now it was Aakash's turn at being stared incredulously by his siblings. "What? I believe in ghosts! They are so fascinating!"
Arnav and Anjali rolled their eyes and Anjali turned to Arnav, "Seriously Chote! What is wrong with you? You, the workaholic, giving Khushi a break! What is happening here?" Arnav patted her cheek and smiled softly, "I learned my lesson Di! Her mind and body both need time to absorb the knowledge I am giving her! And hence, I have decided to cut her some slack!" Anjali smiled at his words and then frowned as she heard some whispers. Who was whispering? Arnav had the same thought. Both turned sideways to see Aakash and Khushi whispering to each other.
Anjali decided to question them, "What are you two whispering about?"
Both Aakash and Khushi straightened up at her query and Khushi piped up eagerly, "We are discussing how to check if Arnav Sir really has a ghost in him!" Aakash nodded vigorously at that.
Anjali slapped her forehead while Arnav pinched the bridge of his nose as if in pain. I am going to go mad! I am definitely going to go mad!
"I have decided!", Khushi announced making Anjali jump in surprise. Why does everyone keep on surprising me today? First Chote and now Khushi! She huffed and turned towards Khushi, "And what is it that you have decided?" Khushi smiled excitedly. Aakash and Arnav had just gone for Office in the morning and now after having her lunch; Anjali was sitting in her room working on some crosswords.
"I have decided that I will cook for tonight!", Khushi spoke and Anjali's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"What? Why?", Anjali did not understand why Khushi suddenly had the need to cook for them.
Khushi smiled, "I want to cook for Arnav Sir! He gave me a chance to fulfil my dreams and I want to give something to him back. I am thinking about shaahi korma with butter naan and biryani with raitha! What do you think?"
Anjali blinked in surprise and did not say anything for the next few minutes.
Khushi bit her lip, "It is alright, right? Me cooking for tonight? If you say no, I won't do it! I just want to...", Khushi was cut off by Anjali who muttered absentmindedly, "No no! Its ok! Go ahead!"
Khushi grinned happily and walked off to kitchen to see what groceries were there and if there was anything that she needed to buy while Anjali stared at the place Khushi was standing with confusion written on her face.
"I don't understand you!", Anjali muttered as she reached the kitchen 15 minutes after Khushi entered it. Khushi, who was checking the spices, looked at Anjali in shock. "Matlab?", she asked as she turned towards the cook of the family and instructed him to buy more garam masala as she would need more than what was present in the kitchen. The cook nodded and noted it down on the paper he was holding. Khushi went on to check in on cumin and mustard seeds.
Anjali leaned by a counter and looked at Khushi curiously and with a little confusion, "Chote treated you so badly and you want to make dinner for him? What are you doing? Trying to telling him that you love being harassed and bossed by him? That him humiliating you is the best thing that has ever happened to you?"
Khushi looked at her in confusion, "Aisi koi baat nahi hai! It is nothing like that! He is teaching me and giving me a chance to have my dream job and I want to thank him, that's all!"
Anjali huffed as she moved away from the counter. She limped over to Khushi and grabbing her shoulders she shook her, "KHUSHI! Chote mistreated you! You collapsed because of him! Why are you not angry at him? You are supposed to be angry at him, not cooking thank you dinner for him!"
Anjali was beyond confused now. Why wasn't Khushi angry at her brother? Why?
Khushi gave her a tender smile and patted her cheek, "Kyunki... I mean because Arnav Sir is not at fault here!"
"WHAT?", Anjali was so shocked by what Khushi told her that she stumbled back few steps. Her hands left Khushi's shoulders and she gripped the counter nearby, "I can't believe you!"
Khushi shrugged as she turned back to check if haldi was there or not. Even a pinch was enough! "Haan! Arnav Sir is not at fault here! I mean thodi galti unki hai but he is not fully at fault here. Even I am at fault here. We both are!"
Anjali felt as if she had stepped into an alternative universe. What is happening here? Did Khushi actually live through the same last few days that she lived through? If she had, then why was she not angry at Chote? Or did Khushi and I live in different universe the last few days?
Khushi saw Anjali's confusion and smiled softly at her, "Hum aapki confusion samajhte hain! I understand your confusion. But fact remains that here even I am at fault! Here! Let me explain!"
Khushi pulled herself away from her masalas and sat on the counter Anjali was gripping tightly. Khushi started to explain her stance, "It is my fault also because if I wanted to I could have stopped myself from being exhausted. Arnav Sir may have ordered me to read all those books in a very small time but he did not have me at gunpoint. I could have easily put off all those readings and had as much as sleep as I needed. But I did not do that. Arnav Sir did not push me to study so hard and read all those books in the allotted time. He ordered me, yes! But I could have refused him. After all, I am not like those crying girls you see in tv serials. I am Khushi and I refused to be bossed around. You knew that, Aakash knew that, even Arnav Sir knew that. Then why did I follow Arnav Sir's orders? Why?"
Anjali looked at her in curiosity and Khushi explained, "I did that because I was eager to reach my dreams! I was eager to learn English and get my dream job. My eagerness to reach my goal is what got me this exhausted. I pushed myself for the sake of my dreams and got exhausted! It is as much my fault as much as Arnav Sir's! So why should he be the only person to be blamed? If you want to blame, blame both of us or don't blame anybody. Blaming only him is totally unfair! Both of us are to be blamed here and I paid for my greediness by fainting and collapsing!"
"And Chote paid it by listening to my lecture!", Anjali mumbled and then spoke up loudly, "Khushi! I never thought of it this way! You know what! You are one unique piece! There is no one like you in this whole world!"
"Sachchi?", Khushi squealed and when Anjali nodded, Khushi excitedly hugged her and then ran back to her cooking. Anjali shook her head and went back to her room.
It was around 6 when Khushi finished with her cooking. Arre waah! It is only 6! I thought it will take more time to cook! She shrugged, and then after ordering the cook to heat the food before serving and serve it piping hot, she walked off towards the hall. Might as well catch up with my reading! Sherlock Holmes, here I come!
While Khushi was coming out of the hall, an old lady entered the house looking around sneakily. She was here to meet her grand-daughter and get gossip about her grandsons. And gossip here meant that she wanted to know if any of her grandsons had caught the eye of a girl or maybe a girl stole her grandson's heart. Both the possibilities were ok with her as long as the end game was one of her grandsons getting married. Devi Maiyya! Arnav bitwa na sahi Aakash bitwa ki hi shaadi kara do! Aur kitna tarsaaoge is dukhyaari Naani ko! (If not Arnav bitwa then atleast get Aakash bitwa married! How much will you make this poor old lady wait?) She sniffed piteously and then rolled her eyes. Oh! Who was she fooling? Even Devi Maiyya knew by now that she loved to act and emotionally blackmail everyone around her. She huffed and looked around wondering where were her grandchildren. Har waqt toh humaar aate hi sab aake humka gale laagat hain! Aaj kahaan hai teeno? (Everytime they come running to meet me the moment I reach here! Where are these three today?) She was about to ask the servant who opened the door where the rest of her family was when she saw a young girl coming out of the kitchen and her eyes widened in excitement. Kahin yeh woh toh nahi? (Is she who I think she is?)
Khushi had just stepped out of the kitchen when her eyes fell on an old lady coming towards her. She smiled curiously and stepped ahead to talk to the lady. The old lady was dressed in a very royal looking Saree with pearl necklace adorning her neck. Her appearance overall suggested that she came from a very rich family and was most probably matriarch of her family. Khushi would have thought of her as one of the snobby ladies she had to serve as a waitress in many parties. The only thing stopping her from assuming such thing is the sweet smile the old lady had on her face. Her smile was kind and her eyes held the warmth Khushi had never seen any rich old lady have till now. Khushi instantly knew that this lady will never treat her the way snobby ladies treated her at the parties she served. Must be some neighbor! Khushi guessed.
Khushi smiled widely as she reached the old lady, "Namaste Auntyji!", she folded her hands into Namaste.
Naaniji blinked in surprise. For years Naaniji had met many girls who claimed to be susheel and sanskari and perfect bahu but none of them wished her with Namaste with folded hands. It was always hello and hi and shaking hands and the most dreaded one, the air kissing. So getting a Namaste was a shock for Naaniji. But she pushed off her surprise and enquired worriedly, "Namaste Beta! Hum Devyani Devi hain! Anjali se milne aaye hain! Kya woh ghar pe hai? (Namaste Beta! I am Devyani Devi! I have come to meet Anjali! Is she at home?)"
I was right! She is a neighbor! Why else is she asking for Anjaliji? Must have come to meet her neighbor and ask about her. Khushi shook her head, "Jee nahi! Woh tailor ke paas gayi hai! (No! She has gone to the tailor's.)", Khushi could have stopped her speech right there but our Khushi is not our Khushi unless she chattered for atleast one whole minute, "Woh kya haina, Anjaliji humaare liye kuch kapde banwa rahi thi! Woh kapde ban gaye! Toh wahi lene gayi hain! (You see, Anjali wanted to get some clothes made for me! Those clothes are ready. So she has gone to take them!)"
Naaniji frowned in confusion. Dresses for her? Why was Anjali getting dresses for this girl? Who is this girl? Why is she so important for Anjali to go to the tailor herself and get the dresses? And if Anjali was getting the dresses, it meant she was paying for it too. But why would Anjali do that for this girl?
Naaniji took in the girl from head to toe. She was dressed in traditional chudidaar, the kind she saw village girls wearing in her home town. It is obvious that this girl does not come from rich family. Even if her clothes were not the clue, her respectful nature and innocent way of talking would definitely be the clue. So Anjali getting dresses for her, and knowing Anjali it would be expensive and classy looking clothes, meant that the girl was special enough for Anjali to start buying fashionable dresses for her. But the question remains that why was Anjali buying clothes for this girl?
Naaniji was brought out of her thoughts by the girl, "Aap baithiye na Auntyji! Hum aapke liye kuch le aayein? Paani? Ya sharbat? (Why don't you sit Auntyji? Shall I bring you something? Water? Or sharbat?)" Naaniji smiled at the polite girl and sat down on the sofa. The girl remained standing. "Paani chalega bitiya! (Water is fine, bitiya!)", Naaniji spoke softly and was surprised when the girl excused herself and ran towards the kitchen. Yeh kahaan gayi? (Where did she go?)
But before Naaniji could think more the girl was back and Naaniji was once again surprised when the girl handed her glass of water. Most of the girls Naaniji knew would order the servants and here was a girl serving water herself. This was a very refreshing situation for Naaniji and the girl continued to intrigue her. Naaniji could not help but wish that this was her bahu. Aur agar bahu naahi hai, toh kaash humaar kaun se bhi ek pote ko inse pyaar ho jaaye! Devi Maiyya! Humaar sapna poora kardo! Haaye! Kitni pyaari bachchi hai! (And if not bahu, then I wish one of my grandsons falls in love with her! Devi Maiyya! Please fulfil my dream! Haaye! What a sweet girl!)
Soon Khushi sat down beside the regal looking lady and the regal lady started asking her about herself.
"Toh tum kahaa ki ho bitiya? Aur tumhaara naam kya hai? (So where are you from? And what's your name?)"
"Ji! Hum Khushi hain aur main Lucknow se hain! Lekin pichle paanch saal se Dilli mein hi hain! (I am Khushi and I am from Lucknow! But from last five years I am in Dilli!)"
"Aur Dilli ma ka kaam karti ho? (And what work do you do in Dilli?)"
"Jeee... Woh... Hum Waitress ka kaam karti thi! (Errr... ummm... I work as a waitress!)"
"Arre bitiya! Usmein itna hichkicha kyun rahi ho? Waitress ka kaam karna koi galat baat naahi! Apni mehnat se tumne kamaaya aur khaaya hai, toh ismein jhijhak ya sharam kaisi? (Arre bitiya! Why hesitate so much? Working as waitress is not wrong! You have earned through your hardwork, so why hesitate or be embarrassed while talking about it?)"
"Jee Auntyji! (Yes! Auntyji!)"
"Aur Aunty kaahe bula rahi ho bitiya? Humka Naaniji bulaao! Humaar ghar mein sab humein yahi bulaate hain! (And why are you calling me Aunty? Call me Naaniji! In my house everyone calls me that!)"
"Jee Aunty! Ish Sorry! Jee Naaniji!"
"Waise bitiya tum hiyaan kaise? Anjalibitiya ki dost ho ka? (By the way bitiya, how come you are here? Are you Anjali bitiya's friend?)"
"Nahi! Hum toh Anjaliji ko jaanti bhi nahi the jab hum yahaan aaye the! Humein toh Mr. Raizada yahaan leke aaye! (No! I did not know Anjaliji when I first came here! Mr. Raizada has brought me here!)"
Naaniji kept her face expressionless but inside she felt like dancing. Humaar pote hiyaan inhein leke aaye hain? Yaani ki yeh zaroor humaar honewaali bahu hai! Lekin kiski dulhan hai yeh? Arnav bitwa ya Aakash bitwa? Pata lagaana padega! (My grandson has brought her here? That means she is definitely my bahu-to-be! But whose bride is she? Arnav bitwa or Aakash bitwa? I have to know!) She looked at Khushi carefully. Baaton se inke toh yahi lag raha hai ki yeh humein naahi jaanat hai! Achchi baat hai! Iss bahaane bahu humse khulke toh baat kar rahi hai! Lekin yeh hai kiski dulhan? (The way she is talking to me, I don't think she knows me! This is good! This way she is atleast talking to me openly! But whose bride is she?)
"Toh aapko Mr. Raizada hiyaan laayein hain? (So Mr. Raizada has brought you here?)", Naaniji asked probingly.
"Haan Naaniji!", Khushi nodded and smiled softly.
"Toh kaise hain Mr. Raizada? Aapan ka khayaal toh rakhte haina? (So how is Mr. Raizada? He does take of you, right?)", Naaniji asked while smiling. Abhi pata chal jaayega ki yeh Arnav bitwa ki dulhan ya Aakash bitwa ki. Kyunki hum toh apne dono poton ke chaal chalan se waaqif hain! (I will know right away now whether she is Arnav bitwa's bride or Aakash bitwa's. Because I am well versed with both of my grandsons' behavior!)
Khushi nodded and continued to smile, "Haan! Bahut khayaal rakhte hain humaara! (Yes! He takes care of me a lot!)". Her mind was lost in her memory. She remembered the way he had threatened her with more books if she did not eat her medicines. "Aur kabhi kabhi toh jyaada hi kuch khayaal rakhte hain! (And sometimes he takes too much care of me!)", Khushi commented remembering the way he had made her eat so much quantity of food. "Woh dil ke itne sweet hain ki kya bataayein! (He is so sweet from inside, that what do I say!)", Khushi sighed as she remembered his sweet smile while coming down for breakfast. "Aur pata hai Naaniji? Woh kabhi bhi humpe bina wajah naaraaz nahi hote! (And did you know Naaniji? He never gets angry at me without reason!)", Khushi explaining as she reminded herself that Arnav only scolded her when it was needed like when she was half asleep in his class.
Naaniji smiled widely at Khushi's words. Ab toh pakka hai! Ee toh Aakash bitwa ki dulhan hai! Itna pyaara toh humaar Aakash hi hai! (Now it is sure! This is Aakash bitwa's bride! Only my Aakash can be this sweet!) And she could not resist telling Khushi that, "Of course woh tumhaara itna khayaal rakhta hai! Aakash toh hai hi perfect! (Of course, He takes care of you so much! Aakash is so perfect!)"
"Aakash? Nahi Nahi! Hum toh Arnav Singh Raizada ki baat kar rahe the Naani! (Aakash? No No! I am talking about Arnav Singh Raizada, Naani!)", Khushi exclaimed and Naaniji blinked in surprise. Arnav? She was talking about Arnav! Hey Devi Maiyya! She blinked as she rewound the conversation in her mind and replayed Khushi's words. All the things Khushi said was about someone sweet and caring! And Arnav is such a rude and angry man! How can she be talking about Arnav? How can her Arnav and my Arnav be same? Kahin... Hey Devi Maiyya! Kahin Arnav bitwa ko pyaar toh nahi hogaya? (Has Arnav bitwa fallen in love?) What else can explain Arnav being sweet? And that also to a girl? She remembered how Arnav at one time detested girls. He was never rude to them but he was never inclined to speak to them either, finding them too fickle! And now he was being sweet to Khushi? Yes! My Arnav bitwa is in love! Naaniji suddenly felt like getting up and dancing! She wanted to hug her bahu and kiss her forehead for turning her Arnav from workaholic to such a romantic man. Hey Devi Maiyya! In dono ki Jodi ko banaaye rakhna!
Suddenly Naaniji noticed the time and realised that if she did not get going then she won't reach home before dark and she wanted to avoid travelling in dark. She got up and Khushi got up too.
"Achcha bitiya! Ab hum chalte hain! Bahut der hogayi hai! Ok bitiya! Now I am leaving! It is too late!", Naaniji spoke up.
Khushi shook her head, "Arre! Aise kaise aap jaa rahi hain? Thodi der aur ruk jaayiye! Anjaliji aati hi hogi! (Arre! How can you go like this? Wait for a while! Anjaliji must be coming!)"
Naaniji replied pleadingly, "Nahi bitiya! Time bahut ho jaayega! Aur humaar ghar bhi bahut door hai! (No bitiya! It will be too late! And my house is too far!)"
But Khushi refused to let her go, "Nahi Naaniji! In kuch palon mein aapse itna lagaav ho gaya hai ki hum aapko khaana khilaaye baghair nahi jaane denge! Aur aaj toh khaana humne banaaya hai! (No Naaniji! In last few moments, I got so attached to you that I won't let you go without feeding you! And today I have cooked myself!)"
"Achcha?", Naaniji was tempted but she knew how much she hated travelling in dark, "Nahi bitiya! Phir kabhi! (No bitiya! Maybe later!)"
Neither of the ladies noticed that someone was at the door. Or rather three someones. Arnav, Aakash and Anjali had just arrived, the former two from Office and the latter from fashion boutique. As they reached the door, they looked shell shocked at the scene in front of them. Khushi and Naaniji talking! Yeh kya ho raha hai?
Khushi huffed but finally relented, "Theek hai! Lekin ek shart par! (Fine! But on one condition!)"
Naaniji frowned and Khushi smiled, "Humein aap ek achchi si aashirwaad denge! (You will have to give me a really good blessing!)"
Naaniji smiled and nodded as Khushi bent down to take her blessings. Naaniji patted the girl's head softly.
Arnav, Aakash and Anjali stared as Khushi took Naaniji's blessings and Naaniji opened her mouth to give her blessings, "Jeeti raho beta! Hamesha khush raho! (May you live long! May you always be happy!)"
Khushi stood up and Naaniji cupped her cheeks and smiled at her tenderly, "Kitni pyaari bahu mil rahi hai humaar Arnav bitwa ko! (What a sweet bahu my Arnav bitwa is getting!)"
"BAHU?", four voices shouted in sync and Naaniji took a step back in surprise. She took in Khushi's surprised expression, Aakash's amused expression, Anjali's scared expression and finally she took in the horror on Arnav's face. Why was Arnav beta looking so scared?
"Humne kuch galat kahaa kya? (Did I say something wrong?)", Naaniji asked in confusion, "Arnav bete! Humka Khushi bahut pasand hai! I like her! Is this my bahu?"
Naaniji did not know why Aakash was grinning so idiotically. What was so amusing here? And she did not understand why Khushi and Anjali were so shocked. And most of all, she did not know why Arnav looked paler every second and looked like he was about to faint. Ab humne aisa ka bol diya?
But what finally shocked Naaniji the most was when Anjali and Aakash looked at Arnav's horrified expression and both broke out laughing. Ab aisan kya huigava? Ee bachche bhi na! Bade ajeeb hain! (Now what has happened? These kids of today! Very weird!)
It took everyone an hour to explain Naaniji who Khushi actually was. Aakash explained their first meet in the party and his bet with his brother. At this, Naaniji had rolled her eyes. Leave it to Aakash bitwa to provoke Arnav bitwa into taking a bet! And then Anjali explained about Khushi's entry and Arnav's decision to train her. Naaniji had simply shaken her head. She was still confused whether to call Khushi brave for facing ASR and demanding that he train her or call her foolish for attempting such a dare devil act. And once Khushi updated her about all the things she had learned till now, Naaniji simply sighed. The things people value these days! Look at girl's smartness! Why are you looking at her accent and her language?
Once the explanation was done Naaniji was very disappointed. Khushi bitiya is not my bahu? She sniffled mentally! Ee theek naahi hai Devi Maiyya! (This is not fair Devi Maiyya!) And then she suddenly brightened. One minute! Just because Khushi and Arnav are not in love does not mean they cannot fall in love! And for that matter, why can't Khushi fall in love with Aakash? She smiled in her mind. Yes! This situation is much better! Now Khushi will have two options to fall in love! And I will have her as my bahu no matter what! Naaniji smiled happily as she turned towards Khushi and started chatting with her! Yes! Khushi will be my bahu, by hook or by crook! And I will make it happen!
PRECAP:
Naani's visit continues!
That's all for today folks!
Thank you, take care and have fun,
Kalpana!
P.S. Added Naaniji to the Character Sketch!
One of my entries for Love-O-Rama Pyaar Ka Trope Fest Storyline: Enemies to Lovers Setting: Crime Character/Pairing: Arnav Khushi from IPPKND...
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