Chapter Two
September, 2012
He let out an irritated breath at the whooshing wiper on the windshield, banging his fists on the steering wheel. He glanced at the front view mirror, his brows twisting into a frown at the constant honking of his tailgater, cussing as he drummed on the steering wheel and his other hand resting over the gear shift lazily, none of his actions giving away the impatience he felt within at the traffic that moved in a snail pace. He glanced at the clock on the dashboard and then his wrist watch as he accelerated, rolling his eyes at the tailgater as he blocked the way and smirked satisfactorily, watching the irritation on the driver's face with a grin as he sped the steel grey SUV.
There were many things he would rather be doing in that moment than driving around the city in the pelting rain to attend a meeting with his sister and brother-in-law. Arnav grinned as he shook his head. No, he would rather do just one thing, he corrected with a sly smile as he watched pedestals on the sides waiting for their turn, their dresses drenched, clung on to their bodies. He would have been on his way to the pub instead, get wasted and wake up with a hangover and a woman the next morning. Adjusting his front locks, he steered the way through the bylanes, he pushed the pleasant thoughts aside. This would the last time he gave in to any of his sister's whims, he decided. The last time had been nothing but disastrous with Simran Joshi turned out to be a confused soul who wanted to settle with a man she barely knew.
It was a mystery as how people even decide that the person was their potential life partners with a single glance and spending few minutes over a drink or two. It was not for him, he had said over and over again to his family, hoping that they would stop nagging him with photos of his potential brides. For the love of his life, he couldn't imagine being with one woman for the rest of his life just for the sake of being with someone. If ever he was to be in a serious, committed relationship, he would with such a woman who manages to thrill, surprise and amuse him in every waking second and in every way.
Arnav looked around for a moment before parking in the lot. He was still as puzzled as he had been when he received Anjali's call, demanding for his presence while the couple discussed about the interiors of their newly purchased flat with an architect. He was neither going to live with them nor was he the kind to care about the type of finishes or furniture's.
He pulled his mobile out, checking for his sister's message with the details as he entered the elevator, disliking the company for working during weekends. With a quick glance, he pressed the button to his floor, tapping his foot impatiently as the elevator glided upward only to halt at the second floor. He groaned at the number of unread emails and the notification of low memory in his inbox just as the elevator moved upward once again with the cheerful voice reverberating in the small space.
He looked up at his elevator companions, his eyes scanning the person in front with a careless gaze and then the woman beside the man. The corners of his mouth curved into a soft smirk as he saw her, the recognition as soon as he saw her almost surprising him.
The olive hue of her healthy, flawless skin a shade darker than he had last seen, glowing under the pale light in the elevator. The curls were braided in the similar fashion and pulled over on one shoulder. The simple, diamond studs sparkled and her eyes twinkled as they gazed her companion.
"Unfortunately, Jha is not my type, NK. Also, he is married. He has a kid. So no, thank you."
Arnav stared at her as he suppressed a chuckle at her honest confession. He watched, intrigued by the woman he had seen at the caf weeks ago, as she stepped out of the elevator with her companion, her hips swaying much to his discomfort. He smiled as he stepped out, his eyes taking in the steel board that bore the company's name and the sliding doors beside it through which she had walked in and disappeared. He shook his head, still smiling, as he walked in and enquired about his sister's meeting room with the receptionist and followed the boy in. The least his sister's appointment with her architect would do was provide him details of the coffee girl.
As he followed the boy down the narrow aisle, he looked around the area, his eyes searching for the person who seemed to hold his attention for longer than anyone ever managed. Ever since he had watched her walking out of that coffee shop, Arnav seemed to think about her. If he were to be honest, she was one of the reasons he rejected Simran Joshi who happened to be exactly how he liked women in general.
Five minutes later, however, he was greeted with a rather enthusiastic sister and her sober husband with no signs of his coffee girl. "You made it!" His sister cheered as she hugged him.
Arnav urged to snap at her, taking a seat next to hers. He looked at her husband pitifully. "I did warn you that Anjali is suffering from final stage of craziness." He pointed out with a shrug. "I pity you, Shyam. I really do." He said as he remembered the snippets of the interesting conversation he heard in the elevator. "You're stuck with her, missing out the chance to pick up from women who's crushing after you."
Shyam grinned as he looked up. "I still might have a chance after all, Chotey."
"You should consider your options." Arnav suggested while placing his mobile on the table. "In fact, I suggest you have a walk around here and see if anyone's up to your liking." He said thoughtfully, as he rose from his seat. "I say we go see right now."
"What the?" Anjali snapped while the men shared a good natured laugh. "I can't believe my husband and brother are having this talk." She turned in her seat, facing Arnav pointedly. "I get it you're not made to commit for one woman. Why are you brain washing my husband?"
Arnav grinned up at his sister, tilting his head as he heard the footsteps. The plan was simple. He would be the perfect brother for a couple of minutes, offer his verdicts on the colors and excuse himself. He would then have a look around the office till he found his coffee girl again. As simple as that. Though he never cared about the female appreciation or the advantages it offered to get his work done quickly, today, however, he was not going to decline any such interesting glances followed him.
"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Jha. I apologize for keeping you waiting..."
He heard a sharp intake of breath as he looked up at the architect, a smirk tugging the corners of his mouth at the wide kohl filled doe eyes as she stared at him. Arnav silently thanked his sister as he smiled, his fingers drumming on the table as he watched her schooling her shock and seated behind the desk, placing a pile of drawing sheets on top.
Arnav turned to his left when he heard a clearing throat and winked at Shyam who had been staring at them. But it was Anjali who broke the momentary silence. "Do you know each other?"
"No"
"Yes"
Arnav laughed out as their voices contradicted. The long day's tiredness and the evening's plans forgotten as he watched her hands that were busied themselves with the drawing sheets. "We're together." He said easily and waited for the eyes to flare at him, and smiled when they did. "In the elevator." He added after a good measure and turned to look at the couple beside him. "I must say, Didi. Jha have a good following here."
He then turned to face her as he added. "Right, Khushi?"
Her eyes roamed over his face, her hands clenched into fists as she took a deep breath. "We pride ourselves with the attention we give to our clientele." She replied rather sweetly with a tight smile, her eyes glowing as they glared at him for a second longer. "It's all a part of professional game the corporate world plays. Isn't it, Mr...?"
He stared at her, thoroughly surprised at her curt response. This was not he was expecting. He had expected her to be flushed and then try to cover it up with an excuse, or pretend that she didn't understand what he was implying at. But this... the open admission of the little knowledge she had given away, and the graceful acceptance regarding the following...
"Arnav." He said while leaning in, one hand extended towards her and the other folded on the table as he waited for her, his eyes roaming over her face and at her clinched fists that she opened and closed several times in the brief second before placing hers in his.
He smiled as he settled comfortably in his seat, not surprised when she returned his smile but pulled her hand the next instant.
"But Arnav, how did you know her name?"
Arnav cussed under his breath as he tilted his head to look at his sister. Trust Anjali Raizada Jha to be clueless when he was having the best times of his life. He controlled the urge to snap at her but looked up at Shyam instead and sighed when he nodded.
"That was all you're interested in talking these days, love. Khushi called to inform this. Khushi suggested that." Shyam winked at his wife and faced the woman in front with a friendly smile. "My wife can be little obsessive when it comes to her dream home, Miss Gupta. I hope you don't mind."
Khushi smiled as she shook her head. "I completely understand it, Mr. Jha. After all, it is where one's story begins. As someone said, home is not a place but a feeling, a belonging, where love resides and memories are created."
Arnav stared at Khushi, not caring about his brother-in-law who, like always, managed to see through him, ignoring his sister's curious looks. He stared at the woman who surprised him with her honesty, with her simplicity and innocence that radiated from her smile. He was not just intrigued.
He was thrilled to meet a woman who managed to demand his attention with the passion in her words as she spoke about what he only thought as a pile of bricks and beams.
__________
January, 2015
She could feel the skip of her beat as her heart heaved with nervousness as she descended the stairs. The past days had been filled with nervous restlessness as she spent most of her time staring into the space, trying her best to bring back the lost memories that she knew was stored in the darkest corner of her mind. But she was sure one thing despite what her brother had said last night. There had to be a reason, a strong one, to be in a relationship with someone who, according to her brother, was not the right one for her. and Khushi wanted to know that reason, reach the person and demand answers. She was not going to knock his door and welcome him in her life. No, that was not her. She would speak with him, try to know what happened in her life, and then move on with the rest of it.
Khushi paused at the last step, her eyes taking in the familiar sight that was unfolding in front of her eyes. Her mother was running back and forth between open kitchen and the dining table while her father immersed himself with the latest debate session on one of the leading business channels. Her eyes darted around and spotted her brother with ease while Aarav struggled with his shoe laces. Shaking her head, Khushi walked towards her brother and crouched with a chuckle. "You still can't tie your lace?" She asked, amazed at her twin as their eyes met, the coal black irises twinkling at the steel grey surprised ones.
She waited as she felt the three pair of eyes on her as they played the myriad of emotions and finally settling to happiness. But before her brother could come back with what she knew as "welcome" or "finally", she turned around, scanning the room further. "Where is Di?" She asked a second later, not finding her sister anywhere around, running around as she gathered her belongings. "Isn't she getting late? Or she has an early shift?"
The momentary silence that followed made Khushi uncomfortable, the previous restlessness rushing back as she stared at each of her family member. Her eyes darting around in a frantic search and found her sister just as she walked in from the front door. "Where were you?" She demanded as she stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with unexplainable emotion as she tried to connect the missing piece of puzzle that she had lately become. She then looked at her brother and sighed. Her family was no more the same, she realized breathlessly. There was so much for her to catch up with the on-goings in her parents and siblings lives.
"Is there anything that I need to know about you, Di?" Khushi asked finally as she walked back to the dining table and plopped next to her father. "You can update me, you know. I'm not going to freak out like I did the past few days. I'm perfectly fine and can accept the changes now."
She watched as Payal walked up to her while Aarav and their mother joined. She looked around the dining table. They were still the same, the small and happy family of five. Yet, things had changed drastically. Her eyes lowered involuntarily to the ring as she heard herself sighing. "Di, please tell me that you're single."
She blinked back the unexpected tears as she looked up at her sister. One glance and she knew the answer. She stared at the black beads on her sister and closed her eyes painfully. "How did I miss seeing that?" She asked more to herself as she lowered her eyes. "Di came to check in on me several times a day and I didn't even notice her."
"Khushi." Shashi took her hand in his as he stared at his youngest child. "You've your plate full to worry about. We're just happy to have you back. Give it some time and you'll fall into changed pace without much difficulty."
Khushi knew it was as hard on her family as it was on her. And she had been doing nothing but encourage their worries. That was not something she would like to do. So she smiled, jumping off her seat as she hugged her sister. "I'm so happy, Di. I'm sure I had fun during the wedding. Now, tell me all about my Jeejaji. How does he look like? How come I didn't see him around? Or am I too engrossed with my future plans? God, I want details."
Payal laughed softly while shaking her head. "Before I start off with my wonderful life, I'll tell you one thing, Khushi. You might have lost a part of your life but you're still the same."
"It's not about me." Khushi insisted stubbornly as she pushed the unpleasant thoughts aside. "It's about you." She looked around with a smile. "It's about you all. I want to know every single thing that happened while I was gone, starting with Payal Di's wedding."
"Let me bring her wedding album." Her mother suggested as she rose from her seat. "So you can see yourself the fun you had."
Khushi giggled, nodding excitedly and turned to face her brother, her smile slipping at his hardened face and clenched fists. It was not what she was expecting, for him to react the way he was reacting. Wasn't it her brother who insisted, day in and day out in the past three weeks since she had been in the accident, that she should take this chance and start everything afresh? Wasn't it her brother who wanted her to move on? She shook her head, forcing herself to focus on her sister instead.
"So?" She asked finally. Her brother and his reactions regarding their elder sister's wedding album have to wait for a while.
Payal smiled at her as she took a deep breath and Khushi could almost hear her thoughts as she struggled to begin with her story. Khushi squeezed her sister's hand and blinked in assurance and that was all Payal needed as she returned her smile. "I had known him, Aakash, for a while. We worked together. He is sweet, kind and friendly. When he came up with marriage proposal, I didn't see any reasons to reject it and asked him to come, meet our family."
Khushi waited just as Garima returned with the albums. "Come on, Payal Didi. No story is as simple as that." She probed when she realized a minute later that her sister wasn't going to add any details. "Or, is it because our parents are here that you're unable to...?" She trailed off with a wink.
"Shh..." Payal shook her head even as Khushi saw the ting on her cheeks.
"Uh ho, not bad Didi." Khushi teased, feeling at ease for the first time in weeks. She grabbed the album and opened it cheerfully. "We're going upstairs and you're filling me with the details. I'm not going to let go easily, Payal Aakash...?"
"Raizada," she heard her sister just as she looked at the first picture, the family picture of her sister's in-law.
Khushi stared at her sister's husband, approving of her choice as she looked at a bespectacled man with a friendly smile. But her smile slipped with recognition when her eyes darted to the man standing beside her sister's husband with an arm thrown around his shoulders.
"Who's this man?" She asked Payal as she looked up. "I remember him. He was the one holding my hands when I was in the hospital before Aarav came in."
Payal leaned in to look at the picture. "This," she said while pointing a finger at the man Khushi was asking about, "is Aakash's cousin and best friend. Arnav. The man with golden heart. Literally."
Khushi stared at the photo for a second longer before turning to look up at her brother and cringed as he shut his eyes and his palms fisted tightly that Khushi could see the pale nerves of his fingers. She looked back at the photo as she tried to connect the man and her brother's reactions at Payal's words.
__________
Note:
I'm sure there are many questions regarding Arnav and their past. But the answers will not be hidden for a long time. Please be patient as I work my way out with this FF and I promise you, you'll find them at the earliest.
Also, the past with be from Arnav's perspective and the present from Khushi's 😉
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