Love - Its Complicated! 26th Mar: Chapter 10 (E) is up on Page 71! - Page 19

Originally posted by: Madhu..

Read all the parts in 1 go
really loving this!!!
Little Maan and vicky are soo cute
maan loves his Nandy bui and vicky loves his Happy
Geet in mission to find maan's happy
why uday left khushi to shashi??
Haven't read betrayal...my Maaneet nahi hai na us story mai..isliye 😆
u mentioned that Maaneet are only supporting chars...i know its Arshi story but will be happy if Maaneet too had lead role..sry its ur story but i just said my wish
plzz continue soon

CHAPTER 6 (A). LITTLE KHUSHI AND HER MAAN VEERJI!

11 years in past...

Maan nodded as he shook hands with one of his company's clients. They were standing at the entrance of their company and Maan was seeing them off. At the age of 21, Maan Singh Khurana already commanded respect from his company's employees and clients, due to his involvement in the family business since he was 18 years old. Even before that, he joined his father in Office and hence knew the company inside and out before he even turned 20.

"So looking forward to your graduation ceremony?", the client's wife asked.

Maan nodded proudly, "Yes! I am!"

"You must be proud of your son Mr. Khurana! Not only he has the acumen needed to helm such a big company, but he is also good looking and charming!", the lady mused.

Maan looked a bit embarrassed but his father looked very proud.

"So you are done with your architecture studies! Now what are your future plans?", the lady asked Maan and Maan smiled, "I am planning to study MBA next Ma'am! I want to be fully ready when Dad will hand over the reins of the company to me!"

The client looked impressed by his answers and soon they left and Maan and Uday headed home.

After they reached home, Uday retired to his room. After loosing his sister, Uday seemed to withdraw into his shell and did not converse much with his family unless necessary. He also confined himself to his room most of the time. Maan sighed sadly at his Dad's action but did not give it any more thoughts. He sat in the living room, feeling a little tired. Ordering one of the servants to bring water, Maan tried to relax a little. And just then the phone rang.

Maan looked at the landline in confusion. In the time when people were converting to mobiles who is calling on the landline? Walking to the landline, he picked up the phone and said hello' in it. The voice that came from other side made Maan's heart stop. He sat down on the nearby sofa in shock. The person on the phone once again said hello and Maan's heart started beating again. With trembling hands he spoke on the phone, "H...h...hello!", his voice came out in a whisper.

"Maan!", the soft voice spoke and Maan stilled. He knew this voice! He knew this voice very well!

"Nandy Bui?", Maan whispered as tears welled up in his eyes.

"You remembered me, Maan?", his Bui questioned.

Maan smiled through the tears, "We remember only those people, Nandy Bui, whom we forget! I have yet to forget you!"

"Maan!", his Bui cried out as she sobbed on the phone.

Maan wiped his tears away as he smiled happily. After 11 years, he was talking to his Bui!

"How are you Maan?", Bui whispered and Maan tearfully murmured he was fine.

"And Veerji? Ma? How are they Maan?", Bui's voice trembled.

Maan took a deep breath, "They are ok too." Maan omitted the fact that his father had withdrawn in his shell and her Ma did not smile as much as she did in his childhood.

"Maan? You remember when I was leaving you asked me to bring something from India?", his Bui questioned once she calmed down.

Maan let out a loud laughter, "Bui! Of course I remember! I asked you for a baby sister!" He chuckled at his younger self's silly thoughts.

"Well...", his Bui paused, "I might have fulfilled your wish!"

Maan's laughter stopped as his eyes widened. Before he could question Nandini as to what she was talking about, a child's voice came from the receiver, "Hello Maan Veerji!"

Maan sat down in shock. His Nandini Bua had a child. Of course, it was expected as she has been married for almost 11 years but it still shocked Maan. He had a baby sister. He started laughing happily as the fact set in. He had a baby sister!

"Amma! Maan Veerji ko kuch hogaya hai! Woh kuch bol nahi rahe! Bas hase jaa rahe hain! (Amma! There is something wrong with Maan Veerji! He is not saying anything! Just keeps on laughing! )", the child spoke and Maan remembered that he was still on line with the kid. He heard his Bua answer, "Woh khush hain beta, isliye has rahe hain! (He is laughing because he is happy!)" "Woh khush kyun hai? (But why is he happy?)", the child asked and Maan spoke up, "Kyunki meri zindagi mein ek pyaari si behen aayi hai isliye! (Because in my life, a sweet little sister has arrived!)" The child giggled.

"Waise kya main iss behen ka naam jaan sakta hun? (By the way, can I know this sister's name?)", Maan asked and the girl giggled, "Khushi!"

"Khushi! Yaani ki happiness?", Maan queried.

"Woh humein nahi pata! Waise agar Khushi ko English mein happiness kehte hai toh Maan ko English mein kya kehte hain? (That I don't know! By the way, if Khushi means Happiness in English, then what does Maan mean?)", Khushi asked him.

Maan chuckled at her sweet voice, "Maan means Honor!"

"Honor?", the girl spoke with awe in her voice, "Toh phir hum aaj se aapko Honor Veerji bulaayenge! Theek hai? (Then from today onwards, I will call you Honor Veerji! Ok?)"

Maan let out a loud laugh at that, "Theek hai! Phir tum meri happiness! Nahi! Happiness bahut lamba hai! Tum meri Happy! Theek hai? (Ok! Then you are my happiness! No! Happiness is too long! You are my Happy! Ok?)"

"Theek hai!", the girl replied and giggled too.

As the brother sister duo laughed, Nandini came on phone, "Maan! Humein ghar aana hai! Humein Australia aana hai! (Maan! I want to come home! I want to come to Australia!)"

Maan sat up with excitement. Nandini Bui wanted to visit! That means the rift between his father and Bui might go away! And soon he could be with his Bui and Happy as much as he wanted.

"Sure Bui! I will book it right away! I will book it for you, Happy and Phoophaji, I swear! I will do it right away!", Maan replied eagerly and excitedly. His Bui was coming home!

Just then his Bui interrupted his excitement, "Nahi Maan! Only two tickets! Not three! And that also one way!"

Maan's eyes widened in shock. What happened there that Bui wanted to come to Australia forever and that also with her kid but not with her husband? Before Maan could enquire about it, his Bui asked for her brother. Maan replied that he would call for his Dad just as his Dad came down from his room.

"Dad! Somebody wants to talk to you!", Maan told his father.

"Me? Who?", his dad asked as he sat on the sofa beside Maan and raised his hand to take the phone.

Maan spoke on the phone, "Give the phone to Happy!" and put the phone on speaker. It seemed that Nandini understood his idea because soon, Maan heard a large squeal come from the phone, "Namaste Uday Maamaji!" Maan smiled at those words.

Uday looked at the phone in shock just as Khushi spoke, "Humaara naam Khushi Khurana hai! Hum Nandini Khurana ki beti hai! Hum aath saal ki hain! (I am Khushi Khurana! I am Nandini Khurana's daughter! I am eight years old!)" Uday looked at his son in shock as tears welled up in his eyes. Maan looked back at him with similar expression on his face. He nodded his head and took up the receiver. Handing the receiver to his father, Maan switched off the speaker.

Maan watched with wide eyes as tears streamed down his father's cheeks. He smiled when after conversing for a while with yes and hmm his father replied resolutely, "Forget tickets Nandini! Main khud aa raha hun apni behen aur Bhanji ko le jaane! Samjhi? (I myself am coming to bring my Sister and niece! Got it?)" He conversed few minutes more and then handed phone to Maan who also said his goodbyes.

Once the phone call was done, Uday ordered Maan to book tickets for his India trip.

"Dad! If you want, I will come with you!", Maan spoke up.

Uday shook his head, "Nahi! KC aur Daadima ko kaun sambhaalega? You keep an eye here and I will go and take care of Nandini and Khushi, ok?"

Maan nodded and Uday walked away. His father looked sad. Why was he sad when Nandy Bui is coming back? Maan was confused.

It was evening when Maan was found doing something he did not do for ages; eavesdropping on his Dad and Daadima. It seemed whenever it was the matter of his Bui, his Daadi and Dad seemed to have sequestered themselves in the study and he seemed to be eavesdropping. He shook his head as he leaned to hear what they were talking about only to be shocked as he heard his Dad sobbing. Maan was alarmed. Daadima seemed to be alarmed too.

"Kya hua Uday bete? Kab se hum dekh rahe hain, aap bas roye jaa rahe hain! Baat kya hai? (What happened Uday bete? I am observing you for a while and you just keep on crying! What is the matter?)", Daadima seemed shocked.

"Ma! Pehli baar zindagi mein main sahi hone pe dukhi ho raha hai! Pehli baar main apne aapse naaraaz hun kyunki main sahi nikla! (Ma! For the first time in my life, I am sad at my being right! First time I an angry at myself because I was right!)", Uday spoke in pained voice.

"Aap kehna kya chaahte ho Uday bete? Humein kuch samajh nahi aa raha! (What are you trying to say Uday bete? I am not understanding anything!)", Daadima was beyond shocked now, "Pehle kehte ho ki aapki Choti ghar aa rahi hai! Phir kehte ho ki Choti apne saath apni beti, humaari naatin, Khushi ko laa rahi hai! Phir jab humne apne damaad ke baare mein poocha toh kehte ho ki Damaadji nahi aayenge aur Khushi aur Nandini phirse Hindustan kabhi nahi jaayengi! Yeh sab kya hai Uday bete? (First you say your Choti is coming home! Then you tell me that Choti is bringing her daughter, my granddaughter, Khushi with her! Then why I asked about my son in law, you tell me that my son in law won't come and Khushi and Nandini won't go back to India again! What is all this Uday bete?)"

"Aapko yaad hai Ma jab maine aapse kahaa tha ki Nandini ka sasural bahut orthodox hai! Lekin itne puraane khayaalaat ka hoga yeh maine nahi socha tha Ma! (Do you remember Ma, when I told you that Nandini's new family is quite orthodox! But I never thought they would be this orthodox, Ma!)", Uday explained, "Nandini ne apne naye zamaane ki soch ko chodke unke rang mein poori tarah rang gayi! Sirf uss insaan ke liye jisse woh pyaar karti thi! Lekin uss insaan ne Nandini ke saath woh kiya jo maine kabhi socha bhi nahi tha! (Nandini abandoned her progressive thinking and blended into their family! Just for the sake of the man she loved! But that person did something to Nandini that I never expected!)"

"Uday! Aap humein dara rahe hain! (Uday! You are scaring me!)", Daadima cried out, "Aisa kya hua humaari beti ke saath? (What happened with my daughter?)"

"Nandini khush thi Ma! Shaadi ke pehle kuch mahine woh khush thi! (Nandini was happy Ma! For the first few months of her married life, she was happy!)", Maan noticed that his father's tone seemed happy but next moment when he spoke, it was filled with anguish and pain, "Lekin phir woh Ma bani! Aur meri behen ki phooti kismat Ma, ki jis ghar mein shaadi ki usne, wahaan sirf beta janm leta hai, beti nahi! (Then she became a mother! And my sister's horrible fate Ma, that the house she was married into, did not allow girl child to be born!)"

Daadima gasped but Maan was confused. What did his dad mean by that? But then he got his answer as Uday spoke, "Nandini ko beti hui Ma! Humein bhaanji, Maan ko behen aur aapko naatin hui Ma! (Nandini had a daughter! I got a niece, Maan got a sister and you got a granddaughter Ma!)"

Maan made a face. Yes! I know! Its Khushi! Then why declare this news with so much dramatics? It seemed Daadima had the same thoughts as she spoke next, "Haan! Humein pata hai! Khushi ki baat kar rahein haina aap? (Yes! I know! You are talking about Khushi, right?)"

Uday spoke, "Nahi Ma! Main Khushi ki ki do badi behnon ki baat kar raha hun! (No Ma! I am talking about the two elder sisters of Khushi!)"

"Hey Babaji!", Daadima gasped while Maan's eyes widened. He had not one but three cousins! Maan frowned as he wondered why he did not get to speak to other two sisters? Badi? That means they must be 9 or 10 years old! I wonder if they were like Khushi, sweet and bubbly! Or were they serious like Dad? Or mischief filled like Daadima? Or all classy like Bui? May be they are smart like me! As Maan speculated about his cousin sisters, he almost missed what his father said.

"Maar daala Ma! Nandini ki beti ko maar daala! Ladki hui isliye! (They killed them Ma! They killed Nandini's daughter! Just because she was a girl!)", Uday mumbled.

Maan stumbled back in shock. Killed! What the hell!

"Aur jaise utna kam tha, unhonein jab Nandini ko doosri baar bhi ladki hui toh use bhi maar diya! Uske hi pati ne uski aankhon ke saamne uski dono betiyon ko maar daala sirf isliye kyunki woh ladki hain aur unhein ladka chaahiye tha, ghar ka waaris chaahiye tha! Maar daala uss bachchi ko bhi! Khushi uski teesri beti hai Ma! (And as if that wasn't enough, when Nandini had a daughter as second child, that child was murdered too! Her own husband, in front of her eyes, killed the daughters because they are girls and they want a boy, a heir to the family! They killed that child! Khushi is Nandini's third daughter, Ma!)", Uday blurted out and Maan felt tears well in his eyes. What kind of family did Bui marry into? They seem like monsters!

Then Uday spoke up, pride reflecting in his voice, "Par humaari Nandini bhi Khurana hai! Kamzor nahi hai! Teesri baar jab beti hui toh Nandini ne bhi thaan li ki woh apni teesri beti ko bachaakar hi dum legi! Bhaag gayi ghar se woh! Socho Ma! Jis ladki ne abhi bhi ek bachche ko janam diya hai, kitni kam taaqat hogi uske shareer mein! Phir bhi uss bachchi ko lekar bhaag khadi hui humaari Nandini! Aakhir humaare khaandaan ki beti hai! Aise thodi na anyaay ko sahegi! Ma! Humaari Nandini kitni strong hai Ma! Kya kya seh gayi, phir bhi haar nahi maani! Bacha li apne bachchi ko! (But our Nandini is a Khurana too! She was not weak! When she had daughter third time too Nandini decided that she will relax only after her child is safe! She ran away from the house! Think Ma! The girl who just gave birth to her child, imagine how weak she must be at the time! And yet Nandini ran away with the child! After all she is the daughter of our family! She was not going to sit and let the injustice happen! Ma!How strong is our Nandini! She went through so many things, and yet she did not give up! She managed to save her daughter!)"

For few seconds, there was silence as tears flowed down Maan's cheeks unchecked. He smiled softly as he realised that he was really proud of his Bui, she might have been suppressed for a while but at the end she fought back. Inside he heard his Daadima sob.

After a while Daadima asked, "Phir kya hua humaari bachchi ke saath? (What else happened with my child?)"

"Gaao mein hi chhupi thi woh jab use khabar mila ki usko aur uski beti ko maar daalne ka farmaan jaari kiya hai uske gharwaalon ne! Bhaag gayi woh! Haryana se Punjab aayi aur wahaan kisi Hoshiarpur naam ke gaao mein bas gayi! Itne saal wahin thi! (She remained hidden in that village till she got the news that her family has ordered her and her daughter's death! She ran away! From Haryana she came to Punjab and there she settled in some village called Hoshiarpur! For last few years she has been residing there!)"

"Phir humein tab kyun nahi bulaaya? (Then why she did not contact us then?)", Daadima cried out, "Hum jaate the na apni bachchi ko lene! Ya aapko bhejte! Lekin itne saal woh hum aur aap se door rahi! Kyun? Kya unhein ek baar bhi nahi laga ki humein call karein aur humse madat maangein? Itne saal humaari bachchi humse kyun dur rahi? (I would have gone to bring my baby home! Or I would have sent you! But she remained away from me and you for so many years! Why? Did she not think once that she should call us and ask our help? Why did my child stay away from me for so many years?)"

Even Maan was eager to know the answer. Why not contact them earlier and why wait till Khushi was eight?

Uday chuckled, surprising Maan, "Ma! Bhoolo mat! Nandini ek Khurana hai! Aur aap hi nahi kehti thi ki ek Khurana ka taaqat bhi uska ghamand hai aur kamzori bhi! Uska gurur uska taaqat ban gaya jab usne anyaay ke khilaaf kadam badhaaya! Uska gurur tha jisne use yaad dilaaya ki ek Khurana kabhi anyaay nahi sehta! Lekin wahi ghamand uski kamzori bhi thi! Nandini ko gurur tha apne uss faisle pe. Use lagta tha ki uska uss aadmi se shaadi karne ka faisla sahi tha! Aur hum galat the! Humaari madat maangna matlab humaare saamne yeh kehna ki hum sahi the aur woh galat! Aur Nandini ka ego use yeh kehelwaane se rok raha tha! (Ma! Don't forget! Nandini is a Khurana! And isn't it you who always said that arrogance is a Khurana's strength and weakness! Her ego became her strength when she took a step against injustice! It was her arrogance that reminded her that a Khurana never bears injustice! But the same ego was her weakness too! Nandini was proud of her decision. She thought that her decision to marry that guy was right! And I was wrong! Asking me for help means accepting in front of me that I was right and she was wrong! And Nandini's ego stopped her from accepting it!)"

"Yeh kaisa ghamand hai? Kaise ego hai beta? Jo ek Ma ko apni bachchi ki jaan bachaane ke liye apne parivar se madat ki guhaar karne se bhi rok raha tha? (What kind of arrogance is this? Wht is this ego beta? That stops a mother from saving her daughter's life by calling her family for help?)", Daadima cried out.

Maan heard his father chuckled again, "Yeh ek Khurana ka ego hai Ma! Aapne mein hain! Mujhmein hai! Nandini mein hai, Maan mein hai! Aur jab Khushi humaare ghar aayegi aur humaare saamne palegi badhegi toh usmein bhi hoga! Humein ghamand hai apne Khurana hone pe! Hum apne aapko koi Royalty se kam nahi samajhte! (This is the ego of a Khurana Ma! Its in you! Its in me! Its in Nandini, its in Maan! And once Khushi comes home and grow up in front of us, then it will be in her too! We are proud of being a Khurana! We don't think of us lesser than a royalty! )" Maan sensed the amusement in his father's voice and he shook his head. You are right Dad! All of us have arrogance and ego! It was Bui's ego that made her break every relation with you! It was your ego that made you burn her identity from this house! And in all these years, it is her ego that kept her from asking your help and it was your ego that stopped you from seeking her out! For once I hope Khushi and I are spared from the damaging effects of the Khurana ego!

"Toh ab kyun? (Then why?)", Daadima sounded puzzled, "Itne saal baad kyun madat maang rahi hai Nandini? Ab kya hua uske ego ko? (Then why is she asking for help after so many years? Now what happened to her ego?)" Daadima sounded hurt too.

"Ma! Kisi ka ghamand poore duniye mein sirf ek insaan ke liye jhukta hai! (Ma! A person's ego bows down only for one person in the whole world!)", Uday replied and Maan was puzzled. Who? Their spouse? No! Bui did not want Phoophaji to come with us!

Daadima cleared his confusion, "Hum samajh gaye beta, aap kya kehna chaahte hain! Ek insaan ke ghamand sirf uske ke aulaad ke liye jhukta hai! (I understand beta, What you are trying to say! For a person, their ego gives way only for their child!)"

Maan's eyes widened as Uday continued, "Haan Ma! Woh Hoshiarpur mein khush thi itne saal! Use laga ki woh aur Khushi bach gaye hain! Lekin kuch dino pehle usne ek rishtedaar ko Hoshiarpur ke market mein dekha! Market mein bheed tha toh Nandini ko pata nahi ki uss rishtedaar ne use dekha ki nahi! Darr gayi Nandini! Aur apne bachche ki jaan bachaane ke liye apne gurur ko pare rakhkar yahaan phone kar diya! (Yes Ma! She was happy in Hoshairpur for last few years! She thought she and Khushi were safe! But few days back, she saw one of her relatives in Hoshiarpur's market! There was crowd in market so she could not discern whether the relative saw her or not! Nandini got scared! And for the sake of her daughter's life she kept her ego aside and sought us out!)"

After Uday ended his narration there was silence for few minutes after which suddenly Uday cried out, "MA!" Maan was shocked at the alarm in his father's voice and barged into the room only to freeze. He saw his Daadima on the seat holding her chest in pain mumbling about how much sorrow her daughter had to face while Uday kept on calling her. Maan burst into action by calling the ambulance and then their family Doctor after which he comforted his father and Daadi till the ambulance arrived.

Few hours later, Maan and Uday stood outside the room they had shifted Savitri Devi into from ICU. The Doctor came out of the room, "You are very lucky Mr. Khurana!", the Caucasian man spoke in British accent, "It was a heart attack brought on by stress! It was not because of blocked artery or else we would have had to operate her. She will be fine! She needs rest though and no stress!"

Both men nodded and Doctor allowed them in. Her son and grandson stood on each side of Daadima and she smiled at them. They smiled back and that is when her face turned serious and she spoke up to them in an agitated voice, "Uday bete! Humein humaari Nandini laa do! Humein humaari bachchi ko dekhna hai! Marne se pehle... (Uday bete! Bring me my Nandini! I want to see my child once! Before I die...)"

"Daadima!", Maan hissed in alarm, "Please don't say such things! You are not going to die soon!"

Uday smiled, "Haan Ma! Ab toh aapko apne parpote ka bhi toh chehra dekhna hai! (Yes Ma! You have yet to see your great grandson's face!)"

Maan rolled his eyes at the comment.

Daadima smiled sadly, "Uday bete! Humein Nandini ko dekhna hai! Aur humaari naatin bhi toh hai! Khushi beti! Use bhi toh dekhna hai! Jaao na Uday bete! Le aaona humaari bachchiyon ko ghar! (Uday bete! I want to see Nandini! Now I even have a granddaughter! Khushi beti! I have to see her too! Go Uday bete! Bring my children home!)"

Uday nodded and Daadima's agitation lessened. Soon the painkillers started to work and she fell asleep.

As Maan and Uday stood outside Daadima's room in hospital, Maan spoke up, "Aap jaa rahe ho Dad?"

Uday nodded, "Nandini ke ghar aane ka waqt hogaya hai! It is time the daughters of Khuranas return home!"

"Or in case of Khushi, meet her family!", Maan commented and both men smiled sadly at each other.

A week passed since Nandini's call and Daadima's heart attack. His father had left KC and Daadima's health in Maan's care before going to India and Maan was proud to step up and take charge. Daadima had also been released in the morning and was settled in her room in Khurana Mansion right away.

Four days after the day of the call, Uday had left for India. But a day earlier, he had called them to inform them that he was leaving Dilli to meet Nandini and Khushi in Hoshiarpur. As Maan rearranged the blanket on Daadima, he smiled at her sleeping form. Just few weeks Daadima! Then you will have your daughter and granddaughter beside you and I have will have my Bui and my Happy with me! As he smiled, he remembered that his father would have reached Hoshiarpur by now and nervously wondered when his father would call back!

Half hour later, Maan was going through some files in the main hall when the phone rang. Absentmindedly he picked up and spoke hello while his eyes and mind were still on the files.

"Hello Maan!", came the voice and Maan sat up in shock. It was his Dad! That means he must have reached HP. Maan dropped all his files on the table in front of him carelessly and straightened up, "Hello Dad! You reached Hoshiarpur? How is Bui? And Happy? Can I talk to them? Can I talk to Bui?"

"Ek minute! Ek minute Maan!", his father chuckled and Maan felt his cheeks turn a little red, "Uff! Kitna bolte ho tum! Aur main soch raha hun ki kahaan se Khushi ko itni bak bak karne ki aadat aayi! Phir yaad aaya ki tum bhi bachpan mein aise hi the! Lekin ab pata chala ki aaj bhi waise hi ho! (Uff! How much do you talk! And I am here thinking it is Khushi who has the habit of talking non stop! Then I remembered that you did the same in your childhood! But now I realised that you are like that now too!)"

"Dad!", Maan whined.

Uday chuckled again, "Sach mein beta! Khushi ko dekhun toh tumhaara bachpan yaad aata hai! (Truly beta! When I look at Khushi I remember your childhood!) She is just like you!"

"Really Dad?", Maan could not resist from asking. Was his little Happy just like him?

He sensed his father smile, "Haan beta! Same curiosity! Same sharp brain! And same loving and helpful nature! I think from now on Khushi is my favorite, not you!", his father teased him but Maan simply laughed.

Once his laughter petered out, Maan asked for Nandini but his father told him that he was calling from STD ISD stall and Nandini was at her home.

"But there is someone who wants to talk to you!", his father teased and Maan perked up. He knew who his father was talking about!

"Hello Honor Veerji!", a sweet voice came through and Maan laughed, "Hello my little Khushi!"

"Khushi nahi! Happy!", the girl reminded him and Maan amusedly spoke, "Ok baba! Happy! Theek hai?"

"Haan!", the girl mumbled and then her voice perked up again, "Waise Veerji, aapki shaadi hogayi? (By the way, are you married?)"

Maan's eyes widened, "Nahi!"

"Sagaai? (Engaged?)", the girl questioned again and Maan replied in negative curious as to why Khushi was asking these questions.

"Waise tum kyun mujhse yeh pooch rahi ho? (By the way why are you asking me these questions?)", Maan asked.

Little Khushi giggled, "Kyunki humne na yahaan humaari Parjaayiji dhoondh li hai! (Because I have found my Parjaayiji here!)"

Maan almost dropped the phone in shock. What?

Khushi continued to giggle while speaking, "Hum unse mandir mein mile the! Badi pyaari thi woh! Humse bade pyaar se baat ki! Aur dikhne mein itni sundar, Haaye Veerji kya bataaun! Pari se bhi bootiful hai! Unka naam Geet hai, Hoshiarpur mein hi rehti hai aur hum chaahte hain ki aap unse shaadi karein aur unko humaari Parjaayi banaayein! Boliye Maan Veerji? Karenge na Geet se shaadi? (I met her at a mandir! She was very sweet! She spoke to me very sweetly! And she looks so beautiful, Haaye Veerji what shall I tell you! Beautiful than a Fairy! Her name is Geet, lives in Hoshiarpur and I want you to marry her and make her my Parjaayi! Speak Maan Veerji? You will marry Geet na?)"

Maan was beyond shocked. His skin turned a little pale as he stared at a distance with wide eyes. He so did not expect his little sister to play matchmaker. Suddenly, he heard laughter in the background from the phone and Maan's eyes narrowed. Dad! Only you would find this situation humorous!

Then he heard his Dad speak and realised that he had taken the phone from Khushi now, "Bolo Maan! Khushi ne jo ladki chuni hai shaadi karoge na usse? (Reply Maan! You will marry the girl Khushi choose for you, right?)"

"Dad!", Maan whined as he blushed. In the background he could hear Khushi shouting that her name was not Khushi. It was Happy!

Then his father became serious, "Dekho Maan! Main kal hi Khushi aur Nandini ko lekar yahaan se nikal raha hun! Dilli mein kuch din hum log rahenge kyunki Khushi ka passport banne mein time lagega! Phir hum ghar aajaayenge! Apni Daadima ko bata dena! Theek hai? (Listen Maan! Tomorrow itself I will take Khushi and Nandini and get out of here! We will have to stay in Dilli for a while because it will take some time to get Khushi's passport ready! Then we will come home! Inform your Daadima! Ok?)"

Maan replied in affirmative and soon they said their good byes and cut the call. Maan decided to tell Daadima about the call right away. As he got up he remembered his sister's teasings and closed his eyes. He remembered the name Geet and blushed. Did his sister seriously play matchmaker for him? And that also at the age of eight? Maan shook his head. We are going to have a tough time raising Khushi! Maan chuckled and walked off.

Another week passed but by the end of this week, Maan was not a happy fellow. After the last call, his Dad had yet to call him and Maan was getting worried. He wished his Dad had taken his mobile with them. But the mobile was useless as the number had Australian network. Maan wished there was some way to contact his Dad.

Then there was Daadima who was starting to feel uneasy as her daughter and granddaughter had yet to come home with her son. Maan was at his wits end now. What was he going to do? How was he going to find about his father?

Just then the phone rang. Maan smiled. May be it was his Dad! With eagerness he lifted the phone but the voice coming from other side was unknown. "Hello! Can I speak to Mrs. Khurana?" Maan frowned. Why would he want to talk to Daadima? He checked the number in the caller id part of the landline phone. The code was Indian. Who was calling from India if not his Dad and Bui?

"Daadima is unwell so she cannot come here!", Maan replied.

"Aur aap hain...", the voice asked and Maan felt a foreboding sensation.

"Maan Singh Khurana! Uday Singh Khurana ka beta!", Maan replied with his heart thudding in his chest.

"Oh! I am sorry! Par mere paas aapke liye ek buri khabar hai! (I am sorry! But I have a bad news for you!)", the voice spoke.

Maan gulped as sweat formed on his forehead. Oh no! Not my dad! Not my Bui! Not my Happy! Anything but them!

"Mr. Khurana! Main Dilli se Inspector. Deepak Singh baat kar raha hun! I am sorry to tell you that we have found your father's dead body on Dilli Highway."

THUD!

The receiver dropped from Maan's hand as he stumbled back in shock.

And with that the update ends! Next update around mid Feb!

We will remain in past as finally the full story comes out and Maan after 20 years steps into India!

Thank you, take care and have fun,

Kalpana