12: Uttara Phalguni: The later reddish one
"You knew my parents." Arnav just puts it out there instead of treading slowly. Shashi and Garima look sheepish while Payal's eyebrows touches her forehead.
"What are the odds," Payal says to an already quiet room.
"We knew your parents when they lived here. We didn't know they had passed way till you mentioned. I didn't mention knowing them because, well, it was such a long time ago." Garima says softly. "Sanjana was one of my closest friends. It's sad how quickly we lost touch."
Arnav nods. "They died in a freak car accident. After that we were shipped to our grandma's house. Since grandma insisted on a fresh start for us, she cut us off from our parents' old lives." He explains.
"Me, Surya and Sanjana went to same college. Shashi met them during our wedding. They stayed here with us for a week with their twins - I mean you and your sister." Garima confesses.
"I see." Khushi says leaning back in her chair. Arnav whips his head and sees an impassive looking Khushi. "Would you have ever told Arnav that you knew his parents? Shared some stories from your teenage years?"
Garima looks as if someone has slapped her. "Khushi." Shashi says her name pooling enough parent into his voice.
"Stop being a brat Khushi," Payal hissed under her breath.
"I apologize," Khushi says looking at Garima. Garima knows her daughter well. There is no apology in her eyes. Only more accusations.
"I should leave." Arnav says standing up. Garima notices the way Arnav holds himself tautly. It was a misstep on her part, a giant miscalculation when she didn't tell Arnav about his parentage. She hadn't expected to come back and bite her this grandly.
"Can you drop me off at lab?" Khushi asks standing up.
"Are you going back to work again?" Shashi reacts first.
"You haven't slept for more than five hours today," Payal chimes in. "Are you sure you can manage another all-nighter?"
"Khushi..." Garima starts but doesn't finish.
"Relax you guys," Khushi says infusing warmth in her voice. "This is a high profile case that has gotten us too much media attention already. I have to finish it before the samples degrade and messes up the results," Khushi looks at Arnav with an eyebrow raised.
"Of course. Get your stuff." He says understanding the silent plea in her eyes.
They find themselves in the lab an hour later. They spread the food between them and eat it in silence.
"Payal was right you know." Arnav says pouring some rice to his plate. "You were being a brat."
Khushi pauses the spoon that's several inches away from her mouth. "I contacted some of my cousins back in our town where my father and Chaya grew up. I am going there this weekend to find out more."
Arnav lets out an exasperated sigh. "What is that you are trying to prove?"
Khushi drops the spoon and stares at Arnav. "My mother thinks I am questioning their parenting and integrity by digging up Chaya's past."
"Are you not?" Arnav implores.
Khushi shakes her head. "Chaya may have given birth to me. Garima is, has been and will always be my mother. I am just frustrated at the pointless secrecy that my parents are carrying out. I am not a child Arnav. It will take me less than a week to dig up enough dirt on anyone in this day and age. My cousin mentioned rumors about Chaya before she died."
"What kind of rumors?" Arnav asks, piqued.
"None of Chaya's cousins or relatives know that she ever had a baby or that she was even pregnant for that matter. My parents told everyone that I was adopted and my biological parents were my parents' friends from city. My parents also made sure we never spoke about Chaya or took her name in public. So no one really knows." Khushi sighs. "There were rumors that she was involved with some married man. No one knows who."
"Do you believe that?" Arnav asks.
Khushi shrugs. "I have no idea what to make of all this, to be honest. Like you, I still want to find out how Mrs. Inder, Mr. Chandra are related to this complex connection we seem to have."
"I don't think your mother knows about that Khushi."
"But she does know more than she lets on." Khushi ends the conversation there.
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai
CID
