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The Author of this post have chosen to restrict the content of this Post to members only.Chapter 8
"So what have you thought about the job?" And there it goes. Khushi closed her eyes in irritation. It was a routine from the past 2 months, while their small family was seated on the table to have breakfast, the first question of the morning would be thrown at her way either by her Amma or Buaji. Their sense of asking was subtle first but as the time passed and she sat in the home just doing her course, apparently only wasting the valuable money which could have been used for better works, the question was rather a rude awakening for her. It clearly indicated their displeasure towards her existance.
It raged her but she believed it was an uncalled emotion or unjustified for whatever they have done for her. They had adopted her when everyone had shunned her after her parents death, the Gupta family had their hearts at a right place to take in a small girl into their home even when their financial issues existed. They didn't hesitate to keep her with them but at a cost of her sanity.
The boisterous aunt she got in the face of Madhumati, never left a chance to remind her of their generosity and the big hearts of her brother and sister in law. For that it ached in her heart to see Khushi in peace, maybe.
Her mother, was an enigma. She was soft, she cared, but she cared more for her instant family, her blood rather than an outsider. She was partially rude but she was aware how Buaji was the real one speaking behind her Amma's rudeness.
Babuji on the other hand was the only sane person, she thought, existed in this house. Who had his mind at the right place. Who thought with his brain before listening to anyone's rants. He was the one who compelled her to study else she would have been very unhappily married in a certain neighborhood family by now.
But she could see his struggles to pay for the extra baggage called Khushi. He wouldn't voice it but she could see the evident tension on his face. And she hated to do it but she had to agree on Buaji's words, her Babuji was indeed a generous man.
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It was a pretty long day, Arnav's mind formed leaning his back on the chair in his cabin. A hesitant, smiling yet chirpy face of Khushi kept booming in his closed eyes.
"Khushi Mam is safe Sir. She is currently at her house. Shyam is harmless now. He's charged for a number of things but for your concern, there will always be our 2 secret men outside Khushi Mam's house." Aman had spoken to him at that night as he sat in his car outside Gupta house dropping Khushi home safely.
The day when she sat beside him, in his car, tension absorbed in the muscles of her face to reach to the meeting as soon as she could, he had felt something phenomenal and unique. As if someone was desperately behind him, trying to pull out his ASR persona off his face.
And when she had uttered about her working for Shyam Jha, he could already see the lurking danger ahead of her with frightened him. No employee of Shyam Jha was a saint one or either thay were a blatant victim of his inglorious acts. Half of the employees had already left after they were accused of theft and unethical practices, a bad word of mouth and very less people were willing to work with him but he didn't need any guess of how would have Shyam trapped Khushi to his bait. Either he would have helped her or sugarcoated his words to pull her down into his trap.
Getting up on his feet, he exited his cabin and climbed up to the designer floor unlatching the door to go inside.
A bitter sweet smell of new cloth creations wafted in the atmosphere making his chest swell in pride and his ego inflated a bit. His smirk deepened as the tips of his fingers silked through the studded materials clad on a dummy.
He remembered how her eyes would shine at trivial matters which meant the world to her, either it was giving her a lift or placing a kiss on her roseate cheek. A fond smile couldn't escape his lips as he thought about the saccharine memory that lingered like a whiff of fresh air in his mind.
The honest thought to be revealed, he admitted it was the love which had lingered high above, in the air when he first saw her. A frightened woman trying to gather her wits to survive, he chuckled. They had spend quite alot of time together along with the hurdles and he could see that she was a strong girl who desperately tried to pave a right path in her life, a phase he had gone through long back, he sighed.
The peach and tea pink color of the dress under his fingers reflected the thoughts of her rosy cheeks when his lips touched them softly.
The thin silver work on it brought him back to the intricate structures of her face. He had looked too closely for his own peace in the plane when she had scrunched up her whole face, constantly nagging her Devi Mayya to keep them safe. He mused, maybe it was her chanting prayers that landed them safely..
Her laughter sang in his ears as he heard the wind chime flutter with the light wind. He knew he was a gone case now.
After a lot of struggle, battling in an internal war and chiding himself, he had taken some decisions. For the first time in life, he looked up to the God, Khushi's devi mayya but rather ordering her to make Khushi like for whatever he planned for her.
A fractured yet relieved breathe was released as he carefully saw the 3 dresses in a row, looking pretty than any other dresses and he realized how well he had done, how well he had done everything possible to make Khushi Kumari Gupta's designs come to life from a single piece of paper.
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She didnt know whether to fry the jalebis, hear the door bell ringing constantly or the mobile rings, all at the same time. Huffing, she turned the stove off before marching to grab her mobile in the way to open the door.
"Kon hai?"
"Mam, courier." The person on the other side of the door spoke. She opened the door with a spatula in one hand while mobile in another, after 2 whole months, she saw Arnav's name flash on her mobile screen but the rings went off as soon as she had reached to pick it up.
"Are you Ms. Khushi Kumari Gupta?"
"Yes."
"It's for you." The boy handed her a brown large envelope and left after taking her sign.
Putting down both the things to free her hands, she tore open the upper part to see a few documents peeking out.
"A letter?" She pouted, baffled.
I hope you accept my gift, Khushi.
"Letter from Arnav! And gift?" She mumbled. "Oh, the sari and the shoes. But why now?" She persumed.
No, I'm not talking about the pink bag here. Another gift is resting inside, take a look.
She hastily tore the rest of the envelope to gasp audibly, her little breath stuck in her tract, she was stupefied seeing a ticket to London dated for 28th Oct 2016.
Mulling over it for a few seconds, she opened the letter again.
Accept it Khushi, I want you to be there for the Fashion Week. I guess we are nice acquaintance or maybe more..?
The conclusion of his words were left to open presumption.
She didn't want to admit in the passing second but her heart had already accepted the gift as soon as her eyes set on it. He had put her in a state of sheer fluster.
They met, they met again, and again, but she saw no proper end to it how much ever she wanted. Though now, she readily hoped for something unexpected to happen to make a row.
Nibbling on her nails, she blushed closing her eyes, the sheets of papers clutched close to her heart. But it was short lived.
"Aye Sankadevi! Who's at the door?" A loud voice boomed making her jump at an instant.
"N..nothing Buaji. Some personal work." She said quietly going to her room fast on her feet and shutting the doot behind her. Pulling out her arm from behind her after getting inside, she checked the time of the flight. '3am' it read.
"Perfect" she grinned haughtily.
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Okay, here you go, what I think is a little boring chapter, No?
And there is a hint in this chapter 😆 hint about something.. gass people gass!
Thankyou for the amazing AMAZINGly amazing response on Chapter 7, I wish IF makes a kissing emoji one day, nevertheless, :* :* :*
Thanks to these little officers, Rhea and Fauzia Api, you all get an update 😆
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Edited by Rish_Rubles - 8 years ago
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