From the author's desk: Here is the next chapter, peeps, hope you like it. Sort of filler, Let me know your feedback through the comments
Happy reading!
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Chapter 11: Brides of Raizadas
Part 4: The mad family
As expected, Dadi took time to come around with regards to Akaash and Payal’s wedding. For the first couple of days, she refused to stay in the same room where Payal or Akaash was in, later she adopted the silent treatment.
Akaash grimaced every time Dadi gave them the silent treatment when they entered the room but Payal didn’t seem to mind this much. “This is blessing in disguise” she quoted happily to the Raizada siblings. “What more can I ask?”
Anjali said she wouldn’t agree any less.
“Silent version of Dadi is awesome than the screaming one anytime! Lucky you Akaash, Payal is right.”
“Actually silent treatment is better than getting ignored. She is not indifferent to you, so far so good.” Khushi corrected Anjali as she looked at her pointedly and then turned to Akaash. “She will come around Akaash, Don’t worry.”
“So registration done?” Anjali asked. The couple had registered their wedding that morning as planned.
“Yeah, not much queue, it was done in a breeze” Payal confirmed.
“Finally!” Akaash smiled lazily.
“Here is something to celebrate the occasion” NK said as he gave them a big rectangular package.
“What’s this?”
“Something to cheer you up” Anjali quipped “Open it Payal, you will love it”
It turned out to be framed collage of all the news articles of Akaash and Payal’s wedding. On the top was the title “The sensational wedding of the millennium” written in block letters and bottom right had the hash tag #AkkiwedsPayal
“This is priceless” Payal laughed out loud looking at the collage
“You guys are not going to let us forget this ever” Akaash commented
“you bet” NK said “It was Khushi’s idea”
“Cannot thank you enough Khushi” Payal said hugging her “more so for the way you planned our wedding…”
“Oh, Anytime Payal, in fact, it was fun! And almost every one helped, Including the kadoos laad governor!” she said winking at them
Akaash gaped at Khushi “What did you call Arnav?”
“Khadoos Laad Gavarnar” Anjali said it in affected tone like Khushi had taught her earlier in the week. “Right Khushi?”
“Very much”
Looking at the shocked faces around her, other than Anjlai who was smirking at them, khushi huffed.
“Hello, if you haven’t noticed, he calls me names as well. What did he call me the other day- Drama queen… Pokey nose…Know it all and what else…You don’t expect me to be nice to him and go Arnav jee all the time ok?”
“Okay… he called you names first?” Payal asked catching Anjali’s eyes who was wriggling her eyebrows with a wide smile.
Khushi shook her head
“tch, I think, I did first.”
“That was cheeky!” Payal told her with a knowing smile “Khadoos hmm?”
“Laad governor, yeah” Khushi grinned at her “suits him”
“Don’t let him hear you call him that” NK advised with a laugh
“Why? He knows that I call him that” Khushi’s casual answer surprised them further.
“He knows?” Akaash was shocked “Seriously? He lets you call him that?”
Khushi shrugged looking at the bemused faces around her
“What is the big deal?” she asked bewildered
“You know, seeing is believing…” Anjali told her sagely “you call him that in front of one of us, then we will believe it"
“Whatever” Khushi said as she got up to leave downstairs. “Hang around when he pisses me off, you will hear more of whatever names comes to my mind generously bestowed on him”
“I don’t believe this” Akaash declared after Khushi’s head disappeared down the stairs.
“Me neither” NK said
“She called him some other sarcastic name the other day before your wedding” Anjali told NK and Payal “Akaash you were there too. Sounded like Almighty something”
Akaash nodded “May be she did, I didn’t remember, I was tensed”
“Funny enough” Payal simpered. “But then they are always crossing horns, it isn’t a big deal”
“It is” NK told her “Arnav does not let anyone call him such derogatory names…” NK explained to Payal “He does like anyone doing it- even as a kid… Pet names were fine but these… remember Akaash?”
Akaash nodded in agreement.
Payal raised her eyebrows at Anjali who was grinning like a Cheshire cat!
“Merveilleux” she commented with a knowing look.
“Bien sûr” Anjali replied back cheerily.
***
“Rajesh, you stay here, we will be back” Abhi instructed his subordinate as he turned to Arnav exchanged nods and started to climb the stairs of the three storey apartment.
“Flat number 3C- third floor” Abhi said as Arnav walked calmly behind him “This is the one.” Abhi announced before he pressed the bell
A young girl opened the door.
“Mrs. Mariam Kutty?”
“Yes, this is her house”
Abhi introduced himself, the girl nodded as if she was expecting him.
“Mother is in the kitchen. Please be seated, she will be here in a moment.”
As the men settled down in the hall. Five minutes later, Mariam, the nurse who had attended to Shashi before his untimely death, came into the hall, welcoming them.
“Hello Mr. Raizada”
“Hello Mam, good to see you again” Arnav replied back “And this is the Assistant Commissioner of Police”
“Abhimanyu” Abhi took the older lady’s hand as he introduced himself.
“Thanks for agreeing to see us at this late hour” Arnav told her “We had been to the hospital to see you, and were told that you have retired”
Mariam nodded
“I somehow felt I will meet you again”
Arnav was surprised at this. So was Abhimanyu.
“Why did you think so? Is there anything that you know that you wanted to tell him?”
Mariam smiled at the young men.
“I may put it as intuition.” She said evasively. “So tell me why did you people want to see me?”
“It’s about Shashi Gupta” Abhi started without beating around the bush “Since you were attending to him during his last days, we thought you could help us with some information.”
Marium nodded with attention
“Specifically about this person” Abhi said pulling out a pic of Mr. Roy “Can you tell us how many times this person met Shashi? I know it might be difficult for you to remember given that you may have seen many patients in your profession…”
“He came a few times” Mariam said “He was persistent; Shashi didn’t like him much. He said that the man was not honest. The last that I saw him, he threatened Shashi that I had to throw him out”
Abhi and Arnav exchanged glances.
“Mariam Ji, I was just wondering, was there any attempts at Shashi’s life while he was at the hospital?”
Mariam seemed to take her time to answer the question.
“I don’t know” she said slowly and then hesitantly added “I thought he died rather suddenly. The last time he was taken into emergency- when you and his daughter Khushi had come saying you were married? He soon stabilized. He had breathing problems, but he was stable. He was still in ICU and under constant observation- 24 hours. When I finished by shift for the day, he was even sharing a talk or two with me. I wasn’t even out of the hospital campus, when the nurse who was taking the next shift called that he passed away”
“You didn’t raise this as a concern with the hospital management?”
“I did. But they brushed it off saying that he may have developed complications suddenly.” She said “It is not unusual in the medical world”
“You are contradicting yourself” Arnav pointed out “You say that you are not sure if Shashi died a normal death, but then you say it’s not uncommon to develop sudden complications- I don’t get it”
“The nurse who took the next shift, Roxanne Dsouza… How reliable is she?” Abhi asked signaling Arnav to take it calmly.
“We are in the profession of saving lives”
“No, I mean, if she had been – may careless- someone could have slipped in…”
“We work in ICU which is heavily monitored with CCTV-No one can try anything sinister”
Abhi nodded and then quickly flipped open his mobile.
“This is a snippet of the day when Shashi died.” he said showing the video to her.
It was only a 15 min video where Shashi was sleeping peacefully, Mariam noting down his BP and heart beat rate from the monitor into the chart, then Roxanne coming in, Mariam exchanging pleasantries and then winding up for the day and then oddly, the video’s focus oddly turned to face the ceiling
Mariam looked up at the men surprised.
“What happened after that?” she asked them
“Technology happened” Abhi told her smiling ironically, “mysteriously the video was turned to focus the ceiling through a remote computer- hazards of IOT devices, ironically, the hospital didn’t realize until I asked for the video clipping.”
“Does it mean… it was purposefully done?”
“May be or may be not” Abhi said taking back his phone “But it is suspicious”
The men got up.
“Thanks for your time Mariam ji”
“Sorry, I couldn’t help you much”
“You helped us enough” Abhi assured her.
Arnav was strangely silent through most of the conversation.
“Mr Raizada” Mariam called as they were about to step out. “One minute”
She went inside one of the rooms and came back a few moments later carrying a bag.
“This was with me; - just in case you still want it” She gave him a bundle of papers
Puzzled, Arnav received it and took a quick look. It was the document that bore evidence of the wedding arrangement between him and Khushi. It strangely felt so long ago.
“Thanks Mariam ji, for keeping this safe” he said quietly as he folded the document and tugged it under his blazer.
Abhi threw him a questioning look, for which he shrugged simply as if to mean it was nothing and started to climb down the stairs with his friend.
***
“Bholu” Khushi bellowed at boy in front of her “Where are you going now?”
“Didi, I will be back in a minute” the boy said showing her his little finger.
“Not again” she said “This is the fifth time in the last half an hour that you wanted to go and pee”
“Can’t help didi” he said running away
Khushi shook her head
“Now what are you staring at my face Munna? You book is in your hands” She huffed at the other boy in front of her. “Devi Maiyya!”
Nani chuckled softly
“How do they even manage to keep them at school Naniji” Khushi asked her
Bholu and Munna were Mohan’s and Hari Prakash’s sons. Nani occasionally taught the boys, after Khushi came, she took over the responsibility.
They were now in the ground floor lounge as she sat teaching the naughty boys and Nani smiled at their antics and Khushi’s struggle with them.
Bholu came in again.
“Your majesty, you have exams next week… you remember that?” She asked Bholu
“I will pass didi, don’t worry”
“You should aim to pass with flying colors”
“What is the use? pass is a pass whether you get 40 or 80” Munna told her
“If you study well, then you can do well in life” she said “Like Arnav bhaiyya, Akaash Bhaiyya, NK bhaiyya… you can go to foreign and study”
The bell rang
“I will get it” Bholu said as he sprinted to the hall
“I will get it” Munna sprinted after him
Khushi huffed as she shook her head
“Devi Maiyya!”
Nani shook her head as she laughed lightly.
“Khushi Didi” Bholu’s and Munna’s voices beckoned Khushi
“What now” she said as she got up and left in the direction of the voices.
The boys were gaping at the figure in front of them at the door.
A young woman in a sleevless denim top and shorts was standing at the door with her back pack. Her hair was colored at the tips with bubble gum pink, there were piercings on her right eyebrow. Her right biceps were tattooed as were her back of the neck. She had a dusky complexion and was beautiful in spite of all the unusualness about her.
“Yes?” Khushi asked
“Is Mr Raizada home?” the girl asked in a heavily foreign accented tone.
“Yes, please come in.”
“Thanks.”
“And you are?”
“His girlfriend”
So this was one of Arnav’s girlfriends.
“How many does he have” Khushi muttered as she showed the girl her sofa. “please be seated, I will call him” she said as she pulled her phone to call him
“Hello” she heard his husky voice
“Where are you?” she grumbled
“At home. Why?”
“Your girlfriend is here”
There was a pause.
“Sheetal? But she is not in town”
“Not Sheetal. This one is … wait a min” Khushi paused and then asked the girl “What’s your name?”
“Lavanya Kashyap”
“What? I don’t know anyone by that name”
“You have so many that you must have lost track of names” she replied gruffily
“And why is that upsetting you so much?” the teasing tone in his voice sounded very close by to her.
“Why would your leelas affect me?”
“Right that’s the question! You can answer, I am listening”
She looked at her phone, strangely, his voice was coming from outside the phone. She gasped and then turned around to see him standing close by with a teasing smirk on his face.
“You wish” She rolled her eyes as she turned to the girl. “He is here” she announced crossing her hands.
“Where?” Lavanya asked impatiently
Khushi looked confused as Arnav shook his head at her “here!” she said pointing at him
“I am Arnav Singh Raizada”
“Oh!” Lavanya fluttered “I am here to see Nandy…”
“From Australia?” he asked
She nodded in affirmation
“My brother should be upstairs” Arnav said with a mocking glance at Khushi who was speechless with realization of her folly
“No he is by the pool side” Khushi said showing her the door on the other side of the hall. “This way” she said intending to lead the way
“Running away are you?” Arnav asked her “I will wait for your answer”
“you will keep waiting” She said as she hastened towards the pool, not even once turning back to see if La was following her.
But she knew the man was not going to let her go that easily. He and his smirk were following her through the door.
***
NK was sitting on the pool recliner next to Payal and was chatting with her and Anjali who sat by the pool with her legs immersed.
“Nandy!” La bellowed at him, his animated chat sharply paused, he turned in surprise at the direction of the voice
“La!” he called out but before he could say anything more she slapped him across his face
There was a pregnant silence around.
Arnav stared at the couple in front of him, the teasing moment forgotten. Khushi covered her mouth with both her hands.
Anjali gaped looking to and fro between her brother and the girl he addressed as La.
Payal gasped at the couple in shock. Even Akaash, who was doing his laps in the pool stopped in action.
The most shocked was ofcourse NK. He blinked back at the girl in front of him
“La” he gasped again “What did I do now?”
“You cheat!” she spat at him “you married?” she accused him pointing at Payal who was standing next to him
NK shook his head in negative, now understanding the misconstruction.
“My brother got married” He said pointing at Akaash and then he pointed back and fro between Akaash and Payal. “My Bhabhi”
La looked muddled up for a moment before she looked apologetic “Ooohh… I am sorry! Sorry! Oh no, my bad… it was all over the news, the Raizada- Sharma wedding,- that was all I heard the moment I arrived here. The radios were balzing with the news about the wedding- calling it sensational. and I thought…that…”
“That he cheated you?” Anjali helped La finish the sentence “Very reasonable” she said nodding her head
NK glared at his sister before he turned to La again.
“When did you arrive? Why didn’t you let me know that you are here”
“I wanted to surprise you” she told him ruefully “I am so sorry, got worked up”
“That’s alright” he quickly said before he introduced his family. “My elder brother got married – that’s him over there in the pool- Akaash- his wife Payal. You heard about their wedding.”
La nodded at them looking apologetic at the entire incident.
“And that’s Arnav, next to him is Khushi”
“Hi” La heaved a greeting at them
“Where are your manners Nk?” Anjali asked “You start with the lady first”
NK rolled his eyes at his sister “and the one next to you giving me gyan is my little sister Anjali”
“I meant this lady” Anjali pointed out gesturing towards La
“This is La” NK told her resignedly
“Lavanya Kashyap” La offered her name in a chastising tone at NK.
“Who is your…” Anjali prompted her brother who rolled his eyes again at her “Pregnant girlfriend?”
“She is my Girlfriend” he muttered to Anjali as La looked stumped. “Before you slap me again” he continued to hastily explain her “Anjali overheard me speaking about Molly’s pregnancy and mistook that as yours”
“aaaw Okay!” La laughed lightly
“Who is Molly now?” Payal wondered aloud
“How many GF’s do you have back there?” Anjali asked
“Molly is my dog” NK snapped at his sister “and La is a pet trainer. Molly is under La’s care”
“Wow” Anjali exclaimed
“I am so sorry… this meeting came about like this…you guys are gonna think I am crazy!” La stuttered
“What’s wrong with being crazy?” Payal asked La
“We are crazy too and being crazy is perfectly accepted!” Anjali augmented Payal’s words, enveloping La is a bear hug “Welcome to the mad family”
The situation turned lighter by the minute.
“You don’t mind staying here for the night? Make yourself comfortable”
“Oh that’s alright, I have booked a room at the Taj”
“Are you kidding? You are staying in my room” NK told her
Five pairs of eyebrows went up.
“I don’t mind, but I thought you told your family is conservative about this?”
“Absolutely!” Anjali quipped with a knowing look “NK will be thrown out of this house before he could say anything if he was discovered in his room with his girlfriend”
“We have plenty of other rooms that you can use” Akaash offered
“Feel at home” Payal nodded at La.
“Oh, I am serious. Don’t bother, I don’t want to intrude any further, I am hoping to properly plan the meeting with the others in the family- no more rude shocks”
“Don’t worry, we will take care of that”Anjali said. “Stay here, we will get to know each other better”
“Are you sure, the others will not be offended if I stay here?”
“We will make sure everything is taken care of” Arnav assured her.
“Come, I will show to a room” Khushi offered to take La in, hoping to escape Arnav’s questions about her behavior earlier in the hall.
“Khushi, the room next to mine- second floor” NK instructed
“Dadi is definitely going to throw you out” Anjali warned NK. “Don’t think you will get away with this”
“NK, you take her upstairs, she must be tired because of the jet lag” Arnav advised his brother effectively cutting off any chance for Khushi to run away before he was done with talking to her.
“Had dinner? Shall I bring you something?” Khushi tried again
“No, I am not hungry, Had some stuff on the way here. Thanks anyway” La replied letting down Khushi’s hopes of getting away from answering awkward questions.
As NK took La inside, Anjali followed them, determined to make sure that her brother does not do anything that will get him into trouble. Akaash and Payal too left shortly after.
Khushi tried getting away every time an opportunity presented itself, But in vain.
“Not so soon Khushi, remember we haven’t yet done with the conversation?” He said holding her by her elbow as she tried to sneak past Anjali
“Don’t dream so much” She snapped at him “Why should I run away from you? I am not scared of you”
“If you are so brave, stay here for some time”
“Alright!” she huffed “5 minutes, I cannot give you more than that” she said smugly
Arnav showed her the pool recliner
“Sit”
“I am fine standing here”
“Ok! Tell me now”
“What?”
“About why you were so upset back there in the hall?”
“When have I not been upset with anything involving you?” she asked
“I am touched; you care so much!”
“Don’t dream! It’s far from it”
“Your actions don’t seem so, Last I heard, you were fretting over my numerous girlfriends”
“No, I was wondering how those girls fall for Khadoos Laad Governor”
Arnav simpered
“wondering so much might lead into an obsession Khushi, You have been warned!”
“Aren’t you so much into yourself? Why would I be obsessed about you when I have better options?”
“Better options?”
“hmm, by the way, I got ASP’s number. You are not the only one who had it with you” She said cheekily grinning at him before she turned back towards the house.
He didn’t answer her.
He glared at her before he turned back and started walking into the house, leaving Khushi by the pool side.
She can beat him in his own game, she thought to herself proudly before she followed him into the house.
***
To be continued.
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Oh, got all the Raizada brides under the same roof didnt I? Hope you liked it, Now, I want comments, Make it big and long mind you :D
COMMENTS! Bring it on please!
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