Chapter 21: Coming Back to Life
Arnav
“You convinced Khushi to do, what?” NK asked in his most incredulous tone. Arnav noticed that NK referred to her as Khushi and not Cutie this time.
“Which part are you tripping on? I know it sounds like an impossible thing, but I thought it is best to get mom involved,” he said as lightly as he could. But honestly, it didn’t feel light. He felt heavy with a sense of impending doom, anxiety. But he wanted to make sure that this time, there would be no wrongs done to Khushi by his family. And honestly he felt it was time that all of them found a way to put all that happened as something which was a thing of the past. It was in his interest and Khushi’s, and who knew maybe his mother too.
“I still don’t believe it, Arnav. How can you be sure about the brother, what is his name.. Shyam? I am already reading these articles in the Times of Delhi, it doesn’t sound right to me,” NK continued.
It was a little surprising to hear all this from NK, the one who usually had a very lighthearted POV on most aspects of life. But he also knew that his cousin was capable of seriousness and he genuinely wanted to ultimately look out of Arnav. He was grateful for that always, plus he was ever entertaining.
“Anyway, I need to head out now. I am catching up with Aman for dinner,” he said picking up his car keys and waving at his cousin.
“Oooh, meeting your frenemy? Since you are a dinosaur, let me explain what a frenemy is, it is basically a friend, who…” NK began, now evidently back to being his glib self.
“I know what a frenemy is, so let me stop you right here. Aman is a friend, and I thought we were due for a proper catch up. I am not going to let the business nonsense come in the way,” Arnav said. And it was true that suddenly they were getting pitted as rivals, there were murmurs within the South Delhi business community, conversations in the clubs, and even some media scrutiny, but at least from his end, he felt no such rivalry. There was some distance between them, but he still was very fond of his friend. And which is why he had initiated this meeting two days back. Maybe it was this imagination, but Aman sounded less cheerful and almost sombre when he said yes. Much like Khushi did when she agreed to meet his mother. But that was tomorrow and he was going to tackle one day at a time.
“But Arnav, if you had to choose between your mom and Khushi tomorrow, whom would you pick,” NK asked in parting. He rolled his eyes at his cousin and finally left. But whom would he choose?
Khushi
“You will have to tell me everything that has happened so far, kyunki sach ka saamne aana zaroori hai,” Khushi told her brother. She was unsure if Maa, Baba and Shyam Bhaiya were taken aback by her authoritative tone. But honestly this had all now reached a point where all the cards had to be laid on the table. Just when she and her family were coming to terms with everything, and there was a semblance of normalcy in their lives, her brother had been arrested. The last few days were a haze, first was the shock of her brother’s arrest on account of fraud. And the more shocking fact that Arnav who had gone cold on her had bailed him out. And the worst was that her brother had somehow got embroiled into something that was to do with AR Industries. It had all been too much for her, and she really couldn’t discuss this with anyone - not with Maa and Baba, not with Aakash, not with Preeto. It was her problem, and she needed to find the answers herself.
Shyam looked forlorn, beaten, he reminded her so much of her Baba in that moment, Too often she had seen her Baba this way, when everything had gone out of control and wrong. But she was determined not to let history repeat in their lives. In her gut, she instinctively knew that her brother had not done anything wrong, he had perhaps done something naive or stupid, evidently a family trait she thought wryly. And then Shyam spoke.
When Shyam had run away from home, he had been helped in this by a man named Gaurav Garg, who was well known in Chandni Chowk for running a travel company. He was a seedy sort, but known to have an influence among the young men of the Chowk. There were even rumours that he would help them source drugs and cigarettes, but that was never proven and he continued to run his travel business. Gaurav Garg who was in his mid forties when Shyam had finished school had taken a shine for him and encouraged him to get out of Chowk, because “idhar tu halwai ban ke reh jayega”. Shyam was a good-looking young man, and his popularity among the girls of Chandni Chowk and with the confidence of that knowledge, encouraged by Garg, and his own naiveté he traded his bike with Garg for a train ticket to Mumbai. Garg who claimed to have connections in Mumbai in the filmworld promised to help him. But Garg had no connection, and after a year of no luck and his spirit now broken, he managed to rustle up some money and boarded a train to Delhi, to come back home. However, as the train inched towards Delhi he got scared of the backlash and the earful that Baba was likely to give him and did not get off at Delhi. The train went all the way to Lucknow, where he got off. Initially he took on a few odd jobs there and stayed in a hostel. One day, summoning courage he called his mentor Garg, who instead of asking him to return, encouraged him to stay back in Lucknow. Garg also put him on to a cousin of his, the family that took him into fold and sent him to law school. Shyam was given to believe that Garg was the one to sponsor his education. Soon after he worked with senior a lawyer, and met his niece Renu, and married her. Things were all well until the birth of Aarav. And then the fights began with Renu over mostly money matters. Some years later, Renu decided to take Aarav and leave their Lucknow house. She also decided to go to that one place where she knew Shyam would not come and look for her, at his parents house in Chandni Chowk.
Meanwhile, Shyam began to mostly work for Garg, who handled a lot of work for AnandRams, who were expanding rapidly. The AnandRams were connected with the INP and were very powerful and before he knew it Shyam was too caught up with their work. In fact, he had come to Chandni Chowk a few times and had even seen Khushi who now ran the Tewari Sweets store. He knew that Khushi was a thorn for the Anand Rams in Chandni Chowk, and as her brother he had been concerned for her, but by now Garg was blackmailing him to get things done. Garg also discouraged any positivity of reunion of Shyam with his family saying that it would make things even more difficult for them. During one of his Chandni Chowk visits he was introduced to Mihir Gupta, who apparently was to soon be the son-in-law of the Anand Rams family. He himself came from a corporate background and had no interest in joining the business, he had said. Shyam began to look up to Mihir, who was very suave for a Chandni Chowk boy and seemed interested in working with him. He began to do a few odd end jobs now for Mihir now, instead of Anand Rams, and honestly he felt that this was more legitimate, as it was a corporate. The company he was working for was not AR Industries, but a smaller company called Trade Star Limited, and he had no reason to suspect that there was anything wrong at all. What he did not realise is that he was inadvertently helping Mihir Gupta siphon off funds from AR Industries. He also did not realise that Mihir Gupta was a fugitive, now wanted by AR Enterprises and the Enforcement Directorate. It was Mihir Gupta who counselled Shyam to reach out to his parents in Lucknow and make amends with them. And just a day before his arrest, Mihir had paid him some capital to get started on his own business.
As Khushi heard her brother, she was also stuck by this fact that Gaurav Garg was also one of the key people part of Shekhawat’s circle, and a lot of things that had happened with her, Shyam Bhaiya and Renu Bhabhi because of Shekhawat made sense. While she had no reason to think that Shyam meant any harm to her, or the family, but she was unsure if he would be her ally as she had originally imagined. But at least for the sake of Maa and Baba, this had to be made right. Even if it meant confronting one of the most painful people from her short, eventful life; Poonam Raizada.
“Thank you, Gudiya, our sorry,” her brother said.
“Uss aurat se milna zaroori hai kya? Or problems ho jaayein toh,” Maa wanted to know.
“Koshish toh karna chahiye,” Baba said.
“Khushi, agar tum sahi samjho toh main aaoon tumhaare saath, main shayad kuch zyada Şahin kar paoon, par baat karne ke liye to koli mil jaayega,” Renu Bhabhi said.
Khushi was unsure what to make of Renu Bhabhi anymore, had she finally seen the light on Shekhawat? Had she accepted her life with Shyam Bhaiya? She wondered what was going on in her head. She really needed to talk to someone, but unfortunately the one person she wanted to speak with, she couldn’t. She even considered calling him, before the meeting tomorrow - what should she say, what should she not say. But she knew that she couldn’t do that to him. But it was going to be a nerve wracking night ahead.
As she picked up the day’s business of Tewari & Sons to check and tally, her phone beeped. It was him.
“Hey, don’t be nervous about tomorrow. I will be there.”
Arnav
Aman’s chosen place to meet was the Hipster Haven that was Khan Market. As he walked towards Big Chill, he saw two young girls wearing a T-Shirt that said, My name is Khan Market and I am not a Mall. He rolled his eyes at this. That was Khan Market, full of libertarian type crowd, who loved capitalism, but in all its exclusivity and that was elusive and niche. He was a Greater Kailash, where the only qualification you needed to be in was one - money. You could be a fruit seller, you could be an investment banker, an expat, retired army generals, a corporate honcho, or like him be from a family that was into business. They all co-existed, and literally money, not snobbery was their only currency. They were the old money, the ones who were stingy with what they paid their staffs and bargained like pros with vegetable sellers. Literally most people in GK would be unable to tell the difference between Harvard and Howard University. In contrast to him was Aman, from Lutyens Bungalow, the ultimate in exclusive South Delhi living. His parents had not really been much of a fan of land and home, sometimes even a little Tolstoyian about it in, how much land does a man need. The Lutyens crowd were the types who had an appreciation of all of the finer things of life, who consumed high art, attended a lot of theatre and were acutely aware of sending their children to schools that offered the best pedigree. Anjali Di would call these people the Khan Market Types, preferring to shop from overpriced independent stores, and who would be happy to shell out for Thailand Guavas, something his own GK neighbours aunties would never do. Aman belonged to that world, or at any rate his family did, which probably explained why Minu Aunty and his mom were never the best of friends.
When he entered Big Chill, which surprisingly was the least Khan Market like option in Khan Market, and Arnav was grateful that Aman had suggested that, he found it to be packed as always. But Aman was already there, with a pitcher of what he hoped was beer.
“Hey man, didn’t expect you to show up before I did,” Arnav said and hugged his friend quickly.
“Always expect the unexpected from me, man,” Aman said in his characteristic glib fashion.
Of course, he would not expect anything else from his friend, who was now surprising him with all the business wins, taking over the reigns of the empire as it were. He was happy for Aman, because it was good to see him be able to put behind the past completely. Else, in their small incestuous world, he was always the boy who tried to kill himself. That could not be his story.
“Wait a second, this is not beer, what is this,” Arnav said as he picked up the pitcher and examined it closely.
“Iced tea, man,” Aman said, shrugging.
Evidently this was an alcohol free outlet and Arnav cursed under his breath. Of all the days today he could do with calming his nerves and some liquid courage. But he was thirsty and poured himself a glass of the very sweet iced tea.
“So how are you, Aman. The Times of Delhi is calling you the most eligible bachelor of Delhi, how does that feel? I thought you had come to India to find yourself a wife, but here you are winning business deals one after the other,” he told his friend teasing.
“As per Times of Delhi you and a certain Ms Payal Singh have also kissed and made up, I truly hope that is also not true,” his friend countered.
He grimaced. That photo-op with Payal had got everyone too excited, from Di, to Jun, to NK, even his normally stoic parents. He was tired of issuing denials and explanations now.
“Touche,” is all he offered in explanation.
“But if Poonam Aunty has her way, I might find a wife soon actually,” Aman said, his expression hard to read.
“As in?” Arnav had asked, perplexed. His mother doing anything at all which involved interfering and poking in someone’s life was unfathomable to him. Admittedly she would do things like that only when she felt threatened in some ways, or saw a gain. And alarm bells were going of in his mind thinking about his mother somehow engineering something in Aman’s life.
“You don’t know? Why am I not surprised. So anyway, your mother is very keen that I marry Opposite Chawla. At any rate she has been at it with my mom. And you know how my mom is when her frenemy is involved, must listen, must ignore, both of it simultaneously.”
Arnav did a mental double take hearing his friend use the word frenemy. Hadn’t just a while ago NK suggested that he and Aman were frenemies. Now he learnt that their mothers were as well.
“To be honest, that doesn’t sound like mom at all.. I mean, why..” he trailed off.
“I thought so too about, Poonam Aunty, but people always surprise you,”Aman said, now looking at the pasta that had arrived with suspicion. Arnav had ordered a vodka pasta, because alcohol was not something he was anyway getting tonight, and this was the closest. But he went back to his original thought, why would his mother set-up Aman. Why? It did not make sense. And mom had no special fondness for Anita Chawla, or Juhi for that matter. And in fact, Juhi and Aman were pretty ill-matched. Not that he knew Juhi well, or for that matter even Aman.
“I am sorry, Aman, I think what mom is doing is not right.. I mean, it is uncharacteristic of her, but sorry.”
“Come man, you needn’t apologise for anything. I just found it strange, that is all. Sometimes I think she is doing this because I stole Preeti from her,” Aman said, as he dug into his lasagna.
Arnav laughed. While his mom had been livid that Preeti Nair not only quit, but went ahead and joined Aman Sabharwal, it wasn’t something that bothered her too much. Preeti was not so important in the scheme of things at AR. Though Vijay Shastri, the admin head at AR was pretty miffed, because the responsibility of the hunt for an assistant for mom was his, one that was not yet filled.
“She was good, but Preeti made a choice. She and mom had a good run for however long they could. Preeti is an efficient sort, very professional, maybe she has entered your life at the right time. Now that you are all business tycoon Mr Sabharwal, too bad she is not single, she could have been perfect for you,” he said half-teasing and half serious. No, his mother did not love Preeti Nair enough to give Aman grief.
“Man, I know that I have made things tough for you guys, but I still didn’t think the entire Raizada call was unemployed enough to want to set me up,” Aman said, in his mock anger.
“Actually even I don’t believe that. This is more Anjali Di territory, to be meddlesome.”
“I .. miss Anjali Di,” Aman said after a pause. Arnav had a feeling that he was trying to say something, but could not.
“You should meet her, she would love to have you at her home. And you can meet my niece; Thumpa, she will make your heart melt.”
“Don’t think I can handle anymore melting of my heart, have enough for a lifetime,” his friend said.
“Aman, is everything okay, I get the feeling that something is not quite right.. you seem very pensive tonight.”
“Arnav, you need to know something. I can’t marry Opp.. Juhi. There is someone else whom I like, am sorry,” Aman seemed to be floundering.
“Khushi, am I right?” It was Khushi. It had to be her. He was pretty certain that Khushi did not reciprocate those feelings, this was basis his own rational analysis. Or hope. He couldn’t tell, but the idea of Khushi with anyone just bothered him too much. But why? Hadn’t he told Anjali Di that there could never be an Arnav and Khushi, then why this need to be jealous of her other potential suitors.
“Not Khushi, Arnav. The pair of you really have an unresolved chemistry between each other, go for it, I say,” his friend said.
“Then? Anyone I know? Payal?”
“Are we going to tick off each of your exes now? Arnav, I think I might be gay. I mean, I don’t think, I know that. Have known since we have been fifteen. I haven’t told this to my parents yet,” his friend said, without any theatrics.
“Oh. That is… I really don’t know what to say… but I am here for you. Whatever you want, okay? Do you want to talk?”
“No, man. Not now. But let’s go to some place that serves booze?” His friend asked, as he signalled for the check.
“Yes, please,” Arnav said, gratefully.
He checked his phone, there was no message from Khushi. What was she thinking, he wondered.
Khushi
“Khushi, Madam, Poonam Madam is waiting for you,” a young receptionist told her in a practised dulcet tone. Khushi walked into the executive floor of AR, the same place where she had walked in many years ago, triggering a chain of unfortunate events. She had to firmly tell Baba that she didn’t want him or anyone else to accompany her. This she had to do on her own. She realised that the receptionist had only told her about Poonam Madam, but not about Arnav. But he had messaged her last night, that he would be there, right? She felt nervous, and readjusted her dupatta and brushed down her kurta with her hands.
And after a long walk through the empty office, as it was the weekend, she finally reached Poonam Raizada’s corner office. And there she was, dressed in a casual blouse and trousers, her hair left lose, but not one to of place, Her expression unreadable. As Poonam got up and shook hands with her she realised that Arnav was not around.
“Where is.. Arnav,” she asked, hoping her voice did not reveal how nervous she felt.
“I don’t know either, can’t get through his phone either.”
“Oh,” Khushi did not know what else to say. Why would Arnav do that. This was like the farmhouse incident all over again. He initiated it, and then he threw her under the bus.
“Sit down, Khushi, you don’t need to be nervous. Vijay, he is my admin person, you probably already know him, has briefed me on this Mihir and your brother.. Shyam situation. I believe that your brother has been set up, and we can work together to sort this.”
“Okay, mam. My brother.. Shyam said that Mihir Gupta had a lot of funds invested in three different companies. Thankfully, he has kept a trail of all these transactions and can share it with Arnav and you.. for you’ll to recover the money of AR.”
“Sure, that is great. Your brother seems.. smart. And please don’t call me Mam, you can call me Poonam.”
Poonam. Not Poonam Aunty she noticed. But that was okay. Aunty’s son had anyway abandoned her. She still could not believe that Arnav did not show up. And why message her saying, I will be there.
“So Mam.. I mean Poonam, what would you want us.. Shyam and me to do.”
“I will obviously speak to your brother and let's see if any of the information that he has shared can be useful to us.. if it can lead us to the money and Mihir.”
“Sure Poonam, so I can come with him tomorrow? Or day after, once you check your calendar.”
“Khushi, you don’t need to come. Your brother can help us. He is responsible for what he did, not you. You start as the coach of Alchemy in a week, you focus on that.”
Was that kindness, or was she being banished, she was unsure. But Poonam was right, this was her brother’s battle to fight. She probably could not contribute much anyway.
“Sorry Khushi, I am late. Sorry mom, I am late.”
The two women looked at Arnav, one questioning and the other accusing. Arnav looked different, a little dishevelled, floppy hair, almost like the boy she met at New-Ons. While Khushi was angry with him for showing up late, she was happy that he was here finally.
“Sorry Khushi, I was catching up with Aman last evening and we got pretty drunk.. I was hungover. I tried to come as quickly as I could. Are you okay,” he said, his eyes softening, and he placed his hand on her shoulder. It was a small gesture, but felt too intimate, in front of his mother, whose eyes, Khushi knew was completely on them.
“Sorry mom, I was hungover..” Arnav said turning towards his mother.
“I heard Arnav, it seems so uncharacteristic of you. But I am glad you boys had fun,” Poonam Raizada said wryly.
“So, should we.. discuss Khushi’s brother,” Arnav asked doubtfully.
“We were done discussing and Vijay, Roy and I will work with Shyam. I have told Khushi not to worry,” Poonam Raizada said, throwing a practised smile in her direction. Somehow Poonam Raizada’s rational tone, demeanour, all seemed too nice. Khushi did not know what to make of it and if she read Arnav’s expression right, he seemed just as surprised by all of this.
“In that case Mam, I mean Poonam, I will leave now,” Khushi said, getting up and nodding at Arnav.
“Khushi, I am sorry for the misunderstandings in the past.I wish that I had not done whatever I did that made you change the course of your life,” Poonam Raizada offered an apology to a stunned Khushi and Arnav. She had sometimes imagined that one day she would confront her tormenter and extract this. But in those scenarios, there would be drama and it would be hard earned, and not given to her in such a poised and calm manner. It felt anti-climatic. And even disappointing. But she also felt relief, like she had finally managed to get off the water that was drowning her and get the air she needed. Maybe that is how the wrongs are made right in the real world.
“It is in the past, Poonam. Thank you for believing me finally,” she said and this time she walked out.
“Wait, Khushi. Mom I will..” Arnav began.
“Yes, please drop Khushi home, Arnav.” Poonam Raizada said.
“So that went okay? I am sorry that I took time to come, Khushi. Today of all days..”
“That is okay. Your mom was.. fine.”
“I guess all is well that ends well.”
She nodded and offered him a bright smile. But had things really ended. They drove to her home quietly. This time she did not ask to be dropped off at the metro station. This was not the uncomfortable silence after Aman’s party, but a reflective and pensive one. So much had happened in the last week. There was so much to process. Thankfully there wasn’t much traffic and they reached home in record time.She felt a little deflated as they reached home. She wished she had spoken with him, about all the conversations that she had wanted to have with him the last few days, and especially about his assessment of the meeting with Poonam Raizada. She got down and considered inviting him home, but was unsure.
“I am sorry that I can’t come in now. Anjali Di has invited Aman to her home for lunch, and I am supposed to be there. Please tell your Baba.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Khushi,” he said as she turned to go to her home.
“Yes, Arnav?”
“Do you want to meet for dinner tomorrow?”
“Dinner?”
“Yes.”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yes. Why are you repeating everything I am saying? Are you buying time to come up with an excuse?”
“No, I was not. It just seemed sudden.”
“So, yes or no?”
“This is dinner, like a non-date?”
“ActuallY I was thinking more like a date,” he said grinning.
“Okay,” she said. Surprising him and her both.
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