The Contract of Hearts (Last Part Updated Pg.97)

The Contract of Hearts: A FF

Part I: KHUSHI AND ARNAV BOUND BY ANOTHER CONTRACT

Khushi had been working at AR as ASR's associate for the past six months in accordance to a new contract about which only KKG and the Laad Governor knew. A few momentous things had also happened during this period. Nani had taken an instant dislike to La the Blah, and parceled her off on a Vaishno Devi yatra to wash away the sins accrued from her minimal clothing and phenomenal bad mouthing with an injunction to never come back.

And wonder of wonders, Khushi Kumari Gupta is ASR's new girl friend and fiance, an arrangement hitched together by the well-meaning but meddlesome Naniji and sweet sister Anji. The ballistic couple, Arhi was forced to accept this irksome arrangement for various reasons of their own.

Arnav had agreed to it to checkmate his Jijaji's wrong intentions towards Khushi which he had detected some time back. It would also shut the mouth of his Nani who was literally eating his ears asking him to marry a sanskari and guni ladki from the tehzeeb ka sheher, Lucknow, as she had had enough with sheher hi ladkiyan (La). If he had another reason, he would never let anybody know it.

Khushi's Babuji's shop was girvi and Shyam had also complicated matters too much. Both of them knew what he was capable of. If Khushi had been given a free rein, she would have blurted out everything to Anji, but Arnav was very much against it.

Moreover Akash and Payal were in love and even 'Hello hi bye bye bye' Mami had consented to it in what seemed to be the miracle of this century. She wanted Akash bitwa to chado on the ghodi as fast as possible. Nani had thrashed aside all the sweet dreams by telling that Arnav had to be married first. The Laad Governor, to do him justice, had protested telling that he wanted to concentrate on his career for at least a year before marrying.

Nani gave in telling that at least his engagement had to happen, only then she would agree to the Payash marriage. So finally they had come to an understanding that they would be a couple for the sake of the rest. After her Jiji's marriage, he would redeem her father's shop, and there their contract with each other would end.

Cut to the Present:

Arnav thinking to himself, "What sort of a spot have I got myself in? Neither can I see her nor can I stay without seeing her. But then I see her every hour, every minute, ever second, eyes closed or eyes open. Nani also leaves me no peace of mind at home by inviting Khushi to come and meet her every evening and stay back for dinner. Surprisingly I seem to have very less appetite these days after eating and drinking her beautiful presence the whole day. Shit! Why are my thoughts wandering from the main point. Ever since we have met, we have been fighting with each other at the world war level. Only difference now, we fight silent world wars for fear of being detected by the rest of the family."

On his table lay an invite for the Jalebi Night organized by his Canada business partner. He would decline the invitation. After all he was a diabetic. His constant stress levels after this contract seemed to make it worse. What was happening to the people around him? What was happening to him? Long back he had given up the illusion that he was his own creator and made his own destiny, or to be even more precise, ever since he met her. Until he met her sanity and order had prevailed in his life. But now-

He had stopped thinking but did he really because she seemed to invade his thoughts unbidden just as she cut his words the minute he opened his mouth. Did she ever close her mouth? He preferred to always hide his thoughts behind his silence and sullenness, while she if she had the opportunity would climb on top of the Mount Everest and proclaim everything, her happiness, contentment, childish glee, sadness, anxiety, worry, and nervousness, practically everything to the rest of the world without the slightest hesitation or embarrassment. It was with the greatest difficulty that he was able to prevent her from blabbing about the contract to everyone.

At the Raizada House:

"Naniji, yeh lijiye apka jap ka mala", said Shyam smiling his ingratiating smile.

"Sukriya. Tum naahi hote thoh hum kya karte, bitwa", Nani looking super pleased. Everything had gone according to her wishes. La was out of Chotey's life forever, and in her place she had brought Khushi.

She had taken an instant liking to Khushi when she first came to their house with the Lucknow sarees. Both her pothas were getting married to the kind of girls she wanted as her bahus. What more to ask in life, thought the grand old lady. Only thing she still did not trust her Arnav bitwa. She would rest in peace if she could see him married after the one year he had asked.

"Naniji, mujhe Sale Saab aur Khushiji ke beech mein sab kuch theek nahi lagtha hai. Aaj bhi unhe unke Canada wale business partner ek party ke liye Khushiji ke sath invite kiye the. Par Arnav ne jane se mana kar diya. Kya pata who Ms. Kashyap unke zindagi mein wapas aagayi ho, is liye woh Khushiji se door ja rahe hain." Shyam chuckled to himself, "I will expose you and Khushi, Arnav."

"Kya?" It was almost as if an atom bomb had descended on her head. She asked Shyam to dial Arnav's office as she wanted to talk to him.

"Arnav bitwa" Nani spoke not allowing a gap for even a 'Hello, Hai, bye bye bye' from the other end of the phone. "Aap Khushi ko lekar us party mein jaa rahen hain!"

"Par Nani" Arnav tried to explain but to no avail as Nani had already cut the line.

(Following it up soon with Khushi's wide-eyed wonder on hearing about the Jalebi Party, ASR huva talli with bhaang, and the 'yeh dosti hum nahi chodenge' entry of Mr. Malhotra aka. Sameer Malhotra, Arnav's business partner from Canada and Khushi's childhood friend)