Chapter 22
Nani bristled, "Kya matlab hai aapka ki aap shaadi nahi kareinge? Aapko pata hai saare rishtedaar ka keh rahe hain. Sabko ab batana pade ki aap dono bhai bahen naahi hai. Aap ne ek naam lekar iss khaandaan ki ijjat par ungliyaan uthaayee hai."
"Naani aisa kuch nahi hua hai. Khushi meri behen nahi hai. Aur woh aap sabko bata dijiye. Par mujhe Khushi se shaadi nahi karni." Arnav interrupted.
"Toh aap uska naam kyon liye rahein?" Nani persisted
Arnav turned away and Khushi colored. Anjali and Shyam caught the telltale blush and knew that there was something in between these two and they were not admitting. May be they thought Aakash would know what is happening.
Khushi then joined in to add to Arnav's argument. "Naniji, mujhe bhi Arnav se shaadi nahi karni. Mujhe koi farak nahi padta agar unhone kisi kaaran se mera naam le liya par hamare beech aisa kuch nahi hai jo aapko chinta karni chahiye. Ye shaadi jaisi hai waise hi rehne dijiye. Mein yahan se chali jaati hoon. Woh shayad sabke liye theek hoga." She announced and saw Arnav turn and glare at her.
Now what had she done she wondered silently to get those looks from him.
The family looked at her. Naani was about to argue when Arnav added, "Theek toh keh rahi Khushi." And he gave her a glance and saw surprise there."Humein shaadi nahi karni, aur aap Khushi ki chinta kar rahi hain, Lavanya se kya kaheinge ki ek galat naam lene se shaadi tod di aapne? Uski izzat ke baare mein bhi toh sochna hai." He added with finality.
Nani knowing her grandson did not argue further for the look on his face told her that he had come to a conclusion and no one was going to move him
Nani advised the family and his friend to keep a low key about the incident and let the festivities be normal or may be they should have more verve in it.
The next day was the Mehndi and she wanted everyone to enjoy and not feel the fiasco had impacted the situation.
Khushi unhappy with the whole outcome was about to leave when Aakash came over to her and put a placating arm on her shoulder. Khushi noticed Arnav give them one scathing look but she chose to ignore it and went out with Aakash and Payal who were being very supportive.
Arnav felt his friend had just ditched him by taking her side. He was not going to let her get away with this. How dared she steal everything from him? She had taken his respect in the family with that slip of tongue. It was all because of her. If only she had never come into his life. Why did fate bring her in front of him all the time he cursed?
He slept fitfully waking in the wee hours. He went onto the terrace and pottered around with his plants but found no solace and watched desolately the sun spread its warmth and light onto another beautiful day but there seemed a coldness around his heart that now seemed permanent.
He went down to the kitchen to make some coffee for himself and found Khushi making jalebis, a smudge of batter on her cheek. He clenched his hands as he was tempted to remove it but just pointed to it. She blatantly ignored him and continued to make jalebis at a furious pace. He wondered what had gotten into her to be making jalebis so early in the morning when Payal spoke from behind him.
"Ab kis baat ka itna gussa hai jo jalebiyan bana rahi hai Khushi. Tu soyee nahi kya?"
Khushi simply glared at her sister without answering. Not wanting to know more, Arnav just left the kitchen. He wondered if Khushi had slept because she had perhaps been disturbed by the turn of events in the day but dismissed as being fanciful remorse on his side. He was sure Khushi had other things to occupy her now that she had attention from his friend. His blood boiled at the thought and he turned back around to get his point in but then let it ride.
He got ready to go to office and Aakash was going with him so that they could finish work and go to the designer and get the final fitting of his wedding outfit done. He got ready and waited for Aakash to finish breakfast in his study as he did not want to confront Khushi in front of everyone. The less he saw of her the better.
Aakash came in with some jalebis on a napkin and praised in between bites, "Did you know Khushi made these delicious jalebis, here have some."
Arnav grumbled, "No, I dont like jalebis."
"Saale Jhoote! College mein to hum Chandubhai ki halwai se hamesha lekar khaate the. This beats those anyday. She is a fabulous cook." Aakash argued.
Arnav rolled his eyes and took one. The trickle of sugar syrup in his mouth was warm just like her lips had been. He closed his eyes to savor the memory of those honeyed lips as he ate a cruchy piece of Jalebi.
"Hmmm!" he made a sound of satisfaction involuntarily and then his eyes flew open as he surprised himself.
Aakash pounced, "Dekha! Saale pehle se manaa kar deta hai' jaise tune shaadi ke liye kaha' kya pata, isme shayad bhagwan ki marzi ho isiliye tune uska naam liya tha. Waise tune uska naam kyon liya?"
Arnav suddenly uncomfortable, countered, "Ab chalein, mujhe office ke liye deri ho rahi hai."
Khushi knew the minute Arnav had left house. She felt as her tensed muscles relaxed a bit, the air seemed less oppressive to her. His presence always made her feel more aware of her surrounding, more aware of herself and she had not liked that feeling.
Happy to be helping now with the Mehndi preparation. She helped Anjali and her Mom in making the thaal with mehndi and shagun from the boy's house for Lavanya. The mehndi that the bride would apply on her hand for the wedding was to be sent from the groom's house. She was spooning it in the silver bowl from the larger bowl and looked up when Payal asked her something, a dollop of mehndi fell on her palm. Startled, she dropped the spoon in the bowl and was about to wipe when Anjali said, "Nahi! Nahi! Shagun ki mehndi ko nahi nikaalte, apshakun hota hai."
Khushi stunned at such logic just shook her head but complied when her mother told her not to do anything. She finished preparing the Thaal and the driver was to deliver it to her house when she offered to go and do it with Payal.
Nani happy at the suggestion, Khushi and Payal left for Lavanya's. They were advised to come back quickly as they had to apply mehndi as well and to remind the Kashyap family to be there on time for the Sangeet ceremony the next day.
Once at the Guest house, Khushi felt a little awkward to meet Lavanya especially after the interlude with Arnav the other night. Lavanya was surprised to see them. She asked, "Arre Khushi, you here?"
"Woh hum Arnav ke yahan se aaye hain, Mein Payal. Arnav mere maasi ka beta hai. Humein kuch samay pehle hi pata chala, toh hum shaadi mein aaye hain. Aapki mehndi lekar aaye hain." Payal introduced herself and explained. Khushi for some reason was totally silent.
"Kya Khushi, tum Arnav ki behen ho?" Lavanya exclaimed.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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