Khushi entered the room, with a tray of breakfast she had just prepared for the 'Lord Governor'! Amma was sitting beside him trying to convince him to stay another day till the fever broke, but Arnav was adamant that he was returning to the hotel immediately. They were all to fly out to Delhi later in the evening, and he also had the reception arrangements to see to.
Khushi gave a dirty glare to her mother as she walked past her and kept the tray firmly on the table next to the bed. Ignoring Khushi, amma patted Arnav on the hand and left the room, issuing instructions to Khushi to make sure he eats everything on the tray. After all he was on medication and had missed dinner too.
He was sitting up against the headboard looking very uncomfortable with all the attention that Amma had been giving him. As soon as she walked out, Arnav was on his phone, instructing someone that he would be there as soon as possible. 'I'll drive you, dude', Aman sauntered into the room, freshly showered and towel in hand. His white unbuttoned shirt exposing his perfectly toned abs, his blue denims hung low on his waist. 'Hey sweetie,' he winked at Khushi as he walked closer to the bed, 'slept well?'
Khushi stared at Aman doubtfully. 'What was he up to now,' she wondered. He never spoke to her like that, ever! She turned towards Arnav, still frowning, and reached out to give him the glass of milk that she had prepared without any sugar. She remembered that the ladoo's she had made for rakshabandhan were with a sweetener, as Di has explained to her about his diabetes. No wonder he is such a sour person, she had thought then… cheeni kam hain!
When he did not take the glass from her, she looked at him to see that he was staring at Aman with such fury. His body was taut and he looked ready to burst. Now what, thought Khushi in alarm, holding the glass further towards him with apprehension.
'Milk? … Arnav?' Aman asked mischievously, and came and sat on the bed next to where Khushi was standing. 'I'll have it, K, if he does not want it', he reached out and held the glass touching Khushi's fingers that were still around it. 'But your breakfast is downstairs Aman, amma is getting it ready,' Khushi blurted, removing the glass from his grasp. She turned towards Arnav again, ignoring Aman's weird behaviour, and held out the glass.
As his hands touched hers over the warm glass of milk, Khushi looked at him alarmed at the rush of emotions that went through her. Neither of them noticed a smiling Aman silently walk off leaving them alone. Arnav stared longingly at Khushi aware of his touch on her soft hands. He took in her startled eyes, slightly parted bare lips, plain pink kurta that hugged her figure in the right places, right down to her payal-clad bare feet peeping out under her salwar. He took the glass from her and drank the milk slowly, his eyes never leaving hers.
Arnav sipped the warm milk all the while enjoying her discomfiture. She was obviously not as indifferent to his touch as she made out to be. Just goes to show how right he was about girls like her, he thought suddenly. Having a relationship with that stud Romeo, and then behaving all innocent and virginal with him. The thought brought back a gush of anger and Arnav suppressed his tender feelings for her, breaking eye contact and gulping down the milk in one shot. He then got off the bed, pushing her aside and walked to where his achkan was lying on another chair.
Putting it on, he was ready to storm out of the room, when a cheerful Aman walked right back in. Looking from one to another, he came up and put his arm around Khushi's shoulders, 'why don't you get ready too, sweetie. You can meet Payal also, when we go to drop Arnav.'
'SWEETIE??'… Khushi, looked at Aman pointedly. Of course she did not want to go anywhere with that horrible monster, but meeting jiji was a tempting thought. She wanted to see for herself that jiji was okay there. And she had not even said goodbye properly last night. At least she could spend some time with her before jiji left for Delhi this evening.
**
By the time Khushi got dressed and stepped out of the house, she found Aman and Arnav already seated in the car. One, chatting away merrily, not a care in the world and the other with his usual stern, 'I'm-barely-tolerating-this' expression on his face. Aman had firmly put Arnav in the passenger seat and taken the wheel of his SUV.
He now jumped out to open the door for Khushi and made a big deal of seating her comfortably in the car. Khushi was getting more and more wary of his weird behaviour by now, and looked uncomfortably at Arnav seated in front. She saw a muscle twitch in his jaw, and knew that he was now controlling his temper. Well, he can go to hell, the ungrateful man, she fumed. I sit up all night at his bedside looking after him, and he's behaving like a … And what's with this Aman now, and all the 'sweeties', and touching her every two minutes. What was he up to?
The drive to Sheesh Mahal was a strained one. To top the tension of Arnav's silence and Khusi's discomfiture was Aman's extra chatty behaviour. Khushi all but had a headache by the time they reached the entrance to the private residences of the Sheesh Mahal. This was a section that had not been included in the hotel plans and had been retained as their residence. As they parked in the porch, Aman jumped out of the car with an exclamation of delight. A vintage 1970's Enfield Bullet was parked in an alcove, that he forgot everything, and ran towards.
'Wooo…' Aman exclaimed, turning towards Khushi, who was slowly walking towards him, aware of Arnav's gaze on them. 'Remember how I taught you on one like this years ago?' he reminisced. 'I taught her to drive a scooter too,' he added. 'No,' groaned Khushi inwardly, remembering her accident with Arnav's SUV when he had demanded that 25,000 that had gotten her into all that mess.
Di who was waiting for them on the porch steps, moved towards Arnav to assist him. 'Yes, that's chote's bike', she smiled indulgently at her scowling brother. 'He was much younger, of course, when he used to drive that' she added naughtily, a twinkle in her eye.
Khushi was looking uncomfortably from one to another. It was Di who saved the situation by asking her that she must be keen to meet with her jiji. Before she walked into the house with Di, Khushi felt Aman beside here, suggesting that he had some work to attend to so would be back later to pick her up. 'Hey, why don't I pick you up at the airport only in the evening? You can be with Payal till evening in that case,' he suggested.
When Di agreed that it was a good idea, Khushi had no choice but to ignore Arnav's rude glares and go along. At the moment, all she wanted was to get away from him.
**
Jiji looked pretty decked up in her bridal finery, and also a little nervous, Khushi noticed, as she ran up to her and gave her a reassuring hug. As they both burst out into chatter, Di left them alone to catch up with each other. Khushi had a million questions she wanted to ask and a million things that she wanted to tell, and settled down with her sister in her palatial room.
Jiji nervously looked at her watch after some time, and shared with Khushi that her mother-in-law had instructed her that lunch today was to be prepared by her. 'Lets continue in the kitchen, Khushi,' she added nervously. 'I'll help,' Khushi volunteered, trying to change jiji's mood. Obviously, mami was a bit overbearing, imagine having her as your mother-in-law, Khushi lamented!
And that is where Di found them after some time – working together in harmony in the kitchen, preparing lunch for the day. 'I need a cup of tea for Chote,' Di requested. He's getting fever again and a headache also,' she explained her odd request.
Khushi set about preparing the tea, while Akashji walked in next, and took jiji out with him. Alone in the kitchen, Khushi wondered where Lavanya was, and how she would get this tea across to the 'Lord Governor'.
She need not have worried, as the object of her thoughts walked right into the kitchen, all formally dressed and ready. 'Di?' he barked at Khushi, who nearly dropped the pan from which she was pouring the tea into a cup. 'Your tea,' Khushi proffered the steaming cup out to him, hesitatingly.
"I asked you where Di was, I don't want tea,' he said harshly. 'I have to go out for some work…' Khushi did not let him complete his sentence 'but you have fever, how can you go out. You should rest...' her voice trailed off when she saw his expression.
"I told you I don't want tea,' he ground out through clenched teeth, walking menacingly towards her. Khushi felt herself instinctively backing away from him the teacup still in her hand clattering on its saucer. 'I asked you where Di was,' he continued his walk into the kitchen till Khushi felt herself back up against the cool metallic surface of the refrigerator, trapped with him standing inches away from her now.
Khushi looked up into his eyes anxiously, as he towered too close for comfort, and in her panic, felt the teacup finally tumble and fall to the ground with a loud shatter. But not before the scalding liquid fell all over her forearm, bringing instant tears to her eyes. She looked down at her exposed arm shocked as she felt the angry red blotched beginning to form on her sensitive skin.
She did not notice that Arnav had gone perfectly still for a few seconds before he grabbed her hand in a swift motion and pulled her towards the sink where, holding her in front of him, he immediately ran cool water over the burned area. Khushi gasped in shock as the cool water ran on her heated flesh, and reclined gratefully against him as the awful burning stopped.
Arnav felt her fall gently backwards on his chest, and thinking she was fainting again, put his left hand around her slim waist to steady her. He tried to look down at her face but his lips encountered her forehead instead. He felt her suck in her breath sharply, as she remained in his embrace while the water poured endlessly out of the tap on their outstretched hands.
Khushi shut her eyes and was completely lost in the moment. Her other hand stole slowly towards his around her waist and she instinctively raised her face towards his bent one. While his lips remained imprinted on her forehead, hers met the exposed skin of his neck where she felt him swallow uneasily beneath her soft accidental touch.
The sound of the running water and their laboured breathing was suddenly broken by the whistle of the pressure cooker on the gas, bringing Khushi to her senses. As she removed herself from his grasp and turned off the tap, she saw the mask fall back over his eyes, before he turned around and stormed out of the kitchen.
Khushi collapsed wearily against the kitchen counter, regaining her breath and admonishing herself for her wanton behaviour. Why did he have such an effect on her when he touched her, or even came close? Why did she forget all the humiliation and injustice she had suffered due to him? Why did nothing else matter but the touch of his hands on her… holding her… protecting her … always.
The rest of the day passed by in a daze, as she helped jiji make and serve the lunch. They spent the rest of the afternoon packing and getting jiji ready for her life in Delhi now, at Raizada Mansion. There was little time for her thoughts to dwell on anything else but her jiji … and Khushi was miserable when Akashji came to announce that they should be leaving for the airport now. Her time with jiji had just flown and it was already time for them to be parted again.
She was all but controlling her tears when they walked out to the porch where the cars were parked, waiting for them. As Akash and jiji were bundled together into one car with mama and mami, Khushi found herself looking forlornly into Arnav's eyes as she walked towards where he waited near the other car in which Di and Lavanya were already seated. As their eyes met across the porch, Khushi felt her reserve beak down and the tears roll down her cheeks. She had this sudden gush to run into his arms and cry her heart out.
As Arnav waited for her to walk to where the car was, she saw her give herself a spirited shake and walk towards him. It was as if he could read her mind … he saw her control her sadness and move towards them, head bowed. As if sensing his gaze, she looked up, and he knew she was going to cry – he didn't know how, but just knew it. And it took all of his will power and resolve to not gather her up in his arms and console her there and then.
Di, noticing her shaky walk, immediately got out of the car and comforted her as she settled down on the back seat with her. 'I'm okay, thanks, Anjaliji,' Khushi told her softly once the car had started moving. 'It's just that jiji and I have always been together … we have never ever been apart …' her lips trembled as she tried not to break down again. She was unaware of Arnav's dark gaze watching her in the rear view mirror every little while.
**
Aman was already waiting at the airport chatting with Payal and Akash when the second car drew up. While they unloaded their luggage, Arnav instructed a member of his staff whi was in charge of getting the vehicles back to Sheesh Mahal. Aman sensing Khushi's plight immediately walked up to her and gently putting his arm around her shoulder, took her to where Payal and Akash waited for the rest of them. 'I'll leave you two alone for a bit, I think,' he told them gently, understanding their grief at being parted from each other.
Everyone was ready with luggage and trolleys to proceed towards the check in. Through the haze of misery Khushi was aware of Aman walking with Arnav towards the glass doors of the airport.
**
'It was great meeting you, dude,' he offered pleasantly. 'Oh and before we part ways … I have it on good authority that one is supposed to tell a girl that one loves her. Apparently, they are not too keen on actions,' Aman winked schemingly at Arnav.
They had all but reached the doors, and Arnav looked quizzically at Aman, wondering what he was saying now. His mind still at logger heads with his heart that wanted to rush and console Khushi right now.
"Dude ... I'm off to Bombay tomorrow to tell my lady love that I love her and want to marry her,' he shared naughtily, 'the same romp-in-the-hay' one we discussed the other night?' he reminded Arnav.
'I'll see you around then, dude … and a word of advice,' Aman finshed, 'don't waste precious time … just tell her you love her.' And with a jaunty salute towards a stunned Arnav, he turned and walked towards a sobbing Khushi and enveloped her in a comforting bear hug.
**
The last thing Khushi saw over his shoulder was not her jiji, but the stunned face of Arnav Singh Raizada looking back at her, as he was ushered into the terminal with the moving crowd.
It was the expression in his eyes that made her forget everything else – there was a look of complete joy and elation in them that Khushi had never seen before.
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