-----------------------------------------
It was the complete silence that finally woke Khushi up somewhere in the middle of the night. At home in Lucknow, and also buaji's house in Laxmi Nagar there was always a multitude of reassuring sounds outside twenty-four hours a day. This dead silence of the night was slightly unnerving. She recalled Payal jiji knocking at her door some time back and not wanting to upset her, Khushi had pretended to be asleep and waited till she left. Now she guiltily hoped that jiji had not gotten too worried about her sudden disappearance.
Sitting up in bed, Khushi looked about her surroundings groggily. A chill passed through her, as the hum of the air conditioner spewed cool air towards the bed. She looked down and saw that she was still in her lehnga, and got up wearily to change and get more comfortable. 'How to switch of this air conditioner,' she wondered looking about the dimly lit room. 'It was so cold' she shivered.
Changing into her simple salwa kameer that she usually wore to sleep, she went into the bathroom to wash and get her hair out of the tangled mess. Her reflection still showed her swollen eyes and smudged kajal, which she proceeded to rub off angrily.
Taking out her anger on fixing herself, Khushi suddenly felt better and more comfortable. The soft fabric of her kurta, washed a million times, smelled like home, and gave her some consolation.
Walking back into the room, Khushi again shivered – was it the cold or the silence? Or was it the fact that she was alone in this huge room with no one but the dark inky night outside.
Opening the bay windows, she stepped out into the patio leading to the pool. Even though there was a chill in the air, it was definitely better than the air-conditioned comfort of her room. She looked about her warily, as she neared the pool. Stopping at the edge she started vacantly down, wondering if she should venture to locate the kitchen herself and get something to eat. How long had it been since she had eaten? Should I wake up jiji, and ask her? No, there was no one here but them, so she could manage this on her own, she resolved.
* * *
Arnav banged his clenched on the large study table he sat at. It was getting more and more difficult for him to concentrate on the spreadsheet open on his laptop. He had been staring at it for the past 4 hours, and not a single figure had registered, as his thoughts were only on the room next door, and the girl who had disappeared within. 'Damn', he said loudly for the millionth time. He had deliberately concocted some work and stay back at the farmhouse, ignoring Lavanay's sulky protests. Yes, a part of him wanted to see for himself that Khushi was ok… a part of him that wanted to be near where she was.
His nerves tingled suddenly and he walked towards the similar bay windows of his study overlooking the pool. He saw her standing precariously at the edge of the pool, staring down at the water. 'Oh *$#@!' Arnav cursed, a dread seeping into him. Is this what he had finally driven her to, he scolded himself, opening the windows in one fluid movement and running out on to the patio towards her.
Khushi lost in thought about what she was going eat, and how she was going to manage it, did not notice the sudden appearance of Arnav, and nearly screamed out loud when she felt herself being lifted by two familiar strong arms, and swung away from the pool.
"What do you think you are doing?' they both shouted harshly at each other, still locked in a tight embrace.
Khushi was clutching on to him tightly, her heart pounding loudly. He had scared the living daylights out of her, and she felt the fear and relief bubble up and rise from her mouth as tears once again started trickling down her scrubbed pink cheeks.
'You were going to jump,' Arnav asked cautiously, her tears causing a sharp stab in his heart.
'Jump' Khushi looked up into his face, still clutching at him unknowingly. 'Jump where ... haven't you done enough already …', she added bitterly. 'From the day I have met you, you have only caused me problems,' she continued muttering into his chest. 'Broke jiji's wedding … okay you didn't directly do that' she added sheepishly talking to herself, 'but after that, you …' she felt herself fall forward in a swoon and he held on to her, listening intently to her incoherent chatter.
He picked her up in one swoop into his arms and strode purposefully towards the study, where he placed her gently on the large leather sofa at the far end of one wall facing his large study table. Kneeling on the floor beside her prone form, he touched her face gently, wiping the tears that stained her cheeks.
Khushi opened her eyes, and look into his concerned ones. 'Why can't you just disappear from life,' she asked softly, not having any more fight left in her. As she shut her eyes to blank him out, she missed the hurt that suddenly reflected on his face. He got up suddenly and walking across to his desk picked up his coat, which was draped on his chair. Walking back to where she lay, he gently covered her curled up form with it.
'Can I get something to eat,' a soft voice asked timidly, and Arnav stopped mid way. He was walking back to his desk to try and resume some work!
'Eat?' he asked incredulously as if it was an alien thought to him. He turned slowly towards her again, caught unawares at her request.
'Just show me where the kitchen is, and I'll help myself,' Khushi started getting up, her hunger getting the better of her resentment right now. Shaking his head in defeat, he walked towards the door, leading her out towards where the kitchen was.
Jalebi's were out of question, she thought as she stood in the middle of a very modern, well-equipped kitchen and wondered what to make for herself. Arnav stood at the door watching her in fascination, as she went about systematically pulling out stuff from the fridge and opening various cabinets and cupboards looking for stuff. Within a short span of time, the delicious aroma of prantha's wafted through the kitchen, making Arnav realize that he too had barely eaten at the party.
Khushi swiftly piled up parantha's on a plate, with curd and pickles. On one side she poured two cups of steaming hot masala tea, careful not to add sugar in one of them. Loading it all on to a large tray, she looked up at Arnav, still silent near the door.
'Chalo', she said curtly, as he switched off the lights and followed her meekly back to his office.
Putting the tray down on the coffee table in front of the sofa, she helped herself to the food, and settled back cross-legged on the sofa gesturing to him with her eyes and full mouth, to also help himself.
Arnav sat totally enthralled by her and this entire episode. When she helped herself to the third parantha, she caught him raising his eyebrows at her plate. Ignoring him, as food was uppermost on her mind right now, Khushi continued to enjoy her meal to the fullest. She'd deal with him on a full stomach, she decided.
When she had returned the tray to the kitchen and cleared everything, she curled back on the sofa with her mug of tea, after putting his cup on the table where he had returned and was typing something on his laptop. She gazed at him under her lashes, taking in the absorbed stern look that had returned on his face. Arnav looked up suddenly and caught her gaze. 'Lavanyaji is not here', Khushi blurted the first thing that came to her. The thought of Lavanya brought back the memory of his kiss, for some reason, and Khushi touch her lips immediately turning a pretty pink. She had managed to come to terms with their 'live-in' situation, but this kissing other women when you loved someone is just beyond me, Khushi fumed. What kind of relationship were they into exactly!
Arnav felt a warm blush creep up his neck too as he watched her recall that kiss and touch her lips, blushing prettily. 'I had to work so I stayed back alone,' he mumbled, trying to avoid her eyes and concentrate on his computer instead. Khushi kept starting at him, seeing his embarrassment surprised at seeing him like this.
Suddenly he banged his fist on the desk next to the laptop, making Khushi jump. 'Khushi…' he began hesitatingly. 'er … I… we … earlier … outside I …' he shut his eyes as if trying to find the right words. 'I didn't mean what I said outside earlier…' he ground out finally.
Khushi's eyes opened wide as she realized that this was some kind of an apology that he was trying to give. A mischievous look came on her face, as she sat back into the backrest and enjoyed what was a definite first for Arnav. She waited, watching him fumble for words, and was astonished at her own reaction of enjoying seeing him squirm.
'What I did earlier … outside … when we …' he again stopped 'well, I should not have,' he finished with a rush.
'Chalo, Lavanyaji ka naam liya toh kuch toh sharam aaye,' Khushi thought to herself. 'I won't tell Lavanyaji, don't worry,' she told him reassuringly instead.
'Lavanya??' Arnav looked sternly at Khushi, his face melting as he watched her curled up comfortably on his sofa, his coat draped around her shoulders.
'Haan, Lavanya', Khushi reiterated. You do remember Lavanya, no?' she asked with a twinkle in her eye. And before he could respond she started her chatter, 'don't worry, I will keep that between us, and may even forgive you. The list against you is quite long actually, so …'
Arnav was not listening, he just sat back on his chair, his arms folded and watched every expression flitter on her face as she carried on about his injustices to her and her family. After a little while, he saw her stifle a yawn and get more comfortable with her head on the armrest. The thought that he should take her back to her room, crossed his mind, but her shy 'can I lie here only? I'm not used to being alone in such a big and quiet room,' melted his resolve and he watched her tenderly, as she fell asleep curling deeper into his coat.
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
Writers Corner: Books, Stories & Poems
15