OS : Cocktail Party Series - Love is in the air

"Kushi were you fighting with Arnavji again"

"Oh come on jiji, I wasn't fighting. He is the one who seeks me out & annoys me with his verbal jibes. A lion roaring & roaming all over its den dying to devour all the hapless victims"

"Come on Kushi Arnavji never means what he says when he is angry."

"Uff jiji from the time he acted cupid to your love story u r all fida over ur JETji. Please just give me a break from all this hero worship. Go bug Jiju."

Kushi stormed to the kitchen the one place where she always felt solace when the entire world was out to annoy her. She almost collided with HP who was trying to enter the kitchen his arms laden with plates.

"Sorry HariPrakashji"

"It's ok Kushiji. Arnav bhaiyya dint eat anything & now Anjali Di would be worried"

"Serves that LAAD GOVERNOR right. Let him starve for a day. Only then he will appreciate food & the people who prepare it."

"But Kushiji Arnav bhaiyya falls sick when he doesn't eat. Sometimes he has fainting bouts."

Hey Devi Maiyya hope he doesn't faint like that day he was getting ready to leave for Nainital. Kushi was worried now.

"Anyway Arnav Bhaiyya is not as bad as he sounds."

Kushi rolled her eyes. Here we go another ASR Bakht. What's with this guy that everyone from Lavanya to her jiji & even Buaji join his fan club & chant his name all day long.

"Arnav bhaiyya Dil ke acche aur sacche hain. When I was running around frantically trying to get money for my sister's wedding he silently called my parents & arranged everything without even telling me. I got to know only when my parents called me & were gushing praises of him. Even my cousin Om Bhaiyya who was working here before me, left the job only because of Arnav bhaiyya. His mom in Lucknow fell sick & she was struggling all alone there. So Arnav Bhaiyya arranged a well-paying job for him in Lucknow itself so that he can be with his mom. That's Arnav bhaiyya. While everyone tries to say sweet words before you but do evil things behind your back, he speaks harsh words to your face but does kind, nice deeds behind your back."

Kushi's mind suddenly flashed to that creep Shyam & his nauseating sweet talk & then she remembered Arnav taking care of her in Nainital, paying the hospital bills & then consoling her when she cried. She felt a lump in her throat.

"In fact one of Om bhaiyya's favourite story is about how Arnav bhaiyya stealthily hid silver coins in some detergent packet just to give a secret gift to someone. Bhaiyya never told me who that person was though. KUSHIJI''''."

Kushi had dropped the bowl she was holding with a resounding crash. She walked away in utter shock. Her mind was getting flashes of the scene in RM during Danteras. How she had jumped on finding 2 coins & then wondering about the extra coin & planning to return it to the shopkeeper, Arnav telling her rudely not to go or else he would deduct her salary.

Hey Devi Maiyya what kind of a guy was he. Why did he do all these things & then hurt others with his words when they started responding lovingly to this sweeter side of him. Why did he push people away with his rudeness when they tried to reciprocate his love. WHY WHY?

"I thought you said you will NOT show your face, NOT jabber to me and NOT come in my way. So what the hell are you doing here?"

She jerked out of her thoughts to find herself as usual at the poolside his favourite haunt. Her legs had automatically taken her to the place where her heart would find its soul mate & start beating at alarming speed. He was looking at her with an annoyed, exasperated expression on his face that she found endearing. He was on his knees tending to his plants. How she wished she were those plants which he lovingly caressed with an angelic smile on his face.

Arnav was startled by the expressions flitting across her face. He got up quickly & went near her.

"Kushi are you ok?"

Kushi dint answer still staring at his plants in a dazed manner.

"KUSHI" he literally yelled to bring her back to earth.

Kushi looked at those intense eyes. God she could happily drown in them any day.

"Arnavji I am sorry"

"WHAT"

"I am sorry that I acted a little insensitive yesterday & hurt you. I dint realize then but I seem to understand you better now. You always do nice things to those around you but then hide your kind nature behind harsh words. I had always wondered why. Now I understand. Your true nature is being caring & kind to others but somehow the losses & hurt that you have suffered in your past has made you bitter. You feel that loving & caring for others makes you vulnerable so you try to pretend all evil & rude. But somehow you slip up once in a while & your innate goodness is revealed to others. When they acknowledge it & try to reciprocate you shrink away & try to hide behind your shield of arrogance. You are scared to love & care again because you are scared that somewhere down the line you may lose your loved ones leaving you broken & shattered. Since you don't openly show that you care you don't like when others try to openly show their concern or love for you. If I had not given all that speech about preparing those sweets especially for you & instead simply placed it on the dining table & have it served along with tea you would have appreciated it more. You don't approve open display of affection. I understand now & will keep that in mind".

Before he could open his mouth she had left leaving him touched. How did she guess his thoughts when even Di sometimes couldn't. He was stunned by her amazing insight into his mind. How could she behave extremely childish at times like during their road trip & then extremely mature like yesterday & today. Akash was right. She is definitely PAGAL. Now that she was back on speaking terms with him he decided to complete the plan that he had in his mind.

"Kushiji Arnav bhaiyya wanted some work done by you & asked you to meet him by the poolside".

Kushi was confused. She had hoped that he would cool down a little after her heart-felt apology but she was still little nervous on talking to him. He was so damn unpredictable that she was not sure if he would melt her with his tenderness or break her heart with his rudeness.

She was startled to realize that while her mind was tossing & turning her legs had automatically done his bidding & she found herself back at her favourite haunt. The place was empty & she drifted towards his plants. She touched them gently as if she were caressing him. She noticed a small box in the middle of the pots. Curious she was drawn towards it & her nosy nature got the better of her. She opened it tentatively & found a letter in it.

"Kushi by now you know that I am not good with words & emotions but I will try my best now. Today I wanted to talk to you because I wanted to apologize to you for my horrible behavior yesterday. Somehow I always end up hurting those who are close to me. May be that's my sadistic way of showing that I care. I don't believe in GOD but one sign which I got earlier in Lucknow which in retrospection seems to be humdinger of the future events was our encounter in the dargah. Anjali Di had prayed for my wellbeing & success & had made a mannat & that's how I ended up with that Mannat ka chabi. But the ways of your god is indeed mysterious. I dropped that chabi & it ended up in your hands. May be it's a sign that my wellbeing, my success, my future & my life is bound with you. All this while, you protected it, kept it safe & then returned it to me when I announced my engagement to Lavanya probably because you felt you no longer have the right over it. But today I want to give you that RIGHT. I want to give it & along with that hand over my future to you. It's in your hands whether you want to fulfill Di's mannat & promise me love & happiness."

Kushi stopped breathing for a minute. As if in trance she felt inside the box & found the key. She was stunned beyond words & her eyes became misty.

Still in a dazed manner she made her way to his room & entered it through the French doors. He was standing with his back to her, hands in his pocket. She went near him & called out his name in a broken voice. He had already felt her presence long before she spoke & turned slowly towards her. She noticed that his eyes were misty just like hers. He saw that she was holding tightly to the key as if her life depended on it.

"Arnavji" Her voice broke.

"Sssh Chup Bilkul Chup".

He gently made her sit & then kneeled before her. He thrust another box at her.

Kushi opened the box & was stunned on seeing the contents. She just stared at it & then at Arnav.

There was another letter inside this. The paper was peeling & looked faded. She started reading & was astounded to realize that it was a letter from Arnavji's mom. By the time she came to the end of the letter tears were silently coursing down her cheeks.

"Kushi I have long since realized that you are the girl mom was referring to in her letter. The feisty lioness who can weather my anger & return my love with equal passion."

His voice dropped to a whisper.

"I know about your bangles so this is a gift from me & my mom."

Having said that he took his mom's precious kangan from his pocket & gently eased it onto her hands. The bangles tinkled merrily as if they were glad on finally finding their rightful owner. There was a time when he used to find succor in the music they made when he was trying to sleep with his head resting on his mom's lap & his mom patting him gently. He moved closer & rested his head on Kushi's lap. He felt her fingers gently ruffling his hair before resting on his forehead. He felt a strange calm & peace course through him.

"Kushi"

"Hmmm"

"By the way I forgot to tell you. Those modaks that you had prepared were delicious. I loved them."

He could feel her smiling gently. He closed his eyes with a contented look on his face.

PRECAP

"Jiji I am not wearing THAT dress!" pleaded Kushi to Payal who had seemed to turn a deaf ear to her entreaties.

************************************************************************************

Edited with author's note

Hey friends wanted 2 know wat else c'd ve been a better gift frm Arnie baby to her gal. I think the moment CVs showed those kangans v all know that its going 2 end up with Kushi.

I was just wondering what gift u guys dreamed Arnie of giving Kushi. Who knows some1 might come up with a killer idea 😉

***********************************************************************************

Link added to the next part in this series -> https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/iss-pyaar-ko-kya-naam-doon/2666381/os-cocktail-party-series-let-the-games-begin