"YOU...you...you...Laad Governor." She stood on top of the coffee table pointing at him.
"KHUSHI! Niche aja tu abhi!" Payal shouted and then she turned around to Arnav who stood rooted across the room flabbergasted at Khushi's antics.
"Aapne usse kyu peene diya! Ek glass se tunn ho jati bilkul. Issiliye humne aapse kaha tha!" Payal was besides herself. She knew that somehow her mother-in-laws taunts would not end if she saw this.
"Jiji aapko pata hum ne inshe sss ssshaadi kyu ki?" Khushi slurred and swayed atop the table slightly.
"Khushi, kamre mein chalo chup chaap" Arnav spoke in a stern voice. She would reveal everything.
"nahi jayenge. Kya karlenge?"
"Uthake leke..."
"haan jaise thake leke shaadi kiya!"
"Sun Khushi, tu bas nije aja pehle" Payal tried to reason with her sister and khushi burst into a fit of giggles much to the amusement of Payal and Arnav.
"Arnavji, aap inhe leke jaiyye na. Nahi toh aap to jante Ma-ji khama-kha gussa jayegi."
"Hello Hi BYE BYE. Humari batwa abhi khatamwa naahi hui hai!" Khushi stood up straight all of a sudden and stuck her chest out and spoke in a perfect imitation of mami-ji.
"Antique piece hai bahen tumhari." Arnav shook his head and turned to Payal.
"Pagal hai. Per dil ki bilkul saaf hai. usper pahad bhi gir pade na to bhi woh uff tak nahi karti." Payal turned to meet Arnav's eyes. "Arnavji humko pata nahi tha ki aap bhi Khushi se itna pyaar karte hai ke aap dono ne bhaag ke shaadi ki hai!"
"Kya matlab aap bhi?" Arnav looked at Payal confused
"Matlab Khushi aapse pyaar karti hai yeh to hume pata chal gaya tha. Pagli din raat apni Laad Governor ke bare mein bad-badati rehti thi. Din mein bhi aur raat ko sapne mein bhi. Kabhi boli toh nahi thi hume per hum jante hai ... bohut pyaar karti hai aapse. Aap humesha khayal rakhenge na inki?" Payal had tears in her eyes, she was angry with her sister yes but her love had never waivered. She had expected Khushi to tell her everything, she thought they had no secrets. So yes, Payal was rightfully hurt.
"Aur phir uski zindagi mein ek baar kali badaal chaiyi thi, humari saat hui hoti to hum to toot padte" Payal spoke refering about Shyam.
"Kounsi badal payal? Kahi uski sagai?" Arnav asked her and Payal nodded.
"Payal uss sagai ke bare mein batao mujhe."
"Arnavji, who aap khud Khushi se pooch-lena. Woh zaroor batayegi aapko. Aur tab tak poochte rehna jubtak who nahi batati." Payal knew that her marriage was the reason Khushi had never opened her mouth. But the guilt that was now eating away inside her for not telling Akash was too much to handle.
"Per usne ab tak bataa kyu nahi?"
"Taake is ghar per koi baar na aye. Woh khud andar hi andar bohut kuch sehti hai. Iss se zyaada hum kuch nahi bol sakte." She was interrupted by Khushi who had walked up to them.
"Arre jiji...aap kyu ro rahe hai? iss beherem laad governor ne aapko bhi rula diya? Aap mat royiye..." Khushi was swaying from side to side and walked up to her sister.
"Khushi apne pati ke bare mein aisa nahi bolte! Aur jo tujhse itna pyaar karten hai!" Payal turned to her sister. Khushi scrunched up her face.
"secret hai jiji. Nahi bolsakte kisiko. Per aap se ek baat kehni hai." she signalled Payal to come close to her so she could whisper her great secret in Payal's ear. Just then the rest of the family had walked in. Shyam looked at Arnav with an evil smirk. He was planning on slipping Khushi the second glass of bhang and then he would make his move on her.
Payal leaned in and Khushi in her intoxicated state spoke in a voice that was quite audible for everyone in the room to hear.
"Woh humari Laad Governor hai na?"
"hmmm..?" Payal turned around surprised that she was speaking so loudly even though she clearly said secret.
"ssshhh jiji, sun lega!" Khushi's eyes doubled in size as she nervously looked around the room and then leaned in to Payal, still speaking loudly.
"Woh Laad Governor hai na...Kaafi sexy hai!"
A sound of a glass shattering broke the pregnant pause between the two sisters. Shyam had just broken the glass of bhang in his fist. Arnav leaned into Khushi and whispered in her ear "Upar chalen? Mujhe bhi ek secret share karni hai tumse" he softly nipped her earlobe.
Kabhi Neem Neem Kabhi Shahad Shahad
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