Take Me Home Tonight

OS: Take Me Home Tonight - Part I

"I don't want to!" The little girl screamed at her mother.

The mother looked around helplessly. She exchanged a glance with Arnav when she saw him looking at them and smiled apologetically.

Arnav let out a smile as well. He was enjoying this day, despite his initial disinterest.

The setting was charming. Against the backdrop of all the greenness, a lone krishnochura (gulmohar) stood, casting a perfect balance to the picture. It was blazing red in full blossom. The floor beneath was covered with a carpet of velvety red, shaped like a full moon around the tree.

What Arnav was breathing was literally a breath of fresh air. He wasn't alone. His family was stationed nearby, where they had set up a comfortable sitting arena. Mamaji had just made a funny remark about mamiji, and laughter was still going around in the group. What a lovely couple... Arnav thought unmindfully... Mamaji was constantly teasing her, and she was always being her ridiculous self, and yet they remained strong. The love remained underneath all the naatak... even after all these years... Arnav thought with a smile in his lips, until a twinge of god knows what made his heart cringe. He remembered his sham of a marriage... the daily pretense in the presence of others and the suffocation behind the door. What my life has been reduced to... he thought bitterly... ek mazaak ban ke reh gaya. And what a showman he himself had proved to be! And he was doing the performance of his life. With someone who he had thought for one weak moment the love of his life, he thought drily.

Arnav got distracted. The little girl had run away from her mother and had bumped into him en route of her escape. She looked at him fearfully. Arnav felt awkward. Had he scared her somehow? He didn't know what to do. But before he could decide on something, the girl took a couple of step back and then ran back. Back to her mother, who laughed out loud in relief when her daughter went back and hugged her. She exchanged another glance with Arnav and mouthed 'thank you'. For what? Arnav thought, but he nodded politely anyway. He felt thirsty suddenly. Time to get a drink.

He headed toward where everyone else was resting. It was Naaniji's idea, this family picnic. She had been discontent with the state things were at, and thought they needed some time together to bond, to start afresh. Sounded like bad soap opera logic to Arnav, but he had decided to give them a little something this one instance. Also, di was pregnant, this excursion would probably be good for her, he had thought. As he approached the group, he caught mamiji's attention. "Arnaw bitwa" She called out "Aise idhar udhar bhatak ne ki jaga, tum eeha aake baithi jao humri paas, tum bhi toh enjoy karo, ee bootiphool weather ko humri saath!"

Arnav nodded noncommittally as he grabbed a sugar free drink from the canteen. He cast two half furtive glances in both directions. Khushi was nowhere to be seen.

As if reading his thought, Naniji said, "Khusi bitiya nahin deekh rahi kahin... woh aapke saath hi toh thi, hai nah Chhotein?"

("Arnav, I haven't seen Khushi in a while... where is she? She was with you, right?')

Arnav hadn't seen her since they arrived. "Haan woh... yehi toh thi... aap chinta maat kijiye, aa jayegi"

("Ahh... yeah she was... I don't know where she went... don't worry, she'll come back.")

"Main dekh kar aata hoon, Naniji" Shyam appeared into the scene from the corner he was sitting at. "Waise main jaane hi wala tha udhaar toh..."

("I'll go get her" Shyam appeared into the scene from the corner he was sitting at. "I was gonna go over there anyway")

Shyam. Bile rose into Arnav's throat out of utter and pure disgust. He had tried, tried in vain to... not forgive, but just temporarily forget what this man had done... what kind of slime he was made of. Did not happen. And for good reasons, Arnav did not regret for a second. The world truly needs to be rid of this specific scum of hell. His jaw tightened as he tried to suppress the rising temperature of his anger.

"Nahin... uski koi zaroorat nahin, main dhoond laata hoon... aap yaha hi baithiye" He managed to get this much out.

("No... don't worry about it... I'll go get her... you can stay here", He managed to get this much out.)

***

Khushi felt peaceful. This day had turned out better than she had expected. She hadn't seen anyone since they arrived. She had readily found a quiet spot and had stayed there the whole day. She had had another episode of Shyam infestation earlier in the morning. Staying under the same roof with him was getting more unbearable every day, if that was even possible. But this beautiful day and the air around her had calmed her down, given her some solace.

She was sitting near the duck pond, under the shade of another gulmohar tree. A branch was extending over the pond and the stark contrast between the fiery red and the jade greens of the neighbouring trees was fascinating to see. The soft red carpet that had formed beneath the tree was providing her with a comfortable spot to relax, and to think. A few birds and squirrels were stopping by every now and then like old friends, as if to let her know that they were there for her.

Khushi extended her legs to touch the water with her feet; and the soft ripples tickled her feet in return. She heard leaves crackling under someone's feet and turned. Arnav was standing a few feet behind her.

***

UPDATED

Part 2: 54494307

Part 3: 54578515

Part 3 (fully in English): 55272101

Part 4: 54678143

Part 4 (fully in English): 55272691

Part 5: 55383101

Part 5 (fully in English): 55487636

Part 6: 55991958

Part 6 (English): 56136893

OS: Arnav and Khushi
Part 1: 53464110
Part 2: 53762853
Part 3: 54031174