Posted:
Chapter Two "FF: "pata nahin chala kab pyaar hua"
Khushi reached the hospital and walked towards Di's room. Her hands were shaking as she kept her emotions in control. As soon as she reached the door she saw Shyam trying to act as if he was very much concerned about his wife and child. Anger filled up her head as she wanted to blast him but seeing Anjali's innocent smile her anger evaporated immediately. The baby was so cute, the baby had her mother's eyes and his maternal uncle's nose. She reminded him of Arnav the moment she set her eyes on the baby. She smiled automatically, then cursed herself. She would never cure herself of him.
As soon as she entered, Shyam tried to smile at her, Khushi as usual remained civil in presence of Anjali. She went towards her bed and looked down at the baby. It was trying to smile at her. Khushi touched the baby's cheek with one finger.
"Look Choti, your Aunt is here. Ask her where is you Mama?" Khushi looked at her surprised, "Choti?" Anjali smiled and said, "yes Khushi,Chotey ki bhanji is Choti, right!" They both laughed out loud while Shyam who got nervous at the mention of his Saalesab tried out his fake laugh to join in.
Just then Arnav came into the room. Seeing him, Khushi remembered the conversation they had by the poolside. She tried to forget that, to him, she was just a gold digger. She wanted to get away from his presence so she said, "Di, Buaji called today , she said she was not feeling well. So I was thinking if it is okay for me to go and stay with them. With Baba in recovery and bualji ill, amma will have her hands full. I don't want her to fall sick as well. but don't worry , I will come everyday to see my Choti. okay!"
Anjali immediately sensed something was wrong, so did Shyam. He knew, Arnav would never let Khushi alone unless there was something big. There was something going on between these two and as if on cue, Anjali asked, "What is wrong Khushi? Did you both fight again?"
Khushi smiled and replied, "Arre ,no Di, not at all. Just that I could spend some time with amma while I have the chance. Once you are back in RM, I will have to devote my entire time to Choti right?"
Arnav looked puzzled. they both clarified it to him at once, "Chotey ki Bhanji is Choti!" They both started to giggle again like school girls. Arnav smiled.
Khushi immediately set out Di's clothes and her dinner and decided to spend time with the newborn. While Di was having dinner at her bed, Arnav joined her and helped her get comfortable. Anjali smiled and asked, "Chotey, what's wrong? why did you cry today? Did you both fight?"
Khushi looked at him and he looked at her. They both looked scared, "no Di, I just remembered Mom too would have been so happy."
Anjali nodded, "yes, She would have been so happy and proud to see you married happily and me in my motherhood."
Khushi got up, "Di, I should go now, see you tomorrow. sleep tight." Anjali nodded and gestured towards Arnav, "Wait Chotey will drop you."
Khushi refused, "No Di , it's alright. I can go by myself." Anjali smiled, "Either you go with Chotey or with your Jeejaji, chose."
Khushi could not but laugh at the irony. She smiled slightly and said, "I better go with my hubby. I can't take a chance of offending him now, can I?"
Anjali smiled and replied, Smart choice, now Chotey go and drop khushi at her house and pick her up in the morning. The entire week I am here, I want you to make sure she gets here from her house and reaches back home back safe. This will be your responsibility okay?"
Arnav nodded. He had no choice. He could not say no to Di for anything.
As they entered the parking lot, Khushi stopped walking. Arnav looked at her puzzled. "You can go now. You need not waste your time anymore. I can take an Auto and leave. Thank you."
Arnav huffed, "I know you can go in an auto but Di said that making sure that you reach home is my responsibility so I will have to make sure that you reach home."
Khushi looked at him with frustration. The more she wanted to keep him away the more it was difficult not to.
She replied, "That is not my problem. You can make sure that I get home in your own way while I will be going home in the way I want to. Auto...Auto." she shouted and left him staring at her back.
However Arnav was ASR and he would never give in if challenged. She wanted him to make sure she got home safe, then he would do it his way. So as soon as she got into the auto, he too got in. Khushi looked surprised, ASR in an auto!
"What the!" she bit her tongue while Arnav looked at her wide eyed. Since their stay at her house during the third month of their marriage, he had decreased the usage of those words.
She asked him, "What are you doing?"
"Making sure you reach home right?"
"Laksminagar" they both said to the auto driver at once.
The auto rise was a bumpy one. As they were nearing the house the auto went into a ditch and their heads clonked against each other. Both cried out in pain while the autodriver smiled and apologised. "Zara sambhalke Bhaiyya." said khushi.
They got down and khushi started to walk towards the house while Arnav followed her. He was angry that she did not allow him to pay. Buaji who was standing near the door welcomed both.
She asked Arnav to come in but Arnav refused. "No Buaji, I have to get back to Di, I just came to make sure Khushi got home safe. She said she wanted to stay here for a while. By the way, how are you feeling now?"
Buaji looked puzzled, "What is wrong with me? I am fine. We will be visiting Anjali bitiya again once she is feeling even better. I know it will be a strain on her to keep on receiving visitors all the time."
Arnav then realized Khushi had lied to get Di to agree to send her to her parents place. He said goodbye and searched for khushi, she had just walked inside her bedroom and was not to be seen.
Feeling disappointed he turned to go and as soon as he reached the steps he heard her voice, "Wait! Wait! one minute."
As soon as he turned around she was standing very close to him, catching his head she clonked hers against his head again, "ouch! Khushi! have you gone mad?" "I don't want horns on my head." she replied.
In pain and anger he pulled her back and they both fell against the pillar. He held her while she struggled to get her balance back and in that fight their noses bumped against each other. For a moment both remained stunned and when they realized what had happened, they both laughed out loud.
It lasted only a few seconds but then reality hit them hard. That they could not stay together even if they wanted to. There was this huge chasm of doubt that they both would have to build a bridge across to reach each other's heart.
Tears welled up in Khushi eyes and she turned and left.
Arnav could not say anything. This is what he had wanted and ASR always got what he wanted. What could he complain about? Then why was this pain rising in his heart every time he saw her go away from him?
As he turned to walk away he saw something shiny on the floor. He bent down to pick it up. He knew exactly what it was. This was the second time he was finding it.
As he moved towards the stairs, Khushi came out in a hurry. She started to search here and there around the patio and then looked at him and asked, "Did you by any chance see my payal?" Arnav thought a bit and then shook his head and moved away in a hurry.
Khushi looked at him till he was out of sight and then went back inside. She had lost her Mom's payal again just as she lost ASR again.
ASR was ASR, by the time he reached the road, his driver was waiting in his car to pick him up.
He reached his house and changed. Without Khushi he had half a mind to go to the hospital to visit Di but then he was sure this would alert her. So he decided to spend the night in his room.
He slept on the couch as usual even though Khushi was not there. Somehow he did not want to change that. The moonlight hit his room making it glow strangely. As he prepared to sleep, he took out the thing that he found on the floor, and dangling above his head, he stared at khushi's payal. This would probably get him through the night. Khushi's earlier words kept ringing in his ears, "pata nahin chala kab pyaar hua" as he held her payal close to his heart and fell into troubled sleep.
To be continued...
Please comment...
Arjun
28