Arhi FF:Mirage #2 Next thread link on Pg 151 - Page 32

"Khushi, I've decided to go to Mumbai this Saturday morning. I will be gone for two days. Thought of informing you before I left." Arnav spoke sitting on the bench in a park. They had decided to take a walk in the park that evening after her day at the clinic.

"Arnav, is everything alright?" Khushi asked seeing his worried face.

"I have never visited Mumbai since the day we left. Maybe I was scared to go back to that place where life had been happy and peaceful. But after speaking to you that day, I felt I needed to go back and visit it, maybe visit Nana if she is alive, visit the house that we lived in if it is still there." He said gazing into her eyes.

She clasped his hand reassuringly. "Do you want me to come with you?"

His eyes instantly lit up with happiness with her suggestion, only to dim out the next minute. "As if your Buaji would agree."

"Would you like if I came with you?"

"Yes." He blurted out instantly only to cover up after realising his mistake. "But you needn't come. I can manage by myself."

"Then consider it done. I can see clearly how much you can manage yourself. If I hadn't forced you to speak out that day, you would have buried it inside you for the rest of your life. Now don't you feel so much better, that the things are out in the open? Admit it Arnav. You need me." She declared it proudly.

"I need you Khushi. Even more than you know." He whispered, caressing her hair.

o0o

The Kashyap house was bustling with activity. Youngsters were getting drunk and throwing themselves on each other, completely out of their senses. Loud music was blaring across the poolside. Some were totally wasted. Some were just getting started. It was no less than a wild mayhem.

"Rishab!" Lavanya called out amidst all the noise, waving at him to come towards her. "How is the party?"

"Awesome Baby! Want a drink?" he asked handing over the orange coloured drink from his hand.

"Sure, thanks!" she said grabbing the glass and gulping down the contents. She continued to dance wildly on the floor.

"I'll be back in a minute." Arnav said heading over towards the house. What she hadn't known was that her drink was spiked, to make her forget everything that would happen after this minute.

o0o

7124

Arnav pressed the code into the keypad, making sure that no one was around this part of the house. Even if they were, chances were that no one would remember him. Afterall, most of them were too drunk to even remember their own names.

The door opened with a click, letting him inside the room. It was dark. But he didn't want to switch on the lights for the fear that the security would observe the unusual presence in the room. Instead he switched on the table lamp and with the help of torchlight, he had brought along with him, he started going through the files.

Black ones. He reminded himself thinking about Khalid Bhai's words.

It was indeed a Herculean task for him to go through all those files. Kashyap had loads of them in his study room. And then to read out those tiny alphabets in the dark was too time consuming.

Fifteen minutes passed. But there was no sign of that file. He cursed his luck for taking so long. He needed the file. It was the key to his freedom.

Maybe a life with Khushi.

But what if Kashyap had taken it along with him.

Just when he was about to give up, he noticed a black file stacked separately from the rest, away from the obvious places. He immediately grabbed it and opened it to read out the title of the file.

'Evidence of Money laundering against Goenka Trading.'

He didn't understand half of the words on the title. But Goenka Trading was enough to assure him that this was the file. He quickly grabbed the file and tucked out his shirt and slid the file behind his back inside the shirt, carefully tucking his shirt back again. Making sure that everything was in the right order, he grabbed his torchlight and switched off the table lamp and left the room, heading back to the party.

No one had noticed him.

No one would be even suspicious of him.

Two hundred people had arrived at the party. There wasn't even cctv camera inside the room for evidence. Who was Hari Kashyap going to suspect?

Mission Accomplished.

Or so he thought, when all of a sudden he saw Khushi standing beside Lavanya at the party and he felt the ground beneath his feet slipping. What was Khushi doing here? Hadn't she told him she would be busy packing for their trip to Mumbai?

As panic gripped him, he swiftly hid himself behind the doors, away from their sight. How could he have forgotten that Khushi was invited too for this party?

o0o

"Khushi! So you finally made it!" Lavanya exclaimed out half drunk as the spiked drink hit her system.

"Lavanya, are you drunk?" Khushi asked noticing her different attitude. "I know I said I'm busy, but I needed a favour from you. Please can you help me?"

"Sure Khushi, anything for you!" Lavanya declared, taking a sip of the drink in her hand. "Tell me what do you want?"

"I want you to tell Buaji that we both are going out on a trip to Mumbai for two days, even though we aren't. Can you do this much for me? Coz I have some important work in Mumbai. But Buaji will never relent to send me without you."

"Anything for you, Khushi." Lavanya instantly picked up her phone and dialled Khushi's landline. "Hello Buaji, could you please allow Khushi to go to Mumbai along with me tomorrow? It's just for two days and we promise to keep ourselves out of trouble, just like Shimla trip."

After some silence followed, Khushi heard Lavanya exclaim. "Thank you so much Buaji!" And with that she disconnected the call.

"She agreed. Happy now?" Lavanya stammered. Khushi couldn't believe that her friend had managed this conversation, even when she was half out of her senses.

"Thank you Lavanya. You are my best friend ever." Khushi exclaimed hugging her friend, while Lavanya smiled drowsily. "There is something I need to talk to you about." She said remembering Arnav. Maybe it was finally the right time to share this with her best friend, since things were moving smoothly between Arnav and her.

As she was about to say the next word, she found Lavanya wandering towards the next person and grabbing his drink and gulping it down. Her eyes were half drowsy. Seeing her state, Khushi decided that there was no point in saying anything to her, for chances were that she would forget it completely the next morning after the hangover.

There was plenty of time to tell her about him. Maybe she could tell her after she returned back from Mumbai.

She walked straight towards the main gate to return back to her house, when suddenly her eyes fell on a particular bike parked near the gate. It looked strangely familiar to her. Like she had seen it somewhere. Immediately, her gaze fell on the number plate.

DL K 7009.

That number was too familiar. But she couldn't remember where she had seen it. Confused at herself, she pushed the matter away and walked towards the main road, her mind preoccupied with the packing for tonight.

o0o

Arnav had been observing Khushi from a long distance, hoping that she would go away as soon as possible and thanked his luck as she left the gate. He had too many things to do now. His flight to Mumbai was scheduled tomorrow at 7:00 am. And he had to handover the file to Khalid Bhai too.

He quickly got onto his bike and roared his engine as he sped off towards his house. His mission was finally done. He would get his money. He wouldn't have to bear Lavanya anymore. As soon as he would get back from Mumbai, he would break up with her. The matter would be closed and he wouldn't be suspected of anything.

Within twenty minutes, he reached his house and the first thing he did was retrieve his file from his back. Sweat from his back was covering the black plastic cover. Wiping it clean, he felt relieved to be free from the burden on his back.

Suddenly, he felt tired. His knees buckled over and he dropped down on his bed exhausted. He still couldn't believe that the file was in his hand. Tired eyelids dropped over his eyes, shutting them into a deep slumber after a long time, completely oblivious of time and his surroundings.

o0o

He woke up with a sudden startle, completely confused of his surroundings. Within few seconds, he recognised he was still lying on his bed in his room. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he noticed the time. It was 4:00 am.

Shit! He observed the black file lying on the floor beside his bed. It had managed to fall down on the floor from his grip, while sleeping. He was supposed to give it to Khalid Bhai the same night itself. And he hadn't even packed his clothes. On top of that, there were only three more hours left for his flight.

He quickly got up and rushed into the washroom to freshen up himself. After that, he began stuffing few pairs of clothes into his luggage bag. He could see the file staring at him. There was no way he could give it Khalid Bhai today. Maybe he could give it after he returned back. It was afterall, a matter of two days. Should he risk keeping it in his house?

No. The file was the key to his future. There was no way he could keep it in the house while he was away. After contemplating it for a minute, he decided to take the file along with him. It would be safe as long as it was with him.

o0o

"Buaji! It's time for me to leave for the airport." Khushi called out to Buaji who was in the kitchen. It was 5:30 am and she had told Arnav that she would meet him at the bus stop near her house.

"Did you take everything you need? And is Lavanya here already?" Buaji asked aloud from the kitchen, rushing with a plate of paratha in her hands to feed Khushi.

Khushi gulped down guiltily for lying to her aunt. But she knew there was no other way to this. Buaji would never allow her to go to Mumbai with Arnav, how much ever she trusted him. She would have panicked for no reason.

I'm really sorry Buaji, but I promise to tell you the truth after I return back. Khushi mentally told herself.

"Actually Buaji, Lavanya told me to meet her directly at the Airport coz she is running late. So I'm taking the cab to the airport." Khushi lied half heartedly, stuffing the paratha into her mouth.

"Call me as soon as you reach. And don't get yourself into any trouble with Lavanya." Saying so Buaji hugged Khushi tightly, placing a light kiss on her forehead.

"Take care of yourself in my absence. I know that you are a very good girl but sometimes you get mischievous and trouble me, Sankadevi." Khushi felt her throat choke with guilt. Did she do the right thing lying to her? But there was no time to undo it. She was late and Arnav must have already been waiting for her.

"Bye Buaji. Love you." Khushi waved picking her bag as she rushed out of the house. She turned back to look one last time at her Buaji, standing by the door side, waving at her.

She hurried to the bus stop and could see a man wearing dark blue tshirt and jeans waiting with a suitcase in his hand, his back facing her. As if he felt her presence, he turned around, his face instantly lightening up with a huge smile.

"So, all ready to go?" Arnav asked taking her bag from her hand. The worried expressions on Khushi's face didn't miss his gaze. "Is everything fine?" he asked concernedly.

"Arnav, I lied to Buaji that I'm going to Mumbai with Lavanya. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let me go with you." Khushi replied in a low guilty voice, her eyes beginning to moisten with tears.

Arnav couldn't believe his ears. She had lied to her aunt for him. He felt guilty for making her go through all this. "Khushi." He pulled her into a loving embrace. "You know, you can still go back home." He whispered into her hair, caressing her back.

"But I want to come with you." Khushi mumbled against his chest. She pulled apart wiping away her tears. "Come let's go. We are getting late." She said pulling him towards the cab parked nearby.

o0o

"Are you sure this is the house?" Khushi asked curiously, looking at the old house in a suburban colony of Mumbai. There was something very beautiful about it. The huge Mango trees on either sides of the house, gave a serene look to that compound. Standing outside the gate, she noticed the name plate.

Rose Albuquerque. Springdale.

"Yes, Nana's name was Rose Albuquerque. The house looks the same, except for the left side. I think they have renovated it." Arnav replied, stunned at the surroundings. Everything else had changed. He couldn't identify a single thing. New roads had been constructed. The area was now filled with high rise buildings. He would have easily thought that he had arrived at the wrong address if it hadn't been for that particular thing that caught his attention, even after so many years.

The swing under the mango tree.

It was that very swing he used to sit on every evening after returning from school. His best friend, who happened to be his neighbour too, would spend hours playing under that tree. They had probably climbed that mango tree numerous times to pick raw mangoes in summer.

He tried to locate his best friend's house adjacent to that tree. But there was no sign of it. Instead, a huge apartment had taken its place.

"Arnav, get down from that tree. Do you want to get hurt?"

"No Mumma, I won't get hurt. I'll come down after ten minutes."

"Arnav, you've become such a naughty boy. Come here and stop running away from your mother."

"Nana, you have to catch me to get hold of me. Ha ha ha!"

"Bye Arnav, call me when you reach Delhi."

"Bye Nana, don't worry. We will be returning back home soon in a month."

Arnav stood frozen in his spot as old memories rushed like a flood into his mind. He could feel his body go cold, while sweat pooled under his arms. His breathing became haggard, while his throat choked dry.

As Khushi went forward, opening the gate, she noticed Arnav was standing still behind her. His face had turned pale and weary and she could clearly see the dreadfulness in his eyes. She went back and reached out for him, placing her warm hands over his chilled ones. Ushering him to move forward, she led him to the main door. They were greeted by a cross carved on the old wooden door that had withered over the years.

She could understand what Arnav was going through. This was why she was here for him. He needed someone to help him go through this and she would definitely stand by him.

Taking the cue, she went ahead and rang the door bell. Within few seconds, she heard the door creak open. In front of them, stood an old lady, holding a stick in her hand for support. She adjusted her spectacles to get a better vision of the people in front of her.

"Yes, what do you want?" she asked in a low voice. "If you have come to sell anything, then go away. I don't have any money." She said shaking her hand at them.

"Miss Rose?" Khushi enquired, to which the old lady nodded. "There is someone who wants to meet you." She said and moved aside to reveal Arnav standing absolutely still beside her. The old lady scanned him from top to bottom before she asked, "Yes? Do I know you?"

Arnav felt tears stinging his eyes as her face came into his sight. He felt a sudden rush of emotions, relieved to find that familiar face in front of him. That face whom he had considered his family. It was still the same, although it had aged over the years. Wrinkled and creased all over.

"Nana," he whispered in a barely audible voice. "It's me, Arnav!" he choked out, while the old lady felt the world around her tumble down.

"If you kids are playing a prank with me, then beware. This old lady here is stronger than she looks and can beat the crap out of you." She said pointing her stick at them, turning around to leave.

"Nana," he called out loudly this time, holding her wrist from behind. "It's really me." He said hugging her fiercely, as he burst out into tears, sobbing like a small kid in her arms.

"Arnav? Beta, is this you for real? My Arnav. Aarti's son?" The old lady asked unable to believe her ears. "Where were you all these years?" she cried instantly, holding his face, gazing lovingly into that face that she had believed that she would never see again.

CHAPTER 26

I know many people were expecting something big to happen at the party. But when I give twists, I give them slowly and when most unexpected.😈 Let's just say, things are going to go in full speed soon that will leave you shocked. Damage will be too great to both the sides.

And remember, this story just isn't about Arnav Khushi love story. It has a lot to do with Arnav's past too. Basically, everything directly or indirectly, revolves around Arnav. That's why I need to balance out everything, before the big revelation.

And a quick spoiler... someone is dying in the next chapter.