Thanks for your lovely feedback. Please keep reading, unfortunately, I can not tell you right away what has Khushi done BUT...what I can say is just keep reading and trust me ... you will be happy once those questions are answered through the story at its own pace ... so don't jump to conclusions. Afterall, it would get pretty much boring if there is no plot to this story ... lol. All I can say is ... Believe in Khushi ... thats all the clue you are going to get ... the rest... let the story spell it out for you . So without further delay, here is :
ChAPTER 1 : THE CHILD
It was a gloomy day. The sky, over-shadowed by the dark clouds, and howling cold breeze, bit into her slender form as she briskly walked to her former neighbours house. She was dead tired and hungry and from the inside, she felt pretty much similar to the day. Dark and gloomy, but very soon, there will be a ray of hope. Just as she came to a stop infront of the door to Shanti Kaki's house, her face lit up. Make that two rays of hope, she thought. She gently knocked on the door and opened it.
Shanti Kaki: You are here bitiya?
Khushi just smiled back. She really didn't feel like talking. And Shanti Kaki just kept on blabbering, like there was no tomorrow.
Shanti Kaki: Look, Look my child...who is here? ...Its your mummy!!!
The child in question, giggled and tried to crawl to her loving mother. Khushi walked over to the baby and picked her up and covered her face in kisses.
Khushi: How is Mera Bachcha? what did my little Riya do today?...look... what mumma got you...a rattle...doesn't it sound lovely...
The baby giggled her appreciation for the new toy and tried her best to talk: mmm...mmm...ma...mmm...mm
Khushi: Thank you Kaki for looking after her, tomorrow is my day off, so I will keep Riya with me. Okay Kaki, I better get going, I have lots to do today, say hello to Kaka for me...bye
Khushi carried the baby back to her home with her and mumbled to her self, "Not just tomorrow off...I got ALL the days off...". She had been fired today and that too without any reason from the Job Manager. She felt miserable. She was already struggling to make ends meet, what with paying for rent and then providing the baby with basic necessities, and then there was Payal & her mother, Garima!!!
Whatever money she was able to save, they always emotionally blackmailed her into handing it over to them. The only person who had loved her was sitting in the wheelchair, paralysed. Shashi Gupta had been more than a father to her, he had been her friend too and he had always supported Khushi. He also knew how Payal had manipulated Khushi's reputation and how much Khushi had sacrificed. But according to Garima, that was nothing. Where Garima was concerned, Khushi never did enough for her adoptive family. And she never failed to remind Khushi of the favor they had done to her by taking her in when her parents had died.
It was Shashi who had litterally forced Khushi to go and live separately when Khushi had become traumatised by one of Payal's filthy friends. He couldn't take it anymore. He was a peaceful person and since he refused to fight with his wife, whom he still loved dearly, the only solution that came to him was to help Khushi find a place of her own. Now Khushi lived in her own apartment and worked as PA. OR used to work as PA until she just lost her job!!!!
She quickened her pace when she realised that it may start raining soon. Thirty minutes later, she was back to her apartment. She took the baby to the bed and fixed a bath for the tired baby. After undressing the baby, she noticed a couple of red patches on the babies back which weren't there in the morning!!!! She gasped as tears spilled down her eyes. She quickly re-dressed the baby and picked up her phone and dialed Kaki's number.
Kaki: Hellooo
Khushi: Kaki...<sobs silently>...did...did Payal come to visit the baby today?
Kaki: Oh, Yes dear...I totally forgot to tell you...She was complaining about how she does not get to spend time with her only niece since you work so much...you know you should let Payal help out...she is sooo loving and caring...
Khushi: Yes Kaki...I will. I was just asking...thats all...ok bye Kaki... (and then she quickly disconnected the call)
"How can she do this to you?" she asked, looking at the adorable baby. "How? What kind of a mother is she? I am so sorry Riya... I wasn't there...don't worry beta, we will find some other place for you to stay when mumma finds another work...I love you sweetie..."
After that she bathed the baby and applied cream to her sore back. The way Khushi looked after the baby, everybody thought it was her own, even Payal told everybody that it was "Khushi's Child"...and most of the people shunned her...there were very few who helped her out...Kaki was one of the few...and now she couldn't get Kaki's help anymore since she knew Payal will do the same again...Payal hated her!!!!
Just then the phone rang. She picked it up. "Hello", she said.
The caller: I presume you have seen the "little gift" which I gave to that damned child!!
Khushi: Payal?!!! How could you?...What did Riya ever do to you??
Payal: Its not my fault...its YOURS!!!! YOU forgot to put money in my account and my cheque got bounced...I was so embarrased infront of my friends...if only you would remember your duties to this family...But NO I always have to remind you...and then Babuji thinks I am bad...
Khushi: Payal, I just lost my job...I don't think I can give you any money this week...I have to buy the baby's milk formula and food and pay rent and bills...and...
Payal (interupted): I don't care!!!...IF you had LET ME ABORT that damn thing when I wanted to...then today I would not be in this problem...so I DON'T CARE!!!!...oh and Khushi...I want that money transfered into my account by tomorrow...otherwise I will file a complaint to the police that you are abusing your baby...Do you know the penalties for abusing a baby? Amma will stand as witness to my statement...and then the court will hand Riya to us while you are in prison...And you know very well what I will do to Riya...
Khushi: You won't...please don't...
Payal (sniggered): Remember...you have till tommorow...bye darling sis !!!!
With that Payal disconnected the call.
Khushi controlled her tears since she knew that everytime Riya saw her crying, it distressed her...so she went to the kitchen, fixed the baby's milk and fed it to her. After feeding the baby, she burped her and then sang a lullaby to put her to sleep. As soon as the baby was asleep, she tucked her into the bed which she shared with the baby, and walked to the bathroom, to let the tears loose. She cried till there was no more tears left and then showered to remove all evidence of her sorrow. Her red, swollen eyes, were the only things which gave her away. But by tomorrow, even those little give away signs will be gone.
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Edited by s-576 - 13 years ago
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