ArHi FF: Check Mate! (completed) - Page 68

"Are you alright?" a concerned voice pulled her into present.
"I am ok" she told
"you are lying!"
"Arnavji"
"I know when something is bothering you.. Tell me? is it again about shyam? Are you still worried?"
"How can I not be? He is threatening your life"
"he is bluffing! and if he does it again then he will get caught...we are tracing every call that comes to your mobile.."
"what if he is using a public booth like he did today?"
"We will get the location, and work on it... "
"No I have a feeling that we are taking his threats for granted and the next time he will hit"
"he wont, he is just a coward who likes to threaten his opponent with their weakness"
"why do you keep taking him for granted? dont you already know what he did to you the day after he came out in bail" Kushi raised her voice
"Kushi! just calm down ok? we are not taking anything for granted.. I am only saying you not to stress out thinking about the calls.. Actually police is on lookout for him and the calls are being traced.. He will be behind bars soon.. next time he calls..."
"No he will call and get away.. the police are on lookout but still he managed to spy on us!"
"What do you mean?"
"he already called me!"
"what? when?"
"immediately after I left your office...he told me what we were exactly doing.." Kushi spoke with difficulty, her voice strained due to controlling the tears from spilling, her throat sore.
"and what did he say?"
"the same thing.. that he will" she paused, not able to control any longer, the threatening tears starting to spill out.
"kushi, calm down, ok.. everything is going to be alright.. see this is why I didnt want to tell you...I..."
"Arnavji, Can I say you something?"
"Dont even try to suggest our seperation"
"Arnavji, why dont you understand? Just until he gets caught?"
"NO!"
"but why? wont everything get resolved?"
"how do you think everything will get resolved, Its going to get more messier! you will be a easy target for him.. I will not let you go Kushi"
"but I dont understand why he is wanting our seperation so badly"
"I know, the moment we are seperated, he will start his attack on you"
"No I think.. it is something else...you know before when he used to talk he used to talk about his love... but nowadays, its just like he is desperate for us to get seperated..."
"Its a Man's ego Kushi, Nothing else.. Now shall we forget about him and concentrate on our love life?"
"but why cant we even think of other possibilities.. if we pretend to get seperated, atleast we will know his intentions?"
"The chapter is over Kushi, forget about the bas***d's threat, We are not getting seperated even for a day.. not even if I know for sure that he will get arrested within a day"
"But Arnavji?" she stared, but gasped as she felt his mouth plunging into her exposed neckline, "stop it, I want to talk about" she whimpered tying to push him with her hands.
"put your mouth and hands to some good use Kushi and stop blabbering nonsense" she heard him mutter as he proceeded creating havoc on her senses, making her shut out all other thoughts other than the pleasure that was theirs to explore

***

The next morning bloomed with the cheerful voice of NK who had returned back to RM after a short visit to all his relatives at different locations in India.
With him, the fun seemed to seep back into the lives of Raizadas. The busy afternoon was filled with numerous leg pulling and laughter echoing across the hall where the inmates were doing arrangements for a pooja which was to be conducted in the early evening hours. which would be then followed by the party throwed in by Arnav for his sister and Ashok. While the invitees for the party included their friends and business associated, the pooja was strictly restriced for the family. The Pooja was a last minute addition to the schedule by Nani who had insisted on one for the welfare of the family and kind of thanks giving for the goddess after the family has somewhat recovered from a turbulent time.

Arnav as usual tried to weasle out of the pooja, saying that he will come in later when its time for party. But kushi had not budge in for his excuse which was more due to Shyam's threat than the silent tantrum she was throwing now that he had to attend the pooja with the family, which he was aware of as well and grudgingly agreed to stay back.

Sometime early in the afternoon, when Kushi had come inside her room to put the laundered clothes in their wardrobe, her mobile rang. She noticed that the call was from a private number.

"Private number?" she exclaimed loudly
Arnav who was working on his laptop, jumped up quickly and grabbed her phone from her
"Hello"
there was silence on the other side
"who is this?" Arnav barked into the mobile. but there was no response and then the line went dead.
Arnav stared at the mobile for a few seconds before muttering bas***d.
but quickly started making calls to know if the recent call was traced.

Kushi was silently looking at Arnav ever since the call had ended and when Arnav had finished making those calls, he quietly came near her.
"Are you alright?"
"yes.. weer they able to trace the call"
"No!, they needed some time,but the call ended soon..."
She merely nodded.
"you think it was shyam?"
"who else would have cut the call when I picked up? sickly coward"
"So he wants to speak only to me"
"seems so.. look, when the call comes next time, you pick it up and put it on speaker.. Try to keep the call going on until we will be able to trace the call.. ok?"
"yeah.. ok"
"and dont pick it up when I am not around. ok?"
KUshi sighed at his over protectiveness
"Kushi please say yes"
"ok"

***

The pooja was about to start and Kushi received a call just when she and Arnav was about to leave their room for the pooja. She noticed the call was again from a private number. Her fidgety behaviour was quickly caught by Arnav, who pulled her inside their room again and asked her to pick up the call and switch on the speaker. He told her to keep talking if it was shyam, so that they will have a chance to trace the number.

"hh... helloo.."
"Hello Kushiji! You dont know how much happy I feel listening to your voice, rather than your husband's"
"wh.. what do you mean?"
A chuckle turned laughter was heard from the other side..
"Arnav is being over protective of you as he is with his sister...isnt it Kushiji..."
Kushi felt Arnav's grip on her arm stiffen with anger
"What do you want Shyam?" She asked him, to stir the conversation to something else, But she realised quiet late that it was a wrong decision..
"what else Kushiji...you are still at Shantivan... What else will I ask for?"
"Stop threatening me you coward" Kushi screamed into the phone
"I love it when you lose your temper... I can imagine... your cheeks glowing red.. hmmm delicious"
this was the limit for Arnav who seemed he would smash Shyam's face into a pulp if he were anywhere nearby. Kushi tried desperately to take control of the situation...
"stop your filthy speach...you are sick and stop calling me..." she was about to disconnect the call
"you think I wont do anything then? I have already done it Kushiji.. You havent taken my words seriously have you?"
"You liar! Arnavji is at home.. Dont try your bakwas with me"
"your Arnavji is at home.. so I thought I will play with my ex wife's boyfriend for a change..What do you think Kushiji?"
"No.. you are lying again" Kushi panicked. Arnav was shocked. He quickly moved to pick his phone to connect to Ashok
"Lying?" Shyam laughed again "my ex wife will be broken wont she? and her brother will be broken too... if Ashok reaches home in a box" the line went dead again.

Kushi trembled with the sudden chill the call had given her and watched Arnav as he tried to desperatley get in touch with Ashok. Since Ashok's mobile was Switched off, Arnav tried Ashok's direct landline. Some one picked the call and informed him that the Doctor was not available for the evening.

"Ashokji was supposed to join us for the pooja... Di will know if Ashokji has change of plans" Kushi told Arnav
They both went down to find di along with family members
"Finally the love birds arrive" NK called out cheerfully. Arnav ignored the comment or the laughter that followed
"Di! where is Ashok?"
"Ashok was supposed to join us chotey, called up sometime ago and said he will join a little later due to some emergency that had cropped up.. why?" Anjali asked cheerfully
Arnav didnt answer and went back to thinking and this raised some suspicions in Anjali
"Is everything alright Chotey?"
"haan.. everything is alright Di.. you know Arnavji is thinking he was forced to stay back but Ashokji is excused... isnt Arnavji?" Kushi tried to manage.
"Yeah? I know.. Not chotey has a company in Ashok.. Both can give the other's absence as an excuse u see..." She laughed

"Di, I will be back.. Need to make some calls. You carry on" Arnav retreated back to his room
"See there he goes...these two can never change.. Workoholics! you come kushi" Anjali pulled Kushi towards the mandir.
"Kushi couldnt sit back quietly and after 5 mins excused to go back and check on Arnav

***

When she reached their room, she saw Arnav geting ready to leave the house
"I will be back Kushi, I am going to Ashok's clinic, Dont tell anyone anything until I tell you...ok?"
Kushi nodded
"I want to come with you"
"No, If we both go, Di will get suspicious again..."
"Did you try Ashokji's mobile again?"
"still switched off"
just then, she recieved a call in her mobile and saw it was from Ashok
"oh my god.. Ashokji.."She exclaimed before picking up the call

"Hello Ashokji..Thank god you called... Is everything alright? Where are you?"
"Kushiji...wah wah.. so much concern for your new jeejaji?" Shyam mocked from the other end
"shyam?"
Arnav grabbed the phone from Kushi
"Shyam, If anything happens to Ashok.. you will not live to see the sun rise tomorrow"
"Nice to speak to you Arnav...you need to find me before you can do that"
"I am warning you.. tell me where is Ashok.."
"why would I? ASR needs my help now does he? try finding him Arnav... he should be in one of the trenches around Delhi..."
"you bas***d!" Arnav screamed into the mobile
but the line went dead again.

to be continued...