ARHI FF: That one fateful night pt 11 pg 92 updated 23/03 - Page 10

Chapter 3

Arnav walked into the Raizada mansion to find everyone waiting for him in the dining hall for breakfast. He walked up to his mom and kissed her on her forehead. "Hey beautiful, looking gorgeous as ever" he said ignoring the look his father gave him over the paper he was reading. "Arnav stop it. Now sit and have your breakfast" his mum replied in a telling off tone only to smile after his comment. Arnav couldn't help but smirk at his mum. He knew however much she tried she could never be mad at him. Akash looked at his brother and his playfulness and had to hide his smile from his dad who had gone back to reading his morning paper.

Anjali came into the dining hall looking worried "Oye brat" Arnav yelled bringing Anjali out of her thoughts. "What the hell have I told you, you are not to come to any of my parties." Anjali looked at him slightly hurt "Why? Why am I not invited? Your forgetting bhai I have as much right to be there as anyone. Anyhow the house belongs to dad not you so there" sticking her tongue out at him. "Arnav, Anjali I don't need to hear this needless argument in the morning. Now both of you sit quietly and eat" their father shouted. Both sat down quietly and ate.

Once breakfast was over Amit, Akash and Arnav headed off to the office, Aparna headed to the kitchen while Anjali went to her room trying to get a hold of someone on her phone but not getting through to them.

Pretty soon things went back to normal in the Raizada mansion with the men at the office, Anjali back at college and Aparna immersed in her household chores.

A month had gone by since that night.

At breakfast one morning Arnav and Anjali were doing their usual banter when they suddenly stopped and stared at their father who was conversing with Akash.

"Akash I think it is time we think about getting you married. Your mum and I were discussing this last night and we were wondering if you have anyone in mind whom you would like to get married to" Amit asked Akash in a serious tone. "Actually dad there is someone" Akash said. Arnav, who had gone back to his breakfast, was drinking some water spat it all out when he heard what his brother had said. He turned to look at Akash in shock wondering when? Who? And his sida sada brother with a girlfriend? Never.

Akash who was still looking at his father saw the shock look his parents gave him and the look they gave one another. "Dad actually you know her?" Akash finally said trying to get rid of the tension that was building. "Who is she?" his father asked after a few moments. "Payal, Payal Gupta. Shashi uncle's daughter." His father's face went from shock to surprise. "Wait when did you two meet and when did you two decide to get married?" his father asked curious to know. "Well dad we met around two years ago when Shashi uncle had come. You asked me to drop him off to his sister's place in Laxmi Nagar that's when I first saw Payal. It turns out she was studying here in Delhi and when she finished she started working here and Delhi and staying at her buaji's." "Wait she has been in Delhi this whole time and none of us knew?" his father inquired. "Actually dad she insisted that she didn't want to tell no one she was here. She wanted to stand on her own two feet without any influence from our side. She knew that if people found out she knew our family as you and Shashi uncle being old family friends we may use our influence to get her the best position and the best job available and she didn't want to be a burden on anyone" Akash said feeling quite proud of Payal. "Looks like Shashi taught his daughter the same thing he always says to me" Amit said remembering his old friend. "Dad you should say both daughters as Khushi is also here and out of all us Anjali should know this" Akash replied then turned to look at Anjali. Everyone else also looked at Anjali. Anjali's gaze fell on her food as she could feel everyone looking at her. "Anjali why didn't you tell us" Aparna spoke softly looking at her daughter. Anjali looked up to regard her mother. "She asked me not to mum. I made a promise when I found out who she was. Akash bhai's right both Payal and Khushi didn't want no-one to know they were here for all this time" Anjali said feeling guilty. "Hmmm I will have to have some words with my friend" Amit contemplated feeling slightly hurt that his friend hadn't informed him but couldn't help the smile forming on his face thinking how his friend had not changed one bit.

"Shashi your being stubborn. Look whatever I have is yours please at least let me help you out of this situation" Amit said to Shashi feeling exasperated that his friend was being stubborn. Shashi looked at Amit with regard and felt happy he had such a friend. "Amit I know you are my friend and you want to help me out but I can't accept it. I don't want to be a burden on my friend not now not ever. Please try and understand my point of view. I know you haven't changed since we were kids but our lives have and people talk a lot. I don't want everyone to taint our friendship by thinking I am only friends with you because you have money. You may not know but people have already been saying this" Shashi said feeling guilty. Amit was shocked to hear what his friend had said. "I don't care what people think. You are being stubborn now Shashi" Amit yelled. Shashi remained calm and let his friend calm down before he spoke "Amit I know you mean well but if I took your help now I will always be taking your help then how do I teach my daughters the real value of money and how to survive in this world. One day they have to get married and I don't want them indulged in wealth that one day they may not have. Please try to understand Amit" Shashi said very calmly looking at his friend. Amit turned to look at both of Shashi's two little girls who were at the time running around the courtyard outside Shashi's house. He then turned to regard his friend and smiled at how his friend even in this day and age was highly principled. He made a promise to himself that one day if he had his way both of Shashi's daughter's would be his daughter-in-law's.

Amit couldn't believe his luck when Akash had just said that he wanted to marry Payal Shashi's eldest. Now their friendship will become stronger than before and he smiled at the thought. Remembering that one incident year's later Shashi had managed to get himself out of a lot of debt and he was proud that his friend had really given his two daughters exceptional values.

He then turned to look at his own kids. Akash had turned out to be the son he was proud of but Arnav. Now Arnav was another story. He always wondered why the difference between his two sons. He was also worried about Anjali. She loved Akash but she wasn't close to him as much as she was to Arnav and Arnav was a bad influence which worried him a lot.

He turned to look at his wife and said "Well Aparna it seems we don't need to look for Akash anymore. He seems to already found someone. Maybe it is time we all go to Lucknow and make it official. What do you say?" Aparna couldn't help but smile.

Arnav who was still in shock had gone back to his breakfast without uttering a word throughout the whole conversation.

Later in the day at the office Arnav had gone to speak to Akash.

"Hey bro. So I want details. What is Payal like?" Arnav inquired. Akash knew his brother really well and knew where this conversation would lead. "Arnav you know her and you have met her" Akash said looking back at the file he was reading before his brother walked in. "What? When?" Arnav asked trying to think back when he had met Payal. "She had been to one of your infamous parties which she had been dragged to by her friend. What was the name she had told me? Oh yes Pooja. That was her name" Akash looked up regarding Arnav as a memory flashed across Arnav's mind bringing a smirk on his face. "Pooja. Yeah I remember her. Wait her friend the one that looked at me as though I had three heads. Oh what was she wearing? Oh yes dark blue skinny jeans and a white top. Her? That is Payal" Arnav asked shock evident on his face. Akash couldn't help but smile at Arnav and the look he had on his face. "Yes that's Payal. So what do think about your future bhabhi" Akash said trying to hold the laughter bubbling up in him. "Ummm'bhai'I'll talk to later. Got to go do some work" Arnav said getting up and walking towards the door. Before he left the cabin he looked back at his brother. "Yo bro if you need any tips before your wedding night I am always available" and ran out as a file come flying towards him quickly shutting the door as he heard 'shut up Arnav' which only made him walk into his cabin laughing.

Akash entered Arnav's cabin to find that he was still sniggering. So Akash turned the tables. "Arnav about what you said earlier even if I needed advice you would be the last person I would ask and Arnav I am your elder brother. Whatever you have done all I can say been there done that but unlike you I don't exploit it in front of family or friends. So I really don't need your advice and before you say it Payal knows everything about my past." Akash left to go back to his cabin leaving a very shocked and wide eyed looking Arnav behind.

Akash went back to his cabin sniggering thinking about Arnav's face.  He picked up his phone and called Payal up to tell her about the conversation that had happened at home.

Once the conversation was over Payal put the phone down and knew it was her turn to tell her family everything.

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Chapter2

Chapter 4