ArHi FF: If I were you-link to Ch20 pg 145 - Page 32

Thanks for the PM. Loved it. Wow. Arnav is going to work for Khushi. Tweety bird tie. Nice.

just caught up with latest parts...

Kushi is bang on loving her

Chapter 5: Khushi ek, naam anek.

"Will you stand still Chotey!" said Anjali impatiently, as she rotated the Aarti in her hands in front of him several times. Arnav rolled his eyes and did his best to stand still. Anjali was still whispering prayers to her personal favorite God, the Remover of Obstacles, Shri Ganesha when Arnav started to move away. She pulled him back into position, and muttered a sorry to the understanding Elephant God for her brother's orneriness.

"Di! This is not helping. I'm going to be late for my first day at work with Maa Durgeshwari," complained Arnav.

"Chotey!" said Anjali, hitting his arm in admonition.

"What Di? OK. Fine. Bhadrakali!" he said, eyes crinkling with laughter. She shook her head in resignation.

"MahishasuraMardhini?" he asked.

"Be quiet Chotey!" said Anjali primly. Arnav stifled a grin. Not even when she was mad at him could his Di say something semi-rude like "Shut it!"

"You should speak more respectfully of your friend's would-be girlfriend," said JayP sagaciously. He was eating breakfast at the Raizadas, which is what he did 4 days out of 5. Shyam choked on a piece of idli that went down the wrong way and had to be thumped on his back.

Arnav just choked. "You gotta a death wish JayP? You want to date that Shitala Devi?" he asked.

"She's beautiful," said JayP serenely, as if that explained everything.

"She's also way out of your league," said Shyam who had recovered and was attacking his idlis with renewed vigor.

"What do you mean?" asked Anjali in a tone that her husband recognized as "Danger ahead."

"Nothing sweetheart! Phenomenal idlis today. How do you make them so fluffy Anju?" he asked sweetly.

"3 parts rice, 1 part urad dal, and is she hot?" asked Anjali matter of factly.

"Very!" said JayP. "Umm'not precisely," stammered Shyam and "Lovely if you like Chamundi Devi!" said Arnav.

Anjali grinned. "I see Khushi Gupta is a stunner. All the men in my life are bowled over!" she said. She ruffled Arnav's hair, pinched JayP's cheek and glared at her husband.

"Oh f**k! I'm in trouble!" said Shyam as he watched his wife shuffle slowly away. Arnav shot him a sympathetic smile, and JayP concentrated all his energy on making sure his idlis were properly sambar soaked before he attacked them. Anjali emerged a moment later with a cup in her hand.

"Come Chotey! It's your first day at your new job. You should have some dahi before you leave the house," said Anjali.

"God Di! Yogurt at 8.15am. Please!" Arnav pulled a face.

"Don't argue Chotey!" said Anjali. Arnav swallowed the sweet yogurt with good grace and sat back down at the table.

"Aren't you going to change?" asked Anjali.

"What for? I'm adequately dressed," said Arnav casually.

"Saale Saab, you are wearing a T shirt that has a picture of Pat and Mike on it. I don't think that counts as appropriate office wear," said Shyam.

"I knew it! I should've worn my lucky SuSu T shirt. But I didn't want to waste SuSu on Kalika Devi!" Arnav said, sighing loudly.

"If you are ready to leave now, I can give you a ride," offered JayP.

"Hoping to catch a glimpse of your Happy Gee, JayP ji?" asked Arnav slyly.

"Say what?" asked JayP startled.

"Khushi Gupta. Happy Gee, geddit?" asked Arnav, a goofy grin on his face.

JayP shook his head. "Shut up and let's go Chotey!" he said, swatting Arnav across the back of his head.

"I should be going too. I am going to be late for work," said Shyam rising from the table.

"Don't dream of Sukhi Gee all day now," said Anjali handing him his lunch.

"Who's that?" asked Shyam purposely.

"Khushi Gupta. Sukhi Gee, geddit?" asked Anjali, smiling.

"Are you two related?" said Shyam looking from Arnav to Anjali. "I'd never have known!" he said, kissing his wife's cheek before leaving the house with JayP and Arnav.

----------------------------------------------

"This egg is not boiled enough," said Khushi disgustedly, tossing it to the side of her plate. She made to get up, but her Buaji pushed her back into her seat at the breakfast table.

"A boiled egg's a boiled egg bitiya," said Buaji. "No such thing as not boiled enough. But here, eat some porridge instead" She said busily ladling some lumpy oatmeal onto Khushi's plate.

"Buaji please! You know I hate porridge!" said Khushi. "I'll just drink my coffee," she said, picking up her cup. She grimaced as she sniffed it. "Jai Prakash! Jai Prakash!" she yelled.

"Yes Khushi Madam?" he came cowering up to her.

"Did you make this coffee?" she asked, glowering at him.

"Yes Madam," he said, voice quivering.

"Did you make it three days ago and spit into it for fun before heating it up for me this morning?" she asked.

"I made this morning Madam!"

"Well, it tastes like crap. You can't even make decent coffee. You're fired!" she said, rising from her table.

Jai Prakash didn't bother arguing the point. At least one out of the 2 things she'd said was true. While he hadn't made the coffee 3 days ago, he had spat into it this morning, just to spite her. He wondered if she had eyes in the back of her head.

"I have eyes at the back of my head and don't you forget it!" said Khushi, in response to his silent thoughts. "Buaji, he's fired and don't you dare reinstate him," said Khushi, throwing her napkin down and turning to leave.

"Jeeji, can I please skip work today?" asked Payal in the sugary sweet tone she used when she wanted to wheedle her sister into something.

"Hangnail?" asked Khushi imperiously.

"Nothing as serious as that Jeeji! I just have to meet up with some old friends," said Payal, eyes dancing.

"Who are these friends?" asked Khushi curiously.

"Ohh. Nobody you know. Old college friends," said Payal breezily.

"OK. But leave without Pay, of course!" said Khushi severely.

"Jeeji! I own part of the company. You can't cut my pay for not coming in on one day!" complained Payal.

"Correction. You will own part of the company when you turn 25. That is 3 years from now. Until then, I am the custodian of your wealth and you are a mere employee. So, day off to schmooze with friends, really means pay-cut!" said Khushi mercilessly.

"You're such a Scrooge!" Payal said bitterly.

"You're such a liar!" said Khushi in response.

"What do you mean?" Payal asked.

"I mean I've seen that look on your face before. Last time that look was called Ashok!" said Khushi, slightly angrily.

Payal giggled. "Poor Ashok. He was sweet, but he just wasn't my type!" said Payal.

"What, apart from fabulously wealthy does your type entail?" asked Khushi as she walked to the door, laptop case in hand, ready to head to work.

"He has to be a living breathing human being. I can't have a relationship with my computer, like you!" called Payal. Khushi waved at her, "Two days pay cut for being rude to the boss!" she called and walked away smiling, as Payal gasped in the background.

"Fussy Gupta!" she called after her complainingly, and got no response. Khushi had left for work.

Khushi's BMW pulled into the parking lot at the same time JayP's old Maruti 800 wheezed in. Arnav was saying bye to JayP, when Khushi emerged from her car.

"Good Morning Mr.Raizada. Welcome to Gupta Labs!" said Khushi, raising one eyebrow at Arnav.

"Good Morning Dur'.Miss Gupta! How are you today?" said Arnav sunnily. JayP looked at Khushi reverently. She was wearing a dark blue Burberry suit and she looked fabulous.

"Morning Hap'Miss Gupta!" said JayP hurriedly, before she headed indoors.

"Morning Mr.Pendse!" said Khushi, flashing him a brief smile before turning away.

"Have a good first day at Gupta Labs Arnav Singh Raizada!" said Khushi, walking away.

"Thanks! Mata Chamundeshwari," Arnav whispered in a low tone. JayP told him to get his ass inside and turned the car round to leave.

Arnav slung his backpack over his left shoulder, pushed his hair out his eyes with his hand and walked into the huge, glass walled lobby of Gupta Labs.

"Welcome to Hell!" he said to himself quietly.

"That's my line Mr.Raizada. But you are right! Welcome to Hell," said a voice behind him. Khushi Gupta smiled unpleasantly at him.

Thus it was, that on a rare sunny monsoon day in Mumbai, Arnav Singh Raizada began his punishmenternship at Gupta Labs. His Di spent the day googling Khushi Gupta, so she could determine exactly how hot she was, that she'd gotten a rise out of normally staid husband. Shyam spent a good part of his day worrying over whether he should take flowers home that evening, or dinner and a movie would be necessary to smooth things over this with the wife this time around. JayP spent the day devising imaginary ways to ask his Sukhi Gee out. Payal spent the afternoon with Akash, who seemed to have developed a nervous stomach lately. As for Khushi. She had the time of her life that day.

Next Chapter: Arnav in Khushi-land-part 1.

PMs later...too sleepy now. Read and review people. 😊

Cheers!

Maxine

PS: Those of you that have been asking for PMs...please shoot me a PM with your gmail ID if that works for you. I am going to try and transition to gmail completely from this painful PM system. Thanks.

Chapter 6

Reserved

I forgot to inform you that I have edited my comments on page 1 and 14 :-)

I am in class right now. So I will read and edit this space later :-)



-Edited-

How did you come up with all the names huh?


Did I ever tell you that you have an awesome sense of humour?


I am loving this FF.


Sorry for the late edit :)

res

first of all LOL at all the names arnav cane out for khushi and even the rest of them
and cant wait for the precap :)