So there are different ways I could have taken this story. But then again, there are lots of What If.. stories coming up, and I can't put all of the cute endings in this one, right! I hope you like this one. There is going to be one more part, which I will update tomorrow or day after! Hope you like this one!
Part 5
Arnav's eyes fluttered open. He stretched his arms and yawned. Suddenly his eyes flew wide open as he saw the clock on the wall; 11am!! He jumped up from the bed and ran to his laptop on the bed. He opened his laptop, to check his email and then logged into Facebook. Since he reached his house, his mother had not left his side. He had fallen asleep, while talking to her.
He typed in the name "Khushi" and hit Search. What the..! 200 Khushi's? Ok, Khushi's in the US.. dammit! 90? Arnav, didn't you look at her passport? How can you forget her last name? Arnav made an annoyed face. What was her last name?
"Gupta!" Arnav looked at the door, as he heard someone scream from downstairs. He closed his laptop, ran to the door, and down the stairs. "Payal Gupta, Mom! and you.. you are being unfair!" He heard Akash's voice as he reached the kitchen. Akash, his younger brother, was talking to their mother in the kitchen.
Akash looked up, with a smile, as Arnav walked in. "Hey, look who is finally up!"
"What's wrong, Akash? Why were you yelling?" Arnav sat down at the small round table in the kitchen and looked at Akash, who was sitting on the kitchen countertop.
Sumitra Raizada smiled, as she looked over her shoulder at Arnav. She was standing near the stove, frying pooris. "Your brother thinks he is in love!"
"I am not thinking, Mom. I love her. I love Payal." Akash said, folding his arms, his face fuming with anger.
Sumitra smiled, as she lifted the poori out of the oil and placed it in a dish. "Yes, beta. I know you love her and I'm happy for you. I like Payal. But all I said is that you cannot get married, not until", Sumitra looked over her shoulder at Arnav, "Arnav gets married".
Arnav made an annoyed face. Sumitra smiled at Akash, "And that's final, Akash. I don't want to hear anything else. You want to get married, you convince your brother to get married! He doesn't listen to me anyways!" Her face was contorted with worry, as she turned back to her cooking.
Arnav started saying something, but Akash interrupted him. "Mom, that's not fair. You know Bhai doesn't want to get married now".
"Akash.. Akash", Arnav interrupted him. "Hold on. Start from the beginning. Who is Payal? Why do you want to get married now? You are barely out of college".
Akash jumped off the counter and sat down on the table opposite Arnav. "I met Payal about two months back and we fell in love. Mom and Dad have met her too. And by the way, Bhai, I am 26 and I own a bakery! I am old and responsible enough to get married! I am ready to get married, but I can't," Akash made a pouty face, like a five-year-old would when complaining that someone stole his toy, "because you don't want to get married now! It's all your fault, bhai.. all your fault!"
Arnav laughed, got up from his chair and walked to his mom. He stood behind her, put his arms around her waist and placed his head on her shoulder. Sumitra looked at Arnav over her shoulder, put her hand on Arnav's cheek and smiled. "Mom, why don't you let him get married? As it is, Akash hates me because you love me more! Now, he will have another reason to hate me!"
Sumitra smiled as she turned around to see Akash's face. He was looking at them, his mouth wide open. Arnav chuckled, seeing his brother's expression. "Bhai, of course not, Mom loves me more!"
Arnav smiled and picked up a poori from the plate, and said, "Oh really.. who loves pooris in this family? Me!" Akash snorted, "Whatever!" Arnav smirked.
Sumitra turned around and touched Arnav's shoulder. "Why, beta? Why don't you want to get married? You are 28 now".
Arnav took his mom's hand in his and said, "Mom, please, I told you already. I don't want to get married now, but", he paused and smiled. "maybe soon." Sumitra and Akash raised their eyebrows.
"What?" Sumitra finally found her voice. "What did you say?"
Arnav smiled and touched his mom's arms. "Relax mom. I said, if you agree to Akash's wedding then maybe I might consider getting married soon!" Akash cheered and looked at his mom.
Sumitra touched Arnav's face. "Arnav, beta. Is there something you are not telling me? Is there someone special in your life I should know about?" Arnav smiled, kissed his mom's forehead, took a bite off the puri in his hand and walked away. "Mom, I am going to take a shower."
Sumitra smiled and said a silent prayer. She and Akash looked at each other; she nodded with a smile. Akash cheered again and hugged his mom. "I will call Payal and let her know! You are going to call her parents right?" Sumitra giggled and nodded again. "Love you mom!" Akash kissed her on the forehead and ran out of the kitchen. Sumitra smiled and turned back to her pooris.
"It was love at first sight, Khushi. I had the triple layer chocolate cake he baked and I fell in love.. "
"With the cake?"
"With him, stupid!" Payal smacked Khushi's arm. Payal and Khushi were sitting on their bed. Khushi had her laptop open in front of her. Payal was leaning against the bedpost, munching on the chocolates that Khushi had brought for her.
Payal continued, "And then we started meeting regularly. Two weeks ago, on my birthday, he proposed to me! It was so romantic. He had baked the same triple layer chocolate cake for me and.. " Payal slipped into dreamland.
Khushi looked at Payal and smiled. "Jiji?" Khushi grabbed Payal's arms and shook her.
Payal snapped out of her dreamland; she made a pouty face, "But his mother hasn't agreed until now. Why? Because of his brother who refuses to get married." Payal curled her hands into fists and said, "Arrrghh. Since then, everyday I pray to Devi Maiyya that he will find someone soon!"
Khushi giggled and then made a pouty face, "Jiji but I'm angry at you. Why did you never tell me about him?"
Payal touched Khushi's cheek and said, "Khushi, you had just broken up with Abhay. I thought you might worry about me, so I thought I will wait until you came home."
Khushi hugged Payal and said, "I'm so happy for you Jiji. Akash jiju sounds like an amazing person".
Payal blushed and leaned against the bedpost and sighed dreamily, gobbling up another Hershey's kiss.
Khushi looked at her laptop and refreshed her browser. No friend request from Arnav yet! She had searched for Arnav and had found 150 listings for Arnav in the US. Khushi sighed and then a faint smile appeared on her face. Don't worry Khushi, he saw your passport. He knows your full name. He will find you.
"Khushi?" Payal's voice interrupted her thoughts. Payal had taken out all the boxes of chocolates from Khushi's bag, when she saw a book lying amidst the chocolates. "Kama.."
Khushi raised her eyebrows and moved closer to her sister, her finger on her lips. "Shh..jiji!"
Payal raised her eyebrows and moved closer to Khushi, and whispered, "What is this book doing in your bag?".
Khushi smiled, grabbed the book from her and turned around. "Jiji, I met someone!"
"Eeek.. you did??" Payal's scream startled Khushi. Payal moved closer to Khushi and put her arm around her shoulder and said, "I need details!"
Khushi blushed as she explained how she had met Arnav, how they had become friends and finally realized that they had feelings for each other.
"Eeek.. that's so romantic! Aww.. Khushi." Payal hugged her. "But where is he now?"
"In Delhi. I'm trying to find him on Facebook."
Payal raised her eyebrows and moved away. "Facebook? Why didn't you get his phone number".
"Jiji, I don't have a mobile phone in India right. And I didn't want to give him our landline number. Suppose Mom or Dad picked up. Then the questions will start and then the topic of marriage will come up!" Khushi turned to Payal and touched her shoulder. "Anyways, I know he will find me. He told me that we will meet tonight. And I know Arnav will never break his promise."
Payal raised her eyebrows. "Arnav??"
Khushi smiled and blushed. "Yes, Jiji. That's his name". Khushi got off her bed and said, "Now, let me go take a shower before Mom calls us for lunch." Khushi picked up her towel and a change of clothes and walked off, leaving Payal looking shocked.
Tring tring. Payal picked up her phone. "Guess what! Mom agreed." Akash's excited voice came over the phone.
Payal smiled. "Akash, that's great news!"
Akash's smile disappeared. "But why are you not happy?"
Payal looked towards the closed bathroom door and said, "Akash, tell me. Did Arnav come back from the US today?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Which flight did he take?"
"Flight from New York to London to Delhi."
Payal opened her mouth wide, with a shock. "OMG Akash!"
Akash tiptoed into Arnav's room. He could hear the shower running in the bathroom. He opened Arnav's carry-on bag and rummaged through its contents. He threw the bag back on the desk and looked around. He went and walked towards the bed, disappointed. "God, give me some sign!". He slumped down on Arnav's bed and the jeans lying on the bed fell to the floor. Akash bent down and lifted the jeans up. He noticed something slide out of the back pocket. He took it out; it was a crumpled photograph.
"Mom?" Sumitra turned around to see a grinning Akash. "You wont believe this!"
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Excited about the last part? Coming up soon.. until then, don't forget to leave your comments! 😆
Cricket
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