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Khushi sprinted from her room down the stairs as she heard the front doorbell ring. On her way to the door, she saw Shashi coming from the living room to do the same thing, & she shouted sideways, "Baithe rahiye, Bauji! I'll get it!" & reaching the door, she yanked it open to let her Garima, Madhumati & Payal in. They all looked exhausted from all the shopping that they had done & Khushi took almost all of the packages from them as they all headed for the living room. While they sat, telling Bauji about their expedition, Khushi ran & fetched water for them all. & then her eyes fell on some really nice, really simple, elegant & very expensive for their budget Sherwanis. She picked up an off-white one, & asked Payal, "Jiji! This is very good! What a soft fabric, what a nice color, & the minimal embroidery' Very nice! Is it for Jiju?" she danced her eyebrows at Payal, who promptly blushed on cue.
But it was Madhimati who answered her, "Nahi, Parmeswari! These are for Arnav bituwa." & Khushi was so surprised at her answer, that she dropped the outfit over the pile of packages again. Then she said in a highly astonished voice, "Par, Buaji! Wo ye sab'" But Buaji cut her off, "Nahi pehente? Arre Sanka Devi, it's his choice if he doesn't want to wear them. But he is Payaliya's only Jeth & Rohan babuwa'a eldest Saala! We'll surely have to give this much for him in the Shagun, na?" Khushi looked again at the packages, & she half-screamed, "This much?! There are enough outfits for all the functions! & they're so pricey! For someone who wouldn't even wear them once!" This time Garima answered her, "Chhutki, Arnav bituwa is not just Payaliya's Jeth & Babuwa'a Salaa. He's Babuwa's best friend. We have known him since he was a child! & he would never wear the likes of the ones we bought for Akaash bituwa, NK bituwa & our Babuwa. So we selected these, & they came at a higher price."
Khushi stretched her right hand forward, "Show me the bill!" Payal slapped her hand away, "Badi aayi hain! Khushi, come here na! See we bought a suit for you to wear at the Shagun tomorrow in your favorite Yelllow & a Lehnga-Choli for the Mehendi! You said na, you wanted Orange Lehenga-Choli for the Mahendi?" she looked over at her Amma & Buaji, who were both now looking at Khushi with faces glowing in happy anticipation, "We knew the moment we saw it that it would look great on you! Batao, tumhe kaisa laga?" Khushi took the package Payal offered in her hand & fished through it until she found what she was looking for. She brought out the price receipts, read them & gasped out loud. "Jiji! Amma! Buaji! Have you all gone mad?! So much for just two outfits of mine! So much!! Arre, we have hundreds of things to see to yet! Hundreds of them! & except Jiji, Bhabi, Bhaiya & Jiju, we haven't even bought clothes for any of you! & you guys spent so much on'" she paused, pursed her lips, before saying resolutely, "That's it! I am returning these! &-" But this time she was cut in by the figure who had been watching this exchange with an amused silence yet.
"Bitiya, we are old now. We don't need new clothes for every occasion! But you guys are our children. & you are our youngest. If you guys didn't have fun & merriment, will we be able to enjoy anything? You will not return anything, & after I settle the lighting bills, I'll give you the money, so that you can buy the outfits for the remaining functions." Shashi finished reassuringly, while the others nodded their head in absolute agreement, except Khushi. She knew Amma-Bauji were not irrational people. She knew they understood the concept of cutting their coat according to their cloth. But she also knew, they regarded the happiness of their children above anything. & she knew, Bauji was in the talks of selling his sweetshop in Lucknow to arrange for hard cash. Selling the sweetshop meant selling Bauji's homestead too, to which the sweetshop was attached. Bauji had told them that, it was really no sacrifice for him, as he hardly went to Lucknow anymore & after his children were settled in Delhi, with his age & ailing, he would go to Lucknow even less. But Khushi knew, selling his sweetshop was nothing less than ripping off his roots for him. When Khushi was young & they would make Jalebis together when she would be upset over something, Shashi would sometimes tell her, that the sweetshop was always there, in their hometown, their Lucknow, waiting for them & they'd be able to go back to it whenever they wanted or needed. & now, if they sold it, it wouldn't be.
Khushi took a deep breath & said in a rush, "I want to say something to all of you! & listen to me till I finish! I don't want Bauji to sell our sweetshop, our homestead. That's our only tie to Lucknow. & now that I know everything, you guys don't have to shield me from Lucknow anymore! In fact, someday I wanna be able to go back there' It's my birthplace &' It's where my mother had lived. & even you guys can go & visit Lucknow as frequently as you want now! You don't have to be scared for me anymore. & I know, we need the money now. But if we need to sell anything' it's Nikunja!" & immediately both Garima & Shashi tried to speak up, but Khushi interjected quickly, "Amma, Bauji! Listen to me once! You were all right! With all the property taxes & maintenances, this place is a huge liability, rather than an asset! & if you sold it, Bhaiya wouldn't have to take the loan to buy the new place! & Amma, how long will you & Bhaiya be able to live apart? You know, sooner rather than later, you'll have to go live with him, or he'll come back here! So, it's sensible if you just sold Nikunja' Devi Maiyya knows, you yourself would be able to buy the house for Bhaiya!"
This time Garima firmly cut her in, "But you didn't want' & you have the right to decide whether to sell Nikunja or not. We should have consulted you from the time we thought of it first!" Khushi swiftly went & took Garima's hands in hers, "Amma, we all have a say in it! It's our home! But home is where you all are! & besides that, nothing else really matters. She' Amma' my' Amma didn't even live in this house for that house, right? You always said, you used to travel with Nanaji wherever he was posted! So other than Bhaiya, Jiji & me growing up here, we have no more sentimental value attached to this house. & then, it's the same for us all. We'll get through it. Sell it, Amma! It's no use being sentimental over a house & hurting the people living in it for that. If we sold Nikunja, all of us would have an easier life in the long run!"
They all sat in quite for some moment following Khushi's appeal, but Khushi could see the acceptance in her mother's hooded eyes. & she knew, Shashi would be happy to not have to sell his ancestral homestead in Lucknow. So, finally it was time' for them all to say good bye to Nikunja. Khushi couldn't help but wince at the way her heart twisted at that thought. Yes, home was where the heart was. & part of her heart would always live in this beautiful, warm abode of theirs. Then she sighed as suddenly Madhumati spoke in a forced cheerful voice, "Aye titaliya! You talk too much! Now let's go & eat something. We were starving in the shops! & when Rohan Babuwa comes, we'll talk more about this. But not anymore now! Let's go!" & she ushered everyone out towards the dining room, but all of them knew in their heart that, the decision had been made.
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As Arnav saw his sister walking towards his office in through the glass panes in front of him, he stood up & hurriedly went to help her up the stairs, as he spoke to her with concern, "Di! Did you want something? You could've just called me if you needed me to do something! Come to think of it, you do! By the way, I picked up the saffron & green cardamoms you wanted me to pick up, which you could have had even if you had HP or OP for it, & much sooner than when I would be finally able to bring it to you." Saying this, he seated Anjali down on a chair in front of his workspace, & then brought the wrapped brown paper package by for her. Anjali took the package & flashed her cutest smile at him, "Thank you Chhote!" & before Arnav could guess what she was upto & move away accordingly, she reached over & pinched his left cheek out in a punishing caress, much to his irritation. Then she explained sweetly, "Issi bahane, you get involved with the pujas in some remote way at least. Otherwise, you couldn't be dragged with 10horses to participate in one!"
Arnav narrowed his eyes in astonished outrage, "Oh, so it's your ploy! Di-" But Anjali stopped him by holding her hands up, "Achchha, baba, sorry! OK? Now listen, we'll have to send the Shagun for Payal tomorrow. & Su still hasn't finished on the Sarees for Amma & Khushiji's outfits. She was done with Bauji & Buaji's ones, so I am taking them with me now! But it's now your responsibility to bring the rest home with you when you finally decide to go back there just to have dinner & sleep! Seriously Chhote, ghar mein don don shaadiya hain, couldn't you just try to spend a bit more time with us?" & as she saw Arnav rolling his brows exasperatedly, Anjali pouted cutely & stood up, "Ok baba! Don't forget the outfits! Mamaji & Akaash would go home early today to help us wrap the Shaguns. You'd stay here the latest, so Su said she'd bring them to you when she's done. Don't forget them!!" With that, she started walking towards the stairs & Arnav hurriedly went & held her by her elbow & an arm around her shoulders to help her down.
When he came back inside his office again, his face had the look of utmost concentration. He sat down in his chair & picked up the in-house extension & punched a number, & as the other person picked up, talked rapidly, "Su? Send me the designs & samples for what you have prepared for Khushi!" He listened for a while, then said curtly again, "Khushi!... Yes, Di's sister-in-law! Yes, not the other bride, the other one!... Yes, send them all! Hurry up! I am waiting." Then he slammed the phone down & checked his iPhone. He had texted Khushi in the morning, asking if she had classes today, & she had texted back saying, she was on a break after exams & was working on the latest assignments for herself & la, & her Amma, Jiji, & Buaji were going shopping for the wedding, but she was staying in, & only she & her Bauji would be home then. Yes, she had written all that in one text message in reply to his short, concise text. "Paagal!" Arnav said as he shook his head in a disbelieving manner & contemplated texting her again. Then he stopped himself, thinking she might be working on her assignments. Just then he saw a peon bringing a wheel-on suitcase up to his cabin. Arnav smirked, he'll have unbelievable fun selecting outfits for Princess Gupta to wear!
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Khushi arranged the thaals containing Anjali's Shagun in the order that Garima had told her to, & then she heard the front doorbell ring. It was the Raizada's with Payal's Shagun! She ran towards the front door, while Payal ran for her own room from the kitchen where she had been helping her Amma & Buaji in preparing the refreshments for the guests. Khushi smiled wide as she saw how beautiful Payal looked in the Organza anarkali with heavy golden embroidery on the front, sleeves, & the border, while she was wearing the Yellow anarkali she was given yesterday.
While the sisters passed in the stairwell, Khushi grabbed Payal's arm, pulled her close & smacked a loud kiss on her cheek, & earned a slap on her shoulder in return. Then she sprinted on & wrenched the door open excitedly to reveal Manorama, Manohar, NK & Naniji, all standing just outside the door smiling excitedly at Khushi. & behind them HP, OP, & JP stood carrying huge thaals of Shagun piled high & covered with silk clothes. Even NK & Mamaji had a couple of medium thaals in their hands.
Khushi watched with amusement as Manorama sprayed the whole air around her with the small perfume bottle in her hand, & she said laughingly, "Mamiji! Come inside now! All the mosquitoes outside have died by now!" & everyone, including Manorama herself, laughed at her joke as they all came inside with a lot of jostle & hustle. Khushi showed them all their seats, took the thaals from the Prakash's & set them on the table in front of the sofa Payal would be seated in, & as she saw her Buaji bringing Payal down, Khushi smiled at how beautiful Payal looked. Then she remembered she had yet to close the front door & still looking at Payal's descending form on the staircase, she moved towards the front door & kept her hand on one side the door, & she felt her hand land on something warm.
Khushi felt her fingers tingle from the touch, & she knew even before she turned around who it was standing there on the other side of the door. Khushi turned & opened the door wider to look straight into a pair of glittering caramel jewels. As soon as Khushi saw the look in his eyes, she clutched the side of her Anarkali with one hand & her fingers quivered over his on the door jamb, but before she could snatch them away from the temptation of his touch, Arnav entwined his own fingers with hers, & then slowly he lowered their joined hands between their bodies & then took her hand in his own properly. As Khushi looked in on his eyes, she saw the longing to touch each other to their hearts content that must be there in her eyes mirrored in his eyes too, & forgetting her surrounding, Khushi took a hasty step towards him, but someone else reached him before she did.
& before a suddenly panicked & alarmed Khushi could wrench her fingers free of Arnav's fingers entwined around them, she saw a scandalized Buaji look at Arnav with shocked eyes & then she turned towards Khushi with an appalling expression, & asked in a voice that matched the expression in her eyes, "Ka, Parmesswari?! What are you doing??!! Paglaye gayi ho ka?!"
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Then she picked up the tray laden with tea-cups & pots, & walked out towards the main hall, while after a bit of hesitation, Garima followed with plates of Laddoos & Samosas. Once in the hall, Khushi didn't even have to look up to know that he was sitting on her right side in between her Bauji & his Mamaji. She could feel his hot gaze running all over her like a laser-ray gun. But she still hadn't forgiven him for his insolent carelessness at the main door, so she averted her face pointedly from his direction, & setting the tray down on the coffee table, started serving tea to Nani, Mami & NK. She was deliberately slow in her movements, & as she had expected, soon her Amma & Buaji took the task of serving the men, seated at the opposite direction from the ladies, their tea.
But Khushi's resolution of not even looking at Arnav's direction went totally kaput, when she saw Buaji about to hand him a cup of tea, & she half-yelled despite herself, "Buaji! It has sugar in it. He can't-" & she stooped in a gasp as she saw a pair of laughing & thoroughly amused orbs glittering at her, then she swiftly looked away & said with a relaxed attitude she was far from feeling, "Um, I mean, that Black coffee is for Arnavji." & then Khushi finished serving the Raizada women tea & refreshment with a stony silence, because the waves of gloating smugness coming off from the man, whose health she had so sweetly been concerned about, was now tempting her to go & smack the tea-tray in her hand across that head full of gorgeous, sexy hair.
Yeah, parents do that most of the time. Put their happiness on a backseat for their children! 😊
Sometimes I feel that these weddings are just a waste of resources, money, time and energy. Why spend so much alone on clothes, shagun, mehendi, sangeeth, wedding, post- wedding ceremonies and the like? Each to his own, I know!
Khushi may not be attached to the memories of Lucknow. But she respects the fact that her Dad has emotions attached to that place and she will do whatever she can to preserve those for him. What more does a Dad want from his child?
What has the prince designed for his princess?
Buaji is scandalized with the entwined hands!?🤣
Precap: Why Khushi, why do you make resolves that you can hardly keep? 😛
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