From the author's desk: Thanks so much people for all of your kind and encouraging comments... I was moved and overwhelmed by the feedback that I recieved... This story is drawing to a close- most probably in a couple of updates I will be able to wrap it up- Hopefully!
Here is another update... hope you would love this too... Happy reading!
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Part 67
When Kushi rushed upstairs from the kitchen in the morning intending to wake up the two inmates whom she still thought were still happily asleep after she had gone down in the morning, she was pleasently surprised to hear them making a din- their laughter reaching her even before she reached the room.
She entered the room to find Arnav resting his back on the decked up pillows with his legs stretched out while Arush was sitting on top of his father and facing him. Both of them were indulged in a punching game - Arnav would sit straigt and make actions as if to punch Arush and Arush would do the same...and it was always Arnav who would fake being hurt from Arush's punch and fall back on the pillows feigning painful moan. Arush giggled uncontrollably watching this and would go for another punch on his father's chest.
Kushi was transported back instantly to the days in the past when Arnav's punches have deformed the men who challenged him- or posed a threat to his family's welfare. She vividly remembered the fate of the man who had tried to push her and had hurt her during the nainital trip 3 years ago... they were not even involved romantically back then.
This one was surely top of all surprises- she never thought that Arnav would be a playful- cheesy - macho father...who would have thought this man that so many feared to be reckless, arrogant- rough and tough had a pleasant and charming personality that only a few knew? and thanks to their son- she was now getting a view of his playful and jovial persona...She stood there smiling at the pair of people who mattered the world for her and just then Arnav noticed her standing there
"Haa.. Momma is watching us fight"
"Boys will always be boys! What kind of game is this? fighting game- why dont you teach him nice ones"
"Like what? I dont know what are nice games in your dictionary" he told her in a teasing tone "may be you should go and play with Momma Arush- she will teach you to play choo chiku chiku train "
she came forward and hit Arnav with a pillow...
"oh yeah- she also knows pillow games- hit everyone with pillows" Arnav commented to Arush- and for some reason Arush found this highly entertaining that he was continously giggling...
"Like father - Like son- So both of you have grouped against me isnt it?"
"Ofcourse not! We love to tease you- but wouldnt group against you"
"Ok... enough of teasing me... Get out of bed both of you- get ready- haldi ceremony starts in another one hour. " Kushi instructed them both as she moved towards the wardrobe and pulled out sherwani for both of them.
"No..."
"eee"
Both them shouted together, causing Kushi to jerk in shock...
"What no?"
"No sherwani.. Momma Please" Arnav told her as Arush giggled again and shook his head from one side to other
"eee"
Kushi stood facing them with her hands in her hips
"Ok.. little champ- I think this is momma's limit... we will stop the game here and not rile her up further if we have to escape her famous wrath" Arnav told his son as he put him down the bed and stood up.
"Thats better" Kushi told turning back to the wardrobe "Now go and finish your bath- after that I have to give Arush a bath"
"Why Momma, wont you give me also a bath?" Arnav asked going near her with a puppy face.
"N.. No" she stammered a little, taken aback by the sudden change in Arnav's demeanor from teasing to turning romantic.
"Why may I ask" he asked her huskily as he stood very near her, slipping his hand on her waist from back.
"Behave yourself Arnav- Your son is watching" Kushi hushed back
"oh he is busy with the TV remote again" he replied back throatily
"Arnav.. Please..let me go..." Kushi pleaded helplessly as he pushed her against the wardrobe- his hands exploring her.
"Daddaa" Arush called out at that moment causing Arnav to turn back and look at his son.. Kushi took that opportunity to step aside...
They noticed that Arush had somehow managed to get under the table and was peeping in from under it - proudly showing them something which he had discovered
"What is that Little champ?" Arnav asked moving forward and tried to take it out of a reluctant Arush's hand as he protested.
"Wait.. wait- Dad will give it back to you- after seeing what it is" he said as he took it and examined it.
It looked like a small black capsule with very short loop which had a small magnet attached to it. Arnav soon realised that it was a battery operated wireless microphone which was kept attached to the iron frame of his office table all this while- Arush had been little curious and had pulled it out.
Arush was trying to take his treasure find back- But was confused that his father has changed his mind.
"What is it?" Kushi asked curiously
Arnav put his finger to his lips, silencing her and then got up
"Nothing... Its getting late... I will go take bath..." he announced, confusing her further as he found out a small knob which will turn it off
"Its a bug to spy on us"
"what is a bug?"
"A microphone- which will transmit whatever we talk to someother point where someone else is listening... "
"Oh my god.. Is..is it Rana?"
"May be- You go and give bath to Arush- I will see if I can find out anything more about this type of a device" he told her switching on the laptop.
***
Sid stood inspecting the microphone as Kushi worriedly looked over. Arnav signalled to him to come over from where he sat with his laptop.
"Found something?" Sid asked aloud
"Yeah- this model needs a trasmitter and amplifier which should be placed within 100 meters of where this device is"
"Which means- someone else has the trasmitter point for this mic"
"right- who would probably be Rana's man"
"and he can probably lead us to Rana himself- Interesting this is how they have been keeping tabs on us... Which means there could be other tiny devices placed all over the house"
"So you mean to say someone who has access to this house should be working for Rana?" Kushi asked the men wide eyed.
"possible!" Arnav told lost in thoughts
"and it kind of fits- Shyam was sure Rana wouldnt believe anyone after he started doubting Shyam himself"
"Chotey, Kushi" Anjali's voice reached them before she limped inside Arnav's room
She stood there surprised to find that they havent gotten ready yet.
"What are you both doing? The pandit is already here... People have started arriving... its your haldi now.. and Chotey- you havent even taken bath... oof.. what happened to you both? have you changed your plans to postpone the wedding again?" she started non stop, chasing both into getting ready.
She left the room with Arush- as they both promised her that they would come down soon.
"Leave this to me... You get ready- and carry on with Haldi- I will take care of this" Sid told them as he took the mic with him.
***
As the Haldi ceremony was about to start- Sid excused himself saying he has some work outside and would be back for the sangeet in the evening.
"Careful" Kushi muttered to Sid as he exchanged looks with her and Arnav
"Have fun guys" Sid called out before he nodded his farewell to La and then left.
Soon the function kick started with lot of chase and fun as everyone tried to color the other with haldi.
The only exception to this was Arnav- who would would only escape with a glare at the person who would approach him with haldi. The only people who wouldnt cringe at his glare were his sister, his wife and now the newly added to that cader- Sid- the last one was rather not close to the heart kind- but the 'I dont care about your glare' kind... but unfortunately- Sid was not there, and Kushi was bit busy with haldi being applied on herself- and Anjali to everyone's protest had partially taken pity on her brother and left him alone...
All it took for the game to be taken to the next level was initiated by the mighty but little fellow- Arush when he crawled to the plate filled with mehendi and smeared himself with generous amount of the paste. Everyone were quite busy with playing that they didnt notice Arush- and Arnav being the only one who caught him doing this- went to him to stop but instead got smeared with haldi by little hands... Kushi who was watching this- got into the play as she applied a tinge of mehendi on Arnav's face - getting applause from everyone around...
"Kushi stop it- I hate this paste" Arnav growled at her as she laughed at him clapping hands with Arush who was all in for this kind of a game.
"Hifi Arush and Kushiji " NK called out
"welldone- you cant always escape ASR" La commented
"Now the function has completed a full circle" Buaji told them all happily...
Ignoring the general happiness and tease hovering over the place, Arnav stood there glaring at Kushi as she smiled and winked at him teasingly...
"I will teach you a lesson Kushi" Arnav told as he took a large bowl full of haldi and started chasing Kushi- while the family cheered for them.
Kushi took the stairs and then realised she shouldnt have- once she reached the top, there will be no where to escape into- he will corner her easily.. She decided to give her best, she knew that Laad governor wont run and she ran up the stairs and laughed wildly.
As planned she reached her room soon and locked herself. Breathing heavily, she stood near the door listening for his footsteps. 10 mins should have passed as she stood there listening intently - with no sound.
"Is Laad governor also waiting outside without making noise?" she spoke to herself as she opened the door an inch and peeped outside. The corridor was clear.
She was confused when she heard a throat clearing nearby, turning in shock she found herself close against her laad governor- whom she realised had entered from the pool side...
she tried to quickly open the door and escape but he was too fast for her and he banged it close before she could even try and open it, and then she gasped as he menacingly came near her
"Oh the careless me... I should have closed the pool side also"
"You should have- too late realisation" he smirked as her breathing quickened...
"Look I did it only after Arush started"
"He did it only on my clothes- you were the one who stained by face"
"Ok.. look.. no hard feelings- I did it on your face- you smear it on my face- game over alright?"
"No way"
"why?"
"My face was clear when you smeared it on me"
"yeah..."
"I need a clean inch of your body to smear it too"
Every exposed inch of Kushi's body was already smeared with haldi- the elder ladies had covered her face, hands and body- and Payal and Anjali had made sure that her neck and back were covered too... Lavanya even spalshed yellow across her hip which was exposed by her saree...
Kushi did a quick look around herself to find a place -- clean enough for her laad governor.
"There is no where clean enough" she muttered failing to find it- and then gasped as she realised slowly what his demand had implied.
"No" she whispered "you didnt mean..."
"Haa..I see now your brain picked up my signal finally!" he sighed "Step out of your dress Kushi..."
"People are waiting down... what will they think?"
"let them think whatever they want to... " he replied her as leaned closer to her, increasing her heartbeat further...
"see... its not good to see eachother after haldi" she stammered a warning
"which means it is ok to SEE eachother during haldi right? Our Haldi is not done yet- Not until I call it over"
"Arnavji..."
"If you remove it, you will find it good enough to wear it again before we go down- if you dont- I would and I swear I would rip it off- and there will be no chance for people down there to think anything- they will know for sure what happened" he hushed near her ears...
Kushi held her hands to her heart as he smirked observing her actions
"Wicked evil Laad governor" she huffed at him
"you should have thought about this before you decided to play haldi haldi with me" he smirked at her as she unpinned her pallu letting her saree pool down under their legs...
***
The family after waiting for a few minutes and then realized that it would be sometime before the bride and the groom found their way out of their room While youngsters exchanged smirks and the elders smiled understandingly with their experience... and proceeded to engage the guests with other talks and snacks and soon the talks turned towards the ever interesting topic of theme for sangeet in the evening...
***
"So it is the mic which was doing the spying for him" Gayathri wondered aloud
"Seems so.. and I dont know how many such things are around the house..." Sid told her as he played with the mini mic in his hands
"Wouldnt he know now that one of his device is not giving him any signals?"
"I guess, in all probablity he would..."
"he would know we found it out"
"What is the use Gayathri Maa.. he knows we would find it one day or other... "
"I am scared Sid- the wedding should happen tomorrow...I feel so at loss to find ourselves in a position where we dont know what my brother is planning... "
"May be we should think from his point of view Maa.."
"What could be his point of view other than to stop the wedding? how is it possible to think from his view point- there are so many possibilities"
"Gayathri Maa- I am quoting the words that you used to tell us when you used to visit our school when we were kids... nothing is impossible if we have the will to make it work- " Sid smiled at her. Gayathri smiled too
"do you have any plan in mind?" she asked him
"yup- an unbaked one that is...Arnav is throwing a party tonight- at the farm house-"
Gayathri stared at him for sometime before she smiled...
"Sid- I dont get it... "
"there is high probability that Rana knows about this party already and had planned to attack at this time" Sid told confidently
"yes that seems probable."
"Ok- look at it this way- Rana also is out of time- he is running away from the police too... now- if he is given the advantage of his targets in seperate places- what will he do?"
"I dont understand"
"Arnav has announced a party for the youngsters.. Only the young couple are going to be there... which also means- Arnav and Kushi would most probably leave Arush with the elders at home for the party- right?"
"yes- I got it- Rana would target to hit the weak link in the chain- he would go to RM today to attack Arush"
"exactly! that way he would cover two things- With Arush serious- would Arnav or Kushi engage in a wedding?"
"Oh my god.. NO... that should be his plan Sid- I am positive now... oh my god"
"Dont worry Maa.. we will completely give Rana a boogle this time" Sid smiled at Gayathri
To be continued...
Edited by abavi - 11 years ago
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