THE HEART KNOWS
CHAPTER 41
Around three quarters of an hour later, Siddharth entered Arnav's cabin. Since he was very close to Arnav, Shilpa couldn't stop him. He opened the door and found Arnav and Khushi asleep on the couch.
A smile lit his lips as he realized how important they were to each other. He knew that he had made the right decision by bringing her to the office. He walked to the couch and knelt down near them.
He kissed Khushi's forehead and said, "If I had a daughter, she would be just like you, meri pyaari si beti. Love you."
"Love you, too, Siddhu," she murmured in her sleep.
He was awestruck by her reply. She was able to recognize him even in her sleep.
"Tum bhi kuch kam nahi," he told Arnav. "If I had a son, he would be like you, DJ." With that he placed a kiss on Arnav's forehead and said, "Anjali has told me a lot about you and your family. Whenever I see you, I feel as if I should fill the vacuum your parents left behind. That is one more thing, too. Mere dil ki baath kehne ke liye tumaara saath chaahiye." [I need your support to speak out my heart.]
He closed the door behind him and left the office.
Arnav stirred around three hours later and realized that he had fallen asleep in his office with Khushi. The three hours rest with her had done him wonders. He felt refreshed. A few minutes later, Khushi opened her eyes and looked at him.
"Good afternoon, jaan!" he told her. "I just wish I could spend my whole life with you like this."
"After a month, I am all yours."
"You aren't mine now?"
"Of course, I am. Now, we have a lot of restrictions. After this month, there won't be any."
"I am waiting for the day."
Her stomach growled giving away the hint that she was hungry. Arnav smiled.
"Shall we go out for lunch?" he asked her.
" 'Ruthless' ASR is slipping and 'Romeo' Arnav is taking his place," she teased him.
"I don't care who takes the front seat as long as you are there with me."
"Let's eat in the office canteen today. We'll go out someother day." When he got up from the couch, she said, "You aren't going anywhere. If your employees find you in the canteen, they won't be able to have fun. I'll go and get something for us. You sit here and think of'."
"Shilpa?" he interrupted.
She slapped his arm and said, "Don't you dare do that, Mr. Raizada. You don't want to ruin your reputation, do you?"
"I already have a playboy reputation according to Page 3."
"I am not talking about that. Do you want tomorrow's headlines to be 'Mrs. Arnav Singh Raizada in trial for murder'?"
"Murder? Kya murder?" he asked, alarmed. "Kiska murder?" [Murder? What murder? Whose murder?]
"Shilpa and if I have enough time, then'." She poked his chest and said, "You."
He laughed and said, "Don't worry, Mrs. Raizada. It won't come to that. I am absolutely happy with my affair with a cute, innocent and loving woman by the name Khushi Raina. Do you by any chance know her?"
She played along with him. "I am acquainted."
He nuzzled her neck with his nose and said, "When you meet her again, please tell her that my wedding date is about a month from now and that I have all the time in the world for her."
"I'll do that, Mr. Raizada," she said with a smile.
"That's so sweet of you, Mrs. Raizada." He stepped away from her and said, "Now, go and get us something to eat."
Khushi returned after fifteen minutes with their lunch. Arnav was busy on a call and showed her two fingers indicating that he needed two minutes to finish the call. She placed the tray near him and sat on the table.
When he disconnected the call, she said, "Ready for lunch?"
"Tum khalo. Main thodi dher mein aatha hoon. Ek contract mein clauses change karna hai." [You eat. I will come in some time. Have to change some clauses in a contract.]
"You change it and I'll feed you."
He accepted.
Siddharth entered the cabin while they were in the middle of their lunch.
"Mujhe bhi bhook lagi," he complained. [I am also hungry.]
Arnav finished with the changes and closed the file he was working on.
"Baito, SJ," Arnav said and pointed to the table near Khushi. "Aur hamare saath khaalo." [Sit, SJ, and eat with us.]
Siddharth sat on the table and asked, "Did you guys have a nice time?"
Arnav and Khushi looked at each other and smiled.
"Very nice time," they said together.
Siddharth rolled his eyes.
Khushi saw his reaction and asked, "Kya hua?"
"I came here and found you two sleeping on the couch."
"You will not understand," Arnav told him.
Eventhough he understood, he said, "Whatever." He looked at the bowl in the tray and asked, "What's for lunch?"
"Fried rice."
Arnav took a spoon of fried rice and fed Siddharth. Siddharth was surprised with the sudden gesture.
"Nice?" Arnav asked him. When he didn't respond, he asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
He shook his head and smiled. "Just like that."
The three took turns in feeding each other and enjoyed their lunch.
When the clock struck six, Siddharth reminded them that they have to part ways. Arnav did not like the idea at all. Khushi promised him that she would call before she went to bed and left with Siddharth.
Arnav entered his house with a heavy heart. The house didn't look nice without Khushi and Siddharth.
Anjali voiced out his thoughts when they settled in the dinner table. "Our house is incomplete without Khushi and Siddharth."
"Phir kyun jaane ke liye kaha?" Arnav asked her. [Then why did you ask her to go?]
An idea struck him.
"Di, ek idea hai." [Di, I have an idea?]
"What idea?"
"Let Khushi and Siddharth stay here during the day. They can have breakfast with us and then we'll leave for office and manage lunch there. After we return, we'll share dinner and then they can leave from here. Prakash Uncle is also not here and they will be alone."
"Where is Uncle?" Anjali asked him.
"He went to Switzerland to meet a friend."
NK liked the idea very much. "Nannav is right, di. In that way, Khushi and Arnav can stay close yet far."
Everybody looked expectantly at nani. She thought for a while and then accepted. Arnav shared the information with Khushi and Siddharth. They were delighted.
Khushi felt the absence of amma, bauji and buaji. Even though Arnav didn't say anything aloud, she knew that he was relucatant to take her to Lucknow. She didn't want him to be worried and she stopped asking about them. Once in a while, she asked about them to Payal. When ever Payal spoke with them, Khushi would sit by her side and listen to their voices and be content with it. Payal felt that it was too much and spoke with Garima about Khushi without her knowledge.
"Why don't you want to talk to Khushi?" Payal asked her mother.
"Khushi hamari beti nahi hai. [Khushi is not our daughter.] First of all, she married Arnav without our knowledge. And then she left him and returned after a year. Our daughter can never do that."
"Jhoot math bholiye. [Don't lie.] You are just using excuses to stay away from her. I can hear affection for her in your voice. Phir yeisa kyun kar rahe hain aap?" [Then why are you doing this?]
Garima didn't reply.
"Please come back, amma. She needs you. She might not remember everything about herself but she definitely needs your affection. Whenever I talk to you, she sits by my side and listens to your voice. Think of her for once. Don't you think she deserves to be happy?"
Her mother couldn't control her tears. "Galthi uski ya Arnva ki nahi. Meri." [The mistake is not hers or Arnav's. It is mine.]
"Aap kya keh rahe hain, amma?" [What are you saying, amma?]
She sniffed and said, "I'll talk to you later."
It was a Sunday and everyone was lazying around in the living room. Arnav wanted to sit with Khushi but nani spoiled his plans. She sat beside Khushi and called Siddharth to sit with them in the big couch. Arnav was stuck with NK.
They were discussing about the wedding and Arnav couldn't move his eyes away from Khushi.
When the topic was about the wedding dresses, Arnav said, "You people don't have to be worried about the dresses. Sab thayar hai. Sirf Khushi ki dresses baaki hai." [Everything is ready. Only Khushi's dress is remaining.]
Everyone were shocked.
"Why are you shocked? When you have someone, no'. two people, who have a couple of fashion lines in their hands, what is the need to bother about dresses?"
"Arnav and I have planned out everything," Siddharth confirmed it.
When the discussions about the wedding was over, Anjali decided to talk about what she needed.
"Chote, can I ask you something?" she asked Arnav.
"Anything, di."
"I want to join office and work with you."
Arnav could never deny his sister anything. He had seen how strong she was. She didn't need anybody's support and he knew that she wanted to be independent.
"From when do you want to start, di?" he asked without any second thoughts.
"Kal se, if that is possible." [From tomorrow, if that is possible.]
"Office aap ka bhi hai, di. [The office is yours too, di.] Why are you asking my permission?"
Siddharth didn't want to let the opportunity slip from his hands. He said, "Anjali, I also have an office. It's brand new. You can join there and you won't have a short tempered ASR breathing on your neck."
Khushi realized what he was doing and supported him.
"Siddhu is right, di. You can also try there and'."
"Why should she when she can start in her own office?" Arnav asked her.
"That is the problem, Arnav. AR designs is hers and even if she commits a mistake, nobody will bother to correct her. How will she learn everything properly? Nobody in Siddhu's office will know that she is the great ASR's sister and they will treat her like a friend and accept her. I think Siddhu's option is better." She looked at Arnav and said, "And it also means di can tease her khadoos brother in the office along with her colleagues and have fun."
All of them tried to hide their laughter.
Arnav glared at her. "Kya main'.."
Nani interrupted her and sai, "Chote, Khushi bitya'. Don't start."
"What is your answer, di?" Khushi asked her. "My cool friend? Or your akdoo brother?"
Anjali, who was sitting on Siddharth's other side, looked at both the men and then said, "Siddharth Raina, you don't know what sort of a trouble you are getting into."
Siddharth smiled while Arnav whined.
"Not fair, di," he said.
Siddharth knelt in front of her and extended his hand with his palm facing upwards. Anjali gave him a confused look and placed her hand over his.
"Trouble? Wrong choice of word, Ms. Anjali Raizada. Even trouble is always a pleasure with you."
"Arey Majnu, you are going too far," she whispered in his ear. "Agar DJ ko tumare pyaar ke baarein mein patha chala na, toh damadji 'Devil'ji ho jayengey. Nobody will be able to save you. So, control kar'." [Arey Majnu, you are going too far. If DJ comes to know about your love, them damadji will become devilji. Nobody will be able to save you. So, control yourselves.]
"Phatti saa' matlab Khushi, kya ho raha hai wahaan?" mami asked her. [Phatti saa'. I mean, Khushi, what is happening there?]
Siddharth cleared his throat and sat on the couch. "Kuch nahi, mami. [Nothing, mami.] Khushi was asking whether she could join too."
A bulb lit up in Arnav's brain. "That is a nice idea, too. How about Di join Siddharth's office and Khushi join my office?"
Nani and mami glared at him.
"What?" he asked. "Office mein bahut kaam hai and help from another prson will do me some good. I thought I could share the work with di. Since she is not going to work with me, Khushi can, right?" When nobody spoke, he asked, "What say, Akash?"
Another bulb lit in Akash's brain and none of them were unaware of it until he said, "Bhai is right, nani. It would be a lot of help if another person helps us."
His next question shocked the whole family.
"I thought of taking Payal with us to office and she can help us. Idea okay na nani?"
None of them reacted. The shy Akash spoke about taking his wife with him to office and everybody knew that he wanted to spend more time with her.
Siddharth pinched both Khushi and Anjali and asked, "Am I dreaming?"
They lifted their hands for him to see and said, "Doesn't look like one."
He looked at the two women who were rubbing their hands and said, "Sorry. But you have to accept that this didn't sound real."
"Haan, Siddharth," Anjali accepted. "Yeh real nahi ho saktha. Hum sab sapna dekh rahe hain." [This can't be real. We are all dreaming.]
"Akash bitwa, aap se yeh umeed nahi thi," nani told him. [Akash bitwa, we didn't expect this from you.]
Akash had a disappointed look on his face. When he turned to Arnav, he found his elder brother glaring at him. He immediately turned away from the glare.
"Nannav, mere pass ek solution hai," NK told him. [Nannav, I have a solution.]
Arnav was not at all interested. Still he asked, "Kya, NK?" [What, NK?]
"I resigned my job in Australia yesterday with the idea of settling in India. Why not I join you?"
Arnav and Akash looked at each other and shook their heads.
"Oye hello! Main itni bhi dhuri nahi hoon."
Everybody were confused.
Siddharth said, "Dhuri nahi, NK. Bhuri. Bad."
"Sorry. Sorry. Bhuri. I am not that bad."
Finally Arnav accepted. "Okay, NK. Whatever."
While everyone dispersed, nani found Arnav walking towards Khushi.
"Chote'. Soch na bhi math. Siddharth bitwa, Khushi bitya ko ghar le chaliye." [Chote'. Don't even think about it. Siddharth bitwa, take Khushi bitya home.]
"Why does it have to happen to me?" Arnav muttered under his breath as he stood watching Khushi and Siddharth leave.
Arnav kept tossing and turning in his bed. Sleep evaded him, like always, as she wasn't with him. More than that it riled him that she had called him short tempered, akdoo and khadoos. He hadn't been any of that with her for a long time.
He glanced at his bed side clock. It said one twenty five.
He fetched the car keys and shoved the wallet into his tracks' pocket. He made his way to the garage without making any noise and drove to Siddharth's house. Siddharth had already given him a key so that he could meet Khushi whenever he wanted.
Arnav used his keys and went inside. The little lamp was on in the living room and he found Siddharth asleep on the couch with a diary on his lap. Arnav went to Khushi's room. She was asleep in a similar position in a couch in her room.
His anger vanished the second he saw her. She had hugged one of his shirts and had gone to sleep. He remembered the shirt very well and the conversation they had had a few days back.
**
"Khushi, did you see my shirt?"
"Which one?"
"The blue one."
"Maine nahi dekha." [I didn't see.]
He searched for it in his cupboard but couldn't find it.
"Why are you after that blue shirt? Don't you have anything else?"
He had suspected something but didn't give it much thought.
**
"So, you have my shirt?"
He stood beside her and said, "I was angry and I came here to scold you for calling me khadoos and akdoo. Here, you are sleeping peacefully after robbing both my shirt and my sleep."
He pressed a kiss on her forehead and said, "I miss you."
Then he went to the bathroom and wrote something on the mirror with his finger.
"Now, my work is done."
He locked the door and drove back to his house.
~~~~~
precap for chapter 42...
a very small memory return and arnav's reaction...
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Edited by adventure_roks - 12 years ago
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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