THE HEART KNOWS
CHAPTER 44 (A)
Arnav's
phone rang.
He
picked it up and said, "Hello! How are you?"
He
walked out of the room as he spoke.
"I
didn't know you will call me so soon." Pause. "Sure. When can we meet?" Pause.
"Where?" Pause. "Eight, it is then." Pause. "Don't worry, sweetheart. My wife
is at her friend's place. She will not know about our dinner." Pause. "Listen,
baby. Di also does not know about you." Pause. "Haan. Shaadi hone waali hai.
But relax, even if my wife comes to know about us, she won't say anything. She
loves me a bit too much." Pause. "Having affairs is very common these days. And
you know, right? That I like you." Pause. "Nobody will find out about us. See
you at eight. Bye, baby."
Unknown….
Or known… to him, Anjali listened to his conversation and was shocked to the
core.
Had she
heard it right? Did her brother talk about having an affair with another girl?
She
leaned on the door and stood rooted to the place for a while. What should she
do now? Her brain did not work. Her thoughts went to Siddharth.
She
dialled Siddharth's number and said, "Hello Siddharth!"
"Hi,
Anjali!"
"Are
you free today?"
"Always
free for you."
"Be
ready at eight. We have to go somewhere."
"Anytime,
anywhere. I am ready. Still do you mind me asking where?"
She
told him the name of the restaurant.
He
accepted even though he did not understand why she called him there.
Anjali
looked at the time. It was half past seven. She had been looking at the clock
for more than a thousand times during the past one hour.
Arnav
noticed this and asked, "Di, do you have to go somewhere?"
She
controlled her desire to shout at him and said, "Office jaa rahi hoon. Kuch
kaam hai." [I am going to office. Have some work.]
"You
are leaving now?" He took out his phone and said, "I'll speak with Siddharth,
di. You can work on it tomorrow."
"It's
alright. I will be fine."
In
their conversation, Arnav noticed that Anjali didn't call him chote. He gave
himself a mental pat on his shoulder and controlled his smile.
"If you
are comfortable, then it is okay, di."
He got
up to leave.
"Are
you going somewhere?"
"Haan,
di. Office mein ek foreign client ke saath video conference hai." [Yes, di.
There is a video conference with a foreign client.]
"Office
mein?" [In the office?]
"Yes,
di."
She
nodded.
After
he left, Anjali called Khushi and asked, "Khushi, kahan ho tum?" [Khushi, where
are you?]
"Ghar mein, di. Kyun, di?" [At home, di. Why,
di?]
"Just
asking," she said. "Have any plans for tonight?"
"Nahi,
di. Aap ki chote ko ek video conference hai. [No, di. Your chote has a video
conference.] Siddhu also has to go somewhere. It is just me, Salt and Pepper.
It has been a long time since I played with them. So, I am going to spend
tonight with them."
"I'll
call you later, Khushi."
"Bye,
di."
Khushi
disconnected the call and looked at herself in the mirror.
She
raised her imaginary collar and said, "Khushi, tum tho great ho." [Khushi, you
are great.]
She
inspected herself in the mirror and smiled. She knew that Arnav would be
shocked.
"All
the best, Khushi."
Anjali
was tensed and Siddharth noticed it. When he asked her the reason, she just
brushed it off telling him that she would share it with him later. They went to
the restaurant and Siddharth stopped his Endeavour in the front. The restaurant
had valet parking and he gave his keys to a driver. He gave him some
instructions, too.
That
time, Anjali saw Arnav and a woman in red walking towards him. His mouth was
wide open and he stood like a statue without even blinking. The woman waved her
fingers at him. He closed his mouth and swallowed hard.
After a
lot of trying, he said, "You look stunning."
She
hugged him and kissed his cheek. He put his arm around her waist and guided her
to a nearby door. He opened it and they entered.
Anjali
could not believe what she was seeing. Her brother was really after someone.
Siddharth
was by her side by that time.
"Shall
we go?" he asked her.
She
nodded and she took him to the door through which Arnav and his companion went.
The whole room was dark. When they were about to leave, the door closed and
they were locked in.
A few
seconds later, a whole lot of lights lit the room.
Arnav
was waiting for Khushi Raina. Who else would there be? He had told her that he
would pick her up but she had refused. She told him that she would drive.
He saw
his Volkswagen stop in front of the restaurant and Khushi stepped out of the
car.
He
blinked a few times to clear his mind. Was he really seeing Khushi? Or was it
someone else?
His
mouth opened on its own accord and he stared at her as if she was an angel who
flew down from heaven.
She
wore a red one shoulder gown which reached a few inches below her knees. She
had curled her hair and had left it open. He remembered the dress. He had
designed it and he had asked her if she would wear it for him. She had denied
saying that she wouldn't be comfortable.
"For
me…. Once….," he had pleaded.
"I'll
think about it," she had said.
She
raised her hand and waved her fingers at him.
He
tried to speak but no words came out. He gulped hard a few times and found his
voice.
"You
look stunning," he told her.
She
hugged him and kissed his cheek. He then put his arm around her waist and went
to a nearby room.
She
looked at the decoration in the room and said, "It looks awesome. Don't you
think they will have doubts?"
"I have
managed everything pretty well."
He
opened another door, opposite to the one they entered.
"Where
are we going?" she asked him.
"Our
long due dinner. Yaad hai? Tumari birthday waali dinner?" [Remember? Your
birthday dinner?]
Her
smile faltered a bit when he said 'her birthday'. He noticed it and pulled her
closer to him. She turned side ways and looked at him. She kissed his cheek.
He gave
her a questioning look.
She
shook her head and leant on his shoulder.
"Are
you in experimenting mood today?" he asked her.
"Kyun?" [Why?]
"Aaj ka menu Italian hai. Pizzas, pasta, ravioli,
etc." [Today's menu is Italian. Pizzas, pasta, ravioli, etc.]
"I love
pizzas. Others, try kar lethe hai." [I love pizzas. Let me try the others too.]
Khushi
looked around. There was only one table in the whole room. Candles were placed
everywhere and the dishes were already present on the table. Faint music played
in the background.
"Sirf
hum dhono?" she asked him. [Only the both of us?]
"Just
you and me."
"When
did you arrange this?"
"A few
hours before."
She
looked around and said, "It is awesome."
"I knew
you would like it."
He
pulled her closer. He put his arms around her waist and they swayed to the
music. She let him guide and surrendered herself completely in his arms.
"You
look beautiful in this dress," he told her. "But next time, you are going to
wear it only in our room."
She
smiled and hid her face in his chest.
"Someone
is possessive."
"Of
course, I am. Do you know how many people stared at you when you walked in?"
"I was
watching you. I don't know about others."
Her
innocent confession made him fall in love with her even more that he already
was. He placed his finger under her chin and lifted her face.
"I love
you, jaan."
"Patha
hai." [I know.]
He
removed his hands from around her and stepped away.
"Come
on. Let's eat."
Before
he could move away further, she caught his hand. He turned and looked at her.
Her eyes were fixed on their hands and he swore that he saw a troubled
expression on her face.
He
placed his other hand on her cheek and asked, "Kya hua?" [Kya hua?]
"I am
sorry."
"Sorry?
But why?"
"For
not telling you about Siddhu."
"I
thought we already crossed this part."
"You
were right. I should have told you." Tears pooled in her eyes when she said,
"But it does not mean that I don't trust you. I trust you more than my life. Yeh
dhobaara kabhi nahi hoga. [This won't happen a second time.] I'll tell you
everything. You were hurt as I did not tell you about them. I am…."
He
placed his finger on her lips and said, "Bas karo, jaan. [Stop it, jaan.] It's
alright. Yes, I was hurt. Later, I understood that once again you were placing
di's happiness in the front. When I realized this, it didn't hurt me. I am
lucky, jaan. Very lucky to have got someone like you in my life. Tum iss
rakshas ki zindagi mein pari bankar aayi ho. Pari kissi ko dhuk de nahi sakthi." [You came into
this monster's life like an angel. An angel will never be able to hurt
anybody.]
He
hugged her tight and their hearts thudded together.
"So,
does it mean that you wore this dress to make it up to me?"
She
nodded.
"You
look beautiful in this. In my eyes, you will look your best when you are in
sarees."
"You
could have told me that before. I wouldn't have gone to so much trouble."
"Dress
uncomfortable hai?"
"Thodi
si," she said truthfully. [A little bit.]
"Then
how did you wear it?"
"I just
wanted to see your reaction. It helped me." She gave him a mischievous smile
and said, "And you didn't disappoint me. Would anyone have guessed that the
great Arnav Singh Raizada would stand with his mouth wide open in front of his
wife?"
"Wife
nahi. Life. In front of my life."
"Just
think what would have happened to your reputation if some photographer had
clicked a picture."
"When
it comes to you, I really don't care about my reputation."
"But, I
do, Mr. Raizada."
He
smiled and asked, "Shall we eat?"
He made
her sit on the table and he sat on the chair.
"Tum
mujhe khilaadho," he told her. [You feed me.]
When
they were busy eating, Khushi remembered about Anjali and Siddharth.
"What
will Siddhu and di be doing?"
"I
think di will be talking about Shyam."
"Matlab?"
[Means?]
"After
the whole incident, di never spoke with anybody about her feelings. She didn't
open up her hurt, her pain and everything else. If she kept pushing everything
deep inside, the result will be much worse. I thought I should make her speak.
So, I gave her a chance."
"How do
you know she will speak about him?"
"Maine ek baath tumse
nahi bataaya. [I didn't tell you one thing.] My phone call with you and the
dinner for di was your idea. I changed the dinner concept a little bit. I
decorated the room just the way Shyam decorated it during their first wedding
anniversary. Di will remember it and she will talk to Siddharth."
She
looked at him in shock. "What if she doesn't?"
"She
will. And they won't be able to go out of the room till nine. So, they will
have a lot of time to talk."
"Do you
think this is the right decision?"
"I have
been cruel. I know. What I have done will bring back the betrayal. But if she
doesn't talk about it, the result will be far worse. It will lead to further
mental complications. So, better make her cry for a few days than let her
suffer for the rest of her life. The only thing I am sad about is that I am
going to be the reason for her tears today and I will not be there by her side
to wipe them."
She
touched his shoulders and said, "Kaash mujhe bhi tum jaise bhai hota…." [Wish I
had a brother like you….]
"Sorry,
you are stuck up with your husband."
She
blinked back her tears and laughed. "Much better."
~~~~~~~~~
chapter 44 (b) coming in a few mins...
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