THE HEART KNOWS
CHAPTER 46 (A)
Arnav was speaking with Khushi when Anjali entered his room to give him his medicines.
"Who are you talking with?" she asked him.
"Kaun ho saktha hai, di? It is Khushi." [Who will it be, di? It is Khushi.]
"It is half past six and looks like neither of you got ready." She plucked the phone from Arnav and said, "Khushi, jaldi thayaar hojao." [Khushi, get ready soon.]
"Sure, di."
She passed the phone back to Arnav and said, "Chote, wahaan jaa ke Khushi se baat karo na." [Chote, go there and talk with Khushi.]
"Just two more minutes."
She rolled her eyes and left the room.
"Khushi, aaj woh black dress pehno." [Khushi, wear that black dress today.]
"Kaun si?" [Which one?]
"The dinner wear which reaches up to your ankles."
"Nahi." [No.]
"Did I hear a nahi?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yes, Mister. You heard a nahi," she replied. "Mera pati ko mujhe yeise kapde mein sabke saamne dekhna achcha nahi lagtha. So keep your dreams with yourself and try it with your girlfriend." [Yes, Mister. You heard a no. My husband does not like it when I wear such dresses in front of everyone. So, keep ypur dreams with yourself and try it with your girlfriend.]
"So tum sirf apni pati ke saamne woh kapde pehnogi?" [So, you with wear it only in front of your husband?]
"Of course."
"Then it is fine with me, Mrs. Raizada."
"I know it will be," she said with a smile. "There is another reason too. I don't want di recognising me. Then all our plans will flop."
H glanced at his watch and said, "It is late, jaan. Go and get ready."
"Okay." When he was about to disconnect the call, she said, "Aur suno. Stay in your limits with your suit. Zyada dashing hone ki zarurat nahi hai. I don't want anyone drooling over my husband." [And listen. Stay in your limits with your suit. You don't have to look dashing. I don't want anyone drooling over my hysband.]
"Your wish is my command, my lady."
They went to get ready.
Arnav took Anjali and Khushi went with Siddharth to the venue. Both the men were floored by seeing the love of their lives. As Arnav had suggested, Khushi wore black. Instead of a dinner wear, it was a saree. Anjali wore a saree in Siddharth's favourite colour, blue.
Siddharth couldn't take his eyes off Anjali. He controlled himself only when Khushi nudged his elbow and brought him to the present. Siddharth and Anjali smiled at each other and looked at each othr until Jia walked to him and high fived him. Along with Jia came Pooja. She hugged him and took him away before he had a chance to speak with Anjali.
Arnav pulled Khushi aside out of everybody's sight.
"Tum ne mujhe dhamkiyaan di thi na?" he asked her as he pushed her against a tree. "Then what happened to you? Tum aise kapade kyun pehen rake ho?" [You warned me, didn't you? Then what happened to you? Why are you wearing such a dress?]
She looked down at herself and asked, "Iss mein kya kam hai?" [What is less in this?]
"Kam nahi. Kuch bhi kam nahi. Sab zyaada hai." [Not less. Nothing is less. Everything is too much.]
She looked at him in confusion.
"Matlab?" [Means?]
"Too beautiful. Too stunning. Too lovely. Everything is too much."
She smiled and her cheeks turned red.
"Today I am definitely going to kill someone and that will be entirely because of you."
"Maine kya kiya?" [What did I do?]
"Who asked you to be so gorgeous?"
"Jo bhi hoon, jaise bhi hoon, sirf tumara hoon." [Whoever I am, whatever i am, i am just yours.]
He kissed her forehead and pulled her into a hug.
"I love you, jaan. Don't ever think of leaving my side today."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Mr. Raizada," she said with a naughty smile.
"Andhar chalein, Mrs. Raizada?" [Shall we go, Mrs. Raizada?]
She nodded.
Pooja Sharma was a perfect host. She had arranged a perfect party and everyone enjoyed it. When her father saw her with Siddarth, he decided to play matchmaker for them.
Pooja linked her arm with Siddharth's and introduced him to her friends and family.
"Where is your father, Siddharth, if I may call you so?" her father asked.
"He has gone to visit a friend, Mr. Sharma."
"I would like to meet him."
"I'll let him know when he returns."
He tried to brush him off as he knew where the topic was heading to. He searched for Anjali and found her with Jia.
When Arnav saw him trying to escape from Mr. Sharma, he told Khushi, "Why don't you help Siddharth? Looks like his is stuck with her father."
Khushi was reluctant to go. She had seen the expressions the other girls present in the party had for her husband and she didn't like it. At the same time, she didn't want to ignore Siddharth.
She poked his chest and said, "You better watch out, Mr. Raizada."
"Watch out for what?"
"Those chipku type ladkiyaan. That idea was for Siddhu and not for you."
He gave her a teasing grin and said, "I can smell something burning. Can you, Khushi?"
She nudged his stomach and said, "Very funny, Arnav. And I am warning you."
Arnav grinned. He liked this possessive side of Khushi which he hadn't seen before.
She went to Siddharth and told him, "Siddhu, papa is calling. Something very urgent. Can you come with me?"
He understood what she was doing and followed her to where Anjali and Jia were standing.
"It looked like you were in need of some help," Jia teased him.
"I didn't expect this from you, Jia," he said with a fake glare. He put his arm around Khushi and said, "Anyway, I have my sweetheart with me."
Jia walked to his other side and put her arms on his shoulder. "Chill, handsome. We enjoyed watching you with Pooja. You look great together."
Khushi didn't miss the look on Anjali's face. It was a mixture of hurt, jealousy, pain and anger. She mentally applauded Jia for her work and wished for someone who could help raise Anjali's anger.
Her wish was granted when one of Pooja's friends came to him with a glass of vodka.
"How about a drink, Siddharth?" she asked in a flirting voice.
Like a gentleman that he was, Siddharth accepted the drink. Khushi and Jia stepped aside and let the girl stand closer to him.
"Is there something between my boss and 'someone someone'?" Jia whispered in Khushi's ear.
Khushi was shocked and surprised to hear that.
"How did you find out?"
She tipped her head towards Anjali and said, "The steam coming out of her ears is hard to hide."
Both of them chuckled.
"Was she the one he fell in love while he was in college?"
"You know the story?"
"In bits and pieces, yes," she replied. "Does your husband know about this?"
"Yes, he does."
"And he isn't bothered?"
"No. He likes Siddharth."
"What is there to not like in him?" she asked. "You have a perfect family."
"I know."
Soon, the girl who had given him the drink was joined by a few others and Siddharth was surrounded by them. They didn't leave a chance in touching his hands or his cheek or hugging him. Siddharth didn't stop them and it surprised Khushi. She wondered whether he had followed her advice and flirted with them. Whatever it was, the result was perfect.
"Do you want something to drink?" Jia asked her.
"I don't drink."
"Neither do I. I was talking about mocktails."
"Okay."
They went asked a bar tender for some drinks. That was when Khushi saw a girl with Arnav. It was the same image which had happened with Siddharth the previous day. Instead of Siddharth and Pooja, it was Arnav and someother girl. Arnav didn't notice her watching him. He didn't do anything to stop the girl. In fact, his arm was around her waist.
She found Aman in the crowd and asked him, "Woh ladki kaun?" [Who is that girl?]
"Khushi... woh... I'll ask her to go," he stammered.
"Aman, I asked her who she is."
"Tina, Arnav's ex."
"What? How many?"
He didn't answer.
"Aman, I asked you how many."
"Before Lavanya, as far as I know, four," he replied slowly.
"Thanks, Aman."
Before she walked away, he said, "But Khushi, he isn't in contact with any of them."
She looked at Arnav and the girl and gave Aman a sad smile. She went to the bar tender to get her drinks.
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