ArHi FF:Adaptation Note Page 35 - Page 16

Originally posted by: RockBarbie

Note: Khushi and Payal discuss Elizabeth Gaskell's novel and it's characters mostly, North and South which I will be using as an instrument to derive conclusions. Hopefully the subtlety will not be too loud.

Chapter VIII: Refraction

Khushi dragged her feet to her room and fell on the bed head first. It had been a long day and a tiring long week. She was itching for a hot shower but the task of actually going to bathroom exhausted her even more. She lifted her head when her phone rang and groaned loudly.

"Hello," she barked on the phone without looking at the name on display.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" A tentative voice breaks on the other end. Khushi rolled on her back and took a deep breath.

"Not at all Payal, how are you?" She felt a little tension leave her skin.

"It's one of those rare Friday evenings Khushi. I am at home and just lazing around." Payal didn't bring up the last conversation they had. "You sound tired."

"It was a long week. Arnav was in Tokyo dealing with an old client who came with an agenda of their own. It was supposed to be a simple meet, greet, and drink rice wine sort of meeting but the clients intentions sent the entire office into a tizzy. I was supposed to goof off during work Payal but ended up working crazy." She had cheered loudly when Arnav told her that he was flying that night.

Payal giggled. "Irritated much?"

Khushi groaned again. "Well, that's how things are at office Payal. Everything happens at last minute and we manage to meet deadlines five minutes before they are to expire." She replied snidely. Payal laughed.

"Are you working this weekend too?" She asked.

"Not if I can help it," Khushi quipped. "Arnav is flying back tonight and tomorrow evening they are performing some religious…stuff." Khushi flailed her hands.

"Ah, will papa conduct the ceremony?"

"I told him it was a bad idea to mingle with that family but he is quite taken into Arnav. Apparently Arnav is one of those young men who challenge archaic thought process with well-placed analytical reasoning." Khushi said in a mock deep baritone trying and failing to imitate her father.

"So you now agree with Shyam then," Payal hummed on the other end.

Khushi sighed. "I don't Payal…not in that way, at least." Khushi sat up and rubbed her temple. "Shyam doesn't necessarily explain why we shouldn't mingle with Raizadas."

"Is he still angry at you Khushi?" Payal's voice softened.

"No, he is not. He asks me about Arnav a lot and I guess I understand why Shyam would be angry at Arnav," Khushi replied.

"Oh? Why is it?" Khushi could hear Payal's perplexity in her question.

"He is a businessman Payal," she started and leaned back on bed on her back and exhaled loudly. "I think Shyam may have encountered people disgruntled with Arnav's mode of work. I think it's mostly a business thing but Shyam's strongly worded comments make me wonder if it's more personal."

"Maybe they have crossed paths before?" Payal pondered.

"It wouldn't be surprising. Shyam does work with few of the suppliers who are subcontracted by Raizada industries. It's stupid that Shyam would take this personally because Arnav doesn't make all these decisions personally – at least not all the time." Khushi mused.

"Is that so?" Payal asked. She

Khushi hummed in response. "It's not just Arnav's decision you know? He doesn't just do everything on his own like Shyam tends to think and make me believe. I have been working closely with Arnav for six weeks now and…it's not as simple as Shyam makes it to be."

"Shyam doesn't like you working there, does he?"

"He doesn't Payal. I don't know why he thinks I am in danger. "

Payal chuckled. "You are an idiot Khushi. Shyam likes you and he found a job for you which would keep you near him. But you screwed those plans."

Khushi let out a giggle easing the conversation even more. "Ma and papa like him a lot Payal." She said softly.

"What about you?" Payal asked.

Khushi didn't reply immediately. "He is a nice man Payal and I am sure he would make me happy…but I doubt I will be happy with him."

"Don't be hasty with your impression of him Khushi. Give it some time. Maybe you will end up liking him. Or maybe you don't. With time you should be able to resolve this conflict." Payal said. Khushi's lips stretched with each word. She had missed this side of her sister – the strong willful one which advised her when she was feeling conflicted. "How is it working with the handsome Arnav Raizada? I saw his interview on NDTV Profit and I must say he is quite dashing. My sister-in-law is jealous of your association with him." Payal giggled.

Khushi rolled her eyes. "He is a major pain in the ass when he isn't being a slave driving asshole." Khushi grumbled.

The sisters fell silent for moments before Khushi picked a new thread of conversation. "I always wondered why Margaret Hale would find Milton acceptable after living in fashionable London and slow and green countryside."

"Margaret didn't like Milton in the beginning. After a while, she saw beauty in smoke covered grey town and strength in men and women underneath soot covered faces. She isn't a girl like Edith, who would have definitely disliked Milton purely because of her personal preference. Margaret was…"

"…more adaptable?" Khushi asked softly.

Payal didn't respond immediately. When she did, her voice was barely above whisper. "She belonged in Milton because it was an allegory to her character itself – strong, forward thinking and unapologetically indifferent when it wants to be."

"You think so?" Khushi asked.

Payal chuckled nervously. "Hey, that's just a perception of an ex-English honors student."

"I have to go. Call me later." Khushi said hurriedly. Something in the way Payal had said about Margaret Hale had her sides in pin pricks. She hung up the phone and exhaled loudly.

Payal was wrong. Margaret felt a liking to Milton because of people in it. The industrious city made Margaret stand out like an oddball with her gentility and perception. Yet it was the only place which made her feel…alive. She didn't know if it was because of everything Milton represented or if it was because of that one man.

Khushi couldn't answer.