(-NishaSobti-, thanx!)
Part 11
"Shall I
drop you home, Khushi?" His voice still carried traces of the effect her tale
had on him.
"No. No, thank
you. We will manage. Namaste." She folded her hands. So did Nidhi. He
reciprocated, and watched Khushi walk away from him with a pang, the emptiness
in his chest growing...
She stopped
when she was a few steps away, turned around, and looked at him.
"It is so
strange." The pale morning sun lovingly outlined her figure, fully covered in red.
He walked
towards her, his eyes worshiping her beauty.
"What is so
strange?", he asked softly.
"That you should
ask and I should tell you."
He
swallowed hard.
"Maybe it is
for the best.", she murmured, her eyes lowered to his shoulders, her face
pensive.
"I am glad
that you told me." His sincerity was without doubt.
She looked
into his serious, direct eyes and nodded. Then she caught hold of Nidhi's arm,
and walked away.
Arnav stood
still, watching her leave.
"Chotey! How
did you meet Khushiji?", Anjali asked.
"Such a
sanskaari child!", said Nani.
"She is sooo
beautiful!", remarked NK.
Arnav
frowned at him.
Mami teased
him, "What did you see of her to judge her beauty, NK Bitwaa? Even her facewaa was covered
in the ghoonghatwaa!"
"Tumhe pata
he, Chotey!", began Anjali, trying to sell Khushi to Arnav. "The children in the
orphanage love her so much."
"Haan,
Chotey, Nidhi was telling us that she cooks for all of them."
"And sings
too.", added Anjali.
This
continued as they travelled home. Arnav drove, hiding a smile, as the ladies
enumerated Khushi's plus ponts and wondered about what they did not know.
"Chotey, do
you know anything about Khushiji's parents?", asked Anjali.
"She is an
orphan. They died in an accident."
All in the
car became silent for a moment.
Then Anjali
said softly, "Like us."
Nani asked
him, "Chotey, can we visit her orphanage?"
Arnav
murmured, "Yes."
"Do you know
where it is?"
"Yes."
"Chotey, you
didn't tell us. How do you know her?"
"Met her at
the recording studio.", he mumbled.
"Nannav is
shy! Nannav is shy! He is blushing.", NK teased him. All laughed.
That night,
dinner was a noisy affair.
Nani, Mami,
& Anjali, ably helped by Akash & NK, were determined to find out what
Arnav felt about Khushi.
"I was
thinking, Khushi is such a nice girl. Where do you find girls like that these
days?", started Nani.
"Haan,
haan.", agreed Mami.
"We should
keep her in our family."
"Haan, Nani."
(Shybabe!, thanx!)
"Bhy waste
good girlwaa?", added Mami. "She can cookwaa & cleanwaa. She ijj a ready-made
bahuriyaa. And Saasumma, she can sing too. Lori bhi ready-made!!!"
"There are 3
boys in our family. One of them can marry her.", declared Nani.
Arnav
clenched his jaw.
"I am ready.
Naniji, Maasi, Di. I am ever ready to marry Khushiji."
Arnav
choked on a sip of water.
"You! Marry
Khushi?', Arnav growled.
"Why not?",
asked a cheerful NK. "I am jawan, badsoorat, fitrat..."
"Fitrat?",
asked Akash.
"It mean fit and
healthy.", explained NK.
Akash
sighed in exasperation.
"My bitwaa ijj
alzo ready to marry Khushi. Caampatition (competition) shuru ho jaaye!", said Mami.
Akash stole a scared look at Arnav's red face.
"Unfortunately
my Chotey has no interest in marriage.", said Anjali, sad & sorrowful. "So we will have to cut
his name from the list, Nani."
"Haan,
Anjali Bitiyaa. It is so sad.", sighed Nani.
"Who said I
don't want to get married?", said the lion, growling, standing at the edge of
the trap.
"You want to
marry, Chotey!", exclaimed Anjali.
"Have you
changed you mind?", asked Nani.
"Err... I
wouldn't mind marrying if the girl is good.", stammered Arnav.
"But
Khushiji wouldn't suit you, Chotey. Such a gharelu girl!"
"And why
should she live with a bitter karela who laughs once a year?", asked NK.
If looks could
kill! NK moved back in his chair to hide behind Akash.
"She is too
simple for you, Chotey."
"Too simple
for me?", fumed Chotey.
"Matmal, she
wearjj too many clothes, Arnav Bitwaa. You are used to seeing modals (models) bearing
chote kapde, in your ophice (office)!", Mami explained the meaning of 'simple'.
"She is not
too simple for me.", said Arnav, frantic at the thought of losing Khushi.
"Are you
sure, Chotey?", asked Nani.
"Yes.", came
the answer, low but sure.
Akash &
NK quickly gave up all claims to Khushi. Akash said, "When Bhai is not married,
how can I...? I am younger to him..."
NK joined
him. "Haan, Nannav. You are much older than me. Take this chance. Otherwise
buddhiya ho jaaoge, akele, akele..."
Anjali bit
back a smile and asked, "Chotey, if you regret it after marrying her..."
"I won't."
"Arnav
Bitwaa, soch lio." Mami warned him.
"I am ready
to marry her."
The others
looked at each other, relief & joy written on their faces.
(Aditi07, thanx!)
"Shall we go
to the orphanage tomorrow morning and meet her Baba?", asked Nani.
Arnav nodded.
"I... I need to talk to Khushi too. To get her to agree." After his stupid proposition at
the studio, would she believe him if he proposed marriage to her? He could feel a drop of sweat roll down his neck.
Part 12: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/3239275?pn=120
Edited by smitar - 11 years ago
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