Dark Night Dawning

Chapter 23

'What??!!' For the second time that night Khushi had her mouth open in an O. She was mortified when she heard the advice Arnav had given Prateek. 'Arnavji, how could you?'

'Look Khushi, it was just a joke ok?' Arnav said affably.

'Joke?.....Arnavji! This is not Delhi ----- here in Lucknow you can't say things like that. Prateekji comes from a traditional and cultural family!'

'So what?' he countered, 'Do people from traditional and cultural families expect women to be behave like rag dolls?' He decided to pull her leg, 'You tell me Khushi, don't you feel free?'

Was he asking her if she felt free in bed?! 'Yes.....I mean No! ......I don't know!' exclaimed Khushi flushing crimson, 'Oh God, I am not talking to you about this!' Khushi was already worried what Palak's family would have thought about her behaviour earlier in their house. In the past one year she had got so accustomed to the Raizadas lifestyle that she had forgotten how women behaved in the in these parts. She would have to apologize to maasiji tomorrow. What will happen if Prateekji tells someone?' she asked lines of worry creasing her forehead.

'He won't.' Arnav declared confidently.

'How would you know?' she challenged.

'He is a man ----- and men don't talk!' he said cockily, 'And what was I supposed to do when Palak came up to me told me advise him about letting her work after marriage? What was she thinking? Why would Prateek listen to some random guy who he met for the first time?'

'I think Palak feels a little more free with you than Surajji, she feels like you are the cool older brother.'

Palak thought of him as a brother? As if he didn't have enough problems with one sister back home. People were so quick to form relationships here weren't there? He said 'Of course she will feel more free with me ----- Suraj behaves like he has a stick up his a@#!'

'Arnavji!' Khushi cut him off. 'Please stop talking like that!'

'Alright, so explain this to me. If Palak is my sister, then does that make Suraj my brother? And if so, will you be Suraj's sister?' he asked her with a poker face.

Khushi just stared at him like he had just grown tow horns and then turned and walked away to her room.

That night Arnav entered the bedroom to find Khushi standing in her blouse and petticoat. She had just picked up her kameez in her hands when she spotted him. She clutched the cloth to her chest and snapped. 'What are you doing here?'

'What do you mean what I am doing here? Looks like you have forgotten that you have given up the extra rooms for Palak's wedding guests!' Right now his room was occupied by half a dozen giggling school girls.

'Oh!' said Khushi hitting her forehead with her hand, 'that's right...'

'How am I supposed to work with all this din?' he asked her exasperated.

'Kamla maasi asked me and I couldn't refuse,' she explained. Why did she have to feel guilty about it? She hadn't asked him to come here and work, had she? She defended herself, 'This is not Delhi! Here in Lucknow we help our neighbours.'

'Oh believe me Khushi, I am painfully aware of the fact that this is not Delhi!' he bit out.

'Good! Now go out -----I have to change!' she snapped back.

Arnav walked slowly into the room toward her, and stood in front of her looking at her from her head to toe. As he leaned in, her dhak-dhak began in a slow rhythm and she took a step backward only to realize that he was picking up a file that was kept on the table next to her.