Arshi ff: HIS LOVE HIS PRIDE

Part 1

1. Khushi lives in her apartment which is in a posh locality, she once thought that it would be more for an employee but being an employee at AR, it would do (wink). She lives in a double bedroom flat with kitchen attached and dining area, living area and balcony. The interior looks very tasteful and well maintained, cozy couch, swing, 2 sofa sets, 60" inches TV, Music system besides that a stand of CDs, besides that a rack full of books. This is her apartment and her favorite one since the time she first came to see when they bought.
It is one of the fine weekends; Khushi is sleeping peacefully on her double cot bed but got disturbed by the intruder who pushed her blanket off her making her to open her eyes with a jerk as she lives alone. She turned and looked at the person who is with her in the room, seeing the person she relaxed and fell back on the bed to continue her sleep.
Garima: Good morning! She saw her falling back to sleep.
Garima: Khushi, wake up. I informed you last night that we are going to temple then why didn't you wake up?
Khushi: mamma please let me sleep. She pulled her mother on the bed and sleeps, putting her head on her lap.
Garima: listen, it's already 6am. Now get up or else there will be a rush at the temple.
Khushi got shocked: 6? She looked at the wall clock and then again at her mamma.
Khushi: what was the need to come here at this early hour?
Garima: I knew you won't wake up so had to come.
Khushi: you could have called me?
Garima: oh! Really? She asked raising her brows at her then picked up her mobile and showed her 20 missed calls from home.
Khushi: 20 missed calls? How couldn't I hear the ring?
Garima: how could you hear when it's on silent? By the way, once you sleep, you just forget the world around.
Khushi pouted and sat straight on the bed with head hung down.
Garima: Now get up and freshen up fast or else will be late. She said pulling her of the bed and pushed in the bathroom and closed it.
Few minutes later,
Khushi from inside the bathroom: Mamma, please pass on my clothes?
Garima: I can't, come out and get it yourself...
Khushi sighed highly and came out in a towel covering her till mid thigh, at the same time Garima entered the room.
Garima: what is this Khushi?
Khushi: what? She asked shrugging her shoulders.
Garima: how can you just come out like this?
Khushi: you itself asked me to come out and get my clothes so... and no one is around. She said sticking her tongue out and winking at her.
Garima: badmaash! She said throwing the pillow at her and left to let her change.
Khushi laughed her at her and got changed into a white salwar-suit and let her hair open.
Khushi: I'm ready! Let's go.
Garima: one minute, let me pick my purse.
Khushi asked the driver to go back home as she gonna drive her mom.
They both entered the car and head to the temple.
After the puja got completed Khushi came out and waiting for her mother to come out so that they can leave and complete the shopping and then head back to the Gupta Nivas, but here, her mother is taking too long to come out...
Khushi: Mamma! She called her mother from the stairs.
Garima: 2 minutes, will be coming, saying she went back in the temple as she forgot to take the thali in there.
Khushi: Careful! She shouted with a concern but before she could reach her mother; she saw her mother already disappeared inside the temple.
She waited for 5 minutes but didn't see her mother coming, so she went to the parking area to get the car before her mother shows up, so that they can start early.
She parked the car at the opposite entrance of the temple, she saw her mother getting down the stairs and sighed murmuring "finally‟. She got down seeing her mother coming down with another lady who is looking, as same age of her mother's. She felt something different in her mother's face; Garima's face is glowing and the smile on her face not leaving for a split of a second. Khushi wondered what had happened in this short time. She got down from the car as she saw a lady with her mother coming towards her.
Garima: and here is my daughter, Khushi. Khushi this is my childhood friend Aisha.
Khushi did Namaste to her with a smile and suddenly something clicked her.