Ek Duje Ke Vaaste

Part 8

Khushi slowly got up and took a shower. She stood infront of the mirror and saw the scratch marks on her shoulders, arms and shivered as she recalled the incident yet another time. But this time she also thought about someone else- arnav singh raizada, how he fought to save her honour and dignity, how he hugged her and made her feel safe..how he was by her side all night...then again his harsh words buzzed in her ears.

Khushi muttered: ek pal mein sambhalna, aur dusrey hi pal mein dard dena..pata nehi aap aise kyun hai..then she said: tu bhi na khushi, tujhe kya fark padta hai..hey devi maaiya humey aapka lakh lakh shukar rahe ajke baad humey kabhi unke samne jaane ki zarurat nehi hogi. (Protecting in one moment and hurting in the very next moment- don't know why you are like this.. but how does it matter..thank god I don't have to go infront of him ever)

Khushi was supposed to go back to delhi that evening. She went to meet dinesh chacha before she left. She met him near the market place and said: chachaji hum aj wapas jaa rahe hai..aapne hamarey liye jo bhi kiya uske liye bohot bohot shukiya (I am going back today...thank you for everything)

Chachaji: hamesha khush rehena bitiya..bhagwan har ma baap ko tum jaisi beti de.(always be happy...every parent should get a daughter like you)

She smiled at him and went away. Arnav who was passing by saw her talking to dineshji.

He came down from his car and walked upto him. Seeing him dinesh said: arey aap yahaan..do minute pehele aatey to khushi bitiya bhi aap se mil sakti. (you here? If you would have come 2 minutes before that khushi could have met you)

Arnav said: khushi..?

Chachaji: haan abhi abhi yahaan se gayi..yeh wohi ladki hai jisne aapni amma babuji ke khatir aapni janamdene wale ma babuji ki nishani bech di..(yes she just went..she is the one who sold of her parents belongings for the sake of her adopted parents)

Arnav's mouth was left open. He stood their dumbfounded. Chachaji added: bohot bara dil chahiye aisa kuch karne ke liye... Then said: achha beta hum chaltey hai..namastey (you need a very big heart to do this..ok I'll take your leave now)

Arnav didn't know what to say. Just because of him this girl sold of her parents belongings. He knew how valuable it was as he himself was an orphan and knew how much it meant to hold on to your parents memories and their belongings. He felt extremely guilty and stood rooted to the spot till his phone buzzed bringing him back to reality. He said: yeh deal nehi hogi..I will talk to the client. (this deal will not happen..i will talk to the client)

He hung up and dialed another number and said: Mr. Malhotra I am extremely sorry par hum yeh deal nehi kar saktey..I know maine kaha tha ki construction usi land pe hogi but that is not possible now..I am sorry but we can't do this deal..sorry. He hung up. (I am sorry we can't do this deal now..i am extremely sorry...I know that I had said that we will do the construction there..but can't do it now..sorry)

He went back to his office and took out the papers for this land and had a look at them. Then put it back in his bag and started for delhi.

Back in delhi, both khushi and arnav couldn't forget the lucknow incident. Arnav had sent across the property papers to khushi after he came back., though he didn't meet her in person. His guilt feeling was not letting him be at peace. He didn't know what to do. It was almost a week after they returned from lucknow and they had not seen each other. Arnav got busy with his office work but whenever he was alone those tear filled hazel eyes flashed before his face as questioning him what right did he have to compel her to do this.

Lekin maine to usey aisa karne ke liye nehi kaha tha..he tried to console himself.(I never asked her to do this)

Khushi didn't let her family members know about the fact that she sold the land. Whatever money she had she kept it in a bank for her parents. She was back to being the happy go lucky khushi she was. Only thing that kept on haunting her when she was alone was the incident when the goons attacked her and everytime she ended up recalling the way arnav saved her. Everytime she reminded herself: tu bhi na khushi..teri jagah koi aure bhi hota tab bhi woh yehi kartey.(he would have done the same for anyone)

Days passed by in its normal course until one fine morning. Everyone was having breakfast, when nani said: hum sochat rahe ki ab waqat aa gaya hai ki ghar maa bahu laya jaaye (I am thinking that it is time we welcome a daughter-in-law to this family)

Anjali: haan nani yeh to bohot achhi baat kahi aapne (yes nani, this is a good idea)

Arnav looked up and said: no nani..I am not..

Nani: chhotey hum janat hai ki aap shaadi ke bandhan ko nahi manat hai..isiliye hum aapke nahi akash bitwa ki baat karat hai (I know you don't believe in marriage..i am talking about akash)

Aakash smiled.

Mami: helo hi bye bye..datar in lawzz lane ka pari

Anjali: nani to aapki nazar mein koi hai hamarey aakash ke liye (do you have anyone in mind)

Mami: humri najar mein ek hai..(there is someone I have in mind)

Anjali: kaun mami? (who?)

Mami: woh humri tarah butiful to naahi hai par kam bhi naahi hai (she is not as beautiful as I am but not bad either)

Nani: kaun hai manorama (who is it?)

Mami: helo hi bye bye ..u bohutii famous khandan hai..kapoor khandan..unki chhoti beti...kareena (she belongs to a very famous family..kapoor family..kareena kapoor)

Anjali shook her head smiling

Nani smiled and said:..waisan aakah bitwa ke khatir humri zehen mein koi hai..(I have someone in mind)

Mami: kaun?? Who izz?

Nani: payal bitiya

Anjali grinned: payalji?? Khushiji ki behen?

Both akash and arnav looked up.

Nani: haan..humey woh peheli najar mein hi achhi lagi thi..aur parivaar bhi kitna achha hai..(yes I liked her when I had seen her for the first time and the family is also good)

Mami: helo hi bye bye...refoogee camp se ek refoogee ko uthake laaney ka kaa jaroorat hai sasuma..(why do we need to bring a refugee from the refugee camp?/)

Nani rolled her eyes: manorama..kabhi to soch ke bola kijiye..payal bitiya ek bohot achhi ladki hai..agar akash bitwa ko pasand ho to hum baat agey bara saktey hai (think before you talk..she is a nice girl and if akash agrees we can talk to her family)

Anjali looked at akash and raised her eyebrow smiling: kyun aakash? (what say aakash?)

Aakash blushed: di aap bhi na (di you)

Oo iska matlab tumhe payalji pasand nehi..koi baat nehi...Anjali pulled his leg (oo that means you don't like her..its ok)

Aakash reacted instantly: nehi di maine aisa to nehi kaha.(no I didn't mean that)

Everyone laughed and arnav muttered: unbelievable!

Nani said: hum aj hi unhe phone kartey hai aur jald se jald waha rishtey ki baat karne jayenge. (I will call then today and very soon we will go to their place)Everyone in the house was super excited except one who again was overpowered by his guilt thinking of khushi.

It was decided that the raizadas would go to the gupta house the next day to fix the marriage date. Arnav didn't want to go but when aakash requested him he couldn't say a no.

The raizadas and guptas were super busy from the morning making preparations for the day. Arnav was in his room working when anjali came in.

Anjali: off ho chhotey..aj bhi tum yeh laptop se chipak ke baithey ho..jaldi karo humey nikalna hai (even today you are stuck with this laptop of yours... make it fast we need to leave now)

Arnav: di meri ek conference hai...aap log chaliye main aata hoon..(you guys go..i will come in sometime)

Anjali: achha thik hai..lekin jaldi aana..(ok come fast)

She turned to go and said: waise tumhe pata hai na ki unka ghar kaha..(do you know the address?)

Arnav: I know di..

Anjali left with the others for laxminagar.