6. My Friend

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Mami corrected her binocular and see through it...
So whatever she is watching is not any object but her Arnav Bitwa walking, guiding a girl...

'Mr. Raizada...' - the receptionist called him for signing some paper.

'Room no 274, left corridor 2nd floor...' - Arnav show her the way.

'Chalo Maiyya ke bhawan, Bhawan bhawan..' - Khushi's phone rang.

It was her Amma asking about Buaji's medicine dose.
She began instructing about those medication.

After finishing her call, she looked for Arnavji.
He wasn't in the reception area.

She remembered... Room number 274, from left corridor, second floor...

Khushi began walking counting the steps.

  Di opened the door alert as a knock was heard.
'Yes, please...,who are you?'

'Is Arnavji inside?' - Khushi asked confused. Did she reached any wrong room??

'Who?' - Di asked to clear her mind. Did she heard the name wrong!!

'Arnavji' - Khushi told for the second time.

'Are you asking after Arnav Singh Raizada?' - It was the lady with a pair of pink goggles  on her head.

'Ji yes, Arnavji, he is my friend' - Khushi smiled.

'Sasumaa,  I myself saw hamre Arnav Bitwa walking holding her hands few minutes ago. But the questions is where is Humare Arnav Bitwa now?' - Mami asked near her old sasuma.

'How are you feeling now Naniji?' - She asked smiling.

'Fine bitiya. She is Anjali, my grand daughter'-Nani introduced.

'And your Arnavji's elder sister' - Anjali teased.

'And I am Manorama, Arnav Bitwa's one and only mami, miss Lucknow... '- came another identity.

'Arre wah. You  are from Lucknow. Mamiji I too am from Lucknow. My name is Khushi...' - She chirped.

'Come sit' - His Di invited.

'Anjali Bitiya... I think now a days it is a trend to settle in Delli leaving Lucknow. What a trend' - Mami said.

'I don't like Delhi. Its just my situation trapping me here'-Khushi felt offended.

' Didn't Arnavji came here? He recite me the address and invited to the hospital, Infact we both came together . Do you know we both escaped from our office, ditching our boss. Waise achchha hua, that ASR was so Khadoos... Arrogant Bull. Arre when I find Arnavji in that office, he gave me the idea to escape and I am Khushi Kumari Gupta. That giant can't trap a butterfly in his glass cage. Can he?'-Khushi asked in turn.

' Khushi... '-She heard his husky voice ladden with warmth.

' Arnavji..'-Khushi cried softly.

' I was searching for you down, Khushi... '-He said.

' You only gave me the room number Arnav ji '-Khushi replied.

' Sorry... I forgot'-He easily said the word staring with S and ending with Y.

The other three occupant watched the drama unfold.

' Chhotey... What is happening here?' - Di asked confused. Why did Chhotey make her his friend and then tried helping her to escape from his office?

' Arnav Bitwa is this the reason that you faught with us and Sasuma for not hitching you with any other girl? '- mami whispered near his ear.

'I don' t know' - He replied.

'You don't know!' - Mami teased.

'Err... Khushi, for how long you two have been friends?' - Mami asked.

'One week...' - Arnav replied.

'Hello hi... Are you Khushi by any chance Bitwa?? I asked the girl... Did you both  meet in a fashion show?? Haye glittering lights, new dresses and suddenly you fall in his arm like a fairy .'-Mami added few more questions.

'No... We met in this hospital only. Buaji had a heart attack and  Naniji was sick that day. We talked that night and became friends'-She filled in the gap of incidents.

'We talked!! Chhotey you talked!! You know how to talk!!' - Nani teased.

Arnav Singh Raizada hided his face.

'Ji... He is such a sweet man, so good, so so obidient, so calm...' Khushi added inappropriate adjectives to his character.

'Humre Arnav Bitwa has these many qualities. I thought he barks order, drinks kaali coffee and spit its bitterness though his words... Remains silent and has anger at the tip of his nose' - Mami wondered aloud.

'Shall we go Nani? The saline is about to finish' - Arnav asked his Nani trying to escape the heavy doses of teasing.

'I will call the nurse to pull out the drip' - He added immediately.

The nurse came hurriedly, checked the old woman's blood pressure before releasing her.

'Do you need any thing for Buaji? Any medicine or  energy drinks' - Arnavji asked.

Khushi denied. Everything is already at home.

'Buaji? When did she became his Buaji!!' - Mami teased.

Di was controlling her laughter.

When Chhotey gets home, this evening, it will be hilarious to pull his leg.



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