Love is not always Sweet

chapter 27

Khushi wasn’t surprised when she saw Arnav entering her sweet shop in a casual outfit... Some how, she guessed it when he asked yesterday whether she would open her sweet shop... but she still couldn’t guess why... and why was he not dressed in his formals like every other day?When she looked at him, he smiled at her and she returned it...

Khushi: any special reason that you are here, Arnavji? (she asked playfully)

Arnav smiled to that before answering...

Arnav: a special purpose actually...

When Khushi gave confused look, Arnav decided to explain further...

Arnav: I want to work in your sweet shop starting today...

To say Khushi was surprised would be an understatement... Her mouth hung open when she heard him...

Khushi: what??

Arnav: you heard me... I wanted to work here...

Khushi: what are you even speaking Arnavji...? Even if AR goes into losses, I am not ready to believe what you just said...

Arnav: well... Firstly, AR didn’t go into losses... and lastly, you have to believe whatever I said Khushi...

Khushi: but why? Why do you even want to work here? Has something got dropped on your head yesterday night? I am getting tensed, Arnavji... Are you alright?

Arnav laughed at her words and then, answered her question...

Arnav: If you could work in my office and go through my torment, then why couldn’t I?

Khushi: what does that have to do with you working here?

Arnav: I didn’t show an ounce of humanity when you worked at my office, Khushi... I punished you for nothing and kept insulting you... Today, I am making the situation reverse... I will work under you and will listen to your commands...

Khushi was not very pleased to hear that...

Khushi: this looks like you are making me take revenge on you... Do you really expect me to follow it, Arnavji?

Arnav(nodding his head negatively): no Khushi... I want to understand your life... I want to understand it by living in your world... It’s not that just you are entering into my life or I am entering into your life... We both together are going to start a new life... So, I decided to know your world before starting this new life... I don’t want to be the person who insulted his love on the name of her status and class... You have given me another chance... So, this time, I want to be a man who helps his woman in her success... Not the one who brings sorrow in her life...

Khushi stared at him with pride... She was about to cup his cheek when she heard the sound of a customer entering the shop...

Arnav: I think, I should start my work... (He said while looking at the fifty year old woman who was walking towards them...)

When Khushi tried to speak something, he didn’t let her...

Arnav: sshhh... I will handle this... (he whispered to her)

When the lady reached them, she looked at  Arnav with a frown on her forehead... She then, turned to Khushi who instantly greeted her with a smile...

Khushi: namasthe, Subhadra aunty...

Subhadra: namasthe bitiya... Who is this new guy? Didn’t see him anytime?

Arnav: I just joined today, ma’am...

Subhadra: ma’am? Did you bring him from any five-star hotel? (She asked Khushi again)

Khushi suppressed her smile while Subhadra spoke to Arnav...

Subhadra: okay... Give me a gulab jamun cup...

She then, turned to Khushi so that she could speak with her until then...

Subhadra: How is the business going, Khushi? (she asked with a smile)

Khushi: good aunty... (she smiled back but kept looking at Arnav who was bent and was looking at the sweets in front of him)

Arnav looked at all the sweets to find what the lady demanded... Finally, he took a cup in his hand and before he could move, he heard the lady yelling at him, while still standing by the glass separation...

Subhadra: I asked for gulab jamun... Why are you picking kala jamun? Don’t you know the difference?

Arnav dropped the cup back to its place and stood straight with a confused face... He scanned the sweets once again... Khushi smiled seeing his restlessness...

Subhadra(to Khushi): Khushi bitiya, how could you hire him when he doesn’t even know about sweets...?

Khushi: It’s okay, aunty... I will teach him...

Khushi smiled and helped Arnav by picking and handing the gulab jamun cup to Subhadra... Subhadra held it in her hand and paid money to Khushi before speaking again...

Subhadra: okay... I have to go, Khushi bitiya... We will talk some other time...

Khushi smiled and nodded her head while Subhadra left... She turned to Arnav immediately and found him taking a deep breathe...

Arnav: I couldn’t even do this small work... and I was making your life literally a hell when you were working in a correct way at my office...

Khushi: so what? You planned to understand my life in this way? By trying to do all these and then blame yourself?

Arnav simply shrugged his shoulders not wanting to answer anything...

Khushi: Arnavji, this is not your job... You don’t have to do this...

Arnav: just because I am diabetic doesn’t mean I can’t be helpful...

Just then, Ramu, who worked in her sweet shop came out of the kitchen space...

Ramu: Khushi didi, Should I arrange the other sweets in the shelves?

Khushi nodded her head and then, turned to Arnav...

Khushi: So, you want to be helpful?

Arnav: yes...

Khushi: then, do the one which you are capable of... Handle AR which is the best you can do...

Arnav: AR will be handled anyways, Khushi... I should set things between us before that... I should know to take care of you and whatever belongs to you...

Khushi was about to speak when Ramu returned with sweets... Khushi sighed before speaking to Arnav...

Khushi: We will talk about this later...

Arnav: good... Until then, I will stay here and help you...

Khushi: Arnavji... (she whined)

Arnav: Khushiji... (he whined in the similar way)

Khushi’s eyes widened and looked at Ramu only to see him suppressing his smile...

Khushi: are you planning to put a show here? Don’t you have a whole company to run?

Arnav: no... Nothing is interesting me more than you...

Khushi: you want to bring losses to your company?

Arnav: I don’t mind... In fact, it might be for good... I could work with you... in this sweet shop... with you in front of my eyes all the time... (he jokes)

Khushi understood that he was just joking... For him, AR was so much important... He worked it from the scratch and made it a top company...

Khushi: I am not a fool, Arnavji... I know, what importance AR carries in your eyes... It’s the one you care after di...

Arnav: but not more than you... You are more important to me... If I have to neglect my work to spend some time with you, to know you better, to make a good start of our relationship... I will do that without a second thought... I care for you Khushi... If I cared for any woman other than di, it was you... You brought that change in me... These words are not from my irrational mind... These words are from my heart which I never thought could happen before...

Khushi was overwhelmed by his words but thought to tease him...

Khushi: what if your heart is giving you all wrong signals?

Arnav: No signal problem... My heart is receiving and sending all correct signals only...

Arnav realized that they should probably stop this topic when Ramu came back from kitchen area with more sweet plates...

Arnav: okay... We will talk about this in the evening when I walk you to your home... How about that?

Khushi: Finally... Thank you Devi Maiya... (she thanked for letting Arnav decide the correct thing)

Arnav(smiling): but I am not going anywhere... Will stay here for a while and see you deal with your customers...

Khushi sighed deeply knowing she couldn’t convince him more... When another customer arrived, Khushi got involved but never failed to notice Arnav’s regular glances at her while he spoke to Ramu... What was he even speaking to Ramu, she didn’t know... After a while, he walked to her...

Arnav: see you in the evening...

Khushi nodded and Arnav left the shop, making her breathe normal again...

***

It was almost the time that Khushi closed her shop... She cleared the remaining sweets and took her purse to leave... Her house was not very far from the shop... She would close the shop at the hour of dinner daily... Though, many customers would still be coming to her shop at that time, she couldn’t manage it alone... It was different when she used to help her father when they ran the sweet shop before... but she was happy that the days would go back to normal again because her father was slowly getting normal again and soon her family would be back to Lucknow... Her mother called her this morning and told her this news... She was very happy to hear her father’s voice... In these three months, he recovered a lot... With a smile, she closed the shop and turned around only to face Arnav...

Arnav: I already parked my car at your home... Let’s walk...

Khushi raised her eyebrows... Arnav Singh Raizada really wanted to walk in this crowd at this hour?

Khushi: The street is a bit occupied with people... Are you really okay walking in this crowd?

Arnav: I am fine... Let’s walk...

Both of them kept walking and reached Khushi’s house within five minutes... When Khushi leaned to unlock the main door, Arnav tucked the hair strands that fell on her face... His fingers still lingered on her cheek which made her unable to look at him... He palmed her cheek, making her turn to face him and just stared at her for minutes...

Khushi: Ar... Arnavji... (she stuttered)

Arnav: hmm... (he responded in a daze)

Khushi: what if it rains...?

Arnav: what?? (he asked confused while getting pulled out from his dream world)

Khushi: I mean, I dried my clothes upstairs... What if it rains and they get wet again?

Arnav paused for a second before starting to laugh...

Arnav: really Khushi? You are thinking about that? And you seriously think it’s going to rain now? (he asked because the weather didn’t support her doubt about raining)

Khushi realized that her thoughts reached such a point because of Arnav’s gaze that she didn’t realize what she was speaking...

Khushi: ha, it might rain... Who knows?

Arnav just smiled while Khushi pushed the door open... Seeing her nervousness, Arnav decided to speak...

Arnav: Did you decide on accepting me working in your shop? (he asked while following Khushi inside)

Khushi: Arnavji... Why are you being so stubborn on this? How many days will you continue avoiding AR? AR needs you... (she asks while coming to a halt in the living room)

Arnav: but I wanted to do this... to be with you in each step that you take in your life... (he answers after standing opposite to her)

Khushi(sighing): let me get an honest reply, Arnavji... Are you by any chance doing this also because you wanted to compensate for the time I worked at your office and at your home?

Arnav stayed silent and Khushi got her answer....

Khushi: Arnavji... Look at me... (she continued while palming his cheeks)

Arnav: I was not fair to you, Khushi... Since the time you joined AR, I made your life literally a hell... I feel guilty when I think about the way I treated you and the way I pointed at your status... insulted you...

Khushi spoke after looking into his eyes for a while...

Khushi: I know that... but at the same time, I also saw the real Arnav Singh Raizada... who masks his face with his anger and arrogance... the one who paid my father’s hospital bill... the one who almost killed some goons just because they hurt me a little... the one who helped me in bringing jiji and jijaji together... the one who danced with me on jiji’s sangeet ceremony despite the fact that he will loose our bet...

While she explained in the calmest way possible, Arnav kept looking at her... He slowly took one of her palms in his and brought it towards his lips... He kissed her palm gently and spoke to her...

Arnav: Sometimes, I feel like I don’t deserve you...

Khushi: sometimes I feel like no one could handle me except for Arnav Singh Raizada... (she smiled)

A faint smile appears on Arnav’s lips...

Khushi: you be comfortable... I will prepare dinner for both of us...

Saying that, Khushi leaves to kitchen while Arnav keeps staring at her...



***