Chapter 14

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14

Incoming Call

Lavanya

Khushi stared at the screen and kept wondering if to receive the call. Her first thought was, of course, not to receive it. But why was La-ji calling Arnavji so late at night? It was almost twelve. Was she in any emergency? The phone stopped ringing before Khushi could make up her mind. She took the phone in her hand and kept staring at it wondering what to do. Arnav-ji must be going mad right now looking for the phone. Why had not he called and checked yet?

The phone rang just then again as if it had read her mind.

"Home" calling.

Should she receive it? It could be Arnav. The phone started ringing for the second time when Khushi decided to receive it. She swallowed before pressing the call button with her shaking fingers.

"Hello."

She could feel the sharp intake of breath on the other side of the phone but no response came.

"Hello"

She could hear the faint sound of someone .. swallowing?

"Arnavji," Khushi inquired softly.

"Khushi .."

Arnav only looked for his phone when he was already in bed and needed to set alarm. Saying he was shocked not finding it anywhere, would be an understatement. He was not the kind of guy who left his personal things here & there. He had never lost his phone till date. He checked everywhere possible and then he remembered when he had received the last phone call. And he instantly knew why he never thought about his phone from then onwards.

Khushi Kumari Gupta. What was she doing to him?

Arnav was relieved to hear the phone ringing but the voice on the other end shut his brain down for the umpteenth time in the day.

"Arnavji .. woh .. I found your phone in the poolside. I am so sorry .. I .. I forgot to return it. I just noticed .."

"It is ok. Don't bother. It must have slipped when .."

Arnav could not finish his sentence as the vision and the feelings from some moments by the poolside occupied him. A vision in red .. dizzying lemony scent stronger than ever .. hitched breath .. touch of velvet on his lips ..

Arnav with great surprise felt the fluttering butterflies in his stomach .. the warmth running through his blood ..

What were those? Was she going through the same?

Yes. She was going through the same and more because similar thoughts occupied her mind too.

Coffee eyes darker than ever .. heat burning her skin as the two hands untied her dori .. the touch of heaven on her lips ..

Out of nowhere, Khushi suddenly started coughing, as if to shake off the memories of the moments .. not to indulge herself to drift away once again. A concerned voice from the other end soothed her.

"Khushi .. Khushi are you alright?"

"Jji .." she tried stopping the sudden spasm of cough.

"Khushi .. have water."

"It is ok, Arnavji.." she was feeling better now – her throat getting comfortable.

"Tum theek ho?"

And her breathing hitched again .. the discomfort in her throat all forgotten. Why did her heart always stop every time he asked that?

"J-ji Arnavji, I am alright."

"Ok."

Both of them remained silent for a while waiting for the other to say something.

"Mm .. Khushi can you come out of your house at this time? I mean .. I need the phone .. so ..if you could .."

"I cannot come out, Arnavji. But if you need it, you can take it from the window .."

"Window?"

"Haan. Aap aa jaiye. I will give it to you from the window. Buaji is sleeping .. aur Jiji is not home .. so .."

"OK, I am coming."

Some twenty minutes later Arnav found himself standing in front of the one storied simple middle class house at the heart of Laxmi Nagar. The front windows were closed. So Arnav walked around the house to locate Khushi. He easily found the only room that seemed to have its lights turned on. He started walking towards the window but stopped on his track a few feet away.

Khushi was waiting for Arnav right by the window. How would the Laad Governor find her otherwise?

Arnav saw her between the swaying white curtains - sitting with her face resting on her palms as her elbows were supported on the sill. Her disheveled hairs were creating waves in the air. He could smell her even from the distance – lemon & something that was only her. Arnav wondered how his life was filled with such a lovely air suddenly – in the office, in the streets .. even at his own home. His lips curved into an almost invisible smile as her eyes fell on his.

Khushi could feel the instant pick up of her heartbeat as she saw Arnav standing a few feet away from the window. He was looking straight into her eyes .. and her breathing faltered. What was that strange feeling inside her stomach? What was that strange knot somewhere near her heart?

Never before, a man made her fancy like this. Never before, Khushi Kumari Gupta wanted to know how a man looked underneath the cover. She wanted to see it all .. know it all. It was the first time she was seeing him in anything but formal wear and saying she was floored would be an understatement. He was in a pair of black cotton pants and a jade green sweater with black shirt underneath. The sleeves were rolled up to the elbow giving Khushi the first view of his strong, masculine arms. Idolizing even Salman Khan did not help her – she could not but wonder how the rest of him looked liked. Only his arms were enough to beat her Salman-ji by thousands and made her "dhak-dhak" like never before.

Khushi was not sure how to react to her own wanton thoughts. She had never felt so promiscuous about herself. She forced a smile and stood up – not wanting to blush and let Arnav realize that she was literally checking him out. Suddenly she got very conscious of herself – her unkempt hair, her night creamed face, her old white night suit. Her hands automatically went to play nervously with the hairs messing with her face. Her nervousness rocketed as she saw him walking towards her. She was unaware when her right hand was pressed against her chest as if in the attempt to ease her racing heart.

Arnav noticed the traces of nervousness evident in her demeanour as he went closer to her. He could not control his smirk as he understood why suddenly Khushi put her hand just above the place where her heart resided. The last bit of doubt he had, vanished right then .. right there. Khushi Kumari Gupta was also affected by him in the same manner. Where all these would lead, meant nothing. All that mattered was the never-had-before feeling they both went through .. that both of them somehow craved for  more.

Arnav was just next to the window now. He watched in a trance as Khushi posed like a framed picture .. a white angel caged by worn out wooden panels. She was beautiful. He forgot to speak. He forgot to blink.

"Arnavji," Khushi cleared her throat.

"Hmmm..??"

"Aapka phone."

"Hmm"

"Please take it."

"What .."

"Aaapka phooonee." Khushi raised her voice a bit as she showed him the phone closely.

Devi Maiya giggled like a child at Arnav's lovestruck face. It took 28 years for Arnav to finally look like that. "Earth calling, Arnav," Devi Maiya mimicked and went ROFLing.

 Arnav came back to earth as if he heard Devi Maiya. "Get hold of yourself, Arnav," he mentally kicked himself hard covering up his embarrassment quite well.

Khushi missed the rare flush across his beautiful face because of his day old stubble.

"Thanks, Khushi," Arnav hastily took the phone from her not willing to make a fool of himself anymore, "See you tomorrow. Good Night."

Khushi was surprised with the sudden change in his tone & appearance. She was disappointed at the way he suddenly cut short the conversation.

"Ok, Arnavji. Good night."

She watched him turn from her and she could feel her disappointment turning into anger now slowly – anger at him for behaving so indifferently, anger at herself for even expecting anything at all from him. She turned too to walk away from the window and in haste, managed to collide with the reading table lying just beside the window.

"Ahh.." her painful voice reached Arnav alarming his every senses. He instantly turned and almost ran back to the window. He could see Khushi bending & checking her feet with her back towards him.

"Khushi .. kya hua? tum theek ho?"

"Kuch nehi. Aaap jaiye."

"Are you sure?"

"Haan, aap jaiye."

Arnav was confused if to walk away because he knew something was definitely not right with her. Just then Khushi again winced in pain as she tried to walk.

"Khushi! Tell me what is wrong."

"Kuch nehi. Humne kaha na aap se. Aaap jaiye."

Arnav could read the sign of stubbornness in her voice. Concern & irritation jumbled up his senses and without further thought, he jumped into the room crossing the window.

Khushi turned her face in shock and her mouth dropped, realizing Arnav was in her room now. And she panicked.

"What are you doing? Have you gone crazy? Please go. Hey Devi Maiya .. what will happen if somebody sees you? Please .."

"Have you hurt yourself?"

"Aaap jaiye, please. Buaji .."

"Let me see first."

"Nehi. There is nothing to see. Please leave."

Arnav by now had reached her and he turned her towards him holding her shoulder.

"Khushi, mujhe dekhne do."

His fingers eased on her shoulders as he saw her face full of pain. He got down on his knees and touched her left foot which was resting on its heel uncomfortably on the floor. She winced in pain as he touched her toes.

Arnav's concern rose. He hoped it was just a toe sprain.

"Can you walk?"

Khushi tried walking away but the moment she rested her right feet on the floor, extreme pain shot through some particular nerves of her body. She winced gulping down the scream that was forcing out of her throat and stopped immediately.

The glittering tear in the corner of her eyes did not go unnoticed by Arnav. Without second thought, he picked her up in his arms and walked towards the old mahogany bed.

Khushi was neither shocked nor embarassed. She just left this world and flew to the heavens as it dawned on her that she was being carried in the arms of his Arnavji. There was no discomfort .. there was no dhak-dhak .. there was no nervousness .. Sheer peace took over her in the protection of the two strong arms. Her one hand automatically held on to the front placket of his shirt while the other one was supported against his shoulder. She snuggled close to him as if it were the most normal thing on earth. She closed her eyes, breathed in his masculine smell & forgot about everything else.

Arnav felt Khushi relaxing in his arms. He cherished the warmth in his heart .. a kind of feeling that was unknown to him .. a kind of feeling that was somewhat similar to what he felt in the lap of his sister. A feeling of having someone close to his heart .. someone for him for no selfish reasons.

Arnav placed her fragile body on the bed most reluctantly, hating to let her go of his hold. She rested her head on the pillow with her eyes still shut. Arnav sat on the bed end and placed her left feet on his thigh. He inspected the big toe first. She kept still as if she felt nothing. He then touched her long toe and she winced. Arnav inspected the other toes and realized they were fine. He then softly started to massage the long toe with his thumb and could feel the ups & downs going through her nerves as she shivered now & then .. sometimes in pain & sometimes simply by his mere touch.

"Is it paining a lot," Arnav asked softly.

"Pata nehi," Khushi replied as if from a distant land.

Arnav kept massaging with his eyes glued on her innocent face while Khushi kept cherishing every bit of his touch on her feet.

Devi Maiya smirked. It was time to spice things up. Enough of "stealing" romance.

"Sanka Deviii," a voice boomed from the other side of the locked door, harshly breaking through their dream world.

Arnav's hand stopped and his eyes shot up to the door. Khushi also opened her eyes and sat on the bed instantly drawing her feet from Arnav's hold.

"Buaji," she exclaimed and tried to jump off the bed, "Owww.."

"Careful," Arnav scolded her as she hurt herself again. He held her by her arms preventing her from leaving the bed.

"Can you make her go," he inquired.

She gestured her to keep mum.

"Ji Buaji?"

"What are you doing, haan? Why lights are still on? And I heard strange sound from your room .."

"Kuch nehi Buaji. I just hurt my feet."

"Kya? Open the door. Abhi."

"It is nothing serious Buaji. You go and sleep."

"Don't talk so much. Bahaut bolti ho tum. Open the door. Now."

Khushi gestured Arnav to leave instantly and that was when she noticed the door. It was not locked.

"Hey Devi Maiya," Khushi banged her forehead, "Why did I have to forget today only to lock the door?"

Arnav already had gotten up from the bed and was about leave when he suddenly felt being tugged from behind. He was sitting crouched under the bed even before he realized how that had happened.

"What the .."

"Chup," Khushi hissed shocking the hell out him, "If Buaji comes and sees you, you won't even be able to say 'what the'. Just keep mum. And don't come out till I tell you."

Devi Maiya rolled laughing at the state of the great ASR. No doubt he needed Khushi in his life.

That Khushi did the right thing was proved in seconds as the door opened wide suddenly and Buaji walked in.

"Arre .. you haven't even locked door? Have you gone made?"

"Nehi Buaji. Woh kya hain ki .. Jiji is not here. I was missing her."

"When one of you gets married, what are you going to do, haan?"

"Ohho Buaji! Can't you talk of anything else but marriage? I am really sleepy now. You go and let me sleep."

"Let me see your feet first."

"Buaji .. there is no need .."

"Chup raho tum .. chalo dikhao .."

Khushi reluctantly stretched her feet and showed it to Buaji. She inspected a bit and declared it was a normal sprain.

"I will bring my herbal ointment right now and you will be fine by morning."

Khushi felt like banging her head again. She wondered what Laad Governor was doing under the bed.

"Buaji. There is no need. I will be fine by morning anyway. Please go and sleep. And let me sleep too. If you don't let me sleep, I will get even sicker."

"But .."

"Buajiii! Will you let me sleep or not?"

"Accha. Chalo. You sleep well. And if you feel any problem, do call me. Ok?"

"Haan Buaji. Sure!"

Khushi got on the floor and limped towards the door.

"There is no need to lock the door. Let it be open."

"Buaji! I am not going to die of a toe sprain. And I don't like to sleep with an open door. Please stop thinking so much."

"Ok. Hope you just get better soon."

Khushi almost forced the old lady out of the room and locked the door. She let go of a breath of relief and limped back to the bed.

"You can come out now," she whispered as she peeped under the bed bending her body.

Arnav came out crawling still wondering how he managed to get stuck in this weird situation. As soon as he stood up, Khushi startled him as she started rubbing his body here & there.

"What are you doing," he yelled.

"Chup," Khushi hissed again, "You want Buaji to come back?"

Arnav glared at her but only to be glared back.

"Have you looked at yourself? You look like a half-ghost with all those dirt on your clothes."

Arnav noticed how mucky his clothes have become. He let Khushi brush off some of the dirt but suddenly caught hold of her hand as she went further down his stomach. Was she crazy?

"Enough," he ordered.

"Kya," Khushi asked unaware with her eyes fixed on his pant as her fingers itched to brush off the remaining dirt of him.

"I can manage the rest. You have done enough."

Khushi looked at his eyes and after few seconds, realization dawned on her.

Arnav watched in amusement as her face suddenly turned tomato red and her beautiful, round eyes started nervously roaming around everywhere but him. He could not control himself from teasing her.

"Or .. may be you would like to continue?"

"Nooo," Khushi replied all flustered, "Aaap .. aap ghar jaiye. Aur .. aur .. wash your clothes when you are home."

"Well, that will do as well."

Arnav smirked. He then held her shoulders softly and made her sit on the bed.

"You take rest and sleep. Tomorrow is a long day. I don't want you to lie in your bed when the AR models walk on the ramp. Samjhi tum?"

"Ji," Khushi swallowed, "I will be fine."

"Ok then."

Arnav walked away from the bed and turned off the light. Khushi could not see the smile that lingered on his face. He stopped before he jumped out of the window. He turned and saw her lying form on the bed in the soft light coming from outside. She was beautiful.

"Good Night, Khushi," he said softly and crossed the window.

"Good Night, Arnavji," Khushi whispered as she watched him disappear.

She knew she was going to sleep well as the last thing she smelled in before closing her eyes was Arnavji.

She was breathing him tonight.