Chapter 3
Delhi, Saturday 30th June 2012
"Where did you get this number from?" The voice on the other end suddenly sounded very worried. She decided to change tracks.
"Uh, Arnav gave it to me. Said you would know what to do." Khushi had no idea what she was talking about. For the last few weeks she had given in and was willing to believe that it was probably a business related number. A random number.
"The business man Raizada? The missing one? I don't know what you are talking about lady. Did he come to your dreams? Or did his ghost come to you?"
"He is not dead." She grimaced and the man picked up on it on the other end.
"Look Lady, I don't know what you are talking about. He called me a while ago. About a business matter."
"I have been trying to call you for over a month."
"Yeah so?"
"I need to find him. Do you have anything?" She heard a pause and an intake of breath.
The man on the other end recalled the Raizada job. It was a strange one. It was a simple identity change. But a high profile one. Strange case.
"Why do you need to find him?"
"Because…" Khushi paused and she sunk down from the bed to the floor on her knees.
"Because I never got to tell him that I loved him before he left." With that she let the tears flow freely for the first time. She broke down with a complete stranger on the other side of the line. For months she had held herself together for their families.
"Don't cry. I don't like tears."
"Then tell me what to do? The only man I have ever loved has vanished without a trace. No, not without a trace. With one trace. Your number. And now you tell me you have nothing to tell me, I don't know where to go anymore. He is the only person that can give me a family of my own."
She heard a laugh, a bellowing laugh, "So you are sad because he didn't sow his seed before he went missing?"
"No I am upset because he is my family. He is my own."
The line went silent again and then a mumbled apology.
"meet me in a months time. At the India gate. Sometime in the afternoon. I will find you."
"Wait…" she cried out, but too late, the line was dead. 'I can't wait for a month.." she sobbed into the dead phone.
Barbados, Tuesday 10th July 2012
Arnav Raichand opened the browser to the Delhi Times page again. He scanned the headlines and then made his way to the social pages. "Anjali Raizada Jha gives birth to baby girl." His eyes filled with tears. He was a mama. His sister, his Di had given birth to a baby girl and he wasn't even there with her. "We would appreciate our privacy as we welcome the little one into our family," Akash Singh Raizada, brother of missing Arnav Singh Raizada requested the media. " Arnav scanned reread the small paragraph repeatedly as if reading it repeatedly would bring him closer to them.
He closed his eyes and sent out an apology, hoping the whisper would be carried on the winds across the seas to his beloved sister.
Delhi, Tuesday 10th July 2012
"Khushi, I would have asked Chotey to name her, but maybe you could do the honours?"
Khushi blinked back tears as she cradled the little bundle. The little girl looked just like her mother. She looked into her eyes and whispered "Asha."
"Asha?" Anjali enquired
Khushi's face lit up with a smile, a smile from within Anjali noted, "Yes Di, Asha. Hope. She will bring us hope. Hope to bring back her mamu. Do you like it?"
"I love it."
Delhi, Friday 13th July 2012
"Khushi, I don't know. I thought the child would make bring us together. But its been 3 days since she was born. He hasn't even bothered calling. Sometimes I don't know anymore."
"Since when have you felt this way?"
"I am tired Khushi. I have done nothing but worship the ground he walks on."
"That's where you went wrong. He is a mortal. Not a god" She left mother and child and slowly walked out of the room. She would have to do something about Shyam Jha. Di would be fine. She was sure of it now.
Barbados, Friday 13th July 2012
"So baby, you wanna go back to my place. I got something special for you back there." she drew seductive circles on his chest and pinned him back to the bar.
He shook his head and smiled and pushed her back "no thanks." She was gorgeous, he would give her that much.
"What the f*** dude, are you gay?"
"No, he's married." Sean stepped in to rescue his friend.
"So where is the wife?"
"That doesn't matter. I am single. And I can make you scream louder" Sean winked at Arnav who laughed heartily and nodded at the girl.
"His name is Sean. Remember that." Arnav walked off to the beach.
"So where's the wife" the words came back to him. He needed her. He waded into the water. The cool temperature nipping him at first but that's exactly what he needed. He waded further in till he was clear of the waves and lay on his back floating on the black silk of the surface of the dark water. He looked up at the stars, searching for the two stars he always associated with her. The ones she associated with her parents.
"Find me Khushi. So that I can find myself" he whispered into the skies.
Comments (34)
wonderful story really interesting story. add me 2 pm list 4 this story.
12 years ago
What a fun story! Looking forward to part 4.
12 years ago
awesome FF i absolutely love ir just read the 3 chapters in one go and i am amazed by the concept"Find me Khushi. So that I can find myself"this line just killed me it summed up everything 👏
12 years ago
Excellent. Please update soon. Thanks
12 years ago
Very nice! 😊but Arnav is too much 😆
12 years ago
Awesome dear,add me to ur PM list.
12 years ago
SO SWEET .He is convinced she will find him and he trusts her. 😊😊😊😊😊
12 years ago
loved it... great story...😊PM me when you update...
12 years ago
Vah! loved it. muhaha Sean make me laugh (love to know more about him)khushi felt rather dismissive of Anjali...
12 years ago
Well we know our girl will find him and the fist thing to do is give him a tight slap. Second, get back on that boat and go home!!!!!!! Let him come running back.
12 years ago