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Chapter 51

rulama

@rulama

OS 2: Finding Khushi

Part 16

Section 3

"Nani!", Arnav called.

Nani, Mami, Di, NK, & Akash looked up from their plates.

"I met Khushi today...", he said.

The ladies looked at each other and smiled.

"We have decided to wait for 6 months before getting married.", Arnav stated.

There was a moment of perfect silence. Then, Anjali found her tongue.

"Six months?", she asked in a faint voice.

"Why six months, Chotey?", Nani asked.

"To know each other better. I don't want Khushi to regret marrying me later.", Arnav sipped water from his glass.

"Saasumma!", Mami whispered. "With Layanya Kasyap it was live-in. Now with Khussi, it ijj wait-in?"

Nani glared at Mami, & turned to look at Anjali with worried eyes.

"Chotey, after six months...?", Anjali tried to voice the fear in everyone's mind that Khushi would refuse him after the period.

"We will get married." Arnav was definite on the point. "After Akash's wedding, you can fix the date & the venue, and make all arrangements."

"Chotey...", Nani hesitated. "Khussi Bitiya is not like other girls. Six months without even a sagai... Her family..."

"Don't worry, Nani. I will take care not to hurt Khushi's or her family's reputation.", Arnav sat back in his chair.

Nani, Di, & Mami sighed in relief, & smiles appeared on their faces. Akash hugged Arnav, leaning over the table.

"Hey, Nannav, mere bhai! Marry Khushiji fast. Or she will run away, scared of your ghooosa. You know, Chaat Mangli, Phat Baag!", advised NK.

"NK Bhai, Jhat Mangni, Pat Byah!", Anjali corrected him.

NK scratched his head. Hindi had changed beyong recognition since he had last spoken it in his childhood!

"And Khussi Bitiya will not run away.", Nani declared. "If our Chotey roars like a lion, my Khussi Bitiyya will roar like a lioness."

All laughed. Arnav smiled slightly, looking at his plate.

"Lion, lioness... Is this a zoo, Nani?", asked NK, laughing.

"No, NK Bitwaa.", clarified Mami. "This is a marrijj (marriage). And a marrijj is worse than a joo (zoo)."

All laughed.

"Err... Nani... Just call the Guptas and let them know, please. I don't think they will object... but they should know..., said Arnav.

Nani nodded, smiling.

"Six months! Hai Re Nandkisore!", Buaji exclaimed.

"Acha he, Jiji. Let Arnav Bitwaa & Khussi know each other.", Garima said. Babuji nodded.

Buaji nodded slowly, looking at Khushi who was eating the cucumber that she was supposed to be cutting for dinner and watching Kamlesh Khabri on TV.

"I think Arnav Babua will take up sanyaas after 6 months of knowing Sanka Devi, swearing off marriage for ever!", Buaji remarked, smiling.

Garima & Babuji chuckled.

The next day, Khushi looked up from her work to see a young boy standing in front of her, a big bouquet in his hands.

"Khushi Kumari Gupta?", he asked with a pleasant smile.

Khushi nodded reluctantly. Why were strangers asking for her? And Munshiji had just stepped out to buy paan...

'Take Me Home.', his jacket read.

Khushi stared at the boy. Was he an orphan? What would Buaji say if she took him home?

"There is a delivery for you, Madam." He handed over the bouquet to her, and gave her the slip to sign.

Khushi obeyed as if in a dream. Nobody had ever sent her anything before. She stared at the bouquet and then at the boy.

"We at Take Me Home Florists are ready to deliver flowers 24 hours, 365 days, Madam. If you ever need our services...", the boy smiled.He handed over a card to her.

Khushi swallowed.

"Have a good day, Madam." The delivery boy left, smiling.

Khushi looked at the bouquet. Fresh, red, dewy, fragrant, thornless roses. And too many to count. She opened the accompanying card.

"I don't have roses in my garden. So I am planting them today.

I will see you tonight.

Arnav."

Khushi traced his writing with one finger. And bent to smell the roses. As she breathed in the fragrance, her eyes filled. This was the first bouquet she had ever received. She would treasure it always.

She needed to thank him.

She picked up her phone & selected his number. She hesitated, her finger held motionless above the dial button.

Maybe he was in a meeting. Maybe he wasn't expecting her to call him... Maybe the flowers meant nothing much to him. Maybe he was used to giving flowers & gifts to Lavanyaji... and maybe other girl friends he must have had before meeting Lavanyaji...

She leaned forward to abandon the phone on the table.

The phone rang. Khushi, startled, almost dropped it.

'Arnavji', the display read.

She answered in a shaking voice, "H..hello..o.."

"Khushi...", his husky voice was enough to make her limbs tremble. Thank God she was sitting, Khushi thought.

"J..ji...", she stammered.

"Did you get the roses?", he asked in his honey-thick drawl.

"J..ji.. Shukriya...", she said softly.

"Did you like them?", he asked.

"Ji..."

"I made sure that all the thorns have been removed, Khushi.", he assured her.

"Ji."