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Chapter 73

rulama

@rulama

Finding Khushi

Part 19

Section 3

Lisa grit her teeth at the sight of ASR & Chamkili leaving the dance floor to thunderous applause. A lady in a golden sari was hugging them both, and Akash Singh Raizada and the clown with him were congratulating the pair. The behenji in green and pink sari was wiping away her tears of joy!

She watched ASR lead the girl to a secluded corner of the room, and walked up to them. After all, she had to greet the lovebirds and congratulate them!

"Arnavji! I think Pamji and Simji will have a heart attack if you smile at me like this.", Khushi whispered.

"Like what?", he murmured, his smiling eyes devouring her, his full attention on Khushi.

"ASR!", Lisa purred.

Arnav turned around, frowning at the disturbance.

Lisa launched herself into his arms, kissing him on his cheek.

Arnav blinked in shock, and pulled away at the earliest. He looked at the model with disconcerted eyes.

"Err...", He struggled to drag his mind from Khushi to the issue at hand. "Er... Lisa? How are you?"

Lisa breathed in deep. "Missing you, ASR. You and your perfume! Both are unforgettable."

Arnav stole a glance at Khushi. She had taken a step back, and her face looked terrified, visions of Lisa's wild cat fury and animal-like screech at the sight of her ruined fur coat flashing through her mind.

She was too upset to take in the model's words. Arnav breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly took Khushi's hand, and pressed it. Khushi gulped.

"It has been a long time, ASR. We should really catch up! What do you say to dinner tonight?", Lisa crooned.

"I am otherwise occupied, Lisa. Sorry.", Arnav said casually. "Excuse us.", He turned to lead Khushi away from there at the earliest.

"Who is this? She looks familiar...", Lisa's voice trailed off.

Arnav & Khushi were trapped. Introductions were in order.

"Khushi Kumari Gupta.", Arnav said. "We are getting married in 5 months." His words were a warning to Lisa, a warning she chose to ignore.

"Chamkili? The girl who ran errands in your office? The one who demolished my fur coat?", Lisa pretended surprise and shock. "You are going to MARRY... HER?"

"Yes." He was short with her.

"Well, well, wonders will never cease...", Lisa murmured, looking Khushi up and down. "ASR going slumming...", she smirked.

"Lisa, mind your words." His voice send a chill down Khushi and Lisa's spines.

Pam & Sim, who were watching the confrontation, swallowed nervously. La had left India, and was of no further use to them. That was why they had used Lisa who was made of temper and arrogance, and all things nasty.

"I will, I will.", Lisa smiled with her lips. "After all, we are old friends. And I should wish you well, shouldn't I?"

"I won't trouble you by expecting it of you. Enjoy the party.", ASR drawled. He led Khushi away to more congenial company.

"Lisaji is very angry with me, Arnavji! Because she thinks I damaged her fur coat.", Khushi whispered to Arnav as they walked away.

"She has no need to be. I know you didn't destroy her coat. Pam & Sim did. It is on the CCTV footage.", Arnav said, curling her hand more firmly around his arm. "And Lisa received a cheque from AR Designs covering the cost of her coat."

"YOU paid her?", Khushi whispered in shock.

"Hhmm...", said Arnav.

Later that night, Anjali, Payal, & Khushi went to the Ladies' to brush their hair to perfection, check on their make-up, and to sit down on the plush chairs for a moment to rest their feet. They were giggling, having had a lovely time that evening so far, dancing and spending time with Arnav, Akash, & NK.

Arnav turned to speak to a guest, and Lisa slipped into the Ladies' after the trio.

Pam & Sim looked at each other in anticipation. Something was bound to happen. Lisa the witch, as she was known among the models, could be depended on to do harm and hurt feelings if and when she could.

Lisa looked around. There! Chamkili was standing in a corner, taking to the upstart Payal Singh Raizada and ASR's sister.

As she watched, Payal turned away to answer a call on her phone. And ASR's sister walked away, limping towards one of the rooms attached to the Ladies' where guests could check their clothing.

Khushi was about to find a chair, when she heard a hiss, "Chamkili!"

She turned around, startled.

Lisa, the proverbial snake was standing behind her.

Khushi gulped.

"So you have made good, haven't you? Came to Delhi without a stitch on your back and now you are making money on your back? Very good! Very smart! Very... very enterprising of you.", Lisa smiled, her eyes glittering with hatred and jealousy.

How could people make money on their back?, Khushi wondered. Maybe Lisaji meant that she had worked very hard. Back-breaking work! Like the kind she did in the godown entering years of cereal sales and purchase details into spreadsheets. Yes! That must have been what Lisaji meant. Khushi smiled uncertainly at her.

"Make the most of your time with ASR.", Lisa said.

Khushi nodded, smiling slightly. She would treasure very moment of their lives together. After all, they would get only 50-60 years together!

"Because it won't last. It will be over in the blink of an eye!", Lisa added, her bitter eyes burning into Khushi's.

Khushi frowned. How could 50-60 years be over in the blink of an eye?

"La found that out to her cost when you caught ASR's eye. I found that out when La caught ASR's roving eye.", Lisa said, her teeth white in the sharp light.

Khushi stared at Lisaji. What was she saying? Had Lisaji drunk too much daru? What had Lavanyaji to do with all this? Roving eye? How could an eye rove? This Lisaji was so funny!

Lisa sighed inwardly. Apparently Lucknow produced idiots. Sly innuendos were wasted on Chamkili. Only hard blows would register in her scatty brain. Lisa looked around. ASR's sister and Payal Raizada would be coming to them any moment. She had no time to waste.

"I was ASR's girl friend before La.", she said bluntly.

Khushi stared at her, her eyes wide open in shock.

Finally! Lisa almost did a victory dance in her relief.

"Who do you think took me to Paris? And bought me the fur coat that you damaged beyond repair?", Lisa asked, smirking.

Khushi could not even swallow. Her mouth felt dry, and she clenched her shaking fingers in the red skirt of her lehenga.

Lisa smiled. It was time to turn the knife.

"We had great fun together.", Lisa claimed. "He is a great kisser, isn't he?" Lisa looked as though lost in pleasant memories of the past. "And an inventive lover."

Khushi stared at her, feeling her face flush and her ears heat up.

Lisa smiled at Khushi with pity in her eyes. "How long will you hold him, I wonder. Especially with his penchant for fashionable & experienced girls."

Khushi looked at Lisa, unable to move, like a mouse fascinated by the snake that was approaching it to kill it.

Images of Arnavji kissing Lisaji like he kissed her filled her mind. She felt sick. Her stomach churned, and she felt dizzy.

Lisa saw Payal approaching Chamkili. She had to leave now.

"Anyway, my condolences on your coming marriage!", Lisa said. She turned and walked away on her high heels.

Payal came up to Khushi, smiling. "Akashji wants to know how much longer we will be in here."

"You go out, Jiji. I need to use the bathroom.", Khushi whispered. She made her way to a stall, and closed the door after her. Just in time. She threw up in the closet, hanging on to the window ledge with pale fingers. After retching till she had no more energy to retch, she flushed, washed her mouth and face, lowered the seat cover, and then collapsed on the toilet seat, her hands and legs trembling, her chest hurting, her eyes filled with tears.

Lisaji had been Arnavji's girl friend. Like Lavanyaji. But before Lavanyaji's term. And there must have been other women before Lisaji.

She saw herself lying on her bed in Gomti Sadan, with Arnavji leaning over her... his lips slowly coming closer to hers... pressing down on hers... Many other women must have seen the same scene too. From the same angle. Of Arnav Singh Raizada leaning towards them to kiss them. Khushi shut her eyes to push away the pictures from her mind, but...

And she had trembled in pleasure at the feel of his lips against hers. As many other women must have done before her... Lisaji... Lavanyaji...

Khushi buried her face in her hands, feeling tears slide down her pale cheeks. She was sweating profusely. She wet her hands and wiped her face and neck. The tears continued to fall.

She had known that Lavanyaji had been Arnavji's girl friend, but hadn't known what girl friends and boy friends did together. Now that she had an idea, the very thought of Arnavji with other women was revolting...

But what right did she have to be so upset?

Lisaji and Lavanyaji had been in his life before she had entered it. A picture of Lavanyaji straightening Arnavji's tie in his office the night she had spent in the carpark in the rain flashed through her mind. She swallowed a big ball of pain and tears lodged in her throat.

She had no right to feel upset, Khushi told herself, drying her eyes, pushing away images of Lavanyaji hugging Arnavji. Before Lavanyaji, it had been Lisaji's turn to hug Arnavji. Oh... that's why she mentioned his perfume... Khushi joined the dots. Tears filled her eyes again.

Lisaji had been angry with her not for the coat, but for stealing Arnavji away from her, as she saw it. Khushi sighed, wiping away the steady stream of tears.

And Arnavji... How could he talk to Lisaji as though she were a stranger after kissing her and... and... doing things that girl friends and boy friends did? How could he say goodbye to Lavanyaji as though she didn't matter?

She would never understand this world. Or pyaar. Or people. Or Arnavji. She was not just Sanki, as Buaji called her. She was Ajeeb. Totally clueless about this world. Totally, totally unfit to live in it. Khushi rubbed her chest. It hurt.

And Devi Maiyya had to keep her alive when she had taken her parents away! If only she could have died with Amma & Babuji! It wouldn't have hurt so much.

"Khushi...", Payal knocked on the door. "There are just 10 minutes to midnight.", she warned. "Arnavji, Akashji, & Nanheji must be waiting for us."

"Khushiji, are you alright?", Anjali's anxious question filtered in through the stall door.

"Ji..ji...", Khushi mumbled thickly. She flushed the closet to make it appear that she had been using the stall.

"Are you alright, Khushiji?", Anjali asked, putting an arm around Khushi. "You look pale and tired."

"The heat...", Khushi mumbled.

"And you must be hungry.", Payal teased her.

Khushi tried to smile. She nodded her head, and said "And thirsty."

Arnav, Akash, & NK were waiting for the ladies.

"Khushiji! Payal Bhabi! Di! It is time! It is going to be midnight!", NK exclaimed, excited.

Arnav pulled Khushi close to him. "Khushi, you look pale. Are you alright?"

Khushi smiled with superhuman effort. Why spoil the night for all? "I am fine." She avoided his sharp eyes trained on her face. "Just tired."

"It will be over soon.", he soothed in a loving tone as though she were a child. "We can go home in a few minutes."

Khushi nodded, looking down at her lehenga, and straightening the hem, all to avoid his all-seeing eyes.

She looked at the lights, the balloons, the bar... The ladies in glittering clothes & the men had all gathered to count to midnight.

"10.", they shouted.

Khushi looked at the time displayed in great prominence, the smile painted on her face.

"9."

Payal hugged her in excitement. Khushi smiled.

"8."

Nanheji was smiling at her. She smiled back.

"7."

Akash Jiju had his arm around Jiji. Khushi smiled.

"6."

Anjali caught her hand and pressed her fingers, delirious with joy because all her brothers were happy and her Nani, Mami, & Mamaji were healthy and fine. And the new year would see Chotey and Khushiji's marriage!

Khushi smiled.

"5."

"Just 5 seconds more!", squealed Nanheji. Khushi smiled at him.

"4."

The ladies standing near her were jumping up and down in excitement. Khushi smiled.

"3."

She could feel Arnavji standing very close to her, the warmth of his body hitting her in waves. She tried to step away, taking care to keep the smile on her face.

"2."

Arnavji stepped near her, closing the distance she had created. Khushi drew in a deep breath, still smiling.

"1."

There was perfect silence for a second, and then there was cacophony. Men and women were hugging friends, acquaintances, strangers, and co-workers and shouting 'Happy New Year!' in excitement.

Khushi closed her eyes as she felt Arnavji's face coming closer to hers. His lips touched the pale skin of her chubby cheek. "Happy New Year, Khushi.", he whispered.

Khushi's lips trembled as she smiled and wished him, "Happy New Year, Arnavji."

"This year is going to be phenomenal, Khushi. The best year of our lives.", Arnav whispered, his lips touching the lobe of her ear.

Khushi smiled.

Part 19 Section 2:80909765 Part 19 Section 4:81038535

rulama2013-04-19 10:43:19