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Chapter 155

rulama

@rulama

[MEMBERSONLY]

[NOCOPY]

(Thanx a million, Naughtymallu!)

FINDING KHUSHI

Part 43

Section 1

Arnav looked at the yellow sarees heaped in front of him. Nani, Mami, Di, & Payal were smiling expectantly at him, waiting for him to choose the sari to be gifted to Khushi.

He fingered one. The fabric was too rough. The next one was too heavy. Khushi would find it difficult to wear it. The third saree was too dull, the yellow looking faded. Khushi liked bright colours. So it wouldn't do...

His family watched him pick & discard sarees with meaningful glances at each other.

"Chotey, you didn't like any of these?" Nani asked, a small smile on her lips.

"Err... Nani..."

"Haldi is tomorrow, Arnav Bitwaa..." Mami teased. "Aisan yahan khade rahoge, to you can get married neksht (next) year!"

All laughed. Arnav looked around, a hunted man surrounded by the females of his family.

"Arnavji! There are saris displayed at the far end of this hall." Payal came to his rescue. "Maybe there you will find something that you like."

Arnav smiled his gratitude at her, and made his way to the mannequins wearing expensive silk. NK & Akash looked up from where they were selecting kurtas, and asked him, "Bhai, do you need help?"

"Nannav, mere bhai, shall we select Khushiji's sari?"

"No. I will do it." Arnav declared. What could he do if the best apparel store in all of Delhi could not stock a sari worthy of Khushi?

He looked at the saris worn by the mannequins.

Green...cream...some ugly shade that looked like the skin of onions... a violet that hurt his eyes... He stopped short. Yellow. As bright as sunshine. Like Khushi. With tiny lines in green & in his favourite colour, red. He touched it, rubbing the silk between his fingers. It felt warm, soft, silky... like Khushi's skin.

Arnav swallowed.

"I want this." he told the sales assistant.

"Are you sure, Chotey?" Anjali teased him.

"Yes."

"Arnav Bitwaa, the girl can pack it only if you let go of it, Hello Hi Bye Bye!" Mami laughed.

NK, Akash, Anjali, Payal, & Nani giggled. Arnav flushed as he withdrew his fingers from the sari.

"We have selected a sari for Anamika bitiyaa" Nani informed Arnav. "We will send her and Khussi bitiyaa their clothes as soon as we reach home."

Arnav nodded, his cheeks still red.

Haldi was to be held at Laxmi Nagar.

Anamika, Gaurav, & Scooby reached Buaji's house on time, and Amma led Anamika to her bedroom to change into her haldi sari.

Khushi was dressing in the sari selected by Arnav, Preetho helping her to deck herself in jewellery & hair ornaments made of flowers.

Anamika opened the box that Naniji had sent to her house. In it was a yellow sari with silver embellishments and a blouse with beads & crystals. She touched the sari with gentle fingers.

"Nani sent it to me." Anamika explained to Amma who was smiling at her.

"It will suit you." Amma pinched her chin lovingly. "Today, you and Khussi will look beautiful..."

"And yellow." Anamika said wryly, a small smile on her lips.

Amma laughed in agreement. "And yellow."

Anamika wore the sari with Amma's help. Then Garima brought out a tray with the maangtikka, earrings, necklace, & bracelets that Anamika had to wear.

Anamika's eyes flew open. The ornaments were all made of flowers. Jasmine, roses, rajnigandha...

Garima fastened the sweet-smelling pieces and placed a chain of jasmine buds around her hair coiled in a bun.

Garima examined her handiwork with pleasure. "You look beautiful!" she exclaimed.

Anamika looked at herself in the mirror. A slow smile stretched her lips. A few months earlier, if someone had told her that she would be standing like this in a house in Laxmi Nagar, getting ready to be dunked in haldi so that she could marry Ganesh the next day, she would have died laughing. If she hadn't met Khushi that night at the party... if she hadn't liked her... if she hadn't furthered their acquaintance... Anamika shuddered to think of all the what-might-have-beens. She would never have had the courage to think of a future with Ganesh. And he would never have forced her to think of marriage, being a born gentleman... They were fortunate. Very fortunate. Especially Gaurav. Khushi had brought so much happiness in to their lives.

She would never forget Khushi's kindness. Never. She touched her earring with a gentle hand.

The Raizadas & NK reached Laxmi Nagar. As they alighted, they saw Ganesh parking his car in Happyji's garage. They waited for him, and together, they walked into Buaji's house to be greeted with loud cries of welcome.

Soon the ladies of the neighbourhood too reached the house. Loud chatter and laughter filled the house. Arnav & Ganesh sat in the midst of their family, listening to NK trying out his Hindi on the girls who were eyeing him. Akash & Payal were helping Buaji with last minute arrangements.

Suddenly, the chatter came to an end. Amma led Anamika out. She looked beautiful, yellow making her look more beautiful than she normally looked. All eyes travelled up & down her form and then automatically turned to gaze at Ganesh's lovestruck expression.

All ladies tittered. Scooby barked & Gaurav laughed.

Arnav craned his neck to see if Khushi was anywhere in the vicinity. Where was she? He looked at his phone. If he could call her'

The laughter died down. He looked up. There she stood, dressed in the saree that he had picked for her, coils of jasmine in her hair, jasmine buds around her neck & wrists, & earrings made of jasmine flowers...

He swallowed.

His mind raced backwards in time to a Diwali in Sheesh Mahal. He had been young. He had watched his Mama & Di light rows and rows of diya, helping them by supplying oil & wicks as & when needed. When they had finished lighting all the diya, he had asked Mama if he could go back to his room, firecrackers & the resulting noise anathema to him. She had nodded her assent, but before he could walk away, she had delayed him for a moment.

"Chotey, we have been lighting lamps for so long and you have been helping us. Don't you want to see what we have been doing all this while?" she had asked.

Arnav had frowned at her, not understanding the import of her words. She had placed her arm around his shoulders and turned him to look at the diya they had been lighting till then.

His breath had caught in his chest at the magical sight of the huge, dark hall lit by so many tiny golden flames, arranged row after row. Just as it hitched now at the sight of Khushi. She looked like a flame, the bright, rich yellow of her sari lending a golden sheen to her fair skin.

As he watched her in stunned silence, she looked up and smiled at him. The smile took birth in her eyes. Her gladness at seeing him spread to her lips, and she beamed at him. An answering smile bloomed on his. Her eyes ran over him in his white kurta, and she raised her right hand to gesture that he looked very handsome. Arnav lowered his eyes to hide his smile at her open appreciation.

Then the ladies took over. They hugged the brides many times and led them to low seats placed in the hall.

Anamika & Khushi smiled at each other as they sat side by side on the foot stools. Buaji led Ganesh & Arnav to sit across the ladies.