Chapter 11

rulama

@rulama

[MEMBERSONLY]

[NOCOPY]

MARRYING KHUSHI

(Thank you nishu_shorna for the lovely banner)

(Thanks a million for the gorgeous banner, Akorshi)

(Thanx a million, Nishu_Shorna, for the fab banner!)

(Thank you naughtymallu for the superb banner)

(Thank you MeenuArshiCrazy for the wonderful banner)

Part 13

For Segad. Did you think I forgot?

Buaji watched Khushi leap out of the rickshaw and run in to the house.

"Kaa hua, Titliyaa?" she asked.

But Khushi had no time to waste. She flashed past poor Buaji like lightning and ran in to her room.

Buaji fell on to the cot in the courtyard, her hand on her head. "Hai Re Nandkisore! Why is she running so fast? Which wasp has dared to bite my Titliyaa?"

"Kaa hua, Jiji?" Garima asked, perplexed.

"Your Khussi is participating in a 100m running race. Or a wasp has bitten her." Buaji informed Garima. "Or she is running towards the bathroom. I don't know which."

Garima stared at Buaji and then at the shut door of Khussi's bedroom, wondering what was going on.

The ladies were not left in speculation for much longer.

Brakes squealed as ASR's luxury car came to a screeching stop before Gomti Sadan.

Buaji and Garima watched as ASR walked in to the courtyard, striding forward on his long legs.

"Arnav Babua, kaa hua?" Buaji asked, worried. "Did Sanka Devi burn down Sheesh Mahal?"

"Sab theek to he na, bitwaa?" Garima asked, a frown on her forehead.

"Haan. Nothing is wrong." Arnav comforted the ladies. "I just wanted to see Khushi. To talk about work..."

"Acha..." The two ladies smiled in relief.

Garima called out, "Khussi! Khussi! Arnav Babua has come to see you. Come out of the bedroom."

Khushi stared at herself in her mirror with eyes that looked like saucers. The Rakshas was here. He had reached her home to haunt and hound her further! She looked around, frantic. The open window beckoned.

"Titliyyaa!" Buaji called, her sweet voice hurting ASR's ears. "Why are you hiding in your room like a new bride? Shall I bring a palanquin to escort you out, Nandkisore?"

ASR looked at the door of Khushi's room. It remained steadfastly shut.

"That's OK, Amma, Buaji. I will meet her later. It is not important." ASR said. It was no use hanging around, he knew. The bird had flown the coop.

He said his goodbyes and withdrew from the scene.

As he was about to drive away, his eyes fell on the house next door. Preetho's house! Khushi must be there. Where else could she go? ASR thought hopefully.

He alighted, his heart thudding, and made his silent way in to the house where he had enjoyed the sight of Khushi dancing. If only she were here...

The front door was left wide open and there was no one in sight. ASR paused at the step, hesitating to walk in to the house with no warning. He couldn't knock. If Khushi was there, it would send her running again.

He looked around. There was absolutely no sign of life, no one to invite him in. he would have to barge in. There was no other way if he had to reach Khushi.

He walked in to the house. The courtyard... the living room... the dining hall... the kitchen... a small passage leading to a bedroom... all were empty.

He looked around.

There was an old lady sleeping on the cot.

ASR frowned. He couldn't very well shake her awake to ask after his bhootni.

His ears cocked, his eyes widened. The radio was playing in some room on the first floor and Mittu & Khushi were singing along.

Badtameez dil, badtameez dil, badtameez dil

Maane na maane na...

He ran up the steps, taking care not to make a sound and warn Mittu's friend who was singing with her.

Yeh jo haal hai, sawaal hai, kamaal hai
Jaane na jaane na...

Badtameez dil, battameez dil, badtameez dil
Maane naa maane naa...

He stopped at the door of the room.

Khushi was dancing and singing with Mittu perched on her shoulder, safe from ASR, the Khadoos Rakshas imported from Delhi. He would drink Buaji's chai, listen to her Hai Re Nandkisores and go back to Sheesh Mahal empty handed! Khushi smiled.

As he watched, the song came to an end, and Khushi dropped a kiss on Mittu's head.

Mittu tittered in pleasure.

"Mittu Rani, my Mittu Rani!" Khushi crooned.

Mittu cackled, pleased, and flew over her head.

The radio announced, "Geetha, Seetha, and Irfan from Ramgarh, Sheela and Munni from Besharampur, Rani, Raja, and Chottu from Allahabad farmaaish ki he to listen to this beautiful classic."

Khushi clapped her hands as she watched Mittu flying over and around her head, laughing in delight. She didn't see the Rakshas till he caught hold of her arm. She turned startled eyes to his stern face and determined eyes eating her up.

Baiyaa na dharo, o balma...

Na karo mose raar...

She gasped. "Aap!"

"Did you think I would let you go, Khushi?" he bit out in desperation.

"Shaitan, Shaitan!" cried Mittu, flying over their heads.

He pulled her deep in to his arms, folding her arm behind her back and forcing her against him, her chest against his, her face near his. He looked down in to her eyes, liquid pools of confusion and panic.

Dhalegi chunariya tan se

Hansengi re chudiyaan chhan se...

Her glass bangles broke and fell to the ground, but ASR retained his tight grasp on her arm. She was not slipping from his hands again.

Machegi jhankaar

Baiyyan na dharo o balma...

"You broke my choodi!" she complained softly, her voice catching. How to breathe when each breath pushed her in to closer contact with him?

"How dare you leave me, Khushi!" he whispered, loving the touch of her fast breath on his face, relieved that she was finally where she was supposed to be... in his arms.

"Balma... Balma..." Mittu sang, perching on a beam and looking down at them, wondering at the strange mating rituals of homo sapiens.

Mohe chhodo haay sajna...

"Chodiye hamein!" Khushi whispered. "Dadi will wake up."

"Let her." ASR declared.

Diya sees uthaye sajna

Raha mohe nihaar...

"What are you doing here, Raizadaji?" Khushi hissed.

She did not wait for an answer, but tried to free her arm, squirming against him in her war for independence.

Baiyyan na dharo o balma...

ASR pushed his face closer to hers.

"I am Arnav Singh Raizada." he breathed against her face.

"So?" she asked, frowning, trying to twist her arm free. "Does that give you the right to trap girls and..."

"Everything happens the way I want it to, Khushi Kumari Gupta. You will return to work for me." he ordered.

"Says who?" Khushi asked.

"Says me, the Rakshas in your dreams." ASR countered, looking deeply in to her eyes with devilish intent.

Khushi paled. Her dreams!

Main to aap behki behki

Chalun jaise mehki mehki...

He freed her arm and pulled her tight against himself with one arm around her waist. He lifted his right arm and gently touched her cheek with one finger.

Chameliyan ki daar...

Khushi shut her eyes, unable to bear the torture of his touch.

Baiyyan na dharo o balma

Na karo mose raar...

The pleasure was too much for her to bear, worse than the kisses on her palm and cheek. The kisses had been unexpected and she had not been given the opportunity to enjoy them. But the caress on her cheek was slow, his warm, rough finger trailing down her cheek from the cheekbone down... down... down to the curve of her lips!

Khushi panicked.

Baiyyan na dharo o balma...

Khushi stamped ASR on his foot as hard as she could make it!

ASR jumped, wincing. His arms fell away from her in shock.

"What the!" he exclaimed.

"What the! What the!" Mittu chirped, turning around the beam in circles.

"How... how dare you touch me!" Khushi asked after moving towards the door, a safe distance away from him. She was panting after her exertions.

ASR glared at her.

"I will file a case against you, you... you Arnav Singh Raizada! Trapping me where ever I go, not letting me dance, breaking my choodi, invading my dreams and not letting me sleep in peace! How dare you, you Akhdoo Singh Raizada!"

ASR stared at her, his heart leaping in joy.

Khushi was not finished yet.

"Who asked you to come to Lucknow?" she asked him, her brows raised. "Who invited you? Had you finished torturing all the girls in Delhi that you had to come to Lucknow to find new victims? And why do you wear dark glasses all the time? Are you blind? Shall I give you a stick to find the way?"

"Khushi!" Arnav tried to get a word in edgeways. But Khushi was on a roll.

"What did I do to you that you are picking on me all the time? Did I steal your clothes from your shop? Did I drive away your grahak? Did I tell them, don't buy clothes from Arnav Singh Raizada's shop. He is bad tempered and khadoos. Buy sweets from my Babuji's shop? Did I?" she wiggled her brows.

ASR shook his head in the negative, meekly.

"All I did was listen to my Babuji when he said, Khussi, go to Arnav Babua's shop and cook for him. After all, he is a guest to Lucknow. We can't let him eat oily food as he has shakkar ki bimari! Why are you punishing me for helping you?"

"Khushi!"

"Besharam kahin ka! Badtameez! You take your anger and your badtameezi and get on the train to Delhi if you can fit all three of you on one train." Khushi declared.

"Khushi, marry me!" ASR demanded.