Chapter 11
[NOCOPY]
RECALLING ARNAV
Part 6
Section 2 A
"Now what will you do, Nandkisore?" Buaji asked the Raizadas the question that everyone wanted to know the answer to.
"I want to meet Khushi, Buaji," Arnav said softly. His voice though low held determination.
"She doesn't remember you, Arnav bitwaa," Buaji made it obvious in case he had missed it.
"I know. I still want to meet her," Arnav made his desire clear.
"We too want to meet her, Madhumatiji," Nani wept. "It doesn't matter if Khussi bitiyaa doesn't remember us. We remember her. That will do for now."
"Buaji, Amma!" came the call the Guptas had been dreading.
Khushi walked in to the house saying, "I forgot to take the bin of besan, Babuji. I left it in my room and now Munna needs it to make laddoo..." Her voice trailed away seeing the crowd in her living room.
She saw an elderly lady, a highly made-up lady, a pretty lady, a middle-aged man, a tall, thin man with specs... the only man she recognised from Jiji's wedding photos.
"Akash Jiju!" Khushi's face split in a huge smile.
Akash stood up, smiling weakly. Arnav looked at Khushi's happy face, pain etched on his features.
"Hum Khushi he. Your Payal's sister," Khushi laughed in to Akash's face, her heart full of joy.
"I.. I know," Akash croaked.
Khushi hit her head lightly. "Of course you know. You met me at your wedding. I am so sorry, Jiju. I know you only through your photos."
Akash nodded, smiling uneasily.
Khushi looked at the remaining two men. Her eyes widened at her sight of the man she had met at the temple, the man she had assumed to be blind but wasn't.
"You are the two brothers!" Khushi smiled. "Jiji's two brothers!"
NK smiled uneasily, wondering how to deal with this Khushiji who was his Khushiji but not exactly his Khushiji.
"That is why you were staring at me at the temple," Khushi smiled at Arnav. "You recognised me as Jiji's sister and expected me to know you."
Arnav stared at her, his heart in the clutch of a cruel hand that was squeezing the life blood out of it.
"Titliyaa!" Buaji called.
Khushi turned towards the rotund lady.
"This is Devyaniji, Akash bitwaa's Dadi," Buaji introduced the Raizadas.
Khushi walked up to Nani and touched her feet expecting to feel a gentle hand on her head. She did not expect the warm, tight hug she got. As she straightened in shock, Nani stood up, cupped her face in her hands and kissed her on the forehead.
"Khussi bitiyaa..." the elderly lady whispered through her tears.
Khushi looked at the sad face of the lady and turned to look at her family, wonder and worry in her eyes. Why was Jiji's Dadi crying?
She asked the old lady, "Why are you crying, Dadiji?"
There was perfect silence in the room. Arnav could hear the thundering of his heart, feel his chest ache.
Then Nani whispered, "Naniji, not Dadiji. You used to call me Naniji."
"Oh, I am sorry, Naniji. I... I..." Khushi was flustered.
"You call me Naniji, Khussi bitiyaa," Nani caressed Khushi's face.
"Ji," Khushi said.
"Titliyaa, meet Manoharji and Manoramaji. They are Akash bitwaa's parents," Buaji introduced them to Khushi.
Khushi touched their feet. Before she could address them, Mami said, "You used to call us Mamaji and Mamiji, Hello Hi Bye Bye!"
"Ji," Khushi looked askance at Mami's multi-hued face.
"Jeeyat raho, bitiyaa," Mamaji blessed her.
"This is Anjali bitiyaa, Akash bitwaa's sister," Buaji continued.
"Call me Di," Anjali hugged Khushi, crying all over her.
'What is wrong with the people in Jiji's sasural?' Khushi wondered. 'Do they watch too many saas-bahu serials, He Devi Maiyya?'
"This is Nandkisore, Akash bitwaa's cousin," Buaji continued.
"Namaste, Nandkisoreji" Khushi smiled, folding her hands in greeting.
"You used to call me Nanheji, Khushiji," NK said, smiling at her.
"Then Namaste, Nanheji," Khushi laughed.
NK smiled in response.
Buaji swallowed in trepidation. All the Guptas and the Raizadas stood tense, nervous, as Buaji introduced Arnav.
"Titliyaa, this is Payal's jetji, Arnav babua."
Khushi folded her hands in greeting. "Namaste," she said.
He looked at her with moist, red eyes.
'Why is he so upset?' Khushi wondered. 'Have I not given him enough respect?'
"Buaji, should I touch his feet?" Khushi asked softly, but the silence in the room enabled everyone to hear her.
All faces paled.
Not receiving any reply to her query, Khushi asked Buaji, "Buaji, should I call him Arnav Bhaiyya?"
Your reaction
Nice
Awesome
Loved
LOL
OMG
Cry
Continue Reading next part >
Comments (0)