Chapter 29

"I should not have... I was too shocked to see you in Delhi..." his voice trailed away. His arm around her shoulders tightened in fear that she would move away from him.

Khushi settled herself more comfortably against him.

"It was Bediji's scooter," she explained.

Arnav rubbed her head gently, his fingers lingering on her silky tresses.

"Buaji started wheezing. I needed to buy her phoo phoo. That is why I took Bediji's scooter even though it was late. And then I had to run in to you," Khushi pouted.

Arnav smiled. "Do you have a license, Khushi?"

Khushi turned her head away.

"You are a menace, Khushi. On the roads & otherwise." Arnav smiled gently.

Khushi glared at him.

"I may be a menace. I am being truthful here and not denying that I do make people want to pull out their hair with both hands or strangle me sometimes. But I am nothing compared to you. You are the big menace. The baap of all menaces." Her pointed finger poked him in the chest.

Arnav looked at her serious, miffed face with gentle eyes.

"I was happily walking about Lucknow's galiis and you had to humiliate me and my family to such an extent, even broadcasting my nocturnal visit to your godforsaken fashion show to every house in my city that you made it impossible for me to stay here," she huffed after recounting his sins in one breath.

"Do you know how angry Amma and Buaji were? Amma banished us from Lucknow. She exiled us to Delhi," she fumed, breathing fire.

Arnav looked suitably penitent. "Really?" he asked.

"Aap pooch rahe he, Really...? Am I making up stories here?" Khushi asked. "Yes, really. And poor Jiji. I sinned and Jiji too had to pay the price. She had to accompany me to your rotten Delhi. How could she let me go alone? Horrible Delhi. Just like you. Aap ko pata he how much vegetables cost there? I can buy an entire farm of vegetables here for the price I had to pay for a bunch of greens there."

Arnav looked at her, his eyes fixed on her face.

"And I had to see that Shyam Manohar Jha there," Khushi grimaced.

"Where did you see him in Delhi?" Arnav's eyes perked up.

"Where did I not see him? He was everywhere. In the market, behind the pots, by the kaddu at the vegetable vendor's, behind trees, in tea shops... he was everywhere. He was giving me darshan every day like God."

"Did he... did he try to talk to you, Khushi?" Arnav asked.

"Why couldn't he talk to me?" Khushi asked, perplexed. "He was not dumb and I am not deaf. And I had to ask him for help to get a job in Delhi. I had to pay your debt of 25,000 and I knew no one in Delhi except him," Khushi sighed heavily.

"He got you a job?" Arnav asked.

"Why are you asking me stupid questions as though you have amnesia? Bimari hamein he. Aap ko nahi he. Samjhe aap?" Khushi growled.

"Khushi..."

"How could you be so cruel, so rude? And that too to the girl who was going to be your brother's wife's sister? Not that you knew it then, but that is not an excuse," Khushi declared.

"I am sorry, Khushi," he apologised, a break in hs voice.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," Khushi gave it to him. "Dropping me from a height, He Devi Maiyya!

What if I had broken my neck and died? Would you have given me my life back? How would you have explained my death to my Amma, Babuji and Buaji?"

"I... I was wrong, Khushi. I... I thought... I was angry to see you there..." Arnav tried to explain but found he had nothing to say.

"Is your anger a good excuse for attempting my murder?" Khushi raised her brows and stared at him.

"No. I am sorry," Arnav said.

"I should have died and then you would have been sorry. Really sorry," Khushi declared. "But I would not have been able to see you apologizing to my family. Because I would be dead then," she reasoned. "So this is better." She snuggled closer to him.

"I was scared of you, but it was fun too. Fighting you every day, beating you at the challenges you posed," she smiled. Suddenly the smile died away. "But making me stand in the rain at night was too much. How could you?"

"I am so sorry, Khushi. I can't tell you how bad I feel... I felt..." Arnav tried to explain.

"I wanted to go home early. It was Jiji's birthday. Ek, she had to leave Lucknow and come to Delhi because of me. Do, we could spend just ten minutes together on her birthday, from 11.50 to 12 at night. And it was all because of you."

"Khushi!"

"And I could not even get her a gift. I was planning to go out during my lunch break and get her something. And then you had to give me a load of papers to correct the spelling of your name? What was so urgent about it? And then that stupid model's coat! Am I a coat hanger to hold up her coat till she decides to wear it? How dare you give it to me and ask me to hold it?"

"I am sorry, Khushi. I..."

"I did not spill juice on her precious coat. Pamji and Simji did."

"I believe you."

"What is the use of believing me now? You didn't believe me then. And how dare you give me that chota kapda and ask me to wear it? What did you think of me?"

"Khushi!"

"Imagine me wearing that short dress and walking before my Buaji! She will exclaim Hai Re Nandkisore... and die on the spot of a heart attack!" Khushi glowered at him.

"I am sorry, Khushi. I didn't know you well..."

"To jaanna chahiye tha na? You should have tried to know me before punishing me," she said.

Arnav could only nod.

"And coming home wet and cold to see Shyam Manohar Jha settled in as a paying guest in Buaji's house. He Devi Maiyya! What ghor paap did I do in my last birth to be punished with his presence!" Khushi bemoaned her fate.

"Khushi..." Arnav whispered.

"You are no better!" Khushi chastised him. "Making me take measurements of the male models in your office!

He Devi Maiyya! If I had not tied a rakhi on one boy's wrist, made him my bhaiyya and made him take the measurements, how would I have managed?" Khushi wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"You did... what?" Arnav gasped.

"What else was I supposed to do? Do you know what I felt as I saw all the naked boys standing in that room when I walked in?" Khushi narrowed her eyes at him.

"Err"I can imagine," Arnav said.

"I am sure you can. And dusht rakshas, you sent me to the guest house! A guest house that was falling around my ears," Khushi pushed her face closer to his to make her displeasure clear.

"I didn't know that it was in such a bad condition," Arnav made his excuses quickly, trying to get in a word between her accusations.

"You should have known," Khushi stated. "It is your building and you sent me to it. You should have known."

"Yes, I should not have sent you there," Arnav sighed. "I am sorry."

"Ab bas bhi keejiye. How many times will you say sorry'?" Khushi asked. "Suniye, you listen to all my scoldings first, chup chap like a good boy. After I finish you can say one sorry for all of them," Khushi suggested, a twinkle in her eyes.

Arnav looked at the laughter in her eyes with wonder.

She looked away, her eyes resting on his car and her Babuji's scooter.

"Waise, you rescued me from the car in the car park and got wet in the bargain," Khushi conceeded.

"I put you in danger."

"You did. And then you saved me."

Arnav looked at her.

"And that night at the guest house. You had to come to save me," Khushi looked in to his eyes.

"I sent you there."

"You did. And then you saved me."

Arnav sighed.

"First you endanger me, hurt me, make me cry. Then you come to help me. Is it an acquired habit or one you have been suffering from birth?" Khushi asked, her eyes laughing at him.

Arnav looked at her, silent for a moment. Then he said, "Khushi, I can confidently say that you have, single-handedly, changed the course of my life."

Khushi laughed. "I am sure I did. Remember the day I came to give my resignation to you?

I was so happy to shout at you, to say everything I had been wanting to say to you for so long. I am sure no one has ever abused you so in your entire life."

Arnav looked at her.

Khushi frowned. She caught hold of his hand. "Arnavji, if I left you and your office, then how did we meet after that? We must have met. Otherwise how would Jiji meet Jiju?"

He covered her hand with his, silently asking her to be patient.

They sat together for long.

Finally Arnav turned to look at Khushi's peaceful face.

"Khushi, in my office..."

"Ji?"

"Err...whom do you remember"in my office?" Arnav asked, his heart in his mouth.

Khushi frowned. "Pamji, Simji..."

"And?"

A smile spread on her face. "Amanji."

"And?"

"Manjuji."

Who?"

"Manjuji, your canteen manager. She is so nice, so kind," Khushi's smile grew soft at the thought.

"And?"

"Jiju."

"Anyone else?" Arnav could hear his heart thud in his chest.

Khushi frowned and moved restlessly in her seat. "I don't know any one else."

Arnav's throat closed over. Her mind had pushed Lavanya in to some dark abyss.

Arnav, in full ASR-style formal clothes and closed face, walked to his car.

"Arnavji!" Khushi called.

Arnav turned to see her in her yellow suit, all ready to go to her shop.

"Where are you going so early in the morning?" Khushi asked, all cheerful.

"Gopalganj."

Khushi frowned. "Are you going to the temple there?"

"No. I have an appointment there," Arnav said shortly.

"Appointment? In Gopalganj?" Khushi's face held bewilderment.

"I need to meet a lady there," Arnav said.

Khushi looked at him, her eyes direct on his eyes that were hidden by sunglasses. Her face paled and she said softly, "You are going to see some girl? For marriage?"

"What the!" ASR exclaimed.

"Are you going to see some girl to marry? You should take your family along with you. They too might like to see her," Khushi smiled from a pale face.

"Of course not! What... nonsense... I am going to see a middle-aged lady. For business purposes..." Arnav spluttered.

Khushi drew in a deep breath. "Oh!"

Arnav turned away to open his car door.

"Then why is your face so cold? Like it was in your office. Cold on the outside but with a fire raging inside in your heart?" Khushi asked.

Arnav turned to look at her, shocked.