Chapter 23

rulama

@rulama

[MEMBERSONLY]

[NOCOPY]

RECALLING ARNAV - II

Part 23

Glad to be back after such a long break, my darlings! So sorry to keep you waiting.

Khushi and Payal went to buy the vessels and provisions they needed. The market was crowded. The two girls examined the big containers and vats with eagle eyes, setting aside the ones that passed inspection.

"Khushi, this should do for the rice," Payal murmured in her ear.

"Haan, Jiji," Khushi whispered back. "Let me bargain for a cheaper rate."

"Khushi, you are the wife of Arnav Singh Raizada! Don't put him to shame!" Payal whispered urgently.

Khushi laughed out loud. "I am Sasi Gupta's daughter first," she said between her chuckles.

Payal looked at her with exasperation mingled with amusement.

Khushi girded her loins and began to argue with the shopkeeper about the prices.

One hour later, Khushi and Payal bent to lift the big bins and containers so that they could load them in to Happyji's rickshaw but stopped short at the simple, low-voiced call.

"Khushi..."

They turned around to see ASR in casual clothes.

"Arnavji," Khushi gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to help you," he said softly.

Payal and Khushi stared at him in silence. People milled around them, but all three stood caught in the moment.

"Bhai," Akash called.

Khushi stared at a formally-dressed Akash making his way gingerly through crowds of militant housewives bent on finding the best bargain.

Akash looked at the surprise written large on the faces of the two girls and smiled faintly.

"I am here too, Khushiji, Payalji," NK said, peeping from behind Akash's tall frame. "Ab moze aayega."

"Maza, NK bhai!" Akash said.

All laughed.

The men lifted the vessels and walked towards the two cars they had come in.

"Arnavji, Happyji is waiting," Khushi reminded him anxiously.

"I told him to return to Laxmi Nagar," Arnav said.

Khushi stared at him in silence, watching him and his brothers do the hard work.

Once all the containers, lids and spoons with long stems were loaded in to one car, Arnav asked Khushi, "Do you need to buy anything more?"

"Rice, atta, vegetables, potatoes..." she began.

"Akash, take Payal & NK with you to Laxmi Nagar. I will go with Khushi, get the stuff she needs and join you there in a couple of hours," Arnav instructed his brother.

"I will, bhai," Akash said before helping Payal in to the car.

"Akash, there is no space for me to sit," NK said. "Looks like I will have to sit in one of the containers," he laughed.

"I hope Akash fastens the lid on him," Arnav muttered beneath his breath.

Khushi nudged him in mock anger.

Arnav watched Khushi examining the different brands of rice available in the wholesale store with wondering eyes. She took food seriously, he thought with a smile. She was staring at a few grains of different varieties in her palm, sometimes biting in to a grain to taste it.

"Don't stare so, Khushi. You will scare the rice," Arnav teased her softly.

Khushi smiled at his comment and turned her attention to the shopkeeper to demand that he supply her with large quantities of a particular brand at regular intervals.

Arnav watched with wide eyes as she cajoled and threatened the man in to agreeing to deliver bags of rice to Laxmi Nagar once a week.

"I have a weighing machine, bhaisaheb," Khushi told him. "I will weigh the bags before paying your employee who delivers them."

"Yes, yes," the shopkeeper said, all smiles.

"And make sure that the rice is of good quality," ASR warned him, his face stern and eyes cold. "I don't want my wife to open the bags to find that you have sent her second-quality stuff."

"No, no. She won't have any reason to complain," the shopkeeper wiped his face nervously.

Arnav watched Khushi buying vegetables with single-minded devotion to their freshness and quality. She haggled vociferously with the vendors, beating them down to a price advantageous to her with all the tenacity of a bulldog and the negotiation skills of a seasoned manager.

As the vendor was packing her purchase for her, Arnav moved to stand by her shoulder.

He whispered, "Khushi, I should have employed you at AR Design. Your negotiation skills are out of this world."

Khushi smiled at him.

Arnav parked his car before Buaji's house in Laxmi Nagar. Akash & NK came running and all of them lugged the purchases in to the house.

"Khushiji, so many ullus? What are you going to do with them?" NK asked.

"Aloo, Nanheji," Khushi laughed.

"She can fry one ullu," Arnav muttered under his breath.

Khushi frowned at her husband. "I will make sabzi with the aloo, Nanheji," she replied.

Ganga and the others arranged the rice, the spices and the vegetables neatly in the kitchen.

"You need a fridge," Arnav muttered as he punched Aman's number. "Aman, get a fridge delivered to Khushi's Buaji's house in Laxmi Nagar... the biggest size available." He cut the call.

Khushi sighed. "Arnavji, remember the blackout we had when you switched on the AC?" she asked.

"Yes. So?" Arnav frowned.

"The wiring in this house is as old as the house," Khushi smiled. "I don't think we should risk getting a fridge."

Arnav looked at the ancient electrical wiring on the walls around him and felt his face pale. He got on the phone to Aman. "Send me a dozen electricians. I need the wiring changed tonight."

"Wiring change, Sir? Whose wiring?" Aman scratched his head.

"The wiring in Buaji's house is too old," Arnav explained, his urgency reaching Aman.

"I will arrange the men, Sir. It will be done tonight. We will have to pay extra, but..." Aman understood the seriousness of the situation. If something were to happen to Khushiji... It had been bad enough when she had left for Lucknow last time...

"Money is no problem, " ASR said unnecessarily.

"I understand, Sir. I will get the fridge delivered after the wiring is ready," Aman said.

"Yes," Arnav cut the call, feeling his heart settle in his chest. He lifted his head to look at Khushi. She was smiling at him with a strange look in her eyes.

As he watched, she walked closer to him and kissed him firmly on his lean cheek.

Arnav drove Khushi to Laxmi Nagar early in the morning.

The rest of the colony was asleep but Buaji's house was brightly lit. As he parked his car outside the house, Ganga opened the door for them.

Khushi lit the lamp at the feet of Devi Maiyya and prayed for the success of their venture. She did aarti and Arnav and Ganga prayed with her. Then she placed the huge vessel for rice on the stove and poured water in to it with a small bucket. She lit the stove and stood watching the flames with peace in her heart.

"Shall I cut the vegetables, Khussi?" Ganga asked.

"Yes, Chachiji," Khushi smiled at her.

As Arnav watched, Khushi set about boiling potatoes and cooking dal for the workers.

"Arnavji, I am fine. I will manage here. Aap ghar jaayiye. You have to go to the office later," Khushi smiled at him.

"Yes..." Arnav hesitated.

"I will come to your office with your lunch, Arnavji," she promised him.

Arnav nodded.

Khushi accompanied him to the door to see him out.

"The fridge will be delivered before noon, Khushi," Arnav promised her, sparing a look at the excellent work done by the electricians overnight.

"Thank you, Arnavji," Khushi said softly, her eyes on his dear face.

He looked at her, his eyes serious.

"I love you, Khushi," he whispered.