Posted:
This OS is a product of my fixation with wanting to see Arnav-Khushi deal with distance as a regular married couple. So, this short OS happened. Forgive the typos if you find any. This is what I imagine would've happened with these two after Khushi's success in Mrs. India contest.
"You know you'll have to head home, soon otherwise your sister will file a missing person's report." said his trusted right-hand man, Aman Mathur walking into his cabin, looking packed & ready to head home, himself. Even Aman was heading home, just how late was it, wondered Arnav looking at his watch.
"Go away, Aman. I'll head home, later, after I complete some work." Arnav brushed him off, vaguely pointing at the files lying on his office desk.
It was 11pm by the time Arnav returned to his Raizada Mansion. His sister gave him a sound lecture for his behaviour. He just sat through that & nibbled on his food.
And, right on cue, the phone rang. Arnav answered it.
"Is this how you feel when I go on business trips?" Arnav asked into the phone without preamble. He heard a soft husky laugh from the other end in response.
"Aww. It's only been a day." the other person said, the smile still evident in the voice.
"A day is 24hrs long & has 1440minutes, 86400 seconds." he ranted.
"Now, now. I know you are good at Math. No need to show off." came the response.
"Khushi, either be sympathetic or be ready to open the door to your husband tomorrow morning." Arnav said, not amused.
"Don't be so grumpy, Arnav. You could have come along, you know, had it not been for that 'inflexible schedule' of yours." Khushi taunted.
"Just how many times are you going to throw my words in my face? You've already done it like 10 times since yesterday." Arnav said turning on his back & leaning against the headboard.
"Ok. You know I would've skipped this if I had a choice. But, they said as a brand ambassador, I need to attend the launch of the watch store's Mumbai outlet. I'll be back with you in no time." she tried to pacify him.
"How are the meetings coming along?" she asked to divert his attention.
"Good." he said being unhelpful.
"What are you doing?" she asked trying again.
"Lying in bed." he said, clutching her pillow to himself. Too bad, he was in no mood to co-operate, she thought.
"Well, I am in bed, too. And..." she trailed off.
"And?" he asked, curious to know.
"And, I miss you." she whispered. His heart screeched to a halt. Damn. How was he supposed to respond to that!
"Come home, then." he said, trying to sound nonchalant, but failing to keep the longing out of his voice.
"Come, pick me up." she replied, without missing a beat.
"Well, be warned. The Chinese say be careful what you wish, for it may be granted. I will come pick you up, if you mean it." he said as he ran a hand through his hair. He hadn't gelled it. He had slept badly the previous night, without her in bed, & had therefore woken up too late in the morning to gel his hair. It would make Khushi extremely happy, though, he thought, considering how much she hated his hair gel! She complained that she couldn't run her fingers through his hair freely because of it. He smiled as he thought of it.
"Buy me the new phone that has Skype facility." Khushi said abruptly bringing him out of his musings.
Arnav sighed in relief. He had been after her to let him buy her one, but she had been resisting the idea because she was insanely attached to her old one. "Finally, decided to let go of your old Nokia?" he asked, rhetorically.
"I have no choice. I want to see your grumpy face." she said, a tinge of laughter in her voice.
"We should take a vacation." Khushi announced. While he was glad she made the suggestion, her statement brought on a very different doubt.
"Please tell me, you mean just the two of us when you say 'we'." Arnav said being reminded of the nightmarish movie theatre experience when Khushi had turned their date into a family affair.
"Of course, I mean just the two of us. I don't think the others would be quite so comfortable watching you roam around in the beachside villa in boxers or less." she laughed.
"Oh, but accept it. You enjoy it." he said, smugly.
"Your butt is fine, makes for great visual. Why wouldn't I enjoy looking at it!" she responded without missing a beat.
Arnav let out a tired sigh & turned on his stomach, placing his face on Khushi's pillow & inhaling her familiar scent.
"I've been driving Di nuts." he confessed.
"I know. She has called me thrice already to complain about you. And, SHE accused ME of spoiling you. Not in a hundred years did I think that conversation could happen. Talk about a role reversal." Khushi said & heard him laugh at the other end.
"You're staying safe? Locked all the doors? And, you aren't letting any stranger into the room?" he asked her to calm himself, despite knowing Khushi could take care of herself.
"Oh, don't you know? I let this really hot man that I met at the pre-launch party into the room. We decided to have an affair. He's fun, unlike you." Khushi taunted in response to his queries.
"Khushi" the word held a warning tone to not push him. She sighed.
"Yes, boss. All doors locked, no strangers have been allowed inside." she humoured him. "You should've just come along if you were so worried." she said.
"I should've." he said, not arguing with her.
"We are taking that vacation, by the way. We need to get out of the madness of daily life for a week, at least." Arnav continued as he supported his head on a propped elbow.
"Don't even think about it! You've driven me nuts. Without you around, the room is too freakin' silent, the food is too bloody bland. Just when did I develop a dislike for silence & bland food! Right, ever since I met you." he said sounding frustrated.
"Don't make me pack my bags & come to Delhi, Raizada. That is your intention, isn't it?" she said trying to infuse a little lightness to the moment.
"You bet." he said, simply. He yawned as his body began giving in to the tiredness.
"I will cut down on the number of business tours I make." he said, abruptly.
"We can't have both of us running away for weeks on end." he explained. Khushi didn't buy it. He just didn't want to spend too much time away from her. But he would be damned if he were to say it.
"Ok." she said smiling, not calling his bluff.
"And, get some sleep, now. You have an early morning tomorrow." he said, gruffly, aware that she had understood his intentions.
"Aye aye Captain." she said, yawning again.
"I love you." she said softly & heard him sigh. She imagined him slumping his face onto the pillow, as a soft thump was heard.
His voice was a little muffled when he said, "I love you, too."
Khushi hung up & smiled sleepily as she looked at the phone display. It was a picture of Arnav laughing, his eyes lit with joy. It had been taken when she had done something crazy & he had been trying to chide her, but had given into laughter, anyway. Anjali had captured the moment on her phone & then, sent it to her phone. He laughed so much with her around, she had been told. And, it warmed her heart to know that she could do that, make him so happy. And, she missed him so much. They would take that much delayed vacation to Bali once she returns to Delhi, she resolved. The images of white sand, blue waters & Arnav in boxers were her last thought before slumber took over.
Link to the other OS I have written called 'Coloured Halos' for anyone who is interested: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/iss-pyaar-ko-kya-naam-doon/4335656/os-coloured-halos
OS: Sleepless In New Delhi
Arnav Singh Raizada was exhausted. He had been negotiating with a fabric manufacturer, all day because the latter believed that if he stubbornly held onto his unrealistic pricing, AR might just give in. It had taken hours to convince him otherwise. And, now, sitting in his cabin at 10pm in the night, Arnav didn't feel like going home. What he did feel like doing was taking the next flight to Mumbai.
"You know you'll have to head home, soon otherwise your sister will file a missing person's report." said his trusted right-hand man, Aman Mathur walking into his cabin, looking packed & ready to head home, himself. Even Aman was heading home, just how late was it, wondered Arnav looking at his watch.
"Go away, Aman. I'll head home, later, after I complete some work." Arnav brushed him off, vaguely pointing at the files lying on his office desk.
"Maybe, you should just go to Mumbai." said Aman. Arnav levelled a pointed stare at Aman that had no effect on him. He just shook his head at his boss & wished him goodnight before leaving.
It was 11pm by the time Arnav returned to his Raizada Mansion. His sister gave him a sound lecture for his behaviour. He just sat through that & nibbled on his food.
Once that task was done, he headed to his room & lay on his stomach, on the bed even without bothering to change out of his office clothes or switch on the lights. He reached his hand out touching the the other side of the bed that was empty.
And, right on cue, the phone rang. Arnav answered it.
"Is this how you feel when I go on business trips?" Arnav asked into the phone without preamble. He heard a soft husky laugh from the other end in response.
"Aww. It's only been a day." the other person said, the smile still evident in the voice.
"A day is 24hrs long & has 1440minutes, 86400 seconds." he ranted.
"Now, now. I know you are good at Math. No need to show off." came the response.
"Khushi, either be sympathetic or be ready to open the door to your husband tomorrow morning." Arnav said, not amused.
"Don't be so grumpy, Arnav. You could have come along, you know, had it not been for that 'inflexible schedule' of yours." Khushi taunted.
"Just how many times are you going to throw my words in my face? You've already done it like 10 times since yesterday." Arnav said turning on his back & leaning against the headboard.
"Ok. You know I would've skipped this if I had a choice. But, they said as a brand ambassador, I need to attend the launch of the watch store's Mumbai outlet. I'll be back with you in no time." she tried to pacify him.
"How are the meetings coming along?" she asked to divert his attention.
"Good." he said being unhelpful.
"What are you doing?" she asked trying again.
"Lying in bed." he said, clutching her pillow to himself. Too bad, he was in no mood to co-operate, she thought.
"Well, I am in bed, too. And..." she trailed off.
"And?" he asked, curious to know.
"And, I miss you." she whispered. His heart screeched to a halt. Damn. How was he supposed to respond to that!
"Come home, then." he said, trying to sound nonchalant, but failing to keep the longing out of his voice.
"Come, pick me up." she replied, without missing a beat.
"Well, be warned. The Chinese say be careful what you wish, for it may be granted. I will come pick you up, if you mean it." he said as he ran a hand through his hair. He hadn't gelled it. He had slept badly the previous night, without her in bed, & had therefore woken up too late in the morning to gel his hair. It would make Khushi extremely happy, though, he thought, considering how much she hated his hair gel! She complained that she couldn't run her fingers through his hair freely because of it. He smiled as he thought of it.
"Buy me the new phone that has Skype facility." Khushi said abruptly bringing him out of his musings.
Arnav sighed in relief. He had been after her to let him buy her one, but she had been resisting the idea because she was insanely attached to her old one. "Finally, decided to let go of your old Nokia?" he asked, rhetorically.
"I have no choice. I want to see your grumpy face." she said, a tinge of laughter in her voice.
"I am flattered." he said flatly, relaxing for the first time in the day. He crossed his legs at his ankles & wondered how she had that effect on him with just a few words. How had he let her have such power over him. Let? Right, as if it had been within his control.
"We should take a vacation." Khushi announced. While he was glad she made the suggestion, her statement brought on a very different doubt.
"Please tell me, you mean just the two of us when you say 'we'." Arnav said being reminded of the nightmarish movie theatre experience when Khushi had turned their date into a family affair.
"Of course, I mean just the two of us. I don't think the others would be quite so comfortable watching you roam around in the beachside villa in boxers or less." she laughed.
"Oh, but accept it. You enjoy it." he said, smugly.
"Your butt is fine, makes for great visual. Why wouldn't I enjoy looking at it!" she responded without missing a beat.
Arnav let out a tired sigh & turned on his stomach, placing his face on Khushi's pillow & inhaling her familiar scent.
"I've been driving Di nuts." he confessed.
"I know. She has called me thrice already to complain about you. And, SHE accused ME of spoiling you. Not in a hundred years did I think that conversation could happen. Talk about a role reversal." Khushi said & heard him laugh at the other end.
"You're staying safe? Locked all the doors? And, you aren't letting any stranger into the room?" he asked her to calm himself, despite knowing Khushi could take care of herself.
"Oh, don't you know? I let this really hot man that I met at the pre-launch party into the room. We decided to have an affair. He's fun, unlike you." Khushi taunted in response to his queries.
"Khushi" the word held a warning tone to not push him. She sighed.
"Yes, boss. All doors locked, no strangers have been allowed inside." she humoured him. "You should've just come along if you were so worried." she said.
"I should've." he said, not arguing with her.
"We are taking that vacation, by the way. We need to get out of the madness of daily life for a week, at least." Arnav continued as he supported his head on a propped elbow.
"Aha. If only I were aware that the way to make you willingly take a vacation was to just go away on some business for a week, we would've had more vacations by now." she said, yawning. Arnav reacted immediately.
"Don't even think about it! You've driven me nuts. Without you around, the room is too freakin' silent, the food is too bloody bland. Just when did I develop a dislike for silence & bland food! Right, ever since I met you." he said sounding frustrated.
Khushi was touched. That was his way of telling her he missed her. Damn! He was being sweet & everything. How was she supposed to deal with this!
"Don't make me pack my bags & come to Delhi, Raizada. That is your intention, isn't it?" she said trying to infuse a little lightness to the moment.
"You bet." he said, simply. He yawned as his body began giving in to the tiredness.
"I will cut down on the number of business tours I make." he said, abruptly.
"We can't have both of us running away for weeks on end." he explained. Khushi didn't buy it. He just didn't want to spend too much time away from her. But he would be damned if he were to say it.
"Ok." she said smiling, not calling his bluff.
"And, get some sleep, now. You have an early morning tomorrow." he said, gruffly, aware that she had understood his intentions.
"Aye aye Captain." she said, yawning again.
"Goodnight." he said.
"I love you." she said softly & heard him sigh. She imagined him slumping his face onto the pillow, as a soft thump was heard.
His voice was a little muffled when he said, "I love you, too."
Khushi hung up & smiled sleepily as she looked at the phone display. It was a picture of Arnav laughing, his eyes lit with joy. It had been taken when she had done something crazy & he had been trying to chide her, but had given into laughter, anyway. Anjali had captured the moment on her phone & then, sent it to her phone. He laughed so much with her around, she had been told. And, it warmed her heart to know that she could do that, make him so happy. And, she missed him so much. They would take that much delayed vacation to Bali once she returns to Delhi, she resolved. The images of white sand, blue waters & Arnav in boxers were her last thought before slumber took over.
Link to 3rd OS: Chocoholics Anonymous https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/iss-pyaar-ko-kya-naam-doon/4351884/os-chocoholics-anonymous
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