Chapter 13
A long day it had been with impromptu on location meetings ASR returns home and walks up to his
room. Khushi isn’t anywhere to be seen, loosening his tie he asks one of Prakash brothers where Khushi is at.
Khushis teaching piano at one of the student’s homes explains OP at which Arnav is pleasantly
surprised.
Walking out into the poolside he sees the little teacup perched on the piano filled with a mix of coins
and notes.
Content that her efforts seemed to be successful there’s a peaceful sort of look on his face. Before
turning away he also sees that there sits on the perch of his mother’s old piano a single yellow rose.
From his conversation this morning ASR recalls that yellow roses were one of things on Khushis list of
things she adored.
...
Post First day of Khushi’s piano tuition
When Khushi returned to Raizada house that evening a little later than planned she found Arnav with
his eyes closed and head back in the lounge he’d obviously had fallen asleep waiting for her. Food was
still out on the table She tapped him lightly on the face of his palm rested on the arm of the chair.
Watching him open his eyes which seemed rested rather than asleep.
“You shouldn’t wait up for me.” She said a little dismayed at the trouble she’d given him.
“Its no bother” he says casually noticing that his wife looks particularly happy.
I’ll freshen up and you can tell me about your day. – he says getting up from the arm chair to which
Khushi agrees. Watching him trying to get out of his blazer khushi puts a hand to his shoulder softly to
tell him she would help with this.
In what can be described only as a very wifely mannerism does Khushi help him out of his suit jacket.
No one had really done these little things for him which made them even more so noticeable.
Looking back a glance he sees a casual smile on his wifes lips which gives him peace. As he walks into
this room for some reason his mothers piano on the poolside catches his eye. It felt almost like a calling
from his mother. His feet took him towards the poolside closer to the piano. His eyes fixated on the
aged picture of her mother he takes a seat for a moment and then takes the frame to hand. Touches his
mothers face behind the glass he feels her presence.
“I wish you were here to met Khushi.. he contemplates for a moment how his mother would have
loved khushi. Sweet sensible, soft, ambitious, traditional all the things his mother was and adored
in a person. I better go she’s waiting for me:” he says putting the frame down and as he does his
eyes catch the yellow rose that sits beside. One single rose, he wondered which one of her students had
gifted her this it was thoughtful and more so it was on the list of Khushi’s liking's Payal had read out to him this morning.
Hearing a knock not far, ASR turns his head to find Khushi stood at the French doors just bobbing
herself out somewhat with the look a wife had when she didn’t wish to interrupt a conversation
between mother and daughter..
“Aap aa rahe hai?” (are you coming downstairs?)
ASR nods a yes and joins her for dinner.
Anjali who is fetching water late night and is crossing the lounge sees the couple having dinner late
night and can’t wait to tell Aman what she’d just witnessed.
Day 2 since Khushi’s first piano lesson
Early morning at Raizada house, the men are heading out to office after breakfast with Avi popping
into the office as and when needed, she had a very lax attitude and ASR forgave it somewhat more than
he ever would for Aman or Akaash it was the leverage a little sister seemed to have over brother.
ASR waits for the driver to start the car he pauses to send a quick message over his phone and just so
happens to overhear womens morning gossip in the lounge. Avi and Anjali were both laughing about
something, “Khushiji has this real cute piano student he looks just like Salman khan – Hottie! ”
ASR raises an eyebrow at the womens conversation, how ridiculous he thought to himself pleased that
his wife wasn’t apart of the this he called on Khushi. He intended to bridge distances so every moment
was a opportunity.
Khushi who is helping nani in the kitchen with something comes out into the lounge on hearing his
voice call for her. She couldn’t deny that every time he called her like that a whole host of butterflies
seemed to dance in her stomach and she’d and she’d miss a heartbeat.
“Khushi, lets go out for dinner this evening.” He suggests speaking to her with his deep honey eyes,
she liked the idea of that and passed a smile with a nod to which he unexpectedly stepped closer and
placed a kiss on her forehead to wish her bye.
Per personality it made her melt into all kinds of embarrassment especially as the ladies watch from a
far.
Just as ASR walks to leave the house he bumps into a courier man at the door. No time for such things
Avi steps in to receive a bouquet of roses addressed to Khushi.
“Looks like Khushi ji has a admirer Oh they must be from that cute student of yours” – makes a
fuss Avi whilst ASR goes about his day.
Entering his office he takes a seat back in his chair behind his desk and few moments later his newly
appointed PA Mrs Fanandez enter with the days agenda.
She talks through her list, ASR thanks her before she leaves Arnav wishes to ask her something.
“Mrs Fanandez, do you watch movies, Indian ones?”
surprised she smiles “yes”
What’s so good about Salam khan then, he asks always knowing these movies were nonsense.
Well he’s tall, dark, some would say handsome but most of all light hearted.
Hmm.. he replies with very little expressiveness, one more thing Please book a table for myself and my
wife this evening at a nice restaurant.
On arriving home that evening ASR hopes to see Khushi ready for their meal, he walks the lounge and
into the kitchen, lights upstairs are dim and as he pauses in the kitchen there are no signs of Khushi he
makes it a question for one of the house help who mention Khushi Is still out for one of her piano
lessons. Pondering over his phone for a moment those yellow roses in a vase come to his attention for a second and he gives in and goes up to their room to work instead.
Khushi arrives a hour or so later, seeing take away cartons near where he had been working and fallen
asleep at the poolside she feels terrible about forgetting their planned date.
Walking out into closer to him she picks up his blazer that had fallen astray tucks it within her arms
and in doing so comes to sense a ladies perfume unfamiliar to her.
Not thinking much of it khushi hears a phone ring ring, coming from his blazer pocket she finds his
phone the display alight with a text message from a ‘Monica’ looking towards him for a moment and
knowing that it was wrong to look at message even if it was out of good faith Khushi puts the phone
back in the pocket and hangs his blazer up where it should be.
Fetching a blanket from the room she walks back into the poolside to cover him, it wasn’t all that cold
but he seemed to comfortable to disturb and he looked tired. As she takes away the latop puts it aside
and tucks him in she notices..a red stain on his collar, a stain that looks a lot like lipstick. Stopping her
mind from such ridiculous thoughts she reminds herself that he is her husband to think such things
was a misdeed.
The morning after and Day 3 since first piano lesson
“I’m sorry, bhul gayi thi… she’d written on a bit of card sat against his bed tea whilst she was out at
poolside with that adorable little girl who was a avid fan of Arnavs now.
He picked up the bit of card and looked out of the window, when his eyes caught Khushi she traced a
sorrowful face. He’d got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, and seemed to be in a very fowl
mood which he carried along with him into the office.
He was particularly more stringent today and heated If his normal self wasn’t enough this was worse
and he knew it himself.
…
A couple of hours after ASR leaves for work
As Khushi fetches water for the little boy who has hiccups at the piano she sees Arnavs lunch sat on the
kitchen counter. no staff to be seen around and the clock striking well close to 1pm.
..
Khushi walking through AR corridors for the first time paces by work spaces, out fit displays and
models. All beautiful, modern articulate and powerful. She wondered which one of them was Monica.
All complementary to her husband and very different from her which made her think back to the
perfume on his blazer and the lipstick on his shirt collar but she shut down that thought as soon as it
surfaced. Spotting, Aman and Akash and Avi helped it meant she could ask them directions to Arnavs
office.
..
Sometimes not too long from then ASR who continues to be in a blunt mood hears a knock at the door
of his office. Taking a glance up from his paper work he unexpectedly so sees his wife at the door. His
persistently tough mood this morning showing no signs of ease.
“Come in” in the back of his mind wondering why she was here but other thing were more prominent
on his mind at this time.
“Aap bhul gayey they” (you forgot this) she says with his lunch to hand. Putting it down on the table
she feels a sense of coldness from him even after his “thanks”
Behind his paper work still as she waits for him to say something more but doesn’t.
Maybe it was last night she thinks.
I’m sorry kal raat Ham bhul hein gayey.. just a nod back still very little response dipping her eyes
even though he wasn’t making eye contact Khushi gets the message and feels it better to leave but
remembers his medication.
“Davayi mat bhoolyega.. woh” (don’t forget your medication) thinking about the recent change in his
meds and how complicated his dose had become she scatters her eyes around at the drawers. Akash
always said that he put ASR’s meds for the working day in a side unit in his office. Walking over
Khushi opens one or two drawers so she could leave them visible.
Lifting his eyes to see her now looking through drawers. Her back In that off red saari he had chosen
for her before marriage drives him insane. Not only was he in a fowl mood, frustrated, what she was
doing was driving him insane in a attractive sense.
Before she could find the right drawer she felt him from behind reaching out to the right one. He was
close, she felt encased somewhat his aftershave Filling her senses.
“That’s enough, I’m not in the best of moods best that you leave me to to it” he says in firm tone.
She doesn’t know quiet what he means and turns around careful not to step into him.
“I’m sorry about last night” she says true to her innocent personality.
“It’s not that” he says clouded by his frustration and now that when they were talking she was
innocently pin pointing at the minor things, on top of that she was this beautiful, young bride of his
who had no clue what she was doing to his senses. He wished to not be driven by his allure for her but
he couldn’t but help notice his attraction like he did all times but Today more so. He sighed and looked
unforgiving down over her.
His eyes told her that he felt wronged in some way and cane to the conclusion after a few moments.
Hame nahin pata kaun phool bhej raha hai ,“I don’t know who the flowers are from”
She says nervously without looking at him because he was sharp and she feared what might come
next. Her words felt incomplete to her but she used every bit of confidence she could muster within
them.
“I don’t care that you have someone sending you flowers more important is that whomever it is
needs to know your mine.” She didn’t know why but she got the feeling she was been punished at the
same time his words were explanation, they were command they were desire?
As he stepped closer it forced Khushi to hit her back on the cupboard behind and with that did he cup
her left waist and tug her closer into him.
“Ji.. was all she managed to say, not Arnav not, ASR and the Ji wasn’t a yes it was a call to her
husband. Ji translated meant “sir” because that was a shade her husband was time from to time for her.
Then she completed it with “please we’re in your office”
You are driving me insane he says with dark eyes , Did not hear me the first time around I want others
to know your mine, He says tightening his grip a little on her waist for him to feel. Khushi closes her
eyes for a moment feels him move his lips into the crux of her neck and kiss her exposed skin, “I’ll
mark you in every way if I have to” he speaks into her ear as his lips trail. Khushi closes her eyes
steadying her nerves.. she speaks. Her sentence broken. “Haq Banta bai aap ka Magar jab batche
hame puncenge Hamare nishano Ke Bareme toh Ham Kya Kahenge” (you hold every right but what will i tell the children when they ask about the marks ..)
The thought of the little girl Khushi had been teaching piano to crosses his mind and he closes his eyes
for a moment reopens them to his young, innocent with stuff in the corner and steps away.
She looks at his back a moment although she wasn’t ever visibly confident she had courage which
always kept her strong.
“Hari Prakash Ji ka beta hamre liyey gadi mein instaazar kar raha. Woh bhohot pyaar se pocket
money save kar rahe ta ke piano sheekh sake, hame Jana chahiyey” (Hps son is waiting for me in
the car he’s been saving his pocket money to learn piano, I should go)
Turning to his desk without turning to her he uses his phone system to call his PA
Straight to the point Without any pleasantries.
“Send the car parked outside the entrance back to Raizada house and take Mrs raizada into the
lounge make her comfortable.”
In no time at all did the lady enter the room and collect Khushi.
They could both do with time to cool off.
Hearing the office door shut at a distance walking to the window he sees a Raizada car parked outside
and in the passenger seat a the Back a little boy no older than 6 or 7.
Cursing himself he runs his hand through his hair.
For fu*k sakes Arnav he curses thinking of Khushis distort eyes her words run through his mind.
“ I don’t know who sent the flowers” she pleads and it replays in his mind.
Walking back to the chair behind his desk he leans back and looks out into the office when something
occurs to him.
Flowers sat at the desks of the odd employee. He moves to shuffle papers on his desk as if to look for
something and he finds a leaflet been on his desk for days now he hasn’t got around to throwing away.
Someone selling flowers in his office.
He picks up the the phone to dial the number on the leaflet once his questions are over he puts the
phone down.
Sitting back in his chair he looks out into the office from the glass of his office sternly at one or two in
particular.
...
Elsewhere outside of his office his PA gets Khushi tea. Sensing that something might be wrong Mrs
Fanandez is that a little more attentive to Khushi. Not only does she hand over tea she also sits down
with her for a moment on the sofa and passes her a smile. A warm trust worthy kind that can see the
boss’s wife is unhappy and she probably didn’t want to talk about that but they could talk about
something else.
Aap ka naam Kya hai, (what’s your name?) asks Khushi
“Monica”
The lady answers that’s when Khushi realises that Monica wasn’t a pretty model as she may have
once’s thought, Monica was a lady old enough to be a grandmother.
I worked for your father in law now I work for your husband she said with a smile.
Not much long after an introduction was made did ASR enter.
Mrs Fanandez took it as her cue to leave and Khushi stood for him. Of course she felt a certain way and
she felt a certain way and not to make it worse she avoided his gaze.
Even now she treated him with respect he probably didn’t deserve. His eyes softer .. attentive of her he
looks upon her a second before asking her to sit back down.
Next chapter:
Yaad hai Jab hamara Ghar mein Phela din tha tab aap ne Kaha tha agar koi pareshaan Kare toh mein aap ko Kahoo. (“remember on my first day in the house you said I ought to tell you if anyone troubles me today I feel troubled.)
She says almost silently then looks towards him. She was complaining about the one whom she was complaining to. A intimate thing, if a unusual thing in itself.
NOTE:
Hope you enjoyed this, do comment and like if you did. Also i've updated the other two as well so please take a look at those too.
Same message on them all, i'd like to pick up and sort all these and moving on i'll stick to shorter stories as i feel bad for keeping you all waiting all the time.
Any ideas on how to make pm's or some sort of notifications easier let me know right now i dont have the time to send them.
