Saturday 23 August 2014

145. OS 6: An Unwanted Wife (Part 18-)

Section 18





The lady was in her early fifties, her face was lined. The hair was a wig, an expertly made wig but still a wig.

As Khushi stared at her slack-jawed, the lady stood up and moved unevenly towards her. Before Khushi knew it, she was enveloped in a warm hug and her cheeks were being kissed... repeatedly.

“Khushi,” the lady whispered, cupping her cheeks. “You have no idea how badly I wanted to meet you. I gave him an ultimatum the last time we met for dinner that he either brings you to me or I barge in to his house to see you,” she smiled, her eyes moist.

“Shall we sit down?” ASR asked smiling.




They moved towards the table, the lady wobbling slightly. Khushi and Arnav caught hold of her arms and helped her sit down.

“Did he tell you about me?” the lady asked.

Khushi shook her head.

“And you were all he talked about the last time we met,” she laughed. “I know everything about you. What you look like, what you wear, what you like to eat, all the hundred and one things you do daily...I am Geeta Batra. My husband, Anand Batra was a businessman.”

Khushi smiled weakly at the lady.

ASR said, “He helped me when I started my business.”

“Yes,” smiled Geeta. “To him, Arnav was like a son. That is why he asked Arnav to help me take over his business after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s.”

“She heads Regal Textiles. Her firm supplies us with excellent quality fabric,” ASR explained to Khushi.

Khushi nodded.

“Your Arnav helped me when Anand was sick and after he died by diverting orders our way, encouraging other firms to choose us over competitors...He visits me rarely, Khushi. Lekin mein haar maanne waalon mein se nahi hoon. I take an appointment once every month with the great ASR. I drag him and his officials here on some business and then insist that we have dinner together,” Geeta laughed. “Mein kya karoon, Khushi? Otherwise it is impossible to see your husband. He thinks he is busier than the President of America, busy bee kahin ka.”

Khushi smiled.

“So tell me, how is this khadoos treating you?" Geeta asked.

“Very well,” Khushi murmured, so relieved that this lady was no paramour of her husband’s that she couldn’t find the energy to speak.

Geeta hugged Khushi.

She turned to Arnav. “ASR, are you going to feed me or not? I am starving,” she complained like a child.




The hours sped. The three of them laughed and talked easily, savouring the food and the company. Geeta showed Khushi photos of her husband.







When there was a pause in the conversation, Khushi suggested, “Geetaji, why don’t you visit Shantivan? Arnavji’s relations would love to meet you.”

Geeta took a deep breath and said, “I travel only once a month and that too because this boy can’t make the time to visit me in Hoshiarpur. The rest of the time I am under the eagle eyes of my doctor.”

“She is under treatment for cancer,” Arnav told Khushi softly.

Khushi looked at Geeta with horror in her eyes.

“I am better now. The chemo took my hair, not that I had much to start with. I have regular check-ups and need to regulate my diet and work. I am alright now. Sachi,” Geeta comforted Khushi. “Especially after I heard the news of your wedding. I wanted to meet you and give you these,” Geeta smiled. She gave Khushi a packet.

Khushi looked at the gift and then at Geeta. “Open it, open it,” the middle-aged lady said, eager to see Khushi’s reaction when she saw the gift.

Khushi unwrapped it. It was a jewellery box. She looked at Arnav and then opened it. Diamonds vied with rubies as large as eggs to shine in the exquisitely crafted necklace.




Khushi stared open-mouthed at its magnificence.

“Anand bought me the necklace on our tenth wedding anniversary. I would like you to have it, Khushi,” Geeta smiled.

Khushi’s eyes filled with tears.

“I wish he could have met you,” Geeta sighed. "He would have loved you."

“Geetaji, this is too expensive..it is...” Khushi’s throat closed up.

“We didn’t have children, Khushi. Arnav is all we have. And his wife is our bahu,” Geeta smiled.

“Shukriya,” Khushi whispered.

“You like it?” Geeta asked anxiously.

“Very much,” Khushi smiled through her tears. "I have never seen anything more beautiful."

Geeta gave Arnav a document and a key. She said, “The key and papers to the villa Anand owned in Coorg. It is yours now.”




Arnav opened his mouth to protest, but Geeta turned to Khushi, “Did this workaholic take you for a honeymoon?”

“No,” Khushi smiled.

“Arnav!” Geeta rolled her eyes at him.

“I will take her, I will take her,” Arnav promised. “We will go to Coorg.”

Geeta beamed. “Good. Put the villa to good use.”






After dinner, Arnav and Khushi led Geeta to her car. Her driver and personal secretary were waiting for her. She hugged Khushi and Arnav many times, bidding farewell to them before remembering something else she wanted to tell them. After one hour of conversation in the car park, she finally left for Hoshiarpur.

Arnav took hold of Khushi’s hand and led her to their car. He made sure that she was wearing her seat belt before driving home.




Section 19

32 comments:

  1. I knew it, felt it when I woke up at 6:30 am that I will see the update very soon. That's why I kept my sleepy eyes open, actually I forced them to stay open and I read the news, a few chapter of a novel and then I came back to your blog and I saw the update. It was worth it though:-)))

    I'm gonna read it now. Thanksssss a lot dearest Smita. I am excited to know who the lady is but I had to had to write the first comment for you :-) love you...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lovely lovely but short. I read the sentences two or three times because I didn't want to reach to the end of this section. I wanted to savor the beauty of every moment and every word. I like this Geeta Banou and her nice feelings for her Arnav, their Arnav, their son. She was talking about her husband as if he was still alive and such a love declaration is sublime.

      Looking forward to seeing how Arnav organize their honeymoon and how he declares his young love to his beautiful Khushi, to our lovely Khushi:-)

      The actress in the photo is not Narges, is she?

      Delete
    2. It is Leela Naidu, one of the most beautiful actresses in Hindi movies. I believe she was on the cover of Vogue once.

      Glad u enjoyed it..ha..ha..

      Delete
    3. I googled her name and she was beautiful indeed but she died unfortunately very soon, at age 69.
      "Leela Naidu was crowned Femina Miss India in 1954, and the same year was featured in Vogue magazine's list of the world's ten most beautiful women".

      Delete
    4. Yes. She was a reasonably good actress too. Her 'Anuradha' won her a National Award.

      Delete
    5. I might find it online and watch it once my mind and heart are less involved with Arnav and Khushi :-) Shashi Kapoor is one of my favorite Indian actors as well and I saw them both together playing in a movie. I would like to watch it as well.

      Do you actually know how long does it take to calm this passion down ? ;-) it has been 7 months for me since I watched the show for the first time and even though I don't watch it anymore but I am still in love with both characters especially Khushi's.

      Delete
    6. I just read the plot of the movie you mentioned and I found it interesting. Thanks for sharing.

      Delete
  2. I'm here!!

    So today, not only do I read the story till date but I am also gifted with a Saturday update, and that too such a beautiful one.

    I am so glad I decided to stalk this blog ;)

    As a girl with family from Hoshiarpur it is safe to say that I adore Geeta. She is a motherly figure with such focussed attention for two love starved children that she took some of my heart away with her. Arnav and Khushi are not in my opinion short on love lehkin ek maa ke pyaar ka apna rang hota hai.

    I loved the update di :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Truly a motherless pair. Acha, you are from Hoshiarpur?

      Delete
    2. Yep! A small village of Acherwal in Hoshiarpur. How about you? :)

      Delete
    3. Wow. You are from Trivandrum? I'd guessed you're a Keralite but... This is awesome. My favourite author is from my hometown.... Yippeee...

      Delete
    4. And herein lies another mystery di! I wonder why you chose a small Punjabi City as Geeta's home town :)

      Delete
    5. Because of the textile industry in Hoshiarpur. A lucky choice.

      Delete
  3. I just read the first line. Devi Maiyya ko jai ho!! Nandakishore ki jai ho!! I am so relieved. Will read the rest and comment.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mystery of the other woman solved. Such a sweet character and so generous too. Thanks for the prompt update. Now that this issue is out of the way, they still have to face the "unwanted bride" part. Looking forward to it. I hate to put pressure like this - but when are you updating next?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ha..ha.. kar doongi. kal chalega?

      Delete
    2. Kal means Sunday, right? Eagerly waiting. Sorry for the pressure but I just love your stories, the depth of each character and to be honest I'm just plain greedy for more.

      Delete
  5. Yessss... that's my ASR. ( just a figure of speech, Khushi. He is all yours.... mind, body and soul. )
    How could he cheat his wife when the mere thought of her leaving his side renders him a saansein ruk jaayengi moment ? Both ASR and Khushi haven't yet realised the ineffable and irrevocable love they have found in each other.... And how blessed are they to be showered by affection and tenderness by Geeta and by ASR's own family. I mean granted their trickery and deceit in bringing about ASR's marriage , but one can't deny, that their subterfuge did bring this angel called Khushi into ASR's colourless life.
    Loved the update. Excited for the honeymoon. .... ( of course Khushi, it's your and ASR's honeymoon ). She is so damn possessive, haina Smi !!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Balraj Sahni as Anand Gupta.... interesting choice Smi. A thespian of yesteryears I truly admire. Great actor and good looking as well. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is an actor I adore. His Seema, Anuradha...haiyye! And Leela Naidu is a classic beauty.

      Delete
  7. thats who she was
    like his mother
    second mother you could say
    wow well mystery solved
    now she dont have to think he has a GF
    he doesnt
    even if he did he before marriage he would have made sure to leave the girl
    he may not believe in marriage
    but he sure would uphold it
    ahhh this lady made up for all that has gone wrong in their marriage
    well more like how they got married
    they got a mother figure
    who didnt plot or blackmail arnav
    cant believe his family
    or hers
    forget them man
    so is it HM time already
    i should hope so
    seems they all got on so well
    am glad for that
    see khushi told you he would never do that to you
    other maybe but not him
    she gave her such beautiful piece of jewellery
    and the house
    just perfect for the hm couple right
    wow that was just great
    bless isnt arnav the best hubby and also human ever
    she is lucky to have him
    and he her

    ReplyDelete
  8. what do she have done without him
    and him without her
    they are perfect for one another
    and now they have one another
    waise loved who you picked for geeta and anand
    ahhh so her husband was arnav mentor
    thats so cool

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Balraj Sahni & Leela Naidu. Two of my favourites!!! Balraj Sahni....Haiyye! So handsome, yaar! And such a brilliant actor.

      Delete
  9. am literally stalking this blog
    was reading old stories and os
    so much fun that is

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oh I do feel happy.....but still I wonder what kushi will do..since it was a forced marriage for ASR

    ReplyDelete
  11. Aww the lady..loved her small role in arshi love track.
    Now I am waiting for kushi's confrontation to arnav regarding what she heard convo betwn anjali nani n arnavz warning to nani. Hmm let's see what arnav would say..
    HM ? Itni jaldi?

    ReplyDelete