201. OS 10. An Unexpected Visitor (Part 9)

Link to my new short story: Taking Care of You


“I thought I was dreaming when I first saw you," he said.

 “How did you know it was me?” she asked. “I could have been anybody. A thief even.”

He smiled wearily. “I don’t know many thieves who would look at me with anxious eyes and then cry because I was sick,” he mumbled.

Is it possible for love to bloom, sight unseen? Juhi and Abhay are strangers who know each other better than they know themselves. One night changes the equation and the even tenor of their lives and puts all their doubts and fears to rest.

http://pothi.com/pothi/book/ebook-smita-ramachandran-taking-care-you

Link to my first e-novel; A Home for Meenakshi

http://pothi.com/pothi/book/ebook-smita-ramachandran-home-meenakshi

"I love the way you love, Meenu," he whispered, his eyes on hers. "Such loyalty, such passion..."

Meenakshi Sharma, an orphan, lives in Varanasi with her uncle, a chronic bachelor who wants her to become a professional musician. She unwillingly relocates to Delhi to study under a renowned musician for eight months. Staying for rent in the outhouse of the Agrawals, she meets Aditya Agrawal, an attractive young man brooding over the memories of his horrendous past. Pulled between her uncle's expectations of her and Aditya's love for her, Meenakshi struggles with her feelings. How can she disappoint her uncle who had devoted his entire life to her upbringing? How can she pretend to be blind to Aditya's feelings for her? A romance that moves between the alleys of the holy city of Varanasi and the modern city of Delhi.

A blog for my VMs:

http://smitarsvms.blogspot.in/

Part 9

“Khushi has agreed to marry me,” Arnav said softly, his eyes on his mug of black tea.

Mami looked up from her plate at the breakfast, her eyes wide. “Bhen did this chamatkar happens?” she asked, shocked.

“Last night,” Arnav admitted, smiling slightly.

Nani threw her arms open and hugged him fiercely.

“Me too, Saasumma,” Mami got up and hugged Arnav till his ribs were in danger of cracking.

Anjali hugged him and wept all over him.

HP came to place a tub of butter on the table.

“HP, hamre Arnav bitwaa is going to climb the horsewaa,” Mami informed him, thrilled to bits.

HP stared at Mami and then at Arnav.

“Chotey is getting married, Hari Prakashji,” Anjali explained.

Joy lit HP’s face. “Badhai ho, Arnav bhaiyya,” he wished.

“Thank you,” Arnav said, flushing slightly.

“Do you know who the girlwaa ijj?” Mami asked.

“Kaun, Mamiji?” HP asked.

“The girl who went to Arnav bitwaa’s room on the night of the pooja and phell in his pool,” Mami explained.

HP’s eyes widened.

“She is Laxmi’s phraand too,” Mami explained.

HP shook his head and left for the kitchen smiling. Arnav bhaiyya was going to have an exciting life!

“Manohar and Akash will here tomorrow,” Nani smiled. 

“We can ask Madhumatiji to fix a date for the wedding.”

“Arnav bitwaa, diwali ijj in three days. Do you want to marry before it or aphter?” Mami teased.

Arnav looked down at his plate. He was ready to marry immediately, but Khushi needed time to get used to him and the idea of marriage. “After,” he said.

Nani, Mami and Anjali smiled.

“Shall we invite Buaji and Khushiji here for Diwali, Nani?” Anjali asked with a naughty smile at Arnav.

He looked up with hope.

“Yes, Anjali bitiyya. This time Chotey will attend the party without invitation,” Nani laughed.

“Inbiting ijj alright, lekin keep all lamps, phires, pools away from our Khussi,” Mami advised them.

Arnav smiled.

Mami looked at him with a smirk on her painted lips. “Arnav bitwaa, keep her tied to you. Then she won’t gets into trouble, Hello Hi Bye Bye!” she teased him.

Arnav flushed. The others chuckled.

Arnav, Akash, Mamaji, Mami, Anjali and Nani descended on the Guptas the next day.

Buaji beamed at them. “Please come in, Nandkisore,” she welcomed them.

“Madhumatiji, this is Manohar, my son. This is Akash, my grandson,” Nani introduced them. “They were away on business when we had the pooja at home.”

“My one and only hujjband and bitwaa,” Mami explained.

“Namaste,” Buaji greeted Mamaji. “Jeeyath raho, babua,” she said to Akash who touched her feet.

Arnav hugged Buaji.

Akash’s eyes widened to rival saucers.

Buaji cupped his face and murmured, “Such a good babua Sanka Devi has got.”

The Raizadas smiled.

“Where is Khushi, Buaji?” Arnav asked.

“She has gone to the temple, bitwaa. She will be back in ten minutes, Nandkisore,” she replied, pinching his chin.

All sat down.

“Madhumatiji, shall we fix the date for Chotey’s and Khussi bitiya’s wedding?” Nani asked.

“Yes, yes,” Buaji agreed. “When do you want to have it, Nandkisore?” she asked.

“We have bought gifts for Khushiji, Buaji,” Anjali explained. “If you don’t mind, we can have shagun now.”

“We need only family for the function,” Nani explained.

“Yes, let us book the girlwaa,” Mami added her mite.

Buaji nodded uncertainly. “If that’s what you want, Nandkisore,” she said. “Khussi will be back in a few minutes.”

“And we want you to join us on Diwali night, Madhumatiji,” Nani invited her.

“We have a small party that night every year. Fireworks, mithai, friends—it will be fun, Buaji,” Anjali added.

“Fireworks?” Buaji looked downright scared.

“I will take care of Khushi, Buaji,” Arnav soothed the middle-aged lady softly.

Buaji leaned towards him. “Last Diwali, Titliya lit a rocket,” she whispered.

“Whom did it hit?” Arnav asked, now wise to khushi's ways.

“Medha’s grandmother was transferring pickle from big jars to small bottles. The rocket flew in through the window, Nandkisore, and fell into one of the jars,” Buaji recounted.

Arnav tried to hide his smile.

“When that old lady peeked into the jar to see what had fallen in it, the rocket burst,” Buaji sighed. “The walls of the room and her face were covered with red pickle, Hai Re Nandkisore! It took weeks for her to see again and months before anyone could walk into that house without feeling they had jumped into a pickle jar,” Buaji supported her head with her hand.

Arnav struggled to control his hilarity.

Mama and Akash looked at Buaji and Arnav with incredulous eyes.

Mami whispered in Nani’s ear, “Saasumma, no picklewaa in our house after hamre Arnav bitwaa’s marrijj.”

Nani nodded.

“We will take care, Buaji,” Anjali tried to allay the lady’s doubts.

“And our friends will get a chance to meet you and Khussi bitiya,” Nani said smiling.

“Aur nahi to kaa. Zara duniya bhi dekhe what a beautiful girl hamre Arnav bitwaa has got,” Mami added.

“Buaji, guess whom I met today,” came the call even before Khushi entered the house.

All looked towards the door.

A whirlwind in pink entered the hall and came to a shocked standstill.

“Arnavji,” Khushi squealed.

He smiled at her, his eyes molten chocolate.

Mami nudged Nani and looked meaningfully at Anjali.

The men stared at Arnav. Was this his bhai? Akash wondered. Or had some alien taken over his body?

Khushi quickly greeted the Raizada ladies and ran to sit by Arnav.

“This is my uncle and this is my cousin, Akash,” he introduced the men.

She folded her hands in greeting.

“We were thinking of having the shagun today, Khussi bitiya,” Nani said with a smile. “Do you mind?”

“No,” Khushi replied. “If it is alright with Buaji.”

Before anyone could think better of it, Mami quickly plucked a gift-wrapped packet from the table, marched up to Khushi and placed it on her lap.

“Shukriya, Mamiji,” Khushi said softly.

“This is shagun, matmal booking price. Now you have to marry  hamre Arnav bitwaa. No paanwala has any right over you,” Mami informed her.

Khushi nodded, still shaken by the close-up view of Mami’s made-up face. She looked at Mamaji with respect in her eyes.

One by one all the other Raizadas filled Khushi’s lap with gifts. Arnav watched indulgently and helped Khushi arrange the packets safely on the sofa.

“Doesn’t the boy get any gift, Naniji?” Khushi asked.

All smiled.

“No need,” Mami explained. “The bride ijj the brooms’ gift.”

Khushi frowned. “That’s unfair,” she muttered. “Arnavji, we can share the gifts given by Nani, Anjaliji, Mamaji, Mamiji and Akashji.”

Arnav’s shoulders shook.

“Hein?” Buaji exclaimed. “What will Arnav babua do with kajal and gold bangles and bindi?”

“Oh!” Khushi looked at the packets with disappointment.

“You Sanka Devi!” Buaji shook her head.

“Khussi bitiya has a big heart,” Nani smiled and dropped a kiss on Khushi’s cheek.

“Yes, you are bilkul right. She also has a big hole where her head is supposed to be, Nandksore!” Buaji had the last word.

“Khushiji, we would like you and Buaji to grace us with your presence at our Diwali party,” Anjali made a formal invite.

“Ji, ji,” Khushi replied. “But please keep me away from the crackers,” she pleaded, looking at Arnav.

He nodded.

“Shall we have dinner here?” Buaji asked. “It will be very nice to spend this evening together.”

The Raizadas agreed.

Dinner was fun and laughter. They feasted on delicious dishes and spent an evening getting to know each other.

Khushi sat next to Arnav, her right arm against his left.

“We don’t have the serial on weekends,” she informed him.

“I see,” he responded.

Khushi sighed. “I wonder what the two of them are doing on Saturday and Sunday.”

“Two of them?” he asked.

“The hero and the heroine,” Khushi told him.

Arnav choked with laughter.

“Khushi, are you talking about the actors?” Arnav asked. He could arrange for her to meet them if she was so interested in them.

“Actors? Why should I worry about the actors? They have their wives and husbands and amma and babuji to worry about them. They have their own lives. I am worried about my hero and heroine,” Khushi said, putting a piece of puri in her mouth.

“Why?” Arnav managed to ask. “Why are you worried about them?”

“They are so lonely,” she sighed. “Now I have you for company, Arnavji. But they are alone.”

Arnav gave up the fight and burst out laughing.

It was late when the families decided to separate. As the others bid goodbye, Khushi pulled Arnav away into her bedroom.

“Kya hua, Khushi?” he asked, his voice soft, tender. He had enjoyed the evening with her. He couldn’t remember having enjoyed an evening more.

Khushi leaned forward and pressed a long kiss on his lean cheek. His eyes flew open.

She moved away from him. “Now you have got your shagun, Arnavji,” she whispered, her lips warm and pink.

He stood looking at her for a long moment. Then he asked, “I didn’t give you any shagun, did I?”

“No, you didn’t,” she said, her eyes twinkling.

He stepped forward.

She moved back. “You copycat, Arnavji! Are you going to give me a pappi on my cheek like I did to you?” she laughed.

Taking her by surprise he moved swiftly. The next thing she knew was the warm press of his delicious lips on hers.

Khushi fell down to sit on the floor, her limbs going on a lightning strike.

Arnav stood looking at Khushi sitting on the ground at his feet, her head lowered.

“Kya hua, Khushi?” he asked.

“Lightning struck me,” Khushi explained.

“Lightning?” he asked, one eyebrow lifted.

“I—I think it is going to rain,” she muttered. “There must be thunder and lightning in the sky.”

Arnav bit his tingling lip to stop himself from laughing.

“It is not lightning, Khushi,” he murmured.

“No? Then what is it?” she asked, her eyes round.

“It is what my touch does to you,” he breathed.