205. OS 10. An Unexpected Visitor (Part 13)

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 13

Arnav led Khushi down, their fingers locked, uncaring of the smiles and stares of the crowd gathered in the living room and hall.

“You saw a reflection of the lights in the pool, Sanka Devi?” Buaji asked.

Khushi looked at Buaji and then at Arnav. She blushed, her face rosy.

Arnav smirked.

Buaji hit her forehead with her hand. “What did you do now, Hai Re Nandkisore?” she asked.

“Nothing, Buaji,” Arnav replied quickly. “She—she enjoyed it—a lot.”

“Hein?” Buaji asked, confused.

Khushi’s blush intensified. She stared at Arnav with a scandalised face.

His shoulders shook at her look.

Khushi poked him in the ribs under the cover of her dupatta.

Arnav burst out laughing.

Buaji stared at Khushi and Arnav with wide eyes. Slowly she whispered in wonder, “Sanka Devi has met Sanka Dev, Nandkisore!”

“Who met whoms?” Mami asked, raising her finely threaded eyebrows over pink and blue eyelids.

Buaji was too shocked to respond. She was moved to silence by heart-felt gratitude to Nandkisore for having sent a Madmiya for her nutcase niece.

“Where is Mamaji, Mami?” Arnav changed the topic.

Mami looked around frowning. “Bhere ijj he?” she asked.

Anjali came up to them, beaming. “Buaji, Khushiji, shall we have dinner?”

Khushi shook her head, smiling.

Buaji nodded.

All of them moved towards the tables set in a pavilion constructed on the extensive grounds of Shantivan.

Khushi stole a look at Arnav. He was looking at her, a slight smile on his lips.

She pursed her lips. How dare he tease her?

“Kya hua, Khushi?’ he asked softly, trying not to laugh at her disgruntled look.

“I won’t talk to you,” Khushi muttered. “Katti.”

Arnav chuckled. “Why?” he gasped.

“You—you did all that by the pool and then you threw me at Buaji’s mercy,” she growled. “You couldn’t control your laughter, could you? Dekhti hoon aapko,” she threatened.

“What did I do, Khushi?’ he asked innocently. “All I said was that you enjoyed yourself by the pool. Was I wrong? You are the one who told me that it was fun.”

Khushi snorted. “No one can win an argument with you,” she fumed. “You are just like my hero, insufferable!” she said. “I pity the heroine.”

Arnav tried to stifle his laughter, but was not entirely successful.

“One day I will cut off your hair when you are asleep,” she threatened. “Just wait till we are married.”

He burst out laughing.

“If you had a moustache, I could cut that off too. But you don’t,” she said regretfully.

He pulled a chair out for her, chuckling.

“Hamre Arnav bitwaa kaahe itna hass rahein he?” Mami asked Nani, her eyes like saucers.

“I don’t know, Manorama,” Nani smiled. “But he is happy with Khussi bitiya. That’s all that matters.”

“Bhat jokewaa did Khussi say to make him laugh? Hum bhi to sune,” Mami said as she leaned forward to hear their conversation.

“Manorama,” Nani hissed.

But Mami was shameless. She cocked her ears to listen to Khushi and Arnav speaking.

“I won’t talk to you,” Khushi muttered.

Arnav smiled, not reminding her that she was speaking to him.

Mami gasped. Arnav bitwaa was happy that Khussi was not talking to him?

“I won’t talk to you ever, samjhe aap?” she asked.

He nodded, trying to look penitent.

“I should go away like my heroine, to Lucknow or Agra,” Khushi grumbled, moving back to let the wait staff serve her.

Arnav smiled at his plate.

Mami stared at Khushi. She was running away before Arnav bitwaa could marry her? Did she have a propensity for running away as she did for burning down houses?

“You are cruel, shameless,” she complained.

Mami looked at Arnav’s amused visage. Her Arnav bitwaa was happy that his bride-to-be was abusing him?

“I won’t speak to you ever again,” Khushi repeated.

Mami couldn’t hide her astonishment. “But you are isspeaking to hamre Arnav bitwaa, Hello Hi Bye Bye,” she reminded Khushi loudly.

Khushi gasped.

Arnav smiled.

Nani and Anjali glared at Mami, upset that she was trying to drive a wedge between Chotey and the crazy bride he had managed to woo despite all his personality limitations.

Khushi turned her head away from Arnav, miffed.

They ate silently, sitting side by side. Arnav peeked at her frequently to see her looking fixedly at her plate and ignoring him. Once Khushi glanced at him to catch his eye. She turned her head away.

“Khushi, do you want dessert?” he asked softly.

She looked at him and then at the plate he was holding out.

Peda.

Her mouth watered. She wanted to say ‘yes’ but she had taken a vow not to speak to him. She stared at the peda, caught between her oath of silence and desire to eat the sweet.

His lips twitched.

Her eyes brightened. She could nod. She nodded twice in quick succession.

Arnav slid a peda on to her plate.

Khushi happily bit into it, smiling in pleasure.

Arnav smiled at her joy.

Suddenly Khushi’s face fell. Arnavji couldn’t eat sweets! She swallowed the piece she had in her mouth and abandoned the rest on the plate.

“Kya hua, Khushi?” Arnav asked. “Isn’t it good?”

Khushi looked at him in annoyance.

 He had diabetes.

He had angered her.

He was always laughing at her.

And now he was asking her questions when he knew she couldn’t answer him?

It was all his fault.

“You didn’t like it?” he asked again.

Khushi pursed her lips and pushed away the plate.

Arnav looked at the wait staff. “This peda is not good enough,” he complained, one eye on Khushi.

The waiter paled.

Khushi looked at Arnav, aghast. What was wrong with this man? “No, no, the peda is fine, fine,” she reasured the waiter. “I am not hungry, bas.” She glowered at Arnav who smiled at her.

“Khushi, talk to me,” he whispered in her ear as she stood with Buaji who was bidding good night to the Raizadas. The function was over and the other guests had left.

She remained stubbornly silent.

“What is wrong, Nandkisore?” Buaji asked.

“Nothing, Buaji,” Khushi replied quickly. If Arnavji was permitted to reply to Buaji’s question, he would get her in trouble again.

“Devyaniji, we are very grateful for your invitation to this evening’s party. We had a nice time with all of you,” Buaji said with a smile.

Anjali hugged Buaji. “It was a wonderful evening, Buaji.”

“And hamre Arnav bitwaa made sure that Khussi did not get into any trouble,” Mami said.

Nani frowned at her.

“But he got his reward,” Mami added.

Khushi blushed a fiery red even as Arnav smirked. Nani and Anjali looked at Buaji’s frowning face with worried eyes.

“He could see the rephlection of light in the pool bithout phalling into it, Hello Hi Bye Bye!” Mami teased.

All smiled.

“Hum chalte hein, Devyaniji,” Buaji bid good night.

“I will drop you home, Buaji,” Arnav offered.

“No, bitwaa, don’t trouble yourself. We will get a taxi, Nandkisore,” Buaji replied fondly.

“No, Buaji. Let me get the keys,” Arnav said before going to get them.

“It is not safe to travel alone at night, Madhumatiji,” Nani said. “Let Chotey take you home.”

Buaji nodded.

Khushi fretted. She would have to keep Buaji from finding out that she had fought with Arnavji and was on a moun vrat to rile him.

“When will our bahuriyya come to visit us again?” Nani asked Khushi fondly.

Khushi smiled.

“Tomorrow,” Mami replied for Khushi.

All looked at her in surprise.

“Bill hamre Arnav bitwaa stay away from Khussi? He will bring her here tomorrow or go to her house and watch her serial with her,” Mami explained.

All chuckled.

Khushi looked down at her fingers clutching the fringe of her dupatta.

“Buaji, Khushi, chalein?” Arnav asked, walking towards them with the keys in hand.

“Yes, Nandkisore,” Buaji replied.

Khushi stood silent.

He touched her back bared by her choli as he helped her into the car.

Khushi jumped at his touch.

He watched her through the mirror as he drove to Laxmi Nagar.

Khushi turned her face away and pretended that she didn’t feel his eyes caressing her through the mirror.

He took her hand while helping her alight from the car.

Khushi freed herself as soon as possible.

He joined them as Buaji opened the door.

“Shall I make tea for you, bitwaa?” Buaji asked.

“Yes, please,” Arnav said to buy more time with Khushi.

He shut the door and moved closer to Khushi.

Khushi tried to leave him, but he took hold of her hand.

As soon as Buaji entered the kitchen, Arnav pulled Khushi into his arms.