16. Khushi's Dulha


"Khushi Bitiya", said Naniji. "What do you say to marrying your Nanheji?"

Khushi choked on her samosa.

"You get along so well. He likes you. He doesn't fight with you. You will always have your way, and you can travel to Australia...What do you say to this proposal? Shall we approach your parents?"

Khushi swallowed the brick-like remains of the samosa manfully, and gasped, "Rakhi...rakhi.."

Naniji & Anjali struggled not to laugh.

"I was planning to tie a rakhi on his arm...Jiji & I, we don't have any brothers, you see. I thought..."

"Then he won't do for you", sighed veteran actress Naniji.

"But we are determined to keep you in our family, Khushiji. There is only one other eligible bachelor, Chote. What do you say about marrying him?", asked Anjali. "Or do you want to tie a rakhi on him too?"

Khushi felt her breath stop. She stared at them both, horrified. "Did you ask... him?", she whispered.

"Well, we mentioned it to him", said Naniji, casually.

"What did... he... say?"

"He said he would talk it over with you, personally. He said that he wanted to see you in his room after you have had your tea.", said Anjali cheerfully.

"He Devi Maiyya, save me", she cried as she got up from her seat and ran for the front door.

On the way to the door, she knocked down a vase, ran into a pillar ("Where did u come from? You were not here when I came in.."), and crashed into Nanheji.

 NK managed to grab her hand and bring her to a stop.

"Khushiji, kya hua? Where is the fire?"

"Phire? Hamare Dil Mein. Nanheji, where is the front door?"

NK pointed in the correct direction, and Khushi went racing towards her escape route.

She opened the door. Arnav stood looking at her, arms crossed and head slightly tilted.

"Going somewhere, Khushi Kumaaari Guptaaa?", he asked.

Khushi gulped.


A bewildered NK wondered "Why is Nannav marching Khushiji over to his room? Nannav and his ghooosa, I tell you. Khushiji must be trembling in fear."

"Yes, she must be trembling", agreed Naniji & Anjali, unable to control their laughter.




Section 2




Arnav marched her into his room, locked the door, and turned to face her.

She stood, trembling, dressed in a flowing lilac salwar, looking like a titliya ready to flit from one flower to perch on another.

"Nani must have told you about the proposal, Khushi", he said in a business-like voice.

"Y..yes..."

"Nani & Di think that a marriage between us will be good for both families.", said Arnav. He went on to list the advantages. "You will be able to stay with your Jiji all your life. You love Nani & Di anyway. So you won't have a problem with your in-laws. You will never have to worry about money again. I will take care of your father's medical expenses."

Khushi looked at him, stunned.

Her silence forced him to continue. "If you are willing for the marriage, then Nani can contact your parents..."

"No...I won't marry you."

"Why not?"

She walked out to the pool. Arnav followed.

"I don't want to m..marry you.."

"Why? Do you want to marry NK?", he fumed.

"Nanheji? Never," came her emphatic reply.

Arnav let out a deep breath of relief.

"You are making a big mistake, Khushi. You won't get such a favourable deal a second time in your life. You will have a comfortable life as Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada... And you will never have to sleep alone. I will be there with you every night." He looked into her innocent eyes, his own fiery with barely banked desire.

"I won't m..marry you."

Arnav looked around at his plants, lost. Why? Why wouldn't she marry him? There was nothing he couldn't give her, wouldn't give her. He could and would buy her the best the world had, and lay it at her feet.

Why should she marry him, a niggling voice asked. What had he given her except pain, tears, insults, his anger, and untold humiliation?

"Khushi, are you scared of me? Do you think I will hurt you?", he asked, fearful of the answer.

"Scared of you? Of course not. My Amma & Bauji did not raise a coward."

 He sighed in relief.

"Khushi, do you think I will take my anger out on you after we are married? Is that why..?"

"Of course you will. I will continue to do foolish things and you will continue to scold me. I am used to it. I am not refusing your proposal just because you yell at me once in a while."

"Khushi, if it because of my views on love and marriage..."

"You are your sister's brother. If you vow to stay with me for life, you will. If you have other plans, I will make you change your mind. I am not bothered about all that."


Arnav smiled in the midst of his distress.

"So what is bothering you, Khushi?", he asked softly.

She looked at the tiles on the poolside, and mumbled, "Heart attack."

"Really..?"

"Dhak Dhak..", she muttered. 

"What the..."

"Don't give me your what the..what the..Can't you hear my heart thudding when you come close to me? When you look at me? How can I live with you when my heart feels like it is going to burst out of my chest each time I look at you or hear your voice? Do you have any idea what I have been going through for the past few days? How difficult it is to stay in the same room with you?", she lit into him.

Arnav burst out laughing.

"You are laughing at me. You don't believe me, do you?", she asked in an affronted manner.

Her anger fuelled his laughter. It felt so good to laugh, to know that he had his kabootari where he wanted her...

She caught hold of his arm and dragged him to the bench in the garden, and forced him to sit.

"I will give you proof", she said, and circled his head with her arms and brought his head to rest against her heart. "Can you hear it now?", she asked.

He could hear the loud thud of her racing heart, singing the sweet song of her love for him.

At that moment, cradled against her heart, Arnav Singh Raizada realised that he was the richest man in the universe. He smiled, content to remain in her arms forever.