17. Chudiyaan Khanak Gayee

"Bekaar...?", asked Arnav, moving closer to her with a predatory look in his eyes.

"Yes...bekaar..." He Devi Maiyya, raksha karna..

"You are going to remove it as soon as you get home?", fumed the ASR who had astonished himself by rushing off at night to buy red bangles for Khushi Kumari Gupta.

"Haan...Why should I keep it? I don't know who has given it to me. I don't even know why it was given to me.."

Arnav ground his teeth in frustration.

"I don't even know if it was meant for me. I might have got something I don't deserve by mistake...The rightful owner might come along any moment, and I will have to remove them from my kalai which will be...sooni forever."

Arnav got the point, and gulped. How to untangle months of knots that he had painstakingly made, just to keep her out of his life? He watched her, standing by the pool, lit by the light reflected by the water.

"You don't like the bangles, do you?", he hissed.

"They are OK. Nothing great. Woh kya he, Arnavji, it is the feeling behind the gift that makes it great or ordinary. Nanheji's bangles were the wrong size, but he bought them with me in mind."

Arnav's face looked as though it were carved from stone. Khushi lowered her eyes to hide her laughter.

"I see. In that case, you won't want to wear them." Arnav caught her hand in his, and started to slowly slide the bangles one by one closer to her wrist, as though to remove them.

She snatched her hand away, and hid them behind her back.

"Kya hua, Khushi?"

"I won't let you remove them." She panicked.

"Why not? They are bekaar, aren't they?" He caught hold of her arm again, and tried to take the bangles off her, one by one.

"They are mine. No.. I won't let you remove them."

He began to slowly force one bangle after the other off it.

"Why, Khushi? What is so special about them?" He whispered, his hooded eyes seeming to pierce her soul.

Khushi felt tears fill her eyes. She had tried so hard to make him admit that he had gifted her the bangles. But he had held firm. When would he realise...? How could she tell him how eager she was to hear him admit that... Her lips trembled.

"Khushi...don't cry...Khushi..." He slid the bangles back on to her hand, and pulled her into his arms for a bone crushing hug.

"So you liked the bangles I gave you..?"
Khushi nodded against his chest.

"You will wear them?"
She rubbed her face against his shoulder, and nodded.

"Khushi,...will you wear them tomorrow for the marriage?", he whispered in her ear. He filled his hands with her silky hair, his head bent to hear her reply.

"Yes."

"Titliyaaa...It is time to go home..Where has this girl gone...?", came Buaji's call.

Arnav released her reluctantly, his body protesting against her loss. Khushi slowly straightened her hair & clothes, and withdrew from him.

She stopped near his bedroom door, blushing, and said softly, without looking at him, "I will wear them tonight too..."

And she did. And dreamt of the man sitting by his enchanted pool, his dil and dimag filled with thoughts of her.


Suni sej pe saiyaan sari raat main jaagi
(I stayed awake all night in an empty bed, my darling!)
Tere piichhe piichhe meri niind to bhaagi
(My sleep seems to have left me to follow you.)
Mera chain bhi gaya re tere sath ma
(My peace of mind has left me to join you.)
Chhananachhan chudiyaan khanak gayi dekh
saahibaan ...
(Look, darling! My bangles are making a melodious jingling sound...)

Song: Morni Bagga Ma
Movie: Lamhe