18. Arnav's Princess


"Chotey, I have sent Khushiji to your room to change her clothes. Wo kya he, that is the only room where she won't be disturbed. I hope you don't mind?", Anjali asked with a mischievous smile.
"No..no...Of course not..", replied a disconcerted Chotey, who felt as though Diwali and Holi had come together. He tried to make his way to his room through his garden as inconspicuously as possible, but was stopped on his mission many times by a nervous Akash (What the..Who was he to give advice on the protocols of Suhaag Raat?), an NK who was filling Akash's head with SR nonsense (He hoped Akash didn't follow his outlandish & impossible-to-execute ideas, or he would have a teary Payal on his hands.), HP wanting his permission, Mami wanting his opinion on her sari & make up (What could he say? She looked as loud and gaudy as usual.) etc.
 Finally, he reached the window of his room, and carefully peeking in, saw Khushi.
A princess, dressed in blue, the colour of the sky on a bright day. The delicate blue sari had silver crystals & beads sewn on the border & the pallu, and her blue blouse with its short sleeves left her long arms bare. Bare, except for his bangles. His red bangles, adorning the arms of his ...Khushi. Arnav stood staring at the vision, hidden from view.
Khushi stood in front of the mirror, looking at her reflection. As she lifted her arms to adjust the pallu of her sari, her bangles jingled, reminding her of him...as though she could ever forget. Standing in his room, smelling his aftershave in his washroom, sitting on his bed, dressing in his bedroom...It was like he was here, close by, standing right behind her, an arm's reach away. Her heart began thudding, making breathing a chore.
Someone knocked on the door. Khushi opened it to find Buaji, who had come to check if she was ready. "I just need to fix my maangtikka, and then I will come down, Buaji"
"Hai Re Nandkisore! Why are you wearing red bangles with a blue sari, Parmeswari? Where are the silver bangles we bought for you?"
"I like these much better, Buaji. See how pretty they look!", she asked, lifting her arms in the air and making the bangles dance in joy.
'Remove them and wear matching ones.", ordered her Buaji, who was used to her sanak.
Khushi pressed her bangles close to her heart. "Buaji, please let me wear these. I love them so much. And they are a pperfect ffit...".
Arnav swallowed.
Buaji was distracted by the arrival of Garima and a Payal, dressed in bridal splendour. Payal led Khushi to Arnav's bed, and sat her down.
Khushi looked at home in his room, Arnav thought. And in his bed.

Buaji & Garima moved closer to the window for some privacy.
"Jiji, what will Khushi do now? How will she sleep tonight?"
"She won't. She will make jalebis all night, and feed the entire neighbourhood tomorrow. Hai re Nandkishore! Garima, heed my words. We need to fix her marriage at the earliest. I don't want her to be alone. If something happens to us, our Titliyaa won't be able to bear it. She should not be alone."
Marriage? Khushi's? Arnav felt his breath stop.
"Haan Jiji. At the earliest. I can't bear to look at the brave face she is putting on."
Arnav's muscles tightened in protest, wanting to interrupt them, and carry her off from their midst, safe, his...
"Payaliya, Titliya, come down as soon as possible. It is time for the function. The Raizadas will be waiting." Buaji & Garima left the room.

"Khushi, are you alright?"
"Of course, I am. My sister, the best one in the world, is getting married to a man who is latoo over her, and you are asking me if I am alright?"
"Khushi..."
"Don't spend your entire night saying, "Akashji, pehle aap" and listening to Jiju say, "Payalji, pehle aap"", Khushi teased.
"Khushi!", Payal cried, scandalised. Arnav bit down a guffaw.
"Are you worried about your saasumaa? Don't be. Arnavji he na. He will take care of everything. He has promised to do so. And he always keeps his promise."
Arnav stood, humbled by her trust in him, a trust he hadn't really earned.
"Khushi, I still..."
"Arnavji appears strict and stern, but he is a different man at heart. There is nothing more important to him than his family. Now you are a part of his family. He will love and protect you as much as he does Anjaliji. He will be there for you, always. And don't forget me, Jiji. I am here too, your personal bodyguard. If Mamiji is rude to you, call me. I will put a powder in her makeup that itches'."
"Khushi!! Tum Bhi Na.."
Arnav remembered the poppy seeds in his juice. Hmmm, Mami better look out for the typhoon named Khushi Kumari Gupta...
Khushi laughed. Payal hesitantly said, "Khushi, without me..."
"Jiji, you are getting married, not taking up sanyaas. And why do you think I can't manage without you? You have such a high opinion about yourself. Let me see if I can let the air out of that ballooon.", Khushi teased, and started tickling Payal mercilessly till they heard Buaji call Payal.
Khushi locked the door after Payal, and as she turned around, Arnav's breath stopped at the lost look on her face. She slowly walked to his recliner, and hugged the headrest, her fingers trailing over the fabric that seemed to hold his warmth. She then sat on his bed, her knees held close to her chest, her face buried in her arms, sobbing her heart out.
Arnav entered his room, and sat down by her right side on the bed, facing her. He put a gentle hand on her head, hoping to comfort her, wanting to take all her pain away from her. She lifted her head, saw him, and threw herself into his arms, half lying across him, burying her face in the crook of his neck and his left shoulder. He held her close, his arms across her back, pulling her more snugly into his warm embrace. Time stopped for Arnav and Khushi.
When her tears subsided into hiccups, Arnav reluctantly loosened his arms from her. As she tried to move away from him, they realised that the silver beads & crystals on the border of her sari had caught on the fine fabric & button of his shirt. Khushi looked at him, flustered, her heart beating at an impossibly high speed. She loosened her arms from around his neck, and started fiddling with her beads and his shirt button. She hid her eyes from him as she slowly slipped his button open to free herself. Arnav's clenched jaw felt like it had been set in concrete. Control had never been so difficult as it was at that moment, he realised. As her gentle fingers pulled the edges of his shirt close, and tried to push the button into its hole, he rued the fact that he was an atheist. This was the perfect moment to call all gods for help...
Free, she slowly slid off the bed, straightening her clothes, standing there shy and trembling, regretting having broken down in his arms. Without letting her gather her defences, he took the maangtikka lying among her things and placed it in her maang, fixing it in its place. He ran a finger down the column of her red bangles, enjoying the happy sound.
Khushi stood still, not breathing, her eyes focused on his face. He cupped her face, and said,
"Payal is not the only new member of my family. I look after my own. Samjhi tum?"