26. Arnavji, Jiji is Leaving....



 Arnav watched his wife run into their room, pause, turn around, and run back to shut and lock the door. She turned, leaning against the locked door, panting, a hand on her heaving chest.

Arnav quirked his left eyebrow. He had long ceased to be surprised by all the nutty things that Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada did.

She came running to him, Toofan Mail that she was. She pushed aside the table with his laptop on it, and knelt in front of him, her hands resting on his knees.

"Arnavji! Jaldi Aayiye! Jiji is leaving!"
"Uhh?"
"She found out the truth about our marriage. That you had blackmailed me into marrying you. That you had threatened to stop her wedding if I didn't comply..."
"What the..."
"There is no time to waste on 'What the' Arnavji... Please come with me to her room... She is packing her clothes... When Jiju returns from the meeting, she won't be here...", she sobbed.

Arnav's hand lifted automatically, and touched her silky hair, trying to comfort her...and maybe himself.

"She thinks that you hate me and that you are illtreating me behind closed doors...I tried...I tried so hard...to tell her...that it was...not true...but she...refused to believe me..."
Arnav swallowed, the truth of the extra blanket and pillow gouging his heart.
"Will you come with me and tell her that I am happy? That we got married...because we wanted to? I promise...Devi Maiyya Ki Kasam, Amma Bauji Ki Kasam, Buaji Ki Kasam...I won't leave before six months. I promise...". Tears dripped onto his knees, and her clutch grew tighter.

"How did she find out?"
"It is all my fault...I never take bhang. Anjaliji tricked me into having a glass of it, and I went around spilling every secret in my heart. I must have told someone...I am so sorry...", she wept. How could one person have so many tears in her? And how could he blame her for being irresponsible under the influence? He himself had behaved in an uncharacteristic manner...

He helped Khushi up. "Wash your face. Try to look cheerful. I will manage this mess. But remember, follow my lead. Do what I ask you to do while in Payal's room. And remember your promise about the six months."
She nodded, sick with relief.

Payal was packing, tears flowing in an unending stream.
"Payal?", called Arnav from the doorway.
"Ji, Arnavji...", she stopped her packing, and waited for him to speak. He led Khushi into the room and closed the door.
"Khushi said that you are going home because you believe that I am illtreating her, and that I forced her to marry me. Is that true?"
"Ye...es..".
"Do you really think that I would stop your marriage a second time?"
"No.."
"Do you think I would break my brother's heart?"
"No.."
"Khushi & I...we have known each other for a long time...one day...it just got too much to bear...we decided to get married. I didn't want to involve the family in it...I asked her if she would marry me. She...was willing...I didn't want to wait...It was not her fault...So we got married...That's all..."
"Yes, Jiji..It was exactly as Arnavji said...How can you think that he illtreats me? He...he...", she gulped, "he...loves me very much. He takes good care of me..."

Payal looked unconvinced, but amenable to persuasion.

"Khushi, will you leave us alone for a few minutes? I need to convince your Jiji."
Khushi looked at his confident face, and slowly left the room. At the last moment, she put her head around the door, and said. " I am here if you need me...either of you..."

Left alone with Payal, Arnav said, "Khushi and I...we haven't had the easiest of relationships...when she was working for me...I was cruel to her..." His voice lowered to a whisper. "I hadn't known then that such innocence could exist...I shouted at her...I hurt her...I fought with her...because I couldn't believe that she was real... that I could care so much for a girl...I couldn't get her out of my thoughts..."

"So that's why Khushi was always talking about you. She would fall asleep talking about you...and wake up with Laa...your name on her lips...", Payal blushed.

"Laad Governor...isn't that her name for me? She still calls me that when she is angry..", a smile crept into his voice, to Payal's surprise.

"Why the hurry? Why didn't you come home with your family and ask for Khushi's hand? Both families would have been so happy to conduct your marriage..."

Arnav swallowed. "Nani & Di were planning to fix her rishta with NK. They were planning to talk to Buaji during your wedding. I couldn't lose her..." Arnav himself did not know where the lies ended and the truth began.

"I care a lot for her. I will protect her. She will never come to any harm. I promise you. Payal, Akash loves you. He thinks the world of you. Don't spoil your life just because some one lied to you about khushi and me. By the way, who was it?", he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Shyamji..", the word fell from Payal's lips.

"He said that you were torturing her by making her sleep on the floor, outside by the pool. That you hated her. That I was an evil sister to sacrifice Khushi to keep my husband. That she was giving up her life and happiness for my sake..."


Arnav bit down on the big wave of fury that rose like a tsunami in him. So Payal was supposed to feel guilty and leave this house for her maikka. Shyam wanted her to pass on this information to her Buaji, Amma, & Bauji, so that they would come and take Khushi away from him. That would leave the field open for Shyam to approach Khushi.

And he...he would lose Khushi...No way, Jee-Ja-Ji. Hell would freeze over before he let Khushi go. Not to Laxmi Nagar. Not to any other place except HIS house, HIS room. And never, NEVER to Shyam.

Arnav spoke in a gentle tone, "It is true that Khushi sleeps by the pool. I sleep there too, with her. You know how much she loves to see the stars at night. She thinks that her parents are stars, and talks to them every night. So we decided to sleep out till the decorators come in to paint the ceiling of our room to look like a night sky with lots of stars."

Payal smiled at his thoughtfulness, astonished at his knowledge and acceptance of Khushi's sanak.

Arnav swallowed. " I married her because I wanted to marry her. Because I wanted her to be my wife."

Payal nodded.

Khushi was waiting outside the room, hopping with impatience. Arnav silently led her into their room, and said, "I have sorted it out. Payal will stay here. And you have to stay here for 6 months..."

Khushi ran into his arms, throwing herself at him in gay abandon, her arms around his shoulders, jumping up and down in the circle of his arms, full of excitement like a kid.

"Thank you...Thank you..." She kissed him again and again on his neck. "I will stay as long as you wish...Arnavji.."

Arnav struggled to draw breath.

"Bring your things inside the bedroom. We will have to share the room from today."

She ran laughing to the poolside to get her things.

Arnav sat on his bed, his hands clenched tight together, trembling, his heart thudding at an impossible speed. What had he got himself into?