28. Patni Jo Hoon


"What the hell is this?", Arnav gritted out, furious. "Room saaf karo, NOW!"

Khushi motioned him to wait for a moment with her hand, and continued.
"Haan, Shuklaji, I will prepare the food by noon. You come and take the dabbas."

Arnav marched up to her, and plucked the bluetooth from her ear and threw it across the room. They stood looking at each other, Khushi shocked at his action and Arnav mad at the upheaval this one human being was causing in his personal and professional life. After the bathroom, bedroom, wardrobe etc, she had decided to takeover his office too. No way. No way was she going to disrupt his life. He clenched his fists, and bit out, "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

Khushi smiled. "I will explain. Just one moment. Let me clean up the bed. I was giving Shuklaji a list of supplies for tomorrow based on the requirements of the staff, and all the papers are on our bed."

She took hold of his right arm, just above the wrist, and led him to the clean side of the bed. Of course, that was his side of his bed. And made him sit down. He watched her running around gathering the papers and tidying up her side.

She came to him, and sank on the floor between his feet, like a child.

"Arnavji, why are you angry with me?"
"You come to my office. Without my permission, you supply food to my employees. I had to listen to the whining of the previous contractor. You and your dabbas have taken over my office. Have you totally lost your senses? Why do you need to work? You are my wife, for God's sake! And you never thought about informing me about what you were planning to do? How dare you!"

"Arnavji, the food in your canteen has always been supplied by an external agency. The staff were not happy with Shuklaji's oily food. They wanted a change. They approached their manager, that is, your manager, who normally awards the contract. He cancelled Shuklaji's contract and gave it to me. You normally don't interfere in such small issues, so, maybe, the manager didn't let you know.

Arnavji, what kind of businessman, no, businesswoman would I be if I didn't take the opportunity that came calling? There was a need there, a need I could meet. And I needed the money. So I took it. Are you worried about Shuklaji? Please don't be. We are partners now. He won't lose anything.

I should have mentioned it to you. Not because you are the owner. But because you are my husband. But it all happened so fast that I didn't have the time. Then I thought...that maybe... it didn't matter. I mean, ours is not a real marriage anyway. You are not my real husband. Our marriage is just for 6 months. So..."

Arnav felt the sand beneath his feet draining away. He couldn't argue with most of what she said. So he latched on to the one he could.
"Money? Why do you need the money? You are Arnav Singh Raizada's wife, dammit! If you need money, you take it from me, do you get it? My wife does not go working to meet her expenses." He looked into her beautiful eyes trained on him, his frustration coming off him in waves.

"Arnavji, do you know how much I owe you? Do you have any idea? I have to repay Rs55,300 to you. The 30,000 that you paid for Babuji at the hospital, 25,000 for damaging your car when I rode Bediji's scooter into it, and the 300 I took from you to buy colours for Holi."

He looked at her, astonished.

"I used to owe you another 1 lakh too. But I paid that off by teaching Lavanyaji how to be a sanskaari bahu. When I refused the job, Anjaliji said that I either had to coach Lavanyaji or pay the 1 lakh. I didn't have the money. So I came here and did my job."

Arnav couldn't take his eyes off her.

"How can I make 55,300 if I don't work? And I have only 6 months to do this. I was sooo worried, and then this chance fell into my lap. Devi Maiyya Ki jai Ho! How could I refuse it?"

"Khushi, I don't want the money. You and your 55,300. Pagal Ho?"

"Pagal? I am not pagal. I don't want to go to jail. There are a lot of mosquitoes there."

"What the.."

"You were threatening somebody with legal action if they didn't pay their dues, weren't you? What if you take me to court? I don't want to go to jail."

Arnav sighed, his head buried in his hand.

"I won't send you to jail."
"Promise?"
"Yes."
"You need to promise."
Arnav looked at his wife. She was sitting, her hands clutching his leg in her excitement.
"I promise."
Khushi let out a sigh of relief. "But that doesn't mean I don't need to pay you."
"Khushi, stop this nonsense of the dabbas. I mean it. I don't want your money, and you don't need to work."

"Arnavji...", she looked into his eyes. "I need to work. Woh kya he, after 6 months, I will be leaving this house. I will go to Buaji's house, but I won't be able to stay there for long. You see, the neighbours will start wondering why I have returned home, and they will gossip. It will be very hard for Amma, Babuji, and Buaji."

"I won't be able to stay in Delhi. And I can't go to Lucknow. All our relations are there. And they were here for Jiji's wedding. They saw us...I mean, they know about our elopement and marriage."

"So I will have to go to a new city, a third place where no one knows me. And start a new life. I am a halvai's daughter. I know how to run this business. I need to make some money here so that I can start a new catering business there." she continued, no trace of self-pity in her voice.

Arnav could feel his head whirling. So many consequences of his actions on Feb 14th...

"Amma & Babuji..they took me in 10 years back...They have given me nothing but love...And I have given them nothing but humiliation. Jiji's marriage being broken...my engagement...our elopement...They have asked nothing of me, ever. They just expected me to be a good daughter, an obedient one. Someone who would live according to the sanskaar they gave me. And at every point...at every point, I defeated them...brought shame to them..."

She leaned against his leg, clutching it close to her heart.

"Arnavji, if you think that our marriage was the worst thing that happened to both of our families, you are mistaken. The day we separate is going to be worse, even worse..."

Tears fell silently down her cheeks.

"That will be the last and final time I hurt my family. I have to go away, far away from them...And I would like to send them money every month, from the profit I earn from my new business. I should be of some use to them...At least in this way..."

Arnav's hand trembled as he wiped away the tears from her cheeks, his rough fingers rasping against the soft skin of her chubby cheeks. Her head rested on his knee, and she was hugging his leg for comfort. He slowly ran his fingers over her hair, giving and drawing peace from it. He wished time would stop. That they could remain like this, together...

"Arnavji, you don't have to worry. I have told Shuklaji that I can't do this business for more than 6 months..." She frowned. "Why did he smile? Ajeeb he log! I told him that our partnership will last only for 6 months, and he was happy?"

Arnav smiled at the confused look on her face. Shukla must have thought that Khushi & he were planning their family...and as usual, his wife had no idea...

"Have you signed a contract with Shukla?", he asked, clearing a choked throat.
"No."
"I will ask my lawyer to meet you tomorrow. Take his help and get Shukla to sign a contract."
"Arnavji...what the..."
Arnav smiled.
"You don't mind me working...But why? Why are you helping me?"
"Pati Jo Hoon."

She remained silent for a while, looking at him with tear-filled eyes.
"Arnavji, you don't have to worry. I won't come to your office. Mamiji said that you wouldn't like it if I became the cook while you are the boss. I will just prepare the food. Shuklaji will take the dabbas to the office and return them in the evening."

"I am not worried."

"But Arnavji, there is a condition to my accepting your help.", she waved her arms like a traffic policeman to get her point across.
Arnav smiled, quirking his left eyebrow.
"You have to have the lunch I send you. You have to eat the food I prepare for you..daily. And...and you have to lick your fingers, all of them..."
"Really? Why?"
"Patni Jo Hoon."