36. Don't Let Go of Me, Khushi


"Arnavji!"
The call woke him from exhaustion-induced coma as he stood in the cellar-like room, his outstretched hands tied to rings, his feet shackled, his body drenched in sweat, hopelessness leaching the life out of him...
Another dream, he sighed. He had had so many of them over the days...of Khushi coming up to him, dressed in the white sari and red blouse, touching his face, crying over his bruises, hugging him, kissing him better...


(Thanx, Illyria!)

He opened his eyes, expecting it to be another dream. One among many. And his eyes widened in shock. Looking at him with varying degrees of shock painted on their faces were Khushi, Mami, NK, and Masala Mama. He blinked. How could they be here? Had he lost his senses?
Khushi, Mami, and NK ran to him, and hugged him tight. Mama clasped him by the shoulder. Arnav watched silently as tears poured down the faces of Khushi and Mami.
"Arnav Bitwaa, Hamare Arnav Bitwaa...", wept Mami.
"Arnavji, are you alright?", queried Khushi in a tremulous voice.
"Nannav!"
"Bitwaa!"
Mama cleared his choked throat, and NK blinked to banish the moisture in his eyes.

"We have to untie Arnavji, fast!", said Khushi.
Mami nodded. All of them began hacking at his bonds, succeeding in half freeing him by the time the goons saw them. Arnav watched helplessly as NK and Masala Mama began to battle the goondas, his body itching to teach the thugs a lesson they would never forget. Khushi and Mami pulled the last leash off him. He joined NK and Mama, and began to beat the life out of the kidnappers.


"I will get the car.", said NK urgently. "Khushiji, Maasi, help Nannav into it." He made Arnav wear his jacket.
Mama, Mami, and Khushi helped Arnav enter the back seat of vehicle. He sat with his head thrown back against the seat rest, his one arm held tightly by Khushi, and the other by Mami.
As the vehicle moved away from the house that had been Arnav's prison for the past 2 weeks, Khushi exclaimed, "Mamiji! We can't take Arnavji in this condition to RM. Di..."
"You are right, Phatti Saadi!"
"Shall we go to Laxmi Nagar?"
"Yes. That's good, better, best... Arnav Bitwaa will be safe in your maternity home."
Khushi called up Buaji.
"Buaji, I am coming with Arnavji to stay at home for a few days. He is not well... Buaji, please ask Amma to keep tea and food ready for him. And Buaji, please ask Amma to add some sugar to his tea..."
"Hai Re Nandkisore! Babua is not well! What...?"
"We will be there soon, Buaji. I will explain everything then."


Amma, Babuji, and Buaji almost had a fit when they saw the condition Arnav was in. Questions danced on their tongues, but being women of common sense, Amma and Buaji hugged him and led him to Khushi's bed. They ran to get him the tea and dinner they had prepared for him. Mami, NK, Mama, and Khushi helped him into bed.
They stood around him, watching him. Tears poured down Mami's face, making trails in the 2-inch mask of makeup. She cupped his face and caressed his forehead, crying  all over him.
"Bitwaa...How dare they kidnap you? How dare they touch you? Did they think no one would come looking for you? Hamare Arnav Bitwaa..."
"I am alright, Mami...", he said through a parched throat.
"So many days...searching for you, Bitwaa...Phatti saadi and myself...", Mami cried.

Buaji & Amma brought tea and food for Arnav. Mami moved off the bed, letting Khushi take her place. Khushi held the cup and made him sip the tea. She then fed him, one spoonful after the other.
"Khushi, bas..."
"Nahin. You have to eat more." She sounded like a teacher scolding a petulant child.
He sighed, a small smile curving his lips. All the people in the room heaved a sigh of relief at that smile.

Buaji gave NK and Mama the directions to a clinic nearby. They returned with the doctor who examined Arnav and prescribed an ointment for the wounds on his arms and legs. He asked Khushi to ensure that Arnav ate and drank at regular intervals. He also gave  a prescription for the diabetes medicine. NK bought all the medicines for Arnav, and also purchased a couple of sets of casual clothes for him.
It was late. Mami, Mama, & NK left reluctantly. They didn't want to alarm anyone at RM with their absence.
"Bitwaa, we will be here early in the maarning. You sleep now. Goodnights!"


After Mamiji, Mama, & Nanheji left, Khushi asked him, "Arnavji, would you like to have a bath?"
Would he! He sat up in bed, ready to run to the bathroom. But his unsteady legs failed him. Amma, Buaji, and Khushi helped him to the bathroom where pails of hot water waited for him. Khushi made him sit on a stool. She washed his hair first, gently running her fingers through the strands, smoothing the shampoo into them, and washing away the grime. Then she softly scrubbed his neck and muscled shoulders, his arms and torso... She halted at his waist, uncertain.
"I will manage, Khushi." He took pity on her.
Khushi nodded and ran out of the bathroom to get more hot water. She knocked on the door on her return.
"Come in, Khushi." He gave a lopsided smile.
 The relief of being clean after days! Arnav felt like a new man. Khushi wiped him down. He rested his face against her heart as she dried his hair, slowly wrapping his arms around her waist. Khushi...he had never thought that he would get to see her again...He was back home. He was alive. His family had rescued him... He heaved a sigh of relief.
She ran the towel around his neck, across his broad shoulders, and down his arms. He freed her, and held out his hand for the towel. Khushi blushed and left him alone.


Dressed in the new nightclothes, Arnav was fast asleep. Khushi sat by him on the bed, within the pink mosquito net. She memorised each and every line on his face, determined to stay awake so that he couldn't steal out at night. Her poor eyes hurt, and her eyelids drooped. She manfully opened her eyes wide, and tightened her hold on his leg. What if she lay over him? He would find it impossible to dislodge her without waking her up, if she ever fell asleep.  He wouldn't be able to leave her in the darkness of the night, without her finding out.

Arnav woke up at dawn to find Khushi lying on him, the fingers of her left hand tight around the collar of his nightshirt, and her right arm clutching his left. She must be very uncomfortable, he thought. He shifted slightly to ease her position, and she jumped up in alarm.
"Where are you going, Arnavji? I won't let you go. Arnavji, you can't leave me behind."
Arnav placed his finger on her lips. "Khushi, Sshhh... I am not going anywhere without you."


(Thanx, Vidya_luv_SaRun!)

He took her fingers back to his collar. She grasped it tight. He pulled her flush into his arms. "Don't let go of me, Khushi...", he whispered.