128. Recalling Arnav (Part 12)

Part 12

“ASR? I strangled him and buried him in my garden,” he smiled and his eyes twinkled at her mouth open in her classic Awww.

“Arnavji,” she hissed.

“He is dead for you, Khushi. He will make an appearance only in AR Designs,” Arnav whispered in her ear.

Khushi stared at him as he bought the food and handed over the plate to her. She looked at his waiting face. Then she slowly lifted one tiny filled poori and pushed it in to his mouth. His eyes held hers as he chewed slowly, trying to hold the tangy liquid in his mouth.

He then clasped a tiny poori in his inexperienced fingers and lifted it gingerly to place it in her mouth. She parted her lips, her eyes on his. As she choked on the morsel, his hand came to cup her chin and lift her head.

Khushi swallowed the food and whispered, “What are you, Arnavji?” She had wanted to ask him this question ever since she had met him, but hadn’t dared. His moods changed so fast that she had always felt her head spinning when she breathed the same air as him.

“I don’t know, Khushi,” he smiled intimately in to her eyes. “But whatever I am, I am yours.”

Khushi choked again though there was no poori in her mouth to be blamed.

                                 ***

Arnav phoned Khushi from his suite in the hotel. NK and Akash were sitting by him, NK eating chips from a packet, crunching them between his teeth loudly.

“Arnavji?” she asked.

“Shall we go down to the restaurant for dinner, Khushi?” he asked. “Are Buaji, Amma and Babuji ready?”

“Nannav, give me the phone,” NK demanded. “I want to talk to Khushiji.”

Arnav glared at NK and turned away to save the phone being snatched out of his hands.

“They said they will order room service. They want to go to bed early tonight,” Khushi said.

“Shall we go down then? Nani, Mama, Mami, Payal & Di must be ready,” Arnav asked.

“Ji,” Khushi said.

“Chotey,” Anjali called as she, Nani, Payal & Mami walked in to Arnav’s suite. “I am very hungry. Shall we go for dinner?”

“Me too, Di. Rats are running around in my stomach,” NK claimed, dumping the empty cover of fries in the dustbin.

Arnav glowered at NK and said, “Di, Buaji, Amma and Babuji are having dinner in their suite. Let me get Khushi and we can go down.”

Nani suddenly placed a hand on her chest. “Chotey, I too am feeling very tired. Let me rest in my room,” she said, nudging Mami.

“Haan Saasumma, you are lookings very tired. Eyeswaa ke neeche gaddhe he. Let me take you to your room. I and Akass bitwaa’s phather will stay with you,” Mami offered generously, catching on.

“Gaddhe? Nani has donkeys under her eyes?” NK scratched his head in confusion.

“Gaddhe not gadha, NK bhai,” Akash laughed. “Mate meant potholes.”

“Hindi is so confusing, Akash,” NK sighed, shaking his head.

Khushi smiled, listening to the conversation in Arnavji’s room over the phone.

“Manorama, Amma, shall we have dinner?” Mama strolled in to the room, looking all dapper in his dark blue sherwani.

“Hum aaj room serbice he, Ji,” Mami explained to him. “Ee sab Saasumma ke seheth ke khaatir he.”

“Amma ke seheth ko kaa hui gawa?” Mama asked, his anxious eyes on his mother. A few minutes earlier his mother had been trying out jewellery in her room and preening before the mirror and now she was sick?

“Take me to my room, Manorama,” Nani leaned against her daughter-in-law’s arm, cursing her son for being a dunce.

Arnav watched the drama, not knowing whether to smile or cry. His crazy family was enough to drive him up the wall but all of them had hearts of gold.

He looked at the phone. It was still on. Khushi must have heard the nautanki at this end.

“Khushi,” he crooned.

“Ji?” she asked, a smile in her voice.

“We will join you in a moment,” he promised.

                     ***

“Are you sure you won’t join us?” Arnav asked the Guptas. Sasi smiled at him while Garima & Buaji said, “Na bitwaa. Aaj bahute dhak gaye hum. You go and enjoy yourself.”

Arnav smiled at them. He turned his head at the sound of Khushi entering the room and stood staring at her. She was in a soft pink and silver anarkali and looked as delicate as a dream, as tempting as a sweet treat to a diabetic.

“Khushi, shall we leave?” he asked.

She nodded and walked to join him.

He caught hold of her fingers in a warm hand, tugged her close to him and kissed her on the cheek.

Buaji gasped. Garima laughed behind her hand. Babuji turned his head away to stop himself from guffawing.

Khushi stared at him with wide eyes.

 

"Get used to this," he whispered in her ear.

He curled her arm around his and led her out.

                                        ***

The restaurant was dimly-lit, its ambience and decor making it a perfect venue for romantic trysts. Arnav led Khushi to a round table in a corner, ideal for a small family to group around and chat. Akash and Payal sat together. NK sat by Anjali, leaving Arnav and Khushi to sit side by side.

“You look beautiful, Khushi,” Arnav whispered in her ear, his breath ruffling the strands of hair near her ear.

Khushi trembled and locked her fingers together.

“Khushi, we have known each other for so long. Can you believe that we have never gone out together like this?” Arnav marvelled at his own folly.

“We did,” Khushi smiled slightly.

“When?” Arnav asked.

“When we met to plot how to bring Jiji and Jiju together,” Khushi reminded him.

He laughed.

“We met in a restaurant before that. Aap ko yaad nahi? I was following Jiji and you were spying on Jiju,” she laughed.

“Yes. And when the waiter asked if we wanted a table for two, you said yes, one for me and the other for my akkad,” Arnav laughed. “I wanted to strangle you.”

Khushi giggled.

“And then carry you away to my room,” he added, his eyes lingering on the curve of her lips.

Khushi swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry.

“Mushroom do pyaaza?” NK was studying the menu. “Why are the two mushrooms thirsty?” he asked, genuinely perplexed.

Arnav clenched his fists in frustration. He would kill NK one day!

              ***

The morning of their wedding dawned. Arnav stood staring out of the window of his bedroom, smiling slightly at the sun as it rose to bathe the world in a mellow pink and golden light.

He looked at the bed. 

NK was asleep, his legs curled around a pillow. A half-eaten packet of Lays rested on the table by his side of the bed. Beside it was his phone. NK had been chomping on chips and playing games on his phone till late last night.

A naughty smile teased Arnav’s lips. He dipped his fingers in the glass of water on his bedside table and sprinkled the droplets on NK’s sleeping face.

NK jumped up. “Nannav, it is raining,” he exclaimed as he wiped his face.

Arnav turned his face awy to hide his smile.

“It is your wedding! Nannav, get dressed. Fast,” NK yelled as he jumped out of bed and hit the floor running.

Arnav looked after him, open-mouthed.

Someone knocked on his door. Arnav opened it to see a smiling Akash.

“Bhai, you are awake? That is good,” Akash smiled. “Where is NK bhai? Did he let you sleep in peace last night?”

NK came running out of the bathroom that very moment, saving Arnav from making a reply.

“Why are you standing here like a kangha, Nannav?” NK asked. “Move it! Get dressed. Khushiji will be waiting.”

“Kangha?” Akash frowned. “Why are you calling Bhai a comb?”

“Comb? He is a pole, standing like a pole,” NK said, almost hyperventilating.

“Khamba, NK Bhai. Khamba,” Akash said.

“Whatever,” NK brushed it aside. “But Khushiji will still be waiting.”

“NK,” Arnav said softly. “Chill. It is just four in the morning. We have to be at the temple only by seven.”

NK collapsed on the bed in relief. “Only four?” he confirmed.

Akash & Arnav nodded.

“Phew!” NK’s breath left him in a whoosh. “You scared me,” he said, throwing a handful of fries in to his mouth and chewing frantically. “I thought we were late, that Khushiji was waiting for you. Crying…like last time.”

Arnav swallowed a big lump of tears lodged in his throat.

              ***

Arnav called Khushi.

“Khushi, did you have breakfast? I had it sent to your room,” he said.

“Ji,” she murmured.

“Are Payal & Di helping you dress?” he asked.

“Nani and Mami too,” she smiled. Di was trying to stop Mami from burying Khushi under layers of makeup.

Arnav smiled. “I am ready,” he said, trying to put her at ease and reassure her that he was preparing for the ceremony, was on his way to marrying her. “Akash and NK helped me in to the sherwani,” he added. “Mama made me wear a red turban.”

Khushi smiled slightly.

“We need to leave in thirty minutes, Khushi,” he said.

“I will be ready,” she whispered, a sliver of fear in her voice.

“I will come to your room now, Khushi. We can go down together,” he offered, trying his best to wipe out the memories of their previous attempt at getting married.

“Ji,” she said softly.

A minute later he was at her door, knocking lightly.

“Arnav babua has come,” Garima smiled at Buaji.

Anjali limped to the door and opened it. “Chotey, what are you doing here?” she teased.

“Hamre Arnav bitwaa is berry bechain today morning. Kono baat he, Hello Hi Bye Bye?” Mami teased, batting her painted eyelashes at him.

“I came to meet Khushi,” he said directly.

All giggled.

“You look very handsome, Arnav babua,” Garima said smiling at him fondly.

“Bilkul Nandkisore ki jaisen,” Buaji said, pinching his chin.

Arnav flushed.

“She is in the first bedroom to the left, Chotey,” Anjali said. “What is the use of stopping you from seeing her when we have to go to the temple together in half-an-hour?”

Arnav smiled his gratitude at her and made a beeline for the bedroom.

He knocked on the door.

“Khushi, it is me,” he said softly.

Khushi opened the door.

Arnav stared at her, mesmerised by her beauty. The gold and red lehenga made her look like a queen. Her bangles were gold and red. She wore a gold choker around her neck. Two heavy antique gold bangles adorned her arms. A slender gold waist band caressed the curves of her waist.

As he watched, she breathed deeply to calm herself.

He said, “I am a fool, Khushi.”

She looked at him, her beautiful hazel eyes asking him for the reason.

“I wanted to carry you away and to my home the first time you fell in to my arms…in Sheesh Mahal. I wanted to make you mine, tie you to me. I should have just done that and saved both of us a lot of trouble and time,” he whispered. “The one time I should have given in to my instincts, I didn’t,” he rued the lost opportunity.

Khushi stared at him for a moment with wide eyes and then burst out laughing.

Part 13

Arnav looked at her, his eyes asking a question.
"If you had tried to carry me away to Delhi, I would most likely have bitten you, scratched you...I have long, sharp nails," Khushi chuckled.
"You can scratch me, bite me anytime, Khushi," he whispered, his eyes darkening.
Khushi's laughter died out. Her eyes fell to his broad shoulders covered by the beige sherwani she had selected for him. That night...that night at the farmhouse, she had scratched him, bitten him in the throes of passion... Khushi looked away, evading his eyes with great difficulty.
Arnav caught hold of her hand.
Khushi had to look up at him.
"I haven't forgotten anything about that night, Khushi," he whispered.
Khushi looked down, her cheeks flushing under his focused gaze.



"It was magical, like a dream," he whispered.
Khushi was saved from replying by Anjali who called out laughing, "Chotey, Khushiji, don't you want to get married today? It is time to go to the temple."
"Coming, Di," Arnav replied. He turned to look at Khushi's rosy face with love-filled eyes. "Chalein?"
Khushi nodded. They walked out hand in hand.



Tiwariji did pooja after pooja, making Arnav & Khushi sit near the havan kund. They prayed for their lost baby, for the peace & prosperity of their families, for their marriage, for happiness, for protection from envious eyes coveting their hard-won happiness.



"So Sasiji, shall we get this pair married off?" Tiwariji asked, his eyes twinkling with merriment.
Sasi Gupta nodded, smiling.
He handed over garlands to the couple. Khushi placed the chain of fragrant red roses around Arnav's neck and he garlanded her.
Arnav looked around at the happy faces of his family and then at the meagre arrangements for the wedding. There was no mandap, no floral arrangements, no baarat, no band, no lights, no laughter, no teasing from friends...nothing that Khushi could have expected as a bride.
The wedding was being held in a shed on the temple premises, a small shed with a tin roof. The Guptas and the Raizadas were the only guests. Arnav turned to look at Khushi with heart-felt regret in his eyes.
He was rich, very rich. He could have given Khushi a wedding on a chartered flight, in a hot air balloon, on a luxury cruiser, in the depths of the ocean, in a tree house, on the beach, in any seven-star luxury resort across the world...but all his money was of no use when it came to Khushi.
"What is wrong, Arnavji?" Khushi whispered.
"I wanted to give you a lavish wedding," he began.
"I don't want a lavish wedding, Arnavji. The last time...the guests...they saw me waiting..." she paused. "This is better."
Arnav swallowed hard.


 Akash stamped on NK's foot as he tried to suggest teasing the couple. "Let them get married. You can tease them after the ceremony, NK Bhai," Akash whispered in NK's ear.
NK looked at the strain on Akash's face. He whispered, "Don't worry, Akash. This time the wedding will happen."
Akash looked at NK.
"We are all here to stop Nannav if he tries to leave. And Tiwariji is a wrestler in his spare time when he isn't praying. So don't worry. Tum totally, totally besabr raho," NK comforted Akash.



"What? Besabr? Why should I be impatient?" Akash's forehead wrinkled as he hissed.
"What has your patience got to do with Nannav's marriage?" NK asked reasonably. "I just wanted you to be free of worries. Sab mujh par chod do," he claimed.
"Befikar, NK bhai," Akash sighed, his eyes anxiously spying on Arnav and Khushi's gathbandhan ceremony.
"Befakir?" NK asked. "Why don't you want to invite a fakir to Nannav's wedding?"
"Hai Re Nandkisore!" Akash was moved in to exclaiming.




Mamaji and Garima helped Sasi do the kanyadaan as Nani, Mami, Payal, Buaji and Anjali watched with tears in their eyes.
"Finally our Chotey and Khushiji are getting married, Nani," Anjali whispered.
Nani nodded. "The first time I saw her, I knew," Nani smiled.
"Bhat you knew, Saasumaa? Tells us, tells us," Mami said.
"That she was the girl for Chotey," Nani beamed through her tears.
"You should have tolds hamre Arnav bitwaa then, Saasumma. Kaahe naahi kahe? They would not have washted so much time phiting (fighting)," Mami said, sniffing and blinking to hold back her tears.
"Manorama, your make up is running down your cheeks," Nani teased.
Mami gasped, "My makeuppiyya is running? Sab ke sab chor he, Saasumma, liarz. Your bitwaa said this is imported maal. I think he bought it from Chandni Chowk, Hello Hi Bye Bye! Hum complainiyya karenge."
 

Arnav and Khushi walked around the fire taking the seven vows to love and cherish each other, to be honest with each other, to trust each other, to be righteous, to protect their family, to nurture their relationship and marriage. The Guptas and The Raizadas heaved sighs of relief.


The saath phere were done. The picture of Dadi kicking up a fuss because Arnav & Khushi had failed to follow the wedding rituals rushed through their minds.
As they sat down before the sacred fire, Tiwariji handed over a thali with the mangalsutra to Arnav. He lifted it and tied it around Khushi's neck. Tiwariji handed over a silver box with sindoor in it. Arnav took a pinch of the red powder and filled Khushi's maang with it, his fingers trembling. Khushi's eyes fell shut.



They took Tiwariji's blessings and then move don to touch the feet of their elders.
"Nannav, congrats!" NK said, smiling away. "You finally managed it on your third try."

Arnav glared at him.
"You can take my blessings too if you want," NK teased.
Arnav's eyes promised him swift and painful retribution.