137. OS: 5: A Playful Love

OS 5: A Playful Love

Section 1

Khushi Kumari Gupta walked in to her office and placed her red cloth bag on the table with a loud thud and a grimace.

 She did not have to worry about disturbing her boss, for she knew with all the certainty that she knew the sun rose every morning in the east that Arnav Singh Raizada would be ghooring at her with his big eyes through the glass wall he had specially constructed between their offices for that very purpose.

She looked up.

Yes, he was staring at her as though she had stolen the last biscoot from his plate! She pursed her lips. Didn’t her Jiji’s Jetji get tired of frowning and glaring at her? she wondered.

“Khushi!” he bellowed.

Or shouting at her? she fumed. She marched across her office, passed through the doorless entrance in to his office.

“Yes, Sir?” she asked.

He stared at her. Her yellow anarkali made her look as though she were a ray of sunshine that had come to brighten up his day and office. His eyes moved from her delectable body to her cross face.

“Why are you late?” he asked.

 He had been waiting for her to arrive, waiting for her seat to be filled by her, waiting to see her frown as she tried to decipher his writing, waiting to see her smile as she answered phone calls from his clients, many of whom she had befriended.

Her breath left her in one angry snort. “Late? Hum kahan late he?” she asked, full of righteous anger. “Your office begins at nine. I got here at 8.30. How am I late, Sir?”

“I reached here at eight,” ASR began.

“You may have reached here at seven, Sir, but that is not my problem. Is it my fault that you eat, sleep and work at the office? I will start work only at nine. That is what my employee contract says,” she said, lifting her chin in the air.

He loved to rile her.

ASR sat back in his chair with a smirk on his face. “Get me my coffee, Khushi Kumari Gupta,” he drawled. “Your employee contract won’t stop you from doing that, will it?”

Khushi grit her teeth.

Why, oh why had she taken this job? If only she hadn’t listened to Naniji and Di’s pleas! If only she hadn’t been overpowered by an insane desire to make sure that her Jiji’s diabetic Jetji was properly fed and watered as he did the job of four men on most days! Hey Devi Maiyya, we should have never come to Delhi from Lucknow. Then Naniji would not have met Buaji at the temple, renewed their friendship and then decided to marry off Jiji to Jiju...

“My coffee,” he reminded, loving the furious thoughts travelling across her open face.

Khushi looked at his gleaming eyes. She knew where she wanted to dump the coffee and if possible, the coffee machine. On his head.

ASR lifted his eyes from his laptop screen to look at Khushi Kumari Gupta.

She was arranging bright sunflowers in a glass vase on her table, her enthusiasm making up for her lack of skill. A bright smile rivalling the cheer of the flowers lit her face.

Khushi, Payal’s sister. She had opened the door to him as he and his family had gone to her Buaji’s house in Laxmi Nagar to ask for Payal’s hand for Akash. One look. That was all it had taken for him to decide that she was going nowhere away from him.

He looked at her through the glass wall.

“Aap seedhi khadi ho jaayiye, aise, aise...” she was pleading with a drooping sunflower, trying to talk it in to standing straight in the vase.

A small smile flitted across his lips at the sight.

He had pushed Mami in to agreeing to a quick wedding and Payal and Akash had found themselves married before they could draw breath. He had taken the time to know Amma, Babuji and Buaji and was now their ladla. He had used his hold on them to force Khushi to take up this job he had created specially for her. Now she was right before his eyes till the working day ended and all he had to do was to find excuses to extend the office time daily.

He leaned back in his chair to look at her at leisure.

Her table was cluttered. Now the big vase held a bunch of bright sunflowers, all upright and fresh.  A mug of coffee, her laptop, her phone, a packet of cream biscuits, a bag of ber, a packet of channa and a film magazine with Salman Khan’s photo on the cover she had bought a week back but hadn’t been able to glance through.

 He hadn’t let her. Each time she had picked it up, he had summoned her and loaded her with work and more work.

 She was his, only his. Her smile was his; her twinkling eyes were his. Her slender body with curves at the right places was his to savour. Her fire and her strong sense of self-respect were his. Her anger, her tears, her joy, her sorrows—they were all his and only his.

Her phone rang. “Chalo Maiyya ke bhavan, bhavan, bhavan!” it shrieked.

 He winced.

He watched her smile as she answered it.

“Nanheji!” she exclaimed.

ASR’s face darkened. NK, the fool. What was he doing calling Khushi?

Khushi looked at a grim ASR. “Of course, I will come with you,” she smiled away. “Why should I ask my boss for permission? It is after office hours anyway.” Her eyes rained fire on ASR even as her lips smiled at Nanheji’s words.

ASR jumped up from his seat. How dare Khushi even dream of leaving him and going away with NK?

He marched to Khushi’s table. She cut the call and stood up.

“Yes, Sir?” she asked a panic-stricken ASR.

“Where are you going?” ASR asked.

“Ji?” she frowned as though she had no idea what he was talking about.

“Where are you going with NK?” he asked, his jaw clenched.

“Aap se matlab?” Khushi asked, her hands on her hips. “I am going with Nanheji after office hours. What has that got to do with you, Sir?”

ASR realised he was on a slippery wicket. He tried to regain lost ground & retain a foothold by flailing his arms and working his feet rapidly. He said, “Your family entrusted your care to me. I...”

Khushi cut in with a frown. “You asked them if I can work for you. They agreed. They did not sign over my life to you, Sir. Nor do they expect you to guard me with your life every moment of every day, especially not after 5pm which is when our working day is supposed to end.” She stressed the “supposed” to make it clear that she intended to leave at 5 that day and would not brook him extending it as he usually did.

“You have to stay here till the work is over, Khushi,” he dictated.

Her eyebrow rose in imitation of his. “Why? Why should I stay back till seven or eight at night every day? Every employee goes home at five, even Amanji. Only you and I stay back and work. Kyon?” she asked.

ASR swallowed hard.

“And what is so urgent about entering the details of sales and deals finalised ten years back in to your database?” she asked. “They are not going to run away anywhere!”

ASR growled at her.

“It is not use looking at me as though you are gong to devour me, Sir. If I work late and let you drop me off at Buaji’s house any more, people are going to talk. As it is, our neighbours have started asking me if you are running a shuttle service just for me,” she fumed, her hands on her hips.

ASR felt red hot anger rush through his veins. If he could, he would burn down the whole of Delhi society, cut the gossiping tongues, crush all nosy ladies under his expensively-shod foot.

But Khushi was not interested in his demolition and pest extermination plans for Delhi.

“Suniye, Sir. I am leaving at five along with the other employees  today,” she declared.

“No, Khushi,” he stated. How could he miss out on the few precious moments he got alone with her?

“Yes, Sir,” she stressed.

“No, Khushi,” he reiterated.

“Yes,” she declared.

“No,” he retorted.

“Yes,” she countered.

Before they could continue their childish argument, Aman knocked on the open door to get ASR’s attention.

“Sir, the Finance Manager is waiting,” Aman reminded him.

ASR pursed his lips. He told Khushi, “Don’t think this is over.”

He turned and left the room with an Aman who smiled  sympathetically at Khushi.

Section 2

ASR was caught up in meetings for the rest of the day. Lunch was a sandwich grabbed during a short recess and he returned to his office at five minutes to five to see Khushi clearing her table.

“What are you doing?” he asked, panic and jealousy making his voice hard.

“Nanheji will be here in five minutes. I am leaving for the day, Sir. All my work is done,” she said quietly.

“NK? Why are you going with NK?” he asked, furious.

Khushi frowned. “Because he asked me to,” she said.

Every vein, every tendon tautened in rage. “Will you go with any man who asks, Khushi Kumari Gupta? Is that your aukat? Is this what your family taught you?” he hissed, the venom of envy and desperation making him say what he should never have said.

Khushi paled in shock.

“Payal is not like you even though both of you had the same upbringing. She seems to be cultured and moral. So the difference must be in your blood, Khushi. If your parents were living today, would they have encouraged you to go out with strange men...” he began, but Khushi saved him from completing his diatribe.

She slapped him hard on one cheek, leaving behind an imprint of her hand. She believed in doing things thoroughly.

ASR stared at her, the slap on his cheek hurting less than the sight of her tear-filled eyes did.

“I don’t want your ghatiya job, Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada. I don’t even want to breathe the same air as you,” she panted, her eyes filled with hurt and angry tears.

“Khushi,” he cried as he tried to take hold of her shoulders to comfort her, realising that he had hurt her badly.

She brushed aside his hands. “Don’t touch me. I don’t want to work for you, see you again. I never thought... never knew... apki kitni ghatiya soch he, Arnav Singh Raizada!”

“Khushi,” he tried to backtrack seeing how upset she was and how his tongue had ruined everything he had spent one month building up.

“I am a fool,” Khushi wept. “When Naniji said that you were alone here, working day and night, slogging without taking proper food or rest, I couldn’t bear it. I couldn’t bear to think that you were alone here. So I came to keep you company, the more fool me! I deserve this for my stupidity,” she sobbed.

“Khushi,” he murmured as he tried to hold her close to soothe her.

“Chodiye hamein...or you will say that I let all men hug me,” Khushi pushed him away and turned to get her bag.

“Khushi, don’t go,” he pleaded.

“I should have never come here at all,” she cried brokenly. “I should have never come to Delhi, Jiji should have never married in to your family and we should have never met. I am katti with you. I will never talk to you again,” Khushi said, walking out of her office.

“Khushi, don’t go. Khushi,” he begged but he was too late.

 She was already running down the steps past an amazed Aman. 


Section 3 

“Sir, Khushiji...” Aman tried to ask, but ASR pushed past him on his way out of the office after Khushi.

ASR followed NK’s car as he drove towards Laxmi Nagar. Was NK dropping off Khushi at her home? He frowned. What kind of date was that?

Khushi looked at Nanheji. He was singing along with the radio.

“Girl, you are my Chammak Challo,

Where you go, girl, I’m gonna follow,

What you want, girl, just let me know,

Girl, be my Chammak Challo,” NK sang loudly till he parked before Buaji’s house in Laxmi Nagar.

“Nanheji, as Buaji, Amma and Babuji are at RM, please wait in the car while I change and freshen up,” Khushi told him.

“Sure, Khushiji, ab tu na nakhre dikha...” he sang.

ASR watched Khushi leave the car and enter the house, opening the lock with a key fished out of her bag. Where were Buaji, Amma and Babuji? he wondered.

Khushi showered, trying to wash away ASR’s wounding words and the fatigue of the day. If fresh tears mingled with the water pouring down from the showerhead, she pretended not to notice them.

 She didn’t want to go out. All she wanted to do was curl up and cry and ask Devi Maiyya a hundred questions that had no answer. But she had no choice. She had to accompany Nanheji as she had promised.

 She sighed, leaning against the wall for a moment. The words ASR had spoken had torn in to her, not just because the words were derogatory and aimed at questioning her honour. They had hurt...were hurting her still...because she had never expected to hear them from him...from Jiji’s Jetji, her boss, her family. She had imagined that he knew her; she had been feeling comfortable with him, enjoying their spats, looking forward to going to work daily even though she had to wake up with the birds to do so, relishing the way he always looked out for her, revelling in the attention he paid her...

She sighed.

Then drying herself, she dressed in a simple pink net anarkali, left her hair to lie loose down her back and joined Nanheji.

As ASR watched, the two drove to the market.

‘The market?’ ASR wondered, a frown on his forehead. ‘What is that idiot doing with Khushi in a market of all places? Buying kadu?’

He watched NK and Khushi walk along the stalls, making their way through the crowded ways to stop before a line of stores selling colourful threads. He frowned. NK and Khushi were inspecting them with great interest. Was NK planning on starting a new business? Was he going to sell threads? Who would buy them from him? Was he nuts? That is, more nuts than usual?

 ASR walked closer to them and stopped short. They were no simple threads.

 They were rakhi.

ASR stood with his mouth open.

“Khushiji, these are so good. I want to buy all of them. Can I tie rakhi on Nannav, Akash, Di, Maasi, Buaji and Amma?” NK asked.

Khushi laughed. “No, Nanheji. The ladies will tie them on your hand and feed you sweets.”

“I loooooove rakshabandhan, Khushiji,” NK said. “The rakhis are so cute. Let’s buy a basket of them,” he suggested.

Khushi smiled. “We need only one, Nanheji,” she said indulgently.

“Let’s buy the lot, Khushiji. I have two hands. Why don’t you tie rakhis all over them?” NK asked.

Khushi laughed. “Nanheji, are you a banyan tree in a temple for me to tie dhaga after dhaga on you? Pick one you like the most.”

NK’s face became serious.

“Kya hua, Nanheji?” Khushi asked.

“I wish I wasn’t an only child. I wish I had lots and lots of sisters. They would have all tied rakhi on my hands and we would have raised hell at home,” NK said softly looking down at his bare arms.

Khushi sighed. “Jiji and I always wanted a brother. Don’t worry, Nanheji. On August 10^th, I will come to you with a thali, tie a rakhi on your wrist and feed you jalebi. Then Jiji and Anjaliji will do the same. You will get three sisters in one go. Will we do?” Khushi asked, smiling at his unusually sober face.

NK smiled at her, delighted at the picture she was painting with her words.

“Humein lightly mat leejiye, Nanheji. Buaji says I am more trouble than ten girls,” Khushi smiled. “So I am as good as ten sisters.”

NK laughed. Khushi laughed along with him. They began to dig through piles of rakhi to select their one special one.

ASR stood listening to them, too shocked to even move out of their sight. Luckily for him, the new brother-sister duo was too busy trying out rakhis and laughing at their own goofy jokes to notice him standing frozen in one corner of the market like  a pole, ashamed of himself, his anger, his scathing words and his suspicions about the relationship between NK and Khushi. He felt lower than a worm at that moment. He had to apologise to Khushi at the earliest.

Once they had selected their rakhi, NK escorted Khushi to the car and drove away from the market, chattering nineteen to a dozen. Khushi, feeling a headache tease her temple after an eventful day at the office, ignored it, bravely pasted a smile on her face and decided to push the cutting words of the man around whom her world had revolved for the past month to the background. She gave all her attention to her new brother.

ASR followed them at a distance. They led him straight to his house. Arnav was too depressed at the thought of the nonsense his anger had made him utter and anxious about Khushi to be surprised by this move by NK. He quietly parked behind them and alighted from his luxury vehicle.

NK and Khushi turned to look at him.

“Nannav, you got home early today? Di will be so happy, bilkul chand ke upar,” NK smiled.

ASR opened his mouth to reply to NK, but stopped seeing Khushi turn away from him. She walked towards the open door of the house, ignoring him.

ASR frowned. Why was the entrance decorated with marigold flowers? What the hell was happening at his house?

Seeing Arnav stare at the decorations, NK asked, “Nannav, don’t you just love the floral chains at the door? I hung them to welcome the ladies for the pooja.”

“Pooja?” ASR muttered.

 He stood still, recalling his Di telling him that morning about a pooja she was organising that evening at home and asking him to return early. He had nodded to pacify her so that she would leave him alone to talk business with Aman on the phone.

 So there was a pooja at home. NK had brought Khushi here. Buaji, Amma and Babuji were not at home. So they had to be here, he thought.

“Chotey, you came!” Anjali could scarcely believe her eyes.

“Yes...” Arnav was not very sure what he was agreeing to.

“I can’t tell you how happy I am, Chotey. Now that you are here, we can participate in the pooja as a full family,” Anjali dried her eyes.

Arnav shrugged his shoulders uncomfortably and followed NK and Di in to the house.

“Chotey! You will be joining us for the pooja?” Nani almost fell down in shock at his presence. Mami’s painted eyes grew round in astonishment.

“Sasumma, lagat he hamre Arnav bitwaa ijj becoming religious,” Mami whispered in Nani’s ears. “Bhy? That ijj what I am asking.”

“I don’t care what the reason is, Manorama, as long as he joins us for prayer,” Nani sent heart-felt thanks to the heavens.

“There was nothing wrong with him today morning,” Mami mused. “Bhat happened between morning and now to make him Sant Arnav Singh Raijjada, Hello Hi Bye Bye?”

ASR handed over his laptop bag to HP, his eyes on Khushi standing by Payal. She was not looking at him, but at the arrangements for the pooja.

“Arnav bitwaa, how are you?” Garima greeted him fondly. “I hope Khussi is not giving you any trouble at the office,” she hoped earnestly, sparing a worried look at her daughter’s impassive face. “Your office is still in one piece, isn’t it babua?”

“Khushi is perfect,” ASR said, looking at Khushi who was standing behind her Amma, hoping that she would hear.

Khushi turned her face away.

“Hai Re Nandkisore! Titliyaa is perfect? Garima, so Devi Maiyya has started to perform miracles on earth, especially in Delhi?” Buaji teased Khushi.

All laughed.

Khushi looked down at her hands, smiling faintly at her Buaji’s joke. Soon her family would have to be told that she had given up the job.

 She drew in a deep breath. The explanations to both families...the questions...the tears... She would have to insist on leaving for Lucknow at the earliest.

“It is time for the pooja,” Anjali invited everyone, throwing an arm around Khushi. “Shall we sit down?” she asked.

All nodded and smiling, moved to take their seats on the floor covered with white padded mattresses.

ASR waited till Khushi sat down and then moved to sit behind her. NK sat between her and Payal, leaving them after a while to shoot the pooja and the ladies attending it with his videocam.

ASR looked at Khushi. Her face was drawn; her eyes were bruised,  pink-rimmed. His heart hurt thinking of her weeping because of him and his unbridled tongue. If he could kick himself he would, he thought.

Section 4

Khushi too was deep in thought.

 ‘I don’t want to stay in Delhi any more. The year is full of festivals—Diwali, Teej, Karvachauth, Shivratri, Holi, Navratri, Janmashtami—seeing him at all the functions... having him visit us in Laxmi Nagar...no, no, it is time to return to Lucknow. But Amma, Buaji and Babuji won’t want to leave Delhi because Jiji is here,’ Khushi thought. ‘If I want to go to Lucknow, I will have to go alone.’

“What is wrong, Khushi?” Payal asked, a smile on her face. “Did you fight with Arnavji?”

Khushi frowned at her. She said absently, “I am thinking of returning to Lucknow...alone.”

Payal’s brows flew up. “Lucknow? Alone?”

“Yes,” Khushi inspected the floor. “I will have to find a job. Maybe I will go to Kanpur and join Meena Chachi at her shop.”

“Why, Khushi?” Payal asked.

Khushi parted her lips to answer her and then thought better of it. “Nothing, Jiji,” she smiled.

“What about your job at Arnavji’s office?” Payal asked.

Khushi looked at the fire burning in the havan kund. It seemed to reflect the fire within her, the fire of pain and disillusionment  that was raging in her heart.

“He doesn’t need me. He can manage without me,” was all Khushi could say.

Payal looked at her and then stole a look at Arnavji seated behind them. He was looking at Khushi, his face pained. Had Khushi hit him where it hurts? Payal wondered. Maybe she had knocked down a rack of files on his toe...or poked him in the eye with a pencil...The possibilities were endless when it came to Khushi Kumari Gupta.

The pooja ended. Anjali took the plate of laddoos and began distributing the prasad among the faithful.

Payal slowly moved to Buaji and whispered, “Buaji, Khushi is talking of returning to Lucknow alone.”

“Hein?” Buaji’s mouth fell open.

“I think she fought with Arnavji,” Payal whispered.

“Kya hua, Madhumatiji?” Nani asked anxiously.

“Looks like Titliyaa and Arnav babua had a fight, Devyaniji,” Buaji sighed. “She is talking of leaving for Lucknow alone. I am not boasting because she is my niece, but Titliyya in one of her moods is more than anyone can tolerate. We can’t blame our Arnav babua for quarrelling with her, Nandkisore.”

“Chotey is no better,” Nani claimed. “Such a cantankerous, stuck-up, angry, irritable, short-tempered boy! I am telling you, Madhumatiji, our Khussi bitiyya is an angel to put up with him.”

Mami joined them. “Hamre Arnav bitwaa is a mountain,” she claimed proudly. “Not any ordinary hill, but an angry mountain that bursts regularly. Kaa kehte he usse...Akass bitwa, comes here. Bhat do you call a mountain that bursts like a phulchadi and sends hot liquid down?”

“A volcano?” Akash pushed his specs up his nose.

“Yejjj, a volcano. That is what hamre Arnav bitwaa ijj. Arnav Volcano Singh Raijjada!” Mami claimed.

Anjali came to give a laddoo to Mami a few moments later.

“Arnav bitwaa and Khussi bitiyya have fought with each other,” Mami warned her.

“Yeh Chotey bhi na!” Anjali grimaced.

“Do something phast, Anjali bitiyya. Khussi bitiyya is talking of returning to Lucknow alone, Hello Hi Bye Bye!” Mami whispered, her purple lashes lowered secretively.

“I will strangle him one day,” Anjali hissed.

“You strangle him later, at leijjure (leisure). Phirst see how you can keep her here,” Mami advised. “Otherbise all our plans bill come falling down like a ghar made of taash ke patte.”

Anjali nodded and moved closer to Arnav. She gave him sugar-free prasad and heaved a sigh denoting fatigue.

“Kya hua, Di?’ he asked anxiously.

“Just tired, Chotey,” Anjali smiled wearily. “I still have to give the prasad to Khushiji and some of the guests...” Her voice trailed away.

“I will give the prasad to Khushi...and the others,” Arnav took the cue.

“Jo tum theek samjho, Chotey,” Anjali graciously surrendered the thali to Arnav and moved away to stand by Nani and Mami to watch the proceedings.

Khushi watched ASR walk towards her with the thali of prasad in his hand. She looked around frantically. Could she escape him? But how could she refuse the prasad and insult Devi Maiyya?

“Khushi,” he murmured, coming to stand before her.

She refused to look at his face. She kept her eyes on the laddoo on the thali.

He took one and held it out to her.

She cupped her hands.

He placed the laddoo carefully in the hollow made by her, the tips of his fingers touching the sensitive skin of her palms. She trembled and moved back.

He swallowed and moved away to give the prasad to others.

Section 5

“Hum chalte hein, Devyaniji,” Buaji bid farewell to the Raizadas.

“Pata nahi kyon, time flies when you are all here with us,” Nani sighed. “Is it time for you to leave? Itni jaldi?”

The Guptas and the Raizadas smiled.

“I will drive you home, Buaji,” NK offered.

“It is past your bedtime, NK,” Arnav said sternly. “Go to bed. I will take them.”

NK stared at him, his mouth open.

“Let Chotey drive, NK bhai,” Anjali said. “I need some help from you.”

NK nodded, not fully convinced.

Arnav drove the Guptas home, spying on Khushi through the mirror. She sat silent, her face expressionless.

Buaji yawned. “It is late, Nandkisore. Titliyya, go to bed as soon as we get home. You have to go to office tomorrow,” she said, pretending to know nothing of their spat.

Khushi looked away, out through the window glass.

ASR swallowed.

“He Sanka Devi, have you become Behri Devi (deaf) too?’ Buaji asked.

Khushi swallowed and said, “I don’t have to go to office anymore.”

Amma, Buaji and Babuji looked at her in silence, waiting for her to explain.

“Err...I have resigned,” she said softly, keeping her eyes away from ASR.

Her family looked at her in silence for a moment. Then Buaji burst out laughing, only to be followed by Amma and Babuji.

“You fought with Arnav bitwaa, didn’t you, Nandkisore?” Buaji asked.

“She still thinks she is in nursery,” Amma shook her head in exasperation.

ASR parked before Buaji’s house. Without waiting to help him unload Babuji’s wheelchair from the car, Khushi snatched the house keys from Buaji and went to unlock the door.

He pushed Babuji in to the house. Amma and Buaji thanked him but Khushi was nowhere to be seen. He hung around making small talk with the Guptas hoping to get a glimpse of her, but was disappointed.

He finally left for home.

Khushi came out of her room when she was sure that ASR had left.

“Amma, Babuji, Buaji, I am thinking of returning to Lucknow,” she said.

Buaji frowned. “Lucknow mein tumhra Mama intejjar kar rahaa he, to look after you? Why are you dying to return?”

“The water and hawa of Delhi don’t suit me, Buaji. I am better off in Lucknow,” she replied.

Buaji opened her mouth to retort, but Khushi added, “I will go alone. It is not fair to leave Jiji alone here. You must stay here.”

The Guptas looked at her in silence.

“Getting a job in Lucknow will be difficult, Babuji. And living alone is not really safe.,” Khushi thought aloud. “I will go to Kanpur to Meena Chachi. I can work in her shop and stay with the other employees in the accommodation provided to them.”

“Titliyya!” Buaji exclaimed. "You have lost the small quantity of brains that Nandkisore gave you twenty years back."

“I am tired, Buaji. We can talk tomorrow,” she said before leaving.

“What is wrong with the girl, Nandkisore?” Buaji wondered.

“Only Arnav babua knows,” Amma said. “Something must have happened at his office.”

Anjali was waiting for ASR in his room when he returned home.

“Here, take your pills,” she handed them over to him with a glass of water.

He downed them silently.

“Chotey, I want to speak to Khushiji about something very important. Can I meet her at your office tomorrow?” Anjali asked.

ASR cleared his throat. “No, she resigned today,” he said tonelessly.

“Acha? So that is why...” her voice trailed away.“Chotey, did Khushiji tell you anything about her plans to leave Delhi immediately?” Anjali asked, pretending not to see the glass fall from his nerveless fingers to roll harmlessly on the carpet.

“No,” he croaked in protest at the very thought.

“When she does—and I am sure she will tell you because she is always talking to you—can you please ask her to postpone her plans till Rakshabandhan is over?” Anjali asked.

ASR stared at her.

“Woh kya he, I want to stage a play about Heer-Ranjha here that evening. I want Khushiji to be Heer. I am sure NK Bhai will be ready to play Ranjha,” Anjali smiled innocently. “I want to invite all our friends home that evening. You don’t mind, do you, Chotey?”

“No,” he whispered.

“I will meet her at Laxmi Nagar tomorrow and try to persuade her to join us. Can you put in a word for me?” Anjali asked.

Arnav nodded.

 “Don’t forget, Chotey. Please stop her from leaving. I heard that she is pretty determined to abandon us and Delhi,” Anjali smiled at him. “Good night.”

She left.

ASR collapsed on his recliner. Khushi was leaving Delhi? She was leaving him without even giving him an opportunity to apologise?

Section 6 (To be updated during this week)