150. OS: 7: The Other Woman (Part 9-)

                 (Supriya, you rock, you jazz, you hip hop!!!!)

Section 9

“I live in Laxmi Nagar,” Khushi said softly as they got in to his car.

“I know,” he whispered. “Khushi, I am sorry. I had no idea Jiju was facing a death threat...that you were helping him...” He looked at her.

Her face was impassive. She was staring at the wet road ahead of them.

“When Di said that she suspected Jiju...that your name was on the phone log...I...” he tried again.

Khushi said nothing. She looked out at the falling rain.

“Khushi, I am...” he began again.

“Please turn left here,” she said in a low voice.

His hands swiftly twisted the steering wheel and took the road indicated by her. It was a narrow alley lined by small independent houses. He looked out. A small kirana store, a chudi store, a roadside tap, a rickshaw stand....

When he reached an auto workshop, Khushi said, “Please stop here.”

He slammed on the brakes.

She pointed to the house on the opposite side of the road and said, “I live there.”

He turned his head to look at the house. Small, brightly-lit. The door was wide open. It had a small yard with a wicket-gate leading to the road. A cot was kept leaning against the wall of the house, maybe to be placed in the yard on rainless nights.

“Won’t you come in?” Khushi asked.

He was disturbed by her excessive politeness. “No, no, I kept you out very late as it is,” he began.

She cut in, her voice soft but determined, “I visited your house and met your family. Now it is your turn to know mine. Park your car in the space near the workshop and come in with me.”

He looked at her with startled eyes. She was dead serious.

He obeyed her silently. They left the car together.

“Khushiji!” Happy Singh called from under a truck.

Khushi turned her head to smile wanly at him.

“Sharmaji didn’t come to drop you off today?” Happy Singh asked.

“No, Happyji,” Khushi said. “Today Shyamji’s saalesaheb, Arnavji offered me a lift after work.”

“Acha, acha. Buaji was very worried about you. Anyway you are home now, safe and sound,” Happy Singh smiled at them.

Khushi nodded smiling and walked towards her home. Arnav followed her frowning, wondering why neighbours had to be so nosy.

She walked up the three steps to the lit landing. Arnav followed her slowly.

 A pretty girl emerged from the house, an anxious look on her face.

“Khushi!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around her sister and hugging her. “Why are you so late? Why didn’t you call? When I tried to contact you, all I could hear was the message that the network is busy. Tumhe pata he, Buaji was so worried about you that she had an asthma attack.”

“Jiji, how is she now?” Khushi was scared. Her fear was a palpable entity.

“She is fine now. But when she started gasping and I got her phoo phoo, there was no medicine in it. I was so scared, Khushi. I couldn’t leave Buaji alone and go out to get the medicine. So I ran to Happyji for help. May God bless him for his kind heart, Khushi. He left his work and rushed to get a new phoo phoo for Buaji. She had a couple of puffs. Now she can breathe again. Khushi, tum theek ho?” the girl asked, cupping Khushi’s cheeks.

ASR stood stunned, listening to the outpouring, feeling lower than a worm.

“Hum theek he, Jiji,” Khushi whispered.

“Were you working late today too? Did you have dinner?” the girl asked.

“No,” Khushi said.

“We were waiting for you. Buaji was so worried that you were working without dinner. Now we can have it together. Come in,” the girl tugged at Khushi’s arm. She turned to look at the street. “Khushi, didn’t Sharmaji bring you home?” She frowned. “He has always escorted you home when you had to work late the last month. Why not tonight? Did you travel alone?”

Khushi drew in a deep breath. “That work is over, Jiji. Today I had another responsibility. Meet Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada. He brought me home.” She turned towards ASR who stepped out of the darkness in to the light.

Payal gasped. “Who? What?” she asked, her mind trying to process the fact that Khushi had been out with a young, handsome stranger till late. Thank God the phoo phoo was new, she thought. Buaji would definitely need it again before the night was over!

“He is Shyamji’s saalesaheb,” Khushi explained.

“Acha?” Payal wondered what he was doing with Khushi.

“This is my Jiji, Payal Kumari Gupta,” she introduced her sister to Arnav.

Payal folded her hands in greeting. “Namaste,” she said.

ASR followed suit. With folded hands, he said in his husky voice, “Namaste.”

“Payaliyya,” came the call from within the house. “Has Titliyya come yet? Try her phoone once more, bitiyya. Nandkisore, where is this girl? Raat bahut hui gawaa, upar se baarish bhi he. Hai Re Nandkisore!” Buaji exclaimed.

“Please come in,” Khushi invited ASR before walking in to her house. “Buaji, I am home,” she said, pasting a big smile on her face. “Now stop troubling your Nandkisore!”

“Titliyya!” Buaji struggled up from her seat to enclose Khushi in her arms. “Why are you late? Phoone kyon nahi kiya, Parmeswari? Do you have any idea how worried we were?”

“Buaji, I am sorry. I..I forgot..I was...I was busy, too busy to call,” Khushi stammered. Then she said, “Buaji, meet Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada, Shyamji’s saalesaheb.”

Buaji greeted the young man, her eyes round with astonishment. “You came to bring her home, bitwaa? Thank you. You are as kind as your Jijaji. Hamein badi chinta hoti he when Khushi has to work late. She is young and this is a terrible city, especially after dark. Shyamji came to meet us personally to get our permission for last month and he always made sure that Sharmaji brought her home after work.”

Arnav nodded, swallowing hard.

“Khushi, come and change your clothes,” Payal said, tugging at her hand. Khushi went with Payal to their room.

“Baitt jao, babua,” Buaji invited him.

Arnav sat down in a chair. Buaji took the sofa.

“Duniya bahut buri he, bitwaa. Guardians of young girls have to be alert, careful. What is the use of blaming fate after something happens to their daughter?” Buaji asked Arnav.

Arnav nodded.

“And if the girl is Khussi, to poochio mat!” Buaji chuckled. “Thodi sanki he,” she whispered in Arnav’s ear.

Arnav’s lips stretched in a slight smile.

“Tum baitto. It is cold outside. I will make tea for you,” Buaji made to stand up.

“No, no, please sit down, Buaji,” Arnav said spontaneously. “You are not well...”

Buaji stared at him with wide eyes. “How did you know, babua?”

“Payal told Khushi when we came in...” he tried to explain.

Buaji chuckled hitting her head with her hand. “One niece is a broadcasting station and the other is a sanki bhooleswari. Madhumati Gupta is blessed indeed, Nandkisore.”

Arnav smiled.

Khushi and Payal emerged form their room and went to the kitchen.

“Acha bitwaa, are you a lawyer too?” Buaji asked.

“No, I am a businessman,” he said.

“Businessman? Kaun sa business karte ho bitwaa?” Buaji asked.

“I design clothes,” he said.

Buaji’s eyes widened. “Acha? Like Payaliyya? Shaadi hui, bitwaa?”

“No, I am not married,” Arnav said, his face flushing.

“Kauno baat nahi. Don’t worry, babua. Ho jaayegi. Your family has no complaints about the work you do?”

ASR floundered.

“Complaints?” he asked, confused.

“Nahi, mein isliye pooch rahi thi, Nandkisore, Shyamji has a steady job, a steady income. You are cutting and selling clothes and doing business even at this age. That is why girls are not willing to marry you. The families of girls see only the purse, not your heart, bitwaa. If only they knew how kind you are, how sweet you are..” Buaji pinched his chin. “...their parents would all stand in line to marry off their daughters to you. Tum chinta mat karo. You will get a good girl. Nandkisore will have set aside a girl for you, a good, beautiful girl,” Buaji consoled him.

ASR stared at her in wonder.

He was saved for further blessings from Buaji by the entry of the girls.

Khushi and Payal brought tea and snacks. As he stared at Khushi, she handed over a cup of unsweetened tea.

“Thank you,” he said, ashamed of his behaviour that evening.

She sat down by her Jiji after handing over Buaji’s tea to her.

The phone rang.

Payal answered it. “Yes, Kamlaji, your blouse is ready. Yes, I will be at home tomorrow morning,” she said in to the phone.

“Payaliyya takes tuition for the children in the neighbourhood and stitches clothes for ladies. Khussi works in Shyamji’s office,” Buaji explained to Arnav.

Guilt burned his heart more that the hot tea burned his tongue.

Khushi sat silent as Buaji and Arnav chatted and Buaji pressed snacks on the guest.

Finally he stood up to leave, somehow reluctant to leave the warm hospitality of the Guptas. 

"Good night," he said.

"Shubh raatri, bitwaa," Buaji said. "Drive carefully."

"Shubh raatri, Arnavji," Payal said.

"Goodbye," Khushi said.

ASR looked at her with troubled eyes.

Buaji, Payal and Khushi accompanied him to the door and stood watching as he walked across the road, entered his car and drove away.

Buaji waved vigorously as he drove away. Payal smiled courteously at him. Khushi stood by them, neither waving nor smiling.

Section 10