195. OS 10 An Unexpected Visitor (Part 3)

Link to my first e-novel

http://pothi.com/pothi/book/ebook-smita-ramachandran-home-meenakshi


A blog for my VMs:

http://smitarsvms.blogspot.in/




Part 3

The Raizadas looked at Arnav’s gobsmacked face and at Khushi’s frown. She was busy adjusting the pallu to please herself. Her hair was unbound, the silky fall cascading down her shoulders.

“Pin the pallu to your shoulder, Titliyya,” Buaji advised Khushi, unaware of Arnav’s condition.

Anjali cleared her throat. “Chotey, are you joining us for pooja?”

“Of course,” he croaked.

Mami gasped. “Saasumma, bhat ijj happenings here?” she whispered loudly, batting her eyelashes.

Nani tugged Mami’s arm. “Let’s all go down. Aaiye, Madhumatiji,” she invited.

Buaji nodded.

“Chotey, escort Khussi bitiya downstairs,” Nani helped him. “Take care she does not fall down the stairs. She may not be used to wearing a sari.”

Buaji nodded. “And the heels. She runs around wearing salwar suits and jootis all day, Nandkisore. I have to force her to wear a sari, Devyaniji.”

The ladies moved towards the door.

Anjali twisted her neck to see Arnav walk up to Khushi saying, “Khushi, shall we go down?” His voice was soft, tender, husky.

A glad smile twisted Anjali’s lips.

“I hope I don’t trip on the pleats,” Khushi muttered, still looking at her feet in silver sandals.

“Nothing will happen to you, Khushi. Main hoon na?” Arnav offered himself as security.

Khushi looked up to smile into his intent eyes. “I know. But today has been so accident-filled a day that I don’t trust myself. I may very well land on my face before all the old ladies and lose my front row of teeth.”

Arnav smiled. “Come, let’s go down,” he held out his hand.

Khushi happily put her hand in his and they walked out, Khushi teetering on her high heels and Arnav providing her support.

“Do you think I will look ugly without my teeth?” she asked Arnav seriously.

He chuckled under his breath.

“Boliye na?” she pressed.

“You couldn’t look ugly if you tried,” he murmured.

Khushi laughed. “You are saying this because you haven’t seen me with morning hair.”

Arnav chuckled.

“Or after I have been playing cricket with Chotu and Munna,” she smiled.

He looked at her, his eyes dancing with amusement.

“Buaji says we have the entire dust of the street on us. She asks me if I have been rolling in mud like an elephant,” Khushi grimaced.

“You drive her wild, don’t you?” he asked.

“Yes, I do. And that too without even trying. Pata nahi why it happens, but I always make her go Hai Re Nandkisore, Hai Re Nandkisore,” Khushi sighed.

Arnav looked down to hide his enjoyment of her experiences.

“Shall we sit down here?” he asked, pointing to the last row.

Khushi nodded.

They sat down together, Arnav ignoring the astounded eyes of the guests and Khushi sublimely unaware of the attention they were garnering.

“Why don’t you wear sari more frequently?” he whispered. “You look beautiful.”

The compliment went right over her head.

“How can I wear sari and play cricket?” she asked directly.

He looked at her face and down her delicious body with possessive eyes.

As he watched, she pressed her heart with one hand and breathed deep.

“Kya hua, Khushi?” he asked.

“This choli is too tight,” she admitted.

His mouth fell open as he looked at her choli and the curves straining the line of stitches.

“It suits Anjaliji’s smaller size,” she sighed. “I am too big. It is killing me.”

He swallowed hard as he studied her closely. “You are..perfect,” he choked.

Khushi squirmed, the blouse hurting her.

“Arnavji, what is that room?” she pointed.

“The kitchen,” he informed her.

“I am going to slip in there for a moment. I need to loosen the dori. Otherwise I will choke to death,” she scared him.

“I will help you,” he offered, his eyes on the doris.

“You will?” Her eyes were wide in shock.

“How can you tie them on your own?” he asked reasonably.

“I did. That’s why they are such a mess,” she pouted. “You are so sweet,” Khushi smiled at him.

He cleared his throat. Only he knew how hot he felt.

“Shall we go?” she asked.

“Of course,” he replied. They got up and went to the kitchen, unnoticed by Buaji who had her eyes shut.

Anjali, who saw the couple leave the room, nudged Mami who nudged Nani in turn.

                                         ***

There was no one on the kitchen as Khushi and Arnav entered it.

“Arnavji, jaldi,” Khushi urged him on. She flipped her unbound hair over her left shoulder and turned her back to him.

He gulped. Two thin doris held the rich red silk against her. His eyes ran over the golden skin of her back, mesmerised.

Mami slowly sidled to the kitchen and stood at the door, her ear cocked to hear the secret conversation between her Arnav bitwaa and Khussi.

“Arnavji, I am dying here,” Khushi egged him on in an urgent whisper. “Jaldi, please.”

“Yes, yes,” he murmured. He lifted a trembling hand to the top dori, caught one end and tugged gently.

The dori fell open.

Khushi moaned in relief.

Mami gasped soundlesly. What was Arnav bitwaa doing to that girl for her to make Suhaag Raatwala sounds?

“Arnavji,” Khushi urged him, her hand on her chest, holding the piece of red silk to her.

Should he tie the first one before untying the second one? he wondered.

She solved his confusion.

“Untie it, Arnavji,” she pleaded.

Mami clutched her heart. Was Khussi asking her Arnav bitwaa to remove her sari?

He obediently tugged the second dori loose.

Khushi sagged in relief. “That feels so good,” she groaned in pleasure.

Arnav swallowed hard at the sight of the unfettered curve of her back. His eyes narrowed. The doris had left red marks on her back. Almost without his volition, his hands went up. His left hand held her shoulder firm and his right hand massaged the firm, supple skin of her back.

“Arnavji?” it was an uncertain question.

“Let me make you feel better,” he whispered against her ear.

She nodded obediently. His gentle fingers trailed over her over-sensitive skin.

Khushi squealed in pleasure.

Mami jumped. What was happening in the kitchen? She turned her head to look at Madhumatiji who was praying earnestly, her eyes still shut. Nani and Anjali had questions in their eyes. Mami grimaced. How could she tell Saasumma that her first great grandchild was on the way to being born? That Arnav bitwaa was having his suhaag raat with Khussi in their kitchen, woh bhi without shaadi?

Arnav’s warm, hard hand massaged and manipulated Khushi’s sore muscles.

She trembled.

Minutes passed by as he played with the skin of her back. She twisted, shuddered and shivered as his fingers ran all over her back.

Khushi forgot Buaji and the pooja.

Mami leaned forward to see what Arnav bitwaa was doing to Khussi. Her hand hit the lock of the door and made a slight sound.

Arnav stilled.

“More,” Khushi demanded in a throaty purr.

“Someone will come here,” he warned her softly.

“Let them,” Khushi said.

Arnav smiled. “What if Buaji sees us like this? You with the blouse untied and me behind you?” he whispered in her ear.

“She will blame me,” Khushi replied, sure of her answer.

Arnav smiled as he slowly fastened the doris, taking care to make her comfortable.

“OK now?” he asked.

Khushi nodded. “Shukriya,” she said softly.

Arnav smiled.

They left the kitchen together, missing Mami who had plastered herself to the wall to avoid being seen.

                                            ***

After the pooja, Arnav and Khushi had their dinner together, Khushi giving him every vegetable and fruit she didn’t like.

“I don’t like karela,” she murmured.

“I love it,” he smiled.

“Yeh leejiye,” she said as she transferred the karela on her plate to his.

She frowned at the fruit salad. “Santra?” she winced.

“I love oranges,” he offered.

“Very good,” she complimented him as she gave him all the orange pieces in her bowl.

“Arnavji, can you have this kheer?” she asked.

“No,” he replied.

“Then I won’t have it too,” she stated.

“Khushi, you don’t have to give up kheer just because I am with you,” he smiled.

Tears filled her big eyes. “I would feel bad if I couldn’t have kheer and my friend had it, right before me.”

“Khushi,” he laughed. “Tum bilkul sanki ho.”

“You are a better man than I am,” she realised.

“I most definitely am. You are a ladki,” he laughed.

Khushi laughed along with him.

“Arnavji, will you visit me at Laxmi Nagar? We can watch the serial together,” Khushi offered him the treat.

He took it with alacrity. “I will.”

Khushi smiled.

“Khushi, give me your phone number,” he asked.

She recited it like an obedient girl.

“Titliyya, it is time to leave,” Buaji called.

Khushi grimaced. “I have to go now.”

Arnav nodded. “I will see you soon,” he promised.

“We will have fun watching the serial together,” she declared.

“Yes, we will definiely have fun,” Arnav whispered, watching Khushi leave with Buaji.

                                          ***

“What made you join us for the pooja today, Chotey?” Anjali asked, laughter in her eyes.

Arnav looked at his laptop, his face slightly flushed.

“I invite you every time and you make it a point to be far away from home on those evenings. Aaj kya hua?” Nani teased.

Arnav pretended to be deaf and dumb.

Mami cleared her throat meaningfully. “Arnav bitwaa, bill you be habing ‘fun’ with Khussi bitiya any time soon?” she asked deliberately.

Arnav’s eyes flew to hers.

“Woh kaa he, Saasumma, I think it ijj better to have marrijj before fun,” Mami spoke to Nani but looked at Arnav. “Naahi to chotey packetwaa aa jayenge before marrijj.”

“What are you talking about, Manorama?” Nani frowned.

“Kucho naahi, Saasumma. I was just telling Arnav bitwaa that Khussi seems a good girl,” Mami said.

Nani & Anjali nodded.

“And her Buaji seems strict,” she added.

“Yes, she is,” Anjali agreed.

“So it might be good to take Arnav bitwaa’s marrijj proposal to Madhumatiji before something happens,” Mami looked at Arnav.

“What can happen?” Nani frowned, confused.

“Shall we ask for Khushiji’s hand?” Anjali asked Arnav eagerly.

Arnav blushed. “I will let you know when,” he replied.

Nani and Anjali smiled at him, thrilled.

Mami frowned. “Phone numbers exchange hui gawa, next datewaa phixed hui gawa. Bhat are you waiting for now, Arnav bitwaa?”

“To see her serial with Khushi,” he murmured before walking away, a small smile on his lips.

"Bhere are you goings?" Mami called after him.

"To give Laxmi a treat," he smiled.

194 OS 10 An Unexpected Visitor

Maar dala!

Part 2

Arnav looked at the sweet, enquiring face lifted up to his, his mouth open.

“Kahiye na, do you have a girlfriend?” she asked again.

“Er...no,” he muttered.

Her face fell. “Not even one?” she asked in disappointment.

Her open disenchantment with him amused him.

“No, not even one,” he smiled.

“Why not?” she asked openly.

“No time,” he admitted.

“No time? How can you have no time to have a girlfriend?” she scoffed. “The hero of my serial is working all twenty-four hours but still has the time to have do-do girlfriends,” she claimed.

Arnav chuckled. “That is the difference between real & reel life,” he remarked.

She snorted. “How can you call the life shown in the serial as reel life? My hero has life and blood, relations, feelings, mostly anger. It is real, as real as you and me, as real as this evening,” she said as she pointed out at the evening sky.

Suddenly all the fairylights decorating his garden lit up as they usually did in the evenings of the days leading to Diwali.

Khushi gasped.

He looked at her wonder-struck face and then at his garden. It looked magical, mysterious, a land for fairies to tread gently on dew drops...but not more beautiful than her face.

 He looked at her delighted and expectant face.

“Fairylights,” she breathed.

“Yes,” he muttered. “Di makes it a point to do this for a week before Diwali every year.”

She abandoned his tea mug and leaped out of bed. She ran to the glass door leading to his garden and disappeared through it.

He rushed out after her.

She was standing by the pool, her hands clasped to her chest.

“Is the Rabba Ve over?” he asked.

“Yes, yes,” she murmured. “Aap ko pata he, your house is very romantic,” she praised him.

His eyes wide, he turned to look at his bare room. She was calling this pagalkhana romantic?

“Just imagine, Arnavji, how wonderful it would be if my hero and heroine were here in this beautiful garden!” she sighed. She spread her arms as if she were a bird and spun around and around.

“Khushi, dhyan se,” he cautioned her.

She spun around laughing, “I have learned kathak, Arnavji. I have balance,” she laughed before falling into the cool pool with a plop.

Her laughter ceased as she swallowed water.

“Khushi,” he cried weakly.

“Arnavji,” she choked. “I know only kathak, not swimming,” she admitted, floundering in the water.

Arnav threw her a horrified look, threw off his shoes and quickly eased into the water. He waded up to her and caught hold of her arms and lifted her to stand on his feet.

“My legs are threatening to float away,” Khushi discovered.

“Don’t worry. They won’t go anywhere without your permission,” he comforted her.

Khushi caught hold of his wet shoulders with frantic hands.

“Do you still want the hero and heroine in the garden?” Arnav asked, smiling at her wet kitten look.

“Yes, but not in the water,” Khushi shivered as wind rustled the leaves of the trees in his garden.

He chuckled. “Let’s get you out of here,” he said, slowly inching towards the edge of the pool.

A knock sounded on the door.

Arnav and Khushi looked at each other in horror.

“Buaji,” Khushi whispered.

“Di,” he murmured.

The door opened and Anjali, Buaji, Mami and Nani came into the bedroom.

“Chotey,” Anjali called.

“Khussi?” Buaji called.

“Did you see a missing Khussi?” Mami asked. “Arnav bitwaa, bhere are yous?”

Arnav sighed. “Mami, Di, we are here.”

The ladies rushed to the pool to stand staring at the sight of the recluse and the wanderer standing neck-deep in water.

“Chotey,” Nani could say little more.

But Buaji could. “O Sanka Devi,” she began.

“Buaji,” Khushi’s teeth chattered as she tried to make her Buaji understand that she was not at fault.

“Is this your bathroom, Parmeswari?” Buaji asked, rolling her eyes.

“Buaji,” Khushi swallowed some of the pool water.

“And how did you manage to knock this poor bitwaa into the pool, Nandkisore?” Buaji asked, her hands on her hips.

“Chotey, kya hua?” Anjali asked, a worried look in her eyes.

“Di, Buaji,” Arnav explained. “Khushi lost her way.”

“Oh,” Anjali heaved a sigh of relief.

“I am not surprised, Nandkisore,” Buaji commented. “She walks about with her head in the clouds all day long.”

“But how did she lose her way into the poolwa? That ijj my kwestion,” Mami pondered loudly.

“Let’s get her out,” Arnav suggested diplomatically, hoping that no one would see the tray of tea and biscuits on the bed.

Anjali and Buaji helped to pull a drenched Khushi out.

Arnav hefted himself out of the water and quickly got Khushi a couple of towels.

Khushi handed over one to him.

“You dry yourself,” she told him. “Or you will have fever along with shakkar ki bimari. Then you will have to take bitter medicine along with bitter tea.”

Arnav smiled as he took the towel & dried himself.

“I will get you a sari and blouse,” Anjali offered Khushi, limping out of the room.

“Chotey, change out of your wet clothes and leave the room so that Khussi bitiya can dress,” Nani suggested.

Arnav nodded and left to do the needful after a long look at Khushi’s wet figure.

Soon he left the room and Khushi entered his bathroom with Anjali’s sari and accessories.

“Is the choli too tight, Khushiji?” Anjali asked through the shut door.

“A little, Anjaliji, but it is alright,” Khushi mumbled.

“I am sorry, Devyaniji,” Buaji sighed. “This girl! She gets into trouble with little effort, Nandkisore!”

“It is alright, Madhumatiji. Don’t worry about it. No harm was done,” Nani smiled.

“But haaw did she get into the water?” Mami peered into the inky depths of the pool. “And how did hamre Arnav bitwaa fall into the pool? Pehle to nahi gire woh. Did Khussi push him into the water and then jump into it? Yahan pool party tha kaa? Aaj blue he pani pani...”

“Manorama,” Nani hissed.

Khushi came out wearing the red sari and tight choli gifted by Anjali.

“I will never bring you for a pooja again, Khussi,” Buaji threatened her.

“That is what you said last week when I fell asleep at the temple during satsang,” Khushi muttered.

“Sanka Devi,” Buaji roared.

“And when my dupatta caught fire at the Satyanarayan pooja at the Mishras the week before that,” Khushi reminded her.

Mami gasped and looked this bundle of trouble from top to bottom with wondering eyes.

Buaji opened her mouth to deliver a stinging diatribe.

“Chodiye, Madhumatiji,” Nani poured oil on troubled waters. “Khussi bitiya, Chotey didn’t scold you, did he?”

“Scold me? Arnavji? No,” she replied. “He is my friend. Why should he scold me?”

The Raizada ladies stared at her with wide eyes and wider mouths.

“Fraaand?” Mami made sure. “Hamre Arnav bitwaa?”

“Yes,” Khushi replied. “He gave me tea and biscoot,” she said smiling.

Mami looked at Anjali and Nani.

“Is Laxmi yours?” Khushi asked Nani.

Nani nodded.

“I like her, very much,” Khushi smiled. “Mamiji, she watches serials with you?” she asked.

Mami nodded. Her heavy earrings danced; the metallic paint on her eyelids glittered.

“Arnavji told me,” Khushi said casually.

“Arnavji..I mean, Chotey did?” Anjali asked, her big eyes as big as they could get.

“Ji. We talked about the serial I watch. Arnavji was very interested in the story,” Khushi shook out her pleats.

Mami sat down on the bed on the tray.

“Ooooimaaaa,” she yelled, jumping up. “Bhat ijj this? Bedwaa mein minewaa lagaya hamre Arnav bitwaa?”

Anjali quickly took away the tray, the mug and packet of biscuits and placed them on the low table.

The door was pushed open by Arnav.

“Di, is Khushi ready?” he asked. His eyes fell on Khushi in Anjali’s red sari and he stood still, electrified.