CHAPTER 11 : ON HIS DEMAND

(CONSPIRACY)

 

"Wait I eat my medicine!" he said and shoot her an angry look, but this time it didn't bother Khushi. By placing the jug of water and glass on the night stand she simply walked to her side of the bed and laid down.

***FLASHBACK***

"Khushi what are you doing?" 

"Going to eat medicine, bhuaji," Khushi had replied.

"Titliya, how many times, I have told you to not to eat any medicine without eating something?" Bhua Ji said in her usual angry voice.

"Oops, sorry Bhuaji!" 

***END OF THE FLASHBACK***

"Arnavji!" She immediately woke up.

Arnav got scared at her sudden call of his name, and he almost held the glass of water from falling from his hand.

"What?" 

"You can't have medicine without eating anything,"she quickly finished her sentence. "Please wait!"

"What now?"he asked annoyed.

Khushi didn't listen and had practically ran to the kitchen and got some food.

"Here eat this first, then eat the medicine," she said as she was out of breath.

"Do you think I will eat this food in the middle of the night and will go to sleep?"

"Please Arnav ji you didn't eat anything and eating medicine on an empty stomach is really harmful."

Arnav gave in, he was just too tired to argue and took the plate from her hands. A small smile had appeared on her tired face.

***

So far it was the longest night of Arnav's life he spent without sleeping. He had to take lot of decisions for himself, for the people he loved and for Khushi.

On the other hand, Khushi's sleep had already broken too and she couldn't able to sleep either. Even she had lot of unanswered questions that she needed an answer to. Arnav's word kept playing in her head. 

Her mind was diverted when she heard snoring. It was Arnav. He had finally fell asleep.

Khushi retrieved massage oil from the washroom and massaged his head.

"Why was she doing it, anyways? Afterall, what he has done to her was not at all forgettable. But despite of, the grudges he held for her he was being kind too," she said to herself. "Because of him her brother was getting the best treatment in the U.S. " she added.

Her thoughts came to halt when Arnav had put his arm around her waist. Khushi's eyes were wide open in astray but she was relaxed by the fact Arnav was sleeping. She tried to move away his arm but his grip around her waist strengthened. At one point, she stopped trying. 

Seeing him more relaxed she felt peaceful for a very unknown reason, she herself didn't know when she drifted back to sleep.

***

Dark clouds in the sky were finally fading away,

But a storm has still to come.

Time would tell, what future hold for them.

Would it be what they have decided or it would be completely different?

God writes destiny and one has to just walk on that path.

***

Khushi woke up and it was 6:00 AM in the morning. She didn't find Arnav in his bed. "He might be in the gym,"she thought. 

She quickly got ready and prepared for morning prayer. 

***

"Good Morning, Khushi!"

"Good Morning!" Khushi replied to Mary.

"How are you feeling now?"

"I am good."

"How is your daughter?"Khushi asked.

"Oh, I didn't get the chance to talk to her, by the time I reached home, she had already gone to sleep and in the morning I came early."

"Why don't you take day off?"

"I can't my dear, I am only here until this afternoon, after that I am traveling to London."

"London?" Khushi asked.

"Yeah, so far you must have come to know that I am Mr. Raizada's personal maid. I go with him wherever he travels. He is mostly in London."

"Is Arnav Ji going to London?"

"Not going, he has already gone! Didn't he tell you?"

Khushi was shocked to hear that, a tear formed in her eye but she quickly brushed it away.

"He did tell me what didn't know he will be going this early," Khushi lied.

"When you would be back?" Khushi then asked indirectly.

"Mr. Raizada lives mostly in London. Two weeks ago he came here for his mother's death anniversary. And now because you are here may be he will come back soon. But as far as I know he has gone for a month," Mary replied.

"Here is your medicine," Mary said as she handed her the medicine.

Khushi remained silent. 

"Khushi dear, are you alright?

"Oh I am sorry. You already got it? But where did you get the prescription from?"

"No, Mr. Raizada asked me to give it you. Now please excuse me dear I have to go. I have to pack Mr. Raizada's few important things that he needs and see other few things that needed to be finished before I leave."

Khushi was just too broken to reply, she just simply nodded. There was a feeling of sadness that had engulfed her, for some weird reason she had she felt like crying. The person she thought she hated was the person at whom she was mad, because of his unexplained absence.

***

Nani was explaining something to Mary when Khushi walked into the living room.

"Good Morning Nani ji!" Khushi said.

Nani gestured Mary to leave but she didn't pay much attention to Khushi too, but even then Khushi walked to her to touch her feet and get her blessings. Nani quickly got up from the sofa and moved away, before Khushi could touch her feet.

"Just to tell you that in this house only a daughters, sons and daughter in laws are allowed to touch feet. As far as I know you are known of them for me. Chote must have accepted you as your wife but for me you are a person who has taken my daughter in laws place that's Lavanya's," Nani retorted and went from there leaving Khushi in tears.

***

"I don't know how would I just manage everything in such a short amount of time. Common people move your hands," Mary furiously said to the chefs in the kitchen.

"What happen, Mary?"

"Look, I told them to cook food before I come back but they aren't done with anything. I don't know what happens to them when Mr. Raizada is away from RM."

"Don't worry I help you guys."

"No, Khushi you don't have to do this. What these people are for?" Mary said and looked at chefs angrily.

"It's okay. I am really bored. And I am not a bad cook," Khushi joked even though she wasn't at all in mood of it.

"I am sure you are a fantastic cook but dear we can't let you cook like this in the kitchen. If by any chance Mr. Raizada or Deviyani mam came to know he will throw all of them from here."

"You just don't worry. I will manage everything. Tell me what I have to do."

"Are you sure?"

"100%" Khushi assured.

"Okay we have to cook food for 10 people. 15 different dishes."

"Okay no problem. But for what?"

"Deviyani mam's close friends are coming for dinner tonight."

"Oh okay you just tell me the menu and I will cook it before they come."

"I am so sorry Khushi if I didn't have to leave early I would have done everything alone."

"You don't worry I will manage."

"Thank you so much."

***

"Devianyi where is your daughter in law? Where you have hidden her?" Nani's friend asked and other friends of her agreed with her and asked the same question.

Nani didn't know what to say, even though she had no interest to introduce Khushi to her friends just to maintain the privacy of her family matters she excused herself and went to Khushi's room. 

***

"Khushi!" Nani said as she knocked on her door.

Khushi was sitting in her room and quickly opened the door.

"Nani ji, please come in!"

"Here take this sari and get ready in 5 minutes."

Without asking any questions Khushi agreed and came back dressed in a golden sari. Just like other times she was looking beyond beautiful. Nani wanted to compliment her on her beauty but not a single word came out of her mouth.

***

Mrs. Sharma: "You know what I actually feel bad for lavanya, I don't know what happened, that Arnav broke all his relationships with her and married this low profile girl."

Nani and Khushi heard Mrs. Sharma saying. Khushi felt bad as someone had scrunched her heart. And Nani so wanted to shut her friend up.

Mrs. Tandon: Yeah, did you see deviyani's face when I asked about her daughter-in-law?

Mrs. Chopra:Yeah, I did see her expressions. I think they haven't accepted Khushi.

"Just stop you ladies, you don't have nothing good to say about anyone," Jayshree auntie said.

"Jayshree there is no point to say anything to them they just need to utter wrong things against everyone. I can't believe you still our friends," Jaya auntie simply retorted back on their face.

Ignoring what the other ladies has to say Nani introduced Khushi to her friends.

"Here, is my beautiful daughter in law!"

"Wow, Deviyani your daughter in law is a chaand ka tukda!"Jayshree auntie said in awe. 

"Go take their blessings!" Nani instructed Khushi and she did so.

"God bless you Bitiya, may God always keep both you and Chote happy together forever," jaya auntie said. 

"Sada suhagan raho!" Jayshree auntie said. 

"Deviyani this is not fair you didn't even give us the invitation card of their marriage and neither kept the reception party. What's going on?"

Nani was little startled and reluctant to answer the question.

"Well we are going to keep the reception party next week. We kept one in London it was a small one and you know that it was my daughters death anniversary because of that we couldn't able to celebrate."

"I understand Deviyani," Jaya auntie spoke up. "But you are going to invite us now right?"

"Yeah how could I forget you guys, in fact the very first invitation would be given to all of you present here," Nani said happier from outside rather than inside and Khushi had smelt the hidden anger in her voice.

"Now, come we have some dinner."

***

@ The dinning table.

"Deviyani food is delicious!" Sharma auntie replied.

"Thank you!"

"I am sure Khushi bitiya must have cooked it."

Khushi gave her a weak smile.

"But where is Arnav I can't see him around," Jaya auntie asked.

Both Nani and Khushi looked at each other instantly. 

"Actually he had some important work so he had to go to London," Nani replied.

"Oh common this is not fair," Jayshree auntie remarked. "Here, he has gotten married and still work on his mind."

"Actually he really had important work so that's why he had to go and there should have been someone with Nani ji that's why I couldn't able to go!" Khushi jumped into the conversation.

"I must say Deviyani you have gotten the best wife for Arnav bitwa."

"That is so!" Nani replied with a half smile on her face. "Are you guys just gonna talk or would eat something too, common if you liked the food you better finish it. Come Khushi bitiya join us," Nani added.

***

"Hello," Nani said.

"Hi, Nani."

"Arnav bitwa there is a problem."

"What Nani is everything alright? Is Khushi fine?" came the question from his mouth without his consent. He regretted asking the latter question.

"She is fine and there is nothing wrong. You have to come back."

"It's not possible Nani. I have important work to do."

"I can understand, Chote. But you have to come."

"But what's the matter Nani?"

"Actually my friends came today and they all had asked for a party."

"Nani there is no need for that."

"There is a need, Chote. Already lot of things has happened in such a short span of time and I don't want any more drama. People are talking already too much about us. So, you better be here by this week. And I am sure there are so many people to look after your work. Now I hung up I have to call home and invite everyone else."

"But Nani!" Arnav said but Nani had already hung up.

***

Arnav angrily threw his cell phone on the sofa and loosened his tie.

"What's the matter ASR? Is everything alright? You look troubled."

"Lavanya inform Aman, Akaash, NK and Dhruv that we have to finish up all out work in a coming up week!"

"But what's the hurry ASR? We have just gotten here today."

"Do as I have said!"

"You have no time for me ASR!" Lavanya said as she pulled her annoyed face.

"I am sorry La I did promise you that we will spend some quality time with each other but..."

"Okay, no worries there."

***

"Hello, ASR is coming to India this week and we have to change our plan," lavanya said to someone on phone.

Anonymous: "But I just can't change my plan I am in Italy right now."

"I don't damn care about where you are and if you have important work or not. If I have said my work will be done this week it means it has to be finished.

Anonymous: "Its not an easy job there is a tight security at RM and there are always bodyguards around her."

"Whatever! You are getting money for what you have asked to do. And I WANT KHUSHI DEAD!"