Thank you for such a lovely reponse to the last chapter
On that note here's the next part...
PART 1
Anjali let out a brief sigh. "It's just too useless to talk to you!" she snapped.
"Good Night!" she wished and went out of the room. "When you are ready just come and tell us!" she muttered on her way out of the room and shut the door.
***
"Take care of yourself baba," Khushi said trying to sound normal hiding her disconsolateness.
In last 26 years, for the very first time Khushi was going away, especially alone from her baba, and from her immediate family.
She was trying her best to cloak her tears at the back of her eyes, her dismal behind her smile, trying to he strong in front of her dad.
But doesn't matter what one can't never curtain the emotions from your loved once who understand you more than you know yourself.
And what was something that Khushi's baba didn't know about his angel!?
He was her best friend, a friend with whom she could share anything.
More than her father, he was her mother. A mother who would take care of her child, protect her and more than a mother no one can understand you better.
All together today he had to play a completely different role. A role of a teacher.
He was a guiding light in her life, and he always would be, but today he had to leave her on her own to face bigger challenges.
The worries he had buried in his heart no body knew about them. Especially when he knew his daughter was not an ordinary human being.
He was letting his apple of his eyes away from her to explore the horizons so that she could learn, what this world had to teach her and most importantly the things that he might not just able to teach her under his protective shell.
Today, marked the beginning for the most challenging face of her life.
"I am always with you, my angel!" he told her.
She nodded.
For a moment, she felt she was going away from him for forever, and she shook in fear. She silently prayed that her fears were nothing but her worries that anyone would have during such times.
"I will take care of myself, but you promise that you will not cry and will not miss me!" he said to her as he held his daughter by her shoulder.
"I will baba!" she uttered in a low voice.
"Howrah train going to Mumbai at platform no. 21 is ready to leave in 10 minutes," female operator announced. "We wish you a safe and pleasant journey."
Khushi looked at the speakers as the announcement was made.
"I think I should leave now!" Khushi told her family.
"Take care of yourself, chutki!" Khushi's mami ji said between tears.
"Yes, mami ji! You take care too," she replied and took her blessings.
"Don't worry for us bitiya, take care of yourself. If you need anything just call us we will be there."
"Yes, mama ji!" Khushi answered.
"And don't forget about me!" Anshu said as she burst out in tears and hugged her. Khushi couldn't able to held her tears anymore after Anshu's breakdown.
And this brought tears in everyone's eyes.
"You promised you won't cry and why now!?" Khushi asked.
"Yes, I promised and these aren't tears of sadness, but happiness that you are going!? Now I can get little love from these people who are always taunting me!" Anshu joked and everyone laughed through tears.
Then Khushi turned to her DJ.
"DJ I will be back soon!" Khushi said as she wiped her tears, before taking her blessings.
"My blessings are always with you...May Devi Maiyan shower all her blessings on you and keep you safe..." DJ said and kissed her forehead. "Take your medicines on time!"
"There will be so many people to take care of me but of yours!?"
"Devi Maiyan and your blessings are there...Don't worry I will call you guys the moment I get there!"
"Live long, bitiya!"
"Bye," Khushi forbid her good bye to everyone with heavy heart.
As she took one step further, she wanted to run back to her family and she did listen to her heart and turned around and saw her baba and saw his tears. Tears that she never ever saw in his eyes before.
Suitcase fell from her hand and she ran to him and hugged him tightly and cried in his arms.
"I will miss you baba!"
"Go Khush...with no regrets..." he said with strength in his voice and walked her to the train.
She wanted to stay back and she never ever thought that it would be that hard for her to leave her family back. But at this point there were no turn backs. Her babu ji's dreams meant lot to her than her happiness.
Khushi's baba put her suitcase in the train.
"I love you my angel," he mumbled,
"I will miss you baba!"
The moment Khushi got on, train started.
Khushi still felt the strong urge to just got off the train but keeping the stone on her heart she made her mind and heart understood.
***
"Chote!" Anjali said as she entered Arnav's cabin.
"Good morning Anjali mam!" Aman wished the moment she came in.
"Oops...I mean Arnav," Anjali bit her tongue when she saw few other people sitting in Arnav's cabin.
Arnav give her stern look.
"I think I should come back later!"
"No, Anjali mam we are done. Please come in. Sir files will be ready by tomorrow," one of the manager said as he got up the chair and left and other two mangers followed him.
"Sir I go and look if delegates are here!" Aman said and Arnav lightly nodded with a plain expression on his face.
"See you at the conference Anjali mam!" Aman said.
Anjali instantly looked at Aman in surprise and she held him by his arm to stop him.
"Hello, since when you started giving me this "mam" title," Anjali asked.
Aman nervously looked at Arnav and immediately back at her when he saw him looking back at him.
"I think I should leave," he said and muttered briefly in Anjali's ear "Arnav sir wants me to be formal at the office!"
Anjali shook her head as Aman told her. "Okay, Mr. Aman I will see you at the conference room. Please make sure everything is 101%," Anjali mockingly ordered him.
"I guess you have lot to do Aman!"
"Sorry sir!" he apologized.
"See ya!" Aman whispered to Anjali and left.
"How many times I have told you Anjali di not to call me Chote in front of everyone?" Arnav asked right after Aman left the cabin.
"Excuse me Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada are you talking to me!? Who Anjali di? Is your sister here? But I can't see her," she pretended as Arnav was talking to someone else. "Oh you are talking to me no Mr. Raizada I am Mrs. Anjali Malhotra!"
"May I know what has happened to you?"
"What has happened to me...I think you said we all should be formal here, why different rules for you!?" Anjali asked making him follow his own set rules.
"Whatever di?"
"Mrs. Anjali Malhotra!" Anjali repeated as she sat in the recliner sofa to tease him even more.
"I think I have better things to do!" he retorted.
"Why are you getting angry Chote!? Just came to tell you Nani is leaving tomorrow and you have to go drop her at the station!"
"If I were free surely I would have but I have three meetings back to back and they all are important and they can't be postponed," he simply stated, busy reading his file.
"What the chote didn't I tell you that you have to?"
"Well if you remember didn't I remind you of the meetings before?"
"You did but..."
"Then no arguments!"
"Chote I would have gone, but I have to visit Sharma's for this buisness deal," Anjali told him.
"You have to thought of it before...I am sorry I can't...Deal with it...I better leave for the meeting I hope you are coming..."
"No!" she immediately denied.
"It's alright, I will manage it on my own! But if you want please don't forget to bring the files with you that you are on the desk!"
"Chote!" Anjali huffed.
"I am waiting for that day when a girl will come into your life and will teach you a good lesson!" she said letting out her anger.
Arnav instantly stopped and turned.
"Di whatever you are wondering for will never come true!"
"Why Chote why? You have to move on, you can't spend your whole life alone!"
"Di please let's just not talk about it anymore."
"Kab tak Chote? How long would you run away from the reality? Anjali asked getting little agitated.
"Di I am not running from any reality. And please we already have had lot of discussions on this topic and I don't want any more. I am sick and tired of it," Arnav directed.
"Even I am Chote," Anjali replied in exasperation..."Even I am sick and tired of all this."Why don't you understand that?... You have always been strong in harsh and in the most difficult times. You have been my strength chote" Anjali said cupping Arnav's face..."You have been strong whether it was after mom and dad's death. And Lavanya..." Anjali said, but stopped in between when Arnav cut her off.
"Ple... Please di!" Arnav said hardly mumbling.
Mentioning of Lavanya's name after so many years had brought all the bitter memories back in his mind.
"Chote, I can see your pain which you have covered under this fake ruthless, angry mask, but I am very well acquainted with the broken heart behind that. You have to believe that Lavanya was not the one who was made for you..."
"Certainly there is someone else for you...just open up your heart and forget the past; move on Chote...I am sure that you will find a way better girl. A girl who will love you more than anything. A girl who will never be able to live without and you without her. Who will understand you and your pain. "
"Not more than you do di!" Arnav said as a matter of fact.
"Don't change the topic chote! I am talking about a life partner...I am sure that the girl who is only meant for you will always be there for you, to give you the support you need."
A small smile crept on his face "Do you really think so?" he asked as he himself was really surprised at her believes.
"Undoubtedly Chote!"
Arnav's smile turned into a laugh "Di you keep hoping about that!"
"Chote you will come and tell ME the day you will fall in love! I bet you!"
"Good luck di get ready to loose then!" Arnav said and left with a smile on his face.
"We will see chote!" Anjali said confidently.
~Raizada Mansion~
"Om Prakash ji?" Anjali called the moment she entered Raizada mansion.
"Yes di," OP came running.
"Where is nani OP ji?"
"She is in her room di."
"Okay!"
"Di should I get a cup of tea for you in Nani ji's room?"
"Yes, OP ji please and thank you...bring it upstairs in Nani's rooom!" she said smiling.
"Sure di!"
|In Nani's Room |
"Nani!"
"Hi, Anjali bitiyan. Are you back from work and Chote?" Nani said as she kept the book aside the one she was reading.
Yes, Nani! I finished up my work a bit early so yeah and Chote will be little bit late"
"This chote bhi na is always busy with work. He has no time for himself and us," Nani complained...
"I am seriously fed up with boy...Guess what he won't be able to come to drop you at the station. I thought at least he would go with you and meet your friend's grand daughter who is going with you tomorrow...But now again three meetings one after the other," Anjali complained.
"Last night and today in the morning I went to talk to him!"
"About the marriage?"
"Yes!"
"What did he say?"
"What would he say just like every other time his answer was plain no...Nani...I can't see him like this. He has become even more reserved. I want him to live his life. I just want him to come out of his past."
"Look bitiya we can't force him...You very well know him. I am also worried about him, but ultimately in the end it's his life...He is intelligent he knows the difference between right and wrong," Nani told her.
"Nani I don't want to force him either but he is not getting my point."
"Bitiya when nothing works out you should leave everything up to God. He definately has stored something good for our chote and surely he will show us the right path too."
"Hope so Nani!"
"Anjali Di, Naniji here's the tea!"
"Thank-you OP ji!"
***The next afternoon**
"Hello, Khushi how far you have reached?" Anshu asked Khushi literally shouting at the phone.
"In an hour, I will reach Mumbai!" she answered as loud as her voice could get.
"What did she say?" DJ asked from behind.
"DJ first of all your chutki speaks so loud that I could hear her and top of you aren't saying anything so that I could here her!"
"Okay don't talk nonsense and try to hear what is saying!" Mami ji said.
"Hello, can you please speak little louder!" Anshu shouted. But there was no response from Khushi.
A second later a message came on her iPhone.
It was Khushi's text.
"Hey, Anshu...I couldn't hear you...your voice was cutting off...I will reach Mumbai in an hour and will call you once I get there!"
"Okay dear please do call me everyone is really worried and are dying to talk to you...Take care...Love you sis!" Anshu quickly answered back, soon after she got her text.
***
"Nani I am sorry I won't be able to see you off..." Arnav said apologetically.
"It's okay Chote you take care of yourself. Anjali bitiya is here!"
"See you soon Nani!"
"See you soon son!" Nani said and hung up the phone.
"What did he say?" Anjali asked.
"He was sorry that he couldn't able to come and see me off!"
"Oh thank god at least he able to take his time to apologize!" Anjali said surprised.
"Hello Deviyani!" Nani's friend said cheerfully as she came running and hugged her.
"Hello gayatri thank god you are here I thought you will not able to make!"
"What should I say dear friend!? You know very well know Mumbai traffic I left home three hours early then also late...Anyways where is your grandson!?"
Nani and Anjali looked at each other as gayatri auntie asked about Arnav's whereabouts...
"Here's my grand daughter Chaya!"
"Hello auntie ji!" Chaya wished.
"Hi, bitiya!"
"Hi Anjali di!"
"Hi, Chaya!" Anjali answered backed and give her the side hug.
"You know him Gayatri he is so busy with his work!"
"Oh I understand...After all, he is so busy business tycoon...We will meet him once we get back from our journey!"
"Yes!" Nani replied.
"I think we should sit in the train!"
"Yes, train is about to leave!" Gayatri auntie replied.
"Bye Nani phone me when you reach home!"
"I will!" Nani said and they both made there way toward the train.
"Coolie!" Anjali called and asked him to carry the luggage.
***
Exactly after 26 hour long journey Khushi had reached Mumbai.
One of the biggest and the popular cities of India...
With the population of over 20 million...
Every day thousands of people come to Mumbai with dreams, just like Khushi...
People whose dreams come true get their fair share of success and with the same hope Khushi has come to Mumbai.
Whether her dreams would come true or not and from now onwards what turn her life takes?
Time would decide.
Khushi put her right foot first on the floor and took a long breath as she smelt the air. She then silently prayed to her Devi Maiyan!
***
Nani stopped abruptly and immediately looked around her surroundings.
"What happen Nani?" Anjali quickly asked.
"Nothing Anjali bitiya!"
***
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