"Arnav, babu!" Khushi said, cheerfully.
Arnav's eyes lit up seeing Khushi finally back, and yes, she was correct she was back before 5. "Hey, Khushi. You back!"
"Arnav, babu, I have a good news for you, your friends are found. They were taken to the hospital by the people who were on motor vehicles. And my detectives said, they will be sent here in a day or two!"
Arnav was relieved. And Khushi knew another thank you was coming. Arnav understood. "Okay, I won't thank you. But I am sure I can help you in return! By the way, wow, you are a great a police inspector as well. Hats off to you and your team!"
"You are welcome, Arnav, babu! A friend in need is a friend indeed! By the way, do you have a place to live here? I mean where you would be staying?"
"Yes, remember I told you about Thakur ji. I have talked to them and I will stay with them for a while!"
Khushi didn't know about that and even her father had not talked about it, she thought. By the way, she hardly stays at home so that she could have known all about this. But the other moment she bit her tongue, knowing that now he would know that Thakur ji was her father, but she admitted that she was also happy that he will be staying in her haveli. At least it wasn't their last meeting after he would be fine and ready to leave the dispensary. But she was afraid of the day he will actually leave and go.
"Arnav, babu, what do you in the city? Do you also wear suit pant and tie all the time?"
Arnav smiled at her innocent question. "Yes, in my work I have to. I am a businessman. I have hotels in different part of the world."
She now walked up to his bed and sat up in the chair. "Oh! You must travel a lot to different beautiful countries then!"
"Yes, I do. Do you want to?"
"Yes, I will not mind, first of all I have never stepped out of this village."
"You never?" he asked, as for him, it indeed was quite surprising.
She shook her head sadly.
"But I believe my village is the most beautiful place in this world!" she said. "And I never felt the need to!"
Arnav saw the familiar beautiful smile on her face returned.
"I totally agree with you, Khushi!" he said. "Khushi, who is in your house?"
"My babu ji, my four brothers, my four bhabi's, my bhua ji, and you know my elder Bhabi, is soon going to be a mother, she will be giving the first child to our family so I am waiting for a little prince or princess to arrive at my house."
"That's cute, so you love kids?"
"Yes," she said, grinning.
"Do you have kids?" he asked, and hoped to hear no.
"Haww! No! What are you saying, babu ji, I am not even married yet. What I meant was I love kids, but not interested in having of mine yet and also marriage is not on cards for now!"
He was relieved that she wasn't married, at the same time he couldn't help but laugh softly as how cutely she was offended. Never in his life he talked to a girl this comfortably and feel absolutely okay with it. That was true too he never got a chance and a time, however, that was not an excuse either. This girl was different, he liked Khushi and he admitted it.
"I am sorry if I offended you!"
Khushi looked up at him, "No, babu ji, you haven't, you are really nice, I really li..." she stopped right before she mentioned she liked him.
"Babu ji, who is in your family?" she immediately changed the topic.
Arnav looked at her nervousness, "why did you stop and changed the topic?" he asked, as he so wanted to know what she thought of him, but he realised he was making her embarrassed.
"My grandma and my brother, Akaash. They are everything to me! And my parents, they passed away."
"I am sorry to hear about that. Even I was little when my mother passed away, my bhua ji, never got married and looked after my four brothers and me and my father, so my bhua ji is a mother to me and my brothers.
"Do you miss your mother and father?" she asked. This question made him sad.
"Yes!" he only answered, as he looked down.
"I am sorry, if I hurt you!" she said.
"No, it's okay, like your bhua ji my grandma looked after me after my parents."
"So we have something in common!" she said.
"Yes!"
"Why are you specifically here?" she asked. "And if you are thinking of building a hotel here don't even dare. Our village is very important to us and we don't want anyone to make it dirty."
"Hmm...But what if I want to make a place in someone's heart?" he asked.
"Why would you need to do so? You are so nice that you create a space in people's heart without even knowing!" she said, without even realising the weight of her words. And that was the only conformation that Arnav needed. He looked at her lowered eyelids, and her lips that wanted to say something but couldn't. And then the stealing of the gazes, made his heart flutter.
She slowly moved her eyelids up. "I meant was..." she said, slowly, but she stood up excusing herself and was going to run, when Arnav held her hand right on time. Khushi tried to free her hand, but he held it tight.
"I am pretty sure place I have made is free for me. Because I will never leave it, neither I will ever let anyone take it. that's a promise!"
"I don't get what you are saying?" she said, as she wiggled her hand to free it.
"I am sure you did, I understood that, if it didn't it will soon make sense to you," he said.
"Arnav ji, please let me go!" she said.
For the first time she called him by his first name as she got a hang of how to pronounce his name, he couldn't help but smile.
"Should I? Think twice!"
She slowly turned. "Please."
He raised his eyebrows questioningly. "For now?" she added, in a pleading tone, he smiled and let go. She literally ran out of the room.
"What has happened to me?" They both questioned to themselves, and surely they knew the answers but still they did just so that somehow they could answer themselves and admit that they both needed each other.
Arnav put his hand on his chest and Khushi on hers as she stood outside, leaned against the wall.
They both closed their eyes, at the same time, and only faces they saw was of each other. It never happened to them ever before that they felt so close to anyone beyond their loved ones. Never they felt that he or she was the one they needed without whom their life was and will be incomplete if they didn't get each other.
But the question was, was it really easy for these two souls to come together. Arnav has a past that was so dark, and Khushi might be the part of it.
***
Khushi gritted her teeth when he once again blocked her way. "Hi, Khushi. After three days I am seeing you. Where were you?" Rudra inquired.
"Rudra, I have warned you this so many don't block my way."
"I am asking you where were you?" he completely ignored her statement. Khushi hated how he thought he owned her.
"Why, didn't your hounds tell you?" she questioned, looking right into his eyes in rage.
"You have started talking a lot. Be careful. I promise that you will pay for it and that guy. Hopefully, he doesn't loose his life from his hands."
"Rudra, if because of you anything happened to Arnav babu, this is the promise that you will pay for it!" she warned him.
"Who is you too, huh?" he asked, and held her arm tight. Khushi looked at him coldly. "Get ready, Khushi, very soon we will get married. My father will come to your home in a day or two."
Khushi removed his hand from her arm with full force.
"I am not going to marry you!"
"Stay away from that man, I am telling you, such man only want one thing from a girl, that is; her body."
"Shut up, you moron, you have such a nasty mind."
Rudra laughed and walked away.
"You do whatever, I will never marry you. Even if I have to give my life, I will not!" she said, and left in anger.
***
"Khushi!" Anjali said. But Khushi was too lost. She saw her smiling.
"Khushi," she snapped her finger to get her out of her dreamland.
"Huh? Yes, bhabi!"
"Whose dreams you are lost in?" she asked.
Khushi blushed. "No ones, I was just thinking of something!"
Anjali doubted. "Something or someone? Who is that lucky guy? Now tell."
"Anjali, bhabi, anything?" she said and busied herself looking for something, aimlessly, just to pretend."
"Ms. Khushi, whenever you will feel like tell me."
Khushi looked at her and went to bed, from behind she hugged her. "Bhabi..."
"Yes, I am listening."
"I am in love!"
"Oh my goodness, please tell me who is the lucky man? And how he looks?"
"Bhabi, his name is Arnav."
"Oh, the same guy whom you were looking after. Hmm...While taking care of him yourself have sickened?"
Khushi blushed, and, Anjali turned around, Khushi held her hands in hers.
"Bhabi, he is a very nice person."
"Hmm...So you want me to talk to your brothers and babu ji?"
She nodded.
"That's not a problem!" she said. "But, Khushi, first of all we have to know what Arnav wants. So, he told you he loves you?"
He hadn't yet, and about this she did not really know, but somewhere her heart was saying that he does like her too. But there was a difference between like and love.
"Bhabi, my brother's and father will only get me married where I would like to, right?"
Anjali tugged her hand her chin. "Yes, Khushi, if they think that guy will be best for you!"
Khushi was relaxed.
"Okay, now go and take this for your, Arnav babu."
Khushi smilingly took it.
"I will come home early!"
"Take your sweet time!" Anjali said.
"Bhabi, take care of my munna/munni."
She said, and in a hurry, she bumped into her bhua ji. "Khushi, watch where you are going!"
"Hi, bhua ji, bye bhua ji!" she said and ran out of the haveli.
"God give this girl some brain!"
Anjali laughed.
***
Arnav had come after taking bathe when Khushi entered the dispensary. He was just in towel, she screamed and turned her face on the other side.
"I am so sorry, Arnav, babu, I should have come after knocking on the door."
"It's alright," he said, and quickly changed clothes that Khushi had gotten from him. Kurta, pyjama.
"Food, I had gotten food for you!" she said.
"You can turn now!" Arnav said, and when she turned, she couldn't stop herself from looking bottom to top. He looked so handsome in Kurta, pyjama, and just the way she had imagined.
"You are looking very nice!" she said.
"Thanks to you for these clothes. But I have called Mumbai, in just few days someone will be here with fresh piece of clothes for me."
"Hmm!" she said.
He took food from her hands. "Khushi, what happened to your arm? Those marks?" he pointed towards the red marks of finger.
Khushi hid it with her dupatta. "Nothing, my friend. She held me and I got the marks!" she said.
Arnav doubted if she was telling the truth. "Arnav, babu, how are you feeling now?" she asked, to divert his mind.
"Huh...Very well! So tomorrow, you will take me to the Thakur ji's haveli, right?"
"Yes, I will!" she said. "Please eat your food!"
Arnav opened the dinner box. Khushi sat on the floor with him. "Khushi, I must tell you this food is the best ever food I have eaten. Even spending million of rupees I could never taste food this good but here!"
"You should credit my bhabi then!" Khushi said.
"Wow! I will surely meet your bhabi soon."
"Hmm!" she said as she rested her hands and chin on her knees as she just looked at him.
"Khushi, did you eat?" Arnav asked.
"Huh! No, not yet. I will go home and eat!"
"I am so sorry, I am so stupid that I didn't even ask you!"
"It's okay, you eat your dinner at 6:00 PM, and then after that you only have tea. I can't do that, if I don't eat before sleep. I can't really sleep!"
Arnav laughed and choked on his food. Khushi immediately went close to him and rubbed his back and made him drink water with her hand. He cough few a times.
"Arnav babu, are you okay?" she asked, he looked at her and nodded.
"I am fine!" he said, and Khushi again sat in her usual spot, opposite to him. Quite still worried after what just happened.
"Are you really okay?" she asked.
"Yes, you worry a lot about me, Khushi!" he said.
"Why only you, I care for everyone!" she immediately said.
"I actually don't mind it," he said as he stood up, as he was done eating his food.
Khushi looked at him and too got up. He walked towards her, "what...what happen?" she stammered, and walked backwards.
He closed the door before she could leave the room. She watched him doing so. Before she could ask what he was doing he spoke, "don't worry, I won't do anything that will do you any harm. You can trust me. But, Khushi, I know this will be shocking for you, however, I have to tell you this that I love you!"
Khushi's eyes went wide, surprise flashing in them like a headlight.
Her heart and mind both unable to register his words.
"Khushi, if you like me too, I will come to your home to ask for your hand from you family. I want you to take you to my home as my wife."
Khushi's heartbeat had increased double the fold, breathing normally wasn't even possible for her now. He now stepped one step back from her, back to maintaining a normal distance.
"Khushi, look I am sorry, if you think I went overboard you can tell me. And I am really sorry, however, before talking to your parents I wanted to talk to you."
Khushi didn't know what to say, and he said it what she wanted to know. She took one step forward, raised on her toes and kissed his cheek, and hurriedly opened the door and ran.
Arnav smiled and touched his right cheek where she had just kissed him.
"Did she really meant yes?" he thought.
Arnav's eyes lit up seeing Khushi finally back, and yes, she was correct she was back before 5. "Hey, Khushi. You back!"
"Arnav, babu, I have a good news for you, your friends are found. They were taken to the hospital by the people who were on motor vehicles. And my detectives said, they will be sent here in a day or two!"
Arnav was relieved. And Khushi knew another thank you was coming. Arnav understood. "Okay, I won't thank you. But I am sure I can help you in return! By the way, wow, you are a great a police inspector as well. Hats off to you and your team!"
"You are welcome, Arnav, babu! A friend in need is a friend indeed! By the way, do you have a place to live here? I mean where you would be staying?"
"Yes, remember I told you about Thakur ji. I have talked to them and I will stay with them for a while!"
Khushi didn't know about that and even her father had not talked about it, she thought. By the way, she hardly stays at home so that she could have known all about this. But the other moment she bit her tongue, knowing that now he would know that Thakur ji was her father, but she admitted that she was also happy that he will be staying in her haveli. At least it wasn't their last meeting after he would be fine and ready to leave the dispensary. But she was afraid of the day he will actually leave and go.
"Arnav, babu, what do you in the city? Do you also wear suit pant and tie all the time?"
Arnav smiled at her innocent question. "Yes, in my work I have to. I am a businessman. I have hotels in different part of the world."
She now walked up to his bed and sat up in the chair. "Oh! You must travel a lot to different beautiful countries then!"
"Yes, I do. Do you want to?"
"Yes, I will not mind, first of all I have never stepped out of this village."
"You never?" he asked, as for him, it indeed was quite surprising.
She shook her head sadly.
"But I believe my village is the most beautiful place in this world!" she said. "And I never felt the need to!"
Arnav saw the familiar beautiful smile on her face returned.
"I totally agree with you, Khushi!" he said. "Khushi, who is in your house?"
"My babu ji, my four brothers, my four bhabi's, my bhua ji, and you know my elder Bhabi, is soon going to be a mother, she will be giving the first child to our family so I am waiting for a little prince or princess to arrive at my house."
"That's cute, so you love kids?"
"Yes," she said, grinning.
"Do you have kids?" he asked, and hoped to hear no.
"Haww! No! What are you saying, babu ji, I am not even married yet. What I meant was I love kids, but not interested in having of mine yet and also marriage is not on cards for now!"
He was relieved that she wasn't married, at the same time he couldn't help but laugh softly as how cutely she was offended. Never in his life he talked to a girl this comfortably and feel absolutely okay with it. That was true too he never got a chance and a time, however, that was not an excuse either. This girl was different, he liked Khushi and he admitted it.
"I am sorry if I offended you!"
Khushi looked up at him, "No, babu ji, you haven't, you are really nice, I really li..." she stopped right before she mentioned she liked him.
"Babu ji, who is in your family?" she immediately changed the topic.
Arnav looked at her nervousness, "why did you stop and changed the topic?" he asked, as he so wanted to know what she thought of him, but he realised he was making her embarrassed.
"My grandma and my brother, Akaash. They are everything to me! And my parents, they passed away."
"I am sorry to hear about that. Even I was little when my mother passed away, my bhua ji, never got married and looked after my four brothers and me and my father, so my bhua ji is a mother to me and my brothers.
"Do you miss your mother and father?" she asked. This question made him sad.
"Yes!" he only answered, as he looked down.
"I am sorry, if I hurt you!" she said.
"No, it's okay, like your bhua ji my grandma looked after me after my parents."
"So we have something in common!" she said.
"Yes!"
"Why are you specifically here?" she asked. "And if you are thinking of building a hotel here don't even dare. Our village is very important to us and we don't want anyone to make it dirty."
"Hmm...But what if I want to make a place in someone's heart?" he asked.
"Why would you need to do so? You are so nice that you create a space in people's heart without even knowing!" she said, without even realising the weight of her words. And that was the only conformation that Arnav needed. He looked at her lowered eyelids, and her lips that wanted to say something but couldn't. And then the stealing of the gazes, made his heart flutter.
She slowly moved her eyelids up. "I meant was..." she said, slowly, but she stood up excusing herself and was going to run, when Arnav held her hand right on time. Khushi tried to free her hand, but he held it tight.
"I am pretty sure place I have made is free for me. Because I will never leave it, neither I will ever let anyone take it. that's a promise!"
"I don't get what you are saying?" she said, as she wiggled her hand to free it.
"I am sure you did, I understood that, if it didn't it will soon make sense to you," he said.
"Arnav ji, please let me go!" she said.
For the first time she called him by his first name as she got a hang of how to pronounce his name, he couldn't help but smile.
"Should I? Think twice!"
She slowly turned. "Please."
He raised his eyebrows questioningly. "For now?" she added, in a pleading tone, he smiled and let go. She literally ran out of the room.
"What has happened to me?" They both questioned to themselves, and surely they knew the answers but still they did just so that somehow they could answer themselves and admit that they both needed each other.
Arnav put his hand on his chest and Khushi on hers as she stood outside, leaned against the wall.
They both closed their eyes, at the same time, and only faces they saw was of each other. It never happened to them ever before that they felt so close to anyone beyond their loved ones. Never they felt that he or she was the one they needed without whom their life was and will be incomplete if they didn't get each other.
But the question was, was it really easy for these two souls to come together. Arnav has a past that was so dark, and Khushi might be the part of it.
***
Khushi gritted her teeth when he once again blocked her way. "Hi, Khushi. After three days I am seeing you. Where were you?" Rudra inquired.
"Rudra, I have warned you this so many don't block my way."
"I am asking you where were you?" he completely ignored her statement. Khushi hated how he thought he owned her.
"Why, didn't your hounds tell you?" she questioned, looking right into his eyes in rage.
"You have started talking a lot. Be careful. I promise that you will pay for it and that guy. Hopefully, he doesn't loose his life from his hands."
"Rudra, if because of you anything happened to Arnav babu, this is the promise that you will pay for it!" she warned him.
"Who is you too, huh?" he asked, and held her arm tight. Khushi looked at him coldly. "Get ready, Khushi, very soon we will get married. My father will come to your home in a day or two."
Khushi removed his hand from her arm with full force.
"I am not going to marry you!"
"Stay away from that man, I am telling you, such man only want one thing from a girl, that is; her body."
"Shut up, you moron, you have such a nasty mind."
Rudra laughed and walked away.
"You do whatever, I will never marry you. Even if I have to give my life, I will not!" she said, and left in anger.
***
"Khushi!" Anjali said. But Khushi was too lost. She saw her smiling.
"Khushi," she snapped her finger to get her out of her dreamland.
"Huh? Yes, bhabi!"
"Whose dreams you are lost in?" she asked.
Khushi blushed. "No ones, I was just thinking of something!"
Anjali doubted. "Something or someone? Who is that lucky guy? Now tell."
"Anjali, bhabi, anything?" she said and busied herself looking for something, aimlessly, just to pretend."
"Ms. Khushi, whenever you will feel like tell me."
Khushi looked at her and went to bed, from behind she hugged her. "Bhabi..."
"Yes, I am listening."
"I am in love!"
"Oh my goodness, please tell me who is the lucky man? And how he looks?"
"Bhabi, his name is Arnav."
"Oh, the same guy whom you were looking after. Hmm...While taking care of him yourself have sickened?"
Khushi blushed, and, Anjali turned around, Khushi held her hands in hers.
"Bhabi, he is a very nice person."
"Hmm...So you want me to talk to your brothers and babu ji?"
She nodded.
"That's not a problem!" she said. "But, Khushi, first of all we have to know what Arnav wants. So, he told you he loves you?"
He hadn't yet, and about this she did not really know, but somewhere her heart was saying that he does like her too. But there was a difference between like and love.
"Bhabi, my brother's and father will only get me married where I would like to, right?"
Anjali tugged her hand her chin. "Yes, Khushi, if they think that guy will be best for you!"
Khushi was relaxed.
"Okay, now go and take this for your, Arnav babu."
Khushi smilingly took it.
"I will come home early!"
"Take your sweet time!" Anjali said.
"Bhabi, take care of my munna/munni."
She said, and in a hurry, she bumped into her bhua ji. "Khushi, watch where you are going!"
"Hi, bhua ji, bye bhua ji!" she said and ran out of the haveli.
"God give this girl some brain!"
Anjali laughed.
***
Arnav had come after taking bathe when Khushi entered the dispensary. He was just in towel, she screamed and turned her face on the other side.
"I am so sorry, Arnav, babu, I should have come after knocking on the door."
"It's alright," he said, and quickly changed clothes that Khushi had gotten from him. Kurta, pyjama.
"Food, I had gotten food for you!" she said.
"You can turn now!" Arnav said, and when she turned, she couldn't stop herself from looking bottom to top. He looked so handsome in Kurta, pyjama, and just the way she had imagined.
"You are looking very nice!" she said.
"Thanks to you for these clothes. But I have called Mumbai, in just few days someone will be here with fresh piece of clothes for me."
"Hmm!" she said.
He took food from her hands. "Khushi, what happened to your arm? Those marks?" he pointed towards the red marks of finger.
Khushi hid it with her dupatta. "Nothing, my friend. She held me and I got the marks!" she said.
Arnav doubted if she was telling the truth. "Arnav, babu, how are you feeling now?" she asked, to divert his mind.
"Huh...Very well! So tomorrow, you will take me to the Thakur ji's haveli, right?"
"Yes, I will!" she said. "Please eat your food!"
Arnav opened the dinner box. Khushi sat on the floor with him. "Khushi, I must tell you this food is the best ever food I have eaten. Even spending million of rupees I could never taste food this good but here!"
"You should credit my bhabi then!" Khushi said.
"Wow! I will surely meet your bhabi soon."
"Hmm!" she said as she rested her hands and chin on her knees as she just looked at him.
"Khushi, did you eat?" Arnav asked.
"Huh! No, not yet. I will go home and eat!"
"I am so sorry, I am so stupid that I didn't even ask you!"
"It's okay, you eat your dinner at 6:00 PM, and then after that you only have tea. I can't do that, if I don't eat before sleep. I can't really sleep!"
Arnav laughed and choked on his food. Khushi immediately went close to him and rubbed his back and made him drink water with her hand. He cough few a times.
"Arnav babu, are you okay?" she asked, he looked at her and nodded.
"I am fine!" he said, and Khushi again sat in her usual spot, opposite to him. Quite still worried after what just happened.
"Are you really okay?" she asked.
"Yes, you worry a lot about me, Khushi!" he said.
"Why only you, I care for everyone!" she immediately said.
"I actually don't mind it," he said as he stood up, as he was done eating his food.
Khushi looked at him and too got up. He walked towards her, "what...what happen?" she stammered, and walked backwards.
He closed the door before she could leave the room. She watched him doing so. Before she could ask what he was doing he spoke, "don't worry, I won't do anything that will do you any harm. You can trust me. But, Khushi, I know this will be shocking for you, however, I have to tell you this that I love you!"
Khushi's eyes went wide, surprise flashing in them like a headlight.
Her heart and mind both unable to register his words.
"Khushi, if you like me too, I will come to your home to ask for your hand from you family. I want you to take you to my home as my wife."
Khushi's heartbeat had increased double the fold, breathing normally wasn't even possible for her now. He now stepped one step back from her, back to maintaining a normal distance.
"Khushi, look I am sorry, if you think I went overboard you can tell me. And I am really sorry, however, before talking to your parents I wanted to talk to you."
Khushi didn't know what to say, and he said it what she wanted to know. She took one step forward, raised on her toes and kissed his cheek, and hurriedly opened the door and ran.
Arnav smiled and touched his right cheek where she had just kissed him.
"Did she really meant yes?" he thought.
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