16

Khushi and Anjali were in the Court premises with Aakash and Arnav. The atmosphere there was so depressing, that Anjali often had to control her tears. They were to be presented before the Court at 11 in the morning. But the calling out took two hours. The police and the Public Prosecutor took another hour to appear. Sham entered accompanied by the Police Officer. Anjali shuddered when she saw him. Her knees gave way. Aakash supported her. Khushi was burning with rage clenching her fists. She felt like bashing him again straight in the face.

"Di! Don't get upset!" she whispered holding Anjali's hand. She saw Shyam talking to the Police officer and was actually laughing. "How could he be so shameless?" she wondered. Their names were called out. They entered the Court room to see the overflowing crowd there. Anjali tried to hide herself. Khushi held her hand and said

 "Di, we have not done anything wrong. We are not criminals like him! Why should we be scared? Come Di, let us face it together!" she held Anjali's hand tightly, to give her some strength. Arnav and Aakash were made to wait outside. The prosecutor presented them before the Court and said

"The Principal witnesses are present here my Lord for deposition whenever required!" The Court Clerk took signatures of Anjali and Khushi on the form and register.

That was it. The prosecutor asked them to leave. There work was over. They both turned to leave when "Raani Saaheba..!" came a sly voice of Sham. Anjali winced. Khushi turned to face Sham. Her eyes spat fire. "How are you? Khushi ji?" Sham asked shamelessly. Khushi clenching her fists took a step ahead and was stopped by the police officer.

"Mr. Sham, be within your limits!" threatened the officer waving at Khushi and Anjali to leave. That was the traumatic experience for Anjali and outrageous for Khushi!
"This is the man once I loved more than myself!" said Anjali crying while returning home.
"Di, control yourself! This is the man you got rid off! He does not deserve your love, Di!" said Arnav.
"Chote, when he called me.. I felt like filth on me!" she winced again.
"Shh! Di! Stop thinking about that filth!" Khushi said holding Anjali's hand. Arnav adored his Khushi for her courage and support. Anjali's sobs had subsided. She was gaining control.
Arnav dropped them at home and went to office with Aakash.

****** ******
In the evening, Khushi was with Anjali in the hall. They had avoided talking about the court scene. Khushi had narrated everything to Nani. After a while, Anjali said "Actually nothing happened. We were simply scared!" With a faint smile. "Shondeep ji had told me this!" she said.

"Really? He had called you?" asked Khushi in mock surprise. Anjali nodded.

Khushi wanted to suggest her to call Shondeep. But she remembered Papaji's reprimand! Papaji had scolded her when she had suggested Shondeep to call Anjali.

"Khushi, don't hurry through! You should remember.. Anjali is going through a very difficult phase of her life and Shondeep has somehow recovered from it! Let them develop their friendship at their own pace. Hurrying through will spoil everything. Anjali is not ready yet even to think about any kind of relationship. Give her some time! Let her come out of this phase. It will take time, Khushi! You should know! Have patience. Otherwise it will have repelling effect. She has a lot of negative feeling about her failed marriage right now! Try and help her bring some positivity in her. Help her come out of the failure. Khushi, they both are mature enough to handle this in their own way. So from now on, no playing cupid! Understand? And do not expect anything out of this right now! " he had scolded Khushi. Khushi had promised him that she will never talk about Shondeep sir with Anjali!

She dialed papaji's number. "Papaji, ..." she narrated the morning Court incidence. Papaji listened to her patiently and said. "Ok! Khushi, so your first court appearance is over. Take care of Anjali. Many more traumatic situations are in store for both of you when the matter actually comes on board before the Court for hearing! So gear yourself up! Help Anjali, to have strength, don't do anything without taking advice!" papaji had sermon session with Khushi. Khushi felt much better, secure and safe under papaji's shelter.

"Every girl needs a papaji!" she thought to herself feeling lucky to have one!

************ ************ ***********
"Hello, Buwaji..!" Khushi screamed hearing her buwaji's voice over the phone.
"hai re Sanaka Devi, why do you have to shout? I can hear you alright?" scolded buwaji.
"Buwaji, what is it? Is everything ok?" Khushi asked.

"Everything is fine, Titaliya! I just called you to tell you that we got one halawai who will take over the shop and pay us monthly rent! Sashi babuwa is so happy! His shop is opening again!" said Buwaji. Khushi started jumping up and down in excitement.

"Buwaji, I am so happy! Muuwa!" she kissed her buwaji on phone.

"Hie re Paramesari, laaj sharam kahi chod ke ayi ho kya?' buwaji screamed. Khushi never listened to her.

"Buwaji, I want to talk to Amma? Where is she?" asked Khushi.
"Are, she has gone out! I will ask her to call you back!" said buwaji.

Khushi ran down after disconnecting the phone to payal. "Jiji, our shop is starting again. Someone is taking over..!" she hugged her jiji tightly screaming.

"Easy, Khushi... easy!" said Payal trying to control Khushi's excitement in vain. Khushi opened the sweets box and fed her the mithai. She took it to Nanai's room. Mami was sitting there with some magazing. She gave everyone sweet screaming about her shop!"

"Hello hi bye bye.. Sweet banavaa rahe hai ki amrut? Check kare ki padi, Kahi oos din jaisi khatti na banai ho!" said mamaji refusing to have one. But Khushi stuffed one in her mouth and said "No Mamiji, Laknow ki mithai to bahot meethi hoti hai! Aap ke jaisi! Hello hi bye bye!" Nani burst into laughter. Khushi went out dialing Arnav's number!

"How can she do thie?" wondered Nani "She finds out happiness even in the smallest thing! That should be the spirit!" Nani thought feeling proud of her Khushi bitiya!

Arnav did not take her call. "What the..?" Khushi reacted. "How dare he does not answer my call!" she mimicked him and giggled alone.

She saw Arnav entering the house and ran towards him.
"Oh! That's why you did not take my phone!" she said happily. Arnav gaped at her.
"What?" he asked climbing the stairs. She followed him talking to him excitedly.

"You know what... our shop in Lucknow..."she kept on chattering. Aranv and Khushi were in the room. She helped him take out his coat and jacket and was hanging them in the wardrobe with non stop talking. "Khushi..." he turned her around and placed his finger on her lips. She suddenly stopped talking. The methai box still in her hand, he wrapped his arm around her. Taking the box and keeping it aside he stared at her.

"Arnav ji... halawai... mithai..!" her voice trailed off….. "You know.. no sweets for me!" he said, playing with her curls… . "But..! I can have one..!" he stared at her lips causing her blush.
......
"Arnav ji... !" she was playing with his shirt button in his arms.
"In this white shirt... umm  ... you look..!" she said.

"What?" Arnav had his eyes and ears for her. 

"Umm... I don't know!" she tried to break free. He tightened his grip and asked her again.. "In this white shirt.... What?" she looked at him and rubbing her nose on his chest said "Se...!"
"What?" he asked her in her ear. "I look.. what? Se..?" he asked her stretching it further.

She shook her head and said "No...! I mean... "

"What?" his grip was becoming rib crushing now. "What?" he asked her again.

"Sexy!" she said causing him lift her in his arms and crush her lips with his…!
“Jungli…!” She tried to push him away licking her swollen lips…!

********* *********** ********

"Shondeep ji!"
"Yes, Anjali! Are you ok?" he asked Anjali late in the evening when Anjali had called him after a very long time in dilemma.

"Yes.. I mean.. as you had said... same thing happened!" she said.

"We went there, signed on the paper and came back!" she avoided telling him that they met sham there. She winced with the thought of Sham.

"That is good! Don't worry, everything will be ok!" he said. She got some encouragement.

"umm.. he was there with the police!" she said in a trembling voice. There was a silence..

"Anjali, be brave! You will have to face him! I want you to remember, he cannot do anything now!" said Shondeep firmly. He wanted to support her. She simply nodded.
"Ok! Shondeep ji, thank you!"

"Good night Anjali and I am with you!" he said assuring her his support.
"hmm!" she said and disconnected. Shondeep kept looking at the blank screen.