5

They were ready to leave for lunch. Khushi and papaji were ahead. Raj opened the doors of his SUV.
"Oh! I forgot my bag!" Khushi said turning back and running towards the main door. She almost had a head on collusion with Arnav who was at the door. He held out her bag. She took it guiltily and walked with him. Papaji threw the car keys to them and Arnav caught it in the mid air.
"Thatt was for me!" she looked at him angrily. He ignored her.
"Hey buddy! Want to come with us?" he asked Tej. He hopped out of the SUV and came running towards Arnav. Meera followed.
"Meera, Tej, come here!" called out Elsa. She wanted Arnav and Khushi to spend time together in the car but both of them were in no mood. Tej and Meera had already occupied the back seat.
Arnav drove silently not talking to Khushi at all. Khushi wrapped silence around her. Arnav was chatting with the kids glancing sideways at her. She refused to look at him.
She sat opposite him on the table and Lavanya took the next seat. They were having a peaceful lunch with papaji's interruption in between. He tried to lighten up the mood in vain. Arnav and Khushi were still sulking. They both had become very touchy casting angry looks at each other. Anjali had lost in her own thoughts.
Khushi hated eating with fork and spoon. She somehow gulped her lunch. Arnav was looking at her. He knew the food ordered was not of her choice. She had refused to order of her choice saying "Anything will do!" and Arnav had meticulously ordered the food of her dislike smirking at her.
"Thank God! ASR, you still have the same classy taste!" said Lavanya holding his hand. Papaji looked at Khushi. She was busy eating the bland, spice less food. She did not know what was wrong with her. She got angry with almost everything Arnav did and he reciprocated in the same manner with glaring anger.
"I think, now I should give you lessons in sophistication, Chamakili!" said Lavanya pointing out the shabby way Khushi was gulping.
"Oh no no no! She is perfect! She is particularly in a bad mood today, that's why!" said Elsa looking at Khushi fondly. She wanted her to be as she was. Raj nodded so did Papaji. Mummiji was staring at Arnav. He was expressionless.
"Yes! I think I need the lessons. Lavanya ji, you know, sometimes I feel so stupid for asking silly questions, for being so classless!" said Khushi innocently. She knew Lavanya had said it genuinely.
Lavanya felt better. She loved Khushi, but somehow the intimacy between Arnav and Khushi gave her heart ache. Though she spoke the truth, she somewhere felt happy to expose Khushi's yokel behavior. Mummiji could sense it. She wanted Arnav to react but he refrained from it. Mummiji was getting the hints of their peevishness. The root cause was altogether different. But these two were venting out their anger on each other.
Papaji placed his hand around Khushi's shoulder. "Khushi Puttar! Take it easy!"
She sulked. "Everyone advises me! Not him! He can do anything and get away with it but not me!" she thought looking at him angrily. He gave the same glare back and busied himself with the lunch. He did not pay any attention to what Lavanya was saying.
"Chamakili, you know,  ASR is very choosy about all his things! You know, a perfectionist!" she looked at ASR for response. He ignored her. Khushi was listening to her intently. "You know, he is such a picky about his food, his diet, his exercise... sometimes I felt he did not have time for me! I was just like one of his routine…" she was all set to declare that she was his girlfriend.
"Yeah I know! He used to get angry with you too, even though you were his girlfriend!" said Khushi naively and guiltlessly. Arnav looked at her startled. Papaji stared at him. He avoided the gaze guiltily. Khushi was beyond all that.
"When I came to teach you Indian culture, he was so annoyed; he almost threw me out of the house! And then.. That Diwali night…" Khushi stopped abruptly looking at Arnav’s aghast face.  She gulped water hastily and chocked, coughing hard.  Arnav suddenly got up… But Papaji had taken care of her.  .
"ASR, those were magical days... weren't they?" said Lavanya dreamily wrapping her arm around his. He got a phone call in time and went away. There was an awkward silence for a while, with mummiji growing restless and papaji feeling uneasy. Raj and Elsa never bothered.
Anjali looked at Khushi and said "Khushi you are the one for him! A perfect match.. in everything.. !" Khushi grinned at her. Lavanya felt a knot in her heart.
They were getting out of the hotel. Khushi, Mummiji and Anjali were walking together behind. Lavanya and Elsa were busy talking. Arnav was nowhere to be seen. Khushi stopped and looked around.
"Where is he?" she couldn't stop herself blurting. She kept looking around searching for him desperately. Everybody else had gone ahead. She saw him coming from behind talking on his Bluetooth. Her face brightened up. Arnav looked at her. She turned and in a hurry to catch up with others, tripped over. Arnav held her
"Careful, Khushi!" she smiled faintly at him. He held her hand and they came out together. All the anger and sulkiness had vanished in an instant. They both looked at each other and smiled.
Now they did not want anyone in the car.
Unfortunately Anjali decided to go with them with the kids.
"We are not coming for the movie, you carry on!" said papaji looking at his wife.
"Why? Its of your type, DAD!" said Raj. "No but, it will be difficult for my wify to sit for that long!" said papaji.
"Ok! We will buy the CDs and enjoy the movie at home!" said Raj looking around for approval. "Ok!" everyone nodded.
They all came home. "I will be back in a minute!" said Arnav not getting out of the car. He raced away. Everyone came in.
…….
Arnav walked in with the packs of assorted ice creams and chocolate mousse. He gave them to the butler and hid one behind. He went to their room. Khushi was in the room lying on the bed alone lost in thoughts.
She sat up with a jerk. He came and sat on the bed and held out the packet container. She looked at him questioningly. He opened the packet of spicy paneer tikka and pulao. The aroma was enticing hunger. She took it from him and looked at him. "Eat it and come out!" he said. She smiled at him and dug the spoon in paneer tikka.. He watched her eat with satisfaction. She fed him blushing and said "this is the best food. "
"Hmm!" he said looking at her fondly. She flushed. He came out to join the family. Khushi had no intentions to go out. After that sumptuous meal, she wanted a peaceful nap.
"Khushi buwa!" Meera was at the door. "Ice cream!" she said. Khushi came out with her. Ice cream was her weak point.
*** ***
"bhai..!" Aakash called from the other end when Arnav picked up the phone in the middle of the movie. He came out and asked.
"Aakash! Is everything ok?" Arnav was concerned.
"Bhai! We got a scrutiny notice from the Income Tax Department." They had called us on twentieth of this month to be present." Said Aakash.
"Ok! What does our CA say?" he asked.
"I mean, he is confident. Our records are clean." Said Aakash.
"I will talk to him!" assured Arnav.
"Bhai.. Another thing... Di's other house in Delhi was sold a couple of months back!" said Aakash
"What? And we did not know about it?" he was shocked. He started racking his brain. He could sense the damage Sham might have caused. He was thinking hard.
"Bhai, We do not know where the money went!" said Aakash gravely.
"Ok Aakash, keep all this to yourself! I will come back and we will discuss!" he disconnected the phone.
He stood there for a while. He decided not to talk about it to anyone. He came in with a forced smile and joined the family.
Khushi looked at him raising her eyebrows.
"Aakash!" he said smiling at her.
"Is everything ok?" she asked.
He looked around. Raj and Papaji had vanished.
"Yes!" he said smiling at her. He sat next to her. She was sitting on the carpet stretching her legs and eating ice cream! He too stretched himself and sat back relaxed resting his head on her shoulder. She looked around shyly. No one was paying any attention to these love doves.
She saw papaji and Raj coming out of the study and sat up properly. Arnav too folded his legs.
"Arnav have you got your passport?" asked Papaji. "Yes, why?" he asked in surprise. Papaji and Raj exchanged looks. "Ok! Great!" papaji created the suspense. Arnav looked puzzled.
"You know! ASR always carries his documents with him in his laptop bag!" Lavanya gave the information.
"No! it’s in Khushi's bag!" said Arnav getting up to get it from their room.
"Hmm!" said papaji looking at Khushi. "Yeah!" she said "He had left it behind in a hurry and I picked it up since I came out last from the room!" she said smiling.
"Khushi.." Raj started off. "Hers is with me!" said papaji cutting him off.
Arnav came out and gave his passport looking at papaji questioningly. "Nothing important! I will return it later!" he said pocketing it. Arnav looked totally confused and so did Khushi.
Papaji smiled and went away.
"Papaji arranged for my passport during the fashion show last year!" she whispered in Arnav's ear when he sat back next to her leaning against the sofa.
"What is our evening plan?" asked Khushi loudly.
"Playing in the garden" came a scream form the kids. No one had anything in mind. Everyone looked at each other. She looked for mummiji. She had retired to her room. She went to mummiji's room.
"Mummiji.. ?" she called out. "Khushi come in!" said mummiji.
"What’s the plan in the evening?" she asked.
"Nothing!" came a one word answer!
"What?" Khushi was shocked. She couldn't digest the idea of doing just nothing.
"Now leave me alone for some time, Khushi!" said mummiji. Khushi came out sulkily.

"Khushi, Arnav! I need to talk to you!" said papaji coming after a couple of hours in the evening. They both looked at each other and went behind papaji in his study. Raj was already there with Elsa. Mummiji was in her room and closed the door.
"Ok, the newlyweds, we are planning to send you out for some days. Where do you want to go?" Asked papaji.
"What?" both of them asked bewildered! They gaped at Papaji.
"I received orders from my High Command! The supreme authority! So I have to execute!" said papaji grinning.
"BIL, I already have given you the tickets to Switzerland but if you have any other place in mind, I don't mind changing the tickets!" said Raj. Elsa nodded.
"Oh yeah! January will be wintery and snowy there! But it will be fun skiing and sledge riding!" said Elsa smiling.
"Which one you want? Winter sports or warm beaches? Tell me!" asked papaji without giving any chance to speak to the shocked couple. They just gaped at papaji forgetting to respond. They did not understand what was going on.
"No! I mean.. it is not really necessary.... I mean we cannot go now!" Arnav was first to come back to his senses. Khushi still was gaping with her mouth open.
"That, we will see! You are going and that is final!" said Papaji. "I have to send you! Otherwise I will have to take shelter in a Langer in gurudwara!" said papaji smiling on his own joke.
"But that is not possible. We have so much already on our plate. We cannot go now!" said Arnav with determination. All the pending and urgent tasks ran before him. He couldn't leave his Di alone. He had to investigate the sale of Di's house. The Income Tax audit was round the corner. He had to be present when the final charge sheet would be filed against Sham. His office work was pending. He had meetings with the clients lined up next week. He had to say No to this proposal.
"look BIL, everything can wait! What is important is you two spend time with each other!" said Raj placing his hand on Arnav's shoulder.
"No, Raj! Nothing can wait! Everything is so urgent and important, I just cannot spare time!" he said chocking. He knew Khushi would be disappointed with this denial. He could not look at her. He was again shattering her dreams. "No!" he said with determination.
"Ok! Understood that you have pressing matters! .. what if I take care of them?" asked papaji confidently.
"No, papaji, you cannot take care of them. I have to be present!" said Arnav earnestly. He really felt sorry to disappoint the family. Khushi still was gaping at all of them not understanding what was going on.
"No puttar, I will take care of everything. You don't worry. Take Khushi with you and just elope for some days!" said papaji placing his hand on her head. That brought back Khushi on earth. She got up with a jerk.
"Papaji, what is this?" she started off with her typical style with raised voice.
"You know, Di's condition. I cannot even think of leaving her alone even for few minutes. That police person was not ready to permit us to come here. How can we go elsewhere? And how will you manage his office work?" she asked papaji in a little harsh tone. She was surprised at this weird proposal at this point of time from papaji.
Arnav gaped at Khushi. She had spoken his thoughts which he was not able to put forth. He felt a knot in his heart. "She really deserves a time out, away from everyone. She really needs a break!" he thought getting frustrated at his own helplessness.
"Khushi...! I will manage with the help of his brother!" said papaji smiling confidently.
"And what will you do with your work? Raj bhayya is also leaving next week! I know, last complete month you were away from your work. Who is going to take care of your pending work? What is this, papaji? Why are you insisting?" Khushi was firing back. Arnav was only a spectator. She was professing his cause, fighting for him.