19

Khushi came out morose. She saw Elsa entering he house. 

"Elsa Bhabi...!" Khushi came almost running. She pushed Elsa and dragged her out of the house again.

"What?" Asked Elsa surprised.
"These three! They are not even ready for a small treat! We must do something!" she said incoherently. 

"What?" Elsa had only this expression at Khushi's blabber.
"Elsa Bhabi, I made them think and they don't even acknowledge my contribution!" said Khushi raising her voice and starting the car. 

"Khushi, where are you taking me?" asked Elsa bewildered. 

"Out! We are not going home till we have a plan!" Elsa was amazed at Khushi's resemblance to papaji. She was equally weird. 

"Khushi, calm down. Slow down.. Khushi! You are on a main road!" Elsa almost screamed in panic. Khushi slowed down. 

"Elsa bhabi we have to do something. They should give us a treat!" Khushi said after some time when she had stopped fuming.
"Ok! So you want me to help you!" exclaimed Elsa.

"Not only help but we must get a treat from our husbands for working so hard!" she said forcefully.

"Yeah! You are right! What do we do now?" asked Elsa. She was excited by the thought of trapping Raj.

"You tell me! My brain has stopped working... I am hungry!" said Khushi innocently.
"Ok. Turn around and let us go home. We will have a treat this evening!" said Elsa with determination. Khushi grinned.

***** ****

The trio was at the table when Khushi and Elsa entered. Khushi was humming happily. It was warning for Arnav that something was coming on to him. He exchanged dark looks with Raj. They both looked alarmed. Shondeep tried to hide his laughter. "Shut up!" warned Raj under the breath. Shondeep stopped and looked around.

Papaji and Mummiji came out. Elsa and Khushi went into the kitchen. Butler laid the table. Both Raj and Arnav looked puzzled. Mummiji ordered Shondeep to stay for lunch. They had lunch peacefully. Khushi behaved as if she had forgotten about the treat. Arnav and Raj had sensed something was cooking. They were determined that they would not heed to pressure. But nothing happened. They both took a sigh of relief. Shondeep kept glancing at both the parties. Both behaved as if nothing had happened. He smiled. By now he knew Khushi very well and knew that she would not leave these gentlemen. 

"Ok then! I should leave now!" he said shaking hands. 

It was four in the evening and Raj and Arnav were still discussing business. Elsa and Khushi were in mummiji's room with papaji. Exactly at Four Thirty, papaji came out fully dressed ready to go out. Arnav and Raj were in the hall. "Going to Kaali Mandir!" he said "With biwi!". Raj and Arnav resumed talks. "And Elsa and Khushi!" said papaji little loudly. Arnav looked up but Raj ignored. 

They saw mummiji coming out specially in festive dress. She looked pretty. Papaji went and held her hand to bring her in the hall. Arnav looked at his room door so did Raj. Nothing happened. "Are you not done yet?" shouted papaji loudly. "Yes, Dad!" came Elsa's voice. The kids came out running. Enough suspense was created. Raj and Arnav grew restless. 

And.... They both got up in slow motion, their mouth fell open, eyes went dreamy, they forgot to breathe. Elsa and Khushi were beyond recognition. They were looking perfect Bengali beauty. Wearing Bengali style white silk with red border with traditional Bengali ornaments, letting lose their hair, Khushi's black wavy and Elsa's silky golden, they both looked so pretty that Arnav and Raj couldn't take their eyes off! Elsa and Khushi stole glance at each other trying to hide their smile. Khushi and Elsa kept their face straight and walked past them, without even looking at them. Their eyes, face and neck turned in 180 degrees, mouth still open and eyes dreamy!

Khushi winked at Elsa. They had won first round. "Papaji, let us go!" said Khushi holding Meera's hand. They walked past the two statues. Papaji called out looking behind. "We are going to the Mandir!" They both followed like hypnotized persons! 

"hmm!" mummiji smiled. Arnav, Khushi, Tej and Meera were in one car and the rest were in another. Second round in Elsa and Khushi's favor!

"Khushi....!" Arnav tried to open the conversation trying to grab Khushi's attention in vain. She was busy talking and giggling with Tej, completely ignoring Arnav. He felt a burning Passion!! They got down at Mandir and walked into the Mandir together. Tej never left Arnav's hand and Arnav never left Khushi's. She was smiling faintly making Arnav desperate to hold her. Raj was in no different condition, his mouth still open. He kept gaping at his wife's beauty forgetting that he was with his parents.

They did special Karpoor Aarti at the Mandir and took blessings from Panditji! Third round was again in favor of....

"So, boys, I am taking my biwi to Holiday Inn!" declared papaji smiling broadly. Raj and Arnav were trapped completely. They looked at each other in shock. They tried futile resistance to themselves. Their brain ordered not to heed to such tactics, but their body and heart had gone beyond listening to their brains. They followed their wives like pets. Papaji winked at the girls.
"We four are going in our car! And Khushi is driving!" declared papaji to the boy's shock!
"What the?" blurted Arnav in shock. He was tied up with the kids and Raj in another car. All his heart was in the car ahead. Raj had forgotten that he could talk. 

"Shondeep! Reach Holiday Inn! Otherwise you will miss it!" papaji had called up Shondeep to give Raj and Arnav another Shock. 

They reached Holiday Inn. "What the..?" blurted Arnav angrily and looked at Raj. Raj had never came out of shock since he saw his 'Bangali' wife! "What is he doing here?" Arnav spoke under his breath. Shondeep was smiling broadly. 

"Hello Raj and Arnav!" grinned Shondeep his eyes reflecting mischief!
"Shut up!" they both protested. "I couldn't say NO when sir invited me!" he said smiling from ear to ear!

Senior couple and the girls had completely ignored these three. Shondeep could open the conversation and was acting as mediator! Boys had lost everything they had! Their money, their eyes, their hearts their brains and their minds!

Arnav's phone rang! He forgot to answer! Shondeep looked at him puzzled and took the phone. It was Anjali! Shondeep's face lit up! Serendipity was in his favor! 

"Hello Anjali! This is Shondeep! Your brother could not answer your call!" he said dodging Arnav who was trying to snatch the phone from him.

He got up still clutching the phone to his ear! "I mean.. he is busy talking to someone very important! May be he will call you later!" he said grinning.

"So how are you, Anjali?" his voice was soft his eyes emitted happiness! Papaji and Khushi exchanged looks. Mummiji was smiling mildly! 

They came home late in the evening. Mummiji with papaji were in their room with the girls. Kids were sticking to Raj and Arnav, who were whiling away time aimlessly, waiting for their wives to come out, which was not going to happen so soon! It was almost eleven in he night, still no sign of them coming out! Raj and Arnav went to their room when the kids slept. 

Arnav was pacing the room waiting for Khushi. He was annoyed with himself. His wife had tricked him completely and he had fallen pray to her trap! And she was testing his patience. Same was the case with Raj!

Sometime past midnight, Khushi came in humming. She looked at his fuming face and could not help but dropped her guard. She dissolved herself in his arms. He took in her beauty all night not allowing her to switch off the lamps!

"Oh My God! Its already 9.00?" Khushi got up with a start and ran towards the door.
"Khushi...wait!" Arnav called sounding panic. She turned back and looked at him. He pointed his finger at her. She looked at herself and clutched her hands on her mouth. She was about to go out wearing his shirt!!

...............

"Biwi, they passed our first test!" said papaji smiling at his wife. She nodded. "They trust each other's capabilities!" said papaji. Papaji had replayed the recorded conversation between him and the four successors to mummiji, only to be sure about his choices. "Don't worry, Balwindar, your choice is always the best. Time will prove you right!" had said mummiji. And indeed it did. Papaji was happy!

"Biwi, is it time for us to move on?" he asked her eagerly. "Not yet!" she had said. "But yes, we can take a couple of months off, after the show!" she assured him. 

"Show? You are interested in that stupid show? Am I missing something?" asked papaji suspiciously. 

"No! I mean after summer! I am not bothered about the show!" said mummiji hurriedly trying to regain her composure.

"Haan?" papaji was still in doubts. But he preferred to keep quiet. He did not know that his wife too enjoyed the fight between their children like he did. He was surprised. It was strange and against her calm nature. She was against this stupid competition between Arnav and Khushi!
"Balwindar, forget about the show!" she said diverting his attention to more important issue. "Let us wait till the school starts and till the kids' routing sets!" she said. "Hmm!" papaji said. Mummiji took a sigh of relief.

Mummiji, too was waiting eagerly for the Fashion Event. She had helped KFH team; bring out its talents and imagination! She too wanted to see the effect of their concept. 

Her phone rang. Papaji was about to leave their room. He stopped and turned back. "Hello!" she answered. "I will call you later!" she disconnected abruptly. Papaji narrowed his eyes. "Nothing.. it was Khushi!" she said avoiding his gaze.

"Khushi?" he blurted and shrugged! He went out of the room. Mummiji took a sigh of relief. It was Raghu Eyyer! 

"Khushi.. Why do you have to call your mummiji when you are here?" asked papaji angrily.
"What? When did I call her?" she looked puzzled.

Papaji stopped dead! His mind started racing. His biwi was up to something! He stroked his beard thinking. 

"My biwi is doing something behind my back! I must find out!" he muttered. He forgot that he too had tried doing so many crazy things behind her back and every time got caught! 

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

They were back to Delhi. Khushi couldn't wait for the show! She was all excited about the show, thinking always about the show, now a days! Sometimes she even ignored her daily chores and busied herself in the meeting. Arnav and Aakash had no time even for lunch and dinner. Lavanya almost stayed in the office. She was super excited. Arnav had delegated most of the routine matters to Aakash to handle. He was busy giving final touches to the upcoming show.

"Hello papaji!" greeted Arnav responding to papaji's call in the night. "Arnav puttar.. we must stay ahead of this KHF!" he said secretively.

"What?" Arnav was shocked. "Yes, we got to outsmart everyone! I mean.. AR Group should outsmart!" he said. 

"What? Has he lost his mind again?" thought Arnav. "Papaji, there is no competition! Its only a fashion show and global teams are participating. Its only matter of gaining customers. This is not a real competition!" Arnav said trying to convince him.

"I know! But people should applaud and Praise our show than this KFH!" said papaji.
"KFH is your company, papaji!" said Arnav bewildered!

"Shut up, and listen to me!" said papaji. "Remember, we must stay ahead in this... always.. every time.. outsmart this KFH!" he said. "And this is my order!" he said authoritatively.
Arnav could not understand a single word "Why is he going against his own company? And where is the competition in the first place?" he thought.

"I am ready to give you any kind of support! Just remember, we must be ahead of KHF in whatever that event is!" he again said incoherently. 

"Its ok, papaji! ! Thank you for your support! And you know, no one can match AR Group in such events!" said Arnav smugly. 

"Yes! That's the spirit!" said papaji proudly. "Just remember, we should be ahead!" he said and disconnected the phone.

"What the...!" Arnav was bemused. He kept thinking about papaji's call. "He couldn't go against Khushi! Then why? Or is it one of his pranks?" he smiled. "Must be!" he thought to himself and looked at sleeping Khushi. "Both of them are weirdos to the core!" he thought and put off the lights.

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

Papaji was pacing the room. He had somehow found out! He had checked on mummiji's recent call list and found out that she calls KHF office every now and then. He had tried to ask her. "Its nothing Balwindar! I just call Elsa as she goes to the office everyday!" Mummiji had escaped narrowly that time.

Then he had gone to Elsa. "Elsa puttar! It is good that you are taking part in the show! I am happy, though I am not in your party!" he placed decoy! "where is your mobile?" he asked her innocently.

"With me!" she answered. "Then why my biwi calls on office number?" he though to himself stroking his beard and raising his eyebrow! He went back to his room, leaving Elsa puzzled! Mummiji was in the hall. She had kept her mobile in the room. He picked it up! Dialed the KHF office number. "Hello Madam! I was about to call you! Good News, Madam! The Special models list is ready and they all have agreed! "Raghu Eyyer answered the call excitedly without even bothering to know who was at the other end!

Papaji disconnected! "Biwi!" he roared. Mummiji looked at him coming out of the room. He came and stood before her thumping his hands on his hips!
"What?" she asked him looking at his enraged face. 

"You had agreed to be the referee!" he said.
"Yes!" she said. 

"This is betrayal! You are helping KHF!" he said raising his voice. Mummiji looked at him sheepishly as she was got caught! Raj and Elsa had come out!

"This is outright betrayal! And I am taking it personally! You actually are helping KHF!" he accused her.

"I am not helping KHF, Balwindar, I am helping Elsa nd Khushi! Look at their lopsided balance!" she said calmly. But papaji was not ready to listen.

"What? Mom? You actually are helping the rival group!" Raj added fuel!

"Shut up Raj!" snapped Elsa getting angry. "She is just giving us tips, Ok?" she said coming to Mummiji's rescue! "See?" mummiji looked at Papaji.

"But you are supposed to be neutral!" roared papaji again. 

"Shh! Control your temper, Balwindar!" now mummiji had lost her temper! 

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her again raising his voice.

"Why should I tell you, when you were supporting Rival?" she retorted and immediately repented having said that word!

"See! She thinks AR Group is rival group! She is out and out on KHF side!" accused papaji looking at Raj for support. Raj provided one immediately, nodding his head! Elsa got furious.
"But Dad, why worry? Anyway, no one can match AR Group!" Raj said grinning at his Dad.
"Oh! Don't be so sure sonny!" retorted his mom. 

"Yeah! Beware!" warned and challenged Elsa!

"Ok! Let us see!" father and son said unanimously. 

Now there was the outright war declared in the mansion between equals. Father and son against mother and daughter in laws!

Khushi and Arnav, the significant players in this war game were unaware of this 'Elgaar!' The Declaration!!!