35

Lavanya came back home after meeting the person in the evening, lost deep in thought.
"How dare he talk to me about this!" was her first reaction, when the person opened the topic.
And when she returned home, "Why can't I go for it? After all I am the closest!" she had thought.

"Lavanya look at it like this. You were his girlfriend once" the man started off.

"Why should I say once? You still are!" he said gauging her reaction.
She had not come out of the initial shock.

"Lavanya look at this! Had it not been Khushi and the circumstances, you would have married ASR. At least you would have continued living together. You both never believed in rituals like wedding! You were free birds since beginning and I am sure, ASR still does not believe in these things. He does not believe in god; leave aside rituals and pooja! Are you getting it, Lavanya?" he asked her convincingly. She nodded.

"Look at it, this way!. He married her. She left him. You too decided to go away. He found her out, only to take revenge. He saw her in a company of a top businessman. His business prudence took over and allowed him to get married to her again for financial gains! You know how he prospered and spread his wings after deciding to marry her again" he waited for her to assimilate the discussion.

"But..!" she started off weakly.

"Look at it from business point of view, Lavanya! He gained exponentially. What other motive he could have in marrying her again? You know he hated her. You know they are totally different from each other. You know how they loathed each other. Then how on earth, could you think they would love each other?" he asked her pushing her in deep thoughts.

"Lavanya, he never loved her. She married him to save her skin and image. Her convictions did not allow her to reject him. She could continue with the dubious activities even after marrying him. She continued working, but she did not join your office. She still has close relations with her earlier employer. ASR gained so did Khushi with this marriage!" he paused for a while and then said.

"This is only a marriage of convenience, Lavanya! They do not love each other!" he said concluding his first session.

"But why are you telling me this?" she asked him looking suspicious.

"Why? You are asking me?... do you remember I was the person who suggested, you stay in Raizada House and win Nani's heart!" he asked her sounding hurt.
"No! I mean its of no use now!" she said weakly.

"No use? Why not? I mean.. you still have a chance, Lavanay!" he said earnestly.

"But what is your interest in all this? I mean I shouldn't be talking to you! You are the most tarnished person!" she said angrily.

"Nothing is proved yet! Lavanay! You will soon come to know that I am innocent and this is all a part of bigger conspiracy against me!" he said sadly.

"Believe me, I did everything with good intentions! But these two, Arnav and Khushi gave a different color to it, ruining my and Raani Saheba's life! Look at her, Lavanya, she is devastated! She still loves me. But these two will never let us together. Think about it Lavanya!" he said in a deep mournful voice. Lavanya kept quiet.

"Lavanya, I still believe, you and me did not get what we deserve! We were thrown out for no reason shattering our lives. You do not know how much I love her. I cannot even think of life without her. I know, I made a mistake by not telling her about my marriage earlier. But that was a terrible mistake of my life. Though my marriage got annulled, I still love Anjali and will always be loyal to her. No matter what she thinks about me!" he said with tears in his eyes.

"And I know how much you love your ASR! You came back for him. And he? He too has a soft corner for you. He has not realized his love for you! And when he will finally realize, it will be too late. Don't allow him again to go away from you, Lavanya! Understand your feelings for him and his hidden feelings for you! Khushi cannot be an obstacle for you two! You two are made for each other!" He told her convincingly. She gaped at him.

"Lavanya, he is going through a very bad phase of his life. This is the time, you should support him, love him, take care of him, when his so called wife is all surrounded by the negativity. She is getting exposed with the illicit relationships with so many other people, including me! Lavanya, I know you are the only one who will save him with your love!" he said with his voice cracking.

"but what is your interest in this, I don't understand!" she was still not ready to buy Sham's explanations. 

"I shouldn't be talking to you!" she said jerkily getting up. Sham was still sitting there putting his hands on the coffee table.

"Yes you may be right! But believe me, Lavanya, I really have no vested interest in this! I am buried neck deep in this shit! I really want you to get your due share of love, which I will not, atleast not in this life time!" he said with tears rolling down his cheeks.

Lavanya, could not take it anymore and dashed out of the CCD (caf coffee day), her head spinning.

SHAM had a grimace on his face. He was successful in sowing a seed of hope in her mind!

He was winning!!!

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

Arnav decided to work from home the next day. He wanted to keep an eye on Khushi. He had a slight headache too. "Chote, do you want me to call the doctor?" Anjali was concerned.

"No Di! I will manage!" He said glancing at Khushi. He was expecting a head massage form his wife, as she had done earlier when she was working at Raizada house. But Khushi was lost in her thoughts at the breakfast table. She was absentmindedly serving the breakfast.

"Khushi! " Anjali called her little loudly to bring her back in the present.

"What happened?" she asked. Arnav was looking at her suspiciously. "Is she thinking about the dream?" he thought.

"Khushi, Chote has headache!" said Anjali little forcefully.

"What? Are you ok? Is it severe pain?" she asked touching his head with both her hands.
"I will give you massage!" she said going into the kitchen hurriedly. Arnav gaped at her.

"Have breakfast with us, first!" Anjali waved at chair next to Arnav, when she came out.

"Khushi, are you ok?" asked Arnav in a whisper, holding her hand. She shuddered with that touch, as if he was touching her for the first time! Arnav took his hand back. 

His phone rang. It was Lavanya! "Hi Lavanya, .. No! I am not coming to the office! No! a slight headache!" he said and disconnected the phone. Khushi vanished. 

"Khushi..!" Arnav called out. "She went upstairs!" said Anjali, looking concerned.

He followed his wife. She was ready with luck warm oil to give him the head massage. He rested on the bed keeping his head in her laps. Her fingers started moving rhythmically. He felt relaxed. Closing his eyes, he felt her closeness, could hear her heart pounding. He forgot his headache.

She was running her fingers through his hair absentmindedly, completely lost in her thoughts. She was worried about her dreams, about the court cases, about her future, about her husband and Lavanya! 

"Should I tell him to stay away from her?" she thought. "No! That means, I don't trust him! But I do! I know, he is mine! I know he loves me! ... Stop it Khushi!" she reprimanded her devil mind. 

"No! Khushi, stop acting like a paranoid! " she slapped herself. 

"Khushi, where is your diary?" he asked casually putting his hand around her waist turning on his side. 

"What? Why?" she asked narrowing her eyes in suspicion. 

"Nothing!" he said looking away.

"I know, you are planning to destroy my diary too, as you tore my book!" she said angrily.
"Oh! No! Khushi!" he said. 

"I am not going to give you my diary!" she said with determination.

He gaped at her and then slowly putting his hands around her neck pulled her to plant a kiss on her cheek. 

She removed his hands and said "Now if you are ok. I have work in the kitchen!"

"No!" he said grabbing her and burying his face in her laps. She smiled running her fingers in his hair passionately.

"ASR!" Lavanya was knocking the door. She came in and saw ASR getting up soaked with oil.
She looked at both of them.

"ASR! Oh! Poor baby!" she sat next to him. Khushi shrunk! She got up from the bed.
"And what is all this, ASR? Oil?" she made a face 

"Chamakili, why didn't you give him tablet?" Lavanya asked her. Khushi looked at Arnav.
"ASR you should take medicine!" she said authoritatively getting nearer to him.

"Lavanya, stop fussing! It's nothing! I am ok now!" he said holding Khushi's arm for support and getting up from the bed. Khushi smiled. Lavanya gaped at both of them. This was not her ASR! He looked different!! She was puzzled. Her ASR wouldn't have put that damn smelly oil on his head! She was confused.

"Lavanya ji, I give a good head massage! If you want I can give you one with jasmine and coconut oil. All your worries will vanish! You will feel relaxed!" Khushi said enthusiastically.
"Oil? Oh! No, Chamakili!" her face showed disgust. Khushi looked disappointed and asked "Ok! Would you like to have tea? Lavanya ji?" 

"Umm. No, Chamaliki, thanks! ASR, need to talk to you!" said Lavanya .
"Ok!" said Khushi and went out of the room.

"ASR, this consignment is bugging me!" started off Lavanya!

"Lavanya, Aakash is looking after it! You could have asked him, damn it!" He was angry with her.

"But ASR...!" she tried to justify.

"Lavanya, talk about the consignment with Aakash!" he dismissed her. She was disappointed.
"ASR, how do you feel now?" she asked changing the topic and holding his hand.

"Lavanya, I am alright!" he said withdrawing his hand. Khushi was at the door with the tray and a blank face, looking at both of them holding hands.

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

Mummiji looked little upset that morning. "Biwi, are you alright?" asked her husband.
"I want to go to the lake!" she said, "With you!" she added.
"Ok!" papaji was puzzled.

They were at the lake on their favorite bench beneath the tree.
"I am worried about Khushi!" said Mummiji opening the topic.
"What? Why?" he asked.

"I don't know! I have a hunch! She is not alright!" said Mummiji.
"Ok! I will call her right away!" said papaji taking out his cell.

"No!" she stopped him.
"I had called her yesterday! She seemed alright. But ...!" said Mummiji.
"Biwi.. stop worrying about her! She is a strong girl, like her papaji!" he tried to lighten up her mood.

"Be serious, Balwindar!" she said angrily.
"Ok! Tell me!" he said.

"Balwindar, I mean those haunting dreams are intensified!" she said.

"Oh! Dreams! That's ok, Biwi! Dreams are dreams, after all!" said papaji smiling.
"I am worried about that Lavanya Girl also!" she said seriously.

Papaji frowned. "Lavanya? Hmm.. I mean I am worried too! She might be a pain in the neck!" said papaji concurring with Mummiji.

"Do something!" Mummiji ordered.

"Hmm! I think I will have to!" said papaji thoughtfully.
"Biwi, you know what? I dug up some very old information and its amazing that...!" papaji started off narrating the story that Ramani had unfolded about Arnav's connection with Malik and the family fueds some seventy eighty years back!"

"So, Don't worry, Biwi! Everything will be alright!" he assured her.

"And I will take care of that Lady, Lavanya!" said papaji smiling. She nodded and they returned.

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

Arnav went to take a hot water shower and Lavanya came to the office disappointed. She was sulking. "Why is he behaving like that?" she thought.

"He has changed!" she concluded. "But I will bring him back. I will make him that same mighty ASR! Yes, I will do it!" she said to herself! She was determined to bring him back. "I will bring the old days back!"

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