52

"Chamakili, thank God, you came!" Lavanya was waiting for her. Khushi drove and they were in the mall. Lavanya was buying for herself more and almost nothing for her parents. Khushi was puzzled but refrained from commenting. She just accompanied her.

"You know Khushi, my mom adored ASR! She always thought we were a perfect couple. I mean... we shared same interests, enjoyed each other's company!" Lavanya went down the memory lane with ASR. Khushi just listened to her, shrinking within. She knew their relationship but hearing it again from his ex-girlfriend was painful. She suddenly became quiet. Lavanya was oblivious to Khushi's condition. She went on describing their relationship. 

"You know, Chamakili, when Mom heard about ASR's marriage, she was shocked. She also said, you must have trapped him. You know, she was so sure about our relationship that she couldn't believe the news!" said Lavaya. Khushi gaped at her collapsing within. 

Lavanya held her hand and said "Chamakili, my Mom did not know under what circumstances you two got married. She was so shocked she asked me to come back immediately." Lavanya went ahead.

"You know, when ASR declared our marriage in the press conference, before the fashion show, she was so excited! But then ASR being ASR did not declare the date!" said Lavanya. Khushi recollected the TV clippings of that press conference and what papaji had said. Those statements were for her to disclose herself. Arnav had no intention to get married with Lavanya. Khushi felt sorry for Lavanya.

"I mean, chamakili, we used to enjoy so much when we were on business trip!" Lavanya had changed the track.

"um.. Lavanya ji, its getting late. I think I should leave now! Naniji must be waiting for me!" Khushi stopped her from continuing.

"Of course, Chamakili, you should leave! Thanks for helping me Khushi... we will continue our shopping tomorrow!" said Lavanya brightly.

"No! I mean... tomorrow it may not be possible, Lavanya ji, I have to finish a lot of backlog! Shondeep Sir is very particular about the deadlines!" she said and then repented having said that.

"Shondeep? You still work for him?" asked Lavanya looking surprised.
"Yes!" she said. Lavanya dialed his number..

"Hi Shondeep, its me! Lavanya!" she said brightly smiling broadly.
"Shondeep, I have a request. I want to take Khushi with me tomorrow! So she will not work for you tomorrow!" she declared.

"No! Lavanya ji, I cannot do that" protested Khushi. Shondeep heard it.
"Lavanya, she has to finish the work by tomorrow. She can come with you once she is done with the work!" he said.

"That's great! Thank you Shondeep. Catch up with you later!" Lavanya seemed happy.
"Done, Khushi! You will come with me tomorrow!" she concluded.
Khushi came home late. Mamiji was fuming. "Sorry!" Khushi apologized.

"Hello..hi Bye b......y.....E!" Mamiji's voice faded away when she looked at the gift for her. Khushi had done shopping for everyone. Nani had a smile on her face. 

"Anjali Di, Shondeep Sir's favorite color...." Khushi whispered giving her a designer saree of light blue color. Anjali blushed. 

They all had dinner together and Khushi went to her room to finish off her pending work.
She was working for a very long time and finally dozed of on the recliner....


The girl was standing in front of the mirror. She was looking at her own reflection. She had dark circles under her eyes. She kept staring at her own figure. She closed her eyes and a surge of pain erupted in her chest. She clutched her hand on the heart and said.... "Where are you?" 

A gust of wind blew her hair away. She felt a tranquilizing wind engulf her. She did not open her eyes and took in the gentle breeze. "I know you are thinking about me!" she mumbled. "But I always think about you!" a tear rolled down.

Someone put his hand on her shoulder and she came back to her senses. "Are you ok?" the person with a calm and soothing voice asked her. She nodded.

"Here, have some food!" he held out a plate. "And take rest!" he said placing the plate on the table. She glanced at him.

"You are not alone now! Take care of yourself!" he looked at her mildly and went away. She kept staring at the food plate. 

"Have you finished yet?" someone screamed from inside the house. She hurriedly started stuffing in her mouth. She chocked and coughed hard.

"CAREFUL!" someone whispered in her ears. She looked around to find no one. "It was him! I know!" she was sure. 

"What? Have you lost your mind?" an elderly lady was asking her, shaking her vigorously. She looked lost. "Someone said something..." she blurted.

"Stop Hallucinating!! There is no one around expect me!" screamed the elderly lady and dragged her into the kitchen. 

The girl still looking around, smiled and murmured, "I know, you were here! You were in my mind, my heart!" she slowly moved her hand on her cheek and brought it down on her heart!" her smile faded away...pain and anguish took over.

"I can't go on! I am losing it!" she said all defeated. "I cannot bear this! I don't want to live in this world!" she started crying. The elderly lady came nearer.

"Look, take care of yourself. You are not alone. Emotional outbursts happen in these days! Cheer yourself up!" the elderly lady placed her hand on the shoulder and moved her a bit.
The girl forced a smile on her face and said "Ji, Sasumaa!"

****** *****

"Khushi! Who Sasumaa? Wake up!" Payal was waking her up.

"Khushi, do you even know what time it is? Its 8 in the morning!" payal was upset.

"You know, everyone is asking for you!" she said helping Khushi to get up from the recliner.
"And who is this Sasuma? Is it some kind of dream?" payal asked suspiciously.

"Jiji, you know? I keep seeing....!" Khushi started off excitedly and suddenly stopped. She didn't want to sound stupid again.

"What?" asked payal. "what you keep seeing?"
"No! I mean... day dreaming!" Khushi turned away. Payal shrugged. "You and your sanak! Pagal!" she said smiling at Khushi. Khushi ran into bathroom. She took out her diary from behind the flush tank and started writing her dream. 

"Arnav ji, I know, you were searching for my diary, and not the file that day! " She said loudly closing the diary, wrapping it in plastic and keeping it safe behind the flush tank.

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

Khushi had finished her work in the kitchen and had come back to her room to resume her work with Shondeep. She opened her laptop and Anjali walked in.

"Khushi, are you going with Lavanya today?" she asked glancing at the laptop. Khushi caught her. She grinned and said, 

"Di, Shondeep sir is not online!" Anjali looked away.
"Khushi, Lavanya had called up on landline. Where is your mobile?" asked Anjali changing the subject.

Khushi searched around. "Where is my mobile?" she mumbled. She started flipping the things around to check for her mobile. She couldn't find it. Anjali dialed her number but it could not reach. Khushi was panic. "Where is my mobile?" she asked herself, trying hard to remember where she had used it last. 

"Oh My God! I left it in the bathroom!" she ran towards bathroom and came out with the mobile sheepishly. "Khushi! You are impossible!" said Anjali sounding like her brother. "You are exactly opposite Chote! He keeps everything so tidy and neat and you...?' Anjali stopped not wanting to hurt Khushi. 

But Khushi completed her statement "... are so clumsy and stupid!" Anjalii felt bad.
"Khushi, I didn't mean...!" Anjali started apologetically. 

"I know, Di! I am clumsy!" said Khushi grinning at her. "But what to do? I can't change now!" Anjali shook her head hopelessly.
"Khushi, be careful. I mean.. Lavanya...!" Anjali did not know what to say. Khushi gripped her hand and said "I will be careful, Di!"

Khushi and Anjali came down for lunch. Mamiji was taunting Payal at high pitch and Nani seemed to be annoyed with her. Khushi stared at Mamiji. Her eyes brightened up. She grinned and went into the kitchen.

Payal and Khushi were serving the lunch and Khushi said loudly, "um.. Yesterday I went to that new Mall, Lifestyle with Lavanyaji. It has two complete floors for cosmetics and jewelry!" she glanced at Mamiji to gauge the effect. Mamiji's eyes brightened up. "New Mall? Hello hi bye bye" she asked.

"Yes Mamiji.. and today also we had planned to go there" said Khushi glancing at Anjali. Anjali tried to hide her smile.

"But you know, I really don't know anything much about makeup and cosmetics. And the workload is so much! I won't be able to go with Lavanya ji. She will be disappointed!" Khushi made a sad face for a while and glancing at Anjali she suggested,

"Mamiji, why don't you go with Lavanya ji? She will be delighted! And you know so much about all these things. You will be a great company to her!" said Khushi brightly.

Mamiji's face brightened up. "Heyn? Hello hi bye bye...Phati Saari, for the first time you talked sentensible!" she complimented Khushi. "Sensible..!" Anjali mumbled. Khushi accepted it with a smile and said "Yes! Done! Mamiji you will go with Lavanya ji!" Mamiji nodded excitedly..

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

Mamiji and Lavanya walked in Shantivan, after the shopping. Khushi gaped at them. Mamiji looked all excited with lots of bags in her hand and Lavanya little upset. 

"Are, Lavanyaji? Finished your shopping?" Khushi asked smiling at her and taking bags from Mamiji's hand. 

"Chamakili.. why didn't you come with me?" Lavanya hissed.
"Sorry, Lavanya ji! I couldn't finish my work in time." Khushi apologized.
"Come, Khushi, I will show you my shopping!" Lavanya collected the bags and dragged Khushi to her room. Khushi had no option. They went into the room and Khushi shut the laptop immediately. Her phone rang. It was Shondeep.

"Why did you shut down? I wanted to talk to you!" Shondeep started off without any preamble.
"um.. Sir, Lavanya ji is here!" Khushi somehow wanted to stop Shondeep from continuing the conversation. She knew he wanted to chat with Anjali and was annoyed that Khushi had shut down the laptop.

"What? What is she doing there?" he asked sounding upset.
"Chamakili, Shondeep? I want to talk to him!" lavanya said extending her hand to take the phone. Khushi turned away.

"Shondeep sir, Lavanya ji wants to talk to you!" she gave the phone.
"Hi Shondeep!" Lavanya started off.
"Hi Lavanya! Sorry, I am in a hurry! I will call you later!" Shondeep abruptly disconnected the call.

Lavanya looked around. "The room looks bigger... and the ceiling is different! And these layered glass walls? " Lavanya observed. Khushi opened her mouth to explain the sky view dome... but then immediately shut her mouth close. It was the secret between Khushi and Arnav! She wouldn't tell her secret. Khushi kept quiet.

Lavanya settled in their room coolly. She started chirping about ASR and her friendship. Every item in the room seemed to have selected by Lavanya and ASR together.

"You know, Chamakili, that night everybody was asleep and I walked in. ASR was alone in his room. You know...!" she started off. Khushi felt a surge of pain. She didn't want to hear anything about LAvanya and ASR!

"Why is she doing this to me? I am his wife now! Why is she telling me this? She had never talked like this before. She is sounding different!" Khushi felt miserable.

She was listening to the stories of her Husband and His ex girlfriend and their romance. She felt anguished, agitated. "Is she doing this on purpose?" she thought suspiciously. 

"Khushi, Am I boring you? I mean... why would you have any interest in our stories? I mean.. I know this is awkward!" said lavanya placing her hand on Khushi's shoulder. Khushi calmed down a bit.

"But you know, Khushi! I feel so familiar and romantic in this room! So much time we had spent together here..!" she was nostalgic. Her eyes were dreamy. Khushi felt that Lavanya is reliving those moments again in this room. She felt weak. 

"If whatever Lavanya ji said is true, then they must have gone beyond friendship and must have spent nights together!" Khushi thought and got up with a jerk. She slapped herself and went into the bathroom. 

She was breathing heavily.. her throat went dry...eyes filled with tears she slid down on the floor. She did not know what to do. She wanted Lavanya to go away. Lavanya had continued talking in high pitch about ASR. 

"Lavanya, Where is Khushi?" came a voice of Anjali. Khushi got up. She felt relieved. She opened the door. Lavanya was gesturing at the bathroom door.

"Here she comes!" said Lavanya coming forward. Anjali looked at Khushi's face.
"Oh God! Khushi, what happened? You look pathetic!" remarked Lavanya. "In ASR's language, you look down market!" she laughed at her own joke. No one responded in any way. Lavanya became serious.

"Chanakili, is there anything wrong? Can I help?" she asked softly. Khushi gaped at her. Lavanya had changed colors again.
Khushi smiled and said. "No Lavanya ji, I am fine.. it's the soap!" she brought smile on her face.

"Come Lavanya, let us go down for tea. Naniji is calling you!" Anjali held Lavanya's hand to take her out of the room.
"Chalo, Khushi!" Lavanya said.

"um.. you go ahead Lavanya ji, I will come!" said Khushi. Anjali and Lavanya went out of the room.
Shondeep had called Anjali to warn about Lavanya and Anjali went into Khushi's room to find Khushi in distress.

Khushi slowly sat on the bed, thinking about what Lavanya was talking. She suddenly got up with a jerk and looked at the bed. "They must have... on this bed!" she felt filth on the bed. She wiped off her tears and came down for Tea. Paradise was turning into hell for her.