92

“Khushi…!” Payal held her hand.  Khushi looked up and smiled faintly.  Ram Prakash was coming back with the tray.

“Chal Khushi… Lets do something special for breakfast…” Payal pulled Khushi inside. 

“Woh… The coffee got cold…” Ram Prakash said sheepishly.

“Doesn’t matter, Ram Prakash ji… I will make another one…” Payal said with fake brightness.  Ram Prakash nodded and went out to lay the table.

“Ram Prakash… Bring the breakfast here….” They heard Arnav’s order from the table.  He had come down for breakfast…! 

The boiling milk gave Khushi jitters of nausea..! She ran out of the kitchen and bumped on Nani…!  “Careful…” nani held her.

“S..Sorry Naniji…” Khushi said clutching her mouth.

“Humm… have this … you will feel better…” Nani gave her Amala Candy.  Khushi smiled sheepishly with her mouth watering.  

“Don’t go into the kitchen…” Nani said bringing her out. 

“I ..  I will help Ram Prakash…” Khushi said hurriedly.  The maid had already started serving. 

“come Khushi bitiya…” Nani pulled her and Mami occupied her chair in no time.  Arnav was sitting opposite watching Khushi intently.

“What’s wrong with everyone?” he kept wondering.  Everyone virtually was ignoring him.  He had his breakfast in silence and went up into his room to get ready to go to the office.  Khushi was still at the breakfast table chatting with Nani, pretending, as if nothing had happened.

“Khushi…” Arnav called out and she got up.

“Rukiye… Bitiya… Ram Prakash will go…” Nani said asking Ram Prakash to attend to Arnav.  Arnav came out, ready to go to the office.  Khushi went upto the door to see him off.  “Are You ok?” he asked looking at her face.  She forced a smile on her face and nodded.

“Khushi Bitiya…” Nani started off looking at her grave face but Khushi smiled.

“No Naniji… He is right.  I can’t question his business decisions… That is his domain…!” She said honestly and Nani gazed with moist eyes…! 

“You can be a part of his business too…” she said in a whisper and Khushi shook her head with determination.

“No naniji.. I am better the way I am now…” She smiled. 

“Khushi.. chal… !” Payal pulled her inside.  Khushi was puzzled.

“Dekh na Khushi… How about this color?” she asked and Khushi gaped at the bundles and bundles of wool, she had brought from Nainital, few years back.

“Jiji…?” Khushi screamed excitedly.

“Shuu… Khushi… chup kar…” Payal pressed her hand on Khushi’s mouth.

“You pick up the color… Baby pink or Blue..” Payal’s eyes twinkled mischievously.  Obviously Khushi picked up baby pink….

“Girl…” Payal flicked Khushi’s nose….!

“What?” Khushi screamed.  Payal laughed holding the baby pink wool…! Khushi puffed her cheeks…!

“Now go to your room and take rest.  Let me do my work…” Payal was all set to send Khushi away.

“Work?” Khushi asked…

“Haan.. work! Knitting… With Baby pink wool… new design… new patterns…” Payal teased Khushi, sending her away.  Khushi came back blushing.  

*****  ****  ********

“Theek ho tum?” he asked and she nodded…! “Haan..!” He stared at her back sitting on the bed.  She was at the wardrobe….!

“Avinash ke paas gai thi?”

“Haan…”

“Kay kaha Anita nay?”

“Sab Thik hain…! Medicines prescribed…”

“Show me!” she took out the prescription from her bag and gave it to him.  He glanced at the new medicines prescribed. 

“I bought them while coming…!” she showed the tablet strips…! He checked them with the prescription.  

“Aur tum mera phone kyun nahi utha rahi thi?” he asked angrily.

“I was with Dr. Anita…” she gave a formal answer.

“Humm…!” he looked at her.

“Are you still upset?” he asked and she shook her head moving away again to the cupboard.

“Don’t walk away like that…” he barked and she turned with her folded clothes in her hand…!

“I was going to change…” she said and before he could retort, she disappeared behind bathroom door.  He sighed in frustration….!

She came out and found him waiting for her with a docket in his hand.

“Inn papers par sign karo…” he ordered.  She took out the papers, glanced at them and kept them on the table.

“Sign Karo…” he said impatiently.  

“I will read them and sign tomorrow!”  She turned to her side adjusting her duvet.

“Read them? Kyun? Bharosa nahi hain mujhpar?” he asked sounding hurt.

“Bharosay ki baat nahi.. Savadhani ki hain…! I am being cautious, that’s it!” she dismissed, disappearing under the duvet.  He fumed like a steam engine…! 

“Thik hain… Karo jo karana hain…!” he turned his back on her and put off the lights…! She had a broad smile and praying her devi Mayya… closed her eyes happily…! 

*******  ******

“Khushi…” Payal was surprised to see her in the kitchen early morning…

“Good morning Jiji…” Khushi was in a good mood, smiling broadly.  Payal felt better.  She was dying to share the secret with Khushi.

“Khushi… sunn naa…” she held her hand and pulled her …!

“Kya? Bolo naa!” Khushi asked.

“Last night… Aakash ji…” she started off in a hushed voice…! Khushi’s smile turned into a wicked grin…!

“Hehehe…. Same pinch Jiji…! The only difference is.. I kept it pending… he is banging his head…” Khushi had a villains’ laugh..! Payal grinned giving her a light smack…!

“Dekhatain hain…!” Khushi sounded like a rude, smug ASR.  Payal grinned and sending out Khushi, turned to kitchen counter to prepare for the breakfast.

He came back from his workout  to find her humming and shaking her leg merrily, sipping tea.  Warning bells rang in his head…! “She is upto something…” he ignored her, she responded with the same blank look, pouring tea for him.  

******  *****  *****

“Bhai… she refused to sign…” Aakash said hopelessly.  ASR didn’t respond.  He was sure Khushi would definitely sign.  He dialed her number and Anjali picked up.  

“Chote.. Khushi is with Nani… I will ask her to call you back..” he disconnected, opening his laptop bag.  Aakash waited…!  He took out the laptop and saw the docket in the bag.  Smile of satisfaction appeared on his face.  The next moment it turned stony.  

“Aakash, we can talk about it later… I have some urgent pressing matter…” he hid the docket in the drawer…! Khushi had returned the docket without her signatures…!

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

 

“Payal… iss par sign karo…” Aakash had given her some papers…

“Kya hain yeh?” Payal asked confused.

“I am transferring some of the shares to you…” he said lovingly caressing her shoulder… She was lost in her thoughts…

“You don’t have a share in my company… not even a penny” she remembered and gave the papers back.

“Aakash ji… I don’t know anything about business.  Please .. I don’t want any shares… I am happy the way I am…” she hugged him and his anger died out.

“But Payal…” she kept her hand on his mouth.

“No buts.. no ifs… Only kiss…” she pulled him on the bed. 

ASR again dialed Khushi’s number and again Anjali picked it up.  Frustrated he disconnected without a word.   “Khushiii… “ he clenched his fists. 

 Khushi, Payal, Anjali and Nani were having their last laugh with Khushi entertaining them mocking and mimicking Arnav ji’s conversation, last night…!!