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“Khushi… Chal yeh Laddu Kha le… Tere liye Achha hain.. Good for you!” Payal said and khushi popped that small laddu into her mouth…!

“Phew… thuthu… Kadava hain…!” Khushi contorted her face.  Payal grinned…! 

“Sweet bhi toh hain… Its bitter sweet…Methi Laddu…!” Payal said sniggering and Khushi swallowed the bitterness…! 

“Good for your health… !” Payal said sitting on the bed.. Khushi took this as invitation and rested her head on Payal’s laps….! Payal smacked her head lightly..!

“Stop lollinng, Khushi… you are not a kid now…!” she said and Khushi puffed her cheeks sulkily…!   Payal patted on her head fondly.  

“Humm…” She sighed….! 

“Why don’t you plan for a family?” Khushi asked and Payal shook her head.

“Not now, Khushi..! Aakashji says… It’s a five year plan…” Payal blushed…!

“Five years?” Khushi sat up surprised.  “Oh Yeah…! Enjoy.. Enjoy… Jiji… Enjoy for five years… You and Aakash Jijaji… Honeymoon every day…!” Khushi said grinning and Payal blushed furiously..! 

“Khushi… Bolo naa! Yesterday What did Arnav ji say? About signing on those forms?” Payal successfully distracted Khushi.

“You Know, Jiji! He was not happy… turned his face and switched off the lights sulking…” Khushi smiled missing her Arnav ji.

“I was so upset… The way he said that you don’t have a share in his business…I mean I felt so bad…!” Payal said and Khushi looked at her intently.

“But it is a fact, isn’t it,Jiji…? he just mentioned the fact! It was I who overstepped… I really don’t have any right to question his business decision…” Khushi said plainly.  Payal shook her head…

“ Yeah, agreed! But that was not the way to mention the fact… He said it so callously…” Payal protested…!

“Humm… May be… you find him insensitive… but this is how he is, Jiji… “ Khushi said smiling…!

“But he should have apologized later for being so blunt… May not be in front of everyone…. But at least in the night, when you two were together…” Payal said.  

“Aakash would never do that.. he would never hurt me like this…” She thought, with her heart filled with love for Aakash.

“No Jiji… He doesn’t do that… If he was really sorry for what he had done, he would say sorry in front of everyone…! But there was nothing to be sorry about…!” Khushi continued…

“It was a fact, Jiji and he brought It to my notice.. He was right..!” Khushi said seriously.

“Like this? Like slapping square on the face?” Payal was angry….! Khushi shook her head…! 

“Jiji… he is not insensitive….! He didn’t even realize that he was hurting me…You know, every time, others feel that he is hurting me, he actually is not…! I know the meaning of his words, spoken and unspoken…! Every time I feel hurt… I just think…’He is like that only! He doesn’t mean what he says and he doesn’t say what he means…’ Then its peace… Jiji.. I am at peace…” Khushi grinned…!

“Once you accept your man, the way he is… there is no chance of being hurt, or disappointed… Its just that you need to remind yourself…! ‘He is like that only’…hehehe…Then… his so called hurtful words bounce away…from striking your heart…” Khushi said and Payal gaped in admiration…!

“Khushi….!” Payal hugged…! “How can you be so different….?” Payal wondered. 

“But that doesn’t mean I will allow him to throw hurtful words at others…! I will confront him, stop him…! ” Khushi said furiously.   

Khushi’s phone buzzed. 

“Oh god..! Mummiji…!” Khushi panicked. 

“I will talk to her..!” Payal said but Khushi had answered the call…!

“Mummiji… Haan… Why? Where is he? Ok…. Hum….” Khushi’s expressions changed…!

“Yes.. Mummiji… No no… I won’t tell him…! Yeah… bye… Will call you tomorrow..” Khushi disconnected and gave a victory roar…! 

“Ab Dekhatain hain…!” she rubbed her palms gleefully…

“Now what are you up to, Khushi?” Payal read Khushi’s face.  Khushi sniggered wickedly…! 

“Nothing Jiji…! It’s just papaji’s another blunder… Das uncle ke saath Panga le liya… He has picked up fight with Das uncle, it seems and they are not in talking terms…!” She said grinning…!

“But why are you happy?” Payal asked bewildered…!

“Why am I happy? Simple, Jiji… I am the only link..! They both will do anything for me now,  to get at each other…!! Hehehawhaw…!” Khushi laughed.

“One bitter laddu will do…!” she said wallowing on the bed.  Payal shook her head hopelessly….!