95

"Hello.. Puttar...!" Papaji called her tentatively.  Khushi smirked.

"Hello Papaji... I am little busy now.. I will call you later, ok?" she said shaking her leg sitting laid back on the arm chair near poolside. 

"Umm.. Khushi puttar..." He sounded desperate.  Khushi grinned wickedly. 

"Haan... AAI Naniji..." she said loudly, disconnecting.  Papaji disconnected frustrated.  Khushi was at her best in torturing him. 

"Hello, Das uncle..." Khushi had dialed his number.

"Khooki... If you are taking his side, I am disconnecting...!" Dasgupta roared in rage and Khushi bit her lower lip grinning.

"I am with you Uncle... " She said solemnly.
"You know what? He playing us against each other.  Arnavji and..." Khushi kept the sentense hanging slyly.

"Khooki... I am withdrawing from all his law suits..." he threatened.  For a moment Khushi panicked.  But next moment she grinned.  He had given these threats umpteen number of times.

"Yes uncle, you should, this time!" she said seriously adding oil to the fire..!
"Yeah.. I will, this time.." he said making up his mind.

"You know what? Now a days, Arnav ji is also behaving erratically.  He doesn't even talk to us properly.  Just like papaji..." she said rolling her eyes.  There was a silence for a longer time.  Das was contemplating.... He was not sure about Khushi too...!

"Now what is her game plan? Anyway... I will use her against this... this... Punjabi Rascal..." he frowned and asked sweetly with fake concern.

"What is it Khooki?" Khushi thought for a while and then started off...
"Now.. tell me uncle... Is it right to take such sudden decisions without even consulting family members? I know, this is all Papaji's advice...!" she concluded.  Dasgupta was quiet for a long time.  His punjabi buddy wouldn't go wrong in business matters... but Khushi was right.  Arnob should have talked to the family members before ...! This would change his fate for worse...!"
He must talk to Arnob...before he takes on to Balwindar...!

*******  *****  ******

The dinner was delicious... but presence of Arnav made the atmosphere little tense.  Everyone was apprehensive of other's reaction.  Arnav kept glancing at everyone.  Khushi prefered to look at the plate.

"Mamaji... I mean.. This is to ensure the future...!" Mamaji looked up at Arnav little surprised.  They never discussed business during lunch or dinner.
"Humm..." he nodded.

"I mean... hope you trust me.." he said looking away and
"Yes.. betwa we all trust you... and we know the decision you have taken is for our own good.  It is that we just are worried about the danger and risk you are taking, by bringing him on board..." Mamaji said looking at Naniji.  Naniji refrained from reacting.

"Nani.. trust me! " Arnav said solemnly and she merely nodded feeling assured.  Khushi frowned...!
"Trust me.. Trust me...! Nothing else... We still do not know the reason.. and he shut up everyone.. This is how discusses.. .."Khushi mutterred under her breath.

"What is he planning to do?" she wondered glancing at her jiji...! Payal grinned...

"Like that only..!" she mouthed soundlessly and Khushi grinned back.
"Yeah.. he is like that only..." she blurted thinking.. "Yeah.. he is like that only... secretive, introvert, not expressing his feelings, not discussing his reasoning..." She sighed hopelessly.

" Hello hi bye bye...Who is like that? Hainn? " Mami exclaimed and Khushi winked at Payal...! Arnav glared at Khushi, angrily.  Khushi looked down blushing.  Arnav left his plate unfinished and marched to his room.  Nani looked at Khushi questioningly.

"Woh.. kay hain naa Dadiji..." Payal started off in a hushed voice secretively.

"Yeah... Like that only..." Soon it became a code word for Chote...! Khushi had a great time mimicking, teasing, taunting ASR in his absence...! He heard the laughter from his room.  A line of smile and satisfaction appeared at the corners of his lips... His Khushi was spreading Khushi everywhere...! He was ready to take on any challenge with his Khushi by his side....!

.......  ...........  ........

"Huhh...Huhh... Wa..What are you doing?" She woke up with a start to find ASR at her feet...!
"What? Sliding a pillow under your feet...!" He said looking at the bewildered face.

"Wh.. why?" she pulled up her legs embarrassed...!
"Why? What did Anita say?" he asked.

"How do you know?" she was shocked.  He had not accompanied her to the doctor that day.  Anita had advised her to take a pillow under her feet.  This could comfort her paining legs and help reduce the swelling on the feet.

"I keep a tab on you...!" he said smugly. 
"Yeah.. I know! Since beginning...!" she sulked flaring her nostrils.  He smiled. 

"It is necessary to keep an eye on you..!" he teased her.  She turned her face angrily!
"I had called up Anita in the evening..  Ab so jao." he said pulling her feet and resting them on the pillow.

"And you?" she asked as he got up.
"I have to finish some urgent work.." he said vaguely.  She sat up on the bed. 
"You want some coffee?" she asked.
"No, Khushi.. you take rest.." he said but she had read in his eyes, that he wanted it badly.  She smiled.
"I will get it for you... And..." she turned back.  He raised his eyebrows..!
"And one sip for me too...!" she said grinning smelling coffee and getting fresh...!
"Coffee?" he was surprised.
"Humm!" she confessed and went out of the room.  He smiled keeping aside his laptop wondering about her changing tastes...!

"You know what? You are picking up my habits..." he said taking the cup from her hand.  She turned to the bed smiling.
"Seems so..." she admitted.  He sat beside her giving her his mug.  She gulped that hot black bitter, sugarless coffee.  He turned to his study table and she was lost in her thoughts...

"If it's a boy... then I will have to find out someone like me.." she smiled dreamily keeping her palm on her tummy.
"What if its a girl like him!!??  " She got up with a jerk.
"Nahii...Hey.. devi mayya... raksha karana... A girl like ASR? Hey devi mayya... No..! Please... Lady ASR?  No... Devi mayya..." she blurted scarily.  the thought of a female version of ASR gave her jitters... Short tempered, workaholic, nocturnal, dashing, arrogant, autocratic.. girl? She closed her eyes in fright...! Arnav turned...!
"What?" he asked her.  She looked at him blankly...!
"No.. nothing..." she said aghast...!  The words 'Lady ASR' rang in her head like a gong...!
"Thunn.. Thunn ... Warning bells..." she blurted taking the blanket over her head and disappearing under the blanket...! Arnav smirked curling up his lips, shutting down his laptop.  "Pagal..!!"

"Pagal Khushi...!" he gathered her in his arms and closed his eyes.  She curled up holding him. 
"I want a girl like khushi..." for the first time he craved  to know the outcome ...!