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“Are you sure?” Papaji asked and the person on the other side confirmed.

“Humm…!” Papaji said deep in thoughts. 

“Sir..?” Shandeep was worried.  Papaji shook his head a bit and said…

“Nothing… Its just that… this Sham has flown back to India…” Shondeep was aghast.

“What?” he got up with a jerk.  Papaji asked him to sit.

“Don’t worry, puttar… He will be turned in immediately…” Shondeep nodded losing his confidence.

“But… how is it possible…?” his head was all riot.  What will happen to him and Anjali now? He had a big question ….  “We must get married as soon as possible…” Papaji had thought otherwise…!

“Shondeep…. We must postpone the wedding…” he said Shondeep got up.

“No..!” he said digging out his cell from his pocket.

“Shondeep .. wait!” Papaji raised his hand stopping him from calling Anjali.

“She doesn’t know yet…!” he said gravely.  

“Let me talk to Arnav…” Papaji dialed Arnav’s number and Khushi picked up…!

“Arnav puttar….!” Papaji started off gravely.  There was no answer…!

“Arnav… Shondeep is here…!” Papaji said and Khushi chirped from the other side.

“Shondeep Sir? I want to talk to him…!”

“Khushi…?” Papaji blurted startled.  “Where is Arnav?” he asked gathering himself.

“Why? You don’t want to talk to me?” Khushi asked doubtfully.

“No..! I mean.. nothing like that… I thought…” Papaji said tentatively.  Khushi’s eyes narrowed….!

“What do you want to discuss with him?” she asked sternly.

“Puttar… just the routine business matters…” he said trying to pacify her…!

“Business matters? Then why did you sound shocked hearing my voice?” she was right on…!

“No… I mean.. You usually don’t pick up his phone…” Papaji said weakly.. Khushi pounced…

“Papaji… are you hiding something? Give the phone to Shondeep Sir..” she demanded and Papaji regretted having called up Arnav.

“No puttar… Ask Arnav to call me back.. ok?” he was all set to disconnect when Khushi exploded….

“Papaji…! Tell me what it is…!” She waited for a moment and then bellowed…

“Is it regarding some crap news about that dead Sham Manohar Zaa?” Papaji winced at her fierceness.

“No.. I mean…” he stuttered… Khushi clutched the phone and said firmly

“Papaji… That Sham Manohar Zaa is dead… I am telling you… He is dead… and our science has not done enough progress of blowing life into a dead person… He is dead… Stop thinking about his revival and concentrate on his father…” Papaji listened to her with dropped jaw…

 How could she be so confident? He must talk to Arnav.  Coming back to his self, he ordered…

“You just ask Arnav to call me back…!” he disconnected banging the phone.  Shondeep was gazing at him.

“Shondeep… I will talk to Arnav and decide ..” Papaji dismissed Shondeep.  

The Chartered Plane had landed and Krishna Kant had accompanied his son on stretcher accompanied by a team of doctors.  They were taken immediately to the City Hospital in South Delhi with no media allowed….! The watchful eyes had relayed the news and Papaji got panic.  Even Ramani had confirmed the news that Sham was out of Coma, gained consciousness and was recovering faster…! 

“Why Krishna Kant was in a hurry to bring him back, if he was recovering…?” Only Krishna Kant knew the answer.  

“Khushi…!” he snatched his new phone and Khushi turned around thumping her hands on her hips…!

“What?” she asked.  He looked at her furious face and turned his gaze to the screen.

“Nothing…!” he turned moving towards the wardrobe.

“Nothing?” She wondered unable to understand the concern … 

“Papaji had called… he has asked you to call him….” She called from behind and he just gave a nod. 

“And…” she stopped as he turned.  “I am going with Anjali Di..” she resumed.

“Ok. Take care…” he just said.  

“Won’t you ask, where?” she asked scornfully.  “Ok. Where?” he asked irking her more…!

“Kolkata…” she snapped and it was his turn to receive 440 volts shock.

“What? No…!” he gripped her hand.

“Yes…! We are going…” Khushi said jerking away his hand. 

“Khu…” suddenly he was concerned about her health…

“No. Don’t!” Khushi warned, raising her finger….

“I already consulted Dr.Anita…” she said angrily looking at his shocked face.

“So… its already decided…! Why did you ask me then?” he snapped back angrily.

“I didn’t ask you… I told you…! As you always tell me off…” she turned her face.  Arnav couldn’t make out what was going on.  No one seemed to have told him anything…. Khushi had already vanished from the room.  He sat on the recliner lost in thoughts. 

Just last night he had taken her advice and tried to throw away his baggage of worries and this morning Khushi seemed to have picked it up on her shoulders…!

“No…!” he got up jerkily and came searching for Khushi. 

“KHUSHII…” He screamed and….

“Stop yelling…! The Khushis on the road would also come running….! I am here… Tell me!” she snapped and he turned to see her….! He sighed.

“Khushi… You don’t have to go… !” he said softly and she turned red…

“I didn’t ask you…!” she raised her voice and he gripped her arm…

“I said … No!” he dragged her into the room.

“You are not going anywhere…” he warned and she pounced on him…!  He overpowered her and made her sit on the recliner…!

“Now… listen to me carefully…! You are not going anywhere…And that’s final… You get that?” he said in a deadly voice and turned to leave…!

“Its because of that Sham ji, isn’t it?” she asked from behind and he stopped, his muscles flexing…!

“I know what you are thinking… But I also know.. you all are wrong… he is dead… Can’t do anything… “ she said disdainfully and he gaped at her over confidence wanting to believe her…! 

“Khushi..!” Arnav came back.  She held up her hand…

“Ask them… those who fill  your ears with the news… Ask them… Whether anyone has seen him personally… Ask whether they heard him….” She said animatedly. 

“Khushi… He has come back…” he sat beside her.  She looked at him…

“Dead people don’t come back..!” she said gravely and he shook his head.

“He is not dead… he is out of coma…” he held her hand. 

“We got to be careful Khushi… He is a dangerous man…!” he said pulling her closer.

“He was… He was a dangerous man…He is dead…” she again reiterated to his dismay.

“Why can’t she understand..?” he got frustrated with her adamant attitude… ! She was not ready to listen to anything….Kept saying Sham was dead…! 

“Ok..Ok! Agreed! He is dead… but his father is more dangerous… deadlier…!” Arnav said patting on her head pressing her closer to his heart.  She fell silent… His hands caressed her absentmindedly…! She was his biggest stress buster….Easier and reliever…! Teasing her, fighting with her, getting physical, and then.. pulling her closer and making passionate love, eased him out… ! Always…! Next morning he would feel rejuvenated with freshness and new ideas to take on the world again…! His lips traced her hair parting… She snuggled up, moaning, feeling warmth of his breath..! 

“Ummm….!” He suddenly withdrew his hands… He was inadvertently caressing her bosoms feeling aroused…! A few months starvation had overpowered his emotions…! She stirred a bit stiffly and he came back on earth…! Jumping to his feet he moved away trying to control his urges… Another addition to his list of stresses… Controlling his desire….! He must stop …  and he did.

“Arnavji…” she had wrapped her hands around his chest holding him from behind…! He stood still…!

“I will ask Anita Bhabi…If we can...” she kissed his neck turning him to face her.

“No..!” Suddenly he felt caught on the wrong foot.  She had caught on to his mood.  

“No, Khushi…!” he cupped her face…! Tears brimmed ….! He pressed her closer.. She groaned a faint sob….! She didn’t know how to fulfill his desire and he didn’t know how to hide his desire…! Going away from her was the only solution… Distant Relationship…! He couldn’t bear that thought… No! He couldn’t distance himself from her even in his thoughts…! 

Krishna Kant was waiting in PM's office for his turn, clutching a file....! His son was his trump card...! 

102

Arnav was awake for a long time…! He must take a decision now, putting the safety of his family first.  He looked at sleeping Khushi and her swelling belly.  His heart filled with fulfillment….! 

“I know, you are capable of taking care of yourself and everyone in the house… Even this little one, pulsating in you…!” He gazed with moist eyes, not wanting to disturb her sound sleep by touching her.  She stirred a bit and opened her eyes.  He tried to look away, startled. 

“I know… what is going on…” she spoke and he turned to her.

“What is going on?” he asked defiantly.  She jabbed her finger on his chest…

“In here..! The storm is brewing up…!” she said smiling…!

“No!” he lied.  She shook her head… Sitting up she said…

“Wait…!” She went to the washroom and he switched on the lights.  Sleep had disappeared for both, from the room.  When she came back, she was looking fresh and smiling….! He gaped…

“You know what…?” She sat on the bed and pointing at her tummy…said

“Whoever it is inside… is going to be nocturnal…!” she grinned in response to his angry gestures. 

“Shut up..!” he said turning to move out.  She grabbed his wrist…!

“Arnavji…!” she suddenly looked serious…! He felt a knot in his stomach.  

“So jao, Khushi…! You need a sleep…” he said pulling the duvet to tuck her in, but she shook her head…!

“No!” she said gravely and then cupping his face …

“Thinking of going away from all of us…?” she uttered to his shock.  He gasped speechless, sucking in his breath… 

“How does she know?” he thought shocked…

“How do I know?” She asked smiling smugly…

“Your turmoil… reflects in here…” she pointed at her heart.  His eyes mellowed down, he inched closer..! She kept her hands on his shoulders…!

“You still think you can handle everything?” she asked gravely.  His eyes flashed…

“Yes! Everything is under control… I will handle it…!” his voice trailed as she shook her head…! 

“Don’t you think, the burden on your shoulders is mounting with all these recent developments?” she asked and he swallowed. Indeed the mounting pressure was overwhelming for this mighty ASR too! He wouldn’t accept it.

“No! I can manage…! I have strong shoulders, Khushi…” he said trying to move away.  She again held his hand to stop him from going away…!

“For once… try to release the burden from your shoulders and keep the baggage in that corner….!” She said to his bewilderment and continuing… “Aap toh Devi Mayya ke Charanon main Rakhsnay se rahain…! You wouldn’t surrender to Devi Mayya…! I know…So at least keep it in some corner and see the lighter version of yourself…” she actually grinned.

“What crap!” he gritted angrily but she shook her head…

“No! Not Crap..!” she said solemnly and then turning to him again, resting her head on his shoulder, said…

“I  am wiser now… When I was a kid, babuji introduced me to Devi mayya and said ‘When you feel lonely, She will be there with you in your agony, in your loneliness, in your pain… caressing you, consoling you..!’  …

“I took it seriously, as a gospel truth and started talking to my Devi Mayya…She became my friend, my second self... She never responded… but I felt her presence,  May be my babuji’s presence … My happiness, my joys, my achievements, my grief, my pain, my burden… I started sharing with her…” 

He merely gaped not knowing where the conversation was going…

“Has she lost it…Is she out of her senses?” he thought for a fleeting second… But she had continued looking lost…!

“May be that was my blind faith… the circumstances, the turmoils, the ups and downs in the life made me wiser…! It wasn’t my blind faith… It was my support system… My defense mechanism…! Whenever I felt, the emotions, the situation is going out of control … I ran to my support system, my Devi Mayya and after talking to her… the burden got bearable…!” she said and he opened his mouth to argue but she had gone beyond…

“Arnav ji… tell me… don’t you feel there are situations beyond your control?” he just gaped not knowing what to answer.  He wouldn’t say yes, admitting he was wrong and couldn’t say No, because that would be a lie…! 

“I know… there are things beyond our control… We just can’t do anything but watch helplessly…” she said grasping his arm tightly as if wanting to hold on to him…

“Stop this… and go to sleep…” he knew he wouldn’t win her in argument.  She smiled shyly…

“You know? I am not telling this to you…” he just growled, grumbling…!

“I am talking to the baby..” he grabbed her angrily. 

“Don’t you ever do that again.  When I am with you… I want your undivided attention…You get that?”  He barked.  She flicked his nose fondly, teasing him more.  He stood up angrily striding away…! 

“Arnav ji…” she called out from behind and he stopped at the door.

“Ek Baar Kar ke toh dekhiye,,,Just for once… Try throwing your burden somewhere .. And look at your own life with different perspective…” she urged and smile appeared on his face….

“I am doing that right now…!” he came in, tucked her under the duvet, sliding himself in, making room for both of them…. No no… three of them under one duvet…! 

101

“What are you doing here?” she was gazing him suspiciously.  He looked away trying to recollect himself.

“What do you mean, what am I doing here?!! Can’t you see I am on phone? And why did you come out of the bed? ” he retorted. 

She looked more suspicious… He continued… “Damn it! Next time I will tie you down on the bed, Khushi…! You slipped from those damn stairs, Khushi…! Can’t you be careful?” he yelled forgetting the time.  She had slipped alright, but his strong arms had saved her in time, scooping her above the ground..! She blew her top, snatching the phone from his hand, she boomed.

“One more call in the middle of the night and I will throw it in the pool…” 

“Oh! Yeah?” he challenged her clasping her wrist…! Her eyes flashed malice… she just dropped the cell on the floor releasing her grip and he looked ghostly gaping at the shattered phone.

“How dare you, Khushi?” he came on to her… She stood her ground.

“No more phone calls... See?” she pointed at the broken phone on the floor.  He clenched his fists and picked up the pieces, carefully removing the SIM and the SD card.  She thumped her hands on her hips…! 

“Lady ASR…!” he smiled wickedly and she turned ghostly…!

“How do you know?” she asked pressing her hand on her mouth…!

“You think aloud, Khushi…!” he actually grinned.  She lost her heart..!

“He reads my mind…!” she thought and he grinned again…

“Yes, I do!” he pulled her closer..!

“Remember? I threw your cell from the car…?!!” he said holding her hand and she lost herself in the memory lane…!

“Chaliye…!” she pulled him along …  !! 

“Let us go on a  drive…” he said dreamily and she looked at him surprised.

“At this hour of the night?” she asked. He just held her hand and she walked with him….

They drove silently.  She kept glancing at his grim face.  He was lost in his thoughts…

“Its about Shamji…” She spoke finally, gravely.  He looked at her startled.  She smiled faintly…

“I know…” she said while he pulled over the car.  

“Khushi….” He sounded scared for the first time… She looked at him and as if reading his thoughts, said…

“Everyone thinks he is dead… but he is not… and now… may be… he… he…” he held her hand tightly.

“Khushi…. We have to be more careful… I am worried about Di…!” he said gravely.  She nodded and asked..

“Did you get any news…?” he hesitated for a moment and then said affirmatively…

“He has come out of coma…” She gaped in disbelief and then slowly shaking her head said…

“Wrong…!” he just gaped…

“False news… He is dead… I know… he is dead… That Krishna Kant is playing games… I know, he is dead…!” his mouth fell open… he was surprised by her confidence…

“He was dead, when he was shot in that Thakur mansion….” She again said with confidence…

“Chaliye.. wapas chalatain hain… Lets go back…” she said holding his hand.  He took a U turn and drove off silently.  She had closed her eyes… 

“How do I tell her, that the news is not false… he is alive..” Arnav kept glancing at Khushi..! Khushi was confident that Sham was dead…! “Ignorance is bliss…” he gazed at his wife’s smiling face.

By the time they reached home, she was fast asleep.  He picked her up in his arms and walked into the house….! 

“Don’t worry… He is … dead… th..they can’t do anything…” She blabbered in her sleep wrapping her arms around his neck.  He pulled her closer putting off the lights, badly wanting to believe her…!