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“This is so colorful…!” Khushi chirped with full belly entering into Mummiji’s room.  The colorful sarees were littered all over the bed.  Mummiji grinned.  Elsa was labeling the packets.  Anjali was sitting on the chair reading out the list.   Khushi peeped in.  

“Let me see the list…!” she snatched the paper and scanned the names.  Satisfied, she gave it back. 

“You want my help?” she asked getting up.  Elsa looked up and shook her head.  

“Yes, Khushi…! Come on…! Write down the points for last minutes preparations and the things we need to carry to the wedding hall…!” Mummiji had the work ready.  Khushi stood unmoved.

“What?” Mummiji looked up.  

“Umm… That is last minute preparation… No need to make the check list..! I know everything about Bongie wedding…!” she said moving out.  Mummiji glanced at grinning Anjali hopelessly.

“Lazy cow..!” she muttered.  Anjali grinned.  “Lazy Chote..!” she blurted.  Khushi sat in her room waiting for the much awaited call.  The evening engulfed by the nightfall.  She didn’t get the call.  She paced restlessly not talking to anyone.

“What are you up to?” Papaji had grabbed her shoulders.  She looked up angrily.

“Nothing…!” she said glancing at the blank screen of her cell.  

“Whose call are you expecting?” he asked trying to snatch her phone.

“A..Arnav ji..!” she moved away hiding her cell.

“Arnav? But he must be in the flight…!” Papaji found out the gaping hole in her plan.

“Umm… yeah… I know… but waiting for him..!” she went into her room closing the door behind.

“Impossible…! I must find out…!” Papaji went into his room and was immediately ousted out by the ladies.  He sat on the sofa switching on the TV.

**********   ******  ********

“Haan, Aman sir, What happened?” she asked impatiently.  Aman paused a bit and then gave her the bad news.

“Nothing of what we thought, happened, Khushi… Mehra turned the tables…!” he said gravely.  Khushi listened with fallen face.  

Aakash and Aman had gone to Mehra’s office to meet him.  Mehra had read about the event in the papers and was expecting Aakash.  Aakash had shown his inability to attend the conference as the dates were clashing with his Di’s wedding.  Aman had shifted in his seat apprehensively.  As expected, Aakash had proposed Aman and Regi’s name.  Mehra seemed to have pondered on this but then said…

“We need a head of the company, not some junior personnel to represent this country.  ASR would have been the best person and after him, you should have taken it, Aakash.  Is the wedding so important?” he had asked and Aakash had said..

“Yes Mr. Mehra.  It is important.  It is my Di’s wedding and after a long time she has some happy moments…!” Mehra had nodded understandingly gazing at Aman.

“You thing, he can manage?” he had asked waving at Aman.  Aakash had said.. “Yes, Mr. Mehra.  He is been with Bhai for a very long time and one of the Directors…He will definitely handle it…!” Mehra seemed to have considered this but then said.

“We need a senior person… ! So I will handle it with …” Aman waited with bated breath.

“… Rattan Singh Thakur..!” Mehra exploded the bombshell…! Aman felt doomed. 

“Rattan singh?” Aakash was shocked.  

“Humm… Rattan Singh, Mehra spoke the scripted dialogue..! Aakash gaped in disbelief.

“What does he know about Garment industry?” 

“He needs to know, how the industry works, not that he is on board..!” Mehra put forth the logic.  Aakash gaped.  

“And I will be there to handle the event.  He will accompany me as observer…! Regi… I don’t know about him…! So let us drop his name…!” Mehra had finalized the names.  Himself and Rattan Singh Thakur.  Aman felt doomed with disappointment.  All the plans were tossed up.  He had come back dejected and had called up Khushi.  

“Humm…!” She said gravely with disappointment.

“Nothing, like we thought happened, Khushi! He didn’t approve when Aakash Sir suggested my name..!” Aman too was deep in thoughts.

“Humm.. Aman sir, Bahut buraa hua..! This is not what we expected to happen…!” Khushi said with eyes flashing with malice, as if she had expected this.  

“Ok. Aman Sir.  Think about this…! What best we can do.  At least, try and rope in Regi sir…!” she said and disconnected.  

“Humm… So this Mehra and Rotten Singh are planning to take over…!” She thought stroking her chin.

“KHUSHI…!” Papaji broke her trance and she jumped to her feet, startled.

“Careful…!” papaji held her shoulder.

“Yeah.. I am careful..!” she said moving away.

“Where is Arnav Puttar?” he asked narrowing his eyes.

“What? Must have boarded the flight by now…!” she said casually.

“He didn’t board the plane, Khushi…!” he gave her a shock.

“What? Where is he then?” she almost screamed in panic.

“That is what I am asking you…!” he said holding her hand.  She didn’t know where he was.  Her anger shot up.  This Bhoot Nath, disappears suddenly and reappears from nowhere…! I should have seen his feet before marrying him…Kahi ultay toh nahi the?” she frowned in frustration.  Now it was too late.  She was already married and pregnant.  

“Let me call Raj…!” Papaji turned but Khushi held his hand.

“No Papaji… Let us wait for some time.  I am sure he will come…!” She was sure, he wouldn’t miss his Di’s wedding.  He had promised her…! 

“How do you put up with him, Khushi puttar…? He is such an unpredictable person…!” Papaji shook his head a bit hopelessly.  Khushi grinned.  

“I know…! Only I can handle him…!” she said proudly and papaji threw his hands in the air….!

“You too are equally unpredictable…” he snapped and went out clutching his phone to his ear.

“Where are you Arnav ji?” Khushi sat on the bed all lost.  Where was Arnav, No one knew…! 

**********    **********   ********

“Khushi…!” he woke her up from deep slumber…! She woke up with a start, looked at him with heavy eyelids, tried to throw a smile…

“Aap Aa Gaye? Khana Kha liya? You came! Had your food?” she asked sleepily trying to disappear under the blanket.  He held her shoulder holding her firmly. 

“What?” she opened her eyes with efforts and looked around.

“Are you on drugs? Look at the time…!” he showed her his wrist watch.

“Hawww… Naya liya? Achha hain..! New one?” she asked sidelining his question.

He shook her a bit angrily.  “Khushi, its nine in the morning…! Wake up!” 

“Haan?” she gaped and looked at the window.  Arnav had pulled back the curtains and a bright sunlight had entered her room.

“Humm… I was waiting for you the whole night…!” she said trying to turn the tables…!

“The whole night I was up.. waiting and worrying for you..!” she said angrily.  He glared at her…

“Oh yeah! Whole night? I came at midnight and you were sleeping like a log…!” he said angrily and she got up being caught on wrong foot.

“I need to get ready… Lot of things to do.  We are visiting Shondeep Sir’s parents…! Maasi ji is preparing Shondesh for us…!” she said moving away, into the bathroom.  He sat at the table and opened his laptop.  There was a mail from one of his prospective buyer for his agricultural land in Kanpur.