This is still leading up to the hot scene...now.. bear with me..there is lots of stuff to be talked about but some cute moments...anyway for you all
Chapter 50
Khushi felt bereft. Was that what the novels talked about? Once you give in to your husband, the physical being was no more a novelty, the men lost interest in their wives? Could she believe that or chalk this strange behaviour down to the crisis? But why did she have a feeling that there was more to this than she was seeing? She felt strange to be packing before she had literally unpacked her bags.
Why did she feel Arnav was deliberately sending her away? Thinking she was being influenced by those dramas on the TV that her Buaji always seemed to watch, she decided, she would help Arnav in any way she could and he asked for her help with the Lucknow Boutique, so it would be blessing in disguise. She would be able to be with her parents and Jiji for sometime now.
Brightening up at the thought, she packed and went to see Anjali Di before she left, but found her asleep. As it was time for her to leave, she spoke with Nani, took her blessings and left with the driver. She had spoken home, while packing about her arrival and Payal had assured her that she would be there. But Arnav had organised a car at their disposal and she had informed Payal that the driver would come to pick her up and then bring her to the airport.
She had gotten from Payal the usual ribbing, "Haanji, ab toh bade ghar ki bahu bann gayee ho. Aisho aaram toh milega hi."
Smiling at that she had finished that call. She tried to call Arnav before boarding but he had not picked up her call. After landing the minute she switched on her phone, she was a missed call from him and called back.
He picked up this time but asked immediately, "Have you reached Ok?" On her affirmation he had added, "I am in a meeting. Will call you back." and cut the call.
She felt she was not even getting one minute with her husband, but before she could think further, her phone rang. She picked up and said, "Jiji, bas bag aajaaye waise hi hum bahar aate hain."
Once home, her Amma did the rasam of welcoming a daughter with aarti and all. She was touched with the rituals and then hugged her parents and Buaji who for once did not scoff at being smothered by her.
The family it seemed had missed her a lot and everyone was talking at the same time asking her things about the honeymoon and what all places she got to see. She described the place and the activities, trying not to blush as the picture emerged in front of her of all the things they had gotten up to in that bunglow and otherwise. She could not believe the same man was so different when taken back in the familiar setting of home and work. He at Bora Bora seemed a man who was totally removed from one she had met the first time or even the man she had married.
He had indulged her and then suddenly she had felt let down. She reprimanded herself. "Bas, ab baat samajh mein aa gayee. tum chahti ho ki woh jaise wahan the yahan kyon nahi hai. buddhu samajhti nahi hai. Woh sab kuch samay tak theek hai. Lekin woh kya ab bhi tujhe chaubeeso ghante, tere aage peeche ghoomeinge, aisa lagta hai?" She realised she was being unfair to the man for wanting him to be the same all the time. She then consoled herself with that. But she felt his dearth. The way he touched her for no reason. The way he would eat her with his eyes. The way her had asked her to do things she even now wondered how she had done. She did not know her husband was into such things and she did not know she had it in her to display herself the way he had asked her to.
She had pottered around the house unpacking the few new clothes she had gotten, for most of her wardrobe was intact here and she did not have to bring much. But now being a Mrs Raizada, she had to go to the office as a owner's wife besides being a designer and knew her own clothes though stylish enough, did not match up to the Raizada panache. She unpacked the sarees they had bought in Delhi for the impromptu wedding.
Spending a listless day with her sister, the excitement of being with her parents and sister and the worry about the crisis. She had mentioned it to her family about the crisis at dinner as her Amma had asked if something was worrying her. She also mentioned that the Boutique needed to be looked after as well as Arnav would be busy trying to save the company from a take over.
"Pata hai kaun kar raha hai ye? Koi take over kyon karta hai, jab pata ho ki uska maalik bahar gaya ho? Koi dushman hai ka Khusi bitiya?" Her father asked her.
"Lagta toh aisa hi hai, kyon ki Di ki tabiyat bhi kharab ho gayee. Woh kuch dhamki ki bhi baat kar rahi thi." Khushi explained, then suddenly realising that she had not spoken to Anjali Di, she called her only to find voicemail.
She called up home and spoke to Nani who informed her that Anjali was not well at all and the doctor had asked for a nurse to be stationed at home. Her blood pressure needed to be monitored for it was fluctuating too much. Khushi had asked if she should come back, but was dissuaded by Nani saying, "Naahi, aap unhaa hi raho, wahan bhi toh kaam hai. Arnav aur Shyam bitiwa, hai na aur hum hain na, sab theek ho jaayega bitiya. Aap chinta mat karo. Iss ghar ne aisa pehle bhi dekha hai aur jhela hai uss Nagin ke zehar ko. Iss baar Arnav bitwa naahi the, uska pata chal gaya hoga usse aur '" Suddenly she heard silence, before Arnav came on the phone and said, "Khushi, tum ho?"
"Ji." Khushi answered.
"Mein tumhara phone try kar raha tha, engaged aa raha tha. Achcha hua mil gayee' suno, the suppliers for the boutique will be coming around 11 am. You will have to be there before that. Also ' " Arnav gave her a list of things to be done at the Boutique and explained how and where things were and that the accountant would help her find her way around.
He then suddenly dipped his voice and asked, "Aur kaisa lag raha hai mere bagair?"
"Huh!" Khushi exclaimed, blushing at the sudden change in him.
"Kyon already mujhe bhool gayee?" Arnav teased.
"Nahi, aisa nahi hai' par.. woh'" Khushi blurted.
"Oh! toh kaisa hai'?" he asked sultrily.
"Woh ' aap ' hum ' aapne toh humein theek se bye bhi nahi kaha tha." Khushi complained.
"Oh! toh iss baat ka gussa hai kya?" Arnav questioned.
"Woh ' Nahi ' magar ' " She tried to say awkwardly.
"You are missing me?" Arnav asked reading her thoughts.
"huh?" Khushi could not believe he got her thoughts so well.
"Achcha, abhi Nani, dinner ke liye bula rahi hai '. mein thori der mein phone karta hoon." Arnav as abruptly cut the call.
She pulled the phone away from her ear and wondered, what was her husband all about? He was the strangest man she had ever met. He really was like a switch, on and off in a flick of a button. She was still reeling from the emotions he had evoked in her. Her body throbbing at the mere sound of his husky voice. The way he used to speak to her when he was making love to her. And he had just cut the call.
She shook her head and waited for an hour or so for his call only to fall asleep with the phone on her side, holding it with one hand, incase he did call.
He called around midnight and she picked up sleepily saying, "hello!"
"Tum so gayee thee, toh so jaao. Mein kal baat karta hoon." Arnav tried to cut the call, but she was awake the second she had heard his voice, "Nahin rukiye' "
she screeched and felt relief when he laughed and said, "Toh chilla kyon rahi ho, ghar mein sab so nahi rahe kya?"
"So rahe hain." Khushi then whispered, "Lekin mein ab uth gayee hoon."
"Achcha, toh ab kya kareingi? Jalebiyan banane ka toh program nahi hai na?" Arnav asked teasingly.
"Kyon aap mujhe gussa dilane ke program bana rahe hain kya?" Khushi countered.
"Filhaal toh nahi, Filhaal toh ' tumhein poochna tha ki mere sawaal ka jawab kya hai?" Arnav asked impishly.
"Kaunse sawaal ka jawaab?" Khushi tried to evade.
"Khushi ' !" Arnav roared then sobered and repeated, "Wahi ki are you missing me?"
"Kyon miss kareinge?" Khushi behaved obtusely, smiling away at the way he was trying to tell her something but not really saying it.
"Khushi!" He did roar this time.
Not wanting to answer, Khushi "Lagta hai Amma jaag gayee and cut the call.
It rang again. She picked up and said, "Kyon phone kiya? Amma aa gayee toh?"
"Toh mein apni biwi se baat kar raha hoon. Mausiji ko kya problem hogi iss se?"Arnav replied.
"Khushi ab mujhe jawab do. Kya tum mujhe miss kar rahi ho?" he asked in a clipped tone.
"Nahi." And Khushi cut the call.
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