ARHI FF : Life and its twists !!! *On Hold* - Page 57

At Mehra's : (Khushi going through her room and Kaajal slouched on the sofa absent mindedly changing channels on the home theatre)

Khushi – Mere drawers Khule kyun hai ?? ... (inspecting her room)

Kaajal – woh !! ... kuch ajeeb sa smell aa raha tha ... kuch sadne ka ... maine chk kiya toh pata chala ki woh kuch seeds ke packets hai ... toh maine woh pheenk di ...

Khushi – Kya ???? ... tumne woh packets phenk diye ?? 😲😲

Kaajal – haan ... kyun ?? usmai kuch diamonds the kya ?? hidden ones ?? 😆

Khushi – nahi ... itne mushkil se dhoondne se mile the woh London mai ...😔

Kaajal – oh ... but newaz tujhe kab se gardening mai interest aane laga ?? ...😉

Khushi – hume nahi ... woh toh hum Arnavji ke liye ...😲 (she stopped) ...

Kaajal – Arnav... *JII* ... (cocked at eyebrow) ...

Khushi – woh ... err ... (just then their bhabhi – Priya entered ) ...

Priya – yeh kyaa hai ladkiyon ?? .😡😡😡... kitni baar kaha hai ...time pe khane pe aa jaao ... harr baar kya mujhe aake aarti ki thali aur nyota dena padega tum logo ko ?? ...Kaajal !!! ... aise shoes pehenke sofa pe soya mat karo ... kitni baar kaha hai ...

Kaajal – actually ... bhabs u told ... sofa pe soya mat karo ...😆😆😆😆. (Khushi rolled her eyes) ...shoes ke baare main kuch nahi kaha tha ... 😉😉😉

Priya – Kaajal !!! ... tu meri ek baat nahi sun sakti ... 😡😡😡

Kaajal – arrey ... technically sunn toh rahi huu ...😆😆 (pointing towards her ears) ...

Priya – (coming and catching her by ears) ...har baat pe mazaak ... bacchpana ... tu choti nahi rahi ... samji ??

Kaajal – owww ... it hurts bhabs ... (managing to get her ears out of her bhabhi's hands) ... waise aaj aap mahakali ka roop kyun dhaaran kar rahi hai ?? ...😆😆

Priya – woh mujhse nahi ... isse pooch ... (pointing at Khushi) ...

Khushi – maine kya kiya ??? ...😕😕. (looking confused) ...

Priya – Sia ne kaha ki tune khana nahi khaya aaj ... aur shaam ko doctor ke saath tera appointment tha ... tu udhar bhi nahi gayi ... (kaajal glared at her twin😡😡) ... Khushi ... mazaak nahi hai yeh ... teri tabiyaat mujhe theek nahi lag raha ... 😒

Khushi – important kaam tha bhabhi ... aur waise bhi mujhe kuch nahi hua ...(slightly irritated)... mujhe pata nahi tha ki aap mere peeche jaasoos laga rahi hai ...

Priya – haan ... aaj yeh kaam tha ... kal kuch aur kaam hoga ... parson aur kuch ... aisa kab tak chalega khushi ??? ... aur is kaam ke wajah se apne tabeeyat ka khayal rakhna mat !!! tu din ba din weight loose karti jaa rahi hai ... aur susth lag rahi hai ... chehra dekh kaise murjhaa gaya hai ... (coming and holding her face)

Kaajal – (coming to her sister's rescue) ... OK OK Bhabs ... Main Monday ko khud usse le jaaungi ... 👍🏼

Priya – tum dono se kuch kehna bekaar hai ... mai hi paagal hoo ... ab mera mooh kya dekh rahi ho ... Khana laga diya hai ... chalo ... (she turns to leave)

Khushi and Kaajal both come and hug her from behind . 🤗

Khushi – sorry bhabs ... really really sorry ... pukka jaaungi... Monday ko ... 😊

Kaajal – haan ... aur mai joote pehenke nahi soungi sofa pe .😊... aaj ke liye ...😆😆

Priya – (turns and hits their heads lovingly and smiles) bas bas ... aur maska daalne ki zaroorat nahi ... chalo ab !! ...

The dinner was as usual a very buzzing activity at Mehra's .Everyone talked , made fun of each other , discussed random topics . It was time for retiring for bed . Khushi and Kaajal whose rooms were next to each other's walked up the stairs and when they reached the doors , Kaajal pulled Khushi's hand . Khushi looked at her questioningly.

Kaajal – Actually woh seeds maine phenke nahi ... (Khushi narrowed her eyes😳) ... woh maine us *Chotte* ko ... i mean tumhare Arnav*JII* ko de diya (her eyes popped out🤔) ... bola ki teri taraf se gift hai 😲(now totally shocked with her mouth open and no words coming out of it) ... and I also told him to not stare at you soo much ...😲😲😲😲😲. (and Kaajal ran into her room and closed the door , doing a double check if its actually closed while having a naughty grin all the while😈) ..

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In Khushi's room , Khushi is tensely walking around muttering to herself .

Hey devi Maiyyaa ... yeh kya kiya ... Kaajal tu bhi na ... kya zaroorat thi unse milne ki ... kya zaroorat thi unko woh dene ki ... pata nai kya soch rahe honge woh humare baare mai ... par ... Kaajal ko kaise pata chala ki woh beej unhe dene thi ... kahi use humare baare mai pata toh nahi chall gaya ... aur kya Arnavji ne usse sab kuch keh diya ?? ... (thinking of the almost kiss and stuff) 😲😲😲... nahi nahi ... woh kyun kahenge ... woh toh bhool bhi gaye honge ...  tu bhi na Khushi ... kuch bhi sochti rehti hai ... par ... Kaajal kya zaroorat thi tumhe unhe woh dene ki ... upar se unse jaake yeh bhi keh diya ki humari taraf se unkeliye gift hai ... hey devi maiyaa ... raksha karna humari ...

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Earlier in Arnav's room, he is busily going through is "gift" with a smile on his face . ❤️He goes to his garden and starts mixing the manure and mud in required quantities so that he can sow the seeds . After an hour or so of mixing and dirtying himself in mud and manure ,he looks satisfied and smiles . Anjali , enters the garden to call him for dinner , when she sees him smiling and carefully sowing the seeds into the pots .

Anjali – Arrey waah chotte ... lagta hai koi acche mood mai hai ... 👍🏼

Arnav –(startled and turns and faces his dii) ... Aisa kuch nahi hai dii ...

Anjali – chotte ... hum tumhe acche se jaante hai ... kitne maheene ho gaye the tumhe aise muskuraate hue dekhe ... hum naa ... aaj bahut khush hai ... kitne dino baad tumhe aise muskuraate hue dekh rahe hai ... aur upar se do saalon baad hum Khushiji se mile ... (Arnav tried moving a bit of his hair from his forehead, but ended up smearing mud on his head) ... Arre ... yeh kya kiya ?? (she started laughing) 😆😆😆

Arnav – kya hua di ??😕 (but was delighted to see his dii laughing heartily after soo many months) ...

Anjali – (goes in and takes out his cell and clicks his pic ) ... yeh ... (still controlling her laughter) ...

Arnav – oh !! ... thodi si toh mitti thi ... (now mocking an anger) ... aap mera mazaak uda rahi ho ?? ...

Anjali – nai nai ... (still laughing ) ... woh toh hume bass ... yaad hai chotte ... woh din ... jab khushiji ne apne chehre pe besan laga diya tha ... kitna hase the hum uss din ... aur tum bhi ...

Arnav – (remembering with a smile on his face) ... haan di ... uss din mujhe nainital jaana tha ...😍 (remembering the nainital moments) ...

Anjali – haan ... (noticing the seeds packets) ... arrey yeh kisne diya ?? ... yeh yaha ke toh nahi lag rahe ... kahi se mangwaaya kya ?? ...

Arnav – woh ...Yaha pe nai milte dii ... London se hai ...  Khu...(almost blurting out ,when Anjali raised an eyebrow😉😉) ... mere ek dost ne diya hai ...

Anjali – (shocked) ... Dost ??? aur tumhare ?? 😲... chotte tumhare dost bhi hai .???😲😆😆...

Arnav – comeon dii ... cant i have friends ?? (almost irritated) ...

Anjali – humne aise kab kaha ... hum toh bass ... (almost telling he wasn't the types to have friends , but decided to shut up) ... khair chodo ... khana lag gaya hai ... aap jaldi se neeche aa jaao ... aur nahakar aana ... poore ghar mai hume mitti nahi chahiye ...

Arnav – diii ... (pleading her to let this pass) ...

Anjali – decide kar lo  chotte ...ab toh hum bula rahe hai ... nahi aaye toh payal aa jaayegi ... aur poori diabetes , raat ko bina khaye ke sone ke baare mai , tumhare sehat ke baare mai lecture degi ... hume toh aap mana kar denge ... par tumhari us pyaari si choti behen ko kaise mana kar paaoge ?? ...(she smiled mischievously) ...

Arnav – fine dii ... aap jaao mai aata hoo ...

Anjali – waise chotte ... tumne bataya nahi ki Khushiji aur Kaajal ,Sunday ko aa rahe hai ...

Arnav – Aap ko kaise ??😲😲😲 (shocked) ... aapne mera msg pada (she nodded) ... plzzz diii kisi ko kuch mat kehna ...Kaajal mujhe maar daalegi ab ... 😉

Anjali – arre waah ... mile ek din nahi hua ... aur aap unse itna darr rahe hai ...😆😆😆

Arnav – mai kisi se nahi darta dii ... woh toh bas usne mana kiya tha kehne se ... bol rahi thi surprise hai ... (shaking her head , Anjali was leaving) ... please di ... keep it a secret (she turned and smiled at his childishness) ..

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Sunday Evening :

Arnav : Kab aa rahi ho tum ?? (on his phone)

Kaajal : Yup on our way ... this stupid evening traffic ...arre sambhalke Khush !!!...

Arnav could hear another woman complain about speed and traffic rules to them.

Arnav : What ?? ... Khushi is driving ??? 😲😲

Kaajal : (to Arnav) unfortunately yes🤔 ... and madam seems to be in full mood to kill anyone on or near the road ... (Khushi puts a sudden break) ... (to Khushi) hey bhaggu !!! was it necessary Khush ??? ...

Khushi : yeh kabse one way ban gaya ... ???😕

Kaajal : Tats why I told you to take left u idiot !!! .😡... great now we are lost !!

Arnav : Lost ??? (confused) 😕

Khushi : we are not !!! ... we just need directions ...

Arnav : tum log kaha ho ?? ...

Kaajal : duh uh ... road pe ... aur kaha ...😆😆😆.

Arnav : give the phone to her ...

Kaajal : (taking out her Bluetooth and fixing it to Khushi's ear,while Khushi fidgets )... ek min ...

Khushi : kyaa hai ?? kyaa kar rahi hai ?? ...😡😡(irritated)

Arnav : Khushi ... (she just froze for a min)😲 ... Khushi ... can you hear me ??? (still no reaction) ... (kaajal checked the phone if it was disconnected 😆😆and nudged Khushi to speak) ... Khushi ???

Khushi: jiii ... (bit nervous and embarrassed)

Arnav : tum kaha ho ?? ... (the next 15 mins went in him giving directions to her and Khushi driving and finally reaching Shantivan)

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All the Raizaadas were waiting at the entrance for them while JP had gone to receive them. As soon as Payal saw her sister , she squealed and rushed and hugged her .

Payal : Khushiii !!!! ... kaisi ho ??? main tumhe kitna miss kar rahi thi ... (while her sister hugged her and started to rant about how much she missed Payal and stuff)

Just then Khushi entered and

Khushi : jiji ?? ... 😆😆😆

Payal : (shocked) ... Khushi ??? 😲... toh yeh ?? ... (mocked anger) ... Kaajal ... 😡

Kaajal : (laughing) ... sorry ... couldn't control myself from fooling you 😈... aur aap toh aise dekh rahi hai ki mujhe dekhkar aapko koi Khushi nai hui ??😆😆😆 ... not fair diii ...

Khushi : (shaking her head at her twin's antics) ... jiji ... (she hugged Payal) ... hum ne aapko kitna miss kiya aaapko pata hai ?? ...

The rest of the time went in all the Raizaada women hugging and greeting Khushi , while being acquainted to Kaajal and Priya . after the refreshments were done , everyone sat in the hall discussing random and boring topics about life in London, sarees , jewellery etc etc . Kaajal looked at Khushi and Arnav with a tortured expression pleading atleast one of them to save her😆😆. Khushi just shrugged her shoulders at her helplessness which made Kaajal frown.Aakash excused himself from the talk feigning a phone call and left smirking at Arnav, Kaajal and Khushi 😉😉. Now it was only Arnav and Mamu caught in the ladies talk.Mamu looked unaffected since he was used to it ,considering the fact that he was married to Manorama Raizaada.👎🏼 But Arnav couldn't take it any longer .

Arnav : Kaajal , Khushi ... kyun na hum poolside pe jaake Phoenix collections ke baare mai discuss kare ?? ... kuch toh kaam ho jaayega ... 👏👏

Anjali : yeh kya chotte ?? aap is waqt bhi kaam ke baare mai soch rahe hai ???

Arnav : comeon diii ... yaha pe baithke ladies talk mai bore hone se toh kaam better hai ... 😆😆

Khushi : Anjaliji ... waise bhi agar aaj doubts clear kar sakte hai toh kal koi problem nahi hogi naa ... waise bhi hume kal se kaam shuru karna padega na ...

Priya : theek hai ... (knowing very well that the girls were getting annoyed) ... and Kaajal ,Khushi ... no shaitaani ...

Kaajal & Khushi : (making a small salute) ... I I MA'AM ... (and rushed behind Arnav) ... 👍🏼

At Arnav's Garden :

Kaajal : cool ... this garden is maintained brilliantly ... sadu !! I am pukka sure that ki tum apne gardener ko kaafi acchi salary dete hoge ...

Arnav : thanks ... but I don't need to hire a gardener ... (Kaajal looked quizzically at him )

Khushi : (blurted out) ... yeh khud iski dekhbaal karte hai ... 😳

Kaajal : really ???? (quite shocked) ... acchi baat hai ... agar kuch saal baad tumhara company faayde mai naa rahe toh kam se kam ek nursery start kar sakte ho 😆😆... (looking at a flower) ... wow !!! this is really cute ... shucks !!!! Main apna mobile bhool aayi ... jes a sec ... I ll b bak ...

Khushi – kaa ... (shocked that her sister left her alone with Arnav) ... 😕

What followed was an awkward silence for a while with both stealing glances at each other ,waiting for the other to start talking. And both almost turned towards each other to talk and looked at each other with a shocked expression. It was Khushi broke the eye contact and turned her head sideways ,looking at the leaves with keen interest .Not able to take it any longer Arnav decided to speak .

Arnav – Khushi .( in his usual husky voice,she stilled but didnt look at him) ... Thank you ...

Khushi – (suddenly turning towards him with a shocked expression) ... jii ??😲 Kya kaha aapne ?? 😲😲

Arnav – maine kaha... thank you ...(her face still had a big question mark etched all over it,probably wondering why he was thanking her) ... for the seeds ... and for everything ...

Khushi – oh !!! ... umeed hai ki aapki koi kaam aayegi ... hume zyaada pata nahi iss baare mai ... toh us nursery waale ne jo diya India ke climate ke liye ... woh utha laaye ...

Arnav – they are perfect ... Mere purane phoolon ke paudhe dry ho rahe the ... aur main kuch change karna chahta tha garden mai ... so tumhara gift perfect time pe aaya ...

Khushi – aap isse badalna chahte hai ??? par kyun ??? .😕😕... all the plants look fine and healthy ...

Not knowing how to breach another topic with her, he started to show around his plants , explaining her how some were ill , how some of them had reached their age to dry out ... how some of them were infected and how to find out if any of the leaves were infected or not . How to use the tools , he even went out to the extent of explaining her about the different quantities and types of manure needed for different plants. Khushi stood there like a obedient student listening to all of it , while Kaajal who had come back sometime back saw them talking and decided to save Payal out of the misery and went bak to Payal's room .😉😉😉

Everything felt easy with Khushi , thought Arnav . It was like he could talk to her forever. While it was dark due to sunset ,both he and Khushi took a couple of pots near the poolside lamp to check on the status of the plants . While he was keenly observing a leaf , Khushi chuckled looking at his expression. Arnav looked at her wondering what was funny ...

Khushi – you should be a botany lecturer... (she laughed ) 😆😆😆

Arnav – I would prefer taking that as a compliment ...

Khushi – main aapko offend nahi karna chahti thi ...🤔 (wondering if he would go back to ASR mode) ...

Arnav – I know ...

A chill wind started to blow and small drops of rain started to fall all around .

Arnav – Khushi ... tum andar jaao ... Main inhe waha rakhke aata hooon ... (holding a couple of pots . Khushi being Khushi , decided to help him by taking another pot . ) ... toh tum abhi bhi kisi ki bhi baat nahi sunti ...😉. (shaking his head )

Khushi – (shrugged ) ... chale ...

Arnav nodded and they both rushed to keep the pots while it started to pour heavily . They ran near the glass door which was surprisingly jammed. Both of them tried to open the door and found themselves in the same position as that of the Diwali night ,two and a half years back . 😳😳😳

Many things happened at once , a transformer burst somewhere near with a loud bang almost like a gunshot , a couple of unknown girls near the transformer screamed due to the suddenness of the event ,the power went off and after a couple of seconds there was a string of lightning and thunder everywhere . He felt her shiver near him and lose control, so he held her trying to prevent her from falling.

"Om prakash ... generator on Karo ... jaldi ... ",screamed Arnav , knowing that Khushi was afraid of darkness. But when the lights came back , the sight in front of him made all the blood drain out of Arnav's face .

There ... stood in front of him ... Khushi whose eyes spoke of unseen horror ... tears flowing out of them ... gasping for breath while she muttered words inaudible to anyone ...shaking and shivering horribly out of control ... holding on to Arnav for dear life ...asthough some one would lurk out of the shadows and take out her life ...