Valley of Flowers Chapter 24

ARNAV came down the stairs and saw the entire Raizada family, including mamaji and mamiji seated in the living room in deep discussion. They fell silent the moment they saw him.

‘Bhai!’ Akash exclaimed. ‘Weren’t you supposed to be back tomorrow?’

‘I came in a day early.’  He replied tersely.

Naniji got up and came up to him. ‘Khushi didn’t come back home yesterday night Chotte,’ she said lines of concern creasing her forehead. ‘I assumed that she had gone to her parents’ house. I found out this morning that she is not there. I was worried and called Akash as I didn’t know how to reach you.’

The doorbell rang and the Garima walked in along with Buaji ‘Why did you call us Arnav bitwa?’ she asked worriedly. ‘Is everything alright?’

‘Khushi is missing since yesterday Amma,’ Payal informed her with a low voice.

‘Bhai, do you think we should call the police?’ Akash asked.

‘No Akash, we don’t need to.’ Arnav said to everyone’s surprise.

‘Thank God you know where she is!’ Naniji exclaimed with relief.

‘No Nani I don’t,’ he said looking at Garima intently. ‘But I am sure her mother does.’ His mother-in-law needed to answer a few pertinent questions.

‘What are you saying Arnav bitwa?’ Garima said with shock.

Arnav gave her the letter and once she finished reading it, tears started rolling down her cheeks. Garima was silent. Buaji snatched the letter from Garima and read through it.

‘I knew this was going to happen!’ She exclaimed emphatically. She looked at Arnav scornfully. ‘Didn’t I tell you this girl had bad blood on the day of your wedding? That day you defended her saying it was the bring up that was important. Now look what she has done.’

‘Jiji please be quiet!’ Garima begged.

‘No, I am not going to be quiet today,’ Buaji retorted. She looked at Arnav. ‘Five years ago this shameless girl cavorts with you and your mother gave us a good dressing down for that.

‘She came home and insulted my brother and sister-in-law about Khushi’s bring up. She saidKhushi had set a trap for her son because he was rich. She also saidshe was not a fool like her brother who had got his son married to Payal. She wanted to get you married to a girl of your level --Lavanya Kashyap.’

Arnav looked at Garima his eyes burning with and his heart filled with dread. ‘Is it true aunty?’

‘Yes,’ she whispered in anguish. ‘Your mother -- warned Khushi to stay away from you.’

‘When was this?’

‘On the morning of Akash and Payal’s wedding day.’

The day of Akash and Payal’s wedding flashed before his eyes. She had ignored him the entire day, had got into an argument with him later, under the stairs and had refused to talk to him all through the wedding in the evening.Khushi seemed to have changed overnight.

‘These people are lying saale saab!’ Shyam exclaimed suddenly. ‘How can they accuse mother-in-law like that? Especially now, when she is no more? Can she come and defend herself?

‘They are trying to cover up for their wanton daughter’s behaviour. She must have done all this for money.’

Arnav’s eyes darkened at Shyam’s insinuation about Khushi, and was also a little surprised by his outcry. He was the last person he had expected to speak up in support of his mother. How much did he even know her?

‘No!’ Garima exclaimed. ‘Sharadaji gave Khushi the money to go away to Mumbai.She cried the entire night after your mom left our house. ‘I didn’t even console the poor soul,’ Garima lamented. ‘All that girl has craved for, all her life is a little love and affection. I failed her miserably! I had always been a little reserved with that sweet girl because I didn’t want to offend my in-laws and also because I had been bogged down by family tragedy in the past.’

She looked at Arnav, her eyes pleading for understanding. ‘I didn’t know what happened between you two at the time but I realized later that Khushi genuinely loved you.’

I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU

Arnav remembered how she had chanted over and over again as he made love to her under the banyan tree. It was at this beautiful moment under the banyan tree, when she gave herself with abandon, had he realized that Khushi had come to mean a lot to him in the last few months.

But had he told that to the girl who had trusted him implicitly? N0. He had equivocated.

‘Even if my sister-in-law did offer money, Khushi could have refused,’ Mamiji interjected.

‘At the time even I was surprised that she took the money,’ Garima said quietly. ‘But she later told me that Sharadaji threatened to ---‘ She paused.‘ ---Khushi didn’t want to see her babuji in trouble.’

‘How dare you accuse my mother-in-law of blackmail?’ Shyam exclaimed. ‘Do you think a woman of her stature would have stooped so low as to implicate your husband in fraud?’

Garima looked nonplussed as she shook her head. ‘I was trying to say that she threatened to stop Akash and Payal’s wedding if Khushi didn’t comply with her demands. Payal’sbabuji would have been devastated ---’

‘Oh no!’Nanaiji put a hand to her head. ‘Sharada…’

‘Don’t believe their lies Naniji!’ Shyam told her.

‘I agree with damadji. ‘Sharada was spoilt and arrogant but even I find it hard to believe what these people are accusing her of. I think they are lying!’

‘Amma, please don’t say thing likes that.’ Akash said in his mother-in-laws’ defence.

Arnav walked up to Shyam and raised his hand and slapped him right across his face. A shocked gasp went through the room as everyone froze with shock.

‘Arnav!’ Shyam roared back in anger holding a hand to his cheek.

‘So my mother blackmailed Khushi,’ Arnav said brown eyes simmering with intense rage. ‘How did you know about that?’Anjali’s analysis of Shyam’s nature a week ago, had made him extra perceptive. In the midst of the chaos he had not missed Shyam’s goof up. 

‘I never said that! It was she –‘

Arnav slapped him again. ‘Aunty never mentioned fraud. You said my mother wouldn’t have stooped sow low as to implicate Khushi’s father in fraud. If she didn’t – then you must have.’

‘Have you gone mad Arnav?’ Mamiji exclaimed. ‘Why are you hitting damadji like this? How can you believe these people over your own family?’

‘They are my family too!’ He said loudly and clearly.

‘You are angry because, you went against us to support Khushi in this house!After all that you did for her, what does she do? She leaves you with this.’ She waved the letter in her hand.

‘NO!’ He roared. ‘Everything that Khushi wrote in this letter is a lie,’ Arnav said defiantly. ‘She only wrote this letter because I told her about a letter my mother gave me after she had left me five years ago – a letter she never wrote in the first place.’

A little while ago

As he paced about his room, hehad accidentally stepped on a plastic bag and as he kicked it aside, a small square object slipped out of it. It looked like a walk man. He took the bag and spilled its contents on the floor. They belonged to Khushi. It looked like she had forgotten this bag in a hurry.

He squatted on the floor as a familiar object caught his eye. It was a tattered navy blue T-shirt with the words –“I was an atheist …..until I realized I was God” written on it. It used to be his. He remembered that this was the t-shirt he wore when he had rescued Khushi from the hooligans at the Shiv-Gauri mandir. He had asked her to get rid of it so no one in the house found out.

He found more. The movie tickets of the movie where he had held her hand, a paper napkin from the Taj Mahal resort where they had spent New Year’s eve before Akash and Payal’s wedding, hoards of picture clippings of his articles in some business magazine in the past five years.

On a second look, he realized that walk-man was his too. He had given it to Khushi ten years ago during their trip to the Valley of Flowers. The he saw a diary dated ten years ago. He opened it.

There were picture clippings of Madhuri Dixit in some movie. He read through some of the things she had written and his jaw tightened at the plight of the thirteen year old girl.

“Today again Buaji told me about me about not being their blood. I don’t understand because we both have the same blood group”

“What can I do if my teacher recommended me to the old Mrs Raizada for the dance classes? I don’t even want to go there, but now she says I have to go. I will do anything as long as she doesn’t talk ill of my sweet amma”

“Anjaliji is planning to take jiji and me to Dehradun during the holidays. My amma used to tell me that her nani lived in a small town near there. I am so excited.”

There seemed to be a few pages missing from the diary and then there was a page where she had written Arnav plus Khushi inside a heart shaped design in the center of the page while she seemed to have scribbled her signature all around it. On closer inspection, he realized that the letter K was beautifully blended with the letter A making it look like one single letter. Something flashed to him.

He looked for the letter he had thrown on the floor, picked it up and straightened it out. Her signature was the same. She signed in English and not hindi. He hurried to the wardrobe and opened the drawer. He took out a diary and found the letter he had preserved for the last five years – the one his mother had given to him when he had come back home. The sign was in hindi. Not only that, the handwriting in the letter was different from the one Khushi had left for him. She did tell him that she hadn’t written any letter. So why had his mother told him that it was Khushi’s? Who had written this letter?

Now he knew who had written that letter five years ago. He looked at Shyam and walked toward him. ‘I thought the letter had been written by Khushi because it was in pure Lucknowi hindi.’ He caught hold of his collar. ‘What I --and probably you --didn’t know Shyam, was that Khushi doesn’t sign in hindi. You wrote that letter five years ago. Why would you do something like this to people you didn’t even know?’

 Arnav raised his hand to punch him when Shyam screamed, ‘Rani Sahiba!’

Just as Arnav loosened his grip, Shyam ran toward his wife who was standing just inside the main door with Dr Manav on her side. ‘Your brother has gone mad! He is saying ---‘

‘I know Shyam,’ Anjali said quietly. ‘I heard everything.’ She raised her hand and slapped him hard, tears streaming down her cheeks.

‘Di!’ Arnav rushed to his sister who would have collapsed if Manav hadn’t caught her in time. He looked at Manav, ‘what happened to Di?’

Manav looked at Arnav and spoke gravely. ‘On Khushi’s birthday we went to return the slipper she was wearing when she fell from the stairs. They told us that the slipper hadn’t cut because of wear and tear. It had been neatly cut with a blade.’ He looked at Shyam intently.

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ He exclaimed. ‘Why would I want to do that?’

Anjali looked at him, her eyes flashing with anger. ‘Because you wanted to be the sole beneficiary of dad’s house.’

 ‘What nonsense!’ Shyam exclaimed. ‘Are you accusing me just because babuji wrote the will in my name?’

‘No, I am accusing you because you killed him!’ Her voice echoed all over the house.

‘What ?’ Arnav was astounded by his sister’s words.

‘You know babuji died of a heart attack in the hospital.’Shyam looked at Manav. ‘You were there Dr Manav.’

‘Something triggered the wheezing that led to his heart attack,’ Dr Manav said. ‘I checked at the hospital. You were the one who came to give him lunch that afternoon.’

‘So what?’ he countered. ‘Anyone could have come in after me.’

‘Let’s not waste our time with him Manav,’ Anjali interposed herself. ‘We found Raju with the black mail money you paid him for his silence.’

Shyam went completely still.

Dr Manav explained that after realizing that her slipper had been tampered with, Anjali and he and gone to Ashray to enquire with the proprietors about her dad’s care. There they had found that the boy Raju, who had been assigned to take care of him had absconded to his village in UP since the day Anjali’s dad was admitted to the hospital. Through his friend, they had traced him to the village and after a week of search had found his house. When the police took him in for questioning he had confessed to everything.

In the blink of an eye Shyam ran across the hall and into the utility to get to the back door. Arnav was on his heels and caught him just as he reached the garden. Arnav had him pinned against a tree and began pummelling his face.

‘Where the f#$% is she?’ he raged. ‘Where is Khushi?’

‘I don’t know!’ He screamed in pain when he received a blow to his gut.

‘Don’t play games with me Shyam! I know you have a hand in this.’

‘I swear I don’t know where she is,’ Shyam said as blood oozed from a cut in the lip.After a couple of punches more he began to beg. ‘Stop! Don’t hit me!I really don’t know where she is!’ He screamed and a malevolent look entered his eyes. ‘I guess she ran away in shame when she found out that her mom had been having an affair with your dad!’

The entire Raizada family who had just followed them, gasped in shock while Arnav froze. ‘What?’

Shyam slipped his hand into his pocket and took out the photograph of Arnav’s dad and Khushi’s mother and threw it on the floor. ‘See for yourself.’

As Arnav picked up the photograph, his face went pale.

Anjali came up to him and took the photograph. ‘This photograph is obviously fake!’ She said emphatically. ‘Dad didn’t have any affair.’

Arnav looked at Anjali his eyes brimming with unshed tears.

‘Arnav?’ she said and began shaking her head.

‘I found this photo in your father’s belongings, Anjali,’ Shyam began to laugh. ‘Look --the sort of family you come from!’ He jeered. ‘Mom was a conniving b@#$%, dad was an adulterer and your brother has probably married his own half-sister because the lady in that picture is none other than Khushi’s mother!’

As an audible gasp went through the family members, Arnav lunged at Shyam and wrapped his hands around his.‘One more lie from your mouth and you won’t be fit enough to talk!’  Akash and Manav rushed to his side and extricated him with effort.

‘Why don’t you ask your …..current mother-in-law Garimaji?’ Shyam coughed out. ‘Ask her if this photograph is fake.’

Everyone looked toward Garima staring at the photograph in her hand. Her face looked like she had just seen a ghost. She raised her head and looked at Arnav. ‘Arun Malik was your father?’ she whispered.

‘Oh God!’ Anjali exclaimed in horror. ‘Is it --- true? My father and Khushi’s mother?’

Arnav felt like the entire world was falling around him. He didn’t want to hear the answer. He began  to walk away from there when he heard Garima’s yell out.

‘No No No! The woman in the picture is not Khushi’s mother!

Arnav stopped in his tracks and turned around, his face twisted in confusion.

‘She is Khushi’s aunt Gauri – her mother Gayatri’s twin sister.’

Arnavfelt the life seep back into him. He turned toward the policemen. ‘I think you should take him now,’ He indicated toward Shyam. ‘I am pretty sure Khushi gave Shyam fifty lakhs. You can confirm by checking the serial number from my bank. I am not sure he is telling the truth about Khushi’s whereabouts. Get it out of him.’

Manav accompanied the police assuring Anjali that he would take care of the formalities.

Arnavurged everyone to go back into the house. Once everyone had taken their seats he turned toward Garima. ‘Khushi’s mother had a twin sister? She never told me.’

‘We have been living together for more than twenty five years and she hasn’t told us!’ Buaji grated.

‘Payal’s father knows,’ Garima said quietly.‘I swear I did not know that  your dad was Arun Malik --- Since Sharadaji and you had the name Raizada we never could make that connection.’

‘Please continue aunty.’ Arnav urged.

‘Gauri and Gayatri were my beautiful, identical twin sisters, older to me by three years. They were inseparable and had decided to marry brothers or best friends so that they could live close to each other.’ She reminisced with a wistful smile.

‘Our family were very good friends with the Maliks and socialized a lot with them. Arun was their only son and Ajay was his best friend. We all grew up together.’

‘During the summer Arun came home after completing his engineering in Delhi, he and Gauri realized that their friendship had turned into something much deeper. Luckily for them, our fathers decided that Gauri and Arun should get married so that the friendship could be turned into a family relationship. Arun and my sister was ecstatic that they had their elders’ blessings. Around the same time Gayatri had also fallen in love with Ajay.’

‘Shameless girls!’Buaji commented.

‘It’s not a crime to fall in love Buaji,’ Anjali interjected. ‘Please continue auntyji.’

‘Four years later, as Gauri completed her degree, my father brought up the topic with Arun’s father. To his shock, his friend told him that he had never taken that verbal promise seriously and had fixed Arun’s match elsewhere. He did not divulge information of the match and my father was too proud to ask. He came back home hurt and angry and declared that he would get Gauri married to someone else. He forbade her to meet Arun.’

‘But Arun managed to meet Gauri somehow and explained to her that he was not interested in the match and begged her to elope with him. But she refused. She told him that she couldn’t put Gayatri and my marriages at stake. She advised him to go back and marry the girl of his father’s choice.’

‘Sounds like a movie story,’ Mamiji said caustically.

‘It’s not a story!’ Naniji retorted. ‘Garimaji is telling the truth.’ She looked at Arnav and Anjali.

‘We saw your father for the first time at a common friend’s wedding in Delhi,’ Naniji began. ‘Your Nanaji and I realized that Sharada was very taken in by him. So we enquired about him and found out that he was almost engaged to another girl. The marriage broker told their match was “written in the stars”

‘Sharada was very upset and insisted that she would marry only him or not marry at all. Your Nanaji was forced to send the proposal to Mr Malik. He responded positively and the marriage was fixed.’

‘What happened to Gauri?’ Naniji said softly.

‘She refused to marry anyone. Dad was already under stress when he found out about Gayatri and Ajay. He refused to let Gayatri marry him. As a result she declared she wouldn’t marry either. But Ajay loved Gayatri so much that he told her he would wait for her as long as it took.’

‘Unable to explain to his relatives, my father sent both my sisters to live with our naniji in a small town near Dehradun. He began to search alliances for me and with great difficulty I finally married Payal’s father. Soon after that my dad passed away.’

‘You hid the fact that you had a sister until Gayatri came to our house when you were pregnant with Payal,’ Buaji said angrily.

‘According to my dad they both were dead. He didn’t think he was hiding any information.’ Garima explained. ‘Gayatri was forced to come because I was confined to bed in the final stages of my pregnancy.My mother was sick herself and Gauriw ent to Lucknow to tend to her.

‘The moment Gayatri saw Payal, she knew she wanted to get married and have a child of her own. She and Ajay took my mother’s blessings, married and settled down in Lucknow taking care of my mother. Gauri went back to Dehradun. In three years Khushi was born.

‘Gauri came to Lucknow to take care of Gayatri and she fell in love with Khushi so much that she stayed with her for a year.’

Arnav turned toward Garima ‘Dad met a woman at a fair when I was seven years old. It was Gauri wasn’t it?’

Garima nodded her head sadly. ‘Gauri suddenly expressed her wish to go to the fair that day. Normally she didn’t go anywhere but that day she wanted to – for some reason. She found you, lost and crying and when she waited for your parent’s to show up she was shocked to see Arun.

‘They talked for a long while catching up about their lives. Arun wanted to meet her again but she had refused. The next morning Gauri packed her bags and left.

‘Arun came by a few weeks later to Gayatri’s house as she was living in my father’s old house. When Gayatri told him she had gone back to Dehradun he decided to go there to meet her. Gayatri panicked and called Gauri.

‘When Arun reached Dehradun he had no idea of the shock that awaited him. Gauri had consumed poison and was dead.’

‘That’s when dad met with the accident,’ Arnav said slowly looking at Anjali. ‘He was on the way back from Dehradun.’

‘It wasn’t anybody’s fault,’ Garima said. ‘Gayatri told me that Gauri had been depressed from a long time. When she saw Khushi it had gotten worse because she had come to realize she could never have such a child of her own. She was a broken woman.

‘She didn’t want your father to leave his family and come to her at such a vulnerable stage in her life. She was afraid she would give in to him as she still loved him..That is why she took her own life.’

A little later, Arnav dropped Garima and Buaji home. After Buaji had gone inside the house, Garima shut the door and stepped out in the porch.

‘Arnav bitwa,’ she began in a low-voice. ‘Khushi was very small when she came to live with us. ‘Since Khushi’s mother had refused to marry and eventually married her love after so many years, jiji had a bad impression about her. Sheincessantly taunted Khushi about coming from bad blood. I wish I had stopped her. I wish I had told her about her mother and Gauri.

‘That is the only reason why Khushi believed Shyam. I hope my little girl is okay.’ She began to cry.

‘I will find her aunty. I promise.’

He came back home and went to straight to Anjali’s room. She lay on nani’s lap crying. She sat up and hugged him.

‘I am sorry I didn’t believe you earlier Di --,’ Arnav said, ‘—about mom.’ He looked at Naniji. ‘I don’t even know her anymore.’

‘It was our fault really,’ Naniji said sadly. ‘Your Nanaji pampered Sharada a lot as she was his favourite. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. He would get her things before she would ask for it. Mahendra’s resentment for your mother starts from this fact.

‘After Sharada got married to your dad, she realized her mistake. She realized that though she had managed to get him physically, he was lost to her mentally. He was a perfect husband to her but her insecurities made her a bad wife. It miffed her to no end that she couldn’t make him dance to her whims and fancies. She couldn’t adjust with his middle class family in Lucknow and urged him to move to Delhi. He refused. When Anjali was born, she came here and refused to go back until he came and cajoled her to go back with him.

‘Then you were born and it seemed like things were okay for a few years. Then he met with the accident and things went downhill from there.

‘Once she lost your dad she latched on to you, Chotte. So much that she ignored Anjali her eldest who also needed her love.

‘Your Nanaji and I worried about her behaviour but what could we do? She was our daughter. We felt bad for her.’

‘So all that she did was a result of her insecurities,’ Arnav surmised rubbing his eyes.‘She sent Khushi away from me and brought Shyam into your life. God she ruined our lives didn’t she Di?’

Anjali sat next to him. ‘No Arnav,’ she touched his cheek. ‘She couldn’t quiet manage to do that. The love Khushi and you have,is too strong for that.’

‘But Di, you didn’t deserve the life she chose for you.’

‘Mom was too disturbed to comprehend the consequences of her actions Arnav,’ Anjali said serenely. ‘She had a failed marriage behind her, she knew you were upset about Khushi, her dad had just died and her brother was kicking her out of the house. Shyam had pushed her into a corner. She had no choice but to give in to his demands.‘I wish she had confided in me. I could have helped her.’

‘Di, take care of yourself first,’ Arnav said, ‘you have gone through quiet a trauma yourself. You know I am there for you, right?’

‘Now that I know I have my brother backing me up I have nothing to worry about do I?’ She smiled through her tears. ‘I have my whole life ahead of me. I am not going to sit and mope around.’ She wiped her tears.

‘She never understood that she was the other woman, did she?’Arnav said out of the blue.

‘What?’ Anjali’s eyebrows snapped together in confusion.

‘I am talking about mom. Think about it Di,’ Arnav said, ‘dad might have been happy if he had ended up with Gauri and mom might have been happy if she had met the person meant for her.’

‘I still can’t believe dad was in love with another woman.’ Anjali said. ‘Aren’t you angry with him Arnav?’

‘For the first time in years I am not,’ he said. ‘In fact I think I finally understand why he became that way.’

‘That’s because you have finally understood what it is to be in love,’ Nanijisaid. She looked up at him. ‘I know you don’t believe in all this…..but Khushi and you are also written in the stars, chotte.’ Naniji said, reminding him about his childhood days when she used to tell him mythological stories of prince and princesses.

‘I believe Nani.  said simply and nodded his head.

It was the wee hours of the morning, when Arnav went back to his room. He looked at the items Khushi had collected over the years and his eyes filled with tears. The time he had spent burning in hatred, Khushi had only loved him more and more. Five precious years.An image of an eighteen year old Khushi as she stood in front of his mother, flashed in front of his eyes and he fell on his knees tears flowing down his cheeks.

His agonized cry echoed through the walls of the huge Raizada House and up the heavens above, loud enough to pierce the heart of humans and ghosts alike.

Valley of Flowers Chapter 23

ARNAV sat at the restaurant of the Orchard Hotel of the famous Orchard street in Singapore, sipping his coffee as he scrolled down the news on his ipad. Coincidentally, this restaurant was also called the Orchard Café.

Having lived in US for a long time, he was used to eating bland continental breakfast. But now he stood in front of the cooking station trying his best to ask the chinese cook to make his omelette extra spicy. The clueless man handed him a bottle of Tobasco sauce. How did Khushi make the omelette so tasty? He had a sudden craving for her parathas. What had she done to his palate?

It was two days since he had come to Singapore and he hated every single minute of it. He missed Khushi like crazy. He missed seeing her facefirst thing in the morning and the last thing before he went to sleep. The nights were the toughest. He missed having her in his arms, sifting his hand through her hair, making love to her, her warm body plastered to his while they slept.

He had to get over this addiction. He was a businessman and he had to travel. There was no way he was going to be able to take her everywhere he went. It wouldn’t be fair on her as she had her dance classes to think about. He thought about the impending month-long US trip. What was he going to do?He wanted to hear her voice. He checked the time. It was too early to call her. Dammit!

Contrary to what Arnav was thinking, back in India Khushi wasn’t asleep at all, thrashing about as she was ensconced in the grip of a nightmare. Someone was chasing her in a dark alley and she was trying to escape him until she had hit a dead end. As she tried to calm her pounding heart, she heard a knock on the door and opened it to find Shyam standing there.

‘What are you doing here Shyamji?’ Khushi was aghast when Shyam walked into the room casually.

He stopped and turned around looking at her contemptuously. ‘You know what I am doing here Khushiji. I am here to remind you that we had a deal.’

‘Look Shyamji, this is inappropriate.’ Khushi whispered. ‘This is not the time or place for this discussion. Please leave.’

‘This is what happens if you don’t pick up calls Khushiji,’ he sneered. ‘Did you think you could just avoid me and I would do nothing?’

‘Shyamji please,’ she implored, ‘what if someone sees you here?’

Shyam turned around, ‘Who is there to hear us?’ He sat on the bed.

It suddenly struck Khushi that there was no one in the house except for Naniji. Anjali was in Lucknow for a seminar and Payal and Akash had gone over to spend a couple of days in Mr Malhotra’s farm house with NK and Ria.

Shyam looked at the bed and at her and a salacious look entered his eyes. ‘Fate has given us this wonderful opportunity to be together Khushiji.’

Khushi moved back all the way toward the door, her entire body quaking with rage. ‘Get out!’ she bit out, tears filling her eyes. She was ready for flight but she didn’t want to worry Naniji unnecessarily.

‘Don’t you have any pity Khushiji? Do you know how insipid Anjali is in bed? It was a total waste marrying her.’

‘Stop it!’ Khushi felt bile rise in her throat.‘Don’t talk about Di like that!’

‘She is not like you Khushiji,’ he looked up at her. ‘You are so beautiful…vivacious’ He stood up and began walking toward her.

Then he continued. ‘I saw you throw water on Arnav and run -- that night in the kitchen. That was so provocative. Any man would want to come after you and carry you in his arms -- the way Arnav did.’ He stopped in front of her, his eyes sweeping over her lasciviously. ‘I want -- that Khushiji.’

Khushi raised her hand and slapped him hard across his cheek, using the force of her entire body.

‘I should have done this a long time ago,’ Khushi spat out. ‘You should be ashamed of yourself! You married Di with wrong intentions – for her money! How dare you?

Khushi raised her voice uncaring of who might hear her. ‘It was my mistake that I entertained the thought of giving in to your blackmail. I am not going to give you any money. Now get out of this room!’

Shaym held a hand to his cheek, completely flabbergasted by Khushi’s rancour. He didn’t want Naniji to wake up. He quickly stepped out of the room and looked back at her. ‘You know what this means don’t you Khushiji?’

‘I know!’ Khushi spat out in anger. ‘I have decided to tell Arnav the truth about what happened when he gets back from Singapore. Di deserves to be rid of a man like you.’

‘You think Arnav will believe you over his own mother?’ Shyam voiced her own fears. ‘Do you think Anjali will believe you over me?’

Khushi shut the door and leaned against it weakly tears streaming down her cheeks.

Shyam Manohar Jha paced about in the living room of his house seething with insane rage. Khushi had slapped him. How dare she? He would have to teach her a lesson she wasn’t going to forget in a long time. The phone rang and Shyam’s face contorted in anger as he saw the caller id.

‘Didn’t I tell you to stop calling me?’ he barked into the phone. ‘Stop threatening me you son of a *****! Remember we are in this together. There has been a delay. That’s all. I will have the money in a day or two. I will call you.’ He cut the phone.

Khushi refusal to give him the money had put him in deep shit. He needed money desperately.

When Anjali’s dad was admitted in Ashray about a year ago, the state of his mental health had given him the idea that it would be easy to get the old man to sign the will in his name. He knew Anjali had a copy of the original will in which the property was bequeathed to his two children.

But neither sibling cared about the property.Both of them were workaholics who only cared about their work and nothing else.For Arnav, his share of property was peanuts compared to what he made in business and Anjali would probably donate her share to Ashray for the upliftment of the retards she slogged for.But that money would be very useful to him. There had to be some incentive for marrying this Mother Theresa.Once he had made this decision, it had been easy to get his father-in-law to sign the new will in his name.

Getting him out of the way had been the obvious next step. When Dr Manav had changed the BP medication he had explained that the old medication, if continued, would have no effect due to the psychiatric drug he was taking at the time. That would cause a rise in the blood pressure levels, leading to a stroke or a heart attack. This had provided him with the perfect opportunity to get rid of the old man without suspicion. The only problem was that he couldn’t have done this on his own. He had been forced to use Raju, the boy who had been assigned to take care of him in the home. He had talked the boy into administering the old medication by bribing him with a mere 1000 rupees. Once the old man had been admitted to the hospital, he had asked Raju to hide out inhisremote village in Uttarpradesh --just in case there was an enquiry. Everything had gone according to plan but his relief was short-lived. Raju, had found out that the old man had died and his worthless little pea brain had over functioned, figuring out that he could weasel out more money. And now he called him incessantly demanding five lakhs for his silence. He was considering silencing him in a different way but that would have to wait.

Even though he had the Lucknow house in his name, encashing on it so soon would put him on radar with Anjali.On the night of Khushi’s birthday, she had informed him about the will and though he had pretended to be shocked, Anjali’s eyes seemed to be scrutinizing him deeply. And when he had feigned regret over her dad’s capricious behaviour, she had conceded with him saying she couldn’t believe that her father had changed his will just a month before his death. She seemed upset that Arnav had been cut out of the will. Her sudden attachment to her estranged brother rankled him.

Khushi’s threat to tell Arnav the truth would put him in trouble. If Arnav found out that he was involved in sending Khushi away all those years ago, he would come after him. But for that he would have to believe that his own mother plotted against him and that was highly unlikely. First, he would have to solve the money problem.

He went up to the bedroom and took out the suitcase stowed away in the loft. It belonged to his father-in-law. He would have to check and see if there was any cash, cheque or LIC policy he could use. Anything.

Khushi sat at the wheel of her new car as she drove back home after her class. But her mind was preoccupied. The early morning visit by Shyam had disturbed her deeply. She had never slapped anyone in her life. However, the vile man’sinnuendos had been too much to tolerate. Now it had become inevitable that she bring out the truth. Anjali did not deserve to live with a man like Shyam. Her heart went out to the woman who was nothing but good at heart. But how would Arnav receive the news of his mother’s betrayal? she thought in despair.

Later that night, Khushi slept on the bed, with a night light on,holding Arnav’s pillow to her breast. She blushed thinking about his call a few minutes ago, as he had told her in husky voice, how much he missed her. She missed him more.

She missed those mesmerizing brown eyes that held the power to melt her insides, she missed feeling his arm around her waist as she slept, the musky smell of his cologne, the rasp of his beard against her cheek.

The knock on the door startled her and she hurried up thinking it might be naniji and opened the door without thinking. Not again! She was shocked to find Shyam standing there. She was about to shut the door on him when he slid his foot in preventing her from doing that. He pushed the door open forcing her to step back into the room. He shut the door behind him.

‘If you don’t leave the room this instant, I will scream,’ she threatened him.

‘Go ahead,’ he challenged her. ‘You think Naniji can hear you from her room downstairs?’

She rushed to her phone, but he was quicker. ‘What have you come back here for?’ She bit out angrily. ‘I told you I am not giving you any money!’

She saw a malevolent look entering his face. He had something up his sleeve.‘I don’t need the 5 lakhs I asked you for Khushiji.’ He stated simply.

‘Then why --’

‘I need fifty.’

‘Sorry?’ Khushi was astounded.

‘I said I need fifty lakhs.’ He said slowly.

‘Have you gone mad Shyamji?’ Khushi looked at him like he had grown two horns, ‘I am telling you that I am not going to give a single rupee and you are asking me for fifty lakhs?’

‘Well, the information I had earlier was only worth that much,’ he paused. ‘But what I am going to tell you now – no, I better show you.’ He took a photograph out of his pocket and showed it to her.

Khushi stared at a black and white picture of a girl and a man, standing next to each other. The man was smiling at the camera while the girl had affectionately leaned in so her temple touched his chin.

The horrifying fact was the girl in the picture was -- her mother! And the man was definitely not her father.

‘What is this?’ Khushi whispered afraid of what she was going to hear.

Shyam snickered. ‘You tell me Khushiji. That is your mother isn’t it?’

‘Yes.’ He mother looked about seventeen in that picture.

‘Do you recognize the man in the picture?’

‘No.’ She shook her head.

‘Look closely,’ he said in his slithery voice. ‘Doesn’t he look remotely familiar to someone you met recently?’

As Khushi continued to stare at the picture, he continued. ‘I found this in ourdearest father-in-law’s belongings.’

This man was Arnav’s dad? The man in the picture was a healthy looking young man in his mid-twenties, clean shaven, his thick hair oiled and combed perfectly. Then she saw the resemblance to Arnav. They had the same brown eyes.

Her heart constricted as images of how he looked in the hospital flashed before her eyes. He had been frail with thinning grey hair and beard.

Arnav’s dad and her mother? It couldn’t be! Her beautiful, wonderful and kind mother. Memories of her mother were the only happy memories she had of her childhood.

‘Turn the picture over.’

Khushi turned the photograph over to find a name scrawled in hindi. Laali! That was the name her father-in-law had addressed her as in the hospital. Khushi knew she was spitting image of her mother in her younger days. Her father-in-law, in his state of delusion had mistaken her for her mother. The photograph slipped out of her hand, her entire body suffused by tremors. She held on to the dresser for support.

Arnav had told her that his dad was in love with a woman before he was married and had never been able to forget her. She was the “other” woman in Sharada Raizada’s life. The other woman was her mother.

Was she the same woman Arnav had seen at the fair when he was seven? Was it a chance meeting or pre-planned? Had they been in an affair? Her mind began to spin. Hey Devi Maiyya! The implications were too horrifying to imagine.

‘Please Shyamji …..don’t tell ...him.’ She got the words out with great difficulty.

‘I will not Khushiji --’ he paused, ‘if you take money from your joint account and give me fifty lakhs.’

Khushi didn’t even want to ask him how he knew about their joint account. ‘NO!

‘No?’ He looked at her lustfully.‘What else can you give me Khushiji?’

Khushi stood numbly, her brain not quiet registering his innuendo.

His bloodshot eyes swept her. ‘But I want the money more.’

‘What will I tell Arnav?’ She pleaded weakly.

‘You wouldn’t have to tell him anything because you won’t be here.’ He said calmly.

‘What?’ Her heart stopped.

‘You will have to leave him Khushiji,’ he said looking at her with malice. ‘Five years ago I was the one responsible to separate Arnav and you. I have to do it again. It is destiny don’t you see?’

Shyam was insane, realized Khushi. But he was right. There was no way she could stay with him now, knowing her own mother had ruined a happy family, separated two kids from their father. It was very clear from the photograph that she loved the man standing next to her. Her aunt had never told her anything, but buaji had taunted her about her bad blood over the years. She felt like her heart was being ripped out when she realized that Arnav and she were not meant to be.

The joint account was just activated this morning ‘Give me two days.’

Shyam smiled. ‘That’s more like it.’ Then his eyes took on a malicious glint. ‘But for some reason if you change your mind like last time, let me tell you one thing. Your precious Di will not survive the next accident.’

‘You … you caused her accident?’

‘It was a good plan but that b#$%^ survived,’ he grated with derision. ‘I wish she was as co-operative as her father.’

Khushi thought she would faint with shock. ‘You ….killed Arnav’s dad?’ she squeaked.

‘No Khushiji, I didn’t do anything,’ he said emphatically. ‘Do you remember that afternoon when you didn’t want to go the hospital with me to give his lunch?’ A glazed look entered his eyes as he continued. ‘He was thirsty and I just gave him a glass of orange juice. I couldn’t believe it when he began to wheeze. By the time I could find a doctor, he had succumbed.’

Khushi looked at him in surprise, confounded by his regret. But a chill went up her spine when he began to laugh.

Arnav was worried when he reached the Raizada House in the late evening. Khushi’s phone had been switched off since previous night.He had reached Delhi a day early as he had a surprised planned for her.

The moment he entered the bedroom he knew something was wrong. He switched on the lights in the room to find the cream curtains billowing in the breeze, dark brown upholstery on the bed neat and creaseless, the green recliner in its position. Everything looked exactly the same as he had left it. But …..

His heart pounding wildly in his chest, he opened the cupboard and found Khushi’s side of the wardrobe empty. F#$%!

No! He was not going to panic. He switched on his India phone. Tons of messages waited for him but one caught his eye. Rs 50 lakhs withdrawn from accountxxxxxx. He called the bank. They confirmed to him that Mrs Khushi Singh Raizada had withdrawn the amount from the joint account, a day ago.

Then he saw the letter on the night stand.

With fingers that shook, he opened the letter and read the contents. It felt like déjà vu as he read the pure hindi script.

Arnav,

I am going to Mumbai as I have been offered a role in a movie. I have waited so long for an opportunity like this and I didn’t want to let it go just because I happen to be married. You told me that I could have as much space I wanted and more. I am taking you up on that offer. I don’t know how long this will take. I hope you understand.

Before you left for Singapore, you asked me what was wrong with me. I didn’t know what to say to you at the time. But I have come to realize the reason for my restlessness. I miss my life in show biz -- the fame and the fortune that goes with it. This is my calling. I should never have come back. You were always right -- this life of domesticity was not for me after all.

I have hidden the fact that I am married hoping it would increase the opportunities that come my way. So, don’t come looking for me.

PS: By the way, I have borrowed some money from our joint account. You know how expensive it is to stay in Mumbai. You said we could share, right?

--Khushi

Arnav crushed the letter and threw it aside. An intense rage assailed him as he paced about the room like a caged tiger.

He saw her bangle stand on the dresser, walked up to it, picked it up and smashed it against the wall, his brown eyes filled with unshed tears as he watched it splinter into small pieces, scattering the bangles all over the floor.

His heart felt exactly the same –completely shattered.

Valley of Flowers Chapter 22

KHUSHI sat in the bath tub in the Raizada Mansion imprisoned in throes of her day dream. She remembered the love filled weekend at hotel Amarvilas, a week ago.

Her body heated up when she thought of the raw passion he had unleashed when he had taken her urgently on the dresser. But then later the same night, he had exercised utmost control and taken his time worshipping her entire body like he was a dying man quenching his thirst. Again in the wee hours of dawn, she had awakened to see him staring at her with those mesmerizing caramel eyes and she was lost in their swirling depths, willingly giving herself up as he devoured her ravenously.

Much later that morning, just she had sunk into the bathtub completely covered by bubbles and closed her eyes, grateful for the piping hot water as it soothed her sore body, Arnav had walked in and taken off his shirt revealing his perfectly toned muscles . ‘I thought we could save time as we are running late for Mr Sheik’s lunch.’ He had stripped before she could open her mouth and climbed into the tub.

Her stomach did a flip flop when she remembered how he had lathered her with the soapy water, massaging her gently, all over. But instead of soothing her he had ended up arousing her and himself, and there was no other option but to assuage the flames that raged within. They had ended up being late for the lunch.

It had been like this since their trip to Agra. It was like all inhibitions had flown out the window in that magical place. They had become insatiable.

He had come to her school one afternoon, surreptitiously watching her while he talked on the phone for a good one hour, reminding her of the days when she used to practice dance in Naniji’s room. Then he had taken her to their farm house which happened to be close. ‘I couldn’t wait until tonight Khushi…’ he told her.

One time, he came back early from work when she been sitting in the living room having tea with Anjali, Payal and Naniji. Everyone was expecting him to join them but he told them that he had to talk to Khushi regarding the Agra meeting. Only she could understand that his caramel brown eyes were simmering with desire, as he indicated for her to come up with a slight movement of his head. She had shaken her head with the slightest of nods refusing to comply. He strode up the stairs and in a few seconds she heard his booming voice.‘Khushi, I need you here now!’

She remembered how her anger had risen, her face turning a deep shade of red as the three women at the table tried hard to supress their chuckles. Laad Governor! She had walked into the room so she could give him a piece of his mind. ‘What do you think---’ She couldn’t complete the sentence as Arnav pushed her against the door, crashing his lips against her, fast and furious. The moments their tongues had meshed Khushi’s anger had vaporised into thin air, clutching at his hair with an urgency that matched his own.

The shrill ring of the phone brought Khushi out of her reverie and she hurried out of her bath, her heart fluttering like a humming bird, thinking it might Arnav. Did he remember what day it was?  When she looked at her phone, reality hit her like a splash of cold water, bringing her out of her daydream. She closed her eyes, her heart twisting painfully. It was Shyam. Hey Devi Maiyya, protect me, she prayed.

A little later, Arnav and Anjali sat in a coffee shop. They had just come out of a meeting with the lawyer regarding their father’s will.

‘Di,’ Arnav placated. ‘I don’t know why you are so upset about the will.’

‘There is something wrong Arnav,’ Anjali said her face twisted in consternation. ‘Dad would never do something like this.’

‘Di, it is alright,’ Arnav consoled his sister.‘I don’t deserve it anyway.’

‘It’s not about who deserves what Arnav,’ Anjali moved her hands in agitation.She took a document out of her purse. ‘I have the copy of the will he made a year ago. I went along with him to make this one. He left the Lucknow house to both of us.’

‘Di, you heard that lawyer. He made a new will a month before he died. That is the latest will.’

‘Arnav, dad’s mental condition deteriorated over the last year. How is it possible for him to make a decision like this?’

‘Di,’ Arnav was strangely surprised with Anjali’s behaviour. ‘Dad left his house to Shyam. So what’s the big deal? You both took care of him during his final days. So now the house belongs to you both.’

‘Not both,’ Anjali said sharply.‘It belongs to Shyam.’

 ‘I can’t believe this,’ he groaned. ‘So you are also one of those couples who run separated finances.’ This was exactly what he was trying to explain to Khushi.

‘I wish.’ Anjali folded her hands looking at the floor.

‘What do you mean Di?’ Arnav leaned forward curiously.

‘I run his finances most of the time,’ she said in a rush. ‘He is always in need of money as he claims to be investing in some scheme or the other. I gave him money from what nanaji left for me. I think he has borrowed from many people as well. I have no idea where all the money goes.’

‘F#$%!’ Arnav exclaimed. ‘I could never have guessed.’

‘No one does actually,’ she said quietly. ‘But I am a psychologist and I have analysed his behaviour pattern.  `

‘He appears very well mannered and calm. But internally he is very restless. He is manipulative, lacks integrity at work and has an inferiority complex about his middle class upbringing. I think the root cause might be a troubled childhood.’

‘What the f@#$!’ Arnav was astounded by Anjali’s revelations.‘Why are you still putting up with all this crap? You should have left him long time ago. Sometimes mistakes happen when you chose a life partner. You can correct it now.’

‘I didn’t choose him Arnav,’ Anjali said quietly. ‘Mom did.’

‘How is that possible Di?’ Arnav’e eyebrows snapped together in confusion. ‘You know how class conscious she was? I thought you had chosen him just to spite mom.’

‘I was surprised too Arnav, but there was no way I could have asked her about it.’

Anjali began reminiscing about events that had occurred during the time starting with their Nanajj’s demise to finally when he had taken their mom leaving her behind.

Arnav raked a hand through his hair. ‘I wish I had been there for you Di.’

‘I wish I was there for you too.’ When Arnav looked up at her in surprise, Anjali said, ‘You hadn’t been yourself since Khushi left. But you wouldn’t let anyone near you. You had completely closed up.’

Arnav explained to his sister what had happened between him and Khushi all those years ago.

‘Nani and I knew there was something between you two!’ Anjali said emphatically. ‘But I can’t believe she would have left you for her career. Khushi doesn’t seem that type.’

‘It doesn’t matter anymore Di,’ Arnav said taking a deep breath. ‘It’s all behind me now. Khushi and I have started afresh.

‘Since I came back and saw how much Khushi has accomplished in her life, I realized that the decision she took at the time was the right one. She was just 18 years old at the time Di. What is wrong in thinking about your career? It was exactly around that age when I went to the US to complete my graduation. I left my family behind didn’t I?

‘What if she had just settled down into a life of domesticity with me? Would she have been happy?’

Anjali got up from her seat and went up to sit next to him. She touched a hand to his cheek. ‘Yes Arnav, she would have been. My heart says, she would have given up everything to be with you. But I also know she wouldn’t have had to give up everything. You wouldn’t have let her. You would have made sure she accomplishes her dreams and aspirations.’

‘Di --’ It felt so good to talk about this to his sister.

‘Arnav, whatever that is between you and Khushi is very unique. Nurture it with care.’ She said wistfully.

Arnav held Anjali’s hand and looked at her seriously. ‘Di, you can have that in your life too. It is better late than never. I think you should leave Shyam. I will support you.’

‘It is not as simple as that. He needs help. I will ask Manav to talk to him.’

‘First it was dad and now this.’ Arnav banged his hand on the table in frustration.

‘Dad’s illness was triggered by the accident but Shyam’s is a personality disorder.’

‘Whatever Di!’ Arnav exclaimed angrily. ‘Are you planning to live the rest of your life trying to “help” him?’

‘I have to try.’

‘At what cost Di?’

They both hugged each other then, the unshed tears in Arnav’s eyes, flowing freely from Anjali’s.

Khushi rang the bell to the Raizada Mansion,and found it strange that no one opened the door. This had never happened to her before. She dug into her purse for a spare key she carried for emergencies and realized the door was open after all. When she pushed the door open, it was pitch dark – another strange thing. Her heart beating wildly she called out ‘Hariprakashji?’ She fumbled in the darkness to find the switch and then all of a sudden the overhead chandelier came on blinding her momentarily as a loud ‘SURPRISE’ rent the air.

She stood shell shocked as a number of laughing faces stood huddled together.

‘Happy Birthday,’ Arnav whispered in her ear coming up from the side. ‘Why don’t you freshen up and come down to cut your cake?’ A beautiful pineapple fresh cream cake lay on the table.

Khushi looked at Arnav her eyes moist. ‘How did you --?’

‘Payal told me this morning,’ Arnav said looking at her. She had left before her birthday. How would he know?

Khushi quickly changed into rust coloured georgette with black border and a matching black blouse. As she came down the stairs,her eyes searched for Arnav and when she found him, her dhak-dhak began in earnestwhen she recognized the look his eyes.

Once the cake was cut, Naniji came up to her and gave her blessings.

‘Happy Birthday Khushi,’ Payal hugged her warmly. ‘Amma wanted to come, but babuji is a little under the weather.’

‘Why didn’t she tell me when she called me in the morning?’ Khushi pouted.

‘Because she knew you would go running home and spoil Arnavji’s surprise party. I made jalebis for you today. But Ashuhas almost finished it.’ She added looking at her son affectionately.

‘I guess he inherited the family trait from you ha?’ Akash quipped smiling.

Khushi took her little nephew in her arms. ‘Why don’t you send him to play with me anymore jiji? I miss putting this little brat to sleep. I am sure he misses me too.’ She tickled his little tummy.

‘Ah sure Khushi, if you miss him so much we will send him to you tonight,’ Akash said tongue in cheek. He immediately earned a slap on his arm from Payal. Khushi went red in the face when she realized what Akash was insinuating.

Though Arnav was across the room talking to Mr Malhotra, he turned his face toward her, giving her a look that could melt her insides. He was a magician weaving sensual spell, putting her in a trance in a room full of people.

‘Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday today Khushi?’ Mrs Bedibroke the spell. ‘It was so hard not to wish you once I got the invitation from your husband.’

Before she could answer girls from her dance class surrounded her wishing her with utmost exuberance.

‘They were thrilled because Mr Raizadasent us a Innova so we could get here,’ she told Arnav. ‘They think this is some sort of a field trip.’ She added affectionately.

As the group proceeded to take a tour of the house, Khushi saw Ria and NK walk in.She summoned Arnav to her side with a slight nod. ‘You invited Nanheji?’ she whispered anxiously.

‘Of course,’ he said, his brown eyes instantly taking on a possessive glint, ‘I wanted to show off that you belong to me.’

‘Arnav!’ Khushi groaned.

‘I am just kidding,’ he smiled mischievously. ‘I apologized to him for hitting him on his wedding day. This was a peace offering. I didn’t want things to become awkward between him and Akash.’

‘So you did this for Akash?’ Khushi said raising her eyebrows.

‘Yes, not for you. I don’t care if things between you and NK are awkward. In fact I might prefer it. And stop calling him that weird name and call him NK or Nandakishore.I hate it!’

And just like that he was back to being the Laad Governor, thought Khushi. But his possessiveness didn’t bother her one bit. In fact, she preferred it.

Anjali came in with Dr Manav and hugged her whole heartedly apologizing for coming late. She looked extremely tired and stressed out. Dr Manav wished her and rushed off immediately as he had an emergency at the hospital.

‘Di, are you alright?’ Arnav said lines of concern creasing his forehead. ‘Where is Shyam?’

‘I have no idea,’ she said quietly. ‘His phone is switched off. I have a splitting headache.’

‘Shall I bring you some dinner?’ Khushi offered.

Arnav held her hand. ‘I will do that. You go and take care of the guests.’

Khushi smiled her compliance and went about making sure everyone was being taken care of. She was about to call out to the couple standing by the pool side when she realized it was Lavanya. She was talking to a well-built man about her own height. She had never seen him before.

‘That’s Karan Sighania,’ Arnav supplied coming up behind her. ‘I knew she was going through a rough patch when she came when mom died, but I refrained from interfering as it was none of my business.

‘After you told me what Lavanya had done I figured it was time to call her husband and find out what was going on. He said that Lavanya craves attention and being an extremely busy business man, he hadn’t been able to fulfil her needs. I think she became miffed with him when he cancelled a trip to Greece which they were supposed to take to celebrate her birthday and came to India saying she needed some time alone.

‘Now that they are talking they will figure it all out. Communication is key in the life of any married couple. We resolved NK and Lavanya’s issues only by talking it out, didn’t we?’

Khushi felt like a knife was being twisted in her heart.

After the guests left the house, the family, sans Naniji, sat at the dining room for a late night tea. Shyam walked into the house.

‘Jeejaji, where were you?’ Akash called out to him. ‘You missed Khushi’s birthday party.’

Shyam walked toward the group. ‘Khushiji didn’t invite me for the party.’

‘Arnav threw a surprise party for Khushi,’ Anjali said in a rush, ‘and he put it all together only in the afternoon. Since I was caught up with some important work, it slipped my mind to call you.’

Shyam looked at Anjali. ‘If I had been married to Khushiji, I am sure it wouldn’t have slipped her mind.’

An awkward silence filled the room as everyone looked at him like he grown two horns. Khushi and Payal exchanged an uncomfortable look.

‘Are you drunk?’ Arnav said.

‘It was a just a joke!’ Shyam exclaimed looking at the shocked crowd.

‘If it was a joke it was in bad taste!’ Arnav shot back, his brown eyes simmering with a barely controlled temper.

‘Oh I see why you didn’t get the humour behind this,’ Shyam said smiling at Arnav. ‘Khushiji has probably never told you that we might have been married today had I not rejected her proposal five years ago.’

No one spoke and then suddenly Payal said, ‘It was hardly a proposal jeejaji. You visited our house just before my wedding, as your dad was babuji’s acquaintance from Lucknow. Khushi was not even at home. Only later, babuji told us that your dad was interested in an alliance. Before we could even think about it he called back and told us you were not interested in the alliance.

‘Both Khushi and I have received many such proposals.’

Khushi looked at her sister gratefully for her having supported her.

Anjali looked at Arnav and then she said, ‘Shyam, I think we should go inside. I would like to talk to you about something.’

Later that night, Khushi stepped into the bedroom after visiting Naniji as she hadn’t been able to stay at the party long due to the pain in her feet.

She saw Arnav holding a box in his hand. She tip toed up to him and snatched the box from his hand.

‘Khushi, give that back!’ Arnav exclaimed.

Khushi backed away from him playfully. ‘Why should I? This looks like my birthday gift.’

‘You are not going to like it Khushi,’ he said turning serious. ‘Give that back to me and I will get you something else.’

‘Nothing doing!’ She tore the wrapper and opened the box to find a key – which looked very much like a --- ‘Is this a car key?’ She said her eyes wide with surprise.

‘An i10. I figured it will be easy for you when you have to come looking for me the next time I walk out.’

Khushi glared at him. ‘Why were you trying to hide it?’

‘You hide things from me too.’ He accused her.

‘It was such an insignificant thing in my life Arnav.’

‘I don’t care if it was insignificant Khushi,’ he said grasping her arms with his fingers, ‘I want to know everything going on in your life.’

Khushi felt that knife being twisted further. Since the time he had told her he wanted to leave the past behind and move on, he had left no stone unturned to be the perfect husband any girl could hope for. She had already betrayed his trust once because of his mother. Could she hide a significant truth from him even to protect him?

Khushi playfully slapped his cheek. When his eyes widened with surprise, she said, ‘You told me I could slap you, remember?’ The she went on her tiptoes and kissed him all over his face. She continued to kiss him as she unbuttoned his shirt. He quickly disposed off with her saree and they fell on the bed in a tangle of limbs.

‘I know something has been bothering you lately.’ His mouth moved to her temples, her closed eyes, the curve of her cheek and under her chin. Moments that should be ecstasy, clouded with threats from the malevolent past. ‘What’ wrong?’

‘I am afraid.’ She whispered.

‘So am I.’ He lowered his mouth to the vale between her breasts and she held his head there, desperately clutching at the tenderness in his voice. His wonderful voice, velvety, vibrant, sometimes possessed of a cold, cutting edge.

They lay together quite still for a long time as though they were afraid to move or speak. ‘I love you,’ Khushi said tenderly, her hand in his hair.

‘Do you?’ He lifted his head to smile at her, but the tinge of sadness in his eyes hurt her.

‘Arnav,’ she said, and her voice was unbearably broken-hearted.

‘Why Khushi?’ He said suddenly.‘Why did you leave?’

‘I wish …’ she sighed. The ghost of SharadaRaizada was suddenly in the room, smiling triumphantly because she knew the extent of Khushi’s dilemma. How could she hurt Arnav’s mother without hurting him? How could she blacken the name of the woman Arnav had adored? His own mother, the woman who had idolized him from birth.

‘I hope you are not playing games with me Khushi.’

‘Don’t you know what happens to me when you touch me?’

He held her head still in his hands. ‘I want to know what goes on inside this delicate skull.’

She closed her eyes, dazed, and as her lids came down so did his mouth, hot and urgent, expressing a deep hunger.

Desolation went rapidly to the most perfect physical communion, a fantasy of the senses where there was no room for bitterness or reproach. As soonas they came together, in an incredibly short time, their bodies spoke for them. Tenderness, a rapturous passion and something very precious -- love.

Khushi felt cold when she suddenly realized that Arnav was no longer with her in bed. She opened her eyes to see that bedside clock showing 4.30 AM. She looked around and found Arnav dressed in his suit holding his travel case. She shot up. ‘Arnav! Where are you going?’

‘No where if you don’t cover yourself right now.’ He said walking up to her bed.

Khushi looked down she her breasts were exposed and she snatched the cover, clutching it to her breast in embarrassment.

‘I have a meeting in Mumbai and then tonight I fly to Singapore for a week.’ He sat down.

Khushi looked at him, her eyes flashing. ‘You were leaving without telling me?’

‘This meeting came up yesterday. And then I completely forgot because of your surprise party. And then in the night you distracted me.’ He dipped a finger into her cleavage and leaned in to kiss her creamy neck. ‘I didn’t want to disturb you.’

‘Arnav, I want to tell you something.’ Khushi whispered.

‘I know,’ he kissed her up her jaw. ‘I found the bank documents you signed of our joint account.’

‘It’s not ....that.’

‘Not now,’ He whispered in her ear as he cupped her breast. ‘No time.’

‘It’s important Arnav.’ She put her own hand over his.

 ‘God Khushi,’ he groaned and stood up abruptly. ‘I am going to be late for my flight. Can you be quick?’

Ouick? How could she quickly tell him that his mother was responsible for her leaving all those years ago? All she could say was --- ‘I love you.’

Arnav looked at her, his caramel eyes resplendent with an emotion she couldn’t decipher. He leaned down and gave her a hard kiss. ‘I have to tell you something too. But it will have to wait until I get back. Don’t go anywhere.’ He winked at her and walked away dragging his suitcase,shutting the door behind him.

A cold fear gripped Khushi when she heard the click of the door. She couldn’t do this anymore. She would have to tell him the truth when he came back from Singapore.

The million dollar question, however was, would Arnav believe her over his mother? He had loved her once upon a time, but was there any love in his heart for her now? All his actions pointed in that direction, but he had not told her in so many words. In any case, she had no choice now. It was a risk she would have to take. Khushi’s heart grew heavy at the irony of the situation. The only one who could prove her innocence was also the one who wanted to destroy her life.

She had come to a decision. She was not going to pay that evil man a single rupee. He could go to hell for all she cared.