Valley of Flowers Chapter 12

She arched her body, thrusting her breasts up as he placed wet kisses across the swell of her breasts. She clutched the hair at the back of his dark head as he traced an infinitesimally slow trail up her collar bone to her throat. He was killing her with his indolence so much that she urgently tugged at his hair forcing him to raise his head. His caramel eyes seared her before he swooped down to take her rosy lips with equal urgency. His tongue darted into the molten cavern of her mouth to mate with hers, sending a streak of electricity right down to her core, making hot liquid pool there. As he continued to assault her mouth, his hands moved down to mould her breasts, moving down her rib cage to the soft swell of her stomach,continuing to inch downward…..

Arrrnavv!

‘Khushi, are you okay?’ Arnav’s voice broke through her haze and she blinked her eyes to see his caramel eyes filled with concern. She looked about herself to see that they were in the tiny room in the tourist complex. She had been dreaming!

Sometime during the night, he seemed to have found a clean blanket. But to her consternation she had found her hand clutching his shoulder, her body plastered to his, his hand around her waist and her leg lodged snugly between his.

‘Did you have a nightmare?’ he prodded.

‘Uh….hmm,’ she muttered not trusting herself to speak. She stole a glance at him to see a flash of awareness entering his eyes that very second.

Detaching himself from her, he was up in an instant and went into the bathroom. After a few minutes he stepped out. ‘I will try to find a tooth brush or at least some tooth paste.’ He mumbled before leaving the room.

Khushi came out to stand near the window, hugging herself against the chill that had crept into her once again. She looked out into the garden with people walking about. As she took in the greenery and the flowers she realized everything looked so normal in the early morning light.

When she had stepped in the lobby the previous night, seeing the men approach them she had wondered for one brief moment if the place was haunted. She chuckled at her own silliness.

‘I found a brush and paste,’ Arnav told her as he entered the room, ‘Go freshen up quickly.’ The imperious tone was back. Laad Governor!

After brushing her teeth, Khushi decided to grab a quick shower quickly undressed.She realized that she smelled of his inimitable musky fragrance and her heartbeat quickened as it suddenly hit her that she had spent an entire night in his arms.

As she splashed on the cold water from the bucket, her eyes began to smart at the tenderness with which he had spoken to her in the morning. Khushi, are you okay?

After she stepped out,Arnav took his turn with the bathroom. As she went about straightening the room, there was a knock on the door and as she opened it there was a man with a tray and two cups of steaming beverage. He put the cups on the table and told her one was tea and the other coffee - black. She picked up her cup and went to sit on the chair by the window.

Arnav came out of the bathroom, his hair damp from the bath. Khushi’s heart skipped a beat at how rugged he looked with his hair on his forehead and the thick growth of stubble on his cheeks.He had discarded his waist coat and pulled the tails of his shirt out of his waistband.

He gulped down his lukewarm coffee and put down the coffee cup. ‘I will be downstairs checking out. Come down when you are ready. Don’t forget to wear my coat.’

It was still seven’o clock in the morning and still foggy but the day light had made visibility a little easier. Arnav was in and out of calls all through the journey and Khushi was lost in her own thoughts.

Why couldn’t life be simple as it was five years ago during Akash and Payal’s wedding? That month had been the most blissful month in her entire life.

After the New Year eve party, she felt like she was falling into a deep abyss of tumultuous emotions. Buaji had told her not to go for her dance classes as there was a lot of work to be done for the wedding. She felt like someone had squeezed her heart really hard when she realized she won’t be seeing Arnav every day. Who would make him his coffee the way he liked it?

A couple of days later, Anjali had come to their house to take them out for a movie. She had come home on leave and had told the Guptas that she wanted to get to know her bhabhi better. Khushi had taken extra care to dress up that day in the hopes that Arnav might be there. When they reached the cinemas, her face fell when she saw Lavanya standing next to Arnav and Akash. How could she have forgotten Lavanya was the chosen girl for Arnav? She decided to stick to Anjali asking her about her work in the college, trying her level best to ignore those mesmerizing eyes.

Just as they were being let into the theatre, Lavanya said, ‘How am I looking Arnav? Is my hair ok?’

‘It wouldn’t harm to run a brush through it I suppose,’ Arnav quipped.‘Why don’t you take your ticket and use the rest room?’ He gave her a ticket.

When they found their row, Akash went in followed by Payal and Anjali. As Khushi took her seat next to Anjali, she was surprised to see Arnav taking the one next to her. She saw the same surprise mirrored in Lavanya’s face as she took the empty one next to Arnav.

As the movie began,Khushi’sdhak-dhak began when Arnav’s large hand wrapped itself around her small one in a firm grip. When she tried to steal a glance at him from the corner of her eye she realized he was engrossed in a conversation with Lavanya! Her anger went up a few notches and she tried to wriggle out of his grasp only to fail miserably. His grip was unbreakable. She decided to ignore him and relaxed her hand completely and began to concentrate on the movie. Then his grip slackened --- but her relief was short lived as he turned her hand and interspersed his fingers through hers, the tips caressing her thighs at the same time. A tingling sensation sliced through to her core as he squeezed her palm gently but firmly. Then his thumb began to make little circles on her palm, sending shards of fire right into her veins to suffuse her entire body with heat. The images in front of her began to blur and she squeezed her eyes shut. Then she jumped as a husky voice whispered in her ear. ‘Relax, Khushi.’

On Wednesday morning just before the results of the exams was to be announced to the students, Khushi sat in front of Mrs Bedi, the head of Nrityadham, her dance school. She was vivacious woman in her fifties, a yesteryear odissi dancer, who wore thick khol in her eyes and a big bindi on her forehead. Her office was large with pictures of great dancers adorning the walls. She picked up a slip of paper that look like cheque and waved it in the air.

‘We got a sponsor!’ she squealed like a little girl.

Khushi was exhilarated at the news. ‘How much is it madam?’

‘I have strict instructions not to reveal it Khushi,’ she said waving the cheque gaily. ‘But as they say bhagwaan jab deta hai….’

‘Can I know the name of the sponsor?’ Wariness entered her voice.

‘As if you don’t know it is your friend Mr Arnav Singh Raizada,’ she chided. ‘You talked to him about it didn’t you?’

‘I did,’ Khushi agreed.

‘Alright I will tell you this much,’ she leaned forward conspiratorially. ‘This year we will bring the scholarships up to six.’

‘That’s wonderful, madam!’

‘Yes, wonderful!’ Mrs Bedi put the cheque to her mouth and kissed it. ‘Mr Raizada is undeniably a very generous man. It is very rare to find such patrons of the arts.I have asked him to come to our graduation function so I can thank him personally.’ She beamed.

‘I would like to inform Piyali’s family if you don’t mind.’ Khushi requested the older lady, who absolutely had no objections.

‘It is your privilege my dear.’ She smiled.

Later, as she was returning back home Khushi released a deep breath. So, Piyali had been accepted, she thought wonderingly, and all because of Arnav. Not only Piyali, but five other deserving students as well. Suddenly, her phone began to ring. It was her amma. She had called her to remind her that they were supposed to go to ChandiChowk for shopping. She informed her that she was on her way and laid her head against the window and closed her eyes.

After the movie expedition, Arnav had begun to possess her heart and mind with an intensity that bordered on craziness.

A few days later, when they had gone shopping for Payal’s wedding lehenga, he and Akash had turned up with Anjali. She tried her best to ward off Anjali’s suggestion that she should try some lehengas herself and told her to help Payal make the selections. Then she received a message on her phone, from Arnav asking her to try out a lehenga she had just rejected – a red lehenga with a wine colored velvet border and a matching choli and chunri. The work on the chunri and the lehenga were elaborate and exquisite and Khushi was absolutely sure it was something really expensive.

When she put on the lehenga and stepped out of the trial room, he stood behind her, his caramel eyes hot in the mirror, as he swept her from head to toe.

‘I can’t accept this Arnavji,’ she had whispered tremulously when she heard him tell the sales girl to pack the costume.

‘It is not for you,’ he said, and when she looked up at him questioningly, he had added, ‘It’s for me.’

Khushi came out of her reverie when the car stopped in front of her house. She looked down at her hands and the tears that she had been holding on to all this while flowed unchecked as she looked at the ring shining on her finger. She couldn’t do this anymore. She would have to talk to him.

**

‘How did it come to this Nani!’ Anjali said pacing about in her grandmother’s room. ‘Khushi will be getting married tomorrow! Why can’t you do something?’

‘Have you heard of the saying that you can bring the horse to the water but you cannot make it drink?’ Naniji said with a look of resignation on her face. ‘I persuaded Arnav come down to India to help us with AR, thinking that if he and Khushi saw each other things might work out, but  I wonder if I was mistaken ---’

‘No Nani, there is no mistake,’ Anjali said with a shake of her head, ‘you and I knew even five years ago that there was something going on between the two of them.But then she just packed up and left for Mumbai. Mom was the one who sponsored her, right?’

‘Yes,’ Naniji’s old eyebrows creased with consternation. She had wondered about her daughter’s unusual behaviour when she had told her that she wanted to sponsor Khushi’s education in Mumbai, as her she was not prone to such spurts of generosity. ‘She told me that Khushi had come to her for help.’

‘That’s so strange. Khushi never came across as the over-ambitious type to me.’ Anjali said thinking about the free-spirited bubbly girl of eighteen.When she came back from Mumbai, she was just a shadow of what she once was. She looked melancholic, like a woman who had lost something very precious in her life. But she had seen glimpses of the old Khushi in the past couple of months since Arnav was back. She glowed like a lamp in his presence. Arnav was the same. The way they looked at each other, the awareness between them was palpable. ‘There is definitely no mistake.’ Anjali repeated aloud.

‘Nani, don’t you remember what happened just before Khushi’s and NK’s engagement?’

Anjali had heard a loud noise of a utensil crashing to the floor and rushed to the kitchen to see Arnav holding Khushi’s hand under the running water of the kitchen sink. Apparently, in the middle of making coffee for Arnav, Khushi had touched the steel handle of the round bottom pan in which she had just finished making jalebis. The fingers of her left hand had blistered so badly leaving her in intense pain.

She remembered how her usually calm brother had panicked and berated the poor girl who was already suffering from excruciating pain.

‘I can’t believe Mami decided to go ahead with engagement in spite of the accident. I have a feeling Khushi did it deliberately,’ she said sitting on the bed, ‘she didn’t want NK to put the ring on her left ring finger.’

‘How could she?’ Naniji said looking at her granddaughter with a smile on her lips. ‘She was already wearing Arnav’s ring on that finger.’

‘What are you talking about Nani?’ Anjali said her eyebrows rising, her eyes going wide with surprise.  

‘You know I had been telling you that I wanted to gift Khushi something for a long time,’ Naniji began. ‘A few days after she came back from Agra, I called her to come to the jewellery store. She told me that Arnav was just picking her up from the house to take her for some important meeting. When I spoke to Arnav, he agreed to bring Khushi to the store en route as they could squeeze in some time.

‘Khushi came and we started looking at rings but Khushi was having a tough time choosing one. After deliberating for nearly thirty minutes she told me that she didn’t want anything and stood up as they had a meeting to rush to. She said we could do it another day. Just then your brother came up behind her,picked up a ring from the selections, took her hand in his and slid it on her left ring finger. He looked at me and told me that Khushi had never been able to make up her own mind.’

‘He is actually right.’ Anjali said as she remembered the shopping spree during Akash’s wedding.

Naniji continued. ‘Unfortunately, it was the same night that Manorama announced that the engagement was to be two days. I saw how desolate they both looked at that moment.’

‘Khushi is stuck between two idiotic men!’ Anjali said getting up from the bed.

‘First one is NK. Can’t he see that Khushi doesn’t love him? He had been so busy with work from the past couple of months and now he has happily gone to Australia to bring his mother for the wedding tomorrow. He has just taken her for granted, hasn’t he?’

‘And the  my brother is the other idiot. He took off to the US without a word on the night of the engagement. And after that he refused to talk about Khushi whenever I called.’

She continued. ‘And Khushi is no less.Yesterday when I went to her house for her mehendi, she pretended to get a phone call when the mehendi artist asked her if she wanted her fiancée’s name on her hand.

‘I tried talking to her but she won’t tell me anything. That girl can be so irritating sometimes. She thinks she is the only one who can be great. She thinks I didn’t realize the effort she made in bringing Arnav and me closer during Diwali.

‘Why is she doing this Nani? Why can’t she tell her parents she is not interested in this marriage?’

‘Obligation.’ Nani said laconically. You of all people should understand that very well, bitiya Naniji looked at her granddaughter sadly.

‘Khushi had always been made to feel like she was an adopted child at the Gupta household. Moreover, the Guptas have given their word to your mami and they probably don’t want to rub your mami the wrong way. You know the fuss Manorama had created for Akash and Payal’s wedding.’

‘Ah  Mami!’ Anjali grated in frustration. ‘And what was the need for her to advance the wedding date by a whole week?’ Anjali lamented. ‘Arnav is attending some offsite meeting up in the mountains. His phone is unreachable.’ She looked at her grandmother. ‘God Nani! How can you be so calm?’

‘Bitiya,’ Nani put a hand on Anjali’s shoulder.‘Arnav and Khushi are grownups. They have to make their own decisions. You and I cannot make it for them.

‘But I also believe in destiny and divine interventions. Have faith in Devi Maiyya.’ Afterall they were written in the stars.

Delusional fools! Destiny and divine interventions indeed! Shyam thought as he walked away from Naniji’s door. They only saw what they wanted to see, didn’t they? They were making their own interpretations about accidents and rings.How could they talk about Khushiji like that? He went into the bedroom and took out a plastic bag kept at the bottom, under his clothes. He took it to Khushi’s room, took out the tan jacket from inside and placed it inside the wardrobe gently. Thankfully, he had been the one to receive the courier when it had arrived this morning. It had been sent by the manager of The Oberoi, Amar Vilas Agra, to Arnav Singh Raizada, apologizing for the delay.

Khushiji deserved only the best in life. Only the best.And he would do anything to ensure that.

As her friends danced in her sangeet, in the next room, Khushi looked out at the night sky from her bedroom window.

Nani had summoned her to the house, asking her help the ladies in the family learn a few short steps for the sangeet, along with Khushi’s own solo performance.

‘Khushi, suggest a song so Arnav and I can dance,’ said Lavanya just as Arnav came down to join the group along with Akash.

‘No!’ Both Arnav and Khushi said in unison.

‘Oh I know,’ Lavanya continued emphatically, ‘we should dance for ‘teri ore’ from Singh is King.’

Arnav raised her eyebrows sardonically, ‘Who is the Queen then?’

‘The steps for the guy are easy Arnav,’ Lavanya pointed out oblivious of Arnav’s mockery. ‘And I am sure Khushi will be able to teach me Katrina’s steps.’

On the day of the rehearsal, Anjali informed them that Lavanya was running late and that she should go ahead and start without her and show Arnav the steps. When she switched on the song so they could take a look at the sequence, he had started laughing.

‘How is anyone supposed to dance for this?’ he said looking at his sister. The he turned to Khushi, ‘Can you?’

‘Yes.’ she had replied simply.

‘Show me.’

The one time Khushi always shed her inhibitions was when she danced. And she had a photographic memory where dance was concerned and she pretty much knew how the steps would go. She began to sway to the music and just like the heroine of the song, she began to twirl. After a minute into the song, she found herself being pulled as Arnav bent her over really low in his arms.

‘Am I doing this right?’ he said looking deep into her eyes.

She just nodded her mouth going dry. Just when she thought he was going to kiss her right there in front of his sister he pulled her up.

‘Ok then,’ he said still holding her in his arms, ‘if this all there is to it then this should be a cakewalk.’

After that he hadn’t really come for the rehearsals at all. Lavanya had tried her best to do the dance gracefully but failed miserably and Arnav’s absence in the rehearsals added to her irritation.

Finally on the day of the Sangeet, Khushi came in wearing a plain red georgette saree. Arnav had sent her a message earlier that he wanted to see her in red, with her hair left loose. Those mesmerizing brown eyes were on her all evening, flustering Khushi so much that she was sure she was going to mess up her dance performance.

But she had given a wonderful performance and had received great applause from everyone. She had changed back into her saree when she saw Lavanya had come in with her mother, her foot in a cast. She had sprained her ankle the previous evening during a shopping spree and would be unable to even walk without the help of crutches.

‘What is this Sumi,’ Sharada Raizada said as the family gathered around Lavanya, ‘After all the efforts Arnav put in to learn dance for the first time in his life, your daughter ends up injuring herself.’

‘That is exactly why I am not going to let it all go to waste,’ he said suddenly. ‘Khushi knows the steps.’ He grasped Khushi by her hand and went toward the stage, shocking both Raizadas and the Guptas.

As the music began wafting through the air, Khushi looked at Arnav standing across the stage from her and in that instant they were both transported back to their magical place – The Valley of Flowers.

Khushi trepidatiouslylifted her pallu and turned around, her arms wide moving her lips automatically to the words in the song….

Dil khogaya

Hogaya kisika

Ab raasta mil gaya

Khushi ka…

She walked toward him slowly and stood in front of him. She couldn’t help as her emotions flowed out through her luminous eyes, his warm caramel eyes scorching her as she walked around him with her hand on his shoulder.

Aankhon mein hai khwab sa

Kisi ka

Ab raasta mil gaya

Khushi ka

Arnav took her hand his eyes unwavering as they stood arms length apart from each other….

Rishta naya rabba

Dil choo raha hai

Kheeche mujhe koi dor, teri ore

Hebegan pulling her toward him…..

Teri Ore Teri Ore Teri Ore, hai rabba

Teri Ore Teri Ore Teri Ore…..

She could feel his breath on her neck as he bent her low in his arms, one hand on her upper back and the other on her bare waist. He then he pulled her upflush against him, her back to his front. As he stood behind her, he ran his hands down the length of her arm to come and rest on her stomach. Then he put his hands on her waist and turned her around to lift her high up in the air. Khushi’s eyes never wavered from his, her long hair covering his face as she slid down slowly…..

Khulti fizaaein, khulti ghatayein,

Sar pe naya ha iaasaman

Chaaro dishaayein, hass ke bulaayein,

Ye sab hue hain meharbaan…

He bent her once again, holding her behind her neck as low as the ground and lifted her slowly back holding her hand…..

Hume ko yahi rabba

Kasam se pata hai,

Dil per nahi koi zor

Teri Ore Teri Ore Teri Ore, hair abba

Teri Ore Teri Ore Teri Ore…..

The loud blare of music brought Khushi out of her reverie. Oh Arnav she sighed, the pain in her heart deepening, as tears glistened on her cheeks like the stars in the night sky.

Vallery of Flowers Chapter 11

Don’t marry NK.

The words he had spoken earlier hung silently between them as they walked out of the premises of the TajMahal. Since they were the last ones to get out, the caretaker had taken it upon himself to accompany them till the gate, making absolutely sure they had left.

‘I need to use the rest room,’ she said in a low voice as she sat in the car.

‘Could you hold on until we get to the hotel?’ He said impatiently. ‘It’s right next door.’

‘Right next door’ was an understatement thought Khushi when she saw him turning into the drive way in less than five minutes. Looking at Khushi’s surprise when they entered the hotel’s stupendous driveway, Arnav told her that the hotel was just six hundred metres from the TajMahal.

The “hotel” turned out to be The Oberoi – Amar vilas, a building built like a palace, with beautifullycarved pillars and arches.As they stepped into the lobby, Khushiwas stunned by its grandeur.  Ahuge chandelier hung down from a really high domed ceiling illuminating the entire reception with its luminance. Right below the chandelier was an ornate round table with the most elaborate flower arrangement placed on it. Khushi had seen five star hotels before but this one definitely took the cake in its sheer opulence.

A few minutes later, Khushi joined Arnav at their table at the restaurant after having used the wash room. As she gazed at the distant view of the TajMahal, the manager proudly informed her that, all rooms, suites, lobby, bar and lounge in the hotel had a view of the TajMahal.

‘Where is Mr Sheik?’ Khushi said when the manager had left them.‘We will get late getting back home.’

‘He will be here soon. It’s just seven now. I will have you home before next year.’

‘Uh?’ Her eyebrow twisted in confusion at first and then straightened as realization dawned. ‘Oh it’s New Years Eve!’

‘How is Piyali doing?’ Arnav said, once looking at the menu the attender had given them. ‘Did she pass her scholarship exams?’

Khushi’s face fell. ‘She did pass her exams but she didn’t win the scholarship as another child did better than her.’

‘I see.’ He said going back to the menu. ‘Would her family accept a sponsor?’

‘Probably -- but who would be ready ---’ When she saw the look in Arnav’s eyes, Khushi clutched his hand eagerly. ‘You would do that for her?’ she said looking at him with luminous eyes. ‘She could become something.’

‘I am not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.’ He said looking at her hand. ‘I’ll see what I can do.’

Khushi took her hand back and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear nervously. She took off her coat, stretching her shoulders backwards in an unconsciously sensuous gesture unaware that she looked like blossoming rose in her simple pink blouse.

When he saw her earlier in the afternoon, the pink of her blouse had reflected onto her lips, making him want to taste those rosy petals. That is why he had stuttered out a monosyllabic reply and turned away from her before he ended up doing something he might regret.

The meeting with Mr Sheik was successful and by the end of the dinner, they had managed to get another appointment few days later.

After seeing him off, Khushi and Arnav embarked on their journey back to the Delhi. They had been driving for fifteen minutes when Khushi observed that they were moving at a snail’s pace.

‘What’s going on?’ Khushi said rubbing her arms.‘Why are we going so slowly?’

‘Fog.’ Arnav said laconically. ‘Khushi, I think it will be a good idea to go back to the hotel. I don’t think we are too far from Agra yet.’

‘No way!’ She exclaimed. ‘I have to get back home tonight. You promised.’

After another half an hour, they reached the toll and Arnav took out some money for a ticket toward Delhi.

‘Sir, you are going toward Jaipur not Delhi,’ the man at the booth informed him.

‘F@#$!’ Arnav swore under his breath.

‘Hey Devi Maiyya!’ Khushi was aghast.

‘I couldn’t see because of the fog dammit!’ Arnav said hitting his hand on the steering wheel. ‘I will take the next exit and get back on the right road.’

‘Sir,’ the man at the booth interjected. ‘I wouldn’t advice that tonight. Can you see the back up on the other side of the road? If you turn around, you will be stuck in this jam the entire night as the vehicles will just stop for the night. The best option for you will be to drive ahead into FatehpurSikhri. There is a tourist complex -- Gulistan where you can spend the night.’

When Arnav took the ticket and drove on, Khushi said, ‘Arnav, you can’t be serious! Let’s try to get back. I am sure ---‘

‘Khushi, there is no way in hell I can drive further in so much fog,’ Arnav said, ‘In spite of these fog lights I have been managing by just looking at the white paint on the median, hoping there is no obstruction on the road. If there is a hole in the middle of the road due to some repair I am sure we are going to take a dive.’

Ten minutes later they entered the old broken down fort of FatehpurSikhri. Khushi felt a chill go up her spine, as pitch darkness engulfed them from all sides with only the car headlights lighting up their path.Khushi remembered the scary movies she had seen and wondered if they were going in the right direction.

‘Khushi, relax,’ Arnav spoke reassuringly, ‘I saw a board earlier with the name of that tourist complex. It is probably dark because the of a power cut.’

When Arnav drove into the driveway of a rundown building, Khushi grimaced as she looked at the single tube light that illuminated the entrance.

‘If you had listened to me earlier, we could have been staying at The Oberoi.’ Arnav muttered getting out the car.

When he came around to her side, he said, ‘Get your coat….. it is really cold out here.’

‘Oh o!’ Khushi began looking frantically at the backseat of the car.

‘What?’

‘I think I might have left my coat on my chair at the hotel.’

Arnav took off his coat and gave it to her. ‘Here. Let’s just hope this place has good heating or else we are sure to freeze to death.’

When they stepped into the reception four men approached them from different directions. Khushi moved behind Arnav as the whole place had an eerie look to it.Arnav asked them if they could get two rooms for the night, they nodded their assent even as their face showed a hint of surprize. One of them offered to show them the room.

The room painted in purple, wassparsely furnished with a double bed, a night stand and an old rickety chair and table. The bedding seemed clean enough but the wool comforters looked worn out with too much use. There was a stand-alone heater in one corner of the room assuring them the room would at least be heated.

‘We could have stayed in a plush Oberoi suite with a view of the frigging TajMahal!’ Arnav said when the man left them so they could make a decision.

‘You were the one who took the wrong direction and brought us here!’ Khushi shot back. ‘I will have to call home.’ She said lines of worry creasing her forehead.

Arnav left her so he could pay for the rooms and came back in ten minutes.

‘I called Payal and told her my program got delayed and I will be back tomorrow,’ she said and then she saw his sombre face. ‘What happened?’ Khushi asked him.

‘A large group of ten just landed. They gave away one room to them. We just have this one room.’

‘No way Arnav!’ Khushi exclaimed agitated. ‘We were here first. They cannot do this to us. Tell them we don’t agree.’

‘You tell them.’He retorted.

‘Oh, now you want me to go to those men and talk?’ Khushi was livid. ‘Alright, I can do this!’ She left the room in a huff.

She was back in less than ten minutes. When she went to the reception she found herself face to face with a south indian family of ten that included four children and two elderly parents. When she heard the two women enquiring about a heater and hot water for a bath in the morning, she knew she didn’t stand a chance with them.

She came in, laid his coat on the bed and went directly to the bathroom. She realized Arnav had already freshened himself while she was away.

‘You knew I didn’t stand a chance, didn’t you?’ she said closing the door behind her.

‘What can I say Khushi?’ Arnav said as she sat on the rickety chair checking messages on his phone. ‘You are not in the listening mood today.’

‘I wasn’t making a fuss just for the sake of it Arnav. It is your fault anyway. If you hadn’t forced me to stay back for the meeting -----’

He cut her off. ‘You could have run back to spend New Years’s eve in NK’s arms.’ He said harshly.

‘Arnav ---’ Khushi said tiredly.

‘Don’t marry him.’

There it was again. Don’t marry NK. She had thought she hadn’t heard it right as the words had almost drowned under the shrill sound of the care taker’s whistle.

‘Why?’

‘I want you.’ His words sliced through the air that was suddenly charged with tension.

‘What?’ Khushi had heard these words before but this time it sounded deadly serious.

‘You heard me.’

There was absolute silence as no one spoke for a few minutes. ‘You want me to say no to the man who wants to marry me so I can be ----be your ---what Arnav?’ Khushi whispered in anguish.

‘The institution of marriage is highly overrated.’ He grated. ‘Moreover -- you owe me.’

‘Is this some sort of vengeance?’

‘Vengeance?’ One black eyebrow shot up. ‘You think I am forcibly parting you from the man you love?’ His brown eyes flashed and the line of his jaw hardened. ‘If only it was true.’

‘I am so tired.’ She raised her hand to her head.

He jerked his dark head up, suddenly staring at her, the pearly oval of her face. ‘Khushi, surely you did love me. Or was deception, seduction, so natural to you, you could persuade a man of anything?’

‘I loved you Arnav.’ She said poignantly, ‘all those years ago. I even confessed my love to you that night – unlike you.’

‘And you couldn’t wait to find out could you?’ he said looking at her enigmatically. ‘You career came first for you.’

‘Yes.’ She had a secret and she had to live with it. The events of the past were impossible to wipe away or explain.

‘Now that you have achieved what you wanted all those years ago, I am not going to let you get away with it this time. You and I both know you want me as well.’

‘If you think I am going to accept your disgusting proposal ----’ She couldn’t control it. The happiness she had experienced from the moment she had seen him this afternoon dissipated and tears glittered in her eyes.

‘F@#$!’ Arnav walked up to her and pushed her against the door, holding her arms in a crushing grip.‘What does it all mean? You walked out on me, wrote me a letter I am not likely to forget for a long time, and now you are crying!’

‘Arnav don’t!’Tears streamed down her cheeks.

‘Why shouldn’t I? It’s all so improbable. I simply can’t figure you out, Khushi. Nothing about you seems to add up.’

‘I don’t want to talk about this Arnav,’ she shook her head. ‘There is nothing to say.’

He looked at her for a long time in silence, listening to her agitated breathing and the little sobs as she was finding it difficult to control.She was trembling violently, almost maddened by their enforced intimacy, the unimaginable hating and longing at the same time.

‘What’s this all about Khushi?’ he asked her.

She dropped her head, against his shirt front. ‘I hate you Arnav!’

‘No you don’t.’ He said in a husky whisper.

‘I do. Anything between us is mockery, don’t you see? There will always be the past, the nightmare the deception.’

‘What deception?’ he asked urgently. ‘Just tell me!’ He took her head between his hands, forcing it up. ‘Khushi?’

‘There is nothing to tell!’ She yelled at him. ‘Now leave me alone!’

He pushed her aside roughly, opened the door and left the room shutting the door behind him with a bang.

Half an hour later he was sitting in the bar downstairs,nursing a glass of scotch in his hand. He didn’t know why he had said all those things to Khushi. He hadn’t known himself that he was going to say it. Why did she bring out the worst in him?

He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about their kiss on Diwali night. He hadn’t meant for it to happen but she had provoked him and he had lost control. That kiss had haunted him badly in the last month and a half. That was why he had come running half way around the world for a stupid meeting, when he has so much work pending back home.There was only one woman in the world who could make him do this.

He watched as Khushi ran to join her sister and Akash after declaring that the “real” TajMahal was the best place on earth. She had seemed as nervous as a doe caught in headlights in the car.

His thoughts went back to the night of Diwali. He hadn’t meant to kiss her like that but when she had said she didn’t care about him and Lavanya, he had to know if she really meant that. And he had found out when she had almost fainted in his arms. He had been so shaken to his core with her abandoned response to him that he had not reacted when she had left him and run. Then his mami had turned the house upside down with Akash and Payal’s case and he had been glad to get away when he had been urgently called back to the US.

The past month had given him plenty of time to think. The whole fiasco with Akash and Payal had enlightened him to the fact that any allegiance it that direction was headed to a disaster. He wasn’t sure if he had the stomach for it. He led a carefree life and wasn’t really looking for a serious relationship. But he was absolutely sure that a girl like Khushi, who came from a conservative family wouldn’t expect anything less. So the best thing to do under the circumstance would be to keep away from her in the future.

But it was easier said than done. In spite of his hectic schedule he hadn’t succeeded in erasing the memory of that kiss. He had sleepless nights thinking about how beautiful she looked in her red saree. F@##!

The manager of the resort took them to a gazebo, decorated with guaze curtains where a table was set in a beautiful setting of cream coloured candles and red roses.

‘This is the table for two you had reserved Mr Raizada,’ he said with a sweep of his arm.

‘But we need a table for four,’ Khushi blurted out.

‘No, we don’t,’ Arnav interjected looking at everyone’s surprised faces. ‘This table is only for Akash and Payal so they can celebrate New Year’s eve dinner in privacy.’ He turned toward Akash, ‘This is my engagement gift to you.’

‘Thanks Bhai,’ Akash said unable to hide his pleasure as he looked at Payal.

‘Thank you.’ Payal blushed sweetly.

‘But ----‘

‘Come on Khushi, let’s go.’ Arnav voice was a command.

The manager led them to the area where the rest of the party crowd had gathered for the celebration. There was huge dance floor in the centre of the area, partially enclosed to keep the cold out. On either side, were open lawns where an elaborate buffet spread was laid out.

As the DJ played all the current songs from the latest Bollywood hits, Khushi found herself tapping her feet to the beats.

‘Why don’t you go and dance?’ Arnav said when he saw Khushi looking forlornly at the dance floor.

‘All by myself?’ She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

‘You are not really by yourself are you?’ He said pointing to the crowd on the floor. ‘Be bold. I will be right here making a call.’

He watched as Khushi made her way toward a group of girls and joined them. He picked up his phone. Fifteen minutes later, after finishing his call he looked for her on the dance floor. At first he couldn’t find her, and then he spotted her with a different group of people, some of whom looked familiar. It was Lavanya and her gang.

‘Hi Lavanya.’ Arnav walked up to her, his eyes on Khushi who was dancing with a boy about her age.

‘Arnav!’ Lavanya exclaimed. ‘It was mean of you not to tell me you were coming here for a party! You didn’t pick up your calls.’

‘I wasn’t really planning on partying,’ he said a little irritated, ‘I came here for Akash’s sake. How did you know I was here?’

‘I called Khushi sometime back and she told me you were here. Since we were close by we came here.’

As Arnav watched, Khushi danced with abandon, her hands up in the air her hair covering her face exposing only her lips. Being a classical dancer,Khushi clearly had an edge over the others as she danced. She brought a certain grace, to the contemporary style of dancing, even when they happened to by raunchy item numbers. He realized even the men who had girlfriends hanging on their arms were not immune to her beauty as their eyes kept wandering to her every now and then. For some reason this made him angry.Very angry. He just wanted to grab her and leave.

‘Khushi,’ he called out to her. ‘Let’s go and get some dinner.’

‘I am fine Arnavji.’

‘It’s almost ten’o clock!’ he said tersely. ‘There won’t be any food left we delay. Let’s go.’

‘Let’s all go and get some dinner then,’ Lavanya announced and the entire group joined them much to his consternation. Wonderful! Now that brat will stick to Khushi through the entire dinner as well, thought Arnav.

All through dinner, Arnav had his eyes trained on Khushi who seemed have hit it off with Lavanya’s friends, especially with the young boy Rahul. Right after dinner, the group returned to the dance floor and Arnav was sure that Khushi was trying to avoid him. His anger went up a few more notches.

In about half an hour he had had enough. He went up to Khushi. ‘Khushi, I think it’s time to go.’ He said.

‘Oh, ok.’ Khushi bade goodbye to her partner.

‘But it’s not twelve yet.’ Rahul protested.

‘We have to leave.’ Arnav bit out fisting his hands in anger.

He wrapped his hands around her wrists and dragged Khushi off the dance floor into the path leading into the gardens.

After walking a few minutes Khushi stopped. ‘This is not the way to jiji and jeejaji’s table.’

‘We are not going there.’Came the terse reply.

‘Then why did you say we were leaving?’ She turned on him angrily.

‘Why?’ he snapped back. ‘Did you want to continue dancing with that moron?’ ’ He looked at her his brown eyes simmering with a barely controlled temper.

Khushi took a step back. ‘What is your problem? I was just having some fun.’

‘Some fun?’ he advanced menacingly. ‘Those guys were hitting on you and you were enjoying it thoroughly.’

‘So ….so what?’Kushi kept walking backward until her back touched a tree.

‘I don’t like it.’ His caramel orbs bore into her intensely. Khushi’sdhak-dhak began.

‘Why?’ she whispered nervously.

‘I just don’t,’ he said huskily. ‘I don’t want to see you dancing with other men.’

Suddenly, they heard the count down for the New Year had started. 60, 59, 58……There was only a minute to New Year.

Khushi made a move to leave but Arnav blocked her by placing his arms on either side of her. Khushi’s heart was racing in full speed now, her breast heaving up and down as her entire body suffused with heat.

‘Let…let me go Arnavji,’ she stuttered, her eyes downcast. ‘I want to go to jiji.’ 35, 34, 32 …….

He took his hand and lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. ‘No.’

‘Please, I want to wish her,’ Her lips quivered tremulously.

Arnav’s eyes dropped to her lips ‘What about me?’

Khushi looked up at him, her luminous eyes revealing the tumult of emotions that were swirling inside her at this very moment. Her mouth felt dry and parched all of a sudden and she parted her lips, sliding her tongue out to run it along her upper lip in an unconscious gesture.  3, 2 ,1.

F@#$ to all the carefully laid out plans he thought as he bent his head to take her upper lip between his lips.

As Khushi felt her knees buckle under her, she snaked her hands around his neck, her fingers clutching at the crisp hair at the back of his head as she drowned in the ecstasy. She thought of what Palak had told her of her favourite fortune teller’s prediction for the New Year’s eve this morning…..

“The person you see in front of you at twelve o’ clock is the one you will spend the rest of your life with.”

Arnav lifted his head when he heard a commotion at the reception.There seemed to be an argument about generator not working as there was a power outage. Apparently, the generator was only working in the lobby and the bar. Khushi! He brought the glass down on the table with a bang and ran toward their room. He saw a man lurking about in the dark corridor banging on the door.

When Arnav reached him, the man completely drunk looked at him dazedly and realizing it was not his room, tottered away into the darkness.

 Arnav entered the room with his key to find the room pitched in total darkness. He shone his cell phone light to see Khushi huddled in a corner on the floor, her head on her knees.

‘Khushi!’ He rushed to her side. Khushi resisted his touch trying to pushing him away, sobs racking her quivering body.

‘It’s alright Khushi, it’s me.’ Arnav crooned to her and picked her in his arms and laid her on the bed gently. Khushi’s body temperature was below normal,asthe room was cold and drafty due to the heater being shut off due to the power cut. When he pulled the wool rug to cover her, a wave of dust flew from it making both him and Khushi cough and he threw it aside in disgust. He took his coat from the bed and covered her gently. He then moved to her feet and began rubbing them so he could induce some warmth. Next, he took her hands in his and repeated the same. He lay down beside her and gathered her in his arms so he could warm her with his body heat.

Khushi immediately snuggled into his warmth, moving her leg between his,their bodies fitting perfectly together. Arnav rubbed her back until some of his body heat had seeped into hers, stemming her tremors. When her gentle breathing assured him that she had finally slept, Arnav bent his head and placed a kiss on her forehead and whispered, ‘Happy New Year Khushi.’

Valley of Flowers Chapter 10

KHUSHI looked at the beautiful yellow mustard fields whizz past her as she looked out of the window of her taxi on her way to Agra. The yellow flowers shifting in the wind marked the onset of winter and Khushi pulled the lapels of her jacket a little more snugly. The driver of her taxi Manpreet Singh didn’t seem to think that a heater would be necessary in Delhi winter. He in fact kept his window open a little bit letting the cold air in, chilling Khushi’s nose to the point of freezing.

She had been invited to perform in a dance show being conducted at Kalakriti Sanskritik Natyashala in Agra. It was a big show with other accomplished dancers participating in it.

Right after Diwali, Arnav had gone to the US to take care of his own business leaving her in charge of the office for the past month and a half.

In the middle of all this, Akash had finally recovered. He remembered people’s names and faces without mixing them up.  ‘Hi Khushi,’ he said when she went up to give Payal her breakfast.

Khushi smiled at her brother-in-law unshed tears in her eyes on seeing him playing with his baby. The smile on Payal’s face was priceless.

The doctor had mentioned that he would still be on medication for the headaches and would need to be careful not to over stress himself with anything. He would need physiotherapy to strengthen his muscles that had become stiff due to lack of exercise.

NK, extremely busy with the burden of the new project, had hardly had any time to meet her, which was just as well, as her weekends had become busier taking extra classes for Piyali, preparing her for her impeding exams. Managing both home and office on top of the dance classes in the weekend had become hectic.But she needed exertion. Needed it to forget the soul searing kiss on Diwali night.

She never could quiet forget how she lost herself in Arnav’s arms that night. No one could ever make her feel the way Arnav did. The moment he touched her she turned complaisant, putty in his hands, to be moulded any which way he wanted. How could she feel this way when he only thought the worse of her? That was the problem. She had no control -- emotionally or physically where he was concerned.

Hey Devi Maiyya, why had he come back?She thought of the last words she had spoken tohim.

Unlike you, NK knows how to treat a woman

She had never meant to say those words, but she had just wanted to strike back at him for making her feel weak and helpless.

But now that he was gone, she missed him terribly. Everything reminded her of him – the orchids, the dance class and even little Ashu.

As she sat on Arnav’s chair staring listlessly at his coffee cup, Lavanya barged in.

‘You are doing it again aren’t you?’ she said coming into the office.

‘What?’

‘Getting your hooks into him.’

‘What?’ Khushi realized Lavanya was talking about Arnav.’ No! I am doing no such thing.’

‘The hell you are not!’ Lavanya raised her voice. ‘How could you Khushi? Five years ago. You knew I was supposed to marry him.’

‘Lavanyaji….’ How could she explain to her that it was her over confidence in SharadaRaizada’s hold over her son that caused all the problems?

How would things have been if Lavanya hadn’t misplaced those important documents forcing an interaction between her and Arnav? What might have happened if Lavanya had gone to the Shiv-Gauri mandir the way she was supposed to?Would it have made a difference if Lavanya had genuinely tried to learn the ways of an ideal bahu that Sharada Raizada had visualized instead of substituting Khushifor cooking or drawing a rangoli? There was no point in bringing up old things now. ‘It wasn’t like that.’ She finished in a low voice.

‘Shut up!’ Lavanya spat out spitefully. ‘I saw the way he looked at you while you danced in Akash and Payal’s sangeet!’

So Lavanya didn’t really know anything. She was just speculating from what she had seen at the sangeet. She had choreographed the dance for which Lavanya had rehearsed with Arnav. But on the D-Day she had twisted her ankle and Arnav had pulled Khushi on the stage, knowing very well that she knew all the steps by heart. Not wanting to create a scene, Khushi had complied.

‘In any case I left Delhi. Why didn’t you marry him then?’

‘He told his mom that he was not ready for marriage!

‘It was for the best in a way.’ She said surprising Khushi. ‘His grandfather died and he ended up having to take Sharada aunty along with him. There was no way I could have got along with that Hilter of a woman.’

Khushi wondered what Sharada Raizada would say if she could hear Lavanya, the girl whom she had carefully chosen for her beloved son. A girl who belonged to a sophisticated, high-class family, the daughter of her best friend.

Lavanya went on. ‘And then Karan proposed and I accepted. Karan is a good man. He is a millionaire, good looking, but he doesn’t have Arnav’s charm and style. Everything was fine until I met Arnav again after mama’s accident.Grief brought us closer. We comforted each other.’

Was she saying that she and Arnav were lovers? A deep pain began in Khushi’s heart. ‘Lavanyaji, I ----’

‘Arnav may still not be interested in marriage but I am not going to let that come in my way this time!’ She stormed out.

On the day of the show, NK had apologized for not being able to go with her as he was down with a viral fever. Khushi hadn’t really expected him to come, as he was neither interested in classical dance nor travelling to small towns like Agra. Having grown up in Australia, Khushi knew he liked to stick to his comfort zones – big cities with all its modern amenities.

Once the scenery changed from greenery to concrete buildings Khushi knew they had reached the city limits of Agra – the city of the Taj Mahal. Seeing the city with its modern building, malls, schools, offices Khushi wondered what it would have been like in the time Shahjahan who had thought of this place when he wanted to build a memorial for his wife long after she had died.

For the performance, she wore a peacock blue silk lehnga-choli with a gold buttas all over it. The bright red chunri contrasted beautifully with the lehenga. She wore a long gold chain with a large pendant, huge gold jhumkas, maang teeka and an intricately carved gold chain on her tiny waist. Her long hair was braided and adorned with jewels. She bore in mind what her teacher told her – always look the part.

 She was dancing to the semi classical Kahe Ched Mohe. This was a song that had always disturbed her but it turned out to be a bravura performance and she was modestly pleased with herself.

It was at the exact moment as she bent down to receive a bouquet of roses from someone in the audience that she saw Arnav.What was he doing here?

He was looking very handsome and dashing in a charcoal grey suit and was conspicuous even in a crowd of celebrities. Obviously, he had not meant for her to see him, for he was sitting off to one side, behind a really tall man.

In an instant she was elated, her heart beat beginning within seconds so fast it seemed it wanted to burst free from her body and fly down to where it belonged.Why are you doing this to me Arnav? I have paid for sins I haven’t even committed.  She was feeling a little dizzy but more flowers arrived and that saved her. Mr Mehta, the organizer came to her side.

‘Your dance was a huge success!’ Mr Mehta said happily. ‘The young ones were here just to see you. Their enthusiasm is wonderful.’

A few of her friends and admirers managed to get around backstage to congratulate her, and after the last one was gone, lying in wait was – Arnav.

‘Hi.’ She whispered in trepidation. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘You were magnificent Khushi,’ he said to her huskily. ‘I find your dance unbearably beautiful.’

‘Thank you,’ she said simply, her skin petal pale.

‘Come on, let’s go’

‘Mr Mehta has made arrangements,’ she told him.

He brought his caramel eyes down hers, trying not to dominate but doing it all the same. ‘Tell them it won’t be necessary.’

‘But ---‘

‘This is important.’

‘I will inform Mr Mehta and then change out of this costume.’

When she joined him fifteen minutes later, Arnav was zapped. Her outfit was a complete contrast to what she wore earlier. Shewore a beautiful pinkknit topwith the most intricately self-embroidered, square shaped yolk trimmed with lace, on blue jeans and chocolate brown ankle length boots. As she found Arnav’s eyes perusing her from head to toe, she pulled on a tan wool jacket.

‘These clothes are warmer.’ She said in a lowvoice.

‘Right.’He blinked once and turned around to lead the way. A little later, when they were seated in the car Khushi turned to him. ‘What’s going on Arnav?’

‘The meeting with Aria fashions.’ He stated laconically. ‘Why didn’t you go?’

‘Lavanyaji said she would manage all by herself.’

‘The meeting was a disaster,’ Arnav said, raking his hand through his hair. ‘Lavanya told me that she did not receive the necessary information on it.’

Khushi was appalled. ‘I sent everything to Lavanyaji last week! I even copied you on it.’

‘I know. Looks like Lavanya did not realize that you blind copy me on all e-mails. It is very clear she doesn’t work when I am not around.’

‘But that meeting was very important for AR!’ Khushi was emphatic, ‘Mr Ibrahim Sheik is a very fussy person. He is not likely to give you another appointment.’

‘Why do you think I flew all the way here leaving behind my work?’ Arnav said. ‘Since Mr Sheik is from Agra, I thought it would be a great idea to come here to meet him. I have invited him for a dinner meeting tonight. We will make sure he gives us another appointment.’

‘We?’ Khushi was taken aback.

‘Of course,’ he replied smoothly. ‘The man apparently asked for you at the meeting. Have you met him?’

‘Well, jeejaji invited him home last time,’ she said. ‘He happens to be from Lucknow.’ When the tea and snacks had been served he had specifically asked to see the person who made it and had appreciated her. When he had found out she was from Lucknow he had said he knew it the moment he tasted the jalebis.

‘There you go!’ He hit the steering wheel with his hand. ‘The Lucknow connection. Do I need to say more?’

‘But, I don’t think I will be able to do any convincing Arnav,’ she said nervously.

‘Look who’s talking.’ He said as he swerved into a side lane. He would never let her forget that she was an actress, would he?

 Khushi saw that he had turned onto a smaller road leading into a poorly developed area of Agra. As they kept driving further, she realized they were in old city toward the river Yamuna.

‘Are we going towardTajMahal?’ Khushi asked raising her eye brows in surprise.

‘We might as well ---,’ he said putting the car into a vacant slot of a jam packed ground that was supposed to be the parking lot.  ‘We have time to kill until dinner.’

He helped her onto a golf type vehicle that would take them the distance of half a kilometre to the premises. Once they reached the entrance Khushi stood in the queue for women and saw that the men’s queue was pretty long. Knowing that darkness would set in early in winter, she wondered if they would make it in time. Then suddenly Arnav came up to her, took her hand and lead her to the entrance, where they were let into through a smaller gate.

‘How did you do that?’ She asked him as they began to walk toward the main gateway.

‘Everything has a price Khushi.’

‘What was the need to spend so much money?’She said walking fast to keep pace with him.

‘You can pay 300 Rs to go watch a two hour movie, but when it comes to visiting your national monument you are counting the money?’ He paused.‘I cannot believe the ticket to this place is a paltry twenty rupees. Why can’t the government just charge more and use it to clean up the surrounding area? It’s one of the wonders of the world for God’s sake!’

‘Arnav look!’ Khushi clutched his arm, and pointed to the Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal stood white pristine and majestic.A water channel and bronze fountains divided the paved causeway leading to the mausoleum, between a double row of cypress trees. Khushi realized why it was aptly called ‘Dream in Marble.’ It was truly an exquisite piece of lyrical beauty. Enthralled at its timeless beauty she looked up at him. ‘Thank you for bringing me here.’

‘A girl once told me this was the most romantic place on earth.’

Khushi’s eyes change from excitement to wariness as she remembered the words she had said after that ---

When you go to the Taj Mahal with your loved one, you will feel like you are the only two amidst thousands of people around…..

Payal looked beautiful in her teal green saree, sitting in front of the mirror wearing her gold studs. She had the glow of a woman who was waiting for her beloved to come and pick her up for a date on New Year’s eve. Khushi couldn’t believe life could change so much in little more than a month. Last week Payal and Akash were engaged to be married in six weeks! Khushi’s thoughts went back to the drama that preceded this happy event.

On the night of the Diwali she had come down the stairs and slipped into the guest bedroom to check on her appearance. She had managed to get her hair into place but she wondered if people would figure out that her lips were swollen from the scorching kiss Arnav and she had shared on the terrace a few minutes ago. She had nervously stepped into the hall with her shoulder bag when she saw the entire Raizada family assembled in the hall. The guests had left, but her parents’ presence at the house surprised her. In the arguments that ensued she realized that Mamiji had caught Akash and Payal and Akash in an embrace in Akash’s room.

Her parents had been summoned to be informed of their daughters’ indiscretion. Mamiji had made a hue and cry about the whole issue. Finally, Naniji had intervened and silenced Mamiji telling her that the matter would be discussed later after getting to the crux of it. Embarrassed by the incident, her parents had taken both their daughters home and had packed them off to Lucknow with Buaji, in the next available train.

In the time they had spent in Lucknow, Payal and she had grown closer like never before. Having to endure Buaji’s taunts, Payal had leaned on her for support. In her depressed state, Payal had revealed to Khushi that she and Akash had been secretly seeing each and had been friends since they first met in Dehradun. She also told Khushi that Akash wanted to marry her. But his mother would never allow him to marry their accountant’s daughter would she? Payal had already decided that it was the end of the world for her.She cried often saying she missed Akash a lot.

All this wasn’t helping her one bit. She had been trying her best not to think about Arnav. But how could she forget the mind numbing ecstasy she had experienced in his arms? Even thinking about it made her blush as her heart began its erratic dhak dhak. All the encounters they had from Navratri to Diwali, kept playing in her mind. The feelings that Payal described to her seemed akin to what she was experiencing. She knew she cared for Arnav. But was it love?

No Khushi! She admonished herself. A girl like her had no right whatsoever. She remembered Sharada Raizada’s words --- My son will never go for a low-class girl like her.

Then suddenly a month later, Akash had called Payal and told her that everything was going to be okay as his mother had agreed to the alliance. They had been summoned back to Delhi and in the next few days, Payal and Akash were engaged in a small engagement ceremony.

A knock on the door brought Khushi out of her reverie. She ran to open the door to find Akash standing there with a wide grin on his face.‘You fiancée is almost ready jeejaji,’ she said emphatically.

‘I am so lucky to be going out with two beautiful women today,’ he teased.

Khushi leaned in to whisper conspiratorially. ‘Sorry about that jeejaji.’ Buaji had strictly announced that Khushi would have to accompany Payal on the dinner with Akash.

Suddenly, they heard the car horn and Khushi wondered why Mohan was in such a hurry. In the next few minutes she found out why.Arnav was at the wheel! What was he doing here? Wasn’t he supposed to be in US? He wasn’t even there for the engagement.

Her dhak-dhak began and her stomach did a flip-flop as images of the kiss flashed before her. She hoped that heat that had suffused her body did not show up on her face.

‘Please drop me off in Palak’s house,’ she said as Arnav started the ignition.

‘I don’t think so,’ he told her driving out of their lane and taking a right turn.

She looked back at Akash and Payal in panic. Akash said, ‘Khushi, you can’t stay in Palak’s house because she lives two streets away from your house. Someone from your locality could easily see you and inform your family. You will have to come with us. Bhai will keep you company.’

No way! This couldn’t be happening. ‘I could go watch a movie,’ she suggested, ‘there is this new Salman Khan movie –‘

‘No Khushi!’ Payal exclaimed. ‘Going to a cinema hall all alone is not safe.’

And spending time with Laad Governor was? Payal and Akash had not idea about what was safe. Khushi began twisting her dupatta throwing sidelong glance at the silent statue, who was looking ahead and driving like none of this conversation mattered to him, not in the least bit.

‘Where are we going jeejaji?’ she said trying to make small talk.

‘Taj Mahal ---‘Did he say Taj Mahal? She hadn’t been able to hear clearly from the loud blaring horn from the truck behind them. But she didn’t want to ask again as Akash was engrossed in a conversation with Payal and she no intention of disturbing them further.

When they arrived at their destination Khushi realized that the “Taj Mahal” Akash had referred to turned out to be a resort. When she expressed her disappointment as she got off the car, Akash and Payal began to laugh at her as they went ahead.

‘Really?’ Arnav finally broke his silence. ‘You really thought we were going to Taj Mahal?’

Khushi wasn’t deterred however cute his sardonic expression looked.‘Why not?’ she demanded. ‘If I was engaged, and going on a date,that too on New Year’s eve, I would have insisted that my fiancé take me to the “real” Taj Mahal!’ she said in a rush.

‘Khushi, people go on dates so they can be with each other – not to a monument like Taj Mahal where there are thousands of other people.’

‘It is most romantic place on earth!’ she exclaimed emphatically.

‘They say that when you go to the Taj Mahal with your loved one, you will feel like you are the only two amidst thousands of people around.’ She ran ahead not wanting to spend another second alone with him.

They visited the octagonal central chamber, where the cenotaph of the empress MumtazMahal occupied the middle of the marble floor while that of the Emperor Shah Jahan was to one side of it. Khushi was fascinated by the intricate marble and colour mosaic work done on the graves.

They made their way back through the Taj garden, avoiding the hordes of photographers hounding them to pose for pictures, against the backdrop of the Taj. Finally,they beganwalking along a narrow corridor that would lead them to the main gateway and out of the premises. Khushi stood and turned around for one final look. As it was winter, darkness came quickly and in the fading light the Taj Mahal looked enchantingly beautiful.

A group of boys in a hurry to go back rushed past them knocking Khushi hard, but Arnav caught her to himself snaking his arm around her waist, pulling her flush against himself as Khushi clutched his shoulder to steady herself.

‘Ready to take back your words sweetheart?’ He said with a smirk. When her brows creased in confusion he said, ‘Do you still believe in all that romantic mush about Taj Mahal?’

He remembered! ‘You know how naïve I was back then Arnav.’

‘I know.’ Arnav voice was a whisper. She looked up with her luminous eyes compelled by the lilt in his voice and found him staring at her with his deep caramel ones.

Khushi’s breath caught in her throat as the entire world faded away. It was not romantic mush. Whoever said it was right.She would lock this moment away in her heart forever.

‘What are you thinking?’ he asked, his brown eyes totally absorbed in her.

‘The way we used to be, the good times we have hand. You were the only good thing in my life.’

‘I find that hard to believe!’ he said curtly.

‘Why are you here if you keep insisting on not believing anything I say?’

‘You know the answer to that one.’ ‘Uncontrollable impulses. Feeling that survives when everything else has gone. It’s a question of compulsion rather than anything else. We are tied to one another, in an inexplicable way.’

‘As simple as that!’ She sighed deeply, unaware how ethereal she looked in the waning light. The overhead light caught in her pretty stone drops so it glittered like diamonds.

‘You look beautiful,’ Arnav said languidly raking her with his intense brown eyes. ‘And innocent.’

‘I am.’ In fact she was innocent of everything except loving him.

‘Then don’t marry NK.’

Before Khushi could react, they heard the shrill sound of the whistle as the caretaker of the premises came up to them, telling them it was time to leave the premises.