A midsummer midnight

Start from the beginning
                                    

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Mrs Jha and Shyam had left after sealing the 'deal' that it shall be Khushi and Shyam’s marriage in some days. Khushi didn’t even have a say in that.

Everybody had left to their rooms to call it a night. Khushi, however was left back in the kitchen to clear everything like the modern Cinderella she was. Ira and Esha had voluntarily stayed back to help her.

"Jiji, did you like that Shyam?"Isha nudged Khushi.

"Not Shyam Ira! He said his name is Syam!"Esha laughed.

"Esha, we must not make fun of his inability. Everyone has their own ability." Khushi mildly rebuked Esha.

" Oh come on Kusi, I know you want to laugh too!" Ira imitated Shyam making the trio break into a laugh.

"I don’t know, Esha. This was just the first meeting. I don't find it fair to make any opinions about him as I didn’t even have  a proper talk with him." Khuhsi looked at the messy counter and sighed.

"But yet jiji, something..."

Khushi held an utensil to rinse it and turned towards Ira.
"I don’t know, dear."

"Jiji, you know my heart is beating very fast." Esha held her hand to her heart.

Khushi remembered how her heart beated fast when she met Arnav.

"What, why?" Khushi turned.

"Arre jiji you forgot, it is Esha’s wedding tomorrow night." Ira nudged Esha making her blush.

Hearing night, Khushi remembered Arnav had called her at night at terrace. She wanted to know more about him as she felt that there was certainly something strange about him .

"Arre haan! What are you both doing here then? Go, have your beauty sleep! Go!"Khushi nudged both of them to go to sleep.They hesitantly agreed on her insistence.

"Good night, Jiji!" Esha and Ira said as they left the kitchen.

Khushi turned to gather the leftover food from the serving bowls but was surprised to see none was left.
She  was pretty sure that some food was left, then where did it go? Maybe due to hunger, she thought, she had started seeing things.

She hadn’t eaten anything since morning in order to follow Indrani's instructions. Indrani had forbidden her to eat today saying it was bad manners to eat in front of in laws.

Logically thinking, what about Shyam? He had spread the whole food on the table while eating, taking more than 3 helpings although he didn’t each that much, wasting so much food and above all, he burped on the table without saying excuse me! Why was he allowed to eat while she wasn't?

She sighed.
Truly galti se mistake was not allowed for girls, only for boys.

She washed her hands and left for the terrace.

**************

Arnav was standing near the terrace railing, his  back facing the door. He heard Khushi‘s anklets tinkle as she ascended the stairs to enter the terrace.

She saw how beautifully the terrace was set up and gasped.What were all these arrangements for?

What were all these arrangements for?

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