Shyam watched the Raizada family sitting on the lawn enjoying their tea. Anjali, the darling sister was sitting between her two loving brothers and was laughing in her usual exuberant style. He could see the love in her eyes as she looked affectionately at Arnav.
Arnav, sitting there brooding, probably because of the conversation they had just had. Always behaving like he had the weight of the entire world on his shoulders.
Then, there was Naniji, the matriarch of the family, Mamaji, Mamiji, Payal and Akash – all of them sickeningly devoted to Arnav Singh Raizada. And why not? They all depended on him for their survival.
And finally Khushi – she seemed happy sitting there in the middle of the group. But then, his Khushiji was always like that. She had the ability to hide her true feelings.
Shyam turned around and walked away as fast as his legs could take him.A fierce rage had started within him. If he went and joined the group for tea he wouldn't be able put on the façade of civility that he usually did in their presence. He needed to vent.
Oblivious to Shyam's raging thoughts, the Raizada family listened in rapt attention to the waiter who had served them tea and pakodas. He told them that in the year 1911, a 49 year old spiritualist Lady Frances Garnett-Orme, had come to stay at the hotel Savoy with her companion from Lucknow, Lady Eva Mountstephan, also a spiritualist who specialized in séances and crystal-gazing. One morning after Miss Mountstephan had returned to Lucknow, Lady Frances was found dead. She had been poisoned by her friend. Though Lady Mountstephan she was arrested later, the court had acquitted her for lack of evidence. Since then it was believed by the locals that the hotel was being haunted by the spirit of Lady Frances waiting for justice to be served.
'There is a gh...ghost in this hotel?' stuttered mamiji after the waiter had left, 'Let's move to another hotel pleeej.'
'There are no such things as ghosts Manorama,' said mamaji consoling his wife, 'He was just trying to entertain us because we asked him to explain its history.'
'I suddenly feel very dizzy and weak,' she shivered.
'That's' because of over eating, first at lunch and then these pakodas. Let me take you up to the room for some medication and rest.'
As soon as they left, Akash excused himself to take Payal to Camel's Back Road which was a 3 km stretch where they could have a sun set view of the Himalayas while they strolled along side it.
Just then Arnav got a phone from the office and he walked away so he could talk in private.
Anjali looked at her brother and then at Khushi who was looking at his retreating back wistfully. Anjali felt a little sad for Khushi who was saddled to her workaholic, unromantic brother. She suddenly realized that Shyam had not joined them for tea. She wondered what was keeping him. She dialled his number.
Shyam's phone began to ring. It was his devoted wife. He cut the phone. He didn't know why she bothered to care for him when the only person she really cared for was her brother – her chotte. She would never love anyone the way she loved him. They shared a very special bond, she said. In all the years he was married to her, he had never once seen that waver even once. And vice-versa. He had seen evidence of that on the night of Payal and Akash's wedding. He had gone ahead and married Khushi just so that he could save his precious Di's marriage.
After Anjali and he had been married, she had showered him with so much love and affection that he had started to feel that he was a stray dog that she had picked off the streets. What else would you call such blind devotion? She was a princess from a palace and he was a pauper from the slums. The same went for the entire Raizada family who smothered him with their patronizing attitude. But the worst was Arnav. He had made sure his poor brother-in-law would move into the mansion so that his beloved sister could live in luxury and style. He had even made provisions for a regular income to be deposited into his individual account as he very well knew that his poor brother-in-law wouldn't be able to take care of his high maintenance sister with a meagre lawyer's salary. Not that he was complaining. In fact that was exactly why he had married her.
He remembered the day he had accidentally stumbled against Anjali in the temple so many years ago. He had helped her regain her balance when he realized that she walked with a limp and had helped her to her car. He had figured out right then that she came from a well to do family. He had been right. He had dug out her entire bio-data in couple of days. The only girl of the Raizada family, had no parents and lived with her younger brother, a grandmother and uncle's family. It had not been difficult to beguile her with his charm. Even then, Arnav had his reservations but had bowed down to the wishes of his sister. After that the other members of the Raizada family had welcomed him with open arms.
He hated them. These condescending, overbearing rich people who thought the world revolved around them. Especially, Arnav Singh Raizada!
He had seen the way he had treated Khushi in the beginning. He had made her life hell. But that had soon changed. He was sure that it was her beauty that had mesmerised him. He only wanted to use her until his needs were satisfied. And it was his duty to protect Khushi from people like him. She and he were one of a kind- meant for each other.
Today, Arnav had threatened him that he would be kicked out of RM once the baby arrived. That could mean only one thing -that he had made a will. He must have left the entire property in the name of his darling sister. How dare he put an end to his best laid plans? He had worked years for this.
The root cause of all his problems- Arnav Singh Raizada. It would be so convenient if this root cause were to vanish from the face of the earth. With him gone, Anjali would inherit all his property. After that it would just be a cake walk for him. Then Khushi and he would live happily ever after.
Lost in his thoughts, Shyam almost missed seeing the object of his hatred walk right past, along the path heading for the cliff side. He was on his phone completely oblivious of the world around him. A sudden breeze had picked up, dust and leaves flying in all directions. Shyam watched as Arnav walked dangerously close to the edge. He began to walk toward him.
As the wind continued its wild objection, Naniji suggested that they should move into their rooms as the weather seemed to be getting worse. As Khushi walked next to Anjali she felt a stab of anxiety. Where was Arnav? He had left half an hour ago when he got a call on his phone. He should have been back. Khushi felt a steadily escalating sense of foreboding which she couldn't understand. The trio went into the hotel's lobby, moving towards the elevator which would take them to their rooms.
Arnav couldn't think. One moment he was talking on his phone and the next moment he was flying. He felt himself falling, it was probably just seconds and then suddenly he stopped just as suddenly. He opened his eyes to see that he was stuck on a tree that had grown in the side of a cliff. He carefully balanced himself and tried to find a grip using his hand so that his entire body weight did not rest on the flimsy branch. It was very tricky. How had this happened? Had he been so close to the edge that a gust of wind had pushed over the edge? Right now all he could think was to keep himself alive. He had so much to do. What would happen to hi Di? Who would take care of her? And Khushi. There was so much he had to tell her.
Khushi! he whispered in anguish.
Khushi suddenly turned her head toward the entrance expecting to see ------ he wasn't there.
'Did you hear that Di?' she asked Anjali.
'Hear what Khushiji?' asked Anjali perplexed at the way Khushi was looking back at the door.
'I heard ...... someone calling out for me.' Anjali saw anxiety in Khushi's eyes.
'Looks like the story about this hotel had scared you Khushiji,' she said softly, 'Don't worry it is just an old wives tale made up by the hotel staff to entertain the guests.'
After seeing Anjali and Naniji to their respective rooms, Khushi opened the door to her room. She shut it back again and turned around, walking as fast as she could. She entered the woods and took the path that led towards the valley. The wind howled through the trees, the light fading quickly as clouds covered the skies ominously.
Shyam was on his way back to Delhi. He had caught a bus that would take him to Delhi by night fall. He had called Anjali and informed her that he had some urgent work for which he would have to return to Delhi right away. After that, he typed another very important message on his phone and clicked on send. He then switched off his phone.
After walking for about 10 minutes Khushi had reached an overlook with a view of the Doon valley. There was no sign of Arnav. Somehow she couldn't turn back from there. She called out for him.
'Arnavji?' And then a little louder.... Arnavji? Arnavji?
'Khushi!'
That was Arnav's voice! Where was it coming from? Khushi ran toward the edge of cliff calling out for him frantically.
'I am down here Khushi.'
Khushi looked down and was horrified to see Arnav perched on the side of the cliff ------ his only support was a small tree that had grown out from the side of the cliff. A tree that looked like it would give way any minute! Khushi began to look around to see if there was any way she could help Arnav climb up from his perch. There was nothing. She realized that there would be no time to go back for help. And she had left her cell phone back in the room. Hey Devi maiyya, what would she do now?
Then, she spotted a narrow ledge leading up to the place where Arnav was. She would be able to reach him if she used some of the smaller trees that were growing on the cliff.
Just as she was about to take a step, Arnav yelled at her, 'What do you think you are doing Khushi? Go back to the hotel and get help.'
'No Arnavji, that tree you are hanging on to might snap any moment.'
'So what do you think you are going to achieve by coming down here? Just go!'
'No! I will come down there and help you get out of there. You will see.'
'Khushi, why don't you ever listen to me?'
Khushi gingerly placed her steps and went down the ledge up to the spot where Arnav arms were at a reachable distance. She then offered her hands to Arnav to so she could pull him up.
'Are you crazy, Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada! There is no way you will be able to pull me up. Instead, you will slip and fall into this gorge even before me.'
Khushi realized that he might be right. Then she knew what she had to do. She lay down flat on the ledge next to him and slipped her feet into the roots of a small tree that had grown on it. She then asked Arnav to hold on to her. When he asked her to go away she pleaded with him.
'Please Arnavji, by holding on to me some of your body weight will shift so that there is lesser pressure on the branch you are standing on. This way we have better chances of surviving.'
He looked into her eyes, 'Do you know what will happen if I do hold on to you and this branch snaps?'
Without blinking her eyes she said, 'I know....... But that is not going to happen, I am sure Jeeju will come looking for us very soon.'
Khushi stretched her arms down to him so that he could hold on her. Arnav realized that this was indeed a better grip than the one he had been holding on to. When he looked into her eyes he saw sheer determination, hope and something he had seen in her eyes before .....in Nainital.
'Why are you doing this Khushi?' He had to know.
'Would you not do the same for me Arnavji?' she countered. He remembered the day he had let go of her hand in his office. Even that day he had known that she wouldn't be seriously hurt because she would land on the boxes. Nevertheless that act had been low even for him. He wished he could go back in time and change that. But then, there were a lot of things he would have to change. So many things had happened between them since then. He looked at her as they waited to be rescued.
It was more than an hour since Khushi had come down to look for Arnav. It was completely dark and the cold air nipped her skin. Khushi's entire body had begun to ache now. Fear began to set in her heart as they waited. What if Akash fails to find them? She looked at Arnav and wondered if she should tell him how she felt about him? She should also tell him about Shyam's treachery. Hey Devi Maiyyya! Please get us out of her safely she prayed fervently.
Similar thoughts crossed Arnav's mind. What if they didn't make it? Should he tell Khushi about why he married her? Should he ask her about her relationship with Shyam?
Just then, they heard someone calling out their names. Khushi heaved a sigh of relief. 'Down here!' she yelled.
Akash came down the ledge with another man who was the hotel staff and Khushi reluctantly let go of Arnav's arm. Akash managed to pull up Arnav with the help of the other man. Tears ran down Khushi's face as she realized that Arnav was finally safe. She ran up to him and hugged him. Arnav hugged her back tightly.
'How did this happen Chotte?' asked Anjali. They had all assembled in Khushi and Arnav's room. A local doctor and come and examined them. He had prescribed them pain killers and a sedative to help them sleep.
'I am not sure Di. I was on the phone and was having a heated conversation with my executive in London. There was too much breeze and I was having difficulty hearing. I was walking too close to the edge. I felt a push....... It was probably the wind.'
'How could you be so careless?' she admonished, 'What would have happened if Khushiji hadn't heard you!'
'What the ___?' Arnav turned around to stare at Khushi.
As everyone turned toward her astonished, Anjali continued, 'After the wind picked up, we were asked to move inside. When we were in the lobby, she told me she thought someone had called out for her. At that time even I brushed it off thinking that it was because we had all heard that ghost story. But I am assuming she followed through on her instincts and came to find you.'
'This is similar to the time when your voice was completely gone and Khushiji was able to read your lips,' said Akash, 'But this time it is different. Maybe it was the ghost of Lady Frances who led you there Khushiji.'
'Stop it Akash, you are scaring your mother.' Mamaji said jovially.
Khushi and Arnav just stared at each other unable to say anything. Anjali then ushered everyone out of the room so that they could rest.
After everyone left the room, Arnav shut the door to their room and lay down on his side of the bed. Khushi came out of the bathroom in her night suit and lay on the bed, switching off the bed side lamp. Arnav put his arms on her waist and hugged her to him. They slept like that spooned against each other, giving in to the complaints of their tired bodies, as sleep claimed them finally.
All explanations would have to wait until tomorrow, because tomorrow was going to be a new day.