Part 29 Not for you
Laila called Anup and he attended the call.
"Hello, baby, Good morning... hope you are happy..."
"I'm not happy... and this morning will not be happy for not only me but also for you," Laila said panicking.
"What do you mean?"
"Rakesh got arrested this morning for keeping fifty lakhs in his house"
"Whaaaaat! How do you know?"
"Aman called Arnav and told him about it"
"But why did the police go to his house?"
"They are narcotic department. It seems, someone informed that Rakesh has drugs..."
"Drugs...? But the much I know he doesn't have the habit of drugs"
"He might have used it without anyone's knowledge because it's not a matter of doing it in open"
"You are right"
"Dad, I'm scared... what if Rakesh tells the police about us?"
Anup became silent. He was also thinking about the same.
"What will happen if Rakesh tells the truth? Neerav is already angry with me. he didn't even let me enter his room last night"
"Whaaaaat!"
"Yes, Dad... he is furious on me. he pushed me out of his room and made me stand outside for the whole night"
"How dare he...!"
"He dared... he is not what we thought... he seems a very tough nut to crack"
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know... but, if Rakesh spills the beans, I will experience the worst"
"If the situation became worse, just leave RM and come back to our house"
"They will send us to jail... what do you think of Raizadas...? Will they leave us for humiliating them in front of the crowd? Neerav will peel my skin off..." she said fearfully.
Anup gulped down hard. Of course, he too knows Raizadas. He didn't care about the business tie-ups with Raizadas but the recent tie-up that's going to put his daughter's life in danger. He never imagined that their drama would come to an end so soon. He didn't know what to do because the matter was about narcotics. No one could near Rakesh. He thought he could easily manipulate Neerav but it seems he is furious due to the forced marriage. But more than facing Neerav, he was feared to face senior and junior ASR. Arnav trusted his brother even after the situation was against him. And Arvind... he will kill him if he gets to know the truth. Anup felt like he was hanging on the edge of the rope.
"Dad, please do something. Neerav will surely kick me out of RM if he Rakesh tells the truth."
"I will take care of it," Anup said.
"Dad, Neerav is coming. I'm disconnecting the call" she disconnected the call without waiting for his reply.
Anup was worried. Though he said I WILL TAKE CARE OF IT he had no idea HOW.
Laila hid behind a pillar. She didn't want to go in front of Neerav because she knew he was furious with her. So, she stayed away from him.
In the meanwhile,
Ratna made Khushi sit on the bed of her room and sat next to her. She clutched Khushi's hand and hesitated to start.
"I'm sorry aunty... I made you worried" Khushi said before she said anything.
"No beta... Neerav is right. I can understand what would have happened as you raised your hand... you won't lose your patience easily..."
"Do you want me to say what she said?" Khushi asked.
Ratna was silent.
"She said I have the talent to trap MEN. She asked me where I learned the talent because she doesn't have the skill. And she said, at first, the younger brother wanted to marry me. When he denied marrying me, the elder brother himself came forward and married me..." She stopped and looked at Ratna's face where there was a shock.
"I'm sorry Beta..."
Cutting her,
"why are you apologizing on her behalf? I don't like if you are partial..." she said controlling her laughter.
"I'm not partial," Ratna said hurriedly.
Khushi burst out laughing. Ratna huffed in relief.
"I and Laila are the same... we are daughters-in-law of this family. Neither you need to apologize for me nor for Laila because you can do nothing with us"
Ratna nodded yes.
"Arnav and Neerav are right. You just leave it on us, aunty. Don't get into it and don't stress yourself."
"I won't mind if you girls are the same in character... but you both are different and opposite to each other... that's what worries me because I don't want ONE person to get affected"
"You no need to worry about us. Neither I nor Laila is innocent..." Khushi said laughing.
Ratna also laughed.
That's when they heard,
"Your another bahu will misunderstand that you are partial with your bahus if she sees you laughing with Khushi," Arnav said.
They looked at him and then looked at each other. They laughed again as they just were talking about PARTIALITY. Arnav frowned could not understand the reason for their laughter.
"Could you guys tell me why are you laughing?"
"We are not laughing at you," Khushi said.
"Of course, you don't have the guts to laugh at me," he said shrinking his eyes.
Khushi looked at Ratna and asked her through the gesture like, REALLY? Ratna nodded NO and they again laughed. Arnav rolled his eyes.
"Mom, what's the matter?"
"Chotte, why are you so restless? Did you do something wrong?"
"I did nothing wrong"
"Then why are you restless? Do you think Khushi would have complained about you?"
"I did nothing and she won't complain even if I do something. Am I right Khushi?" he asked.
"Aunty, let me concentrate on Pehal Rasui"
"Just prepare a sweet... it's enough. Hariprakash will do the rest" Ratna said.
Khushi nodded ok and headed towards the kitchen.
"Why did you laugh?" Arnav asked Ratna.
Ratna sighed and she told him about their conversation.
"Khushi was pulling my leg for apologizing for Laila's mistake... She said I'm partial... You too said the same. So, we laughed"
"That's all...?"
"What do you think?"
"Nothing"
Arnav went to his room.
..........
Khushi prepared Badam Halwa for the pehla Rasui. She brought it to their room and extended it to Arnav.
"Wow... Badam Halwa... how do you know I like Badam Halwa?" Arnav asked.
"oh... do you like Badam Halwa? I don't know that. I prepared it not for you but for everyone" she said with a serious expression.
Arnav was disappointed. Taking the bowl from her, he ate it. It tasted so good. The Halwa would have tasted tastier if she had prepared it for HIM. He thought.
"Why did you laugh with mom?" He asked eating the halwa.
"Just like that..."
"No one laughs without a reason"
"We too had a reason..."
"What was that?"
"Is it necessary to tell you everything?"
Arnav lifted his brows. Is she seriously talking or pulling his leg?
"Won't you tell me anything?" he asked.
"I will tell you the thing that you need to know..."
"Shouldn't I know why you guys laughed?"
"We didn't laugh at you"
"How could I trust your word?"
Khushi got stuck.
"Don't trust... leave it" she said shrugging her shoulders.
"I can't leave it"
"What do you want Arnav?"
"Reason..."
Khushi sighed and told him the conversation between her and Ratna.
"You were also talk the same as me... so we laughed"
"I know..." He smirked.
"How do you know?"
"Mom told me"
Khushi dropped her jaw.
"Then why did you ask me adamantly?"
"Mom did her duty of telling the truth to her son... likewise, you too should do your duty of telling the truth to your husband... that's why"
"Oh... telling the truth is a duty?"
"Is not it?"
"Let's see, how much you will do your duty of telling the truth..." she said and was about to go from the place,
"Khushi..." Arnav called her.
Khushi raised her brows looking at him.
"You look so beautiful..."
Khushi was dumbfounded.
"This is the first truth from me..." He said smirking.
Khushi nodded no huffing. Arnav's smile broadened. He took a spoon full of Halwa and ate it, looking at Khushi. a little amount of Halwa spilled from the spoon and Arnav didn't notice it. Finishing the Halwa he kept the bowl on the tea table and sat on the recliner. Khushi headed to the table to take the bowl. She stepped on the spilled Halwa and slipped her balance. She fell on Arnav who was sitting on the recliner. Arnav circled her in his arms protectively. Both of them lost themselves and stayed in an eye lock.
They got their sense back only when Arnav's phone rang. Khushi got detached from Arnav and rushed out. Arnav attended the call making himself. The call was from Garima.
"Hello, aunty..."
"Hello Arnav, how was the halwa?"
"Halwa? How do you know I ate halwa?"
"Why won't I know, Khushi learned it for the Pehla Rasui because you like it"
"Does she know I like it?"
"Why not? Shashiji told us everything about you guys"
Yeah... even Khushi told him about it on their first meeting.
"It tasted so good aunty"
"That's nice. Actually, Khushi's phone was not reachable. That's why I called you."
"Do you want me to give her the phone?"
"No, is she coming for the pagperah or not?"
"She will come I suppose"
"OK, I will ask Ratna"
"Ok aunty"
Garima disconnected the call. Arnav smiled. So, Khushi prepared Badam Halwa for HIM but said it's not for me... Let her come... he smiled.
To be continued...