Part 33 Where is Arnav?
Khushi was tossing on the bed not getting sleep but Arnav didn't because he was not on the bed. He was sitting on a chair, extending his legs on the bed. He was never had been like that day. Khushi was not wrong. Any girl would like to live peacefully with her husband. No one would like to get into well-known trouble. Why should she choose a risky life when she had a choice? She could have a better choice of peaceful life.
Arnav's thoughts got distracted by his phone ring. Taking the phone, he attended to it. Suddenly, his facial expression changed into the dark. He listened to the other side carefully and disconnected the call. There was nothing in his mind other than the information he got through the phone call.
The next morning
Khushi didn't see Arnav that morning as he didn't come to the living room to have coffee. Though Khushi didn't want to go to his room she could not hold her eyes from looking for him. She was still sitting in the living room even after finishing the coffee.
"Dev, I think Arnav bituwa is still sleeping. Go and wake him up" Vimla said.
Dev went to Arnav's room to wake up Arnav.
"Did he have dinner last night?" Vimla asked.
Khushi nodded yes.
"When did he come?"
"Eleven"
"Oh... don't know where did he go... he just came to Lucknow yesterday and got friends here" Vimla wondered.
They say Dev coming.
"Arnav sir is not in his room," Dev said.
Khushi spared a glance at Vimla.
"Did you see him this morning?" Khushi asked her.
"No... I don't see him today"
Khushi stood up from the sofa and headed to Arnav's room. She huffed in relief, seeing his bag in the room. So, he hadn't LEAVE Lucknow yet. But, where was he? Where did he go early in the morning? She was confused... restless too. Why won't he be restless? After all, he was Arnav Singh Raizada.
Khushi was waiting for Arnav without even having lunch. His phone was switched off when she dialed him. That made her throw her phone on the bed in frustration. Though she threw her phone she kept on checking it often whether Arnav sent any message. As there was no message from him, she lost her patience. Adding to it, hunger was eating her. That raised her anger tenfold.
"Khushi bitiya, have this coffee and biscuits at least. How long could you be starving?" Vimla chided her rightfully.
Khushi didn't deny it. Taking the cup from her hand, she drank it.
"Why would I be starving for him? I'm sure he would be eating his stomach full" she murmured panting hard angrily.
But, no use of her anger. There was no trace of Arnav's presence. Khushi started thinking, Arnav was doing this to make her repent for her rejection. She gritted her teeth, looking at the clock that indicated half past eight.
Taking a TV remote, she switched it on and changed it into a news channel. Her eyes widened with shock, seeing the news. It was a gang assassination...again. No one knew who killed them. The police seized tons of cocaine from the spot. Aman Mathur was attending to the reporters' questions as usual... almost with the same attitude.
"We will find out the cause of this gang murder soon. We are working on it" Aman said.
This man deserved to be nominated for Oscar awards.
Khushi didn't have to struggle a lot to connect the dots after that. Did Arnav take part in the gang slaying? Was he presently in Mumbai? Why didn't he tell her that he was going to Mumbai? Of course, yes. he would not have let his men handle this without him. Maybe, they too would not want to handle it without Arnav.
So, he was on a mission. But, he was here in Lucknow till late at night. Then when did he go to Mumbai? Was he really in Mumbai or somewhere else in Lucknow? Why this man was this much tough to understand? Could not he just drop a message before leaving home? This was why she didn't want to get committed to a gangster. She sighed wearily.
She was watching the news lying on the sofa.
"Khushi bitiya, are not you going to eat anything?" Vimla asked.
"You have... I will have it later"
"When? You didn't even eat lunch..."
"I said I will have..." She did cut her from talking more.
Vimla left the place and said nothing. After having lunch, she went to her quarters with her son as usual.
Khushi changed the news channels one by one but the same news of gang assassination had been flashed on every channel. Her eyelashes became heavy as she was sleepy. She tried to keep them open as much as she could but she failed. She dozed off and could not hold herself.
Khushi jerked from her sleep as the main door was knocked. She took a few seconds to come to composure. Her eyes widened when she assumed who could be knocking on the door. She rushed to the door and opened it. Her assumption was right. Arnav was standing at the doorstep. He smiled at her casually and entered.
"Where were you?"
"Went for an important job" he headed to his room.
"Could not you inform me before going anywhere?"
Arnav stopped and searched for something on the tea table and then its surroundings. Khushi looked at him and could not understand. He pulled a chit from under the sofa. He stuffed it in her hand. Did he write a chit for her? Khushi checked it. yes, it was a note for her.
*I'M GOING TO COMPLETE IMPORTANT WORK. WILL COME TOMORROW MORNING* had been written in it.
That was when Khushi noticed the wall clock and was perplexed as it was 10 to 6 am.
"Is it the next day morning?" She murmured.
"Didn't you check it?"
She nodded no.
"You should have kept a weight on it"
"I did... I kept it under the vase"
"It would be better if you would have conveyed the matter to me straight away"
Without saying anything, Arnav walked to his room.
"I'm talking to you only. What would I think if you walk not minding to answer me?"
"What should I answer? You missed checking the chit... It's not my fault"
"I have been waiting for you for the whole day without even eating anything"
Arnav stopped and looked at her bewildered. Was she waiting for him for the whole day without even rating anything?
"Why did you wait for me? You should have eaten if you are hungry"
"You are my guest..."
"But, our stomachs are not the same. Our feelings are different. So is our hunger"
"I know, you should have eaten your stomach full... I'm an idiot. I waited for you"
Arnav walked again as if he didn't hear her.
"I watched it on TV," she said.
"Mmm," he continued walking.
"The news channels started flashing the news at 8 pm. Then what made you so late?"
Arnav stopped walking at looked at her.
"I have reached Lucknow at midnight itself. I don't want to disturb your sleep. that's why I waited till morning"
He entered his room. Khushi stood outside. Removing his shoes, Arnav flopped on the bed. He didn't sleep in the past two nights after all. Khushi walked away, letting him sleep. she too went to her room and sleep as she too didn't sleep well.
Khushi woke up only in the afternoon. She was shocked, seeing the time. Hurriedly rushing to the washroom, she got fresh and came as she was hungry like hell. She saw Arnav already present there. It seemed he also woke up late. Vimla served him lunch. Arnav ate silently not sparing Khushi's gaze. Somewhat, his behavior irked her. To fuel her irritation, Ritu came there. Khushi rolled her eyes, gritting her teeth. Arnav noticed it.
"Hi..." Ritu greeted Arnav.
Arnav smiled at her.
"How are you doing?"
"Good"
Khushi followed them while eating.
"Actually, it's very hard to believe something..."
Khushi stopped eating but Arnav was eating casually. Ritu looked at Khushi and then Arnav. Khushi understood Ritu was going to ask about Arnav's wife. She became nervous. What if Arnav said that everything she told was not true?
"One minute..."
Arnav removed his mobile and checked something in it. he kept it back with a smile and looked at Ritu.
"My wife's message" he muffled.
Ritu swallowed hard whereas Khushi was stunned.
"Your wife?"
"Yeah... my son had a fever last night. He is fine now" He added.
"Oh..." she was highly disappointed.
Khushi was constantly gazing at Arnav and Arnav knew it. Something clicked in his mind. He typed a message to NK and waited. within a few minutes, he got a call from NK. He attended it.
"Who is speaking?"
"........."
"Narendra?"
"..........."
"Sorry, wrong number" he disconnected the call.
"don't know who Narendra is. He is calling me for the second time" he said looking at Khushi while observing Ritu from the corner of his eyes.
"What's the number?" Ritu asked.
"What?"
"What's the phone number of Narendra?"
Arnav said some random number.
"No... this is not the number" she murmured.
"Why? Do you know anyone named Narendra?" Arnav asked.
"My uncle... I mean; my mother's brother's name is also Narendra" Ritu said.
Khushi glanced at Arnav with shock whereas there was a smile crawling on Arnav's lips.
To be continued...