RM
The entire family had gathered by the dining table, waiting for Arnav to start their breakfast. He was always the last one to come downstairs, waiting for the coast to clear, aka for Nani to finish her morning aarti.
"Good morning Nani." Arnav touched her feet and took his seat beside Aakash.
"Chotte, I am well aware that you don't believe in all these rituals, but do come down once in a while for aarti. It's nice to have the whole family together early in the morning." Nani said.
"Well, we're all together here now, aren't we?" Arnav retorted, grabbing a piece of toast.
"Bhaiya, Paratha?"
"Thank you HP." Aman smiled at the backbone of their family, Hari Prakash as he folded the newspaper and set it aside. "Anjali, how many designers have applied to come today?"
"Too many to count. It's going to be a long day." Anjali sighed. "I still don't understand why we can't ask our junior designers to filter them out. Why do you personally want to see every single design, Chotte?"
"Scouting, Di. AR needs a fresh outlook. Plus it would be good for the small businesses to grow. I plan on selecting the top fifty and making them AR's subsidiary companies."
"But why all by yourself, Bhai? I mean I know Di, Jijaji and I are also going to go through them but...."
"I don't trust our junior designers. Off late I'm not happy with their designs, which is why I launched the ad. And I don't want any watering down of the designs to happen. These people don't have an eye for talent dammit. Who the hell hired them?"
"Haye Arnav bitwa, so technically all you Raizada siblings are going saree shopping, but the sarees eej coming to youwa?"
Arnav smiled at his mother figure, Manorama. When Anjali and Arnav first came to Shantivan, she welcomed them with open arms and raised them on her own. Not once did she complain about the two elder siblings or worry about her son's inheritance.
She had a sharp tongue but loved immeasurably. "Would you like to come along, Mami?"
"Hello hi bye bye, of course, pleaj. Saree shopping is a Manorama talent." Mami's taste in clothes were impeccable, learning the way of the Raizadas in her twenty-five years of marriage.
Just her taste in accessories were questionable.
"It's the bridal collection right bitwa? Hai, hum na amri bahu ke liye ek bahot hi sundar sa joda select karenge hello hi bye bye." [I will choose a gorgeous set for my future daughter-in-law]
"Arrey Mami, apne bete seh toh puch lijiye ki aapki bahu layega kab?" Aman teased, Aakash turning bright red. [Mami, why don't you ask your son, when is he bringing your daughter-in-law home?]
"Bilkul sahi kahwat hain Aman bitwa. Aakash bitwa, tumhari mother ko na ek best friend chahiye aab hi ke aabhi." [Aman, you are right! Aakash, your mothers wants a best friend ASAP]
"Best friend?" Aakash managed to stammer out while his traitor siblings revelled in his plight.
"Of course. Meri bahu meri best friend banegi ki naahi, hello hi bye bye.....Miss India...naahi naahi, Miss World hogi Manorama ki bahu....." [Of course, my daughter-in-law is going to be my best friend. Miss India, no no, Miss World will be Manorama's daughter-in-law]
Aakash looked at his last resort Arnav, who averted his eyes, smiling into his toast. "Bhai, Di, Jijaji, chaliye, we're getting late. Ma, aap ki liye mein baad mein gaadi bhijwa dunga." [Bhai, Di, Jijaji, let's go, we're getting late. Ma, I'll send a car for you later.]
Manorama smiled and nodded. "I will see you at lunch, hello hi bye bye."
"Oh ho, hamare bhai sharma gaye." Anjali pulled his leg but took mercy on him, raising from the table. "Acha Nani, Mami, ham office ke liye nikalte hain." [Oho, our brother is shying away from the conversation. Nani, Mami, we'll leave for work now.]
Each Raizada sibling touched their feet and got into their car. Arnav got into the drivers seat while the three bickered amongst themselves.
"Kaise bhai behen ho yaar aap sab. Mujhe ma se bachane ke bhajaye, hasse ja rahe ho. Bhai I did not expect this from you." [What kind of siblings are you? Instead of saving me from mum, you're laughing at my plight?]
"Arrey, hamara kaam hi hain, apko sathana, saale sahab." [Arrey, it's our job to tease you brother-in-law]
"Sabse chotta hun isiliye meri tang kichthe rehte hain na aap log." [You can't pull my leg just because I'm the youngest.]
"Arrey, itne mein hi aapki hawa tight hogayi? Jab aapki biwi aayegi na, tab dekhna woh bhi hamare team mein shamil hogayegi." Anjali teased, bringing back the wedding topic. [Arrey, you're fed up with just this? Just wait unitl your wife gets here, she will also be on our team.]
"Bhai!"
"Jise bhi shaadi karo, please make sure she's a little quieter than the backseat people." [Whoever you marry, please make sure she's a little quieter than the backseat people.]
"Oi, kisko backseat people bhula rahe ho?" Anjali playfully hit his shoulder. [Oi, who are you calling backseat people?]
"Aapko, aur kisko?" [You, who else?]
Before the two could retort, Arnav pulled into AR's parking lot, a huge line that extended out of the office till the main road.
"Hey bhagwan, so many contenders?"
The Raizada siblings gulped, prepared to down as many cups of chai as humanly possible.
Except Arnav. A glint of a half won victory flickered in his eyes.
"Let's go."
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"Jiji, hamne aap ki baat kyun mani. Yaha toh line Chandini Chowk ke mele se bhi zyada hain. Aapne mujhe akele aane kyun diya?" [Jiji, why did I listen to you? Here the line is bigger than the ones at the Chandini Chowk Fair. Why did you let me come alone?]
"Kyunki woh tere designs hain. And believe me I wanted to come with you, but boss gave a whole new file and asked me to account for it by the end of the day." Payal's soothing voice floated through the phone. [Because those are your designs.]
Payal worked in a small accounting firm near Laxmi Nagar to support the household. Combined with Khushi's tuition classes, budget was a bit tight.
She knew Khushi had a knack for designing having caught her tinkering with Buaji's chikankari sarees and responded to the ad on her behalf.
"Chalo I have to go now, all the best and remember, no setting things on fire."
"Jiji, don't leave me like this! Jiji!" The line went blank.
"Hey Devi Maiya, please protect me." Khushi snuck out a handful of chickpea, munching as she sat down on her saree bundle and waited anxiously
The vendors stood in the scorching heat with their bundles of designs, chatter rising up and soon it felt less like an award winning company and more like a bazaar.
"ENOUGH!"
Khushi jerked at the stern voice, standing up as three girls in stylish formal dresses strode out. The girl in the middle looked regal in a red spaghetti strap dress and Ray-Ban sunglasses.
She frowned, surveying the line. "This is a reputed Fashion House, Sabir Dharji ki dhukan nahi hain!" Turning to the girls on her side, "And have you lost your mind? Didn't I tell you to make the participants wait in the cafeteria?! This is bloody AR, not a third class company!"
"Yes, Lavanya ma'am." The two girls snapped into action, herding the vendors into the cafeteria and managing the crowd to the best of their abilities.
Lavanya had a clipboard and smartphone in her phone. "Alright, the next fifty participants, move to conference room 23. ASR will call you in one by one. Pam, show them the way."
Panicked whispers rose all around Khushi. ASR? The CEO will personally review their designs?
A few of the tailors slipped out of the cafeteria, loosing their confidence at ASR's name. Khushi bit her nails. The CEO himself.
Hey Devi Maiya, please let the CEO be a nice person and not a rakshas. Khushi prayed, waiting for her turn.
Khushi yawned, slumped over her bundle as almost everyone was called to showcase their designs.....all except Khushi.
"Yeh kya nainsafi hain, hum in sabse pehle aaye te! Hamari baari kab aayegi." Khushi grumbled, hungry, tired and impatient. [What is this? I came here before these people, when will my chance come?]
She wanted to buy herself a cup of coffee to be fresh for the interview but these scammers were pricing one tiny cup of filter coffee for 150 rupees! So she sat with her growling stomach, restless and nails bitten halfway through.
"Hello madam....wake up....it's your turn. ASR doesn't like to wait.....OI UTHO!"
Khushi jerked up at the three ladies staring at her with their arms crossed. "Ji? Aap kaun?" [Yes? Who are you?]
Lavanya's eye twitched. "Tumhe naukri dene wale. It's your turn go inside." [The one who is giving you a job.]
"Hey Devi Maiya, already, what time is it?" Khushi's jaw dropped as she checked the clock. 1 p.m. She had been asleep for three hours?
"Go on! ASR is going to skip if you don't turn up in two minutes." Lavanya sized her up. "And wipe the drool off your face."
Khushi hastily did as she was told and rushed in, gulping and sending a quick prayer to her Devi Maiya. Taking in a deep breathe, she pushed the door to the conference room open, hands going slack as the bundle of sarees slipped from her hands.
The man in front of her had a similar reaction, rage and shock in equal measures etched over his face.
"You!"
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"You?!"
"Aap?!"
Anjali pinched the bridge of her nose. Mami looked up from her chai and biscuit, confused.
Aakash looked at Aman, eyes pleading him to do something. "Isn't she the girl from the Lucknow Show?"
No way in hell was Aman getting in between them. Especially with a questioning Mami with them.
Of course. As his manager and Jijaji, this was Aman's fate.
After a day full of disappointments and ASR barking at the poor tailors, this was the last thing Aman needed. ASR's rage was dangerously spiraling like a wildfire and Aman was at his wits end doing damage control.
It was a terrible idea to suggest taking on indigenous weavers and embroiders for their new bridal collection.
ASR wanted an authentic Indian look as their clients had requested. But so far, none of the 100 applicants had appealed to ASR's vision.
The only one having fun so far was Mami who was on a shopping spree with an endless supply of chai.
"Aman bitwa, who ish this? Aur isse dekhke Arnav bitwa ke khan se dhua kahe ko aawat hain?" [Aman bitwa, who is this? And why is smoke coming out of her ears on seeing Arnav?]
Anjali, furious at Arnav's cheap move had immediately revoked the footage rights and contained the broadcast to the local channels. The Lucknow footage never reached Delhi.
But the damage was done, forcing Khushi to move to Delhi. Away from ASR's tyranny. But Devi Maiyaa seemed to have other plans.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Arnav growled, pushing his chair back.
The Raizada siblings and Mami rose from the chairs in suit, warily gauging Arnav.
Khushi set her bundle down a little too harshly, making the glass coffee table rattle and strode forward, clutching her cloth bag for support. "Kyaa matlab hain iska? Apne akkbar mein ad diya aur ham aaye. Agar pata hota toh is ilake mein kadam nahi rakhte." [What is the meaning of this? You put up an ad in the newspaper and I responded. Had I known it was from you, I wouldn't have stepped foot in this neighbourhood.]
"Ab pata chal gaya hain na. Toh niklo yaha se. Get out!" [Now you know, so get out of here!]
"Nahi." [No.]
Arnav faltered at the unfamiliar word. "What the?"
Khushi held her head high. "Sunayi nahi diya? Humne kaha nahi. Nahi jayenge. Hamara hak hain yeh designs dhikane ka. Apke company ne application process ki thi na, toh hum yeh mauke ko nahi gawayenge." [Didn't hear me? I said no. I won't leave. It's my right to show these designs. the company processed my application, I won't pass up the chance to showcase my designs.]
Arnav fumed but Khushi didn't budge, glaring right back at him, completely unaware of the souls praying for their lives behind them.
Without a word, Arnav took his seat. He ignored the gobsmacked faces of his siblings, eyes trained on her. The way a tiger eyes his prey.
Khushi gulped, smoothening out her kurta and unwrapped her bundle, pulling out her designs one by one. Fabrics of vibrant dyes, a cascade of green, red, blue and yellow spread across the table.
"This is Bhukara.... and this chikankari on lace."
"These designs....are hand embroidered?" Aakash asked, stunned as careful fingers grazed the fine thread. "Maa, dekhiya na..."
Mami touched the fabric, surprised at how soft and light it felt despite the grand needlework. Even though she didn't want to admit, this was out of the league compared to the deigns they had been seeing since morning.
"Wow, this looks exactly like the ones Nani used to own from when she was young." Anjali was impressed by the colour choices- bold yet blending in perfectly. This is exactly what AR needed right now.
"Arnav? What do you think?" Aman asked slowly. The man in question had not spoken a single word when Khushi ran them through all her sarees, answering Aakash's questions perfectly.
Arnav suddenly got up from his seat. "Lavanya! Come in here!"
Lavanya strode into the office with elegance and grace, shoulders square and straight. "Yes ASR."
Khushi felt her heart race, biting her fingernails. He hated it. He hated the sarees and is going to throw me out. Pata tha hame. Yeh rakshas....
"Tell the rest of the applicants to go home. I found what we needed."
"Yes ASR."
Khushi blinked. Once. Twice.
"KYA?!" She screeched, momentarily forgetting where she was or who she was talking to.
"Chilao mat." Arnav gritted out. "Lavanya will give you the details. You start tomorrow" And promptly strode out, leaving his confused siblings behind.
Aakash was the first to come out of his stupor, processing everything that transpired in the last five minutes. "Congratulations, Khushi-ji. You're officially a part of our company now. Lavanya ji will draw up your contract and I will show you your studio tomorrow."
Khushi closed her mouth and shook Aakash's stand, still processing. "Matlab, hamari naukri lag gayi?" [That means....I got the job?]
"Haan Khushi-ji. We look forward to your designs." Anjali shook a dazed Khushi's hand.
"Matlab uss rakshas ko roz jhelna padega?" She asked in a dazed tone. The Raizada siblings bit back a laugh but Mami was not amused. [Then, i have to deal with that demon everyday?]
"Oi saree-ki-dhukan. Kisko rakshas bulawate ho, hello hi bye bye. Hamare Arnav bitwa ab tumhare boss hoygawe saamjhi." [Oi! Who did you call a demon? my nephew Arnav is your boss, remember that!]
Khushi finally broke out of her reverie. "Bitwa? Aur aap kaun aunty-ji?" [Nephew? Who are you Aunty?]
Manorama looked offended, rage clouding her face while the Raizada siblings almost died of holding back their laughter, but doing a fabulous job of hiding behind their hands and clutching the table.
"Hello hi bye bye, I is not aunty...I is Manorama Raizada, Mami of Arnav Singh Raizada bitwa."
"Mami?" Khushi's eye grew wider with each second as realization dawned on her. "And you guys..."
"Ham, Anjali Singh Raizada. Cho- I mean Arnav's elder sister."
"I'm Aakash Singh Raizada, his younger brother."
The Raizadas emphasised on their last names, enjoying the way horror dawned on Khushi's face.
Khushi felt the floor sway from below her feet before Aman could introduce himself. "Ek nahi, char-char ASR. Hey Devi Maiya." [Not one but four Raizadas?]
This was the breaking point, the Raizada siblings broke into peals of laughter, Anjali and Aman's the loudest, startling Khushi.
"Don't worry Khushi-ji, we're not like that kadoos ASR. We're better versions." Aman tried to settle her.
Khushi smiled nervously. At least they laugh like human beings. Khushi could only pray for her well being from now on.
Khushi's journey in AR is going to be a turning point in multiple lives.
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Hey lovely readers, as you can see I've made waaaay too many changes especially in Payal's character. I never liked how Payal, and Aakash were portrayed to be such important characters in the beginning and just lose their voice midway.
My favourite scene in the entire show was when Payal, Aakash, NK and Anjali tease Arshi on their wedding night in the remarriage track and I felt that sibling bond between all the Raizadas was overshadowed by Arnav-Anjali's bond.
I will focus more on the platonic relationships too and the possibility of comedy with the duos.
Thank you so much for your support and lovely words, hope you like the new chapter......
Please let me know if you liked it.
WoodPecker peace out...