Part 31 Who was he?
Arnav came to Mr. Bhashyam's cabin.
"May I come in sir?"
"Come in Arnav"
Arnav got in.
"Sir, may I take off today?"
Bhashyam leaned on his seat.
"Are not you going to attend the seminar?"
"Yes, sir. I'm going"
"It's at 3 o'clock"
"I will be there on time, sir"
"Ok, you can go"
"Thank you, sir"
Arnav left his cabin. He came to his section and took his bag.
"Aman, I'm leaving..."
"Seminar?" Aman asked.
"Will go..."
"All the best"
"Thanks"
Arnav came to the second floor. He saw Khushi still sitting in her seat.
"Are not you going home?" Arnav asked.
"Yeah, going..." She said.
"Let's go..."
Khushi looked at Lavanya and then Arnav.
"Where?" She asked.
"I will drop you home"
Khushi was surprised.
"Will... you..." She stammered.
"Haan... I will drop you. come..."
Khushi looked at Lavanya who nodded her head, like, GO...! Taking her bag, Khushi walked to him smiling. They came out of the office.
"Wait a minute, I will bring my bike"
Khushi nodded ok. Arnav went to bring his bike and Khushi waited. Arnav stopped his bike at her feet and gestured for her to sit. Khushi sat on his bike feeling ecstatic. Arnav started the bike and left the place. She could not believe she was sitting on Arnav's bike with him. Arnav looked at Khushi through the rearview mirror who was not on the earth. He stopped his bike and looked at her turning his face. Khushi looked at him perplexed.
"Get down..." He said.
Khushi got down and ran her eyes into their surroundings. She found themselves in front of a MOBILE showroom. She understood why he brought her there.
"Why are we here?" She asked.
"Will tell you, come" he walked to the shop.
"Arnav, if you are here to buy a new phone for me, please don't"
"Why?" he lifted his brows.
"I will buy one"
"Should not I buy for you?"
"You can... I will accept it if it is your gift but you are buying one because you broke it..."
"No... you will not need a phone for the next two days because you will be at home as the Boss sanctioned your leave. You will not think of buying it for two days. Then how will I talk to you? To talk to you only I'm buying it urgently..." He smiled.
Khushi was awestruck. Was he giving her mobile to talk to HER?
"Come..." he went inside the shop.
Khushi followed him with a smile.
He bought the latest model mobile and gave it to Khushi.
"What about the SIM card? When will apply for the same number? If you have your Adhar number, we will do it right now" Arnav asked.
Khushi removed her SIM from her bag and extended it to him. Arnav raised his brows.
"Lavanya removed it before putting the mobile pieces in the dust bin"
"Oh... that's good"
Taking it from her, he inserted it into the new phone. He extended it to her. Taking it from him, she dialed his number. Arnav took his phone and saw her number.
"Do you want me to attend the call?" He asked with his lopsided smile.
Khushi nodded no and kept it in her bag. Arnav rolled his eyes as he understood she wanted HIS number to be the first number on her mobile.
"Let's have coffee," Arnav took her to the nearby coffee shop. They took a seat at the corner table.
"What would you like to have?"
"Anything..."
"What's your favorite?"
"Light caramel Frappuccino"
"Wow... good choice. I too love it"
Arnav ordered two light caramel Frappuccino coffees. They waited for the coffee. Arnav smiled at Khushi who was silently sitting next to him.
"What are you thinking?" he asked.
"Your mother spoke to me... how does she know about me?"
"She does..."
"Would you share everything with her?"
"Yes, I and my sister Aparna share everything with her"
"She is a generous person..."
"Just because she spoke to you, don't come to the conclusion" he chuckled.
"No... I saw her providing coffee to the city cleaning workers"
"When?" he was surprised.
"Last week... when we went to my friend's house for a pooja"
"Oh, that's when you got to know my house?"
"I'm sorry, I should not have come to your house. I don't know why I behaved like a maniac"
"I think it's not you but INDHU who lives in you" he smiled.
Khushi looked down. Maybe, Arnav was right, she thought.
"Did I create a problem in your family?"
"Not at all... my mother likes you so much..."
Khushi looked at him jerking.
"My sister also..."
"Are not they angry with me?"
"They are not..."
"Why?"
"They know I like you"
"How?"
"I told them"
"Did you?"
"Mmm..."
Khushi looked at him perplexed.
"It seems I messed up everything. I should have handled it lightly..."
Arnav nodded no blinking his eyes slowly.
"Just forget it..."
The coffee arrived. They had it. Arnav interacted with her casually to make her casual. They left the coffee shop after finishing the coffee.
"Shall I drop you home?"
She nodded ok.
"Won't you brother be at home?"
"He will come late"
"What will he do if he sees us together?"
"Don't know... but surely gets angry"
"Will you handle him?"
"However I have to..."
"You can avoid problems if we don't roam together, right?"
"I'm ready to face him. In fact, I don't want his friend to be in hope"
Arnav nodded yes.
"Shall I?"
He nodded ok. Khushi sat behind him. Arnav started the bike towards Gupta House as per Khushi's assistance. He stopped the bike before the GH building.
"Will you come inside?" She asked.
"Do you want me to come inside?"
Khushi nodded yes.
"I don't want to come unannounced and make your family embarrassed. Today, you are going home earlier. Don't let them know anything as of now. I will come after announcing. Ok?"
Khushi nodded ok.
"Take rest and be happy"
She again nodded ok smiling.
"Will meet you after two days. Bye"
"Bye"
Arnav kicked his bike and left the place. Khushi went towards the lift all smiling. She could not believe Arnav just dropped her home. She came to their floor and pressed the calling bell. The door was opened and Khushi got stuck, seeing the person in front of her. In no time, she threw herself on the person, shouting emotionally,
"Babuji..."
Shashi hugged her with a smile.
"How are you, beta?"
"I'm fine. What about you?"
"I'm glad to see you here. How many days will you be here?" She asked.
"I came to Delhi on transfer"
"Is it?" Khushi became excited.
"Yeah..."
"I'm so glad about it, Babuji"
Khushi was relieved. From here on, he would handle Akash. She expected.
"By the way, Khushi, how did you come home soon today?" Garima asked.
"Two days leave for us..."
"Is it? Why?"
"Server is still at fault" she lied.
"Oh..."
"I'm glad to be at home as Babuji is here"
"Go and get fresh... we will have lunch" Shashi said.
Khushi nodded ok and went to her room.
"Doesn't she look normal?" Shashi asked.
"Didn't I tell you the reason?" Garima asked.
"Yeah, but I didn't expect this kind of change in her. did you see the boy?"
"No... only Akash saw him"
"Mmm..."
Shashi also wanted to see the guy who was their daughter's previous birth's husband.
..........
Arnav went to RM and got ready for the seminar, dressing up neatly. He came to the *Solid Software* company to attend the Seminar. It was in the opposite direction to the Info Center, at an hour's ride. Arnav reached the company in forty minutes from RM. There was enough time for the seminar.
Arnav showed the invitation Email to the receptionist. She asked for his details and fed them down into the system.
"You can go to the conference hall, sir," The receptionist said.
"Where is the hall?" Arnav asked.
"Go straight and turn left, sir"
"Thank you"
Arnav headed to the hall. When he turned left, he dashed on someone.
"I'm sorry..." Arnav said even though he was not at fault.
The man who dashed with him was thunderstruck, seeing Arnav. He gulped down hard. He clutched Arnav's shoulders and looked at his face bewildered. Arnav was perplexed by his action. He didn't know who he was. In no time the man hugged Arnav making him dumbfounded. What surprised Arnav more was, what he uttered.
"ARJUN... I didn't expect I would ever meet you"
Arnav widened his eyes hearing that.
To be continued...