Part 34 Man of Excellence
Kitchen
Khushi was confused when Payal dragged her to the kitchen.
"What happened Jeeji?"
"Khushi, I told everything to Akashji," Payal said.
"Is it?"
"Yes, Khushi, they already know about Shyam"
"Is it?"
"Yes, that's why Arnavji married you as he didn't want him to do anything that questioned your character"
Khushi was overwhelmed. She knew Arnav married her not because he wanted to save his sister's life but because he liked her. It seemed he not only married her because he liked her but also to save her respect.
"I misunderstood Arnavji... he is a gem of a person" Payal said.
Khushi nodded yes.
They stopped talking and smiled at Anjali who came to the kitchen.
"Khushiji and Payalji, tomorrow is your Moo Dhikhai function has been arranged. Our relatives and friends will come to see our new brides. I will give you new clothes. You should wear them" Anjali said gladly.
Khushi and Payal nodded ok.
"Let your respective partners know that"
They nodded ok. Anjali left the place smiling.
"I'm nervous, Jeeji"
"Why Khushi?"
"No one knows about our wedding. How will people react seeing me?"
Payal also became nervous. What if anyone taunted Khushi?
"Naniji and Anjaliji will be there. I think they will take care of the guests" Payal tried to console Khushi.
Khushi smiled artificially. She came to their room all the way thinking about the Moo Dhikhai.
Arnav saw her hung face.
"What happened?" he asked.
She nodded no with a plastered smile. Arnav took his hands from the keyboard and frowned.
"Moo Dhikhai has been arranged for tomorrow..." She said hesitatingly.
"Moo Dhikhai?"
"Introducing the new brides to the relatives and friends"
"Oh..." Arnav became thoughtful.
He could understand why she was nervous.
"Relax, ok...?"
Khushi slightly smiled. She didn't know who their relatives and friends were. She could not expect them to be like Anjali and Nani.
"If you are uncomfortable meeting people, I will cancel it," Arnav said.
"No no..." Khushi said hurriedly.
"It's a formality Arnavji. We can't avoid it"
Without saying anything, Arnav went out. He saw Nani, Anjali, and Manorama discussing Moo Dhikhai.
'Di... is it necessary to perform this function?" Arnav asked.
They looked at one another.
"You don't have to bother about it, Chotte because you are not going to participate in it..." Nani said.
"I don't bother if I participate in it... I'm bothered because my wife is going to..."
"What's your problem, Chotte?"
"I have no problem if your guests will do what has to but they won't. they will unnecessarily raise questions about my wife that I could not allow"
"We too have responsibility, Chotte. We too are concerned about our Bahu. We will take care of our guests" Nani said strictly.
"Let me see... how will you take care of them" Arnav walked back to his room.
"Chotte is not wrong, Nani. Don't we know our guests? They will surely taunt Khushiji for the sudden marriage. That's why Chotte is disturbed" Anjali said.
"He has to face this phase, Anjali bitiya... How long will he be vailing his wife without showing her to the world? However, he should do that because he could not be keeping her inside the four walls. If he has the guts to marry her, he has to face it" Nani said.
Shyam who listened to their talks smirked because he too knew their relatives and friends.
Arnav came to their room and saw Khushi coming out of the washroom, changing. She looked simple but gorgeous. She went to the bed and lay down silently. Arnav knew she was nervous about the Moo Dhikhai...! He didn't disturb her. She could not be courageous no matter how he would try. She would be relaxed only if she got the assurance. He took the other side of the bed, without disturbing her.
The next day
Anjali was getting ready for the function. Before Anjali thought of wearing the diamond jewelry set, Shyam took a Ruby set and forwarded it to Anjali.
"I would like to see you in this set, Rani Sahiba... this will be matching to your saree"
Anjali happily took it from him and wore it. Shyam huffed in relief. Thank God, she didn't want to wear the Diamond jewelry set.
The guests started arriving. Shyam waited outside RM for the particular person who was an expert in creating problems. His face lit up to see the expected person...Radha...!
"Namaste, Radha Masi..." he smiled.
"What a surprise you welcome me standing outside?"
"I'm assigned to check food arrangements. That's why I'm waiting outside. Actually, Arnav is the one who is supposed to do that. As we didn't expect, he got married..." Shyam said looking at her face.
As he expected, Radha was shocked.
"What did you say?" She asked with confusion if she didn't hear it clearly.
"Leave it, Masi..."
"Arrey... did you say Arnav's wedding?"
Shyam sighed.
"What to say, Radha Masi... we never expected Arnav would elope with a girl"
"Whaaat? Arnav eloped with a girl?"
"Yes, she is none other than the sister of Akash's bride. We would have gotten them married if he had told us... don't know how the girl changed his mind that he forgot his own respect"
Radha frowned because she too could not believe Arnav got married.
"Being his brother-in-law, I thought of asking your daughter's hand for Arnav. I'm sure they would have been like made for each other" he sighed, looking at her from the corner of his eyes because he knew Radha wanted her daughter to become Raizada Bahu. Radha was willing to get her married to Arnav.
Of course, everyone from Raizada's circle wanted Arnav as their son-in-law. Who wouldn't like to get such a handsome and wealthy son-in-law?
"Leave it, Masi... nothing is in our hands. We can change nothing... everything is over... please go inside" he said feeling sad.
Radha went inside fuming. Already Akash slipped from her hand and now Arnav was also gone. Didn't this Raizada brothers have sense? How could they fall for low-class girls? Didn't they find her daughter beautiful? What Gupta sister had that her daughter didn't have? She could not tolerate the low-class girls taking frontlines...! She decided to wait for her TURN and was supposed to take a seat, but she stopped hearing,
"How are you, Mrs. Krishna?" She saw Arnav smiling.
She could not believe Arnav talking to her. Usually, Arnav won't give heed to anyone. She knew that. She was about to ask him about his sudden wedding, but before that, Arnav said,
"Mr. Krishna wanted your son to start a new fashion house. He spoke to me about it. I was thinking about giving him some ideas to do that. Ask him to call me when he is free. If he wants, I'm ready to train your son in AR...! Tell him that"
Radha's face lightened.
"Are you really ready to help my son to start a new fashion house?" She asked excitedly.
"Why not? I always encourage youngsters and I know your son is a talented fellow..."
"Thank you so much, Arnav..."
"You are welcome..." Arnav walked away with a smirk"
The function started. Shyam curiously waited to see Khushi getting humiliated by Radha.
Women who came to the function murmured to see TWO VIP chairs had been arranged. Anjali brought Khushi and Payal to the living room and made them sit on the VIP chairs. People looked at one another confusingly.
Arnav appeared in front of them which made Khushi a little relaxed.
Arnav said,
"You guys may be confused to see two daughters-in-law here. They are sisters and I married the younger one... Akash's wife Payal's sister, Khushi Kumari Gupta. I married her unannounced. It's purely my personal. She is my wife now. I hope you guys will BLESS her, nothing more than that"
Shyam looked at Radha eagerly. As he expected, Radha stood up. Shyam's face brightened.
"Of course, we will definitely bless her. Why are we here other than blessing her? So what if you married her unannounced? Don't we know you? Every action of you would have a valid reason. You are a man of excellence. No doubt, your choice would also be excellent..." Radha said cheerfully.
Everyone was looking at her with a wide open mouth. That was the first time, Radha spoke positively. She was not a woman who would accept reality but found flaws in everything.
"What are you guys looking at me? It's his life. Doesn't he know what he wants? Who are we to criticize him? Who are we to judge him? We are guests here. We should leave completing our duty for what we are invited..." She looked at Anjali, and said smilingly,
"Start the program, Anjali..."
Anjali nodded her head robotically and started the function.
Arnav looked at Shyam who was glaring at Radha. He was disappointed like hell. Nothing happened as he expected. What made Radha speak utterly opposite to what he expected? He fuelled her enough to spit fire on Khushi...then what the hell was wrong with her? He could not understand.
How could he understand how simply Arnav turned the table? He might have understood if he had seen Arnav talking to Radha. He was busy outside with the food arrangements. In that, he failed to notice Arnav talking to Radha.
Arnav walked back to his room smilingly as he didn't have to be there to protect Khushi because he knew Radha would do that more efficiently than him.
To be continued...