Arnav came back at lunch time, he left his bag on the couch looking around suspiciously, its strange Khushi didn't came running to take his bags nor did he hear anyone's voice till now.
That's when Anjali came downstairs with her usual smile, "Chote.. you reached?" "Hmm.. Khushi kahan hai? (Where's Khushi?)" he asked. "She must be upstairs or in the kitchen.." Anjali said.
"She's not in the kitchen otherwise she would come running to me.." Arnav replied casually and sat on the couch massaging his temples.
Anjali looked at him with astonished smile, "Should I serve food for you or call Khushi?"
Arnav stood up, "Don't do anything, I will myself call her and she will serve my food.." he went upstairs quickly as he couldn't bear Anjali's teasing glances at him anymore. Is it his fault that he needs his Chipku for everything??
Soon he reached on his room, and scanned the room still didn't found her. He went to the pool side, but she wasn't there also.
He came back to the room and checked the bathroom, but the door was open and Khushi wasn't there.
"Where is she now??" he thought, leaving the room he rushed downstairs and luckily found his Di still on the couch.
"Di Khushi isn't in my room. Is she with Aashi??" he asked.
"Nahin Chote, I put Aashi to sleep now only after she had her lunch.."said Anjali.
"Didn't she went with Nani and Mami to mandir?" he asked, this time his heart was kind off scared if Anjali's reply turned to be negative.
"Nahin.. Nani and Mami already returned from mandir, then some relatives invited them from lunch and they are there now.. Mami just called me few minutes back to inform about this.." replied Anjali.
"HP.. HP.." Arnav barked.
HP came to him running with a frightened look, "Ji bhaiyaa.."
"Did you see Khushi anywhere?" Arnav asked.
"Woh.." HP stammered.
"Woh woh kyaa??.. Speak up dammit.." Arnav shouted frowning.
"Chote calm down. He's saying na.." Anjali patted his shoulder then looked at HP, "HP ji tell us, is Khushi at home or did she go anywhere?"
"I don't know Didi, I returned from market some time ago.." replied HP looking down.
Arnav gritted his teeth, "If you don't know anything, why are you wasting my time? Just go away and do your work.."
HP went running from there before he get more scolded by an angry Arnav.
Arnav went upstairs again, he searched for Khushi in every room, at the terrace, then rushed downstairs to check in garden side. He searched for her at every corner of the mansion, with Anjali and HP also helped him seeing his worried state.
He came back to the living room, "How can she leave and no one noticed it?"
"Relax Chote. Perhaps she went outside and will come back .. Don't be tensed.." Anjali said.
"And why didn't she inform anyone? She isn't like this Di, Khushi informs me everywhere she goes.. everyday she messages me to inform her whereabouts.. I didn't receive any message today.. let me check once again.." he said taking his phone out of his pocket, and checked his phone only to see no messages from Khushi. He decided to call her and ask, but her phone rang and HP came downstairs with her phone, "Khushi didi left phone at home.."
"Dammit.." he threw his phone on the floor in frustration.
"Chote calm down.. what's wrong with you? We will find her.." Anjali looked at his broken phone on the floor shocked.
"How can I be calm today? It's worst day in my life.. First I had to meet that Shashi Kapoor on my way back home and now Khushi is missing..I don't even know what happened to her.." he shouted.
Anjali sighed, she caressed his back to calm him, "We will find Khushi..calm down.. "
"I want Khushi right now in front of me! I will calm down after that.." he said shoving her hand, and rushed outside the mansion.
Anjali called Akash worriedly, to ask if Khushi went to AR but the response was negative.
"Hey DM.. please protect Khushi.. I hope she's fine and nothing happened to her.." prayed Anjali shutting her eyes tightly.
*******************************************************
At night..
Arnav reached home in a devastated state, all his family were worried and waiting for Khushi's news in the living room.
Aashi was crying for her mumma now, and Payal was trying to console her.
"Chote did you find Khushi? Where is she??" asked Anjali with tears in her eyes.
Arnav just sat with a thud on the sofa with an expressionless face, only his expressive eyes were very dark and moistened.
"Police is still searching for her.. no news till now.." said Shyam who came following Arnav.
"DM please protect my Gudiya.. we don't even know where she is and what she must be doing now.." Nani cried bitterly.
Mami patted her back, trying to console her "Don't cry Sasuma. She is fine and she is our strong Gudiya na.. she will come back and we will scold her a lot for making us worried.."
Arnav was still thinking on his mind, about the CCTV footage which had Khushi running all worried outside the mansion. That means she left willingly and no one kidnapped her.
His phone rang and he quickly attended the call, "Arnav.." a soft melodious voice came from the other side.
He sighed in relief, but the next minute got very angry, "WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME ALONE DAMMIT?"
"I.. didn't.." she said only to be cut by him.
"WHERE ARE YOU?" he gritted his teeth.
"Dadu's house.. I wanted to inform.." she replied only to be cut by him again.
"What? I'm searching for you everywhere and you're at your Dadu home! STAY THERE, I'm coming to pick you.." he said in a dangerous tone, leaving her all frightened of him.
The family though relieved that she's fine, rolled their eyes for not thinking about this before but Arnav's reaction to Khushi missing made all of them so worried that they couldn't even think with cool mind.
"Bhai I will come with you.." said Akash following Arnav, who grabbed the car keys and went like a wind outside.
*********************************************
Dadu's house..
Arnav and Akash reached in Dadu's house, Arnav knocked the door impatiently, he just wanted to see her in front of him safe and sound.
Preeti opened the door and welcomed them inside, "Sorry Jiju actually..."
"Khushi kahan hai?" Arnav cut her looking around the house, his eyes found peace when it landed on her coming out of the room with a tensed face.
Arnav took long steps to reach her, he pinned her to the wall behind them with infuriated eyes, "How dare you leave me alone Khushi?"
"Bhai please calm down! Khushi bhabhi is here in front of you and fine also.. why are you getting angry?" Akash asked.
"Akash this is between me and my wife.." Arnav gritted his teeth, still with his eyes fixed at Khushi.
Khushi was only staring into his eyes, there was an unknown fear, possessiveness, anger, care in his eyes for her.
"Do you even know that I searched for you everywhere whole day? Couldn't you inform me where you were? Every day you drop a message for me informing where you are going, even to go to Mandir near our house only and today you couldn't do that? You left phone at home, didn't inform anyone where you are going.. What am I supposed to think? Why did you leave me alone dammit?" he shouted.
Khushi flinched hearing his shout, she started crying. Arnav's heart melt seeing her cry because of him, he pulled her into a tight hug caressing her hair.
Khushi buried her face on his neck sobbing, "You.. also.. came la..te from office.. I didn't shout..at you.." she complained.
"Sorry.."he whispered hugging her more tighter, "You knew where I was still you were worried, now think about me, I was clueless of where you had gone .. I didn't know what to do or where to search for you and only now I get to know that you're at Dadu's home, if not angry, what will I be? I am sorry.. stop crying now.. shh.. don't cry.." he caressed her back to calm her down.
Akash and Preeti smiled warmly staring at both.
"I am sorry.." Khushi said feeling guilty.
Arnav broke the hug, he cupped her face and placed many kisses on her forehead, her eyes and her cheeks, "Never do this to me again.."
Rabba vee.. Rabba vee..
Khushi looked down, she nodded her head, "I won't.."
Akash cleared his throat widening his eyes with a smile on his face, "Bhai we're here too!"
Arnav realized what he just did, he cursed himself for losing control like this. Immediately he withdrew his hands from Khushi, and distanced himself a bit from her.
"Khushi bhabhi now you can tell us, why did you left without informing anyone?" asked Akash.
Arnav also looked at her side, to know what's the reason she left leaving him in the devastated state he is now, loose tie, messy hair, hungry.. these are some words that can describe him right now.
"Preeti called me this morning and said that Dadu fainted. She was crying and didn't know what to do that's why I also had to leave immediately to take Dadu to hospital.. I was so scared something bad could happen with Dadu that I just came running here.. I didn't think of anything that time.. in hurry I also forgot my phone and couldn't call you as I was in hospital.. only now I got time to call you.. I didn't want to make you all worried for me, I am so sorry.. I will never do this again.. I should have informed someone.." Khushi said.
Arnav nodded, "Where is Dadu? Is he better now?"
"Much better, doctors said that it's because he's not eating properly these days and not taking proper rest.. that's why he felt weakness and fainted.. he's sleeping now.." said Khushi.
"I will just come, let me say goodbye to Dadu then we will leave.." she said.
"Let's take Dadu home also, who will take care of him here? At home, everyone is there for him.." Arnav said.
"I also agree with Bhai.." Akash said.
"Nahin, Preeti will sleep here to take care of him.. Dadu won't like to leave his home.." Khushi said.
"It's just for few days till he gets better and we can keep a watch on him.." Arnav said.
"He won't agree.." Khushi said.
"You don't know anything, I will talk with him.." Arnav said and went to Dadu's room. Khushi's mouth opened in big "O", while Akash chuckled.
Akash walked to Khushi and hugged her, "I was worried for you bhabhi.. today you killed me!"
Khushi smiled and hugged him back, "I PROMISE TO YOUR BROTHER AND TO YOU THAT I WON'T DO THIS AGAIN.."
"Better keep with this promise.." Akash smiled.