Khushi woke up stiff and sore the next day. She had fallen asleep on the sofa, dressed fully in all of her wedding finery, too tired to change. The untouched bed told her all she needed to know: her supposed husband never came to the room last night.
Shrugging to herself, she stood up and headed to the bathroom. A hot shower later, she was descending the stairs, ready for her first day as the Raizada bahu.
"Good morning Khushi," wished Anjali, who was busy laying out the table for breakfast. "Did you sleep comfortably last night?"
Khushi stared at her, wondering if Anjali really was oblivious to her brother's absence last night. Surely in a house crawling with servants, she must have gotten the memo.
"Have a seat," Anjali continued, as if there was nothing odd. "Breakfast is almost ready."
Khushi cleared her throat. "Let me-"
"Oh no, you are not doing anything at all. Just sit and relax. Hari Prakash got everything in control."
Khushi felt very odd to hear that but didn't argue. She had watched her mother lay out breakfast for more than twenty years of her life and saw her father get angry if she ever missed a day. Wasn't it norm that the daughters-in-law served all the meals? So then, why was she being given special treatment?
"Good morning beautifuls," greeted Lavanya's chirpy voice. "What's for breakfast?"
"What? You aren't on some crazy diet today?" asked Anjali.
"Well all my diet went out the window thanks to Chote's wedding. Where is he by the way? He still hasn't given me my shagun."
Anjali pressed her lips, as though she was disappointed, before changing the topic. "Lavanya, he is younger than you. You have to give him shagun, not the other way around."
Lavanya rolled her eyes. "By one year! That doesn't count, does it Khushi?"
Khushi looked up, startled to be included in the conversation. She slowly shook her head, not knowing if her opinion even mattered.
"See, even Khushi agrees with me," Lavanya replied, triumphantly.
Anjali refrained from answering, giving Lavanya a full chance to turn her attention to a still Khushi.
"Why so quiet?" she asked, with a wink. "Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Khushi bit her lip, wondering if Lavanya too was pretending to be ignorant of her brother's whereabouts.
"Are you always this quiet?" she said, frowning slightly. "Because I swear I haven't heard you say a word since we met. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but the thing is, I talk a lot. Usually Arnav joins in and we can talk for hours. Akash thinks it's absolutely nuts how we can do that, but the point is, you will be bored to death if you sit this still."
"Akash is...?"
"Oh good, you can talk! Akash is my husband, he was with me all through the functions... you know the tall, slightly awkward guy?"
Khushi was blank, unable to recall the said Akash. Truth be told, the pre-wedding rituals were a complete blur to her. All she could remember was the budding panic at her impending doom.
"It's okay," Lavanya muttered, understandingly. "I get it, there are just too many names to remember. Our family is way too big if you ask me, but you will learn all of them eventually."
Khushi wasn't reassured with that. "So, you are only a year younger than...?"
"Yes, Arnav and me are only a year apart, which is why we are more like best friends than brother and sister. Anjali Di is eight years older than him and so she is like the real sister, if you know what I mean."
Khushi didn't know what that meant, but she didn't ask for an explanation either. She didn't want to come anywhere near the dynamics of the Raizada household.
"So you and Akash live here?"
"Oh no," Lavanya replied, shaking her head. "We live on the other side of town. I was staying here just for the wedding. I will probably leave after we drop you off at Arnav's apartment today."
Khushi was stunned. "Arnav's apartment?"
"Yeah, didn't you know? Arnav doesn't live here, he has a penthouse in the city. It was actually Maa's idea. She hated her mother-in-law, like royally. So she made sure her son is independent and can live with his wife away from the family drama, although it's another thing that we have no drama."
Khushi didn't know how to react to that. Thankfully, it was Anjali who interrupted:
"Lavanya, get me some spoons from the kitchen."
"I'll get it," Khushi muttered, instantly standing up.
Lavanya smiled and pointed to her right. "The kitchen is that way."
Khushi's mind whizzed at the sudden news. She was expected to live alone with that man? How come no one bothered to mention it to her? Or was is it that someone did, and she was too lost to pay attention?
She was momentarily distracted by the angry voices emanating from the kitchen. It was Satya, deep in conversation with her son. Khushi stopped behind a pillar and monotonously watched the scene unfold in front of her.
"What were you thinking?" Satya asked, furious. "How could you just leave for the night and not tell any of us?!"
Arnav, dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt –when did he change?– rolled his eyes. Perhaps he had spent the night at his penthouse.
"You got married yesterday Chote, do you even realize what that means?"
"Mom, you guys told me get married and I did. But you can't expect me to sit here and play husband for the rest of eternity. I have a life, and a business to run. I am not going to drop everything and cater to these pathetic notions."
"In case you have forgotten, we didn't bring home an art piece or a new car for you Chote!" Satya fumed. "We brought home a girl, who has a heart, who feels, who understands, who thinks. What are you going to tell her?"
Arnav shrugged, and didn't answer.
"You better thank your stars that Khushi is a nice girl, that she hasn't said a word about your stupid stunt last night, that she hasn't asked any questions! So you are going to go to her and apologize for what happened and do everything you can to make it up her. You are not a child anymore Arnav! If anything happens to that girl, then it's not only you who is answerable to her family, it's all of us. You better make sure it doesn't come to that!"
Khushi watched in silence as her mother-in-law stormed away, followed by her unrelenting son. At least one thing was clear: she wasn't the only one who had been forced into this marriage.
* * *
"Step inside with your right foot Betiya."
Khushi obeyed without thought, feeling like a puppet. In one second she was married, in the next trying to digest the Raizadas and in the next, stepping inside a completely alien apartment. It was like they were throwing her from one place to the next, not caring that she was still adjusting to the new addition to her surname.
"Come I will give you a tour," Lavanya said, grabbing her hand and taking her inside.
The penthouse apartment was beautiful. It didn't have the grandeur of the Gupta manor or the intricacy of the Raizada mansion, but it felt more like a house than either of them. Lavanya faithfully showed her every room, saving what she called the best for last.
The best it turned out was the master bedroom, which led out onto the rooftop, from where the city's skyline was a sight to behold. Khushi was never into real estate, her father made sure she was kept far from any kind of business, but watching the sunset from the balcony, she knew the penthouse was expensive.
Much too soon, the Raizada's were ready to leave. She stepped forward to take the blessings of her in-laws, when her father-in-law, Shankar Singh Raizada spoke:
"Chote, it's tradition that both husband and wife take blessings together."
To her great surprise, Arnav, who so far that day had only ignored her, preferring to be on the phone or sandwiched between his two sisters, immediately came forward and bent down with her to touch his parents' feet.
While her husband may have dared to argue with his mother, she knew in that instant that he had no say when it came to his father.
"Always be happy," blessed Satya. "And if he does something stupid Khushi, you come straight to me, okay?"
Khushi nodded, knowing it would never come to that, and saw them to the door.
"Take care Khushi," Anjali said, although her eyes appeared troubled.
Lavanya, surprisingly, pulled her into a hug. "Arnav can be difficult," she murmured seriously into her ear. "But don't make it easy for him by being so quiet. Demand for your place in his life Khushi, he owes it to you."
And they were gone.
Khushi hesitantly turned around, dreading to face the man she so far had been lucky to avoid; except, she was completely alone. Arnav had once again disappeared without bothering to give her an explanation. Judging by the closed bedroom door, she knew he planned to stay locked up there for the rest of the night.
Good.
She preferred it this way. No awkward introductions, no messy questions, no personal conversations. In fact, it was better this way. So curling up on the living room sofa, she drifted off into a dreamless, exhausted sleep.
* * *
Khushi woke up to the sound of walking footsteps. Forcing her eyes open, she found a middle-aged woman strutting around the living room, a broom in hand. She yelped, fear suddenly overpowering her and hurriedly sat up.
The woman turned around, surprised. "Sorry!" she apologized, dropping the broom and coming to sit at her feet. "I didn't want to wake you up!"
Khushi gulped. "W-who are you?"
The woman smiled kindly. "My name is Lata. I am Arnav baba's maid. You must be his wife – Satya madam told me you would be here."
Relief somewhat flooded back into her lungs. "My name is Khushi," she said, taking a deep breath. "D-do you come everyday?"
Lata nodded. "Yes, I come around ten in the morning after saab leaves for work and stay until five in the evening. But now that you are here, I can come whenever you want me to."
Khushi shook her head. "No, that's okay. A-arnav left for work?"
The maid nodded, this time skeptical. "Yes, he usually goes at eight in the morning."
Khushi didn't need an explanation to understand the look she was receiving. Like any other normal wife, she should have known when her husband left to work, but alas, how could she even begin to explain her situation?
"Are you hungry?" Lata asked, changing the topic. "Should I make you something to eat?"
Khushi nodded, grateful. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until now.
"Why don't you go freshen up then?" Lata said, standing up and heading to the kitchen. "I put away all your bags inside."
She sighed and allowed herself to walk to the master bedroom. It was a scenic room, no doubt, but she knew it was far from being hers. Although Arnav wasn't there, it reeked of his essence, whether it be his photos on the walls, his clothes in the closet or his perfumes on the dresser. In every which way, she felt as though she was walking into his privacy.
When she emerged from the bathroom after a nice long shower, the aroma of omelettes dragged her to the dining area. Khushi greedily ate, watching the maid bustle around the attached kitchen.
"How long have you been working for Arnav?" she asked.
Lata smiled. "It's only been one year since he bought this place. I used to work at the Raizada house before, but Satya madam wanted me to come here and take care of Arnav baba."
"Don't you get bored staying here all day?"
"Sometimes... but I mostly keep busy. I have to send lunch to the office before noon and prepare dinner before Arnav baba comes home. And he is a picky eater, so I am always trying to come up with new things."
Khushi listened in silence.
"I am also always cleaning the house. Baba usually has guests in the evenings... Madam doesn't know of course, but that's more things for me to take care of. When Myra used to stay-"
Lata broke off, as though suddenly realizing she said something she shouldn't have. However, Khushi calmly continued sipping her tea, deaf to the strange interruption.
"Anyway," Lata said with a sigh. "There is usually enough going on to keep me busy."
Khushi set down her now empty teacup, feeling like she was out of place not only in Arnav's house, but also in his life.
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A/N: I know I still haven't revealed much about the story or the background of these characters. Please be patient, it will slowly start making sense.
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