Dt:30/03/2020
“Your dance was amazing Mumma and papa” avi rushed to them when they walked out of the dance floor.
“Thank you, Avi,” said Khushi, reaching his level and hugging him.
Avi went away with Akhil as they were keeping each other company in this big party. Khushi stood with Anjali and Lavanya talking and Arnav was talking with his clients.
Standing in the corner of the hall Mallika felt like a left out as no one cared to ask her as everyone was busy with khushi and wishing her. She looked at payal who was busy with her daughter and talking with akash after their last conversation payal was not talking with her which only increased her anger. Her eyes fell on khushi, her grip tightened on the glass in her hands, seeing her smiling and mainly arnav attention on her.
“You want everyone's attention on you right khushi now you will have but I don't think you will like that attention,” she said with an evil intention as an idea struck in her head.
Excused from anjali khushi left in search of avi a server blocked her way.
“Mam would you like to have juice,” asked the server politely.
As she was feeling thirsty she nodded and took the glass and in one go she completed more than half glass suddenly she felt dizzy sitting on the nearby chair she held her head as it started spinning.
Mallika smirked seeing her as she was the one who mixed vodka in juice and bribed the server to give it to her. She knew in some time she will start behaving weirdly and was waiting impatiently to see the show made by khushi.
Khushi stood up holding her head but she lost her balance before she fall a pair of arms held her protectively.
“A..Ar..arnav” stammered khushi. Arnav observed the change in her behaviour, her eyes half closing and opening and the way she stood he felt something weird and his gaze fell on the juice glass on the table.
“Khushi you drank this juice,” asked arnav.
“Yes, arnav” replied khushi looking around.
He tasted the juice and got to know the reason for her weird behaviour.
“Arnav come let us dance” she started dragging him.
He looked at the people in the party, all we're busy and he gazed at Khushi. If he left her to stay here then she would create a ruckus, without replying to her he dragged her out of the hall.
“Arnav, where are you taking me? We crossed the dance floor long ago?” she said while giggling.
Arnav kept on walking while giving a smile to whoever saw them walking.
Whereas Mallika stomped her foot and kept glaring at the way they walked. Once again her plan failed. She cursed Arnav and his timing. If only he was late she could have created a scene but alas her luck is not in her favour. Signing she turned only to be dragged by payal to the farthest corner.
“Di, What happened and why did you drag me here?” asked Mallika, releasing her hand from Payal's grip.
“I saw what you were doing. I told you to stay away from khushi. Why don't you understand if anyone saw you and if that person goes to inform Arnav then god knows what he will do with you?” lashed payal.
“Then what do you expect me to do, stand in one corner and see her enjoying?” asked Mallika.
“You know what I expect from you and you are leaving to my house tomorrow” declared payal.
“How do you expect it ? You were the one who raised the hope and kept on assuring that I can be his wife and now you want me to leave and forget everything. How is it possible?” shouted Mallika.
“Mallika don't shout we are in a party and you are leaving tomorrow that's it” declared payal.
“I don't know di, you are this selfish,” asked Mallika.
“You are also not less Mallika so now don't act like I did everything and if you do not want to spend your life in jail then, please don't pull this type of stunts and stay away from khushi and arnav,” said payal.
“We can never get caught, no one knows about us,” said Mallika.
“Yes, but if we keep on arguing then anyone can overhear our conversation,” said payal.
True to her words someone heard their conversation and that someone was the same one who heard their conversation before and now that someone got the clear view of the second person and he was determined to inform Arnav about these sisters and left in search of arnav.
****
“Arnav I want to dance please let's go back to the party, please” requested khushi.
“We are going to another party, sit in the car,” said arnav.
“Ok but I want to take avi also he will miss us” saying she started walking.
“No, I will ask di to bring him,” said arnav.
“Ok, then inform her now, I am missing my baby,” said khushi while pouting.
“Ok, sit in the car,” said Arnav, after making sure she sat he locked the car so that she couldn't come out and dialled Anjali's number.
“Where are you Chotte?” asked anjali as she answered the call.
He explained Khushi's condition “Di, I am taking her home, please look at avi and inform him,” said arnav.
“Ok, Chotte take care of her,” said anjali.
He got into the car and found khushi listening to radio and humming songs.
The drive home caused strain to Arnav's ears because Khushi kept singing although he turned off the radio.
“Arnav I want ice cream,” said khushi.
“Shops are closed khushi,” said arnav.
“Then we will break the wall and enter into the shop,” said khushi giggling “And you know we can get ice cream free of cost”
He stared at her with disbelief, then he remembered she can be crazy in sober then she will be super crazy in a drunken state.
“There is no need to break the wall. We can have ice cream at our home” said arnav.
She nodded. He is thankful that she forgot about dance.
They reached the house, he helped her to come out of the car.
“Arnav ice cream,” asked khushi.
“Go to our room. I will get” said arnav.
Nodding she walked into their room in a zigzag manner.
When he entered his room, he saw her taking the pictures of the room with Avi's camera.
“Khushi your ice cream,” said arnav.
“Arnav, I want to take your pictures,” said Khushi, still clicking photos.
“Ok take how many you want,” said arnav knowing he can't reject her.
“Not like this,” said khushi with a frown.
“Then how?” asked arnav.
“I want you to take off your shirt. You know models take their pictures without a shirt and your physique is not less than the model, please arnav” she asked.
He kept staring at her with disbelief. he never in life though his wife will ask something like this.
“First you eat ice cream,” said arnav.
“No, I want to take your photos,” said khushi stubbornly.
Left with no choice he did as she asked and after taking a few photos she was happy and grabbing the ice cream she eats and fell asleep on the couch.
Arnav placed her on the bed and sat beside her with the camera to delete his photos. He had no intention to get embarrassed. He connected the memory card of the camera to his laptop and started deleting.
Completing his work he started looking at the pictures and videos avi captured.
Then he came across a video which was empty. He was about to close it but suddenly payal appeared and poured something on the staircase and left from there and the video still continued. He forwarded and at last, he saw khushi slipping from the stairs and everyone rushing to her and the person he saw last was Akhil as he was the one who closed the camera after everyone took khushi to hospital.
He stared at the screen for some time unable to grasp the truth.
Aman was right her accident was planned and that too payal that means her accident before four years also must be planned and what if that was also payal. What must be her problem with my khushi?......thought arnav.
He turned towards her and kissed her forehead “I will never let anything happen with you again” said Arnav more to himself.
His eyes turned red. He wanted to go right now and ask payal why she did like this but he knew he had to be careful because he knew payal can't be alone if they were behind the accidents then there must be someone who is helping her.
I have to know who is helping her. What if that someone is from my family.....this thought was making him mad.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door and he had a confused look seeing the person.
To be continued......
✍keerthana