KHUSHI AND DADI'S FIRST ENCOUNTER
Requested by @Arshiholic and @user14608721
♥️
Khushi smiled seeing herself in the mirror. She was glowing today. Why wouldn't she be? After all they both had reconciled. Arnav had apologised to her for every thing that happened in the past. They both had accepted to bury the past and start afresh. She and Anjali were still not in talking terms. However, Arnav had had a clear chat with his sister clearing all sorts of misunderstandings before she starts assuming something more about Khushi. Much to their happiness she understood him and was happy for both of them. She even started recuperating from her depression and they were sure she would come around soon.
Khushi noticed a blue velvet box that was placed on the dressing table wrapped up in a silver ribbon. Her smiled widened as she quickly picked it up to uncover the little gift. Opening the box she found a beautiful green coloured kundan necklace inside along with a small note that read
"I don't know much about jewellery. However when I saw this on display I immediately imagined you wearing this. It's beautiful. I'm sure it will look even more gorgeous on your delicate neck. I love you.
Arnav."
A beautiful shade of red adorned her cheeks making her glow more brightly. "I love you too." She whispered as she picked the beautiful necklace and wore it excitedly. It perfectly went with her baby pink sari. She just couldn't wait to see him!
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She rushed downstairs only to bump into Mami. "Hello hi bye bye! Can't you shee(see)?"
Khushi frowned "I can. But what's wrong Mamiji? You look tensed."
NK came from behind "Khushji, She's worried that Nannav's Dadi might come here you know. Even I'm scared." He muttered nervously when Payal came from behind, her anxious face telling her the same story.
Dadi. She sighed. What was she a monster? She mused. She was well aware of her leaving the ashram since Arnav had told her about it. He was quite worried about her. That's why he immediately left the house this morning. She never knew he had a Dadi until a few hours ago.
Khushi "Why are you all so tensed? It's good right if she comes and stays here. It's her grandson's house after all. I don't get it why she was staying in the ashram in the first place." She shrugged as she walked downstairs followed by the trio.
Mami "Hello hi bye bye! Say something nice! She's not Dadi. She's Maha Kali!!!" She said walking around the centre table dramatically.
NK "Yes Yes, Naniji told me she's is so strict. And traditional. She doesn't even smile."
Payal gave a nervous look "What if she doesn't like us Khushi?"
Khushi "Then what? Are you going to leave this house Jeeji?" She rolled her eyes. "If she likes us well in good. If she doesn't. Well, it's her perspective. Clearly some people don't like us here but we're still managing. Right Mamiji?" She smiled at her naughtily.
NK scratched his head looking elsewhere whereas Manorma could only mutter "Hello hi bye bye! I just pray she doesn't come here that's it. Khoon bhari tang. Bring me tea. My head is going nutswa(nuts) thinking about her." She walked in her signature style and sat on her favourite spot on the couch.
Khushi shook her head and sat beside her "Mamiji it's high time you acknowledge that my name is Khushi and Jeeji's name is Payal." She folded her hands under her bosoms and tried to make her understand. NK looked surprised.
Mami "Hello hi bye bye! Bhere(where) are you getting all the gutswa(guts) from hain?" She twisted her mouth.
Khushi "Someone put some sense into me." She whispered softly recalling her husbands words.
Flashback
Arnav "Khushi....I'm truly sorry for being on my worst behaviour ever since our first encounter. I've insulted you, misbehaved with you, manhandled you. I truly am. You bore everything quietly. But you never stopped speaking your mind. That's what irritated me in the past and slowly started intriguing me. Khushi I respect you a lot. For what you are. I admire your confidence and the way you speak for anyone's rights not just yours. It's high time you start demanding your rights not just from me but from every person who's depriving you of them. Khushi I'll not always be around to speak for you. By that I mean you may face serious opposition from people when I'm not present at the scenario. And in that case you'll have to speak for your self. Demand your rights. Demand your respect. Demand your say from anyone who tries to insult you in anyway. Khushi this world is harsh. I want you to fight back just like you did with me. Because I can clearly not tolerate anyone insulting you. You get what I'm saying?"
Khushi "What if it's someone we really respect?" She asked unsure.
Arnav "Standing up for your self doesn't mean disrespecting the other person. There's a polite way of doing it Khushi. Use a subtle demeanour. And if they pay no heed to it. Then you may use a strict tone."
Khushi "I promise to try."
Arnav "Thank you."
Flashback ends
Khushi "And if you don't acknowledge the fact that we both have names we'll stop acknowledging your presence." She shrugged looking at Payal's silent plead. "Choice is yours."
NK nodded cutely agreeing with his best friend. "Right right."
Hp "Khushi Bhabi, you said you'll water the plants kept in the front corridor?"
Khushi "Yeah. Give them to me." She said standing up "Thank you Hp." She smiled as she walked towards the entrance with the watering can in her hand. Opening the door she collided with a figure that was draped in a white sari. The water in the watering can damped her sari making Khushi gasp. "Hey Devimayya!" She screamed alerting the Raizada members in the living room who followed her behind.
Mami "Hello hi bye bye! HAWWWW!" She screamed seeing the person that had been haunting her from the past few hours. "DADI."
NK "Dadi? Haww DADI!" He breathed.
Payal "Dadiji." She whispered.
Standing at the entrance was no one but Subadhra Devi. Arnav and Anjali's grandmother.
Khushi "Dadi." She murmured seeing the figure glaring at her through her round glasses. "I'm so sorry. I didn't see. You came so suddenly it was a shock for me." She said apologetically. "Shall I wash this for you?" She came forward but was immediately stopped by her hand.
Dadi "Where are the others." She addressed Manorma in her cold voice.
Mami "Hello hi bye bye......they.....are.....at the temple." She stuttered.
NK "Namaste Dadiji..." he came forward. "I'm NK. Nandkishore I mean." He introduced himself chirpily to which Dadi just nodded her head.
She walked towards the living room followed by the others glancing at her damped sari. "Don't the servants of this house know their place here?" She looked at Khushi disgustingly wiping off her apologetic face in seconds.
Mami NK and Payal gasped seeing Dadi referring Khushi as the servant of the house.
NK "Dadiji, she's not what you think she is." He decided to speak for her best friend but one look from Subadhra Devi and he shut his mouth the very next second.
Dadi "I'm never wrong in judging people." She said coldly eyeing NK.
Khushi "Well, Dadiji this time you are wrong." She spoke up after seeing Dadi insulting her in front of everyone. Dadi turned around to face her. "I'm not a servant but a member of this family. I'm Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada. The elder daughter in law of this household. Your only grandson's beloved wife." She completed shocking everyone present in the living room. Mami hid behind NK whereas Payal could only pray for her little sister.
Dadi "How dare you misbehave with me you chit of a woman!" She screamed loudly startling the whole Raizada clan except Khushi.
Khushi "I'm sorry?" She narrowed her eyes. "Since when introducing our names turned out to be an insult??" She asked. "I just told you who I am since you think I'm a servant here." She shrugged. "Speaking of which......" she walked towards her "Which servant wears a designer saree and a kundan necklace?" She frowned. "Why can't you see the difference Dadiji?" She asked folding her arms under her bosoms.
In the meantime Armav Anjali and Nani entered RM along with Akash when they heard DADI'S voice.
Dadi "How dare you speak to me like that?" She bellowed.
Khushi "Why are you so upset with me? I didn't-"
Arnav "Dadi?" He was shocked whereas Anjali and Nani smiled seeing her after years. Their smiles immediately turned into a confused gaze as soon as they heard her shouting on Khushi.
Nani "Subadhra!" She walked towards him and hugged her whereas Anjali cried in her arms. The scene got pretty emotional. She hugged Arnav who reciprocated still confused as to what took place before their arrival. After exchanging pleasantries Arnav decided to break the ice.
Arnav "What was happening? Why were you shouting?" He asked confused.
Dadi "This chit of a girl misbehaved with me. First she threw water on me then she started back answering me." She threw a hard glare towards Khushi.
Arnav eyed at Khushi who looked flustered. She was highly irritated.
Nani "You must have misunderstood Sumi, Khushi bitiya can never disrespect you."
Anjali "Yes Dadi. Khushiji respects everyone here. There must be some sort of-"
Dadi "I didn't misunderstand her. She threw water on me-"
Khushi cut her in between "My apologies for cutting you in between but that was an accident. I walked towards the entrance with the watering can as soon as I opened the door I bumped into her damping her sari. I don't know what on earth she was doing standing exactly before the door like a statue." She defended making others hide their smile. "She didn't even ring the bell. How would I know that she was present at the entrance." She muttered. "I even offered to clean her sari but she just stopped me like traffic police." She defended.
Anjali covered her mouth stopping herself from giggling.
Nani "Sumi....see. It was an accident. Khushi bitiya is a bit clumsy."
Khushi "And I'm working on it Nani I didn't even break a single thing in the past week." She defended herself. "But she's throwing daggers at me." She pouted.
Arnav "Dadi it was an accident. She didn't do it deliberately. She wasn't misbehaving." He stated calmly.
Dadi "You think I'm lying? She was very boldly back answering me. Ask her!!" She snapped.
All looked towards Khushi "I just told her I'm Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada." She shrugged innocently. "If that's a mistake I'll apologise."
Arnav sighed "What exactly happened will anyone tell me since Dadi doesn't know how to explain a clear picture." He groaned. "NK?"
NK "Well after she entered she called Khushiji a servant." He sighed making Arnav look at Khushi with concern. "Khushi told her who she was. She took it as an insult what can we say." He spoke politely ignoring the glares that were thrown at him by Dadi.
Khushi "Nani Standing up for your self doesn't mean disrespecting the other person. There's a polite way of doing it. I just did that." She spoke politely. Arnav smiled at her.
Anjali "Dadi. From where Khushiji looks like a servant to you?" She frowned eyeing Khushi from top to bottom.
Nani shook her head disappointed however she recovered then walked towards her "Sumi. The circumstances during which Chote's wedding happened were different. We couldn't contact you. But now whatever happened has happened. Akash bitwa, Payal bitiya, come here take her blessings." They abided by her order. "She's Payal, Akash's wife. Khushi's elder sister." They took her blessings.
Arnav walked towards an annoyed looking Khushi and held her hand.
Nani "Chote! Come." They both walked towards Nani and a glaring Dadi "She's Khushi Chote's wife. Our elder daughter in law." They both bent down to take her blessings but Dadi stepped backwards.
Dadi "I won't accept her." She declared walking past them.
Khushi whispered "Do I look like I care? Look at her guts. She called me a servant." She glared at her retreating back.
Arnav "I'm sorry. It's all because of me." He mumbled.
Nani came forward and cupped Khushi's cheek "Don't take this on your heart Khushi bitiya. She'll come around."
Anjali "She's a bit strict. She'll take time.
Khushi "Will she? Because by the looks she's giving me, it doesn't seem like she'll accept me anytime soon." She said politely. "But I'll try Naniji. For Arnavji. I'll try to be cordial but if she doesn't acknowledge my efforts I'll drop it. I won't let her affect my mood anyway." She shrugged.
Nani for the first time was surprised seeing her speak like that. "Well......" she paused. "I'd do the same if I were you." She chuckled.
Anjali "Don't need to put so many efforts Khushiji she thinks with her mind not her heart. She's really stubborn." She gave her a pitiful look.
Khushi sighed " Then I'd love to irritate her by being super sweet." She smirked lightening the tense atmosphere.
Arnav "I'm proud of you Khushi." He whispered holding her hand firmly. "And you look gorgeous by the way."
Khushi "I love you too. Thank you. For making me understand the importance of standing up for oneself and the gift of course." She chirped kissing his nose.
The RAIZADAS hence retired to their respective bedrooms while Khushi could only prepare for the upcoming not so smooth encounters with the old-hot-headed-traffic-police-dressed-in-white-woman that came to stay in her Mansion.
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THE END