Making Khushi Mine

Book 1

By

Anamika GK

Digital Publication

Published By

Indic Publication Inc, California, USA

www.indicpub.com

email: indicpub@gmail.com

Copyright 2014 © Anamika GK

ISBN: 978-1-62598-040-3

All Rights Reserved. No Part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Author and or/the Publisher. Any and all vending sales and distribution not permitted without full book cover and this page.

This Book is Dedicated to:

To my doting parents.

Without your love I wouldn't be here today, literally and figuratively. Mom Dad, you are my everything.

Acknowledgment:

A special thanks to the love of my life, my husband. Your relentless will to see me succeed is the only thing that keeps me going. Thank you for being you. Love you.

Also, a heartfelt gratitude to my readers and my publishers. Your support made this book a reality. Thanks a lot guys.

# Chapter 1

"Hai re Nandkishore, bitwa you are not eating anything. From now on, I will personally see to it that you eat heartily like a young man should" buaji exclaimed.

She was rewarded with a very awkward smile. He was not used to company while having breakfast, and a fussing over him types, absolutely not.

"How was your flight beta?" his dad asked.

"It was fine dad" he replied.

"Here take some more pooris bitwa; eat properly. I have seen you after so long Nandkishore", buaji served him some more, ignoring the mortified look on his face.

"Jiji, you cannot feed him for all eleven years in one day. He'll get sick. He is not used to Indian food," his dad came to his rescue.

"Oh! Then leave it bitwa, leave it. We don't want you to get sick among all this fan-fare, where I cannot even look after you properly. Everybody will be enjoying in evening, what use is all this food if the only son of the house does not enjoy because of it" she relented instantly.

He smiled, a little more genuinely this time. Not because she had let him off the hook, but because she referred to him as the son of this house.

"Beta, as you can see there is a lot to do. I am afraid I'll have to go now. But you sleep a little and get refreshed. Hariprakash will wake you up when it is time for you to get ready' he dad said getting up from the dining table where they all were sitting.

"Okay dad. Ummm ... Can I look around the house for a while ... if you don't mind?", he said, not sure what made him ask for permission, for he had run around the mango groves in the backyard of this very house, creating pretend fortresses and restricting entry rights of everyone else there at one time. 'Maybe the long years that he had been away from this place', he shrugged mentally.

"Of course beta. You don't have to ask. It's your house. But don't forget to sleep. There is a ten hour time difference and you'll be jet lagged in evening if you don't take rest now. It is a ... what do you people call it in America... big fat Indian wedding in the house. And I want to show off my son to everyone there", he looked at him with a benevolent smile before walking into the other room.

"Bitwa, you know where your room is? Have you seen it?" buaji asked.

"Ji, yes, I have." he replied.

"Bhaiya got it specially designed for you. Total American-style with swimming pool and all. He is so happy that you have finally decided to live here. And I am so happy that you came in time to attend the wedding. Now the family looks complete. Rest now bitwa. Everything is so hotchpotch today, but in a day or two we all will sit and talk to our hearts content" she said getting up, with a kind smile.

Avish too got up from the dining table, already feeling weird due to such heavy and greasy breakfast. He has always eaten milk and cereals for breakfast since college, but buaji's enthusiasm to feed him had killed all his protests. With the agenda of a little walk, and a trip down the memory lane in this childhood house of his, he made his way towards the veranda of the ground floor of Raizada Mansion. He had come here last, eleven years ago, only because he had to, once every year until he turned eighteen, as per court orders.

When he had come in the morning today, after an early morning flight, it was still dark outside so he did not see much. Just a white washed imposing building, surrounded by vast gardens, inside huge rot-iron gates. After living abroad for so many years it had all felt kind of royal to him, and alien too. And to think of it, he has spent his childhood in this very house. This is 'his' ancestral house, he thought wryly.

A long veranda, winding all around the grand Raizada Mansion, with pillars lined up along its length and decorative arches between those pillars, looking over the lush green gardens. It was beautiful, with charming architectural details of the pre-independence-era intact in all its glory. Raizada's were old money family of Delhi, his grandfather had built this mansion in the heart of Delhi during early 1940's and his dad, Sumer Singh Raizada, has visibly done a very good job of preserving it. After making a round of the veranda, he decided to go to his room and sleep as the house was brimming with people who he assumed were friends and neighbors. There was some ladies function planned on the terrace later that morning buaji had mentioned. He will tour the house after all this wedding circus is over, he decided.

He settled on inspecting his room for today. It was, as buaji said, an all American-style, very modern bedroom with minimalistic decor, obviously a new addition to this wing. Huge contemporary bed, grayish-green paint on walls, a huge LCD TV opposite the bed, a stylish green recliner, frosted glass cupboards, few modern art paintings; everything was on the lines of his apartment decor in New York. It also had a swimming pool area adjacent to it, a jet shower, hardwood floors. In short, this whole new world that was created in this house was solely for his benefit, totally different from rest of the Raizada Mansion that had an old world charm to it with traditional arched windows and marble floors. He appreciated his dad's efforts, he knew he was trying hard, but that was it. For him, it was too little, too late. He would have gone ballistic with joy, had this attention been showered fifteen years back, on a love-starved kid who wanted to stay in his room, in this house, who had cried that he did not want to go to the boarding school. But not now. He has over the years expertly taught his heart to not get happy at either of his parent's generous gestures, as they were just baits to lure him to their respective sides.

His head had started aching due to tiredness and change in surroundings, but sleep was still eluding him. His body clock was very different. He spent some time working on his laptop, calling a few business associates for work related matters, watching news on TV. After 2-3 hours he picked up the intercom and asked for lunch, some salad basically. He could not risk going down and again eat the kind of food he had for breakfast. Finally he decided to lie down and close his eyes, willing the sleep to come. God knows when, amid the wandering thoughts of his childhood, his apartment in New York, some pending business presentations, few flashes of his mother's face, sleep finally caught up with him.

Constant banging on the door awoke Avish from his deep slumber. He was trying to block the noise by pressing a pillow on his ears since last five minutes, but whosoever was on the other side of the door was relentless. He finally gave up and stood up groggily to open the door. Hurrypaash, yeah that's what buaji said his name was, was standing with a scared look on his face in front of him.

"Chote sahab, please get ready" he said.

"What time is it?" Avish asked, irritated due to sleepiness.

"Ji, its six-thirty. Baraat is supposed to come in half an hour. I am trying to wake you up since five p.m." he informed of his failed attempts, lest chote sahib gets angry for not waking him up on time. Bade sahab has warned the whole household about his temper before his arrival.

"Okay! Listen ... Ummm ... can you get me a cup of strong black coffee?" Avish asked, not very accustomed to household help.

"Ji, sure" Hariprakash said and left.

After having a much needed dose of caffeine, a hot shower and few work related calls, Avish made his way to the decorated gardens, about an hour later, dressed in a black three piece suit, with a green silk shirt and a green tie. Five p.m. or six-thirty p.m. or even after the wedding, it did not matter to him when he was woken up for he knew nobody here, other than his dad and buaji. He did not even know the bride or the groom. He was here because his dad insisted on his presence at this wedding, else he would have come a week later as originally planned. He knew that his dad could be quite persuasive when he chose to be. Wasn't it the relentless persuasion, that had finally made him agree to shift bases to India?

He tried hard to locate his dad among the sea of unknown faces, but he was nowhere to be found. Instead he found a group of girls staring at him and giggling. Irritated, he spotted a secluded bench in the garden and fished out his blackberry, reading and replying his mails and checking stock prices, basically utilizing time while shehnai music reverberated in the air, the air which smelled heavily of roses and marigold flowers. Did Hurrypaash not say that baraat will come in half an hour? It was nearly 8 p.m. and there was no sign of baraat, groom, bride or anything else. "Indian Standard Time" he muttered under his breath. Guests, however, had already started on dinner buffet without waiting for the ceremony, he noticed.

When another half an hour passed, Avish got impatient. Maybe the ceremony is taking place inside the house, or in some other corner of the garden that he did not know about. He spotted a known face, namely Hurrypaash, passing by and called him out.

"Hurrypaash, listen", he said, in a higher octave.

"Ji chote sahab, me?", he looked around, confirming that it was him who was being called.

"Yeah! you", Avish stood up, and walked towards the man.

"My name is Hariprakash, chote sahab", the man meekly corrected him.

"Oh! Hariprakash, is it? Okay. Hariprakash, where is dad?" he questioned.

"Ji, bade sahab and buaji are in Khushi babyji's room", he informed.

"Khushi babyji, the bride?" he asked.

Hariprakash nodded in confirmation.

"Where is her room?"

"Ji, in the same wing where your room is. Two doors before yours. Yours is in the right hand side of the corridor, babyji's is on the left hand side."

Avish dismissed Hariprakash. He stood there thinking about what should he do now. He knew that Khushi is his dad's foster daughter, and that it is her wedding today. Other than that he had no idea about the girl. Dad did not talk much about her in front of him after he had accused him of getting 'that girl' into the house as his replacement, in a fit of anger years ago. Though he had briefly talked to her once on the phone two years back, when she had called him to inquire about his dad after he had suffered a heart stroke while visiting New York. Was that phone call enough acquaintance for him to go inside her room? Should he go or should he wait here? Technically speaking he wrapped up everything a week early in NY and has come only for her wedding today, hasn't he? And this was his house, isn't it? Also his dad and buaji are inside there.

After a few minutes of contemplation Avish Singh Raizada made his way inside the mansion, towards the said door, which was his room eleven years back.

# 

# Chapter 2

He crisply knocked on the door of what was now Khushi's room and slowly pushed it a little. His dad who was standing in the middle of the room looked at the door.

"Come in beta" he said when he saw Avish's face through the slit of the door.

Avish stepped into the room, and gave a cursory glance around while walking to his dad. His dad was standing with an older man and both looked quite stressed out. On the bed sat who he assumed was Khushi, going by her wedding finery and buaji, side by side, both leaning on each other. There was a pin drop silence in there and a suffocating tension hung in the air. All the occupants were looking like someone had died rather than someone was going to get married today. He sensed that there was some major argument going on, which had been halted in the light of his arrival. His dad introduced him to the other older gentleman.

"Beta, this is Manohar Jha. Khushi was supposed to get married to his son Suraj . My son. Avish" he said in a clipped tone, as Avish shook hands with the man.

"Supposed to?" Avish questioned, first looking at his dad and then at Khushi, who instantly closed her eyes looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Yeah. Supposed to. Apparently his dear son has run away a few hours back, leaving a farewell letter behind" his dad said, bitterly.

Buaji's sobbed quite audibly in the background as her brother finished speaking. Manohar Jha hung his head down once again.

"I am sorry, Raizada sahab. I don't know what to say. Suraj is dead to me from today. Had I known his intentions, I would have killed him myself. Trust me Raizada sahab", Manohar Jha spoke, slowly.

"Oh please Manoharji. Cut the crap. Your sorry is not going to stop the ridicule which we are about to face in the society. It won't help my daughter's future", Sumer Singh Raizada spat, his voice getting louder with each syllable.

Waiting in the garden suddenly started looking like a better idea to Avish. He had no clue what he was supposed to do or say in this situation. While his dad was emitting cold fury, Buaji was sobbing continuously and the would-have-been bride was sitting with her arms around her knees, looking at her feet with utmost concentration. He felt like an intruder in his own house, out of place of the sorts, for he had no background context of the matter here. Moreover he did not know this girl Khushi even a little to jump into the argument for her cause. Should he excuse himself and let himself out? Yeah, that would be better.

"Dad I will wait outside"'  he said and started moving out.

"No beta. You stay here. Manoharji I think you should leave. Your shameless son has done the deed and now there is no point in discussing it further. And don't think I'll let you get away with this. You and your son, I'll bring you two on the road and you very well know that I don't even have to try much with my holdings in Jha Chemicals", Sumer Singh Raizada threatened. "And I want everything I have sent to your house in the last month back here by tomorrow morning, am I clear?", he added.

"Ji", Manohar Jha mumbled and left the room with heavy steps. He would have really liked Khushi as Jha daughter-in-law. Beautiful girl with Raizada connections. And a little compromise here and there is what life is all about, isn't it? Oh God, what a fool his son Suraj is!

Sumer moved towards the bed after Manohar Jha closed the door behind him. He sat in front of Khushi and put his hand on her head. Within a flash she jumped into her bade papa's arms burying her head in his shoulder. Avish did not know what to do, so he also moved near the bed and stood at the edge.

"I am sorry Laddoo. I am so sorry bachhe", his dad was saying to the girl, who looked more like a child bride.

Laddoo!! Avish couldn't help feeling a tinge of jealousy at this nickname business. Grow up, will you? He admonished himself.

"It's okay, bade papa. You know it's all because of me" Avish heard her say.

His eyes widened. It's okay? Really? Is she not supposed to blame that runaway groom or ... at least complain. She just got jilted on her wedding day for crying out loud. What a strange girl!

"No it's not okay. You told me that you found that scoundrel's behavior weird, but I still pushed you into this mess. I am sorry beta", his dad replied guiltily and looked at buaji, who looked double guilty to Avish's keen eyes.

Okay, so there is more than what meets the eye here. If she knew something was off then why did dad still push her? She is quite a beautiful girl. And with Sumer Singh Raizada as her guardian, she can have a line of suitors behind her in a snap, Avish analyzed the available facts, just like he did at work.

"No bade papa. It's all for the best. We should be glad that it all happened before marriage, else my life would have been irreversibly damaged", she wiped the tears off of her bade papa's eyes.

True, Avish mentally agreed. He liked this girl's balance of mind.

"But bhaiya, what will we do now? All the guests have arrived outside. What will we tell them?" buaji spoke.

"I don't know jiji. We tell them that the wedding is off, I guess", Sumer replied, with slumped shoulders.

"What will happen to Titaliya's future then? Have you thought about that?", she raised her concern.

"You think I am not thinking about that?", snapped Sumer, while getting up from the bed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

Sumer Singh Raizada was a strong man, but even he had his limits. A wife who left him, an estranged stubborn son who he had to practically woo back into his life, a widowed sister and a daughter whose future was at stake right now. There should be a limit to the tests life throws at you. But this was not the time to complain. Right now he needed to set everything straight in his Laddoo's life, his daughter who had blindly followed his decision.

"Jiji, I know one guy who would happily marry Laddoo. Should I call them?", he turned a little hopeful at his idea.

"WHAT?", Khushi shrieked before anyone could react. "Bade papa, I am not marrying anyone. Please don't start this again", Khushi's voice was dripping with irritation, and tears were forming in her eyes now.

"Beta, you know the boy since childhood. Rishabh. Rishabh Raichand. He is such a nice boy. You are friends with his sister and his parents love you too. They are such good people, I am sure if we talk to them, they will agree. I know he is still studying, but we will just get you two married right now. Bidaai can take place later", he suggested.

Khushi wiped the tears that were threatening to come out and scoffed "You really think they'll agree? Anyway, no matter how nice he is, Rishabh cannot save the day. He is in USA, doing his internship right now". She could not believe that within minutes of wedding being called off, bade papa would go back to searching grooms for her. Instant variety this time. And Rishabh is a friend, just a friend! What the hell is happening in her life!!!

"Oh". Sumer was ready to grope any life line right now and Rishabh was a good boy, and he was a close friend of Laddoo as well. While he was thinking of some idea that might save his precious daughter from the social stigma of being jilted on her wedding day his eyes fell on Avish, who was standing there looking at Khushi. "This is also a good idea. Laddoo can stay in this house only after the wedding" Sumer got hopeful once again.

"Avish, beta. Can I talk to you for a second?" he called Avish near him.

"Yes, dad", Avish walked to the side his dad was standing on.

"Beta, I know this is too much to ask for. Especially considering our history, but please beta. You are the only one who can help us right now. Raizada name is your responsibility too. Please, beta will you marry Khushi?" Sumer said in a single breath.

"Excuse me?" Avish blurted, shocked.

He half expected his dad to grin any second now and squeal "Just Kidding!". Since that did not happen, he looked at him, then towards buaji and then at a wide-eyed Khushi, the reason of his dad's ridiculous proposal. He instantly cursed the moment he had decided to come inside to find what's going on. That Raichand lad, whoever he was, was definitely lucky sitting ten thousand miles away right now, away from this mess. And he is stuck here, where his own father wants to make him a scapegoat in order to get his 'Laddoo' a groom. Like hell that will happen!

"Bade papa, what are you doing? Please stop this", Khushi beat him to voicing the protest.

"I am talking naa, Laddoo. Keep quite", Sumer shushed her.

"You must be joking dad", Avish looked at him pointedly.

"No beta. I am serious", Sumer said with utmost sincerity.

"Dad. I don't believe in marriages. And you know that", Avish retorted.

"Please consider it once. I vouch for Laddoo. She is the best girl you can ever find" Sumer pleaded.

"I am sure she is. But I am not marrying her. End of discussion", Avish controlled the anger that had started bubbling inside him.

"Beta. For me. For saving Raizada name. Please", Sumer tried once more.

"She is NOT a Raizada and anyway I don't give a damn about Raizada name. Don't start with emotional blackmail now", Avish replied angrily.

Those callous words did it for Sumer Singh Raizada. Pressure from all quarters finally took its toll.

"Of course! You don't give a damn about Raizada name. Like mother, like son' he exploded and said one thing he should have not said. At any cost.

After staring at his father in dead silence for a few seconds, Avish hissed in a naked agony written all over his face, "I knew it. You'll never let it go. Is this why you wanted me here? So that you can insult me to your hearts content? Something you could not do to your wife?"

Monstrosity of his error had dawned on Sumer as soon as those words had left his mouth. How could he say that? To Avish? Sumer wanted to kill himself for hurting his son like this. He stepped towards him. "Sorry beta. You know I did not mean that. Sorry"

Avish stepped back. "Then what did you mean? Ugh, I was such a bloody fool to think that you actually cared and came back to this blasted place once again" he bellowed.

"I was ... I was thinking of both my children's happiness" Sumer stammered.

"Then stop thinking about mine. And you cannot settle this girl's life at my cost. I am not your back-up plan", Avish yelled in rage.

"It's not like that. I wasn't thinking clearly beta", Sumer had mellowed down with Avish's outburst.

"So, when you can't think clearly, you push me into someone else's mess? Wait! ... All this baraat not turning up... Is this some kind of a dirty tactic to ensure I don't leave again?"

"What? Do you think I will use dirty tactics on you?" Sumer asked in a distressed tone.

"We can never tell, can we? If my mother can, then why can't my father?", came the cutting remark.

"You are my only son, Avish. I love you, beta", he tried to mollify his enraged son.

"Oh please! More than your only son, you are worried about this girl. For her you are ready to force me into an institution I have no faith in. That too, courtesy you" he bit out.

"I have been seeking your love since last five years beta. That has to count for something",

"'I did not ask you to seek anything from me. Anyway you and mom have successfully wrenched 'love' out of my heart long ago, so please stop looking for something that does not exist in me", he said sarcastically.

"Don't say this beta. I am sorry. You know I am. I did not mean to compare you with your mother. It just came out. And I understand your stand as well. I am very tensed right now. Please understand" Sumer pleaded.

"I understand. That is why I will leave you now to attend to 'your family' emergency... dad". He turned to leave but stopped and looked back. "I'll head back to New York at the earliest", he declared and made his way out of the room.

Sumer Singh Raizada flopped on the couch defeated, with his head held between his hands. Khushi started crying softly. Things have spiraled out of control within mere minutes and she was unintentionally the reason of all this. She closed her eyes in despair and leaned into buaji's shoulder, who looked dumbfounded at what had just transpired between her brother and nephew. After a few minutes, Khushi sat straight, wiped her eyes as a look of determination dawned on her face. She was the reason of this mess and she only will sort it out. ASAP. There was no time to loose.

"Bade papa".

Sumer looked at her.

"Please go and stop him. Now. Else he might start packing and booking tickets" she said.

"I lost him again, Laddoo" Sumer mumbled.

"No, you haven't. Nothing is lost. Go. Talk to him. Bade papa fast. Don't waste time. Apologize. On my behalf too", she guided her father-figure.

"Guests?" Sumer said standing up.

"Don't worry about them. They must be busy eating. We have time for that. And I am sure buaji can handle them, right buaji?", Khushi assured him.

Sumer looked at his sister, who nodded in affirmative. "Go bhaiya. Bitwa had come home after so many years, this should not have happened. I'll take care of guests" she said.

After Sumer left the room, and after going back and forth on few ideas Khushi turned to buaji and suggested, "How does me meeting with an accident sounds? Like slipped off the staircase or something? Bade papa and Jha family are with me in the hospital and the wedding has been postponed. What say?"

"Hai re Nandkishore. That kameena Suraj should meet with an accident. Why my lovely titaliya? Don't say such rubbish", Buaji chided her immediately.

"Okay, then you give some brilliant idea that explains mine and bade papa's absence along with that Suraj 's. I am all ears", Khushi narrowed her eyes.

When buaji could not come up with anything half as convincing, she agreed to Khushi's plan. "Don't elaborate, just get rid of the guests for now. Bade papa will handle everything tomorrow", Khushi added with an unwavering trust in her father figure, while buaji pulled hair pins and fake bun out of her hair. With misty eyes, buaji lovingly warded evil eye off her brave daughter, who was holding the fort amid the ton of bricks that have fallen on her head. She instructed Khushi to take some rest, switched off lights of the room and closed the door behind her. How can such a beautiful day turn this ugly in a matter of one hour, Kalyani asked her Nandkishore. "Please Nandkishore, give us all strength to pull through this", she prayed wiping her tears, as she headed to face the guests.

Khushi lied down hugging a pillow, her mind cluttered with all that had happened. First that Suraj ran away after all the guests have assembled in Raizada Mansion, then bade papa wanted her to marry Rishabh out of the blue and as if all this was not enough, he went ahead and yelled at his son for her. The son whom he shares a very delicate relationship with. Slowly and soundlessly her lips started trembling. She rarely cried, it was not in her nature. Bade papa has raised her to be a strong girl. Threads of practicality and thoughts of bade papa's heart condition had kept her from falling apart in the last hour. But now in the silent darkness of the night, the dam of her bravado crumbled. Her self-control snapped. And she wallowed in the feeling of humiliation. In feeling of pain. In the insult she felt. In the sadness that was weighing her whole being down. She let the gaping hole in her heart take control. A pinching feeling that was twisting her gut took over. No matter what Manohar uncle says the content of his letter was, everyone knows why Suraj ran away.

And she let herself cry, like never before. She cried into her favorite pillow. Cried till her eyes burnt. Till they were the same color as a new bride's blushing cheeks. Muffled her heart wrenching sobs with her palm until she drew blood. She cried until there were no more tears left in her and no more energy to shed them either.

# 

# Chapter 3

Raizada Constructions was a huge construction firm in India, started by Sumer Singh Raizada in early 1970's, as he was not interested in zamindari and money lending business of his ancestors. And when Avish had joined RC five years back, he immediately channelized his energy into overseas and government projects using the infrastructure and expertise of RC and its staff. He had recently successfully completed a natural gas pipeline project for USA government in partnership with an American construction firm, worth billions. Their first turn-key project of a 60 story residential building in Dubai, which Avish had suggested Sumer goes after, was in its initial stages and buyers have already lined up for it.

Sumer was very proud of his son's contribution to their construction empire. He was amazed to see Avish's ability to handle clients, his risk analysis that were generally bang on and his research models to look for new projects which were far better than their competitors. He was glad that what all his son had faced in his personal life, it did not affect his professional acumen at least. Of course, Masters from London School of Economics had helped too.

In India Avish had set his heart on the Government Restoration Project of historical buildings in the golden triangle of Jaipur-Delhi-Agra. It was a very prestigious project and a profitable one too. After deciding to shift to India last year, he had sent his father the business plan and tender quotes to be submitted for it. When Sumer Singh Raizada figured his son's ambitious forward integration plan for their construction business, he had put in all his head, heart, contacts and money to secure this tender. And they had won it two months back paving way for Avish's return to India.

The much awaited return, which was under scrutiny right now.

Like Mother, Like Son.

The odious statement sat like a ghost between father and son, who were sitting in silence side by side on the bed in Avish's room. Sumer was looking at Avish and Avish was looking straight ahead, with the veins in his temple throbbing. When he had entered Avish's room, Sumer was pleasantly surprised to find the room intact, with nothing broken. Finally anger management sessions paid off, he thought. He had urged Avish to give them a try in New York, after he had hurt himself badly during one of his anger episodes.

Sumer knew that he had not been a good parent to his boy. Avish's anger issues, his clamming up, his cynical attitude and the way he ran away from emotions was all his and Sujata's doing. They had been so caught up in putting each other down, that they never paid attention to a little Avish who hid behind the curtains and sobbed while his parents hurled insults and abuses at each other. All his helplessness as a child found its vent in the form of anger in his late teens. The fear of one of his parents leaving had scared him to such an extent that he had become very quiet at an early age. About showing affection, well he did not see any display of affection around the house, so he never learnt.

He cursed himself for saying what he said when he very well knew that Avish was nothing like his mother. And he cursed Sujata Mathur ex-Raizada from the bottom of his heart. Even after her death she is not leaving them alone. In his mind she stays as his biggest ever regret, and in Avish's as his biggest ever error of judgment. The woman used her own son like a puppet and had died without an iota of guilt.

Oh darling! I don't give a damn about Raizada name, were her parting words to Sumer. And in the malicious manner that they were spoken in, the sound of it will go with him to his grave, ingrained on his mind. Avish did not even know what raw nerve had he touched in his anger today. He shook his head and stared into the space Avish had been staring at since last ten minutes. "There are so many things my broken child still doesn't know about his mother, and I will keep it this way. No more misery for my son" he told himself once more, like he has been telling since last five years that he has gotten him back in his life.

This day will go into the black listed days of Raizada Mansion. Everything that can go wrong, has gone wrong. But right now he needs to keep his son here, with him. By any means.

'I cannot apologize enough for what I just said. But can you try to forgive me beta?'  Sumer started.

Silence.

"It's been a very rough evening and I am under tremendous pressure. I know, you don't like to talk about Khushi but she is facing the worst nightmare of a girl's life right now. Trust me beta, it isn't like I choose her over you or anything. In the desperation to save her from social stigma, my thinking got clouded for a while. I will never expect you to compromise your life for anyone. It was a grave mistake on my part to ask you to marry her and I accept it. But there was no ill intention or dirty trick involved. Trust me beta. I have disappointed you several times, I agree, but have I ever broken your trust?", Sumer tried to extract some answer out of his son.

Silence.

"Please don't go back. I will do whatever you will ask me to. Just don't go back beta. I want you near me. I have been living without you since last eleven years and I don't want to continue like this anymore. Avish, stay beta", he pleaded.

"You don't want me. You need me. I am a need for you, to take care of your business, heir to your Raizada name. Now you need me to fill in the place of a runaway groom. When had you guys ever wanted me?" Avish spoke, traces of anger showing from under the chilled tone.

"I want to be with you, beta. I want to be with you, that is why I come running to meet you every year in New York. About taking care of business, now that you handle Raizada Constructions you do realize that if we shut down all our ventures right now, we have more than enough money to last us our life time, don't you? As for Raizada name, I care for it as long as I am alive, after that it is not my concern and I do not wish to burden you with it. And I am sorry about the marriage thing, shouldn't have said anything that I said there. Any other thing that makes you think I need and not want my flesh and blood near me?"

Listening to his dad's declaration of wanting him, Avish's mind wandered back in time. After being sent to boarding school at the age of fourteen, he had made peace with his life. And he had handled the information of their divorce and his joint custody grant very calmly too. But only if they had let that peace prevail in his life, if only. Where he was invisible to them previously, now they showered him with hawk like attention. Both his parents left no stone unturned to buy his love and his favor.

In the two months of summer vacation, his mom insisted that he comes to stay with her first, and also got his room set up in her new house. His dad made sure that his welcome home present reaches to him even before he left the hostel. Gradually he started sympathizing with his mom though, for she used to cry in front of him, complaining about his dad's atrocities, her innocence, his accusation on her character, whereas his dad just wanted him to forget everything like it never happened and move on. His gullible mind got entangled in tales woven by his mother. His dad's chances with him were successfully ruined by her, and he was a stupid fool who blindly aided her in her agenda of hurting Sumer Singh Raizada. For nine bloody years.

Just five years ago he realized how wrong he was in judging his father. Before that, his anger towards his dad was totally justified in his heart. As the silence stretched in the room, out of the blue, from the deep recess of his heart, Sumer decided to make a confession that was long overdue.

"I know you hold it against me, whatever happened between us in your LSE hostel and after that, and rightfully so. I knew that she was feeding you lies and instead of protecting you I abandoned you in anger. I should have not given up beta, but I was so tired of trying to make things normal. My hatred for your mother over powered my love for you that time, and I will always regret that. All my life", Sumer said, honestly.

Avish's eyes snapped to his dad. This was the first time he had brought that event up. The precise reason why it took Avish so much time to trust his dad's love enough to move in with him. That day marked his dad's indifference towards him, when he gave up on Avish like a lost cause. Left him with his mother, like Avish had wanted, like his mother had always planned.

Avish gulped trying to reign in the emotions that were crowding his heart. Unknowingly, today his dad has given Avish's aching heart the closure it was looking for. What had happened cannot be changed, but his accepting it helped. With these words the hurt of his father's indifference got salved inside his heart today. He needed to know that his dad realizes that his giving up on him all those years back had made him insecure that he is not that important to his father. That it was holding back Avish from accepting his love now, unsure he'll take it back any time he would like.

He had left India at the age of eighteen to pursue under-graduation in London and his mother too shifted base to England so that 'she could be near her son', winning his favor irrevocably. What else do you expect from an eighteen year old kid who always wanted to be loved by his parents, and this was the epitome of concern on her part. Leaving everything behind for her only son. It obviously meant a lot to him and he was putty in her hands after that, cluelessly wedging rifts between himself and his father under her expert manipulation. He thwarted all attempts his father made to reach out to him for two long years. And then one fine day, threads of patience snapped and dams of restrain crashed in blinding rage. Father and son had an ugly spat in his college dormitory room, and both of them said things they shouldn't have. His mother, who now that he looks back was suspiciously always present for all their meetings, had fueled the tempers flaring in the room by her crocodile tears.

But he was, just twenty years of age, and he was hell angry and misguided when he had said that he did not want to see him, ever. And his dad stubbornly complied; he did not come to see him for next four years. He left him with Sujata Mathur when he was not supposed to abandon him, when he knew exactly how manipulating his mother was. It did not help to discover that day that his dad has found a child back home to shower his love on, and so he hated both, his father and that kid for years, till he realized how misdirected his hatred was.

When after her death in a car crash, Avish by chance came upon the proofs that Sujata Mathur had herself documented over the years, of her infidelity, her manipulations, her greed for the Raizada money and property that was in Avish's name, he had felt like a fool. And robbed of a good life with his father. And absolutely cheated. And much more. Some price he paid for trusting his own mother!

His dad was right. He at least never broke his trust. And he cannot be ungrateful for all the support his dad had been lending him since last five years. He had stuck by him and helped him wrap up everything in London and move to New York for a fresh start. Trusted him with a huge project of Raizada Overseas. Agreed, he had excellent academic credentials for the job, but he certainly did not deserve the warm welcome his dad had given him with open arms. Given him space and time to sort his mental mess, patiently waited for him to come around. He'll just have to overlook his dad's outburst and this wedding fiasco, Avish concluded.

"I don't hate you, you know that, right?" Avish spoke up finally.

"I know it since five years when you allowed me to be a part of your life again", Sumer smiled. It was rare that Avish would express himself, and this was equivalent of peace making in Avish's vocabulary.

"About tonight, I think my going back would be better. I don't think I can fit in here and play second fiddle to that girl in this house", Avish looked squarely into his father's eyes.

"That girl ... has a name. And if you leave, I come with you this time", Sumer said with all the conviction he could muster.

"Are you pulling a mom on me by shifting continents for me?", Avish tried to ignore the sincerity in his father's eyes.

"No. As I said, I don't want to live away from you anymore. I go where you go". Sumer was learning to get through his strong-willed son, who was still a love starved child from inside.

"Then what about that... I mean Khushi and buaji", Avish narrowed his eyes.

"They'll understand. I won't live for eternity. Its time I live with my son now", Sumer said while rubbing his chest, over his heart region.

"Are you okay, dad?'  Avish got alarmed.

His dad had had a massive heart attack while visiting him in New York two years back, the main reason he decided to shift back with him, and looks like today's events have started affecting his fragile heart.

"Yeah. Don't worry. I am fine", Sumer smiled, his hand still over his heart.

"You sure? Cough hard dad" Avish was now standing in front of his dad checking his eyes and tongue for any rolling back, heart attack 101 as doctors had told him.

"Leave all this and tell me that you'll stay here. With me. Please' Sumer said.

'We can talk about that later. Where is your phone? I'll call your doctor", Avish replied looking for his phone.

"No. I don't want doctor. I want my son here. Say that you'll not leave", Sumer persisted.

"FINE. I won't leave. Now give me your phone dad", Avish gave in. He might never accept it aloud, but his dad has become very important to him. His pillar of strength.

"No, that's what all I needed to hear. I am already feeling much better. Don't go back on your word son" Sumer said while standing up to avoid more discussion that could give his stubborn son a leeway to run back to NY. He knew Avish that much that he will not go back on his word, specially to him.

"Sit down, will you? Let me call the doctor" Avish said sternly.

"I should go join jiji outside. My doctor must have come too. I'll talk to him there", said Sumer, while rushing towards the door, wondering what reason was she giving for wedding being called off. He should call jiji before making an appearance in the gardens, he decided.

"Dad what is all this? What about your pain?" Avish blocked the door. He skeptically looked at his father who was looking alright all of a sudden.

"Oh beta, you have made your old man so happy. All pains of my life vanished with your one promise".

"WHAT?" he blurted bewilderedly.

"Yeah! You are my medicine, beta. No doctor can treat me the way your presence in my life would" Sumer said while fishing his phone out of his pocket.

Avish frowned, now convinced that his dad was in fact using his heart ailment as an aid to extract a promise out of him "Dad. Just because I don't say it does not mean that I don't notice that you talk and act all filmy sometimes. You were acting right now, weren't you? That hand on your heart was to fluster me, right? Seriously dad. Where did you learn all this kiddishness from?"

Instead of answering, Sumer Singh Raizada gave his son an enigmatic smile, and left the room to take charge of the situation.

# Chapter 4

Avish got up very late in the morning. After a life changing shift to a different continent, a kaput marriage where you are at the wrong place at the wrong time and verbal spat with a father who you know did not mean what he said but it hurt nonetheless, you are bound to get into thinking mode. And so he was thinking sitting near the pool till wee hours of morning.

Khushi Sharma. He had hated this name for four long years with all his might. He hated this girl for getting what was rightfully his. He hated her for enjoying what he was supposed to enjoy in his life, his father's attention and love. He hated her for keeping his dad away from him, for he thought that if his dad did not have a back-up in form of her, he would have had come back to him sooner. But as it turned out he was wrong. Not completely wrong, but wrong nonetheless. He was the one who was with the wrong person at the wrong place and this girl was with the right person at the right time.

And so he had tried to move on. Move on from negativity towards her too, as she has over the years become important in his dad's life. He knew his father did not talk about her in front of him so that he does not feel bad, and he was grateful for that. There is only so much he can take. His mother for whom he fought his dad tooth and nail for so long had turned out to be a foolish cause, and so now when his dad was trying to mend bridges between them he did not want to hurt him by hating this girl. And he would have slowly succeeded too, had last night not happened. As it is he was awkward in this house after so many years, now with one particular person he will be extra awkward, and add to it not-so-amiable feelings for her deep down in his heart. It is going to be difficult.

But he will manage, and manage fine. He is here to reclaim his life with his dad who also wants the same and had voiced it a thousand times. No Khushi Sharma will make him run away from a normal life that awaits him here. However unintentionally, she had been one reason of a very unpleasant phase in his life. And yesterday, God knows what happened between her and her fiancé, but it was his equation with his father, his homecoming that came under threat. He nearly blew off his one chance at happiness because of the problems of her life. His dad may like this Laddoo gal, but for him she spells bad news every time. And the best course of action would be to keep away from her.

It's a big house and he can avoid her without much effort. Talking was never his favorite thing and he decided to particularly not spare any efforts for her. Anyway he has a new team to assemble here for his new project, so he will be busy. And she must be studying or working or doing something too. So as it is their paths should not cross much. He will not let anything stop him from living his fair share of normal family life that he had missed all these years. He is here to live with his dad and he will do just that, fully and happily. His dad had promised him the same and he'll hold him up to it.

Laddoos and barfis can take a hike for all he cares. Yeah!

As Avish entered the living room he saw his dad sitting on the couch talking on the phone. Servants were running all around the house, taking down the decorations that were done for the wedding last night. When Sumer spotted Avish, he smiled and stood up, and started walking towards the dining table motioning Avish to follow him. Both of them took their places on the table as Sumer finished the call.

"Good Morning, beta. I was waiting for you, for breakfast", Sumer smiled disconnecting the call.

"Good Morning dad", Avish replied looking around. "Everything under control?" he asked.

"Yeah. Everything under control. It'll take some time for the gossip to die, but then that cannot be helped, so why think over it", Sumer replied, while Hariprakash served him his breakfast.

"Hmm..", Avish replied. "Where is buaji?", he questioned as he noticed the absence of her exuberant presence like yesterday.

"I have sent jiji and Laddoo to Mumbai with Karan early morning today for a few days. Just untill everything goes back to normal here", Sumer replied.

Did I ask about her? Avish cringed inwardly, but stayed quiet and started eating.

But Sumer did not miss the clenched jaws of his son at the mention of Laddoo. He knew that if Avish was not fond of Laddoo earlier, after his own spectacularly failed attempt to get the two of them married, he might as well hate her now. He himself did not know what had possessed him yesterday, but whatever it was, now he has to make things normal between these two. Just because he has got back his son, it in no way negates Laddoo's value in his life. She has been the sunshine of his sad life for last ten years and Avish will have to learn to co-exist with her. Better still, be a friend and family, if he could help it. And help it he will. For starters he'll have to work on the area where Avish can at least hear about Laddoo without clenching his jaws and shooting daggers at the food in front of him. So he decided to continue talking even without any encouragement from his son.

"You did not meet Karan, did you? I did not get a chance to introduce the two of you yesterday. He is Laddoo's chachu, her father Shashi's younger brother. Karan Sharma. Her only living relative", Sumer said, and stopped for some reaction from Avish, but when none came he continued. "He is a cardiologist in Mumbai and had flown in for the wedding. He was in the gardens taking care of guests while we were in Laddoo's room".

Everyone kept out of that room yesterday and I had walked myself in there. Arghhh!! Avish cringed once again in his mind. He tried to stop himself but finally gave up and asked "She has relatives? Then why do you... I mean... why does she stay here?"

Sumer was happy at some reaction from Avish, not the kind of question he wanted but something was better than nothing. But before he could reply his phone rang. He said looking at the caller ID, "I'll have to take this. We will talk in the evening."

"No its okay. I am really not interested in talking about all this. I should get going. I have been told that traffic has gotten bad in Delhi over the years" Avish mentally slapped himself for asking anything about that girl and made a move.

Over the next fortnight, Avish started assembling a team in their Delhi office for their latest acquired project of restoration of historical buildings. His trusted assistant Aman Saxena had also shifted from USA to join him in his Delhi office. He and his dad had established a sort of routine of their own as well. He either jogged in the vast lawns of Raizada mansion or exercised in the in-house gym first thing in the morning. Then he used to join his dad at the breakfast table to discuss their day and other stuff. Afterwards they used to leave for office in their separate cars as one or the other had to make a stop at some site or some office on the way. Sumer had bought a latest model SUV for Avish, with bullet proof glasses and state of art interiors which was due to be delivered soon. So right now Avish was using one of the existing car and driver of Raizada Mansion, while his own driver was to be appointed, for he was not used to driving in crazy traffic of the capital. In the evenings, Avish and Sumer used to dine together and retire to the study to spend time with each other. Discussing everything under the sun and business or sometimes watching Television together.

Everything was great, just like Avish had hoped it would be after shifting to India, except for one thing. Even if he dodged all attempts of his father to steer the conversation towards his Laddoo, Khushi babyji refused to leave his life. First thing in the morning when they used to arrive on breakfast table, Hariprakash and his brother Omprakash would inquire about babyji's well-being from bade sahab. And so did the security guard and gardener and sweeper and everyone who spotted him or bade sahab at any time of the day. And as if that wasn't enough, his temporary driver Mohan was actually her permanent driver. So, initially he not only religiously asked Avish about babyji's news, but also tried to interest him into the song collection babyji had in the car, on what routes he drives babyji and babyji's favorite destinations. But he was an intelligent man and sensed chote sahab's reluctance to respond to his chattering and then on started driving him in complete silence. Though Avish could sense his gloom and grumpiness, he could not care less.

On his sixteenth day in Raizada Mansion, when Avish approached the breakfast table, buaji's 'Hai re! Nandkishore' was echoing in the house. He stopped. It meant SHE was back too. And then he saw her sitting with his dad. His dad was indulgently listening to something she was saying, but much to Avish's happiness he had not started his breakfast without him yet. He went ahead and wished his dad good morning and sat down, treating the third person on the table as invisible and asking Hariprakash to get him his breakfast

Sumer awkwardly smiled at Laddoo at his son's blunt behavior. He hasn't even acknowledge her presence. So he cleared his throat and started "Avish, you guys did not meet properly. This is Laddoo, I mean Khushi. And Laddoo this is Avish".

Guarded honey-brown and vulnerable olive-green orbs met. A small smile from her and a tight nod from him was all that passed between them. Next moment Khushi was intently studying the fruit basket kept on the table and Avish being Avish, was looking squarely into Sumer's eyes, making him squirm as he understood that look. It silently screamed, Did you not remember we have not met properly before the marriage proposal?

"Trust my son to make me feel guilty without saying a single word" grumbled Sumer.

All three people concentrated on their respective breakfast after that, with buaji hovering over Avish, delivering her promise of 'feeding him well'. Sumer changed the topic and started talking about business with Avish, leaving him no option but to reply. Soon they were engrossed in their discussion, giving the third person on the table a chance to look up from her plate.

There sat the second man who had rejected her that evening, she wryly thought. And the weird thing was that she totally understood his refusal, for she might have done the exact same thing herself if encountered with such a situation. Only that she would have not yelled at her bade papa. But then did bade papa not tell that he has a bad temper, so that was justified too, she sighed. And looking at his behavior towards her moments ago, she had a very uneasy feeling that she will be doing a lot of justification in her heart for his temper in future.

In the few seconds that she got to inspect the two men on table she deduced a few things. Having seen quite a few photos of Avishji on bade papa's laptop, she decided that in person he was way more handsome. Brown eyes, raven short cropped hair, fair complexion, handsome sharp features and lithe 6 foot frame, with a slight British accent when he spoke in English. His Hindi was quite good too in spite of staying abroad for so long. And bade papa had such a content smile on his face while talking to him that his eyes sparkled.

She was so happy for bade papa when he had told her that Avishji had decided to shift back to India, for good, two months back. She had planned to befriend him first and take their equation from there, friends or brotherly figure or anything that would suit them. But all aspirations are now down in the dumps due to that marriage proposal of bade papa, specially the brotherly figure one. And plan of being friends had dashed too, a few minutes back in her opinion. She would consider herself lucky if he does not hold a grudge against her and let the matter go. But she was from the bottom of her heart happy that Avishji did not go back, for she would have not been able to forgive herself for it. God, she loves her bade papa to death but this time he did screw up real bad. She, however, had collected herself considerably in last two weeks with the help of bade papa, buaji and Karan chachu.

Khushi decided that she'll have to talk to Avishji. She will just apologize for the inconvenience caused to him on her account and then she will leave it up to him whether he wants to talk to her or not. In general, she believed that people liked her, enjoyed talking to her and wanted to be friends with her; but lately that confidence had shaken up from its very roots. She can only hope to be on good terms with her beloved bade papa's son. But if he stays as aloof as he is right now then it's going be hell awkward with him in the same house.

Khushi nodded absentmindedly when bade papa kissed her good bye on her head, her mind stuck where Avishji had adamantly avoided her again while leaving the table two seconds ago.

He is not going to make it easy, is he?, she closed her eyes and sighed.

# Chapter 5

Avish Singh Raizada, the young Midas man who had risen high and fast in concrete business was not a happy-go-lucky kind of a person, but his professional collègues and contacts could swear that ASR was not a short tempered man either. Yes, he was a very quiet person, blunt at times and his eyes had a ferocious gleam in them. He almost never smiled and could quieten you with a single glare, but verbal lashing or a temper tantrum, never. Brooding and aloof maybe, but anger was not something construction world would identify ASR with. And personally no one knew him that much.

Because, Avish did not let people in his personal life that easily. He believed that if he will be important enough for someone they'll walk that extra mile to reach him, like his dad. But he knew that he was not an easy person to live with, thus had serious doubts that someone will be willing to do that for him, and no, he was not complaining. He had long suppressed the desire to be wanted or cherished. He was content with professional victories, applauds and power that he had garnered in quite a short time. It gave him a reason to exist peacefully with his flawed self. He had a very bad temper and he accepted that. But he kept his anger issues to himself because displaying it to his professional counterparts will not get him anywhere. They were not indebted to endure the aftermaths of his broken home, his cheating mother or his wilted heart.

But it did not change the fact that anger was the only emotion that Avish's subconscious knew as a way to express the pain buried in the deep trenches of his heart. The very pain that he refused to acknowledge to even himself. His self-destructive bout with anger may have receded with professional help, but a slow burning furnace of rage still remained inside him. And he wanted to burn the world down for being unfair to him with that fire, but a sane part of him knew that it was not even remotely possible. There was a phase where he had constantly told himself that there are many other kids in same situation as him, but the thought did not lessen his pain in any way. It only aggravated his anger that he was not a part of the normal lot of kids with a life full of love. Who would have thought that after being born with a proverbial silver spoon, what he was finally destined for was a life of affluent loneliness and silent pain.

And to mock his misery, here in his own house, where he had been subjected to a child's worst nightmare and cruelest heartbreak, lived one of those normal kids.

Avish was quite sure that Khushi had got ample hints in morning at breakfast table about his intentions to avoid her. And if she had any sense in her, she would make the feeling mutual and stay out of his way. He did not wish to be an acquaintance, a friend or a family to her. What he wished was every living being in Raizada Mansion to unwrap themselves from her little finger, at the earliest.

As he approached the dining table, he found buaji and Khushi there chatting. His dad was missing and Avish had two minds about turning on his heels to go back to his room and return later. Buaji most probably had no idea of his cold equation with Khushi and he was in no mood to enlighten her. Avish actually liked his father's sister enough to not want to hurt her by making it apparent that he did not like her Titaliya, whom she visibly doted on. She was a simple well-meaning lady with an outrageous devotion towards her Nandkishore, owing to the fact that she was married into a devout family residing in Vrindavan. She had been his father's constant support since his parent's divorce, so much so that she had shifted with him to take care of him.

But before he could make a move buaji spotted him.

"Come, bitwa. We were waiting for you only. Let's start dinner", she lovingly welcomed him as she uncovered the curry bowls in front of her.

"Let's wait for dad, too", he said.

"Bhaiya will be dining out. It's just the three of us".

Left with no other option he walked to the dining table and sat at the head of the table with buaji and Khushi on his either sides.

"Bhaiya had to go to some dinner meeting today. He called Titaliya a little while ago to inform", buaji explained, as she started serving.

The thought did not go well with him. "So now that this girl has returned, dad will communicate with rest of the people in this house through her? Bloody great' Avish's heart fumed.

As if sensing his mind, Khushi looked up from her empty plate which she was staring at since his arrival and addressed buaji, "Bade papa was trying Avishji's number but his phone was busy. That's why he called me."

While buaji nodded smilingly not really getting the point, Avish's lost appetite made a partial come back with this piece of information.

As the meal proceeded, buaji's attempt to involve Avish into the conversation started meeting resistance. Truth be told, Avish was feeling like a lost child without his dad with him on the table. His dad knew all about him and they could always talk about business if they run out of safe topics. With buaji's interrogation about his life in London, his life in New York, his future life in India, he was getting a little restless. His short and concise answers were not well received by her, and her goading, by him. So he heaved a sigh of relief when buaji rushed to her room for her TV serial, momentarily forgetting that it's just him and Khushi on the table now.

He realized it when he heard her voice calling his name, very hesitatingly.

"Aa...Avishji", she said looking at him a little apprehensively.

Avish looked at her, and then diverted his attention back to his food instantly.

"I wanted to talk to you", she continued, trying to stay focused on what she had planned to say rather than his attitude.

"Hmmm..." he grunted, a little miffed that 'this girl' did not get the hint after all.

"Ji, I am sorry", her apology, earned her his attention.

Avish looked straight at her. Taking it as a positive sign she released a breath she did not even know she was holding.

"I am very sorry for what happened on that marriage night. I cannot change what happened but I want to apologize for the inconvenience caused to you on my account" she said.

"Hmmm..." he said again, but not as coldly as earlier.

"And I am sorry on bade papa's behalf too. He did not mean to anger you either. He was just concerned about me", she continued.

"You don't have to apologize to me, on my father's behalf. I can sort my issues with him myself", came the first ever sentence that Avish Singh Raizada spoke to Khushi Sharma.

"Of course... Ummm... Sorry about that" stuttered a startled Khushi.

"Listen. Just stay out of my way. It's a big house and I am sure it is not a difficult thing to manage", Avish spelled what he thought did not get across by his rude gestures.

"Ji?" she blurted.

"What, ji? Don't you understand English? Should I repeat it in Hindi?" he spat.

"I understand English alright" she said hurt and confused at his behavior.

"Good then". He diverted his attention back to his dinner.

"But how do you plan to explain my 'staying out of your way' to bade papa?" she questioned. He will be devastated with all this she knew.

"There is no need to explain anything to anyone", he brushed her concern aside.

"Maybe, you don't feel the need, but I do. I need to explain my bade papa, that why am I staying out of his son's way" Khushi said, gathering all her courage. Is this man for real? Is he planning to avoid her forever? Bade papa just requested him to marry her, no one pointed a gun on his head. How about moving on now? What about bade papa's happiness?

"He is 'my' father", he could not believe the nerve of this chit of a girl. Sitting in his house, making claims on his father.

"And he is more than a father to me", she replied, unfazed. One thing she was sure in this entire world was her bade papa's love for her. "So I suggest, you tell me how I explain my not talking to you, while we stay under the same roof", she added.

"I don't care how you do that. Not my concern", he replied, irritated.

"Fine. Then I am going to talk to you, and it's up to you whether you reply or not. That automatically makes explaining him the situation your concern", she attacked her rice as she finished speaking. Is he really her sweet bade papa's son?

"Listen girl. Spare me the drama", he fumed.

"Khushi. My name is Khushi", she corrected, now gaining the much needed footing in this impromptu argument she was pushed into.

"Okay. Khushi. Just stay out of my way" he chewed out his words.

"I am not dying to get into your way either. But I shall not sit back and see bade papa hurt, even if it's you who is hurting him. Get that straight and get that clear", she replied, with equal intensity.

"What the! ... Listen you live in 'my' house and he is 'my' dad. Stay in your limits' he hissed.

"Well. He is 'my' bade papa and last time I checked this was 'his' house", she flung his words back.

"I am his biological son", he bit out.

"Still, he had been more of a father to me, than he had been to you. Ever!", she retorted.

Oh! O. That hurt. A lot. It was the truth Avish was desperately trying to forget since long. Khushi too realized that she had crossed a line here, but before she could apologize Avish's innate self- defense mechanism had kicked in. Anger took over his senses and he dealt with the situation in the manner he deemed appropriate, by hurting where he knew it will hurt the most.

"Of course. The way he was trying to procure you a replacement groom after you shooed the original one away says it all", his voice dripped with animosity.

Khushi was taken aback by his sheer bluntness. He had touched her fresh raw wound without delay, and his next sentence showed that he intended to scratch it till it starts bleeding again. So much for trying to befriend him!

"What did you do, Miss Khushi Sharma, that your fiancé ran away? Oh, lemme guess, you unleashed your sharp tongue on him? Or were you cheating on the poor fellow?", he asked in a mocking serious tone.

Khushi averted her eyes, trying to blink away the tears that were adamant on springing out.

"What? Cat got your tongue?", he looked at her pointedly.

"Whatever happened is none of your business" she replied, in small voice, giving Avish the satisfaction that he was right on target.

"I believe it became my business the moment I was dragged into your mess". He will see to it that this girl never speaks to him like that. As if all she is getting in this house is not enough, she dares to challenge his position in his dad's life.

"You saw yourself out of that mess, didn't you? And why are you bringing that up now? Can't you just let go?", she pleaded.

"Damn right, I saw myself out of that mess. What did you think that I'll marry you?", he spat.

"No. And even if you had agreed, I wouldn't have. I had no intention to drag you into my messy life", she said while getting up. "And although I don't want to, I will still try to talk to you in front of bade papa. It will make him happy that at least one of us is trying to get along", she added as she pushed the chair back.

The next few seconds happened really fast. In a hurry to get away from the rude man who was pressing all her wrong buttons, Khushi tried to make a hasty exit. And in the process she lost her balance and started falling face down on the marble floor beneath her. Avish who was watching all this quickly got up from his place as a reflex and caught hold of her arm and yanked her up. Had it not been reflex, then also Avish had no intention to sit back and watch a girl fall and hurt herself. Whatever their disagreements be, it was no excuse to not help. And within moments he was staring at her face, with eyes squeezed shut and fear written all over it, near his face. She was looming a little towards her back and Avish was bent a little over her face, her arm still in his hold and his other hand reaching out to her other arm to make her stand straight.

And then she opened her eyes. It was the first time Avish actually noticed her deep sparkling orbs with emerald flecks. He did not want to notice them, but it was impossible for set on her small oval face those had to be the largest pair of doe like eyes he had seen. Also it was hard to miss them. They literally glowed. But before he could think further, Khushi jumped out of his hold as if it scalded her and he was harshly pulled out of his thoughts. It did not take Avish much time to revert to his senses either.

"Clumsy girl! Can't you even walk properly?", he bit out.

The glare he earned was phenomenal. Khushi could not believe her ears. Does he ever stop? Rude insufferable man. Nobody talks to me like that, she thought as a helpless anger started its ascend in her eyes. But instead of creating more scene than what they already had, she ignored him and turned to leave.

Avish was looking at the play of emotions on her face fully expecting a sharp comeback, but she turned to leave. Instead of walking away though, she turned back after a second or two to face him as an afterthought.

"You're right. I can't walk properly", she said in a tone that had equal amounts of sarcasm and sadness in it.

When Avish looked at her confused, she knew that he did not know.

She sighed with a strange emotion flickering in her eyes that he could not fathom.

"I limp. My fiancé, the one you think I shooed away, he was uncomfortable with my limp. Guess bade papa forgot to mention this tiny detail" she said. "You see it was neither my tongue nor my character that drove him away. It was my handicap", she completed with a wry smile.

And for the first time Avish did not know what to say. Tongue tied and stunned, he just stood there as his dad's precious Laddoo slowly limped her way out of his sight.

# 

# Chapter 6

Sumer Singh Raizada walked inside his house at around ten in the night, after what he thought was a very fruitful meeting. He could not wait to get started on the details of the project tomorrow first thing. Avish has definitely infused a new enthusiasm in him for his work by his own dedication and success rate, he smiled to himself.

Avish his son, who he realized was standing in the living room with his hands folded on his chest right now.

"What is the deal with this Khushi Sharma, dad? The whole deal", he spoke in dead pan tone without a preamble the moment he saw his father enter, startling Sumer.

Two hours back, tongue tied and stunned, he just stood there as his dad's precious Laddoo slowly limped her way out of his sight. And for the last two hours Avish had been waiting for his dad, to ask some very important questions that he needed answers to. In that time Avish couldn't help but recall noticing the renovations around the house when he had arrived. What he thought was his dad's attempt to demolish remnants of his bitter past were done for a very different reason altogether it seems. Everyone's bedroom was shifted to ground floor and so was dad's study. Upper floor had home theater, gym, guest rooms and party hall. Rooms which were not used on regular basis, all for Khushi's benefit now that he thinks of it.

How come dad forgot to mention this 'little' detail about his Laddoo? Had he been given a heads up, he wouldn't have made such a fool out of himself. It was not as if the thought that Khushi might be playing a prank on him did not cross Avish's mind. It did. He vaguely recalled her own loyal driver mentioning their babyji's penchant for silly stuff, but that sad look in her eyes had him discarding that notion within few seconds of its appearance on his mind. Now, he intended to know everything about this girl, and anything else that he should know about anyone else in this house, before he gets blindsided again.

"What deal?' asked a confused Sumer.

"About... about her limp. You never mentioned anything about it", Avish accused.

That's when realization dawned on Sumer. Of course, Avish did not know about her leg and must have seen her walk today. Good. Now at least he is interested in knowing about her enough to bring up the topic himself.

"As far as I remember, you never wanted to talk about her son", Sumer said while making himself comfortable on couch and loosening his tie.

"Yeah. About the usual how sweet and nice she is. But this is major, isn't it? I should have known this before I talked to her", Avish retorted.

"You talked to her?", Sumer asked smiling.

"Well no...I mean... Yes. So what's her deal with the limp and her staying here? She has relatives, doesn't she?". He wanted answers. All the answers.

"Why are you suddenly so interested in her?", Sumer cross questioned.

Because, I freaking yelled at her that she can't walk properly and guess what? She actually can't. How about that?, Avish rued in his mind. Aloud he said "So that I don't get blindsided again."

"What do you mean by again? Did you already say something to her Avish? Did you shout at her?", Sumer sat up and asked sternly.

"Are you telling me or not?", Avish asked edgily, trying to dodge the question.

'It a birth defect, a muscle mass issue. No accident or anything. She used to wear a leg brace earlier, but then I took her to a physiotherapy institute in Switzerland and they helped her get rid of that. I have consulted her case with top most doctors in USA too. They say that operating on it won't help. Her current situation is the best it can get. That is the deal with her limp' Sumer summed up.

"Hmmm. The renovations in the house... can't she walk up the stairs?", Avish asked letting the new information sink in.

"She can. But I don't want her to take the trouble. Wait, are you pitying her son? Because if you are then let me tell you...", Sumer started but was cut off by Avish in between.

"Don't you think that if I am to pity someone for medical issues then I should start with myself? I am a diabetic for crying out loud", Avish answered pointedly, effectively quietening his dad.

"That scoundrel Suraj, he said yes knowing all about her condition and at the end moment rascal ran away", Sumer cursed and sighed after a few moments.

"Let's not talk about that night dad".

"Why not? When you want to know the whole deal then you should also know that it not just because of her limp that he ran away, though she refuses to believe otherwise. She told him that she is not going to accept my holdings of Jha Chemicals as dowry. That she will not accept the bungalow I was planning to gift her. So the useless son of Jha decided that a limping girl without monetary benefits is not worth the trouble. Good riddance though. I would have killed him myself otherwise someday".

"About that. You said she has a chachu. Why isn't he marrying her off? Why does she live here?", Avish came to his next doubt.

"Karan? Arre, he is a kid himself. Just 3 years elder to you. A bachelor. How would he find her a life partner when he has no knowledge about marriage stuff?" Sumer replied.

"And her parents?" Avish prodded.

"They died in a car accident ten years back".

"And since then she is here? How did you know them?", Avish looked at his dad.

"Her father Shashi Sharma was my close college friend. Her mother Garima was an orphan and theirs was a love marriage. Khushi, their only child, Shashi's younger brother Karan and they were a small happy family. Shashi and Garima had come from Lucknow to attend their business client's wedding in Delhi with Laddoo, and were staying here in Raizada Mansion on my insistence. On the day of the wedding, Laddoo was running a slight fever, so I suggested them to leave her behind with me and jiji. And I am glad that they did, because they met with a fatal accident on their way to the marriage venue that night, which took their lives. Kids were beyond devastated. Both were young, Laddoo was just 11 and Karan was around 23. He was in his last year of MBBS in Mumbai then", Sumer stopped and looked at Avish who he found was listening intently.

So he decided to tell him everything at once and hence continued, "While Karan agreed to let Laddoo stay with us until she totally recovered from shock, he himself left his studies to take care of his brother's business. But Shashi's business partner got greedy and tried to overtake the business from an inexperienced Karan. Poor boy fought tooth and nail in court, but he did not even know B of business. So after four months when he came to take Laddoo back with him, he discussed his problem with me asking for help. By then, my cute little Laddoo who eagerly waited for me to come back from office so that I tell her stories about huge buildings I made in office, while she bobbed her two pigtails nodding her head in wide-eyed wonder, had won my heart. And after seeing Karan's sincerity, I decided to take both the children under my wings permanently. It was just after our fight in London, and so in a way I needed them as well in my life. I used my contacts to settle the court case back in Lucknow and persuaded Karan to sell everything off and resume his studies, and meanwhile, let me take care of Laddoo. After some thinking he agreed and I got him to divide the money he got in his and Laddoo's name equally. Karan refused to take money from me for his further studies and used his share for it, and I invested Laddoo's share in her name. Karan came back three years later, after his MD in cardiology, very determined to not 'trouble me anymore' and take Laddoo back with him. But it was not possible for me or jiji to let our sunshine go by then, and even she did not want to leave us. Finally Karan had to relent and since then Laddoo is living here with us, bringing joy in our life and smile on our lips daily."

"So, she came for a visit and never left", Avish concluded.

"She came for a visit, and me and jiji never let her go would be more correct. Our bland lonely lives, this silent house. We needed her more. She would have been as happy with Karan for she is really like her name, happy everywhere. But by staying here she gave jiji the child she never had, and to me she gave her innocent unconditional love, that helped me come out from the mess that my life was then", Sumer did not want to downplay Laddoo's importance in his life before his son, not today.

After a while Sumer stood up to leave, but not before saying, "Beta, there will be no good time to say this to you. But if you are my right eye, then she is my left. Hope you did not say anything very rude to her today".

Later that night, while recalling his dad's words, Avish for the first time did not feel his usual bitterness towards Khushi. He just felt sad. For himself. For his dad. For things that could have been. For not being the kid whom his dad told stories about huge buildings he made in his office. For the time and love they had missed out on. But it's his mother's fault that she used him as a pawn in her game. And it's his dad's fault that he gave up on him. How long can he go on blaming 'her' for things his parents did to him, he questioned himself. Especially when her life has not been a bed of roses either, though, far better than his. But whatever the case be, he'll have to accept her in his dad's life. His father had clearly hinted that he would have it no other way, and Avish was tired of the blame game as well. He cannot start liking her right away but how difficult could it be to be civil with her? And a little cordial like dad wants? Anyway after knowing about her parents, her role in his dad's life and reason of her broken wedding, his resentment towards her looked quite childish to even himself now. And to think of it, he will turn 30 next month. Shouldn't he start the new decade of his life on a new slate? Maybe it's time to let go.

Avish was not the only one thinking that night, Khushi was thinking too. After being angry and sad, which bade papa's strong girl always found difficult to be for long, she decided to cheer up. She was taught to count her blessings by buaji and she decided to do exactly that for cheering up after her horrendous encounter with that mean man. She started with her bade papa, who if she complains will definitely scold his son for all things he said to her, but she won't hurt her bade papa by telling him all that. However, she already feels bad for him as he has some real high hopes from his son, and with this attitude she has serious doubts that 'Sadu Singh Raizada' can live up to any of her bade papa's expectations. Then she has buaji, who is her second mother, while Avishji looks so awkward around her. And he does not chant, 'my buaji, my buaji', like 'my dad, my dad' either, so that area is still free of his attack. Thank God for that. Then she has Karan chachu, who although annoys the crap out of her with his irritating sense of humor, she know loves her deeply. He flies down to Delhi leaving everything if she as much has fever. He is her chachu and big bro rolled in one, who remembers and tells her all the stories of her maa and papa whenever she wants. Then, her maa papa of course! She knows that they are taking care of her from up above, else how did she land up in bade papa and buaji's life? They made sure that she is loved, after them too. Please God, keep them comfortable and happy and tell them that their daughter loves them a lot too.

Also she has two best friends in the world. Rishabh is so nice and caring, and she is glad that he was away that day, else God knows what bade papa would have done to their friendship. Then, her sweet Riya di, the sister she never had. And how can she forget her college. She is studying exactly what she wanted to, Fine Arts. Bade papa also agrees that his idea to make her study Business Management was wrong now that he looks at her creativity. He even gave her a free reign to supervise the decorations of that Sadu Singh Raizada's room, which was very important for bade papa that it comes out right. And since she had not heard that rude man cribbing about it, guess he liked it too. And last but not the least everyone around the house likes her. Yeah!

Did you unleash your sharp tongue on him, Oh let me, guess, you cheated on the poor fellow, she mimicked him with distorted lips. Poor fellow, my foot. How can Avishji say all those mean things about Suraj running away when he did not even know about her limp? Did bade papa never mention that to him? Maybe. They only meet for a month every year in New York where they must have a lot of catching up of their own to do, she reasoned. Anyway, 'Sadu Singhji' can say whatever he wants, she is not going to let that affect her. Like she will not let that ... that Suraj affect her. YES!

It's good that she did not get married to Suraj Jha. Though the jilted label has stuck with her, but at least she does not have to be with a man who tried to walk ahead or behind of her so that people do not notice that he was the one with the girl who limps, her resolution to cheer up faltered a little. But bade papa says that he was greedy for dowry too, she reminded herself. What if his family had burnt her alive for money? GOD NO. Cases like that are not that unheard of. She has buaji's Nandkishore to thank for saving her from that misery. As for her leg, if she does not have a problem with her limp, then no one else has the right to have it either. If Avishji will show his pity tomorrow, she is going to give him a real piece of her mind. On second thoughts, she should show him what 'staying out of the way' actually means. Hmmph... She does not want his friendship nor his pity. He can keep everything safe in his locker along with his scary temper. Her life, her leg and her broken wedding. Who the hell is he to interfere?

"Calm down Khushi, calm down", she told herself.

She had decided on that blasted wedding night that she will never marry. And she will not let buaji or bade papa talk her into it again either. She is going to live her life, complete her studies and then join Riya di in her NGO work. Her life was set, but now she'll have to find a solution to this new found issue called Avishji in her life for bade papa's sake. But once that is settled, she plans to live forever with the person who loves her the most in the whole world. Her bade papa of course.

Who else can love me more than him, she yawned oblivious to what future held for her, as sleep took over. 

# Chapter 7

Khushi opened her huge wardrobe and stood deciding what she should wear today. She wanted to dress-up a little just for some extra confidence sake, as her one and a half month long sabbatical from college, that she took for her supposed wedding was ending today, and she was rejoining to complete her last semester of Bachelor of Fine arts. Also she wanted to show Avishji, that other than her limp, she has everything else going great in her life. She does not need his pity, in case he pities her after last night's revelation, as she knew that pity was generally the first reaction of people after knowing that it is not an ankle sprain but a permanent limp that she is sporting, she sighed. Khushi took a deep breath and started scanning her wardrobe again.

She had a huge collection of long ankle length skirts, which were the only thing she wore on her lower body, for it camouflaged her limp to a great extent. The fashionista in her took special care to make up for her lack of options in lower body clothes by going stylish on the upper body. She had a wonderful collection of spaghetti strap tops, short sleeveless kurtis and some with short net cap sleeves. She loved bright and pastel colors alike, it should just look good on her. And teaming this ensemble with lovely scarves was her favorite thing. She had scarves in all colors, all fabrics and all prints from all over the world in her wardrobe, courtesy bade papa and Karan chachu. Sleek bracelet and huge earrings were her favorite accessories. And with her stylishly layer-cut hair that reached below her shoulder blades, Khushi Sharma could give at least a few models a run for their money.

Riya di had made her buy kohl pencil and lip gloss saying that they are a must have in a girl's purse. And today she applied dark brown kohl to her huge eyes, baby pink lip gloss and a little dab of perfume as well. After putting on her soft flat beige ballerina footwear, Khushi checked herself again in the mirror. A grin escaped her lips thinking about buaji's inevitable reaction to her deep-maroon spaghetti strap top which she had teamed with a beige long skirt & maroon scarf. She generally wore her spaghetti tops when buaji was away visiting her in laws in Vrindavan, for she gets a fit seeing her in these. Buaji can write a novel on how obscene and vulgar today's generation has become, and she did everything in her power to not let her Titaliya join the bandwagon. However, today she will ask bade papa to not let buaji lecture her, she decided.

This was her favorite top and today she needed to feel good in order to face her classmates, her teachers, and queries and sympathetic looks were bound to come her way. Time to go and face the nosy world, Khushi, she thought, opening the door of her bedroom.

Two rooms down, across the corridor, Avish was getting ready for office as well. But he had been already awake since last two hours, unlike Khushi. Had already been to the gym, had had his morning coffee with his dad and buaji. That girl had made a fixture of herself on dining table yesterday when he wanted to avoid her, and today she was nowhere to be seen when he wanted to talk. But from buaji's consistent ramblings he got to know that she is a late riser, much to buaji's displeasure, specially today when she was supposed to rejoin college for her remaining course. So Avish had made his way to his room to do some work and then get ready for office and talk to Khushi on breakfast. He would have preferred it without an audience but chances for that looked slim now.

Avish had given a lot of thought to what he wanted to say to Khushi and he had not yet come up with a proper line of thought. He did not pity her. He just thought that it is an unfortunate thing that she has this handicap. Period. And why would he pity a girl for whom everybody was volunteering left right & center to be the parents that she had lost. From his own dad and buaji to probably her own uncle. In spite of being an orphan she grew up in a family where everyone showered love on her, while he rotted away alone in hostels all his life even after having parents who were very much alive. Her mother loved her in spite of her limp, while he had succumbed to Type 2 diabetes due to cruel stress levels after his mother's truth was out. Pity her? Really? As for her runaway groom and broken wedding, instead of condolences it would be probably better to congratulate her for getting rid of such a guy and family at the end moment, before any substantial damage. And about what he said to her last night, it was totally unintentional on his part. Now how was he supposed to know about her limp when he did not even know her surname until his conversation with dad. So he finally concluded that he felt bad for saying what all he said to her, just bad, nothing else. And he should let her know the same, that if he had hurt her it was not intentional and he feels bad about it. If only she makes an appearance now, he grumbled pushing the knot of his tie in place. He collected his coat and laptop, and opened the door of his bedroom to proceed to breakfast table.

Khushi's time to face the world prematurely arrived when she opened her bedroom door and found Avish passing from there, who obviously stopped when he saw the girl he was searching for since morning, step out and who was looking extraordinarily beautiful this morning, he made a side note. But the look of grimace and caught unawares that passed her face did not escape Avish's notice either. And, on Khushi's part it took recalling of all her good manners in order to not dive back inside her room and shut the door behind her. If Avish was eager to talk to her up until now, it converted to mild irritation seeing Khushi's reaction to his presence. But he decided to get done and over with it right now, sans audience.

"Khushi", he started, forcing her to look at him albeit with a blank face. She had instantly decided to stay cool in front of him, or at least that's what she thought she was doing.

"Good Morning", he said, but instead of replying Khushi kept on staring at him without any reaction.

Just say it and leave, his mind advised, trying to ignore that ridiculous stare. "Listen. I should have not said what I said last night. But it was totally unintentional as I did not know about... about your leg. I really feel bad about it". There he said it, he exhaled.

But much to Avish's discomfort she still refused to avert her stony stare from his face. Arghh. Is she the same girl from last night? She was sure a spitfire while arguing with him, so has she turned dumb overnight?

After a few seconds he collected himself and tried to get some answer, any answer actually other than the freaky stare, "Are we good? I mean.. ummm.. you know..."

If Khushi was worried about pity from him, she thoroughly wasted her time and energy. It was clearly not on his agenda, just like a proper apology was not there.

"I said I did not know about you. What do you expect to hear when you go on stumbling on a properly leveled floor other than can't you walk properly? It was a normal reaction, nothing specific against you". Avish was losing his cool now, which he did not have much to begin with in any case.

"Are you trying to apologize?", she finally spoke.

Expressions of disbelief dawned on Avish's handsome face. "Why would I apologize? It was not intentional".

"You said other things too. How about apologizing for them?" Khushi folded her hands on her chest.

'What other things?' Avish asked trying to control his annoyance.

"Listen girl! Why did your fiancé run away? Did you unleash your sharp tongue on him? Did you cheat on him?" She had mimicked that line so many times since last night that it came out quite authentic now.

"Ummm... oh..." Avish fumbled. He had completely forgotten that little part of conversation amid the overload of new information last night.

"So, now will you apologize?" Khushi questioned.

"Ok. I shouldn't have said that too", Avish admitted.

"I don't think this qualifies as an apology", Khushi narrowed her eyes.

What the!!!  Avish knew he was wrong in saying all those things, but he was unaware of the root cause of all the issues revolving around this girl at that time. And maybe somewhere in his heart he was sorry too, but if this slip of a girl insists on putting an apology 'as she likes it' in his mouth and then forcefully extract it out from there, she is so bloody mistaken. This is it! He had decided to talk it out with her and that was done. Trying to be cordial with her can go to hell.

Holding that thought with fisted hands on his either side, Avish marched out of the scene without another word, leaving a very astonished and fuming Khushi in his wake. She couldn't believe the nerve of this arrogant man! First he himself brings up last night and then does not even say sorry. How difficult is it to say sorry? Especially when he is guilty as charged for all the things she is accusing him of. HUH. If bade papa would have not loved him so much, she would have damned him to hell right now. Hmphhh.

Just after a few minutes of his debacle of an encounter with Khushi, when Avish heard a cheerful, "Good Morning bade papa, Good Morning Avishji", his head snapped in the direction of the voice and he saw a smiling Khushi sitting in front of him on the breakfast table. His eyebrows furrowed considerably in confusion.

"Good Morning, Laddoo", Sumer replied smilingly. And, after a few moments he insisted "Avish, Laddoo is saying Good Morning beta. Shouldn't you reply?" Sumer was totally expecting Avish to mellow down towards Laddoo now after knowing about her.

Her 'I am going to talk to you in front of bade papa', came rushing back to Avish's mind. Oh, so that is why Miss-I-want-my-apology-just-the-way-I-like-it is being so civil. Well, two can play that game. "Good Morning, Khushi", he replied, trying to sound as if he means it from the bottom of his heart. And it did uplift Sumer's mood visibly, making Avish feel bad for all this pretend childish behavior he was resorted to because of his dad's dear Laddoo.

But before Avish could ponder over that line of thought, Sumer announced that Avish's new car would be delivered in afternoon and Avish and Laddoo will have to share the ride this one morning, making two warring souls jump out of their seats as if electrocuted. While Avish was still thinking of ways to get out of this arrangement, even at the cost of not going to office that day, bade papa's intelligent Laddoo, always laden with brilliant ideas to save the day dug her grave first. She royally declared that Riya di is coming to pick her up and shared ride is not necessary. Avish not only sighed in relief, but also worked peacefully enroute his office in Khushi's car, whereas Khushi first spent at least fifteen minutes on phone, begging Riya di to come pick her up, and then another forty-five minutes listening to the choicest of swear words her di bestowed on beautiful Delhi traffic.

"So much for avoiding Sadu Singh Raizada", she grumbled as she waved Riya di good bye after being dropped off at the college. Couldn't he be a little nice like her bade papa? Would have it harmed him somehow?

Avish and Khushi both maintained the decorum of civility in front of Sumer and avoided each other like plague otherwise for next two-three weeks. In the meantime, Avish couldn't help but observe that Khushi had this extraordinary ability to talk. Almost super human, in his opinion. She could chat on and on, non-stop, even about randomly random stuff. Other than, the occasional 'hmmm...', 'wow', 'really' or similar one word replies from dad or buaji, she did not need any other encouragement to continue. Initially, Avish thought that she talks this much to grab dad's attention and to irritate him, but later he realized that this was how she was. Chirpy and talkative. At times it felt like she kept a tab on whole of Delhi, just so that she can come back and relay all of it to her bade papa and buaji, who to his astonishment indulged her without a single frown. In fact, they seemed to enjoy it. Avish was now, very sure that buaji called her 'Titaliya, in the special recognition of her talking talent. Exactly like a butterfly, she flittered from one subject to another with such speed and expertise that she could easily wrap up world news for you in five minutes or less. Unbelievable but true.

On the other hand, Khushi realized that bade papa was not exaggerating. Avishji did have a bad temper. She had already started sympathizing with a faceless man called Aman, on whom Sadu Singhji barked as a rule and routine on phone. She wondered that why is the poor man still around? Is he incompetent which makes Avishji yell at him so much, and he cannot find another job? She could not stop herself from asking bade papa about it and got to know that Aman was a UCLA graduate and very competent. He is sticking around because he's been paid quite handsomely and because he is learning a lot from Avishji. Though she found the learning from an ever steaming boss part hard to digest, she still believed it because it was bade papa who had said so. In the house, Hariprakash, Omprakash, Avishji's driver Rakesh, security guard literally trembled in front of Avishji if he as much as looked sternly at them. Khushi had not yet seen him yell at anyone after her marriage night and she suspected that it was only because of bade papa's warning about his temper, that he was easily getting his way with people by stares and glares only, else who knows. She was super sure that he secretly wanted to turn her into a pile of ashes, by the way he glared at her when she as much even tries to open her mouth to talk. Even a little.

But both had started realizing that it is an absurd thing to try and avoid someone who lives in the same house, is related to same people as you are and to top that, when all the tussle was without a concrete reason. And so unknowingly they were cutting each other some slack and becoming more at ease in each other's presence. Avish had consciously decided to move on from holding a grudge against Khushi for his father's sake, and Khushi was by default unable to hold grudges. And, Avishji had come to her and did say something on the lines of not knowing about her limp and not meaning the things he said that night, didn't he? However, all said and done, no one was ready to wave the white flag first.

Though after a month of their closet war, Khushi had to concede to the fate that she'll have to take the first step in peace making between the two of them, when bade papa shared that it was Avishji's birthday in two days. She cannot stay aloof and cold to someone on a day like their birthday, can she? The idea was outright criminal and even the thought of it sounded outrageous to her lovely ears. 

# Chapter 8

"Oh God! How many times do I have to repeat that it is sugar free. It'll crumble easily. CAREFULLYYY", Khushi panicked.

"Shut up, will you? I am doing it carefully", pat came the reply.

"Oh ya? It looks like by the time all the candles are in, we will have a heap of bread and cream left instead of a cake", she retorted.

"Laddoo! One more time. Shut up! I am a Cardiac Surgeon for God's sake. I perform operation on living beings. And this is just a cake. Now if you will stop panicking, I can get something actually done here", Karan fumed while concentrating on pushing in thirty candles one by one on a sugar free chocolate cake, which they intended to take to Avish's room exactly at 12 AM as a surprise.

'"What happened to the numerical candles? Why did you not get that?" asked Sumer, who was looking at the proceedings on the dining table quite interested.

'"They don't give 'that' effect, bade papa" Khushi explained.

'"What effect? Of the glowing headache that you are giving me as I skillfully put thirty candles on a single cake?", Karan butted in, without looking up from the job.

"Chachu, you volunteered. Now just do it quietly", Khushi ordered.

'"Hai re, Nandkishore! Is that how you talk to your Chachu? Where are your manners Titaliya?", buaji exclaimed, glaring from the chair she was sitting in, near Karan.

"Yes, Titatliyaaa... Where are your manners? Say sorry to me. Right now", Karan grinned, looking up this time.

'"Chachu, please. And buaji, you too. I am so tensed right now. Only fifteen minutes are left to midnight. Eleven more candles have to still go in and then we have to light them up as well. And this freaking cake is crumbling like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. I am gonna kill that bakery wala tomorrow first thing in the morning", Khushi replied, agitated.

"Oooh... A human offering on Avish's birthday! And I thought you guys wanted it to be a low-key affair", Karan chuckled.

"Chachuuu' Khushi's high pitch reverberated into the dining hall and with that everyone concentrated back on the cake.

Khushi never denied, not even in her dreams, that she was the chosen child of God. While she had all the love in the world, first that of her own parents, and then that of father like bade papa, mother like buaji and her chachu, God took care that she does not become proud or insensitive. Her handicap had always kept her firmly grounded, literally and otherwise. In spite of riches surrounding her, all the pampering and attention she has gotten all her life, her empathy and sensitivity never died. She liked good things in life that her parents and bade papa's money could afford her, but God made sure that she never turned vain. And, she knew better than to complain for it. Yes, there are people like Suraj in this world, who broke her spirit into splinters. But then she found people like Riya di and Rishabh in this same world, who see the real her beyond the handicap. And no matter how much Avishji's arrogance and rudeness irritated her, she knew he too was one such good soul.

He did not say sorry. Hell, he ignores her like a dull wall painting behind bade papa's back all the time. But she could very well see the dignified way he handled the revelation of her limp. She might not be a deep thinker, but she was not shallow either to not understand that. He did not treat her 'special' because of it, and that was pretty much what she wants from all the people in her life. May be not by nature, but by sensibilities he proved that he was her bade papa's son. Though he was still at cold war with her and behaves as if she had offended the life out of him by asking for a proper apology, but not once did he show any pity towards her. In fact he treats her so normally that he does not even try to hide the fact that he is irritated with her when she barges in the study after dinner, when he is there with bade papa, or that bade papa entrusts her with all his medications, or the simple fact that she has a cute nickname and he does not. Just to irritate him some more she had two days back, held a detailed discussion in front of him with bade papa about the value and importance of nicknames. And how it shows the extra love you have for the person whom you bestow a nickname on. Even though he pretended to read a file that time, he looked sufficiently pissed. Hah!!, take that Sadu 'my dad' Singh Raizada, she grinned.

But all said and done, enough of childishness. On the occasion of his birthday, she will extend an olive branch and try to befriend him. But she knew that it will be a tad bit awkward looking at wedding fiasco and their rude verbal spats that followed. Any possibility of appealing to his brotherly instincts died after the grand scene where he was asked to marry her, for it distinctly etched out their relationship in a very different light in everyone's mind. Then his super quiet nature and ubiquitous temper were also a point of concern. She did not know all the history, but the fact that he had been living alone after Sujata aunty's death and had not come back home even once in last ten years that she is here, is hint enough that bade papa and aunty's divorce had left scars on his life. And she did not want to make him more sad, in fact she wanted him to be happy, for bade papa's sake. And that can happen only if she talks to him. More importantly, when she has one more indweller to chatter with in the house, why should she not utilize the opportunity? He is also closer to her age, just a little older. Bade papa and buaji always treat her like a kid, maybe if she befriends him he will treat her as an equal.

"What is happening here dad?", came a voice from behind, making Khushi and Sumer turn back jumpily and Karan and buaji stand up dumbfounded.

We can't even pull off a simple surprise, Khushi cringed silently, at the untimely appearance of birthday boy in the dining hall, where, would-have-been surprise was still not ready.

While Avish looked skeptically at the three known and one unknown face in the dining hall, four people stared funnily back at him.

"Beta, what are you doing here?", Sumer gained his composure.

"I forgot a file in the study. On my way there I saw the light on here, so came to switch it off. What is going on?" Avish asked again.

Sumer and Kalyani were so not prepared for this. Karan who was itching to take the situation in his hand kept mum, because he had not yet been introduced to Avish, and it looked weird even to him to provide answer to someone he did not formally know when there were three other people perfectly capable for the job standing in the same room. It left Khushi to salvage the situation, and she handled it to the best of her ability.

"Surpriiiiise!! Happy Birthday Avishji" she squealed.

"It's not time yet, Laddoo", Karan prompted, in a hush tone from behind.

"In advance", she added with another squeal, not knowing what else to do.

While Avish mumbled a barely audible Thank You, Karan sniggered quite audibly at his flustered niece, making everyone look towards him.

"Hi... I am Karan. Khushi's Chachu", Karan said, sobering up from across the dining table and then moved towards Avish. He extended his hand for a shake and when Avish took it he wished him happy birthday with a smile.  Avish noticed the man in front of him was around same age as him, a little older maybe. Tall, fair, bespectacled with intelligent eyes. Smiling face runs in the family, he concluded.

By then clock struck 12 and Sumer and Kalyani too moved forward and hugged Avish wishing him Happy Birthday. They pulled a still surprised Avish, who was clad in his black track pants and white hoodie to the dining table, seating him there. After a lot of bickering between Karan and Khushi regarding how each thought that other was ruining the cake, they finally got all thirty candles into it, lighted them and brought the cake in front of Avish to make a wish and bring in his birthday. In hindsight, that was probably the first time, in the glow of his birthday candles from the cake she was holding, that Avish had noticed how beautiful Khushi's smile was.

While Avish cut the cake, everyone sang the birthday song on the top of their lungs, specially Karan and Khushi, making Avish smile involuntarily. He received a set of gold cuff links from his dad as birthday gift, a silver Krishna idol from buaji which he politely accepted, a collectors pen set from Karan, which he refused several times but had to concede under his good-natured insistence and a box of sugar free chocolates & a bouquet from Khushi. Khushi's normal behavior which generally irritated Avish, was surprisingly, not doing any such thing. He was not frowning, not because his dad and her chachu were there as an audience but because he just did not feel like it. From the looks of it, she was organizing everything even after being treated so coldly by him since the past month. So even if she was putting up a show for her bade papa, Avish wanted to participate in the charade genuinely today. How long can he behave kiddish with this kid? He had just turned thirty and was going to behave his age now on.

While they all sat and ate the cake, Karan made the first move to get well acquainted with Avish. Laddoo had told him of his serious and quite nature, so Karan had willingly started the conversation in which Avish sincerely participated much to his delight. Avish was Sumer Uncle's only son. And Sumer Uncle was his and Khushi's only family, only guardian and only well-wisher in this whole world, making Avish important to him automatically. He was anyway planning a trip to Delhi for checking up on Laddoo as he had not seen her since she had left Mumbai after her marriage fiasco. But when she told him about Avish's birthday, he coupled both reasons and planned a hasty one day trip. And right now sitting in Raizada dining hall Karan realized that Avish was an intelligent man, with a very quiet and authoritative demeanor. He talked, but only the amount necessary.

How is he going to survive under the same roof as motor-mouth Laddoo?, Karan wondered for a minute. His fate. What can I do?, next minute he shrugged grinning. He was not worried about Khushi even for a moment for he trusted Sumer uncle's unwavering love for her that would not let anyone tell her off under this roof.

Little did he know that Avish had caught onto that detail quite a while ago, and now had made his peace with it as well.

When Avish got up and moved to kitchen for some water, Khushi followed him. It was time for the talk. As he turned with a bottle of water in his hand, Khushi who was standing there smiled.

"Did you like your almost surprise, Avishji?"

"Yes. Thank you", he replied, quite sure that his dad must be either in the earshot or watching them. But to his surprise, he was busy eating the cake and talking with her chachu.

As if guessing his mind Khushi said, "I am not talking to you for bade papa's benefit. I am just tired of our cold war. How about we bury past bitterness and start afresh? How about we become friends? Would you like to become my friend?". Her huge emerald eyes were looking at him with what he could only decipher as hope.

Avish really did not know what to say. The kid, as he had termed her, had stumped him with her maturity to initiate peace-making.

"You can at least try. I mean it's your birthday. What better day to make a fresh start?", she continued a little apprehensively.

"Okay" he replied.

"Okay. I mean good. Phew! I was so tired of all this silent treatment. And bade papa would like it too if we get along for real. Sooner or later he would have caught on, he is very intelligent you know. And I mean what reason do we have to not talk to each other? We both did not want to marry each other. When we fought that night you did not know about me. Next day you did try to apologize, in yoru own peculiar way, which we should not talk about as our opinions differ on that. But now that we will become friends, we will take care to not hurt each other. I am sure it will be great", Khushi spoke in a delighted manner.

"Yeah", he replied, not sure as to which part of her tirade was he agreeing to. It then struck Avish that what exactly has he just signed-up for, recalling her chatting sessions with his dad and buaji.

"Great then. I have also planned a dinner for your birthday tomorrow at an awesome restaurant. At Dum-Pukht" she excitedly informed. "Have you heard of it?"

Avish just shook his head in denial.

"So that means it'll be a novelty for you. Brilliant.The food is yumm.... , trust me. Bade papa and I love that restaurant, Karan chachu not so much and buaji is neutral. But it's okay. I am sure you'll love it. And buaji is going to cook your birthday lunch for you. Bade papa asked us to keep everything low-key, that is why there is no party. Do you want a party? I can arrange it if you want. You just give me the list of your guests",  Khushi offered.

"No. Your plan is nice", Avish started moving towards the dining hall.

"See, we've already started agreeing on things", Khushi chirped and followed him out of the kitchen.

Later that night, Avish laid in his bed with his hands folded under his head thinking of his first proper birthday celebration that took place an hour back, in the very house where he was born. Birthdays didn't matter to Avish. When they had once upon a time, his parents were too busy fighting among themselves to pay any attention to him. How was he supposed to enjoy his grand impersonal birthday parties when he knew that his parents have just fought and will fight again as soon as they see the last guest off? And when they had eventually paid attention to him, he had already been packed off to the hostel.

In London, his mother used to celebrate his birthdays at her house, but that was part of his those memories which he wanted to completely erase from his mind because whenever those birthdays came to his mind, he could not help but wonder if his mother saw him just as Raizada's property document since the day he was born or did she ever actually love him, even once?  A closure would have been nice. He would have liked to hear it out from her own mouth what she had to say about the things she had written in her diary and those photographs and about his fake signatures on property transfer papers. But that will not happen now in this lifetime, he sighed. Anyway in last five years, he has come to expect his dad's call at midnight to wish him birthday and an exquisite gift arriving by parcel next day. Their relationship was on a mend all these years and he did not find the need to ask him to join him on his birthdays. In fact, he preferred the solitude of his apartment in New York and company of his work on this day. Except for adding a year to his life, he did not see any other purpose of this day.

And today also he was expecting his dad to wish him, and at the max buaji to join him. Never in his wildest dream did he think that Khushi will forget their rather strained equation and arrange a midnight surprise for him, and a birthday dinner tomorrow as well. Also that her chachu, whom he surprisingly found really easy to get along with, will fly down to wish him. And then she surprised him with her friendship proposal. She never ceases to surprise him, first her fighting with him, then her impossibly childish behavior for the last month and now with her sincerity to bury the hatchet. Well, he was glad that she initiated the peace-making and he accepted. If nothing else, she was at least a non-complicated human being, so unlike him. And truth be told, he really appreciated her enthusiasm for celebrating his birthday. He knew he will cherish this midnight celebration, all his life.

As sleep started engulfing him, Avish's last thoughts were scattered between his dad's warm hug, buaji lovingly warding evil eyes off him, Karan & Khushi bickering while putting candles on the cake, their singing birthday song so loudly and Khushi's smiling face in the glow of his birthday candles.

# Chapter 9

A smiling Kalyani, a happy Sumer, a serene looking Karan and a half asleep leaning-for-support-on-her-chachu Khushi, stood in front of magnificently beautiful Radha-Krishna idol in the puja room of Raizada Mansion. And with them stood a silent and curious looking, quite detached from religion but getting attached to people in the room, Avish. It was his birthday morning and buaji was reciting a special prayer for the occasion in which everyone's presence was ordered by her. Avish did not consider himself an atheist and neither was he a believer. Frankly speaking, with the kind of existence he had had, existence of God was the least of his concerns. He gave buaji a faint smile as he bent a little for her to put a red tikka on his forehead.

When told on breakfast table that he and bade papa were going to office, Khushi had found it hard to believe that someone would go to work on their birthday. Even bade papa takes a leave on his birthday and spends the day with me and buaji, and Avishji is so much younger than him. Then why is he not enjoying his day? Karan chachu is here, I am here, buaji is here. Bade papa is going to office only because what will he do at home without the birthday boy. Can Avishji not think of anything fun to do with so many people with him on his birthday?, she wondered. She was ready to help with ideas if he would want, but that was the whole problem, he did not want any. He was as usual on phone with Aman, talking to bade papa about business or conversing with chachu today.

It looked like it was her birthday and not his, for their enthusiasm levels for the occasion matched the statement completely. Him and bade papa were to come back by lunch and Khushi consoled herself that it would be best if he spends his day as he pleases, especially when he had agreed to her dinner plans amicably. What does she know of about his work anyway? Could be something important for all she knows and getting him angry by interfering on his birthday was the last thing she wanted to do, friendship or no friendship. So she swallowed all the suggestions and advises dying to wriggle out of her tongue, and let it be. She decided that she had met her chachu after a month so she should spend the day with him, and thus got busy.

But by the time lunch time arrived, Khushi's resolution became history. After consulting with her chachu, she decided to arrange a movie screening for whole family in the home theater upstairs after lunch. No way on earth could she let someone spend their birthday working. How boring is that? So she presented the idea which was accepted by Avishji after some selling from them and majorly after bade papa's nudging.

"Hai re Nandkishore", Khushi mimicked buaji perfectly, for she had a lot of practice. "What is all this? First you wake me up at the ungodly, or rather too much of a godly hour of six and then you make such heavy lunch. What if I fall asleep before dinner today? I'll blame you, I am telling you", she whined while sitting on dining table.

"Hariprakash, bring babyji some salad", buaji yelled without missing a beat, and started serving her beloved nephew who would have preferred 'that' salad very much.

"What? Wait! I am eating. Buaji, I was just kidding. No way I'll skip on your cooking", Khushi slowly started eating delicious looking chole-bhature and matar-kachoris with imli chutney. Buaji tried to hide her smile. The mother's heart in her was happy beyond measure that her daughter was eating the food kids her age gorge on, even if it is just to honor her cooking, else she eats like a bird, adducing that since she cannot, run or jog, she has to eat sensibly. So before she sat down to eat herself, she planted a fond kiss on her Titaliya's head, making her smile brightly.

"You've got mail", Khushi suggested while eating. It was her favorite movie, and she was the one who had come up with movie idea in the first place.

"I am not watching that God forsaken movie for the 15th time", Karan declared.

"Me neither", Sumer mumbled, hearing which Khushi frowned. So he hastily added, "Let Avish decide. It's his birthday."

"I don't like romantic comedies", Avish confessed to a hopeful looking Khushi, making her sigh in defeat.

After a lot of inputs from everyone, Avish finally picked the movie Inception. Just when they were headed to the home theater upstairs after lunch, Avish got a work related call which he picked and motioned everyone to continue and that he will follow in a few seconds. After finishing the call when Avish turned back to look at the stairs expecting everyone gone by now, he found four people still climbing up the stairs at a snail pace, and making it look like it was the most normal speed to climb up. Khushi and Karan were walking ahead of his dad and buaji, all of them giggling about something, with Khushi holding the railings for support and Karan holding her shoulders for extra protection.

How well they all have adjusted to each other, he mused. His family to Khushi's limp, Karan to the fact that his niece will stay with Raizada's, dad to the responsibility towards his deceased friend's family and buaji showering her motherly love on children who were not hers. In spite of living in this house for more than two months now, he still has difficulty believing that relations like this existed in this world. Let alone the world, in his own house where he thought all relationships are fated to die out of suffocation. That moment, he rued the fact that life had made him selfish and aloof over the years, that he was not one of them, far from it actually. In order to safeguard his emotions and interests, to save whatever dignity he could amid being disowned, cheated and neglected that he could, he just had to stop caring about everyone else at one point. Looking at the four figures that disappeared at the top of the staircase, he sighed for things that could not be undone now. He was far too jaded and his faith in happy relationships had frazzled out long back. However much he appreciated his dad's, buaji's, Khushi's and even Karan's efforts to make him feel a part of this unit, he seriously did not know whether he will fit in this 'family'. The very next minute he shrugged away the emotional thoughts, into which he found himself relapsing far too often for his liking after coming back to India, and made his way upstairs.

When Avish came to the living room in the evening, all ready for the dinner, after two hours or so of finishing the movie, he found Karan and Khushi sitting side by side on the couch talking to each other. Avish had asked about the dress code for the restaurant and when Khushi informed that he can dress as he pleases, he had kept it semi-formal with dark blue jeans, white V-neck t-shirt and black blazer. Khushi herself was dressed in floral print yellow skirt, white plain sleeveless kurti and yellow scarf. Karan, who was going to go to the airport directly from the restaurant, was dressed in faded blue jeans and black button down shirt. He sat down on the opposite couch and smiled a little at the chachu-niece duo, and before Karan could open his mouth to start the conversation or Avish could ask where his dad was, buaji's voice reverberated in the room.

"Did you not invite your Jhansi ki Rani for dinner?" she asked, while setting the pallu of her blue saree on her head.

While Avish did not quite catch the meaning, Karan grinned and Khushi agitatedly replied, "Her name is Riya."

"Same. Is she coming?" buaji said unfazed, still fiddling with her slippery silk pallu. Titaliya always invited her for birthdays, etc. so Kalyani had made the inquiry when she found her best friend missing today.

"No. She has gone for two months tour to Orissa. She is arranging camps for children there", Khushi said with a hint of pride in her voice.

"To do what? Teach them her vocabulary of cusswords and skill to pick up fights?", Karan butted in, poking Khushi on purpose, for he knew how much his Laddoo is in awe of her older best friend.

"To vaccinate them. And she is very well spoken. It's just that she deals with weird sort of illiterate and rude people that she has to behave like that. And I don't want to discuss this with you chachu. It's Avishji's birthday, we are going to my favorite restaurant, don't ruin my mood", she fumed.

"Who are we talking about?", Avish asked.

"Riya di. She is a social worker and my best friend. Well, one of my two best friends. Other is Rishabh. He is in USA right now". Happy with the diversion, Khushi provided in detailed manner.

Avish had a vague recollection of this name Rishabh in Khushi's context, but before he could ponder over it, he heard Karan needling Khushi, "Buy one-get one free type of best friends. She befriended the sister and got the brother for free."

"What is your problem chachu? Just because Riya di introduced me to Rishabh, does not mean he is for free", Khushi glared at him.

"With the masterpiece sister like that, he cannot afford a price tag Laddoo. He won't find any takers", Karan grinned, at his irritated niece.

"Don't listen to him, Avishji. When you'll meet them, you'll love them. They are such nice people, both of them". Khushi felt an acute need to defend her old friends in front of her new friend, due to her chachu's remarks.

"Hey, when did I say that they are not nice people. At least Rishabh is nice", Karan interfered, making Khushi close her eyes in exasperation. She knew Karan chachu loved to pick on Riya di, with Riya di being no less and she was being victimized for taking her side.

"I am sure they are very nice people", Avish agreed, mostly out of formality.

"Yes. They are. And I am sure you all will like each other and become good friends too. I'll introduce you guys soon", Khushi smiled warmly.

Avish nodded a little in response, not sure if he even wanted this introduction.

"Trust me, Avishji. You'll seriously love both Rishabh and Riya di. No matter what he says, even chachu loves to hang out with them and you will fit-in into our group just right. And then I am always there to help if you have any issues, right?", her eyes shone like the bright sunshine of her attire, with a genuine assuring smile playing on her lips, in response to his non-committal nod.

Out of nowhere, maybe the word 'fit-in' doing the trick, but looking at her smile at that particular moment, a little emotion flickered in him, that at least someone is hopeful that he can fit-in somewhere, other than the business world when he himself has lost any such hope. And the irony of the fact, that it was the same girl who he had wanted out of his father's life for ten long years who had thought so about him, wasn't lost on him. However, putting that thought somewhere in the back of his mind after his dad's arrival, he left for his birthday dinner with everybody. Avish loved the food as predicted by Khushi and the dinner went perfectly fine. All of them returned home after dropping Karan to the airport. Normal life resumed back and Khushi and Avish's friendship started taking its baby steps, quite literally, for it started wobbly and was an experience in itself.

Befriending Khushi was not as simple a task as Avish would have liked. Used to an incommunicado status, all his life, Khushi's talking stamina gave him acute headaches first few weeks. Specially, because she was trying 'extra hard' to get along with him. Then Avish figured that the only way to get some peace in Raizada Mansion is to lock himself up in his room, for outside of it you are at Khushi's mercy, depending on how much she is feeling like talking that day. But, how long can he restrict himself to one room? It became clear to him after a while that his dad's beloved Laddoo was a real piece of work, and he will have to up his listening and responding capabilities in order to survive her friendship, actually in order to just plain simple survive.

And Khushi could not agree more. Making friends with Avishji was definitely not an easy job. How can he stay so quiet all the time? Does he not have thoughts or details of his day to discuss? How can you just go on living, keeping everything inside you? And she could see him irritably pinching the bridge of his nose many times when she tried to strike a conversation, but purposely ignored it. Everyone around the house is giving too much into his ways. Its time someone tells him that staying this quiet is not a healthy thing. Specially, when he is surrounded by family who is eager to share their heart out to him and listen to his, particularly bade papa who looks so eager to listen to anything his mute son decides to share with him. He is no more alone, and it's high time he starts appreciating that. So she did not give in to his silent demand to leave him alone. Khushi was anyway never short on perseverance, and so she persisted for the sake of her bade papa and for the sake of her new friend, hoping for him to get the hint that she is not going to let him wallow in his beloved solitude and silence. All this and the fact that Avishji was a clean slate who did not know much about her, and was out of touch of Raizada Mansion and Delhi, made telling him things much more fun.

As a result, after around 4-5 weeks of his birthday, Avish became perfectly capable of listening to Khushi at breakfast, at dinner and after that too. Headaches disappeared and surprisingly he even found himself enjoying her chattering sometimes. Sometimes being the keyword.  As a side result of his increased stamina, he also realized that he talked more with dad and buaji now along with Khushi, who was impossible ignore when she had thought otherwise. Of course he could not talk like her, for that was a feat which he cannot achieve in this lifetime.

By another month, he involuntarily became familiar with Khushi's  Ahuja Ma'am, Smriti Ma'am, Geeta Ma'am and Subroto Sir like he knew his own college professors. Reena, Puja, Alia, Bulbul and Shruti, felt like his classmates as much as they were Khushi's, after hearing about their day-to-day accounts daily. He could without a hitch recount Khushi's Riya di's NGO's motto, goals and services if asked. Khushi also drilled into his brain, her best friend Rishabh Raichand's acadmic qualifications, his talent with guitar and his future career plans. Thanks to her, he now knew the name of each and every household help of Raizada Mansion. Delhi started feeling like a familiar city because of her vivid description of markets, restaurants and other places she frequented. List of her favorite films, songs and foods was however so long that Avish had a problem keeping up in that department. Last but not the least, he started having trouble seeing Karan Chachu, bade papa and buaji as anything less than some blockbuster movie characters, who all had their own special characterizations in Khushi's narration. And she herself was the most intelligent and nicest human being that ever walked on earth, who was a helpless victim to buaji's Bhartiya Sanskaar lectures and discipline. Though Khushi would beg to differ, at this gross exaggeration, it was exactly how it all sounded to Avish. Period.

But Avish had led such a lonely life that once over his initial inhibitions about befriending the girl he had hated for so long, this somehow became a welcome change. A little too much, but welcomed nonetheless. Her uncomplicated and colorful view of the world clashed with his bitter one, but that was what exactly soothed his deeply scarred psyche. A different view of life, for his own was clouded with a gloomy past. He wanted to leave behind the shadows of his lonely childhood, his rebellious adolescence and his betrayed youth, but he did not know how to. Whereas, dealing with grave issues like her limp or her broken marriage came naturally to her. Avish realized that she was successful in simplifying her life partially because of her own nature, but majorly because she had his family and her chachu as her support system, and they never disappointed her. He could not help but envy her for this, but then she was more than ready to lend him her support and her support system, that he could not hold those negative thoughts for long.

But what made him actually stop and pay attention to her was that in between a million mischievous and mundane things that she spoke, she always found right words to say when they were needed. Words of kindness and words of wisdom, comforting reassurances and uncomfortable truths made appearance in her tirades every now and then, leaving him dumbfounded at their aptness and her sensibilities. Her carelessly sensitive chattering always lightened up the atmosphere and the heavy hearts in Raizada Mansion.

And that is how unknown to him, somewhere while speaking too much, Khushi silently made a place in Avish's life. 

#  Chapter 10

Avish watched Buaji emerge from her room, and with her Khushi as well, holding her upper arm in her dainty ones. Buaji went to kitchen, probably to give Prakash brothers instructions and Khushi followed in the same position. He has been watching her, literally glued to buaji since last half an hour that he was home. He dismissed the driver standing in front of him, after relaying him the instruction his dad had asked him to personally come back home and deliver. Buaji came out from the kitchen and Khushi was still clinging to her arm, walking with her, refusing to let go. Avish seriously wondered that how the hell did buaji complete her packing, with her Titaliya hanging on to her like a baby monkey clutching its mother.

After a few minutes, he saw Hariprakash carrying buaji's luggage outside to be put in the car, which was to take her to Vrindavan. Her aged father-in-law was in ICU and her elder brother-in-law had called, asking her to come as soon as possible. His dad had left for Dubai just three days back to supervise one of their latest projects for two weeks, assigning him the responsibility of two females of the house, who in his opinion had more idea how things work here than him. Not that he was a novice anymore, for he had got accustomed to how this house works in last six months that he was here. But he did not take it very seriously when his dad had asked him to 'take care' of buaji and Khushi before leaving as he thought that they must be habitual of managing without him since his work always took him places. But as his luck would have it, just then this peculiar situation had to arise.

Apparently this was the first time when Khushi will not be accompanying buaji to Vrindavan, especially when her bade papa was not here. Due to her short attendance owing to the break she had taken for her wedding, she had to attend college every day, and as a result he was stuck with actually taking care of her now, this being her first time 'home alone' situation. While buaji was praising her Nandkishore for his presence, Avish was not very thrilled at the idea of baby-sitting.

"Bitwa, take care of Titaliya", his chain of thought broke when he heard buaji addressing him.

"Ji, Buaji", he bobbed his head for there was no other answer to this request.

"Titaliya, you too behave like a good girl. Don't irritate Avish bitwa", in response to which he saw Khushi giving a weak nod, hugging buaji for dear life from behind, her head resting on her shoulders.

"Now, leave me so I can go", buaji rubbed her hands on herself lovingly.

Instead of leaving Khushi questioned, "When will you be back?"

"Bitiya, I told you naa that I don't know. It all depends on Pitaji's health. And, why are you so sad? It is not like you are going to be all alone. Avish bitwa is here, right?", buaji consoled her.

Another weak nod. Khushi seriously wanted to let go of a graduate degree and jump into the car with buaji. She had never stayed without either buaji or bade papa till date, and the prospect she had just realized, was not appealing at all. Why did everything has to happen right now? Bade papa's project, Vrindavan waale dadaji's hospitalization and her short attendance? That's what you get Khushi for refusing to wake up for puja every day, she sobbed in her heart. And what was troubling her the most was that buaji had no qualms in leaving her behind as her 'Avish bitwa' was here. Does she not know that he does not talk until spoken to and works like a robot? And she knew he gets irritated when she talks. And, he mingles with her and buaji for bade papa's sake only, she thought pettishly. And then he is so stern with everyone around, what if someone quits their job because of him? And this made her recall his anger too. What had God gotten her into? Bade papa and buaji are so mistaken if they think that he will take care of her. From what she knows of him, he will order her to take care of herself and will consider his duty done.

"Take care of yourself and call me when you reach", she said freeing buaji from her embrace with a heavy heart.

It clicked to Avish that he did not even think on that line. He should have said that when he is supposed to be in-charge of buaji's journey. But in his defense, this was his very first time doing all this for family.

"And give dadaji my best wishes. He will get well soon, don't you worry", she added, as buaji sat in the car.

Shit! Etiquette demands that he should have said that too. He kind of assumed that buaji's father-in-law is very sick and very old and hospitalized so... never mind. "Yeah, don't worry buaji, he will be fine. Call us when you reach", he too said, looking at buaji from the window.

Buaji nodded and smiled. "Take care of yourself kids. Call me if you have any problem, okay?", she said, and they both nodded.

As the car started moving, Kalyani prayed to her Nandkishore for her father-in-law's health, her children's well-being and a safe journey. She was glad that this time when bhaiya was not in town and she had to leave for Vrindavan under these circumstances, where her going was imperative and taking Titaliya along was impossible, Nandkishore had solved the problem in the form of Avish Bitwa. She would have been highly skeptical to leave her young girl with so many male servants in the house alone. Either she would have had refused to go or Titaliya's college would have had suffered. But she was thankful that everything worked out fine.

When Avish and Khushi stood watching the car disappear through the gates, just then Avish's phone rang and he got busy. He was discussing something with the person on the other side and absentmindedly made his way into the house, into his room to his laptop for some details he needed for this discussion. Khushi saw his retreating back and sighed. Suddenly the house started looking very intimidating to her in the fading lights of evening. Without her bade papa and buaji it was no more a home.

Avishji is used to of living on his own but she was not and he will not understand this, she thought with tears brimming on the edge of her beautiful eyes.

By dinner time Khushi had made at least 2-3 calls each to Buaji, bade papa and Karan chachu who all seemed least worried about the fact that she was 'alone' in Delhi. So she too resigned herself to fate, that Avishji will be mostly working leaving her to her own devices and that she'll have to listen to him for he was the older one of the two and supposed to be in-charge right now. Avish's thoughts were not very far behind from hers in this regard. He was thinking as to how to manage her as he wanted to go to Agra for personally resolving a situation that had arisen in his restoration project there. He wanted to ask her that if she would be okay with living alone here or at some friend's place for one night?

With that intent, he looked from his dinner plate, only to find Khushi playing with her food on the other side of dining table.

"Why are you not eating? What happened?" he asked.

So he finally noticed,  Khushi thought wryly, looked up and shook her head indicating that nothing happened, and resumed playing with rice in her plate.

"What happened?" he asked again. It really surprised him that a verbal question was answered in a mute nod by her, when generally it's the opposite, with one nod recharging her batteries to continue with her tirade for another five minutes.

"Khushi. Are you okay? Why are you not eating?", he asked, a little concerned at no answer, all this time.

He asked if she is okay... and that did it.

*Sniff*

"Khushi are you crying?", he leaned forward on the table trying to look at her down-turned face.

*Sniff*

*Another Sniff*

"What the hell, Khushi? Are you crying?", he stood up and went around the table.

*Louder Sniff*

Avish somehow pried his finger under her chin and forced her to look up, and the sight of fat tears rolling out of emerald green orbs and trembling lower lip made him gulp, in helplessness. "Oh Goodness", he grumbled in his mind, dragged the adjacent chair closer to hers and sat. "Why are you crying Khushi?" he asked as softly as possible, trying to hide his disapproval of this tear-fest.

"I want to go to buaaajiii", Khushi cried, making him recoil for a second.  Avish in his 30 years of life had never been in the vicinity of small kids, let alone crying or wailing ones. "Stop crying first", he ordered reflexively.

She would not cry when her groom ran away, but she would wail like a toddler if buaji leaves her for a few days. What the hell was dad thinking getting her married? She would have come right back here, sniffling this emotionally blackmailing sniff of hers, he thought massaging his forehead with his fingers.

*Sniff*

This certainly qualifies as baby-sitting; he decided gloomily and asked cautiously. "Okay. Do you want me to arrange for a driver?."

Khushi looked at him as if he had grown two horns on his head. He was here when the situation was discussed, wasn't he? "I can't go. I have to... attend college", she hiccupped.

"When you can't go, then what's the use of crying?", he tried to reason.

"Because I want buaji ... here", she stubbornly hiccupped some more.

"It is not possible and you know that. Why don't we think practically instead of crying", Avish patted himself mentally for using 'we', it makes it look like everyone is in it together.

Khushi realized that art of consoling is an alien concept to pragmatic Avishji. A few soothing words would have been nice though, she sniffed yet again. Loudly.

"Okay. What do you want? Tell me", Avish got a little irritated now. He was putting in a lot of efforts for this conversation as all this does not come easy to him. Only if this girl realizes that.

"Nothing", she said, in a small voice, and that tugged a cord somewhere in Avish's heart. He was told that this was her first time without his dad or buaji but her sad voice made him actually realize that she was nervous.

"You're not alone, Khushi. I am here with you", he tried to console her, putting a sad full stop to Agra plans in his mind.

"I know", she said in the same small voice.

"Then why are you crying?", Avish asked, very sure that he had never made this many efforts to strike a conversation in his life. Initiative found a new meaning in his dictionary that day.

"I come back from college around lunch time, and your work hours are very long. It's just that you are always busy and I'll be alone at home", she decided to stick with the truth, well half of it. The fact that she is still a little intimidated by him did not come out of her mouth.

"When buaji goes out and you stay with dad, that time how do you manage?"

"I go to bade papa's office after college whenever I feel like", she replied instantly. "And he comes home early too".

"So you come to my office after college. Problem solved. Bring your laptop, okay?", Avish was glad to have found an amicable solution.

"But I'll get bored there. I don't have any friends in your office", Khushi confessed innocently.

"You have 'friends' in dad's office?", he asked shocked.

"Yeah. Many".

Avish looked at her incredulously for a few seconds. He was definitely not going to ask this chatter-box to befriend people on his floor. What will happen to his staff's productivity if that happens, he shuddered at the mere thought.

"How about we discuss this tomorrow and find a way out so that you don't have to stay alone, and right now you eat your dinner properly?", he proposed.

"You promise?", she asked, hopefully, somewhat pleased that her case was at least heard.

He nodded.

"I don't want to be a nuisance, but I don't like to be alone. I have never been left alone in my life". Now that he had started to concede to her wish, she wanted to share her fears.

"I get that. And I won't leave you alone either", he assured, as a tender emotion enveloped his unfeeling heart.

"That means you'll come early from office", she asked stationing her huge eyes on his face.

"We'll talk tomorrow. Eat now", he needed time to think about this new setup.

Avish sat there, on the same chair, until she finished her dinner. It was for the first time in his life he was feeling responsible for a human life other than himself. Truthfully speaking, the feeling was overwhelming and he was staring at Khushi, just to make himself believe that there is an actual person who is demanding his attention, his time and his concern. Is this how being wanted feels like?

After dinner while going into their rooms, Khushi remembered something and abruptly stopped to turn towards him.

"Avishji, we cannot talk tomorrow. I'll be off to Surajkund Crafts Mela for the whole day. I can go naa?", she informed and sought a formal permission from the person in-charge.

"Ermm... What is that?", he inquired.

"A fair. Local handicrafts, food, puppet shows, rides. It's an annual thing", she informed.

"Is it safe? Does dad know about it? Is he okay with it?'  he questioned, actually feeling responsible towards her now.

"Yes and no" she replied. "He knows but he does not want me to go alone because of the crowd and all. He fears that the crowd will topple me", she pouted.

"Then take a friend along", he suggested, silently contemplating if he should go with her for her safety.

"I asked. No one wants to come as it is very far, but I have to make a report about regional handicrafts for college submission. I was going to take buaji as Riya di is again out of town".

"Can't you wait for your friends or buaji to come back?", he asked.

"By then the fair will end. Then I'll have depend on library books for the report. At the mela I get to talk to real people and I can click original photographs for my report too", she explained.

"Photographs? Is that place good for clicking photographs?", Avish asked with a sudden interest. It's been long since he used his camera and photography was his passion.

"Oh Yeah! So many photographers come to capture the glimpse of colorful India there", Khushi smiled brightly. Her spirits were no more lying in dumps.

"Tomorrow is Sunday, right?", Avish spoke more to himself, mentally going over what all work he was planning to do tomorrow.

"Yes", Khushi nodded her head in affirmative, oblivious to what was going in his head.

"How about I accompany you there?", he finally offered.

"WHAT? You want to come there?" Khushi was taken aback for a moment. He wants to go outing with her. Did she hear it right?

"Yes. Why? Can't I come? Is it invitation only?", he asked confused.

"No. It is open to all. But it will be noisy and crowded", she presented that facts, although secretly happy, for she too was a little apprehensive about going to such a crowded place on her own, because of her limp.

"That you don't worry about. So it's final, we are going tomorrow. That way, I won't have to worry about you either", he declared.

"Okie", she smiled happily, scolding herself mentally for thinking so worse of him in the evening.

By the time they reached her door, after the conversation they had just had, Khushi was ready to write on a stamp paper that Avishji was a very good friend and what all apprehensions she had about him were all wrong. Also, so happy was she with the turn of events and his co-operation that she instinctively hugged him tight, and smiled a bright "Thank you", shocking the unsuspecting Avish for a few seconds. If his mind got baffled at this sudden display of affection, a silent unwarranted current hummed throughout his body at the intimate proximity. Somehow managing to pat her head in acknowledgement, he made his way to his room mumbling a good night.

A chameleon changes less colors than the number of moods this girl changes, Avish paced near the poolside, quite restlessly. One minute she is all understanding mature girl-woman and another she can give a 5 year old a run for his money. Earlier she was glued to buaji, as if left alone with him he will murder her, and just now... just now she hugged him, as if he is her only savior in the world. How in the name of God does her brain functions? And leave all that aside, Avish was more concerned about himself now. How many emotions can he feel for one person, in one bloody day? From normal friendly housemate, to forced responsibility to tender concern to ... to... to something that he never thought he would associate with Khushi Sharma in his life.

And he definitely owed his puzzled mind an explanation as to when did he become so accommodating for her. And why? Contemplating coming home early, asking her to come to office, canceling Agra trip, which reminded him to call Aman and ask him to go instead and consoling her and offering to accompany her to that fair and what not. Without even realizing it he kept giving in to everything that would make her feel secure and comfortable during her stay with him. He had a fair idea that except for consoling her, whatever else that he was doing for Khushi, does not come under baby-sitting. Then what is all this? All questions and no answers, his mind chided him.

All this was hell confusing, and considering his life experiences he ran a mile away from things he could not comprehend on personal front. Then why does he not want to run away right now? Like he had wanted to run away from her when she had started forcing her friendship on him. Back-foot was his favorite position when it came to people getting too close for comfort with him, specially girls. What the hell changed? She is same, he is same, everything else is same. Must be all this family environment taking over, he tried to convince himself but failed miserably. Argghhh... as if her non-stop chattering was not enough, now all this!

"This girl will really drive me crazy one day", he muttered sitting on the recliner, with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. 

# Chapter 11

Colorful array of bangles. Elegant kiosk of handicrafts. Lines and lines of ethnic textiles. Handmade pottery pieces with white and blue designs on them. A small Ferris wheel painted with all possible colors in the world, with happy giggling children sitting on it. An old vendor with uneven teeth trying to make a sale, with full vigor and a big smile. Traditional puppets made of glittering gota work and bright colored cotton cloths. Mud huts thatched with dried hay adorned with traditional patterns. A group of youngsters trying to compete each other on the pani-puri stall, laughing in glee. Artistic wooden traditional furniture display. And then... the next pic on the LCD screen of Avish's Nikon SLR Camera was that of Khushi trying a very heavy silver based kundan earring at a kisok, her parted lips and lively eyes proof of the haggling for the right price that was being done simultaneously. A few photographs of that jewelry kiosk followed after that. Then came the picture where Khushi was beautifully smiling at a handicraft artist while interviewing the lady outside the hut allotted to her, with her notepad open in her lap where she took notes for her report.

It was nearing evening and Avish was sitting in the shade of a tree on an elevated stone bench, looking at his clicks on his camera. He just loved the colorful and extensive photo opportunity he got today. Accompanying Khushi was not at all a bad idea, except for the dust flying here that had his pristine New York lungs begging for oxygen, he thought while pressing the forward button of his camera screen. He had taken numerous long shots and close ups of every composition. He smiled in satisfaction. Next few photographs made him frown though. They were all candid shots of Khushi and it struck him that he did not ask her permission before clicking them. In all truthfulness, even he had no idea he had clicked so many of her pics. But in his defense, she was bloody photogenic. Specially her smile, an involuntary twinkle crept up in his eyes at the thought. He had just randomly pointed his camera in her direction while following her around as she took craftsmen's interview for her report. By the end of it, SurajKund Crafts Mela pics were far and few between Khushi's snaps. When the hell did he leave the fair and started clicking her?

"Here. Eat this", his train of thought was broken by her voice. He hastily switched off the screen display of the camera and looked at the colorful packet that she was holding in his face.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Potato chips. Packaged and sealed by a huge multinational company which guarantees that it is safe to eat it. And if something still happens to you, I'll make sure that bade papa sues them and gets you an apology and adequate compensation", she said in one breath, looking at him pointedly.

Avish had the decency to look sheepish as he took the packet. Poor girl looked definitely harassed after trying to make him eat for the last hour. "Thanks. You did not have to", he said while opening the packet.

"Oh! I had to. It's been six hours that we are roaming here and you refuse to eat anything. You are diabetic for God's sake. What if you faint or something? You are supposed to take care of me, not the other way round. I am just making sure it stays that way", said a hungry Khushi as she tucked in her bhelpuri, guilt free now that she has found something that Avishji cannot refuse to eat citing hygiene issues. Her foreign returned friend had seriously boggled her out of wits with his firangi attitude towards the food at the mela.

"I was managing fine", Avish retorted. He was not used to being scolded like this.

"For the hundredth time, Bisleri is not food, Avishji", Khushi replied exasperated.

Avish knew that he had pissed her with his consistent refusal to indulge in any food item here looking at the dust and unhygenic conditions of the food stalls, so he kept quiet.

"Show me the pictures you have taken", Khushi demanded after a few minutes and scooted towards him.

Avish stilled. "I'll show them to you on my laptop when I transfer them. Camera battery is running low", he lied. He would sort them out before showing her, he decided.

"Oh! But you did take the kiosk and craftsmen-at-work photographs for me, didn't you?".

He nodded and she smiled happily, diverting her attention back to her bhelpuri. Avishji was clicking pictures anyway, so she had requested him to take a few for her report as well.

"Carefully", she heard Avishji say as his hands lightly wrapped around her shoulders while coming out from the open air theater after the cultural show at the Mela. She smiled at him. There were hordes of people rushing out, pushing each other. Khushi had insisted that they stay back for it and now it was night, around 9 pm.

Khushi, not for one moment regretted coming to fair with Avishji. He had done exactly what he had promised, taken care of her. A bit awkwardly, but sincerely nonetheless. Roaming around with her, safe guarding her from crowds by being present around her every step of the way, silently. Earlier today when she had seen some pretty girls throwing admiring glances at Avishji, who was looking handsome in his faded blue jeans and black v-neck pullover with aviators on his eyes, she tried to walk a little away from him, her mind instantly conjuring up Suraj's images of trying not to get spotted with her. But the more she tried to walk away from him, the more Avishji bridged the distance. At last, when she saw confused irritation building up on Avishji's face due to her trying to lose him at every kiosk, she relented and behaved. She figured that a limping companion did not embarrass him and she has to stop comparing everyone to that coward Suraj . Avishji is nothing like that species!

Though she was busy collecting her report material and interspersed shopping spree, she did reflect on the fact that Avishji was a puzzle. He was responsible to the hilt, she can now vouch, but tell him that and she was sure he would flee before you could complete your sentence. It was hard to gauge what was going in his mind for he refused to comment on or commit to anything. Maybe in his work he did that, but that was it. Personally she still did not know much about him as he does not want to talk about himself at all. Such a miser with words and expression, that it is very easy to misunderstand him. Even today at the fair, where they could have chatted about a thousand things, he just nodded, smiled or spoke in single syllables or lines throughout the day. And for the life of her, she cannot understand what made him like this. His nature, it was definitely schooled, for one could not be so controlled all the time like he was. He did mellow down at random moments, but as soon as it would occur to him that he is loosening up, he would retreat right back into his guarded silence. It was like he deliberately did not want to enjoy, and made a strict point of not liking anything beyond a certain point, a like that could lead to attachment of any kind. Such was his aloofness. His camera was certainly closer to him than the people around him for it had made him smile more than normal today. Must have got some good pictures, she thought.

Avish looked outside the window of the car, which sped on its way to Raizada Mansion. Road lights and shops, some closed, some still open, zoomed past like a blur as the roads were relatively vacant at this hour and his driver Rakesh was making full use of the opportunity. He was now itching to check his emails on his blackberry after one full day away from work, but his phone was with Khushi who was sitting next to him. She was happily recounting the day to her bade papa who had called, to talk about business when his Laddoo had abducted the device. "Just to say hello", she had assured him. He turned his head sideways to see, if the gossip session was anywhere near its end. Nope, he sighed. One big long hello this is turning out to be!

His thoughts went back to the day today. It was after very long that he had such a relaxing day where thoughts of work did not nag the back of his mind and he knew he had Khushi to thank for it. His expressions softened when he realized that he liked spending the day with her. Photography was just the icing on the cake. This girl had evoked a subtle warmth in his frozen heart by being so very considerate towards him when he did not eat, in a motherly fashion. Actually his mother did not worry much about him if he went empty stomach, but Khushi, she refused to eat until she found something for him as well. A gesture he liked, a lot. She was different outside of home, more patient and more mature too perhaps. At home he has seen her as a kid who was pampered and cared by all, and if he had any doubts about the child in her, she had dispelled them all in one sweep last night with her crying session. She had looked like a lost child scared in the huge empty house and had clung onto him for dear life, and for once in his life, he could not deny someone the emotional reassurance they were asking for, surprising even himself.

He had stopped dwelling into emotions and feelings long ago when his own were trampled over mercilessly, time and again. Much to his discomfort these days he found the door of his heart, where he kept vulnerability locked away, ajar often. Coming back to India was stirring awake the latent desires of his heart to belong somewhere. But, how do you tell your heart that it was weaker of the two decision-making organs, and you are afraid to entertain its expectations? That, you do not have the courage to defy your mind, which has kept you going amid all the chaos in your life till now, and which refuses to let you let go now. Not letting you forget the past hurt, not letting you assuage the guilt of misunderstanding your father for nine years and not letting go of the simmering anger that got silenced over the years but still claws your very existence at as much as a single mention of the past.

"Your phone", he heard and turned his head as Khushi handed his phone back to him. E-mails occupied his attention the very next second. Work, his refuge from his lonely life, once again helped shut his wandering mind up.

Avish had no idea why he found it hard to be rude with Khushi these days, but whatever be the reason, it was saving her from his sarcastic remarks right now. And the fact that she herself looked a little disappointed in herself standing in the spic and span Raizada kitchen also helped the situation. The day had just turned more eventful.

"Let's go through this once again. Just to be clear. You gave Hariprakash and Omprakash an off today?"

She nodded.

"And you forgot to mention it to me, that you planned to dine outside because you were busy chatting with dad?"

She nodded again.

"And you have no idea where we can find dinner at this hour in Delhi?"

She shook her head in denial.

"May I ask why did you not mention any of it in the whole day that we were together?

"It is my first time running the house. It slipped my mind. I forgot that there would be no dinner waiting for us at home, because generally it is there", she gave her best puppy eyes to Avishji. It always worked on bade papa.

Looking at her huge eyes, Avish sighed deeply while controlling an urge to bang his head on something. "Fine. Let us cook something", he declared.

"It's my fault, Avishji. I'll make something. What do you want to eat? Bread-butter or Maggi?", Khushi stepped forward with her gallant offer.

"Neither. I would like to eat something normal people eat for dinner", he narrowed his eyes at her preposterous dinner options.

Khushi's face fell in an instant and she started looking everywhere but him. Avish's stare intensified on her flushed face. Right now, this girl was an open book.

"Let me make a wild guess. You don't know cooking, do you?", he folded his hands on his chest.

"I know microwave cooking' she defended her dignity. 'I know how to make rice, maggi, warm up milk, boil potatoes and make bread butter & bread jam too'.

"Awesome", Avish grumbled sarcastically and made his way to the refrigerator to see what can be whipped up right now. Having been living alone most of his life, he was a decent cook.

After spotting sufficient raw material for making pasta in the fridge and on kitchen counter, Avish started the task of cutting the veggies when Khushi asked, "What should I do? I want to help."

She was very thankful to God that Avishji knew cooking. As it is they did not eat properly the whole day and now she had to go ahead and forget her own plans for dinner. Now she wanted to be of some assistance to him at least.

"Find a pan and fill it up with water", he ordered.

Five minutes later Avish 's expectation levels which were not very high to begin with, downright plummeted, after Khushi showed him at least five tentative pans which were totally useless for boiling purpose. He kept the knife down and selected the pan himself, filled it up with water and kept it on the burner to boil.

Khushi then hesitantly picked up a tomato and as if pleading for a second chance to redeem herself, asked, "Should I cut it, Avishji?"

He looked sideways at her skeptically, but nodded.

Khushi instantly went to work. She washed the tomato and selected a knife and procured a cutting board for the task and started cutting. It did not take Avish more than five seconds to confiscate everything back from her.

"What the hell are you doing?", he was furious. "Where did you get this humongous knife from? And is this how you cut a tomato? Or were you planning to dice your fingers for pasta?' he bit out, forgetting to conceal the concern that laced the outburst.

Khushi gulped quite visibly.

"Do one thing Khushi. do nothing. Go and sit there quietly. You don't need to help. I'll call you when it is done", he was so stern that it left no room for argument.

A dejected Khushi dragged her feet to the far end of the kitchen counter and perched herself up. I was just trying to help. What was the need to yell? Huh! Sadu Singh Raizada. Show-off, she glared at him silently.

Ten minutes went by and there was no noise other than that of onions sizzling in hot olive oil in the kitchen. Avish was calm now, over the fright that this girl had given him with her culinary skills. He gave a fleeting glance in her direction and found her fidgeting with her polka dotted black scarf and looking at nowhere in particular. So she stuck around, he smiled slightly. He decided to cut this uncharacteristically quiet kitchen disaster some slack.

"How come you don't know cooking? Not interested or something?'

Khushi's head snapped in his direction. She could not believe her ears that he started a conversation. It was more than what she could expect from him and just like that all was well in Khushi's world. "Oh! I am interested but bade papa does not let me cook", she chirped and Avish felt an unknown weight disappear from his heart which had settled there due to her silence. While he went back to adding veggies to now cooked onions, Khushi added 'What happened  naa, that when I was around 13-14 years old buaji tried to teach me how to make tea. But I could not balance the pan and spilled the hot tea all over myself. But don't think that I gave up. I tried again after a few days but that time I touched the hot pan by mistake and my skin got blistered. Very badly. You can see the faint scars even now, you know. So after that bade papa prohibited me from cooking."

"Oh" he said adding spices to the veggies.

"But bade papa asked to stay away only from the gas burner, so I made Omprakash teach me how to cook in microwave. If I feel hungry while studying in the night I make maggi for myself or warm up a glass of milk" she shared.

"That's great", Avish gave a nod of approval while adding the boiled pasta into veggies now.

"And you just wait and watch Avishji, I am going to learn cooking pretty soon. Now I know how important cooking skills are. And for today I am seriously glad that you know cooking, else we would have starved to death. I am so hungry, and you also did not eat anything in the fair. Also since this is Delhi and I am a girl I have never been out this late so I had no idea where we can get a decent dinner. And truthfully, I was very tired to go out and eat at this hour. I am sorry, you must be tired too and yet you have to cook. From tomorrow on I'll put a reminder in my mobile for all the instructions I leave for Hariprakash and Omprakash". Khushi kept talking with very little participation from Avish who found himself indulgently listening to her tirade, the exact thing he had found ridiculous when his father and buaji did it.

Pretty soon pasta was served into two plates. He helped her off the kitchen counter and they made their way to the dining table. While Khushi oooh'ed and aaahhh'ed and yummm'ed her way to polishing off the pasta , Avish could not help but smile fondly at her. His dad was right, she was just like sunshine in this huge house with dark past of its occupants. And, he now knew why. Not because she was like the rays of sun brightening up people's life, which of course was true but because she was a constant like sun. Somebody you can rely on, someone who will bestow you with their warmth, no matter what happens. For someone who was rightly called Titaliya looking at her fragility and flitting disposition, the stability and security she promised with her presence was like an anchor to the restless hearts. Her not running away from him after his angry outburst, more than once, and not to forget her efforts to befriend him over the months had consolidated Avish's analysis that she was not the one who gave up easily on people. No matter, how much he wants to, his past was a witness to the fact that he was not capable of holding on to people in his life and the thought of having someone like her around was very  comforting to Avish's hurt heart. And her concern for his eating and her demand for him to stay with her and take care of her were oddly settling feelings for him in the face of his rather turbulent personal life.

Just then Khushi smiled brightly at something, and Avish was dragged out of his silent monologue session in a snap. While outwardly smiling and nodding at Khushi's story about some pasta dish she ate at some restaurant, inwardly he sighed. No matter how hard he shunned them, her thoughts caught up with him more often than not these days. Turning up in his already muddled mind like a bad penny at absolutely odd times, like just now.

And even if he manages to leave all her thoughts aside, the way his attention always gets arrested by that bewitching smile of hers, he had an uneasy feeling that it would be his undoing some day! 

# Chapter 12

Khushi was the result of many a prayers and promises her parents made to the almighty, born after eight long years of their wedding. Fiercely adored and wanted from the time she made her presence known in her mother's womb. Jovial like her father and beautiful like her mother, a little sister to her chachu. Slipping easily under bade papa's protective and buaji's loving wings, when her own parents died. Same thing happened when it came to her friends. Riya was five years her senior at school, who had saved her lunch one day from a school bully. After that she voluntarily started looking out for little chatter-box junior of hers during recess, befriending the huge eyed cute doll she had come to love. Riya's brother Rishabh, two years elder than Khushi, had found his di's young friend and protégé-of-the-sorts so adorable that he made it to Khushi's inner circle quite fast. Also her amicable nature made sure that she was welcomed with open arms by all the people in her life. Most of the strangers too, sometime genuinely and sometime out of consideration to her handicap, behaved nicely with her.

So it was only her Avishji whose friendship she had actually earned for herself by putting up with his initial dislike towards her and enduring his outbursts combined with aloofness. He did not play nice with her when he came to know about her limp, save that pathetic attempt to non-existent apology after coming to know about her limp. Stood his ground and did not talk to her until she extended a hand of friendship on his birthday. Even after that he took a long time to come around and accept her as a member of this house rather than a piece of furniture who talks. And it was only recently that he had offered her the concern and protection that she was so used to getting from everyone, that too after she literally spelled it out for him. But, Khushi knew that she could not have found a more suitable person whose friendship she would like to earn. Her handicap or even her angelic face as buaji puts it, did not affect him in the least. Specially after the wedding fiasco, where her dignity and confidence had jumped off the cliff, Avishji's genuine disregard towards her and her handicap had actually given her moral a much needed boost. He was someone who looked past her outer composition, whether good or bad. Someone who did not say things he did not mean.

And now they were becoming good friends. If anything good came out of buaji's and bade papa's absence from the house, it was that Avishji had included her in his routine. He had started knocking on her door to wake her up after his jog. For someone who had refused to acknowledge her presence on dining table on his first day, Khushi considered him waiting for her at breakfast a considerable step ahead from their earlier resentment. She in turn informes him along with bade papa and buaji whenshe reaches home after college. Also they dine together and then retire to study where he would work and she would either study or just tell him about her day and talk. He still did not speak much, but she noticed that now, he listened intently. He had started coming home early too as he said he would. Then what happened today, thought a worried Khushi while pacing the veranda outside the main door. Avishji was still not home. She had called his cell which was not being answered and when she called bade papa about it, he called back after a while, just to inform that Avishji will be late. No one told her how late and the clock was chiming 10 pm right now.

Just then Avish's car entered the premises and he alighted from it, with his left forearm bandaged and blotched with blood. His shirt had blood stains on it too and was dusty. Accident, was Khushi's first thought as she gasped and rushed towards him.

"No dad, the cut is not deep. There are only seven small stitches," Avish said on the phone.

"God, when did you call Aman? Yeah, a little blood loss too," he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Okay a LOT. Fine now?," he replied irritated.

"Yes dad, when I told him that an iron rod gashed my hand he gave me a tetanus shot. Don't you trust your own doctor's competency?" Avish leaned back on the living room couch he was sitting on.

"No, please! You don't have to come back early. It's not like someone has tried to shoot me. Accidents happen on construction sites... wait a minute dad," he held the phone a little away from his face and looked at Khushi who was sitting next to him holding his left hand and looking at it intently from all angles making it uncomfortable for him.

"You do realize that my bleeding hand is not an artifact for you to inspect, don't you?" he questioned pointedly making her leave his hand in a jiffy. "Yes dad, I am back," Avish continued his conversation while Khushi moved to the other couch and pulled out her own cell-phone.

A few minutes later when Avish disconnected the call he found Khushi talking to someone on phone while writing down something on a notepad on her lap, as if taking a dictation over mobile.

"Yes," she said and sincerely nodded along with it as if the person can see her on the phone, making him chuckle.

"Okay" she wrote something more.

"Hmmm.. and salt is allowed?" she questioned.

"Dont worry, I will take care of it," she looked at Avish.

"I don't know. But you talk to him, he is free now," she said while getting up from the couch and gave her cell phone to Avish. "Karan chachu," she informed when he raised his eyebrow in question.

"Hey Karan," Avish greeted.

"Yeah, I am fine," he replied in Karan's query regarding his wound. Khushi must have given him the details Avish thought.

"What?" he all but yelled the next second.

"No. My flesh did not cut out of my hand and neither did I lose a huge amount of blood," then after taking a long calming breath he continued, "I have no idea what your niece has told you but doctor just contemplated blood transfusion due to my diabetes, which I did not need eventually as my vitals were stable," he spoke while boring holes into Khushi's retreating back, who oblivious to everything walked towards the kitchen with the paper that she had torn out of her notepad in her hand. God! how much could she amplify one little incident? Avish shook his head wondering.

After laughing for a while at his Laddoo's exaggeration, Karan gave some basic medical advice to Avish regarding care of his health and wound, informed him that he had given Khushi all haves and have not's of diets for him and wished him a speedy recovery before disconnecting. Before he could go and confront Khushi, Avish's phone once again buzzed. It was buaji on the line.

Khushi all of twenty-one, overprotected and never ever been in such a situation, alone, was distressed for Avishji. Very distressed. Seven stitches, loss of blood, diabetes and no elder at home to take care of him. Just her, who had never nursed anyone or taken single-handed care of a sick person ever. How can he be so calm and normal? She would have been hyperventilating if this would have happened with her. But she would not do that right now. She has to take care of him. That was the reason she instantly called her doctor chachu for some sound advice regarding bandage changes, medication and food for the patient. She is going to provide Avishji the best possible care in the given circumstances. When she went back to the living room after giving Omprakash instructions about Avishji's diet chart for next one week and sticking the paper on refrigerator door with a magnet, she smiled seeing him talk on phone with buaji. Must be a little consoling to hear bade papa and buaji's concern and advice, she thought, for she was dead sure that in spite of being in pain he is not showing it on his face.

Little did she know that Avish had handled his fevers, his wounds and other mishaps by himself all his adult life. In fact all these phone calls had started to get to him now and it failed him as to why everyone was making such a big deal out of it. It was a cut due to carelessness on his part at construction site, not even an accident or anything. And all he had was seven freaking stitches. It was not as if he was dying.

After managing to shove a full bowl of utterly bland vegetable soup down a grumbling Avishji's throat by pestering, pleading and quite some emotional coercion, Khushi felt like she had won a world war. God, he was no better than a kid. She could not stop smiling at the childish stubbornness she had seen for the very first time in her foreign educated, utterly sober and introvert friend. Avish, who was alien to such intense investment of efforts and emotional blackmail for a petty thing like making someone eat their dinner, did not stand a chance against Khushi who was well versed in the art of cajoling and pampering. He had finally given in, after realizing that never-give-up part of Khushi's personality kind of extended in all walks of her life. Not that he was complaining. Not yet anyway!

However, the true level of her resolve and sincerity to nurse him back to health came to forefront at night when he retired to bed and could have gone to sleep too, if only Khushi was not so over-zealously trying to fulfill her duties as his self-appointed caretaker. So dedicated was she to her task, that it was the fifth time that she had come to check upon him in the middle of the night.

"Stop hovering over me Khushi. It's 1:30 a.m. Please go and sleep and let me sleep too," Avish said irritably as he turned on his bed to face Khushi who was standing near the foot of the bed. Dressed in a red PJ's and white oversized t-shirt with God knows what cartoon character on it, she looked cute as a button but impossibly irritating at this hour to Avish.

"Are you okay? Why are you not sleeping? Is it paining? Do you need anything?" she inquired worriedly instead of replying.

"I am okay. No, it is not paining; I have taken pain-killers. No, I don't need anything, thanks for asking. And, I am not sleeping because you are not letting me," he gathered last of his patience in order to reply.

"What did I do?" she asked confused.

"You are coming into my room every five minutes and asking me if I've slept. Tell me how can one sleep like this?" he heatedly reasoned.

"First I check if you have slept or not and when I see that you have not, only then, I ask you anything. And for your information it's not every five minutes. I have set the alarms to check up on you 30 minutes apart," she retorted all intelligently.

"You have set alarms??? Seriously???" Avish squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed the spare pillow with his right hand and plonked it over his head in exasperation. Then he spoke something that sounded like 'Good Night' or 'Get a Life' or 'Get Lost', or something like that to Khushi, but she wasn't very sure because the voice was too muffled.

After Avish was sure that Khushi has left the room, he slowly removed the pillow and heaved a sigh of relief. Chucking the pillow to one side he turned and flopped on his stomach to sleep, resting his left hand carefully on his side. He was bloody well capable of taking care of himself, always had. Khushi's concern was confusing him to no end. Why is she being so anxious on his account? But before his train of thought could proceed even a millimeter further, the object of his thoughts barged into the room, startling him. He quickly sat up and got alarmed at the sight before him for there stood Khushi with her comforter and pillow in her hands making herself comfortable on the recliner in his room.

"What is this?"

"Well you are getting disturbed by my coming and going, so now I am not going to come and go. I am settling here for the night. I need to keep an eye on you," she replied folding her legs beneath herself on the chaise.

"What??"

"I said, I am going to stay here to keep an eye on you," she repeated unfazed.

"Jeez! You are going to stare at me as I sleep. That's so comforting!" he said sarcastically, quite creeped out at the thought of being watched over as he sleeps.

"I know," chirped Khushi, totally missing the sarcasm. "When I am sick or hurt I always make buaji sleep with me. One needs constant supervision when one is not able to take care of themselves..."

"I am..." he tried to intervene.

"Also if you have to be rushed to the doctor in the middle of the night there should be someone beside you, nahi kya? And God forbid if you die in sickness then should there not be someone whom you can tell your last wish. Dying alone without anyone knowing is such a scary thought, nahi kya? And how would people fulfill your last wish if you don't tell it to them before dying," she continued in the flow without paying any heed to exasperated expressions of her patient.

"I am not dying Khushi," he massaged his temples.

"Of course not. That was just an example. I am here to take care of you. I'll not let anything happen to you, Avishji. See I have fed doctor's number in my cell and I have asked Mohan to stay on a stand by for the night as well in case we have to rush to the hospital. Don't you worry, I have everything under control," she said in all seriousness as Avish gaped at her contingency arrangements.

"Khushi. Please go and sleep in your room," he tried requesting, in case that could change her mind.

"And what if something happens to you? Did you not hear what I just told you?" she looked at him incredulously.

"Nothing will happen. You go and sleep and let me sleep too," he tried once more.

"I agree to everything you said, except 'go' part. Nothing will happen, I'll sleep and you sleep too. Good Night, Avishji," she said with a tone of finality and laid down pulling the comforter to her chin.

"What in the name of God have I befriended," he groaned as he lied down giving up.

He found out within next five minutes that he had befriended a resilient and caring soul who was taking her responsibility too seriously when Khushi objected on extremely low temperature of the room citing that it is not good for him today and haggled with him like one does in vegetable market, when he refused. "Be reasonable Avishji. Neither your temperature, nor mine. Let's set it at 19 degrees. Okay?" she said making it impossible for Avish to hide his smile in spite of trying to look pissed off. She did not rest till the temperature was set on 19 degrees as opposed to 16 degrees that Avish liked and also graciously giving up 21 degrees which suited her.

However much Avish tried to tell himself that it was her hovering over that was bothering him, the actual problem was that having someone care for him like this was much too comforting for his comfort, and he just did not want to get used to this feeling. Not now, not ever.

Also troubling him was the possibility of his well-guarded secret coming out if she stays over in his room, something he did not want his father to know and get one more reason to worry over him. As it is he had been a source of anguish to his dad all these years with his hatred, then concern about his temperamental nature most prominently when he had almost lost his left eye after getting shards of mirror into it which he had broken in a fit of anger, and so he did not burden him further with this torturing detail of his life. That he was battling with bone-chilling nightmares which wake him up gasping for air and a palpitating heart many a nights since last five years. The closure he did not get from Sujata Mathur in real life, his subconscious tries to procure it in dreams full of bloodshed.

Nightmares which started when he got into substance abuse to get away from depression and stress that eclipsed his life after his mother's truth had come out. Stress which ultimately made his pancreas succumb to type-2 diabetes. He was a mere twenty-four year old, betrayed by his own mother who was conveniently dead and no father in his life at that point. No one as a matter of fact in his life at that point. Escape from his mockery of a life presented itself in the form of drugs sold in ghettos deep inside of London city until his dad got the news of Sujata Mathur's demise and had turned up on his door one fine day. He had him moved to New York within a month looking at his depressing state taking him away from that rotten pit. But when his diabetes was diagnosed in New York, the doctor had entered finding few 'objectionable' chemicals in his blood in his medical records, making him apprehensive about seeking help specially when his dad was taking active interest in his life. He had somehow survived anger management sessions his dad had insisted on but he was damn sure that going to a shrink would definitely make him commit murder. Anyway, he came out of that dark place all by himself with the sheer determination to not let that woman ruin his life anymore. He had never looked back since then, but the blasted nightmares just refuse to leave him in peace, even now.

"You've got to finish this bowl of pomegranate Avishji. It will help build new blood in your body," Khushi said with an authority she had found with Avish after the mishap a week ago.

"Look Khushi, I am totally fine now and enough of your bossing. I am not having it and you can't make me," said Avish trying to sound stern as he bit into his regular omelet and toast.

"Fine. You don't leave me any choice but to call buaji and complain," she threatened. Buaji's lectures and dramatic Nandkishore's invariably shook the life out of otherwise composed Avishji.

"What are you? Five? Wagging your tail like a pet behind dad and buaji," he jibed, although worried that she would act on her threat.

"Hawww... How rude!" she protested. Then instantly proposed "But I'll let it go if you eat this fruit bowl,"

"Don't let it go. Just let me go,"  Avish stood up and collected his coat from the back of his dining chair.

"Fine. Go. Why would you care that I personally shopped these pomegranates for you because chachu said that it is good for you. You know how crowded it was there and how sunny. And then I was almost run over by a car when I tried to cross the road after getting it from the vendor", in a bid to make him eat the prescribed diet, Khushi's outlandish dramatics were quite common these days.

"You did not," Avish countered trying to gauge the truthfulness in her statement. She was a full of melodrama and he knew that by now.

"Yes. I did," she stood up, trying to look helluva hurt and succeeding as well.

"You did not," he still stood his ground.

"Did too".

"Did not".

"Did too".

"Did not".

"Did too".

"FINE. Give me the freaking bowl," he held his hand out in frustration and Khushi without delay handed it over to him, hiding a smug grin.

Avish was sure that she had the capability to go on bickering like a five year old for the whole day and he just could not match up with her in that department. This bowl would anyway appear in his lunch items later with an added blame of not appreciating her efforts, of which he would not hear the end of the whole day. He had very important meetings lined up today and if eating a bowl of 'handpicked' pomegranate seeds right now would let him work peacefully, then so be it.

But all said and done, Khushi did win Avish over by the level of devotion and commitment she showed in the past week towards him. While he convinced her to sleep in her room after that night, which went by fine without any nightmares much to his relief, he could not deter her from taking care of him vehemently. The girl, whom he had not seen leave her room before 8 am ever, was up at break of dawn these days, sipping her tea sitting in the veranda and keeping an eye on him while he jogged, lest he faints due to weakness after his apparent blood loss. He had made himself believe over the years that all this 'taking care' stuff actually hinders patient's recovery and is utterly not required. But now he knew that it was the case of sour grapes and he just fooled himself as no one had wanted to care for him like this. Till now that is. This time his diet chart was followed to the T, not only preparation but the feeding part as well. She made sure his lunch was delivered to office on time with all the medicines that have been prescribed to him neatly stacked in a small box. She even insisted on accompanying him to his bandage change appointments to the doctor, and almost always found a way around his refusal for the same. Also instead of just calling him to inform about her arrival from college, Khushi now called him atleast four or five times a day to check on him. But to him the best part was the way she eagerly awaited his return from office every single day for it filled his heart with a never known before, want to reach home. The imposing building of Raizada Mansion never in his lifetime looked this welcoming to him as it did now, with Khushi sitting in the living room with her books in her hands, and pencil in her lips looking anxiously at the door every now and then. Avish had absorbed this sight into the deep recesses of his heart to never let go, when one day she did not spot him and he had observed her standing partially behind a pillar.

After his 'accident' she insisted that they Skype with bade papa every day after dinner. In order to make him and his dad feel better after this incident in her own way, her spirited soul had rebuild the bridges of normalcy that were burnt between father and son in the past. Avish would never admit it, but he liked the way she had started this kind of ritual of staying in touch on personal front with his dad when away. He had always been in touch with his father but mostly talked about business, but with Khushi around, they talked of everything but business. He recalled how insecure he had become when his dad did not make any plans to visit New York in the year following his heart attack. He had called after a lot of dilly dallying to ask his own father about missing his yearly trip but still could not find it in him to tell him that he was waiting for him, lest he looks needy to him. He could silently shift continents to be closer to his father but voicing his affections was an improbable probability in the twisted personal world his parents had created for him. However, by just being herself, Khushi had easily broken the ice in which father-son relationship had hibernated years back.

Nowadays he did not even try to deny, even to himself that he had started feeling a weird contentment around her. Everything felt okay in the world when she was with him. Her inexperience in the matters of nursing him back to health or managing the household was undoubtedly surpassed by her genuine intentions. Her silly chattering, her intelligent musings and her concerned lectures were replacing the hollow silence of his heart. Every morning he desperately waited for her to come out of her room but had no idea why. He looked forward to her phone calls and to the radiant smiles that had started lighting up his drab routine, but refrained from dwelling on the thought as to what was he expecting out of all this in the end. After a lifetime of dashed hopes, this loving concern was baffling him as much as it was soothing him and although he wanted to keep the warmth she has brought into his heart going on endlessly, he knew better than to hope.

It's all temporary. Once everyone comes back everything will go back to normal, he consoled his practical side which was panicking due to the emotional solace he was finding in this young girl.

But the truth was that his wilted heart was coming to life under Khushi's nurturing care. How would things go back to 'normal' when she had unknowingly planted tender feelings for herself on the path leading to his heart?

Feelings that will rapidly grow so strong that they will make him send the well laid plans of his life for a toss, and hers too. 
  1. Chapter 1
  2. Chapter 2
  3. Chapter 3
  4. Chapter 4
  5. Chapter 5
  6. Chapter 6
  7. Chapter 7
  8. Chapter 8
  9. Chapter 9 
  10.  Chapter 10
  11. Chapter 11
  12. Chapter 12

