Part 21

Part 21

Khushi had a disturbed sleep and got up early in the morning at 5.30 Papaji was already getting ready. She had tea with them. Papaji handed over a note to her. Her daily schedule was written on it. She looked at it puzzled. He showed her the time and said.. "Its time to get ready. Your training will start from today. Read the schedule carefully and I will arrange for your transport. And, yesterday night I sent a message to your sister that you are alright. Make it a point to call her before you go out for training." He handed her a new cell phone and said "you will call from this number and keep this phone with you. But you will inform me before you make any calls to anyone. Its that ok?" She nodded in acceptance. "Puttar, this is your new life and look forward to accepting it as a challenge" he said and went away. She looked at her daily routine note and jumped up. She was already late.

Arnav got up from the sleepless night. Got ready and without looking at the other family members, started moving out for office. "Chote.. "Anjali called from behind. "Please di. I am already late. Let me go to the office."
"But Chote.. listen to me. I need to ask something. What will you and lavanya do looking at the circumstances? Please just don't keep her hanging. Take a decision.. please."

Lavanya came forward, said "Di. Don't worry. I will talk to him whenever he is free and sort it out. ASR do you know anything about Khus.."

Stop it lavanya! He cut her off. "I have told you not to take that name in my house again. Can't you understand? And I am going to the office and may not return for lunch. Don't wait for me."

He went to the office. He know he cannot go to the police. He decided to try the other alternative.

He thought of going to the detective agency and track her down. He could pass on the email and from the IP address they would find out from where the email originated. He will have a watch on her home and can trail the family members. He can ask Aakash to get some clue through payal. He can now tap their telephone. If payal received a phone call he can find out the location.

He dialed khushi's number. It was switched off. "If she switches on to call payal I will track her down by finding out her physical location." He smiled. He knew he has a foolproof plan and he will track her down in a couple of days... and then....
He attended his regular business thinking about approaching the detective agency at the earliest. 

He shortlisted some of the agencies and chose the one with highest success rate.
He called up the agency and talked to the director and told him that he wanted to track down his ex-employee. The detective asked "We need the reason for tracking down". 

"Any fraud, embezzlement?" "No"
"any criminal record?" "No"
"Business espionage?" "No"
"Competitive business?" "No.. ! damn it!" "Can you not just track her down without asking any questions? I will give you all the other information required."

"Her?" the detective wondered. And then said "Of course Sir." May I have the details please?

Arnav hung up after giving the information and promising to send the cheque with photographs and other documents about Khushi Kumari Gupta.
The detective was puzzled... then smiled at the name of "Khushi Kumari Gupta" and "Arnav Singh Raizada" Looking at the residence details, he understood.
The world had turned out to be so small for him. Arnav Singh Raizada had engaged the same detective agency which trailed her to protect her, just a day before.

******  ********
....After two weeks.

Khushi was able to cope up with her hectic schedule. She kept herself working throughout the day, spending more time with mammiji whenever she was at home. There was a marked change in the atmosphere. She made everybody run around her. She made it so alive that everybody loved her. Even papaji and mammiji missed her a lot when she was out for her training. She was a quick learner and was able to pickup the things pretty early. She even started accompanying papaji in his business meetings. Papaji took her with him wherever he went.

All day she used to keep herself busy.. but the nights were only hers to remember her home, her amma, babuji, her jiji, Raizada House and Arn.... Whenever his name came into her mind her heart ached. She missed all of them so much. She used to get lost in the middle of the training program sometimes and with great effort she used to gather herself.

She was with mummiji and papaji at the dinner. She was so lost and papaji with his piercing eyes looked at her and asked. "Missing home, Khushi?" She nodded with tearful eyes. He looked at her for a while and asked "Do you want to visit them?" She looked up hopefully.. "Can i..?" 

"Hmm... I will arrange for your ticket. He looked at mummiji. She looked unhappy and disappointed. She kept her fingers crossed for Khushi to say no. " But Khushi jumped up in the chair and asked "Really? Can I go?... OH... Thank you papaji." 

Papaji dialed a number to arrange for her air ticket. He said "Khushi I will arrange for your delhi ticket. But will arrange your return journey, only when you wish to come back. Is that ok?" She nodded in acceptance. 

Arnav's frustration mounted these days. The detective agency could not make much progress. Only they could find out was that the photograph was sent to him from one of the Delhi Net cafes. They could not pin point the person. There was no trace of Khushi ... they had watched her house 24X7. No trace yet. Arnav's temper erupted with even the smallest opportunity. He had stopped talking to his family members. Anjali and Lavanya tried talking to him but in vain. He just refused to be with them even for a short duration. He had buried himself in the business typically working for 12 to 14 hours a day and remaining time to find out a clue ...

He was working on laptop in his bedroom and he received the mail, with the same subject line. He got up with goose bumps reflex.. He opened the email. There was another photograph of Khushi on a very busy road with that day's timestamp. The road was unrecognizable apparently. He immediately called the Detective agency and told them this information forwarding the same mail. He hoped this time at least that they be successful in finding out Khushi.

His phone rang. He looked at it.. it was khushi. He couldn't believe his eyes. He picked up the phone, skeptically waited for the other person to speak. "Hello.." said khushi's voice. He jumped up blurting.. "Khushi... is that you... Khushi.. talk to me... where are you... Khushi....?" "Khushi tell me where are you?" he asked stressfully. He could not wait anymore for the answer. She said "Here..." 




"what..?..Where?.. Khushi... " He leapt up... in a couple of leaps opened the room door. Jumped down descending the stairs.. and pulled open the front door....
She was there standing at the doors with a little pale face full of apprehension. He stood there immobilized... his cell fell down. She was clutching her phone. He kept looking at her. He leapt forward and held her hand pulling her inside. He put his arm around her shoulder "Khushi...." He could not speak more... he swallowed hard... his eyes went hazy... He moved her turning around and walking with her. This time he did not take her to their favorite place, pool side, but took her upstairs directly to his (their)room.

He brought her in the room, Looked at her putting both the hands on her shoulders. He kept gazing at her. Their eyes met. He had held her at arm's length. They looked at each other like never before. He looked at her unblinkingly sliding his hands from shoulders to her elbows. She responded with the same glare. But she could not keep up the bearing. She could not withstand his gaze.. she closed her eyes and then looked away.. He grabbed this opportunity to grab her and pulled her closer to his heart. She almost suffocated with his grip. She did not move... he was shaking from head to toe. He started with quivering voice... "Khushi... Khushi... "

"15 days.. Khushi ,15 days. Oh! You don't know how I spent these days, in such a pain and agony.. those sleepless nights... that tormented feeling.. oh.. Khushi..." He held her tight. She too held him by his arms. 

"Khushi... you do not know .. I was burning.. I was losing it... Khushi... you silly girl... what made you to leave me like that? Don't you understand? How can you do this to me? YOU left me ... YOU LEFT me to face the family... you left me half way through... Why Khushi? His anger and voice started rising. Khushi looked frightened. She looked at him... his eyes spitting fire, he spoke again.

"What the hell you thought you were doing... leaving me? Could you not understand? Could you not wait for my explanation? What made you to turn your back on me like that? You just walked away from my life without even thinking about me...? WHY? ANSWER ME ... DAMN IT!" He looked dangerous... the frightful feeling within Khushi was replaced by anger... 

She looked at him angrily... He was so wild going overboard with rage that he could not gauge her expression and went on...
"You could not wait for my explanation... you were eager to move out... you..." He stopped to take breath... "Where were you? whom were you with, khushi?” He demanded.....

Both of them repelled pushing  each other backwards...
She looked at him painfully. Then slowly looked down... He looked at her and realized what he had done.. he came forward to grab her again with a hoarse voice "Khushi.... listen to me...Khu..."

She pushed him back. she had reached the door. She only said "I am going.." She went out and shut the door with a bang behind her... He ran after her....Calling out "Khushi..." He opened the door.. came running down the stairs, came to the front door..

."It was locked from inside"

He came back with drooping shoulders... He was sweating profusely. He wiped off the sweat from his forehead... the clock struck 6.00 in the morning.. and called out in a shrilled, cracked voice "LAVANYA...... "

Khushi opened the door of her room when the clock struck 6.00 in the morning and ran towards mummiji's room wiping off sweat from her forehead... calling out "Papaji..."

They both had shared the same nightmare at the dawn......