Part 44

Papaji had tears in his eyes. Raj said... "Tej used to love mouth organ and this is his..."

"Oh! Arnav said quickly putting it down." "No puttar, this is yours from now!" said papaji looking at the portrait of Tej. 

The servant brought in Coffee for everyone.

The three men were engrossed with some political discussion and corruption in the country forgetting that Mummiji, Elsa and Khushi are also there with them. Mummiji went to her room as it was time for her medicine. Elsa went to kids' room to check whether they are asleep. Khushi was whiling away time. She was thoroughly bored with the discussion. She curled up listening to them and fell asleep. Arnav noticed and gazed at the sleeping beauty. Papaji woke her up and asked her to go to her room. Arnav had to control himself from going behind her to her room.

Somehow Arnav lost interest in the discussion after that and they broke. Arnav went to his room with his laptop. He needed to work remotely to get ready when he would return to Delhi. He kept thinking about the morning discussion. Khushi turned out to be stronger than he had expected. She was determined to expose Sham and started thinking practically after the initial shock. "After all she is not that bad!" He thought smiling. 

In the morning all of them went to Airport, Arnav dumping his luggage into the car. They waited till Raj's plane took off and then Arnav said "I think I should leave this afternoon. I will not come home and wait here for my flight. Afternoon tickets are available. You can carry on and I will complete my work from the lounge, there is wi-fi available. He avoided looking at Khushi. 

"Ok puttar, Khushi will be with you to see you off. I will send her a car later". Papaji said winking at Khushi. Arnav looked amazed. 

They settled in the Lounge. Arnav opened his laptop to work on. Khushi started talking about trivial things. After their first meeting in Kolkata they were together in public place, not knowing what to do or say. Both of them felt very awkward.

"Arnavji, where is Lavanyaji now?" asked Khushi.

"She went back to US" said Arnav looking at her curiously.

"She regretted saying all that to you Khushi!" Arnav said feeling little nervous.

"I knew, she said it in a fit of rage. She is really nice and had become my close friend" Said Khushi. She desperately wanted to talk to Lavanya or meet her.

"Arnavji, can we invite her for Jiji's wedding?" She asked excitedly. Arnav gaped at her bemused with their friendship. 

"Ok". He said. He got up after the final call and looking around shook Khushi's hand first and then pulled her into his arms. He knew no one from the family was around and that gave him courage. Khushi buried her face in his chest and sobbed. 

"Khushi... Everything will be alright" Arnav said in a hoarse voice.

Khushi pulled herself apart and tried to bring smile on her face. He squeezed her shoulder once and turned his back to go.

His plane took off. 

The game had begun and failure was not an option!!!

Arnav closed his eyes. All the events in these two days played before him sequentially. He had shocked Khushi several times in these days. Smirk appeared on his face at the thought of Khushi looking flabbergasted. "She does not know me yet." He thought. "She had not understood me. What will be her reaction when she knows me completely? " His eyeballs under his eyelids moved rapidly. 

"She knows nothing about me, about my past.... Will she accept me for who am I when she knows my past?" He opened his eyes with a start blurting "No... Khushi..!" The next passenger looked at him curiously "Did you say something?" he asked Arnav. "No" said Arnav curtly, looking away.

Back in the car, "Who is he? He is not the one I knew. Which is his true face? I really do not know him. What I know is just a tip of the iceberg. What else do I not know about him? Why does he always have to wear the mask of a smug, rude, heartless person? What is it there behind, that prevents him from being his own self?" Khushi thought bemused

" ... but why do I care? I like him the way he is and that is it. I am happy..." thought Khushi smiling. She started humming the cheerful song played on the FM in the car. She had to start her routine from Monday. She thought of staying at home on Saturday and Sunday. Papaji will be away for his Kaar Seva and she will have to be with mummiji and Elsa. Her face brightened at the idea of playing with the kids for these days.

Arnav came home late in the evening from his business tour. He was greeted by his sister. "

"Chote... you know, panditji gave us the date in October after Diwali for Aakash's marriage. There are around two months for the preparations. I am so happy for him." Arnav sighed. Two moths..." it's enough time for us to operate on our plan." He thought to himself, inadvertently dialing Khushi's number.

He went to his room. "... the wedding date is in October "... he told her immediately. Khushi started jumping with joy and said " two months...great.. so many things are to be planned.. the preparations.. . So many  things to be done ... lot of shopping for her wedding... you know, what I think is...." Khushi started off...

"Oh! Stop it.. now don't go on that track, Khushi.. What I mean is we have time to act on our plan ...Do you know what I mean?" He asked her cutting her off in the middle.

She landed on the ground with a thud from her dream state. "Yes, Arnavji I understand and I know what you are talking about....." She said in a small voice.

"Khushi.... Look I did not mean to bring you down like this... but you know... the situation we are going through...Khushi? Are you there?" Arnav asked worried.

"Yes Arnavji I am here and listening to you. I know what I need to do.." Said Khushi.

"Khushi... goodnight.." he said

"Goodnight Arnavji"

** ***

"Di Where is Aakash?" Asked Arnav coming out of his room.

"Chote, its good that you came out. I was to come  to you to ask about your dinner. Aakash came in the morning and now has gone out somewhere."

"Ok, Di., I will be little late for the dinner. I have a conference call now." Said Arnav and went to his study room. 

He dialed a number "Ok. Aman. Listen, I need you to keep the papers for the new project with BTR Group. We need to expedite the process of signing the MOU. I want you to take an appointment with our company secretary tomorrow morning. Keep our company financials ready. Keep the draft MOU sent by BTR Group ready. I want you to officially inform them that we are assigning Mr. Sham Manohar Zaa as the contact person in this project. Please attach his Profile with the document. If you do not have it, get one from him immediately, understand? " Said Arnav authoritatively. 

"Yes Sir" said Aman.

He scanned through his emails. There was a mail from one Mr. Banerjee CEO, Spinning and weaving Kolkata Pvt. Ltd. (A company of BTR Group) introducing himself as deputed person to acquisition of the spinning mill project. Arnav smirked. He knew what was there in the mail. He opened it to find that Mr. Balwindar Singh had introduced Arnav Singh Raizada to Mr. Banerjee as the potential liaisioning officer for the acquisition and Mr. Banerjee had written to him copying to Mr. Balwindar Singh. The hard papers would follow. Arnav admired the promptness.