Part 45

He came out to the dining table. Sham was nowhere to be seen. "Di where is jijaji?" he asked. He hated to call him Jijaji. 

"Oh! He has gone out of Delhi for some urgent work today early morning" said Anjali. "Chote, I am so happy that he has started working with you all. This way your burden will shift. You know, he is working so hard. He said he will have to manage so many government officials for this project. He requires lot of money. I told him that if he is working officially then the company will provide him with all the required facilities and  money..." Arnav chocked. 

She looked at him... "Chote what happened?"

"Nothing Di. I mean yes... company bears all the expenses... upon submitting the bills, at actuals..." He said thinking hard and reviewing his options. 

"Yes Chote, but you know he had to go out for the work and you and Aakash were not there so I helped him with the money." Anjali said.

"Wa.. what? I mean.. ok. Ask him to submit the bills once he comes back. I will reimburse the money to you, Di! .. By the way, how much did you pay him?"
"Five Lacs.." Said Anjali. "What? And all in cash?" Arnav asked in a hollow voice.
"Yes, but why? " Anjali asked looking hurt.

"No.. I mean.. Its ok Di. But please issue a cheque next time when you want to give him any money. Cash transactions are difficult to justify you know..." Arnav told coming back to his senses. 

He could not continue with his dinner. He came to his room thinking about sham and where he might have gone.

** ***
Sham boarded the bus to come back to Delhi in the night from Kanpur. He had taken a flight from Delhi to Kanpur in the morning. He had finished his work pretty fast and was happy that everything went as per his expectations. He did not have to worry about it anymore. A smirk appeared on his face. "Raani Sahiba....thank you for being in love with me...." He muttered. He had done lot of things in these two days of Arnav and Aakash's absence to keep himself ready to take over this project. 

*** ***
Khushi had called Payal in the evening on Friday. "Jiji, you can now tell the truth about shamji to Aakashji. I know it might have been difficult for you to hide this from him. And now you can tell him. But please call me after that. I want to know what his reaction is. But keep it a secret from everyone else.." She had told Payal.

Then she had called happyji garage wala. "Hello happyji. How are you?" she had greeted him.
"Hello Khushiji. How are you? From where are you calling? I saw you a last week here. But you had no time to talk to happyji." He said little hurt. 

"That's why I called you happyji, I am sorry I could not talk to you when I was in Delhi. I have taken up a new job you see and I could not stay for long in Delhi. You know, I am worried about my family. But I am happy that you are all around and I am sure you will help them." Khushi said apprehensively.

"Yes Khushiji. Don't worry we are all here. " Said happyji happily.
"Happyji I will keep calling you frequently to ask about them. You know they don't tell me anything, thinking that I will be unnecessarily worried. So I will be calling you and you have to tell me everything ok?" she told happyji.

"Yes Khushiji I will keep an eye on them and will tell you if anything happens. By the way Sham ji is not to be seen now a day. What happened? The other day he had called. Did he leave your place? He was telling me that he got a new house. He was asking about you. I told him you are here in Delhi.." Khushi was able to turn the conversation in right direction.

"Yes Happyji. He has left but he is very much concerned about our family, If he calls back tell him that I was asking about him.. you know.. I wanted to meet him but could not. Ok then I will call you some other day. " Khushi hung up.

*** **
"Bhai, are you still awake?" Asked Aakash, knocking on the door. "Yes Aakash get in" Said Arnav shutting down his laptop and getting ready to talk to Aakash. 

"Bhai, are you still awake?" Asked Aakash, knocking on the door. "Yes Aakash get in" Said Arnav shutting down his laptop and getting ready to talk to Aakash. 

Khushi's cell rang. It was payal. "Khushi... you know... the wedding will be in October... Khushi..?" Payal sounded very happy. Khushi already knew about it through Arnav.

"Oh! Is it? That's great JIJI .. Congratulations... we can plan for the wedding from now on. I have thought about so many things for your marriage... and you know I am inviting papaji's daughter in law Elsa for the wedding.. She will really love to be a part of Indian Wedding... You know she is an American..." As usual Khushi chirped.

"Khushi... wait... there is one more thing I want to tell you. I met Aakashji this evening. He gave me the news about our wedding. Then we went for a walk in the park. I told him everything. Initially he was shocked but then said he could not believe this. He was not ready to accept that his jijaji would do such things. Khushi he did not speak anything after that and we came back. He just left without even wishing me ....Khushi.... Khushi? Khushi? Are you there?" Payal screamed in panic. 

"ye.. yes jiji, I am here and listening... " Khushi said coming back to her senses.
"Khushi... I am afraid... he just could not digest it. He was so upset. I think he did not believe my words... Khushi... I am really scared. What if he goes and tells it in the house and these people reject... I mean, I know I have told only the truth but ... Khushi.. did I make a mistake?" Payal was really panic and scared.

"Jiji, you did the right thing. May be he is upset that you did not tell him before... he must have felt hurt.."Khushi said in a fake optimism. She knew something was wrong and if Aakash ji did not believe Payal and there is possibility that he may turn his back on her... then their plan would fail and Arnav will be all alone to handle it. Her heart ached.

"Jiji, don't worry... It's a shock for him so he behaved little weird. Everything will be alright. Now please go to sleep. I will call you tomorrow." Said Khushi in a firm voice.
She tried calling Arnav but he did not pick up the phone.

*** ***
"Hello Aakash, Congratulations...! The D Date is finally fixed." Said Arnav smiling and outstretching his hand for a shake. But Aakash looked all lost.

"Bhai, we need to talk. I am shock with Payalji's revelation. I just can't believe it. Bhai..." Aakash looked around and said "We need to go out. I cannot just take it in.."
"Ok. Aakash let us go.." He put his phone on a vibrate mode and left with Aakash. He knew what was coming ....

"Bhai... " Aakash blurted. They were in the car and Arnav was driving. "Bhai I cannot believe this. Jijaji... how could he do this? I mean its unbelievable ... but then why would payal ji tell me this if its not true. But how can it be true?" Aakash went on muttering.
"Aakash... stop it and tell me what did payal told you.." Arnav looked at Aakash questioningly, pulling over the car at a secluded place.

"Bhai.... She told me that Jijaji was staying with them as paying guest and he got engaged to Khushi ji. And was about to marry her. And when Khushiji came to know about his truth he tried to put all the blame on her in front of you and you married her to resolve the issue...But how is it possible? Khushiji used to come to our house almost every day. How come she did not see him in our house? I mean this is unbelievable. I ... I really don't know whom to believe..." Aakash said all this in one breath and then stopped to breathe.

"Aakash, The same was my reaction when I saw them together in the temple that night. I too didn't know whom to believe. I married her in the same state of confusion and then realized what I had done. But Aakash, its true...what Payal told you is true." Arnav said gravely looking at Aakash.

"But bhai... Di and Jijaji...I mean they are so deeply in love ... l used to look at them as ideal couple. This is impossible to accept. They are so much in love with each other...."
"Love? Did you say love? Aakash, its only Di's love" Said Arnav painfully. "Whether its dumbness or blind faith, I do not know... but ...Di loves him blindly, she has closed her mind on everything else. Di is in deep trouble..." Arnav said gravely.

"What? What do you mean Bhai? Why...?" Asked Aakash.